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17 days and 06:27:56
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Return to the Motherfreaking Fun Factory
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Expected 6 Oct 26Win a free print copy of this book!
17 days and 06:27:56
10 copies available
U.S. only
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets IT in award-winning author Neil Kleid’s latest horror sensation.
Ten years ago, five children were lured into the dark machinations of a twisted, whimsical toymaker, forced to compete for a grand prize—all the toys they could ever dream of—and, as happened, their lives.
Today four of those kids—now morally ambiguous young adults—seek revenge on the insane man who terrorized them, and once again find themselves trapped inside his factory of horrors, all while attempting to save the fifth member of their group, who “won” the contest … but was left behind.
Ten years ago, five children were lured into the dark machinations of a twisted, whimsical toymaker, forced to compete for a grand prize—all the toys they could ever dream of—and, as happened, their lives.
Today four of those kids—now morally ambiguous young adults—seek revenge on the insane man who terrorized them, and once again find themselves trapped inside his factory of horrors, all while attempting to save the fifth member of their group, who “won” the contest … but was left behind.
- GenresHorror
Audible Audio
Expected publication October 6, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
✰ 3 stars ✰
I loved the beginning. It was gruesome and creepy and chilling and bloody enough that you'll think twice about opening a present that wasn't meant for you! 🧸 And it sets the vibes and pace, too - it's gonna be fast, it's gonna be horrifying, and it's gonna be dangerous.
Unfortunately, it also lays out a big clue that makes the final twist and reveal a little less surprising, which was a shame. 😞 Still, I had a good time with it. If you want to see Willy Wonka go off the rails with toys and trinkets instead of chocolate and candy, Barnaby Bigby's nationwide platinum ticket extravaganza was the place to be... or not. 😰
“You don’t find the ticket. The ticket finds you.”
For the Barnaby Bigby Loser Brigade's remaining survivors, life has been a tormented nightmare since. Enormous, dark, and forbidding, the vibes and details were believably disgusting and creepy. But in a few instances, I felt it restrained itself from being too graphic, resorting to telling rather than showing, which was a little noticeable. 🤨 That putty, though... 🫣
What it did capture - the remaining few's determination, quick wits, and outsmarts from their recollection of the traumatic experience they faced a decade ago in the motherfreaking fun factory—was taut with suspense and thrills. 😨 I did find their desire to save Henry a bit unbelievable - considering they'd just met him - but eh, it's a horror. 🙆🏻♀️
“‘Knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.’”
But even in the limited time spent, the characters' personalities were developed enough for me to see how they each were affected by their short time in the fun house, which resulted in their own burning passion of revenge to finish off the evil that had claimed them. It allowed them to finally regain control of their lives and break free of those chains that had been dragging them into the darkest of fears. 😔
While I think a bit more backstory could've been given to Barnaby's evil mechanisms, and although the horror factor kind of dimmed towards the end, it was such a heightened tension of kill or be killed that I literally could not stop till I knew for certain who would live to tell the terrifying tale. 🥺
“If a building can go insane, she thought, this one has. Or maybe it always was and we just never knew it.”
I loved the beginning. It was gruesome and creepy and chilling and bloody enough that you'll think twice about opening a present that wasn't meant for you! 🧸 And it sets the vibes and pace, too - it's gonna be fast, it's gonna be horrifying, and it's gonna be dangerous.
Unfortunately, it also lays out a big clue that makes the final twist and reveal a little less surprising, which was a shame. 😞 Still, I had a good time with it. If you want to see Willy Wonka go off the rails with toys and trinkets instead of chocolate and candy, Barnaby Bigby's nationwide platinum ticket extravaganza was the place to be... or not. 😰
“You don’t find the ticket. The ticket finds you.”
For the Barnaby Bigby Loser Brigade's remaining survivors, life has been a tormented nightmare since. Enormous, dark, and forbidding, the vibes and details were believably disgusting and creepy. But in a few instances, I felt it restrained itself from being too graphic, resorting to telling rather than showing, which was a little noticeable. 🤨 That putty, though... 🫣
What it did capture - the remaining few's determination, quick wits, and outsmarts from their recollection of the traumatic experience they faced a decade ago in the motherfreaking fun factory—was taut with suspense and thrills. 😨 I did find their desire to save Henry a bit unbelievable - considering they'd just met him - but eh, it's a horror. 🙆🏻♀️
“‘Knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.’”
But even in the limited time spent, the characters' personalities were developed enough for me to see how they each were affected by their short time in the fun house, which resulted in their own burning passion of revenge to finish off the evil that had claimed them. It allowed them to finally regain control of their lives and break free of those chains that had been dragging them into the darkest of fears. 😔
While I think a bit more backstory could've been given to Barnaby's evil mechanisms, and although the horror factor kind of dimmed towards the end, it was such a heightened tension of kill or be killed that I literally could not stop till I knew for certain who would live to tell the terrifying tale. 🥺
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Return to the Motherfreaking Fun Factory” by Neil Kleid is basically what would happen if Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and IT had a horrifying, gore-covered child together. It's weird, creepy, chaotic, and honestly a lot of fun if you're in the mood for a fast-paced horror novel that fully embraces its ridiculous premise.
The story follows four young adults who are still haunted by a traumatic visit to Barnaby's Fun Factory ten years earlier. Back then, five kids won magical tickets to tour the mysterious toy factory. Things went very, very wrong. One child never came home. The others escaped physically, but not mentally. Now they're returning to the factory to rescue their missing friend Henry and hopefully put an end to the nightmare once and for all.
One of the book's biggest strengths is how quickly it establishes its tone. Within the first chapter, it's clear that this isn't a whimsical adventure. The toys can kill you, body horror is everywhere, and Barnaby the toymaker is every bit as unsettling as you'd hope. He's basically a horror version of Willy Wonka, complete with creepy songs, bizarre assistants, and an unnerving habit of acting cheerful while horrifying things happen around him. I could practically hear Gene Wilder's voice in some of his dialogue, which somehow made him even creepier.
The alternating past and present timelines worked really well for me. The present-day storyline follows the survivors as they prepare to return to the factory, while the flashbacks reveal exactly what happened during the original contest. Those flashback sections were easily my favorite part of the book. Much like Wonka's factory, each child ignores warnings and ends up interacting with a different attraction, but the consequences here are far more disturbing. Instead of turning into a blueberry, we're talking grotesque body horror, permanent physical changes, and nightmare fuel that feels ripped straight from a haunted SCP entry.
The factory itself is wonderfully imaginative and gross. Every room feels like a new trap waiting to happen, and the descriptions are vivid enough that I could picture every sticky, gloopy, horrifying detail. At times it felt like wandering through a haunted Wonka factory after everyone involved decided subtlety was overrated.
The story moves incredibly fast. This is the kind of book you can easily finish in a sitting or two, and once the characters re-enter the factory, the pacing barely slows down. The final stretch is especially wild, turning into nonstop action, monster encounters, reality-bending madness, and increasingly unhinged horror. It occasionally becomes difficult to keep track of exactly what's happening, but honestly, the sheer energy of it all carried me through.
I did wish the characters had a little more development. Many of them feel intentionally larger-than-life and somewhat cartoonish, which fits the Wonka-inspired world, but it sometimes makes it harder to connect emotionally with them. Some plot points and twists also felt a little rushed, especially near the end, where there are a lot of reveals packed into a short amount of space.
That said, I really enjoyed the lore surrounding Barnaby and the factory itself. The explanations for who he is, what he wants, and why all of this is happening add some interesting depth beneath all the blood and carnage. There's also a surprisingly strong theme of hope running underneath the horror, particularly through Veronica's journey and the group's determination to save Henry despite everything they've endured.
Overall, “Return to the Motherfreaking Fun Factory” is a delightfully twisted horror romp full of creepy toys, gruesome body horror, childhood trauma, bizarre factory attractions, and enough nightmare fuel to ruin toy stores forever. It's messy, over-the-top, occasionally cheesy, and absolutely knows what kind of story it wants to be. If you've ever watched Willy Wonka and thought, "This would be better with more gore and existential terror," then this book was written specifically for you.
