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The Handyman

Written by: Bentley Little
Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla
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Publisher's Summary

Daniel Martin has never forgotten his childhood encounters with Frank Watkins, the man who built his family a summer home out of cardboard and plywood. Frank's gaze was oddly confusing, as if he was attempting to discern the proper way to behave because he didn't know how to respond in a human manner. Since Frank obviously wasn't an alien, young Daniel thought maybe the man was crazy. In the end, Daniel would learn the terrifying truth about Frank Watkins. And as an adult, Daniel is about to discover there are more of them out there.

©2017 Bentley Little (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
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What listeners say about The Handyman

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    55
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Story
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Finally, a story that feels new.

I really enjoyed this book. The story was captivating and did not feel like an overused trope as so many "horror" books do. I liked the characters, the flow of the plot, and the overall concept.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

bam

I didn't know what to expect when a handyman was the antagonist but this was absolutely brilliant.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing story

Amazing story, but wow bad reader. It was like listening to a parent read a bad bedtime story to a child. How could this be allowed to happen with such a good book. Just buy it and read it yourself.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Pretty terrifying

This books reminds me alo to a video game called silent hill. reality gets slanted more and more to the supernatural as the story progresses.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A unique horror

Horror isn’t always emotional or nostalgic, so this was a pleasure to listen to and it is one of the best readings on Audible.

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

Great story

Love the story, great book the world building! Will make you second guess next time you hire a handy person!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A Decent Scare

This creepy story is well-written, nicely-constructed, and told with flair. The reviews suggest listeners either love or hate this audiobook..
I found it imperfect but entertaining (it's not particularly terrifying, but neither is it rambling or boring).
Bentley Little constructed a tale about a genuinely Evil character - "Frank" - using an unusual three part structure:
• Part One [written from First-Person perspective] explores the experiences of the protagonist (Real Estate Agent Daniel) as a child growing up in a house constructed by the villain, and as an adult hunting down the mysterious figure he blames for the death of his teenaged brother and both of his parents (while Frank - and some chilling colleagues - stalk him in return).
• Part Two [Third-Person perspective] vividly fleshes out how truly evil the villain is with short episodes containing some of the best horror imagery I have ever read.. committing child murder, incorporating human bodies in his construction projects, using ghosts to kill people, etc.
• Part Three [back to First-Person] borders on the ludicrous, but chronicles the final confrontation between Daniel & Girlfriend and Frank.
The writing is creditable, the dialogue is largely guy-at-the-end-of-the-bar realistic, and there is real effort put into making characters relatable. It's not entirely successful (and Little's preoccupation with graphic sex is a bit off-putting), but 'Handyman' ends up silly yet satisfying.

Unfortunately, the narration in this audiobook is capable, but subpar. Chris Andrew Ciulla reads with excellent diction, admirable timbre/cadence, and spot-on pacing.. but with fairly weak voice-acting and a matter-of-fact tone that doesn't fit the creepy subject matter..at all. His performance lets the book down. Blackstone Audio provides very good sound quality and found a professional reader, but glaringly miscast this project.

When all is added up, this 8.5/10 book is brought down in merit by incompatible narration. This audiobook version rates 7.5 stars out of 10. It was offered for Free as part of the 'Plus' catalogue, and I'm grateful to Audible for including it. I might not have otherwise tried Bentley Little as a horror author - and he's reasonably good. Maybe a text copy is the better way to go if you want to give him a try.. but, despite deficiencies (and even though it's free), I judge this sample of Little's writing worth a Credit.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Ending

Ending seemed quick and out of style. Rushed even.

Still enjoyable, I'd reccomend it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Bentley little is amazing

I love this author. This narrator was brilliant as the main character. Conveyed Bentley's creepiness perfectly.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Little Handyman

it reminded me of an early Philip K Dick book in some ways. I enjoyed the experience but it did seem a little unfocused and the ending was rushed.

I would have liked to hear more about how they made sense of the scene at the end as more people were arriving.

The first half of the book was very engaging.
part 2 was anecdotal, but had a lot going for it.
part 3 I would love to see in film form done by a creative group of filmmakers.

This is the third book I've read by Bentley Little and they've all had a similar tone in character if not plot.
I do enjoy them. Recommended for an engaging and twisted listen.

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