A Roll of the Dice: A New Kind of Reading Experience

by Matt Shaw

When he rolls the dice, you roll the dice.
A new reading experience from MATT SHAW

Genres: Horror, Horror Thriller

131 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 26, 2021

About the author

Biography

MATT SHAW was born, quite by accident (his mother tripped, he shot out) September 30th 1980 in Winchester hospital where he was immediately placed on the baby ward and EBay. Some twelve years later (wandering the corridors of the hospital and playing with road kill when he was on day release), the listing closed and he remained unsold, he was booted out of the hospital to start his life as a writer and hobbit – beginning with writing screenplays and short stories for his own amusement before finally getting published when he was twenty-seven years and forty-five seconds old.


Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. Has to be said, can be a bit of a flirt and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, somewhat of a klutz.

Favourite books
"Roald Dahl's Collection of Short Stories"
Tim Burton's Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy
Anything, really, written by himself. Because he is that good.

Reviews

[Dani Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uhh. Why?

To be fair, the concept of this book was great. I love a good choose your own adventure book, and the dice rolling element in this one was fun. However, this was "shock value" horror at its absolute worst (I'm talking even worse than Cows), and wasn't even well-written to make up for it. The stories were tacky and lacked depth, but always came in with some god awful trigger-filled scene just to be classified as "horror".

Also, beastiality and necrophilia DON'T MAKE A GOOD SHOCKING HORROR STORY. And that was the entire premise of this book.

So yeah, I don't recommend this one. If you're looking for a fun choose your own adventure story, look anywhere but in this book.

[Pax · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved choose your own adventure books as a kid....and now I love horror. This combined the two! Such fun!

[Kirsty Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great fun book where you roll a dice to see where to go next in the story.
So it's Matt Shaw so you know you are in for a "horrific" treat in the best possible way. Read twice and managed to get two different surprise endings. Will definitely read numerous times to try and get them all. For those with less patience there's a key at the back with the possible paths but where's the fun in that?!

[Lorna Harvey · Rating 2 out of 5]

A solid meh. Interesting concept, but the basic shock horror stuff really let it down. Beastiality and rape does not a good horror book make.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't think I'll ever go on a date again after reading this. This was so disturbing. I feel a bit sick having finished it. I didn't know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't that.

Cool concept, but my second time reading it, I read each chapter in order just because I didn't like the idea of skipping so much of it for the shorter stories.

I don't think it was well written, but i do think it could've been a good novel if it was.

I do not recommend reading it. It was sick and just not worth the time tbh.

[Meghan Kane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uh yea sorry that was a bit much. Gross.

[Jenny Robinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Major trigger warnings
Necrophilla
Bestiality

Not my cup of tea

[Niamhyyy12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Roll the dice and let it decide your fate but in this book YOU the reader will decide

I enjoyed the game part of the book I was giggling and excited to see what I got- (bullied to the end) was my “real” ending but I couldn’t stop and needed to see every other ending-
I don’t think my ending was half bad but
as shaw said “I wanted to show you how quickly you can ruin your own life by playing game of chance”

With my unlucky ass I would be 💀 first roll 😩

The “horror” part of the book was actually quite mid tbh was a little sad with it but honestly I was excited and happy just to be able to play a game whiles reading!!!

Would love more books to have this experience within because I love a game of chance:)

[Tracy Halls · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it!!

Remember reading pick your own ending books when I was younger and loved them, enjoyed Matt's version when that was released but was excited when I first heard about this role a dice idea!
Finally got round to reading it and it's kept me entertained for hours, I played and played until I found every possible combination and all were equally as good!
Not one for snowflakes as some of it is defiantly not pretty but I don't read horror for hearts and flowers!!
Brilliant!!

[Brianna Noelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Matt Shaw's stories are not for the faint of heart. They aren't kidding when labeling his work as extreme. They're also hit or miss for me. With this one I liked the set up of the rolling of the dice to decide your fate instead of a traditional choose your own adventure, more than I actually liked the storyline. 🤷‍♀️

[Khurshid Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read of the author, and what a read it was. The attention to detail was brilliant as it invites us to imagine the scene play out in front of us.

The roll of the dice is a unique book as it requires us readers to participate in the plot and select our own endings with the roll of a dice.

A must read for horror fans. Some scenes will not be for everyone.

[Cassi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another unfortunate read. The premise of this book was all too exciting. I loved reading the Pick Your Own Story Goosebumps series as a kid. I love them as an adult as well. Living only by the roll of a dice; awesome, I loved the thought of it all. But once again Matt Shaw dives into the decision that throwing something at the wall and whatever sticks is what's good. I'm not going to complain about the dog vagina or dead bodies, it's extreme horror, of course it's all going to be there. It's like walking into a haunted house and having the ghosts pop out at you, only it's blood and dicks.

The premise for this book was riveting as I said, very good. But your writing leaves so much to be desired. Of course, anyone should be encouraged to write. From one writer to another, I applaud your continuous efforts. But your ego shows itself all too well within your..rather moist pages. You try very hard to be clever. You're not. You try very hard to be edgy. You're not. Unfortunately when we write we open ourselves to an array of thoughts, and we must be humbled by the fact that while we can craft, others can read. We write for ourselves, we *publish* for the masses.

From the first chapter I was bored with the characters. This isn't an office job, this is a high school. Who calls another man a "freak" and talks about his dad dressed as a woman in a professional setting? Where is HR? Sentences are repeated, with the first instance being in the third chapter, giving off less of a "emphasis" vibe and more of a bad style choice and lazy editing. But I can't feel bad for him, he's just one of Matt Shaw's fantasies (as is the dog, apparently) he doesn't make him feel like a real person at all.

With this, I leave Matt Shaw behind. Unfortunate that such a unique and exciting premise was wasted. Normally I'd be sorry for leaving such a harsh and critical review, but something tells me this one deserves it.

[Kaylyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a devoted fan of Matt Shaw's work, stumbling upon "A Roll of the Dice" and discovering its choose-your-own-adventure vibe had me intrigued from the get-go. While my overall rating landed at a solid 3 stars, it's not without its merits, especially for those curious about a different side of Shaw's storytelling.

Now, compared to some of Shaw's other works, it might not stand out as much. It's what I'd call average, missing the punch that I've come to expect from this author. However, the choose-your-own-adventure setup brings a whole new flavor to the mix.

The ability to shape the story's outcome based on your choices adds a unique layer to the traditional extreme horror narrative. It's like you're in control of the nightmare, steering it toward different dark corners. The unpredictability of each decision keeps you on your toes and adds a replay value that's hard to resist.

While "A Roll of the Dice" might not be the one you'll gush about to your book club, it's undeniably a playful addition to Matt Shaw's repertoire. It's the kind of book you play more for the experience and curiosity rather than the literary finesse. So, if you're looking for a different kind of thrill and don't mind sacrificing a bit of writing flair for a unique adventure, give this one a roll.

[✟⛥☠︎︎~ Kelli ~☠︎︎⛥✟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎲 Book Review 🎲

A Roll of the Dice - Matt Shaw 🩸

I absolutely loved this book!! Not just for its writing and disturbingly depraved story but also for its unique format. 📕

Matt Shaw is known for pushing boundaries in horror, but this book takes it to another level with its interactive storytelling. The concept of letting both the character and the reader roll the dice to dictate the narrative is brilliant! It adds an unpredictable, almost game-like element that makes every read feel personal and unique. 10/10 for originality and concept! 🎲

Beyond the innovative format, the book delivers the signature dark, twisted, and depraved storytelling Shaw is famous for. The first-person perspective makes it even more immersive, forcing the reader into the disturbing mindset of the protagonist,a creepy individual whose every action is dictated by chance. This randomness heightens the tension because, just like him, we have no control over what happens next.🩸

It’s definitely not a book for the faint of heart, but for horror fans looking for something fresh and disturbing, A Roll of the Dice is a must-read. The blend of originality, interactivity, and Shaw’s knack for unsettling storytelling makes this a standout. 10/10 for concept and execution! 🎲

🎲🩸🎲🩸🎲🩸🎲🩸🎲🩸🎲🩸🎲🩸🎲🩸🎲🩸🎲🩸🎲

#MattShaw #HorrorBook #ARollOfTheDice #InteractiveFiction #DarkFiction #PsychologicalHorror #UniqueReadingExperience #HorrorNovel #DisturbingReads #DiceRollBook #ImmersiveStorytelling #MustRead #HorrorFan #BookReview

[Bronwyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all 3.5 stars as it was a super interesting concept


