For some reason I missed the obvious plot of this novel when I was looking for books to order. If I had really been paying attention I would have known it was not a book that I wanted to read. I can only plead that it was the wee hours of the morning and I can only blame myself. And to top it off I accidently (for the first time ever)made a mistake in ordering and wound up with TWO of this title. DAMN! I want my money back for both books!!

The start of this book was very stilted as if it was a lecture (which I guess it really was) and then a chapter or so into the plot line the story was interrupted by another lecture on the history of the characters and the movie.

By that time I knew that the fiction (I hope)story was about the supposed first snuff film ever made and I knew I wasn't going to read any farther. Really from what I did read I don't think this book is worth more than one star if that. I hated it, I guess mostly for its subject, but the first 4 chapters never did seem real to me, as much as I read anyway and I am going to throw away $20.00 plus dollars (for two copies, damn it! of the book)when I toss these books in the trash.

After reading the rave reviews on the blog, I was intrigued. Although I promised my husband I would finish my third book, I had to take the time out to read Crimson Orgy. Oh my gosh! It is a great horror story and I couldn't put it down. Don't start it until you have the time to finish it, because it will grab you and won't let go. My congratulations to Austin Williams on a unique book and a great read.

with all these stunningn reviews I was waiting for a really good read..other than good writing I found this story to be a complete bore .Its evident the writer knows his exploitation films but it didnt make the story any better

I expected it to be great since some people said it was the best thriller of 2008.

Dubbed as a thriller, and quite often described as a horror novel, Crimson Orgy follows the filming of a fictional exploitation film of the same name during the 1960s. The intro to the book sets the story up as potentially true (although we know it's a work of fiction), explaining that the final print never saw the light of day, and it only really exists in the black market of cinema - due to the fact that it is actually the first snuff film ever created.

With Crimson Orgy, Williams brings an interesting premise, but unfortunately a boring execution. The novel follows the creation of Crimson Orgy as it is filmed in a middle-of-nowhere coastal town in Florida, including the obligatory hurricane ravaging the set which are so convenient for the region. For a thriller, and especially for a horror novel, nothing much really happens for the entire book, other than a build of suspense as you, the reader, wait for something to happen. With the promise of murder as early as the book's preface, the reader is definitely on the edge of their seat, waiting for the murder to happen. After much teasing, however, it becomes obvious that no such event is likely to happen anytime soon - and I was left longing for the book to finally end.

The areas in which Williams does excel in Crimson Orgy are character development and understanding of the subject matter. Each of the characters is extraordinarily believable, lending the book to read well as a (fake) documentary. The inclusion of references to other films of the era, as well as the transition of exploitation cinema from "nature" films to gore, also enforces the story's credibility.

Still, in the end, Crimson Orgy failed to engage me. Perhaps this was due to incorrect expectations from the novel, but it certainly did not include horror, and it very rarely thrilled me. Williams has knowledge in the area, and knows how to write credible characters, but he ultimately fails in making the reader give a damn.

Addendum: The Kindle version of this book seems to have quite a few layout issues. Nothing that makes it unreadable, but there are some noticeable problems.