“Return to the Motherfreaking Fun Factory” by Neil Kleid is basically what would happen if Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and IT had a horrifying, gore-covered child together. It's weird, creepy, chaotic, and honestly a lot of fun if you're in the mood for a fast-paced horror novel that fully embraces its ridiculous premise.
The story follows four young adults who are still haunted by a traumatic visit to Barnaby's Fun Factory ten years earlier. Back then, five kids won magical tickets to tour the mysterious toy factory. Things went very, very wrong. One child never came home. The others escaped physically, but not mentally. Now they're returning to the factory to rescue their missing friend Henry and hopefully put an end to the nightmare once and for all.
One of the book's biggest strengths is how quickly it establishes its tone. Within the first chapter, it's clear that this isn't a whimsical adventure. The toys can kill you, body horror is everywhere, and Barnaby the toymaker is every bit as unsettling as you'd hope. He's basically a horror version of Willy Wonka, complete with creepy songs, bizarre assistants, and an unnerving habit of acting cheerful while horrifying things happen around him. I could practically hear Gene Wilder's voice in some of his dialogue, which somehow made him even creepier.
The alternating past and present timelines worked really well for me. The present-day storyline follows the survivors as they prepare to return to the factory, while the flashbacks reveal exactly what happened during the original contest. Those flashback sections were easily my favorite part of the book. Much like Wonka's factory, each child ignores warnings and ends up interacting with a different attraction, but the consequences here are far more disturbing. Instead of turning into a blueberry, we're talking grotesque body horror, permanent physical changes, and nightmare fuel that feels ripped straight from a haunted SCP entry.
The factory itself is wonderfully imaginative and gross. Every room feels like a new trap waiting to happen, and the descriptions are vivid enough that I could picture every sticky, gloopy, horrifying detail. At times it felt like wandering through a haunted Wonka factory after everyone involved decided subtlety was overrated.
The story moves incredibly fast. This is the kind of book you can easily finish in a sitting or two, and once the characters re-enter the factory, the pacing barely slows down. The final stretch is especially wild, turning into nonstop action, monster encounters, reality-bending madness, and increasingly unhinged horror. It occasionally becomes difficult to keep track of exactly what's happening, but honestly, the sheer energy of it all carried me through.
I did wish the characters had a little more development. Many of them feel intentionally larger-than-life and somewhat cartoonish, which fits the Wonka-inspired world, but it sometimes makes it harder to connect emotionally with them. Some plot points and twists also felt a little rushed, especially near the end, where there are a lot of reveals packed into a short amount of space.
That said, I really enjoyed the lore surrounding Barnaby and the factory itself. The explanations for who he is, what he wants, and why all of this is happening add some interesting depth beneath all the blood and carnage. There's also a surprisingly strong theme of hope running underneath the horror, particularly through Veronica's journey and the group's determination to save Henry despite everything they've endured.
Overall, “Return to the Motherfreaking Fun Factory” is a delightfully twisted horror romp full of creepy toys, gruesome body horror, childhood trauma, bizarre factory attractions, and enough nightmare fuel to ruin toy stores forever. It's messy, over-the-top, occasionally cheesy, and absolutely knows what kind of story it wants to be. If you've ever watched Willy Wonka and thought, "This would be better with more gore and existential terror," then this book was written specifically for you.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I've been craving horror books a lot recently and since everyone was hyped about Summerween, I decided to find myself some arc reads in the genre. You can probably already imagine, but I was rather hyped seeing this one, especially with the blurb saying that it's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets IT . One is a childhood movie for me (speaking about the 2005 one), the other one is a horror series that I adore and since I recently re-watched Welcome to Derry season one, once again... yeah, I knew I couldn't pass on that one.
Unfortunately, it didn't really deliver for me.
I should probably start by saying, that I was hooked at first and really enjoyed the beginning of the story... and being honest (that's the whole point, right?), I think that I enjoyed the flashbacks chapters a lot more than the present ones. Something tells me, that if the whole book focused on the "something bad happened to the kids in that factory" trope, but told as flashbacks? I would have loved it.
I'm not sure if it was just me, but the horror part seemed to dim at some point and simply lost it's charm. It seemed especially noticable during some gory moments, that on one hand were brutal, but on the other hand... they felt slightly washed down? The best way I can explain what I mean is: imagine you write something rather brutal, but then realize that you might have went a bit overboard so you try to make it seem lighter... and now every single heavier scene stands out even more compared to the ones that you decided to change.
I had a bit of a problem with the ending, because on one hand it was packed with a lot of action and it made me think that everything and anything can happen at this point... but at the same time it felt so rushed, that I found myself lost and needed to take a small break before going back to it.
I've been craving horror books a lot recently and since everyone was hyped about Summerween, I decided to find myself some arc reads in the genre. You can probably already imagine, but I was rather hyped seeing this one, especially with the blurb saying that it's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets IT . One is a childhood movie for me (speaking about the 2005 one), the other one is a horror series that I adore and since I recently re-watched Welcome to Derry season one, once again... yeah, I knew I couldn't pass on that one.
Unfortunately, it didn't really deliver for me.
I should probably start by saying, that I was hooked at first and really enjoyed the beginning of the story... and being honest (that's the whole point, right?), I think that I enjoyed the flashbacks chapters a lot more than the present ones. Something tells me, that if the whole book focused on the "something bad happened to the kids in that factory" trope, but told as flashbacks? I would have loved it.
I'm not sure if it was just me, but the horror part seemed to dim at some point and simply lost it's charm. It seemed especially noticable during some gory moments, that on one hand were brutal, but on the other hand... they felt slightly washed down? The best way I can explain what I mean is: imagine you write something rather brutal, but then realize that you might have went a bit overboard so you try to make it seem lighter... and now every single heavier scene stands out even more compared to the ones that you decided to change.
I had a bit of a problem with the ending, because on one hand it was packed with a lot of action and it made me think that everything and anything can happen at this point... but at the same time it felt so rushed, that I found myself lost and needed to take a small break before going back to it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Niel Kleid for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also thank you publishers for your hard work!
This book was so good. It made me think of a twisted Charlie and the Chocolate factory but with toys! Its a dark twisted tale with gore and death! The characters find their tickets and win a 'fabulous' tour of a toy factory for a day. What happens is horrendous and messes with them for the rest of their lives. Its definitely unique and disturbing it had me unable to stop reading page after page. I just had to know what was going to happen next. I absolutely felt connected to Veronica and all that happens to her as she suffers through it all. I just wish we could have learned a bit more about the other characters.
Even with just the little splurges on the others I really enjoyed this book. It was whimsical, dark, bloody, disturbing and I had no idea what to expect next. I had an idea of what was coming near the end but thats a cliche ending of sorts. Even so i loved it. The darkness of this book shows that love and hope cant be snuffed out and fighting evil will always win. Friendship is a very powerful thing.
I wish I could find more books like this. They are just fun and I like them a lot. They make my days go by faster and I just enjoy them a lot.
This book was so good. It made me think of a twisted Charlie and the Chocolate factory but with toys! Its a dark twisted tale with gore and death! The characters find their tickets and win a 'fabulous' tour of a toy factory for a day. What happens is horrendous and messes with them for the rest of their lives. Its definitely unique and disturbing it had me unable to stop reading page after page. I just had to know what was going to happen next. I absolutely felt connected to Veronica and all that happens to her as she suffers through it all. I just wish we could have learned a bit more about the other characters.
Even with just the little splurges on the others I really enjoyed this book. It was whimsical, dark, bloody, disturbing and I had no idea what to expect next. I had an idea of what was coming near the end but thats a cliche ending of sorts. Even so i loved it. The darkness of this book shows that love and hope cant be snuffed out and fighting evil will always win. Friendship is a very powerful thing.
I wish I could find more books like this. They are just fun and I like them a lot. They make my days go by faster and I just enjoy them a lot.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.
The premise of Return to the Motherfreaking Fun Factory immediately caught my attention — a twisted toy factory, childhood trauma, revenge, and horror? It sounded like exactly the kind of weird, dark story I’d enjoy. The concept itself was definitely one of the strongest parts for me, and there were some genuinely disturbing and creative moments throughout.
Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the characters and the story didn’t hold my attention the way I had hoped. I found the pacing and overall execution a little uneven, and while there were moments that worked, they weren’t enough to keep me invested.
