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The Splendor of Fear  By  cover art

The Splendor of Fear

By: Ambrose Ibsen
Narrated by: Melissa Moran
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Publisher's summary

Something stirs in the town of Newsom's Landing....

Penny hates the outdoors, but when her boyfriend, Jared, plans a romantic weekend getaway in the woods, she decides to tag along. The pair drive to a remote Kentucky campground with a strange and sordid history. Within the confines of the Swan Creek State Park are the ruins of a town abandoned under terrifying circumstances in the 19th century. 

The town of Newsom's Landing had been the site of the last-known witch trial in US history, and the ghost of its defendant, the infamous Ellie Pomeroy, is said to still linger. Arriving on the anniversary of Pomeory's murder, the pair find they have the entire park to themselves. Or, nearly.

Something else is stalking the woods - watching in the night, wandering through the ruins. It brings a plague of hallucinatory terror wherever it goes, and before long, Penny and Jared can't parse reality from nightmare. Lost in the woods, the pair are faced with a choice: Find a way to end the century-long curse, or be consumed by it - body and soul.

©2018 Ambrose Ibsen (P)2019 Tantor

What listeners say about The Splendor of Fear

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Great Listen!

I loved it! I got involved with the main character and empathized for the HORROR they went through! The scary parts WERE scary! Enjoyed it completely.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Performance A+

Before I forget her name, let me say that Melissa Moran's performance of this book out the story over the line into 5 star territory!! She honestly brought "Penny" to life for me.

As always, Mr Ibsen delivers a very entertaining tale of the supernatural-but his characters behaved, in my opinion, more like real people. "Don't think I believe in this stuff, but I see what's chasin' me and I think I'll run, just in case! "

Excellent!

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4 people found this helpful

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The Splendor of Fear

This was really good.I hate camping too! Penny goes camping with her boyfriend just to make him happy. No one but them and a ghost town story in the woods.Pretty creepy! Melissa Moran was a fine narrator.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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the best!

Ambrose its in is my favorite horrot story novelist. I have audio read all of his stories and not one disappointed me.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Ellie Pomeroy


In this tale by Ambrose Ibsen, we venture to Kentucky for a weekend camping trip. But oh no! There is something in the woods. I loved the back story we get about Newsome's Landing and Ellie Pomeroy. The weekend Penny and Jared are camping there is the anniversary of Ellie's death. The story was good and kept me guessing. i really, really wish the ending would have been different.

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3 people found this helpful

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Hmmm

Not as scary as his other books. This one was just alil dull for me wanting horror and to be scared to cut off the lights.

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3 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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One of the Worst stories EVER!! Crap Story

I only gave two stars because writing is a difficult process and I respect it. BUT this story was too stupid, not scary, and too long!! The woman was whiny and nagging beyond what anyone could tolerate in any situation including listening to in an audiobook. This author has done better. I wonder if he even read it. The narrator said demonic in a way I have never heard. I need a recovery audiobook!!

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2 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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it goes nowhere

Disappointing book from an author who can do better. The story is choppy and inane.

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2 people found this helpful

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It was okay

Story was a cliche and the performance was cringe, the narrator made the character sound whiny the entire story which made it hard to like.

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    2 out of 5 stars

Story started good but just boring by the end

The resolution was not very exciting. I liked the spooks in the beginning but by the end it’s just kind of like, get it over with already, and even when they solve the problem it’s more just like waiting for the time to run out.

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  • Kath Baker
  • 08-04-20

Disappointed

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, especially as another review said that the take on one of the main characters was unusual - it was, but was more of a broad brush portrayal than a rewarding study.

The romantic relationship turned out to be Mills-and-Boon: delightful if that is what you want, saccharine and irritating if it isn't.

The reader will, I think, be very much to other people's taste but to me the narration was rushed.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • James
  • 06-30-19

Excellent story!

I was looking round for a spooky story to listen to when I came across this title. The name interested me and the premise seemed like it would be good fun for a short story. I am happy to say however that it was even better than I suspected. The plot is captivating and the pacing superb with plenty of tense moments cleverly woven into an organically progressing narrative! The narrator did a wonderful job too! All and all a right little gem!

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  • Kathy J
  • 05-09-19

Well narrated, good story.

I'd read a book by Ambrose Ibsen before, but this was my first audio book from him. It was a great story. I love how the antagonist was a bad person in life rather than the cliched 'misunderstood' trope it added so much complexity. I really felt lost in the woods. The story kept it simple and focused. The narrator did an excellent job I really felt like the character was talking to me.

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  • Madam Moose
  • 07-09-23

Im not sure I can recommend this book

I finished listening to this over the weekend and I have mixed feelings about it.

The book had a captivating premise, drawing me in with its mysterious woods and the haunted backstory of Newsom's Landing. BUUUUT as the story progressed, I felt like the author lost their way. The writing started to rely heavily on unnecessary thesaurus-like word choices, which disrupted the flow because I can guarantee you mid being chased a person isnt going to think in those types of descriptive words or weird monologues conveying plot points.

I also found the character development was a bit confusing. The boyfriend exhibited numerous red flags, yet SPOILER the characters end up engaged? I really enjoyed the world creation, I did feel like I was there but I feel like the book needed one more go at writing it out to flesh out the plot in a more logical way.

2.5 Stars

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