Come one, come all.
Step right up, folks, step this way.
No pushing and shoving, there’s plenty of room for everyone at William Ollie’s SIDESHOW, a place where cotton-candy dreams turn to nightmares in the blink of an eye…
SIDESHOW is set in the small town of Pottsboro, South Carolina. One day thirteen-year-old Mickey Reardon is riding bike outside of town when he sees a Ferris wheel spring up out of the ground in Godby’s field, an abandoned stretch of land that years before was the site of a horrendous massacre. He quickly pedals to see Justin Henry, his best friend. Unconvinced that a carnival has come to town – after all, it’s not only too early in the summer, but it’s also setup in the wrong place – Justin follows Mickey back to Godby’s field to prove his friend wrong.
Upon arriving, the boys not only see the gigantic Ferris wheel but also a bunch of tents being erected and performers getting ready for their shows. But, perhaps most disconcerting of all is the carnival’s proprietor, Hannibal Cobb. As the boys watch, Cobb is able to light his pipe with the end of his finger and setup booths with a wave of his hand. Worst of all, Cobb blows a smoke ring that increases in size and floats above the town of Pottsboro. Frightened, the boys hop on their bikes and hurry back to town.
What they find upon their return does nothing to ease their concerns. All along the streets, people from town are transfixed on the dark cloud hovering in the sky. After staring at it for a lengthy period of time, the townsfolk frantically head home so they can get ready to go to the carnival that night. Dancing through their heads are vivid memories from their childhood – the thrill of the rollercoaster, the bustling midway, the smells of corn dogs and French fries – as well as meaner, darker, nastier thoughts.
Hannibal Cobb’s carnival is in town, and Heaven help anyone who gets in the way of the people who are being called to the revelry of the fair.
SIDESHOW is Ollie’s second novel and it’s a significant step forward from his debut, THE DAMNED. First and foremost, Ollie has created a genuinely creepy villain. Cobb’s outward sincerity thinly veils his frightening persona. Hiding behind his large smile and good manners is a man who is all-knowing and very dangerous. He’s one of those characters who gives the reader chills every time he’s in a scene. And, let’s face it, the name “Hannibal Cobb” is one of those perfect bad-guy names (a la Randall Flagg or Leland Gaunt). In my opinion, Ollie couldn’t have created a better antagonist for his story.
The same can be said about the Sideshow performers that are a part of Cobb’s troupe, including everything from an alligator boy and a contortionist to a sword swallower and an armless and legless man. The performers would be freakish enough as-is, but they’re even more scary when they do Cobb’s bidding.
Ollie was also effective at describing the downfall of Pottsboro’s citizens, both past and present. Via the use of flashbacks he describes how the town’s founding fathers were heavily involved with slavery and details the atrocities that were committed in Godby’s field. Even more disturbing is how quickly the present-day citizens morph from upstanding to demented once Hannibal Cobb begins bending their minds.
My only complaint about SIDESHOW is that it felt a little padded in spots. There were occasions when I would read a paragraph, only to have the next paragraph restate the same thing. There are also instances when the same scene plays out in successive sections, with only a point of view change from one character to another. While SIDESHOW is already a short novel at just over two hundred pages, I think it could have been just a bit leaner-and-meaner if some of the repetition were cut out.
William Ollie’s SIDESHOW was published by Dark Regions Press. While the limited edition is sold out at the publisher, SIDESHOW is still available as a trade paperback for $18.95 and an e-book for $7.99. Grab your copy today.
(7 out of 10)
Step right up, folks, step this way.
No pushing and shoving, there’s plenty of room for everyone at William Ollie’s SIDESHOW, a place where cotton-candy dreams turn to nightmares in the blink of an eye…
SIDESHOW is set in the small town of Pottsboro, South Carolina. One day thirteen-year-old Mickey Reardon is riding bike outside of town when he sees a Ferris wheel spring up out of the ground in Godby’s field, an abandoned stretch of land that years before was the site of a horrendous massacre. He quickly pedals to see Justin Henry, his best friend. Unconvinced that a carnival has come to town – after all, it’s not only too early in the summer, but it’s also setup in the wrong place – Justin follows Mickey back to Godby’s field to prove his friend wrong.
Upon arriving, the boys not only see the gigantic Ferris wheel but also a bunch of tents being erected and performers getting ready for their shows. But, perhaps most disconcerting of all is the carnival’s proprietor, Hannibal Cobb. As the boys watch, Cobb is able to light his pipe with the end of his finger and setup booths with a wave of his hand. Worst of all, Cobb blows a smoke ring that increases in size and floats above the town of Pottsboro. Frightened, the boys hop on their bikes and hurry back to town.
What they find upon their return does nothing to ease their concerns. All along the streets, people from town are transfixed on the dark cloud hovering in the sky. After staring at it for a lengthy period of time, the townsfolk frantically head home so they can get ready to go to the carnival that night. Dancing through their heads are vivid memories from their childhood – the thrill of the rollercoaster, the bustling midway, the smells of corn dogs and French fries – as well as meaner, darker, nastier thoughts.Hannibal Cobb’s carnival is in town, and Heaven help anyone who gets in the way of the people who are being called to the revelry of the fair.
SIDESHOW is Ollie’s second novel and it’s a significant step forward from his debut, THE DAMNED. First and foremost, Ollie has created a genuinely creepy villain. Cobb’s outward sincerity thinly veils his frightening persona. Hiding behind his large smile and good manners is a man who is all-knowing and very dangerous. He’s one of those characters who gives the reader chills every time he’s in a scene. And, let’s face it, the name “Hannibal Cobb” is one of those perfect bad-guy names (a la Randall Flagg or Leland Gaunt). In my opinion, Ollie couldn’t have created a better antagonist for his story.
The same can be said about the Sideshow performers that are a part of Cobb’s troupe, including everything from an alligator boy and a contortionist to a sword swallower and an armless and legless man. The performers would be freakish enough as-is, but they’re even more scary when they do Cobb’s bidding.
Ollie was also effective at describing the downfall of Pottsboro’s citizens, both past and present. Via the use of flashbacks he describes how the town’s founding fathers were heavily involved with slavery and details the atrocities that were committed in Godby’s field. Even more disturbing is how quickly the present-day citizens morph from upstanding to demented once Hannibal Cobb begins bending their minds.
My only complaint about SIDESHOW is that it felt a little padded in spots. There were occasions when I would read a paragraph, only to have the next paragraph restate the same thing. There are also instances when the same scene plays out in successive sections, with only a point of view change from one character to another. While SIDESHOW is already a short novel at just over two hundred pages, I think it could have been just a bit leaner-and-meaner if some of the repetition were cut out.
William Ollie’s SIDESHOW was published by Dark Regions Press. While the limited edition is sold out at the publisher, SIDESHOW is still available as a trade paperback for $18.95 and an e-book for $7.99. Grab your copy today.
(7 out of 10)
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