National Park Nightmares
From the author of Yellowstone Shifters (2021) comes three frightful tales set in America’s renowned parks.
- The Sick at Yellowstone Lake (Novella) – A Yellowstone dishwasher catches a grotesque trout, unleashing an insidious catastrophe within the park grounds.
- A Voice in the Glades (Short Story) – A young ranger in the Everglades gets to know a slinking killer in her shallow waters while trying to work through her fear of fishing.
- The Terrible Ape of the Redwood Forest (Novella) – A former pro-wrestler is pitted against a hairy, bipedal creature that isn’t what everyone thinks it is while fighting his past and a corrupt game warren who has it out for him.
National Park Nightmares on Amazon
Marchand’s turns our beautiful state park landscapes into real scary places
National Park Nightmares immediately jumps out with its intriguing title and its ominous cover. For readers that enjoy the great outdoors and love camping, this horror anthology makes for a perfect fit. People that fit that description can dive right in without knowing what to expect. National Park Nightmares exceeds expectations.
One of the standout elements of Marchand’s writing is his ability to create vivid imagery. The landscapes come to life in his descriptions, making the reader feel wholly absorbed in the environment. The sounds of nature such as the rustling of leaves, the lapping of water, and the crunch of tires on unpaved roads ring out from his skillful prose. This rich atmosphere sets the perfect stage for the chilling tales that unfold within.
National Park Nightmares features three distinct stories, and each one brings something unique to the table. This review gets into each of them, but first, the most compelling of the bunch:
The Sick at Yellowstone Lake
The Sick at Yellowstone Lake is a story that introduces us to Kang, a Thai worker in Yellowstone National Park whose gentle demeanor makes him an easy target among the park’s staff. As Kang attempts to win over the beautiful Chelsea, the story shifts from a charming, boy chasing girl tale, to a horror fever dream through the eyes of Kang.
Kang then tries to impress Chelsea, remembering his father’s fish farm and how good he was at catching fish, he suggests a fishing trip for his crush and his boss, who is always showing him up in front of her.
What starts as a simple outing with Chelsea and his boss, Pete, slowly turns out to be the makings of a blood bath. One particular passage leaves a visceral reaction:
“The fish then produced a sound similar to a cry. A high-pitched plea laced with a purr-like growl emanating from its gills. Kang could not place the scent, but it was somewhere between soured milk and ammonia.”
The vividness of that imagery evoked a physical gag, highlighting the author’s knack for creating stomach-churning moments. The conclusion of “The Sick at Yellowstone Lake” did end up answering some key questions while also leaving certain aspects to the reader’s imagination, leaving the reader satisfied.
A Voice in the Glades
A Voice in the Glades tells the story of Megan, a young woman trying to move forward from a traumatic incident in her past. She navigates the Bully Shark-filled waters with her coworker, Rick, hoping to overcome her fear of fishing. By day, she works as a guide Ranger at the Everglades Resort & Marina, and by night, she indulges in her fishing goals. Often spending her evenings alone on the water, Megan begins to see and hear things that unsettle her. One night, while sitting on a bench, a tall man asks to join her, leading to a deep conversation between the two.
“Most of them give up and end up in the wrong place—punching numbers for some big company or fixing computers all day. Hell, when I was a kid, I told myself I’d be a pilot, but look at me now. I tell you, we start off with great dreams, but as we get older, we lose track of who we really are. It’s a sad thing to give up on a passion.”
This conversations plays out as one of those rare moments when a author connects directly to the reader through the words of his characters. Every word feels as if the author breaks out of the page and speaks directly to the reader. Who doesn’t appreciate that connection? As the story progresses, the reader will encounter a twist that they wouldn’t see coming, making for an engaging quick read.
The Terrible Ape of the Redwood Forest
The Terrible Ape of the Redwood Forest the least strong story in the book, but it did feature one of the most compelling characters, Andre Bravo.
Andre is a retired pro wrestler who returns home to help care for his mother. As he navigates this transition, he confronts a childhood incident involving a death that continues to haunt him. The first half of the story was great; it allowed us to explore both the internal and external conflicts Andre faced, particularly concerning the Sterling family. It seemed to be setting up for an exciting creature-feature type of story, but at one point, it felt like as the reader, I may have taken a wrong turn somewhere along the lines.
While the reader is completely immersed in Andre’s journey, one scene may throw them for a loop, causing the story to lose some momentum. Perhaps this is due to a shift in expectations from where the narrative appears to be headed.
**SPOILER ALERT**
Suddenly, it felt like Cocaine Bear was being novelized right before my eyes, and it is confusing as to why. While there is mention of drug activities in the mountains, it’s part of the plot, which makes sense given the park’s location in the California Redwoods, the ending took another unexpected turn into a strange chaos causing Goddess who used the Redwoods to time/space travel? Despite this, it is best for the reader to slap on a tin foil hat and push on.
** End of Spoiler**
The Terrible Ape of the Redwood Forest is not a bad story; it just feels like a mix of elements that didn’t necessarily fit together. However, the reader stays engaged because Andre is a genuinely likable character and he demands investment in his story. He is the most grounded character in this collection and felt the most real.
“The late afternoon sun did that thing where it dipped and threw walls of light between the wide trees. Like spotlights set to vertical planes, highlighting the side of the Redwoods within their paths. Winged insects and dust caught in the rays and danced and floated.”
Again the author brings it back with the great descriptions. Beautifully done.
Overall, “National Park Nightmares” is a gripping read, skillfully blending the serene beauty of national parks with an undercurrent of terror. Marchand’s vivid descriptions and compelling plots make this anthology a must-read for any horror enthusiast or outdoor lover. Whether you’re a seasoned camper or someone who prefers to stay indoors, this book will give you a fresh perspective, especially on what lurks in the shadows of nature.
About the Author:
Greg Marchand is a Western Kentucky University alum, U.S. Army veteran, and former Yellowstone sous chef living on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Vivid descriptions of natural scenery and clever twists highlight his supernatural and sometimes horrifying stories. Marchand’s accolades include a glowing Kirkus Review, five-star Readers’ Favorite reviews, a Screencraft’s Cinematic Book Semi-finalist qualification, and Garth Brooks waved at him once. The Indiana-born author’s dream is to have one of his stories made into a movie or television series.
Greg Marchand was a quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Competition for “The Sick at Yellowstone Lake” 2020 – 2021
https://gregmarchandwrites.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@writergregmarchand
National Park Nightmares - A collection of Frightful Tales from America's Renowned Parks - Malevolentdark
National Park Nightmares on Amazon
URL: https://bookgoodies.com/a/B0BDVTQKBR
Author: Greg Marchand
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