I can absolutely see this working for readers who enjoy strange, chaotic, bloody horror with a darkly playful edge, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of Return to the Motherfreaking Fun Factory immediately caught my attention — a twisted toy factory, childhood trauma, revenge, and horror? It sounded like exactly the kind of weird, dark story I’d enjoy. The concept itself was definitely one of the strongest parts for me, and there were some genuinely disturbing and creative moments throughout.
Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the characters and the story didn’t hold my attention the way I had hoped. I found the pacing and overall execution a little uneven, and while there were moments that worked, they weren’t enough to keep me invested.
I can absolutely see this working for readers who enjoy strange, chaotic, bloody horror with a darkly playful edge, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2026
Oh this was so so creepy! It’s a mix of Charlie and the chocolate factory and the movie IT! These kids find magic tickets and they are given access to this factory and on this tour freaky stuff goes down
In the present we catch up with the 4 kids who didn’t win the contest and when the mother of the winner shows up they decide to go back and find Henry the missing boy!
Even though they are adults each of them have been tackling hardships and having very vivid nightmares but they go to try and save Henry
When they get there they are faced with yet again a creepy gross situation in which they have to fight for their lives
What they don’t know is it’s not the original toy maker who has brought them back it’s their old pal!
This was so vivid like the descriptions of everything was so creepy like a haunted Willy wonka!
In the present we catch up with the 4 kids who didn’t win the contest and when the mother of the winner shows up they decide to go back and find Henry the missing boy!
Even though they are adults each of them have been tackling hardships and having very vivid nightmares but they go to try and save Henry
When they get there they are faced with yet again a creepy gross situation in which they have to fight for their lives
What they don’t know is it’s not the original toy maker who has brought them back it’s their old pal!
This was so vivid like the descriptions of everything was so creepy like a haunted Willy wonka!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I think this might be a me problem, because I was expecting this to be a little more serial-killer horror when it was way more in the fantasy side of horror. This kind of horror (monsters, magic, supernatural) is not my favorite. I liked the parallels to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and was willing to extend belief to the rooms that were similar to the book/movie, but it started to lose me when we learned what happened to Henry and what Barnaby really is. I liked the characters (Veronica, Mac, and Joey D were all a lot of fun). I also understand this is most likely geared toward..adults? older teenagers? but the monsters vs. robots ending felt a little juvenile for me personally. If you can handle gore, like fantasy, and want a new twist on the chocolate factory story, this could be a good read for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When five children are joined by a toymaker for a contest, bedlam ensues, and it gets genuinely gloopy freaky right away. I feel like this book is that Pooh slasher and Willy Wonka mixed in, with a touch of the feeling of the cursed Wizard of Oz lore thrown in to boot. While it was delectable in how dark and gory it got, there were equal amounts of cheese and on the nose moments I could have done without. Certain descriptions were so wonderful, and some were so middling, that it made me want a longer book by the end of it. The twist was okay, but again, could have been delivered with a touch more oomph. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. This was definitely a different book; several times I had to stop and ask myself "Wth did I just read?"-the author has one hell of an imagination. I really liked the creativity within this book, from the toys in the funhouse to the magic of the toy maker, to what happened to Henry and what happens in the Fun Factory. This was a good, creepy read and I will have to check out more books by this author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I liked the premise of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets IT and was looking for a good horror story to read. This certainly has horror, mayhem and the super natural. Ten years ago, five kids win a trip to a toy factory but only four come out. The winner stays behind, and what really happened. They four remaining kids (not really now, they 19–20-year-olds) go back. More horror, more mayhem, but lacked substance. This was a quick read and could have done more to flesh out the characters. The story is about hope, and I hoped this would have been better.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I could see where this book could have gone and I might try and pick it up sometime but I just couldn’t get there. I thought the concept was cool, a take on Charlie and the chocolate factory but with killer toys and a somewhat omnipresent Willy Wonka but the chapters were really long and hard to follow at times. Still gave 2 stars because again, the concept was really something I just couldn’t finish it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*thank you netgalley for the ARC so i was able to read and give honest review*
Wow wow wow i really enjoyed this book. It was like a charlie and chocolate factory throw in some King and then throw in some acid. This starts off with a group 5 kids who win a chance to go tour the factory. I dont want give anything away but read read read this you wont be disappointed!
Wow wow wow i really enjoyed this book. It was like a charlie and chocolate factory throw in some King and then throw in some acid. This starts off with a group 5 kids who win a chance to go tour the factory. I dont want give anything away but read read read this you wont be disappointed!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Mini blurb: Ten years after winning a tour of a famous (and impossible) toy factory, its four traumatised survivors come back to kill the past and save the boy they left behind - except the past has the same idea about them...
***
Rated 3.5 really.
RTC
***
Rated 3.5 really.
RTC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is an interesting mash-up of 'Willy Wonka' and 'It'. The first chapter was well done with a good creep factor, but the rest of the story fell a bit flat for me. The characters are fine and decently fleshed out, I just didn't really connect with them.
It wasn't a bad book by any means but I didn't like it as much as I was hoping. I think a lot of people will still enjoy it though, especially if they are looking for a darker, and crazier 'Wonka-esque' adventure. 3.5⭐️
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via Netgalley.
It wasn't a bad book by any means but I didn't like it as much as I was hoping. I think a lot of people will still enjoy it though, especially if they are looking for a darker, and crazier 'Wonka-esque' adventure. 3.5⭐️
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via Netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love being scared. I have since tiny childhood. So how ecstatic I am with Return to the Motherfreaking Fun Factory, in which in just Chapter 2, we get Scared, first of all; then OMG REALLY SCARED [just imagine those letters human-sized] OMG WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE? terrified.
Gotta love it!
This story is surprisingly deeper, in terms both of Characterization and of Plot, than I had expected. Just judging by the title, I guess I had expected more of a Middle Grade or Young-YA (adolescent-age characters) caught in a type of LitRPG Adventure. Okay, the framework is that, and initially The Five, as it were, are Children, around age 10 or a bit younger; but on the return round nearly all are adults (the youngest is 17). I greatly enjoyed the riffs the author plays on "Internet Celebrities" (influencers and gaming streamers and "branding") and especially how he demonstrates that "rolling in the Big Bucks" and being Internet-famous and boasting millions of "followers" doesn't stop the nightmares nor the depression and fears, nor eradicate the memories of horrors untold. (I'm reminded of that long-ago Country hit, "Help Me Make It Through the Night," because Fame doesn't help, nor acclaim, nor wealth, any more than alcohol, narcotics, or promiscuity.)
All in all, I've really enjoyed this novel and can see giving it a reread sometime in future. It's scary, it's thought-provoking [just how old is this Toymaker anyway, in Cosmic terms? Just how powerful? And is he Evil, or Cosmically Indifferent, like Elder Gods?], it's entertaining, fast-paced, and did we reiterate, SCARY? So, go, go on and read it. But please, turn up the Lights!
Gotta love it!
This story is surprisingly deeper, in terms both of Characterization and of Plot, than I had expected. Just judging by the title, I guess I had expected more of a Middle Grade or Young-YA (adolescent-age characters) caught in a type of LitRPG Adventure. Okay, the framework is that, and initially The Five, as it were, are Children, around age 10 or a bit younger; but on the return round nearly all are adults (the youngest is 17). I greatly enjoyed the riffs the author plays on "Internet Celebrities" (influencers and gaming streamers and "branding") and especially how he demonstrates that "rolling in the Big Bucks" and being Internet-famous and boasting millions of "followers" doesn't stop the nightmares nor the depression and fears, nor eradicate the memories of horrors untold. (I'm reminded of that long-ago Country hit, "Help Me Make It Through the Night," because Fame doesn't help, nor acclaim, nor wealth, any more than alcohol, narcotics, or promiscuity.)
All in all, I've really enjoyed this novel and can see giving it a reread sometime in future. It's scary, it's thought-provoking [just how old is this Toymaker anyway, in Cosmic terms? Just how powerful? And is he Evil, or Cosmically Indifferent, like Elder Gods?], it's entertaining, fast-paced, and did we reiterate, SCARY? So, go, go on and read it. But please, turn up the Lights!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews