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The Sadeiest

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Death – a walking skeleton armed with a scythe, a rider of the apocalypse, it has always been assumed – is a man that brings the souls of the dead to wherever they are destined to go.

But what if we got that wrong? What if he were a ghost that, instead of moving your soul on silently after you had died, actually did the hard part for you?

Death has to die, again and again, to pay for his sins, and to free trapped souls before their bodies perish – only to replace those souls, to die for them.

A Death whose existence is a curse, where the other riders of the Apocalypse are not his allies, but his enemies.

Armed only with his morals, his memories and the advice of a child teacher, Williams, a Sadeiest, travels through the deaths of other people, on his way to becoming something greater. Something that will re-define the Grim Reaper.

Death just came to life, in time to fight for a child hunted by the other horsemen of the Apocalypse.

396 pages, Paperback

First published November 27, 2020

35 people are currently reading
262 people want to read

About the author

Austrian Spencer

4 books93 followers
Austrian Spencer is a horror writer living in, you guessed it, Austria, near the city of Graz, nestled under a mountain, slowly hoarding gold in order to bait a dragon. He lives with his wife and two adult children, in an individually designed house that won the Solarhaus 2014 award.

Austrian is driven by concern for the planet - has reduced his carbon footprint by becoming vegetarian, cycles 15km each day to work (and back, uphill), and who produces his own vegetables when they are not being eaten by everything that is in a war against him (moles, mice, alien insects).

Austrian reviews horror books, and is happy to receive ARC's with the stipulation that they must be digital. Let's save postage, carbon production, and paper.

By his debut book here:
mybook.to/thesadeiest

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
Profile Image for Ross Jeffery.
Author 28 books364 followers
June 10, 2021
There sometimes comes a book that changes everything, either the way you view fiction and writing, the way you observe the world around you and the world to come (the afterlife) - and The Sadeiest is one such book.

I was blown away by the imagery on show here (it was I believe supposed to be a graphic novel) it’s clear to see that Austrian Spencer has a vision for his masterpiece and the graphic novel is an ideal space to show this, but seeing as it isn’t a graphic novel (although there are illustrations littered throughout) Spencer has done a marvellous job within his prose at painting the scene for us in blinding clarity - world building that is out of this world that it rests on another astral plane.

The book opens with a nightmarish vision that as I read had me thinking of the very best of 2000AD - the world and vision is so crisp and shocking as one starts this journey that I hadn’t a clue of the world I had just stepped into - but by the close of the first several chapters I was immersed in a world crafted by a visionary and I never wanted to leave.

I read a book a while back by David Eagleman called ‘Sum: Forty Tales of the Afterlives’ which is stunning - there are as you would expect 40 stories of what Eagleman predicts the afterlife could be like, it’s mind blowing but also gives the reader pause for thought as they imagine these various un-realities - as they wonder at the brilliance of the page and decipher whether what Eagleman has depicted is a reality that awaits us - and maybe it will, maybe our afterlives are specific to each of us, each one a different or grander version - the thing about afterlives is that no one knows, so anything could be waiting for us at the end and Spencer’s vision is one of utter chaos and horror - but there is redemption too, it’s not all bleak!

I loved the vision that Spencer conjures in The Sadeiest - it’s utterly beguiling and one can’t help but think ‘what if?’ - his detailed example of this new afterlife and the work of the Sadeist’s is quite mind blowing and I have to say when this is first introduced into the book I was a little sceptical and little lost - not because it was wrong but because it goes against anything I’d ever seen, was ever taught or what ever was explained to me - you see Spencer has crafted the most unique idea and it is a true thing of beauty.

Spencer’s Sadeiest’s have a duty to help dying souls emerge from the husk of human flesh they are trapped in - their role is to free the souls moments after death and if they fail they die in place of that soul an eternal punishment but if they are successful in their task they gain rewards - rewards that help them heal and move onwards to rectify the balance.

