What do you think?
Rate this book
NightWhere #1
NightWhere
She yearned to go beyond... but some curtains should never be opened.
When Rae broached the idea of visiting an underground sex club, Mark didn't blink. He should have. Because NightWhere is not your usual swingers club. Where it's held on a given night...only those who receive the red invitations know. Soon Rae is indulging in her lust for pain. And Mark is warned by a beautiful stranger to take his wife away before it's too late.
But it's already too late. Because Rae hasn't come home. Now Mark is in a race against time -- to find NightWhere again and save his wife from the mysterious Watchers who run the club. To stop her from taking that last step through the degradations of The Red into the ultimate BDSM promise of The Black. More than just their marriage and her life are at stake: Rae is in danger of losing her soul...
When Rae broached the idea of visiting an underground sex club, Mark didn't blink. He should have. Because NightWhere is not your usual swingers club. Where it's held on a given night...only those who receive the red invitations know. Soon Rae is indulging in her lust for pain. And Mark is warned by a beautiful stranger to take his wife away before it's too late.
But it's already too late. Because Rae hasn't come home. Now Mark is in a race against time -- to find NightWhere again and save his wife from the mysterious Watchers who run the club. To stop her from taking that last step through the degradations of The Red into the ultimate BDSM promise of The Black. More than just their marriage and her life are at stake: Rae is in danger of losing her soul...
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2012
About the author
John Everson
106 books491 followersJohn Everson is a former newspaper reporter who writes thrillers filled with erotic horror and supernatural suspense. He is the author of the Bram Stoker Award winner Covenant, and finalist NightWhere, which reviewers called "50 Shades Meets Hellraiser!" He is also the creator of the characters Danika and Mila Dubov, seen in the Netflix series V-Wars, based on the books created by Jonathan Maberry. Booklist said his recent New Orleans novel, Voodoo Heart, "is a solid blend of supernatural horror and hard-boiled detective fiction, and should appeal to horror devotees as well as mystery buffs” while Living Dead Magazine called him "the master of dark and sexy."
Follow John on the BookBub: John Everson page for information on book sales and new releases as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For information on his fiction, art and music, visit John Everson: Dark Arts at www.johneverson.com.
Follow John on the BookBub: John Everson page for information on book sales and new releases as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For information on his fiction, art and music, visit John Everson: Dark Arts at www.johneverson.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
June 17, 2012
If I was to give this review a title it would be (tongue firmly planted in cheek) "Hellraiser meets 50 Shades..." and while this is mostly a joke it is also not far from the truth. Those unfamiliar with John Everson should pick up his Stoker Award-winning Covenant and its sequel, Sacrifice, which in this reader's opinion is a much better place to start, since Everson's body of work (at least that I've read) is not quite so...gruesome and explicitly graphic, which is not a bad thing. If you're a fan of the works of Edward Lee, for example, this may not shock you much, especially if you've read much of his stuff. But in my estimation, no one had really delved into the seedy underworld of sex clubs and mixed in with the supernatural in such a way before. NightWhere is about a seemingly normal married couple who, as we begin the novel, enjoy a secret life as purveyors of the swinging/bdsm club scene. Mark and Rae are quickly popular fixtures in the Chicago sex club scene, more so for Rae, who happens to have an insatiable appetite for sex...and pain. Mark, the loving and supporting husband, want to make his wife happy...although he enjoys the oocasional variety that is offered, he is not as much of a fan of this lifestyle as she is. Then they get invited to NightWhere, a mysterious and ultra-exclusive sex club that offers anything to those who are invited. There are no limits in NightWhere...and for many, who continue to be invited, no turning back. Soon Rae becomes handpicked by the seemingly inhuman Kharon, who eventually seduces Rae into taking a deep, dark journey into orgasmic pain and bloodletting that threatens to consume her very soul. With the help of a beautiful and enigmatic stranger named Selena, Mark attempts to find his wife in time, before NightWhere takes her into its very heart of darkness...
July 18, 2023
Late Nights , Sex, Parties
This book was hard to put down this book is about a married couple where on person wants more than the other. An invite from a club that is whispered and not known leads to lies , pain and hellish encounters. Is love enough ?
This book was hard to put down this book is about a married couple where on person wants more than the other. An invite from a club that is whispered and not known leads to lies , pain and hellish encounters. Is love enough ?
December 8, 2016
I'm usually not into erotic type stuff, but this is something of another sort entirely. Very few books leave me going "What in the heck?" and sticks with me after I've read it. Very few books leave me thinking about them during times I'm not reading them and leave me waiting to be able to read them again. This was one of them. The last book to do this was Survivor by JF Gonzalez. That book, like Nightwhere leave me asking myself "Could I ever write anything even close to this?" Probably not. Everson tiptoes the line between the erotic and the horrific in such a way it is almost mesmerizing. In one moment you are feeling aroused, but at the same time wondering what is wrong with me that this is turning me on? Such a wild mix of feelings and emotions.
To the book itself, the characters were great. However, I found myself wanting to slap Mark numerous times Rae was a horrible person and sure as heck not worth the hell he went through to get to her. I found myself yelling at my Kindle to forget Rae and go to the other girl (no spoiler) which mind you I never ever do, but this book brought it out of me. By the end I was like DUUUUDE! And almost rooting for him to get killed at that point of stubbornness and stupidity. WIthout giving too much away its hard to explain. In short, if you want to be left thinking and somewhat traumatized, READ THIS
To the book itself, the characters were great. However, I found myself wanting to slap Mark numerous times Rae was a horrible person and sure as heck not worth the hell he went through to get to her. I found myself yelling at my Kindle to forget Rae and go to the other girl (no spoiler) which mind you I never ever do, but this book brought it out of me. By the end I was like DUUUUDE! And almost rooting for him to get killed at that point of stubbornness and stupidity. WIthout giving too much away its hard to explain. In short, if you want to be left thinking and somewhat traumatized, READ THIS
February 26, 2024
He kissed her forehead. The glow of the dawn colored the horizon and lit her face in a dusky-red light. Like NightWhere, but then again, not at all the same. This light bore hope, not blood.
Want to read
November 22, 2017This hardcover is numbered 80 of 100 copies printed and is signed by John Everson.
Eclipse Limited Hardcover #14
Cover by Philip Simpson
Eclipse Limited Hardcover #14
Cover by Philip Simpson
July 17, 2023
Rae wanted more. Mark relented, and they visited various swingers clubs. But Rae’s thirst for more was only temporarily sated. She wanted even more. She wanted to experience pain and debauchery on a whole new level. Then she heard rumors of an exclusive club called NightWhere, a place where you could fulfill all of your wildest fantasies. The problem was no one seemed to have any idea where the club was, how you got in or even if NightWhere was an urban myth. Then an anonymous invitation arrived in the mail. Rae and Mark’s lives would never be the same.
NightWhere has been described as Hellraiser meets 50 Shades of Gray. I don’t disagree with that description at all. But I would caution that only portrays the visceral side of the story, the blurred lines between pain and pleasure. And NightWhere has plenty of that. More than you could ever imagine. But NightWhere is also the tragic tale of love and how far a man would go to reclaim the life he had with his beloved. Erotic horror can be tricky business. I’ve read more eye-rolling stories of this sub genre than I have good ones. NightWhere doesn’t have that problem. Everson does an excellent job weaving these threads together in an intricate pattern that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end.
4.5 Bloody Floggings out of 5
NightWhere has been described as Hellraiser meets 50 Shades of Gray. I don’t disagree with that description at all. But I would caution that only portrays the visceral side of the story, the blurred lines between pain and pleasure. And NightWhere has plenty of that. More than you could ever imagine. But NightWhere is also the tragic tale of love and how far a man would go to reclaim the life he had with his beloved. Erotic horror can be tricky business. I’ve read more eye-rolling stories of this sub genre than I have good ones. NightWhere doesn’t have that problem. Everson does an excellent job weaving these threads together in an intricate pattern that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end.
4.5 Bloody Floggings out of 5
July 27, 2023
I've read several novels by John Everson and each one has been different from the others, from themes to narration to styles of story-telling. NIGHTWHERE is the most graphic, violent and erotic of the bunch - - and he excels at all three. This was a stimulating read in some very frightening ways.
This is a book to recommend to fellow readers who crave 1) Extreme, brutal horror, 2)Erotic horror, and 3) High intensity. NIGHTWHERE covers those bases very well.
The imagery/comparisons detailed in the prologue are hard to erase from memory and preview the strange and mysterious events to follow. Every time I see a cornfield I'm going to remember this opening chapter. Gives new meaning to creeps who "stalk" their victims. The effective opening also alerts readers that this is not a novel for the squeamish.
Marriage relationships that once thrived can begin to fray and eventually dissolve. Often, one partner is unaware of the new feelings of the other and/or refuses to let go of what they once shared. Such is the case with Mark. His partner Rae has never been satisfied with just Mark, and he's indulged her fantasies with swapping partners at swingers clubs, etc as long as she remained his wife. When she receives an invitation to the exclusive sex-and-bondage club Nightwhere it's the beginning of their separation. Mark quickly becomes unhappy with the weird goings-on at the club and is eventually disbarred while Rae continues to receive more invitations and eventually leaves Mark for good.
The main conflict of the story is poor Mark's attempts to enter the club, rescue brain-washed (his assumption) Rae from the evil clutches of Nightwhere and return to their relationship. There are several points in the story where I'd like to slap Mark into reality and deter him from his hopeless mission.
The club itself is a marvelous work of imagination, just like Doctor Who's Tardis it's much bigger on the inside. It's easy to see the Nightwhere Club as a gateway to Hell, with the Watchers serving as Satan's agents and tour guides. Everson wisely leaves those comparisons up to the reader and never makes a specific connection.
This is a book to recommend to fellow readers who crave 1) Extreme, brutal horror, 2)Erotic horror, and 3) High intensity. NIGHTWHERE covers those bases very well.
The imagery/comparisons detailed in the prologue are hard to erase from memory and preview the strange and mysterious events to follow. Every time I see a cornfield I'm going to remember this opening chapter. Gives new meaning to creeps who "stalk" their victims. The effective opening also alerts readers that this is not a novel for the squeamish.
Marriage relationships that once thrived can begin to fray and eventually dissolve. Often, one partner is unaware of the new feelings of the other and/or refuses to let go of what they once shared. Such is the case with Mark. His partner Rae has never been satisfied with just Mark, and he's indulged her fantasies with swapping partners at swingers clubs, etc as long as she remained his wife. When she receives an invitation to the exclusive sex-and-bondage club Nightwhere it's the beginning of their separation. Mark quickly becomes unhappy with the weird goings-on at the club and is eventually disbarred while Rae continues to receive more invitations and eventually leaves Mark for good.
The main conflict of the story is poor Mark's attempts to enter the club, rescue brain-washed (his assumption) Rae from the evil clutches of Nightwhere and return to their relationship. There are several points in the story where I'd like to slap Mark into reality and deter him from his hopeless mission.
The club itself is a marvelous work of imagination, just like Doctor Who's Tardis it's much bigger on the inside. It's easy to see the Nightwhere Club as a gateway to Hell, with the Watchers serving as Satan's agents and tour guides. Everson wisely leaves those comparisons up to the reader and never makes a specific connection.
May 30, 2019
I read in a blurb for this book that it was a cross between HELLRAISER and 50 SHADES OF GREY. Well, I’m definitely a fan of THE HELLBOUND HEART, although I’m not the intended audience for 50 SHADES OF GREY.
So, how did I end up reading NIGHTWHERE? Actually, it all began with a tornado warning.
An alert woke me out of a sound sleep, and the text said “Take cover NOW!” Immediately, the sirens were wailing. Being by myself, I grabbed my dog and iPad and raced for the basement while the wind pelted rain hard against the outside of the house. Weather updates designed to scare the living daylights out of people felt like watching Death come my way on my iPad.
That was when I decided that I needed the best distraction close at hand ... and I found this book in my Kindle library. I didn’t remember buying it, but the description made it seem like it would do the trick.
It did.
When I reached a stopping point, the tornado warning had expired 20-minutes previously. I wondered if the writer received the good vibes of copious thanks for distracting me at a time when I really needed it. ... Of course, my GoodReads account had automatically announced to any interested parties that I was now reading an erotic BDSM novel with supernatural undertones.
The thing is that the more I read, the less I was able to delete NIGHTWHERE from my “Currently Reading” shelf and keep it private. Initially, it seemed like what I would imagine the numerous sex club novels to be. This one did have central characters who seemed a bit more real, and the sex scenes weren’t as graphic as some I’d read. As the “pleasure from pain” scenes increased, they did take on an aspect of Clive Barker’s Cenobites, although they weren’t a copy. I was intrigued from that point on.
I did anticipate much of what would happen, especially one person seeking to rescue another. There were some nice twists that were unexpected, and that made for an exciting read. Definitely be warned that there are several cringe-inducing scenes featuring people obtaining sexual pleasure from mutilations (NeverWhere being a sex club with no limits and a most unsavory purpose). Frankly, I don’t know that I’d read further if the story was continued in a new book.
Still, from the perspective of a person terrified by possible impending doom, I can assure you that NIGHTWHERE is distracting!
So, how did I end up reading NIGHTWHERE? Actually, it all began with a tornado warning.
An alert woke me out of a sound sleep, and the text said “Take cover NOW!” Immediately, the sirens were wailing. Being by myself, I grabbed my dog and iPad and raced for the basement while the wind pelted rain hard against the outside of the house. Weather updates designed to scare the living daylights out of people felt like watching Death come my way on my iPad.
That was when I decided that I needed the best distraction close at hand ... and I found this book in my Kindle library. I didn’t remember buying it, but the description made it seem like it would do the trick.
It did.
When I reached a stopping point, the tornado warning had expired 20-minutes previously. I wondered if the writer received the good vibes of copious thanks for distracting me at a time when I really needed it. ... Of course, my GoodReads account had automatically announced to any interested parties that I was now reading an erotic BDSM novel with supernatural undertones.
The thing is that the more I read, the less I was able to delete NIGHTWHERE from my “Currently Reading” shelf and keep it private. Initially, it seemed like what I would imagine the numerous sex club novels to be. This one did have central characters who seemed a bit more real, and the sex scenes weren’t as graphic as some I’d read. As the “pleasure from pain” scenes increased, they did take on an aspect of Clive Barker’s Cenobites, although they weren’t a copy. I was intrigued from that point on.
I did anticipate much of what would happen, especially one person seeking to rescue another. There were some nice twists that were unexpected, and that made for an exciting read. Definitely be warned that there are several cringe-inducing scenes featuring people obtaining sexual pleasure from mutilations (NeverWhere being a sex club with no limits and a most unsavory purpose). Frankly, I don’t know that I’d read further if the story was continued in a new book.
Still, from the perspective of a person terrified by possible impending doom, I can assure you that NIGHTWHERE is distracting!
July 29, 2023
And then the man at the bar drained his Bud and looked Travis right in the eye. "You've always wanted to be stripped naked and given a good whipping, haven't ya?"
That scene for me was a lone spot of humor in a sea of bloody beatings, mutilations, and sex all wrapped up in leather, chains and spiked collars.
NightWhere is the name of a super-secret bondage club, where anything goes, depending on how far in the back rooms the secretive invitation has gotten you. Into this sordid affair walks Rae and Mark, a married couple with a few kinks to work out, especially for Rae, who craves abuse like a fish craves water. Her increasingly deadly choices in sex play, and Mark's refusal to realize that her choices will end up literally killing him, were increasingly frustrating to me. Add to that, there were many scenes that I was starting to get turned on, and then entrails were spilled and penises were slammed with a paddle, and I was like, oh, shit! and was horrified by my own reactions of being turned on and revolted at the same time.
Seriously, WTF, me.
There were elements I liked, besides the erotica-laced/bodily damage scenes.
I enjoyed the opening scene of the Field of Flesh. Cool as a corn.
I enjoyed the description that Kharon, one of the Watchers, gives of the club. "The Black is why we're really all here. It's where you can become one with the Night Mother, the Midnight Queen, and really transcend. Pain means nothing. Pleasure means nothing. All that matters is that you can still feel...something."
And that statement brings us right into the other leather, chains, and spikes baddies, the Cenobites. Ultimately, I enjoyed the book in places, but was truly bothered by my own reactions to it. I guess I am squarely in the camp that sex and pain and blood should not meet.
That scene for me was a lone spot of humor in a sea of bloody beatings, mutilations, and sex all wrapped up in leather, chains and spiked collars.
NightWhere is the name of a super-secret bondage club, where anything goes, depending on how far in the back rooms the secretive invitation has gotten you. Into this sordid affair walks Rae and Mark, a married couple with a few kinks to work out, especially for Rae, who craves abuse like a fish craves water. Her increasingly deadly choices in sex play, and Mark's refusal to realize that her choices will end up literally killing him, were increasingly frustrating to me. Add to that, there were many scenes that I was starting to get turned on, and then entrails were spilled and penises were slammed with a paddle, and I was like, oh, shit! and was horrified by my own reactions of being turned on and revolted at the same time.
Seriously, WTF, me.
There were elements I liked, besides the erotica-laced/bodily damage scenes.
I enjoyed the opening scene of the Field of Flesh. Cool as a corn.
I enjoyed the description that Kharon, one of the Watchers, gives of the club. "The Black is why we're really all here. It's where you can become one with the Night Mother, the Midnight Queen, and really transcend. Pain means nothing. Pleasure means nothing. All that matters is that you can still feel...something."
And that statement brings us right into the other leather, chains, and spikes baddies, the Cenobites. Ultimately, I enjoyed the book in places, but was truly bothered by my own reactions to it. I guess I am squarely in the camp that sex and pain and blood should not meet.
November 3, 2012
If your into bondage, S&M and kinky sex clubs then there is a place for you called NightWhere. Except you can’t go looking for it, NightWhere looks for you. NightWhere by John Everson is the story of a secret swinger’s club where all your dreams and nightmares about pain and degradation come true.
Rae wasn’t satisfied with her marriage to Mark, she wanted more and whips, chains and bizarre sex is what she was looking for. Mark reluctantly starts to go to underground sex clubs with Rae to keep her happy. Then one day they receive an invitation to a gothic sex club called NightWhere.
After a couple of visits to the club, Rae becomes obsessed with NightWhere and disappears. The location of the club changes nightly and Mark is in a race against time to save his wife. Rae is going through changes and finds she loves the lifestyle that NightWhere offers. She may not want to be saved but Mark loves Rae and will go through hell to get her back.
Nightwhere is by far the most disturbing book that I’ve ever read. I’ve read some hardcore bloody horror novels from the likes of Richard Laymon and Ed Lee but these authors didn’t make me cringe like John Everson did. There were two times while reading NightWhere that I had to stop because I couldn’t handle the subject matter. There are some torture scenes in this book that were so over the top that they bordered on ridiculous and left me wondering if there are people out there who are similar to the characters in the story.
You have to have a strong stomach to get through Nightwhere, what kept me reading was I wanted to see what was going to happen to Mark. Mark has to go through unimaginable amounts of humiliation and pain to save Rae. He takes his marriage vows seriously and is willing to do anything for Rae and that is why I love the character so much. I also liked how Mark keeps getting chances to walk away from trying to save her but he won’t stop because he is committed to her.
Another interesting point in NightWhere is how much all the characters are willing to suffer to get what they want. Everyone in this book gets tortured but they come back for more because they are looking for something and their instinct is to survive until they find it. Mark does several things he thought he would never do, to get his wife back. Also a character named Selena risks her life and throws away the life she has to save Mark. In addition to that, you see a lot of the patrons of NightWhere literally go through hell just to advance into the different levels of suffering and excitement that NightWhere has to offer. Everyone has different reasons to carry on and nothing will keep them from their goal.
This book tries hard to shock you but there is also a love story and it makes a point of how far one would and should go for the one they love. It also makes a point about staying loyal to someone even if that person isn’t loyal to you. Another thing that makes this book good is the description of NightWhere. John Everson put a lot of thought into this world of torture and really brought it to life. NightWhere is not for the faint of heart but if you love to be shocked you will love this book.
Rae wasn’t satisfied with her marriage to Mark, she wanted more and whips, chains and bizarre sex is what she was looking for. Mark reluctantly starts to go to underground sex clubs with Rae to keep her happy. Then one day they receive an invitation to a gothic sex club called NightWhere.
After a couple of visits to the club, Rae becomes obsessed with NightWhere and disappears. The location of the club changes nightly and Mark is in a race against time to save his wife. Rae is going through changes and finds she loves the lifestyle that NightWhere offers. She may not want to be saved but Mark loves Rae and will go through hell to get her back.
Nightwhere is by far the most disturbing book that I’ve ever read. I’ve read some hardcore bloody horror novels from the likes of Richard Laymon and Ed Lee but these authors didn’t make me cringe like John Everson did. There were two times while reading NightWhere that I had to stop because I couldn’t handle the subject matter. There are some torture scenes in this book that were so over the top that they bordered on ridiculous and left me wondering if there are people out there who are similar to the characters in the story.
You have to have a strong stomach to get through Nightwhere, what kept me reading was I wanted to see what was going to happen to Mark. Mark has to go through unimaginable amounts of humiliation and pain to save Rae. He takes his marriage vows seriously and is willing to do anything for Rae and that is why I love the character so much. I also liked how Mark keeps getting chances to walk away from trying to save her but he won’t stop because he is committed to her.
Another interesting point in NightWhere is how much all the characters are willing to suffer to get what they want. Everyone in this book gets tortured but they come back for more because they are looking for something and their instinct is to survive until they find it. Mark does several things he thought he would never do, to get his wife back. Also a character named Selena risks her life and throws away the life she has to save Mark. In addition to that, you see a lot of the patrons of NightWhere literally go through hell just to advance into the different levels of suffering and excitement that NightWhere has to offer. Everyone has different reasons to carry on and nothing will keep them from their goal.
This book tries hard to shock you but there is also a love story and it makes a point of how far one would and should go for the one they love. It also makes a point about staying loyal to someone even if that person isn’t loyal to you. Another thing that makes this book good is the description of NightWhere. John Everson put a lot of thought into this world of torture and really brought it to life. NightWhere is not for the faint of heart but if you love to be shocked you will love this book.
March 19, 2020
To miejsce jest bezwzględne, jest perwersyjne, jest nie do zatrzymania, jak do niego wejdziesz, to już nie ma odwrotu. Zapraszam do „NightWhere”! To kolejna po wspaniałej „Syrenie” i „Drzewie Rodowym” powieść Johna Eversona, która pojawiła się w Polsce.
Jest moc, jest ogień, jest być może najlepsza do tej pory powieść Johna Eversona, która jednak sprawdzi się wyłącznie dla koneserów grozy skrajnie ekstremalnej i wyuzdanej! Jest w „NightWhere” coś niepokojącego, ta mroczna nuta, która otula nas już od pierwszych akapitów. To ten rodzaj dusznej, lepkiej, horrorowej mgły, w której horrorowcy czują się co prawda jak ryby w wodzie, ale tylko dlatego, że podsyca właśnie to poczucie niepokoju i narastającej grozy. Jak już napisałam wyżej – „NightWhere” to horror ekstremalny w najlepszym tego słowa znaczeniu. To flaki, to krew, to skrajna, ekstremalna przemoc, której nie da się niczym wytłumaczyć. To także wyolbrzymiona do granic perwersja i zboczenie, które wciąga prosto w piekielne otchłanie. To nie jest pozycja dla wszystkich, bo nie każdy jest w stanie ogarnąć umysłem tak wielką brutalność, tak niepojęty odlot.
Co to wszystko oznacza? A to, że „NightWhere”, chociaż dla mnie stanowi niemal opus magnum Johna Eversona, gdzie mamy wszystko co najpotworniejsze i najbardziej krwawe, to nie sprawdzi się dla niedzielnych czytelników grozy. To lektura dla koneserów horrorów ekstremalnych, dla tych, którzy takie klimaty biorą na klatę bez narastającego pawia w gardle, ale z narastającą fascynacją.
Według mnie, „NightWhere” jest absolutnie fenomenalne, wynaturzone, jak u Edwarda Lee w „City Infernal”, a jednocześnie ma w sobie coś magnetycznego, coś wampirycznego, chociaż nie dosłownie. Motyw wampiryczny jednak jest tutaj obecny – John Everson miał genialny pomysł i świetnie go poprowadził od początku do samego końca, bez popadania w przesadę, zachowując całkowitą spójność myśli.
Jeśli lubicie takie skrajne, ekstremalne klimaty, jeśli jesteście pełnoletni, bo to lektura wyłącznie dla pełnoletnich czytelników, to „NightWhere” będzie właśnie dla Was! Na pewno było dla mnie.
Jest moc, jest ogień, jest być może najlepsza do tej pory powieść Johna Eversona, która jednak sprawdzi się wyłącznie dla koneserów grozy skrajnie ekstremalnej i wyuzdanej! Jest w „NightWhere” coś niepokojącego, ta mroczna nuta, która otula nas już od pierwszych akapitów. To ten rodzaj dusznej, lepkiej, horrorowej mgły, w której horrorowcy czują się co prawda jak ryby w wodzie, ale tylko dlatego, że podsyca właśnie to poczucie niepokoju i narastającej grozy. Jak już napisałam wyżej – „NightWhere” to horror ekstremalny w najlepszym tego słowa znaczeniu. To flaki, to krew, to skrajna, ekstremalna przemoc, której nie da się niczym wytłumaczyć. To także wyolbrzymiona do granic perwersja i zboczenie, które wciąga prosto w piekielne otchłanie. To nie jest pozycja dla wszystkich, bo nie każdy jest w stanie ogarnąć umysłem tak wielką brutalność, tak niepojęty odlot.
Co to wszystko oznacza? A to, że „NightWhere”, chociaż dla mnie stanowi niemal opus magnum Johna Eversona, gdzie mamy wszystko co najpotworniejsze i najbardziej krwawe, to nie sprawdzi się dla niedzielnych czytelników grozy. To lektura dla koneserów horrorów ekstremalnych, dla tych, którzy takie klimaty biorą na klatę bez narastającego pawia w gardle, ale z narastającą fascynacją.
Według mnie, „NightWhere” jest absolutnie fenomenalne, wynaturzone, jak u Edwarda Lee w „City Infernal”, a jednocześnie ma w sobie coś magnetycznego, coś wampirycznego, chociaż nie dosłownie. Motyw wampiryczny jednak jest tutaj obecny – John Everson miał genialny pomysł i świetnie go poprowadził od początku do samego końca, bez popadania w przesadę, zachowując całkowitą spójność myśli.
Jeśli lubicie takie skrajne, ekstremalne klimaty, jeśli jesteście pełnoletni, bo to lektura wyłącznie dla pełnoletnich czytelników, to „NightWhere” będzie właśnie dla Was! Na pewno było dla mnie.
December 13, 2012
Nightwhere is about Rae, who needs a firm hand in the sex department and Mark, her husband, who can only go so far. To keep her as his wife, he agrees to BDSM clubs and swinging, but only with the others knowledge and permission. The couple get an exclusive invite to Nightwhere where blood and pain are an everyday occurrence. Rae instantly gets drawn in to the scene, leaving Mark to trail after her. One night Rae doesn't come home and Mark starts to realize that the Nightwhere is not a regular club and he can't\won't let her leave him without seeing her one last time. That is...if he can find it.
The story was really dark, raw, gritty, and extreme. There are blood games, sex with dead bodies, water-sports, whips, chains, and fish hooks. The only reason I didn't give this read 5 stars was that I felt Mark was a little dumb at times and the story dragged a bit when he was trying to find the club again. Still...a worthy read. Great Job, John~
The story was really dark, raw, gritty, and extreme. There are blood games, sex with dead bodies, water-sports, whips, chains, and fish hooks. The only reason I didn't give this read 5 stars was that I felt Mark was a little dumb at times and the story dragged a bit when he was trying to find the club again. Still...a worthy read. Great Job, John~
March 19, 2013
Where do I start with this one? Is it a 3 star or a 2 star? I'm not sure. I ended up with a 2.5 star which truncates down to a 2 star. It was a little better than okay but I can't say that I quite liked it. This is definitely a horror BDSM story which didn't appeal to me even though I really wanted it to appeal to me. It wasn't the horror that bothered me. Even the evil perverse portrayals of BDSM didn't really bother me. I mean, some of the scenes, I could see it in a Tarantino movie easily. As a side note, I can completely see Quintin Tarantino loving and turning this story into a movie.
Rae is a pain junkie. She loves to receive it and soon turns to love doling it out through an underground BDSM club - Nightwhere. Her husband Mark is just along for the ride. This book is written from several people's points of view. Rae, Mark, George, Amelia and once or twice it switched for a couple of sentences to Kharon. A couple of the times the switch over to secondary minor characters point of view was odd too. This didn't actually distract from the book too much. I was thrown for a loop a few times and had to back up and reread passages to make sure who's "head" I was in to have the passage make sense.
The concept of this story is different than most I've come across. For this, I would rate it a 4 star. If you are looking for a book where people revel in their demonic depravities in delight, this book is for you. The insiders of this club Nightwhere are unapologetic about their desires and I like that about them. They are honest about what they want and they go after it. It's like being in a room full of hedonistic psychopaths. It's fascinating to watch. If only a few of them were high functioning sociopaths, then I'd been thrilled. Since my preference is for the high functioning sociopaths over adrenaline junkie psychopaths, it was a miss for me.
The world Mr. Everson builds is not completely fleshed out (no pun intended) but he does it in a way I can admire. He describes certain parts of a room or scene quite well and then it grows and becomes as elaborate as the reader's imagination. Let's just say, the Field of Flesh, Rae's sleeping chambers, the Red and various testing rooms were horrific journeys through hell in my mind. Actually, I have scenes from the movie, What Dreams may come playing through my mind. Also, perhaps some of the scenes from Constintine. Mr. Everson writes amazing scenes. I can clearly see every place he describes. I can visualize every torture scene.
Now, I think this is a re-affirming thing for me that there were no scenes in this book which sexual aroused me. If it did, I guess I'd be a really sick puppy. (For those that it did arouse, no judgment from me. If it works for you, it's fine by me. We just won't ever be play partners.) This is why it's really hard for me to decide on a rating. From a creative and writing perspective, it's a 4 star.
What killed me was the characters. I couldn't bond to any of the characters. And this is what usually lowers the rating for me. When I don't like both main characters, it's so hard for me to enjoy a book. This is my issue. For those who don't mind disliking the main characters in the book, then this may not be an issue for you. I despised Rae. I couldn't connect with her and I definitely didn't respect her. Her lack of ability to bring closure and honestly talk to Mark disgusts me. Her selfish, petty, shallow and unbelievable innocence rubbed me wrong. I wanted to be the one to hurt her and make her bleed. I would have easily used Amelia's toy on Rae with a smile on my face.
The other main character was Mark. I don't understand why or how he could have loved Rae so much to sacrifice the way he did. I understand sacrifice. I understand love. I would visit retribution upon anyone who dared to hurt my family. I have no issues with honest cruelty. The difference for me is that my family has done things for me which builds my bond with them stronger. There is a reciprocation which makes people understand my wrath if my family is attacked. I never saw a glimmer of Rae's love for Mark. That she ever did anything for him. Other than fuck his brains silly a few times, where is the bond? It's really just an obsession, isn't it? So for this, I am scornful of their relationship and I have no patience or admiration for Mark. I find him to be a dumbass.
This book is recommended for deviant horror readers who want to take a walk on the sadistic side.
Rae is a pain junkie. She loves to receive it and soon turns to love doling it out through an underground BDSM club - Nightwhere. Her husband Mark is just along for the ride. This book is written from several people's points of view. Rae, Mark, George, Amelia and once or twice it switched for a couple of sentences to Kharon. A couple of the times the switch over to secondary minor characters point of view was odd too. This didn't actually distract from the book too much. I was thrown for a loop a few times and had to back up and reread passages to make sure who's "head" I was in to have the passage make sense.
The concept of this story is different than most I've come across. For this, I would rate it a 4 star. If you are looking for a book where people revel in their demonic depravities in delight, this book is for you. The insiders of this club Nightwhere are unapologetic about their desires and I like that about them. They are honest about what they want and they go after it. It's like being in a room full of hedonistic psychopaths. It's fascinating to watch. If only a few of them were high functioning sociopaths, then I'd been thrilled. Since my preference is for the high functioning sociopaths over adrenaline junkie psychopaths, it was a miss for me.
The world Mr. Everson builds is not completely fleshed out (no pun intended) but he does it in a way I can admire. He describes certain parts of a room or scene quite well and then it grows and becomes as elaborate as the reader's imagination. Let's just say, the Field of Flesh, Rae's sleeping chambers, the Red and various testing rooms were horrific journeys through hell in my mind. Actually, I have scenes from the movie, What Dreams may come playing through my mind. Also, perhaps some of the scenes from Constintine. Mr. Everson writes amazing scenes. I can clearly see every place he describes. I can visualize every torture scene.
Now, I think this is a re-affirming thing for me that there were no scenes in this book which sexual aroused me. If it did, I guess I'd be a really sick puppy. (For those that it did arouse, no judgment from me. If it works for you, it's fine by me. We just won't ever be play partners.) This is why it's really hard for me to decide on a rating. From a creative and writing perspective, it's a 4 star.
