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Straight
When a strange tear in the cosmos appears within Earth’s annual path, the consequences are disastrous. For one night a year, the vast majority of humans now undergo a frightening mental change, transforming into hateful, rage-fueled zombies who will stop at nothing to satiate their desire for brutality.While not much is understood about this horrific mass hysteria, the demographic it effects is very cisgender straight people.A few years after the first of these tragic events, four friends from across the queer spectrum look for safety in solitude, hunkering down in a remote desert cabin for what is now known as Saturation Day. With a vaccine available for straight people to curb their violent episodes, some predict the worst is over. Others aren’t so sure.As night falls, it becomes clear that survival isn’t guaranteed this Saturation Day.This is the first horror novella from two-time Hugo Award finalist Chuck Tingle.
129 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2021
About the author
Chuck Tingle
469 books2,948 followersChuck Tingle is a mysterious force of energy behind sunglasses and a pink mask. He is also an anonymous author of romance, horror, and fantasy. Chuck was born in Home of Truth, Utah, and now splits time between Billings, Montana and Los Angeles, California. Chuck writes to prove love is real, because love is the most important tool we have when resisting the endless cosmic void. Not everything people say about Chuck is true, but the important parts are.
Management and general inquiry: infotingleverse@gmail.com
Literary agent: DongWon at dongwonsong.com
Management and general inquiry: infotingleverse@gmail.com
Literary agent: DongWon at dongwonsong.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
January 2, 2024
First read of the year was a fun one!! A very quick, kinda formulaic zombie apocalypse novella in which a cosmic void causes straight people to turn into rageful lunatics and solely target queer people.
This was entertaining, quick, gory, and I thought the narration was great. It also had some pretty good messages and was in general very timely.
I liked it alot!!
This was entertaining, quick, gory, and I thought the narration was great. It also had some pretty good messages and was in general very timely.
I liked it alot!!
January 26, 2022
Let me tell you, if you want to have a fun conversation, sit down with your significant other and explain to them who Chuck Tingle is, what he writes and how he is a two-time Hugo Award Finalist. And just for giggles, show them some of his covers.
But, on a series note – here we are, Mr. Tingle’s first serious horror novella that is topical on several areas and has now made the preliminary ballot of the HWA Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement in Long Fiction.
Chuck has over 350 books released, most are anthropomorphic gay erotica, and has a legion of fans who love his writing and wait with baited breath for each of his releases. And while we know the man who creates these ‘tinglers’ (as his books are called) is a pseudonym, that’s about all we truly know.
The synopsis of this one is both hilarious on the surface, but also serious when you dissect the meaning behind it and look deeper. This novella reminded me of the other recent works I’ve read; ‘The Blood Beast Mutations’ Carl John Lee, ‘Crazytimes’ by Scott Cole and even ‘Friday Night Massacre’ by Michael Patrick Hicks, where an event happens, a global pandemic of sorts occurs and people change and become ravenous, unhinged monsters.
What I liked: The story follows four friends on Saturation Day, as they head out to Joshua Tree in the hopes of staying safe. You see, three years ago a cosmic event occurred that turned every cisgender, straight individual into ravenous killing machines who sought out LGBTQIA2S+ individuals with the purpose to decimate them, eviscerate them and kill as many as they could. Consider it a sort of specifically targeted rabies. But, the following day, it would be gone and they’d have no recollection that it happened.
The world has been vaccinated (well most, you know some complaining about their rights and freedoms (sound familiar?)) but those in the queer community still know that Saturation Day is the scariest day of the year.
Tingle does a great job of setting up the story, bringing us along with the four friends as they try to remain relaxed, calm and prepared, but of course, this being a horror-novella, things take a turn and before you know it, the four friends and an unexpected fifth, are fighting for their lives and trying to find a way to escape.
The action is brisk and brutal, Tingle writing like a seasoned horror vet, and we get some really great emotional moments throughout.
I must add – the topical aspects of vaccination, straight allies and political sides works really well and offers some really unexpected think points, spots where you’ll stop and consider how you’d react in these situations as well.
The ending was great and gives us a glimmer of hope that maybe in the real world, soon we’ll see some sort of return to a ‘normal’ existence.
What I didn’t like: I didn’t fall into this category, but for those readers who might be, oh I don’t know, anti-vax, anti-mask, joining Facebook pages with ‘Freedom’ in the group title, or believing marriage is only between a man and a woman, I’d suggest you don’t give this a read. For every body else, you’ll love this.
Why you should buy this: Do you like survival stories? Fast-paced reads? Friends banding together? Blood thirsty killers who brainless want to eviscerate? Look no further. Plus, you’ll have the added benefit of reading a topical novella that makes a lot of great points and does a great job of showing that queer characters are not just stereotypical ‘soft’ characters to have so they’ll be quickly killed off.
I’m glad to have finally read my first tingler, and I hope we see Mr. Tingle return to this genre again.
But, on a series note – here we are, Mr. Tingle’s first serious horror novella that is topical on several areas and has now made the preliminary ballot of the HWA Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement in Long Fiction.
Chuck has over 350 books released, most are anthropomorphic gay erotica, and has a legion of fans who love his writing and wait with baited breath for each of his releases. And while we know the man who creates these ‘tinglers’ (as his books are called) is a pseudonym, that’s about all we truly know.
The synopsis of this one is both hilarious on the surface, but also serious when you dissect the meaning behind it and look deeper. This novella reminded me of the other recent works I’ve read; ‘The Blood Beast Mutations’ Carl John Lee, ‘Crazytimes’ by Scott Cole and even ‘Friday Night Massacre’ by Michael Patrick Hicks, where an event happens, a global pandemic of sorts occurs and people change and become ravenous, unhinged monsters.
What I liked: The story follows four friends on Saturation Day, as they head out to Joshua Tree in the hopes of staying safe. You see, three years ago a cosmic event occurred that turned every cisgender, straight individual into ravenous killing machines who sought out LGBTQIA2S+ individuals with the purpose to decimate them, eviscerate them and kill as many as they could. Consider it a sort of specifically targeted rabies. But, the following day, it would be gone and they’d have no recollection that it happened.
The world has been vaccinated (well most, you know some complaining about their rights and freedoms (sound familiar?)) but those in the queer community still know that Saturation Day is the scariest day of the year.
Tingle does a great job of setting up the story, bringing us along with the four friends as they try to remain relaxed, calm and prepared, but of course, this being a horror-novella, things take a turn and before you know it, the four friends and an unexpected fifth, are fighting for their lives and trying to find a way to escape.
The action is brisk and brutal, Tingle writing like a seasoned horror vet, and we get some really great emotional moments throughout.
I must add – the topical aspects of vaccination, straight allies and political sides works really well and offers some really unexpected think points, spots where you’ll stop and consider how you’d react in these situations as well.
The ending was great and gives us a glimmer of hope that maybe in the real world, soon we’ll see some sort of return to a ‘normal’ existence.
What I didn’t like: I didn’t fall into this category, but for those readers who might be, oh I don’t know, anti-vax, anti-mask, joining Facebook pages with ‘Freedom’ in the group title, or believing marriage is only between a man and a woman, I’d suggest you don’t give this a read. For every body else, you’ll love this.
Why you should buy this: Do you like survival stories? Fast-paced reads? Friends banding together? Blood thirsty killers who brainless want to eviscerate? Look no further. Plus, you’ll have the added benefit of reading a topical novella that makes a lot of great points and does a great job of showing that queer characters are not just stereotypical ‘soft’ characters to have so they’ll be quickly killed off.
I’m glad to have finally read my first tingler, and I hope we see Mr. Tingle return to this genre again.
May 25, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up
This was delightful. My first time reading from Chuck Tingle and while I guess this came out in 2021, the audiobook is about to be released and I was able to get a copy for review. Straight is a well-executed horror comedy with social commentary and now I'm even more excited for the forthcoming Camp Damascus.
In this very entertaining horror novella, a cosmological phenomenon causes an outbreak that only affects cis straight people- causing them to become mindless zombies one night a year and violently attack anyone who is LGBTQ+. After the devastation this caused, a vaccine was developed that supposedly helps. But of course not everyone agrees to take it and not everyone is eligible. The novella begins on the eve of the third Saturation event and follows a bisexual man escaping into the desert with a group of friends in search of safety. But of course, nothing is so simple...
I thought this was creepy, funny, and clever. It originally came out earlier in the COVID pandemic and part of it is clearly touching on the culture wars about vaccination, but also gets at some of the nuances of issues within the queer community. Things like biphobia and transphobia among people who should realize we're all in this together. Or allies who are really only there when things are easy and their own safety isn't on the line. There were scenes and moments that had me laughing out loud, but there's also zombie and slasher type violence that leans into camp. I would definitely recommend this. The audio narration is also great. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
This was delightful. My first time reading from Chuck Tingle and while I guess this came out in 2021, the audiobook is about to be released and I was able to get a copy for review. Straight is a well-executed horror comedy with social commentary and now I'm even more excited for the forthcoming Camp Damascus.
In this very entertaining horror novella, a cosmological phenomenon causes an outbreak that only affects cis straight people- causing them to become mindless zombies one night a year and violently attack anyone who is LGBTQ+. After the devastation this caused, a vaccine was developed that supposedly helps. But of course not everyone agrees to take it and not everyone is eligible. The novella begins on the eve of the third Saturation event and follows a bisexual man escaping into the desert with a group of friends in search of safety. But of course, nothing is so simple...
I thought this was creepy, funny, and clever. It originally came out earlier in the COVID pandemic and part of it is clearly touching on the culture wars about vaccination, but also gets at some of the nuances of issues within the queer community. Things like biphobia and transphobia among people who should realize we're all in this together. Or allies who are really only there when things are easy and their own safety isn't on the line. There were scenes and moments that had me laughing out loud, but there's also zombie and slasher type violence that leans into camp. I would definitely recommend this. The audio narration is also great. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
September 5, 2021
A horrible thing happens once a year in this book. Some sort of affliction has infected the population and it turns all the straight people into rage demons who attack and murder all of those who are not. But now that there's a vaccine (that *some*, ahem, may or may not have taken for, *ahem* reasons) a group of friends assume things will be ok when they head out to a deserted area to ride it out but they are woefully unprepared for what awaits them.
This book is some gory fun and also exposes some painful truths about allies and what it means to be one when the going gets hard and not just give some lip service that makes you sound good. Stand by your friends and fellow humans when things are bad and help them when they most need it.
Anyhow, I picked this up because Chuck Tingle is known for writing some of the wildest titles I've ever seen and because his social media presence is such a joy and he is a very unique personality. I was very curious to see what he'd do with a horror novel and he did good stuff. It was one of those books that was a pure joy to read, filled with interesting people and horrible deeds. lots of action and some gooey and gruesome scenes.
This book is some gory fun and also exposes some painful truths about allies and what it means to be one when the going gets hard and not just give some lip service that makes you sound good. Stand by your friends and fellow humans when things are bad and help them when they most need it.
Anyhow, I picked this up because Chuck Tingle is known for writing some of the wildest titles I've ever seen and because his social media presence is such a joy and he is a very unique personality. I was very curious to see what he'd do with a horror novel and he did good stuff. It was one of those books that was a pure joy to read, filled with interesting people and horrible deeds. lots of action and some gooey and gruesome scenes.
May 13, 2021
Once a year, the straights go insane. And everyone else is left to cope.
This is a horror novella from erotica author Chuck Tingle. I'm not into erotica, so I have bought but not finished his work before. This, I finished in one day. (Granted, it's shortish.) It was quite the page turner, with great characters, pacing, and plotting. From early on in the story, he had me by the thumbs. I'd expect something, then he'd soothe me out of that expectation, and then he'd hit me with exactly what I'd expected, only worse. FUN. I hope he keeps writing horror!
A cathartic book. Recommended if you like commercial, as opposed to literary, horror. If you like Dean Koontz and you're tired of straightness as a brainwashing tool, you'll probably like it.
This is a horror novella from erotica author Chuck Tingle. I'm not into erotica, so I have bought but not finished his work before. This, I finished in one day. (Granted, it's shortish.) It was quite the page turner, with great characters, pacing, and plotting. From early on in the story, he had me by the thumbs. I'd expect something, then he'd soothe me out of that expectation, and then he'd hit me with exactly what I'd expected, only worse. FUN. I hope he keeps writing horror!
A cathartic book. Recommended if you like commercial, as opposed to literary, horror. If you like Dean Koontz and you're tired of straightness as a brainwashing tool, you'll probably like it.
June 23, 2023
Rate: 3.25/5 stars
I thought this was an enjoyable read! I'm definitely a fan of the "the monsters aren't the bad guys, humans are the real evil" plot point in a lot of zombie media like this book.
However, I feel like this book could've benefitted from some polishing and more focus on showing rather then telling. At certain points, it felt rather preach-y and that I felt the moral of the story was being delivered on a plate to me outright several different times.
But! The moral of the story WAS a good one and I enjoyed this book nonetheless!
I thought this was an enjoyable read! I'm definitely a fan of the "the monsters aren't the bad guys, humans are the real evil" plot point in a lot of zombie media like this book.
However, I feel like this book could've benefitted from some polishing and more focus on showing rather then telling. At certain points, it felt rather preach-y and that I felt the moral of the story was being delivered on a plate to me outright several different times.
But! The moral of the story WAS a good one and I enjoyed this book nonetheless!
September 7, 2024
CN. Queerphobia, Queerphobic Violence, Graphic Violence and Gore.
THAT WAS SPECTACULAR
Finished Straights by Chuck Tingle and now I'm all out of Horror Tinglers, but my absolute love and appreciation for the good doctor knows no bounds.
I am absolutely going to write something about how Horror has had a historic lack of what Tingle has in spades; compassion and understanding for those associated with, but are not perpetuating the evil/violence/ supernatural. Something that has been a bugbear of mine/ intersectional feminism/ all weirdos (complimentary). The horror in Tingle's cracking oeuvre is cisheteronormative patriarchal capitalist society and the ignorant and cruel ideology it is founded upon
I genuinely couldn't be more proud and inspired by the care and respect Tingle laces his absolutely brutal nightmares with.
In BYG it's the not the absolute worst Hollywood execs, in CD it's non-bigoted/ hateful Christians, & in this, it's innocent straight people, even those driven to violence by forces beyond their means.
Essentially, he's criticising what he's criticising specifically & getting their arses, but he is not allowing people to catch strays.
Promised Horror Tingle Write Up when brain play ball.
THAT WAS SPECTACULAR
Finished Straights by Chuck Tingle and now I'm all out of Horror Tinglers, but my absolute love and appreciation for the good doctor knows no bounds.
I am absolutely going to write something about how Horror has had a historic lack of what Tingle has in spades; compassion and understanding for those associated with, but are not perpetuating the evil/violence/ supernatural. Something that has been a bugbear of mine/ intersectional feminism/ all weirdos (complimentary). The horror in Tingle's cracking oeuvre is cisheteronormative patriarchal capitalist society and the ignorant and cruel ideology it is founded upon
I genuinely couldn't be more proud and inspired by the care and respect Tingle laces his absolutely brutal nightmares with.
In BYG it's the not the absolute worst Hollywood execs, in CD it's non-bigoted/ hateful Christians, & in this, it's innocent straight people, even those driven to violence by forces beyond their means.
Essentially, he's criticising what he's criticising specifically & getting their arses, but he is not allowing people to catch strays.
Promised Horror Tingle Write Up when brain play ball.
September 2, 2023
I had my popcorn out throughout this entire read. Queer horror! Every year the straights go insane! Murder! Chaos! Joshua Tree and Palm Springs desert vibes!
My first read from Tingle, I love his book titles and now can say I also like his book content too. The audio was great as well!
My first read from Tingle, I love his book titles and now can say I also like his book content too. The audio was great as well!
February 6, 2022
I really loved this. The typos drove me a little bananas, but overlooking that, the premise, the characters, and the heart of the book are great.
August 25, 2023
LISTEN I AM NOT BUILT FOR HORROR OF ANY KIND THANK GOODNESS THIS BOOK WAS ONLY 120 PAGES LONG I HATED HOW IT MADE ME FEEL BUT ALSO I COULDNT STOP READING IT
March 30, 2024
2 stars and I’m being generous.
This is my first introduction to Chuck Tingle and I’m sad to say we’re off to a rocky start.
The concept of this novella is ridiculous (but in a good way) and strongly resembles The Purge films. One day per year due to an unexplained cosmic phenomenon, cis straight people turn into bloodthirsty maniacs for 24 hours, their rage targeted exclusively towards the LGBTQIA+ community. We follow four main characters as they travel to a remote cabin in the Joshua Tree National Park to wait out this years “Saturation Day” and needless to say, it doesn’t go to plan. While this is an interesting concept, it is mostly wasted here.
Many reviewers are saying this book is highly topical and contains layers that need to be examined to find a deeper meaning, so I was rather surprised when my biggest problem with "Straight" was that it was filled with clunky dialogue and heavy-handed moralizing that felt forced and didactic. Rather than presenting themes with any nuance or subtlety, we get everything explained to us at regular intervals. The main character will often pause to go on internal rants to the audience in a lecturous tone, often repeating the same thing, and not really allowing for any meaningful exploration. The commentary on vaccines and anti-vaxxers, for example, was clever and amusing the first time it was brought up, but quickly got old after the fourth and fifth time. And then we have the contradictory attempts at commentary on the straight community and allies…
Which brings me to Brandon. Justice for Brandon. This poor man seemed to only exist as a metaphor for straight allies being fair weather friends. People who will be there for you when it’s convenient, but when things get tough, are nowhere to be found. Brandon is presented as a villainous traitor who deserves whatever misfortune comes his way. That’s all well and good except, by my count, Brandon risks his own life to save our four heroes not once, not twice but THREE times, the third of which he literally takes a bullet for our main character before deciding that perhaps he needs to look out for #1 and flees, only be gruesomely disemboweled later without so much as an afterthought.
Brandon’s actions are presented as completely unforgivable and his fate deserved, despite our main characters all doing basically the same thing Brandon did two chapters earlier when one of their friends was facing imminent death. And this is just one of many strange contradictions I noticed in this very short story.
The end of the novella also felt extremely unearned and convenient which really sealed the deal for me. While I did find this entertaining in parts, thanks mainly to some interesting world building and tense action sequences, for the most part this story and characters lacked depth and nuance and the end result was unsatisfying and left me with a bit of a sour taste. A tough one to recommend.
This is my first introduction to Chuck Tingle and I’m sad to say we’re off to a rocky start.
The concept of this novella is ridiculous (but in a good way) and strongly resembles The Purge films. One day per year due to an unexplained cosmic phenomenon, cis straight people turn into bloodthirsty maniacs for 24 hours, their rage targeted exclusively towards the LGBTQIA+ community. We follow four main characters as they travel to a remote cabin in the Joshua Tree National Park to wait out this years “Saturation Day” and needless to say, it doesn’t go to plan. While this is an interesting concept, it is mostly wasted here.
Many reviewers are saying this book is highly topical and contains layers that need to be examined to find a deeper meaning, so I was rather surprised when my biggest problem with "Straight" was that it was filled with clunky dialogue and heavy-handed moralizing that felt forced and didactic. Rather than presenting themes with any nuance or subtlety, we get everything explained to us at regular intervals. The main character will often pause to go on internal rants to the audience in a lecturous tone, often repeating the same thing, and not really allowing for any meaningful exploration. The commentary on vaccines and anti-vaxxers, for example, was clever and amusing the first time it was brought up, but quickly got old after the fourth and fifth time. And then we have the contradictory attempts at commentary on the straight community and allies…
Which brings me to Brandon. Justice for Brandon. This poor man seemed to only exist as a metaphor for straight allies being fair weather friends. People who will be there for you when it’s convenient, but when things get tough, are nowhere to be found. Brandon is presented as a villainous traitor who deserves whatever misfortune comes his way. That’s all well and good except, by my count, Brandon risks his own life to save our four heroes not once, not twice but THREE times, the third of which he literally takes a bullet for our main character before deciding that perhaps he needs to look out for #1 and flees, only be gruesomely disemboweled later without so much as an afterthought.
