What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bedlam Bible #1
The Tower
Something is happening to the residents of Eighth Block Tower...
There's radiation in the walls. Salt covers the hallways. The food and water are poisonous. The residents are trapped and losing their minds.
Sanity is a myth. Sickness is life.
There's radiation in the walls. Salt covers the hallways. The food and water are poisonous. The residents are trapped and losing their minds.
Sanity is a myth. Sickness is life.
ebook
Published February 1, 2022
23 people are currently reading
2587 people want to read
About the author
William Pauley III
40 books610 followersRead/listen at www.doomfiction.com
"The beauty of Pauley’s work is that he makes the reader (relatively) comfortable with these fun, weird elements and then injects the narrative with short bursts of deep thinking and questions that cut to the marrow of human nature." — Gabino Iglesias, author of The Devil Takes You Home
William Pauley III has been praised by critics and readers alike for his contributions to weird science fiction and horror over the last 15 years. He's received rave reviews from Fangoria Magazine, Verbicide, and Dead End Follies, the latter stating "William Pauley III is one of the most recognizable voices in weird literature." He is the author of The Bedlam Bible, Hearers of the Constant Hum, and Automated Daydreaming. He lives in Lexington, KY.
"The beauty of Pauley’s work is that he makes the reader (relatively) comfortable with these fun, weird elements and then injects the narrative with short bursts of deep thinking and questions that cut to the marrow of human nature." — Gabino Iglesias, author of The Devil Takes You Home
William Pauley III has been praised by critics and readers alike for his contributions to weird science fiction and horror over the last 15 years. He's received rave reviews from Fangoria Magazine, Verbicide, and Dead End Follies, the latter stating "William Pauley III is one of the most recognizable voices in weird literature." He is the author of The Bedlam Bible, Hearers of the Constant Hum, and Automated Daydreaming. He lives in Lexington, KY.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
March 10, 2017
Welcome to Eighth Block, where radiation flows behind the walls. You can see it glowing through the cracks. Two of your neighbors are on the roof sucking dark matter into a vacuum to feed their goddess. Invalids with Bowie knives and flat eyes roam the hallways in search of meat. Are you anxious? Listen to the hum. Lose yourself. Are you having visions? Do you remember how you got here? I know what you're thinking: "I am in control. I am in control. I am in control."
May 25, 2022
Madness. Pure madness. What is real? What is hallucination? Where did the kaiju come from? There were parts of this where I laughed out loud and parts where I was seriously disturbed and creeped out, sometimes within the same sentence. Lots of originality on display in this book and I love the author’s style. The story was very weird but easy to follow due to the flow in the writing. I bought books one and two at the same time and I’m diving in to two right away. If you want something a little different that’ll make you laugh, cry, and scream, check out this series, it’s worth it.
December 22, 2016
This was a fun read. Lots of crazy going on in the Eighth Block Tower. I'm ready to dive right in to book 2!
April 5, 2022
Wow, what a story! Fantastic writing, great cast of characters and I loved the idea. The fact there is a second book makes me very happy.
There are three stories here, each one based around a couple of characters and each of them are linked to each other. The tower is a horrible slum where most of the residents are insane, those that think they aren't are most probably wrong. I've ended the book with a whole load of questions...what's with the box of meat? Being the biggest one...I'm hoping though that as I read more about the tower and its inhabitants those questions will get answered.
Book 1 is fantastic, on to book 2 :-)
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2022...
There are three stories here, each one based around a couple of characters and each of them are linked to each other. The tower is a horrible slum where most of the residents are insane, those that think they aren't are most probably wrong. I've ended the book with a whole load of questions...what's with the box of meat? Being the biggest one...I'm hoping though that as I read more about the tower and its inhabitants those questions will get answered.
Book 1 is fantastic, on to book 2 :-)
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2022...
November 19, 2022
William Pauley III has a way of writing that gets to you and hooks you no matter what.
I remembered from "Hearers of the Constant Hum" that he had quite a style and even though I got disappointed by the end of that book, I did enjoy the story all the way through.
So it was with enthousiasm that I got into "The Tower" and I, this time, got what I came for!
The story is intriguing and pleaseant to the extent of you being unable to put it down.
The only drawback is that the book's so short you cannot get enough out of "The Tower" but hopefully the following of "The Bedlam Bible"'ll make this go away 🙃
I remembered from "Hearers of the Constant Hum" that he had quite a style and even though I got disappointed by the end of that book, I did enjoy the story all the way through.
So it was with enthousiasm that I got into "The Tower" and I, this time, got what I came for!
