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Captain Clive's Dreamworld
After becoming the suspect in the death of a young woman he was investigating, Deputy Sam Hardy is "vanished" to a town in the middle of the desert called Angels and Hope. A company town built to support a magnificent amusement park (one to rival Disneyland) known as Captain Clive's Dreamworld. When he arrives in Angels and Hope, Hardy begins to notice some strange happenings. Virtually no customers ever visit. None of the townsfolk ever seem to sleep. And girls seem to be going missing with no plausible explanation. As Hardy begins investigating, his own past is drawn into question by the town, and he finds himself becoming more and more isolated. The truth—about the town and himself—will lead him to understand that there’s no such thing as a clean escape.
- GenresHorrorBizarro Fiction
Published October 1, 2020
About the author
Jon Bassoff
12 books247 followersJon Bassoff is the author of nine novels. His mountain gothic novel, CORROSION, has been translated in French and German and was nominated for the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere, France’s biggest crime fiction award. His psycho-noir novel, THE DISASSEMBLED MAN, has been adapted for the big screen with a filming date set to begin within the next hundred years. He also wrote the screenplay for BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE, which was named semi-finalist at the New York Cinematography Awards and a finalist at the Seattle Film Festival for best short film.
His novels have been lauded by authors like Craig Johnson (LONGMIRE series), James Grady (SIX DAYS OF THE CONDOR), Rob Hart (THE WAREHOUSE), Paul Trembley (A HEADFUL OF GHOSTS), S.A. Cosby (RAZORBLADE TEARS, Ramsey Campbell (THE HUNGRY MOON), Tom Piccirilli (LAST KIND WORDS), and Marcus Sakey (BRILLLIANCE Trilogy). His work has also been featured several times in New York Magazine. For his day job, Bassoff teaches high school English where he is known by students and faculty alike as the deranged writer guy. He is a connoisseur of tequila, hot sauces, psychobilly music, and flea-bag motels.
His novels have been lauded by authors like Craig Johnson (LONGMIRE series), James Grady (SIX DAYS OF THE CONDOR), Rob Hart (THE WAREHOUSE), Paul Trembley (A HEADFUL OF GHOSTS), S.A. Cosby (RAZORBLADE TEARS, Ramsey Campbell (THE HUNGRY MOON), Tom Piccirilli (LAST KIND WORDS), and Marcus Sakey (BRILLLIANCE Trilogy). His work has also been featured several times in New York Magazine. For his day job, Bassoff teaches high school English where he is known by students and faculty alike as the deranged writer guy. He is a connoisseur of tequila, hot sauces, psychobilly music, and flea-bag motels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
October 27, 2020
Original Review published at Cemetery Dance:
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
For anyone that’s ever lived in a small town where everyone knows each other and seems to hold secrets about their next-door neighbors, idyllic town horror is a satisfying trope. Truth is always stranger than fiction and if you live in one small town long enough, you’re bound to uncover some of the strange history and unusual happenings. Sometimes what appears to be perfectly quaint is really just good at hiding its seamy underbelly.
It’s not difficult to suspend disbelief in order to buy into the old adage, “Nothing is as it appears to be.” Or another fitting favorite, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.”
Sam Hardy is a sheriff’s deputy that becomes the only suspect in the brutal murder of a young girl in his hometown. Instead of internal affairs getting involved, he is ultimately asked to leave town and go to the community of Angels and Hope, a company town established to support a theme park, Captain Clive’s Dreamworld.
Dreamworld itself seems loosely based on what we know as “The Happiest Place on Earth” except there is something really wrong with Angels and Hope in a Twilight Zone(ish) way. After meeting Captain Clive and chatting up the locals, Sam Hardy knows there is something insidiously sinister about his new residence and sets himself on a mission to uncover it.
Jon Bassoff injects this quirky bizzaro tale with social commentary in the style of a crime-noir drama mashed with transgressive horror and it really works. I’m a huge fan of Bassoff’s imagination and flair for the unexpected.
The pacing is perfect. Bassoff skillfully guides the reader through a series of events that ultimately lead the protagonist on a pretty creepy journey. After reading The Lantern Man, it’s clear to me that Bassoff has honed his craft as a storyteller that can perfectly mash up crime-noir thriller overtures with straight-up horror sprinkled with whatever sub-genres he sees fitting for the tale; bizzaro, transgressive, psychological — you name the flavor and, chances are, Bassoff has toyed with it.
I particularly enjoy the fact that Bassoff almost always employs unlikable, flawed people to vehicle his character-driven horror. I never know what to expect and I’m always surprised by something — a particularly disturbing scene or a cruel twist of fate are true markers of his brand of horror. I highly recommend this book to fans who like a bit of everything and are looking for something unusual and original.
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
For anyone that’s ever lived in a small town where everyone knows each other and seems to hold secrets about their next-door neighbors, idyllic town horror is a satisfying trope. Truth is always stranger than fiction and if you live in one small town long enough, you’re bound to uncover some of the strange history and unusual happenings. Sometimes what appears to be perfectly quaint is really just good at hiding its seamy underbelly.
It’s not difficult to suspend disbelief in order to buy into the old adage, “Nothing is as it appears to be.” Or another fitting favorite, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.”
Sam Hardy is a sheriff’s deputy that becomes the only suspect in the brutal murder of a young girl in his hometown. Instead of internal affairs getting involved, he is ultimately asked to leave town and go to the community of Angels and Hope, a company town established to support a theme park, Captain Clive’s Dreamworld.
Dreamworld itself seems loosely based on what we know as “The Happiest Place on Earth” except there is something really wrong with Angels and Hope in a Twilight Zone(ish) way. After meeting Captain Clive and chatting up the locals, Sam Hardy knows there is something insidiously sinister about his new residence and sets himself on a mission to uncover it.
Jon Bassoff injects this quirky bizzaro tale with social commentary in the style of a crime-noir drama mashed with transgressive horror and it really works. I’m a huge fan of Bassoff’s imagination and flair for the unexpected.
The pacing is perfect. Bassoff skillfully guides the reader through a series of events that ultimately lead the protagonist on a pretty creepy journey. After reading The Lantern Man, it’s clear to me that Bassoff has honed his craft as a storyteller that can perfectly mash up crime-noir thriller overtures with straight-up horror sprinkled with whatever sub-genres he sees fitting for the tale; bizzaro, transgressive, psychological — you name the flavor and, chances are, Bassoff has toyed with it.
I particularly enjoy the fact that Bassoff almost always employs unlikable, flawed people to vehicle his character-driven horror. I never know what to expect and I’m always surprised by something — a particularly disturbing scene or a cruel twist of fate are true markers of his brand of horror. I highly recommend this book to fans who like a bit of everything and are looking for something unusual and original.
December 3, 2020
I was really enjoying the dark mystery of CAPTAIN CLIVE'S DREAMWORLD right up until the third act. Then two unexpected, difficult to read scenes took place and it shook my whole reaction to the story. I'd hate to discuss the two scenes as they are spoilery to the story at large but suffice to say, anyone who is into trigger warnings in books may want to reconsider reading this title. The publisher, Eraserhead Press, is best known as a Bizarro fiction outlet but I didn't find CAPTAIN CLIVE reached 'bizarre' levels. This book is pretty much dark crime noir.
This is the first time I've read Jon Bassoff book so I'm not sure this if this is the level of dark he usually reaches. Outside of the two scenes that bothered me, I thought the story was strong. The character's have a believable depth and you root for them. And perhaps, that is what makes the disturbing scenes all the more disturbing to read. I just wish it couldn't' have been that bad. Couldn't it have been something else?
Oh well, choices were made and the story is what it is. This is solid storytelling if you can allow yourself past the deeply dark moments. Not sure if I'd dive back into more Bassoff after this experience. Perhaps with time and some assurances I could be convinced to try another title.
This is the first time I've read Jon Bassoff book so I'm not sure this if this is the level of dark he usually reaches. Outside of the two scenes that bothered me, I thought the story was strong. The character's have a believable depth and you root for them. And perhaps, that is what makes the disturbing scenes all the more disturbing to read. I just wish it couldn't' have been that bad. Couldn't it have been something else?
Oh well, choices were made and the story is what it is. This is solid storytelling if you can allow yourself past the deeply dark moments. Not sure if I'd dive back into more Bassoff after this experience. Perhaps with time and some assurances I could be convinced to try another title.
February 19, 2021
David Lynch has been quoted as saying: “I don't think that people accept the fact that life doesn't make sense. I think it makes people terribly uncomfortable. It seems like religion and myth were invented against that, trying to make sense out of it.”
I tend to think Lynch is right but would add a caveat for horror fans. We tend to live in that space of being uncomfortable, deliberately reflecting on life’s dark absurdities. I’d even take it a step further that writers within horror create their own myths to process our shared painful existence.
There’s a misconception outside of the genre fandom, tossed my way on multiple occasions: “Real life is scary enough. Why would you ever want to write/read/watch something so terrible?” My standard reply is that it is exactly because life is terrifying and dealing with a distorted reflection of real horrors helps alleviate the anxiety caused by a world of random tragedies.
If your horror-loving heart can relate to that, well, do I have the perfect book recommendation for you!
On the surface, Captain Clive’s Dreamworld by Jon Bassoff is about Deputy Sam Hardy, who gets transferred to a new town after questions are raised about his involvement in the death of a young prostitute. Hardy’s new deputy position is in a city called Angels and Hope, isolated and on the outskirts of a desert. As soon as Hardy arrives in the tight-knit community, several people, including the mayor, tell him he’ll likely only be busting people for littering, as no other crimes occur in their idyllic city.
But there’s something off about Angels and Hope, from the eerie Stepford Wives vibe of the citizens, to the way the town’s founder, Captain Clive, is plastered on every logo. More than that, contradictions seem to be everywhere, like the mayor offering moonshine in his proudly ‘dry’ city. Then there’s the amusement park Captain Clive’s Dreamworld - “where dreams really do come true” – which is fully staffed but empty of customers. As Hardy begins to investigate a missing teen, more questions arise about the amusement park, why no one in town ever seems to sleep, and the closer he gets to confronting his own unsettling past.
I won’t spoil the rest of the plot, but I will say be prepared to be extremely uncomfortable as the story exposes the truth on how the amusement park actually makes money and delves into the willful ignorance of the characters. Behind the utopia of Angels and Hope is a sickening scheme, and a disturbing eagerness for conformity all in the name of the greater good.
While the book is undeniably American and thematically reflects the political climate, there are universal truths at the core which I think anyone can relate to no matter where they live. Issues of how mob mentality forms, people longing for a past that never existed, consumerism, and the refusal of people to acknowledge their own faults, all enriched the novel and left me pondering several ideas long after I’d finished reading.
There is something very Lynchian about Captain Clive’s Dreamworld, combining not only the 1950s Americana aesthetic of Angels and Hope, but also mixing in elements of surrealism, crime noir, and magical realism. Yet the book felt refreshingly new and avoided becoming derivative, and that’s largely due to the complex characters.
Likeable is not a term I would apply to any of the characters, not even Deputy Sam Hardy. But the author manages to show Hardy’s faults and insecurities in such a way that he’s relatable and you hope he will overcome his own demons. His brokenness is established in the first chapter as he half listens to his partner on their way to a crime scene. Hardy reflects, “Because without noise you were forced to focus on the images in your brain, and they were always filled with corpses, eyes staring right back at you, hands clawing at the air…” And the tone only gets darker from there.
So, if darkness and being terribly uncomfortable is how you prefer to reflect on real life horrors, then step on up, get your ticket, and enter Captain Clive’s Dreamworld.
*Thanks to Blackthorn Book Tours for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I tend to think Lynch is right but would add a caveat for horror fans. We tend to live in that space of being uncomfortable, deliberately reflecting on life’s dark absurdities. I’d even take it a step further that writers within horror create their own myths to process our shared painful existence.
There’s a misconception outside of the genre fandom, tossed my way on multiple occasions: “Real life is scary enough. Why would you ever want to write/read/watch something so terrible?” My standard reply is that it is exactly because life is terrifying and dealing with a distorted reflection of real horrors helps alleviate the anxiety caused by a world of random tragedies.
If your horror-loving heart can relate to that, well, do I have the perfect book recommendation for you!
On the surface, Captain Clive’s Dreamworld by Jon Bassoff is about Deputy Sam Hardy, who gets transferred to a new town after questions are raised about his involvement in the death of a young prostitute. Hardy’s new deputy position is in a city called Angels and Hope, isolated and on the outskirts of a desert. As soon as Hardy arrives in the tight-knit community, several people, including the mayor, tell him he’ll likely only be busting people for littering, as no other crimes occur in their idyllic city.
But there’s something off about Angels and Hope, from the eerie Stepford Wives vibe of the citizens, to the way the town’s founder, Captain Clive, is plastered on every logo. More than that, contradictions seem to be everywhere, like the mayor offering moonshine in his proudly ‘dry’ city. Then there’s the amusement park Captain Clive’s Dreamworld - “where dreams really do come true” – which is fully staffed but empty of customers. As Hardy begins to investigate a missing teen, more questions arise about the amusement park, why no one in town ever seems to sleep, and the closer he gets to confronting his own unsettling past.
I won’t spoil the rest of the plot, but I will say be prepared to be extremely uncomfortable as the story exposes the truth on how the amusement park actually makes money and delves into the willful ignorance of the characters. Behind the utopia of Angels and Hope is a sickening scheme, and a disturbing eagerness for conformity all in the name of the greater good.
While the book is undeniably American and thematically reflects the political climate, there are universal truths at the core which I think anyone can relate to no matter where they live. Issues of how mob mentality forms, people longing for a past that never existed, consumerism, and the refusal of people to acknowledge their own faults, all enriched the novel and left me pondering several ideas long after I’d finished reading.
There is something very Lynchian about Captain Clive’s Dreamworld, combining not only the 1950s Americana aesthetic of Angels and Hope, but also mixing in elements of surrealism, crime noir, and magical realism. Yet the book felt refreshingly new and avoided becoming derivative, and that’s largely due to the complex characters.
Likeable is not a term I would apply to any of the characters, not even Deputy Sam Hardy. But the author manages to show Hardy’s faults and insecurities in such a way that he’s relatable and you hope he will overcome his own demons. His brokenness is established in the first chapter as he half listens to his partner on their way to a crime scene. Hardy reflects, “Because without noise you were forced to focus on the images in your brain, and they were always filled with corpses, eyes staring right back at you, hands clawing at the air…” And the tone only gets darker from there.
So, if darkness and being terribly uncomfortable is how you prefer to reflect on real life horrors, then step on up, get your ticket, and enter Captain Clive’s Dreamworld.
*Thanks to Blackthorn Book Tours for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 1, 2020
“𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙃𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙨.”
When I finished this book, I had to sit it aside and decompress. I had to really think about what I just read. It’s one of those books that have a deeper meaning than what you read on the surface and it’s quit terrifying. I got the feels of Stepford Wives and Annihilation out of this one.
After being a suspect to a young woman who was murdered, deputy Sam vanishes to a town called “Angles and Hope”. This is a town of Utopia where everyone has jobs, everyone knows everyone, and there is no crime. Sam suspects there has to be something wrong in this town when no one sleeps and girls are going missing. Sam tries to investigate but the town’s secrets but his own past comes into question.
“𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙃𝙤𝙥𝙚. 𝙉𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚. 𝙉𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙩. 𝘽𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙨, 𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙨, 𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙨. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙜?“
I usually don’t like police procedural type books and from this synopsis that’s exactly what it sounds like but it’s not. Sam didn’t feel like a deputy ( shhhh, it’s ok I didn’t mind that at all). He played his own Nancy drew detective which is what I prefer in books. Let’s break a few laws. No harm if it’s for the greater good, right?! (If you know then you know. This was totally put in here for you!) I was so amped for answers and finding out what was happening in this town that just seemed too perfect to be true. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the book and how you could literally read this any time of the year. When you read it you’ll understand. I did feel for the main character as he struggled with the past and present situations. The only reason I knocked this one down half a star because I wasn’t happy with the ending. This is all on a personal level like I wanted something more I guess but regardless the book just builds and builds. It is so layered with current issues that it makes you think (which is scary!) and it’s fast paced. So I gave it 4.5 ⭐️.
When I finished this book, I had to sit it aside and decompress. I had to really think about what I just read. It’s one of those books that have a deeper meaning than what you read on the surface and it’s quit terrifying. I got the feels of Stepford Wives and Annihilation out of this one.
After being a suspect to a young woman who was murdered, deputy Sam vanishes to a town called “Angles and Hope”. This is a town of Utopia where everyone has jobs, everyone knows everyone, and there is no crime. Sam suspects there has to be something wrong in this town when no one sleeps and girls are going missing. Sam tries to investigate but the town’s secrets but his own past comes into question.
“𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙃𝙤𝙥𝙚. 𝙉𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚. 𝙉𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙩. 𝘽𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙨, 𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙨, 𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙨. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙜?“
I usually don’t like police procedural type books and from this synopsis that’s exactly what it sounds like but it’s not. Sam didn’t feel like a deputy ( shhhh, it’s ok I didn’t mind that at all). He played his own Nancy drew detective which is what I prefer in books. Let’s break a few laws. No harm if it’s for the greater good, right?! (If you know then you know. This was totally put in here for you!) I was so amped for answers and finding out what was happening in this town that just seemed too perfect to be true. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the book and how you could literally read this any time of the year. When you read it you’ll understand. I did feel for the main character as he struggled with the past and present situations. The only reason I knocked this one down half a star because I wasn’t happy with the ending. This is all on a personal level like I wanted something more I guess but regardless the book just builds and builds. It is so layered with current issues that it makes you think (which is scary!) and it’s fast paced. So I gave it 4.5 ⭐️.
September 17, 2020
"Orwell, the guy who wrote 1984, feared the leaders would conceal the truth from us. Huxley worries that they wouldn't need to because the truth would no longer matter to us. Which is worse, Deputy?"
Well this was definitely quite the interesting read. I always have loved stories where a small, seemingly idyllic town is uber creepy and there's something sinister going on underneath the painted smiles. Angels and Hope certainly fits that bill. I absolutely loved the little nods to things such as the Three Witches and the subtle but notable political tones reflecting where American seems to be heading these days. It gives me the shivers that when I used to read books such as these, I could keep them in the realm of fantasy and fiction and thus not get squeamish or offended. But blind following, for whatever the reason, such as what we see here for Captain Clive is almost understandable and all too realistic considering what I've been seeing over these past few years in real life. But I digress...
There were definitely a couple scenes that made me raise my eyebrows (also, EW) and I was expecting the story to go a different way than it did. But I'm always one who is (usually) happy to be surprised. Bassoff does a fantastic job of building this insane story where it bursts vividly in your imagination. Angels and Hope is certainly a place I hope to never, ever visit. Ever. And I appreciate why the story ended the way that it did, which also gave me new perspective on the town itself.
We all have demons. We all have secrets. How we manage to get punished or how we punish ourselves for these can sometimes come about in the most unexpected ways. Bassoff writes so viscerally, that I can see why one of his books have been opted for adaptation. I will certainly be keeping my eye out for more by this author. Can someone please pass me some moonshine "medicine"?
Well this was definitely quite the interesting read. I always have loved stories where a small, seemingly idyllic town is uber creepy and there's something sinister going on underneath the painted smiles. Angels and Hope certainly fits that bill. I absolutely loved the little nods to things such as the Three Witches and the subtle but notable political tones reflecting where American seems to be heading these days. It gives me the shivers that when I used to read books such as these, I could keep them in the realm of fantasy and fiction and thus not get squeamish or offended. But blind following, for whatever the reason, such as what we see here for Captain Clive is almost understandable and all too realistic considering what I've been seeing over these past few years in real life. But I digress...
There were definitely a couple scenes that made me raise my eyebrows (also, EW) and I was expecting the story to go a different way than it did. But I'm always one who is (usually) happy to be surprised. Bassoff does a fantastic job of building this insane story where it bursts vividly in your imagination. Angels and Hope is certainly a place I hope to never, ever visit. Ever. And I appreciate why the story ended the way that it did, which also gave me new perspective on the town itself.
We all have demons. We all have secrets. How we manage to get punished or how we punish ourselves for these can sometimes come about in the most unexpected ways. Bassoff writes so viscerally, that I can see why one of his books have been opted for adaptation. I will certainly be keeping my eye out for more by this author. Can someone please pass me some moonshine "medicine"?
October 1, 2020
I have been a fan of Jon Bassoff for several years and in the world of weird fiction he is a shining light I am always happy to check out. Since his debut in 2013 he has released a novel most years, with his interpretation of ‘weird’ injecting horror, thrillers, surrealism, crime, bizarro and regular nightmare trips into the brains of psychos. Ultimately, his fiction is almost impossible to classify, which is very cool, and Jake Hinkson nailed it when he stated: “Bassoff is the ‘Kafka of Colorado", a writer who spins feverish nightmares out of the insane realities of modern life”. You will get no argument from myself. Digging deeper, you will find wild comments about this unpredictable author all over the internet and Dave Zeltersman even namechecked him along with three true giants as the product of what might be released from a literary blender: “Toss Kafka, David Lynch, and a pinch of Flannery O’Connor”. This is high praise indeed and Bassoff is usually worth the hype.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
January 23, 2022
Captain Clive’s Dreamworld is bizarro horror at its most imaginative. Imagine Disneyworld on crack and you’ll be getting close to what Dreamworld and the town of Angels and Hope offers. It gives off that small-town mentality – that everyone knows you and your business. As an incomer to places like these, you had better be squeaky clean before you start throwing stones at glasshouses. There are secrets buried in this town and the resident’s blind following of Captain Clive isn’t admirable it is damn occultist. This story was so weird but addictive, my eyes flew through the pages and prepared me for the moment my brain melted into a puddle.
Deputy Hardy is a morally grey character. He’s had a difficult life, one that has both been created and impinged upon him. Every time he has something good and wholesome, he must screw it up. His marriage to Ruby was good but as with any marriage, things can become mundane and boring if you let it. So, he cheated on her, multiple times, finally, she said enough was enough. Sam Hardy ends up embroiled in the death of a young girl whose throat has been slit and instead of the ensuing investigation, his Sherriff sends him off to Angels and Hope, a close-knit town that has no crime…
Angels and Hope is a very odd little town. Don’t even think about mentioning the fact that young girls keep going missing and the townsfolk denying their very existence of them. Let’s also not talk about the fact that all four tyres on his car have been shredded. Let’s also not voice the thought that you won’t ever be able to leave. Why oh why did he hear screaming coming from the amusement park castle and why aren’t there any visitors?
Jon Bassoff is penned a tightly woven and intricately spun story of the past finally catching up with you. Life is a great big circle and will eventually come full circle to surprise you when you least expect it. It’s a story where you find that a few chapters are just not enough, you will consume and be consumed. Murder. Regrets. Power struggles. Secrets. Occultist behaviour. Prose that was akin to liquid gold, rare and valuable.
This is a book that will leave you uncomfortable, even those that are comfortable with the uncomfortable. Bassoff rips off the band-aid and leaves you dripping with blood whilst making you witness just how inhumane humanity can be. There are no rose-tinted spectacles here, there’s no glitter in the shit, he wants you to see and see you do. We see a blackened sense of a utopia, a mob mentality in search of the greater good, and that mentality of how those can do no wrong.
Captain Clive’s Dreamworld is a unique peek into close-knit communal relationships and the darkness that envelops the edges of their world. A subversive and supremely bizarre story.
Deputy Hardy is a morally grey character. He’s had a difficult life, one that has both been created and impinged upon him. Every time he has something good and wholesome, he must screw it up. His marriage to Ruby was good but as with any marriage, things can become mundane and boring if you let it. So, he cheated on her, multiple times, finally, she said enough was enough. Sam Hardy ends up embroiled in the death of a young girl whose throat has been slit and instead of the ensuing investigation, his Sherriff sends him off to Angels and Hope, a close-knit town that has no crime…
Angels and Hope is a very odd little town. Don’t even think about mentioning the fact that young girls keep going missing and the townsfolk denying their very existence of them. Let’s also not talk about the fact that all four tyres on his car have been shredded. Let’s also not voice the thought that you won’t ever be able to leave. Why oh why did he hear screaming coming from the amusement park castle and why aren’t there any visitors?
Jon Bassoff is penned a tightly woven and intricately spun story of the past finally catching up with you. Life is a great big circle and will eventually come full circle to surprise you when you least expect it. It’s a story where you find that a few chapters are just not enough, you will consume and be consumed. Murder. Regrets. Power struggles. Secrets. Occultist behaviour. Prose that was akin to liquid gold, rare and valuable.
This is a book that will leave you uncomfortable, even those that are comfortable with the uncomfortable. Bassoff rips off the band-aid and leaves you dripping with blood whilst making you witness just how inhumane humanity can be. There are no rose-tinted spectacles here, there’s no glitter in the shit, he wants you to see and see you do. We see a blackened sense of a utopia, a mob mentality in search of the greater good, and that mentality of how those can do no wrong.
Captain Clive’s Dreamworld is a unique peek into close-knit communal relationships and the darkness that envelops the edges of their world. A subversive and supremely bizarre story.
March 4, 2021
If you came here today for a coherent review, erm…well you best look again! I have nothing coherent to say. This was a hot mess of a crazy story, but my god it was good! I mean, I read the blurb but still was not sure what I was letting myself in for. I just did not expect anything like this!
Hardy is a cop, he constantly beating on himself, but the reasons at first are unknown. He is shipped off to Angels and Hope, where dreams do come true. The first feeling I had when reading, is that it is all very Stepford-ish! The perfect neighbours, the perfect town, the happiest place you will ever live, well only if you don’t scratch the surface too hard. You go looking for what is going on underneath it all, well you won’t like what you find. It was something depraved and visceral and you can’t quite believe your eyes. I know I didn’t. It was shocking and brutal, so don’t come to Captain Clive’s if you want hearts and flowers because you won’t find that here! However, we are constantly drummed in that this is paradise, your dreams will come true here, yeah I am not sure about that!
It is one of those wonderful books where you have the short and snappy chapters which makes you fly through the barbaric tale, but it is also one you can’t really discuss much because it will take the magic away. When the ending happened, I wasn’t ready for it. I mean it just left me with my jaw hanging open, trying to find some missing pages because I needed to know. Man, you can’t leave me hanging like this!
I feel so many emotions reading this, the shock, the anger and the sick to the stomach, or did I just read that! When you learn of what happens to Hardy before he gets shipped off out to Angels and Hope, I just knew the twist of the tale. I was screaming inside to make it so it was not the case, but it is too late, the story has been written, the tale has been told and nothing can change that.
As awful as it sounds, I loved the depravity of it all, the lack of hope, the disgust, it made for great reading. I enjoyed the pace of the story, something mad was happening at all times and like Hardy, I needed the answers he was looking for. I will definitely be checking out other works by Mr Baseoff because the way he wrote this story, all felt very real to me and that gave me chills. Let us just hope that none of it is real! I was hooked on Captain Clive’s Dreamworld, although I can safely say this is a place I NEVER want to visit.
Hardy is a cop, he constantly beating on himself, but the reasons at first are unknown. He is shipped off to Angels and Hope, where dreams do come true. The first feeling I had when reading, is that it is all very Stepford-ish! The perfect neighbours, the perfect town, the happiest place you will ever live, well only if you don’t scratch the surface too hard. You go looking for what is going on underneath it all, well you won’t like what you find. It was something depraved and visceral and you can’t quite believe your eyes. I know I didn’t. It was shocking and brutal, so don’t come to Captain Clive’s if you want hearts and flowers because you won’t find that here! However, we are constantly drummed in that this is paradise, your dreams will come true here, yeah I am not sure about that!
It is one of those wonderful books where you have the short and snappy chapters which makes you fly through the barbaric tale, but it is also one you can’t really discuss much because it will take the magic away. When the ending happened, I wasn’t ready for it. I mean it just left me with my jaw hanging open, trying to find some missing pages because I needed to know. Man, you can’t leave me hanging like this!
I feel so many emotions reading this, the shock, the anger and the sick to the stomach, or did I just read that! When you learn of what happens to Hardy before he gets shipped off out to Angels and Hope, I just knew the twist of the tale. I was screaming inside to make it so it was not the case, but it is too late, the story has been written, the tale has been told and nothing can change that.
As awful as it sounds, I loved the depravity of it all, the lack of hope, the disgust, it made for great reading. I enjoyed the pace of the story, something mad was happening at all times and like Hardy, I needed the answers he was looking for. I will definitely be checking out other works by Mr Baseoff because the way he wrote this story, all felt very real to me and that gave me chills. Let us just hope that none of it is real! I was hooked on Captain Clive’s Dreamworld, although I can safely say this is a place I NEVER want to visit.
September 17, 2020
Jon Bassoff really creates something special with Captain Clive's Dreamworld. Here we see deputy Sam Hardy sent away to this new town, Angels and Hope, which has a very Stepford feel to it. Everyone is idyllic and peaceful. So why would this town even need a deputy? Is there even crime? And what is this theme park associated with the town? And who the heck is paying for all of this??
Most of the book left me feverishly turning pages as I could not wait to see just what in tarnation was going on. While reading I kept getting vibes of Wayward Pines mixed with Wicker Man mixed with House of Wax movie remake. I could not tell if I was being frustrated WITH or frustrated FOR Sam Hardy as he tries to navigate this strange town and its quirky and somewhat detached residents. I definitely know I wanted to be slapping SOMEbody... I just couldn't figure out who! Bassoff does an excellent job at building this world full of confusion, paranoia, and deception.
When we finally start getting some solid answers and epiphanies about what is going on, who is involved, and how everything is working out... my jaw dropped. And it stayed that way until the last page. ONE SCENE IN PARTICULAR MADE ME DO A TRIPLE TAKE AND A LOT OF VERBAL 'UH UH!!!!' OVER AND OVER.
This book is wild... and highly addictive. I definitely recommend it! Thanks to Eraserhead Press and Night Worms for this advance copy for our book party!
Most of the book left me feverishly turning pages as I could not wait to see just what in tarnation was going on. While reading I kept getting vibes of Wayward Pines mixed with Wicker Man mixed with House of Wax movie remake. I could not tell if I was being frustrated WITH or frustrated FOR Sam Hardy as he tries to navigate this strange town and its quirky and somewhat detached residents. I definitely know I wanted to be slapping SOMEbody... I just couldn't figure out who! Bassoff does an excellent job at building this world full of confusion, paranoia, and deception.
When we finally start getting some solid answers and epiphanies about what is going on, who is involved, and how everything is working out... my jaw dropped. And it stayed that way until the last page. ONE SCENE IN PARTICULAR MADE ME DO A TRIPLE TAKE AND A LOT OF VERBAL 'UH UH!!!!' OVER AND OVER.
This book is wild... and highly addictive. I definitely recommend it! Thanks to Eraserhead Press and Night Worms for this advance copy for our book party!
October 22, 2020
So. I am a huge WDW. Like HUGE. So what on earth was I going to make of a book that basically took my beloved Happiest Place on Earth and turned it into something akin to Twin Peakes?
Well ...
Luckily, I was able to detract from the obvious dig at Disney by Jon's excellent writing and story telling.
This isn't a book for the faint of heart. There are some VERY disturbing scenes but I guess if you read horror, you expect horrific things to happen.
And I don't mind disturbing content. I write twisted stuff myself.
I can't stand reviews that say Oh I wasn't expecting that to happen, it was awful, when you clearly know dark stuff will happen because it is DARK FICTION!
DO NOT give something a low review because you're an idiot and didn't expect to be horrified by reading horror.
I'll get off my soap-box ...
The characters in this are all just vile but that doesn't mean that they're not interesting. There are basically no redeeming qualities for any of them but you are still entertained by their antics even though they make you want to scream.
I enjoyed it very much.
I would definitely read more of Jon's work.
Well ...
Luckily, I was able to detract from the obvious dig at Disney by Jon's excellent writing and story telling.
This isn't a book for the faint of heart. There are some VERY disturbing scenes but I guess if you read horror, you expect horrific things to happen.
And I don't mind disturbing content. I write twisted stuff myself.
I can't stand reviews that say Oh I wasn't expecting that to happen, it was awful, when you clearly know dark stuff will happen because it is DARK FICTION!
DO NOT give something a low review because you're an idiot and didn't expect to be horrified by reading horror.
I'll get off my soap-box ...
The characters in this are all just vile but that doesn't mean that they're not interesting. There are basically no redeeming qualities for any of them but you are still entertained by their antics even though they make you want to scream.
I enjoyed it very much.
I would definitely read more of Jon's work.
September 17, 2020
Thanks to @night_worms for my copy of 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞'𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, out next month!
"𝘏𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳𝘴."
.
🎢
I'm a firm believer that if something seems too good to be true then it usually is! In 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞'𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 police deputy Hardy is transferred to a small idyllic town called Angels and Hope after a traumatic experience finding a dead girl. Angels and Hope is the perfect suburban town where each little neighborhood has its own season (some people live where it's always Christmas) and the whole community is employed by the cryptic Captain Clive, who they worship. Captain Clive also built the theme park to end all the theme parks: Dreamworld, which sits adjacent to the town. Despite its grandiosity it's mysteriously empty after a terrible accident scared people away...
Hardy is told there's no crime in Angels and Hope so he should just settle in and enjoy himself. The only thing is he can't sleep and he's creeped out by the uber friendliness of everyone. When a local girl goes missing and the townspeople claim she never existed he realizes something dark may be at play and starts investigating.
This book was described as David Lynchian mixed with Stepford Wives and it definitely is! An unsettling horror story that will have you side-eyeing the suburbs.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
"𝘏𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳𝘴."
.
🎢
I'm a firm believer that if something seems too good to be true then it usually is! In 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞'𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 police deputy Hardy is transferred to a small idyllic town called Angels and Hope after a traumatic experience finding a dead girl. Angels and Hope is the perfect suburban town where each little neighborhood has its own season (some people live where it's always Christmas) and the whole community is employed by the cryptic Captain Clive, who they worship. Captain Clive also built the theme park to end all the theme parks: Dreamworld, which sits adjacent to the town. Despite its grandiosity it's mysteriously empty after a terrible accident scared people away...
Hardy is told there's no crime in Angels and Hope so he should just settle in and enjoy himself. The only thing is he can't sleep and he's creeped out by the uber friendliness of everyone. When a local girl goes missing and the townspeople claim she never existed he realizes something dark may be at play and starts investigating.
This book was described as David Lynchian mixed with Stepford Wives and it definitely is! An unsettling horror story that will have you side-eyeing the suburbs.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
July 9, 2023
That was one brutal read. I feel like I need to shower after finishing it. Very dark and disturbing in its exploration of the underbelly of what some may consider to be "living the American dream". Not a lot of innocent characters in this one, and those that are don't necessarily fare too well. As rough as the journey is, you just can't look away, and that's due to Bassoff's skill as an author. He is a major talent. This one won't soon be forgotten. I feel guilty liking it as much as I do considering the subject matter but it deserves more than 4 stars. 4.75 stars. Highly recommended but not for the faint of heart.
February 23, 2021
Early in Deputy Sam Hardy’s adulthood, he marries a woman he loves, they have a daughter they are too poor to support, so they give her up for adoption.
Despite Hardy’s adoration for his wife, he cheats on her, and they part ways.
After a run-in with a prostitute serves as a raw reminder of his poor life choices, the down-and-out deputy is given a chance to redeem himself when he is reassigned to represent the forces of law and order in a seemingly idyllic community, Angels and Hope, adjacent to Captain Clive’s Dreamworld, an amusement park that employs the local townsfolk.
The problem is, Captain Clive’s Dreamworld, named after Angels and Hope’s patron entrepreneur, is not much of an amusement park at all. A freak accident shortly after opening causes a girl’s death that fails forever after to attract customers to the entertainment destination. Along with a series of mysterious young female disappearances, Hardy soon finds himself embroiled in an investigation to determine how, exactly, Angels and Hope supports itself.
Hardy discovers that beneath the façade of the town’s white-washed houses and year-round Christmas celebrations is a community which, much like himself, is possessed by a rotten core that challenges the deputy to question how much he is willing to resist the flawed life his neighbors have created for themselves. In doing so, Hardy is forced to explore his conscience and overcome his worst impulses, or be destroyed by his tendencies toward self-delusion and escape.
I am not a strict fan of horror, crime, or fantasy, so I am open to any well-written tale that combines these genres, and Jon Bassoff delivers with his bizarro mash-up. In Captain Clive’s Dreamworld, he creates a plot peculiar enough to pique my interest with characters compelling enough to keep me curious about their fate (although he does test how much empathy I have for a man with the kinds of relationship issues Hardy has, or how much I care about members of a cult who only drink hot cocoa at never-ending holiday parties in the desert).
The contradictions expressed in Captain Clive’s Dreamworld are many, and deliberately so, since it is a surreal comment on American life, but what I believe is Bassoff’s lasting achievement with his narrative, beyond its premise, is the sentence-by-sentence craft of his storytelling, a lyrical quality in his prose that kept me tethered until the tale’s conclusion. Although some story content is disturbing, I find it easy to appreciate the overall art of Bassoff’s brand of bizzaro fiction, and I look forward to reading more of his work.
Despite Hardy’s adoration for his wife, he cheats on her, and they part ways.
After a run-in with a prostitute serves as a raw reminder of his poor life choices, the down-and-out deputy is given a chance to redeem himself when he is reassigned to represent the forces of law and order in a seemingly idyllic community, Angels and Hope, adjacent to Captain Clive’s Dreamworld, an amusement park that employs the local townsfolk.
The problem is, Captain Clive’s Dreamworld, named after Angels and Hope’s patron entrepreneur, is not much of an amusement park at all. A freak accident shortly after opening causes a girl’s death that fails forever after to attract customers to the entertainment destination. Along with a series of mysterious young female disappearances, Hardy soon finds himself embroiled in an investigation to determine how, exactly, Angels and Hope supports itself.
Hardy discovers that beneath the façade of the town’s white-washed houses and year-round Christmas celebrations is a community which, much like himself, is possessed by a rotten core that challenges the deputy to question how much he is willing to resist the flawed life his neighbors have created for themselves. In doing so, Hardy is forced to explore his conscience and overcome his worst impulses, or be destroyed by his tendencies toward self-delusion and escape.
I am not a strict fan of horror, crime, or fantasy, so I am open to any well-written tale that combines these genres, and Jon Bassoff delivers with his bizarro mash-up. In Captain Clive’s Dreamworld, he creates a plot peculiar enough to pique my interest with characters compelling enough to keep me curious about their fate (although he does test how much empathy I have for a man with the kinds of relationship issues Hardy has, or how much I care about members of a cult who only drink hot cocoa at never-ending holiday parties in the desert).
The contradictions expressed in Captain Clive’s Dreamworld are many, and deliberately so, since it is a surreal comment on American life, but what I believe is Bassoff’s lasting achievement with his narrative, beyond its premise, is the sentence-by-sentence craft of his storytelling, a lyrical quality in his prose that kept me tethered until the tale’s conclusion. Although some story content is disturbing, I find it easy to appreciate the overall art of Bassoff’s brand of bizzaro fiction, and I look forward to reading more of his work.
September 28, 2020
Deputy Sam Hardy has some rough stuff going on in his life. His family is gone and now he's caught up in a murder. When the sheriff tells him that he's being transferred to a small town in the middle of nowhere. When Hardy arrives at the seemingly utopian town of Angels and Hope, he quickly learns that there's no unemployment, no poverty, and no crime. That leaves Hardy with precious little to do. He meets the mayor and gets moved in before exploring the town. There's a lake that's full of crocodiles, a giant fake mountain, and the gigantic, almost totally abandoned amusement park. Explaining further will ruin part of the fun of this book. Basically, not all is well in the town of Angels and Hope and Deputy Hardy takes it upon himself to unravel the mystery of the town. This book was nothing like I expected and I couldn't get enough of it quite frankly.
There's a quality about this book and the writing that leaves the reader constantly twisting in the wind. You're never certain as to what is going on. Very few of the strange events in the town are explained and it leaves the reader reeling and flailing for answers. When the answers come, they come quickly and all at once. The book is painfully weird in the best way possible. Every time I thought that I had my head wrapped around what exactly was going on, the book beat me over the head with another outlandish and increasingly disturbing event.
If you are a fan of small-town cult horror, you will love this one.
There's a quality about this book and the writing that leaves the reader constantly twisting in the wind. You're never certain as to what is going on. Very few of the strange events in the town are explained and it leaves the reader reeling and flailing for answers. When the answers come, they come quickly and all at once. The book is painfully weird in the best way possible. Every time I thought that I had my head wrapped around what exactly was going on, the book beat me over the head with another outlandish and increasingly disturbing event.
If you are a fan of small-town cult horror, you will love this one.
December 27, 2020
Ok. I will admit that it is a little weird to give this book a five star rating. I say this because of the content featured in this story...rape. Yet, it was only featured in a few places throughout the story and not in gruesome details. However, it is the overall tone of the story that you have to be worried about. It will give you nightmares. This book gave me Stephen King meets Rob Zombie with a dash of American Horror Story vibes. I was really feeling the dark, gothic tones of this story.
Hardy is the perfect guy to investigate the disappearances of the women in the town of Angels and Hope. This is because he is broken as well. So, you are kind of rooting for him to solve the disappearances. So that Hardy gets a win under his belt. There is no happy ending with this story. After reading this book and enjoying it so much, I will be checking out more books by this author. Plus, I want to as Mr. Bassoff is a fellow Coloradoan.
Hardy is the perfect guy to investigate the disappearances of the women in the town of Angels and Hope. This is because he is broken as well. So, you are kind of rooting for him to solve the disappearances. So that Hardy gets a win under his belt. There is no happy ending with this story. After reading this book and enjoying it so much, I will be checking out more books by this author. Plus, I want to as Mr. Bassoff is a fellow Coloradoan.
September 29, 2020
Captain Clive’s Dreamworld is a two night upset stomach followed by repeated paper cuts and lime juice. Under that colorful, upbeat cover is a tar-pit black quagmire with no ropes, no lifelines. Just a series of boots trying to kick your teeth in. Imagine Mr. Hood’s Holiday House, expanded into a town, and ruled by unscrupulous family bound by image and starving for wealth and you’ll have gained a one-way entrance into Dreamworld. Don’t forget your souvenir wings.
4.5/ 5
4.5/ 5
October 13, 2020
In this quaint little town everything is fake and perfectly manufactured bliss, but nothing is as it seems. And deputy Hardy, who is dealing with his own demons, begins to see the cracks pretty quickly. Sure this has all the requisite pieces: perversion of the “American dream”, fake plastic veneer of society, rampant hypocrisy, shocking revelations and twisted horror, etc. But it also has a protagonist who is coming in with baggage of his own, and that adds another dimension.
I did find myself frustrated with Hardy, who seems to have no agency of his own and merely lets the story carry him along. I found myself wanting to yell at him to DO SOMETHING. There’s also a climactic scene near the end that was, in my opinion, entirely too graphic in an unnecessary way. I had to put the book down and to be honest I didn’t even want to finish it. I had to reflect for a day before giving my rating.
Overall the book is a lot of fun. The pacing is great, slowly building the dread with long moments of unease punctuated by instanced of shocking vulgarity. While reading I found myself thinking about the best parts of Hot Fuzz, Bioshock Infinite, mother!, Black Mirror, and basically any good cult film. It’s quite a trip, and for the most part it’s worth the ride 🎢
I did find myself frustrated with Hardy, who seems to have no agency of his own and merely lets the story carry him along. I found myself wanting to yell at him to DO SOMETHING. There’s also a climactic scene near the end that was, in my opinion, entirely too graphic in an unnecessary way. I had to put the book down and to be honest I didn’t even want to finish it. I had to reflect for a day before giving my rating.
Overall the book is a lot of fun. The pacing is great, slowly building the dread with long moments of unease punctuated by instanced of shocking vulgarity. While reading I found myself thinking about the best parts of Hot Fuzz, Bioshock Infinite, mother!, Black Mirror, and basically any good cult film. It’s quite a trip, and for the most part it’s worth the ride 🎢
December 4, 2020
Gutteral and provocative but...
Was it all too much? I find when you can't come up for air, the thickness of the misery loses its potency. This is horrific, and that is horrific. And this is also horrific. Sometimes we need a little hope to raise us up, so when that foul arm of disgust comes down to sink us down into the mire of horror, then at least we feel it. Lovely writing, great story and concept. Just too thickly spread for me.
Was it all too much? I find when you can't come up for air, the thickness of the misery loses its potency. This is horrific, and that is horrific. And this is also horrific. Sometimes we need a little hope to raise us up, so when that foul arm of disgust comes down to sink us down into the mire of horror, then at least we feel it. Lovely writing, great story and concept. Just too thickly spread for me.
September 7, 2020
It's difficult to separate the political commentary from the exegis of plot in Captain Clive's Dreamworld, given how closely the story reflects American politics in the Trump era. The titular Dreamworld is a theme park in the vein of Disney World, a magical place of optimism where all of your dreams can come true, and it is supported by the small, whitebread community of Angels and Hope. Angels and Hope is the perfect representation of the American Dream and the idyllic nostalgia for a great Christian-American past that never was, a crime-free suburb where everyone knows your name, even if you've only just arrived, and neighbors stop you to deliver freshly baked cookies and wave cheerfully from windows. It's the 1950s of Leave it to Beaver brought to life in roaring color. But, much like that classic sitcom, it's all a falsity, little more than a pleasant imagining that ignores the reality of the world surrounding it.
The builder of all this, Captain Clive, is a (supposedly) self-made, super-wealthy capitalist with two creepy, sneering children, and a money-grubbing wife. To the denizens of Angels and Hope, he's a messianic figure who, with his seasonally themed neighborhoods of white colonials, has made this particular corner of white America great again and who has inspired a disturbingly cultish following who perform abhorrent deeds in his name. According to his followers cum worshippers, he's dined with Jesus and signed the Declaration of Independence on the way to building this slice of Americana perfection. Strangely, though, Dreamworld itself is largely empty and disused, save for the locals, and the hotels meant to sustain an imagined thriving tourist industry are equally desolate.
Angels and Hope seems like a town kept alive by little more than the power of dreams itself, but what really keeps the monorail running on time is a far darker secret, one that recently transplanted Deputy Sam Hardy intends to discover. Assigned to Angels and Hope, Hardy arrives in town under a cloud of suspicion after the murder of a hooker, a reminder that life outside the picturesque dreams of Captain Clive is far from ideal, a brutal interrupt of reality on the perfectly crafted illusion that has been cultivated there.
Captain Clive's Dreamworld represents an interesting culmination in the career of Jon Bassoff thus far, falling somewhere in-between the surrealism of Factory Town and the more straightforward crime noir of his recent The Lantern Man. Angels and Hope strikes a chord that's more Twin Peaks than Mayfield, albeit one that is far less soap operatic and cut with a far meaner and more cynical edge. There's no Log Lady, but we do get three Macbethian witches and the occasional detour into the violent dangers of group think and collective violence. While there are plenty of oddities surrounding the town of Angels and Hope, it's people, and Hardy himself, the narrative is less reliant on the dream logic of stories like The Drive-Thru Crematorium and the delusory descriptions and brain-bending scenarios Bassoff's dedicated fans are accustomed to feel a bit lighter this time around.
This is not necessarily a bad thing at all, though. Bassoff clearly has a lot to say about the current state of Americana, our collective dreams and ambitions, and the stubborn, willful persistence of blind followers - the damage they're willing to cause and the immorality they'll look away from in order to make their own conditions comfortable, or at least bearable. There's a lot going on this book and Bassoff explores it all in gritty, unflinching detail, even, on some occasions, daring you to look away. There are moments that you hope are little more than a dream, but as with most fantasies, there's a stark reality hidden beneath, tucked away in the darkest shadows and festering, waiting to be discovered.
The builder of all this, Captain Clive, is a (supposedly) self-made, super-wealthy capitalist with two creepy, sneering children, and a money-grubbing wife. To the denizens of Angels and Hope, he's a messianic figure who, with his seasonally themed neighborhoods of white colonials, has made this particular corner of white America great again and who has inspired a disturbingly cultish following who perform abhorrent deeds in his name. According to his followers cum worshippers, he's dined with Jesus and signed the Declaration of Independence on the way to building this slice of Americana perfection. Strangely, though, Dreamworld itself is largely empty and disused, save for the locals, and the hotels meant to sustain an imagined thriving tourist industry are equally desolate.
Angels and Hope seems like a town kept alive by little more than the power of dreams itself, but what really keeps the monorail running on time is a far darker secret, one that recently transplanted Deputy Sam Hardy intends to discover. Assigned to Angels and Hope, Hardy arrives in town under a cloud of suspicion after the murder of a hooker, a reminder that life outside the picturesque dreams of Captain Clive is far from ideal, a brutal interrupt of reality on the perfectly crafted illusion that has been cultivated there.
Captain Clive's Dreamworld represents an interesting culmination in the career of Jon Bassoff thus far, falling somewhere in-between the surrealism of Factory Town and the more straightforward crime noir of his recent The Lantern Man. Angels and Hope strikes a chord that's more Twin Peaks than Mayfield, albeit one that is far less soap operatic and cut with a far meaner and more cynical edge. There's no Log Lady, but we do get three Macbethian witches and the occasional detour into the violent dangers of group think and collective violence. While there are plenty of oddities surrounding the town of Angels and Hope, it's people, and Hardy himself, the narrative is less reliant on the dream logic of stories like The Drive-Thru Crematorium and the delusory descriptions and brain-bending scenarios Bassoff's dedicated fans are accustomed to feel a bit lighter this time around.
This is not necessarily a bad thing at all, though. Bassoff clearly has a lot to say about the current state of Americana, our collective dreams and ambitions, and the stubborn, willful persistence of blind followers - the damage they're willing to cause and the immorality they'll look away from in order to make their own conditions comfortable, or at least bearable. There's a lot going on this book and Bassoff explores it all in gritty, unflinching detail, even, on some occasions, daring you to look away. There are moments that you hope are little more than a dream, but as with most fantasies, there's a stark reality hidden beneath, tucked away in the darkest shadows and festering, waiting to be discovered.
February 22, 2021
This book was so trippy and messed up and totally right up my alley. I loved it!!! We all know what happens in small towns but nothing will prepare you for Angels and Hope, this place is for nightmares. This book will take you to an imaginative place where nothing is as it seems and yet not really that far from the truth. Was it real or a delusion?
Jon Bassoff is a seriously messed up guy in the best way possible. With the reading world being saturated with maistream plots his book was a breath of fresh air. Very unique and thought provoking.
Please note PLENTY of trigger warnings!!! After some scenes, I just needed a stiff drink and maybe a puke bucket! Great job 👏🏻 and I need more Jon Bassoff in my life.
Jon Bassoff is a seriously messed up guy in the best way possible. With the reading world being saturated with maistream plots his book was a breath of fresh air. Very unique and thought provoking.
Please note PLENTY of trigger warnings!!! After some scenes, I just needed a stiff drink and maybe a puke bucket! Great job 👏🏻 and I need more Jon Bassoff in my life.
February 24, 2021
Review first appeared on Starlit Shelves.
*An e-ARC was received in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
TW: Pedophilia, Assault of a Minor, Incest
Not very many books can bring me back to my time as a theme park employee and make me wonder if I had actually been involved in some sort of a cult. I will say, that if I was in a cult, it was nowhere as twisted and disturbed as Captain Clive’s. Anyways, if you love theme parks, and also want to know what an ideal theme park is when it’s turned slightly creepy, you should definitely pick up this book. (Just keep in mind the trigger warnings!)
Lately, I’ve found myself in a reading slump. I pick up a book, only to have to drag myself through it. What usually takes me a day or two is taking a week or two. Captain Clive’s Dreamworld has been the cure to my slump. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down until I was finished.
Having lived the theme park life (read: I worked for a park and lived in company sponsored housing, surrounded by other employees at pretty much all times), I could completely relate to the setting of Angels and Hope. In fact, I found myself picturing the town of Celebration, Florida (a town that was originally developed by the Walt Disney Company).
Now, my neighbors while living in company sponsored housing weren’t as fanatical as the citizens of Angels and Hope, I couldn’t help but notice how real it all felt. However, my neighbors also weren’t as perfect-seeming as the people who live in Angels and Hope (I certainly am not).
I felt as though Deputy Sam Hardy was the perfect character to bring us through this story. His cynicism was the perfect tool to help me, as a reader slowly uncover all of the shady things happening in Angels and Hope. He could have just taken the easy road, but no, he decides that everything can’t be perfect all the time, and boy was he right. I just wish he wasn’t as right as he was.
I don’t want to go too much into details, but the plot twists with the citizens of Angels and Hope, as well as Sam, just blew me away. At first glance, they might come out of nowhere, but if you look careful, Bassoff has laid the seeds very well. I remember thinking that the few customers showing up to the Dreamworld were involved in one sort of crime, only to find out that they were involved in something that I completely didn’t even expect.
Then there was the ending. That ending. I’m writing this review almost a week after finishing the book, and I still haven’t been able to find all of the words I need in order to explain how I feel about it, without giving too much away. I will say that it was perfect.
Not very many books can bring me back to my time as a theme park employee and make me wonder if I had actually been involved in some sort of a cult. I will say, that if I was in a cult, it was nowhere as twisted and disturbed as Captain Clive’s. Anyways, if you love theme parks, and also want to know what an ideal theme park is when it’s turned slightly creepy, you should definitely pick up this book. (Just keep in mind the trigger warnings!)
*An e-ARC was received in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
TW: Pedophilia, Assault of a Minor, Incest
Not very many books can bring me back to my time as a theme park employee and make me wonder if I had actually been involved in some sort of a cult. I will say, that if I was in a cult, it was nowhere as twisted and disturbed as Captain Clive’s. Anyways, if you love theme parks, and also want to know what an ideal theme park is when it’s turned slightly creepy, you should definitely pick up this book. (Just keep in mind the trigger warnings!)
Lately, I’ve found myself in a reading slump. I pick up a book, only to have to drag myself through it. What usually takes me a day or two is taking a week or two. Captain Clive’s Dreamworld has been the cure to my slump. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down until I was finished.
Having lived the theme park life (read: I worked for a park and lived in company sponsored housing, surrounded by other employees at pretty much all times), I could completely relate to the setting of Angels and Hope. In fact, I found myself picturing the town of Celebration, Florida (a town that was originally developed by the Walt Disney Company).
Now, my neighbors while living in company sponsored housing weren’t as fanatical as the citizens of Angels and Hope, I couldn’t help but notice how real it all felt. However, my neighbors also weren’t as perfect-seeming as the people who live in Angels and Hope (I certainly am not).
I felt as though Deputy Sam Hardy was the perfect character to bring us through this story. His cynicism was the perfect tool to help me, as a reader slowly uncover all of the shady things happening in Angels and Hope. He could have just taken the easy road, but no, he decides that everything can’t be perfect all the time, and boy was he right. I just wish he wasn’t as right as he was.
I don’t want to go too much into details, but the plot twists with the citizens of Angels and Hope, as well as Sam, just blew me away. At first glance, they might come out of nowhere, but if you look careful, Bassoff has laid the seeds very well. I remember thinking that the few customers showing up to the Dreamworld were involved in one sort of crime, only to find out that they were involved in something that I completely didn’t even expect.
Then there was the ending. That ending. I’m writing this review almost a week after finishing the book, and I still haven’t been able to find all of the words I need in order to explain how I feel about it, without giving too much away. I will say that it was perfect.
Not very many books can bring me back to my time as a theme park employee and make me wonder if I had actually been involved in some sort of a cult. I will say, that if I was in a cult, it was nowhere as twisted and disturbed as Captain Clive’s. Anyways, if you love theme parks, and also want to know what an ideal theme park is when it’s turned slightly creepy, you should definitely pick up this book. (Just keep in mind the trigger warnings!)
September 30, 2020
But that's what Angels and Hope was all about. The blurring of reality and fantasy in such a way that it was difficult to tell where one began and the other ended.
Thank you to our author, Jon Bassoff and to Nightworms for a review copy for another Nightworms Bookparty!
I hate to use statements in reviews where I am comparing one book to another to sell you the one I am talking about, however this may be a compliment to the author in that this read like early Stephen King to me. It was like Quitter's Inc. met Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes and had a lovechild that is Captain Clive- This was eerie and creepy in all the right ways.
This was the first time in a long time that I found myself breezing through a story throughly enjoying my reading experience. I was vested in the details that made this story a visual experience that I haven't had in some time. Not like this anyway. This new to me author had you both loving and not trusting in characters from the start. He created a creepy atmosphere that left much and little to the imagination in all the right ways. As a reader you want reading experiences like these where you can visualize the pages as though your mind were a movie reel.
Our story centers around newly appointed Deputy Sam Hardy who becomes a suspect and is sent away to live in the terrifying town of Angels and Hope which is home to the once magnificent Captain Clive's Dreamworld, where dreams really do come true. (Insert in bleach white creepy smile here)
The perfect not so perfect town is packaged as a place that everyone loves and its best if you find yourself loving it too.
Deputy Hardy however begins to investigate the town that never seems to sleep and is a bit to Mayberry for his liking. Of course this will cause him to uncover truths that lead to a deeper understanding of it all.
This story has a masterful blend of horror and mystery that is sure to tantalize your senses and have you devouring this novel with a devilish smile. Superb writing and world building! Highly recommend to those who enjoy mystery, horror, bizzaro and madness with a lovely shade of blood red.
Thank you to our author, Jon Bassoff and to Nightworms for a review copy for another Nightworms Bookparty!
I hate to use statements in reviews where I am comparing one book to another to sell you the one I am talking about, however this may be a compliment to the author in that this read like early Stephen King to me. It was like Quitter's Inc. met Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes and had a lovechild that is Captain Clive- This was eerie and creepy in all the right ways.
This was the first time in a long time that I found myself breezing through a story throughly enjoying my reading experience. I was vested in the details that made this story a visual experience that I haven't had in some time. Not like this anyway. This new to me author had you both loving and not trusting in characters from the start. He created a creepy atmosphere that left much and little to the imagination in all the right ways. As a reader you want reading experiences like these where you can visualize the pages as though your mind were a movie reel.
Our story centers around newly appointed Deputy Sam Hardy who becomes a suspect and is sent away to live in the terrifying town of Angels and Hope which is home to the once magnificent Captain Clive's Dreamworld, where dreams really do come true. (Insert in bleach white creepy smile here)
The perfect not so perfect town is packaged as a place that everyone loves and its best if you find yourself loving it too.
Deputy Hardy however begins to investigate the town that never seems to sleep and is a bit to Mayberry for his liking. Of course this will cause him to uncover truths that lead to a deeper understanding of it all.
This story has a masterful blend of horror and mystery that is sure to tantalize your senses and have you devouring this novel with a devilish smile. Superb writing and world building! Highly recommend to those who enjoy mystery, horror, bizzaro and madness with a lovely shade of blood red.
March 9, 2021
Captain Clive’s Dreamworld is a dark and unsettling story isn’t for everyone, even though it’s written brilliantly. The disturbing twist at the end caught me unawares and still has my head spinning.
I think there should be some trigger warnings, but it might take away the shock factor.
The too-perfect town of Angels and Hope is hiding a disgusting secret, and the townsfolk are party to it. Deputy Hardy tries his best to expose their secret, but is held back by his own past. The way the town operates reminds me of a certain hermit country, minus the sexual depravity.
Deputy Hardy says, at one point, that the town is besieged by collective amnesia and collective guilt. I would add collective madness to the mix.
The story is the stuff of nightmares. Everything has a surreal, dreamy quality–but it’s really happening. The wordplay around dreams–the dream town of Captain Clive, the realization of his vision–is a continuous thread through the book, keeping it together.
“This is Captain Clive’s Dreamworld. Where a new dream is only a moment away.”
“…he wondered if the last several hours had just been a fever dream, whether anybody had really been there at all.”
“Dreams like butterflies..”
“The true dreamers are inside. The rest will be here eventually.”
There’s a clever attempt to explain the groupthink of the town as “Collective Tribal Prosopagnosia” in a classroom scene, but, in my opinion, it’s a flimsy excuse.
The townsfolk have descended to their basest nature and are doing what they can to survive.
“This was a town of myths, a town of idyllic order, a town that had been manufactured to illicit nostalgia for a time that never was.”
Brilliant, evocative book with crime and horror elements that keep you asking for more. I can’t believe I enjoyed the perversity of the story so much. It felt satisfying to read about the disgust, the filth, the hopelessness, and the overwhelming sadness of it all.
Bassoff’s storytelling has affected me powerfully, and I know I’ll be thinking about it for quite some time.
(I received an e-ARC from Damppebbles Blog Tours with a request for an honest review.)
I think there should be some trigger warnings, but it might take away the shock factor.
The too-perfect town of Angels and Hope is hiding a disgusting secret, and the townsfolk are party to it. Deputy Hardy tries his best to expose their secret, but is held back by his own past. The way the town operates reminds me of a certain hermit country, minus the sexual depravity.
Deputy Hardy says, at one point, that the town is besieged by collective amnesia and collective guilt. I would add collective madness to the mix.
The story is the stuff of nightmares. Everything has a surreal, dreamy quality–but it’s really happening. The wordplay around dreams–the dream town of Captain Clive, the realization of his vision–is a continuous thread through the book, keeping it together.
“This is Captain Clive’s Dreamworld. Where a new dream is only a moment away.”
“…he wondered if the last several hours had just been a fever dream, whether anybody had really been there at all.”
“Dreams like butterflies..”
“The true dreamers are inside. The rest will be here eventually.”
There’s a clever attempt to explain the groupthink of the town as “Collective Tribal Prosopagnosia” in a classroom scene, but, in my opinion, it’s a flimsy excuse.
The townsfolk have descended to their basest nature and are doing what they can to survive.
“This was a town of myths, a town of idyllic order, a town that had been manufactured to illicit nostalgia for a time that never was.”
Brilliant, evocative book with crime and horror elements that keep you asking for more. I can’t believe I enjoyed the perversity of the story so much. It felt satisfying to read about the disgust, the filth, the hopelessness, and the overwhelming sadness of it all.
Bassoff’s storytelling has affected me powerfully, and I know I’ll be thinking about it for quite some time.
(I received an e-ARC from Damppebbles Blog Tours with a request for an honest review.)
February 19, 2021
Also reviewed on www.curiosityboughtthebook.com
Deputy Sam Hardy certainly isn’t one of the good guys. Even though he is a keeper of the law, he comes with his own troubles and problems. Thing is, he specifically likes to seek out trouble. After he gets caught up in the death of a young woman, his supervisor sends him to a town called Angels and Hope. Now, this town is in the midst of the desert, and only exists because of an amusement park by the name of Captain Clive’s Dreamworld.
As soon as he arrives he realizes something isn’t right with the town and the townsfolk. They are all way too happy, and they keep reassuring him there is no crime in Angels and Hope. As Hardy starts digging deeper, he realizes that girls keep going missing and no one seems to care. But looking into those missing girls puts Hardy into a dangerous position, and he soon can’t tell what is real and what isn’t anymore.
My review:
After finishing this book, I had to take a moment to process what just happened. Bassoff really grabs you by the throat in the last stages of the book, and knocks the breath out of your lungs. I mean, the entire book already felt like an odd fever dream, but it isn’t until you get close to the end that things become really dark and twisted.
I loved the atmosphere of this book. I was imagining it almost like an episode of The Twilight Zone that Hardy found himself in. It was weird, but written so well. I only wished certain scenes wouldn’t have been quite so graphic. It really came out of nowhere, and I was a bit shocked. It didn’t put me off the book though, as I still think it’s excellent.
Deputy Sam Hardy certainly isn’t one of the good guys. Even though he is a keeper of the law, he comes with his own troubles and problems. Thing is, he specifically likes to seek out trouble. After he gets caught up in the death of a young woman, his supervisor sends him to a town called Angels and Hope. Now, this town is in the midst of the desert, and only exists because of an amusement park by the name of Captain Clive’s Dreamworld.
As soon as he arrives he realizes something isn’t right with the town and the townsfolk. They are all way too happy, and they keep reassuring him there is no crime in Angels and Hope. As Hardy starts digging deeper, he realizes that girls keep going missing and no one seems to care. But looking into those missing girls puts Hardy into a dangerous position, and he soon can’t tell what is real and what isn’t anymore.
My review:
After finishing this book, I had to take a moment to process what just happened. Bassoff really grabs you by the throat in the last stages of the book, and knocks the breath out of your lungs. I mean, the entire book already felt like an odd fever dream, but it isn’t until you get close to the end that things become really dark and twisted.
I loved the atmosphere of this book. I was imagining it almost like an episode of The Twilight Zone that Hardy found himself in. It was weird, but written so well. I only wished certain scenes wouldn’t have been quite so graphic. It really came out of nowhere, and I was a bit shocked. It didn’t put me off the book though, as I still think it’s excellent.
February 20, 2021
Many thanks to Blackthorn Book Tours, Jon Bassoff, and Eraserhead Press for providing me with a digital copy of Captain Clive’s Dreamworld with a request for an honest review.
I’ve seen Captain Clive’s Dreamworld compared to The Twilight Zone mixed with Twin Peaks. This comparison is what drew me to the book. But, friends, this book is not your average Twilight Zone episode. It is gruesome and so twisted that I am still trying to straighten myself out.
The world that Bassoff creates is interesting in a weird way. You have a definite taste of The Stepford Wives in this so-called crime-free town. You know right away that these people are not right, but no idea why. The unease was a niggle under the surface for a bit. Then when the story started to piece together, I became appalled.
I will fully admit to being a bit sick to my stomach through this book. I was sobbing through many parts of this disturbing tale. I mean, if it were just the Stepford families, or crazy killer clowns or something, I could handle that. But, there is such darkness that I will be heartsick for a long time, and that is even if I can forget what I’ve read.
The events in this book are not to my liking, but you can’t take Bassoff’s incredible imagination for granted. This writing in this novel is brilliant. All I can say is that I wish that Jon Bassoff had been my English teacher. The man is, to use his word, deranged, but an absolute genius as well!
I award Captain Clive’s Dreamworld 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book if you are looking for something far from the beaten path. If you like a little deranged genius, you might enjoy this one.
I’ve seen Captain Clive’s Dreamworld compared to The Twilight Zone mixed with Twin Peaks. This comparison is what drew me to the book. But, friends, this book is not your average Twilight Zone episode. It is gruesome and so twisted that I am still trying to straighten myself out.
The world that Bassoff creates is interesting in a weird way. You have a definite taste of The Stepford Wives in this so-called crime-free town. You know right away that these people are not right, but no idea why. The unease was a niggle under the surface for a bit. Then when the story started to piece together, I became appalled.
I will fully admit to being a bit sick to my stomach through this book. I was sobbing through many parts of this disturbing tale. I mean, if it were just the Stepford families, or crazy killer clowns or something, I could handle that. But, there is such darkness that I will be heartsick for a long time, and that is even if I can forget what I’ve read.
The events in this book are not to my liking, but you can’t take Bassoff’s incredible imagination for granted. This writing in this novel is brilliant. All I can say is that I wish that Jon Bassoff had been my English teacher. The man is, to use his word, deranged, but an absolute genius as well!
I award Captain Clive’s Dreamworld 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book if you are looking for something far from the beaten path. If you like a little deranged genius, you might enjoy this one.
December 9, 2020
Captain Clive's Dreamworld follows an unlucky and haunted protagonist, Deputy Hardy, to the small, seemingly idyllic town of Angels and Hope when he is transferred. Soon after he arrives in the strange town he realizes that nightmares lurk just beneath its perfect facade. He learns that its denizens are perhaps a little more unhinged than your usual small-town folk, their pretenses of goodness and sanity slipping away more and more as he acquaints himself with the new place. Captain Clive's Dreamworld is what happens when we stray too far from the gray area in which we tend to exist and find ourselves entering a darkness from which there is no coming back. In this climate of moral bankruptcy and rampant madness there rises an economy of sin that gives our main character sleepless night after sleepless night. He is desperate to get to the core of it, solve the case, and save the day. Will he fail in his pursuit of justice? Will he conform and become part of the Angels and Hope way of life? Or worse yet, will he be forced to face his own demons?
Jon Bassoff is a master weaver of tales. His delivery is superb, and he knows how to hook the reader and whisk him or her through the story. In the case of Captain Clive's Dreamworld, Bassoff takes so many real-life issues relevant to our world and injects them into the bizarre vein of his work. What's more, he clearly has a very dark and messed-up mind that he shamelessly invites into to explore.
Thanks a lot for adding yet another layer of scar tissue to my already battered psyche, Bassoff. It was a pleasure.
Jon Bassoff is a master weaver of tales. His delivery is superb, and he knows how to hook the reader and whisk him or her through the story. In the case of Captain Clive's Dreamworld, Bassoff takes so many real-life issues relevant to our world and injects them into the bizarre vein of his work. What's more, he clearly has a very dark and messed-up mind that he shamelessly invites into to explore.
Thanks a lot for adding yet another layer of scar tissue to my already battered psyche, Bassoff. It was a pleasure.
October 23, 2020
This is an onyx gem of a book and worth every penny
I’m all too familiar with author Jon Bassoff, having published him in my time with DarkFuse. And when I heard Eraserhead Press was releasing his next novel, I was definitely eager to read Bassoff’s work from the other side of the spectrum…as a fan and reader of dark literature.
With Jon, it’s an understatement to claim his work is just dark. It’s dark definitely, but gritty, surreal, and at times his prose and stories have the tendency to drag you down into that very dark creative recesses of Jon’s imagination.
Captain Clive’s Dreamworld can be best summed up as the idea of one person’s hell being another person’s paradise or vice versa. This novel takes you to a town called Angels and Hope, alongside protagonist Sam Hardy, to an oasis of escape from the horrible realities of the real world.
The first impressions of Angels and Hope, through the perspectives of Hardy, lean to an early conclusion that the utopia is false, more hell than heaven, formed by lies not truth. The cultish behavior of its townspeople under the mysterious leadership of Captain Clive is the engine to the mystery that unravels during the book. But also the mystery of how squeaky clean or relatively filthy the protagonist (by way of his past) really is.
The notion that hell and heaven are very subjective ideas and are interchangeable is one of the many underlying themes populating this novel. It is mirrored with a slight snub to capitalism and the American dream (from my perspective of interpretation), of how society and social media paint alternate realities for its citizens. Bassoff’s tale also digs in the dirt looking for humanity’s collective soul and what he finds, using the vehicle of his main character, Mr. Sam Hardy, is probably not what most readers will expect in the end.
Overall, this is an onyx gem of a book and worth every penny. It’ll make you think, wonder and ultimately may even depress you (but in the most artistically positive way possible). Congratulations to Jon for adding yet another solid release to his bibliography.
Full review appears at IndieMuse:
https://www.myindiemuse.com/book-revi...
I’m all too familiar with author Jon Bassoff, having published him in my time with DarkFuse. And when I heard Eraserhead Press was releasing his next novel, I was definitely eager to read Bassoff’s work from the other side of the spectrum…as a fan and reader of dark literature.
With Jon, it’s an understatement to claim his work is just dark. It’s dark definitely, but gritty, surreal, and at times his prose and stories have the tendency to drag you down into that very dark creative recesses of Jon’s imagination.
Captain Clive’s Dreamworld can be best summed up as the idea of one person’s hell being another person’s paradise or vice versa. This novel takes you to a town called Angels and Hope, alongside protagonist Sam Hardy, to an oasis of escape from the horrible realities of the real world.
The first impressions of Angels and Hope, through the perspectives of Hardy, lean to an early conclusion that the utopia is false, more hell than heaven, formed by lies not truth. The cultish behavior of its townspeople under the mysterious leadership of Captain Clive is the engine to the mystery that unravels during the book. But also the mystery of how squeaky clean or relatively filthy the protagonist (by way of his past) really is.
The notion that hell and heaven are very subjective ideas and are interchangeable is one of the many underlying themes populating this novel. It is mirrored with a slight snub to capitalism and the American dream (from my perspective of interpretation), of how society and social media paint alternate realities for its citizens. Bassoff’s tale also digs in the dirt looking for humanity’s collective soul and what he finds, using the vehicle of his main character, Mr. Sam Hardy, is probably not what most readers will expect in the end.
Overall, this is an onyx gem of a book and worth every penny. It’ll make you think, wonder and ultimately may even depress you (but in the most artistically positive way possible). Congratulations to Jon for adding yet another solid release to his bibliography.
Full review appears at IndieMuse:
https://www.myindiemuse.com/book-revi...
September 30, 2020
”The secrets of his bedroom were nothing compared to the secrets of his mind.”
I want to start my review by stating just how uncomfortable and unsettling this book is. With underlying happy tones this book takes a super sinister turn. Filled with a super creepy town, with super creepy people, and super creepy smiles, yes please.
Jon Bassof sure knows how to world-build. This book’s setting is so fantastic and dark. The characters are fascinating but irritating at the same time. I found myself screaming and heartbroken, mad and in disbelief, and more often than not I was left with my mouth agape. What would you do for material things? Let me rephrase that for free material things? If you want to find out what most would do then read this book. Just know that it deals with some heavy topics that are super hard to read. This is true horror at its finest, IMO. What humans are capable of is truly horrific, and Bassoff really captures this throughout this novel.
Captain Clive’s Dreamworld is masterfully written and will definitely grip you from page one. But I warn you enter at your own risk cause once you’re in, you’re in and you won’t be able to look away. Poor Hardy!
I want to start my review by stating just how uncomfortable and unsettling this book is. With underlying happy tones this book takes a super sinister turn. Filled with a super creepy town, with super creepy people, and super creepy smiles, yes please.
Jon Bassof sure knows how to world-build. This book’s setting is so fantastic and dark. The characters are fascinating but irritating at the same time. I found myself screaming and heartbroken, mad and in disbelief, and more often than not I was left with my mouth agape. What would you do for material things? Let me rephrase that for free material things? If you want to find out what most would do then read this book. Just know that it deals with some heavy topics that are super hard to read. This is true horror at its finest, IMO. What humans are capable of is truly horrific, and Bassoff really captures this throughout this novel.
Captain Clive’s Dreamworld is masterfully written and will definitely grip you from page one. But I warn you enter at your own risk cause once you’re in, you’re in and you won’t be able to look away. Poor Hardy!
December 3, 2020
Nothing good ever happens after midnight. I’m looking at the clock and it’s 12:17 am. Sleep feels elusive. I’ve finished Bassoff’s latest and I feel...what, somehow unburdened? Was that an intended outcome? A review of a previous title mentioned, “What the f@ck did I just read?” And that may be appropriate here. But the content of this novel really has shed light on the monster within myself and perhaps in all of us. It’s the whispering demon that supplies a “what if” to every interaction and scenario we can envision that will never manifest unless we cross over the guardrail on our 1 to 10 meter of mental imbalance.
So why do I feel “unburdened,” you might ask? Read through chapter 36 and you might have your answer. And hopefully that answer is a resounding understanding of yourself and an understanding of the underlying context in this story. If you get to this point and you find that you are not getting it, then I would say, nothing good ever happens after midnight and maybe your descent into madness is justified and that the town of Angels and Hope should be your permanent residence. Enjoy the cookies.
So why do I feel “unburdened,” you might ask? Read through chapter 36 and you might have your answer. And hopefully that answer is a resounding understanding of yourself and an understanding of the underlying context in this story. If you get to this point and you find that you are not getting it, then I would say, nothing good ever happens after midnight and maybe your descent into madness is justified and that the town of Angels and Hope should be your permanent residence. Enjoy the cookies.
February 22, 2021
Terrifying and Creepily magnificent!
Bassoff pens a terrifyingly magnificent story in Captain Clive’s Dreamworld . I haven't read anything from this author before, and I really enjoyed it. I was drawn into the story from the beginning, and it is simply (well, not simply, more like complex) creepy on the line of pathological. It's a magnificent story that you can't put down, or even look away. The darkness gets darker, and yet, there is some light for grand balance to the story. I like the author's writing style, and imagination as it came to life. There are many metaphors and imagery within the story, and even a sense of mystery and suspense. Captain Clive’s Dreamworld comes to life, as the rawness and intrigue jumps off the page, making you feel part of the story, and jump at the slightest sound behind you. If you love a good psychological thriller, this book should be next on your list. This story was intriguing and kept the reader guessing. Let's just hope that in this story, dreams don't come true. I definitely loved this story. Bassoff has a new fan. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
Bassoff pens a terrifyingly magnificent story in Captain Clive’s Dreamworld . I haven't read anything from this author before, and I really enjoyed it. I was drawn into the story from the beginning, and it is simply (well, not simply, more like complex) creepy on the line of pathological. It's a magnificent story that you can't put down, or even look away. The darkness gets darker, and yet, there is some light for grand balance to the story. I like the author's writing style, and imagination as it came to life. There are many metaphors and imagery within the story, and even a sense of mystery and suspense. Captain Clive’s Dreamworld comes to life, as the rawness and intrigue jumps off the page, making you feel part of the story, and jump at the slightest sound behind you. If you love a good psychological thriller, this book should be next on your list. This story was intriguing and kept the reader guessing. Let's just hope that in this story, dreams don't come true. I definitely loved this story. Bassoff has a new fan. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
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