rhllor's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
krakow54's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
punkrockingnerd's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
This one was a little too plot-heavy for me. I don't particularly care for the plot of Welcome to Night Vale, I just wanna hear creepy stories with occasional insight into the human condition, ya know?
stellax's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
ashyoung555's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This show is flawless, but I don't know if any season will ever surpass season 2 as the best. The Strexcorp and doors and desert otherworld storyline was just incredible. Still love this season though. Love this show immeasurably.
boozzi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
gmarie_reads's review
5.0
Re: just see my other wtnv reviews pls. Everything applies here
Also I cried.
Also I cried.
robotswithpersonality's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
Totally get why serial radio shows were a thing back in the day. For all the book-related and non-fiction podcasts I listen to, a scripted, performed fictional one wasn't anything I tried before, but I really loved this.
So happy this book, randomly keyword picked in honour of my 37th birthday in January, ended up inspiring me to try out a world that heretofore was simply cryptic fan references I saw on Tumblr.
Might seem weird to start with this volume, which covers episodes 50 to 70, but it was a lovely sample and narrative arc, and I am most definitely going to start from the beginning and continue on with this podcast now! It's honestly got enough joyful random in it that I feel like you could start anywhere, and it does do tidbits of referencing recaps, no doubt a hold over from those long serialized radio broadcasts.
I'm sad that the live tour performance was not recorded for the podcast, aside from bonus excerpt, but that makes the book valuable for including the full transcript of that performance as well.
I enjoyed the behind the scenes introductions to episodes the book provides, (especially episode 54 & 64) not so much the incredibly, fittingly creepy illustrations accompanying the transcripts of each episode, but I gotta say, having this book introduce me to the Welcome to Night Vale podcast, I would ask, why would you ever read it when you could listen to it?! Most episodes include a segment called 'weather' that is a different musician performing a song each time, plus various background effects and music and professionals acting out their lines, so much more immersive. We'll call this one 2/3rds - 3/4s audio book with some behind the scenes print add ons.
That being said, I loved the writing, and will definitely be picking up the other books that make up parts of the Night Vale universe.
General vibes are: surreal random cozy sci fi horror social commentary satire all at once.
So happy this book, randomly keyword picked in honour of my 37th birthday in January, ended up inspiring me to try out a world that heretofore was simply cryptic fan references I saw on Tumblr.
Might seem weird to start with this volume, which covers episodes 50 to 70, but it was a lovely sample and narrative arc, and I am most definitely going to start from the beginning and continue on with this podcast now! It's honestly got enough joyful random in it that I feel like you could start anywhere, and it does do tidbits of referencing recaps, no doubt a hold over from those long serialized radio broadcasts.
I'm sad that the live tour performance was not recorded for the podcast, aside from bonus excerpt, but that makes the book valuable for including the full transcript of that performance as well.
I enjoyed the behind the scenes introductions to episodes the book provides, (especially episode 54 & 64) not so much the incredibly, fittingly creepy illustrations accompanying the transcripts of each episode, but I gotta say, having this book introduce me to the Welcome to Night Vale podcast, I would ask, why would you ever read it when you could listen to it?! Most episodes include a segment called 'weather' that is a different musician performing a song each time, plus various background effects and music and professionals acting out their lines, so much more immersive. We'll call this one 2/3rds - 3/4s audio book with some behind the scenes print add ons.
That being said, I loved the writing, and will definitely be picking up the other books that make up parts of the Night Vale universe.
General vibes are: surreal random cozy sci fi horror social commentary satire all at once.
thoroughlymodernreviewer's review against another edition
5.0
In case it isn't clear, I love Welcome to Night Vale. I love the novels, I love the live shows, I love the podcast, and I love these script books, too. I always have trouble focusing on audio-only stories, so I find that having the scripts for podcasts such as Welcome to Night Vale really helps me follow the podcast and understand all that is going on within it. Add to these extremely useful scripts a bunch of illustrations and a whole lot of behind the scenes tidbits, and you've got a collection of published scripts that any Night Vale fan would love. This proved true for the first two volumes of script books and it absolutely proves true for this new set, too.
In The Buying of Lot 37, Cecil deals with the stress put on his relationship with Carlos by Carlos being trapped in a desert otherworld and the fear and anger that comes from being used against his will to repeatedly save Mayor Dana Cardinal. Who bought Lot 37 and is controlling Cecil? Who keeps attacking the mayor? When will Carlos come home?
So, for me, season three is one of those seasons that starts off slow, but once it gains momentum, it travels like an unstoppable freight train. The first half of the season, or so, consist mainly of stand-alone episodes. There's a reference or two to the ongoing plotline (and as I've picked up on in this re-read, quite a few hints for things that will happen in the Welcome to Night Vale novel; The Man in the Tan Jacket makes appearances throughout the season where he's trying to show people where he's from and tries to give Cecil a piece of paper with something written on it) scattered throughout those first several episodes, but for the most part they're pretty stand-alone.
That's not to say they're bad episodes, though! On the contrary, one of my favorite episodes of the entire podcast happens early on in the season. The September Monologues is this experimental episode that consists of three monologues from different characters, and I adore it. I wish it was longer than the 20-some minutes it is. I just found that expanded look at the universe of Night Vale to be so interesting and exciting. Season 4 later does something similar with The April Monologues, and I hope that Fink and Cranor continue doing these episodes from time to time. It's a nice way to learn more about other citizens in Night Vale, and it also kinda breaks up the monotony of the format of the show. It's a good format, but you gotta change it up a bit here and there so the audience appreciates just how good the regular format is.
As for this season's overall arc, it's interesting. Probably the most introspective of all the Night Vale arcs thus far. I particularly like how Cecil struggles with his love for his town and his love for Carlos and all the things that he's dealing with throughout the season. For the first two seasons, Cecil's pretty much been the strong constant throughout everything, so seeing him vulnerable like this and questioning things he believes in makes for interesting drama. I appreciated the mostly positive depiction of long distance relationships that they do with Cecil and Carlos in this episode. Sure, most people in long distance relationships aren't living in two different realities, but still. That's what Night Vale does best; it takes a relatable concept and tangles it up in fantastical elements. So, yeah, Carlos is trapped in a desert otherworld, but the audience can empathize with the very realistic struggles he and Cecil have to go through in order to make their relationship work with these new constraints.
The finale itself is really strong. In particular, the bit where Carlos explains to Cecil that "Night Vale" is just a name for the place where all of Cecil's loved ones are. So wherever those loved ones are is where Cecil's home is. Yeah, it's basically a take on the "home is where the heart is" cliche, but it's true. Very rarely is home a set of walls; it's a place where you feel safe and supported and loved. And that's the point of this season. Cecil and Carlos both have to learn where their home is, and by the end of the season, they've learned it.
As for the whole business with Lot 37 and Hiram McDaniels and the Faceless Old Woman's campaign to kill Dana, that's almost a subplot to the Cecil/Carlos storyline. Much of what happens in the Lot 37 storyline impacts the Cecil/Carlos one, but the more interesting and impactful story is the Cecil/Carlos one. That being said, I did love the twist on who bought Lot 37. It was a fun twist I didn't see coming on my first listen, but when I read it here, again, I was able to pick up on the clues that were left throughout the season. It's always fun when you have the answer to a whodunnit to be able to go back and spot the clues that would've led you to that answer had you noticed them in the first place.
These script books feature some great illustrations from frequent Night Vale artist, Jessica Hayworth. Her art perfectly captures the surreal, cosmic horror that is frequently found in the Night Vale world. She sticks to the motto of never really showing what any of the main characters or locations look like, choosing instead to illustrated some of the horrors that get described in each episodes. Every episode has at least one illustration from Hayworth - though, often, there end up being multiple illustrations per episode. Her illustrations, however, are not the only new material that can be found in these script books. Each episode features an introduction by someone involved with the making of that episode. Whether it's one of the main writers - Joseph Fink or Jeffrey Cranor, a guest writer, or an actor/performer, each episode features insight from someone involved in the creation of it and that insight is just as valuable to fans of the podcast as the scripts themselves will be. I always find it massively interesting hearing from the people who made a work of art what was going through their heads as they made it. Their opinions might not influence my interpretation of their art, but it is always nice to hear from them and these behind the scenes insights are every bit as good as you'd want them to be.
All in all, The Buying of Lot 37 is a great addition to the growing library of Night Vale books. The scripts contained within the book showcase the massive amount of experimentation that happened within the third year of the podcast, allowing fans old and new access to this wonderful year's worth of stories while providing older fans with lots of new material to sink their teeth into. I love Night Vale and I love these script books and I hope that HarperCollins continues publishing them.
In The Buying of Lot 37, Cecil deals with the stress put on his relationship with Carlos by Carlos being trapped in a desert otherworld and the fear and anger that comes from being used against his will to repeatedly save Mayor Dana Cardinal. Who bought Lot 37 and is controlling Cecil? Who keeps attacking the mayor? When will Carlos come home?
So, for me, season three is one of those seasons that starts off slow, but once it gains momentum, it travels like an unstoppable freight train. The first half of the season, or so, consist mainly of stand-alone episodes. There's a reference or two to the ongoing plotline (and as I've picked up on in this re-read, quite a few hints for things that will happen in the Welcome to Night Vale novel; The Man in the Tan Jacket makes appearances throughout the season where he's trying to show people where he's from and tries to give Cecil a piece of paper with something written on it) scattered throughout those first several episodes, but for the most part they're pretty stand-alone.
That's not to say they're bad episodes, though! On the contrary, one of my favorite episodes of the entire podcast happens early on in the season. The September Monologues is this experimental episode that consists of three monologues from different characters, and I adore it. I wish it was longer than the 20-some minutes it is. I just found that expanded look at the universe of Night Vale to be so interesting and exciting. Season 4 later does something similar with The April Monologues, and I hope that Fink and Cranor continue doing these episodes from time to time. It's a nice way to learn more about other citizens in Night Vale, and it also kinda breaks up the monotony of the format of the show. It's a good format, but you gotta change it up a bit here and there so the audience appreciates just how good the regular format is.
As for this season's overall arc, it's interesting. Probably the most introspective of all the Night Vale arcs thus far. I particularly like how Cecil struggles with his love for his town and his love for Carlos and all the things that he's dealing with throughout the season. For the first two seasons, Cecil's pretty much been the strong constant throughout everything, so seeing him vulnerable like this and questioning things he believes in makes for interesting drama. I appreciated the mostly positive depiction of long distance relationships that they do with Cecil and Carlos in this episode. Sure, most people in long distance relationships aren't living in two different realities, but still. That's what Night Vale does best; it takes a relatable concept and tangles it up in fantastical elements. So, yeah, Carlos is trapped in a desert otherworld, but the audience can empathize with the very realistic struggles he and Cecil have to go through in order to make their relationship work with these new constraints.
The finale itself is really strong. In particular, the bit where Carlos explains to Cecil that "Night Vale" is just a name for the place where all of Cecil's loved ones are. So wherever those loved ones are is where Cecil's home is. Yeah, it's basically a take on the "home is where the heart is" cliche, but it's true. Very rarely is home a set of walls; it's a place where you feel safe and supported and loved. And that's the point of this season. Cecil and Carlos both have to learn where their home is, and by the end of the season, they've learned it.
As for the whole business with Lot 37 and Hiram McDaniels and the Faceless Old Woman's campaign to kill Dana, that's almost a subplot to the Cecil/Carlos storyline. Much of what happens in the Lot 37 storyline impacts the Cecil/Carlos one, but the more interesting and impactful story is the Cecil/Carlos one. That being said, I did love the twist on who bought Lot 37. It was a fun twist I didn't see coming on my first listen, but when I read it here, again, I was able to pick up on the clues that were left throughout the season. It's always fun when you have the answer to a whodunnit to be able to go back and spot the clues that would've led you to that answer had you noticed them in the first place.
These script books feature some great illustrations from frequent Night Vale artist, Jessica Hayworth. Her art perfectly captures the surreal, cosmic horror that is frequently found in the Night Vale world. She sticks to the motto of never really showing what any of the main characters or locations look like, choosing instead to illustrated some of the horrors that get described in each episodes. Every episode has at least one illustration from Hayworth - though, often, there end up being multiple illustrations per episode. Her illustrations, however, are not the only new material that can be found in these script books. Each episode features an introduction by someone involved with the making of that episode. Whether it's one of the main writers - Joseph Fink or Jeffrey Cranor, a guest writer, or an actor/performer, each episode features insight from someone involved in the creation of it and that insight is just as valuable to fans of the podcast as the scripts themselves will be. I always find it massively interesting hearing from the people who made a work of art what was going through their heads as they made it. Their opinions might not influence my interpretation of their art, but it is always nice to hear from them and these behind the scenes insights are every bit as good as you'd want them to be.
All in all, The Buying of Lot 37 is a great addition to the growing library of Night Vale books. The scripts contained within the book showcase the massive amount of experimentation that happened within the third year of the podcast, allowing fans old and new access to this wonderful year's worth of stories while providing older fans with lots of new material to sink their teeth into. I love Night Vale and I love these script books and I hope that HarperCollins continues publishing them.
thebloodredruby's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0