The story is intriguing and pleaseant to the extent of you being unable to put it down.
The only drawback is that the book's so short you cannot get enough out of "The Tower" but hopefully the following of "The Bedlam Bible"'ll make this go away 🙃
July 25, 2022
4.5⭐'s
This book was a bit weird, but in a good way! Quite an interesting read.
This book was a bit weird, but in a good way! Quite an interesting read.
February 25, 2023
TW: Murder, use of c-word, sexual harassment, animal death, gory scenes, domestic violence, language, bullying
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Something is happening to the residents of Eighth Block Tower... There's radiation in the walls. Salt covers the hallways. The food and water are poisonous. A giant green brain pulsates under the roof, pumping electric venom throughout the apartment building. The residents are trapped and losing their minds. Sanity is a myth. Sickness is life.
Release Date: January 9th, 2022
Genre: Horror
Pages: 80
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. The plot sounds ridiculously weird and creepy
2. Loved the narrators voice
3. Loved that once Norm dies we switch to Samantha's pov
What I Didn't Like:
1. Radiation said way too many times for such a short book
Overall Thoughts:
Dude I loved this short novella. I got the book from Netgalley and listened to the audiobook - the narrator had such a wonderful voice. I loved this book was absolutely absorbed by the story. I loved all the different pov's from the people in the tower. I am simply obsessed to start the next book and see where we go from what I just learned.
Final Thoughts:
I thought the story reminded me a lot of Welcome to Nightvale in that "creepy things are happening but you don't know" kinda way. I will definitely continue reading what the author has to write.
Like I said I listened to the audiobook and it was wonderful. The sounds change and there's creepy voices. Just a magical moment.
Recommend For:
• Fans that like Welcome to Nightvale
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Something is happening to the residents of Eighth Block Tower... There's radiation in the walls. Salt covers the hallways. The food and water are poisonous. A giant green brain pulsates under the roof, pumping electric venom throughout the apartment building. The residents are trapped and losing their minds. Sanity is a myth. Sickness is life.
Release Date: January 9th, 2022
Genre: Horror
Pages: 80
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. The plot sounds ridiculously weird and creepy
2. Loved the narrators voice
3. Loved that once Norm dies we switch to Samantha's pov
What I Didn't Like:
1. Radiation said way too many times for such a short book
Overall Thoughts:
Dude I loved this short novella. I got the book from Netgalley and listened to the audiobook - the narrator had such a wonderful voice. I loved this book was absolutely absorbed by the story. I loved all the different pov's from the people in the tower. I am simply obsessed to start the next book and see where we go from what I just learned.
Final Thoughts:
I thought the story reminded me a lot of Welcome to Nightvale in that "creepy things are happening but you don't know" kinda way. I will definitely continue reading what the author has to write.
Like I said I listened to the audiobook and it was wonderful. The sounds change and there's creepy voices. Just a magical moment.
Recommend For:
• Fans that like Welcome to Nightvale
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 11, 2023
Thanks Doom Fiction.
Incredibly weird. Incredibly cool. I can honestly say I’ve never read anything quite like this author’s work. It’s original and different, yet not pretentious or confusing. I usually listen to audiobooks but I read this one in one sitting and was completely engulfed. It’s kinda horror, kinda bizarre paranormal, maybe kinda sci-fi?
Much of what I mentioned in my review of White Fuzz is true for The Tower- the storyline is easy to follow, the dialogue and language is believable and the details are incredible. Again, like with White Fuzz, I won’t go into much of the plot, but I would definitely recommend if you wanna read something different. It’s not your average “thriller”.
4.5 out of 5 stars only because I wish it was longer. However, as I continue the series I’m getting more of Eighth Block and perhaps I should just be patient and continue reading lolllll
Incredibly weird. Incredibly cool. I can honestly say I’ve never read anything quite like this author’s work. It’s original and different, yet not pretentious or confusing. I usually listen to audiobooks but I read this one in one sitting and was completely engulfed. It’s kinda horror, kinda bizarre paranormal, maybe kinda sci-fi?
Much of what I mentioned in my review of White Fuzz is true for The Tower- the storyline is easy to follow, the dialogue and language is believable and the details are incredible. Again, like with White Fuzz, I won’t go into much of the plot, but I would definitely recommend if you wanna read something different. It’s not your average “thriller”.
4.5 out of 5 stars only because I wish it was longer. However, as I continue the series I’m getting more of Eighth Block and perhaps I should just be patient and continue reading lolllll
March 17, 2023
This was a strange book, the first in what is a very strange series.
