Backwoods Bonfire

Project 26, Book 2

By: Essel Pratt

Narrated by: Sara Hymes

Horrific tales of fright told around a bonfire during remote backwoods retreats are common among close friends. As each person tests the others' ability to remain calm and resist the urge to look over a shoulder as the sounds of nature bellow out in the backdrop, only one may claim victory as the most frightening of the group.

Backwoods Bonfire inserts the listener into a group of friends that unintentionally create a case study on what horror means to them, attempting to coerce the others to believe that horror is specific, not fluid. However, one of the friends chooses to prove that horror is as real as the fire they all gather around.

©2017 Essel Pratt (P)2018 Essel Pratt

Backwoods Bonfire? More like a Barn fire!

Essel Pratt is a great story engineer. He comes up with some crazy stuff. Seriously, just look at this other stories that are on Audible at the moment there is a lovesick Yeti, Ann Frank pals a round with . . . well, I won't spoil that one, and a shark'spidr hybrid that goes around munching everyone it sees. With that in mind I was a little surprised to see him putting out a "campfire" book. Y'know, a series of stories told around a campfire to make the kiddies jump jump jump just before bed.

Like I said, he is a story engineer. He knows where all the pieces go, and what pieces are needed to build a great tale. Heck, just give him a few verbs, a coupla nouns, and an adjective and he'd crank out a Seussian nightmare of biblical proportions. He can build a story. Not only that he can tell a story too! So, I soon came to realize that there was something more than a campfire tale going on here. Let's see if you can get it. Read this and find out what I mean.

There are several short stories that are told, but the last one takes the birthday cake, the office cake, and the wedding cake, sticks them in a Wonkaesque contraptions and shoots out a Serlingian product straight from the twilight zone. Tastes great, too. Seriously, read it.

NOW.

Hymes does her best to keep up with Pratt, and manages to really wrestle the story into her capable hands as a narrator. She really brings each character, and thier tale to life. I'd love to hear more from her. Even though I did receive a promo code for this review it in no way influenced my considerations of the material, and in fact, inspired me to be more honest. In fact, getting a code generally makes me harsher as a reviewer as I am more often concerned what someone like Me will decide based on my review.


If this review helped, please press the YES below. Thank you immensely!!!

Silly and gross

These stories weren’t really scary and suspenseful. They were often silly or gross.Perhaps more directed to high school or college age. I did like the format and the ending.
This is a voluntary review of a free audiobook.

I think I am just too old

Aimed for a younger audience who don't prefer true horror. Ending was a nice surprise.

it was ok.

Didnt rrally grab hold of me. Surely I didnt dislike the stories but they were rather forgettable. It was not a waste of time by any means. I just found myself wondering what I'd listen to next. Worth if you find it on sale.

Haunting Stories that Build

One of the most engaging collections that I've read for awhile. A group of friends sit around a bonfire in a contest of who has the scariest story. The stories start out mild then build and build to a climax I actually didn't see coming. Great fun. I've listened to this one more than once, it's always a blast.