FESTIVAL OF THE FLESH
Plebs was bloody. Riders was bloodier. The Sleep was monstrous and Undead Fleshcrave: The Zombie Trigger was an undead splatterfest.
And Carnival of Chaos was just the beginning of a new venture into bloodshed and brutality.
However, the culmination of that new venture, Festival of the Flesh, makes all of those look somewhat tame in comparison.
I meant to post about this a little earlier, but inexplicable internet issues resulted in me being offline for a couple of days while my internet provider hustled to find out why their so-called fabulous service was suddenly absolute shit, but in any case, that’s neither here nor there.
If you’ve been playing along at home you’ll know that JEA’s Project 26 has been steadily rolling along, unleashing a series of books every few weeks. Project 26 of course is twenty six books in total, one for each letter of the alphabet, all dropping in completely random order. Among these was Carnival of Chaos (which I’ve rambled on about a little in previous blog posts) emerging on the 6th of October, and introducing folks to an octet of disgruntled ex-carnival workers seeking revenge on the man responsible for their jobless predicament.
On October 21, the second part of the ongoing story revolving around these eight would-be vengeance-seekers, along with a host of others sucked into the maelstrom of escalating violence and peril, surfaced in the form of Festival of the Flesh. This cheerful little excursion into depths of depravity is, as mentioned earlier, perhaps a book that will make Plebs and it’s sequel books seem like a pleasant walk in the park.
Carnival of Chaos definitely has its moments, but it is the foundation of the story, the build-up and setting of various scenes, the introduction of the assortment of miscreant characters that populate this freakish, violent and dangerous landscape. Given where this particular book ends, it should probably come as no surprise that Festival of the Flesh launches into bloodthirsty mayhem almost from the word go and doesn’t let up.
Carnival is occasionally laced with levity, lighter moments and instances of jocularity courtesy of some of the characters, but Festival, not so much. It is grim, bloody, ultra-violent, and keeps the foot on the accelerator throughout. In addition there’s a moment in here serving as a brutal analogy for the reality that the laughter is over. Let’s see if anybody can pick that moment.
The crew comprised of Loco, Blades, Angelique, Cleo, Stix, Ben, Minx, and Jason have discovered exactly what the Festival of the Flesh is, and the true motivations behind the sinister Mister E. steamrolling their former place of employment under a garish new horror themed carnival entity. Along the way, their reckless and dangerous choices and entanglements have created a snowball effect that has dragged numerous others into the slipstream.
Percy, Jason’s flatmate, a studious, naive fellow, prepared to blindly folow Jason and stick his neck out for him and his friends without fully understanding what he’s involving himself in.
Dawn, gym junkie fitness fanatic blonde who happens to live in the same apartment building as Jason and Percy. Her presence in the right place at the wrong time leads her into a world of deadly obsession, and of course the perverse world of the Festival of the Flesh.
Amber, beachy blonde beauty, with an attachment to Ben, and a distrust of all else. Circumstances have rendered her abandoned and friendless, but for the motley crew that is the ex-carnies, and she’ll do absolutely anything in her power to steer the mission away from entering into the Festival of the Flesh.
Colin Kadogan, Patrick Doolan and Jennifer Brand, police officers tasked by their boss, Chief Cavanaugh to investigate the Carnival, certain that a string of incidents are tied to the new horror creation. Chasing leads on what originally seemed like fairly routine cases, albeit of an unusual nature, these officers of the law are about to be catapulted into nightmarish realms, with Doolan in particular coming face to face with horrendous visions of his past.
And while the malevolent Mister E and his whole sadistic family loom large and threatening over all, behind the scenes lurks another more insidious soul. The demented Desmond Drago, surrounded by ghosts, intent on perversion, damage and bloodshed, stalks in shadows, driven by infatuation and the desire to twist the Festival to his advantage.
While many of these characters and others (including Amber’s duplicitious cordon of former friends) first surfaced during Carnival, they are all on a collision course of violence and horror that will land each and every one of them right in the midst of the Festival of the Flesh.
Come along and join them, but remember, Carnival of Chaos needs to be read first before you throw yourself into the mayhem of the Festival.
I can’t guarantee you’ll have a good time, in fact, I’m pretty sure you’re in for the exact opposite of that.
Available now in paperback and Kindle formats (part of J. Ellington Ashton’s massive Project 26, and most likely the bloodiest of the lot). Should come with several warnings, but doesn’t. Most folks by now should be well aware of what they’re getting into here, and the cover alone should serve as warning enough. This is a bloodsoaked, boobytrapped extreme carnival ride into the sheer depths of depravity and horrific violence. Come prepared.
Hidden within a seemingly innocuous horror-themed carnival exists something far more disturbing. Where those with dollars and depraved desires find everything they seek catered for.
Hunted by mutant backwoods freaks, pursued relentlessly by the malevolent ringmaster who usurped their former boss, stranded in the deep woodland, and fast running out of options, the remaining few free ex-carnival employees are about to be forced into bloody battle that is only the beginning of a descent into sheer terror.
Having discovered the truth behind the carnival’s existence, these desperate souls know there is only one way to save any of their friends from becoming prized exhibits, and perverse playthings for the sick and bloodthirsty. They must gain entry and take part in the gruesome enterprise that lurks behind the garish trappings and faux horror extravagances of the carnival’s new and improved version.
Blood is going to pour like rain, to a symphony of screams. Bodies are going to stack up. The entertainment to be had here is enjoyed only by the most sadistic and degenerate of souls, and from all walks of life they come, from every corner of society, seeking to indulge their sickest, bloodiest impulses.
Peel away the bright, colourful facade of the carnival and you’ll find the hideous heart that is the Festival of Flesh.
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