Brandon’s actions are presented as completely unforgivable and his fate deserved, despite our main characters all doing basically the same thing Brandon did two chapters earlier when one of their friends was facing imminent death. And this is just one of many strange contradictions I noticed in this very short story.
The end of the novella also felt extremely unearned and convenient which really sealed the deal for me. While I did find this entertaining in parts, thanks mainly to some interesting world building and tense action sequences, for the most part this story and characters lacked depth and nuance and the end result was unsatisfying and left me with a bit of a sour taste. A tough one to recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2024
LOVE IS REAL
This story is so cathartic. It’s a zombie survival plot so full of anger and frustration and saying it’s Good to be angry at hollow allyship and Good to be angry at the pain queer people face daily now and throughout history and it’s Good to also find the joy in things even amidst the anger. There’s so few pieces of,media that have this message and I hope it reaches everyone, whether from this novel or somewhere else
This story is so cathartic. It’s a zombie survival plot so full of anger and frustration and saying it’s Good to be angry at hollow allyship and Good to be angry at the pain queer people face daily now and throughout history and it’s Good to also find the joy in things even amidst the anger. There’s so few pieces of,media that have this message and I hope it reaches everyone, whether from this novel or somewhere else
July 28, 2023
Curse you Chuck Tingle for only making this a novella because this deserves AT LEAST 300 pages. This plot line was iconic!! The characters were well developed & diverse, the setting was perfect, the action was wild, and the lessons and morals were thought provoking. I want more I want MORE!!!!
But fr, highly recommend this. It’s a 120pg novella that will take you 2 hours tops to read because it’s just so fast paced and attractive as a story. Couldn’t have been more interested and engaged!!
Side note I accidentally bought this full price thinking it was going to be cheaper bc it’s a novella but no it’s like $30 and I was annoyed at first because this basically cost me $15 an hour to read BUT oddly it was worth it!!!
But fr, highly recommend this. It’s a 120pg novella that will take you 2 hours tops to read because it’s just so fast paced and attractive as a story. Couldn’t have been more interested and engaged!!
Side note I accidentally bought this full price thinking it was going to be cheaper bc it’s a novella but no it’s like $30 and I was annoyed at first because this basically cost me $15 an hour to read BUT oddly it was worth it!!!
May 11, 2021
This was a surprisingly resonant piece on what it's like to be queer in the US, all the ways that marginalization gets under your skin and destroys any ability you ever had to feel safe doing even the most ordinary things. It's also an excellent discussion of the difference between what we need in allies, and what cis straight people think is adequate to offer us while claiming allyship.
September 21, 2023
I really liked
Camp Damascus
, and it turned out that it was not, in fact, Chuck Tingle's first traditionally published work, as he had this novella, Straight, before that! And Tor was handing out codes for a free audiobook at SDCC, so it was easy enough to check out. And, well, there's honestly not much to it, as Tingle establishes a pretty neat premise—thanks to some unexplained cosmic phenomenon, there's one day a year where the cisgender straight people turn into uncontrollable rage zombies and try to kill queer folk of any kind—and then sends a few likable characters out into the mayhem. It's basically queer The Purge! As Tingle said on a panel, his number one concern when writing is Message, and, well, that's pretty apparent here, where it's pretty much all Message. It's essentially a love letter to the queer community that acknowledges the struggles of being part of it in a cis-centric heteronormative society and embraces the idea that they are #StrongerTogether. Although it's not subtle at all, I did appreciate that Tingle had the restraint to let the fact that this day is called Saturation Day and that the cis straight people are referred to as Overwhelmed stand, trusting his readers to get the cheeky satire of a world where people like me just CANNOT TAKE THE EXISTENCE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM ME ANYMORE and must respond with bloody violence. One day a year. If they don't get the vaccine. It takes about half the book for the bloody violence to start, but once it starts, it does not stop! Until it does because the book is over. It's really just a short and sweet tale of survival that's like, yay fellow queers, and boo straight allies who aren't real allies. I found André Santana's narration overdone, rarely liking his intonations and choices in reading because he tried to make every single sentence seem Important and Sincere instead of pulling me into the character (though there were some good emotional moments). Overall, it's perfectly serviceable for what it is, and it makes me appreciate just how good Camp Damascus is!
August 16, 2024
Damn this shit goes hard. Its main message is about how community and queers standing together will bring safety and that allies giving crumbs of hope and support won’t save us. Excellent story. It needed to be a full novel though.
July 29, 2024
I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did. And I want to make it clear that I don't dislike it because of the metaphor or "straight people being the enemy" as I imagine many would. My real rating is probably a decimal closer to four stars, but it just doesn't quite make it.
First of all, I'm a queer reader. I was intrigued by this from the start. I was a little confused by how we're supposed to feel bad for these cishets and their uncontrolable murderousness, because that's a weird analogy to what in real life is a choice. It took me to the end for it to really hit that it was more about their choice to not get vaccinated against it - two themes for the price of one!
It frustrated me to no end that this book, about the entire queer community working together to survive, neglects to mention aromantic and asexual identities pretty much entirely. Aseuxality is mentioned offhandedly exactly once, in a list of identities, and not discussed. This was especially frustrating because there's a good chunk of this book dedicated to discussing queer people who aren't considered "queer enough" even by their own community sometimes - bi people who are "partly straight," considering a trans person in a relationship with a someone who matches their assigned at birth gender to be gay - and how dangerous this is in this situation. This would have been a great place to be actively inclusive of aspecs, who are often shut out of our own community on the basis of "if you're don't experience same-sex attraction or aren't GNC, you're straight" or "you don't feel attraction at all? straight!"
On that note, I don't like how the word "straight" is used in this book to indicate someone who isn't in the queer community, because it isn't accurate. There are aromantic and asexual people who identity as heterosexual/heteroromantic, and there are straight trans people. In the beginning, cishet is used a few times, but after that it is always shortened to straight.
This book also includes the usual, but no less distracting and unbecoming, grammar and formatting errors as well as several questionable uses of the word "spastic."
This book is definitely not all bad though! It does have a lot to say about queer solidarity and how the best to defend us are parts of our own group. It takes a pretty dim view on allies, but points are made about that at the end, so I can mostly forgive it.
First of all, I'm a queer reader. I was intrigued by this from the start. I was a little confused by how we're supposed to feel bad for these cishets and their uncontrolable murderousness, because that's a weird analogy to what in real life is a choice. It took me to the end for it to really hit that it was more about their choice to not get vaccinated against it - two themes for the price of one!
It frustrated me to no end that this book, about the entire queer community working together to survive, neglects to mention aromantic and asexual identities pretty much entirely. Aseuxality is mentioned offhandedly exactly once, in a list of identities, and not discussed. This was especially frustrating because there's a good chunk of this book dedicated to discussing queer people who aren't considered "queer enough" even by their own community sometimes - bi people who are "partly straight," considering a trans person in a relationship with a someone who matches their assigned at birth gender to be gay - and how dangerous this is in this situation. This would have been a great place to be actively inclusive of aspecs, who are often shut out of our own community on the basis of "if you're don't experience same-sex attraction or aren't GNC, you're straight" or "you don't feel attraction at all? straight!"
On that note, I don't like how the word "straight" is used in this book to indicate someone who isn't in the queer community, because it isn't accurate. There are aromantic and asexual people who identity as heterosexual/heteroromantic, and there are straight trans people. In the beginning, cishet is used a few times, but after that it is always shortened to straight.
This book also includes the usual, but no less distracting and unbecoming, grammar and formatting errors as well as several questionable uses of the word "spastic."
This book is definitely not all bad though! It does have a lot to say about queer solidarity and how the best to defend us are parts of our own group. It takes a pretty dim view on allies, but points are made about that at the end, so I can mostly forgive it.
June 7, 2021
This book is mindblowingly good. Chuck Tingle's quick-and-dirty self publishing methods result in many minor typos, but if you can read a text message that's been mangled by autocorrect, you should be able to get past them. And it is SO WORTH IT.
It's a quick read, with some genuinely horrifying scenes. The premise puts a twist on a typical zombie story that has some interesting and unsettling consequences. The central conceit is an obvious metaphor for the marginalization of queer people in society that is handled surprisingly well, hitting close to home at times. Tingle does occasionally get a little TOO obvious with his message, in particular some bits about straight allyship that are just spelled right out, but the hits are more frequent than the misses.
Overall, this is a really excellent horror story. And like all of the best genre fiction, it makes us look at ourselves and our real world in a new light.
It's a quick read, with some genuinely horrifying scenes. The premise puts a twist on a typical zombie story that has some interesting and unsettling consequences. The central conceit is an obvious metaphor for the marginalization of queer people in society that is handled surprisingly well, hitting close to home at times. Tingle does occasionally get a little TOO obvious with his message, in particular some bits about straight allyship that are just spelled right out, but the hits are more frequent than the misses.
Overall, this is a really excellent horror story. And like all of the best genre fiction, it makes us look at ourselves and our real world in a new light.
June 4, 2023
What a good book! Sure, you have to be able to roll with the classic B-movie horror premise of "unexplained space phenomena causes zombies" but the book isn't even really about that. The book is about what it FEELS like to be a member of the LGBTQIAP2S+ community and have random angry straight people attack you for no reason. This book is about what it FEELS like when straight "allies" turn out to be real pieces of sh**. And finally, it's about the strength and resilience and beauty when the community comes together. Honestly, the perfect book to read for Pride Month!
June 11, 2023
my second tingler!! (is a book a tingler even if it's not erotic in nature?? scholars remain divided)
happy to report that I enjoyed this one even more than Harriet Porber - Mr Tingle really nails the beats and thrills of the horror genre, crafting a story that's a legitimate page-turner, much more so than (in my opinion) the aforementioned romance/HP parody.
now, could this book have been better edited? sure, both on the line edit level (there is a tendency to blatantly spell out things that could work better if implied or skipped altogether) and on the odd plural/possessive error level. but that's not on Mr Tingle necessarily, as it is ideally the job of an editor; one of the reasons I'm looking forward to reading Camp Damascus is to see what a Tingle book looks like after a bit of a polish.
there is also the whole "will beat you over the head with the moral of the story repeatedly" bit, and your mileage may vary on that - I wouldn't necessarily single it out as a positive or a negative aspect of the story, it just *is*. I found that it really worked for me in Harriet Porber, where it was among the most appealing parts of the story, while here I think the plot worked better for me, so the direct messaging kinda disrupted my sense of suspense.
in conclusion, one crucial question remains - should M Night Shyamalan or Jordan Peele direct the film adaptation?? sound off in the comments, buckaroos.
happy to report that I enjoyed this one even more than Harriet Porber - Mr Tingle really nails the beats and thrills of the horror genre, crafting a story that's a legitimate page-turner, much more so than (in my opinion) the aforementioned romance/HP parody.
now, could this book have been better edited? sure, both on the line edit level (there is a tendency to blatantly spell out things that could work better if implied or skipped altogether) and on the odd plural/possessive error level. but that's not on Mr Tingle necessarily, as it is ideally the job of an editor; one of the reasons I'm looking forward to reading Camp Damascus is to see what a Tingle book looks like after a bit of a polish.
there is also the whole "will beat you over the head with the moral of the story repeatedly" bit, and your mileage may vary on that - I wouldn't necessarily single it out as a positive or a negative aspect of the story, it just *is*. I found that it really worked for me in Harriet Porber, where it was among the most appealing parts of the story, while here I think the plot worked better for me, so the direct messaging kinda disrupted my sense of suspense.
in conclusion, one crucial question remains - should M Night Shyamalan or Jordan Peele direct the film adaptation?? sound off in the comments, buckaroos.
June 6, 2023
Световна пандемия покосява цялото население, но не умират. В един ден от годината всички хора, които не са някакво сексуално малцинство, откачат и се настървяват да убиват сексуалните малцинства. Има ваксина, ама не се знае колко действа и дали всички я вземат.
Като дойде тоя ден, всяка година, всички сексуални малцинства се изпокриват кой по платени курорти с военизирана охрана, кой по тавани и мазета, кой по затънтени хижи на майната си вдън гори тилилейски, с на дядо си пушката в ръка и чакат да мине.
Звучи доста интересно като за фантастичен екшън, само че не е фантастичен екшън, а някакви алегории и метафори за преживяванията и живота на гейове и т.н. в обществото, поради което главните герои доста по-малко (даже почти никак) героически се бият с полуделите зомбирани стрейтове и повече си налягат страхливо парцалите и водят многозначителни разговори за преживяванията и живота си като гейове и т.н. в обществото. Скууууука.
Като дойде тоя ден, всяка година, всички сексуални малцинства се изпокриват кой по платени курорти с военизирана охрана, кой по тавани и мазета, кой по затънтени хижи на майната си вдън гори тилилейски, с на дядо си пушката в ръка и чакат да мине.
Звучи доста интересно като за фантастичен екшън, само че не е фантастичен екшън, а някакви алегории и метафори за преживяванията и живота на гейове и т.н. в обществото, поради което главните герои доста по-малко (даже почти никак) героически се бият с полуделите зомбирани стрейтове и повече си налягат страхливо парцалите и водят многозначителни разговори за преживяванията и живота си като гейове и т.н. в обществото. Скууууука.
May 21, 2023
Received from NetGalley, thanks!
So, I really love what Tingle is doing with his horror writing. Using homophobia as the horror is great.
I liked this one more than I liked Camp Damascus. It was a really intriguing premise, that one a day a year all the cis-het folks basically turn into homophobic zombies.
I won’t go into it too much, as it was a short book and I don’t want to spoil anything. This absolutely hit all the horror marks, plus has some fantastically critical things to say about allies (will I ever be able to say that word without immediately hearing Imogen from the Heartstopper show saying “I’m not homophobic, I’m an ally”???).
Anyway, very well done, definitely enjoyed.
So, I really love what Tingle is doing with his horror writing. Using homophobia as the horror is great.
I liked this one more than I liked Camp Damascus. It was a really intriguing premise, that one a day a year all the cis-het folks basically turn into homophobic zombies.
I won’t go into it too much, as it was a short book and I don’t want to spoil anything. This absolutely hit all the horror marks, plus has some fantastically critical things to say about allies (will I ever be able to say that word without immediately hearing Imogen from the Heartstopper show saying “I’m not homophobic, I’m an ally”???).
Anyway, very well done, definitely enjoyed.
July 26, 2023
Now this was a really interesting book 💛
January 12, 2024
A quick novella that’s like The Purge/zombie apocalypse targeting queer people, but also very much a 2021 commentary on Covid and a frustrated response to the antiqueer climate
June 15, 2023
I honestly didn’t know that Chuck Tingle was an erotic author when I requested this on Netgalley.
Well, Chuck Tingle can write more than just erotica. This was fantastic. It gave off LGBTQ Purge dystopia vibes. It’s short, eery, and well-written. The audiobook narrator was perfect. Loved it!
Well, Chuck Tingle can write more than just erotica. This was fantastic. It gave off LGBTQ Purge dystopia vibes. It’s short, eery, and well-written. The audiobook narrator was perfect. Loved it!
July 20, 2023
A short novella about a group of queer people trying to survive one day of the year when cis straight people become raging zombies who target anyone on the LGBTQ spectrum. There is a vaccine for this astronomical phenomenon, but somehow the "void" causing this changes every year making the vaccine less effective.
There is a lot of symbolism in the story, and it's not buried deep. I'd probably enjoy this more if I haven't already read several similar novels/stories from a similar vein. There was a bit of confusing language about the "void" causing this phenomenon: the author talks about vaccines and mutations, which make sense if the agent causing the rage was biological; instead the event is caused by some astronomical field of energy/particles and a vaccine wouldn't be ... even possible in that case (not to mention, mutations). But, I understood the intended metaphor so I didn't mind it too much (plus I liked the potential explanation about the void's origins). So I enjoyed the story, but I also predicted every next step: every problem, every death or miraculous survival. It was also a bit over-written at times, with multiple epithets strung together which slowed down the momentum the story was building (slightly paraphrasing an e.g. from the work: cacophonous roaring sound). The novella was too by the numbers and too close to a formula for my taste. It stuck to a predictable plot and character arc and left no room for nuanced interesting discussions.
There is a lot of symbolism in the story, and it's not buried deep. I'd probably enjoy this more if I haven't already read several similar novels/stories from a similar vein. There was a bit of confusing language about the "void" causing this phenomenon: the author talks about vaccines and mutations, which make sense if the agent causing the rage was biological; instead the event is caused by some astronomical field of energy/particles and a vaccine wouldn't be ... even possible in that case (not to mention, mutations). But, I understood the intended metaphor so I didn't mind it too much (plus I liked the potential explanation about the void's origins). So I enjoyed the story, but I also predicted every next step: every problem, every death or miraculous survival. It was also a bit over-written at times, with multiple epithets strung together which slowed down the momentum the story was building (slightly paraphrasing an e.g. from the work: cacophonous roaring sound). The novella was too by the numbers and too close to a formula for my taste. It stuck to a predictable plot and character arc and left no room for nuanced interesting discussions.
September 18, 2021
Self-editing strikes again, but in this case it’s not a big deal. There were a few grammatical errors, and a very abrupt scene-change towards the end, but what it lacks in polish it makes up for with entertainment and impact.
This works both as satire, searing commentary, and a damn good little horror story. Aside from the conceit, there’s nothing new in the beats this zombie-type story takes, but it hits those beats solidly. The peril and pacing worked for me.
And the whole IRL pandemic stuff made this scary in a real way… sure, there could be a disaster that initially sparks unity and cooperation, but at a certain point, some people decide not to care. And of course some people never cared…And things go to hell. But at least this book had catharsis!
This works both as satire, searing commentary, and a damn good little horror story. Aside from the conceit, there’s nothing new in the beats this zombie-type story takes, but it hits those beats solidly. The peril and pacing worked for me.
And the whole IRL pandemic stuff made this scary in a real way… sure, there could be a disaster that initially sparks unity and cooperation, but at a certain point, some people decide not to care. And of course some people never cared…And things go to hell. But at least this book had catharsis!
February 23, 2024
Wow. This was a book. I enjoyed the hell out of it, and it made me think and feel things, like a good horror book should. The main character is Isaac, who is Bi, and it was honestly really great seeing myself and my sexuality represented. It was great seeing his feelings mirror a lot of my own. It was also amazing seeing Isaac's queer friends accepting him. He's not straight or lying or faking, and there's Cosmic Proof.
This was a unique twist on the zombie genre. It's also a great commentary on queer life, putting in the effort for marginalized communities, and doing your human duty to help others. Believe in science and get your vaccines.
Love is real!
This was a unique twist on the zombie genre. It's also a great commentary on queer life, putting in the effort for marginalized communities, and doing your human duty to help others. Believe in science and get your vaccines.
Love is real!
December 30, 2023
First this was not what I was expecting for a Chuck Tingle book. There was no weird smut at all, but the story was really good. A horror story of a group of people trying to survive a zombie invasion.
4 stars
4 stars
July 6, 2021
Dr. Tingle, you’ve done it again! A heck of a trot.
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