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Ghostland #3
Infinite
Life, death and beyond, the past, the present and future collide in an epic battle of good versus evil in the final book in the Ghostland trilogy.
Ghosts wreak havoc in the streets of Duck Falls, and Lilian Roth has gone underground, hiding in the Laramies' backyard bunker. With the town under military quarantine, the death toll continues to rise. And Hedgewood's massive infrasound array stands to wipe out every "ethereal" within its radius, Ben Laramie and his friends at the Temple among them.
Setting the ethereals free from Ghostland was only the beginning for Rex Garrote. He's returned to the remains of his house to tear open the Dark Rift - a realm of terrifying impossibilities between the living and ethereal planes - and unleash its nightmare creatures upon the world.
The End of Everything is on the horizon, and Lilian and Ben are humanity's last hopes. Facing their greatest fears and insurmountable odds, they must return to Ghostland through the Dark Rift's deadly, ever-changing landscape for a final confrontation between good and evil, to stop Rex Garrote once and for all.
Ghosts wreak havoc in the streets of Duck Falls, and Lilian Roth has gone underground, hiding in the Laramies' backyard bunker. With the town under military quarantine, the death toll continues to rise. And Hedgewood's massive infrasound array stands to wipe out every "ethereal" within its radius, Ben Laramie and his friends at the Temple among them.
Setting the ethereals free from Ghostland was only the beginning for Rex Garrote. He's returned to the remains of his house to tear open the Dark Rift - a realm of terrifying impossibilities between the living and ethereal planes - and unleash its nightmare creatures upon the world.
The End of Everything is on the horizon, and Lilian and Ben are humanity's last hopes. Facing their greatest fears and insurmountable odds, they must return to Ghostland through the Dark Rift's deadly, ever-changing landscape for a final confrontation between good and evil, to stop Rex Garrote once and for all.
581 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2021
48 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Duncan Ralston
82 books2,053 followers**CVLT: Lonely Motel Book 3 out now!!!**
**Sequel to the hit novel PUZZLE HOUSE coming Winter 2026**
Author of the cult smash-hit Woom and Ghostland and more than 15 other books that aren't the cult smash-hit Woom or Ghostland. His debut collection was blurbed positively by the legendary Jack Ketchum. His vampire novel, Pedo Island Bloodbath, was nominated for a 2024 Splatterpunk Award for Best Novel. His horror-thriller Ghostland will soon be a board game from Crystal Lake Publishing.
For 10 FREE dark fiction short stories/novellas including the prequel to GHOSTLAND, "The Moving House," signed copies of Woom, bookplates and merch, please visit www.duncanralston.com.
Photo © Josh Silver 2015
**Sequel to the hit novel PUZZLE HOUSE coming Winter 2026**
Author of the cult smash-hit Woom and Ghostland and more than 15 other books that aren't the cult smash-hit Woom or Ghostland. His debut collection was blurbed positively by the legendary Jack Ketchum. His vampire novel, Pedo Island Bloodbath, was nominated for a 2024 Splatterpunk Award for Best Novel. His horror-thriller Ghostland will soon be a board game from Crystal Lake Publishing.
For 10 FREE dark fiction short stories/novellas including the prequel to GHOSTLAND, "The Moving House," signed copies of Woom, bookplates and merch, please visit www.duncanralston.com.
Photo © Josh Silver 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
November 24, 2024
What are fantastic into a great trilogy! This final installment was everything I was hoping would be beget a good in-depth journey with the characters that I’ve become connected to in the past two books, as well as how much more thoroughly tucked into the villain (Rex Garrote)
The stakes are higher in this one and everything the previous books has burn building two has the payoff I was hoping for. I already can’t say too much here because I don’t wanna spoil anything, but this was a very satisfying and to a fun trilogy that I will be sure to reread time and time again!
The stakes are higher in this one and everything the previous books has burn building two has the payoff I was hoping for. I already can’t say too much here because I don’t wanna spoil anything, but this was a very satisfying and to a fun trilogy that I will be sure to reread time and time again!
November 17, 2021
Wow! What a awesome wrap up to this trilogy!
I am not going to really do a backstory on this book but just give out thoughts because there is so much wrapped tight within the pages of this book with lots of moving parts that there would be spoilers with giving out too much information so I will try to convey my thoughts without doing that!
Thoughts:
There is a slow buildup in the beginning of the book and characters from the previous books are back along with some new characters, but this time the author doles out action in small pieces at first till by the time I was at the 30% mark I was starting to feel a slow heat buildup of ghost action coming.
By the time I was at the 65% mark I was totally encased in ghost action that I felt I had been dropped into a surround sound panoramic theatre with strobe lights flashing before my eyes!
But there are more worst things then "ghosts" that have graced the pages of this book as there are other supernatural entities that are causing a ruckus within this book. There are tons of cool descriptive graphic action scenes that the author weaved throughout the storyline which kept me glued to my comfy chair and kept my eyes riveted on my kindle!
I literally read almost 40% in under 12 hours as this book kept my insomnia fueled. I didn't sleep much as I was reading it! There is quite a bit of blood and some gore parts also mixed into this book, but you cannot read a Duncan Ralston book without blood and gore - just not possible! :)
This book Infinite just sweeps you away back into the heart of Ghostland along with the baddie, Rex Garrote as he makes a full appearance in this book and Lillian and Ben are back to help out with trying to put a stop once and for all to Garrote. The story slowly builds up to an amazing crescendo bringing forth an epic conclusion to this awesome trilogy!
