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The Light at the End
An adrenaline-charged tale of unrelenting suspense that sparks with raw and savage energy... The newspapers scream out headlines that spark terror across the city. Ten murders on the New York City subway. Ten grisly crimes that defy all reason -- no pattern, no m.o., no leads for police to pursue. The press dubs the fiend the "Subway Psycho"; the NYPD desperately seeks their quarry before the city erupts in mass hysteria. But they won't find what they're looking for.
Because they all think that the killer is human.
Only a few know the true story -- a story the papers will never print. It is a tale of abject terror and death written in grit and steel... and blood. The tale of a man who vanished into the bowels of the urban earth one night, taken by a creature of unholy evil, then left as a babe abandoned on the doorstep of Hell. Now he is back, driven by twin demons of rage and retribution.
He is unstoppable. And we are all his prey... unless a ragtag band of misfit souls will dare to descend into a world of manmade darkness, where the real and unreal alike dwell in endless shadow. A place where humanity has been left behind, and the horrifying truth will dawn as a madman's chilling vendetta comes to light...
Filled with gripping drama and harrowing doomsday dread, The Light at the End is the book that ushered in a bold new view of humankind's most ancient and ruthless evil; a mesmerizing novel from two acknowledged masters of spellbinding suspense.
385 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
About the author
John Skipp
108 books299 followersJohn Skipp is a splatterpunk horror and fantasy author and anthology editor, as well as a songwriter, screenwriter, film director, and film producer. He collaborated with Craig Spector on multiple novels, and has also collaborated with Marc Levinthal and Cody Goodfellow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
September 11, 2021
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3.5 starts out of 5 rounded up to four. Where do I start with the 80's classic vampire novel, The Light at the End by Skipp and Spector?
First off this is a very fun, fast paced read. Think a cross between Taxi Driver and Fright Night. Skipp and Spector paint a very sleezy, grimy, gritty New York landscape where vampires lurk in the dark corners. The main premise follows the transformation of Rudy Pasko, a bleached blond street punk, into a murderous creature of the night and his ultimate demise. This isn't your sparkling, romantic type of vampires. We're talking pure nihilism and destruction. So if you're after Twilight, better look elsewhere. On a sidenote, this guy was the inspiration for Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Spike character.
While the book is fun and very nostalgic, my only main gripe is the writing. It's not really bad, but I can imagine Skipp and Spector sat in their apartment smoking their joints and seeing who can come up with the craziest metaphor. "Stephen was silent like the head of a stuffed moose." I mean come on lol. But sometimes the authors nail it and the writing comes across as edgy with a slice of cool.
The character work also left a little bit to be desired. They were all unique but not very deep and you never really got to delve into what made them tick. There was also the odd bit of really unrealistic behaviour too and people falling in love at the drop of a hat. I think the authors may have had a very unrealistic concept of relationships and this may be what they wished it was like. Really hot girls falling instantly in love with dungeons and dragons playing geeks. If only lol
John Skipp and Craig Spector
But Skipp and Spector do have a number of strong points. Namely gore and horror, which they do in a very fun way. This will give you a reminder of what vampires were like in classic movies such as Lost Boys and Near Dark. So if you're in the mood for a bit of light entertainment and some proper 80s horror nostalgia then definitely give it a try. You won't be disappointed. Just don't be expecting Salem's Lot. Peace Out!
3.5 starts out of 5 rounded up to four. Where do I start with the 80's classic vampire novel, The Light at the End by Skipp and Spector?
First off this is a very fun, fast paced read. Think a cross between Taxi Driver and Fright Night. Skipp and Spector paint a very sleezy, grimy, gritty New York landscape where vampires lurk in the dark corners. The main premise follows the transformation of Rudy Pasko, a bleached blond street punk, into a murderous creature of the night and his ultimate demise. This isn't your sparkling, romantic type of vampires. We're talking pure nihilism and destruction. So if you're after Twilight, better look elsewhere. On a sidenote, this guy was the inspiration for Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Spike character.
While the book is fun and very nostalgic, my only main gripe is the writing. It's not really bad, but I can imagine Skipp and Spector sat in their apartment smoking their joints and seeing who can come up with the craziest metaphor. "Stephen was silent like the head of a stuffed moose." I mean come on lol. But sometimes the authors nail it and the writing comes across as edgy with a slice of cool.
The character work also left a little bit to be desired. They were all unique but not very deep and you never really got to delve into what made them tick. There was also the odd bit of really unrealistic behaviour too and people falling in love at the drop of a hat. I think the authors may have had a very unrealistic concept of relationships and this may be what they wished it was like. Really hot girls falling instantly in love with dungeons and dragons playing geeks. If only lol
John Skipp and Craig Spector
But Skipp and Spector do have a number of strong points. Namely gore and horror, which they do in a very fun way. This will give you a reminder of what vampires were like in classic movies such as Lost Boys and Near Dark. So if you're in the mood for a bit of light entertainment and some proper 80s horror nostalgia then definitely give it a try. You won't be disappointed. Just don't be expecting Salem's Lot. Peace Out!
January 22, 2022
Let´s take a ride on the Midnight Meat Train again! Two years after Clive Barker´s short story of the same name, the splatterpunk duo Skipp/Spector created their own ghoulish subway terror with their classic The Light at the End. After a wild start in the dark tunnels, we follow a group of people roaming the filthy streets of 80's Manhattan to find a young graffiti artist named Rudy. Rudy has been a bad bad boy after he got bitten by a vampire on the subway and developed some megalomaniac ideas, enjoying his new gained powers. This is a splatterpunk novel, so expect all kinds of trigger warnings - that said, I enjoyed this old school gorefest not only because of all the icky stuff but because of the authentic descriptions of New York´s darker corners at that time. I have a soft spot for those early exploitation movies and loved that the authors placed some scenes into the grindhouse theatres on 42nd Street as well. There are some cheesy elements in here too: In my opinion vampires shouldn´t run around with glowing red eyes, but maybe that´s just me.
I recommend this novel to everyone who enjoys fast paced high energy horror novels with a lot of violence and pitch black humor. So please don´t expect Dostoevsky here.
I recommend this novel to everyone who enjoys fast paced high energy horror novels with a lot of violence and pitch black humor. So please don´t expect Dostoevsky here.
August 17, 2019
Rereading this one after more than 30 years, I couldn't help but think to myself, "What the hell took you so long, man?"
Loved this book then, loved it even more now.
Highly recommended!
Loved this book then, loved it even more now.
Highly recommended!
April 29, 2026
The Light at the End really hits the “punk” in splatterpunk. An alt bleach blonde graffiti artist turned vampire haunts the New York subway tunnels in the 1980s. Sign me up!
I loved the grimy atmosphere, fast pace and relentless kills. The random ragtag group of guys who team up together to hunt a vampire was very reminiscent of Bram Stoker’s Dracula which I also appreciated.
I loved the grimy atmosphere, fast pace and relentless kills. The random ragtag group of guys who team up together to hunt a vampire was very reminiscent of Bram Stoker’s Dracula which I also appreciated.
February 4, 2024
Loved, loved, loved. Wonderfully written with surprising emotional elements sprinkled throughout. Splatterpunk done the way it should be! That's no surprise as authors Skipp and Spector really are the fathers of Splatterpunk - and The Light at the End was their first novel together!
This is probably my favorite vampire novel that I've read thus far. Gnarly with great imagery and some heart here and there! Highly recommend for those looking for a vintage horror gem!
This is probably my favorite vampire novel that I've read thus far. Gnarly with great imagery and some heart here and there! Highly recommend for those looking for a vintage horror gem!
May 31, 2025
THE LIGHT AT THE END [1986] By John Skipp & Craig Spector
My Review 4.0 Stars
I would never have read this epic vampire novel but for a comment on one of the Discussion Threads [Splatterpunk Horror Book Club]. A member stated that this was his favorite horror novel of all time and that he had read it numerous times because he loved it so much. His fervor prompted me to purchase it and start reading it pronto.
This novel has a lot of historical importance to the Splatterpunk/Extreme Horror Sub-Genre. This was a young John Skipp’s first novel (co-authored with Craig Spector). It was purchased by Bantam Books in 1984 and published in 1986. It sold over a million copies worldwide. It is known as “The First Splatterpunk Novel”.
John Skipp’s accomplishments would fill several pages of print. Craig Spector, another master of spellbinding suspense, would collaborate with John Skipp for an additional five “Splatterpunk” novels.
The story begins with newspapers printing terrifying headlines about multiple savage murders taking place on the New York City subway. Ten grisly, brutal crimes prompt the press to dub the murderer the “Subway Psycho”. But the hard-working NYPD is operating with a handicap and failing to achieve any traction with their investigation. The men in blue are blind to the fact that their fiend is not human. An ancient evil visited their city and changed a young man into a supernatural creature of the night. Only a handful of people know the truth about the quarry the police are futilely hunting.
“The Light at the End” is how the youthful vampire describes his transformation to the nerdy Stephen who worships him. The “chosen” is a selfish ruthless nihilistic punk. This is not akin to the vampires of “Twilight”, but rather the tales of horror that whisper out of Transylvania at night with the sound effects of bat wings. The epic novel has a colorful cast of young energetic characters and an inspirational older man who saw the Extermination Camp of Treblinka fall.
This novel is akin to a rollercoaster ride through the fires of hell in a sense. There is constant movement of the storyline like an escalator moving at fast speed. It was all I could do to keep up with the antics of the vampire hunters and the other peripheral characters. The narrative is sometimes humorous due to the anecdotes that are occasionally employed. But it has a vibrant if not passionate comradery among the good guys who are trying to save lives by endangering their own. I really felt for these characters and there were casualties that were heartbreaking. There is so much action you feel like you need to be on speed to follow everything that is happening. I can easily understand why a fan would read the book more than a few times, because although I read closely, I feel like I may have missed something. In another vein, there are scenes I could read again and again.
MY favorite scenes included the meeting of the interested parties to discuss their potential strategies and suddenly Rudy (the vampire) shows up beside their table. Ian’s performance was worth its weight in gold. I also enjoyed Doug taking up the gauntlet on his skates and knowing that he was on the side of angels. He wreaked havoc with the Holy Water. Joseph saving the elderly man on the crosswalk, and learning what he was doing on the subway, and numerous other memorable moments. I can readily see why this book was a runaway best seller. It has laughter, love, friendship, commitment, danger, an evil supernatural creature of the night, and so much more.
I would highly recommend this book to those of you who are like me and are just now exploring the early days of Splatterpunk/Extreme Horror and become enthusiastic with finding gems from yesterday like this one which truly shines.
“THE FIRST SPLATTERPUNK NOVEL” THRILLS AND CHILLS EVEN TODAY
My Review 4.0 Stars
I would never have read this epic vampire novel but for a comment on one of the Discussion Threads [Splatterpunk Horror Book Club]. A member stated that this was his favorite horror novel of all time and that he had read it numerous times because he loved it so much. His fervor prompted me to purchase it and start reading it pronto.
This novel has a lot of historical importance to the Splatterpunk/Extreme Horror Sub-Genre. This was a young John Skipp’s first novel (co-authored with Craig Spector). It was purchased by Bantam Books in 1984 and published in 1986. It sold over a million copies worldwide. It is known as “The First Splatterpunk Novel”.
John Skipp’s accomplishments would fill several pages of print. Craig Spector, another master of spellbinding suspense, would collaborate with John Skipp for an additional five “Splatterpunk” novels.
The story begins with newspapers printing terrifying headlines about multiple savage murders taking place on the New York City subway. Ten grisly, brutal crimes prompt the press to dub the murderer the “Subway Psycho”. But the hard-working NYPD is operating with a handicap and failing to achieve any traction with their investigation. The men in blue are blind to the fact that their fiend is not human. An ancient evil visited their city and changed a young man into a supernatural creature of the night. Only a handful of people know the truth about the quarry the police are futilely hunting.
“The Light at the End” is how the youthful vampire describes his transformation to the nerdy Stephen who worships him. The “chosen” is a selfish ruthless nihilistic punk. This is not akin to the vampires of “Twilight”, but rather the tales of horror that whisper out of Transylvania at night with the sound effects of bat wings. The epic novel has a colorful cast of young energetic characters and an inspirational older man who saw the Extermination Camp of Treblinka fall.
This novel is akin to a rollercoaster ride through the fires of hell in a sense. There is constant movement of the storyline like an escalator moving at fast speed. It was all I could do to keep up with the antics of the vampire hunters and the other peripheral characters. The narrative is sometimes humorous due to the anecdotes that are occasionally employed. But it has a vibrant if not passionate comradery among the good guys who are trying to save lives by endangering their own. I really felt for these characters and there were casualties that were heartbreaking. There is so much action you feel like you need to be on speed to follow everything that is happening. I can easily understand why a fan would read the book more than a few times, because although I read closely, I feel like I may have missed something. In another vein, there are scenes I could read again and again.
MY favorite scenes included the meeting of the interested parties to discuss their potential strategies and suddenly Rudy (the vampire) shows up beside their table. Ian’s performance was worth its weight in gold. I also enjoyed Doug taking up the gauntlet on his skates and knowing that he was on the side of angels. He wreaked havoc with the Holy Water. Joseph saving the elderly man on the crosswalk, and learning what he was doing on the subway, and numerous other memorable moments. I can readily see why this book was a runaway best seller. It has laughter, love, friendship, commitment, danger, an evil supernatural creature of the night, and so much more.
I would highly recommend this book to those of you who are like me and are just now exploring the early days of Splatterpunk/Extreme Horror and become enthusiastic with finding gems from yesterday like this one which truly shines.
“THE FIRST SPLATTERPUNK NOVEL” THRILLS AND CHILLS EVEN TODAY
October 23, 2007
A long time ago a group of friends shared an apartment in NYC. This book was written in that apartment. I was there. at the time the book was LIVE and in color from the heart of the city and the fertile imaginations of John Skipp and Craig Spector. Now it is a great time capsule of what New York City was like in the early 80's. Yes kids, Punk Graffiti artists and vampires really were everywhere... and no one had a cell phone. There are a number of scenes in the book where the protagonists need to get to a pay phone NOW! Which, was actually a heck of a lot easier back then as there actually were pay phones on almost evey corner... AND punk graffiti artists and vampires living in th esubway system...
The horror sub genre "SplatterPunk" a take off on the then emerging "CyberPunk" movement, started with this novel. For better or for worse, for bloody or bloodier... until death do rip us limb from limb...
Read it and then ride the D train at night. Alone. I dare you.
The horror sub genre "SplatterPunk" a take off on the then emerging "CyberPunk" movement, started with this novel. For better or for worse, for bloody or bloodier... until death do rip us limb from limb...
Read it and then ride the D train at night. Alone. I dare you.
August 1, 2021
A ragtag group of people join forces against a vampire stalking the streets and subways of NYC.
1980s New York makes an excellent setting for a vampire story and this was a fun and fast-paced ride with plenty of blood and guts. It also had a couple of emotional moments that I honestly was not expecting from a splatterpunk novel.
1980s New York makes an excellent setting for a vampire story and this was a fun and fast-paced ride with plenty of blood and guts. It also had a couple of emotional moments that I honestly was not expecting from a splatterpunk novel.
June 20, 2011
When I first read this 25 years ago I really enjoyed it. Rudy Pasko, the villain, is still a wonderfully developed and lasting character--equally an object of fear and contempt. The book remains a vanguard in (at that time) the burgeoning Splatterpunk literary movement and is worth a read for the pull-no-punches horror imagery and the very well-paced final third of the story. I found myself wishing that the subplot with the homeless in the tunnels was expanded and the character list was thinned out a bit to give more time for a couple of the mains to shine through, but all told, the book is most worth the read for the contemptible Rudy Pasko.
February 5, 2017
This was a really good book. I didn't realize it until I was into it for a bit that I had read this book years ago but I didn't remember alot of the storyline. The story is about people getting murdered on subway trains and in the subway tunnels by something other than a human. Not giving away spoilers here about what kind of creature it is as you will just have to read the book. Giving it 4 stars.
May 18, 2020
This was Skipp and Spector's first original collaborative novel. It was a story of extreme horror and violence and gore, and was splatterpunk before there was a word for such a thing. It's a vampire novel that had a lot to do with spawning (siring?) the proliferation of vampires who came to dominate the shelves in the following decade or three. I remember reading somewhere that Joss Whedon credited it with inspiring the character of William the Bloody, Spike himself, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I can't recommend it to readers with a low tolerance for violence or gore or abuse, but hardcore horror fans have to read the Skipp and Spector books.
June 11, 2017
I listened to this one on audio and enjoyed it. Chet Williamson is a great narrator.
I can see where this would have been the start of something “splatterpunk” in 1986, but by today’s standards it read (listened) a bit elementary. The writing, at times, was very basic. There really wasn’t anything shocking or overly gratuitous going on either. I will say that it was a very quick and entertaining listen and it definitely kept my attention throughout.
I liked it, but was hoping for more “splatter”. Or more “punk”.
I can see where this would have been the start of something “splatterpunk” in 1986, but by today’s standards it read (listened) a bit elementary. The writing, at times, was very basic. There really wasn’t anything shocking or overly gratuitous going on either. I will say that it was a very quick and entertaining listen and it definitely kept my attention throughout.
I liked it, but was hoping for more “splatter”. Or more “punk”.
September 6, 2020
Skipp and Spector's debut novel quickly became something of a classic and I can see why. Published in 1986, TLATE contains a broad cast, including the lead Rudy-- a vampire without a clue. Rudy was 'turned' on a subway; the so-called 'train of death', pulling into a station with only dead bodies aboard. The master vampire, some 800 years old, paid a visit to NYC and decided a good feed was important before heading to Europe, and he thought he would leave a little surprise in NYC as well-- Rudy.
Rudy is a great character-- pompous artist, snide and mocking, but when he wakes up in the subway tunnels he has no clue about being a vampire. With visions of becoming a king of sorts, he decides to first take care of his ex and other associated people who pissed him off in life. The ex and other associated people slowly become aware of what Rudy is and decide to go after him themselves, as the cops would never believe them...
TLATE felt like a flashback to the 80s, with lots of references very artfully done to various politicians, economic trends and of course, Jimmy Swaggart. The pacing is more relentless than fast, but the bulk of the story transpires in one week. Rudy's discovering his new talents really drove the novel and broke with standard vampire tropes-- he knows he has new powers, but struggles to understand them, being at the same time driven by his ego to seek the death of his ex and other people who pissed him off. Rudy emerges as almost a tragic figure, even as he reaps death and mayhem in NYC. Without spoilers, I felt the ending was rather weak, and it departs from their later work as well. Skipp and Spector may be the founders of splatterpunk, but I would hesitate to brand this novel with that title. 3.5 wooden stakes rounding up.
Rudy is a great character-- pompous artist, snide and mocking, but when he wakes up in the subway tunnels he has no clue about being a vampire. With visions of becoming a king of sorts, he decides to first take care of his ex and other associated people who pissed him off in life. The ex and other associated people slowly become aware of what Rudy is and decide to go after him themselves, as the cops would never believe them...
TLATE felt like a flashback to the 80s, with lots of references very artfully done to various politicians, economic trends and of course, Jimmy Swaggart. The pacing is more relentless than fast, but the bulk of the story transpires in one week. Rudy's discovering his new talents really drove the novel and broke with standard vampire tropes-- he knows he has new powers, but struggles to understand them, being at the same time driven by his ego to seek the death of his ex and other people who pissed him off. Rudy emerges as almost a tragic figure, even as he reaps death and mayhem in NYC. Without spoilers, I felt the ending was rather weak, and it departs from their later work as well. Skipp and Spector may be the founders of splatterpunk, but I would hesitate to brand this novel with that title. 3.5 wooden stakes rounding up.
April 20, 2021
A dated, pulpy, and ultimately unfulfilling vampire novel as poorly drawn and unlikable as the characters that populate it, The Light at the End is often credited with jumpstarting the splatterpunk movement and, damn, what a bummer of a start to the movement.
A few delightfully gruesome scenes of terror and a couple glimmers of something approaching true character development isn’t enough for this to earn more than 2 stars from me. Throw a rock and you’ll hit a better vampire novel than this: yeah, the vamps in Twilight sparkle but at least you can remember their names, huh? The cast here is too large by half—a true paring down of the characters should have been essential.
Written with an off-putting cockiness unbecoming to anyone out of middle school, this isn’t the edgy, revolutionary punk statement I think it pretends to be. Maybe these authors would go on to write novels worthy of their reputation, I don’t know. The back of my paperback copy declares this a “guitar note fingered by Satan”. Uh, not quite. I think it’s time I read Carmilla. . .
A few delightfully gruesome scenes of terror and a couple glimmers of something approaching true character development isn’t enough for this to earn more than 2 stars from me. Throw a rock and you’ll hit a better vampire novel than this: yeah, the vamps in Twilight sparkle but at least you can remember their names, huh? The cast here is too large by half—a true paring down of the characters should have been essential.
Written with an off-putting cockiness unbecoming to anyone out of middle school, this isn’t the edgy, revolutionary punk statement I think it pretends to be. Maybe these authors would go on to write novels worthy of their reputation, I don’t know. The back of my paperback copy declares this a “guitar note fingered by Satan”. Uh, not quite. I think it’s time I read Carmilla. . .
February 18, 2024
I don’t write reviews.
This was a ride! Very 80’s, very goth, very wild. I must be immune to splatter punk, since the gore didn’t seem too crazy. I enjoyed the vampire hierarchy as displayed by the ancient one and his punk spawn, Rudy. It was a bit satisfying when Rudy was put in his place.
The group of characters was surprisingly likable. Their bravery was mixed with sane, natural fear as they hunted down the insane predator Rudy through the dark of NYC. Old friendships are lost and new romances and friendships forced. It was all written quiet nicely. There were occasional creepy moments.
This was a ride! Very 80’s, very goth, very wild. I must be immune to splatter punk, since the gore didn’t seem too crazy. I enjoyed the vampire hierarchy as displayed by the ancient one and his punk spawn, Rudy. It was a bit satisfying when Rudy was put in his place.
The group of characters was surprisingly likable. Their bravery was mixed with sane, natural fear as they hunted down the insane predator Rudy through the dark of NYC. Old friendships are lost and new romances and friendships forced. It was all written quiet nicely. There were occasional creepy moments.
August 14, 2026
De entre las cosas que me gustaron están la crudeza de ciertas escenas: mucha sangre, muy explícito todo. También la construcción del escenario, ya que Nueva York se vuelve un personaje más de la historia y el metro es un espacio ideal para que el horror suceda.
Y por otro lado, la historia tiene varios hilos sueltos, y no termina de desarrollar a los personajes, que se sienten planos y sin sustancia, esas fueron algunas cosas por las que no me termina de convencer y se queda con tres estrellas.
Y por otro lado, la historia tiene varios hilos sueltos, y no termina de desarrollar a los personajes, que se sienten planos y sin sustancia, esas fueron algunas cosas por las que no me termina de convencer y se queda con tres estrellas.
September 11, 2026
It took me a while to get around to this 80s classic, probably because I'm not the biggest vampire fan, but also because there's so much stuff I want to read. I'm so glad I eventually did!
A New York street punk is turned into a vampire, and he stalks the subways for victims. That's pretty much the main plot. So, what elevates this above the myriad of other monster-on-the-loose tales of the period?
Well, you probably don't need me to tell you that it is known as the first splatterpunk novel. But from what I've seen of most online reviews, I think it would help if I explained what splatterpunk means in the case of this novel.
Perhaps it is a testament to how violent our entertainment has become that I did not find this very extreme, and I think a lot of modern horror fans will agree. Sure, a few punks do get splattered. But people have come to think of books like "The Bighead" and "Slob" when they hear "splatterpunk," which means something very different in the original context.
First, the term reflects a DIY attitude. John Skipp and Craig Spector were friends across the East Coast--Skipp was in New York while Spector was in Boston. Spector had come up with the basic notion of a punk vampire in a leather jacket while riding on the subway and witnessing a chain snatching. Readers take this vampiric image for granted now, but such was not the case before the mid-Eighties. Skipp collaborated with Spector to develop a full story around this idea through the mail, as there was no Internet in those days. Eventually, Spector moved to NYC and the dynamic duo took jobs as roller-skating messengers to pay the bills while they finished their book. The inclusion of characters who work as couriers was no doubt a late addition to the story based on the real life experiences of the authors. After completion, the manuscript was rejected over ten times for being too violent. But there was a literal light at the end. Skipp had previously sold some stories to Twilight Zone Magazine run by T.E.D. Klein, who you may know as the author of the classic paperback from hell "The Ceremonies," which was published by Bantam. Klein liked Skipp's work, so he wrote a letter to Bantam in support, which Craig Spector (on roller skates) delivered to the publishing office. The resulting first edition quickly sold a million copies.
Though the gore and sexually explicit content certainly caught the attention of the public, I think that the earnestness underlying the text was what really spoke to the target audience. Skipp and Spector were no strangers to punk culture, which wasn't supposed to be about spiked wrist bands and robbing people at the point of a switchblade. It was about giving the working-class kid a voice. Western civilization on both sides of the Atlantic had forgotten the laborers who built it, and the state of factory towns and inner cities of the late 70s and 80s reflected the disdain that elected leaders had of lower middle-class youth. Punk became the new folk music of the tavern as well as a rallying cry for activism. Most importantly, networks of like-minded artists with little musical expertise could help each other release entire albums and manifestos all on the cheap. Another subculture that was birthed around the same time and from the same cultural necessities was industrial music, which took these practices to the extreme. Transgressive music went hand-in-hand with all forms of transgressive art, none providing more freedom than horror. This period was not so coincidentally a new golden age for horror, reflected in film and literature, and the love of horror was central to a third related music subculture we know as goth rock. Skipp and Spector were burgeoning young artists right in the heart of this "cultural mulch" (as Spector put it) in the New York scene, developing their writing craft alongside music in a way that was similar to their contemporaries across the pond, such as metalhead Shaun Hutson and the more industrial Clive Barker.
Therefore, "The Light at the End" is a portrayal of the struggles and hopes of an ensemble cast of young people who came to the concrete jungle to discover the American Dream, but found themselves wishing that they had noticed the sign on their way in: "Abandon all hope all ye who enter here..." Within this unforgiving and ugly urban world, we are introduced to characters who are full of internal beauty, and who are all trying to discover that creative energy in themselves through their art and work (and, in one case, some freelance vigilante justice) amidst a tapestry of crime, sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll.
As such, I was pleasantly surprised just how relatable and likeable these characters were! I remember seeing a YouTube review about this book some time ago, and the reviewer led me to believe that nobody in the book was sympathetic. That's not true at all. They may not be PERFECT, but that makes them very human. The authors take the time to give even minor character appearances weight, usually through subtle plot moments.
Perhaps most compelling is the villain himself, who is equal parts disgusting and endearing. In life, he was a skinny unemployed loser who hid his hatred for himself behind a mask of provocative dress and pseudo-philosophy that somehow managed to razzledazzle naive 20-year-olds into thinking he was the coolest guy on earth. As the undead, he acts like a narcissistic child discovering new-found abilities. While not very good at being a vampire, constantly screwing things up as he tries to build a kingdom that would only exist in his fantasies, he manages to wrack up a death toll that puts most horror villain icons to shame. His psychology is frequently compared to that of Nazi soldiers, a stooge whose resentfulness of others unfortunately makes him extremely dangerous.
In a similar vein, the writing is very "working-class" on the surface, but there is an amazing amount of nuance and emotional maturity in its rich depths. This was another surprise, because I had been led to believe that this book was simply a non-stop carnage fest. Again, not true at all. Skipp and Spector have since expressed their displeasure that the term "splatterpunk" has become associated with gore and sexual depravity just for the sake of it. Their philosophy was that the explicit content was meant to serve the hyperrealism of the text. They wanted readers to be completely sucked into the story by an outrageous fantasy that somehow made readers forget they were reading fiction.
Their technique was intuitive but brilliant. When people die in real life, it isn't sanitary. They don't simply make the "Wilhelm scream" and delete. They don't get bloodlessly stabbed in the arm and quietly exit the narrative. And violence happens to REAL people. So the authors took special care to make each character in their story as believable as possible to readers who once sowed their wild oats in an urban area during the punk and post-punk years. If you can relate to a character that is just like someone you once dated, or one of your close buddies with whom you've played D&D since childhood, or the bartender at the watering hole you visit after work, then the brutality of their demise stings much more than an off-screen write-off.
Therefore, the idea was to heighten and brighten everything, but not to make things cartoonishly over-the-top so as to cross into low-brow comedy. Skipp and Spector were so committed to realism that they clocked the climactic hunt for the villain through Greenwich Village on foot, so that they could convey the time it would actually take for characters to get to various destinations. I do think that this kind of dedication to detail paid off, especially in the impeccable pacing of the third act.
So that's what makes this novel splatterpunk. But please don't misunderstand me--the authors do not take themselves too seriously. This isn't the artsy pretentiousness of "Cows" or the solemn bleakness of a Khristopher Triana story. This book was meant to be entertaining and fun, and that's exactly what it is, successfully blending humor, drama, action, and horror.
It all culminates in a well-earned and satisfying conclusion that will leave you breathless and pumping your fists. Even the best horror authors tend to struggle landing the plane at the finale, as fans well know, but that's not the case here.
There's really only one scene that would probably be considered disturbing or extreme to some readers, while the rest will likely not phase even most horror novices. This means that the gore is used appropriately, not gratuitously, while making a sufficient mess to satisfy the sweet tooth of any splatterpunk aficionado--just don't expect Aron Beauregard or Matt Shaw or Ed Lee. I would say that the level of gore intensity is about on par with James Herbert's "The Rats," which fans may consider to be a contender for the first true splatterpunk anyway. If you like classic Eighties paperbacks from hell, but wish that they turned up the blood-and-guts factor a bit, this one will be right up your alley, pun intended.
The result is a book that truly does represent the American Dream. A half-drunken idea, some hard work, and a lot of moxy catapulted two young inner city messengers over weaving cabs and suicidal pedestrians to the NYT Bestseller list almost overnight, which would fuel generations of writers, form a new subgenre, and inspire a fan-favorite television character (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer). We still gush over their work today.
A fine job, boys. A fine job.
SCORE: 4 punk vampires out of 5
WORD OF THE DAY: Intaglio
SUGGESTED MUSICAL PAIRINGS:
It Took Several Wives (1982) by Bohack--New York industrial noodling from the No Wave scene, featuring musician and indie film darling Vincent Gallo, which perfectly encapsulates the world of this book!
Bad Brains (1982) by Bad Brains--Hardcore punk and reggae fusion recorded in NYC, and most definitely would have been a favorite of the villain from this story, at least before he turned bloodsucker, since it features the classic one-minute track "Fearless Vampire Killers"!
"New York Vampires" (2014 single) by The Destructors--Obviously not a track that anyone who frequented CBGB in the 80s would have heard, but makes for a good theme song despite being somewhat of a diluted pop version of raw punk. And it's at least more fresh than "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", which also has its obligatory mention in this book.
A New York street punk is turned into a vampire, and he stalks the subways for victims. That's pretty much the main plot. So, what elevates this above the myriad of other monster-on-the-loose tales of the period?
Well, you probably don't need me to tell you that it is known as the first splatterpunk novel. But from what I've seen of most online reviews, I think it would help if I explained what splatterpunk means in the case of this novel.
Perhaps it is a testament to how violent our entertainment has become that I did not find this very extreme, and I think a lot of modern horror fans will agree. Sure, a few punks do get splattered. But people have come to think of books like "The Bighead" and "Slob" when they hear "splatterpunk," which means something very different in the original context.
First, the term reflects a DIY attitude. John Skipp and Craig Spector were friends across the East Coast--Skipp was in New York while Spector was in Boston. Spector had come up with the basic notion of a punk vampire in a leather jacket while riding on the subway and witnessing a chain snatching. Readers take this vampiric image for granted now, but such was not the case before the mid-Eighties. Skipp collaborated with Spector to develop a full story around this idea through the mail, as there was no Internet in those days. Eventually, Spector moved to NYC and the dynamic duo took jobs as roller-skating messengers to pay the bills while they finished their book. The inclusion of characters who work as couriers was no doubt a late addition to the story based on the real life experiences of the authors. After completion, the manuscript was rejected over ten times for being too violent. But there was a literal light at the end. Skipp had previously sold some stories to Twilight Zone Magazine run by T.E.D. Klein, who you may know as the author of the classic paperback from hell "The Ceremonies," which was published by Bantam. Klein liked Skipp's work, so he wrote a letter to Bantam in support, which Craig Spector (on roller skates) delivered to the publishing office. The resulting first edition quickly sold a million copies.
Though the gore and sexually explicit content certainly caught the attention of the public, I think that the earnestness underlying the text was what really spoke to the target audience. Skipp and Spector were no strangers to punk culture, which wasn't supposed to be about spiked wrist bands and robbing people at the point of a switchblade. It was about giving the working-class kid a voice. Western civilization on both sides of the Atlantic had forgotten the laborers who built it, and the state of factory towns and inner cities of the late 70s and 80s reflected the disdain that elected leaders had of lower middle-class youth. Punk became the new folk music of the tavern as well as a rallying cry for activism. Most importantly, networks of like-minded artists with little musical expertise could help each other release entire albums and manifestos all on the cheap. Another subculture that was birthed around the same time and from the same cultural necessities was industrial music, which took these practices to the extreme. Transgressive music went hand-in-hand with all forms of transgressive art, none providing more freedom than horror. This period was not so coincidentally a new golden age for horror, reflected in film and literature, and the love of horror was central to a third related music subculture we know as goth rock. Skipp and Spector were burgeoning young artists right in the heart of this "cultural mulch" (as Spector put it) in the New York scene, developing their writing craft alongside music in a way that was similar to their contemporaries across the pond, such as metalhead Shaun Hutson and the more industrial Clive Barker.
Therefore, "The Light at the End" is a portrayal of the struggles and hopes of an ensemble cast of young people who came to the concrete jungle to discover the American Dream, but found themselves wishing that they had noticed the sign on their way in: "Abandon all hope all ye who enter here..." Within this unforgiving and ugly urban world, we are introduced to characters who are full of internal beauty, and who are all trying to discover that creative energy in themselves through their art and work (and, in one case, some freelance vigilante justice) amidst a tapestry of crime, sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll.
As such, I was pleasantly surprised just how relatable and likeable these characters were! I remember seeing a YouTube review about this book some time ago, and the reviewer led me to believe that nobody in the book was sympathetic. That's not true at all. They may not be PERFECT, but that makes them very human. The authors take the time to give even minor character appearances weight, usually through subtle plot moments.
Perhaps most compelling is the villain himself, who is equal parts disgusting and endearing. In life, he was a skinny unemployed loser who hid his hatred for himself behind a mask of provocative dress and pseudo-philosophy that somehow managed to razzledazzle naive 20-year-olds into thinking he was the coolest guy on earth. As the undead, he acts like a narcissistic child discovering new-found abilities. While not very good at being a vampire, constantly screwing things up as he tries to build a kingdom that would only exist in his fantasies, he manages to wrack up a death toll that puts most horror villain icons to shame. His psychology is frequently compared to that of Nazi soldiers, a stooge whose resentfulness of others unfortunately makes him extremely dangerous.
In a similar vein, the writing is very "working-class" on the surface, but there is an amazing amount of nuance and emotional maturity in its rich depths. This was another surprise, because I had been led to believe that this book was simply a non-stop carnage fest. Again, not true at all. Skipp and Spector have since expressed their displeasure that the term "splatterpunk" has become associated with gore and sexual depravity just for the sake of it. Their philosophy was that the explicit content was meant to serve the hyperrealism of the text. They wanted readers to be completely sucked into the story by an outrageous fantasy that somehow made readers forget they were reading fiction.
Their technique was intuitive but brilliant. When people die in real life, it isn't sanitary. They don't simply make the "Wilhelm scream" and delete. They don't get bloodlessly stabbed in the arm and quietly exit the narrative. And violence happens to REAL people. So the authors took special care to make each character in their story as believable as possible to readers who once sowed their wild oats in an urban area during the punk and post-punk years. If you can relate to a character that is just like someone you once dated, or one of your close buddies with whom you've played D&D since childhood, or the bartender at the watering hole you visit after work, then the brutality of their demise stings much more than an off-screen write-off.
Therefore, the idea was to heighten and brighten everything, but not to make things cartoonishly over-the-top so as to cross into low-brow comedy. Skipp and Spector were so committed to realism that they clocked the climactic hunt for the villain through Greenwich Village on foot, so that they could convey the time it would actually take for characters to get to various destinations. I do think that this kind of dedication to detail paid off, especially in the impeccable pacing of the third act.
So that's what makes this novel splatterpunk. But please don't misunderstand me--the authors do not take themselves too seriously. This isn't the artsy pretentiousness of "Cows" or the solemn bleakness of a Khristopher Triana story. This book was meant to be entertaining and fun, and that's exactly what it is, successfully blending humor, drama, action, and horror.
It all culminates in a well-earned and satisfying conclusion that will leave you breathless and pumping your fists. Even the best horror authors tend to struggle landing the plane at the finale, as fans well know, but that's not the case here.
There's really only one scene that would probably be considered disturbing or extreme to some readers, while the rest will likely not phase even most horror novices. This means that the gore is used appropriately, not gratuitously, while making a sufficient mess to satisfy the sweet tooth of any splatterpunk aficionado--just don't expect Aron Beauregard or Matt Shaw or Ed Lee. I would say that the level of gore intensity is about on par with James Herbert's "The Rats," which fans may consider to be a contender for the first true splatterpunk anyway. If you like classic Eighties paperbacks from hell, but wish that they turned up the blood-and-guts factor a bit, this one will be right up your alley, pun intended.
The result is a book that truly does represent the American Dream. A half-drunken idea, some hard work, and a lot of moxy catapulted two young inner city messengers over weaving cabs and suicidal pedestrians to the NYT Bestseller list almost overnight, which would fuel generations of writers, form a new subgenre, and inspire a fan-favorite television character (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer). We still gush over their work today.
A fine job, boys. A fine job.
SCORE: 4 punk vampires out of 5
WORD OF THE DAY: Intaglio
SUGGESTED MUSICAL PAIRINGS:
It Took Several Wives (1982) by Bohack--New York industrial noodling from the No Wave scene, featuring musician and indie film darling Vincent Gallo, which perfectly encapsulates the world of this book!
Bad Brains (1982) by Bad Brains--Hardcore punk and reggae fusion recorded in NYC, and most definitely would have been a favorite of the villain from this story, at least before he turned bloodsucker, since it features the classic one-minute track "Fearless Vampire Killers"!
"New York Vampires" (2014 single) by The Destructors--Obviously not a track that anyone who frequented CBGB in the 80s would have heard, but makes for a good theme song despite being somewhat of a diluted pop version of raw punk. And it's at least more fresh than "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", which also has its obligatory mention in this book.
December 4, 2013
Terrible - I cannot believe the reviews this novel receives. Perhaps it's simply how dated the novel is by this time, but the characters are unbelievably flat, boring, and derivative. It's cookie cutter genre fiction written by a pair of guys who don't seem to actually love words very much at all - the writing is stiff and makes action and characterization all the more awkward. I can't even finish reading this - it's awful.
January 13, 2025
Forget the garlic. Forget the Holy Water. Forget the Crosses. The simple act of picking your nose grosses out a vampire, it might just save you. That is just an example of the dark humour in the world of John Skipp and Craig Spector whom many claim, with this novel, originated the sub-genre "Splatterpunk".
The Light at The End is marketed as the "original splatterpunk novel", but that is just marketing and whether it is fact is up to the individual reader, as "splatterpunk" was an evolutionary process becoming the sub-genre horror.
In 1978 the cult movie "I Spit on Your Grave" introduced the idea of "Splatterpunk" and the production companies wouldn't touch it, ultimately Meir Zarchi, unable to find a distributor, distributed the film himself. Critics were disgusted and labeled it "A vile bag of garbage ... without a shred of artistic distinction" - Roger Ebert. But there was a cult following of this movie thus proving that there was an untapped market for this style of film and production companies cashed in producing many films of this style in the 80's. This market was also tapped in literature with the emergence of a literary genre "characterized by graphically described scenes of an extremely gory nature." Skipp and Spector were leaders in this movement, but was this novel the "Original"? Possibly (that is for the pub/bar discussions to decide), it is ultimately up to the individual reader, but it is more evident with their novel Book of the Dead in 1989.
Many criticize the "Splatterpunk" genre referring to it as "teenage boy masturbatory fiction" whilst many of its critics praise "Urban Fiction" and "Romantic Horror". So just like what constitutes "masturbatory fiction", what an individual reader expects from "Splatterpunk" is purely up to the individual. For myself "Splatterpunk" is a genre I trust to deliver evil in the traditional folklore style or delivering the evil of a particular action in a form that accentuates the horror. I trust the genre not to "ridicule" or diminish century/millennia old portrayals of evil such as this
The Light at the End is basically a vampire story, some consider it a gory retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, but I do not see it that way, it is a unique story in itself. The story follows the transformation of the street punk Rudy Pasko lurking in the New York City’s subway tunnels. Rudy is characterized as a narcissistic leach on society so in becoming a vampire he's not a victim but purely a villain. He is the original evil shape-shifting, dream invading, monster of vampire folklore
Pasko doesn’t just kill he wants to dominate and control his victims. He rapes and mutilates growing his army of undead. Regardless, Pasko’s is still nothing, as he finds out when he encounters his maker, an even greater evil. "Who's your daddy, Rudy?" Rudy finds out the hard way, literally!
Cue the "Van Helsing Team". Led by the insurmountable Joseph Hunter, with Rudy’s only friend, Stephen, a team of "Dungeon and Dragons" playing bike messengers, Ian, Allan and Joeseph, Rudy's scorned lover, Josalyn, and Claire who is infatuated by the thought of vampires, they will do anything to defeat Pasko.
No matter how terrible things get, will the determination of these few show them the light at the end? In this novel we find out as Skipp and Spector bring this novel to the edge of terror and indecency. Honestly by today's standard of "Splatterpunk" the depictions of rape and gore could be considered fairly tame, but that is what the genre was originally about, a good story with the use of gory depictions to enhance the horror. Today you can't help feeling that the genre is more about how far the authors can press the line of decency and the storyline is secondary.
If you enjoy "Splatterpunk" novels then you really need to read this novel as it is possibly the defining moment when the sub-genre evolved. This novel is very well written in a character driven style, it has a good plot and a satisfying ending. I've heard it mentioned that Rudy was the inspiration for Buffy the Vampire Slayer's "Spike" character, but don't let that fact deter you hardcore "splatterpunk" readers.
The Light at The End is marketed as the "original splatterpunk novel", but that is just marketing and whether it is fact is up to the individual reader, as "splatterpunk" was an evolutionary process becoming the sub-genre horror.
In 1978 the cult movie "I Spit on Your Grave" introduced the idea of "Splatterpunk" and the production companies wouldn't touch it, ultimately Meir Zarchi, unable to find a distributor, distributed the film himself. Critics were disgusted and labeled it "A vile bag of garbage ... without a shred of artistic distinction" - Roger Ebert. But there was a cult following of this movie thus proving that there was an untapped market for this style of film and production companies cashed in producing many films of this style in the 80's. This market was also tapped in literature with the emergence of a literary genre "characterized by graphically described scenes of an extremely gory nature." Skipp and Spector were leaders in this movement, but was this novel the "Original"? Possibly (that is for the pub/bar discussions to decide), it is ultimately up to the individual reader, but it is more evident with their novel Book of the Dead in 1989.
Many criticize the "Splatterpunk" genre referring to it as "teenage boy masturbatory fiction" whilst many of its critics praise "Urban Fiction" and "Romantic Horror". So just like what constitutes "masturbatory fiction", what an individual reader expects from "Splatterpunk" is purely up to the individual. For myself "Splatterpunk" is a genre I trust to deliver evil in the traditional folklore style or delivering the evil of a particular action in a form that accentuates the horror. I trust the genre not to "ridicule" or diminish century/millennia old portrayals of evil such as this
The Light at the End is basically a vampire story, some consider it a gory retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, but I do not see it that way, it is a unique story in itself. The story follows the transformation of the street punk Rudy Pasko lurking in the New York City’s subway tunnels. Rudy is characterized as a narcissistic leach on society so in becoming a vampire he's not a victim but purely a villain. He is the original evil shape-shifting, dream invading, monster of vampire folklore
Pasko doesn’t just kill he wants to dominate and control his victims. He rapes and mutilates growing his army of undead. Regardless, Pasko’s is still nothing, as he finds out when he encounters his maker, an even greater evil. "Who's your daddy, Rudy?" Rudy finds out the hard way, literally!
Cue the "Van Helsing Team". Led by the insurmountable Joseph Hunter, with Rudy’s only friend, Stephen, a team of "Dungeon and Dragons" playing bike messengers, Ian, Allan and Joeseph, Rudy's scorned lover, Josalyn, and Claire who is infatuated by the thought of vampires, they will do anything to defeat Pasko.
No matter how terrible things get, will the determination of these few show them the light at the end? In this novel we find out as Skipp and Spector bring this novel to the edge of terror and indecency. Honestly by today's standard of "Splatterpunk" the depictions of rape and gore could be considered fairly tame, but that is what the genre was originally about, a good story with the use of gory depictions to enhance the horror. Today you can't help feeling that the genre is more about how far the authors can press the line of decency and the storyline is secondary.
If you enjoy "Splatterpunk" novels then you really need to read this novel as it is possibly the defining moment when the sub-genre evolved. This novel is very well written in a character driven style, it has a good plot and a satisfying ending. I've heard it mentioned that Rudy was the inspiration for Buffy the Vampire Slayer's "Spike" character, but don't let that fact deter you hardcore "splatterpunk" readers.
December 16, 2020
Vampiros, gore y el mundo subterráneo del metro. Muy entretenido.
June 26, 2014
-Si quieres conocer el verdadero carácter de alguien, dale poder y observa-.
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. Un mal tan antiguo que hasta el propio Vlad trató de ganarse sus favores, se toma unas breves y traviesas vacaciones en Nueva York que dejan como resultado una carnicería y un nuevo vampiro, Rudy, que irá descubriendo sus capacidades sin ningún tipo de guía y que actuará en función de su malsana personalidad. Pero sus actividades llamarán la atención de varios personajes.
¿Quiere saber más del libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. Un mal tan antiguo que hasta el propio Vlad trató de ganarse sus favores, se toma unas breves y traviesas vacaciones en Nueva York que dejan como resultado una carnicería y un nuevo vampiro, Rudy, que irá descubriendo sus capacidades sin ningún tipo de guía y que actuará en función de su malsana personalidad. Pero sus actividades llamarán la atención de varios personajes.
¿Quiere saber más del libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
January 9, 2019
Most definitely one of the best, yet somewhat overlooked, vampire novels of the twentieth century. Also said to have started the Splatter-Punk movement in horror-fiction. Dark and gory, punk rock vampires terrorizing New York City during the early nineteen-eighties. Joss Whedon has actually said that this book served as the partial inspiration for the character, Spike.
May 29, 2013
Death
comes quickly
in the night.
Sinister intent.
Man,
in the end,
inevitably accepts.
by Nikki
Free on Amazon 4-11-13
I get it; The Original Splatterpunk-ers. I don't get the mediocre writing or over-easy characters. They're practically running all over the pages. There were times when I wanted the story to move on and end. Joseph was hulking it up constantly and really needed to be medicated. Stephen, was an annoying snot. None of the cast were likeable. The story was not as tight as it should have been with so many players in the mix. I could go on, but I'd rather not. Just an alright, okay read.
comes quickly
in the night.
Sinister intent.
Man,
in the end,
inevitably accepts.
by Nikki
Free on Amazon 4-11-13
I get it; The Original Splatterpunk-ers. I don't get the mediocre writing or over-easy characters. They're practically running all over the pages. There were times when I wanted the story to move on and end. Joseph was hulking it up constantly and really needed to be medicated. Stephen, was an annoying snot. None of the cast were likeable. The story was not as tight as it should have been with so many players in the mix. I could go on, but I'd rather not. Just an alright, okay read.
April 30, 2012
Plot-wise--great book, clever story arc and a fantastic ending. As a vampire story (ie was the vampire sufficiently evil, nasty, unromantic and fear inducing?) excellent. Characterization--so so. My main complaint was that the writing style was quite juvenile at times. Overall I gave it 4 stars but would have trimmed it a bit and liked a more polished writing style.
October 15, 2009
The Light at the End is an excellent, rip-roaring novel that serves up a classic horror novel creature the way it should be portrayed: as insidiously, viciously evil.
I only docked the book one star because of the ridiculously clichéd 1980s homophobia underlying the story.
I only docked the book one star because of the ridiculously clichéd 1980s homophobia underlying the story.
March 23, 2016
The introductory subway slaughter is perhaps the most powerful vampire opening attack since Varney the Vampyre.
Would also have been a far better ending if the obnoxious bully-boozer-momma's boy human protagonist had died 'heroically'.
Would also have been a far better ending if the obnoxious bully-boozer-momma's boy human protagonist had died 'heroically'.
October 5, 2024
For some reason all the books that I rate low are flipping back to “want to read”.
Very suspicious, Goodreads, very suspicious. 🤨
Anyways, I couldn’t leave this book unrated as I keep seeing it being resurfaced in forums as an exhilarating read in New York.
This is my opinion only, and maybe I’m due for a reread.
The first time I read this was a confusing experience. I did not like the book and I do not endorse this book as being exciting in anyway.
It was very boring, characters were forgettable, and to be crowned the splatterpunk starter pack, is a little insulting considering there wasn’t very much splatter.
Bummed, because vampires in New York sounds awesome. This book may have been better as a short story…
Very suspicious, Goodreads, very suspicious. 🤨
Anyways, I couldn’t leave this book unrated as I keep seeing it being resurfaced in forums as an exhilarating read in New York.
This is my opinion only, and maybe I’m due for a reread.
The first time I read this was a confusing experience. I did not like the book and I do not endorse this book as being exciting in anyway.
It was very boring, characters were forgettable, and to be crowned the splatterpunk starter pack, is a little insulting considering there wasn’t very much splatter.
Bummed, because vampires in New York sounds awesome. This book may have been better as a short story…
April 15, 2021
Such a great vampire tale, like you wouldn’t think possible, the twin machine-gun fire of lovable characters and character arc making you do a dance of the dead. It’s bigger than splatterpunk; there’s a wisdom to it. You’d be a fool to pass this one up.
October 23, 2019
4 Stars (Review to Follow)
March 8, 2019
I found this book on some best horror list and added it to my to buy pile as it sounded interesting. After having a bad day, I splurged on a Thriftbooks buy and it moved to the TBR pile. Looking at the length, I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get through it. Turns out it only took a little over 24 hours.
The story opens up with 10 people being slaughtered in a subway car. What follows is an excellent vampire story that envelopes the reader and drags them in. I saw that some people thought the writing was juvenile, but I was too involved in the story to really notice, so how bad could it be?
A thoroughly engrossing tale. One of the better vampire stories I have read in a long time.
The story opens up with 10 people being slaughtered in a subway car. What follows is an excellent vampire story that envelopes the reader and drags them in. I saw that some people thought the writing was juvenile, but I was too involved in the story to really notice, so how bad could it be?
A thoroughly engrossing tale. One of the better vampire stories I have read in a long time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews