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Afterlife Investigations #3
The Occupant
"The door has been opened. It's already too late." The hunt is on for the thing that escaped from Chaythe Asylum. A life hangs in the balance. Dark plots set in motion more than thirty years ago wind to a close in this final, terrifying volume. Will Stephen Barlow intervene in time to spare the world the horrors of the Occupant?
THE OCCUPANT is the third and final novel in the Afterlife Investigations trilogy.
THE OCCUPANT is the third and final novel in the Afterlife Investigations trilogy.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 30, 2017
188 people are currently reading
373 people want to read
About the author
Ambrose Ibsen
58 books662 followersOnce upon a time, a young Ambrose Ibsen discovered a collection of ghost stories on his father's bookshelf. He was never the same again.
Apart from horror fiction, he enjoys good coffee, brewed strong.
Apart from horror fiction, he enjoys good coffee, brewed strong.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
November 10, 2017
The Occupant
The Afterlife Investigations, Book 3
By: Ambrose Ibsen
Narrated by: Joe Hempel
Series: The Afterlife Investigations, Book 3
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
OH MY GOSH! Don't listen to this book at night! Make sure you read the other books first, you have to know the full story before you get to this book. (Plus they are fantastic books!)
This book was so scary and creepy, it had the perfect ending for this frightening book and the series. This book, as did the other two, kept you on the edge of alarm and panic. Each minute was a minute of trepidation of what was going to happen....eek! It is fun to scare yourself sometimes! Or is it just me?
The narrator must take his job too serious because he had my emotions going crazy! I was filled with apprehension and terror sometimes just from the tone of his voice, the emotions that he was displaying. Most of the book I was dreading to hear him but I couldn't stop myself, I HAD to know!
This was one heck of a great horror series...I will miss it...I might sleep with the lights on for a night or two..LOL
The Afterlife Investigations, Book 3
By: Ambrose Ibsen
Narrated by: Joe Hempel
Series: The Afterlife Investigations, Book 3
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
OH MY GOSH! Don't listen to this book at night! Make sure you read the other books first, you have to know the full story before you get to this book. (Plus they are fantastic books!)
This book was so scary and creepy, it had the perfect ending for this frightening book and the series. This book, as did the other two, kept you on the edge of alarm and panic. Each minute was a minute of trepidation of what was going to happen....eek! It is fun to scare yourself sometimes! Or is it just me?
The narrator must take his job too serious because he had my emotions going crazy! I was filled with apprehension and terror sometimes just from the tone of his voice, the emotions that he was displaying. Most of the book I was dreading to hear him but I couldn't stop myself, I HAD to know!
This was one heck of a great horror series...I will miss it...I might sleep with the lights on for a night or two..LOL
April 6, 2019
The sinister conclusion to this trilogy... oh, you would think Barlow would have been paranoid and on the look out! The second one ends with a cliffhanger so that you want to dive right into this one. Ambrose doesn’t let you off easy in either case. It was a freaky trilogy and it got a bit gory in this one, but creeped me out in a good way!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2020
This was the last book in the 'Afterlife Investigations' trilogy series featuring the ongoing battle between 'goodie' Steven and Co. and the evil, 'baddie' demonic entity known as 'The Occupant'. But how will this all end up - indeed if there actually happens to be a finite end - and who be prove themselves to be ultimately gloriously victorious?
After being left feeling a little disappointed after reading the first two books I was slightly apprehensive about what to actually expect from this final episode. I needn't have worried!
Delighted to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this action-packed adventure which particularly impressed with it's strong transitional start leading from book 2 - 'Forest' and the final confrontation/outcome which contained a clever, well constructed and much welcomed final twist to the plot. Although the story did feel slightly 'seen it all before,' and perhaps a little 1990's horror movie-ish at times, there were plenty gory and bloody goings-on to keep the reader thoroughly entertained which seemed unfortunately lacking in the two previous books.
Although the whole trilogy did seem to depend on a 'follow -on' structure, relying occasionally on an over complicated 'backwards and forwards' format, I did feel that 'The Occupant' in itself was strong and enjoyable enough to be viewed as a 'standalone' read in itself without the reader having to constantly review and familiarise themselves with earlier aspects of the whole 'Afterlife Investigations' affair.
Overall - Good imaginative writing with a smooth and appealing style that is definitely well worth a read. Rating: 4.5 stars - rounded up as definitely the 'Jewel in the Crown' out of this 3 book series. Enjoy!
After being left feeling a little disappointed after reading the first two books I was slightly apprehensive about what to actually expect from this final episode. I needn't have worried!
Delighted to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this action-packed adventure which particularly impressed with it's strong transitional start leading from book 2 - 'Forest' and the final confrontation/outcome which contained a clever, well constructed and much welcomed final twist to the plot. Although the story did feel slightly 'seen it all before,' and perhaps a little 1990's horror movie-ish at times, there were plenty gory and bloody goings-on to keep the reader thoroughly entertained which seemed unfortunately lacking in the two previous books.
Although the whole trilogy did seem to depend on a 'follow -on' structure, relying occasionally on an over complicated 'backwards and forwards' format, I did feel that 'The Occupant' in itself was strong and enjoyable enough to be viewed as a 'standalone' read in itself without the reader having to constantly review and familiarise themselves with earlier aspects of the whole 'Afterlife Investigations' affair.
Overall - Good imaginative writing with a smooth and appealing style that is definitely well worth a read. Rating: 4.5 stars - rounded up as definitely the 'Jewel in the Crown' out of this 3 book series. Enjoy!
March 27, 2021
3rd in the series
This was the third and last book in the Occupant an Susie. It’s pretty good, and it ties up all the loose ends. It does make you wonder if there’s going to be a fourth book at the end. This whole series could probably be read in a day. All three of these books are of shorter length. They are all creepy, but this book is just a bit gory. I enjoyed the series and definitely recommend it.
This was the third and last book in the Occupant an Susie. It’s pretty good, and it ties up all the loose ends. It does make you wonder if there’s going to be a fourth book at the end. This whole series could probably be read in a day. All three of these books are of shorter length. They are all creepy, but this book is just a bit gory. I enjoyed the series and definitely recommend it.
September 13, 2020
Summary
Stephen and Jack are forced to call for help as their hunt for Elizabeth and the Occupant continues.
The Occupant has the upper hand in it's hometown of Milsbourne, forcing the group to get creative if they plan to beat it.
Facing the Occupant means putting themselves in great danger, but if they fail the monster will be released into the world.
Personal opinion
By far the goriest and most action packed out of the three books in the trilogy.
Ambrose's writing continues to flow very well, making even his slower paced book in this series binge-read worthy.
The ending was unexpected and had a few twists that I didn't see coming. He really did save all of the best stuff for this last book.
The abandoned town in the woods is a more common theme for horror stories and I would have liked to have seen something a little more unique or uncommon there during the story. But I was happy to finally have the full backstop of the Occupant and where it came from.
I still feel as though books 1 and 2, if not all three, would be more enjoyable all wrapped into only 1 or 2 books. The Occupant could do well on it's own as a follow up but both Asylum and Forest seemed slightly dragged out with not much action going on from the beginning to the near endings.
Overall, this is the best in the Afterlife Investigations series with a great and creepy ending.
April 5, 2019
Third installment in this creepy series. My (edited) review for book 2 stands for book 3:
"Creepy third installment of the Afterlife Investigations. These are short books with a lot of filler. These three books could have/should have (?) made up one bigger book. Take out the repetition and main characters unnecessary internal thoughts and you would have one kick-A book."
"Creepy third installment of the Afterlife Investigations. These are short books with a lot of filler. These three books could have/should have (?) made up one bigger book. Take out the repetition and main characters unnecessary internal thoughts and you would have one kick-A book."
September 14, 2017
The last book in the series, The Occupant, was good, but I found it a bit predictable. It had several twists and turns, however, you could guess what was going to happen next. This one dragged on a bit for me. Still, a great series, and definitely worth a read.
October 27, 2017
For my first ever paranormal horror books... these were amazing!! The Occupant was the most chilling of the three! So gruesome and creepy. This book will make you want to look over your shoulder, you'll wait to keep the lights on in the dark. We get a ton of answers in this book. I was surprised with how invested I was in this book, in this series. I devoured (hahaha... not the best word choice) this entire series.
I've never read an Ambrose Ibsen book before so I'm not sure if it's his writing or if it is Joe Hempel's narration but this book, this entire series, is fantastic! Once I start the audiobook there is no pulling me away until it's over. The story and Hempel's narration pulls you into the woods, where you are left with an accelerated heart rate!
Bravo gentlemen!! This was an entrancing story!
I've never read an Ambrose Ibsen book before so I'm not sure if it's his writing or if it is Joe Hempel's narration but this book, this entire series, is fantastic! Once I start the audiobook there is no pulling me away until it's over. The story and Hempel's narration pulls you into the woods, where you are left with an accelerated heart rate!
Bravo gentlemen!! This was an entrancing story!
November 14, 2017
This third audiobook in The Afterlife Investigations series is just as creepy and scary as the first two. A bit slower pace than its predecessors, it still leads you on a journey that has you looking over shoulder and leaving the lights on at night. Joe Hempel did an excellent job of the narration, he really brought the characters to life; you felt the fear, sorrow, confusion and dread right along with them. The losses in this story break your heart and the twist at the end leaves you shocked. This is not a stand alone story, you really need to have read the first two books to be able to appreciate this one.
December 29, 2017
Overall, this was a fun vacation series to read. They were somewhat predictable, but had some decent chills. The characters were a bit one note, yet not so reprehensible that I quit reading. Total brain candy, which was what I was looking for during my winter holiday 😊
July 15, 2019
All I will say is that it was definitely not the ending I was expecting. I really enjoyed this series, but not what I was expecting. Lol.
January 17, 2020
Hm.
I'm a fan of ghost stories usually, and the first book of the series got me quite excited; this one not as much 🤷🏻♀️ can't even say why.
Liked the ending, though. Very classy.
I'm a fan of ghost stories usually, and the first book of the series got me quite excited; this one not as much 🤷🏻♀️ can't even say why.
Liked the ending, though. Very classy.
August 28, 2017
Soooo good!!!
The third book in this series, The Occupant, finishes off with a total surprise ending and made the whole trilogy come together! Read them all together, if you can, because you can't read just one portion without knowing how it all wraps up. Very scary stuff, visual descriptions make you really SEE what's happening; the horror of it all makes you want to sleep with lights on! Couldn't put it down, great scary writing. Recommend Ambrose Ibsen if you love scary books, his stuff is great & truly haunting.
The third book in this series, The Occupant, finishes off with a total surprise ending and made the whole trilogy come together! Read them all together, if you can, because you can't read just one portion without knowing how it all wraps up. Very scary stuff, visual descriptions make you really SEE what's happening; the horror of it all makes you want to sleep with lights on! Couldn't put it down, great scary writing. Recommend Ambrose Ibsen if you love scary books, his stuff is great & truly haunting.
August 20, 2017
Just amazing
I have no other words other than just amazing! I did not expect to enjoy this series as much as the did, but I really did. The ending was totally unexpected! Would definitely recommend this series to anyone that likes horror or psychological thrillers.
I have no other words other than just amazing! I did not expect to enjoy this series as much as the did, but I really did. The ending was totally unexpected! Would definitely recommend this series to anyone that likes horror or psychological thrillers.
October 24, 2017
This is probably one of the creepiest series I have read in a very, very long time. I could write a more detailed review, but it would only echo the reviews I wrote for Asylum and Forest. I hate being repetitive, as well as expending energy when I don't need to. Besides, I shouldn't have to say it all again, you should have already bought it!! If you haven't...what are you waiting for? Mr. Ibsen created delicious terror and a creepy journey that I guarantee will keep you up at night!
December 25, 2017
So many things I did not like with this book.
I listened to it as an audiobook, and sometimes it can be the narrators faul I don't like a book. Not this time.
This trilogy has only gotten worse and worse, and while listening to this — book three — you have no idea how many times I rolled my eyes.
The writer kept repeating what had happened in earlier books again and again and again. Whole chapters to it!
It got old really fast.
Also, I didn't find the storu scary or interesting. There were many twists, but I saw them coming when reading the second book in the series.
And I hate it when horror stories — be they movies or books — end the way this one did. Just hate it.
On another note: why only the baby girls? wouldn't it be better to take all the babies, so the boys didn't turn to girls later? (trying to not spoil with this one)
I listened to it as an audiobook, and sometimes it can be the narrators faul I don't like a book. Not this time.
This trilogy has only gotten worse and worse, and while listening to this — book three — you have no idea how many times I rolled my eyes.
The writer kept repeating what had happened in earlier books again and again and again. Whole chapters to it!
It got old really fast.
Also, I didn't find the storu scary or interesting. There were many twists, but I saw them coming when reading the second book in the series.
And I hate it when horror stories — be they movies or books — end the way this one did. Just hate it.
On another note: why only the baby girls? wouldn't it be better to take all the babies, so the boys didn't turn to girls later? (trying to not spoil with this one)
August 2, 2017
Not good
The first book in the series was good but the last two were bad. I wondered throughout the book if Ibsen was trying to add pages to the book by using filler paragraphs where he kept repeating the same thing over and over. The overwhelming use of The Occupant to describe the demon was irritating. He kept Resummarizing the plot. The series shouldn't have been a series because the first book was enough. It's entertaining, spooky, and good. The other two books are a waste of time. At the end of the series it doesn't end where it should and keeps on. Perhaps Ibsen is trying to be a better author or write for an older audience. Is so I wish him luck. He is a good author. This series is not proof of that.
The first book in the series was good but the last two were bad. I wondered throughout the book if Ibsen was trying to add pages to the book by using filler paragraphs where he kept repeating the same thing over and over. The overwhelming use of The Occupant to describe the demon was irritating. He kept Resummarizing the plot. The series shouldn't have been a series because the first book was enough. It's entertaining, spooky, and good. The other two books are a waste of time. At the end of the series it doesn't end where it should and keeps on. Perhaps Ibsen is trying to be a better author or write for an older audience. Is so I wish him luck. He is a good author. This series is not proof of that.
February 1, 2021
This one was a BIG disappointment. Not only did the gore feel like it came out of nowhere (the majority of the series thus far hadn't had any real gore). I don't typically mind gory horror, but the fact that it was just shoved in there felt weird. It's also probably not a great idea to have 2 characters whose names are literally 1 letter off. I have ADHD and it was impossible to tell when Jake was talking and when Jane was talking.
But, as usual with this author, the big letdown was the end. He seems to write the same ending in all of his books, but this one was extra bad. The main characters who were in the other books were just so stupid in this one! And the final chapters were just so weirdly written. I don't know if the author felt rushed or was trying to meet a deadline or what, but it was pretty unenjoyable for me. I'll go more into detail in the spoilers below, but I feel that the author didn't hold the universe he'd set up together at all.
But, as usual with this author, the big letdown was the end. He seems to write the same ending in all of his books, but this one was extra bad. The main characters who were in the other books were just so stupid in this one! And the final chapters were just so weirdly written. I don't know if the author felt rushed or was trying to meet a deadline or what, but it was pretty unenjoyable for me. I'll go more into detail in the spoilers below, but I feel that the author didn't hold the universe he'd set up together at all.
April 17, 2022
My mother always said if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all and tbh I was going to keep to that, until I saw the subtitle of "A Ghost Story" on the cover. This is objectively not a ghost story. This is a demon-possession story, and if you're into that, that's great but if you're looking for a ghost story, this is not it.
So now that that's said, while I personally don't find the concept scary, I don't think his writing does him any favours. I've noticed it before in other Ibsen books that he tends to overwrite things - and I'm a strong believer that overwriting is a nail in the coffin for horror as the more you describe the Unimaginable Terror, the less scary it becomes - you're never going to describe something scarier than someone can imagine.
However, the overwriting was in full force in this book - moments of tension broken by the narrator pausing to wax lyrical about what just happened and how he felt about it... And there were *so many* recaps of very recent events or spelling things out, it's as if Ibsen didn't trust his audience to put 2 + 2 together and get 4. So instead of creeping realisations of dread as we lived the situation with the character, we just got force-fed a step-by-step account almost mechanically by a somehow omniscient narrator.
In addition, fuck every single one of these characters except for Jane who deserved better. It's not that I believe that characters have to be likable to be good, but you do have to care about them (particularly in horror) and I couldn't give less of a shit about any of them (except for Jane).
Ultimately, the book was relatively fast-paced and easy to read, but boring.
I think I will still read other books from Ibsen (I still want to finish his "The Haunting Of" series), but this series was a no-go for me. The first book was the best of all of them, but it was only downhill from there. I had a sinking suspicion during the second book (which was filler in novel form) that these books would've done a lot better by cutting a lot and being made into one book not three. The concept still wouldn't have been my cup of tea, but it would have been better.
#JusticeforJane
So now that that's said, while I personally don't find the concept scary, I don't think his writing does him any favours. I've noticed it before in other Ibsen books that he tends to overwrite things - and I'm a strong believer that overwriting is a nail in the coffin for horror as the more you describe the Unimaginable Terror, the less scary it becomes - you're never going to describe something scarier than someone can imagine.
However, the overwriting was in full force in this book - moments of tension broken by the narrator pausing to wax lyrical about what just happened and how he felt about it... And there were *so many* recaps of very recent events or spelling things out, it's as if Ibsen didn't trust his audience to put 2 + 2 together and get 4. So instead of creeping realisations of dread as we lived the situation with the character, we just got force-fed a step-by-step account almost mechanically by a somehow omniscient narrator.
In addition, fuck every single one of these characters except for Jane who deserved better. It's not that I believe that characters have to be likable to be good, but you do have to care about them (particularly in horror) and I couldn't give less of a shit about any of them (except for Jane).
Ultimately, the book was relatively fast-paced and easy to read, but boring.
I think I will still read other books from Ibsen (I still want to finish his "The Haunting Of" series), but this series was a no-go for me. The first book was the best of all of them, but it was only downhill from there. I had a sinking suspicion during the second book (which was filler in novel form) that these books would've done a lot better by cutting a lot and being made into one book not three. The concept still wouldn't have been my cup of tea, but it would have been better.
#JusticeforJane
November 14, 2017
Review originally published at: http://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookre...
This is the third and final installment of The Afterlife Investigations. Stephen Barlow and Jake are still chasing the Occupant, with hopes of saving Elizabeth. In their journey they will be approaching the Occupant’s place of origin.
If the previous two books were good, this was totally AMAZING. The story trapped me from the start and there was not a moment of boredom. Each scene was more horrible than the previous, and the built tension kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.
There are a lot of dark scenes in the forest, and the pace of the story is quick and intense. There were some unexpected things and loads of emotion, horror, loss, and blood. I loved the whole series, but this one is my favorite by far.
I really liked the characters in the series, the felt fully fleshed, with their ups and downs, and it was easy to connect to them, especially Stephen. They evolved with the story, and surprised me more than once at what they were capable of.
Some truths about the Occupant are unveiled here, and this has made the whole story much more interesting, and in the end all pieces of the puzzle fell in place, which felt satisfying.
Joe Hempel brought to life not only the characters in this story, but also the story itself. His voice haunted me while I was listening to this book. It felt like watching a movie instead of listening to an audiobook: all characters felt and sounded real, the rhythm and tone were compelling, and the story would not have been the same without him.
I really recommend this series not only to horror fans, but to anyone who would like an intense and amazing story.
I received a copy of this book in audio format from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third and final installment of The Afterlife Investigations. Stephen Barlow and Jake are still chasing the Occupant, with hopes of saving Elizabeth. In their journey they will be approaching the Occupant’s place of origin.
If the previous two books were good, this was totally AMAZING. The story trapped me from the start and there was not a moment of boredom. Each scene was more horrible than the previous, and the built tension kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.
There are a lot of dark scenes in the forest, and the pace of the story is quick and intense. There were some unexpected things and loads of emotion, horror, loss, and blood. I loved the whole series, but this one is my favorite by far.
I really liked the characters in the series, the felt fully fleshed, with their ups and downs, and it was easy to connect to them, especially Stephen. They evolved with the story, and surprised me more than once at what they were capable of.
Some truths about the Occupant are unveiled here, and this has made the whole story much more interesting, and in the end all pieces of the puzzle fell in place, which felt satisfying.
Joe Hempel brought to life not only the characters in this story, but also the story itself. His voice haunted me while I was listening to this book. It felt like watching a movie instead of listening to an audiobook: all characters felt and sounded real, the rhythm and tone were compelling, and the story would not have been the same without him.
I really recommend this series not only to horror fans, but to anyone who would like an intense and amazing story.
I received a copy of this book in audio format from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2017
The Occupant is the third book in the Afterlife Investigation series by Ambrose Ibsen. It is a thriller, horror, paranormal and if you have not read or listen to the first two books, STOP reading now. It is impossible to write a review of the sequels without leaking spoilers from the previous books.
The main character of all three books is Stephen Barlow is an adjunct professor at an Ohio college. In the first book Asylum, Barlow becomes involved with two students, Elizabeth and Jake who want to form a Spiritual Club ( paranormal not kumbaya). They investigate Chaythe Asylum and inadvertently release something evil that has been stuck there for 28 years. In the second book, Forest, Barlow is trying to stop the entity known as The Occupant. Elizabeth is possessed by the entity as Barlow tries to save her and kill The Occupant.
In the third book, The Occupant, Barlow is now deep in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He and Jake are searching for the lost town that The Occupant was associated with. Elizabeth is somewhere in the unending dark woods, the body through which The Occupant was working to bring its full entry into our world. Jake and Barlow try to piece together the history of The Occupant through the history of the town which has disappeared. They are helped by Jane who was originally used by her uncle to bring The Occupant into the world from the pit where it dwelled.
The pervading sense of dread is ratcheted up several notches in this book. It creates almost a sense of breathlessness. Even when the action is slowed down, there is still the feeling that something is circling ever closer. There are constantly large swatches of forest, trees blocking out the sun or the moon, swaying in the breeze, hiding anything moving slowly, carefully and quietly towards Barlow. The ending of the book really did not give me any sense of closure or peace. I am not sure if the series will continue with Barlow investigating other paranormal things or if this will be the end. Somehow I don’t think it is. “The door has been opened. It’s already too late.”
Joe Hempel does as great job narrating all three books. He conveys the tension and fear just as well in this book as he did in the other Ibsen books I have listened to. While the story gets very intense, Mr.Hempel never veers in hysteria or yelling. I really enjoyed his narration. I will be looking for more books narrated by Mr. Hempel.
I received this audiobook through Audiobook Reviewer for free from the Narrator, Submitted in exchange for an honest review.
The main character of all three books is Stephen Barlow is an adjunct professor at an Ohio college. In the first book Asylum, Barlow becomes involved with two students, Elizabeth and Jake who want to form a Spiritual Club ( paranormal not kumbaya). They investigate Chaythe Asylum and inadvertently release something evil that has been stuck there for 28 years. In the second book, Forest, Barlow is trying to stop the entity known as The Occupant. Elizabeth is possessed by the entity as Barlow tries to save her and kill The Occupant.
In the third book, The Occupant, Barlow is now deep in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He and Jake are searching for the lost town that The Occupant was associated with. Elizabeth is somewhere in the unending dark woods, the body through which The Occupant was working to bring its full entry into our world. Jake and Barlow try to piece together the history of The Occupant through the history of the town which has disappeared. They are helped by Jane who was originally used by her uncle to bring The Occupant into the world from the pit where it dwelled.
The pervading sense of dread is ratcheted up several notches in this book. It creates almost a sense of breathlessness. Even when the action is slowed down, there is still the feeling that something is circling ever closer. There are constantly large swatches of forest, trees blocking out the sun or the moon, swaying in the breeze, hiding anything moving slowly, carefully and quietly towards Barlow. The ending of the book really did not give me any sense of closure or peace. I am not sure if the series will continue with Barlow investigating other paranormal things or if this will be the end. Somehow I don’t think it is. “The door has been opened. It’s already too late.”
Joe Hempel does as great job narrating all three books. He conveys the tension and fear just as well in this book as he did in the other Ibsen books I have listened to. While the story gets very intense, Mr.Hempel never veers in hysteria or yelling. I really enjoyed his narration. I will be looking for more books narrated by Mr. Hempel.
I received this audiobook through Audiobook Reviewer for free from the Narrator, Submitted in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2020
This series scared the crap out of me! Good job!
The only thing I didn’t understand was
The only thing I didn’t understand was
July 8, 2019
I saw someone say this series would have been super sick if it was edited w a hacksaw and made into one big book and i think i kind of agree. It was cool!! But i did notice that the narrator repeated info we already knew multiple times. I skimmed a lot of sections where hed rehash what we just learned over and over again. I wish id been left more room to make inferences and that id been trusted to remember the info abt characters id just read abt.
I will also say, the ending wasnt what i expected and the more i think abt it, the more i wish it was different. I think i wanted to learn more abt the occupant and what it wanted and i wanted to see the worst of the worst happen. I felt like the ending kind of shied away from scarier and more disastrous concepts. The use of the female characters was a little funny sometimes too and that put me off, the narrator was rarely confronted for his arrogance, and he used the word queer sometimes to mean like funny or strange and i personally just dont dig that!
But all that said, it was a fun read. The series was relatively fast and entertaining. Some cool concepts were explored and it was enjoyable!!
I will also say, the ending wasnt what i expected and the more i think abt it, the more i wish it was different. I think i wanted to learn more abt the occupant and what it wanted and i wanted to see the worst of the worst happen. I felt like the ending kind of shied away from scarier and more disastrous concepts. The use of the female characters was a little funny sometimes too and that put me off, the narrator was rarely confronted for his arrogance, and he used the word queer sometimes to mean like funny or strange and i personally just dont dig that!
But all that said, it was a fun read. The series was relatively fast and entertaining. Some cool concepts were explored and it was enjoyable!!
January 26, 2021
I'll say it again, I hate that I bought this series. This was before I knew that you could return books on Audible. Oof.
Ok, spoilers. Everybody dies but the prof. He kills the Occupant, but...
He starts a new life in a new state, meets a girl, they are getting serious... and he learns that she is a Lancaster! Ooh! The Lancaster curse of the Occupant continues. She leaves a note (and a full wheel of birth control pills to indicate that she's pregnant with the Occupant's spawn). The book ends with the protagonist reading the note: "The door has been opened. It's too late" and saying "And of course, she was right."
Ugh. This was everything I hate in a horror novel, with an ending that made so mad with myself for sitting through this steaming heap (a second time! because I forgot just how bad it was! stupid, stupid me). Like, hey! All that stuff that happened? Totally pointless! The bad guy was always going to win. Nyah-nyah...
I won't belabor the point, but good grief, this whole thing was just dumb.
Ok, spoilers. Everybody dies but the prof. He kills the Occupant, but...
He starts a new life in a new state, meets a girl, they are getting serious... and he learns that she is a Lancaster! Ooh! The Lancaster curse of the Occupant continues. She leaves a note (and a full wheel of birth control pills to indicate that she's pregnant with the Occupant's spawn). The book ends with the protagonist reading the note: "The door has been opened. It's too late" and saying "And of course, she was right."
Ugh. This was everything I hate in a horror novel, with an ending that made so mad with myself for sitting through this steaming heap (a second time! because I forgot just how bad it was! stupid, stupid me). Like, hey! All that stuff that happened? Totally pointless! The bad guy was always going to win. Nyah-nyah...
I won't belabor the point, but good grief, this whole thing was just dumb.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2017
This was the best of the series so far!! Incredibly tense and scary, it made for some terrifying reading!!
This one sees Stephen, along with Jake and Jane, in the town where The Occupant has drawn them. They have to try to save Elizabeth but time is running out!! That's all I'm going to summarise for you because I don't want to spoil it!!
The plot of this was so fast paced and intense, that I pretty much listened to this in one day. It was incredibly intense and had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I had to know what was going to happen!!! And true to the authors style, he didn't disappoint. There were some twists and plenty of horror, and I'm pleased with how it ended.
This series surprised me with how much I enjoyed it! I loved the plot and I really loved the characters. This author always makes his characters so relatable and easy to like! Stephen was awesome and I would love to see his character again in the future, maybe he could team up with one of Ambrose's other characters ;)
In all, this book was brilliant. I devoured it and was sorry to see it end. I highly recommend the series.
Joe Hempel is one of the best. He is a pleasure to listen to because he just knows how to read a story well! It's makes for effortless listening. He is clear and concise, has a variety of tones and voices and knows when to use inflections to make the story come alive! Honestly, give him a try!!
I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
This one sees Stephen, along with Jake and Jane, in the town where The Occupant has drawn them. They have to try to save Elizabeth but time is running out!! That's all I'm going to summarise for you because I don't want to spoil it!!
The plot of this was so fast paced and intense, that I pretty much listened to this in one day. It was incredibly intense and had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I had to know what was going to happen!!! And true to the authors style, he didn't disappoint. There were some twists and plenty of horror, and I'm pleased with how it ended.
This series surprised me with how much I enjoyed it! I loved the plot and I really loved the characters. This author always makes his characters so relatable and easy to like! Stephen was awesome and I would love to see his character again in the future, maybe he could team up with one of Ambrose's other characters ;)
In all, this book was brilliant. I devoured it and was sorry to see it end. I highly recommend the series.
Joe Hempel is one of the best. He is a pleasure to listen to because he just knows how to read a story well! It's makes for effortless listening. He is clear and concise, has a variety of tones and voices and knows when to use inflections to make the story come alive! Honestly, give him a try!!
I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
February 27, 2022
So...
I was really liking this author. Sadly his books start out good, interesting, captivating even. As you read on he starts to makes the characters sound British almost. Now don't get me wrong I have love for author world wide. but when you have a group from Detroit using words like chap and lad and old language, it's hard to keep up with the characters.
And again I love being in the heads of old world language and century's old proper pronounced language authors, But you can't have someone from the likes of Detroit or down south, born and raised to sound like a proper English gentleman.
I'm not saying have the characters sound like they didn't even graduate high school or English for that matter, but it's making me sad to lose interest half way through my books.
I was really liking this author. Sadly his books start out good, interesting, captivating even. As you read on he starts to makes the characters sound British almost. Now don't get me wrong I have love for author world wide. but when you have a group from Detroit using words like chap and lad and old language, it's hard to keep up with the characters.
And again I love being in the heads of old world language and century's old proper pronounced language authors, But you can't have someone from the likes of Detroit or down south, born and raised to sound like a proper English gentleman.
I'm not saying have the characters sound like they didn't even graduate high school or English for that matter, but it's making me sad to lose interest half way through my books.
July 21, 2019
This is the third and final book in the Afterlife Investigations trilogy and I just loved it! It could of went on a few more books and I would of been right there. In this book, it continues to follow college professor Stephen Barlow and his quest to find the Occupant after releasing it out of the Asylum. His student Elizabeth and her boyfriend, Jake, are pulled back in because the Occupant has his sites on Elizabeth. I do not want to go into this story more as to not spoil it but OMG the ending made me only want more! I do hope one day for a book 4! I highly recommend this trilogy and it would be awesome to read this during the Halloween/Autumn season.
March 30, 2020
The Occupant is an amazing ending to a beautiful and disturbing series. Ibsen masterfully wraps up the series in a very satisfying manner...questions are answered and some old friends are lost. The tension and terror are exquisite and unrelenting. I was unable to put down this final chapter and was sad to see it end. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good horror story. I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Ambrose Ibsen in my opinion is a great horror and suspense storyteller, and his writing always provides me with hours of enjoyable reading.
August 30, 2020
Following on from the previous 2 books, Stephen Barlow and Jake head out to Milsbourne to try and hunt down Elizabeth, and the entity known as The Occupant who is possessing her.
This is part 3 in The Afterlife series by Ambrose Ibsen. I enjoyed this book but it did fall a little bit flat in comparison with the previous 2. I was hoping for a bit more of a climatic ending if I am honest. That being said, I did enjoy it, and it did close up all the unanswered questions of the previous installments.
I would reccomend this series, overall it was pretty good and was a good introduction into Ambrose Ibsens extensive works.
This is part 3 in The Afterlife series by Ambrose Ibsen. I enjoyed this book but it did fall a little bit flat in comparison with the previous 2. I was hoping for a bit more of a climatic ending if I am honest. That being said, I did enjoy it, and it did close up all the unanswered questions of the previous installments.
I would reccomend this series, overall it was pretty good and was a good introduction into Ambrose Ibsens extensive works.
October 3, 2020
What an ending! The story was thrilling, the pace urgent, and, for the first time, there was some real carnage happening.
I'm so astonished at Stephen Barlow's determination to do what needs to be done; his character is the best in the series, hands down, and here we see the culmination of his evolution as a person.
This series is ideal for those to whom horror is not equal to read about how people are getting killed in horrific ways every three paragraphs :P It has great characters, a very interesting plot, well-thought mythology... truly great.
And yes, Joe Hempel's narration is still really good.
I'm so astonished at Stephen Barlow's determination to do what needs to be done; his character is the best in the series, hands down, and here we see the culmination of his evolution as a person.
This series is ideal for those to whom horror is not equal to read about how people are getting killed in horrific ways every three paragraphs :P It has great characters, a very interesting plot, well-thought mythology... truly great.
And yes, Joe Hempel's narration is still really good.
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