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Dark World: Into the Shadows with the Lead Investigator of the Ghost Adventures Crew
It's easy to say ghosts exist or don't exist. Anyone can do that. Trying to figure out the why or what is a different story. Paranormal investigator Zak Bagans, host of the popular Travel Channel series Ghost Adventures, pulls from his years of experience with paranormal activities and unexplained phenomena to provide an evenhanded look at a divisive subject. In Dark World, regardless of whether you believe in the afterlife or not, Zak does his best to find and share answers to the phenomena that people encounter. He wants you to experience a haunting through his eyes: to feel what it's like to be scared, freaked out, pushed, cold, sluggish, whispered-at and touched by an ethereal being or attacked by a demonic spirit. But beyond simply experiencing these events, Zak is looking for the reasons behind them, searching for answers to the unanswered questions. Addressing all the major issues and theories of the field in an impartial way, Dark World is a must read for paranormal enthusiasts, those who don't believe and anyone who's ever wondered about things that go bump in the night.
About the authors:
Zak Bagans never believed in ghosts until he came face to face with one during a terrifying incident in a Michigan apartment. Not the passive type, Zak set out to learn more about the paranormal. In 2004 he produced an award-winning documentary film that changed his life and the lives of many others when he captured one of the most shocking pieces of paranormal evidence ever. Now the host of two top-rated paranormal television shows, Bagans has conducted hundreds of investigations into the unknown, becoming intimately familiar with the places ordinary people will not go.
Kelly Crigger is not a paranormal investigator, but has been intrigued by the paranormal for many years and has conducted several investigations alongside Zak. He is the author of three books, including Title Shot, and over two hundred internet and print articles. Crigger retired from the US Army in 2011 after 24 years in uniform.
About the authors:
Zak Bagans never believed in ghosts until he came face to face with one during a terrifying incident in a Michigan apartment. Not the passive type, Zak set out to learn more about the paranormal. In 2004 he produced an award-winning documentary film that changed his life and the lives of many others when he captured one of the most shocking pieces of paranormal evidence ever. Now the host of two top-rated paranormal television shows, Bagans has conducted hundreds of investigations into the unknown, becoming intimately familiar with the places ordinary people will not go.
Kelly Crigger is not a paranormal investigator, but has been intrigued by the paranormal for many years and has conducted several investigations alongside Zak. He is the author of three books, including Title Shot, and over two hundred internet and print articles. Crigger retired from the US Army in 2011 after 24 years in uniform.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 10, 2011
340 people are currently reading
2620 people want to read
About the author
Zak Bagans
4 books444 followersZachary Alexander Bagans is the lead investigator and co-founder of the "Ghost Adventures Crew", one of the largest worldwide networks of professional paranormal investigators and is known as the host and lead investigator for The Travel Channel's "Ghost Adventures".
His passion for investigating the paranormal resulted from an encounter with the spirit of a suicidal woman in his apartment building in Trenton, MI, in 2002.
Bagans is also a New York Times bestselling author, has his own clothing brand “Reaper” and has been in two music collaborations. He was also the Executive Producer of the feature film, "Sympathy Said the Shark". He currently lives in Las Vegas, NV.
His passion for investigating the paranormal resulted from an encounter with the spirit of a suicidal woman in his apartment building in Trenton, MI, in 2002.
Bagans is also a New York Times bestselling author, has his own clothing brand “Reaper” and has been in two music collaborations. He was also the Executive Producer of the feature film, "Sympathy Said the Shark". He currently lives in Las Vegas, NV.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
October 20, 2011
Zak ( @Zak_Bagans ) knows what he's talking about, even if he comes off as a bit of a dork on screen sometimes. He knows a lot about the paranormal and has some really great ideas that, I think, should happen. This books makes me appreciate Zak for what he does in order to educate people. Really well done book. Loved every part of it!
May 7, 2012
The book is very basic for anyone who's interested in anything paranormal. If you've watched a couple of episodes of any paranormal tv, then you realize that Bagans gives a very watered down pseudo-philisophical attempt to explain his experiences. I bought the book hoping for some of his experiences, or even a behind the scenes look at the wildly popular "Ghost Adventures Show." What I got was a meandering mismash of hinted at experiences, and half formed thoughts on random paranormal subjects.
Zak is a likeable person, and his charisma is much of what pulls you through in the book. He gives an occasional gem of an anecdote, but will often cut it off before giving any context. He also writes very much as he speaks, so you'll get flatulence jokes and patronizing questions.
