FantasticLand: A Novel

OutsideOfTheTrackBooks

Interviews with survivors of a tragedy that never happened—yet it feels so hauntingly real.

"Let me break this review into two parts. First, the writing and narration: This book is brilliantly crafted, both in form and execution. Some stories are enhanced by their format, while others are defined by it—and this is firmly the latter. The interview-style storytelling made everything feel so authentic, more so than any traditional "in-the-moment" narrative ever could have achieved. It’s like you’re sitting down with these people, hearing their firsthand accounts of a catastrophe, and that immediacy is both gripping and unsettling. The audiobook elevated the experience to an entirely different level. The voice actors brought life to every character, with distinct voices that captured the range of emotions, personalities, and experiences in a way that felt raw and genuine. It’s one of those audiobooks where the performances make it unforgettable. Now, the story itself: Is it realistic? God, I hope not. But that’s the horrifying brilliance of it—it feels possible. The tragedy described is so massive, so deeply unsettling, that it makes you pause and think, “Could this happen?” The breakdown of tribes, the immediate loss of control, the cold corporate indifference, and the devastation that follows—it’s a chilling exploration of humanity in its darkest moments. The story is gripping, horrifying, and thought-provoking all at once. It’s a fake tragedy, yes, but it holds up a mirror to the terrifying realities of how fragile our systems are and how quickly things can unravel. It’s not just a story—it’s a reflection of fears we hope never come to pass. An incredible book in every way. ["

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January 12, 2025 Verified Purchase

Amanda

4.5 Star Entertaining Quick Read

"Fantasticland was everything I wanted it to be and I enjoyed and gobbled up every minute of it. This book is actually far from my typical read, as I am not too keen on blood and guts and doom and gloom. Yet somehow, when my husband mentioned he was listening to the audiobook, I was instantly intrigued and downloaded and read it in one sitting. A modern Lord of the Flies, a skeleton crew of 300 or so theme park employees find themselves trapped in the park following a hurricane of epic proportions. Revealed in a series of interviews, the days following the storm are filled with chaos, paranoia, depravity, and some downright deliciously creepy stuff. What I loved about how this story was told is the uncovering of events gradually through various POVs and voices. In this way, we can see how something seemingly so outlandish could transpire so quickly. How one moment and our responses breed the next, and how these moments ripple and leave us scratching our heads, asking, “How did we get here?” There is a subtle insight into motivations, buried demons, and personality faults that are amplified when put into a vacuum. The only thing that kind of irked me was the repeated theme and idea of “what happens when you take away internet and social media from a group of young folks who have grown to depend upon it so desperately?” While I don’t disagree with the idea of a generation addicted to instant gratification, connection, and misguided purpose, I don’t think it was entirely necessary in this book or as an idea as a motivational driver for utter carnage and murderous teens. Rather, I think you can take from this a bigger picture, spanning all ages and generations, of what happens when you have a group of individuals who are isolated without information, scared and unsure of their future and wellbeing, lack purpose, and have no guiding force-and what happens based on WHO steps out ahead of the pack as the leader to create that guiding force and set the tone. How our differing perceptions, misunderstandings, and reactions to things can create a situation that grows quickly out of control. These same ideas shape and form politics, religion, cults, and the like…affecting individuals of all ages, place, and time…not just digitally addicted teenagers in Florida. For those reasons, I can also see how some might not enjoy this look into the darkest parts and the lowest of where our humanity can go while living during a period of time where perhaps we want to escape just how low we have seen society go in ways we thought not possible. For others who find solace in accepting the bleak and depraved and enjoy piecing together its motivations-Fantasticland offers a fun ride. For me, this book was simply and honestly a FUN, quick read. As I mentioned, I am no fan of gore, and for whatever reason my dark side showed up for this one and honestly didn’t find it all that bad? I found it had just the right amount of car crash you cant look away from and creep factor to keep me glued, entertained, and curious from beginning to end-leaving me nagging my husband to hurry up and finish his audiobook so we could discuss. ["

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July 19, 2022 Verified Purchase

JAR

Reads like an early draft of a much better book.

"This book seemed tailor-made for my interests. I'm a huge fan of natural disaster fiction, apocalypse fiction, thrillers, and epistolary/interview-style novels. I was really excited to read it. First things first - even with all its flaws, this is an entertaining book. I read the whole thing in under 24 hours. As it is, the book is okay-to-good. While reading it though, I couldn't help but feel like this book could be a lot better. It feels like the author won't fully commit to his own bit. He sets up an implausible premise - a group of 20-somethings descend into horrific violence in a matter of days - but won't fully commit to the reasons why something like that would happen. I think that's the source of a lot of the other criticisms of this book. People say "it's too unrealistic." No, there is a way this situation could deteriorate that fast. And this book /almost/ commits to that reason, but refuses to actually go there in a way that makes it believable. Maybe it was just too horrific... in this book that is otherwise full of brutal violence. (Female readers will know what I mean.) That's the most egregious example, but the whole book is like that. It comes close to developing a really interesting idea, plot point, or character, but refuses to fully commit to it. Few to none of the characters get satisfying development or arcs, because most are only interviewed once. The characters, who have a lot of potential, are reduced to plot devices to keep the story moving. It's hard to identify or sympathize with them, which undercuts the main theme of the book - what would YOU do? Even the criticism of "kids these days be on their phones" falls short, because we don't really get to see or feel the panic of being cut off. Sure, a lot of characters mention it. But you never see that desperation. If the author fully committed to the bit, this would be an extraordinary book. I think that's why it feels so disappointing. This feels like it was draft 2 or 3 of a book that, if it had gone to draft 4 or 5, would be an incredible thriller. Overall, I enjoyed reading it. If this book also sits at a perfect intersection of all your interests in books, you'll enjoy it, too. Otherwise.... eh. ["

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March 15, 2025 Verified Purchase

Tyler

If you're on the fence, get this novel

"I saw Fantasticland as a recommendation, but when reading it had kind of a "Lord of the Flies" vibe, I didn't want to get it. I didn't want to read something so grimy, I guess. Not something that had such a rubbed into dirt feeling that it would leave me feeling icky. But I bought it on sale, and it is literally one of the best novels I have ever read. It wasn't just about the potentials evils that lie in wait, it was about the complexity of what we think of as evil and the circumstances that guide behaviors, which all of us are vulnerable to. It reflects life in a masterful way and leaves the interpretation to the reader, reinforcing how complex human nature is. It's also written primarily as a collection of interviews, which is the most brilliant way to approach the story and allow the reader to piece together what they think happened and question their own judgment. I cannot encourage you enough to check this novel out. ["

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March 23, 2024 Verified Purchase

Ryan

Some reviews are ridiculously long

"It's an alright story. Predictable, but fun. Worth a read for sure. If you're thinking about reading it just do it. ["

February 24, 2026 Verified Purchase