Painless by Marty Thornley - Book Tour & Review + Giveaway
Painless
Marty Thornley
Publication date: January 12th 2018
Genres: Adult, Horror, Psychological Thriller
Marty Thornley
Publication date: January 12th 2018
Genres: Adult, Horror, Psychological Thriller
The debut psychological-horror novel from author Marty Thornley is a page-turning ride, a front row seat to a clinical trial gone horribly wrong.For Greg Owens, this was supposed to be a chance to end years of back pain and escape his reliance on pain pills. If it all worked out, he could maybe even get back the life he left behind as the pills took control.Instead, as the patients are cured of their physical pain, they encounter a different sort of pain building inside them – obsessive thoughts, depression, self-destruction. The side-effects grow worse, and the suspense ratchets tighter. The patients want answers and violent revenge, setting them on a collision course with a crazed doctor, determined to protect his life’s obsession.—What readers are saying…“…most definitely a recommended read, though it’s probably not the best choice for those with a weak stomach.”“Gruesome and twisted. Awesome!!!”“OMG this book. Holy heck the gruesome descriptions of blood and gore and guts was SO RAD. I found myself cringing and fidgeting and yes, even feeling a bit nauseous in some spots – but totally in a GOOD WAY! Painless was exactly what I wanted in a super-unique, creepy, shocking horror-thriller.”
My Review
Ugh. Just...ugh.
That's a good thing. Trust me.
I'm a huge fan of horror novels, but lately I've found myself disappointed by a lot of the ones I've chosen to read and review. Sure, there have been a few rare gems here and there, but most "indie" horror tends to be a bit of a letdown. Painless, however, has restored my faith.
I absolutely loved this story. It has such a basic premise, but it takes it to the extreme. Like, a clinical trial gone wrong could be something so ridiculous and lame, but Marty Thornley seems to have the magic touch. He kept the story interesting and brutal and crazy (in a good way), and it left me feeling like I'd ridden one too many roller coasters in 100+ degree heat. Does that mean it's nauseating at times? Yes. Yes it does.
Now, I'm not normally a squeamish person. I can handle blood and guts and gore better than most people I know, but there were certain scenes in this book that made me cringe.
**POSSIBLE SPOILER**
I have a thing against people's fingernails. Like, anytime someone (usually a woman) breaks her nails off in a way that isn't normal, or they have them pulled off completely, I get...squirmy. I can't handle that. And there's a scene in the story where a woman is biting her nails so much that they start pulling off completely. Gag.
**END SPOILER**
The characters in Painless were relatable, at least for me. A couple years ago, I screwed up my back really bad. There was even a morning where I woke up and couldn't move, thought I was paralyzed, had a panic attack, and once I finally wiggled my way to the edge of the bed, I was able to sit up and have my fiance take me to the hospital for treatment. They gave me morphine, which made me horribly sick. After months of physical therapy, I finally got myself back on track.
Unfortunately for the characters in Painless, they don't have it as easy. They all suffer chronic pain (back, neck & shoulders, head(migraines), etc) and just want it to go away. The doctor in charge of the clinical trial they all sign up for promises he can make them feel so much better. But what they don't know is...well, I won't spoil that. You'll just have to read it and find out.
The plot is, like I said before, intense and brutal, but it keeps you hooked, needing to know what crazy scene might play out next, and how it might end. It didn't feel rushed, nor did it drag, so that was definitely a plus.
I really, truly did enjoy Painless more than I expected to, and I'm so glad I took a chance on it. If you're a fan of good, gruesome horror, I'd recommend you check out Painless. It's fantastic.
Five well-deserved stars from me!
Author Bio:
Marty started writing short stories as a teenager, inspired as much by favorite books and movies as the environment and characters that define the South Shore of Massachusetts. The pull of the movies dragged him first to film school and finally to Los Angeles, where he poked at the outskirts of the industry with screenplays and short films.
As his interest in a film career fizzled, he rebuilt himself bit-by-bit as a programmer. He spent the next decade building websites, finally realizing that something had been lost. His stories were collecting dust in the back of his brain while he sat through conference calls and code reviews.
So he returned to the woods of New England and the calming darkness under the trees. He returned to find the things that crawl in the undergrowth and turn them into words on the page. He dusted off one of his screenplays and turned it into his first novel. In the process, a dormant storyteller was awakened and is now seeking the next blank page to fill.
4 Comments
I love horror as well - my go to genre, always! And this sounds fantastically intense and gory! Great review! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! It's definitely my favorite horror novel of 2018.
DeleteThank you so much for the awesome review! Glad you enjoyed it! Favorite horror novel of the year?! Woohoo!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! :) And it definitely is my favorite horror novel I've read this year. There were a few that came close, but none of them were on the same level as Painless. I even had a friend say she was buying a copy from Amazon because I posted about the book to Facebook. Said it was right up her alley. So, yay for that! :D
DeletePlease try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.