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VHS Trash #2
Ogre
Camp Starlight, an isolated pocket of summer adventure and sunshine. A place of smiling faces and laughter. And terror. For the campers and counsellors, their summer plans are about to be cut short. Haunted by a terrible burden, Sheriff Roy Caudel, with the assistance of his partner, Deputy Clint Wilmont, must face a foul and unspeakable horror from the womb of nightmares. Blood will flood the woods. Bodies will stack. Minds will shatter. All will soon learn, that some warnings should be heeded.
Ogre. Just keep telling yourself:
It's just a book...
It's just a book...
Ogre. Just keep telling yourself:
It's just a book...
It's just a book...
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 9, 2022
15 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
Brian G. Berry
56 books284 followersa.k.a Brian Berry
Brian G Berry is new to the world of writing. He writes everything from 1980s inspired horror, SCIFI/Action-horror, to the strange. His biggest influences are the writers of the weird including Lovecraft, Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, to the pulp horror authors of the golden age 70s/80s- and a splattering of others. Author of The Pail, A Bloody Christmas, Splatter Fiend Series, Slasherback Series, Campfire Tales Beneath a Pallid Moon, Accursed Ground, Blood Lanes, The Night Mutilator, Thanksgiving Day Massacre, and his newest: SNOW SHARK.
Brian G Berry is new to the world of writing. He writes everything from 1980s inspired horror, SCIFI/Action-horror, to the strange. His biggest influences are the writers of the weird including Lovecraft, Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, to the pulp horror authors of the golden age 70s/80s- and a splattering of others. Author of The Pail, A Bloody Christmas, Splatter Fiend Series, Slasherback Series, Campfire Tales Beneath a Pallid Moon, Accursed Ground, Blood Lanes, The Night Mutilator, Thanksgiving Day Massacre, and his newest: SNOW SHARK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 30, 2025
I'm not sure what it was about the writing style of Brian Berry here, but it was much more polished and refined than his other books. All the vivid descriptions and verbiage just really stuck out to me. Not that I think anything negatively about his other works, but this just had something extra in it. So we have a combination of Jason Voorhees terrorizing Camp Crystal Lake, but with Shrek instead. Well, not Shrek, as this ogre isn't playing around with talking donkeys. This one loves eating children and killing campers in horrible ways. So needless to say, there is a ton of bloodshed and some decent sex scenes in there, because what else are horny, wild young people going to do in the woods, right? Fish? Make s'mores? And Brian Berry really capitalized on the 80s horror movie vibe here, too, which I'm always a fan of. Now it is a very short story, and I felt like a lot of events were rushed, while others were left untouched. For instance, it felt like the character, Pete, who was the camp director, had a similar build up to Marcus, who was just another obnoxious, unlikeable, and hardheaded person just had nothing there. And you really wanted to see him get what he deserved from this rampaging ogre, but he had no direct dialogue, no end point, and no explanation as to why he suddenly showed up with the kids for the camp, despite Marcus stating that he wouldn't be there. So that was a little jumbled. And again, I felt like the story just needed another few chapters to let things simmer a bit with the reader, as it moved too quickly for its own good at times. It also had a good swerve at the end, which I didn't expect, which also felt a bit underdeveloped. But otherwise, it's a solid example of a talented author developing a fun, gory, and nostalgic creature feature that excels more than it is can be faulted for.
December 9, 2023
Ogre was a fun novel! Brian Berry did very well with this one and I was quite impressed. The monster “Ogre” was brutal, the characters were fun to follow, and despite usually preferring horror novels that don’t focus heavily on the police, I enjoyed the story following the Sheriff + his backstory, but there was too much Sheriff. Idk why all of Brian Berry’s books have to have a Sheriff as the main character but it gets repetitive and annoying so I am editing this review and subtracting one star from this otherwise good novel.
August 7, 2022
This book was so badass!! It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but that's okay but I was just too busy enjoying the story and the vicious, violent kills to even notice. This monster is definitely one of my new favorites! On to the next Berry read!! 5/5 ogre skulls 💀
July 11, 2022
Ogre is exactly the kind of book this cover shows. It’s literally a 135 page story about a Sasquatch/humanoid that goes around slaughtering everyone in its path.
Simple as that.
There’s little to no character development.
There’s barely any plot.
Things just happen from the opening page and the blood and guts never stop flying. Just like in his previous novel Snowshark, Berry doesn’t mess around with wasted exposition or try to be clever…unless it’s in new ways to describe blood and gore.
And this is not a bad thing at all. Every once in a while, a book like this is exactly what I need. Mean, fast paced, and written strictly to entertain, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
Simple as that.
There’s little to no character development.
There’s barely any plot.
Things just happen from the opening page and the blood and guts never stop flying. Just like in his previous novel Snowshark, Berry doesn’t mess around with wasted exposition or try to be clever…unless it’s in new ways to describe blood and gore.
