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Tamer Animals
*Book one in the TAMER ANIMALS series*IT WAS JUST A CAMPING TRIPDown by the old Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge, four high school friends only wanted to kick back, smoke some weed and forget about their problems for a day or two. Sure, there were stories that the area was haunted, but there was no way they were true.IT WAS JUST A LOCAL LEGENDDecades earlier, an old goat farmer had been murdered by the Klan, hung from a tree near the bridge solely because of the color of his skin. His body was never found. Since then, numerous sightings of a strange creature--half-man and half-goat--had been reported in the surrounding woods. He was called the Goatman.IT WAS JUST THE WORST NIGHT OF THEIR LIVESFrom the moment they arrived, strange noises echoed around them... a sense that they were being watched pervaded the campsite... and that was just the beginning. When one of them vanishes and a horned monstrosity pursues the others, it becomes clear that the legends are real....and the truth is so much more horrific than they could ever have imagined."Justin M. Woodward isn't playing around--this is a terrifying descent into depravity." -Jeff Strand (Author of Sick House)"Dark, twisted, and full of surprises." -Duncan Ralston (Author of WOOM and Salvage)"Woodward is the kind of dick who invites himself into your nightmares, and Tamer Animals is the key he uses to open the door." -J. Z. Foster (Author of The Wicked Ones and Witch Hunter)
213 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 21, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
June 6, 2019
This review was originally published in SCREAM MAGAZINE
I’ve reviewed over a dozen books for SCREAM magazine and sometimes (I’ll be the first to admit to you) the books I’ve chosen to review for SCREAM fans have been all over the spectrum of horror. I’m eager to impress upon you that this book, TAMER ANIMALS by Justin Woodward is straight-up, full-on, classic horror.
The set up is simple: Some teenage boys lie to their parents and tell them they’re on a church retreat when the reality of the situation is that they are headed for a remote, local location that presumably has a reputation of being a destination for partying, drugs and sex--one of the boys has also heard that the campsite is haunted by the restless spirit of the GOATMAN.
What the boys encounter in those woods is some of the most horrific, nail-biting, graphic storytelling I’ve read in the last six months or so.
It reminds me of the RITUAL by Adam Nevill except with the fear and the gore turned all the way up to the max and told in about two hundred pages. Sleek and full of Splatter!
Woodward does an excellent job strengthening the storyline by bolstering the character development. We get some great chapters on backstory for each of the main characters which I found to be refreshing--so many horror writers don’t dig deep enough with the protagonists and the danger there is that if there’s no reader connection to the people in the story; there’s zero emotional investment. No investment, no risk.
Horror should cost the reader something.
I want to go into my reads wanting to fall in love with these characters so that when all hell breaks loose, I’m worried about it. I have skin in the game.
Also, for a horror novella, I found this first act to be the most successful part of the ride because often times, a novella rushes right into the action and it can be overwhelming to experience too much, too fast--before you know it, the novella is winding down to its conclusion when you’ve only just ventured out past your knees--it’s surface level storytelling that doesn’t sink in. It doesn’t get into your bones for that chill.
These kids going out to the woods, I cared about them. Being a mom of two teenage boys, I felt all the risk in the world, I was all in, which is a scary place to be.
There’s a pivotal point of no return in this book. Once you read it, your brain can’t let go of it. I felt like I was watching a scary movie and I was yelling out loud to the TV, “Don’t go there! Don’t go in! Turn back!”
Certain parts I wanted to read through my fingers--it was that scary for me. I highly recommend this to horror fans who want a quick, Southern-fried-horror-fest that doesn’t pull any punches.
I’ve reviewed over a dozen books for SCREAM magazine and sometimes (I’ll be the first to admit to you) the books I’ve chosen to review for SCREAM fans have been all over the spectrum of horror. I’m eager to impress upon you that this book, TAMER ANIMALS by Justin Woodward is straight-up, full-on, classic horror.
The set up is simple: Some teenage boys lie to their parents and tell them they’re on a church retreat when the reality of the situation is that they are headed for a remote, local location that presumably has a reputation of being a destination for partying, drugs and sex--one of the boys has also heard that the campsite is haunted by the restless spirit of the GOATMAN.
What the boys encounter in those woods is some of the most horrific, nail-biting, graphic storytelling I’ve read in the last six months or so.
It reminds me of the RITUAL by Adam Nevill except with the fear and the gore turned all the way up to the max and told in about two hundred pages. Sleek and full of Splatter!
Woodward does an excellent job strengthening the storyline by bolstering the character development. We get some great chapters on backstory for each of the main characters which I found to be refreshing--so many horror writers don’t dig deep enough with the protagonists and the danger there is that if there’s no reader connection to the people in the story; there’s zero emotional investment. No investment, no risk.
Horror should cost the reader something.
I want to go into my reads wanting to fall in love with these characters so that when all hell breaks loose, I’m worried about it. I have skin in the game.
Also, for a horror novella, I found this first act to be the most successful part of the ride because often times, a novella rushes right into the action and it can be overwhelming to experience too much, too fast--before you know it, the novella is winding down to its conclusion when you’ve only just ventured out past your knees--it’s surface level storytelling that doesn’t sink in. It doesn’t get into your bones for that chill.
These kids going out to the woods, I cared about them. Being a mom of two teenage boys, I felt all the risk in the world, I was all in, which is a scary place to be.
There’s a pivotal point of no return in this book. Once you read it, your brain can’t let go of it. I felt like I was watching a scary movie and I was yelling out loud to the TV, “Don’t go there! Don’t go in! Turn back!”
Certain parts I wanted to read through my fingers--it was that scary for me. I highly recommend this to horror fans who want a quick, Southern-fried-horror-fest that doesn’t pull any punches.
January 18, 2019
This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
This is a short book that has a whole lot of story. I always get really excited when I read a synopsis and it's basically "a camping trip goes horribly wrong". Reading the synopsis for this book was no different. And then boy does Woodward deliver. He makes this camping trip go wrong in so many horrible and nasty ways.
Four high school friends have just blown off the last day of sophomore year in anticipation of their upcoming camping trip. They are driving to Georgia to stay at a spot that is known to be haunted by a creature called the Goatman. This adds to the appeal of their destination, and after scoring some weed for the weekend they set out to kick back in the woods at night and swim in the Coheelee Creek during the day.
The characters are well written and have complex lives, and so when bad things start to happen to them, you sincerely feel for them. Woodward covers a lot of topics in a short amount of pages, including race, sexuality, and abuse, among others. Things start to go wrong for the boys almost immediately, and once they start to disappear one by one, the remaining boys are compelled to search the woods for them. What they eventually find is a nightmare far worse than a legend about a Goatman.
The only slight issue I have with the story is that when an early character appears in the third act I had to stop reading for a moment to recall who he was. He's introduced very briefly at the beginning of the novel. Once I remembered him the story picked up again and continued to its brutal and inevitable conclusion. This one has lots and lots of gore and gross out moments, so this is a warning to everyone with a weak stomach. Woodward is unflinching when it comes to blood and gore, and that makes the third act of this novel a stomach churning nail-biter.
Lastly, I want to address the author's note at the end of the novel. Much like the book, it spoke to me. He explains his motivation for writing the novel, and his inspiration for the title. And it resonates with me because I have often felt the same way. But I'll let you discover all of that for yourself. Give this one a read. It will make you never want to go camping ever again.
4.5 stars
This is a short book that has a whole lot of story. I always get really excited when I read a synopsis and it's basically "a camping trip goes horribly wrong". Reading the synopsis for this book was no different. And then boy does Woodward deliver. He makes this camping trip go wrong in so many horrible and nasty ways.
Four high school friends have just blown off the last day of sophomore year in anticipation of their upcoming camping trip. They are driving to Georgia to stay at a spot that is known to be haunted by a creature called the Goatman. This adds to the appeal of their destination, and after scoring some weed for the weekend they set out to kick back in the woods at night and swim in the Coheelee Creek during the day.
The characters are well written and have complex lives, and so when bad things start to happen to them, you sincerely feel for them. Woodward covers a lot of topics in a short amount of pages, including race, sexuality, and abuse, among others. Things start to go wrong for the boys almost immediately, and once they start to disappear one by one, the remaining boys are compelled to search the woods for them. What they eventually find is a nightmare far worse than a legend about a Goatman.
The only slight issue I have with the story is that when an early character appears in the third act I had to stop reading for a moment to recall who he was. He's introduced very briefly at the beginning of the novel. Once I remembered him the story picked up again and continued to its brutal and inevitable conclusion. This one has lots and lots of gore and gross out moments, so this is a warning to everyone with a weak stomach. Woodward is unflinching when it comes to blood and gore, and that makes the third act of this novel a stomach churning nail-biter.
Lastly, I want to address the author's note at the end of the novel. Much like the book, it spoke to me. He explains his motivation for writing the novel, and his inspiration for the title. And it resonates with me because I have often felt the same way. But I'll let you discover all of that for yourself. Give this one a read. It will make you never want to go camping ever again.
January 6, 2019
A slim horror tale, Tamer Animals has a lot packed into it. The story delves into themes of bullying, homophobia, domestic abuse, racism, and worse—basically all the ways humans are horrible to each other—while following a group of young boys who are just trying to figure out how how to fight these larger violences, or at least how to support each other and get through the days while surrounded by injustice.
Who wouldn't want to get away from all that, if even for a weekend? So get out of town, go camping with your friends. But what happens when the evils you face every day just going to school or even waking up in your own house are not the only evils in the world you have to be afraid of? There might be something worse, something you've never had an inkling of, even in your worst nightmares.
That's what's waiting for the boys in the woods in Tamer Animals, and it's waiting for you too, if you dare to take a look.
The narrative is separated into three distinct sections. The first sets up each of the characters, letting the reader peek into their minds, lives, insecurities, hopes, and failures. The second is the camping trip, which quickly turns bad as one boy, then another, goes missing and strange things happen in the night. The third act is something entirely different, when the boys stumble on something else deep in the woods.
While the mythology of the Goatman is threaded throughout the story, it definitely is not the point of this story, and that is one thing that makes Tamer Animals such an interesting read.
After the initial set-up, the story reads much like a deliciously twisted and action-packed B-horror story. Woodward has a propulsive and gut-wrenching flow; he pours it all on the page, from suspenseful delusion to gooey, chunky gore.
But the story underneath has so many layers—one of the boys has a younger brother who confesses he is unsure about his sexuality. Another boy lives on the wrong side of the tracks, one gets flack about his mixed race. Are these the things that make them who they are? Aren't people all just people? Where does the division, the hatred come from? These are the questions that the book digs into.
One flaw of the storytelling for me was a character who becomes pivotal in the last third of the book who was only in a short scene at the beginning. I had completely forgotten about him by the time he comes up again. Perhaps that was just a failing of my own, but I was so confused by this character and how it reads like we should know who he is, that I had to flip back through the book to see where he was introduced. I thought that more weight should have been given to his first scene, or perhaps something to call back to it later on.
Overall, Tamer Animals is a wonderful horror read, not just for the level of nightmare-inducing viscera, but also for the attention and thought put toward the themes of the book. To me, that is what makes a well-rounded novel, and it shows a lot of promise for what's to come for this writer.
My thanks to the author for providing copies of his book to the Night Worms to read and review.
Who wouldn't want to get away from all that, if even for a weekend? So get out of town, go camping with your friends. But what happens when the evils you face every day just going to school or even waking up in your own house are not the only evils in the world you have to be afraid of? There might be something worse, something you've never had an inkling of, even in your worst nightmares.
That's what's waiting for the boys in the woods in Tamer Animals, and it's waiting for you too, if you dare to take a look.
The narrative is separated into three distinct sections. The first sets up each of the characters, letting the reader peek into their minds, lives, insecurities, hopes, and failures. The second is the camping trip, which quickly turns bad as one boy, then another, goes missing and strange things happen in the night. The third act is something entirely different, when the boys stumble on something else deep in the woods.
While the mythology of the Goatman is threaded throughout the story, it definitely is not the point of this story, and that is one thing that makes Tamer Animals such an interesting read.
After the initial set-up, the story reads much like a deliciously twisted and action-packed B-horror story. Woodward has a propulsive and gut-wrenching flow; he pours it all on the page, from suspenseful delusion to gooey, chunky gore.
But the story underneath has so many layers—one of the boys has a younger brother who confesses he is unsure about his sexuality. Another boy lives on the wrong side of the tracks, one gets flack about his mixed race. Are these the things that make them who they are? Aren't people all just people? Where does the division, the hatred come from? These are the questions that the book digs into.
One flaw of the storytelling for me was a character who becomes pivotal in the last third of the book who was only in a short scene at the beginning. I had completely forgotten about him by the time he comes up again. Perhaps that was just a failing of my own, but I was so confused by this character and how it reads like we should know who he is, that I had to flip back through the book to see where he was introduced. I thought that more weight should have been given to his first scene, or perhaps something to call back to it later on.
Overall, Tamer Animals is a wonderful horror read, not just for the level of nightmare-inducing viscera, but also for the attention and thought put toward the themes of the book. To me, that is what makes a well-rounded novel, and it shows a lot of promise for what's to come for this writer.
My thanks to the author for providing copies of his book to the Night Worms to read and review.
February 4, 2019
Geez, this book was fierce. A coming-of-age tale that explores the difference between friendship and family, and how the bonds we form with friends are sometimes stronger. The novel moves quickly; I read it in one sitting. I highly recommend Tamer Animals and will keep an eye out for more of Justin's work.
September 7, 2018
This was the first book by Woodward I've read, and now I'll definitely be getting copies of his first two novels soon. The four boys the story centers around are relatable and flawed, and I found myself rooting for them, feeling both happy and hurt by what they have gone and do go through. Woodward does a great job building tension in the plot, and his writing style is fluid. My only wish is that the story would've been longer.
January 8, 2019
Justin M. Woodward is the kind of dick who invites himself into your nightmares, and Tamer Animals is the key he uses to open the door.
Tamer Animals brought me back to my childhood with nostalgic references to the Gamecube and Slipknot, and then introduced a group of boys that could have easily have been my friends. From there, nefarious things happen.
It was just going to be a camping trip.
I'd like to tell you more. I really would. But it'd almost be a sin to reveal anything else as I'd be stealing the surprise from you, and that's what Tamer Animals is—a bloody gut punch of a surprise that'll leave you reeling.
Tamer Animals brought me back to my childhood with nostalgic references to the Gamecube and Slipknot, and then introduced a group of boys that could have easily have been my friends. From there, nefarious things happen.
It was just going to be a camping trip.
I'd like to tell you more. I really would. But it'd almost be a sin to reveal anything else as I'd be stealing the surprise from you, and that's what Tamer Animals is—a bloody gut punch of a surprise that'll leave you reeling.
January 22, 2019
I am unnerved. I am scared. I am disgusted. This book is terror at its core and I loved it. And it is also a coming-of-age story and everyone should know just how much I love those now!
Tamer Animals is a book that has three unofficial sections. The introduction is something akin to Stranger Things or The Goonies where we are getting to know a group of boys who want to go on an unapproved camping trip for some adventure and excitement. They hope to investigate the local legend of the Goatman.
The second part is the camping trip where we start getting teased with a little horror and some bad vibes. The legend of the Goatman is discussed a little more and some ominous things start to happen to the kids in the middle of nowhere.
And the third part is sheer full-blown terror and gore and I am still not over it! There is quite a twist that is revealed that I, for one, never saw coming. It really took the book to another level for me and just pounded on the horror.
Another thing I loved about this horror book is all of the different topics that Woodward was able to discuss and include in his main story: homophobia, racism, rural America, abuse, bullying, and sexuality. At the end of the day, we are ALL people. We are all meat. We are all just tamer animals.
There are just so many layers and pieces of this book that fit together to form this amazing story. This book is an easy 5-star read and I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone!
Thanks to the author for sending the Night Worms copies in exchange for an honest review.
Tamer Animals is a book that has three unofficial sections. The introduction is something akin to Stranger Things or The Goonies where we are getting to know a group of boys who want to go on an unapproved camping trip for some adventure and excitement. They hope to investigate the local legend of the Goatman.
The second part is the camping trip where we start getting teased with a little horror and some bad vibes. The legend of the Goatman is discussed a little more and some ominous things start to happen to the kids in the middle of nowhere.
And the third part is sheer full-blown terror and gore and I am still not over it! There is quite a twist that is revealed that I, for one, never saw coming. It really took the book to another level for me and just pounded on the horror.
Another thing I loved about this horror book is all of the different topics that Woodward was able to discuss and include in his main story: homophobia, racism, rural America, abuse, bullying, and sexuality. At the end of the day, we are ALL people. We are all meat. We are all just tamer animals.
There are just so many layers and pieces of this book that fit together to form this amazing story. This book is an easy 5-star read and I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone!
Thanks to the author for sending the Night Worms copies in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2019
"But I do know this: those woods are evil."
3.5⭐ rounding up
Tamer Animals is Justin Woodward's newest release, and the first book I've read from him. This was a quick and captivating read, and I enjoyed reading it with the Nightworms review group.
There's quite a bit going on in this book - it's a coming of age horror story, and this group of boys lives in an unfriendly small town. They deal with a lot of negativity - homophobia, racism, bullying, and abuse. While it's easy to see that the town they live in is a dark place, it felt a bit out of place since the focus was heavy on these things at the beginning, and then wasn't really about them at all by the end. These are pretty heavy topics to drop in, and then they sort of just disappear when other things start happening. The book is short, so I understand why everything wasn't explored, but it felt like there was a bit of a disconnect between the beginning and the end.
At times it was hard to keep track of who was who, but I eventually got it sorted. We got to know some characters better than others. I guess this was supposed to be comic relief, but there was a lot of focus on the character who had constant boners & couldn't stop masturbating. I had a hard time taking it seriously, and it kept taking me out of the story since it seemed out of place in a book where everything else was so serious. I would have rather spent more time with the other characters.
I really enjoyed the setting of the camping trip. It was creepy, and confirmed plan of staying out of the woods. Sometimes it's difficult to build suspense in a novella, but Justin does it well. I've read a couple other woods-related horror books within the last year that I wasn't crazy about, and Tamer Animals offered exactly what I was hoping for in this subgenre.
This book gets a little gory toward the end, and it was fun. It goes darker than I expected, which is good. I wish there would have been a little more background on what was going on, but again, it's a novella. I do feel like the wrap-up for the boys was a bit contrived, and I'm guessing that's because it has something to do with one of the author's other books - the intro at the beginning of Tamer Animals says to "do yourself a favor" and read The Variant first, so do that if you want to fully grasp what happens.
I enjoyed reading Tamer Animals, and I tore through this one pretty quickly since I was dying to know what was going to happen. Pick this one up if you're looking for an a new spooky camping story!
3.5⭐ rounding up
Tamer Animals is Justin Woodward's newest release, and the first book I've read from him. This was a quick and captivating read, and I enjoyed reading it with the Nightworms review group.
There's quite a bit going on in this book - it's a coming of age horror story, and this group of boys lives in an unfriendly small town. They deal with a lot of negativity - homophobia, racism, bullying, and abuse. While it's easy to see that the town they live in is a dark place, it felt a bit out of place since the focus was heavy on these things at the beginning, and then wasn't really about them at all by the end. These are pretty heavy topics to drop in, and then they sort of just disappear when other things start happening. The book is short, so I understand why everything wasn't explored, but it felt like there was a bit of a disconnect between the beginning and the end.
At times it was hard to keep track of who was who, but I eventually got it sorted. We got to know some characters better than others. I guess this was supposed to be comic relief, but there was a lot of focus on the character who had constant boners & couldn't stop masturbating. I had a hard time taking it seriously, and it kept taking me out of the story since it seemed out of place in a book where everything else was so serious. I would have rather spent more time with the other characters.
I really enjoyed the setting of the camping trip. It was creepy, and confirmed plan of staying out of the woods. Sometimes it's difficult to build suspense in a novella, but Justin does it well. I've read a couple other woods-related horror books within the last year that I wasn't crazy about, and Tamer Animals offered exactly what I was hoping for in this subgenre.
This book gets a little gory toward the end, and it was fun. It goes darker than I expected, which is good. I wish there would have been a little more background on what was going on, but again, it's a novella. I do feel like the wrap-up for the boys was a bit contrived, and I'm guessing that's because it has something to do with one of the author's other books - the intro at the beginning of Tamer Animals says to "do yourself a favor" and read The Variant first, so do that if you want to fully grasp what happens.
I enjoyed reading Tamer Animals, and I tore through this one pretty quickly since I was dying to know what was going to happen. Pick this one up if you're looking for an a new spooky camping story!
August 14, 2022
This is my first book by this author and it definitely won't be my last. This is like if you crossed stand by me with a little Texas chainsaw massacre and IT but instead of the clown it's fucking goatman. This was a bad ass coming of age psychological \occult horror. The writing was awesome the characters where well developed and once the story got going had a really creepy vibe throughout. I like coming of age stories thats why I was drawn to this one but this really is well written and I liked this way more than I expected because of the fantastic storytelling ability of the author. Awesome read highly recommend.
June 28, 2018
INSTANT CLASSIC!
First things first - The Variant and Candy (Justin's prior releases) were really, really good.
Tamer Animals is beyond fantastic. I dare you, nope I double dare you, not to be thinking about the movie adaptation by the time you finish.
This is story-telling my a master craftsman. This coming-of-age tale fits nicely in the veins of IT, The Body or anything McCammon. You find yourself easily rooting for the kids, wanting only good to happen as things continue to go down a horrendous path.
Now if you have picked up this book, you will know that they are looking for the Goatman. That isn't a spoiler, it's fact, but man oh man, do you want to know more about this Goatman character/creature!
If you have read The Variant (if not, you should) then you will see the tie in, but if not (and you should) this will not effect reading this book.
Such a solid, solid effort here from a rising star. This will inevitably catapult him into the conversation of "next big thing" horror writers.
Now, the sad part is, I have to wait and wait for his next release!
First things first - The Variant and Candy (Justin's prior releases) were really, really good.
Tamer Animals is beyond fantastic. I dare you, nope I double dare you, not to be thinking about the movie adaptation by the time you finish.
This is story-telling my a master craftsman. This coming-of-age tale fits nicely in the veins of IT, The Body or anything McCammon. You find yourself easily rooting for the kids, wanting only good to happen as things continue to go down a horrendous path.
Now if you have picked up this book, you will know that they are looking for the Goatman. That isn't a spoiler, it's fact, but man oh man, do you want to know more about this Goatman character/creature!
If you have read The Variant (if not, you should) then you will see the tie in, but if not (and you should) this will not effect reading this book.
Such a solid, solid effort here from a rising star. This will inevitably catapult him into the conversation of "next big thing" horror writers.
Now, the sad part is, I have to wait and wait for his next release!
August 21, 2018
I kept describing this book to my husband as "The Body" meets "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and I see I'm not alone in my thinking. This is a truly horrific read yet it's not gratuitous. The characters are all well developed, relatable and very real. Ryan Drean does an excellent job of bringing each person to life.
It's hard to describe the story without spoilers so I'll just say that I wanted to keep listening even if it meant losing sleep because the book pulled me in and kept me enthralled. The writing is so good and the performance on audio only enhances the story. Don't miss out on this great "read".
I received a free copy for my honest opinion and I'm so glad I was one of the lucky ones chosen to experience this wonderful five hour journey.
It's hard to describe the story without spoilers so I'll just say that I wanted to keep listening even if it meant losing sleep because the book pulled me in and kept me enthralled. The writing is so good and the performance on audio only enhances the story. Don't miss out on this great "read".
I received a free copy for my honest opinion and I'm so glad I was one of the lucky ones chosen to experience this wonderful five hour journey.
August 24, 2018
I will definitely read more Justin M. Woodward. The writing was easy to read, characters were relatable and the social commentary was much appreciated. I liked the suspense and very descriptive story. I read it at one sitting with some very restless sleep in between. I don't know why I waited so long to read this author. Just bought two other books and will read them soon. Great read!
June 21, 2018
The Goatman Cometh
A Coming of Age story? Sign me up. I've always been a fan of horror with the subgenre of coming of age. Tamer Animals from Justin M. Woodward really hits that sweet spot.
We have four main characters that are teenagers. Each having something that really no kid should be dealing with, but all across the world, kids do find themselves in these situations. They all need to get away from their problems and they think they have the perfect camping trip. There's this old wooden bridge that's supposedly haunted. There may also be a mysterious Goatman roaming the woods. Everything is the stuff of legend, but is any of it true?
I kept hearing about this book being like a Richard Laymon novel. At first, I didn't see it. I was seeing more of a Stephen King's IT vibe minus the clown. And then, I hit about the 60% mark of the book. Justin really flipped the script. It was literally holy crap moment after holy crap moment. Suddenly this almost innocent "ghost story" was anything but.
Laymonesque? Absolutely.
One hell of a read? No doubt.
Should you read it? What are you waiting for?
A Coming of Age story? Sign me up. I've always been a fan of horror with the subgenre of coming of age. Tamer Animals from Justin M. Woodward really hits that sweet spot.
We have four main characters that are teenagers. Each having something that really no kid should be dealing with, but all across the world, kids do find themselves in these situations. They all need to get away from their problems and they think they have the perfect camping trip. There's this old wooden bridge that's supposedly haunted. There may also be a mysterious Goatman roaming the woods. Everything is the stuff of legend, but is any of it true?
I kept hearing about this book being like a Richard Laymon novel. At first, I didn't see it. I was seeing more of a Stephen King's IT vibe minus the clown. And then, I hit about the 60% mark of the book. Justin really flipped the script. It was literally holy crap moment after holy crap moment. Suddenly this almost innocent "ghost story" was anything but.
Laymonesque? Absolutely.
One hell of a read? No doubt.
Should you read it? What are you waiting for?
August 14, 2018
Prepare yourself for incredibly real characters. These are realistic people with realistic issues. Some of them have horrific real-life problems. Others kind of need to be slapped into facing and dealing with their completely addressable problems. All in all, you have a plausible group of people doing plausible things. And that makes the story that much more sadistically compelling.
The story itself starts out with the feel of a suspense thriller and progresses into full-on horror. And then into extreme horror. So be aware of that. It just gets darker and darker. The steady pace combined with the building tension and horror makes for a very captivating read. Woodward’s recipe of seasoning the horror with a pinch of the supernatural, a heaping helping of real world atrocities, and a shock of gore, then sprinkling it with the emotional salt of intermittent survivor recollections is pure page-turning literary horror deliciousness.
The story itself starts out with the feel of a suspense thriller and progresses into full-on horror. And then into extreme horror. So be aware of that. It just gets darker and darker. The steady pace combined with the building tension and horror makes for a very captivating read. Woodward’s recipe of seasoning the horror with a pinch of the supernatural, a heaping helping of real world atrocities, and a shock of gore, then sprinkling it with the emotional salt of intermittent survivor recollections is pure page-turning literary horror deliciousness.
May 14, 2019
Tamer Animals is about a group of teenage boys who go camping in an area that has a local legend of something called the Goatman.
I picked this up because it sounded like a fun read but for such a short book it was a slog for me to get through. The only reason I kept going was having seen all these four and five star ratings here on Goodreads. I wanted to enjoy it too! But I found the story and the writing to be very dull and not engaging.
The author tried to give each character their own backstory and problems that they were dealing with but they all felt very cliched, the characters blurred into one as I couldn't tell them apart, and ultimately I didn't care about any of them.
There was some attempt to include important topics such as domestic abuse, racism, sexuality, bullying, but none of these threads seemed to go anywhere or really have anything bigger to say other than bringing them up.
The story does get gory towards the end but I think there is an art to writing gore and that was not apparent here. Also, the content wasn't anything we haven't seen before, think Jack Ketchum's Off Season and films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes.
There are quite a number of pop culture references which felt rather forced and stood out as awkward. There are multiple references to Chuck Palahniuk, even one basically saying how a character thought Lullaby wasn't as good as Fight Club which felt like a very odd inclusion to this story as I couldn't figure out what relevance it had. Several songs are mentioned and again they felt shoehorned in there.
Overall this was a disappointing read and one that unfortunately I don't have anything good to say about. Because of the great ratings here I held out hope that it would improve but I should have listened to my gut and DNF'd it part way through.
I picked this up because it sounded like a fun read but for such a short book it was a slog for me to get through. The only reason I kept going was having seen all these four and five star ratings here on Goodreads. I wanted to enjoy it too! But I found the story and the writing to be very dull and not engaging.
The author tried to give each character their own backstory and problems that they were dealing with but they all felt very cliched, the characters blurred into one as I couldn't tell them apart, and ultimately I didn't care about any of them.
There was some attempt to include important topics such as domestic abuse, racism, sexuality, bullying, but none of these threads seemed to go anywhere or really have anything bigger to say other than bringing them up.
The story does get gory towards the end but I think there is an art to writing gore and that was not apparent here. Also, the content wasn't anything we haven't seen before, think Jack Ketchum's Off Season and films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes.
There are quite a number of pop culture references which felt rather forced and stood out as awkward. There are multiple references to Chuck Palahniuk, even one basically saying how a character thought Lullaby wasn't as good as Fight Club which felt like a very odd inclusion to this story as I couldn't figure out what relevance it had. Several songs are mentioned and again they felt shoehorned in there.
Overall this was a disappointing read and one that unfortunately I don't have anything good to say about. Because of the great ratings here I held out hope that it would improve but I should have listened to my gut and DNF'd it part way through.
August 21, 2018
Read my full review at:
http://undivineinterventions.blogspot...
http://undivineinterventions.blogspot...
August 10, 2018
Four kids sneak away on a camping trip to let loose and not have to deal with their everyday lives. What they instead end up having to deal with though, is something no one should ever have to face.
Tamer Animals is an excellent coming of age story and an enjoyable read from start to finish. I could not put this book down! Watch out for the Goatman!!
Tamer Animals is an excellent coming of age story and an enjoyable read from start to finish. I could not put this book down! Watch out for the Goatman!!
July 27, 2018
If you've enjoyed any of Justin Woodward's previous books, you will love this on. He does a great job of developing meaningful characters while continuing to build tension. The final chapters had me feeling almost every emotion imaginable. Do yourself a favor, read this book and watch out for the Goatman.
September 4, 2018
Justin is quickly becoming a favorite author!!
So, I've read The Variant and now Tamer Animals, and I just have to say DAMN!!!! I need more! I'm loving this twist that connects these stories (while they aren't a series, the connection is reminiscent of like Easter eggs or whatever in movies/books, so its better to read The Variant too-the little connection had me going ohhhhhhh damn!!!) This story starts off slowly, and builds to a frenzy that had me on edge. Its a little coming of age story that slowly turns into X-Files and Texas Chainsaw Massacre if they had a baby. I said this about The Variant, but I've got to reiterate it, Justin has a way with words that, despite this not being horror in the sense of monsters (goat man aside), the way he described scenes and detailed everything had me spooked! I'm not one to care very much about what I read before bed, but I had to stop halfway because I was genuinely getting creeped out. This book sticks to you, I laid in bed and told my husband dude I need to finish that book but it creeped me out and I don't want it invading my dreams. Also, pretty sure I won't be going camping any time soon haha.
So, I've read The Variant and now Tamer Animals, and I just have to say DAMN!!!! I need more! I'm loving this twist that connects these stories (while they aren't a series, the connection is reminiscent of like Easter eggs or whatever in movies/books, so its better to read The Variant too-the little connection had me going ohhhhhhh damn!!!) This story starts off slowly, and builds to a frenzy that had me on edge. Its a little coming of age story that slowly turns into X-Files and Texas Chainsaw Massacre if they had a baby. I said this about The Variant, but I've got to reiterate it, Justin has a way with words that, despite this not being horror in the sense of monsters (goat man aside), the way he described scenes and detailed everything had me spooked! I'm not one to care very much about what I read before bed, but I had to stop halfway because I was genuinely getting creeped out. This book sticks to you, I laid in bed and told my husband dude I need to finish that book but it creeped me out and I don't want it invading my dreams. Also, pretty sure I won't be going camping any time soon haha.
June 22, 2018
Make time to read the whole thing, because you will not want to put it down.
Tamer Animals is a horror novel that follows a group of teen boys on a camping trip. Justin does a great job of introducing the reader to each character without overdoing it. The characters are flawed and authentic. Their reasons for wanting to escape, even for a weekend are legitimate. Once they start their trip the novel advances pretty rapidly. There is no time for boredom and no good place to put it down. Almost immediately upon their arrival you are wondering if their trouble is supernatural or human and Justin keeps you guessing. It takes a great deal to scare me, I’ve been desensitized from years of reading and watching horror, but this story gave me chills and made me second guess reading it in the dark. Even if you think you have it figured out, you don’t. Justin always provides surprises. This is a must read for horror fans. Also check out Justin’s other works Candy, the Variant, and It Still Moves(my personal favorite and a great deal at under a buck).
Tamer Animals is a horror novel that follows a group of teen boys on a camping trip. Justin does a great job of introducing the reader to each character without overdoing it. The characters are flawed and authentic. Their reasons for wanting to escape, even for a weekend are legitimate. Once they start their trip the novel advances pretty rapidly. There is no time for boredom and no good place to put it down. Almost immediately upon their arrival you are wondering if their trouble is supernatural or human and Justin keeps you guessing. It takes a great deal to scare me, I’ve been desensitized from years of reading and watching horror, but this story gave me chills and made me second guess reading it in the dark. Even if you think you have it figured out, you don’t. Justin always provides surprises. This is a must read for horror fans. Also check out Justin’s other works Candy, the Variant, and It Still Moves(my personal favorite and a great deal at under a buck).
June 22, 2018
I had the honor (and pleasure) of being a beta reader for this fantastic book. Yes, I said FANTASTIC! It’s the story of 4 teen boys who all have problems and challenges of their own and decide to take a break from their daily struggles and get away from it all. When they go on a secret camping trip together, they encounter horrors beyond what they ever could have imagined, but what’s so great about this book is that it is much more than horror. I found myself rooting for these troubled boys from the start. Their story of growing terror is accented by the voice of Paul, a retired sheriff, who recalls the events of that night; at times with sorrow and regret. I’ve heard Tamer Animals described as horror with heart, and that’s very true, but don’t let that throw you. There are plenty of gruesome “Holy Shit!” moments to satisfy the diehard horror fan. So far I have read this book 3 times, and am ready for round 4 in it’s official Bloodshot Books publication. Justin Woodward has become one of those rare go-to writers for me. Whatever world he creates, I know I won’t be disappointed.
July 11, 2018
Enjoyable read
Gory as hell and impossible to put down. Reminded me a bit of an extreme version of 'It' or 'Stand By Me' vibe with the story following the teenage boys. This was my first book of Woodward's and overall was very enjoyable and a fun read. The only criticism I could give was that I wish it was longer as I was really enjoying the story and wasn't ready for it to finish!
Gory as hell and impossible to put down. Reminded me a bit of an extreme version of 'It' or 'Stand By Me' vibe with the story following the teenage boys. This was my first book of Woodward's and overall was very enjoyable and a fun read. The only criticism I could give was that I wish it was longer as I was really enjoying the story and wasn't ready for it to finish!
July 2, 2018
Amazing!
I don't want to get into spoilers. I won't waste time with a synopsis. Just read this. It's timely, it goes all the right places, it hits hard. Wonderful stuff.
I don't want to get into spoilers. I won't waste time with a synopsis. Just read this. It's timely, it goes all the right places, it hits hard. Wonderful stuff.
April 23, 2020
4.5 stars
This book tells the story of a group of young boys, all with problems, all flawed but a likeable lot who have deceived their parents to escape on a camping trip together. They are nervously excited that the location they are going to has the legend of the roaming sinister goatman.
As the boys set up camp they discuss what they know of the legend and scare each other further.
They decide to split up as some go exploring and others keep and eye on camp and that is when eerie things happen and one of the boys go missing.
They are lured in to a creepy house in the woods which accumulates in to the most violent and gruesome finale to the trip, however laid in a hospital bed is a boy with psychic abilities sensing the danger and trying to alert the authorities.
The characterisation was really good in this story and I could visualise the scenes easily which added to the suspense throughout.
This book had just the right pace with built up tension which totally captivated me. I read this in one sitting and when I put it down I kept thinking about it after and if I had got the cross over of stories right in the ending. It's one of those books that gives you plenty to think about afterwards.
This book tells the story of a group of young boys, all with problems, all flawed but a likeable lot who have deceived their parents to escape on a camping trip together. They are nervously excited that the location they are going to has the legend of the roaming sinister goatman.
As the boys set up camp they discuss what they know of the legend and scare each other further.
They decide to split up as some go exploring and others keep and eye on camp and that is when eerie things happen and one of the boys go missing.
They are lured in to a creepy house in the woods which accumulates in to the most violent and gruesome finale to the trip, however laid in a hospital bed is a boy with psychic abilities sensing the danger and trying to alert the authorities.
The characterisation was really good in this story and I could visualise the scenes easily which added to the suspense throughout.
This book had just the right pace with built up tension which totally captivated me. I read this in one sitting and when I put it down I kept thinking about it after and if I had got the cross over of stories right in the ending. It's one of those books that gives you plenty to think about afterwards.
October 14, 2018
After I read the last words of Tamer Animals, I put the book in the freezer. I just needed it away from me, where it couldn’t get me anymore.
Okay, so that’s a little dramatic but let me tell you, this book is 10 levels of fucked up. You’re going along, reading about a small group of teenage boys, doing their teenage thing (and the nods to metal music from the early 2000s were so fun) and preparing for a fun camping trip. Smoke some pot, go for a swim, explore the woods. Sounds like a good time, right?
Nope, not at all. When a horrific story seems to become reality, these 5 boys will be in for the worst night of their lives. And right at the end, right when you think it cannot possible get any worse? It goes even further. This book will leave you thinking about just what we are as humans and what choices we make that we have to live with every day.
Okay, so that’s a little dramatic but let me tell you, this book is 10 levels of fucked up. You’re going along, reading about a small group of teenage boys, doing their teenage thing (and the nods to metal music from the early 2000s were so fun) and preparing for a fun camping trip. Smoke some pot, go for a swim, explore the woods. Sounds like a good time, right?
Nope, not at all. When a horrific story seems to become reality, these 5 boys will be in for the worst night of their lives. And right at the end, right when you think it cannot possible get any worse? It goes even further. This book will leave you thinking about just what we are as humans and what choices we make that we have to live with every day.
April 1, 2019
I really enjoyed this book... it's definitely making me think twice about going camping again.
March 28, 2019
Goatman
I have to be honest, I don't think I ever would of read this book of I wasn't going to an author\reader get together soon. I'm wanting to read a book by all the authors on the list. And while I probably won't read a second one from some of them, I will definitely be coming back to read more from Mr. Woodward.
His style of writing is one that I like to read every once in awhile when I want to get my stomach turning and my heart pumping.
I have to be honest, I don't think I ever would of read this book of I wasn't going to an author\reader get together soon. I'm wanting to read a book by all the authors on the list. And while I probably won't read a second one from some of them, I will definitely be coming back to read more from Mr. Woodward.
His style of writing is one that I like to read every once in awhile when I want to get my stomach turning and my heart pumping.
March 26, 2019
Loved it!!
I loved this book. Once I started it was hard to put down. I also agree, people need to stop being so horrible to each other. I look forward to the next story. Justin!
I loved this book. Once I started it was hard to put down. I also agree, people need to stop being so horrible to each other. I look forward to the next story. Justin!
August 28, 2018
If you want a creepy, horror, urban legend type of a story, this is it!! You got the legend of The Goatman, family issues, creepy house with creepier people living there, killings, horror, this book has it all!!
June 21, 2018
From the description:
IT WAS JUST A CAMPING TRIP
Down by the old Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge, four high-school friends only wanted to kick back, smoke some weed and forget about their problems for a day or two. Sure, there were stories that the area was haunted, but there was no way they were true.
IT WAS JUST A LOCAL LEGEND
Decades earlier, an old goat farmer had been murdered by the Klan, hung from a tree near the bridge solely because the color of his skin. His body was never found. Since then, numerous sightings of a strange creature—half-man half-goat—had been reported in the surrounding woods. He was called the Goatman.
IT WAS JUST THE WORST NIGHT OF THEIR LIVES
From the moment they arrived, strange noises echoed around them…a sense that they were being watched pervaded the campsite…and that was just the beginning. When one of them vanishes and a horned monstrosity purses the others, it becomes clear that the legends are real.
…and the truth is so much more horrific than they could ever have imagined.
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I'm proud of my first horror release. I hope you guys enjoy it.
IT WAS JUST A CAMPING TRIP
Down by the old Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge, four high-school friends only wanted to kick back, smoke some weed and forget about their problems for a day or two. Sure, there were stories that the area was haunted, but there was no way they were true.
IT WAS JUST A LOCAL LEGEND
Decades earlier, an old goat farmer had been murdered by the Klan, hung from a tree near the bridge solely because the color of his skin. His body was never found. Since then, numerous sightings of a strange creature—half-man half-goat—had been reported in the surrounding woods. He was called the Goatman.
IT WAS JUST THE WORST NIGHT OF THEIR LIVES
From the moment they arrived, strange noises echoed around them…a sense that they were being watched pervaded the campsite…and that was just the beginning. When one of them vanishes and a horned monstrosity purses the others, it becomes clear that the legends are real.
…and the truth is so much more horrific than they could ever have imagined.
------
I'm proud of my first horror release. I hope you guys enjoy it.
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