Anyone who’s an avid camper or hiker knows that outdoor activities always come with a hint of danger. If you were raised with a healthy fear of cryptids, then you likely know even more how vigilant you need to be when you exit your home. It’s no wonder, then, that Bonnie Quinn’s How to Survive Camping: The Man With No Shadow was born from these fears. For those like myself who did not discover the initial stories on Reddit, this novel serves as an entry point into the wild world she’s created. It proves to be a thrilling time, even with its pacing issues.
Set in Goat Valley Campground, How to Survive Camping: The Man With No Shadow initially focuses on a series of story vignettes to introduce us (and any campers to Goat Valley Campground) to the rules of the land. What becomes abundantly clear through each segment is how essential the rules are for survival, not just from the elements but also the creatures that have made themselves at home. And I’m not talking about bears.
Though not wholly explained, creatures from various folklore have taken residence within Goat Valley Campground. A perimeter keeps them from going into town and wreaking havoc. The Campground is run by Kate, who narrates the book, and, as is soon discovered, this year is turning out to be a very bad year for Kate and her crew.
Whatever tenuous hold she had over its inhabitants has grown weaker. This not only spells trouble for any campers and townsfolk who might end up victims of one of the supernatural inhabitants, but also for Kate herself.
How to Survive Camping: The Man With No Shadow is a quick, entertaining read.
Her family has kept a watchful eye over the grounds, sacrificing everything they’ve had to keep the people of Goat Valley safe. Yet, as things go horribly awry (with The Man With No Shadow having a hand in things), Kate ends up on borrowed time. Angry and isolated, it may not be long before she loses everything. And her life is the least of her concerns.
Part informational guide, part witness account of all the things going wrong in Kate’s life, How to Survive Camping: The Man With No Shadow is a quick read. Part of this is due to the first-person POV present in the text, making it easier to follow along.
In the first third of the novel, each vignette is told in almost short story length chunks, allowing the reader to delicately sink themselves into this world. This approach is smart, and also seems to hark back to the original posts that were likely on the /nosleep Reddit page.
However, once the story starts tying varying threads together, the pacing begins to struggle. Kate’s narration and thought bubbles become quickly repetitive, which is a great way to get us even further into her headspace, but slows down the pace. Once How to Survive Camping: The Man With No Shadow shifts towards its final act, the pace mostly rights itself, while the main threads come together.
Supernatural creatures and bloodshed abound.
As a character, Kate has potential for growth in later installments. This first installment definitely sets her up to be incredibly imperfect, with a chip on her shoulder and a penchant for looping thought trains. Her interactions with the Man with the Skull arguably prove to be some of the most delightful in the book, while the titular Man With No Shadow arguably reads fairly one-note. A similar point could be made of much of the characterization within the novel, with the book’s strongest points solidifying themselves in the plot rather than in its characters.
This becomes even more noticeable with the ever-growing rotation of supernatural creatures and townsfolk Kate comes across in Goat Valley. Given the location of Goat Valley, some creatures introduced as “trapped” don’t quite make sense. Particularly when the story segues into the winter months, where a lot of the story’s pacing falters. But, with more explanation in future installments surrounding how all of these beings somehow found themselves in this particular section of the United States, suspension of disbelief can be achieved.
For those specifically wondering about the gore and horror factor, be prepared for some decent levels of gore, with some juicy details to keep you on your toes. With all manner of things that go bump in the night, a set of creatures hell bent on making Kate and her family’s life, well, a living hell, and a growing mob of townspeople gunning for Kate’s blood, there are many opportunities where Quinn lets loose with the bloodshed.
A fun new universe with more to come.
That said, How to Survive Camping: The Man With No Shadow may not be perfect, but it’s a quick read that opens up a whole new literary universe for exploration and expansion. With a couple of mysteries left open for future sequels and Kate’s newfound ties to the Man with the Skull, I’m curious to see what happens next.
Thank you, Saga Press and Simon & Schuster, for providing an ARC.
REVIEW RATING
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How to Survive Camping: The Man With No Shadow - 7/10
7/10
