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Sep 14, 2018isaachar rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This was a strange one. A really fun read, but only if you set aside any preconception of the typical progression of a story. Also set aside logic, the rules of physics, the concept of time, and any sense of normality or personal safety. Welcome to Night Vale is like a dream sequence episode of Twin Peaks melded with one of the more confusing X-Files episodes, written by Hunter S. Thompson on a serious substance induced bender, and then edited by HP Lovecraft to maintain the cosmic horror but keep the swearing to a minimum. It's strange, frightening, funny, trippy, creepy and ends up being a bit heartwarming all at the same time. I had no experience with the podcast, but after finishing the book jumping back and forth between the print version and the audiobook, I strongly recommend going with the audiobook version. The narrator conveys the strange, creepy vibe of the town and its characters far better than I could in my own head when reading the text. I think my favorite scenes and hilarious references were of the dreaded Librarians of the Night Vale Public Library, and the fates of the poor souls foolish enough to cross them. That or the sentient, telepathic cloud that often presides over important events in town. I'm definitely subscribing to the podcast. If you can stand a visit to Nightvale, you won't want to leave.