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Killer VHS #3
Teleportasm
Four friends unearth a unique VHS tape that, when viewed, causes short-distance teleportation with euphoric after-effects, inadvertently launching a perilous trend.
As copies of the original tape are made, the results become less predictable and ultimately gruesome due to analog generational decay. Despite the danger, some will risk everything for just one more trip.
As copies of the original tape are made, the results become less predictable and ultimately gruesome due to analog generational decay. Despite the danger, some will risk everything for just one more trip.
176 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2024
8 people are currently reading
1056 people want to read
About the author
Joshua Millican
9 books57 followersJoshua Millican's debut novel, DEEPER THAN HELL, was released by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2022. He is also the author of SEPTUM (Encyclopocalypse), TELEPORTASM (Shortwave), and DOPEFOOT (Mad Axe Media).
Joshua has written film novelizations for FORBIDDEN ZONE, ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE, CIRCUS OF THE DEAD, and CHOPPING MALL. THE DREADFUL YEARS (Encyclopocalypse), is a collection of interviews he conducted during his tenure as Editor-in-Chief at Dread Central.
Joshua has written film novelizations for FORBIDDEN ZONE, ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE, CIRCUS OF THE DEAD, and CHOPPING MALL. THE DREADFUL YEARS (Encyclopocalypse), is a collection of interviews he conducted during his tenure as Editor-in-Chief at Dread Central.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
April 30, 2024
Reminiscent of The Twilight Zone this delivers all the nostalgic vibes we've come to love in shortwave's Killer VHS series, Teleportasm has tons of rather creative *side eye* body horror scenes and Joshua combines sci fi and horror to give us this slick novella that is not only a gruesome good time (it gets real gross) but also a surprisingly evocative exploration of addiction and power, and who has that power really? why do such tapes even exist? the scope widens to include a conspiratorial tone which adds a layer of depth to the story, in under 200 pages the reader has surely learnt their lesson (was this a science class? Millican really made science FUN) actions have consequences and you shouldn't really mess with things you don't understand kids, especially the fabric of space and time....
June 25, 2024
Huge thanks to Shortwave Media for the physical arc!
Holy cow. This book was freaking awesome, and so compulsively readable. I know the blurb likens it to Goosebumps already, but it really felt like an amped up, adult version to me. The chapters that flashed forward, featuring different sets of people, all read like Goosebump-infused interludes. And with some pretty horrific outcomes.
When bong hits and spliffs aren’t enough, best friends, Barry, Lars, Frankie, and Snaps, take a fateful trip to Lars’ sleazy uncle’s house. All for the promise of a great high… through teleportation. Some clearly explained, and rather scientific reasonings linking the story to The Philadelphia Experiment, make the reader buy in immediately. The rest is history. Some dangerous, mutilating, and deadly history.
The four best friends convince Lars’ uncle to give them a copy of this killer VHS, the ultimate teleportation device, which leads them to make their own copies. The years that follow are different for each of them, but no less gruesome across the four.
Millican does a great job of creating some unique and awfully gross body horror. And I really enjoyed the evolving and differing scenes he painted in each instance the teleportation goes wrong. Some of them brought to mind the multi-zombie from The Walking Dead: Dead City, and the murderous blob from the end of Evil Dead Rise.
The single human world, the differing dimensions, infiltration, as well as the ending, really introduced some intriguing and really unique thoughts on how teleportation could possibly work, and how it could go wrong. So while this story was an absolute blast for me, it also introduced some things that I’ll be thinking through for some time.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-telepo...
Holy cow. This book was freaking awesome, and so compulsively readable. I know the blurb likens it to Goosebumps already, but it really felt like an amped up, adult version to me. The chapters that flashed forward, featuring different sets of people, all read like Goosebump-infused interludes. And with some pretty horrific outcomes.
When bong hits and spliffs aren’t enough, best friends, Barry, Lars, Frankie, and Snaps, take a fateful trip to Lars’ sleazy uncle’s house. All for the promise of a great high… through teleportation. Some clearly explained, and rather scientific reasonings linking the story to The Philadelphia Experiment, make the reader buy in immediately. The rest is history. Some dangerous, mutilating, and deadly history.
The four best friends convince Lars’ uncle to give them a copy of this killer VHS, the ultimate teleportation device, which leads them to make their own copies. The years that follow are different for each of them, but no less gruesome across the four.
Millican does a great job of creating some unique and awfully gross body horror. And I really enjoyed the evolving and differing scenes he painted in each instance the teleportation goes wrong. Some of them brought to mind the multi-zombie from The Walking Dead: Dead City, and the murderous blob from the end of Evil Dead Rise.