I am impressed and always have been impressed with how the author went into all the intricate details of all these books. There is just a whole different universe with this trilogy and lots of epic moments lay within which brings these books to a sad ending to see them finished but a satisfying ending to have everything wrapped up with a bow! Giving this book five "Ghastly Ghost" stars.
For more thoughts on this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
I am not going to really do a backstory on this book but just give out thoughts because there is so much wrapped tight within the pages of this book with lots of moving parts that there would be spoilers with giving out too much information so I will try to convey my thoughts without doing that!
Thoughts:
There is a slow buildup in the beginning of the book and characters from the previous books are back along with some new characters, but this time the author doles out action in small pieces at first till by the time I was at the 30% mark I was starting to feel a slow heat buildup of ghost action coming.
By the time I was at the 65% mark I was totally encased in ghost action that I felt I had been dropped into a surround sound panoramic theatre with strobe lights flashing before my eyes!
But there are more worst things then "ghosts" that have graced the pages of this book as there are other supernatural entities that are causing a ruckus within this book. There are tons of cool descriptive graphic action scenes that the author weaved throughout the storyline which kept me glued to my comfy chair and kept my eyes riveted on my kindle!
I literally read almost 40% in under 12 hours as this book kept my insomnia fueled. I didn't sleep much as I was reading it! There is quite a bit of blood and some gore parts also mixed into this book, but you cannot read a Duncan Ralston book without blood and gore - just not possible! :)
This book Infinite just sweeps you away back into the heart of Ghostland along with the baddie, Rex Garrote as he makes a full appearance in this book and Lillian and Ben are back to help out with trying to put a stop once and for all to Garrote. The story slowly builds up to an amazing crescendo bringing forth an epic conclusion to this awesome trilogy!
I am impressed and always have been impressed with how the author went into all the intricate details of all these books. There is just a whole different universe with this trilogy and lots of epic moments lay within which brings these books to a sad ending to see them finished but a satisfying ending to have everything wrapped up with a bow! Giving this book five "Ghastly Ghost" stars.
For more thoughts on this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
November 10, 2021
And so we arrive at the third and final book in Duncan Ralston’s highly ambitious Ghostland Trilogy.
What a journey it’s been.
We started out with one of the most mysterious, engaging and well constructed marketing events that I’ve ever seen, which led into the stunning ‘Ghostland’ opener. This introduced us to Duck Falls, Rex Garrote, Ethereals and a cast of characters that felt vibrant and fresh while also like old friends. From there, Ralston pushed the narrative and opened the landscape wider with book two, ‘Afterlife.’ We got to see more of the aftermath of the events in book one, while also learning more about Garrote and having some new characters arrive while saying goodbye to some familiar faces. Book two, even with all of its charm, is what it is – a sequel that sets up the finale. Not to say that is a bad thing or that the book was lacking or dipped, but that the reality was – Ralston needed to set up questions that wouldn’t be answered in there, that the readers would need to be invested enough to tag along for book three.
And now that I’ve read book three?
I think those who’ve loved the first two (as well as the prequel novella ‘The Moving House’) will find themselves rewarded and enriched after reading what Ralston has done here.
What I liked: The third book acts as Ralston has intended. I’ll try to be super vague as well to remain spoiler free, as some folks might’ve been waiting for this book to arrive before diving into the entire series. It picks up after the events of book two and does a great job of introducing us to a few new set pieces and characters before we are re-introduced to Garrote and his evil plans.
I really loved how familiar the world feels and it reminded me of how George R.R. Martin has accomplished that. Martin has crafted a world that is massive in scope with a million moving parts and characters, but each time they feel familiar and solid in their crafting. That is the same here with what Ralston’s done. It is highly impressive and I’m not ashamed to admit I’m in awe at the scale of storytelling Ralston has delivered. This is superb and so thorough that I’d hazard 99% of all of the questions and loose ends get answered and tied up. Saying that, he very deliberately left a few morsels dangling that leave threads available for him to return to this world if he so chooses.
At this point in this review, you’re probably thinking to yourself – ‘jeeze, Steve, you are being super vague.’ Yes. And I apologize about that, but the reality here is Ralston has set things up so well from book one, which still works perfectly as a stand alone novel, might I add, that to say specific details of some key moments would essentially ruin the entire book for you. If you’ve read book two – you’ll have some questions that you want answered. And now, if I said for example ‘X goes here and does this,’ you’ll get angry because that will answer that question. So (insert sticking tongue out gif here) too bad! HA!
I will say, the finale of the trilogy finale is fantastic and I loved seeing how Ralston wrapped everything up. He does a great job of ensuring each of the main/major characters get their moments and for those who depart from this world (even the pesky Ethereals) you’ll be happy to see they’ve played a purpose.
What I didn’t like: I’ve laid out a bunch of why I loved this trilogy and how well this book worked as the finale, but I will say – it did pain me a bit to see just how far away this trilogy moved from the basis of book one. I remember reading book one and my eyes going wide when it read like Jurassic Park with Ghosts. Don’t get me wrong, Ralston has elevated his game here, but I loved the concept of book one soooo much.
