The Tower

I listened to a copy of the audiobook for this book, and I must say that I liked it, the person reading it did a great job narrating the story and even doing some nuances in the voice to introduce other characters.

The story is disturbing, but I did like it, the stories contained in this book kind of come together as one big story, but in general something is very wrong in eight block tower (the place where everything takes place), and if I tell you more it will spoil the story, anyway it is a short book but it is weird and amusing, everything you listen/read, take it with a grain of salt, no one is sane in this book hahah. I will definitely look for more of this author work.

Thank you NetGalley and Doom Fiction for the free AAC and this is my honest opinion.

My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with the audiobook of the Tower. The Tower is a collection of horror short stories about a weird building in Chicago and it’s insane inhabitants. The residents of the building are outcast by society and they all feel trapped in the building. Some of them think that there is radiation in the building that affects their sanity and some think it is some kind of green mucus-like substance. As we read we discover that all residents have mental illness and they live inside their heads. They imagine conspiracies, murders and monsters. It is a weird book but highly entertaining.

Eighth Block in Chicago is a place that the cops don’t even like to go. The residents are lulled by the hum the from building and everyone does and doesn’t have a job. Are the residents being affected by the radiation in the walls, the green brain on the roof, the dark matter in the vacuum, or the mysterious meat that shows up in a cardboard box in the basement. Residents Buzz, Norm, Samantha, and Crater have differing experiences, some of which are deadly.

I decided to listen to this on a whim. I let the story overcome me and didn’t try and analyze it with literary devices or terms. I’m not listening to this to get a grade or examine it with a critique lens. I was surprised how much I did enjoy this. There were a few parts I laughed one was were the game “Destroy All Humans” was being played, I just played it a couple of days ago. Another one was when one of the residents said “what’s a lake monster doing with a set of wings.” I was imaging the person who said it with a rolled eye look.

I listened to the first part of the book at normal speed. The narrator has a nice rich deeper voice. The kind of voice where a grocery list would sound interesting. I eventually sped It up to 1.5 because I was listening to the voice and not the words.

I would recommend this audio to everyone who likes a nice soothing voice and a good story to go with it.

Hallucinations, hidden mics, a killer on the loose, brain matter, and fever dreams. AHHH it's so bizarre and confusing, yet funny and creepy at the same time! I love the writing and the narrator did a really great job on this! Definitely gonna be reading more from this author

• audiobook ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher •

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this short story! The narration is fantastic and the story made me literally laugh out loud at times! My favorite part was where they thought God was yelling at them for shooting a bird at him in heaven! It was all so unbelievably delicious and I really wished there was more when I came to the end! I’m sure this type of book isn’t for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m sure others that like quirky horror will too.

Strap in for a mind-warping ride through three different storylines that at first seem disconnected, but fuse together perfectly. Mr Pauley’s writing is poetic and gritty. It’s how I imagine Edgar Allan Poe would have written the manghwa ‘Sweet Home’. Original story line and true to the “bedlam” in the name Bedlam Bible series. This psychological horror thriller will have you questioning the characters’ realities. Narrator does an excellent job of breathing life into the different characters in this reading. I’m hooked on this series.

The people that live in the eighth tower things are the same but different people called the mutants due to the radiation affects they’ve been living with all their life. Generation after generation have raise their kids in the building they’re happy to call home. There’s the two guys who worship and air mattress the girl who stabbed quote her friend“ because she thought he was the building serial killer but when she found him he had no stabb wounds and had just woken up. The third story is the craziest one was about the guy and the café that is all I’m going to say this was a weird and creepy tail that also made me laugh although it is only two hours long this book is so worth listening to absolutely couldn’t stop listening in Winston head been longer I enjoyed this book so much right after I read it I went and got two more books by the author. I highly recommend this creepy tale for those who love the weird and different I listen to the audiobook and thought the narrator was so good his name is Connor Branigan and I thought he did a superb job and would definitely listen to another book narrated by him. This book was written by William Pauley three and I’ve never heard him but I’m so glad I have now this is the first book in The Bedlam Bible series and I would definitely be down to read the next one. I received it from NetGalley and doomsday press but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

The Tower is a short story that has three short stories in it. All three stories take place in the building of Eight Block Tower. For a horror book, The Tower was never scary or even creepy but parts of it were definitely unsettling. The second short story called In Invalids was the most unsettling of the three. In this story, women in the building are being killed and who the killer is and how it all plays out was really well done. The other two stories were not as strong as this one but were still enjoyable. This is the first book in a series of short stories and this was done well enough that I will be checking out the next book in the series.

Wow! This was a weird, wild ride. So creepy. This book is the first of a series called the Bedlam Bible and I can’t wait to read more. Radiation and crazy people in an apartment is just and cool as it sounds. While this is a short book, there is so much going on.

I think it takes a special writer to get me to vibe with them when it comes to stories like the ones in here. For those who do not know, this is actually another multiple story book with an overarching theme and this may be my favorite one so far.

I just happened to see this on netgalley and jumped on the chance to listen to it.

So in here we have the star of the stories, The Tower. To be honest, I am not absolutely sure what the tower actually is. Is it a place controlled by other people? aliens? demons? or is it just filled with people who need a lot of help?

Regardless, this is a place one does not want to live in, but everyone needs to remember that poor people are people too, even when it comes to living there.

Conner's narration was superb. I loved the way they narrate and will happily listen to anything they want to read.

Wow this was such a great book! It was fun, weird and creepy at times. A lot of crazy things going on in the Eight Block Tower and I’m so excited to dive right into book two.
Highly recommend this fun little book!

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an AudioARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

TW: Murder, use of c-word, sexual harassment, animal death, gory scenes, domestic violence, language, bullying

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Something is happening to the residents of Eighth Block Tower... There's radiation in the walls. Salt covers the hallways. The food and water are poisonous. A giant green brain pulsates under the roof, pumping electric venom throughout the apartment building. The residents are trapped and losing their minds. Sanity is a myth. Sickness is life.
Release Date: January 9th, 2022
Genre: Horror
Pages: 80
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. The plot sounds ridiculously weird and creepy
2. Loved the narrators voice
3. Loved that once Norm dies we switch to Samantha's pov

What I Didn't Like:
1. Radiation said way too many times for such a short book

Overall Thoughts:
Dude I loved this short novella. I got the book from Netgalley and listened to the audiobook - the narrator had such a wonderful voice. I loved this book was absolutely absorbed by the story. I loved all the different pov's from the people in the tower. I am simply obsessed to start the next book and see where we go from what I just learned.

Final Thoughts:
I thought the story reminded me a lot of Welcome to Nightvale in that "creepy things are happening but you don't know" kinda way. I will definitely continue reading what the author has to write.

Like I said I listened to the audiobook and it was wonderful. The sounds change and there's creepy voices. Just a magical moment.

Recommend For:
• Fans that like Welcome to Nightvale

IG | Blog

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my first time reading this authors work. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was comically strange, but not so much that it was corny or incomprehensible. A nice blend of bizarre and an actual story line.

There were a few overly gory scenes, which isn't my usual cup of tea when it comes to horror, but they were fairly brief.

I really enjoyed the dynamics between the female and male characters. The author did a good job portraying the creepy way that we can often be in relationship with women we are attracted to, while not having the female characters ignore it and fall for the man in the end.

There is a good chance that I will check out the rest of the Bedlam Bible series after reading this.

A great horror novella.
Loved this tale of chills, fear and delightfully creepy terror.
It could be futuristic or it could be happening right now!
Lock your doors, turn on the lamp and settle down for a fantastic fright.
The audio version is superbly narrated if you choose to be listening in the dark.

The Tower by William Pauley III is BRILLIANT! With superb and frightening plot points, I was so surprised to read very well-developed characters for a short story, From the first page, I fell in love with Pauley's storytelling and writing style. This novella blew my hair back and all I want to do is read this author's back list.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This author writes some of the weirdest stiff i have ever read, yet I am totally into it. I love that they're nice and short, and quick to get through. If they were full 350+ page books, I would probably feel a little lost, but since they're short ( and not so sweet), I find it easier to suspend disbelief and just go with the flow. Rating 3.5/5


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The was just so trippy. It was a wild ride from beginning to end. It was like a hallucination dream. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip. If you are a fan of the weird and horror, check this one out. I will be picking up the next one. Thank you to NetGalley and Doom Fiction for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a strange book, the first in what is a very strange series.
The Tower in question is Eighth Block, filled with mad people and madder things happening (think Clive Barker writing an episode of Coronation Street but set in a tower block). We have two people insisting dark matter needs to be vaccuumed out of the sky and that the radiation in the block's walls is turning them mad. We then meet a paranoid pair of friends, who find cameras in their homes and their attempts to trace them back to source leads to bloodshed. All in all, a strange but very well written short book.
i received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Doom Fiction for an audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is labelled Bizarro Fiction on Goodreads and I am in complete agreement.
Filled with multiple stories all relating to the Tower this was a well written , if not bizarre, story of different people and their relation to the tower. A bit disturbing but so weird that knowing the grossness is unreal makes it tolerable to listen to. I think I would have enjoyed this more as a teenager.

Recommended for those people who can stretch their minds.

This was a quick and enjoyable read. It read like a series of interlinked short stories and I really liked that. I think that format freed each part to be as weird as it wanted to be without having to commit to an overarching theme and left the reader to just go along with it. I like this kind of kooky horror that is moody but not gory. I looks like this is a series and I'm glad because I would like to read more about this world.

This is such a surprising yet captivating read. I had no clue what would happen and still found myself drawn into the world. I love the POV switch and felt like it added to the overall unknowing factor. Excited to know what will happen in the next book! Love a creepy and quick novella!

Another listen where I wasn't entirely sure what was going on for most of the story, but I just couldn't stop listening! It was awkward in the best way possible.

The Tower by William Pauley III was so scary!!! A terrifying bookthat belongs on every horror-nerd's library shelf! I felt so lucky to get a copy for myself! I have shared on my goodreads, bookstagram, and booktok!

Well I will say this, and I've said it before...William Pauley III and Connor Branigan have once again taken me into the world of 8th block and given me a fun ride through it. By far one of my favorites in this series and the way that Pauley's words are given life by Branigan's voice really brings these stories full circle. Highly Recommend and once again my thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a chance to listen to this crazy collection.

Something is happening to the residents of Eight Block Tower.

This novella contains three short, interwoven stories of the residents of Eight Block Tower in Chicago Illinois. The residents of the tower almost never leave, being shunned by the community around them. Some residents say there is radiation flowing through the walls, mutating and changing the people that live there. One story follows two friends feeding dark matter to their god. The second follows the hunt for someone killing female residents of the tower. And the third follows someone whose greatest wish is for the tower to be destroyed so he can escape from it.

I loved every page of this short book. While there are extremely violent and genuinely upsetting portions of the book there are also sections that are just as funny. I laughed out loud at several points. My favorite story has to be the first one even though that is the shortest in the book. Each story here is amazingly well written. You really get a feel for them and the people in them, despite the general ridiculousness of each story. I desperately want to know more about the residents and more behind the history of the tower in general.

I listened to the audiobook version of this and I recommend that experience. The narrator did an amazing job bringing each of the short stories in this to life.

The stories in this can be a bit intense so I don’t know if I recommend this for the general reader, but I don’t recommend this for fans of horror titles of the appropriate age. This is the second book I’ve read from this author and I’m looking forward to reading more in the future.

4.5/5

Thanks Doom Fiction.

Incredibly weird. Incredibly cool. I can honestly say I’ve never read anything quite like this author’s work. It’s original and different, yet not pretentious or confusing. I usually listen to audiobooks but I read this one in one sitting and was completely engulfed. It’s kinda horror, kinda bizarre paranormal, maybe kinda sci-fi?

Much of what I mentioned in my review of White Fuzz is true for The Tower- the storyline is easy to follow, the dialogue and language is believable and the details are incredible. Again, like with White Fuzz, I won’t go into much of the plot, but I would definitely recommend if you wanna read something different. It’s not your average “thriller”.

4.5 out of 5 stars only because I wish it was longer. However, as I continue the series I’m getting more of Eighth Block and perhaps I should just be patient and continue reading lolllll

This is an amazing novella. Part horrific horror, part comedy, this had me laughing and saying WTF all at the same time and I loved every minute of it. The short stories were all different yet, intermingled together, and so very entertaining. The characters also were all very well developed, even if they had a short part in the whole scheme of things, I wouldn't even minded if this was a full-length novel, because the stories were amazing and so was the narrator.

This book was pure insanity. Pure lunacy. This book makes the readers question what is real and what is a hallucination. There were certain aspects of this story where I laughed out loud and other areas where I was definitely uneasy. The author, William Pauley III, has a creative writing style; it is very original. The Tower was an odd yet easy story to follow due to the author’s creative flow as they were clear and easy to understand. This story would have been to convoluted if their writing style wasn’t as stellar as it was. If someone wants a different original story to listen to this story is certainly worth the listen. The narrator made this story more enjoyable as well.

#Netgalley ARC

I liked that this was fast-paced and that while the stories were about separate characters, they were still connected. This was a quick tense horror/sci-fi audiobook that kind of reminded me of the Are You Scared? videos and Stephen Graham Jones' Night of the Mannequins.

This story is about the Tower, a perfect place to live? Definitely not! The internal environment is toxic. Horror’s abound. The listening experience on the other hand may raise your spirits - the audio version is the perfect way to experience this book. Thank you to Doom Fiction and NetGalley for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

The Tower is a collection of three stories taking place within the same building. I'll be honest I'm not entirely sure what I read, and I'm not entirely sure I'm supposed to know...it must be the radiation.

For me the first story, Hypnagogia, fell a bit flat. That is, until seeing these characters again in the final story from another characters POV and, for some reason, I found myself appreciating not only the first story but the whole book even more. Perhaps, i was just unsure what to think of this bizzare world? I was really drawn into the second story, The Invalids, and I absolutely loved the final story, Under the Green Brain. Like The Dude's rug, it really tied the room together so to speak.

All in all this was a really odd collection of stories and the more I think about the weirdness of them, the more I find myself liking them, and wanting to read more.

I'd like to take a moment to note that I listened to the Audio version of this book and I loved Brannigan's narration so much. They do a fantastic job of capturing the vibe of this story.

The Tower is a collection of short horror stories all taking place within a building and its bizarre residents. Each story slowly unravels the truth about the building. While the characters experience the horrors of hidden cameras, brain matter and killers, the readers are left trying to decipher what was real and what was fake.

The book is a perfect blend of fast-paced weirdness, haunting moments, and humour. I really enjoyed listening to the stories and got through it in one sitting because I just couldn't stop listening. My favorite story was the first one called "Hypnagogia" but it was the shortest part. I would have loved to read even more about the two characters and their radiation hallucinations about fishing and God.

Overall it was a great collection of stories and I'll definitely be reading the next books in this series to see even more of the Towers residents.

I liked how it was broken up into three short stories that were all connected. The second one, Invalid, was my favorite as the characters were likeable! Excited there is a second one.
Bizarre, creative science fiction with monsters and insanity.

audiobook ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher

<i> Something is happening to the residents of Eighth Block Tower....

There's radiation in the walls. Salt covers the hallways. The food and water are poisonous. The residents are trapped and losing their minds.

Sanity is a myth. Sickness is life. </i>

This was perhaps the most bizarre thing I’ve read in some time, maybe ever. It was disturbing, dark, absurdist, confusing, and surprisingly entertaining- even funny at times. I’m not entirely sure yet if I can claim to recommend it, but I will say that I am going to jump right into the next in the series, so that’s saying something for it.

The audiobook was enjoyably narrated by Connor Brannigan.

Thank you William Pauley III, Doom Fiction, and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Another great audio narration from DOOM Fiction. What is real and what is a hallucination at the Tower? I absolutely love the bizarre short stories. It’s a great palate cleanser from any other genre. Is that weird? My question is is there actual radiation or are these people just crazy?

Thank you NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This is a fun, trippy look into the tower, the setting for the Bedlam Bible series. I really enjoyed this book.

Well, that was a messed up tale about a psycho tower doing a bunch or weird stuff. Can't wait to read the second book in the Bedlam Bible series.

I love that Connor Brannigan is the narrator for the series, his voice just adds to the creepy/weird factor of the books he is reading. I love listening to his voice.

this book was so weird, I loved it! It was a perfect audiobook to listen to that got me ion the spooky mood.

3.5 ⭐️ Weird. Creepy. Trashy. But … so entertaining!!!
The author created very imaginative pieces, I think it would make to a great graphic novel.
I really enjoyed it. Definitely will pick up the next book in that series!.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free audiobook.

Thank you.

Horror.

I needed that.

Crazy absurd.

Short! Nice!!

Reminiscent of 14 by Peter Clines with Scalzi’s Kaiju.

Samantha & Norm are great MCs.

My first book by this author. I’ll read/listen to more.

Another dark and eerie story from this series. This story dives further into the tower itself, the people within those walls, the poison the consume daily, and the mind warping things around them. You will meet more of the towers residents, mishappenings they are going through, and mysteries that aren't as they appear. I have enjoyed the books of this series and would definitely watch a T.V show version of all these. The series seems to me a new revised blend of 90s horror shows like tales of the crypt mixing with black mirror and twilight zone.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
At this point, I'm still trying to discern if strange things are really happening at The Tower, or if it's a psychiatric hospital and the residents are patients.

Get this: residents can't go out, not even to work. However, their needs are covered, each apartment seems to be more of a room with some facilities, but everything else is communal areas. All the residents seem to suffer from different types of hallucinations, but they share a certain collective delirium… I don't know, I think I'm just trying to make sense of what the characters are experiencing.

Leaving that aside, the story is quite entertaining, nothing is what it seems, and I enjoyed it quite a bit even though I am not a fan of horror or audiobooks. But the narrative has captured me and I want to know more about it.

I received the audiobook as an arc rom NetGalley.

This is a great novella for fans of absurdist humor like John Dies at the End or The Sandman. The novella includes two short stories, both about the residents of this tower (mental institution, prison?). As with most horror in this genre, there is a lot of suspension of disbelief required, but the author makes this easy by laying a groundwork that drops the reader comfortably into the tower.

I gave the book 3 stars because while the setting is great, there is little character development beyond the craziness. I didn't find myself relating to or empathizing with the characters.

The audiobook narrator was the perfect choice for this novella. The tone and inflection of his voice made this fun book even more fun, bumping the overall review up to 4 stars.

This dystopian tale takes listeners on a journey into a world where the boundaries between reality and madness are certainly blurred. The haunting atmosphere is brought to life by the audio narration.

I feel like the audiobook format adds an extra layer of intensity to the narrative, with the narrator's voice capturing the desperation and madness that pervades the story. As I learned more about the lives of the residents, I was drawn into the reality that sanity was a scarce commodity and sickness was an ever looming threat.

This audiobook was chilling and definitely thought-provoking and will leave you haunted by the world that the tower is based in. The audio version just made everything that much more vivid to me and I definitely enjoyed the narration.

Thanks NetGalley for the early opportunity to explore this world and this is my honest review!

Another crazy mini audio series by William Pauley III, this definitely works as an audio, the narrators voice suits the style of writing and keeps me interested. It’s left me feeling pretty freaked out, it has left me completely disturbed but also wanting to hear more as I have questions and I want to know what’s eating the meat!

I’ve been really enjoying expanding what genres I read recently. In this quest for finding things that scream “DIFFERENT” I found the Bedlam Bible series. Initially, I was so drawn to these books because of the strange covers every book in the series has. After looking closer, I discovered that the subject matter was very off the wall and I was sold. I listened to the first book in the series, “The Tower”, on audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator. The closest thing I can think of to compare this book to is the podcast “Welcome to Night Vale”. With radiation in the walls, mysterious clones, and a god living next door (who may or may not be an air mattress) this story will challenge your view of reality.

Through this story, I discovered I really enjoy this specific type of fiction and will absolutely be checking out the rest of this series.

Ridiculously entertaining collection of stories about residents of an unusual apartment block. Each resident we encounter has a strange story and the building affects them all differently. Is it the building? Or is it the insanity of the residents themselves. I suppose we will never know.

I’ve read the 7 books of the Bedlam Bible in the wrong order. I’ve already read 4 of them and now just getting to book 1- The Tower. There are 3 stories in this short Novella. All bizarro, odd, creepy and absolutely insane. I loved it. It’s a good introduction to the going ons in the tower of 8th block, where bad things happen yet the police stay clear of the place. It might be the high level of radiation. Stay away from the tower. Once people enter, they never leave. Well, they don’t leave alive. This is a fun and disturbing book. I love everything this author writes. I highly recommend.

Thanks NetGalley and Doom Fiction audio for a copy of the audiobook. The narrator, Connor Brannigan, is the best. He has the perfect voice for these tales. This is my honest opinion I voluntarily give this review.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review

I enjoyed listening to ‘the Tower’ it was really interesting. The narration was really well done

Would highly recommended

Rating 4 stars

Another great story. I am really enjoying reading these books. I can't wait to get my hands on the entire series and reread them to connect them even more. On the surface they don't seem to have a ton in common except setting, but the more I read the more I am seeing how deeply they do connect and I love it.

4 stars

The Tower, the first in the Eighth Block series, serves as an introduction into the lives of the towers residents. For me this is the start of a re read of the series, and I’ve noticed the last book actually transitions well back into this one. The characters are real, they all have personalities that jump off the page, despite belonging to this unusual spot that is not of this world. The stories are weird and a lot of fun!

ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ

The Tower - William Pauley III

Welcome to 8th Block, can you hear the hum? That’s the radiation consuming the building, your body and mind.

The Tower, book 1 in ‘The Bedlam Bible’ series has 3 separate stories, equally bizarre involving the residents of 8th Block that link together.

This is a weird little read, but actually really good.
Fantastic characters, bonkers storylines, and some humorous moments that had me chuckling like I had spent too long in 8th Block myself!

I’ll definitely be checking out book 2

Recommended for fans of bizarre/weird fiction

What a kooky little collection of short stories. I think my jaw was slack for at least half of it and there were definitely a few full body shivers. I quickly realized there was nothing I shouldn’t expect.

It was spooky, gory, super atmospheric. I could see it all perfectly in my minds eye. It would make a really cool mini tv series or graphic novel.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Un audiolibro intrigante y atrapante desde el primer momento. Es una historia corta, ideal para un día de lluvia y un café en la mano. El libro está bien narrado, estuve todo el tiempo dudando sobre qué era real y qué no, el autor juega con nuestra mente, haciendo que vaciles sobre absolutamente todo y todos. Pero no sólo es una novela que te va a producir intriga y temor, sino que también va a hacer que sueltes algunas risas. Sin dudas fue un libro que me encantó y del cual tengo muchísimas ganas de releer.
Muchas gracias a NetGalley por la copia del libro <3.

An intriguing and engaging audiobook from the first moment. It's a short story, ideal for a rainy day and a coffee in hand. The book is well narrated, I was doubting all the time about what was real and what was not, the author plays with our minds, making us hesitate about absolutely everything and everyone. But not only is it a novel that will intrigue and fear you, but it will also make you laugh a few times. Without a doubt it was a book that I loved and that I really want to reread.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the copy of the book <3.

I enjoyed this book. It’s funny how it was able to stick with me. I started reading this book Back in Oct, got away from reading for quite some time yet I still had this book with me when I picked it back up to finish it.