If you like the show, you'll like the book. Don't read it looking for anything in-depth.
Zak is a likeable person, and his charisma is much of what pulls you through in the book. He gives an occasional gem of an anecdote, but will often cut it off before giving any context. He also writes very much as he speaks, so you'll get flatulence jokes and patronizing questions.
If you like the show, you'll like the book. Don't read it looking for anything in-depth.
June 26, 2012
If you are a fan of Ghost Adventures and Zak Bagans, this is almost a must read. I like the show (totally entertaining) and Zak is a....character....so I kinda had to read the book. Looking back...This is not a very well written book, and if you're already familiar with the paranormal and its related theories, it's not very informative either. What it is though, is an interesting look into a man that verges on being a narcissist and egomaniac...and you know what...I love Zak Bagans for that! The book was kind of like a train wreck that I couldn't tear myself away from. Final thought... Buy it used, read it, and enjoy the wreck.
January 1, 2012
My hopes for this book were pretty low to begin with - Bagans comes across as annoyingly frat-boyish on his show, and I was hoping that maybe in his writing he would come across less so. No. This book is really just a rehash of events that happened on his TV show, but without any additional info or storytelling. Little tidbits about his life off the show are tantalising but once again little on detail. I'm not expecting him to recount his whole personal journal, but a little personal info and personality would go a long way.
Not that it factored into my review at all, but Kindle readers may find the book badly formattted. For me at least the 'text boxes' throughout the book repeated the first third of them and cut off the end. Don't know what went wrong there but I reported it to Amazon.
Not that it factored into my review at all, but Kindle readers may find the book badly formattted. For me at least the 'text boxes' throughout the book repeated the first third of them and cut off the end. Don't know what went wrong there but I reported it to Amazon.
November 1, 2018
4.5 stars
February 9, 2012
I'm a big fan of the Travel Channel show "Ghost Adventures", so when a friend told me Zak Bagans had a book, I immediately checked it out.
What I love about this is that we are able to see more about Zak than what we see on Ghost Adventures. He can come across as a little bizarre, so reading this was a great peek into his mind.
My thoughts on the paranormal are pretty much midline; I believe in spirits, but I don't necessarily think the things that haunt buildings are benign. I view a lot of Ghost Adventures as pure entertainment, but many things on the show have stopped to make me think. It was really neat being able to read more about specific experiences.
Zak is also a bit of a nerd. He also seems very down to earth and genuine. I'm not sure I believe a lot of the stuff that he does, but it's obvious that HE believes it, which is important. I appreciated the part of the book where he discusses how being a believer in the paranormal affects a person's view of religion. Very well spoken and true.
Perhaps most fun was near the end, where we got some tidbits from my favorite recurring guests on Ghost Adventures, Mark & Debbie Constantino. There were some blurbs from other GA regulars, but the names escape me at the moment.
Overall, this was a very interesting, intriguing and thought provoking read. Lots of interesting things about physics and theories that I didn't expect and I gained some new knowledge by reading those passages. Zak and his co-writer do a great job of dumbing some of the technical and scientific jargon down to make it understandable and relatable to the average reader.
If you are a fan of GA, this really is a must read!
What I love about this is that we are able to see more about Zak than what we see on Ghost Adventures. He can come across as a little bizarre, so reading this was a great peek into his mind.
My thoughts on the paranormal are pretty much midline; I believe in spirits, but I don't necessarily think the things that haunt buildings are benign. I view a lot of Ghost Adventures as pure entertainment, but many things on the show have stopped to make me think. It was really neat being able to read more about specific experiences.
Zak is also a bit of a nerd. He also seems very down to earth and genuine. I'm not sure I believe a lot of the stuff that he does, but it's obvious that HE believes it, which is important. I appreciated the part of the book where he discusses how being a believer in the paranormal affects a person's view of religion. Very well spoken and true.
Perhaps most fun was near the end, where we got some tidbits from my favorite recurring guests on Ghost Adventures, Mark & Debbie Constantino. There were some blurbs from other GA regulars, but the names escape me at the moment.
Overall, this was a very interesting, intriguing and thought provoking read. Lots of interesting things about physics and theories that I didn't expect and I gained some new knowledge by reading those passages. Zak and his co-writer do a great job of dumbing some of the technical and scientific jargon down to make it understandable and relatable to the average reader.
If you are a fan of GA, this really is a must read!
November 14, 2016
I am finding Zak Bagan's paranormal experiences he has written of in this first book wildly interesting, and I can't put it down. He is as compelling as his presenting style.I find it unique and I enjoy it very much.
While filming an episode of Ghost Adventures show in Edinburgh, Zak had interviewed Kryss, a guy who looks the part of a vampire in a black duster coat, ala THE CROW, and after the filming of the interview, the guy starts to shadow Zak. He seems to show up wherever Zak is. It is later on when the GAC all go out to a club later and Kryss brings his three friends. Who of course, are creepy ass vamps just like him. It just gets too f'n creepy and Zak and Aaron beat feet. Just as they tip the f out the door and make it to the street, and there he is already, going, "Where ya going?" Zak wins the prize for Craziest Fans, EASY. Poor guy.
He relates a lot of his experiences of the paranormal while making documentaries and his show. And, on the serious side he calls for a standardization throughout the paranormal community so they can start to prove its legitimacy as a science. Basically, 'we want answers...' BTW this is my 666th rating.. ooooo... :)
While filming an episode of Ghost Adventures show in Edinburgh, Zak had interviewed Kryss, a guy who looks the part of a vampire in a black duster coat, ala THE CROW, and after the filming of the interview, the guy starts to shadow Zak. He seems to show up wherever Zak is. It is later on when the GAC all go out to a club later and Kryss brings his three friends. Who of course, are creepy ass vamps just like him. It just gets too f'n creepy and Zak and Aaron beat feet. Just as they tip the f out the door and make it to the street, and there he is already, going, "Where ya going?" Zak wins the prize for Craziest Fans, EASY. Poor guy.
He relates a lot of his experiences of the paranormal while making documentaries and his show. And, on the serious side he calls for a standardization throughout the paranormal community so they can start to prove its legitimacy as a science. Basically, 'we want answers...' BTW this is my 666th rating.. ooooo... :)
September 26, 2012
Whether you're interested in the paranormal or not...Zak tells his experiences and beliefs with genuine spirit and integrity. He's a pleasant adventurous young man with a passion for the paranormal and it shows. My only criticism I guess it that I was hoping for some new experiences...since I watch the show regularly I knew many of the events already...but overal I enjoyed his book. Nice first outing.
January 26, 2012
A few caveats about this review: 1. If you’re reading it as a non-believer in ghosts I assume one of two things, you’re curious and have an open mind or you’re here to ridicule. 2. I read this book because my brother wanted to me. He’s just gotten into ghost hunting (I’ve been involved since the mid 1980’s). I would not have read it otherwise because I’ll be honest, I’m not a fan of Mr. Bagans. I sort of think he’s a jerk and from a ghost hunting stand point, I differ vastly in approach and don’t think yelling at/ridiculing spirits is the best way to go. To his credit, Zak does discuss this in his book and why he does it.
The book is more about Zak than anything and I do feel he has a very high opinion of himself (granted I felt that way going into this but nothing in the book dissuaded me from that opinion). It’s all about how he got into ghost hunting, his approach to hunting and his experiences. A good chunk of the beginning of the book is dedicated to explaining the techniques and tools of the trade. The language is very conversational and written so pretty much anyone could follow.
It goes into depth about various types of hauntings, residual, intelligent etc and into Zak’s religious beliefs (lightly, nothing preachy) and his belief in the demonic. It certainly pulls from various sites seen on the TV show. It has tips and caveats about getting into ghost hunting and as I said above Zak does explain why he likes to yell at/humiliate some ghosts, the risks of doing that and why he spends a lot of time yelling at his companions (something I find very off putting and one of the reasons I rarely watch the show in all honesty. However, I suspect that reality TV is convinced we want to see someone acting like a dick judging by personalities we see on X-Factor and Kitchen Nightmares).
The latter parts of the book deal with scientific theory, and various of theories that could explain hauntings. I’ll give him credit for attempting to explain these theories so anyone could understand them even if I’m not entirely sure I buy into some of his conclusions and his knee jerk assumption all of science is filled with non-believers.
If you came into this hoping for a book on all his hauntings, you might be disappointed. Outside of Bob Mackay’s and a couple others, most of the investigations are given light treatment, less than a page or two. It’s more about the how to do it rather than the experiences in any depth. And again, it’s all about Zak. Even his partners aren’t given much face time. The lay out of the book is nice though I would have preferred pictures of the investigations instead of Zak trying to look bad ass in various locals. I suspect most people picking this book up are already fans of Bagans and/or Ghost Adventures. If you’re looking for a book to dip your toe into the world of ghost hunting, it’s not a bad place to start. If you’re more of an old hand at ghost hunting, you’ll probably be a little bored in many places since it’s nothing you haven’t heard a hundred times before.
The book is more about Zak than anything and I do feel he has a very high opinion of himself (granted I felt that way going into this but nothing in the book dissuaded me from that opinion). It’s all about how he got into ghost hunting, his approach to hunting and his experiences. A good chunk of the beginning of the book is dedicated to explaining the techniques and tools of the trade. The language is very conversational and written so pretty much anyone could follow.
It goes into depth about various types of hauntings, residual, intelligent etc and into Zak’s religious beliefs (lightly, nothing preachy) and his belief in the demonic. It certainly pulls from various sites seen on the TV show. It has tips and caveats about getting into ghost hunting and as I said above Zak does explain why he likes to yell at/humiliate some ghosts, the risks of doing that and why he spends a lot of time yelling at his companions (something I find very off putting and one of the reasons I rarely watch the show in all honesty. However, I suspect that reality TV is convinced we want to see someone acting like a dick judging by personalities we see on X-Factor and Kitchen Nightmares).
The latter parts of the book deal with scientific theory, and various of theories that could explain hauntings. I’ll give him credit for attempting to explain these theories so anyone could understand them even if I’m not entirely sure I buy into some of his conclusions and his knee jerk assumption all of science is filled with non-believers.
If you came into this hoping for a book on all his hauntings, you might be disappointed. Outside of Bob Mackay’s and a couple others, most of the investigations are given light treatment, less than a page or two. It’s more about the how to do it rather than the experiences in any depth. And again, it’s all about Zak. Even his partners aren’t given much face time. The lay out of the book is nice though I would have preferred pictures of the investigations instead of Zak trying to look bad ass in various locals. I suspect most people picking this book up are already fans of Bagans and/or Ghost Adventures. If you’re looking for a book to dip your toe into the world of ghost hunting, it’s not a bad place to start. If you’re more of an old hand at ghost hunting, you’ll probably be a little bored in many places since it’s nothing you haven’t heard a hundred times before.
January 14, 2015
Admittedly I'm hugely disappointed in this book. I love anything paranormal based, books, TV, films, and have been on several ghosts hunts myself. So after watching Ghost Adventures, and thinking it's one of the most credible TV shows out there that deal with the paranormal, I was really excited to read the book of the lead investigator Zak Bagans.
It just wasn't as engaging as you would expect. Zak has fallen into the trap of bogging the reader down with too much science, and not enough personal anecdotes and experiences. I total understand that he wants to show he's a serious investigator with scientific methods and records, to encourage skeptics into considering the value of ghost hunting and the paranormal world, BUT... To pick up this book I already have an interest in this field! I also have a hundred books on the theories/ science of paranormal, that all deal with parallel universes, stone tape/ water theories, fringe science ETC, and I'm not ashamed to admit that when I picked this book up I wanted Zak's TV experiences, behind the scenes info, and a more personal insight.
Most of the info given is already well known from the TV episodes, there was nothing really new here except the explanation of Zak's first ghostly encounters, which are mentioned in his voice over at the start of the show. It would have also been nice to have some colour photos of the cast, and the professionals that are mentioned throughout the book, or even some stills of the most exciting evidence caught on camera (as not all episodes have been shown in the UK).
As much as I love Zak as a TV personality and paranormal investigator, I have to admit he could have done with a little more editing as an author! He likes to ramble, and LOVES to repeat himself!! Quite a lot of this book could have been pared down and sharpened up.
Overall this is a good introduction to the theories of hauntings and the science of the paranormal, but if you're looking for a companion to the show or the personal/ unknown experiences of Zak himself.. I sadly can't really recommend it- as you might as well just watch the show itself.
A great overview book to check out if you're interested in this subject is
.
It just wasn't as engaging as you would expect. Zak has fallen into the trap of bogging the reader down with too much science, and not enough personal anecdotes and experiences. I total understand that he wants to show he's a serious investigator with scientific methods and records, to encourage skeptics into considering the value of ghost hunting and the paranormal world, BUT... To pick up this book I already have an interest in this field! I also have a hundred books on the theories/ science of paranormal, that all deal with parallel universes, stone tape/ water theories, fringe science ETC, and I'm not ashamed to admit that when I picked this book up I wanted Zak's TV experiences, behind the scenes info, and a more personal insight.
Most of the info given is already well known from the TV episodes, there was nothing really new here except the explanation of Zak's first ghostly encounters, which are mentioned in his voice over at the start of the show. It would have also been nice to have some colour photos of the cast, and the professionals that are mentioned throughout the book, or even some stills of the most exciting evidence caught on camera (as not all episodes have been shown in the UK).
As much as I love Zak as a TV personality and paranormal investigator, I have to admit he could have done with a little more editing as an author! He likes to ramble, and LOVES to repeat himself!! Quite a lot of this book could have been pared down and sharpened up.
Overall this is a good introduction to the theories of hauntings and the science of the paranormal, but if you're looking for a companion to the show or the personal/ unknown experiences of Zak himself.. I sadly can't really recommend it- as you might as well just watch the show itself.
A great overview book to check out if you're interested in this subject is
.
May 3, 2021
I have read many reviews regarding this book and I know a lot of people enjoyed it and rated it 5 stars. Now I am apart of the few that disliked this book, I had high expectations for this book and I really did try to get into it and give it a chance but I just couldn’t. I’m not doubting the authors experiences and I’m not saying none of it happened either, but it was just bland and boring. I like paranormal reads but I’m thinking the fictional ones are better than the none - fiction.
I do feel like he exaggerates a lot in this book and I do think some things are made up. I have never experienced the paranormal so I don’t know where I stand with it. I have already forgotten about this book let alone the last few pages that I read. I wouldn’t be quick to pick it up again that’s for sure and if I come across his other work I would be sceptical to show any interest.
Let this be a lesson that when you take out library books and you are on a deadline just give up with the books that you don’t particularly like, I’m on a deadline as well as a reading challenge and for me personally I’d like to focus on the ones i like.
I do feel like he exaggerates a lot in this book and I do think some things are made up. I have never experienced the paranormal so I don’t know where I stand with it. I have already forgotten about this book let alone the last few pages that I read. I wouldn’t be quick to pick it up again that’s for sure and if I come across his other work I would be sceptical to show any interest.
Let this be a lesson that when you take out library books and you are on a deadline just give up with the books that you don’t particularly like, I’m on a deadline as well as a reading challenge and for me personally I’d like to focus on the ones i like.
August 22, 2012
Insultingly dumb, unsurprisingly covered in confirmation bias, self-contradictory and written like a middle school essay. (Ghost Adventures is a guilty pleasure, but this book is an affront to any normal person's grasp on reality.)
November 5, 2016
The paranormal is a very controversial topic for many people. That being said I personally feel that there are things we as humans and science don't fully understand and can't be explained by conventional means. However you feel about this topic I think this is well worthwhile reading.
September 9, 2013
This is a marvelous book! Zak absolutely knows what he's talking about. From actually living the paranormal, Bagans explains all his paranormal encounters that didn't make it on the big screen. Zak Bagans, lead investigator from the Ghost Adventures makes an outstanding job on this book! He explains how he deals with that paranormal, such as demons, evil entities, ghost, and let's not forget the incubus and the succubus. (love that episode!)
Zak really knows how to get the readers attention. Once you read it, you can't put it down. I remember I wouldn't put the book down and spent all night reading it. This book is a must read! Especially for Gac fans...
Zak really knows how to get the readers attention. Once you read it, you can't put it down. I remember I wouldn't put the book down and spent all night reading it. This book is a must read! Especially for Gac fans...
September 16, 2011
Very good- hard to put down. A nice bit of Zak's personality. Interesting bits about the struggle that the paranormal society is having to get it to be consider a true science. Also good explanations of the categories of spirits.
September 29, 2016
I read this book because im a huge fan of ghost adventures. i really enjoyed reading this book and learning a little bit about zak bagans himself. i also enjoyed learning about different paranormal theories.
September 26, 2011
excellent book... well written, you can clearly hear Zak's 'voice' throughout... hope he writes another one someday :)
October 10, 2011
A good look into the current hype of paranormal shows. Zak Bagans is an intelligent and well versed author capable of writing his thoughts down.
June 20, 2021
This book is absolutely eye-opening, spine-chilling, and overall amazing. My understanding of the paranormal has been enhanced on many levels. I believe reading this book can change you from a skeptic to a believer. Even though we can’t see the visual evidence, he still proved through facts, interactions, history, and first hand accounts in this book. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who has a love or interest for the paranormal!
July 26, 2021
What did I just read? It felt like a book I would’ve read in grade school. Zak’s “theories” are little more than speculation, but his similes and metaphors are fully-formed ridiculousness. The only reason I finished this one is that my husband gifted it to me. Otherwise, one might have seen it “levitating” across the room and into the trash can.
May 3, 2018
He lost me a little when he started talking about quantum physics, but other than that I found this to be an enjoyable, thought-provoking book. Makes me want to go back and watch all the TV episodes from the beginning.
August 5, 2019
Being a fan of Ghost Adventures since the beginning, this book was kind of required reading for me!😅 It was interesting getting more info on some of the places they investigated in the early years, and also learning a little more about ghost hunting in general.
December 13, 2018
I didn't know Zak wrote a book about paranormal investigations and experiences he went thru that wasn't on camera
August 3, 2018
I’m always interested in people’s POV to the paranormal and their experiences.
December 15, 2022
Good book that goes a lot into his back story! I loved the 2nd one better but still enjoyed learning more about the man behind the darkness.
June 8, 2024
This is only a 5 star read if you are a fan of ghost adventures. If you are not a fan of the show or Zak this could be really cringey. So many moments in this book of Zak being ZAK. So if you aren't a fan I wouldn't read.
This book did have some pretty interesting theories.
This book did have some pretty interesting theories.
December 31, 2017
Before I start I want to give a lot of thanks to Zak Bagans for his "Chapter-6" named "SCIENCE". By reading that chapter I finally understand why you dedicated your life in this Paranormal World. You are so genius man & of course an Unbelievable Person… :P
This book is very very informative for the paranormal world. First I want to start with your own speech that you narrated on you book...
Speech of Zak Bagans :
1. I've never worshiped the Devil, Studied secrets of VooDoo or Drunk Blood for protection from Evil Spirits...
2. How many times have you heard those stories about a man who keeps his girls too close because he's terrified of losing her? That willingness to protect a loved one carry over into the spirit world...
3. I'd like to think that what the Justice system could not discover, we did. In the middle of the night, when there's nothing left but you, the spirits and the darkness, the truth can be found if you know where to look...
"Who killed you?" I asked, waiting in the silence. Moments later when I reviewed the digital recording of the Spirit Box, I got a response that I did not expect.
"Andy"...
4. Fear is a big player when it comes to the paranormal for a couple of reasons. Some people have preconceived notions of what ghosts are and others simply fear the unknown. Fear is a product of knowing the possible consequences of your actions...
5. Spirits are composed of weak energy and are not capable of manifesting themselves into sound or sight until they come in contact with a greater amount of energy that can borrow or take altogether...
6. (Speech of Bishop James Long) :
"Demonology has nothing to do with the Paranormal. It's purely theological and in fact exorcists and Demonologists are not the same thing. I am concerned more and more that the information age will convince people they can do the things that have taken me nearly a decade to perfect...
People who are not trained in demonology and attempt to perform rituals that they have no business performing are playing with fire. If that trend continues, people are going to get hurt. When performing the Solemn rite of Exorcism, there's a real potential of the possessed person expiring. That right is reserved for an ordained clergyman and can be deadly if done wrong. People who have performed an Exorcism incorrectly have been charged with Manslaughter in the past, so in the future I hope this trend of amateurs performing Exorcism stops"...
Myself :
1. I am now a dedicated believer of Paranormal World.
2. This book is very useful for them who wants to start their journey by paranormal investigation.
3. I do respect you much more than before.
4. The connection between Science and Paranormal World was Incredible to know.
Thank You Zak. Thank You...
March 11, 2015
I read Zak's books in reverse order. This one was written first but I read it second :) There's a huge difference between the two. I Am Haunted seemed to me more of an autobiography whereas Dark World was more of a here's a recap/more detail on the evidence you've seen if you watch the show with a whole lot of here's how to be a paranormal investigator. Now...that's not to say I didn't like this book. I did...A LOT.
One thing that always bugs me about the show is the fact that they have to cram so much into only a one hour slot so it was nice to get read more detail about some of their most compelling evidence. I also liked that he explains a bit more in detail about different things...ie residual hauntings vs intelligent hauntings, poltergeist, demons, possessions, exorcisms...I liked the teaching element.
But...what blew my mind was the SCIENCE portion of the book...SCIENCE...I LOVE SCIENCE. I AM A NERD SO I WAS ENTHRALLED! The whole time I read every word just going OMG...what if? Maybe so?! HOLY COW! Zak delves into time and space and quantum mechanics and I finished it going holy shit...he seems quite brilliant! Now...I don't claim to be an expert in quantum physics so to a professor of the subject, it may seem Zak is talking out of his ass...but to me...his points of view seemed legit. I'm a nerd through and through and a science geek at that...I wear it with pride...so when you start talking scientific method, my ears perk up and I become a meerkat. I liked that Zak took a subject that would normally be way over even my well educated head and brought it down to a level I could understand...then turned around and made these weird ass connections between it and the paranormal. It seriously blew my mind and I LIKED IT!
I thoroughly enjoyed how he closes the book out with thoughts from other leading paranormal investigators and authors about the future of paranormal investigation...and dare I say...paranormal science! I was sitting here going dude I'll do it...I'll volunteer. Send me your evidence and i'll put the ambient temperature, moon phase, weather, humidity, etc into a spreadsheet....but somebody else will have to pay for the website :) I'm all for putting the evidence into one location and working on making it a legit science. Call me crazy but why not?! Honestly, I don't know if I'm a believer or not...so wouldn't someone who isn't sure about it be perfect for compiling it all into one location?! I'm just sayin...
As someone who has never had a paranormal experience, I do think I'm open enough to other view points to support Zak's (and others) cause to try and make paranormal investigation more into a paranormal science. The psych minor and nerdy scientist in me went gaga for his ideas. Carry on Zak and Good Luck!
One thing that always bugs me about the show is the fact that they have to cram so much into only a one hour slot so it was nice to get read more detail about some of their most compelling evidence. I also liked that he explains a bit more in detail about different things...ie residual hauntings vs intelligent hauntings, poltergeist, demons, possessions, exorcisms...I liked the teaching element.
But...what blew my mind was the SCIENCE portion of the book...SCIENCE...I LOVE SCIENCE. I AM A NERD SO I WAS ENTHRALLED! The whole time I read every word just going OMG...what if? Maybe so?! HOLY COW! Zak delves into time and space and quantum mechanics and I finished it going holy shit...he seems quite brilliant! Now...I don't claim to be an expert in quantum physics so to a professor of the subject, it may seem Zak is talking out of his ass...but to me...his points of view seemed legit. I'm a nerd through and through and a science geek at that...I wear it with pride...so when you start talking scientific method, my ears perk up and I become a meerkat. I liked that Zak took a subject that would normally be way over even my well educated head and brought it down to a level I could understand...then turned around and made these weird ass connections between it and the paranormal. It seriously blew my mind and I LIKED IT!
I thoroughly enjoyed how he closes the book out with thoughts from other leading paranormal investigators and authors about the future of paranormal investigation...and dare I say...paranormal science! I was sitting here going dude I'll do it...I'll volunteer. Send me your evidence and i'll put the ambient temperature, moon phase, weather, humidity, etc into a spreadsheet....but somebody else will have to pay for the website :) I'm all for putting the evidence into one location and working on making it a legit science. Call me crazy but why not?! Honestly, I don't know if I'm a believer or not...so wouldn't someone who isn't sure about it be perfect for compiling it all into one location?! I'm just sayin...
As someone who has never had a paranormal experience, I do think I'm open enough to other view points to support Zak's (and others) cause to try and make paranormal investigation more into a paranormal science. The psych minor and nerdy scientist in me went gaga for his ideas. Carry on Zak and Good Luck!
October 12, 2019
As a fan of Ghost Adventures I picked up this book in the hopes of getting a literature form of what I enjoyed in their show. Histories of haunted locations, spooky stories and over the top commentary as Zak and friends recount their experiences in a more in depth fashion. Reading this book you definitely get that "Zak style" of talking, you can tell he's really passionate about the paranormal but he doesn't really have the verbal ability to convey it in words. The end result is a novel filled with really strange metaphors, odd word choices and segments that break the fourth wall but that only adds to the Ghost Adventures appeal that watchers will be familiar with. His charisma is enough to carry you through the first half of the novel but I found my attention waning by the second half. As a fan of the show, the deeper I got into the novel, hearing Zak talk about things I had already seen on television got more and more repetitive, and I started to lose interest.
