Descending into Darkness: Delving into the Depths of Horror in Aron Beauregard’s The Slob!
“Ah well, I haven’t read a book in a while and this one looks promising,” I thought to myself as I clicked the purchase button on author Aron Beauregard’s website to lock in my order of his book The Slob. At the time, I had not heard much about the book away from it supposedly being one of the most disturbing works of horror fiction to come out in quite some time. A week or so went by, until the faithful day where stars aligned, and the package arrived at my doorstep. I opened the package excitedly and found that Aron had signed the book with a funny quote and also included a sticker and keychain. The mark of someone who truly loves what they do and appreciates fans. Someone you can share a beer with and have a laugh. This lulled me into a false sense of security as a began to read what is without a doubt the most disgusting, profane, and excellent horror novel I have ever read.
The Slob is narrated by our protagonist, Vera. Vera is a normal person, with a dark past that resulted in her becoming a neat freak as an adult. After settling down with her husband, the two conceive a child and Vera begins looking for new ways to make money. That is until one faithful day where a vacuum salesman shows up at her door and sells her what she thinks is the greatest cleaning product ever made. Vera comes to the realization that the product sells itself. This in turn leads to Vera becoming a saleswoman to make ends meet, and ultimately leads to her knocking on the wrong door. The door of the titular Slob, a behemoth of a man who is so uncleanly it would put a hog to shame. As you can imagine, the Slob isn’t a friendly guy. Actually, he is far from it. You see, the Slob enjoys the taste of human flesh and has a sexual appetite to match. Thus starts a series of diabolic events that would make the Devil himself throw up in his mouth.
Let’s get this out of the way first, The Slob is not a book for those with weak stomachs or those easily offended. Necrophilia, cannibalism (including auto cannibalism), infanticide, and a variety of bodily fluids are described in extremely explicit detail and will shake even the most jaded reader. As a fan of extreme horror both in film and literature I have read a lot of very disgusting books. Matthew Stokoe’s Cows, The Bighead by Edward Lee, and the works of Wrath James White are all favorites of mine and have often been called some of the most disturbing and disgusting pieces of fiction ever made. Yet, The Slob tops almost all of these in terms of sheer revulsion. Without exaggeration, there were several moments in this book where I felt genuinely nauseated. While the graphic and extreme content are very prevalent, there is a very dark sense of humor that pops up at certain points in the book. This includes a scene immediately before the ending that is over-the-top and absurd enough that it caused me to bust out laughing. These moments of levity make the book more palatable and reminds the reader that this isn’t supposed to be taken completely seriously. Still, the humor and horror would mean nothing if the book was written poorly. Fortunately for the reader, the book is impeccably written.
Vera is a protagonist that feels like a final girl in a classic horror film. She is violated and subjected to tortures beyond comprehension, but she is never truly broken. With the beginning of the book working to build her character, the reader comes to form a connection with her. This makes her journey all the more nail biting, and the events that befall her feel even more harrowing due to this. The Slob himself is treated as almost a force of nature rather than a character. Mute and extremely powerful, the Slob almost feels like a creature out of a cosmic horror story. This truly is a story of David versus Goliath, and when the inevitable final confrontation concluded I, the reader, felt like the ending was earned and was fully satisfied by how everything turned out.
Aron Beauregard has become one of the top names in extreme horror fiction in recent years, and with good reason. With a strong attention to detail, Beauregard’s prose brings to life scenarios that should be unimaginable. The initial description of the Slob character in the book is one of the most effective scene setting moments in all of horror fiction. Beauregard’s characters are fleshed out, unique, and, in the case of our protagonist Vera people we want to root for. The pacing is impeccable as well, with the story moving at a steady clip without feeling rushed OR boring. This is a perfect book to read in one sitting on a dark night in the house by yourself. Well, at least if you’re a sicko like myself. The Slob comes with my highest recommendation, and I look forward to seeing what Beauregard’s career looks like moving forward.
Book: The Slob
Edited by: Aron Beauregard
Written by: Aron Beauregard
Year: 2019
Published by: Aron Beauregard Horror
The Slob
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