Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road

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A Splatter Punk Jam with the finest authors in horror

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2014

Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road is a splatter punk jam by some of the finest authors in the horror genre. And to top it off the money from this book goes to help pay the medical bills of another author, Tom Piccirilli. Unlike some industries, writer's don't have employee benefits like health care or sick days. To not only get a great story from some of my favorite authors, but also contribute to helping someone in need is awesome.

And this story is indeed awesome. Can't really say much without spoiling the story, but I would recommend you stay away from food while reading the book. The events that take place in the book are not for the easily grossed out.

What I can say about the plot is that we follow Arrianne and Chuck, a married couple, who move into 65 Stirrup Iron Road. The house has a violent and sexually disturbing past and Chuck and Arrianne are soon drawn into it. Can they overcome it and end the evil once and for all?

If you love to be grossed out, this book was written for you. But we also get some terrific character development. It's not just a pukefest. If you read any of the books previously published by the authors of this book then you know what you're in for. If you're not much for gore, this is still a worthy book to read. Each author brings what they do best in their other work with them. You'll care about Chuck and Arrianne and want to know what will happen to them. The book does take an interesting turn towards the end. But the breaking of the fourth wall actually fits the story really well.

Give this book a try. It's worth it for the gore and the characters and for knowing that you helped out someone going through a tough time.

7 people found this helpful

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D Hickman

Not worth your time!

Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2020

I only bought this book because I’m trying to read/collect every Brian Keene book for he is my favorite writer, but this book is bad. I put it down several times because nothing interesting was happening. It’s just a bunch of gross stuff(sex with animals, vomit, drinking sperm). I don’t mind gross stuff as long as there’s a point. It just seemed like it was in this book just to be there with no real point to the story. And the ending was absolutely stupid. There wasn’t really an ending at all. The writers took the lazy way out. I did enjoy that the writers made themselves characters in the book.

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Josh Wiles

A Splatter Punk Jam with the finest authors in horror

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2014

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7 people found this helpful

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Jonathan Moon

A hardcore horror masterpiece

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2014

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Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road is a collaboration between nine (9!) of hardcore horrors most twisted innovators which will leave genre fans mind-raped, soiled, slaughtered, and most of all smiling.

First off, and VITAL to understanding, is that this is HARDCORE horror. These talented pychos push limits in every way possible, from sexual depravity to ultra-violence to humor of the blackest pitch, so if you don’t think you can handle any or all of that, leave this page now and find something sparkly to read. For those of you still with me, I am going to assume you know who the hell these nine guys are, and assume you know they are veritable legends in the hardcore horror/splatterpunk genre. For us fans of this sickening drivel this is much more than a book, but an experience which draws you into a world and puts you right there with your favorite authors.

The Master of Hardcore Horror, Ed Lee, starts things off as only he can with a prologue which introduces us to the house at 65 Stirrup Iron Road and hints at the demented fun to come. From here the authors rotate between solo and collaborated chapters that whip along so fast it felt like I had a hook in my face dragging me through the ever sickening story. In chapter one, we meet Arrianne and Chuck, the newest residents in the den of evil known as 65 Stirrup Iron Road. From here our boys start to have fun, pushing the aforementioned limits with macabre glee. Our main characters warp as much so as they evolve as the horrors of the house are revealed little by little through scenes both perverted and horrifying. While speaking of the horrors of the house, I’ll say the story line is actually quite similar to that of Lee’s incredible Gast, but that soon comes to matter for naught. Because just when it seems like the story is spinning at a fever pitch fit to unravel or explode in a fountain of gore and depravity, our boys join the fun. From here, as a fan of the genre I felt like I was drawn into the book to meet some of the authors who have entertained me so very well over the years and watch them wreak havoc on this world they created.

