Depraved

To start off, I read this in March and was blown away by it....just finished a reread of it...and it got better. Remember when you read THAT novel...the one that made your mouth gape open while you tried to close your eyes because of the horror of the things occuring in the book? How about when reading Ketchum's THE GIRL NEXT DOOR? You got that feeling..a lot. Bryan Smith has produced what I believe to be THAT novel...the one that is referred to in that way...THAT novel. The one you pass to your friends with the caveat, "you won't beleive what Smith did..." The one that you hear other people mention under their breath. Yes, it is THAT great. DEPRAVED is a story about a man wanting a woman but her family won't....wait a minute, this novel is not that at all, heh heh. DEPRAVED explores the depth of degradation one takes, how one reacts to it...and what one does to extract safety or revenge...or both. It has everything a great classic horror novel should. Saying anymore than that really spoils the gut-wrenching intensity of the plot, the genius of the climax and the offensive horror within the book. Just buy it, read it...and then mention it as THAT novel to friends as you tell them to buy it. Oh and you know what? Smith's next book, THE KILLING KIND? It is darker and more offensive than DEPRAVED!

After not being too thrilled with "Slowly We Rot" (3 Stars) I decided to give Bryan Smith another shot and picked up "Depraved" for .99 cents. I'm glad that I did. With 100 other reviews speaking about the plot, I don't think it makes sense to spend time describing it, just read the other reviews. I felt like the novel was very entertaining and I found myself wanting to keep turning the pages despite the clock saying it was midnight and I needed to get up for work in five hours. It's brutal, visceral, and not for the easily offended with its explicit descriptions of rape, torture, and cannibalistic murder. No one is safe in this book. Victims with the backs pushed against the wall dig deep into the darkest pits of their inhuman nature to become monsters like the evil, uncaring people that captured them in order to survive their terrible ordeals. Some rise to the occasion leaving behind a body count while others end up succumbing to the darkness they are forced to explore. This story is not some feel-good morality tale with a clear division between good and evil. This is the type of book that leaves you feeling dirty and uncomfortable. There are some parts of the plot that could have come better together. I know there is a Depraved 2 so perhaps those themes and plot points are better discussed and elaborated there but for the most part the supernatural elements of the story didn't all come quite together as I think they should have. I don't think I can go too far into it without spoilers so I'll just say that they seem a little tacked on and unnecessary when human depravity (hehe) could have sufficed. Also, the "Feast" that is often spoken about does not happen in the novel. In addition to that, one of the main characters has a moment in the story that seems ridiculously unbelievable given the narrative established within the story. It absolutely made no sense. The epilogue at the end ties up all the stories nicely except for one which seems to also not fit within the characters narrative. You'll pretty much gloss over those issues since the whole story is a whirlwind of insanity anyway. The supernatural elements of the story didn't feel like they quite came together.

3.5 stars. Depraved, by Bryan Smith, is well...depraved. The setting is rural Tennessee, in a little town known as Hopkin's Bend. People enter the city limits...but very rarely leave again. The premise of this story reminded me very much of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films: you have the backwoods town, the incestous families, the mutants...in fact, now that I think of it, there is even a gory chainsaw scene in the book! The story is disturbing, sometimes makes your skin crawl, and is a very "blood and guts" type read. Yet there were several times I found myself laughing out loud at some of the character's lines, particularly those of Hoke. Oddly enough, I wasn't expecting the demonic/paranormal aspects, but don't feel they detracted from the story at all. In fact, I quite liked the addition. There is a lot of sex (of all varieties and persuasions), in this book. I didn't find the descriptions to be overly graphic, but I'm not going to lie...the visual in my head of some of these mutant humans going to town was quite gag-worthy (seriously, think pumpkin head with one red eye and an elephant trunk. See? I told you.) I would also say if rape scenes bother you, this book probably isn't your best option. I did enjoy the way the storyline went through various points of view (of both villains and victims). It made for a quick, effective read. Unfortunately, it didn't really allow time to get to know the characters either...so I found myself not really caring if they lived or died. Also, the entire book takes place in about 12 to 16 hours...less than one day. And while I realize trauma can completely alter your thoughts and psyche, I sort of felt the reactions of the victims were a little...odd. Without giving away too much, it's not really feasible to me that a perfectly normal guy could be abducted, raped, and put in a cage where he has sex with a hot woman all day long...and then somehow turn into a serial killer afterward. Just, why? Regardless, it's a fun read. If you're in the mood for a good horror novel, I don't think you can go wrong with Mr. Smith's cult classic, Depraved.

Being an avid horror lover I just ran across the bundle 3 pack of Depraved. I'm new to the writings of Brian Smith. I'm always leary of buying books by authors I'm not familiar with and don't normally judge by reviews. Though looking for a more detailed description of the story and author I read a few, good and bad and decided to take a chance and was glad I did. For me the blood and gore was not was not really over the top in description though it was right for the story line. I was very happy with the length of it, though I did do some very quick reading out of desperation to continue to find out what was next for the characters. I found it to be quite a page turner. It was a great roller coaster ride. It is not a "politically correct" book, which was a great relief. There is sex, violence, torture, evil & foul language, though nothing surprising given the description of "Hoak" and what they all went through, had I had to endure what these characters did I'm quite sure I'd be swearing like a truck driver as well, lol. I felt each character was well rounded, each chapter was the tale of differnt characters. Some of the side characters didn't have much of a background but the pace of the story was fast enough that I didn't feel the need to know. The story did have a feel of "the hills have eyes" but ramped up. For me, what the characters went through was not over the top, it was just enough and the details were not drawn out past the point of too much and to long. It was enough for your imagination to fill in anything you feel may have been missing in print. I especially loved the end where Brian Smith didn't leave you hanging wondering what happened to the "Outsiders" that were captured. It was a great fufilling ending. I can't wait to start Depraved 2. If you think this book would interest you read it and judge for yourself. Thank you for reading my review and I look forward to leaving one once I finish Depraved 2.

Really enjoyed this book. In my opinion, the gore and sexual content aren’t too bad and don’t feel over the top. A great read for horror fans—Depraved 2 arrives today, and I’m ready for it.

‘Depraved’ by Bryan Smith is a hard-core survival horror novel about average people who face extreme violence while traveling through Hopkins’ Bend, a remote and cursed Tennessee town with families of in-bred cannibals roaming the countryside. Imagine the bloodiest blend of the movies ‘I Spit on Your Grave,’ ‘The Hills Have Eyes,' ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ and 'Deliverance,' and then ramp-up the sex and violence by a factor of 10 and you have a sense of how depraved ‘Depraved’ is. Not for the faint of heart or most decent folks, ‘Depraved’ is pure grind house. It’s the best kind of hard-core horror, because it’s written for fans of the genre, which means no PG-13 cop-out scenes and no easy way out. ‘Depraved’ follows the stories of a victim of violence named Jessica, a ne’er-do-well named Hoke, and an easygoing couple named Pete and Megan after they all encounter the degenerate residents of Hopkins’ Bend. The author Smith thrusts the reader into a gut-wrenching tale of sickening lust and intense brutality where the worst-case scenarios get worse and the twists get more twisted. While the barbarity takes center stage, Smith manages to add a somewhat soft layer to his hard-core tale by introducing one of the locals, a young girl named Abby, who’s starting to comprehend her family’s ways are not quite right. The beauty (or the horror) of ‘Depraved’ is the interesting and sometimes bizarre decisions the characters make when cornered by the ultimate question of survival: How far are you willing to go to live another second, another minute, another hour, another day? The characters tap their own reserves of depravity to try and survive the terrors of Hopkins’ Bend. It’s sort of a ‘fight fire with fire’ approach, if fire’s ingredients are sex and violence. By the end you’ll wonder who’s more depraved: The ones born into depravity or the ones who choose it as a means to an end.

I loved loved loved this book!!!!! I have read a few Bryan Smith books and this was the first one I read and I was hooked from there. I loved that he added chapters about what happened to other characters at the end. I felt shocked by what came of some of their lives but at the end I didn't feel cheated by wondering what happened to them, he tied it all up in a nice little bow for me and I felt satisfied after reading it. The story itself was amazing. His writing made me feel like I was right there with them and I was rooting for certain characters to make it out alive and rooting that some of them didn't make it out! Thanks so much for entertaining me!!!!

This is my first Bryan Smith novel and I have to say...he did not fail to entertain when it came to the elements of horror, psychological horror and downright graphic violence. There were moments that I literally had to give my eyes and psyche a break from the vivid mental imagery, but that is what ultimately makes a good writer. The suspense was pulse pounding, and the ending, I compared somewhat to a more macabre and violent Tales from the Crypt, and I will leave that meaning a mystery as to not give anything away, but I will say that it was definitely not expected, nonetheless, wickedly well done.