The Tower in question is Eighth Block, filled with mad people and madder things happening (think Clive Barker writing an episode of Coronation Street but set in a tower block). We have two people insisting dark matter needs to be vaccuumed out of the sky and that the radiation in the block's walls is turning them mad. We then meet a paranoid pair of friends, who find cameras in their homes and their attempts to trace them back to source leads to bloodshed. All in all, a strange but very well written short book.
i received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
The Tower in question is Eighth Block, filled with mad people and madder things happening (think Clive Barker writing an episode of Coronation Street but set in a tower block). We have two people insisting dark matter needs to be vaccuumed out of the sky and that the radiation in the block's walls is turning them mad. We then meet a paranoid pair of friends, who find cameras in their homes and their attempts to trace them back to source leads to bloodshed. All in all, a strange but very well written short book.
i received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
November 11, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ Weird. Creepy. Trashy. But … so entertaining!!!
The author created very imaginative pieces, I think it would make to a great graphic novel.
I really enjoyed it. Definitely will pick up the next book in that series!.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free audiobook.
The author created very imaginative pieces, I think it would make to a great graphic novel.
I really enjoyed it. Definitely will pick up the next book in that series!.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free audiobook.
September 16, 2023
Thank you.
Horror.
I needed that.
Crazy absurd.
Short! Nice!!
Reminiscent of 14 by Peter Clines with Scalzi’s Kaiju.
Samantha & Norm are great MCs.
My first book by this author. I’ll read/listen to more.
Horror.
I needed that.
Crazy absurd.
Short! Nice!!
Reminiscent of 14 by Peter Clines with Scalzi’s Kaiju.
Samantha & Norm are great MCs.
My first book by this author. I’ll read/listen to more.
April 16, 2022
Trio of alarming stories, set in a decaying tower block, a place for the rejects of society to live and form a dysfunctional yet lively and unique type of community. Sequestered in the insular world of Eighth Block Tower, the inhabitants face a series of horrifying events. Unsure of each other, and their own minds, it eventually becomes clear that the tower might be exerting a sinister influence, making attempts to discern the truth increasingly urgent and elusive.
Pauley III excels at melding the nightmarish with the bizarre. His choice to structure the book as a series of interconnected stories amplifies the sense of being untethered, where interrelations are muddied all the while an uncanny undertow drives the book forward as a complete entity. Wild and fun, deranged and peculiar.
Pauley III excels at melding the nightmarish with the bizarre. His choice to structure the book as a series of interconnected stories amplifies the sense of being untethered, where interrelations are muddied all the while an uncanny undertow drives the book forward as a complete entity. Wild and fun, deranged and peculiar.
October 12, 2023
Upon opening the door, he wasn’t at all disappointed to discover that an entire wall of his apartment was missing completely, ripped away by the kaiju, he presumed. Truth be told, he was ecstatic. This was exactly what he had wanted, for the building to be destroyed. And good riddance. He wouldn’t miss it at all.
May 1, 2023
Lot of mystery, intrigue, and weirdness permeating throughout The Tower (book 1 of the Bedlam Bible series.) A couple of tenants in a building chock with radiation link up to figure out why they're being recorded on audio tapes. I wasn't surprised by how good this book is either. William Pauley III is known for high-quality weird horror. Very weird, creepy, and entertaining. I’m looking forward to what the follow up books have in store.
March 14, 2023
The was just so trippy. It was a wild ride from beginning to end. It was like a hallucination dream. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip. If you are a fan of the weird and horror, check this one out. I will be picking up the next one. Thank you to NetGalley and Doom Fiction for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review.
July 18, 2022
I'm grateful to GR for the chance to review this strange book. It's almost psychedelic in some ways and fun for the imagination. A building called ‘The Tower’ where its mutant residents live their daily lives and grapple with sanity. At times the first story reminded me of youth mysteries I read as a pre-teen, but with dark sci-fi elements, adult themes, and creative imagery. However, one issue I had was the exposition at the end delivered by Samantha. Her immediately getting the motives and backstory right felt rigid and false. Especially given the outlandish nature of what was happening. I also would have liked more time to get to know Dale and Norm, their dynamic.
The second story was delightfully outlandish and I think would make a fantastic graphic novel. I wasn’t a fan of the main storyline and I wish we’d spent more time with Magus and his partner. I’d honestly just enjoy getting to know about all the residents and how the whole system works. It’s a creative and unique universe with a lot of possibilities. I’d recommend it to fans of the bizarre and quirky. The stories may be underwhelming but the setting makes it worth the read! I look forward to more stories set in this world.
