Survivor: The Definitive Edition Paperback – September 26, 2023

I’ve never read a book in this genre before and i must say i was skeptical because the facebook group i heard of it in… they said it was very disturbing. and some of it was but that’s to be expected i mean look at the blurb its very clear this wasn’t going to be all rainbows and sunshine. but i am impressed for the most part i loved it. i despised some of lisa’s choices and the fates of some of the characters but this was a great book with a completely unexpected plot twist

Gonzalez’ 2003 novel is rereleased in this definitive edition, complete with a couple of new short stories, an intro by Brian Keene and a fantastic 10,000 word essay on the history of extreme fiction (written by Gonzalez). I missed this when first released, so was glad to finally get my hands on a copy.I’m a bit picky with “extreme” horror, as much of it is all gross out and little plot. SURVIVOR not only has plenty of story (and gruesomeness) but main characters we truly feel for.A pregnant woman is kidnapped by an underground snuff film crew. What she does in her attempts to escape makes her question if she’s as insane as her kidnappers.Gonzalez fills this novel with the expected violence and action, but also delivers much food for thought and a nice twist toward the finale. 20 years after its initial release it’s still a shocking read, but one that has a lot more going for it than just shock value.It’s easy to see why many consider this a classic of the subgenre.

This is by far the most disturbing, graphic, risk-taking novel I've ever read inmy life. I've read everything by Stephen King, nearly everything by Dean Koontz,and then books by brutal horror authors like Bentley Little, James Herbert, RichardLaymon, Jack Ketchum, and Thomas Tessier, and nothing I've read by them can comeclose to this masterpiece of sick twisted violence. The novel is about a couple whois going on vacation. The husband is framed for a minor crime so that the wife willbe available for kidnapping. Once she is taken, she is told all about the underworldof pornography. Soon, she will be a star in a snuff film in which she will be rapedand tortured to death by someone called Animal. The rest you can read for yourself.This book is not for everyone. Within the first ten pages, there is a girl on girlsex scene that concludes with one girl sucking out the other's eyeball. Later, thereis a baby involved: something that I will never ever forget. It's bloody, it's fast-paced,and it's terrifying because there is nothing supernatural about this. The closestbook I can relate it to is The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum, but I found this onefar more disturbing. Gonzalez fills it with research about snuff films and how theyare made and sold and how the government has such a hard time tracking them down.For a while, this book has the feel of a cheap horror film like The Hills Have Eyesor Hostile, but the characters are believable and the novel goes from pure violenthorror to more suspense and that is what brought my already overwhelming respectfor the book and it's author to even greater heights. Read this book if you are ahorror fan, but it's unlike anything I've ever read before and once again, not foreveryone.

In its first half, "Survivor" uses the universal fear of a woman kidnapped and the subversive, taboo aura of snuff films to great effect. Our main character, Lisa, is separated from her husband in an unlikely ruse. Her kidnapper takes her to a cabin with the intent of filming her being raped and killed. Her life is briefly spared when an innocent walks in on the scene and the men involved -- her kidnapper, a cameraman and the "performer," a guy who calls himself Animal -- make a movie with her first.This opening sequence is scary, horrific and suspenseful. And what Lisa does to get out of this horrible situation is just as shocking.We get wrapped up in Lisa's survival, the stunning thing she does to save her own life, and her sweaty life-or-death predicament. But when it's over the novel jogs in place for a long time. Only to kick back into action with more violence that feels utterly empty.Lisa's turmoil is affecting, but it never goes beyond the obvious weeping, and that's a big problem with the book -- we never get a glimpse into any of the characters. We never learn why people want to watch snuff films, and we never get to know why people get off on hurting others. Animal rambles on for ten pages, but it felt like a lame explanation. If you're going to tackle this subject, you have to come up with something better than the old "power trip" line of thought.The book gets a little wacky in the end, as a cartoonish character enters the scene and does something fairly impossible, and overall where this novel ends up is rather unsatisfying and even a little boring.I really wish Gonzalez had stayed away from the obvious course this book takes. Because its first third is so good -- a matter-of-factly terrifying situation you dread but can't stop reading that ends with a moral twist that makes you question what you would do in the same circumstances -- and then just sort of fades into the oblivion of cliches and bad revenge movies.Gonzalez had a lot he could have explored in this novel, but in the end "Survivor" doesn't live up to the promise of its opening.

Wow!!! This was good, but so messed up. I was pumped my whole reading experience. I got emotional at the end because I didn’t expect for it to end like that. Lisa was definitely a “Survivor.”This is my 3rd J.F Gonzalez novel and he had true talent and I plan on reading more of his backlist.

It scares me the way she looks at me after reading these books

La historia está buena, el libro tiene algunos errores, como dos capitulos num 13, al final le cambian los apellidos a los personajes, pero aun así lo recomiendo

This was a Great read!! One you can really get into and feel the emotional torment and heartache. But also feel the gritty sense of urgency and harsh reality of what this read highlights. I was hooked from the first page struggling to stop for a bathroom break. It really was that intense. Actually I think it would make a good movie if they could pull off the sheer scale of horror, but we all know the book is always way better. Anyway if you enjoy a good intense horror, then this is a must read. I'd definitely recommend!

Great book very descriptive absolutely loved it, will definitely be buying and reading his other books!!!!!!so very happy with this book

I must say, the story was better than I expected. A lot of the reviews talked about how graphic it was but that was all rather short lived, the really nasty bits were more what was talked about by the perpetrators in memories and tales. Is it the worst book I've read? It's up there with Edward Lee's "Pig" (that story rules) and a few others of similar hardcore nature but I'm not sure if it's the most brutal, maybe if it had gone a tad further it would have been. Still, I've been reading horror for so long now that I'm pretty desensitized so I suppose to your average Joe this would be some pretty sick stuff. A good page turner, some great twists, likable characters, great villains and pretty good gore. 4/5 for a job well done.

If you like hardcore books!This is for you!Very graphic, intense and gory.Not for everyone...I did love it :)