Knuckle Supper by Drew Stepek; Alphar Publishing; 2010; 342 pgs; $30.95 US

Drew Stepek’s Knuckle Supper is aptly named because reading it is like getting a hard, sharp punch to mouth. Damn.

In the world of the novel, vampires, who are addicted to heroin, are drug lords inLos Angeles. Actually, a better way to put it is the other way around: they are drug addicts who are also vampires – drugs seem to be more important than blood and more of a driving force. Either way, that is a great setting, right there, isn’t it? The story involves a drug leader (and vampire, don’t forget) who decides, against available better judgment, to protect a preteen prostitute. With the on-going thievery and violent atrocity of daily life in place, the elements of the book crystalize: sex (meaning, in this case, sexual brutality and exploitation), crime, violence (savagery in every imaginable form), and a generally unending riff on viciousness and evil.

So, if you are not a scumbag yourself, why would you want to read this book? For one thing, there is a deeper thread here. Through the explicit and recalcitrant recitations of all manner of debauchery, the message that comes through to me is that this is a bad scene. In other words, the book doesn’t promote these activities. Rather, it displays them so you can read how bad things can be. More importantly, the writing style of Stepek is bright and fast and, yes, addictive. The interactions of the characters do not always bristle with carnival exaggeration. Often, there are soft moments of reflection and even tenderness. The novel is harsh, but I don’t find in prurient.

I am glad I read this book. It is absolutely X-rated – no children allowed. If you are looking for adult horror that is all the way over the top,Knuckle Supper will fill you up.

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Aug 31, 2011

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