This is a book that I highly recommend you discover by yourself, like I had - I knew nothing about it before I peeled back the cover and I feel that’s how it is best discovered - I read no blurb, I read no previous reviews - I went into it blind and allowed Spencer to open my eyes to the wonderment on the page, the brilliance of his word and the limitless imagination on show - truly a feast for all the senses.

Their is a great many things to stand back in awe of in this novel and I’ll try to mention a few of these here.

The protagonists Williams and Henreich are richly and deftly portrayed - you grow attached to them and as Henreich teaches Williams the way of the Sadeiest you can’t help but think of one being the master and the other being the apprentice (think Obi Wan and Luke Skywalker).

The brutality of this book is something that makes you stand back and appreciate - it’s not the easiest of reads especially when Spencer goes to town on the horrific details of hanging and suicide and all the other grey areas between of people finding a way out of their troubled lives and Spencer makes you witness these in glorious technicolour - I for one love it, it’s right in my wheelhouse but for some I can imagine it may be too much - but we read horror to be horrified am I right?

The plot - although it is busy and a bit all over the place with body hopping and this other dimension - we flit back and forth at pace but in all of it I never felt lost once, it was as if Spencer had taken my by the hand and walked me through his nightmarish vision of what waits for us beyond. There are paths of the plot I was desperate to run down, to find the answers to questions that had been asked, to know what awaits out characters but Spencer ensures we amble through the story at the pace he has designed and we will get answers to those questions it will we like what we hear?

Again I can’t hype this book up enough - it brought to mind the great works of Neil Gaiman (American Gods), Richard Matheson (What Dreams May Come), Oliver Sacks (Awakenings) and Philip K Dick (Ubik) - plus there were pieces that reminded me of 2000AD, The Crow, Flatliners and so many others... there is so much to savour and enjoy in this stunning title!

The Sadeiest is a nightmarish vision of what awaits us when we slip our skin, it makes you question everything you believe in and in my opinion is there anything more fear inducing than that?
Profile Image for Catherine McCarthy.
Author 31 books322 followers
October 2, 2023
One of my favorite books of all times is The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, and that’s partly because the POV narrator is Death, and also because I enjoy fiction about the Holocaust. Austrian Spencer’s The Sadeiest also speaks from Death’s POV and also touches on the Holocaust, but the style and story could not be more different. I mention it only because it was what drew me to the book in the first place.
In the Foreword, the author states that the book began life as a graphic novel. That whole graphic novel feel was evident right throughout. Even if the story had not been accompanied by illustrations, I would have thought the same.
Anyway, I made copious notes as I read but don’t want this to turn into an essay, so I thought I’d do something different and list a few of my favorite things...
1. Loved the anthropomorphism
2. The whole novel felt very visual
3. Lots of tongue-in-cheek humor
4. INTELLIGENTLY and IMMACULATELY WRITTEN
5. Loved what he did with the ants, Pez in particular – no spoilers.
6. Thought provoking
7. Loved everything to do with Greta, again no spoilers
8. There were moments of lyrical beauty and tenderness that made a nice contrast to the violence
9. Gotta love Winston, even though he’s a complete waster!

This is not a book you can race through. There are lots of characters and multiple
POV’s, though each is clearly defined. However, you do need to focus and digest so that you don’t get confused.
Now, as far as it matching my personal taste in reading goes, this one was more graphic and more violent than I would normally read, though I have to say, it is never gratuitous. But because of all its merits, listed above, it deserves 5 stars.
Profile Image for Brian Bowyer.
Author 62 books273 followers
October 2, 2023
Astonishing!

THE SADEIEST is a complex, philosophical, and challenging novel filled with dazzling prose and imagery. It's also a vast novel, and I'm not talking about the number of words or pages. I'm talking about the depth and scope of the story itself. This is an epic tale in every way, and ranks as one of the best debut novels I have ever read. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Lezlie The Nerdy Narrative.
647 reviews563 followers
November 14, 2022
When I read the opening chapters of THE SADEIEST, I thought I knew what I was getting into: a book exploring what could possibly happen to our souls when we die. It was interesting and unique - I was intrigued to know more about this process and especially how it was that souls were chosen for this particular "job" of being a Sadeiest.

If videos are more your speed, I do have a dedicated non spoiler review on my YouTube Channel you can watch instead, here: https://youtu.be/SHxtb72pJew

A few more chapters in and author Austrian Spencer threw me a curve ball - as if the different functions and experiences of a Sadeiest weren't interesting enough, the author introduces a much larger plotline - one that I have been fascinated with since I was a teenager - the Horsemen of the Apocalypse!!!!!

In the spirit of full disclosure, the author did provide me with a free (gorgeous) copy of the paperback edition of this book so that I might read and review it....now if I can just get him to let me read the next one in the series....lol! (I literally have no shame, you all have learned this by now, surely.)

We follow several characters and timelines in this book - at times it felt like a fever dream even - but stay with it. There will be times when sentence structure is strange, words run together - but stay with it! The main character we follow is Williams. We meet Williams as he fights the death that still clings to his soul, he pulls himself free and recovers, thanks to a boy there, Henreich. Henreich explains to Williams that he is now a "Sadeiest" - which is a sort of cross between a Sadist and a poltergeist. In order for Williams' soul to redeem itself from its accumulated sin, he must perform the ultimate sacrifice: to die for others. He does this by taking the place of the person dying, he sets their soul free so that he suffers the pain of death. Each time Williams does this, sin is removed.

The different deaths Williams experiences and the methods in which the soul is freed is so interesting, but also at times brutal and harsh. Be forewarned that there are some very difficult situations that may be hard to read about, such as a soul who is brutally murdered by a deranged serial killer and a Sadeiest working to reduce sin she accumulated during Auschwitz. The way Austrian Spencer navigated the narrative, teaching readers about Sadeiests and then connecting it to the bigger plot, the arrival of the Horseman, heralding the Apocalypse was so clever. I was delighted to find that....well, nevermind. You'll have to discover that tidbit organically, just as I did.

The pacing is perfect. Even at times when Henreich is teaching Williams about the things he can and cannot do, it's through the natural flow of conversation, not info dumps. The times that Williams takes the place of souls as they die are definitely going to get your heart rate up, so those teaching moments are a respite to let yourself recover.

I am very much looking forward to reading the sequel to see where the author takes us next! I believe readers who enjoy religious horror would find this one particularly fascinating, as well as those readers who enjoy puzzles and even true crime.
Profile Image for Steve Stred.
Author 88 books672 followers
October 12, 2021
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews**

CS: Suicide/Self Harm/Historical Holocaust/Depression

‘The Sadeiest’ by Austrian Spencer was a book recommended to me by my friend Ross Jeffery, right around the time this was released. As with many of us, my TBR is about 700 books long and being a bit neurotic about my TBR, I actually have them listed in some semblance of order.

Which is a roundabout way of saying – finally, almost a year after it came out, it popped its head up at the top of my list and I was excited to see it and dive in.

What I liked: The book follows a number of characters, all tied together with the reality that Death is scratching just beneath the surface. Death, not the real-life ending of our individual journeys, but the one who brings death, the rider on the pale horse.

We get to see how this impacts each character as well as different events create the will to survive as well as the understanding of how things have happened to them and around them. Spencer does a great job of crafting characters that feel like your best friends and family members, and the reader is all the better (and worse) for it.

I really enjoyed the pacing in this book and how each chapter was a slow-turn higher of the tension dial, as we got more and more of the story and the way things work together revealed.

What I didn’t like: The first quarter of the book has a fairly substantial number of characters, which I found to make it tough to really catch on or latch on to a specific character as one you want to root for and feel for.

As well, there was a specific character/storyline of a character who could see how each person would die. I was so intrigued by him and wanted to really see how this was happening etc, but I found him greatly underutilised at the beginning.

Why you should buy this: ‘The Sadeiest’ is a very dark exploration of the human will to live and survive and how we ultimately look back on what we could’ve done differently or changed to make our past better. Spencer does a great job pushing the story along while we’re dealing with the depths that this travels to.

This is a bleak, bleak read, but one that really offers a lot once it opens its secrets to the reader.
Profile Image for Ronald McGillvray.
Author 8 books107 followers
May 26, 2022
Death came and carnage followed

There’s a book that comes around every once in a while that changes your perspective on things. This is that book. The Sadeiest by Austrian Spencer is like a fine wine meant to be savoured, not rushed through. It’s a challenging read with frequently changing POV’s and conceptual ideas but for those who persevere, the payoff is one of the most surreal, complex, original and spellbinding reads you’ll come across. This stunning tale of the macabre is not to be missed, if you dare.
Profile Image for Hail Hydra! ~Dave Anderson~.
314 reviews11 followers
September 14, 2022
It happened in that tiny moment, that struggle at the end of a life, that stolen second of difference, that infinitesimal second of fate. Williams finally learnt love. And loss. And everything worth dying for.

Here ends “The Sadeiest”.

Please read on for a sneak preview of The Masocheist
Profile Image for Stephanie.
Author 172 books117 followers
September 22, 2021
Extreme and brutal in places, the story still engaged me with its weaving, literary narrative. I must admit to having to concentrate because of the way storylines would intermingle but that was no hardship. This is intelligent, thoughtful writing about death/Death and the soul at its last moment in the human body. Experiencing those moments at the end of life, seeing from behind that person's eyes is the hardest part but if you are looking for a unique and challenging book, this is for you.
Profile Image for Charlie Tyler.
Author 2 books82 followers
October 10, 2020
This novel is amazing, but prepare for your head to explode whilst reading it. This is the most challenging book I’ve encountered since Stuart Turton’s The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I’m certain that Austrian ‘The Rant’ Spencer will be delighted to know that this book enraged and absorbed me in equal measures. It made me, in random succession, feel cranky, sick, happy and tearful. It’s not a book you can dip into – the concentration needed to get your head around what is happening is huge. I had to go back and read bits again – damn! In fact, I had to read the whole opening again and I clung to the sections of it that made sense to me, particularly the flashbacks of Greta’s life. I studied theology at uni – I thought I had the concept of understanding souls in some sort of order inside my mind. Spencer ripped all this apart (he did help me put it back together again though). But if you abandon all that you presume to know about the afterlife and open your mind – you’re in for a gripping tale, starring Death.

Most of us contemplate what happens to our souls when we die. In Spencer’s universe, a soul departs just before the physical body dies, but what happens if the physical vessel dies first? What happens to the soul? Allow me to introduce you to a world of Lifetimers who need a back-up plan; enter the Sadeiest…

Williams is Sadeiest 101; taught by Henreich how to manoeuvre his way around his existence, but Henreich notices things about Williams’s new experiences which aren’t applicable to his experience, begging the question why? And, of course, don’t even think about asking, so… how exactly did you die then? This is their redemption – this is their second chance to do good in the afterlife, but there are lots of painful lessons to be learnt as they gradually lose their sin.

There are sections of this book which are grim to read, for example, there is a graphic depiction of a hanging which made me retch, but this is offset against a moving wedding ceremony which had me in tears. I was equally moved when Williams learns the lessons of sorrow, love and loss. There is plenty of humour too; much derived by the way the relationship between Henreich and Williams progresses. I was grateful for a truce which led to a helpful re-evaluation of some of the rules eg. the importance of timing things right. I enjoyed the scene where they use the memory of drinking coffee to help them out of a difficult situation. The Harbinger’s naming of Death as The Boss, the cute Mortis, and the calculation of the exact number of the horsemen of the Apocalypse add a bit of lightness to what is, at times, a dark and brutal read. Be warned; the name Sinclair will forever send shivers down your spine.

Eyes pop, ants explode, skin feels like honey and bonsai trees disintegrate. There are Georgian libraries, buckets of excrement, ice picks and shivs – this is a place where darkness oozes and souls sparkle.

The Sadeiest is captivating and unsettling. Spencer creates ripples in the plot which reoccur throughout the narrative and force you to hold unanswered questions in your head. He does, however, play fair, and rewards his reader with knowledge, at the same time, daring you to examine the nature of sin – is it only real the moment a person believes it to be so? How much are you to blame if you are the product of someone else’s sin?

This book is an extraordinary achievement which will haunt your thoughts long after you’ve finished it, and all topped off with some fantastic accompanying artwork. From now on I will remember keep a handkerchief on my person at all times…
Profile Image for Michelle Cook.
Author 2 books17 followers
August 5, 2021
I read this book ages ago but have been wordless until now. It’s that powerful. Combining classic horror with startlingly original ideas about the nature of good and evil, death and the soul, it’s like a beautiful, complicated puzzle. You get a real sense of an author revelling his craft, mercilessly playing with the reader’s preconceptions and fears. He wants you to work at understanding his world. And you do- because it’s so clever and compelling.

And this is only the beginning of the story. There is more to come of Mr Spencer’s dark tale. I, for one, can’t wait!
Profile Image for Nicole Eigener.
Author 6 books64 followers
December 10, 2021
It’s going to take a bit to wrap my thoughts together on this one, but for now, let me just say…INCREDIBLE.
Profile Image for Jeremy Hepler.
Author 16 books165 followers
November 14, 2022
This emotional, violent, and spellbinding story gripped me from beginning to end. With concise prose, endearing characters, and an intriguing/unique plot, Spencer has crafted a great slice of dark fiction I won't soon forget.
Profile Image for Eric Weule.
Author 13 books24 followers
October 4, 2020
The Sadeiest is a novel to be savored. Every word. Every sentence. Every storyline. The writing creates a world of dark beauty filled with death, redemption, and an approaching apocalypse. Some of its most memorable moments are both brutally violent and emotionally powerful. Books, the good ones, transport you. The Sadeiest is one of those books. The violence is intense. The concepts are vast and complex. The story completely engrossing and satisfying.
Profile Image for Laurel.
470 reviews54 followers
May 3, 2022
Oh, man. I know people say this a lot, but this book would make an absolutely amazing television series. Like, I think it should replace SUPERNATURAL except it's a lot darker, which is great. Epic, richly drawn, a huge tapestry and story being told here. Spencer is a gifted author and this is dark fantasy, horror, and totally engrossing.
Profile Image for Morwenna Blackwood.
Author 15 books18 followers
May 11, 2021
This is something else.

I am reeling. This novel is just brilliant. The concept of the story, and its execution, are outstanding. And then there's the artwork that tells its own story. This book, is, simply, unique, and its author is exceptionally talented. Absolutely recommended.
Profile Image for Dan Clark.
Author 5 books52 followers
December 16, 2020
I found this to be a great read with captivating characters and an original storyline.

I was hooked from from the first chapter!
Profile Image for Damien Casey.
Author 26 books88 followers
July 30, 2023
I don’t like go-karts and never have. I don’t trust them. Thanks Austrian Spencer for reminding me of that. The Sadeiest was a journey. That’s putting it mildly. This is a book that explores the human existence through life and death, as well as within the language it’s written in. This reminded me of the early works of Barker, not for the gory ooey gooey horror, but for the concepts at play and the thoughtfulness put behind exploring them. To make another reference, What Dreams May Come by Matheson comes to mind as well. This felt very much like a modern version of some of those same explorations and concepts. K thx.
Profile Image for Wayne Fenlon.
Author 6 books81 followers
July 5, 2023
The Sadeiest is an original, thought provoking, and intense read that stopped me in my tracks a few times. Not only with the writing, but with the scale of what was being achieved here. Sure, it requires a bit of focus to keep up at times, but, man, this is a hell of a debut novel. Seriously.
There is meant to be a sequel coming soon, too.
It won't be on my TBR as long as this one has been, that's for sure.
Brilliant work.
Five stars.
No question.
Profile Image for Niki.
Author 1 book19 followers
May 22, 2021
This book is amazing and intricate and worth a read. This book is all about death and repaying your sins once you do. It sounds like something you’ve read before, but you haven’t. It’s a very unique take on it all and I really enjoyed it.

When you die, your body goes here or there or somewhere, unless something goes wrong. If that happens, you become a Sadeiest (a combination of sadist and poltergeist), and none of them are exactly sure why they get the chance, but they are able to work off their sin in the afterlife. If it happens, that soul is whisked to different locations and forced to help souls move out of their bodies at the moment of death, and in exchange, they work off a bit of sin that was acquired in life.

One cool twist is that they can only do it within their lifetime. Let me explain: they jump all around the globe but only in times where they were alive. So I can’t go back and help Abe Lincoln move on, and I can’t go forward and help anyone who dies after me move on. Only those that die while I lived.

I wouldn’t say this novel is needlessly gory. There is blood and guts and (obviously) death, but I don’t think I’d say it’s overdone and it’s certainly not gore for gore’s sake. Blood and guts are a thing that come with death and if you’re telling this story, there is no way around it.

Spencer’s novel touches on the horrors of the holocaust for one Jewish woman, a serial killer, and his horrible acts (again, he doesn’t go deeply into them just for shock value. I’ve listened to true crime podcasts that would have gone deeper into this without being considered ‘too far’), and many other forms of death. I think it’s all done amazingly well.

This story starts with a bang and never let's go. If I haven’t said it already, go get a copy and read this. It’s available on Amazon and links are at the bottom of the full review on my website (link in my bio).

This book is dark as hell, but honestly, it’s thought-provoking and just well written. Kudos to Mr. Austrian Spencer. It's just excellent.
Profile Image for Coy Hall.
Author 35 books238 followers
April 30, 2022
An absorbing, many-tentacled tale that takes you into the world of a sadeiest. Sadist + Ghost (geist)
= Sadeiest. We learn about the after-death world of the sadeiest through Williams, who begins the book as a fish out of water, learning his purpose and exploring his new world.

Spencer presents a philosophy of death that is challenging and fascinating. When a soul fails to escape the body before death, it does not go to Heaven, Hell, or Valhalla. If trapped and unreleased, the soul dies. The job of the Sadeiest is to go into the body of the dying (your shell can hold at least two souls at once, according to Williams' guide Henreich) and free it. Descriptions of death throes in the novel are quite unsettling.

The plot weaves a puzzle, and metaphysical horror is the price you pay for solving it. I loved it.

Spencer's prose is crisp, dialogue is witty and irreverent, characters vivid, descriptions visceral, and his ability to weave a tapestry of plots into a cohesive story is amazing.
Profile Image for Catherine Fearns.
Author 9 books60 followers
February 5, 2021
This was one of those books where I kept highlighting sentences on my Kindle to go back and read again later. I'm always attracted to books that address themes of religion, heaven and hell, sin and redemption, but this was a completely unique take that really left me thinking. An audacious premise and even more audacious structure, that incorporates many styles and is illustrated by graphic novel inserts. This is not an easy read, and you will be challenged throughout, not least if you have a weak constitution since the descriptions of death are jaw-dropping - this is a book you can almost smell and touch. A bizarre, brilliant and highly unnerving debut - a nightmare, but in a good way. Can't wait for the next one.
Profile Image for Austrian Spencer.
Author 4 books93 followers
October 8, 2022
The Sadeiest is the first part of a series of books, to be continued with The Masocheist. It contains trigger warnings - bad language, scenes of death, implied torture, sex, violence, self harm, elements which are unavoidable when dealing with the manifestation of death, yet I have attempted to illustrate those subjects paying mind to the sensibilities of younger readers.
The name "The Sadeiest" has itself been amended to make google searches of that name less likely to produce images that parents would not wish their children to discover.
The book does not glorify any of the subjects above, the only social comment it makes is that life should be lived.
Thank you for reading, and reviewing it.
Profile Image for Jennifer Worrell.
Author 16 books119 followers
November 18, 2020
Spencer's skill with imagery is enviable in The Sadeiest; he can switch from beauty to gritty violence seamlessly. With twists and turns to keep you guessing, and a subplot involving a young lady named Greta that had me most enthralled. Her plight—and the influence on character motivations—is a harrowing twist on an already tearful story. The question of Karma and reincarnation is played out within these pages, via text and gorgeous sketches. As you follow the two leads through their fates and redemptions, you'll find yourself asking what can be done during in your own short time on earth. What impact will you make, and who will pay the price?
1 review
November 5, 2021
I really, reallyyyyy liked this book. Contrary to what I usually read, this book really needs your full attention to keep up with all the different storylines and all the details. But trust me, it's worth it! The Sadeiest is a complex book with a totally new concept of death. This book is really refreshing because it is built from a new idea that you haven't already read about in any another book. The way death is portrayed and everything revolving around the "Sadeiests" is a real suprise. I don't want to spoil anything, but trust me, this book is worth it!
Profile Image for Rose McClelland.
Author 9 books113 followers
February 17, 2021
What happens when we die? Does our soul go elsewhere? These are mysteries we all ponder from time to time. Austrian Spencer answers these questions in a challenging and explosive way in his novel “The Sadeiest”.

This book is unique, horrifying, gripping and grotesque. It’s a must for fans of Stephen King and for any reader who enjoys a challenge. Prepare to be hooked from the start and mind-blown throughout.
7 reviews
March 31, 2021
Unique

Totally absorbing. A kaleidoscope of a story twisting and turning stories within stories. As a horror fan the descriptions satisfied my gruesome heart. It is a book nightmares are made of.
Profile Image for Iain MacCallum.
49 reviews11 followers
May 12, 2022
Brutal, bleak and absolutely brilliant.

The story of Sadiest 101 had me hooked from the start. It is a dark and twisty tale which is brutal, bleak and absolutely brilliant. I found it unputdownable. An easy 5 stars for me and I can't wait for the sequel.
Profile Image for Fil Reid.
Author 25 books65 followers
March 26, 2022
Excellent thought provoking read.
Profile Image for J.P Stewart.
15 reviews
October 26, 2020
A modern-day celebration of philosophical horror and complex storytelling

The Sadeiest is a book that defies genre definition. Just when you think you have a handle on the intertwining plots, the fantastical world, and the rules that govern this tale of horror and dark fantasy, it pivots and warps into something else entirely, building layer upon layer of complexity, lore, character motivations and non-linear story elements that’ll either ignite the completive reader instinct in you to examine every morsel of information and attempt to pre-empt where the next plot thread is leading, or it will compel you to hurl the book across the room in a baffled rage at the author’s deliberate refusal to take you by the hand and lead you through the darkness.

Without getting into hyperbole; any attempt to classify or pigeon-hole exactly what this marvellous, and brain-straining story actually is, would be a crime of oversimplification of what debut author Austrian Spencer has achieved. This is the first instalment in what this reader hopes is a long and rich saga exploring the nature of death, sin, guilt, suffering, and the relationships that bind those impenetrable subjects together. It’s truly fantastic.

I won’t summarise the plot, not because I want to avoid spoilers, but mainly because it’s an impossible task. But to give you the basics; The Sadeiest is the story of a man named Williams who has recently discovered he is, in fact, very dead.

In the world of The Sadeiest, when a human dies their soul is actually released to the afterlife moments before the body itself perishes. However, Williams’ soul did not pass on as it should have. When this happens, a new being is created – a Sadeiest.

Sadeiests have one duty (a penance, really) - a Sadeiest is deployed by an unseen force to aid dying souls in strife, who are struggling to die in peace and leave their body, and it is a Sadeiest’s duty to help with the soul’s release… before they themselves are forced to die in its place. And they must do this many, many times.

And. It. Hurts.

Sadeiests must continue their penance until their sins in life are worked off and repaid.

(Still with me? Because those are just the basics!)

To guide Williams on his bizarre and horrific journey is his fellow Sadeiest, and mentor, Henreich. Together, they embark on a story of friendship and surrealism that travels through every facet of the horror genre towards an endgame where the fate of the world will hinge on the survival of an innocent boy with a unique relationship with Death himself, and the oncoming threat of the horsemen of the Apocalypse.

(Still here? Still morbidly curious as to what the actual heck this book is? Good. Come... Follow…)

Austrian’s style reminds this reader of the best of literary horror of yester-century, told with an undeniably modern sensibility, and the twisted influences of the likes of Joe Hill, Neil Gaiman, and even Tsugumi Ohba.

Like the latter’s seminal manga series, Death Note, this book takes on the big, weighty topics of morality, sin, and guilt and explores them using lore-heavy fantasy elements and non-linear storytelling.

Despite the eclectic story and the presence of some very welcome dark humour, this is very much a horror tale. What type of horror, you ask? ALL THE HORROR AT ONCE.

The Sadeiest, despite its tight length, is an epic tour through the genre’s many faces. Body horror, supernatural horror, creepy-crawly horror, slasher horror, and even horror grounded in the real worlds of war, depravity, and inhumanity. It is a true buffet of ideas and experiences that might overwhelm some readers through the sheer ambition of the story and the unforgiving nature of Austrian’s insistence that you PAY ATTENTION. And it’s true, this is not a cosy nighttime skim-read nor a book to be read chapter-by-chapter weeks apart. It is a Rubix cube and a roller-coaster that demands to be cracked, conquered, and ridden in all its glory.

Unique, original, bizarre, and wholly rewarding for the readers who take Austrian up on his challenge, The Sadeiest is a book I can’t help but recommend. In the same way, I’d broadly recommend running a marathon, climbing a mountain, or completing sober October (okay that last one is probably just me) – you will be fulfilled and delighted that you undertook the challenge… but please do not expect to laze your way through it. Or you will be sorry.

A heartfelt, hair-raising, mind-warping experience.

Read it.
Profile Image for Nikki ~ The Nocturnal Bookworm.
115 reviews81 followers
November 30, 2020
~ Teaser ~

Visceral
Enigmatic
Unique
Dark

Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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You might think that “world building” wouldn’t be an applicable category in a book set in our world and not some fictitious realm. For this book you would be wrong. Spencer’s version of the afterlife is unique and masterfully crafted, and the scenes involving the living feel grounded in reality.

World Building ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
—————
Henreich was probably my favorite character, though every character in this book is done phenomenally well. His whole arc, attitude, and mentorship of Williams had me at points laughing, crying, and totally engrossed. I’m really looking forward to seeing where all the characters end up and develop in the sequel, especially Williams and John.

Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
—————
The writing style of this books is very unique, but once I got used to it (which I did before I finished the first chapter) I really loved it. It’s unique and has a highly visceral quality to it. Each POV seems tailored to really get into the mind of that character, feel what they feel and see what they see. If you, like me, feel a little jarred and confused reading the prologue I implore you to stick with it until at least the end of chapter 1. Trust me, you will be happy you did.

Writing Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
—————
In case it’s not obvious I absolutely loved this book. It’s a wonderful blend of several horror subgenres, and I look forward to Spencer’s future works. The Sadeiest isn’t light reading, my brain felt engaged and I mean that in the most positive was possible. This debut novel was dark and enigmatic, and exactly the kind of book I enjoy most.

Personal Enjoyment ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Overall Rating 5/5

*I did receive a copy of this book for the blog tour, however this in no way affected or influenced my ratings or review
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