| Title | : | Maggots Screaming! |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1943720681 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781943720682 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 342 |
| Publication | : | First published April 12, 2022 |
Maggots Screaming! Reviews
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Holy hell, this couldn't be any more my jam. Disgusting and weird and hilarious and poignant. A fuckin' triumph.
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When you review books on a somewhat professional level like I've been doing for the past decade, they all eventually blend together at some point: literary books are about a white man's alcoholism, horror novels have some form of preestablished monster in them, the murder in mysteries has been committed by the character who seems the most harmless.
So, I'm a sucker for originality and THIS BAD BOY HERE is wildly original.
The best way I can describe Maggots Screaming! is that it's William Faulkner meets Todd Solondz? It's the story of a family that is literally and figuratively rotting from the inside out and a metaphor for the tragic impermanence of life. In traditional Max Booth fashion, it's also hilariously funny at times and has a crazy, over-the-top final that only FEELS out of control. This is right up there with The Nightly Disease as the best thing he's ever written. -
Got this for review on booksirens.
This was such a weird, entertaining and somewhat disturbing read. It had a very unique set up and the characters was fun to read about. A lot going on on the stranger side but highly enjoyed it. -
Whelp, this is the strangest book I've read this year. A family find their own bodies buried in the backyard, and then the living bodies start to rot. The humor is crude and won't be for everyone, but I had a good time.
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The dialog alone makes this a five star book. Seriously, Max Booth is a master of dialog. And that's saying a lot. If you think writing dialog is easy, pick up any Stephen King book written in the last 50 years and see how he handles it.
This is a weird story. I thought it was a horror novel when I ordered it, and in a sense it is. But it's stranger than it is scary. However you categorize it, it's 100% fun.
And there's a cool shout out to Bentley Little. -
“I held my left arm up and pressed my ear against the wound and listened to the maggots screaming for attention.”
My advice would be to go into this one blind and to do so soon to avoid any spoilers. All you need to know is that it is crazy and if you think about it too much it could really mess with your head. Don’t even try to predict where this book is going. All your guesses are too boring for a Max Booth lll novel.
Max has such an easy writing style. Humorous, disgusting, and fun, he quickly draws you into his world leaving just enough vague to keep you wondering and reading. I could visualize every quirky character and whacked out scene that they were thrown into. It really feels like this could be made into a great gross movie.
Behind the gore and the comedy there could be a lot of deep philosophical concepts here. Maybe I was digging a little deep but are we not all mentally dead sometimes? Just going through life unfeeling? I promise those are not spoilers. -
I found this hilariously disturbing. I’m not sure what this says about me as a person but I was fully entertained and actually laughed out loud quite a few times while reading this. This brought back memories of my parents’ divorce and of my intense love of ‘Stiff’ by Mary Roach.
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Review to come.
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Instantly a new favorite! I listened to the audiobook brilliantly voice acted by John Wayne Comunale on Scribd.
The story is told from thirteen-year-old Dylan’s perspective. On a hot summer weekend in Texas, he and his dad bond after digging up three impossible corpses from their backyard.
Perplexed, Dylan’s dad calls an old friend, Andy, for help. Now this is already a great story, but Andy is the comedic cherry on top. The dynamic between Andy and Dylan’s dad makes things even more amusing.
I won’t tell you what happens after digging up the bodies, but it has a grave effect not only on Dylan and his dad, but also on his mom, who’s currently on vacation with her boyfriend.
As things go haywire, Dylan reminisces of a time when his parents were still together, wishing things could go back to normal.
This is a dark comedy full of gnarly body horror, hilarious dialogue, The Simpsons, and a trip to the body farm. I had no clue where this lengthy story was headed but I loved every minute of it.
Maggots Screaming was the first book I’ve read by Max Booth III. I’m seriously impressed. I don’t know if his others can live up to this one but I’m dying to check them out 🪰 -
Man, Oh Man!!!! Now THAT was a blast!!! This is the second book I’ve read by Max Booth lll, and hot damn! I love his writing!! I don’t normally read horror books that contain a lot of humor… When I do, it’s usually a book by Jeff Strand! He does humor and horror very well!
And now, I can add Max Booth lll to list!!! Booth does Horror and Humor EXTREMELY well!!! I’m really looking forward to reading/listening to more of Booth’s books! I know for sure they’ll put me in a Creeptastic Mood!!
Side Note: I listened to the audiobook of Maggots Screaming! Which was narrated by John Wayne Comunale. This is actually the 4th audiobook I listened to that was narrated by him…. Not only is he a fantastic author, he is a phenomenal voice actor!! His style and his voice matches perfectly with the characters in the books he narrates. A great story read by a super narrator….. ABSOLUTELY TOP NOTCH!!! -
Caught between his parent's acrimonious divorce, Dylan plays peacemaker, skipping out on a beach vacay with his mom and her new husband to ensure his dad doesn't feel lonely. When his dad suggests they dig up the garden Dylan's mom had planted before she moved out, Dylan gets it. It's one more reminder his dad needs to get rid of before he can move on. Nothing could have prepared them for the bodies they find beneath the flowers.
This was such a fun read. Yes, it's gross because it's about decaying corpses, but like, in a fascinating way? I never felt like I was reading gross out horror for the sake of grossness, if you get me? More than that, it was a surprisingly poignant look into parent-child relationships.
I received this book for free on BookSirens. -
This was gnarly but I loved it! It was so entertaining and grotesque. I loved the banter between all the guys and how quirky all the characters were. Super campy and super fun! What a great read!
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I waited until I had two margaritas to write this review. I really loved We Need to Do Something so of course I’ll read anything and everything that Max puts out. On the surface, this is a gross out comedy horror about doppelgängers. But really it touched my heart because I could tell how much how personal this was to the author. Yes, this is a fun horror story but under the surface there is a commentary about what happens when a family disintegrates and how painful it can be. I really liked this and you should read it.
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Oh man this was such a fun book to get into! I didn't expect it to take the unexpected turns that it did and I thoroughly enjoyed every wild moment.
The story is told from the perspective of Dylan whose thirteen and goes to hangs out with his dad during the weekend to dig up a new garden in his backyard. But their weekend of bonding takes an unexpected turn when they unearth three corpses that are exact replicas of Dylan and his mom and dad...
I can't tell you how crazy this book is. If you took a blender and mixed in Return of The Living Dead, Basket Case, Re-Animator and Frankenstein you get "Maggots Screaming!" It was dark, gross and hilarious. There were moments I cringed because I can literally hear the maggots by the way they're described. But there were also times I found myself laughing out loud. From conspiracy theories to ouija boards and a trip to the body farm, this book was so entertaining.
I recommend you pick this up if you're open-minded and don't take things too seriously because then you'll love it. Especially if you're into B-Horror films and The Simpsons, lots of cool references there.
This was my first book by this author and will not be my last as I surely will be on the lookout for more by Max Booth III!
Add this to your tbr, the maggots will be unleashed next month! 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆: 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟭𝟮𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮.
4.5/5 Stars. -
This one has made my favorites list for this year! I loved the premise and the exploration/follow-through with this theme. The Simpsons references 🤌 LOVED! (But I am biased as The Simpsons has saved my life 😭) all the other references were wonderful and hilarious! I haven't read Post Mortem or The Body Farm yet by Patricia Cornwell but I own them! 😅 I HIGHLY recommend this book for the lovers of Stuart Gordon films or gory b-movies in general 🤣
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I knew pretty much immediately that this one was going to be one crazy mofo. I was not wrong nor was I disappointed.
I have been a big MBIII and PMMP fan for a long time. On my must buy author and publisher list for sure.
I’m giving this one a solid 4+ Stars and that’s all you need to know about this one. The less you know the better. Just do it. You won't be sorry. -
When I first started reading this I thought it was going to be a 5, if not 4 star. Good body horror and unique premise. But unfortunately the plot became ridiculous and the humor went from witty to gimmicky. Towards the end I was rolling my eyes with how ridiculous the story got. Almost every character in this seems to only have two brain cells. Very annoying.
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Review to come
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Truly hilarious and original.
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4.5 Stars
(Sesame Street music playing)
The Letter of the Day is….D! D for Dysfunctional!
Everything about MAGGOTS SCREAMING! by Max Booth III can be summed up in that one word, dysfunctional. Dysfunctional marriage, dysfunctional friendships, a dysfunctional body farm operated by an even more dysfunctional anthropologist. I could go on and on. From the very beginning normalcy is thrown clear out of the window.
The more pages I turned while reading MAGGOTS SCREAMING! the more outlandish things became (in the best ways possible). This felt like an extended episode of Treehouse of Horror from The Simpsons, which coincidentally or not, Dylan and his dad are big fans of. With that being said if you are looking for horror based in a reality that you can make some sort of sense of then you are in the wrong place, my friend. You’d be better off going and digging a hole out back in your dead garden than reading this book. Nothing about this story makes sense and that’s okay, it doesn’t need to. The why behind what is happening really isn’t that important. It doesn’t need to be explained or justified. Just know that something bizarre, grotesque, and unexplainable is happening and we the readers are along for a wild ride as the characters have to cope with this disturbing situation and all of the consequences.
The best part, the absolute best part of MAGGOT SCREAMING! for me were the comedic moments. I mean laugh out loud funny for me. Most of this came through the dialogue (though there is a scene involving flatulence that had me immaturely cackling like I was back in high school) which was not only funny but felt natural and authentic. The back and forth banter and bickering between Max (the dad) and his ex-best friend Andy were nuggets of comedy gold.