The single human world, the differing dimensions, infiltration, as well as the ending, really introduced some intriguing and really unique thoughts on how teleportation could possibly work, and how it could go wrong. So while this story was an absolute blast for me, it also introduced some things that I’ll be thinking through for some time.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-telepo...
June 26, 2024
Teleportasm lives up to the Killer VHS moniker. It’s about a video tape that allows for teleportation that gets the user high. This one is a fast read, filled with nostalgic 80’s horror fun. Lots of body horror, gore, and existential horror. It’s a lot of fun!
Thank you to Shortwave for providing me with an advanced eBook in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Shortwave for providing me with an advanced eBook in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2024
This. Was. So. Much. FUN! I read this in two days and had a hard time putting it down. It read like sci-fi with extreme horror elements, and I loved every minute of it. Sprinkled in were some laugh out loud moments that I felt were perfectly placed. This is the 3rd in the Killer VHS Series from Shortwave Publishing, and all of them have been superb.
July 1, 2024
This was a fun yet horrific story at the same time. Teleportation sounds cool in theory, but as I soon discovered, it can lead to grisly results. The book is told through a series of vignettes where we see this teleportation videotape-and its copies-make their way through various people. Each person’s experience with the tape is different, but one thing they all experience is the best high ever. But is the high worth it? Where did this tape originate from and how does it cause someone to teleport? I feel like this story would make for an excellent horror film, especially with Brandon Cronenberg at the helm, due to its intense body horror elements.
Things get really crazy in the second half and teleportation has a lot more implications than I could have ever imagined. I loved the wild ending of this story and I think it could have been expanded into a longer novel, with more time spent developing the various storylines. Overall, this was a great read that incorporated several different horror elements.
Things get really crazy in the second half and teleportation has a lot more implications than I could have ever imagined. I loved the wild ending of this story and I think it could have been expanded into a longer novel, with more time spent developing the various storylines. Overall, this was a great read that incorporated several different horror elements.
March 20, 2025
3.5 but I have to round it down. The horror, ideas and general plot are fab, imaginative and wild! It lingers in the mind and settles there; weighted dread. And I loved that! But the actual prose wasn't great, and I just found myself editing sentences on pretty much every page.
December 12, 2024
This had me on a chokehold today. Could not put it down. Shortwave never misses I stg!
June 25, 2024
Four friends unearth a unique VHS tape that, when viewed, causes short-distance teleportation with euphoric after-effects, inadvertently launching a perilous trend. When they decide to make copies of it, things get a bit out of hand as we see people across time chase the same high.
TELEPORTASM by Joshua Millican is the third installment in the KILLER VHS SERIES and oh, what a fun time this one was!
This story was nostalgic, had old-school horror roots, and had such a great premise!
I loved jumping from one timeline to the next and seeing new characters experience the tape for the first time (some of them get downright gritty and goopy).
It was also an interesting lens through which addiction was explored! How far and how much are people willing to risk for that ultimate high?!
Another great read in this series!
Huge thanks to Shortwave for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Publication Date: June 25
TELEPORTASM by Joshua Millican is the third installment in the KILLER VHS SERIES and oh, what a fun time this one was!
This story was nostalgic, had old-school horror roots, and had such a great premise!
I loved jumping from one timeline to the next and seeing new characters experience the tape for the first time (some of them get downright gritty and goopy).
It was also an interesting lens through which addiction was explored! How far and how much are people willing to risk for that ultimate high?!
Another great read in this series!
Huge thanks to Shortwave for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Publication Date: June 25
Read
June 25, 2024TELEPORTASM is #3 in Shortwave Publishing's Killer VHS series. Joshua Millican contributes a fun tale that pays homage to the gory, glorious films of the 80's/90's with a fresh, modern take on body horror and cursed media: tapes that offer trips that tantalize and torment, with no cure for their lure.
June 9, 2025
I love this series because it's just like the actual horror VHS heyday - trashy and dumb, not super well-written, but has great concepts and is massively entertaining. And they are very quick reads.
This one actually really freaked me out and I wish it was longer. I read it in about an hour and a half and wanted more of the story. The author is really great at body horror and a couple of sections freaked me out on an existential level - everyone thinks teleportation would be cool, but they don't consider your body having to reconstruct itself on a microscopic level (unless you're David Cronenberg, who gets an excellent - and gross - shout out in the story).
This would actually make a really great limited series - the stoners could be the wrap-around story and each episode could focus on different characters, as it does in the chapters of the book. It's a great mash-up of creepypasta/urban legends/conspiracy theories, 1980s horror VHS homages, weird Lovecraftian cosmic horror, and full Cronenbergian body fluid gross-out nightmare. I am excited to read more stuff by Joshua Millican.
This one actually really freaked me out and I wish it was longer. I read it in about an hour and a half and wanted more of the story. The author is really great at body horror and a couple of sections freaked me out on an existential level - everyone thinks teleportation would be cool, but they don't consider your body having to reconstruct itself on a microscopic level (unless you're David Cronenberg, who gets an excellent - and gross - shout out in the story).
This would actually make a really great limited series - the stoners could be the wrap-around story and each episode could focus on different characters, as it does in the chapters of the book. It's a great mash-up of creepypasta/urban legends/conspiracy theories, 1980s horror VHS homages, weird Lovecraftian cosmic horror, and full Cronenbergian body fluid gross-out nightmare. I am excited to read more stuff by Joshua Millican.
June 18, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
Teleportasm is the third standalone novella in the horror series Killer V/H/S, written by Joshua Millicam, and published by Shortwave Publishing. With a crazy premise, Millicam weaves a story that puts together body horror with a twisted plot, leading to unexpected and even humorous situations, creating an authentic rollercoaster of reading experience.
Four friends get their hands on a VHS tape that will teleport the viewer six feet due north; if playing with the laws of universe is not enough of a hit, it also rewards with a great high, a sensation not comparable to anyone. As you can imagine, things soon go out of control when each one gets their own copy, and even new copies start circulating, progressively degrading with each new generation.
In the years that follow, we see the consequences of this decision, and how the high associated to teleportation (teleportasm) have created authentic addicts, that at this point doesn't care of the quality of the tape as long as they get their dose, in analogue to drug consumption. Intercalating short episodes with the story of the friends, Millicam takes the opportunity to pay homage to the X Files and zombie movies, including really gruesome body horror scenes that are an authentic delight to read.
It is true that the structure can feel a bit confusing at points, especially with the first time jumps; you could think this is a collection of short stories with a main plot that connects all of them. Said that, the pacing is really on-point, and those minor gripes are just a consequence of the non-lineal structure chosen by the author.
Teleportasm is a great novella, a perfect fit on the Killer V/H/S series, and that will be loved by those that are looking for a more gory entry; Millicam shows his ability to change the tone in short lengths, having written a remarkable book.
Teleportasm is the third standalone novella in the horror series Killer V/H/S, written by Joshua Millicam, and published by Shortwave Publishing. With a crazy premise, Millicam weaves a story that puts together body horror with a twisted plot, leading to unexpected and even humorous situations, creating an authentic rollercoaster of reading experience.
Four friends get their hands on a VHS tape that will teleport the viewer six feet due north; if playing with the laws of universe is not enough of a hit, it also rewards with a great high, a sensation not comparable to anyone. As you can imagine, things soon go out of control when each one gets their own copy, and even new copies start circulating, progressively degrading with each new generation.
In the years that follow, we see the consequences of this decision, and how the high associated to teleportation (teleportasm) have created authentic addicts, that at this point doesn't care of the quality of the tape as long as they get their dose, in analogue to drug consumption. Intercalating short episodes with the story of the friends, Millicam takes the opportunity to pay homage to the X Files and zombie movies, including really gruesome body horror scenes that are an authentic delight to read.
It is true that the structure can feel a bit confusing at points, especially with the first time jumps; you could think this is a collection of short stories with a main plot that connects all of them. Said that, the pacing is really on-point, and those minor gripes are just a consequence of the non-lineal structure chosen by the author.
Teleportasm is a great novella, a perfect fit on the Killer V/H/S series, and that will be loved by those that are looking for a more gory entry; Millicam shows his ability to change the tone in short lengths, having written a remarkable book.
July 29, 2024
In the third installment of the Killer VHS Series, the VHS tape(s) in question not only causes the viewer to get high, it also causes teleportation! Cool, right? Well, that’s what each person who intentionally watches the video thinks, until things so wrong, either immediately or over time.
Unfortunately, after the fun I had with and how much I enjoyed the first two books in this series, I’m a bit disappointed in Teleportasm. As a 31-year-old female who doesn’t partake in stoner activities (I honestly blame my anxiety for that), I’m not sure I was the intended reading demographic, so that might have played a small part, particularly with some of the characters’ motivations. One of the main things I disliked was the structure of the novella. We start out with the four friends and follow their journey with how they came upon the VHS tape, but, before we even find out that copies were made, the narrative is interrupted by future happenings involving supposed copies of the tape. I think the chapters showing the various effects of the copies, and the copies of the copies, were interesting and disturbing (some more than others), and I liked seeing what happened to the four friends down the line, but I was thrown out of the story by that interruption. Additionally, the twist at the very end was super odd and a bit out of left-field. I might have enjoyed it more if there were more signs, even in hindsight, to point to it. Overall, I enjoyed the horror elements, but the structure of the story and some of the sci-fi bits just didn’t do it for me.
I’m still looking forward to the fourth and fifth installments, which I’ve already preordered!
📺��🏍
Unfortunately, after the fun I had with and how much I enjoyed the first two books in this series, I’m a bit disappointed in Teleportasm. As a 31-year-old female who doesn’t partake in stoner activities (I honestly blame my anxiety for that), I’m not sure I was the intended reading demographic, so that might have played a small part, particularly with some of the characters’ motivations. One of the main things I disliked was the structure of the novella. We start out with the four friends and follow their journey with how they came upon the VHS tape, but, before we even find out that copies were made, the narrative is interrupted by future happenings involving supposed copies of the tape. I think the chapters showing the various effects of the copies, and the copies of the copies, were interesting and disturbing (some more than others), and I liked seeing what happened to the four friends down the line, but I was thrown out of the story by that interruption. Additionally, the twist at the very end was super odd and a bit out of left-field. I might have enjoyed it more if there were more signs, even in hindsight, to point to it. Overall, I enjoyed the horror elements, but the structure of the story and some of the sci-fi bits just didn’t do it for me.
I’m still looking forward to the fourth and fifth installments, which I’ve already preordered!
📺��🏍
April 29, 2024
A huge thank you to the publisher for the eARC!
Teleportation, the art of transporting yourself from one place to another, seemingly in an instant, seems like an idea of sci-fi fiction. But what about horror? In the newest installment to the Killer VHS Series from Shortwave, the terrifying nature of messing with the fabric of space and time is put on full display.
Four stoner friends get their hands on a VHS tape that facilitates short distance teleportation. If that isn't seemingly cool enough, teleportation also yields a high like no other, making it possibly the hottest drug on the market. However, these things have ramifications, some too grotesque to even fathom.
Teleportasm delivers on A LOT of really interesting concepts and theories by executing gnarly scenes of body horror. This story does wonderful on a surface level as multiple chapters focus on unsuspecting characters getting their hands on this VHS, leading to some rather violent outcomes. However, Millican essentially does a deep dive into the lore and consequences of such a tale existing. Even though this is a novella coming in under 200 pages, I was utterly blown away by how much detail was included in the various stories told. This reads like a weird case of The X Files, the haunting spread of terror in Talk to Me, and the possible apocalyptic outcome of Fallout. And most of all, IT'S SO DAMN FUN.
If you're looking for a gory good time exploring what can go wrong with physics, you simply must check out Teleportasm which releases on June 25th!
Teleportation, the art of transporting yourself from one place to another, seemingly in an instant, seems like an idea of sci-fi fiction. But what about horror? In the newest installment to the Killer VHS Series from Shortwave, the terrifying nature of messing with the fabric of space and time is put on full display.
Four stoner friends get their hands on a VHS tape that facilitates short distance teleportation. If that isn't seemingly cool enough, teleportation also yields a high like no other, making it possibly the hottest drug on the market. However, these things have ramifications, some too grotesque to even fathom.
Teleportasm delivers on A LOT of really interesting concepts and theories by executing gnarly scenes of body horror. This story does wonderful on a surface level as multiple chapters focus on unsuspecting characters getting their hands on this VHS, leading to some rather violent outcomes. However, Millican essentially does a deep dive into the lore and consequences of such a tale existing. Even though this is a novella coming in under 200 pages, I was utterly blown away by how much detail was included in the various stories told. This reads like a weird case of The X Files, the haunting spread of terror in Talk to Me, and the possible apocalyptic outcome of Fallout. And most of all, IT'S SO DAMN FUN.
If you're looking for a gory good time exploring what can go wrong with physics, you simply must check out Teleportasm which releases on June 25th!
May 12, 2024
Super nostalgic and fun, this third installment of the Killer VHS series brings us to the basement lair where one stoner begs the question, “you know what feels really good?” This starts the insanity of a videotape that can make you teleport, and with it comes the best high of your life. Joshua introduces us to four friends who start off the craziest addiction this world has ever seen, and also some of the goriest deaths ever! Teleportasm is a fantastic look at addiction, with a healthy dose of nostalgia thrown in. I love this series, and this was a fun sci-fi addition!!
August 11, 2024
Maybe you save your five star ratings for those literary high points that profoundly move you and will take a place in your heart that will never be forgotten. Me? Sometimes I’m gonna throw down a five star rating simply because the book was fucking fun. Teleportasm is that kind of thrill ride. I wasn’t emotionally invested in any of these characters, but it was a blast to follow them on this horrific adventure.