The second story was delightfully outlandish and I think would make a fantastic graphic novel. I wasn’t a fan of the main storyline and I wish we’d spent more time with Magus and his partner. I’d honestly just enjoy getting to know about all the residents and how the whole system works. It’s a creative and unique universe with a lot of possibilities. I’d recommend it to fans of the bizarre and quirky. The stories may be underwhelming but the setting makes it worth the read! I look forward to more stories set in this world.
May 6, 2022
I loved everything about this one. It was weird and creepy and at times very weird and creepy and I found the humming glow of the Eighth Block Tower endlessly fascinating.
The Eighth Tower is a home for the weird, the odd, the mutated. There is a sweet, sweet hum coming from deep within the walls. Infecting the residents. Driving them mad and giving them visions. Or is it all real?
Well written and the narration was spot on. So damn good.
“You smell weird.”
The Eighth Tower is a home for the weird, the odd, the mutated. There is a sweet, sweet hum coming from deep within the walls. Infecting the residents. Driving them mad and giving them visions. Or is it all real?
Well written and the narration was spot on. So damn good.
“You smell weird.”
October 7, 2023
I’ve read the 7 books of the Bedlam Bible in the wrong order. I’ve already read 4 of them and now just getting to book 1- The Tower. There are 3 stories in this short Novella. All bizarro, odd, creepy and absolutely insane. I loved it. It’s a good introduction to the going ons in the tower of 8th block, where bad things happen yet the police stay clear of the place. It might be the high level of radiation. Stay away from the tower. Once people enter, they never leave. Well, they don’t leave alive. This is a fun and disturbing book. I highly recommend.
Thanks NetGalley and Doom Fiction audio for a copy of the audiobook. The narrator, Connor Brannigan, is the best. He has the perfect voice for these tales. This is my honest opinion I voluntarily give this review.
Thanks NetGalley and Doom Fiction audio for a copy of the audiobook. The narrator, Connor Brannigan, is the best. He has the perfect voice for these tales. This is my honest opinion I voluntarily give this review.
March 29, 2017
Weird interconnected stories. Fun and brain bending. Can't wait to read the rest!
February 25, 2023
Wow this was such a great book! It was fun, weird and creepy at times. A lot of crazy things going on in the Eight Block Tower and I’m so excited to dive right into book two.
Highly recommend this fun little book!
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an AudioARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Highly recommend this fun little book!
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an AudioARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 21, 2024
Title: "The Tower" by William Pauley III: A Riveting Journey
Published on March 21, 2022, "The Tower" by William Pauley III is a captivating blend of mystery and suspense. Set within the mysterious confines of the Tower, Pauley crafts a narrative that keeps readers engaged from beginning to end.
The story revolves around the enigmatic Tower, where characters confront their deepest fears and desires. As they navigate its labyrinthine corridors, readers are drawn into a world that is both familiar and unsettling.
Pauley's skillful blend of science fiction, fantasy, and psychological thriller creates a gripping atmosphere, propelling the story forward with relentless momentum. With its richly drawn characters and evocative imagery, "The Tower" offers a satisfying and thought-provoking reading experience that will linger in the minds of readers long after the final page.
Published on March 21, 2022, "The Tower" by William Pauley III is a captivating blend of mystery and suspense. Set within the mysterious confines of the Tower, Pauley crafts a narrative that keeps readers engaged from beginning to end.
The story revolves around the enigmatic Tower, where characters confront their deepest fears and desires. As they navigate its labyrinthine corridors, readers are drawn into a world that is both familiar and unsettling.
Pauley's skillful blend of science fiction, fantasy, and psychological thriller creates a gripping atmosphere, propelling the story forward with relentless momentum. With its richly drawn characters and evocative imagery, "The Tower" offers a satisfying and thought-provoking reading experience that will linger in the minds of readers long after the final page.
March 21, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Doom Fiction for an audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is labelled Bizarro Fiction on Goodreads and I am in complete agreement.
Filled with multiple stories all relating to the Tower this was a well written , if not bizarre, story of different people and their relation to the tower. A bit disturbing but so weird that knowing the grossness is unreal makes it tolerable to listen to. I think I would have enjoyed this more as a teenager.
Recommended for those people who can stretch their minds.
This book is labelled Bizarro Fiction on Goodreads and I am in complete agreement.
Filled with multiple stories all relating to the Tower this was a well written , if not bizarre, story of different people and their relation to the tower. A bit disturbing but so weird that knowing the grossness is unreal makes it tolerable to listen to. I think I would have enjoyed this more as a teenager.
Recommended for those people who can stretch their minds.
April 17, 2022
A triad of weird stories that take place in a tower block that turns it’s inhabitants a little crazy, if not entirely mad. Weird, creepy, and bizarre (almost bizarro lite), lovecraftian in parts. Some nice social commentary thrown in as well. Fun.
March 23, 2023
I won this title as a free ebook from a Goodreads giveaway, my review is my true experience with this book.
I also want to thank Doom Fiction and NetGalley for a free ALC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This was a quick and enjoyable read. It read like a series of interlinked short stories and I really liked that. I think that format freed each part to be as weird as it wanted to be without having to commit to an overarching theme and left the reader to just go along with it. I like this kind of kooky horror that is moody but not gory. I would read more.
I also want to thank Doom Fiction and NetGalley for a free ALC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This was a quick and enjoyable read. It read like a series of interlinked short stories and I really liked that. I think that format freed each part to be as weird as it wanted to be without having to commit to an overarching theme and left the reader to just go along with it. I like this kind of kooky horror that is moody but not gory. I would read more.
June 28, 2023
What the froq did I just read?
What part was real? Any of it?
I laughed, I groaned, I rolled my eyes, I gagged. Sometimes in the same sentence.
What a ride.
Great distraction while canning greens.
Or was it?
Radiation?
Hmm, maybe.
What part was real? Any of it?
I laughed, I groaned, I rolled my eyes, I gagged. Sometimes in the same sentence.
What a ride.
Great distraction while canning greens.
Or was it?
Radiation?
Hmm, maybe.
August 21, 2022
4.5 stars
Ummm... What in the hell did I just read? I'm not quite sure but it was Amazing!!
This is one of the few things I have read that I fully enjoyed but cannot grasp the words to express how I feel.
A super bizarre read about a tower that's walls are filled with radiation and it's residents, who have no way of escaping. These three interconnected stories contain a collection of interesting and unique characters. These characters know about the radiation in the walls but seemly have no concerns about it being there other then to explain other people's actions.... There is clearing something not right here....
Is the radiation in the tower mutating people and causing them to constantly hallucinate tons of interactions and bizarre events? Is the radiation actually there? Is the brain in the tower causing this? Is any of this actually happening? Or is there something far more nefarious happening?
Ummm... What in the hell did I just read? I'm not quite sure but it was Amazing!!
This is one of the few things I have read that I fully enjoyed but cannot grasp the words to express how I feel.
A super bizarre read about a tower that's walls are filled with radiation and it's residents, who have no way of escaping. These three interconnected stories contain a collection of interesting and unique characters. These characters know about the radiation in the walls but seemly have no concerns about it being there other then to explain other people's actions.... There is clearing something not right here....
Is the radiation in the tower mutating people and causing them to constantly hallucinate tons of interactions and bizarre events? Is the radiation actually there? Is the brain in the tower causing this? Is any of this actually happening? Or is there something far more nefarious happening?
September 10, 2023
This book was like a fever dream, but in the best way. I love how the characters from each short story come together to fully encapsulate just how strange The Tower is. Can’t wait to read everything you’ve got, William!
December 25, 2022
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this short story! The narration is fantastic and the story made me literally laugh out loud at times! My favorite part was where they thought God was yelling at them for shooting a bird at him in heaven! It was all so unbelievably delicious and I really wished there was more when I came to the end! I’m sure this type of book isn’t for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m sure others that like quirky horror will too.
I really enjoyed this short story! The narration is fantastic and the story made me literally laugh out loud at times! My favorite part was where they thought God was yelling at them for shooting a bird at him in heaven! It was all so unbelievably delicious and I really wished there was more when I came to the end! I’m sure this type of book isn’t for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m sure others that like quirky horror will too.
March 11, 2023
This is an interesting and unique story that was funny, mysterious, and disturbing at the same time! I loved how bizarre and out there this story is! I really enjoy the characters and how they helped creat this world that we see through the book! It was interesting how the author kept the story all in the same place creating overlap between all the different perspectives and really making the reader feel like there is nothing outside of this place the characters are stuck in! I thought the storyline was really intriguing! It wasn’t something I’d ever seen before and was really interesting to experience! I enjoyed the mix of sarcasm and comedy with the really creepy plot and disturbing twists! This is definitely an interesting and quick read that I would recommend checking out if you love quirky characters, creepy horrors, and sarcastic mysteries!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews