Pieces of Madness

by Kasey Pierce

Humanity walks the line between sanity and madness every day. A very, very thin line...

Does it prove insane for a child to believe that one is still alive though they've passed on? Is it lunacy to think love and obsession are one in the same? And if you believe in Hell, is it completely illogical to think it a place for the living? You are invited to ask yourself these questions and others in this testament to humanity's place among the insane, cultist, and paranormal. This gore-paved journey is derived from the author's nightmares and perhaps her own madness. These five tales will bring your mind and soul to new depths of macabre that will leave you uncomfortable, yet screaming for more.

Genres: Horror

87 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2015

Reviews

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I really enjoyed Kasey's writing style and ideas. Bestia was my favorite. I really didn't know where the story was going. It kept me on my toes! Luke was my second fav. Though I had it mostly figured out about halfway through I still really liked the story. Sins of the Father came in third. I do love a good Satan story! Dollface was my least favorite. I'm not really sure what happened in that one - did the doc suddenly go crazy, inherited from his mom, or was he already a patient and they humored his delusions? The crazy happened too fast for me. Felt like it could have been built up a bit more and a little slower to come off as believable.

Now the two part story, His Majesty I & II - so very interesting. Not so much the story itself, as it was predictable, but I LOVED how it was written. Kasey skips back and forth between the main character's past memories and current reality - delusional bat shit crazy but still current reality. The jumps are not confusing at all. I really enjoyed the back and forth from 'normal' Linda to 'increasingly detached from the real world' Linda. Very very cool. I also don't think I want to know how Kasey learned the skinning details of taxidermy...

The editing could have been better. There are a few places where extra words were left in or out which pulls the reader out of the flow a bit but I've definitely seen worse.

If you have the chance, this is a good collection of short stories. Worth the read!

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great set of stories by a really lovely author (who I met and she was great and therefore I may be a bit biased)! Wasn't crazy about the last story as the whole devil-showing-up-to-a-priest thing seemed kind of cliche, but the two-part story about a woman's grief for her husband was fantastic.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite books as a kid was "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark." I must've read that and its sequels a dozen times each. As an adult I'd nearly forgotten about how enthralling those books were. At least until I picked up a copy of Pieces of Madness at the Motor City Comic Con. Everything about this book takes me right back to those delightfully twisted tales, right down to the awesome/creepy page of art that begins every story. Without getting into spoilers, "Sins Of The Father" alone makes this collection worth picking up. But I can also see getting into heated debates with other readers over which story is best. "His Majesty" parts I and II for example, are a phenomenal character study blending the past and present of a woman through better days and during a recent trauma that drives her to madness. Weaving between the graphic imagery of the protagonist's actions while remaining sympathetic to her plight illustrates is amazing an so well grounded. It's a standout on the collection's theme of that razor's edge between sane and insane.
On the negative side, while Pierce over all is an exceptional writer, this book does suffer from the sort of typos commonly found in self published and indie press titles. She needs a better editor. Nothing major, but the occasional awkward sentence or grammatical error pulled me from of some otherwise deeply engrossing stories. Also, one story, "Dollface," needed development. That was one unfortunate weak point, especially given how intriguing the premise was. But it's also the shortest of the bunch, had some sweet imagery, and was followed by several highly memorable tales.
Over all, this is well worth a read. I can even see myself returning to a few select favorites again and again over the years. And if Pierce ever publishes a sequel, I'll be the first in line to buy it. (I recommend the title "MORE Pieces of Madness.")

[Tom Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this a few months ago when I met Kasey at the Boston comic con, as I am always on the look-out for new and good horror. The edition I have has two, new stories added to it. This wasn't too shab, decent....the stories were original, and while sometimes clunky well-written enough for me to keep reading. While I didn't find them altogether scary, there was horror, and at least one just plain uncomfortable. Also, not sure if it was intentional but all of the stories but the last one had religious undertones to them. Was Miss Pierce questioning her own beliefs? All in all this was a good introduction to her writing and I will look forward to more.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Kasey Pierce at NYCC at the Source Point Press booth. She talked me into this and a few other books and I'm glad she did. This is a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed the other books I got too!

[Winde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book on a whim, and it turned out to be right up my alley! If you like reading short stories with a psychological/horror aspect, you'll probably love this too.

[Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peirce’s prose is extraordinary and her use of imagery is exquisite. The illustrations we fantastic. Loved it.

[Nicole Sackin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collection of short scary stories. Each story was distinct and all, equally gripping!

[Chelsea Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing anthology.