July 3, 2024
The vibes of this books were 😚🤌 chefs kiss fantastic. A fun concept executed with the seriousness it deserved which was just a little bit. Lots of little fun stories
January 24, 2025
I was intrigued by the concept but thoroughly disappointed.
September 13, 2025
“Frankie looked back down at her tape. Again, she was struck with an intense urge to throw it away, to destroy it. But that would be impossible.”
What might seem like a book of interconnected stories at first is actually focusing on the main one we start with: four friends who are shown a video tape that makes you teleport.
From there, we have multiple chapters that will split off for a while and show us the butterfly effect of what happens when more of these teleportation tapes get out into the open and when they are used poorly or just overused and degraded.
This was the kind of book that is a ton of fun for the people who love looking for connections in the story to previous places and characters. Teleportasm really rewards you for keeping an eye out.
It’s was an absolute blast of a book that I could not put down. It’s my third book from the Killer VHS series from Shortwave and I feel compelled to get the others as soon as possible.
What might seem like a book of interconnected stories at first is actually focusing on the main one we start with: four friends who are shown a video tape that makes you teleport.
From there, we have multiple chapters that will split off for a while and show us the butterfly effect of what happens when more of these teleportation tapes get out into the open and when they are used poorly or just overused and degraded.
This was the kind of book that is a ton of fun for the people who love looking for connections in the story to previous places and characters. Teleportasm really rewards you for keeping an eye out.
It’s was an absolute blast of a book that I could not put down. It’s my third book from the Killer VHS series from Shortwave and I feel compelled to get the others as soon as possible.
December 14, 2025
Teleportasm is a wild premise that plays in a black mirror-esque world, and it’s a lot of fun!
A group of friends get ahold of a tape that when played allows you to teleport six feet away and this book explores the ecstasy attached to teleportation and also the hazards that highlight the horrors of it all.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are scenes of body horror that are so vivid and profane and this was an excellent contribution to Shortwave Publishing’s Killer VHS series.
I love an outlandish plot device and this book is inventive in the best ways!
A group of friends get ahold of a tape that when played allows you to teleport six feet away and this book explores the ecstasy attached to teleportation and also the hazards that highlight the horrors of it all.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are scenes of body horror that are so vivid and profane and this was an excellent contribution to Shortwave Publishing’s Killer VHS series.
I love an outlandish plot device and this book is inventive in the best ways!
September 2, 2025
I had a blast with this! Had to keep reading to see what wild thing would happen next.
So many gory scenes that were almost too much for me but was able to push through. Great horror that was not super serious. A little goofy at times, which helped ease the tension.
Just the book I needed after all the fantasy I’ve been reading.
So many gory scenes that were almost too much for me but was able to push through. Great horror that was not super serious. A little goofy at times, which helped ease the tension.
Just the book I needed after all the fantasy I’ve been reading.
November 7, 2025
This was my least favorite of the series so far. I really enjoyed the part that took place in the alternate world and the last couple chapters. But the rest of the book was just ok. I wish the whole book would have focused on those two stories as the rest seemed too random and I didn’t care for any of the characters.
dnf
August 2, 2025DNF just over halfway through. I got so bored reading chapters with new people but every time it just ended the same. I thought the premise was interesting, I mean, a video tape that teleports you? rad. but yeah, the way this was executed just wasn't for me
May 1, 2025
Fast and fun
August 29, 2025
3.5
RE cumple
RE cumple
September 18, 2025
I loved this one!! Highly recommend if you loved the Goosebump books as a child and still enjoy these types of horror books. I cannot wait to continue with the full VHS series!
September 19, 2025
A very short read that went fast. Maybe a bit too “young adult” for these old eyes. But still, it was entertaining and I enjoyed it.
October 22, 2025
I was not the audience for this but I actually really enjoyed the explanation
November 5, 2025
I really enjoyed the first half of this book but then it got weirder and weirder…
September 16, 2025
Curiosity can do a lot, never play a blank VCR tape lol
A fun play (no pun intended) on the cursed media horror.
Shortwave Publishing has never let me down on the Killer VHS series, always a fun time.
A fun play (no pun intended) on the cursed media horror.
Shortwave Publishing has never let me down on the Killer VHS series, always a fun time.
March 27, 2025
wanted to DNF @ 64%, but i pushed through simply bc im stubborn and wanted this to be over with.
the last quarter of the book was confusing as hell, got bored and really didn’t care how it ended, i just wanted it over with.
the last quarter of the book was confusing as hell, got bored and really didn’t care how it ended, i just wanted it over with.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews