Creepy, poetic, disturbing, defiant fits in with the Bedlam Bible universe. But somehow it lacks the same degree of substance.

The audiobook was enjoyably narrated by Connor Brannigan.

Thank you William Pauley III, Doom Fiction, and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

WOW, this was a ride. To be completely honest, I felt confused throughout the prologue and the first part of the book. Was this story about a bug? However, I continued to listen because Connor Brannigan's narration/voice was so soothing. I officially want to listen to anything he reads! His dialogue of the five men - goodness gracious. SO GOOD.
I also really loved the detailed description of the story. I am someone who needs dialogue, but the way the description flowed and created this world in my mind, I did not mind that the dialogue did not occur until halfway through. The ending was great, too.

Overall - a great story!

This story story was cute and simple to listen to. It's around an hour in length. I loved the way the layout was in the story. Instead of chapters, it's in parts like a play. The narrator was the best luck for this book!

Have been thoroughly entertained and I’m apparently halfway through this series called The Bedlam Bible. Having listened to the audio versions of books one to four and now book five, you would think I would have some sort of handle on how it all fits together or would have given up. I dont! But I’m totally hooked!! One thing though is for certain, I don’t want to meet Old Joe Booth on a dark night. Or in fact a sunlight day either. Thank you to Doom Fiction and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

This captivating installment in the Bedlam Bible saga has left me eager to explore the rest of the series.
The atmospheric writing in this piece is nothing short of extraordinary, evoking an intense sense of unease that sends shivers down the spine.
The narration by Connor Brannigan amplifies the experience, immersing the listener in a world that seems crafted specifically for him. Brannigan's portrayal is an impeccable fit for this role, elevating the overall quality of the production.
It fulfills my yearning for a truly creepy and compact narrative.
Biggest complaint that I have is that I wish it was a little bit longer and more flashed out, I would've really wanted to spend more time emersed in this story.

Firstly, I really enjoy The Bedlam Bible series because all of them can be read as standalone books imo. I don’t read them in order either. The Ballad of Old Joe Booth is just that- a ballad. It’s definitely lyrical and poetic. I love how different it is than the other two books I’ve read in the series, yet it still invokes the same feelings and vibe (though I loved the others as well). Don’t read this if you can’t understand the fact that you probably won’t understand. Just accept that and know that not everything needs an explanation. Just read it and let your mind go. Does that make sense? Maybe not. This book, this series, requires you to relinquish your view of reality. Like I said before, kinda horror, kinda bizarre, kinda sci-if. Also, I don’t think I’ve mentioned this in previous reviews but the narrator kills it every time.

I received this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the 5th book in the Bedlam Bible series, but I haven't read book 2 or 3 yet because they were archived on Netgalley before I had a chance to download them. In any event, it isn't necessary to have read the previous books, as this one is stand-alone.

The Ballad of Old Joe Booth is a captivating tale narrating the genesis of the enigmatic cosmic horror entity known as Old Joe Booth. The Bedlam Bible, an extraordinary compilation encompassing every book in the series, holds the key to Old Joe Booth's demise. Learning of its existence, and the potential fatal nature of the Bedlam Bible, Old Joe is prompted to embark on a relentless quest to eradicate this ominous tome. With its evocative descriptions and thrilling narrative, this eerie and delightful short story by William Pauley III is yet another resounding success.

Im so into this series! I need to read them all. I loved this short creepy story about Old Joe Booth. He is a version of the devil and those who came into contact with him should have turned around and gone home. I just love the weird horror! I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I enjoyed the narration on the audio. Thank you to NetGalley and Doom Fiction Audio for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

So, stumbling into 8th block because of Net Galley has been a whirlwind. This one, which is essentially the Magician’s Nephew of this series was pretty solid. If you are here for the Kafka love and the homage to all the stuff that our writer loves, this is a series you should try.

THE BALLAD OF OLD JOE BOOTH is the 5th in a series of novellas called "The Bedlam Bible Series,."

William Pauley III has continued his streak of the creation of more weird and wonderful tales in his Bedlam Bible series - with a big emphasis on the "weird."

I received this book from NetGalley and have to admit that the reason I requested it was because of the genre it was listed as - Horror.

The author may be a bit twisted, but those twisted story elements are exactly what sucks the reader in. William Pauley III has a terrific grasp on human motivation and a true talent for creating three dimensional characters.

All in all, I enjoyed this trip into the fantastical world of THE BALLAD OF OLD JOE BOOTH, but I definitely think you need to be in the correct frame of mind to delve into the truly weird when you read this book.

I rate it as 3 out of 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

*** Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***

The Ballad of Old Joe Booth is a cosmic horror poem that is different from what I read from this author. It is super short and the narrator was phenomenal. I really enjoyed it. I think this is a great introduction for the author too. Thanks to the publisher for this arc.

I tried to get into this book but unfortunately was unable too, I’m sure many other will. That is the beauty of books and readers. Thank you for allowing me the advanced copy :)

I have not read anything by this author previously, however the quick introduction ensured I missed nothing. The narrator was perfect, bringing this haunted story to life. It reminded me strongly of Edgar Allan Poe. This was a quick listen, but packed a punch.

I love the narrator's voice, it fit perfectly with the mood of this ballad.

The ballad itself was a quick listen (only 45 minutes) and an interesting story.

A delightfully short and spooky addition to Pauley’s cosmic horror lore starring the eldritch entity itself. Visceral and bizarre, and exceptionally narrated by Connor Brannigan, ‘The Ballad of Old Joe Booth’ serves as a great addition to the Bedlam Bible as well as a top notch quick cosmic horror fix.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, William Pauly III, and Doom Fiction for the opportunity to listen to an advanced listening copy of this poetic epic in exchange for an honest review.

My least favorite of Pauley's works, not because it wasn't interesting but because I just wasn't feeling this story. That being said it was a short quick listen and it gave me some more perspective on Old Joe Booth that came in handy in one of the other audiobook listens I did. Still recommend, because if it's not for me it will be for someone else. My thanks to the publisher again for a chance to listen to this.

Since the Dawn of time, the Old Joe Booth has been feasting on creatures of this world without a care.
An epic poem that tells us the life of Old Joe Booth.

Well ... I am not entirely sure what the heck, I was listening too. But I can tell you that I loved it . Found it utterly creepy and the narration was above awesome. Really. The voice took me in and never let me go. I was mesmerized. the narration gave life to a nightmare and good god, did it feel right. It's the right author, with the right narrator. Great Combination, that is quite hard to find.

A short, standalone story that supposedly is close to the middle of the Bedlam Bible. Divided into four seasons, our voyagers struggle to overcome the demon of Old Joe Booth. Images evoked from the story were reminiscent of old timey Sci-fi movies crossed with the horror of Stephen King and madness of Apocalypse Now. The scariest demons are the ones we wrestle with within ourselves. Not for the faint of heart, ‘The Ballad of Old Joe Booth” reads like a psychological horror Odyssey. Short enough to dive into multiple times within one day. Another fascinating, bizarre symbolic fever-dream to pull readers deeper into the Bedlam Bible series.

Apparently, this is part of the Bedlam Bible series and I haven't read any of the previous installments but looking at how interesting this read was, I would look for them. Also, I look forward to the next installment.

I listened to the audiobook provided by net galley as an ARC.

The audiobook is well-narrated and engaging, with the voice actor effectively conveying the atmospheric and suspenseful nature of the stories. The different narrator’s perspectives are clearly delineated, allowing the listener to easily follow the shifting perspectives and add depth to the overall story.

Altogether, if you're a fan of horror audio books or enjoy stories that explore haunted places and mysterious characters, the audiobook version of "The Ballad of Old Joe Booth" seems to be a good choice. The atmospheric narration and effective use of horror elements make for an engaging and immersive listening experience.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Doom Fiction for the Audio ARC

Brannigan is the perfect voice for this dark monster tale told through the form of an epic poem. This is the creation myth that goes with the larger Bedlam Bible series (which I have not read). However, this quick ballad stands on its own.

The imagery is clear and fits with the expectations of a horror reader. The lyrical nature of the piece keeps the reader engaged and moving through the myth.

If you like monsters and horror, and you need a short jolt this is a great option.