Once the Flaherty Brothers Traveling Carnivale and Freakshow rolls into Pleasant Hills, Tennessee, the quiet little town will never be the same. In...
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Nov 04, 2011
Terry
rated it: 
Rolling up in Pleasant Hills, Tennessee, the Flaherty Brothers Traveling Carnivale and Freakshow draws the attention of the town’s population – little do they know that they’re tonight’s entertainment. Bryan Smith’s Freakshow is a deliciously disturbing book about killer clowns from Hell who plan on hunting down every last soul in Pleasant Hills.
Freakshow is packed with nightmare fodder. There’s a two-headed woman (one head is gorgeous and the other deformed) who can take control o More...
Freakshow is packed with nightmare fodder. There’s a two-headed woman (one head is gorgeous and the other deformed) who can take control o More...
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Feb 18, 2011
Gavin
rated it: 
Bryan Smith has been a guilty pleasure of mine for a few years. And for the most part, I am happy to read what he writes. But be forewarned, this one is a stinker.
It starts off good enough...a creepy carnival, lots of carnage. Then it goes into territory that I think brings the book to a cheese factory, and makes it work overtime. (I hate writing spoilers, so I'll just say this goes from a creepy gore-fest to a completely different dimension.)
It's not the genre bend More...
It starts off good enough...a creepy carnival, lots of carnage. Then it goes into territory that I think brings the book to a cheese factory, and makes it work overtime. (I hate writing spoilers, so I'll just say this goes from a creepy gore-fest to a completely different dimension.)
It's not the genre bend More...
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Mar 31, 2009
Tressa
rated it:
I read this book a few years ago and I highly recommend it to horror readers.
The citizens of a small town can't wait to attend the freakshow, but they have no idea they're going to be the acts. No one is safe as the freaks in the travelling show surround the town and proceed to go door to door slaughtering men, women, and children, or forcing them to participate in their bloody carnival. Admittance will only cost you one finger.
Disturbing images, a claustrophibic vibe, an More...
The citizens of a small town can't wait to attend the freakshow, but they have no idea they're going to be the acts. No one is safe as the freaks in the travelling show surround the town and proceed to go door to door slaughtering men, women, and children, or forcing them to participate in their bloody carnival. Admittance will only cost you one finger.
Disturbing images, a claustrophibic vibe, an More...
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Oct 26, 2010
Matt
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
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Jul 18, 2010
Melissa
rated it: 
I love creepy carnivals in fiction so I decided to make The Freakshow my first Bryan Smith novel. I've accumulated a few of his books though the Leisure Horror Book Club and decided it was time to try one of them.
Mike makes the biggest mistake of his life when he decides to check out the traveling carnival and freakshow, along with the rest of the citizens of the small Tennessee town. Soon he's running for his life from a freak on slits. Meanwhile, Heather returns to her hometown to More...
Mike makes the biggest mistake of his life when he decides to check out the traveling carnival and freakshow, along with the rest of the citizens of the small Tennessee town. Soon he's running for his life from a freak on slits. Meanwhile, Heather returns to her hometown to More...
Jan 21, 2011
DJMikeG
rated it:
Bryan Smith, to the uninitiated, is a horror author who cranks up the level of violence, perversion and sadism to a fever pitch in his works. His novels are really only recommended to those with iron stomachs and thick, thick skin. This is just about his most intense novel, it just oozes sleazy depravity. While I respect the audacity of Smith's imagination and his willingness to go for it, really go for it, sometimes, even for a jaded horror fan like me, there is just too much nastiness going
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Jun 15, 2010
Jaime
rated it:
My husband and I are at odds on this book. While he said it went downhill after the first half, I say it improved after the first half. I attribute this disagreement to the fact that horror is one of his favorite genres. Me, not so much. Don't get me wrong, I like horror novels, but I like to scared by thoughts and ideas, not blood and gore. And the first half of this book was blood and gore, with the ocassional scenes thrown in specifically for shock value, in my opinion.
However, I More...
However, I More...
Mar 25, 2009
Felts
rated it:
A fun little fast paced story. It does contain a ton of gore, some gratuitous "Freaky" sex, and not much depth in the characters. Could have made better use of some other characters in the story (Ringmaster, and the Freak who "owned" Jinx, for example), but other than that I liked it. If you are the least bit squeamish about violence and gore, I would not recommend this. But if you are into two headed freaks having sex while they lick the goo out their lovers empty eye so
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May 29, 2008
Daniel
rated it: 
Sex, clowns and freaks -- oh my!
Okay, so freaks may not be the most politically correct term, but then again neither is carnies.
I really enjoyed this read. I wasn't confused and I was really freaked out by the suicidal, balloon exploding clowns. If you don't like sex in your reads then this one is definitely not for you. If you like sex in your reads, but that special touching, romantic sex then this one is not for you.
This was a down-n-out, gore-fest, raw sex More...
Okay, so freaks may not be the most politically correct term, but then again neither is carnies.
I really enjoyed this read. I wasn't confused and I was really freaked out by the suicidal, balloon exploding clowns. If you don't like sex in your reads then this one is definitely not for you. If you like sex in your reads, but that special touching, romantic sex then this one is not for you.
This was a down-n-out, gore-fest, raw sex More...
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May 10, 2010
Tammy
rated it:
I did not like this book. I like sexy, I like scary, I like gross but not gratuitous (what seemed to me) misogynist porn-gore. There was no character development in this story other than describing who was and was not good in bed.
I swear I'm not a prude.
I swear I'm not a prude.
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Mar 09, 2010
LinBee
rated it:
This is the second book I've read by Bryan Smith. And I must say, out of the 2, I liked this one so much better. Generally, I've noticed that he likes to take 3 or 4 main characters, and have each chapter focus on one of them, until they either die off or converge. This can be a bit confusing if you have trouble keeping characters straight, as I do. I had to sit for a minute trying to think who he was talking about now.
As for this book, I love the characters, and the freaks are p More...
As for this book, I love the characters, and the freaks are p More...
Jan 23, 2012
Carrie
rated it:
This book would make one awesome Horror/sci-fi movie, however maybe I'm Jaded?! cause I read a ton of Christian books or something but to me this book had way to much cussing in it, And I din't like the use of the Lord's name in vain to much for my liking, but it was a very good book lots of detail, I really enjoyed it.
Oct 25, 2010
Nikki
rated it:
Sadistic in a horrifically entertaining way! Lots of gore and a sense of impending misery and doom. Great read!
Jan 12, 2010
BarkLessWagMore
rated it:
I'm a sucker for carnie books but still haven't found one as good as Katherine Dunn's Geek Love.
Sadly I've given up on this one halfway through as it wasn't getting any better. It's just filled with disposal characters who we don't know enough about to care when they're getting tortured or doing nasty things for carnie/aliens who enjoy eating, tearing apart, experimenting, etc. on humans. The plot was thin, the writing not so good and as I said the characters just weren't compelling. More...
Sadly I've given up on this one halfway through as it wasn't getting any better. It's just filled with disposal characters who we don't know enough about to care when they're getting tortured or doing nasty things for carnie/aliens who enjoy eating, tearing apart, experimenting, etc. on humans. The plot was thin, the writing not so good and as I said the characters just weren't compelling. More...
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Mar 28, 2010
Bunny
rated it:
Good book. Very fast paced. Craziness ensues from page 1 and doesn't stop until the last chapter.
May 16, 2008
Jon
rated it:
Started out kind of confusing, but once it became more clear as to what was going on, 'The Freakshow' became one hell of a ride. I really did like the story. Reminded me a lot of the late great Richard Laymon. Can't wait to discover more of Bryan's work.
Mar 13, 2010
Kathy
rated it:
What a fun, sick book! Even better than Bryan Smith's Depraved, and I did really like that one as well! It starts off with a bang and never slows down! Highly recommended.
Jul 05, 2011
Alejandro
rated it:
Poor writing compromises a solid idea and very unique monsters. I'm afraid to say I don't think I'll be checking out another Bryan Smith book anytime soon. All of his female characters come across like cardboard standees.
Jan 11, 2008
Greg
rated it:
It seemed like the author edited out the beginning and the middle, skipping ahead to just write a very long climax ending.
Feb 12, 2012
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