Title | : | Greasepaint |
Author | : | |
Rating | : | |
ISBN | : | 1619229048 |
ISBN-10 | : | 9781619229044 |
Language | : | English |
Format Type | : | Unknown Binding |
Number of Pages | : | 129 |
Publication | : | First published November 3, 2015 |
He has lots of fun in store for you!
Michael is the only survivor of serial killer Reginald Bent, better known as the nationally syndicated TV star Orzo the Clown. Having his own rock band has helped Michael cope. He loses himself in the music and doesn’t think of Orzo or the way the demented clown died right in front of him.
Now a new DVD release of the Orzo the Clown Show brings all the memories back to the surface. It has also drawn out either Orzo himself, back from the grave, or a copycat just as insane. Anyone Michael knows is a potential victim as the crazed clown slashes his way through another three-ring circus of terror, hell bent on finishing what was started.
Greasepaint Reviews
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3.5*
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Michael is the lone survivor of serial killing clown, Orzo. Now an adult, he uses music to help him cope with the stress of his childhood but with the new DVD release of the Orzo Tv show he finds himself having to deal with the horror all over again, not all of it is just his imagination as people are getting bumped off left, right and centre and those closest to him are all potential targets. Is it a copycat or has Orzo come back from the grave?
Clowns are sure source of horror and this novella is no exception, there's some great action scenes in the latter half of the read and it features some pretty gruesome deaths. I had thought it was going to be a much slower book to get through as I was struggling a bit until I got a third of the way in. From then on it really picked up and was pretty fun as you try to figure out who the villain is.
One of the main problems I had was that Michael didn't seem that sympathetic a character to me, you didn't get a lot of character information and he came across as sulky for the first part of the read. This may have been intentional so that the reader keeps him in mind as a suspect in the goings on but it kept me from connecting to him. With all that he had gone through as a kid i expected to feel more for him but in the end I didn't really care.
The writing style is also a little too much like screenplay, this wasn't a huge deal but it seemed to impede the flow of the read and didn't help me connect with the story.
Gripes aside, this was a fun way to spend a couple of hours, I'll be checking out some more of the authors work and would definitely recommend this. -
3.5 stars, rounded up for action/death scenes.
This novel features what could be--in my opinion--one of the most horrifying man-created monsters ever: the clown! Something about the sight of a clown has always made me shudder. However, "Uncle" Orzo rivals even "Pennywise" in terms of sheer terror and blood-drenching gore.
Orzo was once the star of the "Orzo the Clown Show", along with his sidekick, Dumpy Dan. Unfortunately, Orzo's real joy came in shackling his little boy fans in his basement, to emotionally scare, rape, and murder them. Mikey Talbot was his last victim--present when the police arrived and Orzo died before him.
Fast-forward twenty years. Michael has hidden his true identity and shoved the trauma of his past into the dark recesses of his mind. Now, he is the lead singer of a successful rock band. That is, until he sees a commercial announcement advertising that the "Orzo the Clown Show" is being re-released on DVD . . .
Hayes does a remarkable job of getting us into Michael's head. His emotional turmoil, anger, and abject terror are able to be convincingly felt by the reader. Orzo's gruesome appearances and creative methods of execution were impossible to stop reading. The action and carnage built up dramatically, making it difficult to find a place to "pause" in reading.
My only minor complaints were that I couldn't get as "into" any of Michael's other bandmates, and that I felt I had the story "figured out" extremely early on in the narrative.
Still, the action managed to make up for these deficiencies, and I will be looking forward to reading more from David C. Hayes.
Recommended!
*I received an advance copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.* -
Hey Kiddos!!! Guess what time it is?!?!? Thaaat’s right! It’s time for The Orzo the Clown Show! Now I know we have some real good stuff in store for you kiddies so just sit back and enjoy Orzo and his sidekick Dumpy Dan as they clown around and make you pee your pants! That’s right kids, and if you don’t pee your pants from laughter, then possibly from something more sinister cause good old Uncle Orzo loves his little fans in a very unconventional way…especially the boys. Oh yes, Uncle Orzo will show a little boy the time of his life he’s not soon to forget. If you are one of the lucky little bastards that gets a personal invitation into his home, then you must be something special…to make it out alive, you become a thing of legends.
Such is the case with Michael Talbot, a struggling musician in a band with a decent cult followin, a girlfriend who stands by his side, a couple of decent guys to call friends and a dark past that he’s tried to forget but won’t seem to forget him. You see, Michael is little Mikey, the seven year old little boy found in Reginald Bent’s basement aka Orzo the Clown. Imagine being kidnapped by your childhood entertainer/hero, shackeled up in his basement while he did god knows what to you….not an ever that is easily forgotten. The best Michael can do is suppress it as deep as he can and hope that nobody makes the connection to him being that little boy, the only survivor of Orzo’s sick acts.
