š§ Audiobook Review:Ā FantasticLand
Author: Mike Bockoven
Narrators: Angela Dawe & Luke Daniels
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Dark Fiction
Hook Style: Quick hook ā slow burn
š Dad Scoreā¢
| Category | Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Plot Impact | š„š„š„ | Killer concept, strong opening, but starts to meander. Still had me paying attention while folding laundry. |
| Narrator Power | š§š§š§š§ | Solid dual performance, good voice variety. Minor confusion in parts, but nothing fatal. |
| Chore Compatibility | š ļøš ļøš ļø | Easy to follow while multitaskingābut not quite āzone out and still get itā simple. |
| Tear Risk | š§± | No emotional gut punches here. Just existential theme park chaos. |
| Final Verdict | š One-and-done. Weird ride. Would recommendābut not revisit. |
š Summary (Spoiler-Free)
FantasticLand is what happens when Lord of the Flies takes place in an abandoned Disney knockoffācomplete with hashtags, panic, and duct tape weapons. It’s told through multiple POVs in a documentary-style format (think: survivor interviews). Cool concept, but you never get attached to any one character for longāand yeah, it leaves a few plot holes.
Is it good?
Yes.
Life-changing?
Nope.
Will I hunt down the authorās full back catalog after this?
Also nope.
But it made folding laundry feel dangerous. So thatās a win.
šļø Narrator Power
Angela Dawe and Luke Daniels make for a solid tag team. Each character has distinct energy and tone, which really helps with a book thatās constantly shifting perspectives. Angelaās sections did occasionally get confusingābut that might be the scriptās fault more than hers.
Would I listen to more books narrated by them?
Absolutely.
Was this their best work?
Probably not.
But they carried it with competence and charisma.
š Would I Listen Again?
Nope.
Once is plenty. This is a standalone listenāno emotional baggage, no cliffhangers, just chaos in a theme park and some questionable character decisions. Perfect when you need to shake up your usual audiobook routine.
š§ Final Thoughts
Check this one out if:
- You likedĀ World War Zās oral history format
- Youāre cool with rotating narrators and short character arcs
- Youāve always wanted to hear about theme park gang wars (donāt judge)
Skip it if youāre hoping for deep emotional payoff or unforgettable characters.
But if youāre just trying to survive another Tuesday, and you need something weird while you dodge texts from Dave?
Yeahāthisāll do nicely.