Each chapter seriously gets sicker and sicker as these guys get the juices flowing, their styles all still unique but somehow melding to that of their fellow authors to keep the read as easy and smooth as something this twisted could be. The two highlights I have to mention are Shane McKenzie’s first solo chapter-which literally had me laughing out loud at such a terrible death to the most wet-mouthed-gag I’ve ever experienced while reading, all within a few short pages (awesome, keep your eye on that guy) and the Keene/Ketchum chapter, which in the hands of two less talented authors could have imploded the whole brutal experiment but instead made for one of the most entertaining, violent, and strangely intimate reads ever for me. Also, the last chapter had me laughing out loud like a fool in a bar with a bunch of my favorite authors.

This book is a MUST OWN for fans of hardcore horror. Note I didn’t just say ‘highly recommended’, I am saying BUY THIS BOOK YOU SICKOS!

7 people found this helpful

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Erik Smith

Hardcore Horror Fun

Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2014

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Having looked at some of the reviews here, I should start by saying that YES, this is HARDCORE HORROR. If you have a problem with over-the-top sex, violence, and bodily fluids, this is not the book for you. (But, it's for a good cause, so buy a copy anyway, and give it to a friend.)

That being said, if you like extreme horror, with a dash of "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" from the authors, this is the book for you. It's not a masterpiece, but it is fun. Is each author trying to out-do the authors who wrote the previous chapters? Maybe. And there's nothing wrong with that. It IS that kind of book. Are there cliches? Perhaps. Murder House? Check. Married couple having some relationship issues, moving into the aforementioned murder house? Check. Well, it IS that kind of book. Is this paint-by-numbers storytelling? NO WAY! It's NOT that kind of book.

When I was about halfway through the story, I was thinking about the rating I was going to give the book. At that point, it was 4 Stars. I was enjoying the story. Each author was doing a fine job, entertaining me with a mystery couched in gross-out horror. Then I hit page 158 (of 189), and suddenly I was ripped from my comfortable, hardcore horror world, and thrust into a bizarre alternate reality, where...well, I don't want to spoil it, but I immediately changed my rating to 5 stars. I love what the authors did here. I have to warn you, if you like things tidy, corners folded with perfect creases, a one inch piece of tape at each seam, and a beautiful bow on top, this is NOT the book for you. (Again, it's for a good cause, so buy a copy for a friend or family member.)

One novel. Nine authors. Too many gross-out scenes to count. And one mind-blowing ending. I can't recommend it enough.

4 people found this helpful

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D Hickman

Not worth your time!

Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2020

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One person found this helpful

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Jeremy S. Richard

Good, but not as good as it could have been.

Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2014

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Without giving away too many spoilers this is a collaboration between a number of extreme horror writers who are themselves engaged in a self-critical parody of their own work, something that leads to a few chuckles when they start writing themselves into their own collaborative experiment and have things go wrong towards the end when things hit their peak. That said while I get the effect they were going for, I don't think they quite pulled it off. It's not bad by any means, but not a masterwork, and truthfully I tend to think the solo offerings of the various writers (including some of their attempts at satire within their writings) are superior to the group effort. Not all experiments are great successes, and this one wasn't, but it was not a total failure either.

If your a fan of the writers who contributed, then you'll want to read this for your collection. If your new to the whole "extreme horror" thing, or just looking for generally good stories in the genera... you might pass on this one for a while as you'll probably miss part of the appeal that is there. Once you've ready the individual works of a lot of the people who collaborated here, you'll probably find it more passable and "get it", without that you'll probably just think it gets somewhat pretentious and blows chips.

7 people found this helpful

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Kevin Lintner

A Laugh Out Loud, Feel Good Book For The Entire Family!

Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2014

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If your family is a traveling variety show called "The Aristocrats." If you're not familiar with that, Google it, but don't blame me when you need therapy.

This is a wildly over-the-top celebration of gore, sexual perversion, and man's inhumanity to just about anything and anyone that crosses their path. That poor Llama. I had just as much fun imagining the grins on the writer's faces as they invented these horrific scenarios as I did reading them. But seriously, be prepared, because you have no idea what sick and twisted adventures a await you between the covers of this awesome book.

3 people found this helpful

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Frank Errington

Nine horror writers trying to gross out readers while raising funds to defray Tom Piccirilli's medical expenses

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2013

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Caution: This story is not for the masses. Even if you are a fan of one or more of the authors involved, you may want to think twice.

Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road is a project with proceeds going to help defray the massive medical expenses incurred by Tom Piccirilli's battle against brain cancer. A worthwhile endeavor by some of my favorite genre writers.

So here we have Brian Keene, Jack Ketchum, Edward Lee, J F Gonzalez, Bryan Smith, Wrath James White, Nate Southard, Ryan Harding and Shane McKenzie writing a round-robin style, gross-out ghost story. Each managing to outdo the last in the lengths they will go to disgust and potentially alienate the reader. In many cases they will succeed in that endeavor. As a result there are already a number of 1 Star reviews. Reviews that I can actually see as a twisted badge of honor for the writers involved.

If Sixty-Five Stirrup Road was Movie, it would likely be rated NC-17. An NC-17 rating can be based on violence, sex, aberrational behavior, drug abuse or any other element that most parents would consider too strong and therefore off-limits for viewing by their children. I'd say this book meets and exceeds those qualifications.

So, do you think I've adequately covered how sick, depraved and morally reprehensible Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road is? If so, let's get to the good stuff.

Yes, there is a story. It's either an evil or haunted house and those who live there, or find themselves nearby, are slowly overcome by sexual desires of the most perverse variety. Go ahead and dwell on what that might mean, then pick a number from one to ten and multiply. Trust me, you're not even close.

Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road is not a literary masterpiece. It was never meant to be. What it is is a wild, no holds barred romp filled with sex and violence. I did enjoy the tag team approach to writing the novel. One writer would take a chapter, he'd be joined by a second writer for the next chapter and then that writer would go solo only to be joined by someone else for the next and so on.

And then there's the payoff. No spoiler here, but let's say if you are a fan of these guys, follow any of them on Facebook or Twitter, have spent time with them at a horror convention, you're gonna love what happens next.

Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road is available now as both a paperback and ebook from Amazon.com and remember proceeds go to defray Tom Piccirilli's medical expenses associated with his fight against brain cancer. Go Tom!

It you have a strong constitution and are not easily offended, I can strongly recommend Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road.

Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road

8 people found this helpful

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David Dickey

Deadite Press Book of the Year!

Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2014

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Well, what to say...I am a fan of every author involved. I knew what I was getting into from the beginning and that's why I loved every page of this. I have drooled over this book since it was first announced and I waited ever so patiently to read it. Finally I just finished it and what a way to bring in the new year! I have never been so aroused and disgusted at the same time...I learned that it's hard to smile and grimace at the same time but by the end of the story, I had it down like a pro! This book is everything I wanted it to be and so much more toward the end. I really want to thank each and every author involved for giving horror fans a wet dream like this. And for all the 1 star reviews that are adding up...keep em' coming. I think that fans read negative reviews far more than positive ones. And the fact that most of the bad reviews say how disgusting and horrible the book is, is icing on the cake. Hardcore fans read that and smile thinking, "Man, you know this is going to be good." And honestly if you purchased the book in any form, I could care less what you really think of it. The proceeds are going to a good cause and you've already handed your money over. Deadite Press has really turned into a hero in the horror genre and I couldn't say enough thanks to editor Jeff Burke and everyone else involved. I have bought nearly every single book that they've put out and I will continue doing so. But this book right here, Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road, has to be Deadite Press' Book of the Year. Read it.

7 people found this helpful

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Noah C. Patterson

Grotesque Collabortation of Meta-Fiction

Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2015

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A few months ago I had a bought of obsession with the literary genre of splatter-punk--particularly any books from extreme horror publisher Deadite Press. I was both fascinated by the seemingly intricate writing style these writers presented while still being appalled by the images of debauchery and violence that was presented in the text. Many times I would put down a book halfway through and swear I wouldn't pick it back up. But the draw of the story and pulled me in. It was like I was staring at a graphic public beheading--similar to medieval style torture--and couldn't look away. I even tried my hand at writing in this style--which I quite enjoyed--and managed to horrify some of the students and teachers in my creative writing classes at conservative BYU-Idaho.

The last splatter-punk book I picked up and read was a little collaboration between nine well-known authors. That book is Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road.

I picked the book up because I was interested in the idea of so many authors working together to create a singular tale. Additionally, the authors were writing the book to help support their friend Tom Piccirilli, who was having a bought with cancer.

I figured that I was interested in each of the authors individually, and I would be helping to support a good cause. So I ordered a copy and eagerly awaited its arrival.

When the book arrived I immediately started reading and was immediately disgusted.

The book begins by following a young girl named Nicci who performs oral sex on men to make her living. Nicci is caught by the police and charged with prostitution. She is sent to jail for a few months and then put on house arrest at her brother's home which is located at 65 Stirrup Iron Road.

It is there that she begins to experience strange and disturbing phenomenon. Images of sexual debauchery, demonic forces, and violence all haunt her at the house. Nicci wants to put the blame on her brother but soon realizes that there are far more sinister forces at work.

When her brother is brutally murdered and his body parts strewn in little bits all around the house Nicci finally loses it. She is charged with the murder of her brother and sent to the local insane asylum.

Already, just from reading the prologue, it is apparent that this novel in no way is trying to take itself seriously. In no way does it resemble the brutally and gritty horror of such novels as The Offspring. No, Sixty-Five Stirrup Iron Road has no intentions of being a serious and reflective horror novel. The entire purpose is to be a perverse and demented as humanly possible.

Ten years later a married couple move into the house. Arrianne and Chuck are trying to find a new life. They are trying to make one last effort to save their marriage and their sanity. Little do they know that they've moved into the sadistic house from hell.

As I've often found with splatter-punk novels, I really began to enjoy these characters. These authors obviously have the talent to write meaningful work. So I often wonder why they write such sick fantasies instead.

As Chuck goes off to work each day Arrianne stays in the house and tries to regain her sanity. But, when one say she finds some of the sickest porn on the internet in her husband's computer she freaks out. And this is just the beginning.

Soon, the sickness of the pornography that seems to infect every digital device on the house begins to infect her brain and desires. It is as if some entity in the house has the sickest fetishes known to man and is planning on using them on the house guests.

I don't want to go into more detail on the story than that since it gets pretty disturbing. However, I will say that as the novel begins to move towards its climax that the authors begin to write themselves into the novel as characters.

Quickly it becomes apparent what the true intention of the novel is. It wasn't just there to be as sick and disgusting as possible. It is actually nine authors who are doing a meta-analysis of why they bother writing in this genre and why anyone bothers reading it.

This aspect alone is what redeems this horrific little novel. It is humors listening to these author's go back and forth and discuss the horrors that they write. They acknowledge their own sick minds and some detail why they do it. It is enjoyable to see them criticize each other and their own work, to acknowledge what elements went too far or were wrong.

But ultimately the novel itself punishes the authors for their sick work. As all but one of the authors become trapped in the story they are doomed to death and torture in the most vile ways.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. It is so unbelievably obscene that most readers would have put it down after the first ten to fifteen pages. Each chapter is like a competition between authors to see who can create the most disturbing imagery.

I too quit many times throughout the book. However, I decided I needed to finish the book and get it out of my system. But this was the catalyst that ended my reading of splatter-punk novels, at least for a while.

Unless you are a sucker for the grotesque and torture, or if you're interested in a meta-fiction analysis of extreme horror, I would recommend that you not read this book. It has some of the most vile scenes of literature that I've ever read in my life--on par with and even worse than Sadie the Sadist. I enjoyed the elements of meta-fiction but they weren't worth the first 75% of the book. If you really want an analysis of extreme horror than go look at literary journals and critics.

(Originally posted on www.asliceofhorror.com)

4 people found this helpful

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Justin Holley

A lot of fun!

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2014

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So, first off, the proceeds of this project went to a worthy cause, and that in itself was worth the cost of the book. No doubt about it. But then, when I began to read, it became so clear, that here was a group of horror authors who got together and had some fun. I don't want to spoil anything, but not only do they have fun with the writing, but have fun interacting with each other as well. This is a fun, pulpy read. And if you like the other books by these authors, you're gonna love this.

5 people found this helpful

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