Michael’s world is shaken to its core when he realizes that the Orzo the Clown Show is going to be re-released on DVD by Dumpy Dan’s son, Dan Prescott Jr. The announcement is made by Monty Reigns, the host of Late Talk. When he implores his viewers to find out the name of the little boy that was rescued from Orzo’s home, Michael realizes he’s in some real shit.
The re-release of the show sets into place a series of events that sends Michael on a desperate mission to cover up his past while being confronted with his demons. Once his identity is revealed, all hell breaks loose, and Michael must maintain his innocence as more and more people turn up dead. With the body count rising fast and crazed obsessed Orzo the Clown fans running around, the authorities our faced with what they believe to be a copycat killer…or is it Orzo, back to finish what he started with Little Mikey….
Greasepaint was a quick read and pretty formulaic in the Who Done It? sort of way. I loved the kills, they were entertaining and I really liked Michael as a character. The Epilogue in the emergency room flowed nicely and even the reveal of the murderer was a good classic reveal. Right now Greasepaint is only available through kindle, but it’s worth the download.
David C. Hayes is always a joy to read. I recently read CHERUB from him and my review on that pretty much sums up my feels for this man’s work. Hayes puts a lot of feeling and emotion into his work and it’s felt through the pages. He goes from writing a seriously heart breaking bizarro book like Cherub to a hilarious slapstick bizarro team up with Mark Scioneaux with, Die You Zombie Crackers! to this rather quick read of tortured pasts and present evils. He’s a well rounded writer and definitely delivers a surprising punch in all of his books. Always a treat to see a new David C. Hayes book out for consumption! -
It sounds clichéd but I really am scared of clowns. When I was a child and taken to the circus, the exaggerated red-slashed grins and elaborate greasepaint could do nothing to hide what I read as malevolence in the eyes of the clowns themselves. Grossly unfair of me I know. But it is a feeling that was perpetuated by Stephen King in his Pennywise creation and now, with David C. Hayes’s frightening Orzo, the clown-horrific returns.
Reginald Bent was better known to children for his TV show where he donned the greasepaint and costume and transformed into Orzo the Clown. What no one knew was that he was a serial killer and child rapist. His next intended victim witnessed the clown’s death, but now that little boy – Michael - has grown up. The world knows what Reginald Bent really was, but someone has released a DVD of the Orzo the Clown Show and now someone – or something – is starting on a killing spree, determined to finish what Orzo started. Or is it indeed Orzo himself, back from hell?
Michael is unwillingly caught up in the bloody events that follow. The nightmare has begun all over again.
Greasepaint belongs firmly in the graphic sub-genre of horror. Not one for the faint-hearted – but the plot demands the author to pull no punches. It will come as no surprise to learn that the author is also a prolific film-maker. When reading this story, you see it playing out in front of your eyes. It’s a rollercoaster with some truly violent scenes, but it is professionally executed by an author who clearly knows what he is doing. I shall be seeking out more from this author. -
When I received an advanced copy of Greasepaint I should have known what I was in for. For just a second let's talk about this new influx of clown horror and what it does to those who are deathly afraid of clowns, and also what it does for horror in general. I myself aren't afraid of clowns. Do I find them creepy? Hell yeah I do. With their floppy ass shoes. And big red noses. As a horror writer I have written a couple of short stories that features a few clowns and I can tell you that there is a lot there to work with and it's easy to see why clown horror is the new in thing. They've always been creepy and it's easy to look beyond the bright cheerful demeanor and peer into something darker. Horror is all about exposing the dark and bringing it into the light. After seeing the cover of David Hayes' new book all I can say is fuck clowns. Fuck them in their asses. I wasn't prepared for what I saw and odds are when you see the cover of greasepaint you'll feel the exact same way.
Orzo the clown is a sick twisted clown who has a kids television show and he's a serial killer and it just happens to have a kid chained up in his basement. He ends up dying after a SWAT team breaks into arrest him. If that isn't enough there's also the fact that many years later it seems as if Orzo has come back from the dead after it's been announced that the Orzo The Clown is being released on DVD. You thought Pennywise was bad you have yet to meet Orzo. If you're just a little freaked out by clowns this isn't going to make you like them or feel less creeped out the next time you hit the local McDonald's or the circus. The thing is that horror should creep you out a little and fear the things once thought wholesome and entertaining. Orzo gives the horror genre the kick in the ass it needs and adds originality to a genre that loves to rehash ideas and monsters.
Greasepaint is a quick read that adds an element of mystery to the horror. All of the elements here work well together and while this is a horror novel it kept me guessing throughout. Hayes is a talented writer that gives us a book that is totally original and at times truly frightening. It's the surprise factor that makes this novella so readable. As the kills mount up you can't help but feel as if it's Orzo himself returned from the grave, but of course that isn't possible is it? When this is officially released this is one horror novel you need to pick up. Hayes explores the realms of B, and slasher horror and infuses it with a classic whodunit. This is one not to be missed. -
I received Greasepaint in advance of its release for an honest review.
This was the first story I read by David C. Hayes and plan to look further into his other books. Hayes did a fantastic job setting the scene in the first chapter and held no punches revealing the monster that is Orzo the Clown. A deeply disturbed individual, Orzo is truly the thing nightmares are made of for children and adults alike.
Hayes also deftly introduces Micheal, the hero, early on in the story, which quickly develops into a tale about Michael's later years dealing with the demons of his past. Without giving anything away, Hayes unfolds the mystery of whether it's Orzo back from the dead or someone pretending to be him in a page turning, highly entertaining fashion. I look forward to reading more of this particular author's books in the future. -
I don't like clowns. The cover alone was frightful enough to make me eager to read this book. The setup sure was promising! Orzo was kidnapping young boys to rape and murder. That's some pretty gruesome stuff.
But Hayes writing was strange. As I progressed through the story he would suddenly switch styles as though writing a screenplay. It was abrupt and unnecessary and pulled me right out of the story.
There were great scenes and a good storyline as Michael fought his inner demons 20 years later.
I received an advance copy of GREASEPAINT from Samhain. My rating is 3.5 stars because of my problem with the writing, but I will round up to 4 stars.
If you have a fear of clowns, give GREASEPAINT a tr -
I don't even know how many stories I've read by David now. And while I may not rate this as high as his novel, Cherub (which I thoroughly enjoyed), Greasepaint brings what I've come to expect from David: good descriptive gore, some engaging characters, and a story that ended sooner than I would like. (I wish I could give 1/2 stars because this would be 3.5!)
Greasepaint is about Orzo, a TV show clown that's a secret psychopath. Upon his death, one lone victim, a boy named Michael, survives but is forever scarred. As an adult, he channels his anxieties into a death-punk band, keeping his horrific past a secret from his fans and his bandmates. But just as his history is exposed, it seems like Orzo has returned from the dead to continue his murderous spree. Or has he?
Michael is a very sympathetic character. Even if you've not been a victim of murdering pedophile, David is able to put us into Michael's psyche so that we root for his success and the possibility of having a future, particularly with the little wildcat Mona. She's also a nice character whom I enjoyed quite a bit. She came off at first as just a temperamental brat but turns out to be rather tough and lovable. The remaining bandmates, the Robert Downy Jr-esque tv host, the uber fans of the original Orzo show, felt like white-washed shallow characters, fodder for the cannon. I wish Orzo had a bit more page time but what was there was rather chilling. I did have to bite my knuckles while reading that opening scene.
The kills are awesome. Very creative and I could almost hear the blood squishing! But I'm into that kind of stuff so it worked for me. I could see why others might not enjoy reading that kind of descriptive exposition.
I do have to say that the ending was predictable (though the killer's identity stumped me for a minute because my imagination created a different scenario for that character). I'm always the last to figure out what's going on so when I see the ending coming, it's disappointing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I wish he had made it novel length because I wanted to know more about Orzo, even Michael could have been developed further. But I enjoy David's work immensely so if you haven't read this yet, I recommend it! -
Warning: The story touches on sexual violence involving children.
Clowns are such lively, bright and colorful entertainers. They can make us laugh and smile with their enthusiasm and silliness. It’s no wonder that a clown could easily become a famous popular children’s entertainer but what happens when that popular entertainer has a dark twisted side and uses his clown persona to become a serial killer?
Michael was the only child who survived his time with the psycho clown serial killer Orzo but surviving such a thing has a lasting affect on someone. Twenty years later, Michael has hidden away his past and reinvented himself as the lead singer of a successful punk horror band. His band has a faithful following and they’re prepped to catch their break into the big time music industry but just as things seem up for Michael the past inserts itself back front and center into his life. The Orzo the Clown show is being rereleased on DVD. Michael can’t escape the images, commercials and talk show debates concerning the sick serial killer. Things become even more concerning when the media digs up information on where Michael the lone survivor is and throw him back into the spotlight. Now he has reporters, odd Orzo cult fans and a killer clown following him.
Has Orzo risen from the grave, has Michael finally broken from reality or has someone else taken on the persona of the famous serial killer? If so can Michael once again survive or will Orzo finally finish the job?
