Freakish Friday

5 Flames

Good Evening, My Fellow Wyverns.

I hope this finds you in the mood for a bit of a freakish, creepy tale. Our gem this evening came to be in the form of a blue, furry, ping pong ball eyed miniature puppet.

I found him cute and sat him on the mantle here in the library. I was enjoying my midnight cuppa in front of the fire when he moved! He slowly rose to his full height (about 8 inches) and began to make an odd gagging sound. Suddenly, he spewed this tale in a pile of word vomit. And the vomit began to sort itself and tell the tale.

Needless to say, he no longer seemed cute and I used my tail to sweep him from the mantle and into the fire. He danced a bit, trying to escape the flames and soon there was nothing left but burnt fake fur.

This is first time Dragon Feeder, Ben Farthing’s (isn’t that a cool name) “I Found Puppets Living in the Walls of My Apartment”. An unsettling tale of family, loss and childhood memories.

It’s the story of Johnny who is spending the weekend, along with his cousin Brittany, cleaning out their grandfather’s apartment. Johnny’s grandfather has been missing for over a year. Just poof! GONE.

Grandpa was a puppeteer. His apartment was a gift from the studio for all his years of service. The apartment had been, at one time, the studio for the children’s show he worked on.

I can’t tell you more because I don’t do spoilers. I can’t give anything away. But I can tell you this was the creepiest book I have read since Michael Clark’s “Patience of a Dead Man” series. I couldn’t put this book down and after it ended I wasn’t going anywhere in the dark without a candle or an oil lamp!

Well written, well paced and holding his reader in suspense, “Puppets” is a masterpiece of tale telling. You don’t want to miss it.

If you love good, old fashioned scares, creepiness galore and a book that will have you holding your breath, this is for you! The book ended in such a way that it could continue or perhaps not. I hope Mr. Farthing chooses the former!

Sold wherever your favorite scares are sold, get it, get comfy, grab those snacks and I guarantee you’ll be riveted. You will never look at puppets the same way again.

Until next time, I remain your humble Book Dragon,

Drakon T. Longwitten

Many thanks to author Ben Farthing for the review copy. As always, my opinions are my own.