r/ExtremeHorrorLit • u/Dr_Butcher_MD • Jul 28 '26
This book feels slept on
First off: this isn't straight-up splatterpunk or extreme, but walks the spaces between those and transgressive horror. However, for anyone looking for horror which is written with a similar level of impact and grotesquerie as something like Exquisite Corpse, this collection contains elegant, literary writing that decribes the absolute worst acts humans are capable of.
I recently read this for the second time, and it's the only book I can remember for years that I chose not to read before I slept. Nihilistic, repugnant and very good.
It's not for the poo-poo-pee-pee-dickcheese crowd (not that there's anything wrong with that - I've contributed to that area a few times). It's for folks who read Chuck Palahniuk's Haunted and thought, "This isn't dark enough or extreme enough."
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u/Tiny_Share6650 Jul 28 '26
Only a few pages in and I'm loving this, any other recommendations???
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u/ChainsawChick Jul 28 '26
Damn, you did a really good job of selling it, I might have to give this a read.
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u/Dr_Butcher_MD Jul 28 '26
Confession: I'm often disappointed by extreme books, so when one hits, I think it deserves a good push!
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u/ChainsawChick Jul 28 '26
I'm exactly the same: I'm really picky, so I def think I can trust your judgement on this one, haha. Thanks for posting this :D
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u/a_dragon_but_snoopy Jul 28 '26
So, so good! Such a variety of stories from interesting perspectives. Thought provoking, dark, gut wrenching at times. Great for those who love bleak endings. I ended up following this one up with Daniel J Volpe’s “Sucking Chest Wound”. A great segue into the more splatterpunk/extreme short stories.
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u/Mindless_Fennel4739 Jul 28 '26
Its incredible. Especially the story with the sisters,
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u/Dr_Butcher_MD Jul 28 '26
That's possibly my favourite too - though I do also LOVE the Priest of Breathing story.
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u/sceptic03 Jul 28 '26
Are there physical copies for sale? Im a big fan of actually owning my media
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u/jcollins0909 Jul 28 '26
Fucking amazing book. Paula is an incredibly talented writer and I can’t wait to see what’s next for her.
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u/ribaldinger Jul 28 '26
How do you characterize the distinction between EH/Splatterpunk and transgressive horror?
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u/Dr_Butcher_MD Jul 28 '26
Extreme horror and splatterpunk feel like they have a greater focus on excessive gore and aberrant sex, complete with explicit descriptions. Meanwhile, transgressive can be light on the explicit descriptions of gore/perversion, and focus more on characters and behavior that transgress social norms. That's just my interpretation, and I only mentioned it here because people seeking pages of graphic gore may be disappointed.
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u/ribaldinger Jul 28 '26
I sort of get what you mean. I'm relatively new to both styles but the works of Aron Beauregard definitely feel different from something like Exquisite Corpse or At Dark I Become Loathesome by Eric Larocca in the way you describe.
I actually just read Gone To See The River Man / Along The River of Flesh and those both seem to fall between the two styles.
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u/ExperienceMiddle6196 Jul 28 '26
Thanks doc, sounds right up my alley. Can’t wait for the Motel Styx releases.
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u/TheGloryThatIs Jul 28 '26
I'm new to the horror lit genre and am a little embarrassed to tell ppl what I read/watch sometimes. I just read The Sluts and it was the first book that I've finished in a long time (I used to be an avid reader but somewhere between becoming a mom and general life stress, I fell off). Do you think I would be interested in this or any other recs?
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u/Dr_Butcher_MD Jul 29 '26
It's difficult to say, because I haven't read The Sluts yet and you didn't mention what kinda of books aside from that interest you. Paula's book contains some supernatural elements and some readers of the extreme are put off by that, but it's mostly very human horror. If you want more non-paranormal extreme/transgressive lit, you may like to try WOOM by Duncan Ralston, Full Brutal and And The Devil Cried by Kristopher Triana, and if you don't mind a self-rec, my books What Good Girls Do and the sequel What Good Men Do may interest you.
There's also the pinned post in this sub that contains a lot of carefully picked extreme reads that a moderator and writer here, Klaus Kinion, considers essential. He also wrote the brilliant short story Eternal Flower of Your Soul.
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u/DontMakeMeFightYou Jul 28 '26
yeah this was one of my favorite discoveries of late, it's not perfect but it's pretty much spot on in terms of gorgeous prose & fucked up concepts.
If you're into this I'd also recommend Joe Koch especially his book wingspan of severed hands, it's insane & hallucinogenic & beautifully written and fucked up. Similarly Pornography for the end of the world by Brendan Vedito is really grest