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The Splendor of Fear
Something stirs in the town of Newsom's Landing... Penny hates the outdoors, but when her boyfriend, Jared, plans a romantic weekend getaway in the woods, she decides to tag along. The pair drive to a remote Kentucky campground with a strange and sordid history. Within the confines of the Swan Creek State Park are the ruins of a town abandoned under terrifying circumstances in the 19th century. The town of Newsom's Landing had been the site of the last-known witch trial in US history, and the ghost of its defendant, the infamous Ellie Pomeroy, is said to still linger. Arriving on the anniversary of Pomeroy's murder, the pair find they have the entire park to themselves. Or, nearly. Something else is stalking the woods—watching in the night, wandering through the ruins. It brings a plague of hallucinatory terror wherever it goes, and before long, Penny and Jared can't parse reality from nightmare. Lost in the woods, the pair are faced with a Find a way to end the century-long curse, or be consumed by it—body and soul. The Splendor of Fear is a full-length novel of terror by Ambrose Ibsen.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 20, 2018
281 people are currently reading
541 people want to read
About the author
Ambrose Ibsen
58 books660 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 106 reviews
October 1, 2024
Another new ‘joint’ by another new author. I’m on a roll lately! And, while I don’t wanna jump ahead, I just want to say that I loved this ending. It gave such nice depth and polarizing sentiments towards our antagonist, and then concluded on a great note wih Penny and Jared. So awesome finale that tied everything up. For the rest of the story…I liked it. This didn’t necessarily introduce any new horror elements or expand any lore into new and fascinating places, but it kept things simple and done well. I enjoyed the writing style of Ambrose Ibsen and appreciated the length of the book, too. For some odd reason, most witch books are really long. So this was a nice change of pace from the norm. There are lots of eerie and creepy moments, a great atmosphere, and wonderful visuals. My favorite is, towards the very end, the quick snippet of a crow crawling out of Ellie Pomeroy’s mouth. Icky, but great. I read some of the other reviews, which seemed overly harsh towards the main characters, which I disagree with. Jared took his long term girlfriend on a camping adventure, possibly to propose. She was clearly not into it and got bored easily, so they explored the woods a bit, and well, the s*** hit the fan. I didn’t think the internal logic was absent at all. Maybe a little stretched a few times, but still fully intact. I did, however, feel that the story dragged on in a few areas, namely when Penny was being chased by the witch, and then after she finds Jared and they’re both pursued. Those areas could have been tightened up a bit, but, other than those minor critiques, I really enjoyed this book.
February 11, 2019
There was a lot of back and forth, a lot of mud, and a lot of thinking, but there was even more searching. There were many soggy times in this book but they were worth it. I can easily see this ending up with a sequel or staying as-is.
This story has three major things going on - the purpose of the trip, the why!? You'll see; the date they happen to pick and all that it entails; and what, oh what the heck, are they gonna do with the hot mess they have gotten themselves into? Will they make it as a couple ? Or will they go it alone? Is their strength together or apart? We will see if they stay smart enough to solve the rifts from another time, the mystery of the village ruins, and the memories infecting the land; then figure it out and get the floop out! Yeah. Get ready for some creepy stuff.
This story has three major things going on - the purpose of the trip, the why!? You'll see; the date they happen to pick and all that it entails; and what, oh what the heck, are they gonna do with the hot mess they have gotten themselves into? Will they make it as a couple ? Or will they go it alone? Is their strength together or apart? We will see if they stay smart enough to solve the rifts from another time, the mystery of the village ruins, and the memories infecting the land; then figure it out and get the floop out! Yeah. Get ready for some creepy stuff.
May 16, 2019
The Splendor of Fear
In this tale by Ambrose Ibsen, we venture to Kentucky for a weekend camping trip. But oh no! There is something in the woods. I loved the back story we get about Newsome's Landing and Ellie Pomeroy. The weekend Penny and Jared are camping there is the anniversary of Ellie's death. The story was good and kept me guessing. i really, really wish the ending would have been different.
In this tale by Ambrose Ibsen, we venture to Kentucky for a weekend camping trip. But oh no! There is something in the woods. I loved the back story we get about Newsome's Landing and Ellie Pomeroy. The weekend Penny and Jared are camping there is the anniversary of Ellie's death. The story was good and kept me guessing. i really, really wish the ending would have been different.
April 25, 2019
I should start this review by saying I’m a huge fan of Ambrose Ibsen. His stories are not exactly groundbreaking, radical, or genre shattering. However, they are always an excellent exercise in first-rate, classical scary stories. His haunted house tales in particular always creep me out and satisfy, even though they don’t break new ground. They are well written and send a classic shiver down your spine.
When I first came across “The Splendor of Fear” I bought it sight unseen. When I read the description, I was even more excited. I felt a haunted state park would give Ibsen more options to play with in his storytelling. Sadly, this became the first Ibsen story to disappoint me and leave me dissatisfied.
The story follows a young woman (Penny) who goes for a romantic camping trip with her boyfriend (Jared). The park they pick was once the site of a Newsom’s Landing, a town abandoned for over 100 years. The town was the location of one of the last witch hunts in American history. The witch was killed by a mob of townies. Within a couple of years everybody in the town moved away due to “disturbances”. Every year, on the anniversary of the witch’s death, terrible things would happen.
So far, so good. Where the author loses meme is in a series of strange choices made by the protagonist of her boyfriend in the first half of the book. They arrive at the park on the anniversary of the witch’s death, to find it abandoned. Even the park rangers are gone. It seems everybody knows to stay away on this particular date. When the couple call the ranger station, they are told that the Rangers will not come. That no one will come. They are even told that they can get their money back, and it is suggested they should come back another weekend. So why the hell do they go in? I don’t know. I wouldn’t. That would have been enough for me to pick the next park with a camp ground over.
As the protagonist begins to “see things“ and tell her boyfriend, he routinely dismisses her feelings. Why? She is competent and sober. So, he’s either a fool or an asshole. Either way, time to leave. The boyfriend, in fact, it routinely dismissive of the protagonists’ concerns. He even plays tricks on her which accentuate her worries, laughing them off. I wasn’t a quarter through this book before I lost all empathy for him and his fate. And apparently, I wasn’t supposed to feel that way, because a lot of it was dedicated to fear about his well being.
There are a variety of other decisions made by the couple in the first half of this novel which were maddening. At one point, an abandoned house in the woods - which they’ve already had bad experiences with and seems haunted by the ghost of the witch - is found lit with candles in the middle of the night. And the protagonist decides to go in, because it seems “inviting”. That’s confounding to me. The other nonsensical decisions would give away spoilers, so I won’t go into them.
Another major problem with the story is the antagonist, the witch Ellie Pomeroy. It seems that Ibsen cannot decide if she is pure unadulterated evil or an malevolent entity to be pitied. The storytelling seems to swingly from one extreme to the other without coming down on either side. Is she the Joker or is she Mr Freeze? We never really know.
Equally problematic is the resolution. We get the typical happy but slightly ambiguous ending of horror stories. That’s fine. We are led to believe that the happy ending is brought about by the actions of Penny and Jared. But, when the story is considered, they don’t actually do anything. The happy ending is no precipitated by any set of actions.
I am sorry to say, for the first time ever, I didn’t like an Ambrose Ibsen book. It just seemed sloppy and confused. All the right elements were here for another homerun, but they just don’t come together.
When I first came across “The Splendor of Fear” I bought it sight unseen. When I read the description, I was even more excited. I felt a haunted state park would give Ibsen more options to play with in his storytelling. Sadly, this became the first Ibsen story to disappoint me and leave me dissatisfied.
The story follows a young woman (Penny) who goes for a romantic camping trip with her boyfriend (Jared). The park they pick was once the site of a Newsom’s Landing, a town abandoned for over 100 years. The town was the location of one of the last witch hunts in American history. The witch was killed by a mob of townies. Within a couple of years everybody in the town moved away due to “disturbances”. Every year, on the anniversary of the witch’s death, terrible things would happen.
So far, so good. Where the author loses meme is in a series of strange choices made by the protagonist of her boyfriend in the first half of the book. They arrive at the park on the anniversary of the witch’s death, to find it abandoned. Even the park rangers are gone. It seems everybody knows to stay away on this particular date. When the couple call the ranger station, they are told that the Rangers will not come. That no one will come. They are even told that they can get their money back, and it is suggested they should come back another weekend. So why the hell do they go in? I don’t know. I wouldn’t. That would have been enough for me to pick the next park with a camp ground over.
As the protagonist begins to “see things“ and tell her boyfriend, he routinely dismisses her feelings. Why? She is competent and sober. So, he’s either a fool or an asshole. Either way, time to leave. The boyfriend, in fact, it routinely dismissive of the protagonists’ concerns. He even plays tricks on her which accentuate her worries, laughing them off. I wasn’t a quarter through this book before I lost all empathy for him and his fate. And apparently, I wasn’t supposed to feel that way, because a lot of it was dedicated to fear about his well being.
There are a variety of other decisions made by the couple in the first half of this novel which were maddening. At one point, an abandoned house in the woods - which they’ve already had bad experiences with and seems haunted by the ghost of the witch - is found lit with candles in the middle of the night. And the protagonist decides to go in, because it seems “inviting”. That’s confounding to me. The other nonsensical decisions would give away spoilers, so I won’t go into them.
Another major problem with the story is the antagonist, the witch Ellie Pomeroy. It seems that Ibsen cannot decide if she is pure unadulterated evil or an malevolent entity to be pitied. The storytelling seems to swingly from one extreme to the other without coming down on either side. Is she the Joker or is she Mr Freeze? We never really know.
Equally problematic is the resolution. We get the typical happy but slightly ambiguous ending of horror stories. That’s fine. We are led to believe that the happy ending is brought about by the actions of Penny and Jared. But, when the story is considered, they don’t actually do anything. The happy ending is no precipitated by any set of actions.
I am sorry to say, for the first time ever, I didn’t like an Ambrose Ibsen book. It just seemed sloppy and confused. All the right elements were here for another homerun, but they just don’t come together.
October 24, 2022
Audiobook Review
When one reads a horror book, one expects to root for the survivors and hope they make it to the end.
Spoilers abound, be warned
For this book, I honestly didn't care about either person making it. I know that the "too stupid to live trope" exists, but if you go that route and don't have the survivors actually learn and become smart, then you run the risk of creating unlikeable characters. Which for me, happened here.
So this couple is going into the national park for a vacation camping in the woods. Penny does not want to go but thinks her boyfriend is gonna propose so passive aggressively goes with him.
She reads up on the park on the way there and learns about the witch who was killed and how her spirit made everyone leave the town, creating a ghost town. It also happens to be the anniversary of the witch's death.
The stupid decisions begin from the moment they arrive. They get to the park and no one is there. They call the park rangers and he tells them no one is in the park and to come back later. They of course don't do this. Then the boyfriend, Jared, decides to find a camping spot all the way into the woods and is generally horrible to Penny.
The creepy stuff happens immediately but do they leave? Nope, they go fishing.
This continues all the way through the story.
The ending really needed some more details. No, not the question that was asked, which comeon, the timing of that was horrible.
The only really good thing was the narration. Melisa Moran did an excellent job and was the only reason I finished.
When one reads a horror book, one expects to root for the survivors and hope they make it to the end.
Spoilers abound, be warned
For this book, I honestly didn't care about either person making it. I know that the "too stupid to live trope" exists, but if you go that route and don't have the survivors actually learn and become smart, then you run the risk of creating unlikeable characters. Which for me, happened here.
So this couple is going into the national park for a vacation camping in the woods. Penny does not want to go but thinks her boyfriend is gonna propose so passive aggressively goes with him.
She reads up on the park on the way there and learns about the witch who was killed and how her spirit made everyone leave the town, creating a ghost town. It also happens to be the anniversary of the witch's death.
The stupid decisions begin from the moment they arrive. They get to the park and no one is there. They call the park rangers and he tells them no one is in the park and to come back later. They of course don't do this. Then the boyfriend, Jared, decides to find a camping spot all the way into the woods and is generally horrible to Penny.
The creepy stuff happens immediately but do they leave? Nope, they go fishing.
This continues all the way through the story.
The ending really needed some more details. No, not the question that was asked, which comeon, the timing of that was horrible.
The only really good thing was the narration. Melisa Moran did an excellent job and was the only reason I finished.
February 26, 2019
3.5 stars. enjoyable read.
August 9, 2019
I enjoyed the story but could have done without the vocabulary lesson
Ok the short of it is, yes the book is good, worth the read. Scary and addictive, with good momentum that gets you hooked and doesn't let go. Now with that being said, the reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 lies within the fact that I have never had to look up so many words within one book in my life, I would have really been off put if it had not been in kindle format. Thankfully kindle makes looking up words super easy. I don't know if maybe I'm ignorant or something, but this wasn't a deep, intellectual type of story, in my opinion. So it seemed out of place for a plethora of uncommon (to me) words. I read on average about 2 books a week and it just seemed odd and exhaustive to me to have to stop and look up words so frequently. For me it just detracted from the flow and suspense of the story.
Other than that, I enjoyed the book and wouldn't hesitate to read another book by this author.
Ok the short of it is, yes the book is good, worth the read. Scary and addictive, with good momentum that gets you hooked and doesn't let go. Now with that being said, the reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 lies within the fact that I have never had to look up so many words within one book in my life, I would have really been off put if it had not been in kindle format. Thankfully kindle makes looking up words super easy. I don't know if maybe I'm ignorant or something, but this wasn't a deep, intellectual type of story, in my opinion. So it seemed out of place for a plethora of uncommon (to me) words. I read on average about 2 books a week and it just seemed odd and exhaustive to me to have to stop and look up words so frequently. For me it just detracted from the flow and suspense of the story.
Other than that, I enjoyed the book and wouldn't hesitate to read another book by this author.
August 20, 2019
The protagonist Penny and her boyfriend Jared got on my nerves for the first half of the book, they acted like spoiled teenagers that shouldn't have been in a relationship and made the worst possible choices imaginable along the way. Major red flags were thrown in their faces constantly and they delved right into the danger. The setup of the story seemed mediocre at first, Penny and Jared willingly threw themselves into the site of a gruesome murder scene in the middle of the woods haunted by black magic with no officers on duty because even they believe that the place is a goldmine of death and disaster. What could go wrong, right?
Though the plot and characters were on the weaker side, the execution of the actual horror aspects of the book were masterfully done. I was on the edge of my seat for a good 70% of the book. The gothic-horror atmosphere of the witch-haunted woodlands, decaying trees and decrepit ruins holding on to sickening memories of the dark past, it was truly horrific and enthralling experience. Penny and Jared even started to grow on me after a while, they matured through their mutual struggles and became believable and sympathetic by the end.
What started off as what seemed to be lousy, cliche horror movie material quickly evolved into a shocking and exciting experience with a horrifying villain further complimented by the intense, gothic atmosphere. I really enjoyed it.
Though the plot and characters were on the weaker side, the execution of the actual horror aspects of the book were masterfully done. I was on the edge of my seat for a good 70% of the book. The gothic-horror atmosphere of the witch-haunted woodlands, decaying trees and decrepit ruins holding on to sickening memories of the dark past, it was truly horrific and enthralling experience. Penny and Jared even started to grow on me after a while, they matured through their mutual struggles and became believable and sympathetic by the end.
What started off as what seemed to be lousy, cliche horror movie material quickly evolved into a shocking and exciting experience with a horrifying villain further complimented by the intense, gothic atmosphere. I really enjoyed it.
December 10, 2019
Malo con dolor, me ha entrado hasta mala leche. El mayor terror es atreverte a leertelo entero. Última vez que caigo en las recomendaciones aleatorias de Kindle Unlimited.
January 19, 2019
A Difficult Review
This is the first time I've ever reviewed a book I didn't finish. In fact, I stopped with only half the story done. It wasn't that the writing was horrible, or even that the story was bad. I quit because the protagonist/narrator was an obnoxious bitch who was really pissing me off. The story has a couple going on a camping trip over a long September weekend. The woman is a city girl and is reluctantly humoring her boyfriend with this trip. She thinks he is going to propose over the weekend. Nonetheless, she spends every single moment of the trip whining, griping, complaining, and making one sarcastic comment after another. Frankly I found it to be just too much. I could not believe that any boyfriend would put up with that much bitchiness. I kept waiting for him to punch her in the mouth. This is a horror story, not a treatise on domestic violence. It was a dumb distraction. I wasn't enjoying the book because I couldn't put up with it. It wasn't worth the frustration to continue. She couldn't even get scared in the haunted house because she was too annoyed about her boots getting wet jumping over a puddle. Good grief!
This is the first time I've ever reviewed a book I didn't finish. In fact, I stopped with only half the story done. It wasn't that the writing was horrible, or even that the story was bad. I quit because the protagonist/narrator was an obnoxious bitch who was really pissing me off. The story has a couple going on a camping trip over a long September weekend. The woman is a city girl and is reluctantly humoring her boyfriend with this trip. She thinks he is going to propose over the weekend. Nonetheless, she spends every single moment of the trip whining, griping, complaining, and making one sarcastic comment after another. Frankly I found it to be just too much. I could not believe that any boyfriend would put up with that much bitchiness. I kept waiting for him to punch her in the mouth. This is a horror story, not a treatise on domestic violence. It was a dumb distraction. I wasn't enjoying the book because I couldn't put up with it. It wasn't worth the frustration to continue. She couldn't even get scared in the haunted house because she was too annoyed about her boots getting wet jumping over a puddle. Good grief!
February 20, 2019
Again, Ambrose Ibsen slayed it! 💜
I don't think that this man could write a bad story! Again and again he wows me with his macabre tales. I was hooked from my first taste of his work, The Ceiling Man, I believe it's called. And every time I see a new one published, I have to get it.
This story stuck with the "traditional" haunting ghost story. A town cursed by a "witch" a century or more for killing her horribly. Nailing her mouth shut and burying her still alive upside down in a pine box, while her blood ran back into her face and throat. Terrifying way to die, even if she were dabbling in dark magick. A young couple decide to go camping in the woods she supposedly haunts. On the anniversary of her murder no less. There is nail-biting suspense and creepy mixes in the fabric of reality as they fight this wretched spector throughout the harrowing night. Will they manage to escape from the clutches of the diabolical hag, and live again in their cosy home. Or will they be trapped for eternity in the mad world of the witch! Read it and find out! It's well worth your time.
I don't think that this man could write a bad story! Again and again he wows me with his macabre tales. I was hooked from my first taste of his work, The Ceiling Man, I believe it's called. And every time I see a new one published, I have to get it.
This story stuck with the "traditional" haunting ghost story. A town cursed by a "witch" a century or more for killing her horribly. Nailing her mouth shut and burying her still alive upside down in a pine box, while her blood ran back into her face and throat. Terrifying way to die, even if she were dabbling in dark magick. A young couple decide to go camping in the woods she supposedly haunts. On the anniversary of her murder no less. There is nail-biting suspense and creepy mixes in the fabric of reality as they fight this wretched spector throughout the harrowing night. Will they manage to escape from the clutches of the diabolical hag, and live again in their cosy home. Or will they be trapped for eternity in the mad world of the witch! Read it and find out! It's well worth your time.
October 22, 2019
I am surprised by the 4and5 star ratings. Rather a poor read based on a poorer premise. Writing would benefit from some editing- disappointing
May 11, 2024
Spooky read! You are quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! 😍
I am dying to read the rest of this author’s other books.
I will say the back story felt a little weak and could’ve been better written out. It was almost cliche but good enough that I still had fun.
I am dying to read the rest of this author’s other books.
I will say the back story felt a little weak and could’ve been better written out. It was almost cliche but good enough that I still had fun.
April 12, 2019
The Splendor of Fear is a random audio pick from SCRIBD. I have read this author in the past, so I knew I was in for a good ghost story. Penny and her boyfriend head out camping for a romantic getaway. Upon arrival, they find that they are the only ones camping on this particular weekend as the town and camp grounds are deserted. It seems every year at this particular time, the entire population of the town nearby abandons the area for the weekend. After a few hours in the woods, the couple quickly learns why.
Have you ever watched one of those horror movies where the main characters go out for a hike or a camping trip and ignore the glaringly obvious signs that something is amiss before they step foot in the woods? This story is like that one. While it could have been really cheesy, I actually found it to be quite spooky and entertaining. I appreciated the fact that the story only focused on Penny and Jared. I didn't have to learn a bunch of names for characters whom I didn't care about before they were killed off. I will admit that Penny did get on my nerves a bit. She was a tad bit whiny about her camping accommodations. But, she redeemed herself in the end. As for the ghost story, I'll leave the details a mystery as I don't want to spoil the reveal. I definitely recommend this one, especially if you like a good old fashioned ghost story.
Have you ever watched one of those horror movies where the main characters go out for a hike or a camping trip and ignore the glaringly obvious signs that something is amiss before they step foot in the woods? This story is like that one. While it could have been really cheesy, I actually found it to be quite spooky and entertaining. I appreciated the fact that the story only focused on Penny and Jared. I didn't have to learn a bunch of names for characters whom I didn't care about before they were killed off. I will admit that Penny did get on my nerves a bit. She was a tad bit whiny about her camping accommodations. But, she redeemed herself in the end. As for the ghost story, I'll leave the details a mystery as I don't want to spoil the reveal. I definitely recommend this one, especially if you like a good old fashioned ghost story.
September 26, 2021
This could have been a scary story. It wasn't. In my opinion it was Unfortunately drowned in extreme details on the wrong places. The almost poetic language which more suits a gothic tale didn't fit, especially because the characters who are lost in a forest haunted by a murdered evil woman (witch maybe), ought to be bat shit scared and panicking ( ala Blair witch project panic), but they don't. The author do say from time to time, they do...but then continues to describe in details the smell, sound, feeling and tons of thoughts while encountering this evil supernatural thing you actually believe will kill you, or while struggling not to drown, it's still time to linger a bit about memories or detailed descriptions and thoughts about the way water feels or how deep it unexpectedly was.
Furthermore the main characters increasingly acted irrationally and stupid as the story went on, which ended up being annoying instead of interesting. Ask this isn't a discussion, I won't list examples as there's no reason to spoil for those who haven't read it yet.
I usually love detailed descriptions, but it has to fit the type of story and even more the situation.
Furthermore the main characters increasingly acted irrationally and stupid as the story went on, which ended up being annoying instead of interesting. Ask this isn't a discussion, I won't list examples as there's no reason to spoil for those who haven't read it yet.
I usually love detailed descriptions, but it has to fit the type of story and even more the situation.
February 1, 2019
Typical Ibsen...which means scary.
I have to give credit where credit is due. Ambrose Ibsen became one of my favorite novelists in the horror genre many books ago. He’s one of the very few authors that consistently has me peering behind my book to cast a glance at the shadows when I’m lying back and reading my book for the night.
The Splendor or Fear is typical Ibsen, which means it’s atmospheric and creepy. A young couple goes off into the woods for an outdoor adventure in a spooky forest where bad things previously happened on that same weekend many many years ago. The story wastes little time in drumming up the scares. It’s relatively fast paced and I would definitely advise my fellow horror aficionados to read this one.
If I were to offer any constructive criticism, it’s that I wish there was more history behind this book’s baddie. I always long for more from the world that Ibsen imagines in every one of his books. That said, this author is very talented and continues to impress.
I have to give credit where credit is due. Ambrose Ibsen became one of my favorite novelists in the horror genre many books ago. He’s one of the very few authors that consistently has me peering behind my book to cast a glance at the shadows when I’m lying back and reading my book for the night.
The Splendor or Fear is typical Ibsen, which means it’s atmospheric and creepy. A young couple goes off into the woods for an outdoor adventure in a spooky forest where bad things previously happened on that same weekend many many years ago. The story wastes little time in drumming up the scares. It’s relatively fast paced and I would definitely advise my fellow horror aficionados to read this one.
If I were to offer any constructive criticism, it’s that I wish there was more history behind this book’s baddie. I always long for more from the world that Ibsen imagines in every one of his books. That said, this author is very talented and continues to impress.
December 31, 2018
A year or so ago, I read "The Seance in Apartment 10" and made a note to myself to explore other titles by Ambrose Ibsen. When "The Splendor of Fear" appeared as a new title on my Kindle Unlimited subscription, I remembered this note. "The Splendor of Fear" did not disappoint. Yes, the premise of a couple going camping in the woods on the anniversary of the murder of the village witch 100+ years ago is rather cliche. So what? Sometimes I just want a simple plot where I can mentally wander in the woods and enjoy the spooky happenings along the way. This book was creepy and fun and it captured my imagination. It was easy to visualize the setting and the happenings. It was also the kind of book that I looked forward to reading in between holiday chores. It was just the right length too. Five stars for being just what I needed.
June 30, 2023
3.5 stars for creepiness. This is a fun witch story. Penny and Jared are kind of annoying and make all the classic mistakes while hiking. But the story redeemed itself by being creepy enough to be fun.
January 1, 2019
What an awesome book, gave me the chills. Loved it, very creepy ...
April 30, 2019
Too spooky to read before bed!
July 21, 2019
I read this book while listening to a horror movie soundtrack, suffice to say that was the best part of this reading experience.
June 2, 2021
If you want to read (or listen) a great ghost story, I can wholeheartedly recommend 'The Splendor of Fear' by Ambrose Ibsen. This book is extremely compelling atmospheric horror. The beautiful voice of Mellisa Moran makes the story an intense experience to listen to. And what makes this story extra special is the following. It is not only an exciting ghost story about guilt, but also about reality and with that it forms a sinister trio with 'The Haunting of Rookward House' by Darcy Coates and 'HEX' by Thomas Olde Heuvelt.
To begin with, the trio's themes have strong commonalities. This is especially true for the fear symbolism. All three choose a ghost as antagonist and each knows how to give it their own interpretation. Ellie Pomeroy is a personification of (death) fear. The ironic ambiguity with which Ibsen shapes this character is literature.
Reality is also an important motif in the books and reinforces the fear symbolism. This gives the stories a strong metaphysical undertone. That not only enhances the depth, but also the fear symbolism, because the spirits have a special relationship with reality. What made me very enthusiastic is that the authors each give their own interpretation to the mind. Guilt combined with fear in 'The Splendor of Fear' and guilt mixed with worry in 'The Haunting of Rookward House' and individuality is its own in 'HEX'.
The nature descriptions are great. And thus they enhance the atmosphere in this extremely exciting story in the right way and that makes this audiobook ideal for listening in the fall. And especially on the 14th of September.
What I also really liked is the structure of the story. It consists of twenty-five chapters that I my opinion can be divided into two parts. In the first part (chapters 1 to 15) the disturbing events take place that make not only the main character, but also the reader uneasy. In the second part (chapters 16 to 25) the terrifying things happen. The tension is constantly increased and this, in combination with Ibsen's visual style, gives the reader goosebumps.
In short, for those who want to read/hear a creepy ghost story, 'The splendor of fear' is an absolute must. It is an atmospheric tale of fear, guilt and is part of a special trio of gruesome ghost stories that I dare to call literature. #thesplendoroffear #ambroseibsen
To begin with, the trio's themes have strong commonalities. This is especially true for the fear symbolism. All three choose a ghost as antagonist and each knows how to give it their own interpretation. Ellie Pomeroy is a personification of (death) fear. The ironic ambiguity with which Ibsen shapes this character is literature.
Reality is also an important motif in the books and reinforces the fear symbolism. This gives the stories a strong metaphysical undertone. That not only enhances the depth, but also the fear symbolism, because the spirits have a special relationship with reality. What made me very enthusiastic is that the authors each give their own interpretation to the mind. Guilt combined with fear in 'The Splendor of Fear' and guilt mixed with worry in 'The Haunting of Rookward House' and individuality is its own in 'HEX'.
The nature descriptions are great. And thus they enhance the atmosphere in this extremely exciting story in the right way and that makes this audiobook ideal for listening in the fall. And especially on the 14th of September.
What I also really liked is the structure of the story. It consists of twenty-five chapters that I my opinion can be divided into two parts. In the first part (chapters 1 to 15) the disturbing events take place that make not only the main character, but also the reader uneasy. In the second part (chapters 16 to 25) the terrifying things happen. The tension is constantly increased and this, in combination with Ibsen's visual style, gives the reader goosebumps.
In short, for those who want to read/hear a creepy ghost story, 'The splendor of fear' is an absolute must. It is an atmospheric tale of fear, guilt and is part of a special trio of gruesome ghost stories that I dare to call literature. #thesplendoroffear #ambroseibsen
May 31, 2023
“Another possibility occurred to me, though—one that I tried hard to force from my thoughts. What if he really did see someone…”
“The Splendor of Fear” by Ambrose Ibsen gets 4 out of 5 stars.
This is my second experience with Ambrose Ibsen’s books. Penny agrees to a camping trip with her boyfriend, Scott. She’s not an outdoors person and particularly didn’t think it was a great idea but she agreed to give it a try. She learns the park history of where they are staying and was intrigued by its dark history of being the setting of the last witch trial in America. Needless to say, the trip was terrifying and surviving the night was all that mattered.
The writing is great - easy to read at a decent pace. The character development was great and the relationship as well as dialogue were relatable. There were some decent creepy parts that kept me intrigued all the way through to the ending. Overall, this was a fun, fast paced supernatural thriller.
Please visit my GoodReads or Instagram (Ashesandlore) profile for more reviews. Thank you!
“The Splendor of Fear” by Ambrose Ibsen gets 4 out of 5 stars.
This is my second experience with Ambrose Ibsen’s books. Penny agrees to a camping trip with her boyfriend, Scott. She’s not an outdoors person and particularly didn’t think it was a great idea but she agreed to give it a try. She learns the park history of where they are staying and was intrigued by its dark history of being the setting of the last witch trial in America. Needless to say, the trip was terrifying and surviving the night was all that mattered.
The writing is great - easy to read at a decent pace. The character development was great and the relationship as well as dialogue were relatable. There were some decent creepy parts that kept me intrigued all the way through to the ending. Overall, this was a fun, fast paced supernatural thriller.
Please visit my GoodReads or Instagram (Ashesandlore) profile for more reviews. Thank you!
November 23, 2021
Short and sweet. I liked the backstory of the witch and how the handled the situation. But how incredibly selfish to drag your girlfriend out to camping to propose when you KNOW she hates camping and doesn’t wanna be there at all. Why wouldn’t he do something she loves if he wants to be romantic?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2023
Wow never thought I’d find an Ambrose Ibsen book with a happy ending! Like all of his works I loved it! Highly recommend to anyone who wants a good spooky story.
August 15, 2019
It's alright. A short book that quickly gets to the supernatural horror part and doesn't meander. It's pretty much what the summary says. Might be made into a movie one day.
September 6, 2023
Sooooo poorly written. Not one sentence was sounding like a natural conversation. It was awful.
April 15, 2023
This guy is really talented, the entire witch backstory was creepy and superb, i would like to read a book on that.
July 28, 2019
OMG Creepy Awesome! I recently found this author and I have loved every book I have read from him and that includes this one. The story follows Penny and her boyfriend Jake as they are going on a camping trip for the weekend. Penny's friends believe it is a way for him to propose marriage but she is not sure. When they arrive at the campground there is no one around and the park ranger they call acts like this is an error in booking. Regardless, Jake wants to stay! An empty campground with a history of a witch killing is all I need to say. I highly recommend this book especially around the Halloween/Autumn season.
July 28, 2019
It's a pretty basic lost-in-the-woods horror story buy it is, as usual for this author, very well written, with good and well built characters and great dialogue so I recommend it.
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