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How do you follow up something WOOM, which has become a cult classic as of late?

Well, you don’t try to rewrite it, for one, and you don’t try to out-gross or out-sick it, because the people will expect that. Any copy can never be as good as the original – if it exceeded expectations – and quality should outsell quantity.

In the writing business, which is damn hard anyway, there is nothing more valuable than a good reputation. Once you lose readers, the chances of getting them back is small to none. And for indie authors, word of mouth is worth more than gold.

Well, Duncan Ralston has navigated the minefield of possible mistakes with a new entry in the WOOM universe, and GROSS OUT is my favorite book of the year so far. While he actually toned down on the ‘gross’ factor (there’s still some things that might disgust you, don’t worry, you sicko!), the story is entertaining and hilarious.

The setting is an author convention called Splatterfest, for obvious reasons, and it builds to a climax during the Gross Out Contest at the end of the weekend. And you get all kinds of different characters – if any author sees themselves in these characters, it’s on you, not Ralston – who attends: Some are famous, some are struggling, most are insecure about SOMETHING, and nearly all of them have an agenda…revenge being one of the most prominent.

Which means only one thing: During the Gross Out Contest, the shit will hit the fan.

I absolutely LOVED this story. There is not a single thing that didn’t work for me – style, pace, humor, gore, emotion and even the romantic part. In fact, I think this story might be better than WOOM because it is so hugely entertaining.

I recommend this to ALL horror fans!

5 STARS!!!

Join the Woomies group on Facebook for your fellow weirdos!88 s2 comments LTJ169 324

“Gross Out” by Duncan Ralston is definitely another wild and disgusting novel by an author who is already making quite a name for himself. There are many disclaimers and warnings about how crazy this novel can get and rightfully so. I’m not all that into this whole “splatterpunk” genre in horror but every now and then, anything written by Ralston so far has gotten good for readers that are into it.

This is the second novel I’m reading by him as I finished “Woom” not too long ago and had to read this as some of the characters in that one are also in this. I was pleasantly surprised to see how they made their appearance here and well, it added another layer of immersion to a pretty interesting storyline arc. It’s not truly a sequel or anything but was great to see their story continue in this novel.

As I kept reading, this gave me all sorts of vibes from “Misery” as well as the several ComicCon events I’ve attended over the years here in New York. It has a mix of both and delivers a pretty intense novel that checks all the boxes if you do love this splatterpunk genre that is heavy into gore, horror, and some very graphic situations.

I know the warnings give readers a heads up as I enjoyed it for the most part. LoL yes, they’ll be a few scenes that’ll make your jaw fall to the floor and probably look away from pages in pure disgust as it’s that detailed.

I enjoyed all the characters, events, and even though I might not read a ton of novels in this splatterpunk space, Ralston is carving a nice legacy in this genre. I’m very much interested in what he does in the future as he’s a fantastic writer and will only get better over time.

The only thing is there are several parts of this novel that I felt dragged on a bit. I did enjoy how he had some crazy stories inside this novel to break it up a bit but overall, it was decent. The ending also took a bit longer to get to as I was expecting more. It was alright but didn’t have that drop-the-mic moment I got from Woom’s ending which I felt was better.

Overall, I give “Gross Out” by Duncan Ralston a 3/5 and will continue enjoying his content as he’s an author on the rise. I’ve had plenty of my fellow readers say they had to DNF his content due to how extreme things can get, some even did that with this one. This was a good read but with parts that dragged on and an okay ending, it wasn’t as good as Woom was for me. Either way, I’m still a huge fan of Ralston’s work and look forward to what else he has in the pipeline.55 s Marie1,016 336

Twisted With a Splash of Craziness!

Backstory:

The Splatterfest convention has come to town pulling horror authors from all over the world along with fans as everyone gathers and to also check out the Gross Out contest. The only problem is everyone wants to be seen and everyone wants to be heard along with some author gouging.

Some of the authors have it in for each other and want to showcase against each other so what better place to do it than this convention. Though things might get a little messy and one eager beaver fan has some unsavory plans for one of his author idols which could turn this show into some bloodletting.

The convention is turned on its ear when the authors go into a crazed mode with all kind of antics to show that their books are the best and they will do whatever it takes to be seen and heard!

That is about all I can give on a backstory without giving away spoilers so you will need to read the book!

Thoughts:

HEED THIS WARNING!

There are warnings on this book of having iron stomachs and this book is not for the weak stomachs! This book is a no holds barred kind of book where if it is in the twisted mind of this author you can better believe that it will be on the page of this book!

There are tons of "gross out" situations in this book and there are some blood laced throughout the book as well. Make sure you do not eat while reading this book or you will get sick and trust me when I say this because this book has major situations for what I would say that only "hardcore" horror fans could handle.

Now onto the story itself - there were some cool things in this book as author Duncan Ralston dropped real horror author names in this book and even gave one of them a cameo appearance, but no spoilers here as you will have to read the book to see who that horror author is in the story!

The concept of having all the horror authors in one place is just those real conventions that they have and the author goes deep into this story with how it all plays out. The beginning of the book up to the 30% mark is a little bit of a slow burn but only because of world building and setting up characters, but the last 70% of the book takes off into the "gross and nasty" unknown!

The author also brought back a couple of characters from his book Woom and the Lonely Motel makes an appearance in this book as well.

It might be best to have a barf bag next to your chair for this book and oh I would also recommend a "Gross" suit. You all thought I was going to say "Gore" suit didn't you?! LOL Not this time around as the Gore suit has been turned inside out for the Gross stuff! Also it is best to be covered head to toe with the Gross Suit as it will definitely be getting icky, gooey, slimey, and just downright nasty the more you delve into this book! Giving this book four "Gross Greatness" stars!

My thanks to author, Duncan Ralston for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. 2022-read-books horror-books horror-ralston-duncan ...more35 s Gareth Is Haunted345 68

This was exactly what I would expect from Duncan Ralston. It is a very funny, sick, and depraved novel.
'"—extreme horror sells, Archie. It's probably the fastest growing niche in the horror scene right now. People gobbled up your toilet peeper story, no pun intended. But they are absolutely slobbering for that Schneider scheisse!"'

This novel didn't quite reach the heights of Woom, but I never expected it to eclipse its amazing predecessor.
Although this didn't quite reach the same levels as Woom, it was still an outstanding piece of work. As always, Ralston's writing was on point and as extreme as I have come to expect from him.
It does, at times, have a few pacing issues, but that is all the negatives I can throw at this publication.
There were a few standout moments for me, all of these being the shorter stories told by various characters within the main body of the story. These made me laugh so much! I'm not sure that's the desired effect of the writing, but it's what it did to me. Maybe I'm just messed up?
'They'd find themselves thinking about That Scene in the shower, or on the toilet, or making love. It would disrupt their lives. Spoil their holidays. The moment would fester within their minds trauma, to be relived and analyzed. A mind virus.'

Overall, it was a disgustingly fun read.extreme-horror kindle-unlimited25 s Hail Hydra! ~Dave Anderson~293 137

Sequels most often don't live up to their predecessors. The process of trying to make this a direct sequel was stifling. How could I get grosser, more shocking, than Woom?
That's where the idea for Gross Out came from. Woom was a story about two people telling stories. I decided Gross Out would be that times ten. It's all about stories. The people who tell them, the ins and outs of them, the stories themselves and how they affect us.favorites26 s Claudia 216 9

Although this isn't supposed to be a direct sequel to Woom, it is set in the same universe (Woomiverse).

I have to admit that I read this solely to see what happened to the characters from Woom. I came for Woom updates and stayed for the wild ride.

This wasn't as screwed up as Woom. The tone was more "lighthearted". A lot of the stories came off as silly instead of disturbing. If you your horror extreme, disgusting, and mixed with humor then this one's for you.19 s MadameD503 14

Story 5/5
Narration 5/5

Gross Out by Duncan Ralston is a fun read.
What could go wrong at a Splatterpunk convention? Everything, even things you won’t imagine.
Read Gross Out and you’ll found out.
19 s Stacy (Gotham City Librarian)390 67

This book really made me want a Mr. Pibb. I think I d “Woom” more, both for atmosphere and shock value. This one had so many characters that I struggled a bit to keep track of everyone, and while there were definitely a couple of disgusting moments, the overall impact wasn’t as effective for me. Plus, there was so much buildup to the end that it didn’t wind up being as crazy as I was expecting. However, Ralston is a good writer and it’s clear that he puts thought into his books; he’s not just writing this stuff to raise eyebrows. And both novels were a good sticky junk food that I couldn’t stop eating even though I knew it was bad for me.14 s Renée223 3

Fun and entertaining. I especially enjoyed revisiting Woomiverse with Shyla and Angel at The Lonely Motel. 11 s Jonathon Von441 67

More of a workplace comedy about people who think up gross stuff for a living than a horror novel. Which is not to say it’s unenjoyable, there are some funny lines and the characters are well-realized, but I didn’t find it all that gross. This is a soft sequel to Woom, an unexpected hit for Ralston, and we briefly meet the prostitute from the first book who describes the ending the first book and it’s aftermath. But we never really get anything as shocking as even the first tale in the previous book. There are a couple that almost got me, the one about the bathroom drain was good, and the period one works well enough. But the only thing that really bothered me was the bullying way Moira initially treats Clay, her friend and potential romantic partner. The book does a good job of portraying writers trying to make a living, discussing ethical boundaries and the potential for backlash in an increasingly sensitive society. So while it doesn’t reach the shocking heights of the previous book, it makes for a decent horror comedy.10 s Steve StredAuthor 80 books612

Duncan Ralston.

I’ll say upfront, that Duncan and myself are friends. I’m a huge fan of his writing and he’s been a big supporter of a lot of authors (myself included).

BUT. (And this is a big but (You’re all welcome for that joke by the way!)). BUT – Duncan can sometimes be, let’s say… controversial. Maybe – maybe sometimes he posts or tweets something and it can make a large section of the online community a bit upset. Maybe, sometimes, he’ll post something and have a blog post written about him and then be blocked.

Whether you love the guy or not, one thing can’t be denied – he has a solid, feverish fan base, and recently his novel ‘Woom’ has exploded in popularity. I for one have absolutely loved seeing it. ‘Woom’ is an extreme-horror story, but one that explores a deeply broken character and the great lengths he goes to try and connect with someone, to find what has been missing his entire life.

When Ralston mentioned that ‘Gross Out’ would continue some of ‘Woom’s’ storyline, I was a bit worried. I didn’t want him to sully those characters (and I’ll discuss that a bit later), but he assured me it would work and people would be happy.

I have to say – having now read ‘Gross Out,’ Duncan has done something that not only is incredibly topical, but I think will grow to become a timeless piece of ‘Horror Community’ fiction. Not only is this story completely Meta, the reality will be that as you read this you’ll be wondering which character is based off of which real life author/reviewer, but also one that showcases the ebbs and flows that occur almost monthly within the dark fiction community.

The irony wasn’t lost on me that I read this story while both Scares That Cares AuthorCon was happening AND the Silver Shamrock Publishing implosion occurred (both on the same weekend).

What I d: Now, ‘Gross Out’ is based around the idea of the Gross Out Contests that will happen at many conventions. In the past these have usually caused some mild ‘fallout’ where somebody goes too far or insults somebody to a level that they can’t laugh it off. As well, there’s been a few instances where somebody has had a routine SOOOOOO over the top that formal apologies are made and some publishers cease working with that individual.

That is the schtick or the reason that this book exists. It is the annual convention and a large group of authors are attending, for panel readings, book signings, marketing and at the very end – the Gross Out Contest.

There are essentially two main plot points within ‘Gross Out’ but numerous side characters. The first main plot follows Clay, disgraced author whose previous Gross Out Contest entry went sideways and had him banned, unpublished and losing friends left and right. One person who stays by him is Moira, a British author and over the last few years, they’ve made an emotional connection.

The second main plot point is several people (Clay included) who want to get revenge on best-seller David Ennis.

Within these two plots we get a lot of side angles and storylines, but fear not, Duncan handles each and within them we get a beginning, middle and ending. We get to see how each “side quest” plays out over the course of the three day weekend and for that, Ralston shows his ability in crafting both believable characters but also incredibly engaging storylines. It’s funny, as when each chapter switches to different characters you’ll be annoyed that we’re now following somebody else, but also excited to dive back into what is now happening with that character.

The ending is horrific, kind of expected based on the lead up, but also incredibly entertaining. The final event, the Gross Out Contest, finishes everything off and we get to see how all of the other plot lines get wrapped up and even gives us a bit of an allusion to what the fall out will be. Seeing Clay and Moira’s weekend come full circle was really great and those two were easily my favorite characters.

Lastly – I’ll just touch on the ‘Woom’ continuation. Those who can’t afford the hotel at the convention itself, all stay in the hotel featured in ‘Woom,’ which was a nice touch. Secondly, Clay has an encounter with the two main characters from ‘Woom’ (I want to keep this spoiler free) and learns about how they connected and what came next. It is really well done and Ralston handles it with the delicacy it deserves and I was hoping for.

What I didn’t : As I said in the intro to this review, you either enjoy Ralston or don’t. If you’re a person who doesn’t, I think you’d still enjoy this book, love the commentary on the horror community in general and have a fun convention based story.

BUT (hey, another big but!) I can see this getting some people in a tizzy and offended, especially if they see themselves in any of these characters. While reading this, I actually messaged Duncan to ask if I was a particular Canadian author, and he assured me that I was not and that all of the characters are based on aspects of himself. Believe it if you will. Or not!

Why you should buy this: First – you don’t have to have read ‘Woom’ to read this. That book is summed up nicely within that part, so don’t let that deter you. Secondly, as I mentioned, Duncan has really crafted a well constructed book, one that feels both a documentary but also a really well done satirical piece. For fans of his books, you’ll really love this one and for those who’ve not read him before, I think this is a really great spot to dive in. It shows how great of a writer Duncan is while also showcasing his humor and love of grossing people out.

Really, really great job.10 s David SodergrenAuthor 13 books1,210

A character in this book has a pug, so instant five stars obviously.

Ralston deftly weaves multiple threads of characters and storylines, finally bringing them all together for the outrageous climax, and proves himself one of the finest horror authors writing today. 10 s Danika6 3

a love letter written with a poison pen to the horror community Gross Out takes it's readers inside a splatterfest convention and explores what happens when revenge, power dynamics, cancel culture, sex, drugs and slobbypoopoo all mix together for a 3 day event.

I had a blast reading this book and once again Duncan weaves the lives of numerous characters keeping you guessing as to how and if they are connected.

Underneath the violence, the sex, and the vomit inducing gross outs is a well crafted story about social media stealing our ability to see each other's humanity, the dangers of cancel culture, and the hypocrisy that surrounds the communities we love #hashtagking

But don't worry, for those of you who are looking for a disgusting, bloody, stomach churning time Gross Out has it in spades!!

#thanksgivingspecial

Woomies (fans of Woom) will be pleasantly surprised to return to the lonely motel and revisit some old friends, the light is on in room 6 come up and stay awhile.

#motherknowsbest

Gross Out delivers on its promise to churn out gag reflex inducing paragraphs #scenesyoucsansmell and also turns out to be one hell of a story!9 s Jason NickeyAuthor 45 books114

What an absolute blast. I really enjoyed this one. Very cool story with some Easter eggs connecting it to Woom.20228 s Jerri739 22

One of my favorite things about Ralston is his ability to write in different styles. I haven't loved all the books I have read but I have loved most of them and respected those I didn't love. Woom was one of my favorites. (Thank you for the author's note that lead me to Woomies.) I listened to Woom at work and had to stop and finish at home. There are visuals that I will never be able to forget. Gross Out also has created visuals that I'll remember for quite some time. I also enjoyed seeing Shyla and Angel again. There were a lot of fun characters. Misti with an I and Aimee with Two Es made me laugh. I loved Jackson Rawlins too. Those characters were created with such clarity that they made me laugh constantly.

I love short stories but I didn't really all the little stories in Gross Out. I do understand that in the context of the book, they did make sense. Overall, I found the book to be fun and disgusting. Some days you just need a bit of slobby poo poo in your life.e-books-kindle8 s Sea CaummisarAuthor 69 books756

This book is a Barrell of fun. Not only do we get introduced to a (fictional) horror community of writers, we get brief reads of their fiction stories. Its tales inside of a book. If that makes sense. Pretty cool if you ask me
.
The writers in this story are mostly dysfunctional. Which makes for good entertainment. Especially in today's world where anything and everything can get you cancelled, the writers in this story are having to come to terms with who they really are. Some are evil. Some are gross. Others are out of touch with reality. A good read 7 s Mark TulliusAuthor 58 books1,213

This is a brilliant piece of writing that would have been enjoyable even if it weren't filled with the most disgusting and brutal things you can think of. I flew through this book, flinching and grimacing and loving every minute of it. Very unsettling and probably not a good fit for most, but if you're a fan of extreme horror, you're going to love this book.7 s Lee RichmondAuthor 11 books35

Another awesome read from Canada's finest, Justin Bieber.., I mean Duncan Ralston. Gross Out is a follow up to Woom, kinda. Woom was a smaller, more confined story centered around two people telling tales to each other. Gross Out goes for grander and features a convention hall full of people telling messed up, vomit inducing tales to one another. So, technically it's what Aliens was to Alien. It's Aliens but with poop. If you're a fan of Ralston's work then check this out. If you've never heard of him before then ignore this book and go check mine out instead. No, seriously, grab a copy of Gross Out. It's icky, sticky and, as I said before, awesome.6 s Kayla KrantzAuthor 44 books740

For an extreme horror book, this story was a lot of fun. In a way, it felt catching up with old friends, and it sort of was when taken into the account that some of Ralston’s characters from another book, Woom, had a role in this story.

I loved the shenanigans that each character got themselves into. This book was almost listening to someone’s real convention experience. Loved every minute, especially the gross out shorts sprinkled throughout. They were creative and cringy and the perfect amount of gross.

Outstanding!
audiobook boh extreme ...more6 s Jen19 32

What a follow up. Wasn't sure how 'Woom' would work its way in. Great read (not for the timid).6 s Audrey48

Not as disturbing as Woom but still entertaining!6 s Paige142 1 follower

Loved it! The perfect second book into the 'woomiverse'. I was sufficiently icked in parts and loved all the stories embedded in stories. Keep doing your thing Duncan!!!6 s Veronica Jackson221 4

Hashtag yikes.

I was not a fan of this book at all. There were way too many things going on at once, the characters were too hard to follow and honestly, there just wasn’t enough “gross out” stuff happening. The things in the book were gross, sure, but from the cover of this book, I expected so much more.

However, I do appreciate the authors note at the end. This book definitely isn’t for everyone and he mentions that he wrote this book for himself.5 s Horror Bookworm Reviews455 153

Horror Bookworm Reviews
Gross Out by Duncan Ralston
https://horrorbookworm.com/

Horror writers, critics, fans and gore hounds gather for a three-day annual horror convention called Splatterfest. The celebration gets underway as the attendees begin their participation inside convention halls, conference rooms and vendor tables. As the heavily anticipated “Gross Out” contest nears, not only do the contestants prepare their controversial exploits of fictional gorific fun…kidnapping, torture and evil schemes of revenge also exist within this horror community.

Duncan Ralston’s Gross Out is to Horror Cons as Spinal Tap is to Heavy Metal. Hateful , sexual harassment, cyber bullying and of course dick pics. Ralston leaves no exploitive stone unturned. His approach to these violations of sensitivity are dealt with extreme wit and clever tropes of the genre. But wait! There’s more! In addition readers will receive disgusting author readings of bathroom drain blockage, a one of a kind form of masturbation and a disgusting story of tampon tragedy.

Duncan utilizes his creative juices with a culmination of bizarre acts of cruelty. Fiction often bleeds into reality as sinister storylines flow throughout each and every chapter with a heavy dose of sick sadism. These constant underlying visions of repulsive gore are very similar to an STD, once acquired its very hard to get rid of them. (So I’ve been told.)

Organize your dick pics, identify your adult content by using #hedgehogging and be sure to thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for the journey you are about to undertake. Duncan Ralston is indeed one of a kind. If you haven’t visited his warped little corner of the world, now is the time. A solid Horror Bookworm Recommendation, especially to those who refuse triggers with their warnings.5 s Shaun Filion183 5

Knowing this book was written by Duncan Ralston, I figured I would enjoy it. As I have all of his work that I have read. I just didn't know how much I would enjoy it! It took me a minute to really get a grasp on all the different characters he introduced. ( There were quite a few of them.) But when I did, I absolutely loved the way that it just had a nice flow between each of their stories. Woom was the 1st book of his that I had read, And I have to say that Gross out, ( Which touches on several things that happen in woom) really helped to add to the legacy of that book. I can't wait to read future novels that intertwine with these 2.5 s Dawn SheaAuthor 8 books44

I finished Gross Out by Duncan Ralston, at midnight last night. Must be some kind of omen
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