And this is not a bad thing at all. Every once in a while, a book like this is exactly what I need. Mean, fast paced, and written strictly to entertain, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
July 11, 2022
"If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise" or maybe an Ogre!! This book had me hooked from the start. Copious amounts of blood and dripping flesh and some great characters 😁 A must read for any horror fan!!
August 13, 2022
This was ok for a trashy creature feature it was written as. It started out very strong with the first kill and set up but from then on it was overly wordy and the extravagant style of writing and purple prose put me off. I know its an indie book and I dont want to be to hard on it but wasnt anything I felt kept me hooked. That cover though is magnificent!
July 9, 2022
Soon as I saw this released I read it immediately, all of it in one sitting! I love Bigfoot and the cover drew me. Brian has an amazing writing style which helps you really get set in the atmosphere. I love how much of the outdoors was in this book and how it reminded myself of all the good times I have had. Thank goodness there was never an ogre when I was out there. It was pretty awesome to read his own personal experience. That would have freaked me out. I enjoyed all the twists and turns this story brought and all the gore this ogre inflicted on everyone. This is a great story to read while camping but you may find yourself repeating.... It is just a book. It is just a book.
5 stars across the board, looking forward to the next release from this author.
5 stars across the board, looking forward to the next release from this author.
July 31, 2022
Trip back in time
Brian Berry has made a name for himself, as one of the most imaginative authors in the game. Ogre further solidifies that. Ogre has everything I look for in a book, and as always Berry paints such a vivid picture in the reader's mind.
I always appreciate how Berry keeps the character list pretty short, but never misses an opportunity to slow down and give every character the developmental time required to make them notable. It makes me care for them and their future in his twisted stories.
While I found Ogre to be very entertaining, the personal story at the end, Brian's fishing trip is what impressed me the most.
I highly recommend sitting down with Ogre. Its a hell of a read.
Brian Berry has made a name for himself, as one of the most imaginative authors in the game. Ogre further solidifies that. Ogre has everything I look for in a book, and as always Berry paints such a vivid picture in the reader's mind.
I always appreciate how Berry keeps the character list pretty short, but never misses an opportunity to slow down and give every character the developmental time required to make them notable. It makes me care for them and their future in his twisted stories.
While I found Ogre to be very entertaining, the personal story at the end, Brian's fishing trip is what impressed me the most.
I highly recommend sitting down with Ogre. Its a hell of a read.
September 14, 2022
This is a creature feature that starts out in the classic mold - it honestly reminded of Jaws in its set up. The reader is dropped into a relatively normal night for a farmer and his wife that ends in bloody disaster in the form of some wild beast. From there, Brian Berry grips you by the collar and throttles you with non-stop, blood soaked action. And he gives you everything you want and expect -- no, NEED -- from a hardcore creature horror. A summer camp beset by a monster, camp counselors that can't seem to keep their clothes on, a demon with red glowing eyes, and a grisled lawman that has to outrun his demons or die trying. This book packs a bunch and the ending had me turning back a page or two to make sure it was truly as horrifying as I thought. Guess what, it totally was!
January 1, 2023
Brian Berry said “lemme write the most straight to VHS Bigfoot/monster in the woods horror romp I can” and absolutely knocked it out of the… park? Pretend I mean like a park you camp at. Not a baseball park. Ogre is absolutely oozing with all of the ooey gooey and fun character interactions that all of us Berry fans have come to love; this time it’s caused by Bigfoot. Let’s be real here, no one was going to write a gorier, more vibrant Bigfoot horror book than Brian; he went ahead and proved the obvious. Ogre reads like Mountain King by Rick Hautaula fed through the churning machine that was 80’s horror VHS. K thx.
August 18, 2022
OGRE is a gruesome good time! It reminded me of the fun I had renting trashy horror movies on VHS with friends in the '80s as a kid. OGRE is a furry tornado with claws and nothing in its path has a chance in hell to survive. Highly recommended and I look forward to reading more from Brian G. Berry, this story being an impressive introduction to his work for me.
August 29, 2022
If the cover artwork for OGRE doesn’t forewarn the faint of heart, then one could rearrange the letters of the title and have a good idea of what awaits.
OGRE showcases Berry’s skill at chaining together action scenes in a relentless bloodlust. But to focus exclusively on the violence would be to overlook the commitment to craft and horror philosophy.