The story is truly disturbing. It’s the kind of horror story that has you feeling uncomfortable, scared and wanting to ban clowns from your life. Michael’s emotions are palpable and you really want the guy to finally find some peace but this isn’t one of those off into the sunset kind of books. More like melting into the darkness and losing yourself in the grips of fear. It’s a quick read, with descriptive writing and interesting characters. It’s a classic slasher storyline mixed in with the classic whodunit. Hayes puts his filmmaking skills to work and gives us writing that visually pops out like a scene from a film. The visual gore is there but not so overwhelming that the characters reactions are lost in the midst of strewn body parts and blood. If you can handle clowns and twisted horror you’ll enjoy this Greasepaint tale.
Copy provided for review.
Reviewed by Joy for Crystal's Many Reviewers -
It's turning to Fall, which means I'm in the mood to read horror. (OK, I'm always in the mood to read horror and it's becoming a thing, now, and this year I have too many scary reads already, but I'm not stopping, because it's almost October.) Anyway. I got this from Netgalley, which is a nice way to try new authors and indie authors and stuff from small publishers. This novella-length horror novel wasn't too bad, so it may help fill the niche market for scary clowns, but I would only recommend it to those readers who have to read everything clown-related. (I know they're out there. I'm friends with one and his sheer ability to find every scary-clown thing on the planet astounds me.)
So, I'm still looking for that perfect clown-killer read. Any suggestions? (Not IT - already read it.) -
Review from HorrorUnderground.org
Greasepaint
Samhain Publishing
Author: David C. Hayes
Michael is the only survivor of serial killer Reginald Bent, better known as the nationally syndicated TV star Orzo the Clown. Having his own rock band has helped Michael cope. He loses himself in the music and doesn’t think of Orzo or the way the demented clown died right in front of him.
Now a new DVD release of the Orzo the Clown Show brings all the memories back to the surface. It has also drawn out either Orzo himself, back from the grave, or a copycat just as insane. Anyone Michael knows is a potential victim as the crazed clown slashes his way through another three-ring circus of terror, hell bent on finishing what was started.
Right of the bat, Hayes gives us a punishing look at a new serial killer in Reginald Bent. This disgusting human being is the rapist and murder of twenty-some children. Showing no fear, Hayes establishes just how horrifying his atrocities are by placing us in Orzo’s basement as he preps to rape and kill a seven year old version of Michael, his soon to be only surviving victim. This gritty look into the depths of depravity is only a flirtation as this is a Samhain book and not something being published by Sinister Grin Press or Deadite Press. You can rest easy knowing that this book never goes too far. Before anything really happens, Orzo/Bent is quickly dispensed by a goofy twist of fate that had me reeling in my seat with laughter. At first, I wasn’t sure if this was the intention, the humor that is, and after diving deeper into this book, I quickly realize it was not.
Greasepaint is not a bad book, it's just not very interesting. All of the characters are bland cliches you would find in a CBS police drama. The violence that takes place, while frequent, rushes by too quickly. I am a bit of a gore hound so I do like to see at least a little bit of description. I don’t have to gag at the gross detail, but I do need some elaboration as to what is happening. Characters are killed off so quickly that I found myself rereading sentences in order to make sure someone was indeed disposed of.
The main character Michael really drags this book down. His pouting halts the pacing to a stand still. Plus, the characters that surround him are just awful caricatures. Even the Orzo clone is a laughable rendition of a poor man’s bond villain. Everything is just too easy and in the end it feels very cheap. Also, the epilogue bumps this book even farther down in ratings due to its C.S.I. style pun at the end. Seriously, the ending negates any enjoyment I originally had with this short book.
Greasepaint is a novella that lacks originality and scares. Written as if the book was originally a script, there is a severe lack of description and planning. The plot is so simple, you’ll have the ending wrapped up in your mind before you get through the third chapter. Even if clowns are your thing, I still cannot recommend this one. -
Greasepaint is the story of Michael, who as a young boy was kidnapped and nearly murdered by Orzo, a famous television clown. During his arrest Orzo was killed. Years later Michael is a messed up adult and starts seeing Orzo again, which coincides with a new string of murders. Is Orzo back from the dead?
Greasepaint is written in the present tense, an odd choice that is very distracting and took me out of the story immediately. The novella reads like it was originally a screenplay and was changed in to prose. The writing is workmanlike and not very engaging and the characters are flat. This story might work as a slasher movie where the audience can just enjoy the gore effects, but as a written work I was bored throughout most of the short length. I give an extra star for the descriptions of the horror-punk scene, but this was periphery and didn't really help the story as a whole. Can't recommend this one, 2 stars. -
"OK this is probably going to be a short review of a short book. I didn’t like it. I wanted to like it but I just couldn’t."
See here for the full review:
Greasepaint -
Short, bloody, and scary
For a full review, please go to
http://www.examiner.com/review/grease... or
http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/2... and follow me on Twitter @josenher -
RTC