Why you should buy this: I think, at the end of the day and at the end of the trilogy, Ralston has shown how masterful of a writer he is. This is a truly serious undertaking and I’d hope we see a gorgeous omnibus hardcover edition come out in the future with maps and family tree’s and character synopsis’ etc. For those who believe Ralston is a one trick pony (and who’ve not read any of his other, wonderful books besides WOOM) this series should bash those thoughts into a million pieces. From book one to book three, Ralston has shown, even over course of a few years, how stunning of a writer he is and how he’s always working hard on his craft to improve and I, personally, am just blown away.
This series is phenomenal from start to finish and in the author’s notes after, he hints at some related projects we’ll see in the future, which should make fans of his and this world very, very happy.
Well done, Duncan. Truly an amazing undertaking.
What a journey it’s been.
We started out with one of the most mysterious, engaging and well constructed marketing events that I’ve ever seen, which led into the stunning ‘Ghostland’ opener. This introduced us to Duck Falls, Rex Garrote, Ethereals and a cast of characters that felt vibrant and fresh while also like old friends. From there, Ralston pushed the narrative and opened the landscape wider with book two, ‘Afterlife.’ We got to see more of the aftermath of the events in book one, while also learning more about Garrote and having some new characters arrive while saying goodbye to some familiar faces. Book two, even with all of its charm, is what it is – a sequel that sets up the finale. Not to say that is a bad thing or that the book was lacking or dipped, but that the reality was – Ralston needed to set up questions that wouldn’t be answered in there, that the readers would need to be invested enough to tag along for book three.
And now that I’ve read book three?
I think those who’ve loved the first two (as well as the prequel novella ‘The Moving House’) will find themselves rewarded and enriched after reading what Ralston has done here.
What I liked: The third book acts as Ralston has intended. I’ll try to be super vague as well to remain spoiler free, as some folks might’ve been waiting for this book to arrive before diving into the entire series. It picks up after the events of book two and does a great job of introducing us to a few new set pieces and characters before we are re-introduced to Garrote and his evil plans.
I really loved how familiar the world feels and it reminded me of how George R.R. Martin has accomplished that. Martin has crafted a world that is massive in scope with a million moving parts and characters, but each time they feel familiar and solid in their crafting. That is the same here with what Ralston’s done. It is highly impressive and I’m not ashamed to admit I’m in awe at the scale of storytelling Ralston has delivered. This is superb and so thorough that I’d hazard 99% of all of the questions and loose ends get answered and tied up. Saying that, he very deliberately left a few morsels dangling that leave threads available for him to return to this world if he so chooses.
At this point in this review, you’re probably thinking to yourself – ‘jeeze, Steve, you are being super vague.’ Yes. And I apologize about that, but the reality here is Ralston has set things up so well from book one, which still works perfectly as a stand alone novel, might I add, that to say specific details of some key moments would essentially ruin the entire book for you. If you’ve read book two – you’ll have some questions that you want answered. And now, if I said for example ‘X goes here and does this,’ you’ll get angry because that will answer that question. So (insert sticking tongue out gif here) too bad! HA!
I will say, the finale of the trilogy finale is fantastic and I loved seeing how Ralston wrapped everything up. He does a great job of ensuring each of the main/major characters get their moments and for those who depart from this world (even the pesky Ethereals) you’ll be happy to see they’ve played a purpose.
What I didn’t like: I’ve laid out a bunch of why I loved this trilogy and how well this book worked as the finale, but I will say – it did pain me a bit to see just how far away this trilogy moved from the basis of book one. I remember reading book one and my eyes going wide when it read like Jurassic Park with Ghosts. Don’t get me wrong, Ralston has elevated his game here, but I loved the concept of book one soooo much.
Why you should buy this: I think, at the end of the day and at the end of the trilogy, Ralston has shown how masterful of a writer he is. This is a truly serious undertaking and I’d hope we see a gorgeous omnibus hardcover edition come out in the future with maps and family tree’s and character synopsis’ etc. For those who believe Ralston is a one trick pony (and who’ve not read any of his other, wonderful books besides WOOM) this series should bash those thoughts into a million pieces. From book one to book three, Ralston has shown, even over course of a few years, how stunning of a writer he is and how he’s always working hard on his craft to improve and I, personally, am just blown away.
This series is phenomenal from start to finish and in the author’s notes after, he hints at some related projects we’ll see in the future, which should make fans of his and this world very, very happy.
Well done, Duncan. Truly an amazing undertaking.
November 15, 2021
I’ve been a fan of Duncan for awhile. I started with the ‘Video Nasties’ which had its ups and downs, but you could really see how unique and talented this author is… so I kept my eyes open, and by the time “The Midwives” came out, I had found a true horror gem of an author. This brings me to the “Ghostland” trilogy.
I was lucky enough to be chosen as a beta reader by Duncan and was super excited. I would finally uncover the full story of Ghostland and all its vast characters.
First of all, I received a copy with this great art in it that was very different than the cover of the release. Amazing! That is one thing I will say about Duncan’s books in general. He always picks fantastic covers that rope in the reader.
Second of all, I highly recommend that anyone who has yet to read the trilogy, read all three stories together. It will bring you that much more enjoyment as you will not have to do what I did, and jump back to the previous novels to make sure I remembered who the minor characters were. Duncan has created this fantastical, amazing, and unique universe so to really immerse yourself, it is best to read all three books one after another. I also LOVE what Duncan did in his first novel by having a section at the end describing all the entities, characters, and types of disturbances.
