Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven

Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven

Published by Skyhorse

Published on November 20th 2018 (October 11th 2016)

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Thriller

Page Count: 304

Source: Purchased

Format: Paperback

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Description: 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?

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

Hello Readers.

I encountered this book in an online book group chat. A member wanted to read it and I was intrigued so we did a buddy read. With my love of both Lord of the Flies and Battle Royale, the premise interested me. I had to see the author's approach on such a macabre concept. 

Wow. Yes, you read that right. My response to this story is "Wow." I could not stop reading this book once I started it. It pulled me in and refused to let me go. It haunted my thoughts when I wasn't reading it. There were moments that I am not sure I will ever forget. 

The author's mastery of the story is impressive. The format might throw some people but the flow of the story is so captivating that I completely forgot about it. Rich, complex characters. Perfect examples of mob mentality and overall herd logic. This is a powerful book. 

I am rating this book Five Blue Books because I read it months ago and it has stayed with me. I purchased the other book by this author and hope to read it in the nexrt month or so because I have to know if it is even half the book that Fantasticland is. A reread may also be in order soon. Highly recommend.

InkedBookDragon

Currently reading: Pines by Blake Crouch, She Died Famous by Kyle Rutkin, and Lucky Caller by Emma Mills