Torture Tomb

by C. Dean Andersson

THE NIGHTMARE - For young artist Gina and her lover Jim, it began with a terrifying vision of Gina's long -missing sister, once thought dead, now a prisoner of a horror beyond imagining.

THE SEARCH - Their last hope -- a circle of witches who command powers that can help and heal -- or wreak terrible destruction. Their destination -- the dark heart of a New England forest where an evil dynasty built upon the unspeakable secrets of the damned plans a hellish fate for all who oppose it.

THE BATTLE - Hounded by foul manifestations of the undead, in peril of losing both their lives and souls, Gina and her allies must race against time and terror to confront their demonic enemies ... and battle a monstrous inhuman force that may crush even the combined forces of light.

Genres: Horror

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1987

About the author

C. Dean Andersson writes Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. His day-jobs (and night) have included rock band drummer, television graphic designer, US Air Force band percussionist, robotics programmer, and technical writer. His Swedish-born father inspired the Viking Age studies he uses in his tales about the warrior Bloodsong, collected in HELx3: Warrior Witch of Hel, Death Riders of Hel, and Werebeasts of Hel. He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and was a Horror Writers Association Bram Stoker Award finalist for his story about a modern encounter with the Goddess Hel, "The Death Wagon Rolls on By."
Website: www.cdeanandersson.com
Wikipedia, C. Dean Andersson: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._Dean_...
New interview with C. Dean Andersson: http://uparoundthecorner.blogspot.com...
Interview about writing the Hel Trilogy: http://kingsofthenight0.tripod.com/de...
facebook: Bloodsong: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bloods...
Wikipedia, Bathory's "One Rode to Asa Bay," dedicated to C. Dean Andersson in honor of Bloodsong: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_rode...

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Torture Tomb was published today instead of 1987, there definitely would be an 'extreme horror' warning on it; the only book that I can think of that even comes close is Man Cave and that is saying something! While difficult to pick out a main protagonist, Gina Sanders fits the bill the best. She starts the novel coming to see Jim Brock at his workplace. Gina and Jim had 'a thing' before he was drafted and sent to Vietnam, but she sent him a 'Dear John' letter while he was over there and that was 17 years ago.

Gina is worried about her sister Bernice, who seemingly vanished about a week or so ago. Gina flew back to Dallas to scope it out and had some serious nightmares about Bernice being tortured and such, which she promptly painted (she is an artist). Jim, who now writes manuals for software (and is a wannabe writer on the side) takes her (unwillingly at first) to see a witch he knows named Carla. Jim, now a proud Pagan having gone back to his 'ancestral' Norse gods, met Carla doing some research on a book he wrote.

Meanwhile, we know exactly what happened to Bernice; she became the latest 'acquisition' of a slimy asshole named Paul Danelli who lives in New England. It seems Paul has been doing this for some time-- acquiring women he keeps in cages in his special basement, torturing them, and then selling them on the white slave market. Bernice is eventually sold to a pair of sadistic fucks who are going to have her 'star' in their latest snuff film, where she will be slowly tortured by 'priests' in a remake of the Inquisition. Andersson (aka Asa Drake) pulls few punches here as Bernice is subjected to one horrific torture after another.

Carla with her 'coven' or circle of witches, along with Jim and Gina, are trying to make sense of what is going on. Gina's painting of her dream aged decades overnight and there is obviously some serious dark mojo going down! The tale quickly become a race between the witches and the slimy assholes in New England...

Andersson knows how to pace a story and this is nonstop right from the get go, with absolutely brutal and shocking scenes interspaced with the trials and tribulations of Jim, Gina and company as they struggle with some kind of necromancer foo. Not for the faint of heart by any means! 4 brutal stars!

[oddo · Rating 1 out of 5]

0 stars. A novel entirely without any redeeming qualities. The only real torture found within this book is the experience of trying to get through this piece of shit.

[Wayne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book by the author because I really enjoyed his "Buried Screams" book. This one was nothing like that at all. This one degraded to nothing but an extended torture, humiliation session with a lot of witchcraft nonsense thrown in. For me, there comes a point where the violence just becomes too much. It happened here. Add all the witch Gods and Goddesses and then add Odin and Thor, enough already.

The plot of this is simple enough. A rich guy teams up with two scum balls to abduct women and torture them. They grab a lady. Take her to an underground Torture Tomb and start to destroy her in every way. Her sister has visions, and an old boyfriend takes her to see some modern day witches. Chanting and flogging in excess proceeds. That's it. If pain and ultra violence galore with a side of coven, then have at it.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gina's sister Bernice was abducted and is held captive in a kind of bunker. Jack and Josh plan to do a snuff movie named Torture Tomb with her. Paul, a shady underworld figure is also involved. He sold her to the snuff producers. Can Jim (Gina's ex-friend) and Gina rescue Bernice from the kidnappers? What's the role of the witches they contact to find Bernice? The ingredients sound quite intriguing but the book dragged a bit to be honest. Besides it didn't have too many surprises but followed a well known structure. It was okay, had its moment, but definitely wasn't a horrorfest to me. The cover is great though!