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Tweaker Creatures
What do you get when you have a town addicted to meth and creatures who feast on them? TWEAKER CREATURES, of course. The new drug induced, gory, splatterpunk novel from horror author, Robert Essig. The Southern California town of El Cajon is overrun with a drug epidemic, altering the locals into vicious meth monsters that rule the seedy streets. Searching for her missing sister, Amber dives deep into a corrupt world she was once a part of, where the townsfolk are as brutal as the mysterious creatures who dwell within the shadows.
If the speed doesn't kill you, the TWEAKER CREATURES will!
If the speed doesn't kill you, the TWEAKER CREATURES will!
145 pages, Paperback
Published January 16, 2022
5 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Robert Essig
92 books277 followersRobert Essig is the author of 30 books such as Baby Fights, Disco Rice, and Master of Bodies, which was nominated for a Splatterpunk Award. He has published over 130 short stories and edited three anthologies. Robert lives with his family in east Tennessee.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 28, 2022
There is a new super meth hitting the streets, immediately addictive and turning users into mindless freaks with shredded bodies. Dr. Scabs, the creator of the new drug, has his eye on a new girl (Erin) to become one of his hags, used to bodily produce the ingredient that makes this drug powerful. Erin has an older sister, Amber, who has gone AWOL from the police academy in an attempt to find her. Meantime, the tweaker creatures are taking over in all kinds of grotesque and gory ways, destroying both each other and normal humans. Amber encounters more of the zombified tweakers than she can handle, putting herself in dangerous and ultra-violent situations. And Erin? She is becoming a mental powerhouse, threatening to destroy everything. Join the girls in an addictive hell on earth. And beware the shadow people.
3.5 disintegrating bodies
3.5 disintegrating bodies
May 10, 2025
Dr. Scab is dealing out the “super meth”. This drug is the ultimate high and it causes people to deteriorate. Their bodies are rotting at a rapid speed and they turn into the Tweaker Creatures! Amber is looking for her missing sister who is addicted to the drugs, she hopes she can find her before she ends up taking the new destroying drug. The fact Essig included his hometown in this book just gives it a special touch. The way he describes how the bodies are decomposing and all the gory details are incredible! This was such a wild and fun ride. Definitely opens your eyes to the drug epidemic also. 
March 8, 2022
So, this is my second book by Robert Essig, and it wont be my last!
This was an action packed, drug fuelled, vom inducing, supernatural and brutal tale of addiction and the lengths youll go to for a fix.
There's a new drug in town and its very addictive, and will take you higher than youve ever been before, to a whole other level in fact! Youll even get a whole new body out of it - maybe not one you'd want though!
This story was perfectly paced, which kept me turning the pages consistently and quickly. The descriptions were great, maybe too great at some points! The decline of the Tweakers for instance had me cutting my nails and green at the gills, and Dr Scabs made me physically urge!! 🤢 (although this is a good thing in my twisted world 😉)
This book was a lot of fun, bloody, sad, and downright disgusting! And the ending was an explosion of carnage and mayhem, and left me almost completely satisfied! I say 'almost' because I want more Tweaker shenanigans! 😁
This was an action packed, drug fuelled, vom inducing, supernatural and brutal tale of addiction and the lengths youll go to for a fix.
There's a new drug in town and its very addictive, and will take you higher than youve ever been before, to a whole other level in fact! Youll even get a whole new body out of it - maybe not one you'd want though!
This story was perfectly paced, which kept me turning the pages consistently and quickly. The descriptions were great, maybe too great at some points! The decline of the Tweakers for instance had me cutting my nails and green at the gills, and Dr Scabs made me physically urge!! 🤢 (although this is a good thing in my twisted world 😉)
This book was a lot of fun, bloody, sad, and downright disgusting! And the ending was an explosion of carnage and mayhem, and left me almost completely satisfied! I say 'almost' because I want more Tweaker shenanigans! 😁
May 25, 2025
Amber used to be heavily addicted to drugs. She found the strength to change her life around and decided to become a cop. She moved from her hometown, and things were looking up. One day, she gets a call from her mom that her younger sister Erin has gone missing. Erin has also fallen into the drug world, and her mom fears the worst. Amber decides to quit her job to go back home and try to find Erin.
There is a new drug going around El Cajon that is much stronger than anything on the streets. But the side effects are like no other. The people who try it for the first time are instantly hooked and feen for it constantly until their last breath. Dr. Scabs is a mad doctor who is distributing this new drug to all the junkies of the town. But his experiments are more sinister than anyone can imagine. Erin plays a huge role in his bigger plan.
The descriptions of the tweakers were straight vile. Nasty scabs, rotting teeth and mouths, and the stench. Essig sure knows how to paint a picture! Some scenes were hilarious and disgusting. But in true Essig fashion, there was a deeper meaning underneath the grossness. This is a sad yet real image of heavy drug addiction. How help isn't around for the ones who are "far gone." How society just gives up on people just because of drugs. At times, you are in the mind of the tweakers, and it's tough! If you know, you know. The ending is just sad, but it's the reality of many addicted people around the world. I loved this one.
There is a new drug going around El Cajon that is much stronger than anything on the streets. But the side effects are like no other. The people who try it for the first time are instantly hooked and feen for it constantly until their last breath. Dr. Scabs is a mad doctor who is distributing this new drug to all the junkies of the town. But his experiments are more sinister than anyone can imagine. Erin plays a huge role in his bigger plan.
The descriptions of the tweakers were straight vile. Nasty scabs, rotting teeth and mouths, and the stench. Essig sure knows how to paint a picture! Some scenes were hilarious and disgusting. But in true Essig fashion, there was a deeper meaning underneath the grossness. This is a sad yet real image of heavy drug addiction. How help isn't around for the ones who are "far gone." How society just gives up on people just because of drugs. At times, you are in the mind of the tweakers, and it's tough! If you know, you know. The ending is just sad, but it's the reality of many addicted people around the world. I loved this one.
August 15, 2022
Amber's mother calls her in a panic. Amber has finally gotten her life together after years of drug abuse, and is currently enrolled in the Police Academy. The last thing she wants to hear is that her younger sister is following in her former ways. To make matters worse she hasn't been heard from in weeks. With little choice Amber goes AWOL from the Academy in hopes of saving her sister from the streets. What she finds on the streets after returning home is more than she bargained for.
I'd only ever read one other novel by Essig(Circus Oasis) and I would never have guessed this was by the same author. This story is equal parts brutal and sad. There's not much optimism in these pages...but it's still a wild fun ride! I'll be looking forward to reading more from Robert Essig in the future.
I'd only ever read one other novel by Essig(Circus Oasis) and I would never have guessed this was by the same author. This story is equal parts brutal and sad. There's not much optimism in these pages...but it's still a wild fun ride! I'll be looking forward to reading more from Robert Essig in the future.
August 28, 2023
This was some extreme body horror with a focus on drug related horrors. A lot of the stuff was so inventive (I’m scared to look up Shirm and see if it’s real) and I was visibly flinching while reading.
The main character, Amber, is looking for her missing teenage sister, Erin. Amber is a recovering addict and worries that Erin is involved in the drug world. As she searches she sees tweakers, but not the usual. They are liquifying and parts of their faces are falling off. It’s the new meth on the street. Dr. Scabs is probably the most disgusting villain I’ve read in awhile. Gross inside and out.
This book made me visibly uncomfortable but I couldn’t put it down. I mean…kid playing with severed limbs in vomit, smoking meth out of human heads? Trigger warnings for drug abuse and drug language.
The main character, Amber, is looking for her missing teenage sister, Erin. Amber is a recovering addict and worries that Erin is involved in the drug world. As she searches she sees tweakers, but not the usual. They are liquifying and parts of their faces are falling off. It’s the new meth on the street. Dr. Scabs is probably the most disgusting villain I’ve read in awhile. Gross inside and out.
This book made me visibly uncomfortable but I couldn’t put it down. I mean…kid playing with severed limbs in vomit, smoking meth out of human heads? Trigger warnings for drug abuse and drug language.
February 5, 2024
Gross
A new drug hits the streets and its nothing like anyone has ever seen. Taking this drug will change you. Change you into a tweaker creature. Not human and void of lips,, ears, noses and teeth. And a Doctor that is the master mind of it all, Dr. Scabs. Scabs is, well covered in scabs and he likes to pick them and eat them.
I have to stop writing my stomach is turning.
A new drug hits the streets and its nothing like anyone has ever seen. Taking this drug will change you. Change you into a tweaker creature. Not human and void of lips,, ears, noses and teeth. And a Doctor that is the master mind of it all, Dr. Scabs. Scabs is, well covered in scabs and he likes to pick them and eat them.
I have to stop writing my stomach is turning.
August 7, 2023
What a Wild Ride
I'm struggling to organize my thoughts about this book. It was weird and gross in all the best ways. It made me giggle, and gag, and clutch my nonexistent pearls. This is one of those rare stories that somehow feels both completely bonkers, and not really that far off from reality. I think the really off the wall parts hit harder because so much of the story is so close to reality. There is a very real, heartfelt story underneath all the weirdness. A story about two sisters, their respective struggles with addiction, and the complicated love they have for each other. Don't let that dissuade you from reading it though. There's still a gnarly creature feature with some awesomely creative kills that will satisfy the biggest gorehounds out there.
I'm struggling to organize my thoughts about this book. It was weird and gross in all the best ways. It made me giggle, and gag, and clutch my nonexistent pearls. This is one of those rare stories that somehow feels both completely bonkers, and not really that far off from reality. I think the really off the wall parts hit harder because so much of the story is so close to reality. There is a very real, heartfelt story underneath all the weirdness. A story about two sisters, their respective struggles with addiction, and the complicated love they have for each other. Don't let that dissuade you from reading it though. There's still a gnarly creature feature with some awesomely creative kills that will satisfy the biggest gorehounds out there.
October 8, 2022
The cover and title of this story had me going in thinking this would be a goofy horror comedy. What I got was an awesome story that pulled me in quickly. Essig weaves a wild story here with some gross and gory scenes in the mix. I really enjoyed this one.
February 27, 2022
"Tweaker Creatures" by Robert Essig
"If the speed doesn't kill you, the tweaker creatures will!"
There's a town in Southern California called El Cajon and it has quite the drug epidemic on their hands. The drugs are altering the locals into meth monsters who are now ruling the streets.
Amber is a recovering addict in search of her sister. If she hopes to find her, she'll have to dive deep into the darkness she just recently escaped. Will she be able to find her sister and avoid the tweaker creatures and the havoc they've created or will she too succumb to the shadows?
I received my copy of "Tweaker Creatures" in exchange for an honest review from its author.
I thought this was a pretty creative read. For me, it was an imaginative take on zombies. I can't say I was the biggest fan of the actual story line that involved Dr. Scabs but I did chuckle quite a few times while reading and I anxiously awaited the result of Amber's search for her sister. 3 🌟
"If the speed doesn't kill you, the tweaker creatures will!"
There's a town in Southern California called El Cajon and it has quite the drug epidemic on their hands. The drugs are altering the locals into meth monsters who are now ruling the streets.
Amber is a recovering addict in search of her sister. If she hopes to find her, she'll have to dive deep into the darkness she just recently escaped. Will she be able to find her sister and avoid the tweaker creatures and the havoc they've created or will she too succumb to the shadows?
I received my copy of "Tweaker Creatures" in exchange for an honest review from its author.
I thought this was a pretty creative read. For me, it was an imaginative take on zombies. I can't say I was the biggest fan of the actual story line that involved Dr. Scabs but I did chuckle quite a few times while reading and I anxiously awaited the result of Amber's search for her sister. 3 🌟
March 26, 2022
There’s a new drug in town called Tweak. Only Dr. Scabs knows what’s in it, because he made it. Tweak is taking over the population of a small town. The Tweakers want it, no matter how horrid the side effects.
Amber is a recovering addict who is trying to follow the right path, but her sister Erin goes missing. Amber thinks Erin has gotten involved with drugs. No one can locate her, so Amber is forced to enter her old world to find her.
Robert Essig takes us into some dark places in this story. I’m coming to realize, that’s just what Robert Essig does. He is one of the best storytellers of the darkest sides of humanity. We get the story of addicts and what they will do to feed their addictions then he takes it up a notch. He uses great descriptors of the characters as the Tweak takes full effect.
I didn’t see the ending coming. I honestly wasn’t sure what was gonna happen. The suspense was real! But I liked how the story wrapped up. Check it out! I hope you will like it too!
Amber is a recovering addict who is trying to follow the right path, but her sister Erin goes missing. Amber thinks Erin has gotten involved with drugs. No one can locate her, so Amber is forced to enter her old world to find her.
Robert Essig takes us into some dark places in this story. I’m coming to realize, that’s just what Robert Essig does. He is one of the best storytellers of the darkest sides of humanity. We get the story of addicts and what they will do to feed their addictions then he takes it up a notch. He uses great descriptors of the characters as the Tweak takes full effect.
I didn’t see the ending coming. I honestly wasn’t sure what was gonna happen. The suspense was real! But I liked how the story wrapped up. Check it out! I hope you will like it too!
March 25, 2022
There's a new meth in town and it's called Crazy Tweak. All of the tweakers want it, and are willing to do anything (and that's not an exaggeration) to get their hands on some. Perform sex acts on strangers? Sure! Tear said strangers to pieces and play with their parts? Hey what another day in tweaker paradise, am I right? Tweaker Creatures is a mean piece of splatterpunk horror that is not afraid to drag the reader through the hells of addiction with no brakes and no mercy. The physical transformation that the addicts go through is horrific, but the fact that they don't care as long as they have their drugs is even more horrifying.
To sum up, Tweaker Creatures is a an enjoyable read that isn't going to trigger any feel good moments. While there are brief moments of comic relief, this is a serious, dark work and I recommend it highly.
To sum up, Tweaker Creatures is a an enjoyable read that isn't going to trigger any feel good moments. While there are brief moments of comic relief, this is a serious, dark work and I recommend it highly.
March 6, 2022
Surprisingly good
This is a hard one to review, because the writing alters in quality as you proceed through the book. The story is ludicrous, of course, but the plot structure is sound. I was at first pleased with the quality of the author's sentences, but then editing failures started to creep in (I read the kindle version). Homonym problems, subject-verb disagreements, various oddities that did not seem purposeful. So my recommendation is that if you like bizarre little books and also can look past severe editorial failures, definitely give this book a try. If you don't or can't, then maybe anything else would be a better choice for you.
This is a hard one to review, because the writing alters in quality as you proceed through the book. The story is ludicrous, of course, but the plot structure is sound. I was at first pleased with the quality of the author's sentences, but then editing failures started to creep in (I read the kindle version). Homonym problems, subject-verb disagreements, various oddities that did not seem purposeful. So my recommendation is that if you like bizarre little books and also can look past severe editorial failures, definitely give this book a try. If you don't or can't, then maybe anything else would be a better choice for you.
May 7, 2022
I am still in shock after reading this. I couldn’t put it down. The descriptions of some of the “tweaker creatures” was beyond abominable and I think the least disgusting one compared them to the incredible melting man. I love horror and really gross books but I feel I need a break after this one. ( As others will not live up to this). Also extremely strangely I felt quite emotional after the ending.
Well done Mr Robert Essig. I am in awe.
Well done Mr Robert Essig. I am in awe.
March 6, 2022
This book was phenomenal. As a horror fan I’m no stranger to gross, deformed, sickly beings, and as a horror author disturbing body horror is within my wheelhouse; so it was a pleasant surprise to be genuinely disturbed at points throughout Tweaker Creatures. Essig is vividly descriptive, his story engaging, and the pacing is just right.
February 20, 2023
I just finished this, and I can promise 1 thing after reading, I will NEVER try Meth!! Haha (not that I considered it before the book 🤪) Eww is a constant outloud word! And I'd cringe with every detail 😬. Buuuuut, I couldn't stop listening.. had to know what happens and overall I really liked it!! Thanks again Robert Essig , I think 🤔 🤣
March 14, 2022
Holy crap! While the plot itself is silly, as most bizaaro/horror Mashups are, it is very well written and fleshed out ( pun intended)
With no spoilers there is a new super meth out......that should tell ya all you need to know
With no spoilers there is a new super meth out......that should tell ya all you need to know
June 15, 2022
3.5* A dark, disturbing body horror about meth abuse and the people who fall into addiction. A grimly entertaining story but only for those with a strong stomach!
March 7, 2023
A super meth has hit the streets and is destroying people. Gruesome and heavy drug use.
A sister trying to find her sister during all of this
Really great book.
Thanks Robert!
A sister trying to find her sister during all of this
Really great book.
Thanks Robert!
April 22, 2023
Forget about morality, standards of morality, and humanity. That's not what this book is about. Filth, drugs, murder--that's what this book is about
February 24, 2024
This book is as wild as the author! All I can say is watch out for Robert. If the rest of his stuff is anything like this, he’s a force to be reckoned with in independent horror!
April 25, 2024
This had a lot of great ingredients, just needed a bit more cooking to make it just right.
February 14, 2023
Growing up in Menifee and Lake Elsinore in the 90s, I had the pleasure of meeting a lot of Tweaker Creatures. I loved the story. I feel like it could be the mindset of someone on a bender.
I listened to the audiobook given to me by Robert Essig.
I listened to the audiobook given to me by Robert Essig.
April 28, 2025
I like the idea I love wacky stuff like this.. but at the sametime.. im not a fan of super gore, violence or just gross content. Its my curse, love the idea but at the sametime i don't like splatterpunk. Weird right? So its just not for me is all.. I think I'm gonna tap out... or not idk maybe I'll keep it on the back burner. Sometimes its just too much for me. Hah
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews