Scan barcode
rock_n_reads's review against another edition
5.0
In May of this year, I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Patrick Hicks in person at StokerCon. Up until then, I had only read his novella BROKEN SHELLS, which I loved. After that read, I knew that I wanted to explore more of his writing. Meeting him in person only increased my interest, as he was so kind and cool to talk to. At the convention, I picked up a copy of MASS HYSTERIA, knowing that it was perhaps his most brutal story to date. I try not to read a lot of reviews until I've read a book for myself and form my own judgments, so I had only seen a few blurbs about this novel prior to jumping into the story. I was aware that it fits within the splatterpunk category, and unsure if this is something I'd be into.
Well, let me tell you something. It turns out that I do enjoy this subgenre, as long as it makes sense within the story, and the writing is done well. Hicks is an excellent writer, and reading this story was like viewing a full length horror film in my mind. There were a few scenes that I found difficult to stomach, and had it been a movie, I would've averted my eyes during those scenes. However, those cringeworthy moments never made me want to put the book down. The action starts early on, and it doesn't let up until the end. It's not for the faint of heart, but it's a thrill ride from start to finish, with some extremely vile characters, yet protagonists that had me invested. Also, I have serious love for stories that are set here in Michigan, so that piece added to my interest in this work (and made for some fun bookstagram opportunities). I was able to picture a lot of the locations mentioned in the book, and that made it come to life for me.
I'm so glad I took a chance on this one, and I'm excited to check out more of Mike's work in the near future!
Well, let me tell you something. It turns out that I do enjoy this subgenre, as long as it makes sense within the story, and the writing is done well. Hicks is an excellent writer, and reading this story was like viewing a full length horror film in my mind. There were a few scenes that I found difficult to stomach, and had it been a movie, I would've averted my eyes during those scenes. However, those cringeworthy moments never made me want to put the book down. The action starts early on, and it doesn't let up until the end. It's not for the faint of heart, but it's a thrill ride from start to finish, with some extremely vile characters, yet protagonists that had me invested. Also, I have serious love for stories that are set here in Michigan, so that piece added to my interest in this work (and made for some fun bookstagram opportunities). I was able to picture a lot of the locations mentioned in the book, and that made it come to life for me.
I'm so glad I took a chance on this one, and I'm excited to check out more of Mike's work in the near future!
catsluvcoffee's review
3.0
Brutal is the only way to describe this novel by Michael Patrick Hicks. This is one of those that you don't need to see the trigger warnings on. Assume that if it's a trigger, it's in this book. Necrophilia, bestiality, gore, animal death, child death...the list truly goes on and on. I distinctly remember listening to this while out for a walk and the words that came out of my mouth were "Oh hell no". Truly, if you have any triggers, scroll on by. You have to be able to take a true unflinching look at yourself to see exactly what you can handle. Hicks doesn't waste any time taking you into the graphic depravity of the human mind. Savage and unyielding, this extreme horror is not a story for the faint at heart.
Website | Twitter | Pinterest
Website | Twitter | Pinterest
5hadow_girl's review
4.0
Stargazing turns into a battle for survival after a freak, alien meteor shower causes everyone, and everything in Falls Breath to go bat-shit crazy O.o
I'm usually not much of a sci-fi fan, but #MichiganMadman Michael Patrick Hicks gives us a fast, fun, and furious read right from page one!
Full Review
I'm usually not much of a sci-fi fan, but #MichiganMadman Michael Patrick Hicks gives us a fast, fun, and furious read right from page one!
Full Review
wellwortharead's review against another edition
4.0
A fast paced gory tale that is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. It needs a warning for people who like to read during their lunch break. You may want to put the food down before you pick this up.
The meteor shower over the town of Fall's Breath was not just a beautiful light show. It carried with it something deadly. It rapidly turns household pets and wild life alike into ravenous killing machines. The people who manage to survive the attacks will also need to survive each other as this alien virus leaves them forever changed.
3and a half stars rounded up to 4
I received an advance copy for review.
The meteor shower over the town of Fall's Breath was not just a beautiful light show. It carried with it something deadly. It rapidly turns household pets and wild life alike into ravenous killing machines. The people who manage to survive the attacks will also need to survive each other as this alien virus leaves them forever changed.
3and a half stars rounded up to 4
I received an advance copy for review.
motherhorror's review against another edition
DNF-I got this book free from the author for an honest review
I chuckled when I updated my book progress by clicking "I'm finished". Yes, Goodreads, I'm finished with this book.
So, Michael Hicks reads and reviews a lot of the same books I enjoy reading. I recommend you follow him on Twitter and you become his "friend" or follow his reviews here on GR (especially if you like horror!). This is how I came to read Mass Hysteria. I thought that if he has such great taste in reading material, he might be a decent writer and I was not disappointed. Michael is an excellent writer!
However,
I did not know this going into the book but this is best filed under a horror sub-genre called, Splatterpunk.
"Splatterpunk has been defined as: a literary genre characterised by graphically described scenes of an extremely gory nature." Think these authors: Poppy Z. Brite, Jack Ketchum, Joe R. Lansdale, Robert McCammon and Edward Lee.
Like, TRYING to be as gory as possible, it seems.
In this story, a meteor shower rains down an alien virus that makes all the wildlife on earth go bat shit crazy and start attacking humans and each other. At first, I could hang with it. I'm no prude to gore and graphic descriptions but then, about 25% into the story-around 100 pages, I just couldn't anymore. The gore and inhumanity and just the sick (necrophilia, infanticide, bestiality)
I found myself unable to stomach it any further and no justification could be made. So, I'd like to read something else Hicks has to offer, I just don't think Splatterpunk is appealing to me.
I chuckled when I updated my book progress by clicking "I'm finished". Yes, Goodreads, I'm finished with this book.
So, Michael Hicks reads and reviews a lot of the same books I enjoy reading. I recommend you follow him on Twitter and you become his "friend" or follow his reviews here on GR (especially if you like horror!). This is how I came to read Mass Hysteria. I thought that if he has such great taste in reading material, he might be a decent writer and I was not disappointed. Michael is an excellent writer!
However,
I did not know this going into the book but this is best filed under a horror sub-genre called, Splatterpunk.
"Splatterpunk has been defined as: a literary genre characterised by graphically described scenes of an extremely gory nature." Think these authors: Poppy Z. Brite, Jack Ketchum, Joe R. Lansdale, Robert McCammon and Edward Lee.
Like, TRYING to be as gory as possible, it seems.
In this story, a meteor shower rains down an alien virus that makes all the wildlife on earth go bat shit crazy and start attacking humans and each other. At first, I could hang with it. I'm no prude to gore and graphic descriptions but then, about 25% into the story-around 100 pages, I just couldn't anymore. The gore and inhumanity and just the sick (necrophilia, infanticide, bestiality)
I found myself unable to stomach it any further and no justification could be made. So, I'd like to read something else Hicks has to offer, I just don't think Splatterpunk is appealing to me.
charshorrorcorner's review against another edition
4.0
Mass Hysteria was a brutal horror novel, which reminded me of the horror being written in the late 70's and, (all of the), 80's. Books like James Herbert's The Rats or Guy N. Smith's The Night of the Crabs. There are a lot of similarities to those classics here-the fast paced action going from scene to scene-with many gory deaths and other sick events. In fact, I think Mass Hysteria beats out those books in its sheer horrific brutality.
I'm not going to go into the plot very much-it's there in the synopsis for you. As a set up for the savage action to come, meteor showers are as good as anything else. The fact that the sickness hits the animals first and turns them from wonderful pets, police dogs, etc...and turns them into violent killing machines was heartbreaking. I felt more sympathy for the animals in this book than I did for most of the humans. Almost all of the people in this book were not likable. In fact, many of them were abhorrent, promiscuous or just plain stupid. That was okay though, because they got exactly what they deserved.
There was a good amount of sex here, interspersed with the horror, and the word "empurpled" was used a few times. (It made me chuckle every time!) Be prepared though, as the sex was not always with live humans.
Which brings me to my next point, this book is not for the easily offended. It's not for the horror novice who is new to the genre and all its various offerings. I think Mass Hysteria is best enjoyed by the experienced horror fan. Humans and animals alike are killed in all kinds of nasty ways. There is necrophilia, there is bestiality...are you seeing my point here? If even the very thought of these things disgusts you, this is not the book for you.
My last thought to share with you is about the ending: LOVED. IT. !! Keeping in tone with the style of the book up that point, Mr. Hicks did not shy away from the, (what I thought was), inevitable finish. I like and respect that!
If the subjects I mentioned above tend to make you shy away from a story, this one is probably not for you. However, if these subjects and the brutal kills and gore ARE your cuppa, then you should head over to Amazon right now and one-click this bad boy.
Recommended for hard core fans of the genre!
You can get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Mass-Hysteria-Michael-Patrick-Hicks-ebook/dp/B074QR6CN2/chashorcor-20
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
I'm not going to go into the plot very much-it's there in the synopsis for you. As a set up for the savage action to come, meteor showers are as good as anything else. The fact that the sickness hits the animals first and turns them from wonderful pets, police dogs, etc...and turns them into violent killing machines was heartbreaking. I felt more sympathy for the animals in this book than I did for most of the humans. Almost all of the people in this book were not likable. In fact, many of them were abhorrent, promiscuous or just plain stupid. That was okay though, because they got exactly what they deserved.
There was a good amount of sex here, interspersed with the horror, and the word "empurpled" was used a few times. (It made me chuckle every time!) Be prepared though, as the sex was not always with live humans.
Which brings me to my next point, this book is not for the easily offended. It's not for the horror novice who is new to the genre and all its various offerings. I think Mass Hysteria is best enjoyed by the experienced horror fan. Humans and animals alike are killed in all kinds of nasty ways. There is necrophilia, there is bestiality...are you seeing my point here? If even the very thought of these things disgusts you, this is not the book for you.
My last thought to share with you is about the ending: LOVED. IT. !! Keeping in tone with the style of the book up that point, Mr. Hicks did not shy away from the, (what I thought was), inevitable finish. I like and respect that!
If the subjects I mentioned above tend to make you shy away from a story, this one is probably not for you. However, if these subjects and the brutal kills and gore ARE your cuppa, then you should head over to Amazon right now and one-click this bad boy.
Recommended for hard core fans of the genre!
You can get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Mass-Hysteria-Michael-Patrick-Hicks-ebook/dp/B074QR6CN2/chashorcor-20
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
teamredmon's review against another edition
2.0
It's well written but it wasn't for me. I'm not averse to gore but the splatter punk sub genre of horror just doesn't do it for me. If you want to read just the vilest, most disgusting descriptions of various extremely violent deaths and the worst possible human behavior (I mean THE WORST), maybe this is for you. I got through it mainly because Michael Patrick Hicks is a great writer. Two stars based on the quality of the writing.
sjgomzi's review against another edition
4.0
The most brutal novel I have ever read. Sick and twisted horror of the extreme kind! I was truly horrified! Not for the easily offended or those easily grossed out! It was a hell of a horror novel, and Michael Patrick Hicks is crazy! ššš
lilyn_g's review
4.0
Michael Patrick Hicksā Mass Hysteria is a headlong dive into a disgusting, gore-splattered future that will either delight or dismay readers. Though the book starts out with animal attacks, it transitions fairly swiftly to humans attacking other humans as well. The tone for carnage is set early on, and it ratchets up relentlessly. Thereās enough ālong pigā feasting in this book to make the mythical rugaru feel right at home.
Mass Hysteria is heavy on language, violence, and sexual situations. It is not a book for horror fans that find their stomachs easily turned. There were scenes that made me cringe (and mentally applaud the author). If you are someone who hates to see a dog (or cat) die in a book, youād best not go past the front cover. Iām normally one of those people, but given that the book promises animals going crazy, I was prepared for it going in. Itās a straightforward look at a world where the rules humanity have lived by since the dawn of civilization are cast aside. Itās fast paced, action-packed, and bloody. Really, almost everything a horror gore-hound could want.
While it is very competently written for the most part, Mass Hysteria does contain two instances of child death that annoyed me. These deaths are undeniably in place to add to the horror of the situation, and are entirely unnecessary. The authorās writing is strong enough to stand up on its own without relying on these tried and true but nevertheless weak writing props. (Normally I would list the animal deaths a weak prop as well, but itās a game changer when you know itās going to happen up front.) However, to his credit, only a few lines are spent on the first childās death, and it is not witnessed as much as heard. For the second, it happens entirely āoff screenā. So, they were well done for what they were. (And I have to admit that the second death really did emphasize exactly how much the world had changed.)
Undeniably talented, Michael Patrick Hicks shows evidence of a rather deliciously depraved mind in this book. This is an author that can easily hold his own against some of the biggest names in the business. There is some improvement to be had, but mainly in areas of confidence rather than technical skill. While he isnāt on my āmust-readā list yet, I would have no problems recommending Mass Hysteria to fellow gore-hounds out there.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for review consideration.
Mass Hysteria is heavy on language, violence, and sexual situations. It is not a book for horror fans that find their stomachs easily turned. There were scenes that made me cringe (and mentally applaud the author). If you are someone who hates to see a dog (or cat) die in a book, youād best not go past the front cover. Iām normally one of those people, but given that the book promises animals going crazy, I was prepared for it going in. Itās a straightforward look at a world where the rules humanity have lived by since the dawn of civilization are cast aside. Itās fast paced, action-packed, and bloody. Really, almost everything a horror gore-hound could want.
While it is very competently written for the most part, Mass Hysteria does contain two instances of child death that annoyed me. These deaths are undeniably in place to add to the horror of the situation, and are entirely unnecessary. The authorās writing is strong enough to stand up on its own without relying on these tried and true but nevertheless weak writing props. (Normally I would list the animal deaths a weak prop as well, but itās a game changer when you know itās going to happen up front.) However, to his credit, only a few lines are spent on the first childās death, and it is not witnessed as much as heard. For the second, it happens entirely āoff screenā. So, they were well done for what they were. (And I have to admit that the second death really did emphasize exactly how much the world had changed.)
Undeniably talented, Michael Patrick Hicks shows evidence of a rather deliciously depraved mind in this book. This is an author that can easily hold his own against some of the biggest names in the business. There is some improvement to be had, but mainly in areas of confidence rather than technical skill. While he isnāt on my āmust-readā list yet, I would have no problems recommending Mass Hysteria to fellow gore-hounds out there.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for review consideration.
More...