What do you think?
Rate this book
Dismember
The summer he turned seven, Dave Abbott survived a gruesome mountainside car accident that left the rest of his family savaged and dead.
Now, after living twenty-three years with the twisted backwoodsman who pulled him from the wreckage, Dave is carrying out a plan to replace each of his lost loved ones with members of nearby, unsuspecting families. He has prepared, he's stalked, and now his chance has come to get his family safely out of the mountains once and for all.
Whether they like it or not.
Now, after living twenty-three years with the twisted backwoodsman who pulled him from the wreckage, Dave is carrying out a plan to replace each of his lost loved ones with members of nearby, unsuspecting families. He has prepared, he's stalked, and now his chance has come to get his family safely out of the mountains once and for all.
Whether they like it or not.
306 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2009
48 people are currently reading
672 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Pyle
21 books95 followersDaniel Pyle is the author of Advent, Breakdown, Dismember, and many novellas and short stories. He lives in Springfield, Missouri, with his wife and three children. Visit him online at danielpyle.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
May 29, 2017
The cover was probably the best part of the whole experience, and the blurb about Richard Laymon finding this to be something to grin from by Ketchum annoyed me more as I read on. No he wouldn’t, someone who reads a lot of horror is one thing, but writing a good book is a whole other ordeal. This reads as if it was written by a kid, there must have been about six or more pages describing in full detail how the six year old Trevor messes himself and the entire step by step bathroom ordeal with baby voice reading it out loud as I read on.. And the way characters were introduced ( randomly) only to meet up later was so artificial. This was definitely a chore after a short while, not badly written because it was more than legible but nothing to catch me with, the bad guy was lame and it felt written and put together and not natural or even scary as it happened, just bizarre overall.
- Kasia S.
- Kasia S.
August 2, 2015
I first encountered Pyle's writing in an anthology and his short form proved good enough to try the long one. Dismember didn't disappoint. Brutal kidnapping thriller with enough gore to appeal to seasoned horror fans and enough scares to make the parents watch their children more intensely than ever. And yet Pyle smartly managed to come up with just the right amount of character development, sympathetic protagonists and awesomely nonannoying kids, to elevate the story from average. Enough so to make the reader outraged at the ending. Dismember is pretty much every parent's and kid's for that matter worst nightmare. Pyle isn't as good as Ketchum, the writing is somewhat Laymonesque, though isn't as sex/rape happy and has smarter more mature and personable characters. So maybe somewhere in between there. Great pacing, the book sped by. Quite impressive for a first novel. Recommended.
January 7, 2012
First off, I want to say that I love the ending to this book, and the reason is because of Daniel Pyle's ability to make the reader sympathize with the character Dave. During the course of reading the book, I went back and forth on a roller coaster ride of sympathy between the victims of Dave and the former victim Dave. The strongly developed characters allowed me to feel like this until by the end of the book, I didn't know who I was cheering for more. And the ending (although I've seen some readers disapprove or feel let down), I loved it. A very well-written and suspenseful novel by Pyle.
NOTE ADDED 1/7/2012: Another aspect of Daniel Pyle's writing style I like is his use of creative similes and metaphors, which are unique to the particular point of view of the character we are seeing the events through. For example, when the station wagon hits the moose in the beginning, it crumples "like the pages of an old, wet comic book" from the point of view of six-year-old Davy.
NOTE ADDED 1/7/2012: Another aspect of Daniel Pyle's writing style I like is his use of creative similes and metaphors, which are unique to the particular point of view of the character we are seeing the events through. For example, when the station wagon hits the moose in the beginning, it crumples "like the pages of an old, wet comic book" from the point of view of six-year-old Davy.
May 11, 2011
Rating: 5 out of 5
Last year, the offer was put out to me to review books for Shock Totem Magazine. Of course I gladly accepted, and immediately went out looking for material.
I didn’t have to look far. I’d reviewed Down the Drain, the fantastic novelette by Daniel Pyle, here in the Journal, and, knowing that he had a full-length novel out, I took a chance and requested a copy of Dismember from the author.
I am so glad I did.
Dismember is a special book, an oddity in the most wondrous of ways. It’s odd because it bucks the trend of “horror” without losing its niche in the genre, for horror isn’t always about slime-drenched creatures (or bathtub monsters) leaping out and torturing the innocent. No, when horror is done properly it deals with the more important issues, those that keep us commonfolk firmly entrenched in our lives, everything from family to death to the loss of personal freedom. When this happens, as it does in Dismember, the terrors on the page grab hold of you and cause your heart to skip, not because something might jump out of the darkness, but because it lets you know just how thin the thread separating life and death really is.
Dismember is a brisk, almost meditative story of purity corrupted. The tale takes us on the twenty-three year journey of Dave Abbott, the only survivor of a terrible car accident that occurred while traveling with his family in the Colorado Mountains when he was seven years old.
Davy has lived a life of seclusion and fear since that day, trapped in a rickety old house by a twisted mountain man who is only called Mr. Boots. Very few details of Davy’s captivity are explained in the book, but you get the impression that Mr. Boots performed certain illicit acts on little Davy that society would most certainly not condone. I appreciated the lack of exposition in this regard, because I haven’t the desire (or stomach) to read the particulars of child abuse, be that abuse of a sexual nature (which the text suggests) or not. In fact, these circumstances are handled with style, using cursory hints dispersed through the story in flashbacks, which stick with you simply because of what we are not shown, for what our minds create to fill in the blanks is almost always more disturbing than overdone exposition.
The story picks up with Davy on his thirtieth birthday. It seems all those years in captivity haven’t done wonders for poor Davy’s sanity, because he’s hatched a plan to reassemble his dead family through any means necessary. Once this re-gathering begins, Pyle tells his story through five points of view: an eleven-year-old boy named Zach, Mike and Libby Pullman, a divorced couple trying to retain a sense of the familiar after the dissolution of their marriage, Trevor, the Pullman’s son, and Davy, himself.
Of all the different emotional threads in this novel, I found the interplay between the Pullmans to be the most fascinating. At last we’re given a divorced couple who show each other respect instead of filling the air between them with venom and petty discord. Sure, you can tell right off the bat why their marriage failed, but to them raising Trevor, their son, the correct way is paramount. Neither would ever even think of using their child’s adoration as a manipulative tool against the other, which is refreshing…and unusual in a usually cliché-riddled genre.
Despite this aspect of the plot, the driving theme of the entire book is the death and disfigurement of innocence. In a brilliant sliver of storytelling, the author contrasts Davy’s childhood terrors with the stresses he inflicts on Zach and Trevor after he abducts them. This phase of the novel reinforces Davy as a sympathetic scoundrel. On many occasions I found myself openly rooting for him to realize that what he was doing was wrong, because I realized that his state of mind wasn’t his fault. This is a guy who grew up segregated from society, under the watchful eye of a cruel guardian. His only education was through pain, and his only joyful memories are those that he experienced before he was seven years old, leaving a stunted and incomplete person. Even with the amount and degree of brutality he enacts on people, he demonstrates a massive capacity for love and thoughtfulness that actually makes his cruelty seem all the more brutal, for this is a man with psychological arrested development, and it isn’t his fault.
The differing points of view in this book were beautifully executed. The shift between the children and adults were convincing and real-to-life – the kids were kids, and the adults were sufficiently imperfect. The blood and gore is there, and it is vicious, but it doesn’t overwhelm, instead pulling you even further into the story and making your gut clench as you experience these frights alongside the characters. And the ending is a thing of beauty, as well. I was stunned by what happens, not necessarily because it’s laughable or frightening, but because it’s haunting in its unexpectedness (and simplicity). I won’t go into details, but let’s just say Daniel Pyle is a very brave man to end this book the way he did, for I’m sure there are some out there who won’t appreciate it.
This reviewer, however, thought it was brilliant.
To finish things off, I’ll say that Dismember is an unbelievably good book. It reads quickly, as I constantly wanted to flip the page just to see what happens next. It’s a story about life that centers on the mundane and how much we might overlook those simple pleasures given the freedom we’ve been blessed with. It’s a tale of the fractured soul and how much we rely on, and mimic, the family that sprouted us. But most of all it’s simply one hell of a ride, one that I am so glad I took. And for that, this reviewer must give Daniel Pyle some well-deserved congratulations on receiving only the fourth perfect score I’ve ever handed out.
Plot - 10
Characters - 10
Voice - 10
Execution - 10
Personal Enjoyment – 10
Overall – 50/50 (5/5)
(Reviewer’s note: A version of this review appears in Shock Totem #3)
Last year, the offer was put out to me to review books for Shock Totem Magazine. Of course I gladly accepted, and immediately went out looking for material.
I didn’t have to look far. I’d reviewed Down the Drain, the fantastic novelette by Daniel Pyle, here in the Journal, and, knowing that he had a full-length novel out, I took a chance and requested a copy of Dismember from the author.
I am so glad I did.
Dismember is a special book, an oddity in the most wondrous of ways. It’s odd because it bucks the trend of “horror” without losing its niche in the genre, for horror isn’t always about slime-drenched creatures (or bathtub monsters) leaping out and torturing the innocent. No, when horror is done properly it deals with the more important issues, those that keep us commonfolk firmly entrenched in our lives, everything from family to death to the loss of personal freedom. When this happens, as it does in Dismember, the terrors on the page grab hold of you and cause your heart to skip, not because something might jump out of the darkness, but because it lets you know just how thin the thread separating life and death really is.
Dismember is a brisk, almost meditative story of purity corrupted. The tale takes us on the twenty-three year journey of Dave Abbott, the only survivor of a terrible car accident that occurred while traveling with his family in the Colorado Mountains when he was seven years old.
Davy has lived a life of seclusion and fear since that day, trapped in a rickety old house by a twisted mountain man who is only called Mr. Boots. Very few details of Davy’s captivity are explained in the book, but you get the impression that Mr. Boots performed certain illicit acts on little Davy that society would most certainly not condone. I appreciated the lack of exposition in this regard, because I haven’t the desire (or stomach) to read the particulars of child abuse, be that abuse of a sexual nature (which the text suggests) or not. In fact, these circumstances are handled with style, using cursory hints dispersed through the story in flashbacks, which stick with you simply because of what we are not shown, for what our minds create to fill in the blanks is almost always more disturbing than overdone exposition.
The story picks up with Davy on his thirtieth birthday. It seems all those years in captivity haven’t done wonders for poor Davy’s sanity, because he’s hatched a plan to reassemble his dead family through any means necessary. Once this re-gathering begins, Pyle tells his story through five points of view: an eleven-year-old boy named Zach, Mike and Libby Pullman, a divorced couple trying to retain a sense of the familiar after the dissolution of their marriage, Trevor, the Pullman’s son, and Davy, himself.
Of all the different emotional threads in this novel, I found the interplay between the Pullmans to be the most fascinating. At last we’re given a divorced couple who show each other respect instead of filling the air between them with venom and petty discord. Sure, you can tell right off the bat why their marriage failed, but to them raising Trevor, their son, the correct way is paramount. Neither would ever even think of using their child’s adoration as a manipulative tool against the other, which is refreshing…and unusual in a usually cliché-riddled genre.
Despite this aspect of the plot, the driving theme of the entire book is the death and disfigurement of innocence. In a brilliant sliver of storytelling, the author contrasts Davy’s childhood terrors with the stresses he inflicts on Zach and Trevor after he abducts them. This phase of the novel reinforces Davy as a sympathetic scoundrel. On many occasions I found myself openly rooting for him to realize that what he was doing was wrong, because I realized that his state of mind wasn’t his fault. This is a guy who grew up segregated from society, under the watchful eye of a cruel guardian. His only education was through pain, and his only joyful memories are those that he experienced before he was seven years old, leaving a stunted and incomplete person. Even with the amount and degree of brutality he enacts on people, he demonstrates a massive capacity for love and thoughtfulness that actually makes his cruelty seem all the more brutal, for this is a man with psychological arrested development, and it isn’t his fault.
The differing points of view in this book were beautifully executed. The shift between the children and adults were convincing and real-to-life – the kids were kids, and the adults were sufficiently imperfect. The blood and gore is there, and it is vicious, but it doesn’t overwhelm, instead pulling you even further into the story and making your gut clench as you experience these frights alongside the characters. And the ending is a thing of beauty, as well. I was stunned by what happens, not necessarily because it’s laughable or frightening, but because it’s haunting in its unexpectedness (and simplicity). I won’t go into details, but let’s just say Daniel Pyle is a very brave man to end this book the way he did, for I’m sure there are some out there who won’t appreciate it.
This reviewer, however, thought it was brilliant.
To finish things off, I’ll say that Dismember is an unbelievably good book. It reads quickly, as I constantly wanted to flip the page just to see what happens next. It’s a story about life that centers on the mundane and how much we might overlook those simple pleasures given the freedom we’ve been blessed with. It’s a tale of the fractured soul and how much we rely on, and mimic, the family that sprouted us. But most of all it’s simply one hell of a ride, one that I am so glad I took. And for that, this reviewer must give Daniel Pyle some well-deserved congratulations on receiving only the fourth perfect score I’ve ever handed out.
Plot - 10
Characters - 10
Voice - 10
Execution - 10
Personal Enjoyment – 10
Overall – 50/50 (5/5)
(Reviewer’s note: A version of this review appears in Shock Totem #3)
October 10, 2017
Okay .. I loved how this book was written, I loved the characters, and before finishing I had read so many reviews that talked about hating the ending and I was so confident I wouldn't be one of them! I just knew I'd think, 'oh they just don't understand good writing!' But here I am ... just finished it, and even before I finished it, with about 9 pages left, I just knew ... I'm going to actually hate this ending if it ends how I fear it will.... and it did .... and yep, I hated it, I'm with you all. I want an alternate ending, Mr. Pyle. You and I live in the same town, if I see you at Walmart I'm gonna give you a stern talkin' to.
September 10, 2014
When I first discovered this I saw the blurb about Richard Laymon and I was interested. It's got a Laymon feel but it doesn't have the violence or the sex but the vibe of Laymon is in the way the story is told. Dismember isn't a violent book by any means but what it lacks in violence it's made up for in the story.
You almost want to root for Davy because he's a villian yet one who is actually a victim himself. Twenty three years later we find that Davy is looking to rebuild the family he lost and that's where the book shines. knowing Davy's back story you feel for bad for him but on the other hand you don't want him fulfill his quest.
It's a quest that happens on Davy's birthday and you can almost feel the madness and longing for the family that he lost. Mr. Boots essentially kidnapped Davy and ruined any chance he had for a normal life. what happens to Mr. Boots and the transformation that Davy undergoes as the book draws to ita conclusion propels this book forward and makes it impossible to put down.
The ending isn't what I expected at all but in a book like this you don't expect all the pieces to fit snuggly together and it's a bit shocking and I can't help but wonder if there's a sequel planned. All in all Dismember is a solid read that I highly recommend. fans of horror and Laymon will find a lot to love about this book.
You almost want to root for Davy because he's a villian yet one who is actually a victim himself. Twenty three years later we find that Davy is looking to rebuild the family he lost and that's where the book shines. knowing Davy's back story you feel for bad for him but on the other hand you don't want him fulfill his quest.
It's a quest that happens on Davy's birthday and you can almost feel the madness and longing for the family that he lost. Mr. Boots essentially kidnapped Davy and ruined any chance he had for a normal life. what happens to Mr. Boots and the transformation that Davy undergoes as the book draws to ita conclusion propels this book forward and makes it impossible to put down.
The ending isn't what I expected at all but in a book like this you don't expect all the pieces to fit snuggly together and it's a bit shocking and I can't help but wonder if there's a sequel planned. All in all Dismember is a solid read that I highly recommend. fans of horror and Laymon will find a lot to love about this book.
May 19, 2011
INCREDIBLE. Up there with Bentley Little. Gritty, raw, powerful. I loved this book. I see some people didn't like the ending. Probably because it was too real, which is why I personally thought it was perfect!
EDIT: So I was going through my book list, weeding through some of them and I needed to add something, the more I think about this book the more stars I want to give this book. Just needed to add that.
EDIT: So I was going through my book list, weeding through some of them and I needed to add something, the more I think about this book the more stars I want to give this book. Just needed to add that.
December 11, 2010
Fast read and a good amount of suspense to keep the reader interested and on the edge of the seat. Ending leaves you wanting to know more.
June 4, 2012
This is becoming one of those books that keep you up all night because of the need to know what happens next. Very engaging and suspenseful.
August 7, 2012
A page-turner for sure. Kinda gory in some parts, but I liked the suspense. Wasn't really happy with the ending though, never saw what happened coming...
August 29, 2012
This one starts out fast and doesn't let you catch a breath. Enjoyed this one alot!!!
November 20, 2010
I don't think I scare easily. I do, however, get creeped out easily. My nightmares have nothing to do with Freddy Kruguer and everything to do with some guy breaking into my house and killing my husband and stealing my child or some lady snatching my kid from the grocery store. I'm not all that anxious about it, but that's what wakes me up at 3am in a cold sweat. THOSE kind of nightmares.
... which would explain why, at 2am, I was sitting up in bed, reading this book, wide awake, listening to every groan of the house, every branch scratching the window, completely unable to breathe. One might wonder why I do this to myself, but the fact of the matter is that I love it! There's something about what reading these kinds of books does to my head that is both disturbing and exhilarating. I'm sure some scientist will come up with a reason that I'm completely twisted, but well... who cares.
The author has a knack for this kind of writing. He kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen. Sometimes, it was nothing and sometimes it was definitely something. There was some serious gore int his book *shudder* but it wasn't all gore all the time, there were actual hardcore story lines with actual developed characters. It made me care about them, even care about the murderer at times. Really superbly done.
Now for the bad... I'm taking away only one star for it, but... he messed with my bow. What bow? The bow that ties up the end of my books with a pretty nice package, that's the one. I hated the ending. I need to KNOW what happens. I need it spelled out for me. If there's a book two, okay, but don't leave me hanging on a stand alone book. I know, I know, it's a split of how you should do it... sometimes it's best left to the reader's imagination. Blah blah blah. But, dude, Mr. Author... you left me hanging. Sigh.
This book is recommended for horror/suspense fans that like a good solid story line.
... which would explain why, at 2am, I was sitting up in bed, reading this book, wide awake, listening to every groan of the house, every branch scratching the window, completely unable to breathe. One might wonder why I do this to myself, but the fact of the matter is that I love it! There's something about what reading these kinds of books does to my head that is both disturbing and exhilarating. I'm sure some scientist will come up with a reason that I'm completely twisted, but well... who cares.
The author has a knack for this kind of writing. He kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen. Sometimes, it was nothing and sometimes it was definitely something. There was some serious gore int his book *shudder* but it wasn't all gore all the time, there were actual hardcore story lines with actual developed characters. It made me care about them, even care about the murderer at times. Really superbly done.
Now for the bad... I'm taking away only one star for it, but... he messed with my bow. What bow? The bow that ties up the end of my books with a pretty nice package, that's the one. I hated the ending. I need to KNOW what happens. I need it spelled out for me. If there's a book two, okay, but don't leave me hanging on a stand alone book. I know, I know, it's a split of how you should do it... sometimes it's best left to the reader's imagination. Blah blah blah. But, dude, Mr. Author... you left me hanging. Sigh.
This book is recommended for horror/suspense fans that like a good solid story line.
June 16, 2012
Don't expect a happy ending. That said, it's a horror novel! Is there really supposed to be a happy ending?
Nearly from the very beginning, I was gasping. Pyle's description of the car accident painted a gory picture that I could clearly see in front of me. While I cringed, it definitely made the point, and I could immediately understand how a not-quite 7-year-old boy would be traumatized for life. It was... WOW. Really lets you get into the mind of the character to the point you can see the killer develop. It was neat (yes, I just said 'neat') and eerie to see the "logic" behind Dave's actions. This is completely realistic, which upped the creep factor tremendously.
I am giving it four stars instead of five due to what other's have mentioned- there is a part involving the main female character that really doesn't seem to have any point to it. I am confused as to why it was there to begin with. Also, the reactions of the officers is unrealistic. I know that with the mountain setting, they may not have as many readily accessible, but it also struck me as they haven't seen many of those types of crimes. That being said, I would think their reactions would have been the complete opposite. Just seemed a little contradictory to me.
The ending snuck up on me- I was so engrossed in the novel's happenings, that I paid no attention to how far along I was, which is really saying something.
All-in-all, a great, creepy read. I could easily see this as a made-for-tv movie. More Dean Kootnz than Stephan King, which is exactly how I like it. If you don't need- or expect- a happy ending all the time, you should jump on this. Daniel Pyle has earned a spot in my "to-read" category.
Nearly from the very beginning, I was gasping. Pyle's description of the car accident painted a gory picture that I could clearly see in front of me. While I cringed, it definitely made the point, and I could immediately understand how a not-quite 7-year-old boy would be traumatized for life. It was... WOW. Really lets you get into the mind of the character to the point you can see the killer develop. It was neat (yes, I just said 'neat') and eerie to see the "logic" behind Dave's actions. This is completely realistic, which upped the creep factor tremendously.
I am giving it four stars instead of five due to what other's have mentioned- there is a part involving the main female character that really doesn't seem to have any point to it. I am confused as to why it was there to begin with. Also, the reactions of the officers is unrealistic. I know that with the mountain setting, they may not have as many readily accessible, but it also struck me as they haven't seen many of those types of crimes. That being said, I would think their reactions would have been the complete opposite. Just seemed a little contradictory to me.
The ending snuck up on me- I was so engrossed in the novel's happenings, that I paid no attention to how far along I was, which is really saying something.
All-in-all, a great, creepy read. I could easily see this as a made-for-tv movie. More Dean Kootnz than Stephan King, which is exactly how I like it. If you don't need- or expect- a happy ending all the time, you should jump on this. Daniel Pyle has earned a spot in my "to-read" category.
May 20, 2011
I’ve been wracking my brain trying to remember if I’ve ever read something like this before. I think I must have, but nothing comes to mind. "Dismember" was presented as suspense, and it has all the elements of a suspense novel, yet it also has a horror element I wasn’t anticipating. This is similar to the way J.A. Konrath mixes a little horror into his police procedurals in the "Jack Daniels" series. I’d have guessed I wouldn’t like this combination. Not the first time I’ve been wrong.
Pyle also strayed from the stereotypical in his characterization, making the villain sympathetic. I wanted him captured before anyone (or anyone else) was hurt. There was no excuse for his actions, yet I couldn’t help feeling compassion for him.
Pyle’s writing style is entertaining and at times amusing as I wondered, “How did he come up with that line.” One of my favorites was describing a mountain road as, “curvier than a Parkinson’s patient’s question mark.” Another time one of the characters was risking an injury to her hand, “not thinking website design might be a little tricky with only a left paw and a mangled claw.”
The story is action packed and never bogs down. A typical suspense novel slowly builds tension over the course of the story, peaking near the end. "Dismember" builds to a peak, then backs off and lets the tension build again as it takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotion.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog.**
Pyle also strayed from the stereotypical in his characterization, making the villain sympathetic. I wanted him captured before anyone (or anyone else) was hurt. There was no excuse for his actions, yet I couldn’t help feeling compassion for him.
Pyle’s writing style is entertaining and at times amusing as I wondered, “How did he come up with that line.” One of my favorites was describing a mountain road as, “curvier than a Parkinson’s patient’s question mark.” Another time one of the characters was risking an injury to her hand, “not thinking website design might be a little tricky with only a left paw and a mangled claw.”
The story is action packed and never bogs down. A typical suspense novel slowly builds tension over the course of the story, peaking near the end. "Dismember" builds to a peak, then backs off and lets the tension build again as it takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotion.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog.**
July 15, 2011
I really liked this book! I hadn't read a good thriller in a long time and a friend loaned this to me and from the first page it had me! The characters were well developed and the despite some of the gore, I felt at times I actually felt sorry for the murderer and how his twisted life started. The book kept me wanting to read more and more,even when I was ready to drop off to sleep at night. I liked how the story would build on suspense so that I was wanted so badly to find out what was going to happen, and then find sometimes, nothing. And then other times, the excitement was heart pounding. If you like thrillers, this is one to read. I think with how the book ended, there might be a sequel on it's way? I think I'll go find another of this author's books.
December 18, 2013
The main thing I enjoyed about this book was the less-gore-more-psychological writing. We're introduced to Davey as a child, just after a car wreck claims the life of his family. He's rescued—if you want to call it that—by a man we come to know as Mr Boots. 23 years later, Davey is now 30 years old and seeking the family he lost. Though there's violence in this book, the reader can't help but feel sympathy for what became of the innocent little boy we're introduced to in the beginning.
Daniel Pyle created a character that spreads fear, terror and pain, though not because he's evil, but damaged. Raised by the cruel Mr Boots, that innocent child no longer exists.
I was gripped throughout this book and found it fast-paced, suspenseful and horrifying.
Highly recommended.
Daniel Pyle created a character that spreads fear, terror and pain, though not because he's evil, but damaged. Raised by the cruel Mr Boots, that innocent child no longer exists.
I was gripped throughout this book and found it fast-paced, suspenseful and horrifying.
Highly recommended.
April 3, 2012
I was unable to put down "Dismember," by Daniel Pyle. I have always been frightened of the boogey man, expecially the one who steals my child and butchers myself with no hope insight and this is excatly what this book is about. Young Davey is involed in a car accident that kills his family and is rescued by Mr. Boots. On his thirtieth birthday Davey decides to find his family and the terror begins. I went along for the ride and got more then my share of chills, terror, and thrills in a very scary way. I felt the end was only the beginning of the terror to come. Great title for such a chilling book.
November 23, 2010
Not as scary as I hoped it would be. I also didn't care for the ending.
May 30, 2011
Totally creeped me out, but I hate stories where kids are in danger! All in all it was a really good story, well told
March 11, 2012
A little boy's life becomes a complete nightmare one night when his family is killed in a car accident. He is rescued - but at the price of his mind and soul. Excellent story.
July 17, 2012
Wow -- thought I knew how it was going to end. SURPRISE!!! Disturbing, yet great!
September 10, 2012
A twisted tale of a twisted man.
October 31, 2012
A good thriller/horror but one in which you feel a sympathy for the bad guy here as you will find out when you read it, not bad at all.
August 11, 2015
Prolly one of the most frustrating and disturbing reads I've had. That ending...
September 9, 2015
Certainly not a bad book if you're looking for suspense Garry thing.
Not something I would brag about reading.
The bad guy is trying to build a new family. Kind of sums it all up.
Not something I would brag about reading.
The bad guy is trying to build a new family. Kind of sums it all up.
November 21, 2010
A terrifying story. Well written and edited.
April 21, 2025
Please Daniel Pyle, I want some more. I want more of this story. Because if it ends like that. Then.. I’ll be a little upset. This had my adrenaline pumping for almost every single page. Just to have it end like that. I’m frustrated. But I’m happy I read this. It was very heart pumping and nerve wrecking!
October 2, 2018
Gorefest
I read this due to a referral to Richard Layman in a review , sorry I did now as it doesn't live up to that hype.Not that the story is bad ,it is good in its own way and worth reading .
I read this due to a referral to Richard Layman in a review , sorry I did now as it doesn't live up to that hype.Not that the story is bad ,it is good in its own way and worth reading .
February 24, 2020
I was very disappointed with the ending. Not sure if I will read anymore of his books.
May 5, 2011
Everyone imagines themselves as the hero of their own life story and it's evident the nutjob who drives this thriller is no exception.
Early on in Davy's young life, everything goes horribly wrong. As an adult, his sole agenda is simply to make everything right and whole again... which makes the title of this book so incredibly ironic. Overall, this perspective gives the tale an interesting twist. You feel for Davy, the boy, are repulsed by Dave, the man and yet, can't cast him as the end-all, be-all of evil. I liked that but would have liked to have had more information about his life growing up beyond the vague, shadowy snippets of memory that are revealed here and there throughout.
Overall, I did like the book. The writing is great. Evocative. The author paints vivid pictures with words - some of them, I'm sure, the reader would prefer to unsee. The character development of the two young boys, Zach and Trevor - wonderful... especially whipass smart little Trevor. However, I knocked off a star from the four stars I would have given the book because there are a couple scenes where we're given a stream of consciousness flow of menial and unimportant details about activities various characters are engaged in that I found a bit tedious, pointless and unnecessary. I enjoy reading every word of a good book, trusting the author strung together the words to create a path toward a deeper understanding of where he's leading us. Not so with certain passages. I found myself skimming and skipping over several paragraphs to get to one that had a point or some action or something that actually contributed to the narrative as a whole. I was disappointed that I felt compelled to do that. What I wanted was to be hanging on every word.
Some have said they don't like the ending. I can't decide if I do or not. Sequel?
Early on in Davy's young life, everything goes horribly wrong. As an adult, his sole agenda is simply to make everything right and whole again... which makes the title of this book so incredibly ironic. Overall, this perspective gives the tale an interesting twist. You feel for Davy, the boy, are repulsed by Dave, the man and yet, can't cast him as the end-all, be-all of evil. I liked that but would have liked to have had more information about his life growing up beyond the vague, shadowy snippets of memory that are revealed here and there throughout.
Overall, I did like the book. The writing is great. Evocative. The author paints vivid pictures with words - some of them, I'm sure, the reader would prefer to unsee. The character development of the two young boys, Zach and Trevor - wonderful... especially whipass smart little Trevor. However, I knocked off a star from the four stars I would have given the book because there are a couple scenes where we're given a stream of consciousness flow of menial and unimportant details about activities various characters are engaged in that I found a bit tedious, pointless and unnecessary. I enjoy reading every word of a good book, trusting the author strung together the words to create a path toward a deeper understanding of where he's leading us. Not so with certain passages. I found myself skimming and skipping over several paragraphs to get to one that had a point or some action or something that actually contributed to the narrative as a whole. I was disappointed that I felt compelled to do that. What I wanted was to be hanging on every word.
Some have said they don't like the ending. I can't decide if I do or not. Sequel?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews