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Dark Trifecta
Dark Ride
'Bright Lights' AJ Starr is a pro wrestler on the rise, and his life is about to change forever. Knowing this, he plans one last party with all of his best friends. The venue? Saxon Hills theme park, abandoned ten years ago after its flagship ride burned down and killed nine innocent people. Some people say the place is haunted, but AJ knows from his time inside the squared circle that fantasy and reality are totally separate things.
Or so he thought.
AJ has no idea how nightmarish things are about to get, and eventually he'll be left wondering whether he brought his friends to Saxon Hills theme park to have fun. Or to die.
Or so he thought.
AJ has no idea how nightmarish things are about to get, and eventually he'll be left wondering whether he brought his friends to Saxon Hills theme park to have fun. Or to die.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2019
777 people are currently reading
1047 people want to read
About the author
Iain Rob Wright
158 books1,823 followersOne of Horror's most respected authors, Iain Rob Wright is the writer of more than forty books, many of them bestsellers. A previous Kindle All-Star and a mainstay in the horror charts, he is a prolific producer of unique and original stories. From his apocalyptic saga The Gates to his claustrophobic revenge thriller ASBO, Iain writes across a broad spectrum of sub genres, creating both beloved series and standalone titles.
With work available in several languages and in audio, Iain Rob Wright is one of the fastest rising stars in horror, but when not writing he is a dedicated family man. Father to Jack and Molly, and husband to Sally, he is often seen sharing his family memories with his fans on Facebook.
To get 6 of his books for free (no strings), just visit: www.iainrobwright.com
With work available in several languages and in audio, Iain Rob Wright is one of the fastest rising stars in horror, but when not writing he is a dedicated family man. Father to Jack and Molly, and husband to Sally, he is often seen sharing his family memories with his fans on Facebook.
To get 6 of his books for free (no strings), just visit: www.iainrobwright.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
June 27, 2019
Wrestler AJ and his friends get together to party at an old, abandoned, rundown theme park. As soon as they get there strange things begin to happen. Their lives are in danger. People are disappearing. The park's dark ride Frenzy seems to have a life of its own. Will they ever get out of there alive?
This was a really captivating read. I kept wanting to see what was going to happen next. I liked the abandoned theme park setting. It was totally creepy, especially the ride, Frenzy. I liked the spooky atmosphere of the place.
A quick and easy read with plenty of eerie moments.
This was a really captivating read. I kept wanting to see what was going to happen next. I liked the abandoned theme park setting. It was totally creepy, especially the ride, Frenzy. I liked the spooky atmosphere of the place.
A quick and easy read with plenty of eerie moments.
May 7, 2022
Great buildup that went nowhere. It was a wham bam thank you ma'am. Least bring me the explanation on why it all went down. Shame. Could have been a great read.
October 10, 2020
A.J. invites his five closest friends to a old abandoned amusement park that he loved as a young child. A.J.wants to have one big party to relive and capture the great moments of happiness and friendship before he moves to the U.S. in search of his wrestling stardom that is waiting for him. Almost to the park they encounter a huge stag deer with one broken antler blocking their way. When the animal refused to move the girls became frightened and one of them believed it was a bad sign and wanted to turn around and forget about this trip. Could this really be their first sign of a foreboding premonition of the danger that lies ahead or just a skittish girl looking for an excuse to avoid this trip.
A.J. and his friends have no idea of what lies ahead in the darkness of night at the park waiting to meet them.
This was an enjoyable and fun horror read by the author Iain Wright whose horror books I have always sought out to read. The book was fast and exciting with lots of thrills and spills. The characters were nicely developed whether you liked them or not. I love horror stories that take place outdoors and have supernatural events taking place as long as they don't stay too far into the unbelievable. I highly recommend this book to all horror readers a d it make a great read a grime but especially right now for the Halloween season!
I given a rating of 4 Creepy 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
A.J. and his friends have no idea of what lies ahead in the darkness of night at the park waiting to meet them.
This was an enjoyable and fun horror read by the author Iain Wright whose horror books I have always sought out to read. The book was fast and exciting with lots of thrills and spills. The characters were nicely developed whether you liked them or not. I love horror stories that take place outdoors and have supernatural events taking place as long as they don't stay too far into the unbelievable. I highly recommend this book to all horror readers a d it make a great read a grime but especially right now for the Halloween season!
I given a rating of 4 Creepy 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
August 28, 2020
Some novels read more like screenplays, and Iain Rob Wright's "Dark Ride" feels more like one of those generic cash-grab horror flicks featuring 20-something expendibles who act like annoying 12-year-olds getting thankfully picked off one-by-one. I'm looking at you, "Friday the 13th" reboot! Yet beneath the surface, there is more to "Dark Ride" than the typical horror formula, and in this review I'll explore the good and bad points of this very quick read.
The premise is very simple. Six old friends get together for a last hurrah before one of their lot relocates overseas to pursue a pro-wrestling career, and decide for some inexplicable reason to party overnight in an abandoned theme park where things go very badly for them. Scary stories featuring amusement parks, funhouses, or haunted attractions usually end up being some of my favorite in the horror genre, so I was really looking forward to this one.
The novel can be read surprisingly fast. I certainly can appreciate that this is just a straight example of "show, don't tell." Except when it isn't. Because for a novel this short, it is filled with padding. Very little action happens until the last seven chapters or so, thus you would think that the less action-filled portions would contain the bulk of character development and exposition. But here, we find just the opposite.
In the first two acts, we are subjected to immature adults getting sloshed on wine, flirting with each other, and exchanging what passes for "banter" these days, which is relentless name-calling, insults about one's sexual prowess, threats of assault, and other sure signs that show you love one another. At this stage, we otherwise know very little about the characters as individual personalities. A brother and sister duo distinguish themselves as "black" because of supposedly affectionate threats to kick the "white asses" of their friends and a reference or two about how white people can't be trusted because, you know, slavery. We do learn that one of the characters is in a wheelchair. Another is into working out and has a strained relationship with his girlfriend who is pressuring him to marry. The female characters are given absolutely no personalies whatsoever, except that one is susceptible to premonitions, another hates being her own boss, and the third is bitchily sharing TMI about her frustrated sex-life. Their names are somewhat generic, so if there are no other descriptive reminders of who is doing what in a scene, it becomes hard to distinguish Ben from Greg or Ashley from Samantha.
We are introduced to our main protagonist, AJ, during a wrestling match where we are treated to a play-by-play of every chest slap, belly kick, chair concussion, head slam, and rope dive of the match for an entire chapter.
We don't get our first scare until half-way in, and even then it is a fake--the obligatory jump-scare slasher trope of the douche-bag playing an elaborate prank on his friends.
A full 50% of the book hardly contributes anything substantial to the development of narrative or character. With what the reader gains from the story as written, the first twelve chapters could be condensed into two: the opening exposition about a ride that burns down, followed by the friends arriving at the now abandoned park years later for a party. That's some pretty shallow writing and a deep abyss of B.S.
It isn't until the third act when we really get to know our characters. During the course of their tribulations, they frequently takes "breathers" from the mayhem to pontificate over their personal problems. This is a very odd narrative choice, leaving large early stretches of the book feeling empty which increases the odds that the reader will dip out before the good stuff starts. It also forces the characters to behave artificially during the action sequences. People don't suddenly start whining about their shitty childhood or come out as gay within minutes of watching their best friends getting maimed or murdered--at least, it just doesn't seem like the appropriate time for THAT kind of spilling of your guts.
Once the third act is well under way, the characters do tend to finally endear themselves in ways that should have been established far earlier, because at this point, the reader has not emotionally invested enough in the characters to care much about their fate. As a result, the horror is diminished. However, we do get strong themes of redemption and sacrifice, as the men in this story all prove themselves to be incredibly brave and devoted to their friends. The women in this story do not fair so well, and therefore I can understand where some readers might consider this work a bit sexist. As I stated earlier, they are never given much personality, nor are they afforded any real opportunities to shine in the course of the action. They pretty much only serve the functions of "damsels in distress." Consider more polished horror authors like Brian Keene--now there is a writer who knows how to endow every one of his ensemble with enough pathos that you tensely follow their story arcs. Notice that I said "tensely." Investment in the characters is CRUCIAL to develop narrative tension or suspense. The choice to heavily weigh the final chapters in this book did not allow for such emotions in the reader, and the result is a tale that might keep some fans frantically flipping pages only to forget the whole thing within a few days.
Now, I like escapist entertainment as much as anyone who deserves a break, and many of my favorite works of fiction would not be considered by any stretch of the imagination as high art. But there IS an ART to the crafting of good entertaining stories which will leave the reader feeling affectionate for a title in appreciation for the time well-spent. Based on the praise I had been hearing from my circle of horror fans about this book and others by this author, I did not go into this expecting the next horror classic, but I was fully expecting a positive experience. Though the book did have some shining moments, I was overall disappointed.
From what I have heard discussed about the author, and even from what I've gleamed from the foreward to this book, Iain Rob Wright seems like a wonderful guy with a real love of the genre, and he is very grateful to be in a position to write horror like his literary heroes. You really can feel the joy that he put into this book, and that can make a lot of devoted fans.
If you have read "Dark Ride" and had similar feelings about this book, let me know if you have read any other Iain Rob Wright that you think shows more of his talent and would be worth a look!
The premise is very simple. Six old friends get together for a last hurrah before one of their lot relocates overseas to pursue a pro-wrestling career, and decide for some inexplicable reason to party overnight in an abandoned theme park where things go very badly for them. Scary stories featuring amusement parks, funhouses, or haunted attractions usually end up being some of my favorite in the horror genre, so I was really looking forward to this one.
The novel can be read surprisingly fast. I certainly can appreciate that this is just a straight example of "show, don't tell." Except when it isn't. Because for a novel this short, it is filled with padding. Very little action happens until the last seven chapters or so, thus you would think that the less action-filled portions would contain the bulk of character development and exposition. But here, we find just the opposite.
In the first two acts, we are subjected to immature adults getting sloshed on wine, flirting with each other, and exchanging what passes for "banter" these days, which is relentless name-calling, insults about one's sexual prowess, threats of assault, and other sure signs that show you love one another. At this stage, we otherwise know very little about the characters as individual personalities. A brother and sister duo distinguish themselves as "black" because of supposedly affectionate threats to kick the "white asses" of their friends and a reference or two about how white people can't be trusted because, you know, slavery. We do learn that one of the characters is in a wheelchair. Another is into working out and has a strained relationship with his girlfriend who is pressuring him to marry. The female characters are given absolutely no personalies whatsoever, except that one is susceptible to premonitions, another hates being her own boss, and the third is bitchily sharing TMI about her frustrated sex-life. Their names are somewhat generic, so if there are no other descriptive reminders of who is doing what in a scene, it becomes hard to distinguish Ben from Greg or Ashley from Samantha.
We are introduced to our main protagonist, AJ, during a wrestling match where we are treated to a play-by-play of every chest slap, belly kick, chair concussion, head slam, and rope dive of the match for an entire chapter.
We don't get our first scare until half-way in, and even then it is a fake--the obligatory jump-scare slasher trope of the douche-bag playing an elaborate prank on his friends.
A full 50% of the book hardly contributes anything substantial to the development of narrative or character. With what the reader gains from the story as written, the first twelve chapters could be condensed into two: the opening exposition about a ride that burns down, followed by the friends arriving at the now abandoned park years later for a party. That's some pretty shallow writing and a deep abyss of B.S.
It isn't until the third act when we really get to know our characters. During the course of their tribulations, they frequently takes "breathers" from the mayhem to pontificate over their personal problems. This is a very odd narrative choice, leaving large early stretches of the book feeling empty which increases the odds that the reader will dip out before the good stuff starts. It also forces the characters to behave artificially during the action sequences. People don't suddenly start whining about their shitty childhood or come out as gay within minutes of watching their best friends getting maimed or murdered--at least, it just doesn't seem like the appropriate time for THAT kind of spilling of your guts.
Once the third act is well under way, the characters do tend to finally endear themselves in ways that should have been established far earlier, because at this point, the reader has not emotionally invested enough in the characters to care much about their fate. As a result, the horror is diminished. However, we do get strong themes of redemption and sacrifice, as the men in this story all prove themselves to be incredibly brave and devoted to their friends. The women in this story do not fair so well, and therefore I can understand where some readers might consider this work a bit sexist. As I stated earlier, they are never given much personality, nor are they afforded any real opportunities to shine in the course of the action. They pretty much only serve the functions of "damsels in distress." Consider more polished horror authors like Brian Keene--now there is a writer who knows how to endow every one of his ensemble with enough pathos that you tensely follow their story arcs. Notice that I said "tensely." Investment in the characters is CRUCIAL to develop narrative tension or suspense. The choice to heavily weigh the final chapters in this book did not allow for such emotions in the reader, and the result is a tale that might keep some fans frantically flipping pages only to forget the whole thing within a few days.
Now, I like escapist entertainment as much as anyone who deserves a break, and many of my favorite works of fiction would not be considered by any stretch of the imagination as high art. But there IS an ART to the crafting of good entertaining stories which will leave the reader feeling affectionate for a title in appreciation for the time well-spent. Based on the praise I had been hearing from my circle of horror fans about this book and others by this author, I did not go into this expecting the next horror classic, but I was fully expecting a positive experience. Though the book did have some shining moments, I was overall disappointed.
From what I have heard discussed about the author, and even from what I've gleamed from the foreward to this book, Iain Rob Wright seems like a wonderful guy with a real love of the genre, and he is very grateful to be in a position to write horror like his literary heroes. You really can feel the joy that he put into this book, and that can make a lot of devoted fans.
If you have read "Dark Ride" and had similar feelings about this book, let me know if you have read any other Iain Rob Wright that you think shows more of his talent and would be worth a look!
August 24, 2023
"The screams didn't translate at first. They were in a theme park after all, the one place where screams were ordinary. It wasn't until they joined the tail end of the queue that she realised the screams were different. They were not notes tinged with glee and amusement. They were the screams of people screaming in terror."
I loved the idea of this one. It started great and I was really enjoying it. Everything started building and building, and then kind of went nowhere. The ending was a little disappointing and ended up being a let down for an otherwise brilliant read. It could have done with being a little longer. I also love the little nod to the previous book in the series (Escape).
I loved the idea of this one. It started great and I was really enjoying it. Everything started building and building, and then kind of went nowhere. The ending was a little disappointing and ended up being a let down for an otherwise brilliant read. It could have done with being a little longer. I also love the little nod to the previous book in the series (Escape).
July 14, 2025
Are you brave enough to ride? AJ Starr is a pro wrestler on the rise, and his life is about to change forever. Knowing this, he plans one last party with all of his best friends. Where is the venue? None other than Saxon Hills...a theme park that was abandoned ten years ago after its flagship ride burned down and killed nine innocent people. Some people say the place is haunted, but AJ knows from his time inside the wrestling ring, that fantasy and reality are two totally separate things...or so he thought. AJ has no idea how nightmarish things are about to get, and eventually he’ll be left wondering whether he brought his friends to Saxon Hills theme park to have fun, or just to die.
This is a new author for me, but we are diffidently going to be revisiting again and often. I love creepy, dark horror stories and he has hit the "nail on the head", with this one.
Our main character, A.J., has invited five of his closest friends to an old, abandoned amusement park that he had loved when he was a kid. He wants to have one big party to relive and perhaps again recapture those brief moments of happiness and friendship before he moves to the U.S. in search of furthering his pro wrestling career and perhaps reach his dream of stardom that he believes could be awaiting him.
As they are almost to the park, they meet up with something a bit unexpected... a huge stag with one broken antler, that was actually blocking their way in. When the animal refused to move the girls became frightened and one of them believed it was a bad sign and wanted to turn around, go home, and forget about this trip altogether. Could this actually be their first sign of a premonition of danger that may lies ahead or was it just a skittish girl looking for an excuse to avoid the trip?
A.J. and his friends have no idea of what lies ahead in the darkness of the night at the park or what is waiting to meet and greet them. Oh...it gets creepier. From the book "The screams didn't translate at first. They were in a theme park after all, the one place where screams were ordinary. It wasn't until they joined the tail end of the queue that she realized the screams were different. They were not notes tinged with glee and amusement. They were the screams of people screaming in terror."
This was such a fun and scary, creepy horror story. The book was fast paced and exciting with lots of thrills and spills. The characters were perfect even the ones that you became impatient with or really didn't like. This horror story takes place in a creepy outdoor setting and has supernatural events taking place that fall somehow manage to fall into the "believable" category. If you like good horror stories, then I absolutely recommend this book...and you don't have to wait until Halloween!
This is a new author for me, but we are diffidently going to be revisiting again and often. I love creepy, dark horror stories and he has hit the "nail on the head", with this one.
Our main character, A.J., has invited five of his closest friends to an old, abandoned amusement park that he had loved when he was a kid. He wants to have one big party to relive and perhaps again recapture those brief moments of happiness and friendship before he moves to the U.S. in search of furthering his pro wrestling career and perhaps reach his dream of stardom that he believes could be awaiting him.
As they are almost to the park, they meet up with something a bit unexpected... a huge stag with one broken antler, that was actually blocking their way in. When the animal refused to move the girls became frightened and one of them believed it was a bad sign and wanted to turn around, go home, and forget about this trip altogether. Could this actually be their first sign of a premonition of danger that may lies ahead or was it just a skittish girl looking for an excuse to avoid the trip?
A.J. and his friends have no idea of what lies ahead in the darkness of the night at the park or what is waiting to meet and greet them. Oh...it gets creepier. From the book "The screams didn't translate at first. They were in a theme park after all, the one place where screams were ordinary. It wasn't until they joined the tail end of the queue that she realized the screams were different. They were not notes tinged with glee and amusement. They were the screams of people screaming in terror."
This was such a fun and scary, creepy horror story. The book was fast paced and exciting with lots of thrills and spills. The characters were perfect even the ones that you became impatient with or really didn't like. This horror story takes place in a creepy outdoor setting and has supernatural events taking place that fall somehow manage to fall into the "believable" category. If you like good horror stories, then I absolutely recommend this book...and you don't have to wait until Halloween!
August 6, 2022
Actual rating 2.5/5 stars.
Saxon Hills theme park was once teeming with thrill-seekers but when nine innocent individuals lost their lives there, tragedy tainted the park and it quickly shut its doors forever. They haven't been opened in years and all that lies beyond remains rusting and derelict, a fast-fading remnant to former joy. It is a forlorn sight for many, but proves the perfect setting for an illicit party for AJ, before he leaves town and his friends for good. Will their time there be a happy one, reminiscent of times gone by? Or will the ghosts of the past come to haunt them?
I really appreciated how the thoughts and actions of the group centring the storyline seemed to almost be mocked by the sinister setting. There were many times when reveals from their own past were marked by discoveries concerning their setting, or when memories and spectres haunted in equal measure.
I desired a fun horror read to intrigue and unsettle. The cover and synopsis promised this would deliver and it initially did. I really loved the setting and desired a further insight to park layout, but did like all that provided. I soon found the horrifying elements became overshadowed by the drama between the group and this I appreciated reading about far less. It was the ultimate deciding factor in my low rating, as I did not anticipate reading about these aspects.
Saxon Hills theme park was once teeming with thrill-seekers but when nine innocent individuals lost their lives there, tragedy tainted the park and it quickly shut its doors forever. They haven't been opened in years and all that lies beyond remains rusting and derelict, a fast-fading remnant to former joy. It is a forlorn sight for many, but proves the perfect setting for an illicit party for AJ, before he leaves town and his friends for good. Will their time there be a happy one, reminiscent of times gone by? Or will the ghosts of the past come to haunt them?
I really appreciated how the thoughts and actions of the group centring the storyline seemed to almost be mocked by the sinister setting. There were many times when reveals from their own past were marked by discoveries concerning their setting, or when memories and spectres haunted in equal measure.
I desired a fun horror read to intrigue and unsettle. The cover and synopsis promised this would deliver and it initially did. I really loved the setting and desired a further insight to park layout, but did like all that provided. I soon found the horrifying elements became overshadowed by the drama between the group and this I appreciated reading about far less. It was the ultimate deciding factor in my low rating, as I did not anticipate reading about these aspects.
May 10, 2020
Summary
AJ has no idea that him and his five friends are about to go through much more than just a drunken party night when they break into an abandoned theme park. It doesn't take long to realize their mistake when they decide to camp out in an evil ride called Frenzy that killed 9 people and ultimately led to the park's closing.
Something in the ride needs sacrifices to escape and they unknowingly walked right into it's trap.
Personal Opinion
This was one heck of a thrill to read, because who doesn't love an abandoned, haunted theme park. Unless of course you're one of the unlucky ones stuck inside.
I'm going to start by saying this was the first book I have ever read that featured a pro wrestler as the MC, which was a cool change. All of the characters were well developed and unique in their own way. Iain also did an amazing job of bringing both the theme park and the Frenzy ride to life. The gory parts were a nice addition too!
Honestly there isn't anything I didn't like about this book and would definitely recommend it as one of my favorites.
AJ has no idea that him and his five friends are about to go through much more than just a drunken party night when they break into an abandoned theme park. It doesn't take long to realize their mistake when they decide to camp out in an evil ride called Frenzy that killed 9 people and ultimately led to the park's closing.
Something in the ride needs sacrifices to escape and they unknowingly walked right into it's trap.
Personal Opinion
This was one heck of a thrill to read, because who doesn't love an abandoned, haunted theme park. Unless of course you're one of the unlucky ones stuck inside.
I'm going to start by saying this was the first book I have ever read that featured a pro wrestler as the MC, which was a cool change. All of the characters were well developed and unique in their own way. Iain also did an amazing job of bringing both the theme park and the Frenzy ride to life. The gory parts were a nice addition too!
Honestly there isn't anything I didn't like about this book and would definitely recommend it as one of my favorites.
June 27, 2019
Promised but didn't deliver!
I was truly impressed by all the 5* ratings given to this book but, for me, it was a disappointment. The plot was a good one but its delivery seemed "cartoonish". At the end I fully expected all the participants to wake up from some, drug induced, mass hallucination. Instead, all the men were dead and the women miraculously saved. Not for me I'm afraid.
I was truly impressed by all the 5* ratings given to this book but, for me, it was a disappointment. The plot was a good one but its delivery seemed "cartoonish". At the end I fully expected all the participants to wake up from some, drug induced, mass hallucination. Instead, all the men were dead and the women miraculously saved. Not for me I'm afraid.
January 9, 2023
Pretty good ride 3.5/4 stars quick read
May 21, 2019
I love this author and have to admit I bought the book because of it. However, this was an awesome read. I absolutely LOVED it. it had a lot going for it. the characters, dialogue, setting, funny, and sad. it was so wonderful. do yourself a favor and read this book. it is awesome.
September 9, 2020
The prologue depicts a disaster at an amusement park, centered in a scary ride called Frenzy. Jump ahead and the amusement park has been closed down for many years, leaving an eerie atmosphere as abandoned amusement parks often do.
A group of young people, one of them who works as a professional wrestler, go to break into the property for their own amusement, but a series of things go wrong before they even get there. Circumstances bring them into the jaws of the structure for Frenzy.
At this early stage, the story was well done and each event was nicely fleshed out. However, in the last third of the book when another reader might say it was just getting to the good part, I felt my attention waning. I worked out why.
Up to that point, events had happened within general believability. Even wild animals acting strangely can be easily swallowed. However, when things escalated, it jumped to impossible events. I can enjoy Horror stories that delve into impossibility or strange monsters earlier on, but the switch threw me off.
The closer to the end it got, the more it moved from doubtful believability to 'Give me a break!' Let's just say some injuries stop the body from functioning in the ways depicted. The author gets some points for having a disabled character, but loses some for depicting Woden as some mindless murderous god demanding sacrifices for no apparent reason. Learn your mythology dude!
Overall I enjoyed the read, but I didn't really relate to any of the characters and couldn't help noticing the inconsistencies towards the end.
A group of young people, one of them who works as a professional wrestler, go to break into the property for their own amusement, but a series of things go wrong before they even get there. Circumstances bring them into the jaws of the structure for Frenzy.
At this early stage, the story was well done and each event was nicely fleshed out. However, in the last third of the book when another reader might say it was just getting to the good part, I felt my attention waning. I worked out why.
Up to that point, events had happened within general believability. Even wild animals acting strangely can be easily swallowed. However, when things escalated, it jumped to impossible events. I can enjoy Horror stories that delve into impossibility or strange monsters earlier on, but the switch threw me off.
The closer to the end it got, the more it moved from doubtful believability to 'Give me a break!' Let's just say some injuries stop the body from functioning in the ways depicted. The author gets some points for having a disabled character, but loses some for depicting Woden as some mindless murderous god demanding sacrifices for no apparent reason. Learn your mythology dude!
Overall I enjoyed the read, but I didn't really relate to any of the characters and couldn't help noticing the inconsistencies towards the end.
October 20, 2020
Theme Parks and Horror are my kryptonite, when the two are combined it’s like dreams really do come true. I had to read this book within days of finding it and it was a pretty enjoyable experience. I do wish the book was longer or at least the time spent in the park took up more parts of the story. There was so much buildup and backstory that the actual action flew by. They don’t even get to the park until around 40%. However the time spent in the park was extremely well thought out, exciting and I was beyond thrilled there was an actual I didn’t know what to expect going into this and I didn’t expect a single thing that happened either, I was definitely taken on a thrill ride. This was a really fun, bloody read-perfect for Halloween.
May 26, 2019
I read this in a frenzy
Another great story by Iain. I especially enjoyed the preface. He offered us a hint of what makes him such a great storyteller by telling us where he pulls his story ideas. It was very touching.
Dark Ride had a second layer to it besides the horror of the tale. It juxtaposed the good and evil in every man. It demonstrated all the lost time and missed opportunities by not recognizing what is important in life.
Keep writing, Iain, as you were born to do so. I, for one, will keep buying and reading all your stories. Awesome!
Another great story by Iain. I especially enjoyed the preface. He offered us a hint of what makes him such a great storyteller by telling us where he pulls his story ideas. It was very touching.
Dark Ride had a second layer to it besides the horror of the tale. It juxtaposed the good and evil in every man. It demonstrated all the lost time and missed opportunities by not recognizing what is important in life.
Keep writing, Iain, as you were born to do so. I, for one, will keep buying and reading all your stories. Awesome!
October 17, 2019
I could not put this one down. A thrill ride of a book.
May 23, 2019
I feel like I have to apologize first for the following review...
To put it briefly: I'm quite certain that if you're not a ten-year-old, you will not be scared for a moment reading this book.
I've never read any book by this author before, and from the blurb I have high hopes for this book. After all, who doesn't love a haunted theme park? However, I cannot believe how bad this is. My first complaint is that the story didn't even start getting scary until over halfway through the book. I get that a good story needs to have the background and atmosphere laid out. Yet the first half of the book only seems to be dragging on for no good reasons. I kept wondering when will the story truly begin.
Second, I understand that the author wanted to create conflict and tension between the characters. However I feel that the character building is so flimsy and unbelievable that you can't feel any contradiction within a character after horrible things started happening. And the characters appears to act the way that is most convenient for the plot, meaning creating conflict where none is necessary. Also, none of the characters reacted logically when supernatural things started happening. They seemed weirdly okay with the supernatural and freaked out over other small things.
Third, I understand that the author wanted to write a story about the two things he love: wrestling and theme parks. However I feel that the main character's occupation as a wrestler have little to nothing to do with the story. Furthermore, the reaction of the main character is so ridiculously naive you won’t be able to take him as a 28-year-old adult. He kept repeating that it is his fault that his friends are about to die. His sense of being a martyr himself is so irritating that you cease to pity him the second time he mentioned "it was all my fault".
Last, all the supernatural elements in this book is so fake and unbelievable that it is extremely difficult for the readers to feel scared for a second. It feels like watching the crappy special effects in old horror movies. You just kind of feel detached to all the horrible things happening. You know they should be scary, but you just can't be bothered to be scared at all.
I think that if you're hoping to be scared senseless, you really shouldn't bother reading this book. After all, I only kept reading and finished this book because I'm curious as to how bad this book can turn out to be.
To put it briefly: I'm quite certain that if you're not a ten-year-old, you will not be scared for a moment reading this book.
I've never read any book by this author before, and from the blurb I have high hopes for this book. After all, who doesn't love a haunted theme park? However, I cannot believe how bad this is. My first complaint is that the story didn't even start getting scary until over halfway through the book. I get that a good story needs to have the background and atmosphere laid out. Yet the first half of the book only seems to be dragging on for no good reasons. I kept wondering when will the story truly begin.
Second, I understand that the author wanted to create conflict and tension between the characters. However I feel that the character building is so flimsy and unbelievable that you can't feel any contradiction within a character after horrible things started happening. And the characters appears to act the way that is most convenient for the plot, meaning creating conflict where none is necessary. Also, none of the characters reacted logically when supernatural things started happening. They seemed weirdly okay with the supernatural and freaked out over other small things.
Third, I understand that the author wanted to write a story about the two things he love: wrestling and theme parks. However I feel that the main character's occupation as a wrestler have little to nothing to do with the story. Furthermore, the reaction of the main character is so ridiculously naive you won’t be able to take him as a 28-year-old adult. He kept repeating that it is his fault that his friends are about to die. His sense of being a martyr himself is so irritating that you cease to pity him the second time he mentioned "it was all my fault".
Last, all the supernatural elements in this book is so fake and unbelievable that it is extremely difficult for the readers to feel scared for a second. It feels like watching the crappy special effects in old horror movies. You just kind of feel detached to all the horrible things happening. You know they should be scary, but you just can't be bothered to be scared at all.
I think that if you're hoping to be scared senseless, you really shouldn't bother reading this book. After all, I only kept reading and finished this book because I'm curious as to how bad this book can turn out to be.
April 20, 2022
WrestleMania vs. Possessed Disneyland. Not a big fan of either to be honest. There was just nothing that took my fancy. A time waster that will be forgotten rather soon.
The first half of this was all talk. A touch of grappling action in the ring. Loads of bickering and friendly put downs. Move to the second half. More put downs. Few scenes of horror. Not much of a body count. Add more bickering and characters complaing about not having sex. I thought that's when these type of situations bring out the hornest people, in life and death struggles. Not here.
The plot was just out and out silly. Cut and dried. No deviation from the norm. It almost felt like the author wanted to be done with this book before he lost a good idea to start on a new one.
The first half of this was all talk. A touch of grappling action in the ring. Loads of bickering and friendly put downs. Move to the second half. More put downs. Few scenes of horror. Not much of a body count. Add more bickering and characters complaing about not having sex. I thought that's when these type of situations bring out the hornest people, in life and death struggles. Not here.
The plot was just out and out silly. Cut and dried. No deviation from the norm. It almost felt like the author wanted to be done with this book before he lost a good idea to start on a new one.
November 4, 2020
Totally NOT scary at all! Skip it!
So, first off when I saw this title, and read the premise, I thought; YES! This sounded great.....boy oh boy, was I wrong. At first when the mother is at the park with her two 8 year old twin boy and girls, and they want to go on this scary new ride called 'Frenzy' and she finds out that it is on fire and the customers that are inside the ride and burning alive, I really thought this was going to be a great and scary story about their ghosts coming back to haunt the now closed park and get their revenge.......
NOPE!!! It ended up revolving around some stupid Druid Gods and it was just really silly, and a waste of 6 hours. Skip it.....Unless you are a Druid God and you want to see if this is who you are!
Dumb.
So, first off when I saw this title, and read the premise, I thought; YES! This sounded great.....boy oh boy, was I wrong. At first when the mother is at the park with her two 8 year old twin boy and girls, and they want to go on this scary new ride called 'Frenzy' and she finds out that it is on fire and the customers that are inside the ride and burning alive, I really thought this was going to be a great and scary story about their ghosts coming back to haunt the now closed park and get their revenge.......
NOPE!!! It ended up revolving around some stupid Druid Gods and it was just really silly, and a waste of 6 hours. Skip it.....Unless you are a Druid God and you want to see if this is who you are!
Dumb.
April 12, 2020
Abandoned amusement park. Pro wrestling. Anglo Saxon mythology.
Sound like a good mix? Then read this book!
Wrestler AJ and his friends reunite to explore an abandoned amusement park, particularly a dark ride called Frenzy with a troubled past. Once they enter the ride, mayhem and madness ensues.
There was a lot of suspense, action and gore in this book. Couple that with a super creepy atmosphere, and you have a good horror story.
What I never expected was to care so much about the characters of a horror novel. The author a good job of showcasing the strong bond between these friends, which made the reader get so emotionally invested in there wellbeing.
Sound like a good mix? Then read this book!
Wrestler AJ and his friends reunite to explore an abandoned amusement park, particularly a dark ride called Frenzy with a troubled past. Once they enter the ride, mayhem and madness ensues.
There was a lot of suspense, action and gore in this book. Couple that with a super creepy atmosphere, and you have a good horror story.
What I never expected was to care so much about the characters of a horror novel. The author a good job of showcasing the strong bond between these friends, which made the reader get so emotionally invested in there wellbeing.
April 7, 2024
3.5 stars
Enjoyed this horror story well enough, and yet… Even though it was high paced, my mind wandered off now and again, and I missed a few details because of that. However I didn't feel the urge to rewind and re-listen. It was short and fun, but nothing very special imo.
Characters 7
Atmosphere 8
Writing Style 7
Premise 7
Execution/Plot 7
Execution/Pace 8
Execution/Setup 7
Enjoyment/Engrossment 7
Narration 7
Enjoyed this horror story well enough, and yet… Even though it was high paced, my mind wandered off now and again, and I missed a few details because of that. However I didn't feel the urge to rewind and re-listen. It was short and fun, but nothing very special imo.
Characters 7
Atmosphere 8
Writing Style 7
Premise 7
Execution/Plot 7
Execution/Pace 8
Execution/Setup 7
Enjoyment/Engrossment 7
Narration 7
March 27, 2021
This was one heck of a fun and fast paced joy ride!
June 15, 2020
2.5 stars
November 29, 2025
I wish I loved this as much as his other works 😪
June 22, 2019
Dark Ride is, to me, a legitimately scary book. The idea of animatronics moving on their own is horrifying to me. I've never related harder to anyone than when Patty in Ghostbusters referred to a storage area of mannequins as a "room full of nightmares". This book played right into my fears for about the first 75%, but pretty much lost me in the end. The whole "men are here to keep the women safe" trope is pretty old-fashioned and unrelatable to me. I will still read Mr. Wright's writing, because I feel he has a firm grasp on what is scary, but I won't be recommending this book.
May 10, 2020
There is nothing that Iain writes that does not scare the bangers and mash out of me. I like to think that I go into each review with an open mind, but his writing style is in my book perfectly balanced. He is in the top of his game. You care about who, what and where this story takes you, I'm right there with them all, and you will be to. Go on you can trust uncle dal, on a dark and stormy night. This is my review and if you dont like it, go pray to Woden. 6.5 stars out of 5
September 7, 2024
Snoooooozefest.
July 14, 2019
Dark Ride
By Iain Rob Wright
Genre - Fiction
Sub Genre - Horror/Suspense/Paranormal/British
Pages - 228
Publication Information - Independently published, May 17, 2019
Format - Print
Reviewed by William C. Bitner, Jr. (https://booksinmylibraryblog.wordpres...)
Rating - 📙📙📙📙📙
If your are familiar with Iain’s earlier work, such as The Housemates, ASBO, The Picture Frame, or Sam then you are going to fall in love with “Dark Ride”. Iain is very good at taking his readers on some very interesting and horror filled journeys, and this one, although a bit more subtle in it’s horror elements was a journey you won’t soon forget. Not being a big fan of the show business sport of wrestling, I wasn’t sure how I could comfortably digest that part of this tale. But alas, Iain found a way to make even that bit interesting for this reader. There really isn’t a whole lot of narrative regarding the sport itself, rather it’s more about one particular wrestler, A.J. Starr is a professional wrestler on the rise, but he’s keeping a secret from his friends. And it is this secret that has him gather his closest friends to explore a night of what he hopes will be fun and excitement on the grounds of a dilapidated and some say haunted theme park. From the very start things become somewhat ominous, with a greeting from a large broken antlered deer on the roadway leading to the theme park (I had a similar experience with a moose on a dark road, late at night, leading to the Bed and Breakfast myself and a friend were staying at on the cape in the state of Maine many years ago) . A few of the friends want to turn around and call it a day, but A.J. convinces them to go forward. What awaits them is not what any of them were expecting. The narrative is very descriptive and moody and at times the semblance to reality is riding on a very thin line. It’s exciting and fun for the reader, but not so much for the characters in this invigorating, exhilarating, and thrilling new novel from one of the best in the genre of horror. Iain Rob Wright is one of a kind, and you will soon become a fan of his work. As always, I look forward to the next mindturbate from the deepest and darkest crevices of this very skillful and talented word-master.
From the back cover: 'Bright Lights' AJ Starr is a pro wrestler on the rise, and his life is about to change forever. Knowing this, he plans one last party with all of his best friends. The venue? Saxon Hills theme park, abandoned ten years ago after its flagship ride burned down and killed nine innocent people. Some people say the place is haunted, but AJ knows from his time inside the squared circle that fantasy and reality are totally separate things.
Or so he thought.
AJ has no idea how nightmarish things are about to get, and eventually he'll be left wondering whether he brought his friends to Saxon Hills theme park to have fun. Or to die.
About the Author: Iain Rob Wright is one of the UK's most successful horror and suspense writers, with novels including the critically acclaimed, The Final Winter; the disturbing bestseller, ASBO; and the wicked screamfest, The Housemates.
The three most important things in his life are his wife, his children, and his fans.
His work is currently being adapted for graphic novels, audio books, and foreign audiences. He’s an active member of the Horror Writers Association and a massive animal lover.
Other books by Iain Rob Wright: Animal Kingdom, A to Z of Horror, 2389, Holes in the Ground (with J.A. Konrath), Sam, ASBO, The Final Winter, The Housemates, Sea Sick, Ravage, Savage, The Picture Frame, Wings of Sorrow, The Gates (Hell on Earth, Book 1), Legion (Hell on Earth, Book 2), Extinction (Hell on Earth, Book 3), TAR, House Beneath the Bridge, Escape!, The Peeling, Blood on the Bar, Soft Target, Hot Zone, End Play and Defiance (Hell on Earth, Book 4).
By Iain Rob Wright
Genre - Fiction
Sub Genre - Horror/Suspense/Paranormal/British
Pages - 228
Publication Information - Independently published, May 17, 2019
Format - Print
Reviewed by William C. Bitner, Jr. (https://booksinmylibraryblog.wordpres...)
Rating - 📙📙📙📙📙
If your are familiar with Iain’s earlier work, such as The Housemates, ASBO, The Picture Frame, or Sam then you are going to fall in love with “Dark Ride”. Iain is very good at taking his readers on some very interesting and horror filled journeys, and this one, although a bit more subtle in it’s horror elements was a journey you won’t soon forget. Not being a big fan of the show business sport of wrestling, I wasn’t sure how I could comfortably digest that part of this tale. But alas, Iain found a way to make even that bit interesting for this reader. There really isn’t a whole lot of narrative regarding the sport itself, rather it’s more about one particular wrestler, A.J. Starr is a professional wrestler on the rise, but he’s keeping a secret from his friends. And it is this secret that has him gather his closest friends to explore a night of what he hopes will be fun and excitement on the grounds of a dilapidated and some say haunted theme park. From the very start things become somewhat ominous, with a greeting from a large broken antlered deer on the roadway leading to the theme park (I had a similar experience with a moose on a dark road, late at night, leading to the Bed and Breakfast myself and a friend were staying at on the cape in the state of Maine many years ago) . A few of the friends want to turn around and call it a day, but A.J. convinces them to go forward. What awaits them is not what any of them were expecting. The narrative is very descriptive and moody and at times the semblance to reality is riding on a very thin line. It’s exciting and fun for the reader, but not so much for the characters in this invigorating, exhilarating, and thrilling new novel from one of the best in the genre of horror. Iain Rob Wright is one of a kind, and you will soon become a fan of his work. As always, I look forward to the next mindturbate from the deepest and darkest crevices of this very skillful and talented word-master.
From the back cover: 'Bright Lights' AJ Starr is a pro wrestler on the rise, and his life is about to change forever. Knowing this, he plans one last party with all of his best friends. The venue? Saxon Hills theme park, abandoned ten years ago after its flagship ride burned down and killed nine innocent people. Some people say the place is haunted, but AJ knows from his time inside the squared circle that fantasy and reality are totally separate things.
Or so he thought.
AJ has no idea how nightmarish things are about to get, and eventually he'll be left wondering whether he brought his friends to Saxon Hills theme park to have fun. Or to die.
About the Author: Iain Rob Wright is one of the UK's most successful horror and suspense writers, with novels including the critically acclaimed, The Final Winter; the disturbing bestseller, ASBO; and the wicked screamfest, The Housemates.
The three most important things in his life are his wife, his children, and his fans.
His work is currently being adapted for graphic novels, audio books, and foreign audiences. He’s an active member of the Horror Writers Association and a massive animal lover.
Other books by Iain Rob Wright: Animal Kingdom, A to Z of Horror, 2389, Holes in the Ground (with J.A. Konrath), Sam, ASBO, The Final Winter, The Housemates, Sea Sick, Ravage, Savage, The Picture Frame, Wings of Sorrow, The Gates (Hell on Earth, Book 1), Legion (Hell on Earth, Book 2), Extinction (Hell on Earth, Book 3), TAR, House Beneath the Bridge, Escape!, The Peeling, Blood on the Bar, Soft Target, Hot Zone, End Play and Defiance (Hell on Earth, Book 4).
February 7, 2020
I read a lot of books and watch a lot of films. I enjoy both mediums for different reasons, and in engaging with both so much I’m good at identifying the frequent tropes. While that’s helped me develop tastes and preferences in ways that can make me sound like ‘that guy’ at a party, I’m not above media that doesn’t set to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes it’s fun to sit down and enjoy something simple that isn’t going to offer you a philosophical examination of the human condition. Dark Ride looked to be one of those kinds of books… and then I read it.
The book is about teenagers going to an abandoned, potentially haunted, theme park. Animatronics and amusements for horror purposes is undeniably high right now, as the constant attention for Five Nights at Freddy’s will show you. There is so much room for fun in the genre but what I’m finding more and more is that many creators aren’t content with the genre and what to seem deep. There’s nothing wrong with nuance, it’s actually my preferred type of horror, but if you’re going to try and seem smart and sensitive you should actually make sure that what you put out there is actually both of those things.
This book sells itself as a fun horror story and the author seemed to think the premise alone was enough to sell it. Assuming you bought the book and didn’t read it on Kindle Unlimited like I did, the author’s already got your money. What does it matter to deliver on the story it’s sold you?
This is the first book I’ve read by this author so he may well be an Orwell level genius, but based solely on this book it seems like he’s picked random things in pop culture that he liked and tried to replicate them in his story, not caring about whether it fits in or not. It felt like this was written to be a film, got rejected, and reworked to be a quick novel so as to avoid the sunk cost fallacy. I say that because the writing is just so bare bones. One of the things I say a lot is that there are certain things that you can get away with in film that you can’t in a book, and vice versa. In film you can show, not describe, because of the visual medium. With a book you either need to decide whether you’re going to give enough to get people to imagine, or describe everything in detail. That is, of course, if you give a damn about what you’re writing.
The first thing about the book that bugged me specifically was the excessively long beginning. Without any exaggeration, it’s about 75% – 80% of the way through the Kindle version of this book before anything noteworthy happens. I’m not one that needs an instant story: a slow build is something I find quite satisfying in horror when it gets you to know the characters and the world. I have no problem being patient but if you waste my time after I’ve invested my time with you there’s going to be problems. It’s a shame that this book opts more to pad the page count with nothing of substance.
So what are we getting before then? The basic premise for why the theme park is abandoned. Ok, setup, that’s fair. The main character’s career as a wrestler. Ok I get that you want to add context for him… oh, we’re 8 pages in and you’re still going on about the wrestling. Well at least this will play into what he does later and… oops doesn’t actually mean anything. The wresting, or at least the character’s association with it, plays a role in the plot’s setup but not big or distinct enough by the story’s conclusion to take this long with a poorly written wrestling match.
The book also takes time to give you a bit of mythological information. Why? Because it’s not common knowledge. Straight away I realised that this was going to be important and it practically gave away the ending, or at least plot outline. It stuck out like a saw thumb and completely ruined whether or not this was a horror story that was psychological or material. If it had been mentioned organically it would have been fine, and god knows there was a lot of rambling from the beginning of the book that it would have been better included over. It shows you its hand and expects you to be shocked at what its holding anyway. Unless you forget what you’ve already read (not exact sentences, literally anything you’ve read) you’ll realise what you’ve read and why it feels so forced.
Then there’s a part where one of the characters suddenly starts contemplating the struggles of their sexuality. Lasting about a page it comes out of nowhere and seems to just be there for either faux diversity representation, or give you something to discern them from the other blank slates of characters. A story where the horror can often manifest with what they do or don’t understand about themselves could make for a story all of itself, and it’s frankly an insult that the author just brought it in lazily. Putting in a character that isn’t a cis-straight-white-man doesn’t inherently mean you’re progressive. I’d argue that including characters like the way this author did is more akin to tokenism than helping diversify the characters in horror stories.
The main character has a sense of martyrdom that’s simply a cliché. He has no reason to feel like a martyr beyond it being typical of these kinds of stories. The issue is, like many crap books I’ve read, he’s just a composite of the things you usually see/hear about and there’s no character there. He’s always blaming himself and there’s absolutely no reason he should as far as in-universe information is concerned. It follows the simple notion that if you repeat something enough, something will latch on. That’s the only explanation I can think of because this main character is nothing more than a hollow shell that’s supposed to be our emotional anchor.
One of the things I’m always curious about is how characters that are in a far different demographic than their author speak, because the lingo ends up sounding incredibly offbeat when done wrong. In this book, the dialogue, particularly the banter, is horrible. You know when adults write how they think teenagers talk, but they’re never on point? This happens all the time in the book, and I get the impression that instead of listening to how young people talk he’s just watched the same slasher films everyone has, but then wanted to make them sound smart. I genuinely questioned if they were robots. At least with a film like Jennifer’s Body the dialogue feels off, but it’s an artistic choice evident in how distinct it is and the film-makers commit.
Then… the ending. A good ending can make up for a bad intro and middle. I was already unimpressed with the lack of focus this book had before the final few pages, and the ending cemented to me that the author didn’t outline anything. All I will say is that it couldn’t decide whether it wanted to follow the cult, demon deity or curse story type… so decided to go for all three. There was no depth, or consideration, for any of the three. You might argue that it’s because we don’t understand it to which I say the book is far too shallow to earn any credibility in that respect from me.
The problems with the book are plenty, but the biggest one is simple: it’s dull and has no right to be. All the praise seems to be cliché words you give stories of this genre but no depth for what it apparently did well. This was a waste of time and for a book marketed as “a tale of horror and suspense”, it’s sad when I’m more likely to be scared of running out of space on my Kindle than the book I’m reading on. When I read your book, I’m giving it the time I’d typically offer other books.
The book is about teenagers going to an abandoned, potentially haunted, theme park. Animatronics and amusements for horror purposes is undeniably high right now, as the constant attention for Five Nights at Freddy’s will show you. There is so much room for fun in the genre but what I’m finding more and more is that many creators aren’t content with the genre and what to seem deep. There’s nothing wrong with nuance, it’s actually my preferred type of horror, but if you’re going to try and seem smart and sensitive you should actually make sure that what you put out there is actually both of those things.
This book sells itself as a fun horror story and the author seemed to think the premise alone was enough to sell it. Assuming you bought the book and didn’t read it on Kindle Unlimited like I did, the author’s already got your money. What does it matter to deliver on the story it’s sold you?
This is the first book I’ve read by this author so he may well be an Orwell level genius, but based solely on this book it seems like he’s picked random things in pop culture that he liked and tried to replicate them in his story, not caring about whether it fits in or not. It felt like this was written to be a film, got rejected, and reworked to be a quick novel so as to avoid the sunk cost fallacy. I say that because the writing is just so bare bones. One of the things I say a lot is that there are certain things that you can get away with in film that you can’t in a book, and vice versa. In film you can show, not describe, because of the visual medium. With a book you either need to decide whether you’re going to give enough to get people to imagine, or describe everything in detail. That is, of course, if you give a damn about what you’re writing.
The first thing about the book that bugged me specifically was the excessively long beginning. Without any exaggeration, it’s about 75% – 80% of the way through the Kindle version of this book before anything noteworthy happens. I’m not one that needs an instant story: a slow build is something I find quite satisfying in horror when it gets you to know the characters and the world. I have no problem being patient but if you waste my time after I’ve invested my time with you there’s going to be problems. It’s a shame that this book opts more to pad the page count with nothing of substance.
So what are we getting before then? The basic premise for why the theme park is abandoned. Ok, setup, that’s fair. The main character’s career as a wrestler. Ok I get that you want to add context for him… oh, we’re 8 pages in and you’re still going on about the wrestling. Well at least this will play into what he does later and… oops doesn’t actually mean anything. The wresting, or at least the character’s association with it, plays a role in the plot’s setup but not big or distinct enough by the story’s conclusion to take this long with a poorly written wrestling match.
The book also takes time to give you a bit of mythological information. Why? Because it’s not common knowledge. Straight away I realised that this was going to be important and it practically gave away the ending, or at least plot outline. It stuck out like a saw thumb and completely ruined whether or not this was a horror story that was psychological or material. If it had been mentioned organically it would have been fine, and god knows there was a lot of rambling from the beginning of the book that it would have been better included over. It shows you its hand and expects you to be shocked at what its holding anyway. Unless you forget what you’ve already read (not exact sentences, literally anything you’ve read) you’ll realise what you’ve read and why it feels so forced.
Then there’s a part where one of the characters suddenly starts contemplating the struggles of their sexuality. Lasting about a page it comes out of nowhere and seems to just be there for either faux diversity representation, or give you something to discern them from the other blank slates of characters. A story where the horror can often manifest with what they do or don’t understand about themselves could make for a story all of itself, and it’s frankly an insult that the author just brought it in lazily. Putting in a character that isn’t a cis-straight-white-man doesn’t inherently mean you’re progressive. I’d argue that including characters like the way this author did is more akin to tokenism than helping diversify the characters in horror stories.
The main character has a sense of martyrdom that’s simply a cliché. He has no reason to feel like a martyr beyond it being typical of these kinds of stories. The issue is, like many crap books I’ve read, he’s just a composite of the things you usually see/hear about and there’s no character there. He’s always blaming himself and there’s absolutely no reason he should as far as in-universe information is concerned. It follows the simple notion that if you repeat something enough, something will latch on. That’s the only explanation I can think of because this main character is nothing more than a hollow shell that’s supposed to be our emotional anchor.
One of the things I’m always curious about is how characters that are in a far different demographic than their author speak, because the lingo ends up sounding incredibly offbeat when done wrong. In this book, the dialogue, particularly the banter, is horrible. You know when adults write how they think teenagers talk, but they’re never on point? This happens all the time in the book, and I get the impression that instead of listening to how young people talk he’s just watched the same slasher films everyone has, but then wanted to make them sound smart. I genuinely questioned if they were robots. At least with a film like Jennifer’s Body the dialogue feels off, but it’s an artistic choice evident in how distinct it is and the film-makers commit.
Then… the ending. A good ending can make up for a bad intro and middle. I was already unimpressed with the lack of focus this book had before the final few pages, and the ending cemented to me that the author didn’t outline anything. All I will say is that it couldn’t decide whether it wanted to follow the cult, demon deity or curse story type… so decided to go for all three. There was no depth, or consideration, for any of the three. You might argue that it’s because we don’t understand it to which I say the book is far too shallow to earn any credibility in that respect from me.
The problems with the book are plenty, but the biggest one is simple: it’s dull and has no right to be. All the praise seems to be cliché words you give stories of this genre but no depth for what it apparently did well. This was a waste of time and for a book marketed as “a tale of horror and suspense”, it’s sad when I’m more likely to be scared of running out of space on my Kindle than the book I’m reading on. When I read your book, I’m giving it the time I’d typically offer other books.
May 14, 2025
Iain Rob Wright is an author I've seen advertised a lot in the independent horror publishing community. I've heard some really great stuff about his work, but I didn't know where to begin since he's quite got the impressive back catalog. But I was in the mood recently to read a horror novel about an amusement park and luckily, this one popped up and immediately piqued my interest. Dark Ride is a part of a trilogy of stories, but you can easily read them individually standalone.
AJ Starr is a pro-wrestler who in a month's time will leave for America to stardom. He wants to hang out with his friends one last time, at an abandoned amusement park that shutdown in 2009 after a series of unfortunate events. A fire consumed the park's star attraction, killing 9 people, and the authorities blamed an angry but dead employee for the incident. Something is trying to stop AJ Starr and his friends from getting inside the park. But why and could it really be trying to protect them? What evil hides inside the park and how long has it waited for its next victims?
Iain Rob Wright has written a very atmospheric and unsettling haunted amusement park story that is thrilling, exciting and depressing. It's a fast-paced novel that flies by, with a great cast of complex and likable characters, a very unsettling threat and plenty of references to Anglo-Saxon mythology.
It's a very creepy and unsettling novel with plenty of twists and shocks. The conclusion of this one was very bittersweet, it nearly brought a tear to my eye.
Overall: It's an incredible horror novel that I would recommend to anyone who wants to read about a haunted amusement park ride. 10/10
AJ Starr is a pro-wrestler who in a month's time will leave for America to stardom. He wants to hang out with his friends one last time, at an abandoned amusement park that shutdown in 2009 after a series of unfortunate events. A fire consumed the park's star attraction, killing 9 people, and the authorities blamed an angry but dead employee for the incident. Something is trying to stop AJ Starr and his friends from getting inside the park. But why and could it really be trying to protect them? What evil hides inside the park and how long has it waited for its next victims?
Iain Rob Wright has written a very atmospheric and unsettling haunted amusement park story that is thrilling, exciting and depressing. It's a fast-paced novel that flies by, with a great cast of complex and likable characters, a very unsettling threat and plenty of references to Anglo-Saxon mythology.
It's a very creepy and unsettling novel with plenty of twists and shocks. The conclusion of this one was very bittersweet, it nearly brought a tear to my eye.
Overall: It's an incredible horror novel that I would recommend to anyone who wants to read about a haunted amusement park ride. 10/10
February 22, 2020
Couldn't ask for more, really! Finished it in just 4 hours and after finishing the book I just couldn't shake off the tormented feeling of my head...
Actually it's my 2nd read of the author. I was looking and planning to read more book by him and finally I did it, haven't disappointed of course. Dark rides is a story about abandoned theme park, which had been shut down for many year. Aj a local wrestler with his all best friends was visiting that abandoned park for a little bit fun and spending some leisure time all by themselves. Ben, Tasha, Greg, Samantha, Ashley and him together total of 6 people they did go there but the moment they stepped their feet in that abandoned site as if from nowhere badluck erupted like storms. It was tasha she whobwas first to notice the difference and felt something very wrong and warn all of them they just should get the hell out from that place. Driving by the land rover that they had come by the car all of sudden didn't start why? The tyre was damaged and they have no extra of it. So, what happens after then gradually was a chaos. Things began went wrong and there's no stopping. The six of them yet to experience more horrific events that were lay out for them. There's no doubt I enjoyed it with the suspenseful and gruesome horror, I say it was a perfect read. I recommending it of course to horror reader. Totally worth my time. More to read of Ian Rob Wright...
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