It Devours!

by Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor
347 pgs  (Welcome to Night Vale series #2)

It Devours! is the second book to take place in Night Vale, the fictionalized desert town made popular in the long-running podcast Welcome to Night Vale. It's a town that's a little reminiscent of Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon, but the version of it, had it been created by Stephen King instead. Ghosts, aliens, and mysterious government agents are commonplace in Night Vale, and if there's a conspiracy theory that has ever been thought of, chances are, it's true in Night Vale.

The stories that take place in Night Vale, both those told in the podcasts, and those in the two books so far, are not driven by any particular plot, most of the time. In fact, the plot is really secondary to the atmosphere and feel of the story. That's not to say there isn't a plot, there is, but the story meanders around the plot and only seems to come back around to it occasionally. Surprisingly, that's a big part of the appeal for me. Much in the same way I enjoyed The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I found myself simply enjoying the journey, and not necessarily the destination.

As far as the plot goes though, here's a small taste: There's a mysterious void that keeps "appearing" in random places in Night Vale, which swallows up whole buildings and anyone who happened to be inside of them at the time. The local religion, The Joyous Congregation of the Smiling God, and local scientists are at odds to try to explain what the void is and to understand where and when it will appear next.

I enjoyed It Devours!. It's a fun story that had me smiling often. I've only listened to a handful of the podcasts so far, and to be honest, I think the types of stories Fink and Cranor come up with for the town are better suited for that format, but the books offer an interesting and more in-depth visit to this small desert town where the possibilities are endless.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Alice Isn't Dead

by Joseph Fink
322 pgs

Alice Isn't Deadis another book based on a podcast by Joseph Fink. A few months ago, I read Welcome to Night Vale, which has based on the podcast by Fink and Jeffrey Cranor of the same name. This book is based on a different podcast and is solely Fink's. Like Night Vale, Alice Isn't Dead is a horror story, but while the former is a little more tongue-in-cheek and is based on conspiracy theories and the absurd, this one is a little more traditional and is based on fear and anxiety.

The book and podcast tell the story of Keisha Taylor, a woman whose wife, Alice, a big-rig-driver, disappeared months ago without a trace and is presumed dead. But Keisha knows Alice is still alive, otherwise, how is it possible that she keeps seeing Alice in the background of news reports of every major tragedy across the country? So, Keisha, who goes to work for the same trucking company Alice worked for, now spends all of her time driving around the country searching for her wife, who isn't dead.

Alice Isn't Dead is a fun and entertaining horror story Fink, who has been public with his constant battle with anxiety, gives Keisha the same issue to deal with, and it's prevalent throughout the story. Her feelings of anxiety are justified though. Because as she searches for her wife, she becomes swallowed up by the same world of secret societies and strange creatures that took her wife away from her.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Welcome to Night Vale

by Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor
401 pgs  (Night Vale series #1)

Welcome to Night Vale is the first book by coauthors Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, the creators of the twice-monthly podcast of the same name. Night Vale is a small desert town located somewhere in the American Southwest. But Night Vale is not like any small town you’ve ever driven through, stopped for gas at, or eaten a meal in its local diner. In Night Vale, aliens are real, time is kind of funny, and every conspiracy theory you can imagine is true.

The lives of two of its residents: Jackie Fierro, the pawnshop owner who has been 19 years old for decades, and Diane Crayton, whose son is a moody teenage shapeshifter, are drawn together by bizarre circumstances. Jackie is given a small strip of paper by a man who is impossible to remember if you’re not looking at him. The words KING CITY are written on the paper and Jackie finds she’s physically unable to get rid of it. Meanwhile, Diane’s son Josh has recently become interested in his estranged father, a man who until recently Diane hadn’t seen since she was pregnant with Josh, but who now seems to be everywhere she turn…and he doesn’t appear to have aged a day.

When Josh disappears, Diane believes he’s gone to KING CITY and she enlists Jackie’s help in getting there. But together they discover that physically leaving Night Vale is seemingly impossible.

Welcome to Night Vale is a wildly inventive story. At times it gets a little too absurd for its own good, but overall, it’s funny and entertaining. If you haven’t listened to any of the podcasts set there, it’ll take a while to settle in, but if you’re willing to just buckle up and enjoy the ride, it’s a worthwhile read.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