Karl Vadaszffy

Full of Sin

Born a mistake, Sean is taken from his drug-addicted prostitute mother at the tender age of eight, but after years of neglect and abuse all the tenderness has long been beaten out of him, leaving behind only a deformed soul. Foster families can’t handle him, but he meets his match when he is taken in by the Andersons. Life seems normal, but when a passionate tryst with his foster sister ends in violence the comfortable life Sean has come to see as his own is over and he must learn to fend for himself.

Alone, desperate and fighting for survival, Sean’s darkest urges become uncontrollable and his sins go too far. A broken individual, haunted by the darkest of dreams, he finds solace in the drug world. But it is in the arms of love that Sean unexpectedly starts to feel human, all the time unaware that his past is preparing to make a surprise reappearance.

PRAISE FOR FULL OF SIN

Sophie Hannah, bestselling author of Little Face and The Other Half Lives, says of Full of Sin: "It's a great study in warped psychology and its roots, and the writing is excellent throughout."

Matt Hilton, author of Dead Men's Dust and Judgement and Wrath (Joe Hunter thrillers), says: "Sometimes pitch-black, occasionally gut-wrenching, but always exquisitely written, Full of Sin is a whirlwind of emotion, violence and pain - underlaid with a hope for redemption and a cry for forgiveness. Karl Vadaszffy has delivered a book with a denouement that comes at you like a sucker-punch to the solar-plexus."

Karen Campbell, author of The Twilight Time and After the Fire, says: "Accomplished, challenging writing, which is visceral, dark and raw."

James Becker, author of The First Apostle and The Moses Stone, says: "A darkly disturbing tale. Karl Vadaszffy paints a compelling picture of violence, betrayal and perhaps ultimate redemption in a world where twisted minds collide. A thought-provoking and unsettlingly good first novel."

Patrick Lennon, author of Corn Dolls and Steel Witches, says: "A darkly exhilarating book which takes the reader on a switchback of violence and compassion, by a writer who knows how to touch some very raw nerves."

Cathy Kelly, author of Lessons in Heartbreak and Once in a Lifetime, says: "An encouraging debut - Karl Vadaszffy has a strong, passionate voice as a writer."

Thomas Perry, author of Fidelity and Strip, says: "Full of Sin is the narrative of the later life of an abused and neglected child. It is original and perceptive, and while the story is tragic, it illustrates that human resilience can bring about the possibility of redemption."

Michael Dobbs, bestselling author of House of Cards and First Lady, gives praise: "Karl Vadaszffy is just the sort of young writer we should encourage - young, ambitious and creative."

Waterstone's Uxbridge: "Full of Sin is a worrying look at a way of life that can be seen in every dark corner of every city in the UK. Putting the soul on the page, describing in vivid and beautifully realised detail the pain behind every thought and act of our flawed hero, Karl Vadaszffy has created something beautiful, disturbing and genuinely thought-provoking. It's a bold novel and takes a bold reader to cling on until the end... but that reader will be rewarded with one of the most heartbreakingly honest books of the last ten years."

Reader Comments

"In an age where sin is all too revealed and merchandised, there is one book which to me stood out beyond most. It is beautifully written yet sometimes I found myself close to tears, close to being ill, but above all I felt compassion for such a sick yet unbelievably human person. It is written in such a way which will shock you as a reader, but as you go on you realise that it is real. This is what happens everywhere. All the time. You realise that being human is to be full of sin. It is wondeful and I found that I just couldn't put the book down."  Amazon.co.uk, reader review.

"Beautifully written, this debut novel is extremely dark and disturbing. The book's central character is deeply flawed in a way that makes the story very realistic. The violence and agony throughout are contrasted against a plea for redemption and hope. The social issues highlighted are all too relevant and all the more disturbing for it. It is at times difficult to read (because of the themes, not the writing), but impossible to put down. Highly recommended.  Amazon.co.uk, 5* reader review.

"Full of Sin is the bold, hard-hitting, but heart-felt debut novel by one of the country's best new authors, Karl Vadaszffy. Conceived through prostitution, sexually abused by his biological 'father', Sean's start to life is as bad as bad can be. Sean is a very angry young man. He lashes out at everything and everyone, but most notably at women, in whom he sees his street-walker mother perpetually reflected. He even lashes out with potentially fatal consequences at Jodie, the daughter of his foster parents, the Andersons, the young woman he naively believes has genuine feelings for him.  But Sean's real problem is that he has never known love in any form, and when he eventually finds it with Sarah, the sister of his benefactor and criminal boss, Jimmy, the other side of Sean is revealed, the altruistic side that hasn't been given the chance to flourish before.  Although profoundly disturbing at times, Full of Sin leaves the reader with a surprisingly good taste in the mouth as it becomes evident Sean may ultimately be afforded a measure of redemption for his misdemeanours.  Amazon.co.uk, 5* reader review.

"Karl Vadaszffy's first novel, Full of Sin, is a disturbing look into the psyche of an abused man who lusts for pain and pleasure in the women he sees. Vadaszffy sucks us into this dark world of abuse and pain with vivid, sharp prose and heart-wrenching scenes that at once make us sick to our stomachs, and yet at the same time, sad for those who have lost their souls in a meaningless life of sex, drugs, and violence. Despite its dark content, the novel has a redemptive quality as well. A very good read." Amazom.com, 5* reader review.

More Reader Comments

"A gripping psychology study... despite who Sean is at the beginning of the novel, we want to read more. Excellent writing. A wonderful book." Sheryl.

"Hard, cruel and unrelentingly dark, this is a savage piece of writing. Solid descriptions, characters who are captivating and developed, and a story that draws you in the more it is exposed.” Gi.

"It is heady, gripping stuff. The sense of danger and the forbidden, and the idea of awakening something unpleasant that can't be controlled, stuck out for me. It's unpleasant but compelling, touching a lot of raw nerves in every human. Excellent writing and a nasty conclusion." Pat

"This is truly the dark side of humanity. However I think that all of us would be very afraid if we knew just how many thoughts we have every day that are pure evil. Most just don't act on them. This makes you see all the ugliness that lurkes in the human mind. Chilling and well put together." Kennesaw.

"This is dark, powerful stuff. I think I'll have to go and read some Harry Potter to cheer myself up now… so frighteningly real." Berni.

"Powerfully uncompromising, real, and well written." Stef.

"Powerfully written and vividly described. You certainly know how to write." Michael.

"You've managed to portray the evil of the character very well, really getting inside his mind. It is an unsettling read." Robert.

"Bloody hell. Excellent prose." Gill.

"You have a flair for using just the right words to describe a scene." Norma.

"This is a very intense book. A POV from the dark side." Kimmy.

"Sex and violence = gripping start. But it's also well-realised, honest and gritty. I can imagine that many people, especially women, will detest the protagonist, but that's exactly why they should read on, to explore just why he is as disturbed as he is." Luke.

"This is powerful stuff. You have created a character who is both monstrous and real. The feelings he has and the way he looks at the world and other people ring so true for someone who has been this damaged. It may be uncomfortable reading for some, but this is real life." Eva.

"Whoa, this is powerful stuff. I found it difficult to read due to the subject matter, but your prose is engaging and eased me through. You're a brave man for writing about something people would rather ignore than face, so kudos for that." Paul.

"You have written a masterpiece of suspense, lust, and horrible torment of soul, all rolled together like real life happens. This is truly gripping. This is almost too real to be fiction - like you've already lived this life. I pray that that is not the case with you, but your writing has that kind of presence to it. It's as naturally told as if the boy was recounting what happened to his psychiatrist." Tyler.

"The style is elegantly faultless if a bit uncompromising - but that's a strength. You never flinch, snigger or titilate - just write with elegance and a nice turn of phrase. The occasionally clipped, almost terse tone of the narration sits just right. Beautiful writing - challenging, but beautiful. The reader could lose themselves in it." Simon.

"The writing is beautiful, the subject matter tough and uncompromising. It is powerful stuff." Mark.

"The writing is strong and gripping." Agneta.

"This is a difficult book to read and frightening to know there are people like Sean (as well as abusing parents) in this world. At one level one feels for Sean, but when he loves every moment of his sick actions you want to lock him up. Then I read about the mother’s life in chapter two and want to weep for every young girl who suffers through this kind of pain, but know it won’t end soon. The childhood chapters were the most difficult ones for me to read. After chapter eight you want to hold Sean in your arms and take away his pain. The writing is very good." Cait.

"Full of Sin is amazing, scary and yet, somewhere in there, is hope. You write really well and all kudos for tackling a very, very real subject." Elaina.

"This is a very dark and powerful book." Charlie.

"What you've written is hard, gritty real life, an extremely perceptive look at dark and lost souls and what made them that way. You pull it off very well. It's compelling, uncompromising stuff." Richard.

"Oh, yes! Violence and sex. I love the way you wrote the sex and violence!!!" Sterling.

Watch the trailer for Full of Sin here:inal and perceptive, and while the story is tragic, it illustrates that human resilience can bring about the possibility of redemption