I was slightly let down with the overall content of the book. Wasn’t too happy that there was beastiality. I just really don’t think that’s necessary. I’ve generally enjoyed Shaw’s books (minus the fact that there’s always spelling mistakes???) however this one just didn’t really do it for me. It’s kinda like a chose your own adventure except this isn’t an adventure that you want to go on. I made my way through all of the major stores as the chapters are quite short. I even found the “true” ending. I’ll probably go back some time and try and work my way through a few more. There are tons of different paths and there’s almost 40 chapters that will move the story along. All of the ending as very different, even the paths are very different. It’s pretty much like a bunch of short stories in a book except you have no clue what story you’re getting

[Mickey · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, the main character rolls a die to make decisions — and we get to make them right along with him. Every time he rolls, the reader has to roll too, and the number you land on determines which chapter you go to next. After dying a few times, I finally made it to the true story and ending. But of course, I didn’t stop there — I had to see where else the story would take me.

The idea was great. Who didn’t love Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid? Having an extreme horror version sounded like a fun way to spend the day. However, I felt the “horror” was toned down compared to the author’s other works. While it was still a fun read, it just wasn’t as good as I’d hoped. And the scenes with the dog? Not for me. My dog had his head on my lap during a certain part, and I had to shoo him away because I just couldn’t have him near me. 😅

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I used to love pick-a-path books, so the chance to do an adult horror one was appealing. I also liked that I didn't have to take responsibility for a poor choice because playing with a dice (I used a generator online as I didn't have my own) takes that away.

That was the only thing that earned it the two meager stars it got. I have played through a few times now and I'm finding the writing to be meh, and the horror just seems to be chucked in at the end of a chapter that just ends the story suddenly. Wouldn't be a problem if it happened once, but after three reads of the same thing, I was over it.
The horror isn't cleaver but maybe it's the only way it can be done for the books style.
I'm sure there are more paths with longer stories, but I'm kinda over it now.

[Serenity Pickles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grim - And fantastic work

As usual Matt delivers on a shockingly grim and extremely satisfying read.
I really all the Matt Shaw books I can (which is most of them) and this style of writing - where you roll the dice to see where it takes you is by far the best.
Can you write more with optional routes please Matt.
Because of you I am the number one fan of extreme horror and torture. In fact, I have started to plan one of my own instead of the usual erotica or psychological horrors and thrillers I usually write.
Don’t ever change!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was.... different.

*********READ TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS BOOK BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO PLAY**********

I don't even know what to actually rate it. I knew what I was getting into and for the most part, a lot of it wasn't that bad. There are some very disturbing parts though. The Kindle version was cut down as well for being to um graphic.

Choose your own adventure part was cool.

[Stevie Hostetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy and Intense

This book had it all and was a wild ride. I thoroughly loved going to each different scene. It was so entertaining to see where to go to next. I hope that Matt Shaw makes another book like this. It took me a day to go through all the possibilities.

Definitely recommend for extreme horror fans.

[Matthew Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cool take on the choose your own adventure books. I rolled the dice through four different scenarios, and then used the key in the back to read a couple of particular storylines. I liked it, it was fun and had some pretty extreme scenes, which is the reason we read Matt Shaw, right? 

[Shy · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES....YES ITS YES. READ THIS.

i loved the rolling of the dice and tried to get through all the possible stories. i think there were only a couple i didn't get to, but i LOVED every ending i read. and the story was good. I LOVE YOU MATT SHAW!

[Amina Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extreme horror, choose your own adventure book. You play along with the characters and when they roll the dice, so do you. It has many different endings and you can choose to play again or go to the true ending. Check out trigger warnings.

[Yari Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was fun I did this with my husband. I liked the choose your own way for this. Although I didn’t like that one time line where he basically had his down lick him 🤢 that was effing gross. I didn’t like that part I didn’t even see the point of having that in there.

[Cristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool choose your story by rolling the dice. Except extreme horror. Another book by Matt Shaw that I enjoyed

[Danica Barone · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was well written. Good book that made me go through all possible endings. But I was really not ready for the content 😂. Good book though if you’re into all triggers!

[Bunny Gogo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright. There was gore. The only thing I want ok with was animal abuse.

[Amanda Gilmore]

Uhhhhh.... 😬

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's extreme animal abuse scenes in Chapter 4 and Chapter 32. I had to skip. Other than that it was what you'd typically find in an extreme horror novel.

[Roberto J · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book gave me hives.