Book one in the TAMER ANIMALS seriesIT WAS JUST A CAMPING TRIPDown by the old Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge, four high school friends only wanted to kick back, smoke some weed and forget about their problems for a day or two. Sure, there were stories that the area was haunted, but there was no way they were true.IT WAS JUST A LOCAL LEGENDDecades earlier, an old goat farmer had … LEGEND
Decades earlier, an old goat farmer had been murdered by the Klan, hung from a tree near the bridge solely because of the color of his skin. His body was never found. Since then, numerous sightings of a strange creature–half-man and half-goat–had been reported in the surrounding woods. He was called the Goatman.
IT WAS JUST THE WORST NIGHT OF THEIR LIVES
From the moment they arrived, strange noises echoed around them… a sense that they were being watched pervaded the campsite… and that was just the beginning. When one of them vanishes and a horned monstrosity pursues the others, it becomes clear that the legends are real.
…and the truth is so much more horrific than they could ever have imagined.
“Justin M. Woodward isn’t playing around–this is a terrifying descent into depravity.” -Jeff Strand (Author of Sick House)
“Dark, twisted, and full of surprises.” -Duncan Ralston (Author of WOOM and Salvage)
“Woodward is the kind of dick who invites himself into your nightmares, and Tamer Animals is the key he uses to open the door.” -J. Z. Foster (Author of The Wicked Ones and Witch Hunter)
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Justin M. Woodward is the kind of dick who invites himself into your nightmares, and Tamer Animals is the key he uses to open the door.
Tamer Animals brought me back to my childhood with nostalgic references to the Gamecube and Slipknot, and then introduced a group of boys that could have easily have been my friends. From there, nefarious things happen.
It was just going to be a camping trip.
I’d like to tell you more. I really would. But it’d almost be a sin to reveal anything else as I’d be stealing the surprise from you, and that’s what Tamer Animals is—a bloody gut punch of a surprise that’ll leave you reeling.
Justin M. Woodward isn’t playing around—this is a terrifying descent into depravity.
In truth, I didn’t know Justin Woodward before reading Tamer Animals, but now he will be hard to forget.
This book was awesome. Top 5 best Horror I read in 2019. I’m really hoping he continues with this Genre.
I read the prequel as well, although much shorter but packs a punch.
Dark, twisted, and full of surprises.
4.5 stars! Justin M. Woodward has done it again! I loved his other novels Candy and The Variant so I knew going in Tamer Animals was going to be a great read. Tamer Animals is his first horror novel and he sure didn’t hold back! A camping trip for a group of teens goes horribly, horribly wrong. Just a warning: You will never want to go camping after reading this. Oh, and you might become a vegetarian after reading as well. Tamer Animals is gruesome, terrifying, and bloody FUN!
The first horror novel from Justin is awesome. Great character development. Ending is unexpected which i love. Great coming of age horror novel. His first horror novel. Can’t wait for his next. Love having this book on my shelves with Stephen king and joe hill
If you’ve never read anything by Justin Woodward, this is a good place to start! (I’ll say, so far I’ve loved everything I’ve read by this author, so you can’t really go wrong!) If you like movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and books like Summer of Night, you will love Tamer Animals! Very creepy and kept me on edge. Stay out of the woods and beware the Goatman!
What can I say, I’m impressed. Justin Woodward’s Tamer Animals reads like a YA on steroids. Well told, well written this story reaches out and takes hold of the reader almost immediately. Justin Woodward writes with a passion that only authors who enjoy their craft have. He doesn’t hurry to tell the tale, instead he draws you in to experience it with the characters. They led, Woodward and the reader follow. It’s the kind of storytelling that make legends. Do yourself a favor and read Tamer Animals.
Scary! Page turner! Great read!
Four kids sneak away on a camping trip to let loose and not have to deal with their everyday lives. What they instead end up having to deal with though, is something no one should ever have to face.
Tamer Animals is an excellent coming of age story and an enjoyable read from start to finish. I could not put this book down! Watch out for the Goatman!!
If you read my reviews regularly you will know that I was a instant fan of Justin Woodward after reading his last book CANDY. It was such a outstanding story with enough twists and turns to keep you reading late into the night. What could we expect from his next book?
Then along comes TAMER ANIMALS.
(This review is totally spoiler free, so bear with me as I try to explain why you should have already read this book)
We have a great “coming of age” story revolving around four high school friends who are planning a secret trip to see the supposedly haunted Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge. But the haunted bridge is not the only attraction to the area. There is also the legend of a mysterious “hanging tree” and a creature know only as the “Goatman”.
As the time of their trip arrives, they head out on what they hope will be a fun time of camping and smoking weed, with maybe a little adventure mixed in. Little do they know what awaits them in the woods. The Goatman is not the only horror waiting in the dark.
So, no more story from here. Let’s just say that by the time you reach the mid-point of the story, you will not want to put it down. Justin takes our nice story of four friends and throws everything, including the kitchen sink at them.
Justin showed us in CANDY that he could write from a teenagers point of view, and in TAMER ANIMALS it has been refined even more. Patrick, Dean, Tim and John are all likable, and more importantly believable characters. These are teenagers with true teenage problems. None of them lead a perfectly happy life, but they each other to lean on for support and friendship.
In TAMER ANIMALS, Justin lets his dark side out, and it is a thing to behold. This is Stephen King’s “Stand By Me” gruesomely mated with the Ed Lee’s “Family Tradition”.
It’s a story of friendship, adventure and unspeakable horror.
Justin Woodward delivers a true “gut-punch” to the soul with TAMER ANIMALS.
INSTANT CLASSIC!
First things first – The Variant and Candy (Justin’s prior releases) were really, really good.
Tamer Animals is beyond fantastic. I dare you, nope I double dare you, not to be thinking about the movie adaptation by the time you finish.
This is story-telling by a master craftsman. This coming-of-age tale fits nicely in the veins of IT, The Body or anything McCammon. You find yourself easily rooting for the kids, wanting only good to happen as things continue to go down a horrendous path.
Now if you have picked up this book, you will know that they are looking for the Goatman. That isn’t a spoiler, it’s fact, but man oh man, do you want to know more about this Goatman character/creature!
If you have read The Variant (if not, you should) then you will see the tie in, but if not (and you should) this will not effect reading this book.
Such a solid, solid effort here from a rising star. This will inevitably catapult him into the conversation of “next big thing” horror writers.
Now, the sad part is, I have to wait and wait for his next release!
Great scary read!
When five young boys go into the woods thinking this is going to be a “normal” camping trip with ghost hunting and tales from the past, things go wrong in a hurry. Is it just the weed or is this real life? Will they make it all out alive or will the gotman get them?
Now this was a well written novel that will keep you turning every page until it’s finished. Infact i read this book in less than 24 hrs (a real page turner). I wasn’t thrilled as the story continued and bits and pieces reminded me of “something else” well intact “2 something elses.” Which give me very mixed feelings. Although I did enjoy this book, all I could think about and picture was 2 movies. “The hills have eyes”, and “Texas chainsaw massacre.” Although both great movies i felt this particular novel just rewrote both movies to closely in this novel for my liking. Justin Woodward is a very talented author but i felt this book just didnt pull out his best abilities.