Thirdly, this book will be enjoyed much more as a wrap up to the first two. There is no question that the introduction to Ghostland is the most exciting. However, as a reader you fall in love with the characters and you can’t help but wonder how everything will turn out for them. Duncan gives them each their moment and ties his universe together beautifully; a rich universe, indeed.
If you are a fan of horror, ghosts, science fiction and technology, rich universe with a multitude of characters and storylines, unique tales, and/or just in love with a deep horror novel that takes place in an amusement park, I highly, and I mean HIGHLY, recommend that you dive in to this trilogy ASAP.
I was lucky enough to be chosen as a beta reader by Duncan and was super excited. I would finally uncover the full story of Ghostland and all its vast characters.
First of all, I received a copy with this great art in it that was very different than the cover of the release. Amazing! That is one thing I will say about Duncan’s books in general. He always picks fantastic covers that rope in the reader.
Second of all, I highly recommend that anyone who has yet to read the trilogy, read all three stories together. It will bring you that much more enjoyment as you will not have to do what I did, and jump back to the previous novels to make sure I remembered who the minor characters were. Duncan has created this fantastical, amazing, and unique universe so to really immerse yourself, it is best to read all three books one after another. I also LOVE what Duncan did in his first novel by having a section at the end describing all the entities, characters, and types of disturbances.
Thirdly, this book will be enjoyed much more as a wrap up to the first two. There is no question that the introduction to Ghostland is the most exciting. However, as a reader you fall in love with the characters and you can’t help but wonder how everything will turn out for them. Duncan gives them each their moment and ties his universe together beautifully; a rich universe, indeed.
If you are a fan of horror, ghosts, science fiction and technology, rich universe with a multitude of characters and storylines, unique tales, and/or just in love with a deep horror novel that takes place in an amusement park, I highly, and I mean HIGHLY, recommend that you dive in to this trilogy ASAP.
February 19, 2022
Review to Follow
January 29, 2022
Secondary Character Conundrum! Dark Horse Hero or Discarded Ghostly Toy! "Well, there I was. Hell was literally breaking out and I just had to make a choice: to stab or not to stab. Well, you can guess which one I did, but now I'm out of a job and looking for my next contract, and I can tell you - the market for a seven-foot-tall blood-soaked pink unicorn is tough!" - Taffy - The Titanic Toy Tattler.
OMG! This was good. Ralston's imagination is off the charts and the narrative is seamlessly put together. I'm just blown away by the many and varied visions laid before me.
For me, this series really evolved over the course of the three books. At times, I struggled with pace and emotional investment with the main characters in the first book (4 stars). Then the 2nd book came along and gripped my throat with a 'Living Dark,' pincer (5 stars). ... And then there is this book which is even better than the 2nd book (5+ stars).
Awesome, impressive, intimidating story telling with a wonderfully satisfying closure to the ending that left me both sad and exhilarated (and that's not easy to do).
Read this series - it's well worth your money and your time.
I have a final question for the author - will the titanic ghostly toys form a union for better pay and working conditions? This reader would like to know!
Strongly Recommended, 5 'Infinite Imagination,' Stars.
OMG! This was good. Ralston's imagination is off the charts and the narrative is seamlessly put together. I'm just blown away by the many and varied visions laid before me.
For me, this series really evolved over the course of the three books. At times, I struggled with pace and emotional investment with the main characters in the first book (4 stars). Then the 2nd book came along and gripped my throat with a 'Living Dark,' pincer (5 stars). ... And then there is this book which is even better than the 2nd book (5+ stars).
Awesome, impressive, intimidating story telling with a wonderfully satisfying closure to the ending that left me both sad and exhilarated (and that's not easy to do).
Read this series - it's well worth your money and your time.
I have a final question for the author - will the titanic ghostly toys form a union for better pay and working conditions? This reader would like to know!
Strongly Recommended, 5 'Infinite Imagination,' Stars.
November 18, 2021
I was honoured to get an ARC of Ghostland: Infinite, I'm a huge fan of the series and have been impatiently waiting for this installment!
Straight away I felt like I'd never left, Duncan has written this book so that as you read it, it all comes flooding back to you perfectly from the previous books. It was great to meet up with old friends again!
This is a beast of a book, but it didn't feel like there was a load of unnecessary storyline or fillers in there, it flowed brilliantly and kept me transfixed throughout!
A lot of it was like a vivid hallucination or nightmare - which I loved! I kept thinking about the story when I wasnt reading and I was desperate to get back to it to read more, but, I also really didn't want it to end!
This story had everything! It was haunting, heart-breaking, scary, horrific, bloody and supernatural. It also had lots of subtle humor threaded throughout.
Entities, the afterlife, purgatory, ethereals, corporeals, good & evil, the past, the future, the weird, the wonderful, and all things that go bump in the night! 😉
All the previous characters stories are wrapped up nicely by the end of this one, leaving me more than satisfied!
Although Duncan has hinted at spin offs still to come!! 😍
I am looking forward to continuing other characters journeys, and I am SO glad this isn't the end of my Ghostland trip! 👻
Duncan also mentioned Stephen Kings 'The Shining' and Clive Barkers 'Imajica' as some of his influences for this book, and while I totally got that, I also got SKs 'Dark Tower' and Barkers 'Abarat' vibes. (Two of my fave book series!) 🖤
EPIC!! I absolutely loved it! What a fantastic ride! I need to sit down with a cup of Nevaehs special tea now to digest it all! 😁
Absolutely 5/5 ethereals from me 👻👻👻👻👻
Straight away I felt like I'd never left, Duncan has written this book so that as you read it, it all comes flooding back to you perfectly from the previous books. It was great to meet up with old friends again!
This is a beast of a book, but it didn't feel like there was a load of unnecessary storyline or fillers in there, it flowed brilliantly and kept me transfixed throughout!
A lot of it was like a vivid hallucination or nightmare - which I loved! I kept thinking about the story when I wasnt reading and I was desperate to get back to it to read more, but, I also really didn't want it to end!
This story had everything! It was haunting, heart-breaking, scary, horrific, bloody and supernatural. It also had lots of subtle humor threaded throughout.
Entities, the afterlife, purgatory, ethereals, corporeals, good & evil, the past, the future, the weird, the wonderful, and all things that go bump in the night! 😉
All the previous characters stories are wrapped up nicely by the end of this one, leaving me more than satisfied!
Although Duncan has hinted at spin offs still to come!! 😍
I am looking forward to continuing other characters journeys, and I am SO glad this isn't the end of my Ghostland trip! 👻
Duncan also mentioned Stephen Kings 'The Shining' and Clive Barkers 'Imajica' as some of his influences for this book, and while I totally got that, I also got SKs 'Dark Tower' and Barkers 'Abarat' vibes. (Two of my fave book series!) 🖤
EPIC!! I absolutely loved it! What a fantastic ride! I need to sit down with a cup of Nevaehs special tea now to digest it all! 😁
Absolutely 5/5 ethereals from me 👻👻👻👻👻
November 18, 2021
I had the most amazing opportunity to read the ARC for Infinite, and I was not disappointed!! Duncan Ralston has a way with words that sucks the reader in making them feel like they are there. Infinite has probably become my favorite installment in the Ghostland Trilogy!! I think one of the things I loved the most about this book was the backstory on Oliver Hedgewood, who is a charter I came to both loathe and love!! 10/10 recommend reading!
November 15, 2021
Lillian, and Ben must face evil again. Rex Garrote wants to rule everything. Can they defeat him again? Unexpected ending.
November 25, 2021
At long last, the final installment of Duncan Ralston’s Magnum Opus is upon us. I remember a few years ago stumbling across the cover of Ghostland. I hadn’t read anything by Duncan Ralston, but the cover was an absolute eye catcher so I immediately pre-ordered the book. I devoured it and have pre-ordered everything Ralston has written since, including 2020’s Ghostland 2.0 “afterlife”
Again, the cover is a dazzler. So congrats to Ralston for once again showing up with a cover of the year. But how is the book? It’s great. It is the culmination of everything that’s come before it. As the third book in a trilogy, it builds off of everything that has come before, and continues the path of excellence before it. Personally, I think one of the biggest strengths of this trilogy is that each entry feels completely different than the one before it. It doesn’t feel like you’re reading more of the same, which is much to the series benefit because these books are long, especially for the indie horror scene.
The stakes here are at their absolute highest and the whole read is tense. Rex Garrote is not playing games. While you could read Ghostland and find a fully contained story, it is impossible to read infinite without reading the preceding two entries. There are many returning characters, and while Ghostland has an ending, afterlife and infinite both up the ante and build upon the entries before them. Catching up with GRP2, Ben, Lillian, hedgewood felt comfortable, although I must admit that despite having read both entries I could have used a bit of a refresher.
As far as the writing goes, it’s Ralston at the top of his game. I tend to not really enjoy books that exceed 350 or so pages, but the author does a great job keeping the reader engaged throughout, sprinkling humor and death in the narrative.
Ghostland: Infinite is a massive undertaking. Each book is a tome, each book ups the scale and the ante. It would have been easy to botch these books, especially books two and 3, but somehow Ralston manages to juggle all of the moving parts in the series and deliver an exceptional finale. Those who’ve been here from day one have been rewarded, the rest of you might as well pickup book 1 and get started
Again, the cover is a dazzler. So congrats to Ralston for once again showing up with a cover of the year. But how is the book? It’s great. It is the culmination of everything that’s come before it. As the third book in a trilogy, it builds off of everything that has come before, and continues the path of excellence before it. Personally, I think one of the biggest strengths of this trilogy is that each entry feels completely different than the one before it. It doesn’t feel like you’re reading more of the same, which is much to the series benefit because these books are long, especially for the indie horror scene.
The stakes here are at their absolute highest and the whole read is tense. Rex Garrote is not playing games. While you could read Ghostland and find a fully contained story, it is impossible to read infinite without reading the preceding two entries. There are many returning characters, and while Ghostland has an ending, afterlife and infinite both up the ante and build upon the entries before them. Catching up with GRP2, Ben, Lillian, hedgewood felt comfortable, although I must admit that despite having read both entries I could have used a bit of a refresher.
As far as the writing goes, it’s Ralston at the top of his game. I tend to not really enjoy books that exceed 350 or so pages, but the author does a great job keeping the reader engaged throughout, sprinkling humor and death in the narrative.
Ghostland: Infinite is a massive undertaking. Each book is a tome, each book ups the scale and the ante. It would have been easy to botch these books, especially books two and 3, but somehow Ralston manages to juggle all of the moving parts in the series and deliver an exceptional finale. Those who’ve been here from day one have been rewarded, the rest of you might as well pickup book 1 and get started
Read
December 1, 2021I already want to go back through this trilogy and read it again, with the full narrative arc lodged in my mind. I don’t know how much of this trilogy was in Duncan’s mind when he wrote the original Ghostland but he’s managed to ramp everything up into a worthy finale here. I thought that each book performs its key role in a trilogy, maintaining its own vibe and feel but at the same time moving the overall narrative forward.
What I find most appealing to these books is how they clearly pay homage to some of the great fiction of our (Duncan and myself) generation but it also doesn’t lean on it like a crutch. Yes there are clear nods to great franchises like Jurassic Park and Ghostbusters in the way the stories convincingly intertwine the paranormal with the rational. But it’s not like those are easy to pull off and he does it brilliantly. But more than that, there is still a feeling of unique freshness to these books that all unfold around a diverse cast of characters.
Duncan has proven himself many times over of being a versatile and textures talent in this industry. We’re lucky to have him and this trilogy would be a great place for you to start.
What I find most appealing to these books is how they clearly pay homage to some of the great fiction of our (Duncan and myself) generation but it also doesn’t lean on it like a crutch. Yes there are clear nods to great franchises like Jurassic Park and Ghostbusters in the way the stories convincingly intertwine the paranormal with the rational. But it’s not like those are easy to pull off and he does it brilliantly. But more than that, there is still a feeling of unique freshness to these books that all unfold around a diverse cast of characters.
Duncan has proven himself many times over of being a versatile and textures talent in this industry. We’re lucky to have him and this trilogy would be a great place for you to start.
December 1, 2021
This is the third book in the trilogy and what a roller coaster ride with twists and turns around every corner. I highly recommend this character driven series to anyone who loves the ghost/horror genres.
January 14, 2022
You've all heard of the Zombie Apocalypse, well today I present to you: the Ghost Apocalypse!
There is SO MUCH to this story that if I tried to explain it all in a review, we'd be here all day and everyone that read it would probably end up more confused than anything.
So let's keep it as simple as possible: way back in book one of the trilogy, we're introduced to Ghostland, the amusement park full of haunted locations and supposedly non-dangerous ghosts. Well, of course that doesn't last long and by the end of that book, teenagers Ben and Lillian have been through hell and managed to free the horror-author-cum-evil-mastermind behind Ghostland and revealed his diabolical plan to basically destroy the entire world.
By the time we get to this book, Infinite, there's a full on war going on between the living and the dead, and more importantly between the peaceful dead and the monstrous dead. We've got ghosts, monsters, psychics, astral projection, spies, backstabbing, a whole sci-fi thing which is more or less the Matrix. We've got The Dark Rift and All Hallows' Close and fifty foot tall possessed dolls. We've got multiple storylines like crazy but handled very well so although this sounds like madness when I say it, it's actually a very controlled madness in the hands of author Duncan Ralston and the best thing I can say is that this series is both fun and frightening and hey, the fate of the world is at stake, so get yourself a copy and read it. I promise its worth it.
There is SO MUCH to this story that if I tried to explain it all in a review, we'd be here all day and everyone that read it would probably end up more confused than anything.
So let's keep it as simple as possible: way back in book one of the trilogy, we're introduced to Ghostland, the amusement park full of haunted locations and supposedly non-dangerous ghosts. Well, of course that doesn't last long and by the end of that book, teenagers Ben and Lillian have been through hell and managed to free the horror-author-cum-evil-mastermind behind Ghostland and revealed his diabolical plan to basically destroy the entire world.
By the time we get to this book, Infinite, there's a full on war going on between the living and the dead, and more importantly between the peaceful dead and the monstrous dead. We've got ghosts, monsters, psychics, astral projection, spies, backstabbing, a whole sci-fi thing which is more or less the Matrix. We've got The Dark Rift and All Hallows' Close and fifty foot tall possessed dolls. We've got multiple storylines like crazy but handled very well so although this sounds like madness when I say it, it's actually a very controlled madness in the hands of author Duncan Ralston and the best thing I can say is that this series is both fun and frightening and hey, the fate of the world is at stake, so get yourself a copy and read it. I promise its worth it.
November 13, 2021
I discovered the Ghostland Trilogy this year and fell in love. Duncan has a way of transporting you into his story. I felt like I was in Duck Falls and came to care so much about his characters. I could not have asked for a better(and bittersweet) ending to this adventure. This trilogy will be a yearly read for sure. Make sure you check this out, and if you haven't started the series yet, what are you waiting for??
November 19, 2021
This book is a must read!! Do read the books in order so that you get the whole story line. I loved this trilogy. The author did an amazing job with the writing of these stories. I'm definitely going to read more of this authors books. I highly recommend this series.
I received an advanced copy of this book for my honest opinion
I received an advanced copy of this book for my honest opinion
February 17, 2022
Familiar faces are back in the epic conclusion of Ethereals vs Humans vs everything in between.
