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FantasticLand

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FantasticLand is a chilling tale set in an amusement park in Florida, where a group of young staff members find themselves stranded and isolated after a hurricane. The story unfolds through a series of interviews, providing insights into the descent of the employees into violence and chaos, reminiscent of Lord of the Flies. The format of interviews allows for multiple perspectives to be explored, creating a suspenseful and creepy atmosphere as the characters navigate through survival and tribal dynamics within the park.

The writing style of FantasticLand is described as engaging and unique, with the use of interviews to reveal the events in the theme park adding depth and intrigue to the narrative. The book delves into themes of social media, societal reactions in crisis situations, and the psychological effects on young adults, creating a compelling and immersive reading experience through its campy yet captivating setting.

Characters:

Characters are young adults who evolve into tribes, showcasing varied responses to extreme stress and survival.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is presented through interviews, capturing various viewpoints and creating a sense of immersion.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around the survival of amusement park employees who, isolated due to a hurricane, descend into violence and chaos.

Setting:

Set in a dilapidated amusement park, the setting emphasizes the contrast between innocence and the brutal reality of survival.

Pacing:

Pacing is generally fast and engaging, allowing for smooth transitions between various character viewpoints.
By now the details of what happened in FantasticLand during the thirty-five days dubbed “The Battle of the Tribes” have been dissected, obsessed over, and satirized so thoroughly by the public and the...

Notes:

FantasticLand is set in a Florida theme park during a hurricane.
Hundreds of employees, mostly teenagers, are trapped and cut off from the outside world.
The story unfolds through a series of interviews with survivors.
The book explores how social dynamics change in crisis situations.
Characters quickly form tribes leading to chaos and violence.
It's often compared to Lord of the Flies and Battle Royale.
The writing style is similar to World War Z, focusing on multiple perspectives.
The audiobook features different voice actors for each character, enhancing the storytelling experience.
The aftermath reveals a horrific scene with brutal violence and survival instincts.
Despite its serious themes, some readers find the premise hard to believe.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers include graphic violence, themes of survival cannibalism, and psychological trauma.

From The Publisher:

A modern take on Lord of the Flies meets Battle Royale that probes the consequences of a social civilization built online.

Since the 1970s, FantasticLand has been the theme park where "Fun is Guaranteed!" But when a hurricane ravages the Florida coast and isolates the park, the employees find it 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, breaking records for hits, views, likes, clicks, and shares. How could a group of survivors, mostly teenagers, commit such terrible acts?

Presented as a fact-finding investigation and a series of first-person interviews, FantasticLand pieces together the grisly series of events. Park policy was that the mostly college-aged employees surrender their electronic devices to preserve the authenticity of the FantasticLand experience. Cut off from the world and left on their own, the teenagers soon form rival tribes who viciously compete for food, medicine, social dominance, and even human flesh. This new social network divides the ravaged dreamland into territories ruled by the Pirates, the ShopGirls, the Freaks, and the Mole People. If meticulously curated online personas can replace private identities, what takes over when those constructs are lost?

Ratings (33)

Incredible (12)
Loved It (11)
Liked It (6)
It Was OK (4)

Reader Stats (72):

Read It (33)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (34)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (3)

1 comment(s)

Loved It
6 months

Basically the B movie version of Lord of the Flies, It was a fantastic read

 

About the Author:

Mike Bockoven writes thriller/horror novels while his kids are in gymnastics class or at piano lessons. He lives with his wife, Sarah, two daughters, Emaline and Tessa and an exceptionally dumb wiener dog named Sherlock. You can find him at his website, mikebockoven.com, on Facebook (facebook.com/Bockovenbooks), and on Twitter @mikebockoven. He lives in Grand Island, Nebraska.

 
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