Book Review: FantasticLand

FANTASTICLAND | Mike Bockoven
10.11.2016 | Skyhorse
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Since the 1970s, FantasticLand has been the theme park where “Fun is Guaranteed!”. When hurricane Sadie ravages the Florida coast, it leaves the park isolated and filled with employees who find their situation anything but fun. Five weeks later, the authorities who rescue the survivors encounter a scene of horror. Photos soon emerge online of heads on spikes outside of rides and viscera and human bones littering the gift shops. How could a group of survivors, mostly teenagers, commit such terrible acts?

FANTASTICLAND is written in a series of first-person interviews that piece together the horrific events that unfolded during the five weeks employees were left stranded without access to their electronic devices, which had been confiscated at the start of their shift. Bockoven does a great job of piecing together the puzzle of events from start to finish for those trapped within the amusement park. There are interviews with the various leaders of the territories that were formed within the park, as well as viewpoints from management. I loved each of the different interviews and unique aspects they brought to the story. 

There are some absolutely wild and horrific things that happen within this book, so it’s certainly a reader beware type of read. 

🎧: I originally started this book reading the physical copy, but when my audiobook at the time ended I decided to switch over to audio for FANTASTICLAND. There are two narrators that truly bring the story to life. They made each interviewee feel incredibly real and added a new element to the story that I wouldn’t have gotten from the physical copy.

This book is available to buy from: Amazon | Book Depository

Disclosure: What Jess Reads is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way influences my opinion of the above book.