What killed me was the characters. I couldn't bond to any of the characters. And this is what usually lowers the rating for me. When I don't like both main characters, it's so hard for me to enjoy a book. This is my issue. For those who don't mind disliking the main characters in the book, then this may not be an issue for you. I despised Rae. I couldn't connect with her and I definitely didn't respect her. Her lack of ability to bring closure and honestly talk to Mark disgusts me. Her selfish, petty, shallow and unbelievable innocence rubbed me wrong. I wanted to be the one to hurt her and make her bleed. I would have easily used Amelia's toy on Rae with a smile on my face.
The other main character was Mark. I don't understand why or how he could have loved Rae so much to sacrifice the way he did. I understand sacrifice. I understand love. I would visit retribution upon anyone who dared to hurt my family. I have no issues with honest cruelty. The difference for me is that my family has done things for me which builds my bond with them stronger. There is a reciprocation which makes people understand my wrath if my family is attacked. I never saw a glimmer of Rae's love for Mark. That she ever did anything for him. Other than fuck his brains silly a few times, where is the bond? It's really just an obsession, isn't it? So for this, I am scornful of their relationship and I have no patience or admiration for Mark. I find him to be a dumbass.
This book is recommended for deviant horror readers who want to take a walk on the sadistic side.
February 24, 2017
Warning: This is not a dark erotica or BDSM fantasy read. It’s a horror themed book that includes graphic erotic scenes that are highly disturbing. The emphasis is on S & M at the receiving end of sociopathic mentality Doms . Safe words are never used or addressed, ever.
Blue. Red. Black. Meaningless terms until I read this book and found out why I never want to hear them used in this sequence with BDSM ever again. I was totally sucked into this story with its graphic violence, gore, perversion, blood-letting, and self-gratification that is so over the top I had to continually remind myself this was just fictional horror story. This disturbing look at erotic horror hardcore BDSM is not for the faint of heart but for those who do read it it’ll grab you and keep you riveted in a way I can’t explain until the shocking, you won’t see it coming, end.
So what is it about this book? First, do realize that this book does not depict realistic BDSM in any way, shape, or form. It’s a horror book intended to shock, excite, and horrify readers. Yet underneath that IS an actual love story where the hero, if you’d call him that, does everything possible, and I do mean everything, to save his wife and marriage.
I had to wonder how a seemingly normal couple who had their kinky side could manage to embrace the mysterious ultra-exclusive BDSM club where ALL forms of sexual gratification and fantasies are realized. Rae & Mark had an open marriage that allowed for swinging and casual hook-up but at the core they loved each other. Rae, a pain slut, finds what she’s looking for at Nightwhere. And just like a drug she gets sucked deeper and deeper to get her fix while Mark is pushed out because, well, because. How could this happen? Why? The realism and writing skills by the author truly made this story come to life to the point I forgot that the scenes and storyline could ever occur in real life. Or could they?
Additionally there are sub-plots that parallel other NightWhere clients who have different tastes and fetishes indulged under the eyes of the owners (?) of NightWhere that are equally perverse and disturbing as what happens to the main characters. Creepy voyeuristic individuals, The Watchers, encourage and promote the club attendees to indulge in whatever fantasy they desire yet never publically participate. I’ve watched enough horror movies to know never go down the basement at night when you hear strange noises and never believe creepy strangers who tell you they’re not going to hurt you if you do what they say. They’re only there to help you. *******Insert ‘Dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum’ music from “Jaws.”
Blue. Red. Black. Meaningless terms until I read this book and found out why I never want to hear them used in this sequence with BDSM ever again. I was totally sucked into this story with its graphic violence, gore, perversion, blood-letting, and self-gratification that is so over the top I had to continually remind myself this was just fictional horror story. This disturbing look at erotic horror hardcore BDSM is not for the faint of heart but for those who do read it it’ll grab you and keep you riveted in a way I can’t explain until the shocking, you won’t see it coming, end.
So what is it about this book? First, do realize that this book does not depict realistic BDSM in any way, shape, or form. It’s a horror book intended to shock, excite, and horrify readers. Yet underneath that IS an actual love story where the hero, if you’d call him that, does everything possible, and I do mean everything, to save his wife and marriage.
I had to wonder how a seemingly normal couple who had their kinky side could manage to embrace the mysterious ultra-exclusive BDSM club where ALL forms of sexual gratification and fantasies are realized. Rae & Mark had an open marriage that allowed for swinging and casual hook-up but at the core they loved each other. Rae, a pain slut, finds what she’s looking for at Nightwhere. And just like a drug she gets sucked deeper and deeper to get her fix while Mark is pushed out because, well, because. How could this happen? Why? The realism and writing skills by the author truly made this story come to life to the point I forgot that the scenes and storyline could ever occur in real life. Or could they?
Additionally there are sub-plots that parallel other NightWhere clients who have different tastes and fetishes indulged under the eyes of the owners (?) of NightWhere that are equally perverse and disturbing as what happens to the main characters. Creepy voyeuristic individuals, The Watchers, encourage and promote the club attendees to indulge in whatever fantasy they desire yet never publically participate. I’ve watched enough horror movies to know never go down the basement at night when you hear strange noises and never believe creepy strangers who tell you they’re not going to hurt you if you do what they say. They’re only there to help you. *******Insert ‘Dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum’ music from “Jaws.”
March 17, 2013
I read this for an author invite group read at my horror group. John Everson has a large, loyal fan base, and he is one of the "good guy" authors who makes himself accessible to his readers. I admire that in an author.
I found NightWhere very readable in a page-turner way, yet tedious in parts at the same time. I didn't want to put the book down because I wanted to know what each chapter would bring and how the story would end, but the constant sex scenes started reading like something at Literotica.com. I found myself at times just scrolling through some of them. However, the ever-increasing violent sex IS the story, so I understand that, it's just that for me that part of the story got to be repetitious. Maybe I've read too much erotica over the years?
The descriptions of what makes NightWhere operate are excellent, and in a sick way I loved all the horrific details of the place. It put me in the mind of Edward Lee's Infernal series. Like with Lee's hell, I got a kick out of the minute details of what happens in that hellhole den of depravity that is NightWhere.
I really enjoyed the beginning of the story, meeting Rae and Mark and watching how these two very different people made their marriage work. But at some point I started really hating Mark for doing so many stupid things he made my head spin (and not in a good way!). I have a hard time handling characters who don't have enough sense to say "Enough! I'm done sacrificing for you" and go on their merry way. I mean, when you view your wife's snuff film and later see her fellating the body of a decapitated man and you still want her to come back home with you, you are an idiot. The time of running to Bed, Bath, and Beyond as a loving couple for new bedding is passed.
Thank you, John, for mingling with HA members for the group read. I am glad a lot of people got to read and enjoy NightWhere. You pleased some old fans and made some new ones.
I found NightWhere very readable in a page-turner way, yet tedious in parts at the same time. I didn't want to put the book down because I wanted to know what each chapter would bring and how the story would end, but the constant sex scenes started reading like something at Literotica.com. I found myself at times just scrolling through some of them. However, the ever-increasing violent sex IS the story, so I understand that, it's just that for me that part of the story got to be repetitious. Maybe I've read too much erotica over the years?
The descriptions of what makes NightWhere operate are excellent, and in a sick way I loved all the horrific details of the place. It put me in the mind of Edward Lee's Infernal series. Like with Lee's hell, I got a kick out of the minute details of what happens in that hellhole den of depravity that is NightWhere.
I really enjoyed the beginning of the story, meeting Rae and Mark and watching how these two very different people made their marriage work. But at some point I started really hating Mark for doing so many stupid things he made my head spin (and not in a good way!). I have a hard time handling characters who don't have enough sense to say "Enough! I'm done sacrificing for you" and go on their merry way. I mean, when you view your wife's snuff film and later see her fellating the body of a decapitated man and you still want her to come back home with you, you are an idiot. The time of running to Bed, Bath, and Beyond as a loving couple for new bedding is passed.
Thank you, John, for mingling with HA members for the group read. I am glad a lot of people got to read and enjoy NightWhere. You pleased some old fans and made some new ones.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2012
Have you ever read the last page of a book then turn the page and realize that there's nothing else so you go back and re-read the last page again thinking maybe something else will materialize after you turn the page AGAIN? Well, um, me either, I totally wouldn't do something crazy like that. Okay, fine, I did.
This book was my first "horror" book. I had no idea what to expect. I mean, I had envisioned Nightmare on Elm Street kind of horror. But what I got was suspense, mystery, erotica, maybe a bit of fantasy or Sci-fi. I'm not sure, but it all rolled up into a wicked page turner. I hated putting this book down. *shakes fist at family obligations* Of course there was gore, and blood, but it wasn't over the top. I didn't feel icky when it came along. It was almost matter-of-fact, but not, because it was kind of a big player in the book.
The characters were all fascinating. They all had a little bit of character development enough that you got them, figured them out and either hated them or REALLY disliked them. There wasn't really a person you rooted for. You just wanted to know what happened next with each character.
After finishing this book I was left with the "wow" feeling,followed closely by the.."omg, what happens next" feeling. I really hate that feeling. Please let there be a sequel.
This book was my first "horror" book. I had no idea what to expect. I mean, I had envisioned Nightmare on Elm Street kind of horror. But what I got was suspense, mystery, erotica, maybe a bit of fantasy or Sci-fi. I'm not sure, but it all rolled up into a wicked page turner. I hated putting this book down. *shakes fist at family obligations* Of course there was gore, and blood, but it wasn't over the top. I didn't feel icky when it came along. It was almost matter-of-fact, but not, because it was kind of a big player in the book.
The characters were all fascinating. They all had a little bit of character development enough that you got them, figured them out and either hated them or REALLY disliked them. There wasn't really a person you rooted for. You just wanted to know what happened next with each character.
After finishing this book I was left with the "wow" feeling,followed closely by the.."omg, what happens next" feeling. I really hate that feeling. Please let there be a sequel.
December 30, 2021
I have to be honest - this book did not bore me, but it absolutely took me three months to finish. The story is well written, sexy, horrific, and a beautiful tale of love all at once. however, I feel that a lot of it was filler, which is what lost me at some points. overall I really enjoyed this book. I would absolutely recommend it!
November 2, 2012
A BDSM horror book? By an author who has won the Bram Stoker award for his horror fiction no less? Yes, it's true and I just inhaled this story as fast as I could. The fact that I loved this book with all it's depravity, blood and gore, surprises me, and it may take me a while to figure out why. But for now, I'm just basking in the joy of reading something very different in the BDSM genre with prose that is bound to chill the bones of everyone who reads it.
The blurb does a good job of describing the story about a married couple, Rae and Mark, who graduate from swinger's clubs to an invitation only underground sex club. Rae needs variety and lots of pain in trying to satisfy her sexual needs, but Mark is not able to give her that. They have an agreement that as long as they are up front with each other and do everything together, she is free to find other partners to satisfy those needs. Mark believes this will keep their marriage strong.
Club NightWhere is mostly a rumor unless you are one of the lucky few chosen for an invitation when the club is open one night each month. Suffice it to say that Rae believes she has found exactly what she's been searching for and Mark is in way, way over his head and soon realizes he may lose his wife entirely. Mark still loves his wife and fights to get her back.
Gripping, frightening and sometimes a little too imaginative for my comfort, but I didn't let that stop me from devouring the book.
Highly recommend for readers of het romance, as long as you understand there is more focus on the horror elements than the romance and not everything will be explained.
The blurb does a good job of describing the story about a married couple, Rae and Mark, who graduate from swinger's clubs to an invitation only underground sex club. Rae needs variety and lots of pain in trying to satisfy her sexual needs, but Mark is not able to give her that. They have an agreement that as long as they are up front with each other and do everything together, she is free to find other partners to satisfy those needs. Mark believes this will keep their marriage strong.
Club NightWhere is mostly a rumor unless you are one of the lucky few chosen for an invitation when the club is open one night each month. Suffice it to say that Rae believes she has found exactly what she's been searching for and Mark is in way, way over his head and soon realizes he may lose his wife entirely. Mark still loves his wife and fights to get her back.
Gripping, frightening and sometimes a little too imaginative for my comfort, but I didn't let that stop me from devouring the book.
Highly recommend for readers of het romance, as long as you understand there is more focus on the horror elements than the romance and not everything will be explained.
December 26, 2013
Nightwhere tells the story of Mark and his wife Rae, Mark realised early on in his relationship with his wife that she is insatiable and that he on his own would never be able to satisfy his partner. So they are regulars on the swinger scene, Rae searches for the ultimate thrill, Mark goes along because he doesn’t want to lose her and their relationship defines the word ‘open’.
They receive an invite to the elusive Nightwhere club, a club that you don’t find, it finds you, Rae finally finds gratification in her lust for pain, while her painfully weak husband simply tolerates on the fringes. After the night of her life, Rae wants more and the invitations follow, her desires get darker, more pain, more blood and soon she’s lost to the sadistic ways of Nightwhere, a place of horror and desire.
When Mark is excluded from the invites, she goes alone and doesn’t come back, Rae’s reborn and effectively ends her old life without so much as a look behind her, infected by the devilish pleasures on offer and her husband tenaciously seeks to save her from herself.
Nightwhere is an intrepid exploration into a relationship destroyed by different sexual needs, it’s a shock to see how easy it ends but then a little annoying to see Mark relentlessly pursue his lost love. That said it’s a completely enticing read, lots of sex, sadistic torture and vivid horror scenes that will tantalise and terrify in equal doses.
They receive an invite to the elusive Nightwhere club, a club that you don’t find, it finds you, Rae finally finds gratification in her lust for pain, while her painfully weak husband simply tolerates on the fringes. After the night of her life, Rae wants more and the invitations follow, her desires get darker, more pain, more blood and soon she’s lost to the sadistic ways of Nightwhere, a place of horror and desire.
When Mark is excluded from the invites, she goes alone and doesn’t come back, Rae’s reborn and effectively ends her old life without so much as a look behind her, infected by the devilish pleasures on offer and her husband tenaciously seeks to save her from herself.
Nightwhere is an intrepid exploration into a relationship destroyed by different sexual needs, it’s a shock to see how easy it ends but then a little annoying to see Mark relentlessly pursue his lost love. That said it’s a completely enticing read, lots of sex, sadistic torture and vivid horror scenes that will tantalise and terrify in equal doses.
May 11, 2023
It was Clive Barker's The Hellbound Heart that first opened my eyes to the erotic potential of true, blood-curdling horror. The House of Blood by Wayne C. Rogers (sadly out of print) came next, upping factors both fetish and fear, and making me wonder how much further an author could take it. While it's taken me far too long to enjoy the answer, it comes in the form of John Everson's NightWhere, the glorious finale in an unholy thematic trinity of blood, bondage, and blasphemy.
While there is no such thing as a perfect book (Mark's too-easy final assault upon The Red irks me a bit), this is about as close as they come. I wanted a work of erotic horror that delivered on both fronts. I was looking for a book that's as drenched in blood as it is in semen and tears. I craved a story that could turn me off and turn me on, often in the same paragraph. Most of all, I wanted to experience an author who isn't afraid to push the limits, to cross the line, and to risk offending just about every sensibility.
To put it bluntly, this is fucking it.
This is the most graphically obscene mainstream novel that I have ever read. It starts off edgy and kinky, with some BDSM play that gets a little rough and bloody, and then it bleeds right into torture porn, snuff, blasphemy, and necrophilia. It's graphic, it's disturbing, and it's also utterly fascinating. Everson plays with a lot of concepts and themes here, with love and marriage at the heart of it all, but he twists things in such a way that we're forced to confront our fears and our fantasies at the same time. He simultaneously conveys the dark passions that Rae chases so deeply, and the pure love that drives Mark onward. In our hearts (and perhaps our souls) we know that Mark is in the right, we know he's the hero, and we want him to save his wife . . . but it is so hard to deny the guilty pleasures that Rae invites us to share. There comes a point where, even though we may be hoping for redemption, we're willing to sacrifice her to see what The Black holds.
As much as this is a novel of pain and pleasure, torture and titillation, all of that would eventually become tiresome and repetitive were it not for the characters. Mark and Rae are a fantastic couple, a husband and wife with whom it's all too easy to relate at the beginning, and whom we become invested in as their lives fall apart. Sin-D is a fascinating sort-of guide to NightWhere, a promiscuous, all-knowing bartender whose pained humanity intrigues us from the start. Kharon is far too cold and inhuman to really engage us, serving more as a plot device than a character, but he does have his moments. Damia, on the other hand, is the kind of scene-chewing, over-the-top villainess who made me smile every time she popped up at Mark's side. Finally, we have Selena, a character who takes a while to really step out of the shadows, but whose back-story could be a novel all on its own.
While the supernatural plays a huge role in NightWhere, making possible so much desecration and defilement night-after-night, it is the human aspects that are often the most chilling. Amidst all the intricate mechanisms of torture, designed as unholy trials and rites of passage, it is not the bizarre cornfield of crucifixions that sticks with me most, but the simplicity of a booby-trapped dildo - a mortal invention, borne of spite and jealousy. When we can intend such unforgivable things for one another, simply so that we can 'win' the right to proceed deeper into darkness, it really drives home the idea that Hell (spiritual, psychological, or physical) is what we make of it. Unlike so many stories where the 'fallen' character is seduced into sin, pushed into perversion, John Everson does not allow us that out. We're not here because anybody got dragged kicking and screaming into it, we're here because it's precisely where they want to be. And where, even if you won't admit it publicly, you're inclined to linger perhaps a little too long, wondering if you could ever be more than a literary voyeur.
While there is no such thing as a perfect book (Mark's too-easy final assault upon The Red irks me a bit), this is about as close as they come. I wanted a work of erotic horror that delivered on both fronts. I was looking for a book that's as drenched in blood as it is in semen and tears. I craved a story that could turn me off and turn me on, often in the same paragraph. Most of all, I wanted to experience an author who isn't afraid to push the limits, to cross the line, and to risk offending just about every sensibility.
To put it bluntly, this is fucking it.
This is the most graphically obscene mainstream novel that I have ever read. It starts off edgy and kinky, with some BDSM play that gets a little rough and bloody, and then it bleeds right into torture porn, snuff, blasphemy, and necrophilia. It's graphic, it's disturbing, and it's also utterly fascinating. Everson plays with a lot of concepts and themes here, with love and marriage at the heart of it all, but he twists things in such a way that we're forced to confront our fears and our fantasies at the same time. He simultaneously conveys the dark passions that Rae chases so deeply, and the pure love that drives Mark onward. In our hearts (and perhaps our souls) we know that Mark is in the right, we know he's the hero, and we want him to save his wife . . . but it is so hard to deny the guilty pleasures that Rae invites us to share. There comes a point where, even though we may be hoping for redemption, we're willing to sacrifice her to see what The Black holds.
As much as this is a novel of pain and pleasure, torture and titillation, all of that would eventually become tiresome and repetitive were it not for the characters. Mark and Rae are a fantastic couple, a husband and wife with whom it's all too easy to relate at the beginning, and whom we become invested in as their lives fall apart. Sin-D is a fascinating sort-of guide to NightWhere, a promiscuous, all-knowing bartender whose pained humanity intrigues us from the start. Kharon is far too cold and inhuman to really engage us, serving more as a plot device than a character, but he does have his moments. Damia, on the other hand, is the kind of scene-chewing, over-the-top villainess who made me smile every time she popped up at Mark's side. Finally, we have Selena, a character who takes a while to really step out of the shadows, but whose back-story could be a novel all on its own.
While the supernatural plays a huge role in NightWhere, making possible so much desecration and defilement night-after-night, it is the human aspects that are often the most chilling. Amidst all the intricate mechanisms of torture, designed as unholy trials and rites of passage, it is not the bizarre cornfield of crucifixions that sticks with me most, but the simplicity of a booby-trapped dildo - a mortal invention, borne of spite and jealousy. When we can intend such unforgivable things for one another, simply so that we can 'win' the right to proceed deeper into darkness, it really drives home the idea that Hell (spiritual, psychological, or physical) is what we make of it. Unlike so many stories where the 'fallen' character is seduced into sin, pushed into perversion, John Everson does not allow us that out. We're not here because anybody got dragged kicking and screaming into it, we're here because it's precisely where they want to be. And where, even if you won't admit it publicly, you're inclined to linger perhaps a little too long, wondering if you could ever be more than a literary voyeur.
September 11, 2012
Nightwhere can best be summed up in two words - FREE. KEY.
(I'll give you a moment to figure it out).
Nightwhere by John Everson is an emotionally intense ride into the underground world of BDSM/swing-style sex clubs. Everson pulls no punches in this novel that is extremely graphic in terms of gore and eroticism.
Very dark in nature - and I do mean VERY - Nightwhere follows the story of Mark and Rae, a young married couple who are into the swinger lifestyle. After being invited to Nightwhere, an exclusive fetish club that specializes in granting patrons their wildest desires in both pain and pleasure. Up until this point, Mark had an idea that Rae was into BDSM but it was never revealed how much until after entering the doors of Nightwhere. When Rae doesn't return after an evening of attending the club without Mark, much to his dismay, Mark embarks on a quest to find out what happened to his wife and rescue her from the grip of Nightwhere.
John Everson's imagination is just brilliantly disturbing on so many levels. I am a hardcore horror fan. I've read the likes of Edward Lee and Richard Laymon and not blinked an eye. *brushing my shoulders off However, there were several times during my reading of this novel where I had to put down my Kindle and look around like, "WTFD?! (What The Front Door?!). Yeah - it was that disturbing. The thing I'd like to applaud Mr. Everson for though is where other authors in the horror genre have seemed to forget the art of the telling of a damn good story in favor of grossing the reader out - Everson takes the reader by the hand, leads them to bed, pulls the blanket under their chin and then sits back and tells a story that is so entertaining, so gripping you are instantly drawn in and kept there for the duration.
Again, some readers might be put off by the highly explicit scenes depicted in this novel. I personally believe that in this instance, the extreme gore and sexual scenes added to the realism of this story. I recommend reading at least the first chapter and then make the decision, as like the patrons of NightWhere, "if you're in or out". I am definitely in and look forward to reading many more titles by this author. Btw, if John Everson ever decides to try his hand at writing erotica, I'll be the first in line to purchase his book. ;)
(I'll give you a moment to figure it out).
Nightwhere by John Everson is an emotionally intense ride into the underground world of BDSM/swing-style sex clubs. Everson pulls no punches in this novel that is extremely graphic in terms of gore and eroticism.
Very dark in nature - and I do mean VERY - Nightwhere follows the story of Mark and Rae, a young married couple who are into the swinger lifestyle. After being invited to Nightwhere, an exclusive fetish club that specializes in granting patrons their wildest desires in both pain and pleasure. Up until this point, Mark had an idea that Rae was into BDSM but it was never revealed how much until after entering the doors of Nightwhere. When Rae doesn't return after an evening of attending the club without Mark, much to his dismay, Mark embarks on a quest to find out what happened to his wife and rescue her from the grip of Nightwhere.
John Everson's imagination is just brilliantly disturbing on so many levels. I am a hardcore horror fan. I've read the likes of Edward Lee and Richard Laymon and not blinked an eye. *brushing my shoulders off However, there were several times during my reading of this novel where I had to put down my Kindle and look around like, "WTFD?! (What The Front Door?!). Yeah - it was that disturbing. The thing I'd like to applaud Mr. Everson for though is where other authors in the horror genre have seemed to forget the art of the telling of a damn good story in favor of grossing the reader out - Everson takes the reader by the hand, leads them to bed, pulls the blanket under their chin and then sits back and tells a story that is so entertaining, so gripping you are instantly drawn in and kept there for the duration.
Again, some readers might be put off by the highly explicit scenes depicted in this novel. I personally believe that in this instance, the extreme gore and sexual scenes added to the realism of this story. I recommend reading at least the first chapter and then make the decision, as like the patrons of NightWhere, "if you're in or out". I am definitely in and look forward to reading many more titles by this author. Btw, if John Everson ever decides to try his hand at writing erotica, I'll be the first in line to purchase his book. ;)
March 13, 2013
I would have enjoyed the book better if I liked the characters better. The overall story I got into but the main protagonist I felt had to be the stupidest man to ever live on this planet.
::::Spoilers::::::: Mark & Rae (not really for Mark but hey he loves her so let her fuck multiple guys to keep her) enjoy the swinger lifestyles but decide to go deeper into Nightwhere which takes the S & M scene into a whole different realm (literally). Rae gets sucked into Nightwhere and doesn’t return Mark starts on a quest to get his wife back. The trials Mark goes through to get Rae back are disturbing and gruesome which are devilishly entertaining to read. But my problem is Mark goes through the following: gets bathed in piss by multiple participants of Nightwhere, has to suck the guys cock that his wife Rae was cheating on him with for 6 months, get his skinned flayed off by a whip w/hooks, run through a field/pit of fire burns his skin off most of his body, crawl through a tunnel of knives getting splayed open all over the place, then has to butcher & have sex with a hooded strapped down female which of course ended up being his wife for her to laugh in his face and say fuck you she doesn’t want him and then tries to kill him.
Mark left Nightwhere with the assistance of a fallen angel named Selene who was the most beautiful vision he had ever encountered, then had the most amazing sex with this fallen angel. I would have been happy if the story ended there but it didn’t. The stupidest man on the planet then says I want my wife back (WTF)…goes back to Nightwhere with guns a blazing & knifes to rescue the wife who clearly didn’t want him..only for her to tell him again….you are a loser get lost. My wife tried to tell me when I read this I was going to encounter the dumbest/frustating character ever written in a book… I mean there is a limit to living by your vows, but sometimes you got to cut your losses.the book had it’s moments, and it kept me intrigued but couldn’t get past the lead character that drove me insane. Although there were several secondary characters I enjoyed.
I know my review sounds harsh, but there was enough elements about the book such as the cool imagery, creative brutality, and scares that warranted 3 stars.
::::Spoilers::::::: Mark & Rae (not really for Mark but hey he loves her so let her fuck multiple guys to keep her) enjoy the swinger lifestyles but decide to go deeper into Nightwhere which takes the S & M scene into a whole different realm (literally). Rae gets sucked into Nightwhere and doesn’t return Mark starts on a quest to get his wife back. The trials Mark goes through to get Rae back are disturbing and gruesome which are devilishly entertaining to read. But my problem is Mark goes through the following: gets bathed in piss by multiple participants of Nightwhere, has to suck the guys cock that his wife Rae was cheating on him with for 6 months, get his skinned flayed off by a whip w/hooks, run through a field/pit of fire burns his skin off most of his body, crawl through a tunnel of knives getting splayed open all over the place, then has to butcher & have sex with a hooded strapped down female which of course ended up being his wife for her to laugh in his face and say fuck you she doesn’t want him and then tries to kill him.
Mark left Nightwhere with the assistance of a fallen angel named Selene who was the most beautiful vision he had ever encountered, then had the most amazing sex with this fallen angel. I would have been happy if the story ended there but it didn’t. The stupidest man on the planet then says I want my wife back (WTF)…goes back to Nightwhere with guns a blazing & knifes to rescue the wife who clearly didn’t want him..only for her to tell him again….you are a loser get lost. My wife tried to tell me when I read this I was going to encounter the dumbest/frustating character ever written in a book… I mean there is a limit to living by your vows, but sometimes you got to cut your losses.the book had it’s moments, and it kept me intrigued but couldn’t get past the lead character that drove me insane. Although there were several secondary characters I enjoyed.
I know my review sounds harsh, but there was enough elements about the book such as the cool imagery, creative brutality, and scares that warranted 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2023
John Everson's 'NightWhere' has been described as Hellraiser meets Basic Instinct or Fifty Shades, and these descriptions are quite accurate; though I found the book more inventive than those tags imply, and far more humane: it almost reads like a love story, since Mark is driven by love, ready to face all horrors to get his wife back, because he loves her. Thus, I couldn't help wondering if the true horror in the book is precisely love itself, on account of which the reader is introduced to an unending series of graphic and violent situations. I, for one, certainly realized that if this is love, well, thank you very much, you can keep it. Another enticing feature of the book (for horror lovers) is the ingenuity with which Everson allows the violence to escalate. Mark's three memorable lessons will shock you, and will probably convince you that sometimes you can indeed have too much of a good thing (and 'NightWhere' is definitely a very good thing). Highly recommended!
February 19, 2022
“Go in and sin.” That’s the invitation to enter NightWhere, a twisted sado-masochistic Chicago sex club that would make E.L. James blush – and possibly vomit. Mark and Rae are a married couple who continually stretch the boundaries of their relationship. Mark secretly yearns for normalcy but gamely goes along with Rae’s growing obsession with a kinky subculture catering to violent BDSM. The surreal sex club’s location is continually on the run, and when Rae goes missing, Mark justifiably fears the worst. John Everson’s visceral prose stings like the crack of a whip as he blends graphic horror and erotica into a queasy, unflinching cocktail. Most of the book is spent penetrating the nocturnal club’s increasingly depraved layers but perhaps most shocking of all, this is a crushing story of love and loyalty doomed to hell.
October 14, 2020
Dark, mysterious, and GRIPPING. Think "Eyes Wide Shut" meets "Hellraiser"
I read Horror novels all the time, so it's rare for me to come across one that actually keeps me guessing from start to finish. This one opens with a swinger couple getting an invitation to the mysterious sex club called NightWhere, a place where people's darkest fantasies can become reality. It's a simple premise, but Everson's well-drawn characters and darkly imaginative twists take this one to a new level. The story constantly evolves while the main characters drive deeper into this twisted, mysterious world.
There's enough mystery, darkness, and surprise in this novel to satisfy any fan of the Horror genre. Don't miss out.
I read Horror novels all the time, so it's rare for me to come across one that actually keeps me guessing from start to finish. This one opens with a swinger couple getting an invitation to the mysterious sex club called NightWhere, a place where people's darkest fantasies can become reality. It's a simple premise, but Everson's well-drawn characters and darkly imaginative twists take this one to a new level. The story constantly evolves while the main characters drive deeper into this twisted, mysterious world.
There's enough mystery, darkness, and surprise in this novel to satisfy any fan of the Horror genre. Don't miss out.
October 7, 2012
NightWhere by John Everson is not my kind of 'horror' story. To me, it was the story of a selfish, highly self-indulgent woman and the weak, clueless husband to whom she was married. I was never able to find any sympathy for either of the main characters, so I never cared what happened to either of them. As for the BDSM, it was truly overplayed.
I cannot recommend this book, but if you like BDSM horror it may be your cup of tea. Don't let me stop you!!
I cannot recommend this book, but if you like BDSM horror it may be your cup of tea. Don't let me stop you!!
December 9, 2012
2.5 stars
This is definitely horror of the worst kind. Don't read if you don't have a strong stomach. 85% of the story had you wanting to know what was going to happen and rooting for the H, but then he turned out to be just plain stupid and ruined it.
This is definitely horror of the worst kind. Don't read if you don't have a strong stomach. 85% of the story had you wanting to know what was going to happen and rooting for the H, but then he turned out to be just plain stupid and ruined it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2023
At first thought of it as a horror story. Turned out to be something more than that 😅😅. Too much blood and gore took me 3 months to finish at some point I just decided to quit but the plot was good enough for me to continue. Mark is a stupid f#ck tho.
February 23, 2020
Re-read because this book is the shit!!
August 3, 2013
This is a horror story, make no bones about it, 'scuse the pun. On John Everson's creativity for his vision and development of the stages of hellish horror that make Nightwhere, I'd give 5 stars, and I guess this is one of the main reasons this book won the Bram Stoker Horror Award and for the development of the story.
As a horror story I would give it 5 stars.
As a BDSM story I would give it no more than 2 stars. I already dislike the way many people already have a negative view of BDSM practice through their ignorance and bad publicity, and this story would give further negative connotations to the ignorant. This is pure evil, nothing sexy, not sexually arousing in my mind at all.
I disliked the main female character Rae, I thought she was a selfish uncaring creature well matched for hell, should there ever be such a place. She didn't deserve Mark, and he was a fool for putting up with her behaviour and always trying to rescue her despite her saying she didn't want him to. The only character I did like was the fallen angel,Serena and I didn't like the end where it is so open as to whether she survives or not but it didn't look promising.
The evil characters were evil personified in description and nature. These salvaged the story in my opinion, as they did what they intended.
As a horror story, 4/5 star. As a BDSM novel 1/2 star. It is a quality creation, well written and this has me rounding it up to just 4 stars
I don't want to read more like this, not my personal cup of tea.
As a horror story I would give it 5 stars.
As a BDSM story I would give it no more than 2 stars. I already dislike the way many people already have a negative view of BDSM practice through their ignorance and bad publicity, and this story would give further negative connotations to the ignorant. This is pure evil, nothing sexy, not sexually arousing in my mind at all.
I disliked the main female character Rae, I thought she was a selfish uncaring creature well matched for hell, should there ever be such a place. She didn't deserve Mark, and he was a fool for putting up with her behaviour and always trying to rescue her despite her saying she didn't want him to. The only character I did like was the fallen angel,Serena and I didn't like the end where it is so open as to whether she survives or not but it didn't look promising.
The evil characters were evil personified in description and nature. These salvaged the story in my opinion, as they did what they intended.
As a horror story, 4/5 star. As a BDSM novel 1/2 star. It is a quality creation, well written and this has me rounding it up to just 4 stars
I don't want to read more like this, not my personal cup of tea.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews