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The Pain Eater
The Pain Eater is the story of two brothers from Michigan reunited after the death of their father. They’ve never been close, but now they have to live together―and it gets more difficult when one discovers a strange creature, vomited from the body of a dead cat. A creature that eats human pain. It feels good: too good. Soon he wants to hurt himself more, just so the pain can be taken away. But the more the creature becomes a part of his life, the more he damages everything around him. Some wounds are too deep to ever heal.
274 pages, Paperback
First published July 5, 2022
12 people are currently reading
538 people want to read
About the author
Kyle Muntz
7 books121 followersKyle Muntz is the author of "The Pain Eater", a literary horror novel published by Clash Books in July 2022.
Check out "The Pain Eater" here:
https://www.clashbooks.com/new-produc...
He's also the writer and designer of "The Pale City," a dark fantasy RPG released on PC in 2020.
Link:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/11...
Check out "The Pain Eater" here:
https://www.clashbooks.com/new-produc...
He's also the writer and designer of "The Pale City," a dark fantasy RPG released on PC in 2020.
Link:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/11...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
August 29, 2022
All this time, with the creature, he’d taken care hardly to ask certain questions—what it was, where it came from. They’d taken care because a certain part of him knew there were no answers ...
I hesitate to compare books and authors in case one gives the impression you are getting something similar only in a different package, like a bag of chips. However, we all have writers we admire. Not only do we seek out reading experiences that strike the same chord, but we also become attuned to what attracts us to these writers in the works of others. Hence reading ‘The Pain Eater’ by Kyle Muntz gave me very strong Kathe Koja and Poppy Brite vibes, fringe horror writers who are absolute masters at evoking the ineffable.
What I particularly liked about ‘The Pain Eater’ is that there is a lifecycle of the titular monster lurking in there somewhere, like the egg to face hugger to chest burster to rampaging xenomorph in the Alien movies. This is a clever strategy as it allows Muntz to deliver many indelible images and leftfield ideas during the course of the book. As a savvy horror reader, I thought I knew where it was going, but I was often wrongfooted. And especially at that shocking, darkly transcendent ending.
Too often horror movies focus on upping the quotient of jump scares, while horror novels tend to foreground the physicality of their horror premise. What is much more difficult, yet far more effective, is evoking existential dread. ‘The Pain Eater’ achieves this by focusing on an increasingly fractured family struggling with the corrosive force of grief after the death of a father.
The sibling rivalry between the two teenage brothers is evoked with empathy and precision. It contrasts strongly against the surreal presence of the creature that enters the family’s orbit like a black hole with its own inescapable gravitational pull. The monster would not work nearly as well as it does if the human characters were not so believable.
There is lots going on here thematically, from dealing with mental illness to the psychological fallout of trauma, how to cope with a toxic family structure where the traditional power dynamic is upended, and the murky hormonal soup of teenage sexuality on the cusp.
Muntz does not lay on the metaphors too heavily though. Part of what gives this novel its extraordinarily visceral impact is the deliberate ambiguity of the creature, which is a looming and utterly bizarre presence even when it is not the main narrative focus.
I think CLASH Books is an independent press, and it certainly is one to watch for cutting-edge genre fiction. What did mar my reading experience was a slew of typos in the first half. I dutifully highlighted these in my ebook version but gave up after a while and just tried to read through them.
This is a very impressive horror novel that dissects a really fraught family dynamic with genuine insight. None of the characters here are particularly likeable, but Muntz engages the reader’s empathy and curiosity throughout. He then injects an even darker Lovecraftian dynamic into the mix, without sacrificing any of the underlying psychological realism. It is a fine balance to strike, but Muntz nails it. ‘The Pain Eater’ is likely to linger at the back of my mind for a long time to come.
I hesitate to compare books and authors in case one gives the impression you are getting something similar only in a different package, like a bag of chips. However, we all have writers we admire. Not only do we seek out reading experiences that strike the same chord, but we also become attuned to what attracts us to these writers in the works of others. Hence reading ‘The Pain Eater’ by Kyle Muntz gave me very strong Kathe Koja and Poppy Brite vibes, fringe horror writers who are absolute masters at evoking the ineffable.
What I particularly liked about ‘The Pain Eater’ is that there is a lifecycle of the titular monster lurking in there somewhere, like the egg to face hugger to chest burster to rampaging xenomorph in the Alien movies. This is a clever strategy as it allows Muntz to deliver many indelible images and leftfield ideas during the course of the book. As a savvy horror reader, I thought I knew where it was going, but I was often wrongfooted. And especially at that shocking, darkly transcendent ending.
Too often horror movies focus on upping the quotient of jump scares, while horror novels tend to foreground the physicality of their horror premise. What is much more difficult, yet far more effective, is evoking existential dread. ‘The Pain Eater’ achieves this by focusing on an increasingly fractured family struggling with the corrosive force of grief after the death of a father.
The sibling rivalry between the two teenage brothers is evoked with empathy and precision. It contrasts strongly against the surreal presence of the creature that enters the family’s orbit like a black hole with its own inescapable gravitational pull. The monster would not work nearly as well as it does if the human characters were not so believable.
There is lots going on here thematically, from dealing with mental illness to the psychological fallout of trauma, how to cope with a toxic family structure where the traditional power dynamic is upended, and the murky hormonal soup of teenage sexuality on the cusp.
Muntz does not lay on the metaphors too heavily though. Part of what gives this novel its extraordinarily visceral impact is the deliberate ambiguity of the creature, which is a looming and utterly bizarre presence even when it is not the main narrative focus.
I think CLASH Books is an independent press, and it certainly is one to watch for cutting-edge genre fiction. What did mar my reading experience was a slew of typos in the first half. I dutifully highlighted these in my ebook version but gave up after a while and just tried to read through them.
This is a very impressive horror novel that dissects a really fraught family dynamic with genuine insight. None of the characters here are particularly likeable, but Muntz engages the reader’s empathy and curiosity throughout. He then injects an even darker Lovecraftian dynamic into the mix, without sacrificing any of the underlying psychological realism. It is a fine balance to strike, but Muntz nails it. ‘The Pain Eater’ is likely to linger at the back of my mind for a long time to come.
December 20, 2022
A unique, gruesome metaphor of resentment, grief, and pain. Vivid and filled with suspense, readers will not only be looking over their shoulders, but inwards at their own emotions and relationships. Pain and hate so often consume us, our motivations, the people around us, but what an interesting, terrible thing it would be to feed it to something else. This was a compelling read, and a hard-hitting debut. Great for fans of creature features!
Bonus: What a striking cover, it immediately drew my attention.
Thank you to Book Sirens and Kyle Muntz for this ARC, check out this book in July 2022!
Bonus: What a striking cover, it immediately drew my attention.
Thank you to Book Sirens and Kyle Muntz for this ARC, check out this book in July 2022!
September 1, 2022
Hi all! Thanks to everyone who has supported this book by reviewing it here or on Amazon. Every one of them helps, and I'm incredibly grateful for the support.
June 5, 2022
I really wanted to like this book. Based on the cover and description, I was excited to start reading the novel. Unfortunately, the story didn’t capture my attention. I managed to finish it, though.
The characters were simply dysfunctional. Each of them had their own baggage and carried them everywhere. It was pretty depressing. Add in a repulsive creature and you have a soup of despair.
I didn’t find anything scary or horrifying about the narrative. To me, it was just convoluted and weird. The novel read like separate chapters going nowhere, unfortunately. Gave the novel 1.5 stars rounded up.
I received a digital ARC from the author, Kyle Muntz. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
The characters were simply dysfunctional. Each of them had their own baggage and carried them everywhere. It was pretty depressing. Add in a repulsive creature and you have a soup of despair.
I didn’t find anything scary or horrifying about the narrative. To me, it was just convoluted and weird. The novel read like separate chapters going nowhere, unfortunately. Gave the novel 1.5 stars rounded up.
I received a digital ARC from the author, Kyle Muntz. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
July 17, 2022
Make no mistake, this is a captivating horror story – sharp with its insights into the human condition, superbly told, with characters that the reader want to invest in – yet The Pain Eater, for those that want it to be, could also be a philosophical commentary upon suffering. It is a testament to Kyle Muntz’s skill and style as a writer that entertainment and depth can be seamlessly woven together.
You can read Joe Haward's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Joe Haward's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
August 18, 2022
2.5 rounded up to 3.
The Pain Eater is the story of two brothers from Michigan reunited after the death of their father. They’ve never been close, but now they have to live together―and it gets more difficult when one discovers a strange creature, vomited from the body of a dead cat. A creature that eats human pain. It feels good: too good. Soon he wants to hurt himself more, just so the pain can be taken away. But the more the creature becomes a part of his life, the more he damages everything around him. Some wounds are too deep to ever heal.
I still don’t really know what the ‘pain eater’ actually was or where it came from. Nevertheless, I loved the whole unnerving, uncomfortable, nails on a chalkboard, grinding my teeth feeling that Muntz created in his writing at the beginning of the story… there were times when I really felt disgusted and horrified yet couldn’t pry my eyes away from the book as I needed to know what happened next.
However, for me, the story didn’t finish as well as it began… I didn’t believe the ending and throughout the story I became detached and desensitised to the characters’ journeys, so much so that I found that I didn’t really care what happened at the end, which kind of worked out well considering it wasn’t all that great of a finale.
The Pain Eater is the story of two brothers from Michigan reunited after the death of their father. They’ve never been close, but now they have to live together―and it gets more difficult when one discovers a strange creature, vomited from the body of a dead cat. A creature that eats human pain. It feels good: too good. Soon he wants to hurt himself more, just so the pain can be taken away. But the more the creature becomes a part of his life, the more he damages everything around him. Some wounds are too deep to ever heal.
I still don’t really know what the ‘pain eater’ actually was or where it came from. Nevertheless, I loved the whole unnerving, uncomfortable, nails on a chalkboard, grinding my teeth feeling that Muntz created in his writing at the beginning of the story… there were times when I really felt disgusted and horrified yet couldn’t pry my eyes away from the book as I needed to know what happened next.
However, for me, the story didn’t finish as well as it began… I didn’t believe the ending and throughout the story I became detached and desensitised to the characters’ journeys, so much so that I found that I didn’t really care what happened at the end, which kind of worked out well considering it wasn’t all that great of a finale.
June 6, 2022
Big thanks to Kyle for sending me a digital ARC of this book!
I went into this book pretty blind. I’d read the synopsis when he first offered it, but I read a dozen or so books in between and didn’t reread the blurb before diving in when it arrived at the top of my TBR list.
All I can say, is I suggest maybe you do the same thing?! As this one rockets out of the starting blocks and doesn’t hold back from the word go.
I’ll be straight up here – there’s a few things in here that may require some trigger warnings. I received an ARC and didn’t notice any warnings, but that may change for the release of the book. But be aware – a cat dies and characters purposefully hurt themselves and cut themselves (there is a reason for it).
Saying all of that, this book seemingly walks the tightrope wire of straight ahead bleak story and Bizarro story.
What I liked: The story follows two brothers, both who detest their mother, who reconnect/begin to live together after their father dies. The oldest, Steven, moves back into his dad’s house after his death, so that he can take care of and watch over his younger brother, Michael. Additionally, Michaels female friend spends a lot of time at the house. When a stray cat that has been around for some time, dies, it vomits forth a strange little creature, one that seems to eat their grief and pain.
The storytelling in this is both metaphorical but also surface level-straight forward. I think the reader will decide this. They can either take it as a deeper philosophical look at pain and grief and loss, or they can simply read a book about a creature that sucks on people and takes their pain away. It’s a really intriguing way to tell the story.
Additionally, I really liked when we get an unexpected visitor who shares something in common with the brothers and we get a really great lead up to the ending, which worked for me. It was violent and visceral and ultimately telling of how the characters had evolved.
What I didn’t like: I actually hated every character. I know hate is a strong word, but I found nothing redeeming about them and if it wasn’t for the intrigue of the creature, I would’ve dnf’d the book. The way they spoke to each other and interacted was frustrating, as was every interaction with the mother. The one sex scene that takes place became a thorn in my side as then the character believed she was immediately pregnant and it steered away from how the characters normally were.
Why you should buy this: I think if the synopsis grabs you and you’re looking for a story that’ll push you to work to see the layers that need to be unraveled, then definitely dive into this. This was one that I think the Bizarro crowd will definitely dive into and devour, but for the more straightforward horror readers, this may not be a great fit.
I went into this book pretty blind. I’d read the synopsis when he first offered it, but I read a dozen or so books in between and didn’t reread the blurb before diving in when it arrived at the top of my TBR list.
All I can say, is I suggest maybe you do the same thing?! As this one rockets out of the starting blocks and doesn’t hold back from the word go.
I’ll be straight up here – there’s a few things in here that may require some trigger warnings. I received an ARC and didn’t notice any warnings, but that may change for the release of the book. But be aware – a cat dies and characters purposefully hurt themselves and cut themselves (there is a reason for it).
Saying all of that, this book seemingly walks the tightrope wire of straight ahead bleak story and Bizarro story.
What I liked: The story follows two brothers, both who detest their mother, who reconnect/begin to live together after their father dies. The oldest, Steven, moves back into his dad’s house after his death, so that he can take care of and watch over his younger brother, Michael. Additionally, Michaels female friend spends a lot of time at the house. When a stray cat that has been around for some time, dies, it vomits forth a strange little creature, one that seems to eat their grief and pain.
The storytelling in this is both metaphorical but also surface level-straight forward. I think the reader will decide this. They can either take it as a deeper philosophical look at pain and grief and loss, or they can simply read a book about a creature that sucks on people and takes their pain away. It’s a really intriguing way to tell the story.
Additionally, I really liked when we get an unexpected visitor who shares something in common with the brothers and we get a really great lead up to the ending, which worked for me. It was violent and visceral and ultimately telling of how the characters had evolved.
What I didn’t like: I actually hated every character. I know hate is a strong word, but I found nothing redeeming about them and if it wasn’t for the intrigue of the creature, I would’ve dnf’d the book. The way they spoke to each other and interacted was frustrating, as was every interaction with the mother. The one sex scene that takes place became a thorn in my side as then the character believed she was immediately pregnant and it steered away from how the characters normally were.
Why you should buy this: I think if the synopsis grabs you and you’re looking for a story that’ll push you to work to see the layers that need to be unraveled, then definitely dive into this. This was one that I think the Bizarro crowd will definitely dive into and devour, but for the more straightforward horror readers, this may not be a great fit.
Read
April 16, 2022Pain Eater was offered to me by the author-Kyle Muntz, and the premise sounded so interesting, I asked to read a couple chapters of it before making up my mind.
Well, a couple chapters turned into almost half the book. The story about two brothers reuniting after the death of their dad, explores this dysfunctional family and their relationships between one another, through the two young men and their discovery of an entity (I didn’t get far enough to find out what it is exactly) that eats pain.
This has a literary horror slant with lots of relationship exploration, and I really liked the psychological aspects a lot. But I had a hard time with the little bit of body horror, and some of the gooier scenes. I have the weakest stomach ever for this sort of thing, which is ridiculous when I have no problems with fight scenes or horror films, but a little bit of pus, or any kind of exuding body gooeyness, and I’m a baby.
Thank you goes to Kyle Muntz for the offer and ecopy.
dnf 50% (no rating for dnf's)
Well, a couple chapters turned into almost half the book. The story about two brothers reuniting after the death of their dad, explores this dysfunctional family and their relationships between one another, through the two young men and their discovery of an entity (I didn’t get far enough to find out what it is exactly) that eats pain.
This has a literary horror slant with lots of relationship exploration, and I really liked the psychological aspects a lot. But I had a hard time with the little bit of body horror, and some of the gooier scenes. I have the weakest stomach ever for this sort of thing, which is ridiculous when I have no problems with fight scenes or horror films, but a little bit of pus, or any kind of exuding body gooeyness, and I’m a baby.
Thank you goes to Kyle Muntz for the offer and ecopy.
dnf 50% (no rating for dnf's)
May 29, 2022
I might have actually enjoyed this story if I could have gotten past the ill treatment of that poor cat! And how stupid these people seem to be. ( sorry but I'm a cat lover/rescuer, so it's pretty much my life.) Has this author never heard of a vet? I mean, given the characters are written to be kinda shitty people anyway.... But I can read small bits of animal violence if it's like an extremely small bit.( I'm not a prude) but I just couldn't take the graphic descriptions of how they left the poor thing laying there, the girl Halie laughing about it, etc. Etc. Enough is enough. You ask any group of people what's the one thing they may turn away from in horror and you get two answers. Child abuse/ molestation and animal abuse. So when will authors learn, you ain't gonna win no readers that way.
Like I said, might have ended up being a good story. I didn't read past the chick laughing and carrying on at the poor dead cat.
Like I said, might have ended up being a good story. I didn't read past the chick laughing and carrying on at the poor dead cat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2022
An interesting and tense tale about loss, grief, families and the pains we suffer throughout life and a mysterious creature that feeds on that grief and pain.
