Garden of Fiends

Tales of Addiction Horror

By: Mark Matthews, Kealan Patrick Burke, Jack Ketchum, Jessica McHugh, John F.D. Taff

Narrated by: Rick Gregory

The intoxication from a pint of vodka, the electric buzz from snorting cocaine, the warm embrace from shooting heroin - drinking and drugging provide the height of human experience. It's the promise of heaven on earth, but the hell that follows is a constant hunger, a cold emptiness. The craving to get high is a yearning as intense of any blood-thirsty monster.

The best way to tell the truths of addiction is through a story, and dark truths such as these need a piece of horror to do them justice.

The stories inside feature the insidious nature of addiction told with compassion yet searing honesty. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of accidental deaths, and some of the most incredible names in horror fiction have tackled this modern day epidemic.

"A Wicked Thirst" by Kealan Patrick Burke

"The One in the Middle" by Jessica McHugh

"Everywhere You've Bled and Everywhere You Will" by Max Booth III

"First, Just Bite a Finger" by Johann Thorsson

"Last Call" by John FD Taff

Torment of the Fallen" by Glen Krisch

"Garden of Fiends" by Mark Matthews

"Returns" by Jack Ketchum

©2017 Mark Matthews (P)2017 Mark Matthews

Anthology of Addiction Horror

OMG!! This is one insane horror book. It contains everything disturbing about drugs to alcohol, I cannot pick out a favorite. Stories that are sad and creepy to ghosts. Recommend to anyone who enjoys brutal human horrors with good narration. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. Thank you!

Freaked me out!

This book was absolutely terrifying at times. The spiders!!! OMG! The book was also very sad. I actually felt bad for the addicts and what they go through mentally. The stories deal with all types of addicts and are all pretty creepy! Great collection of scary stories from some great authors. Rick Gregory did an excellent job with the narration, even making it sound a bit creepier at times. Loved it!

Addiction Is Utterly Terrifying

4.5 out of 5 stars

Each story really held it's own in this book and really made for some terrifying (and sometimes almost too real) depictions of what addiction is like.  I've had friends who have died from overdoses due to addiction and it's not easy to watch.  I cannot imagine living it (but I can a little better after reading this).

I wasn't 100% sure what I was getting into when I first picked this book up.  I thought it was just another horror anthology, but I was dead wrong.  This is a collection of stories about addiction told as if they were a horror story (which they basically are).  You are no longer in control of your body -- the addiction is.

I will tell you this about Garden of Fiends -- it wasn't easy to finish in one sitting.  Not because the stories weren't good, but because they were too good.  They were so brutal and brutally honest that I found myself having to stop after each one to digest exactly what happened and how I felt about it.

Adding to a well-done collection of stories was the narration by Rick Gregory.  This is the first audiobook by him I've listened to and I loved it.  You can tell that Gregory has worked around, with, and through narrators for a long time because he really understands the nuances of what telling a great story are.

Overall, an enjoyable collection of short stories that easily could have been standalone stories.  I'm glad that Matthews put them all together though because I got to read them all in one spot.  After finishing this I went and hugged those who are close to me.

I was given a free copy of this audiobook, this has not affected my review in any way.

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Good stories, great narration...

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed all these stories. a very compelling listen. The narrator did a great job performing them.

Horrors of addiction

I received a copy of this book in audio format from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.

This is an anthology about a different kind of horror. It is not the explicit horror we find sometimes in books, but the real one caused by addiction. Sometimes these monsters can be scarier than the ones in our imagination.

A Wicked Thirst by Kealan Patrick Burke
A man and his insatiable thirst for alcohol will push him to do the unthinkable. It is a rather dark story with powerful images.

The One in the Middle by Jessica McHugh
In a near future a new kind of drug is causing havoc in society. This tale was imaginative and complex.

Garden of Fiends by Mark Mathews
This one is longer than the others. Tara is recovering from addiction thanks to her loving family. But her boyfriend is released from prison and things start to go south. She will be tempted, her father's trust issues will push him to do unforgivable things and her mother will drastically change. A vivid example of how drugs can destroy a family. Sad and tragic, and with well written characters.

First, Bit Just a Finger by Johann Thorsson
This story is a good metaphor for drug use. It has powerful and very clear images about how one can end up if taking this route.

Last Call by John FD. Taff
Ted is unable to give up alcohol, so his AA sponsor will offer a miracle bottle that will end this hell forever. The only problem is that Ted's past will catch up with him.

Torment of the Fallen by Glen Krisch
Maggie is on the run but she is trying to locate her father. She should not have, it was too late.

Everywhere You’ve Bled and Everywhere You Will Be by Max Booth III
A man starts bleeding from his penis, and scared of what it might mean, he decides to take refuge in the old good drugs. I really liked this one. It has good images and great characters.

Returns by Jack Ketchum
This story is about a ghost who returns with a purpose, he will just have to figure it out.

Some of these stories are quite weird, but the good kind of weird. They will allow us to visit the parallel universe of drug addicts but without the dangers of using. A bit gore sometimes, but well written stories with powerful images that will haunt the listener for some time after finishing the book.

Rick Gregory did a very good job narrating this stories. He transmitted well the characters emotions and his pace and tone kept my attention at all times.