I really enjoyed the biographical elements at the start of the novel, hearing Zak talk about his struggles at the rock bottom of detroit and his eventual rise to celebrity status (mainly thanks to his mom signing him up for film school) was really heartening, and I wish the novel contained more of it. His categorizations of the different types of hauntings and entities he's encountered were interesting, but I really enjoyed reading the segments that detail how his chosen line of work has effected his own psychology and personal life. The brief moments detailing his nightmares post investigations, the entities he feels have followed him home and their effect on his friends and family were really interesting and I wish he included more. He includes these really interesting tidbits that can only be experienced by a celebrity paranormal investigator but instead of talking about it he switches to an impersonal tone and describes something much more technical and boring by comparison. The lowest point in the novel for me was the final section on the "science" of paranormal investigation. I believe that the paranormal exists but I felt like this section lacked structure and tacked on to a book that should be entirely about the GAC crew. I don't know if I could recommend this book to a fellow fan of the show because so much of the information feels rehashed and a non-fan probably wouldn't be interested in the subject matter of the book anyways, so I'm ultimately unsure of who the intended audience of Dark World really is.
I really enjoyed the biographical elements at the start of the novel, hearing Zak talk about his struggles at the rock bottom of detroit and his eventual rise to celebrity status (mainly thanks to his mom signing him up for film school) was really heartening, and I wish the novel contained more of it. His categorizations of the different types of hauntings and entities he's encountered were interesting, but I really enjoyed reading the segments that detail how his chosen line of work has effected his own psychology and personal life. The brief moments detailing his nightmares post investigations, the entities he feels have followed him home and their effect on his friends and family were really interesting and I wish he included more. He includes these really interesting tidbits that can only be experienced by a celebrity paranormal investigator but instead of talking about it he switches to an impersonal tone and describes something much more technical and boring by comparison. The lowest point in the novel for me was the final section on the "science" of paranormal investigation. I believe that the paranormal exists but I felt like this section lacked structure and tacked on to a book that should be entirely about the GAC crew. I don't know if I could recommend this book to a fellow fan of the show because so much of the information feels rehashed and a non-fan probably wouldn't be interested in the subject matter of the book anyways, so I'm ultimately unsure of who the intended audience of Dark World really is.
June 27, 2012
I like the show Ghost Adventures, so when a friend told me Zak Bagans had a book, I thought, this is something I need to check out. Zak Bagans is hilarious to watch. He's very eccentric and aggressive and it makes for entertaining television. But Zak Bagans does know what he's talking about. He has done his research. For me, that's what made this book separate from the show. He does refer to investigations from the show, but the book isn't primarily about that. What I really liked about the book was that he drew from science, primarily quantum physics theories to support his claims. With these theories, however, he merely skimmed the surface and did not delve too deep into them, but provided citations for further inquiry, if the reader would like to research further. Additionally, in the last chapter of the book he had statements from the leading researchers and investigators in the field, where they spoke of their hopes and expectations for the future of the field, which I thought was really neat.
A minor criticism that I would have for the book was that it just skimmed the surface. Nothing was really spoken about in depth. Which overall was fine. He introduced me to theories and gave me the basics. Now, with that introduction, I can explore those theories further on my own time, if I so please. Another criticism I have is for the e-book version. There were snippets in the e-book that were in different font, I don't know if this is because they were meant to be side notes from Zak, but every time one of these footnotes came along, it would be cut short in my e-book version, which was pretty frustrating. So, anyone ordering the e-book, be warned!
Overall, I really enjoyed reading the book (although I had to read it during the day in case I came across any particularly freaky anecdotes). Zak's theories sort of solidified for me any thoughts I had previously and certainly made me curious to research more.
A minor criticism that I would have for the book was that it just skimmed the surface. Nothing was really spoken about in depth. Which overall was fine. He introduced me to theories and gave me the basics. Now, with that introduction, I can explore those theories further on my own time, if I so please. Another criticism I have is for the e-book version. There were snippets in the e-book that were in different font, I don't know if this is because they were meant to be side notes from Zak, but every time one of these footnotes came along, it would be cut short in my e-book version, which was pretty frustrating. So, anyone ordering the e-book, be warned!
Overall, I really enjoyed reading the book (although I had to read it during the day in case I came across any particularly freaky anecdotes). Zak's theories sort of solidified for me any thoughts I had previously and certainly made me curious to research more.
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