This was an okay audiobook. I was actually expecting a lot more based on the blurb but sadly my curiosity wasn't satisfied, thanks to the lack of mystery, intrigue and detailed storytelling. This could've worked out if it was a little better thought-out and planned, and some length would've done the book good to elaborate on situations and feelings.

3 stars. Weird, psychedelic, fast paced. I'm not sure enjoyable is the correct word, but was it good? Yes. Did I like it? Maybe? If you like odd, kinda scary books, give this one a go.

When I first went to ask for this book I thought it was just a short story collection; only later I realized the stories were all interconnected.
The first and last story act as a narrative frame to the other tales, which could be just dreams or something more. It certainly appears to be so, since at the end some of the elements of those distant worlds will be reoccurring.

➡ Nostalgia pt. I - ★★☆☆☆
I appreciated the setting, that's for sure. On the other hand, as I went on listening, I'm sorry to say this one sounded more and more pretentious.

➡ Negative Waves - ★★★★★
I loved this one. It was exactly what I came here for and what I expected when I first read the title of the book.

➡ The Church of Death and Nothingness - ★★★★☆
This one felt like an episode from the Twilight Zone.

➡ Apokalypsis - ★★★☆☆
I thought it said "Apotheosis" at first, and by the end I'm under the impression that it wouldn't have been wrong for a title, either...

➡ Nostalgia pt. II - ★★☆☆☆
Now, here I have a problem. I feel like there was too much time spent on this story, both by the author while writing it, and by the final lenght of it. The first 15 minutes or so could have been easily skipped and the story wouldn't have lost anything; I believe I would have even liked it more. That is part of the problem, yes, but in fact even taking away the first good chunk you really have an issue.
This story fails both the Bechdel Test and the Sexy Lamp one; kind of a feat, not gonna lie. You could fail at one while having good results with the other, but here it felt like the author only knows of women via conversations with other men. Based on the first 15 minutes only, I would have thought the author has never talked, or worse listened to a woman in real life.
If you don't know how to write female* characters, please talk to people who do, otherwise just stop writing them. It's no inclusion if it's a bad one.

All in all, not bad: I came here expecting astronauts and I'm satisfied by what I found. I feel like there were references to the author's other stories, but I'd have to read more of his books to test this theory.

I approved the decision of making Connor Brannigan the narrator; he certainly knows what he's doing. The words were well articulated, the voices quite distinct; he set a tone that is calm and precise without lulling me to sleep. Kudos.


[*I'm talking about women in this case, but you could replace 'female' with POC, WOC, people with handicaps or disabilities and so on...]

This is the first audiobook I've heard, and I'm so glad this book was my first experience with this format.

The story gave me vibes to a series of short stories called, Love, Death + Robots. ❤️💀🤖 At first it seems that each short story has no purpose or direction, as if it were a story floating alone in a vast sea, but if you pay attention to the small details you will realize that everything is related. It is like a puzzle, and I loved finding the pieces and trying to put it together.

Emphasis on: “trying to”

I have so many questions and doubts regarding some things, and apparently I will have to listen to the other books in the series to understand… I already saw that the first one is called The Tower, and in this, which is the third part in the series, a place called The Tower is mentioned several times… So if I want answers, I have to read the others.

My favorite short was The Church of Death and Nothingness, it took some interesting turns and twists.

The narrator did an excellent job and I loved his voice 🤤. Please, raise his paycheck 😅

Astronauts and hornet larvae do not mix. In William Pauley’ III’s world they seem to mix quiet nicely. The group of short stories build on each other. When I got to the last story I kept thinking that this one is not going to tie into the others, then bam, it did. If you looking for strange horror and bizarro fiction you do not need to go any further. Pauley is the king of this genre. A very short audiobook. You can get through it in under 2 hours. I enjoyed it.

This book cover is so great! I was instantly drawn to it and was so excited to download the audio. I found the stories interesting. I loved the little pieces of the story that made the characters human, the swearing and yelling, the push to survive by befriending things inside you, and even the fight to save a boy. The stories had pieces that made them gory or scary but also pieces of the people that were in it that kept you grounded a bit in reality. I was hooked with each little glimpse into what was going on and I loved that it was quick listen.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook in exchange for a review.

Ok first of all - the narrator did an outstanding job!! And second - what a fever dream of a book it was!!! I have mixed feelings about it.

If I were to rate it based on the writing: 4 ⭐️
Cause the writing was amazing, painting such vivid images.
Based on whether I enjoyed it: 3 ⭐️

I don't know what I just listened to but I don't want to listen to it again 💀 weird isn't the right word neither is disturbing. It wasn't bad but it definitely had me thinking "wtf is happening" 👀👀👀 the entire time

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook for The Astronaut Dream Book by William Pauley III.

This was my first experience with William Pauley III's writing style. I enjoyed the prose as it was descriptive without being too over the top. With that said, if you were to ask me to summarize this collection of short stories I wouldn't be able to recall most of what I heard. Largely because so much odd stuff happens that I felt like my imagination was in overdrive, so sometimes I would zone out. I did enjoy the short story Nostalgia Pt. 2. I am not sure if Doom Fiction is for me and maybe that's why this book didn't resonate with me. If you are into that subgenre then I think you'd likely enjoy this series of short stories. While each collection can be read out of order, I do think starting from book #1 could be helpful to newcomers as it helps establish Eight Block and the weirdness that happens within The Tower.

Connor Brannigan did a great job as a narrator. His reading tempo was perfect and he did a fantastic job portraying emotions in a realistic way.

I'm not familiar enough with genre of horror, but somehow listening to those short novellas takes me out of my comfort zone. This time, we have seemingly separate short stories that, in the end, come together into the last chapter that explains a bit more what we experienced. It's different than the previous installment: White Fuzz, tho it still covets the nasty and ugly of bugs and other pests. This time, we are out in the space, Venus to be exact where some strange creatures attacked the astronaut that miracusly survived in this environment. This experience changes him. Later on, we met other characters, I was a little bit lost on their connection to the story, but what captivated me most was the writing and voice of the narrator. I'd say it was short and sweet.

'The Astronaut Dream Book’ is the third installment of the Bedlam Bible series from William Pauley III. It is a series of short stories that are subtly intertwined and delivers an ending with some seriously powerful imagery.
This is the first title I have read from this author and I am now very intrigued to see what else he has produced. It was a little confusing at first and I'm still not entirely sure I fully understand, HOWEVER I will definitely be going back to the beginning of the series and giving it a full read through because this was some insanely interesting writing!
Recommended for those who love a quick Horror story to get their imagination rolling!
<!> An enormous Thank You to NetGalley, Doom Fiction, & William Pauley III for allowing me the opportunity to read this title in exchange for my honest review. <!>

I'd listen to Connor Brannigan narrate just about anything.
Gave this a shot after Fight Tub and I wasn't disappointment. A strange dip into a prisoners mind and what dreams can become.
These novellas are wonderful for a quick flight, or your weekly commute. If anything they give you a talking point!

In The Astronaut Dream Book, we are granted a fascinating glimpse into the psyche of a poisoned man trapped within the confines of the enigmatic Eighth Block Tower. Through his dreams, we are taken on an otherworldly journey where he envisions himself as an astronaut, but these dreams are far from serene. Instead, the astronaut finds himself bombarded with negative waves, creating a haunting and surreal experience (including a weird church on an abandoned planet).

When the astronaut finally awakens from his reverie, the narrative skillfully transitions back to the Tower, seamlessly connecting with a familiar scene. Here, we encounter the young boy who was bitten in the first book, further deepening the interwoven nature of the stories. The tension mounts as the boy rushes to his mother, and we brace ourselves for a confrontation between her and the imprisoned man. The intricate web of connections within the Eighth Block Tower continues to unfold, captivating us with its strangeness.

One of the standout features of the book is undoubtedly the superb narration and masterful descriptions. The author's ability to paint vivid and evocative scenes with words left an indelible impression on my mind. Each sentence is crafted with precision, immersing us fully into the surreal world of dreams and the ominous reality of the Tower.

Another highly recommended installment of the Bedlam Bible series.

A creepy and eerie, adventure of a book of many stories that kept me intrigued to find out more about the series. The narrator was great and kept me interested in the story.

Just when you thought the series couldn't get any stranger, think again because it did. There was a lot of stuff happening in this book and all of it was weird. I can't wait to read Fight Tub, the next book in the Bedlam Bible series. These books are whack.

I love Connor Brannigan's voice and I look forward to finding more audiobooks read by Connor in the future.

What a fever dream this audiobook has been!
I loved those short and weirdly delightful stories, seemingly disjointed but coming perfectly together in the end.
The author has a powerful sense of imagery and you're there, in these nightmarish landscapes, and you cannot look away as you dive further and further into the horror.
I will definitely check the rest of william Pauley III's work.

Short stories to intertwine your mind with the macabre and Halloween vibes of fall slowly falling upon us!

The mystery and draw of the book was definitely there but I think that the transitions between the different story lines felt jumbled and confusing. The storyline felt sparse of detail. This Novella needs a lot of focus and attention and is not really just a casual read. The ending of the book felt rushed but definitely brought the detail in and wrapped up the book as a whole well.

Overall I feel as though if I read the other two books I would have been more invested in this one, but I was not aware when I began reading that this book was part of a series.

OK. No. This is a bizarre stream of consciousness violent and strange and nit even a little entertaining. I don't even understand the point of this story.

“The Astronaut Dreambook: The Bedlam Bible #3”, by William Pauley III, is unsettling sci-fi horror. Strange things happen in Eigth tower block.
In the beginning, we learn that the prison deep within Eighth Block Tower has one prisoner who becomes poisoned and dreams of astronauts. At this point, short sci-fi horror stories begin.
Are these stories dreams? Part 2 will have you wondering as the over-arcing story comes full circle.

"The Astronauts Dreambook: The Bedlam Bible #3" is an intense sci-fi horror novella. Pauley creates an atmosphere with bizarre descriptions. I liked that the parts were connected. The strange descriptions and intense atmosphere captured my attention. I was not expecting bug horror in space 😳. Several sections were unsettling, which I loved!

This is book three. I must read the first two books and explore the strangeness in the eighth block tower. If you love sci- fi horror, I highly recommend this novella. 5 ⭐️