I thoroughly enjoyed this series, it featured great depictions of different spirits, monsters and character back stories, it gave off Goosebumps vibes throughout although gory in places.
I feel you could read book one standalone but I recommend checking out the series!
I loved the villainous Rex Garrotte and would love to see more stories about him!
I thoroughly enjoyed this series, it featured great depictions of different spirits, monsters and character back stories, it gave off Goosebumps vibes throughout although gory in places.
I feel you could read book one standalone but I recommend checking out the series!
I loved the villainous Rex Garrotte and would love to see more stories about him!
November 17, 2021
This book, this entire series has been truly amazing. I remember reading Ghostland a year ago and letting out cries of frustration every time I had to put it down to do real world things. Ever since I had been waiting with baited breath to find out what happens to Ben and Lillian. I had no idea where the story would go and was definitely not disappointed. I was surprised, shocked, horrified and absolutely fulfilled throughout the entire story. This book was absolutely wonderful and I can't wait to see what awaits us next in the world of Ghostland.
November 19, 2021
This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.
January 2, 2022
Perfect conclusion
Infinite was the perfect finish to the Ghostland Trilogy. Blanks were filled in, and questions were answered with relentless finality. Duncan has crafted a cast of brilliant and memorable characters that are as important as the story they are part of. Old characters reemerge and get a finish to their own personal stories as Ben and Garrote head towards their ultimate showdown. This installment, like the entire trilogy, is masterly told and doesn't release you even when the final word is read. A true masterwork that was an absolute pleasure to read.
Infinite was the perfect finish to the Ghostland Trilogy. Blanks were filled in, and questions were answered with relentless finality. Duncan has crafted a cast of brilliant and memorable characters that are as important as the story they are part of. Old characters reemerge and get a finish to their own personal stories as Ben and Garrote head towards their ultimate showdown. This installment, like the entire trilogy, is masterly told and doesn't release you even when the final word is read. A true masterwork that was an absolute pleasure to read.
July 27, 2022
The finale was a ride! So much going on, so many characters to keep track of. I have to admit, for a little while I was worried that this was going off the rails with crazy, but when I shifted my mindset to see this as more camp than outright horror, things got better for me. Some of the descriptions were horrifying and some made me laugh out loud picturing them. Overall, I was really happy with the way this trilogy wrapped up.......or didn't............just sayin. I will read more stories from this universe for sure.
April 28, 2024
Well, didn’t expect to dislike this so much. I thought I loved the Ghostland series ☹️ I mean, the first 2 novels were great.
Book 1: Ghostland - A really good introduction into this world with a strong focus on the 2 lead characters.
Book 2: Afterlife - Expands on book 1 but on a much larger scale, introduces new characters, and amplifies the stakes.
Book 3: Infinite - oh boy…
This conclusion to the Ghostland trilogy dragged like ass. It could have been 200 pages not 500+. So many unnecessary scenes of filler. Background characters started getting their own chapters and then their friends started getting their own chapters… That Bram guy from book 2 becomes a lead and Ben doesn’t even come in until after page 130…
Infinite reminded me of the last few seasons of the Walking Dead… It got stretched out way longer than it should and sacrificed quality for an extra couple hundred pages.
Book 1: Ghostland - A really good introduction into this world with a strong focus on the 2 lead characters.
Book 2: Afterlife - Expands on book 1 but on a much larger scale, introduces new characters, and amplifies the stakes.
Book 3: Infinite - oh boy…
This conclusion to the Ghostland trilogy dragged like ass. It could have been 200 pages not 500+. So many unnecessary scenes of filler. Background characters started getting their own chapters and then their friends started getting their own chapters… That Bram guy from book 2 becomes a lead and Ben doesn’t even come in until after page 130…
Infinite reminded me of the last few seasons of the Walking Dead… It got stretched out way longer than it should and sacrificed quality for an extra couple hundred pages.
March 20, 2023
REX GARROTE LI ES
In the final conclusion to the trilogy, Ben and Lillian find themselves Once again fighting a war never meant for mortals to overcome. Teaming up with fellow Ethereals freed from their death loops, they will stop at nothing, not even death, to keep Rex Garotte From setting the world a flame and watching everything living perish beneath the agony. It’ll take a lot to convince everyone however what it really true, when the truth is the very thing you’re raised to shed doubt and disbelief in.
In the final conclusion to the trilogy, Ben and Lillian find themselves Once again fighting a war never meant for mortals to overcome. Teaming up with fellow Ethereals freed from their death loops, they will stop at nothing, not even death, to keep Rex Garotte From setting the world a flame and watching everything living perish beneath the agony. It’ll take a lot to convince everyone however what it really true, when the truth is the very thing you’re raised to shed doubt and disbelief in.
November 20, 2021
I have enjoyed the entire Ghostland trilogy and this final book, Infinite, did not disappoint. I was attracted to the trilogy by the premise of a theme park where the attractions are ghosts. It's a pretty fresh idea that hasn't been endlessly redone. I found the story both as scary and as poignant at times as that idea sounds.
It would be a disservice to readers to give too much away, so let me just say I highly recommend it. Fans of the first two books in the trilogy will definitely enjoy it. I found it a fitting end to the story. It is well written with characters you become invested in. I could hardly wait to find out how their story would turn out.
For those who haven't read any of the Ghostland books yet, this is a great time to start reading. You no longer have to wait for the next book to come out! If you believe amusement parks have a lot of horror potential, you'll enjoy it! If you find the idea of ghosts trapped to be entertainment intriguing, you'll enjoy it.
It would be a disservice to readers to give too much away, so let me just say I highly recommend it. Fans of the first two books in the trilogy will definitely enjoy it. I found it a fitting end to the story. It is well written with characters you become invested in. I could hardly wait to find out how their story would turn out.
For those who haven't read any of the Ghostland books yet, this is a great time to start reading. You no longer have to wait for the next book to come out! If you believe amusement parks have a lot of horror potential, you'll enjoy it! If you find the idea of ghosts trapped to be entertainment intriguing, you'll enjoy it.
November 15, 2021
Excellent ending for the trilogy. If you haven't read any of the other two books, I recommend you read them. This whole series is really, really good and if such a place (Ghostland) actually existed, I would go there! I love the whole idea of the park! (Without the evil!)
July 12, 2022
This is an epic ending to the Ghostland epic horror adventure trilogy.
It is the end right? Or will there be more?
It is the end right? Or will there be more?
May 5, 2022
*slow clapping ovation*
What an adventure! What an ending! I can’t stop smiling…
This Series can only be described as a fairytale told by Satan himself, with a cherry on top.
The characters were strongly developed and the prose was a tightly woven tapestry of evil mixed with a flight of fancy. This was unlike anything I’ve ever read, including Duncan Ralston’s Woom and Gross Out… and I am so glad that I took the chance on something out of my wheelhouse.
If you are on the fence and looking for an epic adventure; start with Ghostland and continue on… it’s more than worth it.
What an adventure! What an ending! I can’t stop smiling…
This Series can only be described as a fairytale told by Satan himself, with a cherry on top.
The characters were strongly developed and the prose was a tightly woven tapestry of evil mixed with a flight of fancy. This was unlike anything I’ve ever read, including Duncan Ralston’s Woom and Gross Out… and I am so glad that I took the chance on something out of my wheelhouse.
If you are on the fence and looking for an epic adventure; start with Ghostland and continue on… it’s more than worth it.
June 2, 2024
Duncan Ralston brings his Ghostland trilogy to a superbly fitting conclusion with Infinite. He takes us back and forth in time, as the mystery surrounding Rex Garrote’s plan is revealed, and the truth is more horrifying than anything Ben Laramie and his friends could have imagined. The stakes are higher, and the enemies are far more numerous than solely Garrote and the forces he’s aligned beside him, but Ben is not one to give up. As Ralston races us toward a final confrontation that threatens existence, we’re forced to wonder how Ben and his allies fight an enemy who seems to know what’s coming, and who seemingly orchestrated every step they’ve taken to reach this point?
It was a treat, getting this deeper glimpse into Garrote’s life and personal history, the relationship between Garrote and Hedgewood, and the previously unexpected nature of Garrote House. Similarly, getting a deeper investment in Ben and Lilian’s families was an excellent experience, as the horrors of the Dark Rift loom ahead of our heroes.
As with the previous two installments of the Ghostland trilogy, the cast of characters is fantastic and each one is well-drawn and believable in their motivations and attitudes. The action is fast-paced and exciting, even as Ralston succeeds in giving us numerous breathers as he unveils the history that set the stage for the events we’re bearing witness to.
Joe Hempel’s narration is–as always–spectacular. There seem to be few narrators as prolific or in such high demand, and for good reason.
It was a treat, getting this deeper glimpse into Garrote’s life and personal history, the relationship between Garrote and Hedgewood, and the previously unexpected nature of Garrote House. Similarly, getting a deeper investment in Ben and Lilian’s families was an excellent experience, as the horrors of the Dark Rift loom ahead of our heroes.
As with the previous two installments of the Ghostland trilogy, the cast of characters is fantastic and each one is well-drawn and believable in their motivations and attitudes. The action is fast-paced and exciting, even as Ralston succeeds in giving us numerous breathers as he unveils the history that set the stage for the events we’re bearing witness to.
Joe Hempel’s narration is–as always–spectacular. There seem to be few narrators as prolific or in such high demand, and for good reason.
January 23, 2024
(2.5 Stars)
This was good, and I liked it. I do think it felt a little drawn out, and oddly enough like maybe it should be split into two completely separate stories. I know I'm not explaining it great, but I don't know how else to say it.
The concept is cool and the world-building is decent. The character growth is complicated... The author is great at providing backstory for characters, and making his characters very interesting... But sometimes I felt like he added to those stories as afterthoughts, or to make something they were about to do seem more in-character. I also felt like he spent a lot of time building up "throw away" characters. So, yes... great characters, but sometimes their growth is a little clunky.
I would read something else by this author, but I am glad this series is over.
This was good, and I liked it. I do think it felt a little drawn out, and oddly enough like maybe it should be split into two completely separate stories. I know I'm not explaining it great, but I don't know how else to say it.
The concept is cool and the world-building is decent. The character growth is complicated... The author is great at providing backstory for characters, and making his characters very interesting... But sometimes I felt like he added to those stories as afterthoughts, or to make something they were about to do seem more in-character. I also felt like he spent a lot of time building up "throw away" characters. So, yes... great characters, but sometimes their growth is a little clunky.
I would read something else by this author, but I am glad this series is over.
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