The plot of OGRE follows a group of counselors on their way to summer camp, an aging sheriff, and the titular beast as they cross paths in this boreal bloodbath. Right away, one catches on to Berry’s signature voice which runs at a smooth cadence and integrates a lavish vocabulary. In the opening sequences, Berry paints a vivid picture of the woods, detailing nature with a keen eye. At the same time, he depicts nature as untamed, and at times violent. While the woods harbor something sinister, there is an overarching ethic that this is the way things should be. I got the sense I was reading a pairing of Richard Laymon and Henry David Thoreau. Nothing is promised our protagonists, least of all safety. If anything, the encroachment of humans is the real interloper—that and one other interloper to be encountered at the book’s conclusion.
Some passages in the book recall the words of Robert E Howard. I got flashbacks to stories like “The Devil in Iron.” Even Caudel reminded me of King Conan in “The Phoenix on the Sword.” One passage recalled Howard most vividly:
A pendulum of might and madness, it swung amongst the pines, a black shadow of fur and claws and eyes that burned with molten evil.
Berry continues to display mastery over myriad horror aesthetics. He weaves his tales with unstoppable forward momentum. The “something goes bump in the woods” novel of the year.
OGRE showcases Berry’s skill at chaining together action scenes in a relentless bloodlust. But to focus exclusively on the violence would be to overlook the commitment to craft and horror philosophy.
The plot of OGRE follows a group of counselors on their way to summer camp, an aging sheriff, and the titular beast as they cross paths in this boreal bloodbath. Right away, one catches on to Berry’s signature voice which runs at a smooth cadence and integrates a lavish vocabulary. In the opening sequences, Berry paints a vivid picture of the woods, detailing nature with a keen eye. At the same time, he depicts nature as untamed, and at times violent. While the woods harbor something sinister, there is an overarching ethic that this is the way things should be. I got the sense I was reading a pairing of Richard Laymon and Henry David Thoreau. Nothing is promised our protagonists, least of all safety. If anything, the encroachment of humans is the real interloper—that and one other interloper to be encountered at the book’s conclusion.
Some passages in the book recall the words of Robert E Howard. I got flashbacks to stories like “The Devil in Iron.” Even Caudel reminded me of King Conan in “The Phoenix on the Sword.” One passage recalled Howard most vividly:
A pendulum of might and madness, it swung amongst the pines, a black shadow of fur and claws and eyes that burned with molten evil.
Berry continues to display mastery over myriad horror aesthetics. He weaves his tales with unstoppable forward momentum. The “something goes bump in the woods” novel of the year.
January 3, 2023
It moves with blinding speed, it’s strength is unmatched and it’s appetite is insatiable! It’s the Ogre and it’s hungry!
Some amazingly gruesome kills! I picked a great one to start my 2023 year off with! A must read for splatterpunk fans!
Some amazingly gruesome kills! I picked a great one to start my 2023 year off with! A must read for splatterpunk fans!
August 9, 2022
There's something about Berry's style that pairs perfectly with the woods. His exceptional descriptive ability shines. An example from the author's description of Starbright Springs: "...a patch of wooded paradise not fifty miles from the crashing breakers of the heaving Pacific. Enclosed in the heart of sky rearing conifers [...] spotted with lakes, riven with crashing rivers and split with with the lucid threads of creeks."
Ogre centers on the titular beast colliding with the opening of a summer camp in Starbright Springs. Berry sets the tone early with carnage--lots of wet thuds and spewing blood, all in his colorful style. The opening scene is masterful in establishing intent, tone, and atmosphere. Believe me, too, there's not bait and switch that follows. You get more. The characters are drawn with efficiency, but each of the POV characters possesses depth. The story rolls from page 1 and doesn't relinquish its grip. You'll knock this out in 2 breathless hours, and then the buzz will keep lingering.
More volumes in the VHS trash series, please.
Ogre centers on the titular beast colliding with the opening of a summer camp in Starbright Springs. Berry sets the tone early with carnage--lots of wet thuds and spewing blood, all in his colorful style. The opening scene is masterful in establishing intent, tone, and atmosphere. Believe me, too, there's not bait and switch that follows. You get more. The characters are drawn with efficiency, but each of the POV characters possesses depth. The story rolls from page 1 and doesn't relinquish its grip. You'll knock this out in 2 breathless hours, and then the buzz will keep lingering.
More volumes in the VHS trash series, please.
July 20, 2022
A fun creature-feature slasher for summer.
this was a fun, fast-paced, gore-filled slasher read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I initially jumped into this one with the intention of reading a few chapter each night on my kindle before bed annnnnd I finished it in one sitting, wanting to know where the story would take us. There’s minimal, but just enough character development to keep you pulled in and move the story along.
Without any spoilers:
Sheriff Roy Caudel, has a horrific blast from the past encounter when two towns people and their horses are killed by something that can only be described as a monster based on the butchery bloodshed nature of their bodies (well the bits left behind at least). The initial scene is all too familiar from something that he’s spent 20 years burying in his memory and proves equally deadly for the grand opening of the towns new summer camp. As this monster works its way through the forest to wreak absolute destruction and carnage to those who failed to heed the warnings to camp elsewhere this summer, Sheriff Roy races to keep the town and kids safe as he’s forced to come face to face with his 20 year old demons.
this was a fun, fast-paced, gore-filled slasher read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I initially jumped into this one with the intention of reading a few chapter each night on my kindle before bed annnnnd I finished it in one sitting, wanting to know where the story would take us. There’s minimal, but just enough character development to keep you pulled in and move the story along.
Without any spoilers:
Sheriff Roy Caudel, has a horrific blast from the past encounter when two towns people and their horses are killed by something that can only be described as a monster based on the butchery bloodshed nature of their bodies (well the bits left behind at least). The initial scene is all too familiar from something that he’s spent 20 years burying in his memory and proves equally deadly for the grand opening of the towns new summer camp. As this monster works its way through the forest to wreak absolute destruction and carnage to those who failed to heed the warnings to camp elsewhere this summer, Sheriff Roy races to keep the town and kids safe as he’s forced to come face to face with his 20 year old demons.
March 27, 2023
Great book to just read and turn my brain off to🙂I'm prone to disliking excessive character plotlines in books like these but I didn't mind it here. Minus points off for the 80s setting that added nothing and the false advertising, since we don't really fully see the camp setting until like page 100
October 17, 2024
The sheer amount of characters makes me wish it was a little longer, but that would take away from the whole point of this type of read. Perhaps the most violent and relentless monster story I've read yet, it is both fun and shocking to behold.
July 13, 2022
A fun, gory monster tale
Ogre is a perfect summer read for horror fans. It's a fast paced gorefest that shows once again why no one should ever go into the woods.
Ogre is a perfect summer read for horror fans. It's a fast paced gorefest that shows once again why no one should ever go into the woods.
September 2, 2023
3.5/5, rounded down.
December 31, 2022
A decent little novella! Reminded me of Clive Barker’s Rawhead Rex
November 7, 2022
Gore violence blood and a lot of stupidity (from the characters). I loved it!
August 22, 2022
Whoa! This was a creepy read. As someone who loves the outdoors, this makes me nervous about spending the night in the woods again😆 But I will be sure to tell this story to my kids around the fire the next time we go camping. This was my 2nd book by Brian, the first being Snow Shark (which I will review soon), and i can't get enough of him! I love his writing. The covers are beautiful. Brian is right up there as one of my favorite authors.
April 9, 2025
This book has everything a horror fan loves! When the sheriff is called to a gruesome scene, he finds an elderly couple and their pets slaughtered. He is not shocked at when he sees because he knows what has come back to their town. Lots of gore! No Spoilers! Best to go into this with little knowledge! I highly recommend it to all horror lovers! If you can think of a Trigger Warning it is most likely needed for this book!
May 29, 2025
My second read by Berry is another "popcorn" horror read. Quick, light, easy going down. Berry doesn't reinvent the wheel here, the book seems like it is purely meant to entertain, nothing less, nothing more, and it definitely does. Berry's descriptions are great and the pace is pretty much breakneck. Berry's quick n dirty books are a nice palate cleanser between longer works. Again, this book is here to entertain, and it does. Nothing wrong with that.
September 30, 2022
This was exactly as advertised, equal parts fun monster action, and horrifying connotations of said action.
It took me a bit to get acclimated to Berry's writing style but once I did, I had a GREAT time.
It took me a bit to get acclimated to Berry's writing style but once I did, I had a GREAT time.
August 24, 2023
Do not go into the woods
ORGE is the second in a five book series. Another great easy read but full of action. You may not want to go camping in the woods after reading this book. On to the next book.
ORGE is the second in a five book series. Another great easy read but full of action. You may not want to go camping in the woods after reading this book. On to the next book.
February 14, 2024
Wow!!!! I won’t give away the ending, but that was an epic way to conclude an awesome story!
I don’t have much more to say. Sleaze and gore galore in this one, which is how I like it!!!! And that ending!!! Chefs Kiss!
Brian G. Berry just has a way with words!!!
I don’t have much more to say. Sleaze and gore galore in this one, which is how I like it!!!! And that ending!!! Chefs Kiss!
Brian G. Berry just has a way with words!!!
July 14, 2025
This was...fine.
I felt like the book took itself a bit more serious than necessary, considering the subject matter. I did absolutely hate the ending though.
Aliens? Really? It came so out of left field and didn't suit the rest of the book.
I felt like the book took itself a bit more serious than necessary, considering the subject matter. I did absolutely hate the ending though.
Aliens? Really? It came so out of left field and didn't suit the rest of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2022
This is a bloody good time!!! Fast pace and gore soaked scenery. This book will make you think twice about going camping anytime soon!
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August 22, 2022Full review: https://monsterbookclub.com/2022/08/2...
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