An absolute masterclass in extreme violent erotic fiction and foundational for much of contemporary horror, The Hellbound Heart, while short and very to the point, introduces stunning concepts that not even its most recent film adaptation could truly capture. The first chapter alone is enough to completely alter your brain chemistry. The prose is rather cliché and the stort does devolve into a bit of a stilted murder spree but its highs override it's weaknesses. Mostly as a reader I'm left wanting more, which is rarely a bad thing to feel.