Reviews

FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven

mejie_reads's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

gabgon2597's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Cannibalism, Body horror, Child death, Bullying, Gore, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Blood

temp2792's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

lost_gods937's review against another edition

1.0

This book is a real shame. A fantastic (no pun intended) premise completely ruined by Boomer Author Syndrome. Throughout the novel, characters of all ages and backgrounds refer to the employees largely as "kids," despite the fact that no one between the ages of 17-25 ever once referring to themselves this way. The constant reference to social media addiction is inane, shallow, and cheap. In a novel that could have explored the complexities of human violence and reactions to trauma, the author made the conscious choice to go with the most hackneyed and stereotypical plot device he could have chosen: young adults being separated from their phones/internet. The author's utter unfamiliarity with his chosen population for this story is also continually demonstrated by the flat characters who, by and large, are motivated by laughably empty and facile goals and ends. There is absolutely no depth or development for any character. In fact, every character is so one dimensional that they are absolutely interchangeable. It doesn't matter what their back story is, position in the park, etc. You can, without fail, interchange one character for another at any point without almost any effort.

This book is free to listen to on Audible with their new unlimited system. Unless you get it through that or through the library, or you want to listen to a vacuous attempt at horror, skip this one.

heyjamers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark fast-paced

4.5

shanwheeler1's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

cpociask's review against another edition

5.0

This did what Hide wished it could have.

Yk I can’t tell if this is actually a stellar book or if it’s just exactly my niche, but I loved every page

krtlszlv's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

mandapandaca's review

adventurous dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

amy123456789's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0