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Ad Nauseam
Exotic, erotic, gruesome and gory. What if your Muse really was a twisted bitch, and she lived in your spare bedroom? And how far would you go to improve your station in life? In this premiere collection by C.W. LaSart, you will find 13 gruesome tales of the macabre, from a simpleton who forms an unnatural obsession with his own backyard, to a lonely woman whose suitor is not heaven-sent. These stories, ranging from the supernatural to the darkness that lives within the human heart, are sure to send a chill down your spine and a flush to your face. Certain to disturb and delight, Ad Nauseam is a walk through the twisted imagination of one of horror's rising stars.
204 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2012
2 people are currently reading
428 people want to read
About the author
C.W. LaSart
18 books42 followersC.W. LaSart is the author of Ad Nauseam, her debut story collection as well as multiple other stories. One of the 3 winners of the Cemetery Dance Amateur Writing Contest in 2011, she is a member of the HWA. She is currently working on her first novel with plans on publishing it early in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 12, 2012
I'm a short story lover from way back. But the thing with short story collections is that there are always at least a couple of stories that don't hit as hard, as often, as and effectively as the rest. It's true of Stephen King and of every single other collection I've ever read.
But "Ad Nauseam" is one that hits far, far more than it misses. The stories here are original, interesting, and well written. While it's promoted as an 'extreme' horror collection, there are only a few stories that I thought were really gross enough to fit that mold. That's okay, it's not a knock against the book - it's a compliment. Lasart is obviously more concerned with creating a great story than she is with just filling the pages with guts and gore and perversion, which is important.
The thing that impressed me most was the quality of the writing. I don't remember ever reading a collection from a first-time author who had such a solid grasp on their writing skills. Crisp, clean, and filled with perfect descriptions, Lasart's style is addictive.
My favorites were "The Hand that Feeds", "Angel Lust", and "Simple Pleasures". The latter of those three is a perfect example of how effective Lasart is at developing characterization. She peels back the layers on the main character perfectly, exposing just enough to keep him intriguing.
There were some that didn't work for me, as there always are in a collection. "Widow" was the one that stands out most for me. I knew where the story was going within the first page. It was still effective and well written, but fell a little flat. Some of the stories 'head hop' a bit, and in some cases it's needed to complete the story while in others it's a bit jarring. But even Clive Barker's "Books of Blood" had some misfires, and as I've said above this collection falls into that rare category of collections like "Books of Blood" and Stephen King's "Night Shift" - collections that work far more often than they don't.
Simply put, if you're a horror fan you absolutely can't afford to pass by this wonderful collection. It's rare to come across such a great new talent in the horror field, but CW Lasart is poised to make waves and break through big time. Her writing style and skill are well beyond most of her peers and her imagination seems wired to conjure up some really great things. I can't recommend this one highly enough.
But "Ad Nauseam" is one that hits far, far more than it misses. The stories here are original, interesting, and well written. While it's promoted as an 'extreme' horror collection, there are only a few stories that I thought were really gross enough to fit that mold. That's okay, it's not a knock against the book - it's a compliment. Lasart is obviously more concerned with creating a great story than she is with just filling the pages with guts and gore and perversion, which is important.
The thing that impressed me most was the quality of the writing. I don't remember ever reading a collection from a first-time author who had such a solid grasp on their writing skills. Crisp, clean, and filled with perfect descriptions, Lasart's style is addictive.
My favorites were "The Hand that Feeds", "Angel Lust", and "Simple Pleasures". The latter of those three is a perfect example of how effective Lasart is at developing characterization. She peels back the layers on the main character perfectly, exposing just enough to keep him intriguing.
There were some that didn't work for me, as there always are in a collection. "Widow" was the one that stands out most for me. I knew where the story was going within the first page. It was still effective and well written, but fell a little flat. Some of the stories 'head hop' a bit, and in some cases it's needed to complete the story while in others it's a bit jarring. But even Clive Barker's "Books of Blood" had some misfires, and as I've said above this collection falls into that rare category of collections like "Books of Blood" and Stephen King's "Night Shift" - collections that work far more often than they don't.
Simply put, if you're a horror fan you absolutely can't afford to pass by this wonderful collection. It's rare to come across such a great new talent in the horror field, but CW Lasart is poised to make waves and break through big time. Her writing style and skill are well beyond most of her peers and her imagination seems wired to conjure up some really great things. I can't recommend this one highly enough.
March 7, 2012
I had the great honor and privilege of editing the stories included in this powerful collection by the great C.W. LaSart, so I'm very familiar with the tales. Totally worth your read! Trust me. Pick this book up and read it cover to cover in one sitting.
November 16, 2011
Cant say enough about LaSart's work. engrossing fast and great fun. the chills keep coming. for a new Indie type horror Author she is a star, read this you will be glad you did.
January 12, 2013
This is the sick stuff. The kinda stories that gross you out, make you watch where you step, and keep gnawing at your mind long afterward. Check out theses 13 morbid tales. You won't regret it.
May 11, 2013
Half way through this book, but so far so good(ish); not sure if I think this is great yet. I'm not a really big fan of gross-out horror. I prefer my horror more cerebral. You definitely won't get anything cerebral in this book, just good old-fashioned gore and sick horror. That these stories are a tad old-fashioned is what struck me as the biggest failing. I'm not saying the stories are bad - I enjoyed reading them (they were fast and colourfully written, but I wouldn't say well-written). The plots were a little cliched. And I have OCD when it comes to style. Stylistically these stories seem impressive at first, but the longer you read them, the more it seems the author cut and pasted whole sentences from Stephen King's shorter early work. In that sense the style is clichéd and old, and straight out of other horror novels published twenty years ago. The other thing for me was the issue with grammar. The author either has a problem with clauses, is ignorant of the correct way to write a grammatical sentence, or the publisher needs a new editor. But after saying all that, as a fan of more cerebral horror, and this being gross-out horror, was a mark of a good book that I wanted to read each story (so far) to the end.
Unfortunately, the more I read of this book, the more it's becoming pornography instead of horror.
Almost at the end of this book. Some of stories toward the end seem rushed. One reminded me of Nona (that old hokey Stephen King story), other reminds me of Grey Matter (the other hokey Stephen King story). Writer's pen name is an anagram of La Star. Hmmmm.
Unfortunately, the more I read of this book, the more it's becoming pornography instead of horror.
Almost at the end of this book. Some of stories toward the end seem rushed. One reminded me of Nona (that old hokey Stephen King story), other reminds me of Grey Matter (the other hokey Stephen King story). Writer's pen name is an anagram of La Star. Hmmmm.
April 2, 2012
I was lucky to attend a reading C.W. Lasart did at the World Horror Convention 2012 in Salt Lake City of "The Hand That Feeds" and was so impressed with the reading, bought the book afterward. In "The Hand That Feeds" kids beg their dad to tell them a story. It's not just any story, it's a twisted tale, about when the dad was a prison guard and had to deal with a very special inmate. Right away the author painted a picture as she read. Vivid description, and a situation we can all relate to (that of being told a bedtime story). When the bedtime story turned dark, the kids only wanted more. After a little begging, the dad gives in, as they usually do. This is when the truly chilling tale is told. I quickly read the other 12 stories in the book with my favorite being "Simple Pleasures," about a man who discovers something in his yard, something ghastly, yet something he can't keep away from. Primal needs battle with the complex psyche of an emotionally scarred simple man.
Highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys horror shorts.
Highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys horror shorts.
November 20, 2012
Marry the gross-out factor of "extreme horror" with top-notch character work and you get the fun and enjoyable (in a sick way) horror collection from C.W. LaSart. I didn't find a bad story in the bunch - they are all consistently well-written and engrossing. The book ranges from creepy to gory to erotic to darkly humorous to downright old-fashioned scary, often within the same tale. While billed as "extreme horror", not quite all the stories reach the stomach-churning levels that name implies - though many decidedly do. The stories are more than just gross-out horror, though. Even at their goopiest, LaSarts\'s tales have a little something extra that elevates them, be it the tone or the characters'(often twisted) motivations. LaSart\'s character work is excellent, with most of her pro/antagonists being more than just ghost-fodder in even her shortest stories. Good stuff. I look forward to reading more the author in the future.
Want to read
June 27, 2012I cannot begin to describe how this book made me feel. I was at times repulsed, at times disgusted, at times gagging, and constantly entertained. C.W. LaSart is a sick woman, and I mean that as a compliment. Each of these stories has stomach-churning moments. Four stick out in my mind: The Hand That Feeds, which really makes you think about obesity; Angel Lust, which is a sick and twisted tale of two over-the-hill hookers trying to make a buck; Carnality, the tale of a man, his friend and his friend's girlfriend (there is so much more to this story that you can only read it to understand); and my personal favorite Micah's Muse. Micah's Muse explores what a person will do for fame and fortune.
Every story in this book is worth reading. There is not a one that I did not like. I highly recommend Ad Nauseam. Warning: not for the weak at heart. This is one disgusting read.
Every story in this book is worth reading. There is not a one that I did not like. I highly recommend Ad Nauseam. Warning: not for the weak at heart. This is one disgusting read.
December 16, 2013
Short stories aren't really my thing, but I guess the horror genre quite suits them, and after all I have read a few of the Hot Blood series. There are similarities, but the Hot Blood books have more variation in style as the stories are by different authors.
Like Hot Blood, Ad Nauseam (great title) is a collection of "Tales of the Unexpected" with a general theme of sex or horror, or both. As with any short story compilation, the quality of the content varies throughout. Of course, much of this is down to personal taste.
LaSart's writing style is clean and bright making it easy to read, and she certainly has a good imagination which should give her a long career as a horror writer. I enjoyed quite a few of the stories without ever really been blown away, and the others were mostly okay, so I figured 3 stars to be about right.
Like Hot Blood, Ad Nauseam (great title) is a collection of "Tales of the Unexpected" with a general theme of sex or horror, or both. As with any short story compilation, the quality of the content varies throughout. Of course, much of this is down to personal taste.
LaSart's writing style is clean and bright making it easy to read, and she certainly has a good imagination which should give her a long career as a horror writer. I enjoyed quite a few of the stories without ever really been blown away, and the others were mostly okay, so I figured 3 stars to be about right.
August 25, 2012
I picked up a copy of Ms. LaSart’s Ad Nauseum via the Horror Writer’s Association Bram Stoker Award® 2012 recommendation sheet. I read some of her work prior to reading this collection, so I knew what to expect. She has a vivid writing style that holds your attention. These stories did not disappoint, engaging and wrapping me up in their horror. She has the unique ability of combining the sick with the sicker, making for gruesome yet enjoyable tales. While not every story worked for me, the vast majority of them were outstanding, and I would highly recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys the genre.
July 3, 2012
I won this as a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway.
This book was so easy to read. The stories are all very quick. Some of them I would have liked to see developed into longer stories with more details. There were a few that I found a little too gory/repulsive for me (necrophilia=kinda gross). However, the imagination of the author is vast and obviously very active creating for interesting reads about things that I don't see normally in stories.
Overall a great book full of snipet stories that are easy to read and enjoy.
This book was so easy to read. The stories are all very quick. Some of them I would have liked to see developed into longer stories with more details. There were a few that I found a little too gory/repulsive for me (necrophilia=kinda gross). However, the imagination of the author is vast and obviously very active creating for interesting reads about things that I don't see normally in stories.
Overall a great book full of snipet stories that are easy to read and enjoy.
June 25, 2012
One of the exciting new voices in horror, C.W. LaSart is most definitely "the stuff". Dark, gory, horrifying stories like Clive Barker and Big Steve used to write. Some of these stories are like H.P. Lovecraft on bath salts. Some of them are like King in full-on IT mode. Brilliantly encapsulated, finely wrought and completely unforgettable. If you like your horror gruesome, disturbing and full of sex and death, C.W. LaSart has your medicine. Drink it down, baby!
January 2, 2014
Usually I'm not all that fond of short story compilations but this one is extraordinarily good. These are horror stories and they aren't gentle so I would suggest that they are more for the hardcore horror reader and definitely not for the overly sensitive - not "out there" like Edward Lee or his ilk but close. Highly recommended by me.
May 30, 2012
Sister Alice's Suitor grossed me out beyond belief! It wasn't even the necrophilia that grossed me out so much. It was her delivery. I truly thought I was going to throw up. Some really gross stories in this book!
November 6, 2013
Interesting stories but horror/gore just isn't my thing.
July 12, 2014
Pretty gross. :)
September 3, 2022
Ad Nauseam is the kind of collection best consumed in small bites, one story at a time, so that each can be properly savored. Avoid the temptation to binge, because that's how you become numb to the horrors, and - trust me - you don't want that. Equal parts Tales from the Crypt and Tales from the Darkside, this is a fantastic introduction to the works of C. W. LaSart that has me anxious read more.
Simple Pleasures and Widow serve as a fantastic introduction to the collection, gleefully unsettling tales of everyday situations twisted into something horrific. You know how they're going to end as soon as they begin, but it's a hell of a lot of fun getting there.
Angel Lust was one of my two favorites, the story of two washed up prostitutes who decide to get into some really dark, really kinky, really messed up amateur porn to make a quick buck. It's brutal, gross, and darkly humorous, with not just one but two final twists.
Retirement Woes was more sad than horrific, a story of ordinary horrors, but Micah’s Muse quickly gets things back on track with a struggling writer and his monstrous muse. Flesh was a lot of fun, with a would-be-rapist who chose the wrong woman to stalk, while Carnality was a perfect follow-up of a different kind of thwarted love.
Lunch Date with Loa Loa and Ink were decent stories with some genuinely squeamish moments, but I found them to be a bit of a lull in the collection. Bone Phone was my other favorite, a seemingly simple story of a haunted phone, but the way the conversation devolve, revealing dark secrets, is exquisitely satisfying.
Sister Alice’s Suitor was a story that pairs well with the first two, putting a grotesque, haunting twist on a lonely woman's first fateful night of intimacy. The Hand That Feeds was another lull for me, but I liked the way it was told, and appreciate the very subtle punchline at the end. Jack and Jill wraps things up with another story of sex, hunger, flesh, and love that goes wrong.
Full of cannibalism, erotic encounters, twisted obsessions, and fearful secrets, Ad Nauseam is a solid collection, and one where the strength of the telling is equal to the strength of the horrors.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Simple Pleasures and Widow serve as a fantastic introduction to the collection, gleefully unsettling tales of everyday situations twisted into something horrific. You know how they're going to end as soon as they begin, but it's a hell of a lot of fun getting there.
Angel Lust was one of my two favorites, the story of two washed up prostitutes who decide to get into some really dark, really kinky, really messed up amateur porn to make a quick buck. It's brutal, gross, and darkly humorous, with not just one but two final twists.
Retirement Woes was more sad than horrific, a story of ordinary horrors, but Micah’s Muse quickly gets things back on track with a struggling writer and his monstrous muse. Flesh was a lot of fun, with a would-be-rapist who chose the wrong woman to stalk, while Carnality was a perfect follow-up of a different kind of thwarted love.
Lunch Date with Loa Loa and Ink were decent stories with some genuinely squeamish moments, but I found them to be a bit of a lull in the collection. Bone Phone was my other favorite, a seemingly simple story of a haunted phone, but the way the conversation devolve, revealing dark secrets, is exquisitely satisfying.
Sister Alice’s Suitor was a story that pairs well with the first two, putting a grotesque, haunting twist on a lonely woman's first fateful night of intimacy. The Hand That Feeds was another lull for me, but I liked the way it was told, and appreciate the very subtle punchline at the end. Jack and Jill wraps things up with another story of sex, hunger, flesh, and love that goes wrong.
Full of cannibalism, erotic encounters, twisted obsessions, and fearful secrets, Ad Nauseam is a solid collection, and one where the strength of the telling is equal to the strength of the horrors.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
July 17, 2012
I think for the most part this was a solid collection of short stories. Some border on a bit of a cliche, and like any book of short stories, there are hits and misses.
Now everyone's taste differ, so I don't see the point in listing my hits and misses, and by misses I don't mean in a bad way, its just the story didn't work for me. Some were quite good and with this being the author's first published work, I think she did a good job.
The book was edited well, though there were some errors with the formatting. The most glaring was the pages numbers didn't match with the stories listed in the TOC. This is pretty minor, but still when one spends money on a book they expect to get something a little cleaner. As far as the editing in the stories, those were good, and that's what really matters.
I will say that I am looking forward to reading a longer work of fiction from the author, as she shows a knack for creativity and a passion for the macabre.
A solid read and I would recommend it to someone who is a fan of short stories. And trust me, these are some EXTREME stories.
Now everyone's taste differ, so I don't see the point in listing my hits and misses, and by misses I don't mean in a bad way, its just the story didn't work for me. Some were quite good and with this being the author's first published work, I think she did a good job.
The book was edited well, though there were some errors with the formatting. The most glaring was the pages numbers didn't match with the stories listed in the TOC. This is pretty minor, but still when one spends money on a book they expect to get something a little cleaner. As far as the editing in the stories, those were good, and that's what really matters.
I will say that I am looking forward to reading a longer work of fiction from the author, as she shows a knack for creativity and a passion for the macabre.
A solid read and I would recommend it to someone who is a fan of short stories. And trust me, these are some EXTREME stories.
August 12, 2013
This collection is full of creepy stories and most with an added twist of something sexual. From a couple whose relationship sours, to prostitutes looking to make a "stiff" buck, I read and learned about things I'd never heard of before, which I find refreshing. I highly recommend these stories that are easy to read and very entertaining. I also look forward to reading this author's next work.
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