In 2010, one of the most grisly discoveries in Texas history was made. Numerous body parts and human remains were found on an abandoned farm near San Antonio. Very little information was made public, until now. Eddie Mason is a family man. But his is not your typical family. With a wife at home who belittles and ridicules him at every turn, he has sought other means of satisfaction. With his teenage daughter Brandi, and small son Jeffrey, he teaches them the most horrifying of rituals. Using his kids as bait, Eddie captures his victims and takes his children on a journey of torture, cannibalism and mayhem. Learn what the Masons do on Family Night.
I feel like I've been reading splatterpunk genre a little bit too much, lately. Well, After reading "Hell, Texas" by Tim Miller, I knew I had to read another one of his books. Also, I haven't been watching scream worthy movies these days so reading seems like the best alternative.
"Family Night" was exciting. I think I've learned to be unaffected by the gore and bloodshed from reading too much horror books so this didn't disturb me that much. (Honestly, I'm still high from reading "Lovesick") One good thing about this was that, it surprised me. I mean, you would think that a certain character would obviously survive by the way they were written, like, if a character was described to be learning self-defense or if they appear tough, then they would probably survive, but that isn't the case, at least not in this book. Sometimes, the weaker ones could be the ones saving the day.
Please note that this is not highly recommended if you are overly sensitive and easily nauseated.
No, that's not my opinion...but for Eddie "The Mask" Mason, good meat should not be wasted. He's gotten used to feasting on his human victims. And it's not just him. It's become a family affair. He's trained his teen-aged daughter and five-year-old son to assist with his kills. The family that preys together, stays together. But what happens when Eddie sets his sight on an ambitious, young female detective? Will he be biting off more than he can chew?
I've been wanting to read this book for a while and it came highly recommended. While I really enjoyed the story, I did encounter some difficulty with the writing. It could just be me--and probably is. But generally, I'm not nit-picky, even when it comes to typos and such (unless it's terribly bad). I recognize that authors work very hard to create their stories and always try my very best to focus on the positive. So I'm going to work backwards with this review and start with what I didn't enjoy (because I want it to end on a good, positive note).
It was the narrative voice that really bothered me. I found it too disjointed. It kept switching from factual to speculative and interfered with the flow of the story. Though I understand that the author was likely trying to set the mood and ensure that readers could appreciate the grave dangers and dire situations, I would have preferred drawing my own conclusions and experiencing it for myself.
Now on to the what I enjoyed.
Murder. Mayhem. Gore. Torture. Cannibalism. Suspense. Yep, it's all in here, in one truly great story. The story itself is very engrossing. I kept wanting to read on to find out what would happen. I would even scream out whenever one of the characters did something I didn't agree with. To me, that's a sure sign of an enjoyable, engaging story.
Despite some frustration with some of the characters (and that narrative voice issue), I truly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to readers of horror and gore. The epilogue was especially good. I loved how it ended, leaving the possibility for a sequel. I would definitely like the story to continue within another a second book.["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>
This is the first book I have read by Tim Miller and I can assure you it won't be the last.
Family Night is about 'The Mask' and his twisted family values... without spoiling the story, it is doubtful that The Mask is going to get an award for Father of the Year...
As someone who has consumed a lot of sick literature, I wasn't really expecting this to be able to shock me. But it did. Within the first few pages I was hooked and disgusted at the same time. I literally couldn't put this book down and read it in one sitting. The ending was great and I really hope that Tim writes a sequel for this as I would love to see where his twisted mind takes this next.
Without giving anything away, this is a disturbing book about a super taboo subject. It is relentless and harsh but a great read. So great that immediately after reading this I purchased another book by Tim (Hell, Texas). Fantastic work and I can't wait to eventually have all of his books in my collection.
Family Night is a true horror story. It takes place in Texas and is a story about the Mason family. Eddie Mason is married to a nagging wife who belittles him at every turn. He is out of a job & out of his mind. The children, 14 yet old Brani and 5 year old Jeffrey, understand that their mother is unkind. When she isn't badgering Eddie she is after the kids. Eddie forms a ritual with his children, bonding with them. The three of them hunt, torture and slowly kill their victims. Then sit down together to a flesh filled fiasco. Tim Miller creates a horror story that could truly happen in this day and age. I gave it 5 stars due to being a quick read with a free flowing story line.
