“Welcome to Night Vale”

“A friendly desert community where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful and mysterious lights pass overhead while we all pretend to sleep. Welcome to Night Vale.”

For those who are already fans of the wildly popular podcast, there’s not much I need to say other than be careful — books are dangerous things. For those who are new to the brilliantly weird, hilariously terrifying and mind twisting awesome that is the small town of Night Vale, welcome — and remember to avoid the dog park.

‘Welcome to Night Vale’
By Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor
416 pages
Harper Perennial
$19.99
10/20/15

There really is no comparison for Night Vale. No genre or adjective or comparison will do it justice. “Welcome to Night Vale: A Novel” is absurd, magical, intense and beautiful all at once. It is, partially, the story of two Night Vale residents and their search for the mysterious KING CITY. It is also a meditation on family, hope, time and what really matters. It is a brilliant expansion of the beloved podcast, a deep, chilling, revealing, hysterical dive into the compelling little town in a way only a novel could accomplish. Beyond the essential strangeness and warped familiarity of this extraordinary town, the novel excels at what has always been at the core of Night Vale in all its formats — the bittersweet heart. Hope, acceptance and understanding come in many forms, and they are deftly woven into this curiously wonderful tale.

Be forewarned — Night Vale is not a place in which to dip a toe (unless you accept the risk of losing it to an unleashed librarian) or visit occasionally. Night Vale will become the home you never knew you missed. Leaving will no longer be an option, but don’t worry, you won’t mind.  CV

Julie is not an angel, because angels don’t exist (and her name is not Erica). She knows that a scientist is always fine. She is not many things. She also is many things. All hail the mighty glow cloud.