If you have a weak stomach beware because this book could cause you to turn green around the gills (I think that is the saying anyway). Fans of body horror will have a lot to sink their teeth into here (I’m looking at you Comrade). From bodily decomposition to the purging of fluids to flesh eating insects and everything in between. Booth gives us an educational crash course on the different stages of human decomposition in all of its putrid and gnarly detail.
MAGGOTS SCREAMING! by Max Booth III is a kaleidoscopic journey of lunacy. Absurd, meta, disgusting, brash, unapologetically hilarious and yes of course dysfunctional. A perfect concoction of gross out body horror and comedy. This was my first experience reading anything from Max Booth III and I was not disappointed. I am looking forward to getting the chance to read more of his work soon. I’ll leave you with a word of warning, dear reader. The next time you are outside under the glaring eye of the sun piddling around in your garden be careful. You never know what you might dig up.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for review consideration.
Video review:
https://youtu.be/NECazEuP_hI -
What a fun and inventive romp through utter absurdity.
Maggots Screaming! is horror comedy's latest Big Thing. It has everything: A Snicket-esque mad scientist, Millennial-approved references to The Office, adolescent decomposition (weren't we ALL simply DYING at 13?), apathetic gas station attendants, and a dog!
If you're looking for a horror novel rooted in realism, turn the other way. Maggots Screaming! is a trip down B-horror lane; everything is exaggerated and stretched to cartoonish lengths, and by the time you reach the end you're wondering what the hell sort of ride you were just taken on. Every time I thought things were as wild as they were going to get, I turned the page. The technicolor splatter of the front cover suits the content of this story perfectly, so buckle up for the insanity. I think Dr Wizenread was my least favorite part, if only for how my internal monologue read her speech patterns, but I appreciate how simply off the wall she was. A book like this needs a character like her; anyone more realistic and the tone would have been imbalanced.
On a personal note, I really truly appreciated seeing the body farm. I've been obsessed with body farms ever since my Caitlin Doughty deep dive began a couple years ago, and while I'm 100% positive they're staffed with more than two people, let's call it camp and move along little doggies.
4/5
I received an ecopy of this book from the author and publisher for review purposes. Thanks! -
What begins as an insane premise (the discovery of all-too-familiar corpses in the back garden) quickly develops into an examination of the dysfunctional family dynamic. I really recognised the divorced parents, the way they acted with each other, and I could relate with young Dylan, stuck in the middle and questioning his role in their separation, whether he was truly to blame.
Then the bodies were uncovered, and everything went nuts.
A truly original idea, developed with Booth's trademark sense of humour and storytelling gift. Try as I might to guess where the action was going, or how it would all end, I was dead wrong. But the journey from beginning to end was incredibly entertaining, with some relatable characters, some bonkers, off-the-wall characters, great dialogue and funny anecdotes, and some truly horrific horror toward the end. Not to mention the maggots. Don't. Mention. The maggots.
A really fun read from a really fun storyteller who doesn't settle for straightforward stories. He embraces the weird and horrific, pets it, cares for it, and shares it with us lucky readers. -
This book blew my mind! Absolutely disgusting and delightfully funny….this is surprisingly almost a coming of age story where the main character, 13 year old Dylan, pretty much has to grow up over the course of a few days when he and his family start to actively decay. There are so many sweet moments tucked into this novel and yet filled with other moments of anger for the choices and actions of other characters. I love his Booth uses his own family and experiences as inspiration. Make sure you also read the author notes and biography for additional funny moments! Looking forward to reading more of his work!
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Max is one of my favourite voices in horror, in the sense that he vibes so well with my personal tastes. Hilarious, disgusting, and heartwarming all wrapped in a putrid hug. Maggots Screaming! is an incredibly FUN read, which in itself is funny to admit when it's about people rotting. I can feel the pure rush of writing adrenaline seeping through the pages, the "what would happen if I did THIS" manic energy, the absurdity of it all and frankly it's put a smile on my face and helped me get through a rough week. It's a must-have for goop lovers like myself.
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this was definitely weird vibes, simpsons references and body horror (3 things that i love) but the audiobook was a bit too long. I think the book would have been a much more enjoyable experience.
Can't wait to read other Max Booth III books though -
4.5 stars.
This is a great book; a twisted, weird and darkly funny tale.
I listened to the audiobook and the narration was excellent!
Highly recommended! -
3.5 stars. Slow start at beginning but picks up after the body farm.
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Fun read. Loved Andy!
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This was SO good! It’s gross, it’s weird, it’s funny. I listened to it and the narration is perfect. Probably one of my favorite books of the year!