Detective Julie Castillo is investigating the horrific murder of waitress Carla when she gets a bit too close to the killers and pays the price.
Your reaction to this one is really going to depend on what you want from your horror - this is very straightforward extreme horror with a bit of an interest twist that saved it from regular torture porn horror. If you enjoy movies like the "Hostel" series or the later "Saw" movies you'll likely enjoy this (a.k.a. be prepared for lots of gore). That said, I'm giving Miller another try as I'm rather fascinated by the description of The Country Club.
Family Night will take you on a horrific rollercoaster. It was so grisly I simply couldn't put this book down and blasted through the 115 pages in one sitting. It has shot to my most horrific and sadistic read list. Those of you that are squeamish or have nightmares after reading horrors, this is NOT for you. But those that love horror and I mean REAL HORROR; buy it now and dont stop reading.
Tim has produced a real evil character; Eddie a normal every day weedy guy to you and I, who is continually ridiculed by his quite obnoxious wife. But Eddie is not who he seems, he has a very sick and twisted way to pass his time. This deranged man has involved his 2 children into his sick rituals and this book is certainly NOT for the feinthearted. I wasn't so much as shocked by Eddie, but by the reactions of the 2 children, particularly his daughter and how she has evolved into a smaller version of her father without any compassion a normal young girl should have. Gruesome is an understatement, its disturbing, gritty and very dark and sadistic. These 2 children are very much up for joining their father in his night time games. Their behavior becomes increasingly disturbing when they not only take great pleasure in being used as bait but both enjoy actively joining in! This reminded me of the family in the Chainsaw massacre it has similar feel with its unfeeling sadism and cruelty and tight knit family. This is so well written and is an explosive fast paced read, that you simply cannot put down. If it were a film you would be behind a large cushion with the light on. What makes this even more disturbing and horrific is that there are no zombies, bogeymen or vampires these are a normal on the outside people with some extremely disturbing behaviors. Tim has perfected Eddie with his sadism brought on by his hatred of women (namely his wife). But maintains the caring father towards his 2 children who he clearly loves. Tim's victims have a believable balance of being tough at the start and surcoming to their fate at the end. Its scarily realistic...and are what nightmares are made of...! The ending was just perfect for this storyline and not what I was expecting at all. How can Tim improve on this.....I cant wait to see....but it will be behind a cushion.
All in the family takes on a whole new meaning in Tim Miller's Family Night. I felt like a fly on the wall watching the events with no way to help or ever turn away. His description of the gruesome torture had me wanting to scream stop and just kill them already. This twisted tale of Eddie and his children will have you looking at the so called normal families in a whole new light. What makes Family Night so fascinating and scary is the reality that there are people out there who could be taking people and butchering them right now. Eddie's children make this book even more disturbing. Especially five year old Jeffrey, who takes delight in the tournament he's helping his father provide. I will forever be scarred by small children in masks late at night. I am a huge horror buff, but if this were a movie I would have had to turn it off until daylight. The torture is that vivid. I couldn't put the book down though. It's so fast paced and intense no matter how gruesome and gory it got I couldn't walk away. If you can't handle movies like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Hostel you won't be able to handle this book. They are kid games compared to Family Night. I feel disturbed just knowing I loved this book. It was unpredictable all the way to the end, but again the scary part is how real it feels as you turn each page. Tim ie definitely a master at modern day and real life horror. I won't be leaving my house at night anytime soon.
What a sick and twisted and truly horrific book. I loved it! I will be reading more from Tim Miller.
Eddie, aka The Mask, involves his children in some gruesome torture and killings. Yep, a barrel full of fun for this family, and I believe they truly enjoyed what they were doing. The victims, not so much fun for them.
If you like gore, blood, guts, torture, and death, then this is the book for you. I couldn't put this book down and wouldn't have if I hadn't had to drive home, sleep, and work.
Most disgusting, sick, pathetic gore horror I ever read. I completely destroyed my whole time while reading it. Total disgrace...
A psychopath family wearing mask they hunt their victim and kill them the most torturous way ever possible. They kill them and eat them and these sick activities make them happy too. The prime psychopathic beast got his wife, son and daughter as all of them are in these sick business. When a waitress missed from the side detective Julie come in the action and took the case. She got her Lesbian girlfriend Sarah. After here and there the moment became intense as the mask guy kidnapped her girlfriend. The main story began from there. Julie tried her best to save Sarah, called her cop partner Ben. Ben get caught and butchered violently. His tongue fed to Sarah or Julie I forgot. Then Julie got killed by that daughter and as viewing the death of her girlfriend Sarah became very angry and somehow killed the daughter and fled away but not far. The collusion continues as the father find out everything and finally he got to face Sarah to kill her or being killed by her...
The whole story was wrong for me. Too much to endure the book just make me puke and couldn't think anything else but fuck it. Enough from Tim Miller for now...
“Familienmassaker” ist ein Buch aus der Festa Extrem Reihe. Man kann es wohl als harmloseren Darsteller dieser Serie von Büchern betrachten, die ohne ISBN-Nummer und erst ab 18 Jahren direkt vom Verlag gekauft werden können, da es eine ebook-Variante zu erwerben gibt. Kennt man aber den Festa-Verlag, so weiß man, dass selbst im normalen, nicht extremen Programm Bücher aus dem Horrorbereich zu finden sind, die von Gore, Sex und Mord zur so strotzen. Einen stabilen Magen sollte man bei der Lektüre daher auf jeden Fall mitbringen.
In diesem kurzen Folterreigen von Tim Miller geht es um den Protagonisten Eddie Mason, der in einer ihm verhassten Ehe lebt und sich nicht gegen seine Frau behaupten kann, die ihn nach Strich und Faden betrügt und demütigt. Mason verwandelt sich wohl aus diesem Grund immer wieder in die Maske und baut einen grausamen Familienkult auf, von dem seine beiden Kinder auch immer mehr gefangen genommen werden. Nach und nach verschwindet Mason, die Maske wird immer beherrschender und züchtet sich seine Nachfolger von Kleinkinderbeinen auf an.
Sollte man nach dem Lesen dieses Buches des nachts einem kleinen Jungen mit Maske begegnen, wird man sich zweimal überlegen, ob man ihn fragt, was er zu dieser Stunde noch alleine auf der Straße zu suchen hat. Dieser kleine unschuldig wirkende Junge könnte nicht alleine sein und das eigene Leben bald nur noch aus Fleisch bestehen, das es nach bestimmten Regeln zu verfeinern gilt, bevor man es verzehrt.
Der Titel des Buches ist vielsagend, denn die Familie Mason begeht immer wieder Massaker an unschuldigen Menschen. Auf äußerst brutale Art und Weise wird gefoltert, verstümmelt und gequält und auch Kannibalismus spielt eine große Rolle. Der von mir nicht wirklich gemochte Anteil an sadistischem Sex und Vergewaltigung, der so oft in solchen Büchern zu finden ist und meiner Meinung nach nur Ekel erzeugen und Effekte erhaschen soll fehlt hier völlig. Statt dessen bekommt man als Leser die reinste Gänsehaut, wenn man bedenkt, was dieser Familienvater seinen Kindern beibringt und zu welcher Art von Monster er sie erzieht.
Das Buch wird sowohl aus Opfer- als auch aus Tätersicht beschrieben, kratzt aber im Charakterausbau nur an der Oberfläche, da es primär in diesem kurzen Büchlein um Folter, Mord und Kannibalismus geht.
Wer wie ich sowas gerne zwischendurch mal liest, aber keine austauschenden Körpersäfte dabei braucht, der ist mit diesem kurzweiligen Roman aus Blut und Gedärm gut bedient.
This is a graphic tale that grabs you by the throat on page two and does not let go. I absolutely loved it! There were constant moments of unexpected delays of terror, worthy of classic thrillers. This insane family tormented doing gruesomely bizarre and cringable things like you or I would act when just feeding our pet. No big deal, ugh... Between the nail biting moments, the creepy actions, the disturbing behaviors of the children involved, this book had some of the most unexpected twists and emotional reactions I have read in a Horror book. I could not stop reading, because I was so enthralled by the details. This is a definite must read. I will admit to having nightmares from this book. Tim Miller has hit on something huge with this book.
This was the first Tim Miller book/story that I had read. I have his others, but haven't read them yet. I like horror stories and Tim knows horror. His main character in this book is one sick f**k!! He is really deranged and has a twisted idea as to what is ok for children!! I really did not see some of what happened coming. It takes a special kind of person to come up with the medieval, deranged things that Tim did. :) I can't wait to read the rest of his stuff. **WARNING - Tim's stuff is not for the squeamish or faint of heart!**
If you like blood and gore then this book is for you! Occasionally I take time off from reading my HEA romances to read a book that will blow my mind and make me think about how life really isn't always about love and flowers, but how there is so much horror in the world. Tim captures that beautifully with this story of a family that kills together. It's so bloody and so sick that I couldn't put it down. I read it in one sitting. So lock your doors and turn on all the lights in your house and prepare to have nightmares after reading this book!! You won't regret it..or will you :)
Family Night will take you on a terrifying ride from beginning to end! Once I started reading I couldn't put it down! Tim Miller has taken you into the twisted mind of "The Mask" and you'll never be the same. If you're a fan of horror then this book is for you.
Another great read from Tim Miller!!! I could not put this down and loved EVERY SECOND of this story!! It was dark and gory...another creep fest from Tim Miller!!
The story of The Mask and his family is one that I will not forget for a long time...and hopefully one day the right people will find this story and adapt it for the silver screen.
I highly recommend this book to any horror fans out there. This book does not disappoint and will leave you with one question...What happens to Little Jeffery!!!
Family Night, that title says it all. If you're already a fan of Tim Miller's, then you know what you're in for.
Cannibalism, psychopath, serial killer(s)... The Mask.
I will never look at one of those mask the same way. I might turn around and walk the other way during Halloween, if one comes into my sight.
He'll show them, teach them and let them kill. He's a proud father. But will this victim he had to have, be the ending to it all?
I feel like Family Night was a tamer book than the other's. So, if you don't like so much gore, then this book would do it for you. Tim delivers again. Puts a different twist on the horror genre, and I love it.
When your dad is a psycho who likes to kill and eat the "long pig", and your mom has no idea... When Daddy Dearest is also teaching the KIDS the finer points of cannibalism... You might be reading a Tim Miller book. Sick, dark, twisted, and depraved? Oh yes, all that and more! This book will make you want to lock your doors and hide under the bed, seriously! If I had to compare it to some of his other books, I'd say that Family Night was more gruesome, yet less scary. The scariest part for me was the realization that these were all just people, no supernatural causes... This kind of thing could really happen!
I have to commend Tim Miller on being an extremely sick, twisted mother-f'er!!! When writing, I bet he tries to imagine the most deranged, disgusting thing humans could possibly do to one another. I'll never understand how or why the atrocities he describes end up being so entertaining to people like myself?!?!
FAMILY NIGHT is an incredibly imaginative, psychotic tale that crosses all boundaries of appropriateness! Unlike anything else I've read, this gruesome yet addicting story had me hooked from the very start! I can't wait to read more by this talented, creative man! I'm quickly becoming a Tim Miller junkie!
TIm MIller held nothing back. The more I read, although pretty graphic in nature, I could not stop reading. I finished the book in an hour's time. if you are up for a gruesome thriller and you are NOT squeamish "Family Night" will be a quick read.
I can't help but wonder if a sequel is in the making? The ending truly leaves you questioning that notion.
Are you a fan of gore, torture porn, sick and twisted s--t? If so then Family Night is for you. I enjoy getting grossed out by disturbing, graphic torture films, but very few books have made me cringe. Family Night is one of those few! I had never heard of Tim Miller before however I'm glad I discovered this book! It's a short read, a little over an hour, but definitely worth it!
I do believe Tim Miller is going to become my new go to horror author...WOW! I loved this. Lots of craziness with a lot of just straight up horror. This isn't for the faint of heart but it's fast paced until the end and then your pissed it's over and want more.
This story just rocked all the way around. If you did a good horror every now pick this one up!
Family Night was my first Tim Miller book, and it lead me to read everything else he has written. Fantastically gory, deeply sickening, with a fabulous ending.