The Sadist's Bible by Nicole Cushing
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lori and Ellie have never met, but they both yearn for the touch of a woman and the sweet release of death. Eager to take their online correspondence to the next level, they strike an agreement and plan a getaway to a remote hotel. Their intentions? To succumb to their desires and finish with a deadly climax.

(WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers.)

There’s nothing like discovering a well-hidden gem, and that’s exactly what happened when I originally spied a review from Morgan K Tanner's blog. The book in question seemed intriguing; a mix of suicidal intentions and grim religion - right up my street. What followed was a quick read, yet despite its short length, its execution was no less impactful. Cushing was able to portray two very mentally ill individuals; their helplessness apparent when they decide the best course of action is a joint suicide. Amongst the fantasies of death, is a very prominent emphasis on homosexuality, whereupon the women visualise their passing as a deeply erotic affair, and thus a statement to society. Certainly morbid, but in that darkly fascinating sort of way that I can appreciate if done well. Of course this wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, especially when it comes to Christianity, as the He is painted in a very harsh light - which isn't as far-fetched as one might believe. If anything, I'd consider Him more alike his Old Testament representation, but that’s neither here nor there.

One thing that occurred to me early on was that, whilst Lori’s situation was significantly more dour, Ellie’s was a lot more closer to reality. Unable to express her true self, Ellie was ruled by fear, and to some extent, shame. It was a very genuine example of what a lot of people go through every day of their lives, and I felt that the coupling of real life issues and celestial intervention worked well together. Honestly though, I didn't find these two characters entirely likeable on a personal level, however my sympathy lay more with Lori, as I believed her to be a victim of the most horrendous acts possible. The connection between these two women could've been explored further, although it was easy enough to discern their relationship formed out of desperation.

The plot itself was able to keep up a decent pace, probably because it didn’t have time to add any unnecessary fluff. The last half of the book is where things took a turn, and I guess I didn’t expect things to get so crazy, but they did. The running theme of sex and violence only magnified, and it was unquestionably shoved to the forefront throughout the end. Vivid, graphic scenes delved into totortuous acts of depravity, where Cushing had no qualms about detailing the sadistic pleasures of a heavenly orgy. I use the term "heavenly" very loosely, as those creatures more resembled beings of nightmare.

That's the thing here - this is a bleak story, where a saviour, in the typical sense of the word, doesn't exist.

In conclusion: Torture intermingles with sex in this novella, and those of a religious nature would be likely best to avoid this one altogether. I considered it a very entertaining read, and it certainly put Cushing on my radar.

Notable Quote:

The arc of the universe is long, but bends towards degeneracy.

© Red Lace 2018

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If you like some of Clive Barkers weirder stuff, you might like this.

Unlike the digital version, this print edition of The Sadist’s Bible will be a wholly unique reading experience which will include scene-specific typographic and graphic design, as well as in-book illustrations by artist Patrick McEvoy. The final product will be a 140 page book, the cover will be full-color and printed on 14pt cardstock and be covered in a Gloss coat.The inside pages will be a 70 lbs. paper stock. This Kickstarter is to fund offset printing require to produce a book of this high quality.

Nicole Cushing is the Bram Stoker Award® winning author of Mr. Suicide. She has also written the Stoker-nominated collection The Mirrors and the Shirley Jackson Award nominated novella, Children of No One.

Various reviewers have described her work as “brutal”, “cerebral”, “transgressive”, “taboo”, “groundbreaking” and “mind-bending”. This Is Horror has said that she is “quickly becoming a household name for horror fans”. She has also garnered praise from Jack Ketchum, Rue Morgue, Thomas Ligotti, John Skipp, S.T. Joshi, Poppy Z. Brite, Ray Garton, Famous Monsters of Filmland, and Ain’t It Cool News.

A native of Maryland, she now lives with her husband in Indiana.

Ellie’s miserable and wants to die. She feels trapped, is married to a man she doesn’t love and has realized that she only wants to be with a woman. If only for a night. She meets a stranger named Lori online and the two agree to meet for a night of sex, debauchery and death.



But, you see, although Lori wants desperately to die as well, she’s not being entirely truthful with Ellie. I’d be less than forthcoming too if I were hiding what Lori is hiding. . . Her secret is a doozy and I am afraid to say much of anything besides read this book if you like excellently written, thoughtful and extreme horror.

The Sadist’s Bible was truly terrifying. It’s set in the mundane world but then takes a sharp right turn into disturbia and never leaves. The imagery ranks right up there with some of the torments that befall Clive Barker’s unfortunate characters in his earlier works. I honestly don’t think I’ve read an erotic horror short so unsettling and under-the-skin intense since I finished Lucy Taylor’s Unnatural Acts back in 1997.

It also has a few unexpected and brief moments of humor.

“Nuttier than a squirrel turd.”

I seriously have to read everything this woman has ever written.

This is quite a disturbing story told through two characters, Greg and the Hierophant. The Hierophant believes that mentally disturbed college kid, Greg, is the new God and must complete 7 tasks to show that he is worthy of being so. Greg starts to receive letters from the Hierophant and gradually begins to believe that he may indeed be a God. As his belief grows, his mental stability decreases and he soon resorts to horrific violence to 'convert' his roommate into the new religion, once set on this path he decides to go meet the Hierophant in person.

Nicole Cushing places her readers right into the minds of two highly disturbed individuals, giving you insight into their actions. More worryingly it makes you question whether or not the things you are reading are true or if they are just the downward spiral of the mentally disturbed. Mind bending fiction that gives plenty of food for thought.