From the beginning I found this story quite captivating but eventually this became a bit of a slow burn. This is my only real gripe and ultimately the main reason for my three star rating.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
From the beginning I found this story quite captivating but eventually this became a bit of a slow burn. This is my only real gripe and ultimately the main reason for my three star rating.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 6, 2022
The Pain Eater
4.25⭐️
Original, disturbing, and imaginative- all things that make for a great horror story, of which Muntz is not in short supply. His morbid tale follows brothers Michael and Steven as they deal with the aftermath of their father’s death. Along with live-in friend Halie, they discover a creature born from the corpse of a stray cat Michael had cared for; the only purpose Michael seemed to have after his dad’s death. The creature has a sort of mind-meld bond with Michael, and he discovers that it feeds off of his pain. Eventually all three are testing it’s abilities, limits, and the levels of euphoria they can reach after it takes away the pain.
The creature continues to grow, and desires to wander outside, finding other creatures to fight. Michael is like an emo Ash Ketchum, and his pain allows it to keep evolving until it is ready for more battles. The brothers use it as a crutch for dealing with their grief and pain, and the story becomes even darker and more frenzied.
I didn’t give it 5 stars because the beginning felt flat and a bit slow for me, and I found the brothers’ issues with their mom strange. Michael’s fraught relationship with her felt overstated, and he was repetitively and needlessly antagonistic.
Fans of horror will love this. It was graphic, it was unsettling, and it was a wildly dark take on trauma and family.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
TW: animal death, death of parent, self-harm, vomit, blood, sexual content
4.25⭐️
Original, disturbing, and imaginative- all things that make for a great horror story, of which Muntz is not in short supply. His morbid tale follows brothers Michael and Steven as they deal with the aftermath of their father’s death. Along with live-in friend Halie, they discover a creature born from the corpse of a stray cat Michael had cared for; the only purpose Michael seemed to have after his dad’s death. The creature has a sort of mind-meld bond with Michael, and he discovers that it feeds off of his pain. Eventually all three are testing it’s abilities, limits, and the levels of euphoria they can reach after it takes away the pain.
The creature continues to grow, and desires to wander outside, finding other creatures to fight. Michael is like an emo Ash Ketchum, and his pain allows it to keep evolving until it is ready for more battles. The brothers use it as a crutch for dealing with their grief and pain, and the story becomes even darker and more frenzied.
I didn’t give it 5 stars because the beginning felt flat and a bit slow for me, and I found the brothers’ issues with their mom strange. Michael’s fraught relationship with her felt overstated, and he was repetitively and needlessly antagonistic.
Fans of horror will love this. It was graphic, it was unsettling, and it was a wildly dark take on trauma and family.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
TW: animal death, death of parent, self-harm, vomit, blood, sexual content
May 10, 2022
The best book I've read in years. The creativity of this novel is exactly what's been missing from fiction since David Foster Wallace. The characters are so believable it reads like nonfiction. And not only did The Pain Eater have the absolute best closing scene I can remember, I'll also never forget that opening scene!
June 20, 2022
I received an ARC for an honest review:
I really liked the story in this one. Very original, well thought out and well paced. The main characters were well developed and went through interesting ARC’s. My issue is the same as with many books, that it could really use some focused editing. There were missing words, duplicate words, and sentences and paragraphs that could be shortened some. The long, run-on paragraphs occasionally left me wanting to skip ahead. I didn’t, but that’s not a good thing. I think I would easily give this 4 ⭐️ if it had some editing. In the end it was an enjoyable read.
I really liked the story in this one. Very original, well thought out and well paced. The main characters were well developed and went through interesting ARC’s. My issue is the same as with many books, that it could really use some focused editing. There were missing words, duplicate words, and sentences and paragraphs that could be shortened some. The long, run-on paragraphs occasionally left me wanting to skip ahead. I didn’t, but that’s not a good thing. I think I would easily give this 4 ⭐️ if it had some editing. In the end it was an enjoyable read.
August 15, 2022
First thanks a lot to the author for sending me an ARC copy of The Pain Eater!
It's been a bit since I read a full-on horror novel and I had very mixed feelings. I'm a huge fan of gore but I'm also easily disgusted by other things, especially if its related to animals or eating (pretty contradictory I know).
So right of the start I suffer a bit with the cat stuff, and I couldn't wait for it to end. Besides that I'll say that I actually think the character work is fantastic, especially the portrayal of grief, loss and a great metaphor using pain and the pain eater. Really I think this is the greatest point of this novel, the way the author tells you this story.
Now what I think was the weakest point for me, at this point we all know I'm a plot driven reader, and sadly I don't think the plot here is very well flesh out. It more like an exploration of this feelings of loss and how this characters are acting according to it.
That's why my rating is 3 stars, while I think a lot of people will enjoy it, a great plot is a fundamental point for me, still don't hesitate on giving it a try!
It's been a bit since I read a full-on horror novel and I had very mixed feelings. I'm a huge fan of gore but I'm also easily disgusted by other things, especially if its related to animals or eating (pretty contradictory I know).
So right of the start I suffer a bit with the cat stuff, and I couldn't wait for it to end. Besides that I'll say that I actually think the character work is fantastic, especially the portrayal of grief, loss and a great metaphor using pain and the pain eater. Really I think this is the greatest point of this novel, the way the author tells you this story.
Now what I think was the weakest point for me, at this point we all know I'm a plot driven reader, and sadly I don't think the plot here is very well flesh out. It more like an exploration of this feelings of loss and how this characters are acting according to it.
That's why my rating is 3 stars, while I think a lot of people will enjoy it, a great plot is a fundamental point for me, still don't hesitate on giving it a try!
August 31, 2022
Thank you to Booksirens and the publishers for providing me with a free digital arc, to leave a voluntary and free review.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: graphic depictions of violence, blood, gore, death, self-harm, mentions of suicidal thoughts, mentions of pregnancy terminations, religious trauma, and verbal/psychological abuse.
This book begins with the death of a father, and how this circumstance brought together two brothers who have grown distant over the years. Steven and Michael are brought under the same roof due to begrudging circumstances and their intense personality differences make tensions flood the perimeter with every statement exchanged. After a sickly cat makes itself known to these brothers, another sickly presence begins to emerge, and its body seems to be attracted to pain, which so happens to reside deep within the bodies of these broken teenagers. But, as their emotions begin to be replaced with euphoria, they can't help but fear how much of their negativity could be swallowed by this creature of the unknown, before its hunger grows beyond anyone or anything's control.
I was immensely excited to start this book because the subtle horror concept in it really intrigued me. Unfortunately, I did not favor it very much. The beginning was extremely impactful and it hooked me immediately, especially with the sharp way that emotional attachments were detailed, however, the rest of the book fell a bit flat to me. The concept was extremely interesting, but at some point, I felt the plot dragging and falling into a slow-paced mundane narrative, and there was none of the suspense that I expected to be in such an eerie story. The characters were not fleshed out as actual people, but rather pieces of trauma that just kept moving around a chess board on a whim, barely falling into place when they become relevant to the unraveling plot. I lost track of what the direction of the narrative was heading because some aspects of the story felt too clumsily placed, and with the bluntness of the characters and the dragging of their conversations, I found myself detached from this book by the time I hit the 15% mark. I think that a lot more polishing could have done this book gold, but it unfolded in a very jagged and spiraling manner, so I was not able to give it higher than 1.5 stars.
Overall, this concept was extremely captivating, and, unfortunately, I did not find myself loving this book as much as I had hoped. The author did quite a good job with their debut and I am sure that many readers will appreciate this book for what it's worth. Even though it did not fit my tastes particularly, it was still interesting to read and I am grateful to Booksirens for providing me with the opportunity to read this story.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: graphic depictions of violence, blood, gore, death, self-harm, mentions of suicidal thoughts, mentions of pregnancy terminations, religious trauma, and verbal/psychological abuse.
This book begins with the death of a father, and how this circumstance brought together two brothers who have grown distant over the years. Steven and Michael are brought under the same roof due to begrudging circumstances and their intense personality differences make tensions flood the perimeter with every statement exchanged. After a sickly cat makes itself known to these brothers, another sickly presence begins to emerge, and its body seems to be attracted to pain, which so happens to reside deep within the bodies of these broken teenagers. But, as their emotions begin to be replaced with euphoria, they can't help but fear how much of their negativity could be swallowed by this creature of the unknown, before its hunger grows beyond anyone or anything's control.
I was immensely excited to start this book because the subtle horror concept in it really intrigued me. Unfortunately, I did not favor it very much. The beginning was extremely impactful and it hooked me immediately, especially with the sharp way that emotional attachments were detailed, however, the rest of the book fell a bit flat to me. The concept was extremely interesting, but at some point, I felt the plot dragging and falling into a slow-paced mundane narrative, and there was none of the suspense that I expected to be in such an eerie story. The characters were not fleshed out as actual people, but rather pieces of trauma that just kept moving around a chess board on a whim, barely falling into place when they become relevant to the unraveling plot. I lost track of what the direction of the narrative was heading because some aspects of the story felt too clumsily placed, and with the bluntness of the characters and the dragging of their conversations, I found myself detached from this book by the time I hit the 15% mark. I think that a lot more polishing could have done this book gold, but it unfolded in a very jagged and spiraling manner, so I was not able to give it higher than 1.5 stars.
Overall, this concept was extremely captivating, and, unfortunately, I did not find myself loving this book as much as I had hoped. The author did quite a good job with their debut and I am sure that many readers will appreciate this book for what it's worth. Even though it did not fit my tastes particularly, it was still interesting to read and I am grateful to Booksirens for providing me with the opportunity to read this story.
August 25, 2022
The Pain Eater is an entirely unique novel about family dynamics, pain, and mysterious creatures that feed on that pain. The writing has an indescribable eeriness to it that makes the overall tone of the novel feel more sinister by sheer expertise. Muntz knows how to write atmosphere.
The family dynamics in this were so interesting. I’ve seem a lot of children treat their mothers badly based on the way their father treated their mother and I thought that this was pretty realistic. Not that the mother was completely innocent, but a lot of times, the mother takes the brunt of emotional abuse from the family as whole. The boys took on their fair share of abuse, as well. The way they reacted to their dad’s death was understandable. Muntz has a way of digging into the deepest thoughts that people wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing and putting them to words. I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable, but I’m not sure if we were supposed to.
This is a slow-burn horror novel with some disturbing mental images. There’s animal death (which was the hardest part for me, I can’t really stomach anything that involves the death of animals or kids), but it takes place early on and relatively quickly. The imagery was grotesque, as you’d expect from a horror novel centering about a mysterious pain-eating creature being vomited up by a cat. As one might imagine, the euphoria that comes from a pain-eating creatures leads to self-harm so that the characters are able experience more of that euphoric feeling. I thought the way our author described this process was a great metaphor for the cycle of trauma, pain, and addiction. Horror is not typically my first genre choice, but I enjoyed this immensely!
Thank you so much to Kyle Muntz and Clash for the review copy! Muntz is wonderfully talented. I believe his books would be fantastic for fans of Chuck Palahniuk’s writing style.
The family dynamics in this were so interesting. I’ve seem a lot of children treat their mothers badly based on the way their father treated their mother and I thought that this was pretty realistic. Not that the mother was completely innocent, but a lot of times, the mother takes the brunt of emotional abuse from the family as whole. The boys took on their fair share of abuse, as well. The way they reacted to their dad’s death was understandable. Muntz has a way of digging into the deepest thoughts that people wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing and putting them to words. I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable, but I’m not sure if we were supposed to.
This is a slow-burn horror novel with some disturbing mental images. There’s animal death (which was the hardest part for me, I can’t really stomach anything that involves the death of animals or kids), but it takes place early on and relatively quickly. The imagery was grotesque, as you’d expect from a horror novel centering about a mysterious pain-eating creature being vomited up by a cat. As one might imagine, the euphoria that comes from a pain-eating creatures leads to self-harm so that the characters are able experience more of that euphoric feeling. I thought the way our author described this process was a great metaphor for the cycle of trauma, pain, and addiction. Horror is not typically my first genre choice, but I enjoyed this immensely!
Thank you so much to Kyle Muntz and Clash for the review copy! Muntz is wonderfully talented. I believe his books would be fantastic for fans of Chuck Palahniuk’s writing style.
May 25, 2022
The Pain Eater by Kyle Muntz is a guttural ride down a trail of pain and grief.
A dysfunctional family is torn up over the loss of their father and must cope with the feelings of resentment and anger left behind that can either bring them closer together or push them further apart.
—
After a father dies, two brothers are reunited, living together again and being forced to try and get along. Their relationship becomes more strained whenever their mother is involved, and then more-so when the younger brother discovers a strange creature in the backyard; A creature who is vomited out of the body of a dead cat. He soon discovers this creature eats human pain, and when it eats his, it feels so good. Like the first taste of a new drug, he becomes addicted to the feeling and starts experimenting, hurting himself on purpose just to have the pain taken away.
—
“𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳-𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.”
The Pain Eater will leave you hungry for more, with an itch you will want to scratch. Imagine being consumed by grief and just wanting to numb the pain. Would you do whatever it took to make it go away?
I found the family dynamic very realistic, especially in regards to the mother. The story itself was imaginative and original, and not to mention, enjoyable! The creature was super cool as well 😎.
Thanks to Kyle Muntz for sending this my way, and look for The Pain Eater out July 5th from Clash Books 🙌
A dysfunctional family is torn up over the loss of their father and must cope with the feelings of resentment and anger left behind that can either bring them closer together or push them further apart.
—
After a father dies, two brothers are reunited, living together again and being forced to try and get along. Their relationship becomes more strained whenever their mother is involved, and then more-so when the younger brother discovers a strange creature in the backyard; A creature who is vomited out of the body of a dead cat. He soon discovers this creature eats human pain, and when it eats his, it feels so good. Like the first taste of a new drug, he becomes addicted to the feeling and starts experimenting, hurting himself on purpose just to have the pain taken away.
—
“𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳-𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.”
The Pain Eater will leave you hungry for more, with an itch you will want to scratch. Imagine being consumed by grief and just wanting to numb the pain. Would you do whatever it took to make it go away?
I found the family dynamic very realistic, especially in regards to the mother. The story itself was imaginative and original, and not to mention, enjoyable! The creature was super cool as well 😎.
Thanks to Kyle Muntz for sending this my way, and look for The Pain Eater out July 5th from Clash Books 🙌
May 2, 2022
This is a really unique idea that deserves praise and attention for its originality, as well as combining realistic drama with low fantasy in such an effective manner. Using an extremely dysfunctional group of characters to tell a story about psychological torment, and the destructive ways people deal with it, is an intelligent decision, although some parts of the story do feel repetitive in this regard.
One of the more striking elements of the book is its writing style, and for the majority of my reading time here I couldn't decide how I felt about it. The prose takes on a conversational style, as if, rather than being written, the author was sat beside you relaying the story as it came back to him. In some ways this is compelling, and made the book easy to get through, while also making the characters and their thought processes more apparent, and the story feeling more natural and genuine. Unfortunately it also makes the characters feel very same-y and it eventually started to grate, especially with the overuse of maybes and probablys, as well as plentiful false starts and a general indecisiveness.
The characters and their torment - especially their anger - form the backbone of this really weird story that has effective moments of evocative emotional storytelling. But I'm left feeling that it could have been stronger, could have really pushed further and done something much more powerful, for instance, using the characters' parents, and especially the underused character of their mom, much more prominently. This feels like a particularly prominent issue when considering the more repetitive moments of the book.
All that said, the characters, the authentic depiction of anger and pain, and the sheer weirdness of this story's creativity, made it an extremely enjoyable read. I recommend the book for anyone looking for a stranger sort of fantasy story. But for me, the presentation and some underdeveloped aspects of the story did drag it down towards the end.
[Advanced Reader Copy provided by the author]
One of the more striking elements of the book is its writing style, and for the majority of my reading time here I couldn't decide how I felt about it. The prose takes on a conversational style, as if, rather than being written, the author was sat beside you relaying the story as it came back to him. In some ways this is compelling, and made the book easy to get through, while also making the characters and their thought processes more apparent, and the story feeling more natural and genuine. Unfortunately it also makes the characters feel very same-y and it eventually started to grate, especially with the overuse of maybes and probablys, as well as plentiful false starts and a general indecisiveness.
The characters and their torment - especially their anger - form the backbone of this really weird story that has effective moments of evocative emotional storytelling. But I'm left feeling that it could have been stronger, could have really pushed further and done something much more powerful, for instance, using the characters' parents, and especially the underused character of their mom, much more prominently. This feels like a particularly prominent issue when considering the more repetitive moments of the book.
All that said, the characters, the authentic depiction of anger and pain, and the sheer weirdness of this story's creativity, made it an extremely enjoyable read. I recommend the book for anyone looking for a stranger sort of fantasy story. But for me, the presentation and some underdeveloped aspects of the story did drag it down towards the end.
[Advanced Reader Copy provided by the author]
July 27, 2022
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
***
I don't think I was prepared for this book. There's something very visceral about it and Muntz does not hold back on the gross and gory details. It's all done so well, though.
Even if you're not a horror fan, I think you can connect to the idea of pain or overcoming pain. We've all been through hardships. So, the content is relatable even if it's weird and can be hard to stomach. It gains in darkness and strangeness, but that core of idea pain is still present.
I loved the uncertainty and the creeping dread this book evoked. It was sad, at times, shocking, violent, and a little gross. It wasn't at all what I thought it would be, but I enjoyed it just the same.
"The Old House" and "The Feeling" and "The Maw" were blank except for a title at the top of the page. I wasn't sure if content was missing or if those were section names, perhaps? There were a few typos as well I'm sure the final version of the book will be fully formatted.
***
I don't think I was prepared for this book. There's something very visceral about it and Muntz does not hold back on the gross and gory details. It's all done so well, though.
Even if you're not a horror fan, I think you can connect to the idea of pain or overcoming pain. We've all been through hardships. So, the content is relatable even if it's weird and can be hard to stomach. It gains in darkness and strangeness, but that core of idea pain is still present.
I loved the uncertainty and the creeping dread this book evoked. It was sad, at times, shocking, violent, and a little gross. It wasn't at all what I thought it would be, but I enjoyed it just the same.
"The Old House" and "The Feeling" and "The Maw" were blank except for a title at the top of the page. I wasn't sure if content was missing or if those were section names, perhaps? There were a few typos as well I'm sure the final version of the book will be fully formatted.
April 25, 2022
I struggled with this book. The writing style was weird and awkward but did improve as the story progressed. I loved the shorter chapters. There’s a good story here but I did not like how it was executed. The characters, I didn’t like a single one of them. Well, maybe the creature. He was pretty cool. Think emotion eating Pokémon or Stitch, and you have the creature. The Pain Eater does have some gruesome disgusting scenes. Along with animal abuse/neglect. The timeline was also confusing at times, jumping from present day to the future to the past back to the present. I must confess that it this wasn’t a Netgalley approval, I would have DNFed.
Read
January 12, 2023I made it about 70% of the way before finally skimming to the end to see how it ended. I loved the premise and wanted to know what the creature was, where it came from, but the writing style and I did not get along. The sentence structure to me was disjointed and some sentences contradicted themselves. I tried to make it, but just couldn't do it.
I'm admitting defeat and calling it a DNF.
I'm admitting defeat and calling it a DNF.
April 21, 2022
The writing style was different than I am used to but not in a bad way. The writing felt really personal, and you really get to know the protagonists Steven and Michael. This makes their journey with the pain eater so terrifying. There was a good amount of creepiness, gore and tension.
The relationship with the mother felt weird to me. The brothers seemed to detest her so much, and it was never really fully explained.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The relationship with the mother felt weird to me. The brothers seemed to detest her so much, and it was never really fully explained.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 30, 2022
An interesting horror story with a mix of suspense. The story was slow to start. It became interesting as I kept reading. Parts of the story was a tad disturbing, but that’s expected when reading a horror story. I want see the author growth with his writing and storytelling skills if he stays with this genre. I think this story is his stepping stone.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 29, 2022
The Pain Eater is something in between an anime monster and a Pokémon. It’s dark, it’s inky, it’s mysterious. It feeds off other’s pain. It battles other dark, inky, mysterious beings. The whole book experience makes you feel like you’re watching an episode on Toonami at 2am on a Sunday morning.
Two brothers are reunited after their father’s death. Both brothers kind of don’t enjoy each other’s company. One prefers order and the other would rather spend their time watching anime and playing video games. As the story spirals ever downward, it gets darker, angrier, and at times, pretty gross. There’s a level of melancholy with the characters like the feeling you would get if you listened to an entire Bright Eyes album. Maybe Bright Eyes mixed with screamo.
I really enjoyed this unique horror book and have added Muntz’s other written works to my tbr.
https://piratetwinkiereadsblog.wordpr...
Two brothers are reunited after their father’s death. Both brothers kind of don’t enjoy each other’s company. One prefers order and the other would rather spend their time watching anime and playing video games. As the story spirals ever downward, it gets darker, angrier, and at times, pretty gross. There’s a level of melancholy with the characters like the feeling you would get if you listened to an entire Bright Eyes album. Maybe Bright Eyes mixed with screamo.
I really enjoyed this unique horror book and have added Muntz’s other written works to my tbr.
https://piratetwinkiereadsblog.wordpr...
Read
April 18, 2022This was genuinely terrible, with poor pacing, lackluster character development, and nonsensical worldbuilding. The overarching concept is interesting and there are moments of powerful prose, but that's about it.
April 11, 2022
THE PAIN EATER showcases a depressingly dysfunctional family in dire shades of distress subsequent to the demise of the patriarch [which would seemingly be a relief and a release, but sadly not so]. It also involves a monster which ultimately is quite terrifying.
May 25, 2022
The Pain Eater by Kyle Muntz may seem a typical run-of-the-mill horror novel, but readers will find that it goes much deeper as the story develops. At its start, Muntz cleverly places his chess pieces on the board in the form of a family dealing with a recent death while delivering snippets of prose to his readers alerting them of a coming storm and the fear lurking just off-screen. As the veil is lifted with his created family on what is shown to the public and what is kept secret, readers will find that the shifting parameters of a broken unit come with bigger problems, messier issues, and lives forever thrown askew as a result.
Delicately dancing around supernatural elements and depictions of gore, Muntz introduces his key players before subsequently tearing down their built-up walls with growing moments of drama that stem not only from current situations in their lives but also from a past that still haunts them in many ways on vastly different levels. Interactions amongst the characters within The Pain Eater are as important as the oddity of that which Muntz adds into the mix. Dark mingles with light, inner conflict holds hands with emotional freedom, and life silently nods to death forming a mosaic displaying the human condition under the guise of creeping horror.
One-part supernatural and one-part slow-burning family drama, Muntz masterfully intertwines the two allowing his readers to explore the struggles within us all, the private moments in our own heads, and the screaming realities we’re all subjected to throughout life. Also blending elements of sci-fi into his brilliant offering, Muntz has achieved a deeply rewarding read soaked in darkness and misery that builds tension as well as a growing distrust and confusion along the way from his main characters.
Fans of horror will find the superbly teased storytelling direction of Muntz’s work deceiving as it doesn’t follow the typical flow of standard blood-gushing novels. Something tells me from the finely crafted past, present, and train heading towards a cliff feeling within the pages that he wanted it that way from the start. Brooding, powerful, and equally sinister in its delivery, The Pain Eater cuts deep as a shadowy fest of brutal feelings and even darker escapism.
Delicately dancing around supernatural elements and depictions of gore, Muntz introduces his key players before subsequently tearing down their built-up walls with growing moments of drama that stem not only from current situations in their lives but also from a past that still haunts them in many ways on vastly different levels. Interactions amongst the characters within The Pain Eater are as important as the oddity of that which Muntz adds into the mix. Dark mingles with light, inner conflict holds hands with emotional freedom, and life silently nods to death forming a mosaic displaying the human condition under the guise of creeping horror.
One-part supernatural and one-part slow-burning family drama, Muntz masterfully intertwines the two allowing his readers to explore the struggles within us all, the private moments in our own heads, and the screaming realities we’re all subjected to throughout life. Also blending elements of sci-fi into his brilliant offering, Muntz has achieved a deeply rewarding read soaked in darkness and misery that builds tension as well as a growing distrust and confusion along the way from his main characters.
Fans of horror will find the superbly teased storytelling direction of Muntz’s work deceiving as it doesn’t follow the typical flow of standard blood-gushing novels. Something tells me from the finely crafted past, present, and train heading towards a cliff feeling within the pages that he wanted it that way from the start. Brooding, powerful, and equally sinister in its delivery, The Pain Eater cuts deep as a shadowy fest of brutal feelings and even darker escapism.
July 1, 2022
QUICK TAKE: I hated it. But I couldn't stop reading. With so many creature-feature books in the market, this one stands out for its background realism: the characters are not simply believable, they also hit too close to home. Most families I know share something of the emotional baggage portrayed in the book. A lot of teenagers would act like Michael; there's so much desperation there, you can cut it with a knife. The book is too real, but unlike non-fiction books it manages to elevate itself above the norm by introducing The Creature. Don't expect answers; even when they should be there, they never come. You have to hate how this dysfunctional family deals with death, love, and the supernatural. Yet there's a lot of truth in it: pain is the focus of the book and no wonder some of the characters go lightly insane. Don't expect any happy family reunions; there's no great message of hope and humanity amidst the darkness: this is not a movie, it's a gritty, realistic book, at times a very heavy book, perhaps too ambitious. It should get a lot of attention, still it can be quite bleak.
Some people say they DNF or were tempted early on to DNF; in no way does this reflect on the book: it just shows that real life, when portrayed as fiction, even with the addition of the supernatural, is too much, too noisy, too ambiguous. This is why I hated the book: it hurt to read it. But it is definitely a five-star book: a bit awkward in pacing, a bit too personal, but the writing is beyond excellent. Plus, one can only admire the author's insight into genuine, real people, people with holes, holes that can't be filled even when the supernatural invades them. Huge recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Some people say they DNF or were tempted early on to DNF; in no way does this reflect on the book: it just shows that real life, when portrayed as fiction, even with the addition of the supernatural, is too much, too noisy, too ambiguous. This is why I hated the book: it hurt to read it. But it is definitely a five-star book: a bit awkward in pacing, a bit too personal, but the writing is beyond excellent. Plus, one can only admire the author's insight into genuine, real people, people with holes, holes that can't be filled even when the supernatural invades them. Huge recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 6, 2022
Two brothers, Michael and Steven (17 and the other just finishing college) are struggling to adjust to their new reality having recently lost their father to a heart attack. Virtually alone living in their father’s house (their mother lives elsewhere with her boyfriend) they are filled with memories of him - not all good as his anger and unhappiness continues to affect them even after his death. Michael’s cat shows up completely mutilated and vomits some black substance before expiring and that’s when things get real interesting. An indescribable dark creature has attached itself to Michael and has the uncanny ability to physically feed off the bad emotions and pain inside him. Michael’s best friend Halie practically lives with them and they start to get addicted to the feeling and begin purposely hurting themselves in order to achieve the high the creature provides. Steven also gets lured in and a lot happens. Reminiscent of early Stephen King, this book made me cringe at the gory details as well as at the horrible relationship these brothers have with each other and their mother. Filled with impending doom, I couldn’t stop reading it. Would you choose to let a creature feed off you if you knew it would give you euphoric instant relief from pain and bad feelings? It makes one think about the nature of addiction and how insidious anger and resentment can be in our lives.
May 27, 2022
2.5 stars This story is an exploration of human emotions, particularly grief as the two main characters are dealing with the death of their father. The younger son, Michael, distracts himself with anime and video games and seems to just be going through the motions. He comes across something that takes these feelings of loss, apathy, loneliness and replaces them with a good feeling. It asks the question, what would we do to not feel bad anymore? While I appreciated the idea of this book and it was certainly unique, I ended up not really enjoying it. It didn’t quite pull me in and many times I was distracted by the writing and a bit confused at why some things were being talked about that. Overall, I liked the ideas of this story but the execution didn’t grab me and it fell a bit flat.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
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