Rating: 
Summary: Maybe I'm sick, but...
Review: ...what a great book! Seriously, I laughed outloud even as i reached for the old vomit bucket. This is Ed Lee at his priceless best. I guess 'Header' or 'The Pig' may be more gut-churning, but, for my money, The Bighead takes the cake for most outlandish and funny.True, if you are at all squeamish this probably isn't the book for you (maybe try Lee's City Infernal, samw great writing, less gore). This is a perfect Friday or Saturday late night book. You take it in one sitting like the best of the Fulci cannibal movies. It's gross, your stomach flops, you fall out of the chair laughing and hope no one asks exactly what it is that is so funny...
Rating:
Summary: Maybe I'm sick, but...
Review: ...what a great book! Seriously, I laughed outloud even as i reached for the old vomit bucket. This is Ed Lee at his priceless best. I guess 'Header' or 'The Pig' may be more gut-churning, but, for my money, The Bighead takes the cake for most outlandish and funny. True, if you are at all squeamish this probably isn't the book for you (maybe try Lee's City Infernal, samw great writing, less gore). This is a perfect Friday or Saturday late night book. You take it in one sitting like the best of the Fulci cannibal movies. It's gross, your stomach flops, you fall out of the chair laughing and hope no one asks exactly what it is that is so funny...
Rating: 
Summary: Save your money.
Review: As a collector of Horror and Sci-Fi fiction, I have made it a point to either own or at least read almost everything that is released, especially a book considered controversial, taboo or what have you. I read this book in a few short hours and felt I had to finish the book in order to find any redeeming quality in this highly touted author's work. Only to realize that once again, Mr. Lee does not fail to disappoint. I have no aversion to gore, visceral or otherwise, to graphic depictions of sex or violence and feel able to view this book objectively. And like so many other works by this author, the plot line is tired and weak, the "surprise" revelation at the end is mindless and not the least bit interesting. At the price of any copy of this book, including the original chap book, I can say without hesitation, save your hard earned dollars. There are so many incredible works, by a myriad of authors being released that even if this book is ever released in an affordable mass market paperback, I would continue to think this book a waste of time. If you like graphic depictions of sex and violence, or 'taboo' subject matter but better written, then do yourself justice and chose any number of works that are much better crafted. Authors like Clive Barker, Caitlin Keirnan, Karl E. Wagner, Ed Bryant, Robert Bloch, Joe Lansdale, Burroughs and to a lesser extent even Christa Faust, Richard Laymon, Lucy Taylor, Ray Garton, Brian Hodge, Ballard and many others, have a more consistent and sometimes noteworthy body of work with very strong themes. I have read numerous works be both Edward Lee and Jack Ketchum. Both of these authors until recently, have only apppeared in small print runs or limited editions and therefore come at much higher cost. By the simple fact, that I own hundreds of exclusive or small press editions by various authors and publishers that are well worth the expense, I can say with certainty that with both Lee and Ketchum, it's a gamble. Mr. Ketchum has written a few well-crafted tales notably 'Off Season' and 'Hide and Seek', but Mr. Lee has provided far fewer books that are worthy of their inflated cost. So buyer beware. These books are hyped far beyond being cutting edge, new or original and I rarely find anything in any book self-described as contoversial, never before seen, uncensored or previously unreleased etc.., as anything deeper than a simple advertising ploy.
Rating:
Summary: THIS GOT PUBLISHED
Review: First off let me say that I am a sailor in the United States Navy. When I am underway(that's out to sea for all you civilians) or have some down time in port I read like mad.I'll read anything that I find interesting or want to learn more about. So one day I came across someone's list about horror books you won't finsih because they are all scary or whatever. I am not going to give a detailed story line of this book like alot of reviewers do, I am just going to let everyone know that this book is horrible. It was not scary in the least bit and I wasn't in the least bit shocked about anything. The book is poorly written with little to no character developement or plot development. To be totally honest with everyone I did not even make it half way through this book.It was too painful.A waste of time. If you are looking for horror with a mix of sex and shock go somewhere else, just do not throw your money away on this garbage.
Rating:
Summary: Lives Up To the Tagline
Review: I don't know if this is THE grossest book I've ever read (I've read some pretty nasty ones) but it's up there in the top 5. It takes a lot to shock me and make me sick but at least every 10 pages I would say out loud "Oh MAN!". Unlike, say, American Psycho, which is also disgusting but boring, you actually care about the characters and what happens to them, especially the priest and the nympho. There is some really sick stuff in here, that makes me want to not run into either Ed Lee or John Pelam in a dark alley. But, if you can stomach it (and why would you buy it if you wanted something mild) it's a great read. There are images in the book, mainly the detailed exploits of the two hillbilly killers (who make the guys from Deliverance look like Mr. Rogers) that will stick with you for a looooooong time. I dare anyone to read it while eating and not spit out their food. Edward Lee and John Pelham are a great team, and I eagerly await their next collaboration.
Rating: 
Summary: What's the BIG deal?
Review: I enjoy horror, I like gross and I love demented. Having read reviews for this book I figured this would be a perfect read for me. Alas, I was wrong in my assumption. This story is gross at times, and does have some humorous moments, but when all is said and done you really wonder what the point was. This story centers around a small town with a legend of the "bighead" and the long lost niece that comes back to visit her aunt with one of her city friends, who happens to be a coke addict and nympho. Throw in some evil nuns, a prophane priest, two twisted punks and the devil and ya got yourself this story - in a nut shell. I couldn't help but think the two punks (balls and dicky) were pointless, as was their violence and the fact they were never caught astounds me. The story really lags throughout, lacking a certain spark I expected. The end is so ridiculous and unexplained that I felt it was just tacked on for the heck of it. I don't care if a book is gross, tacky, etc. but the story MUST be good. When the story is good, who cares what lies within. I must say - this story isn't good. I would rather read Ketchum any day!
Rating:
Summary: What's the BIG deal?
Review: I enjoy horror, I like gross and I love demented. Having read reviews for this book I figured this would be a perfect read for me. Alas, I was wrong in my assumption. This story is gross at times, and does have some humorous moments, but when all is said and done you really wonder what the point was. This story centers around a small town with a legend of the "bighead" and the long lost niece that comes back to visit her aunt with one of her city friends, who happens to be a coke addict and nympho. Throw in some evil nuns, a prophane priest, two twisted punks and the devil and ya got yourself this story - in a nut shell. I couldn't help but think the two punks (balls and dicky) were pointless, as was their violence and the fact they were never caught astounds me. The story really lags throughout, lacking a certain spark I expected. The end is so ridiculous and unexplained that I felt it was just tacked on for the heck of it. I don't care if a book is gross, tacky, etc. but the story MUST be good. When the story is good, who cares what lies within. I must say - this story isn't good. I would rather read Ketchum any day!
Rating:
Summary: A matter of "taste"
Review: I gotta believe Ed himself would like my title to this review. It's funny reading the reviews for Ed Lee books. Clearly, folks love him or hate him. It's really a matter of taste. Ed's books are hardcore horror, not suspense. Many folks are clearly disappointed because they found a horror book that did not scare them. I do not think this is the author's intention on this book (nor in many of his other books such as Succubi and novellas such has Header and The Pig). I love his books, any of 'em I can get my hands on. He is FUNNY, satirical, and all of his books make cracks at our warped society. I think his books are great "horror" in the same way "Dawn of Dead" was a great horror flick, with major gross-out comedy by George Romero. Ed Lee's books may not have the most intricate, tight, plots, but I do not think that is why he writes or why his hardcore fans read. They are different, entertaining, thoughtful and very, very tongue-in-cheek. For those of you looking for gross-out violence, hillbilly satire, sadistic sex, and gore, and some of the best dialogue you will read, then read "The Bighead." If you want serious horror that intends to frighten and build on suspense a la Stephen King, then do not read Ed Lee. That is not the genre of many, but not all, of his books. Ed: You rule.
Rating:
Summary: Not even a "fun" trashy read
Review: I simply had to write a review here of warning, since this book is not inexpensive. I wouldn't have minded spending the money if it was AT ALL worth it, but I'm sorry to say this book was simply silly and boring. I actually threw it in the trash after reading about a hundred pages of it. Basically it vascillates between three different small tales all tied together. Two "Deliverance-type" characters who make their living running moonshine and have their fun having sex and murdering, two women from the "big city" and a deformed Appalachian young man with a big penis, hence the name Bighead. I like gore. I like gross if it's well-written and intriguing. This is just plain stupid. I can't tell you how it ended, because it was just so dumb and boring that I had to throw it out. Please don't waste your money.
Rating: 
Summary: YOu mean there was stuff cut OUT of the other version?
Review: I've only read the out-of-print edition only, and I don't know if there's new/deleted material here or not in this "Author's Preferred Version". Furthermore, I don't think I WANT to know. The tagline to the other one was "The Grossest Book You'll Ever Read!" The Bighead might not be THE grossest book I've ever read (I've read some pretty nasty ones) but it's up there in the top 5. It takes a lot to shock me and make me sick but at least every 10 pages I would say out loud "Oh MAN!". Unlike, say, American Psycho, which is also disgusting but boring, you actually care about the characters in this book and what happens to them, especially the priest and the nympho. There is some really sick stuff in here, that makes me want to not run into either Ed Lee or John Pelam in a dark alley. But, if you can stomach it (and why would you buy it if you wanted something mild) it's a great read. There are images in the book, mainly the detailed exploits of the two hillbilly killers (who make the guys from Deliverance look like Mr. Rogers) that will stick with you for a looooooong time. I dare anyone to read it while eating and not spit out their food. Edward Lee and John Pelham are a great team, and I eagerly await their next collaboration...just not while I'm trying to eat...
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