In Snuff, Chuck Palahniuk takes on the world of porn. It’s not like this is a big departure from his previous material (see my reviews for Invisible Monsters and Haunted), so he’s right at home here. Snuff tells the story of an aging porn star who sets out to break the world gangbang record; 600 dudes in a row.

It’s typical Palahniuk, with troubled characters, gross-out moments, shocking twists, “true facts” that may or may not be true, etc. It’s a much simpler story than some of his others, feeling more like an extended, shallow short story than a complete novel, but it’s an entertaining quick read for any fans of his previous work.

Snuff also has the best collection of porn movie titles I’ve seen. World Whore Three: The Whore to End All Whores is just the beginning.

Palahniuk’s style does get a little grating after reading several of his books. Characters in his stories never really have conversations; they just talk to themselves while in close proximity. Sure, they’re all a bit fucked up, but it would be nice if, just once in a while, characters actually responded to one another like normal people.

Also: I’ll be happy if I don’t have to read the words “shared meatloaf” ever again.