It seems that you can’t keep a bad animatronic down. The world of Five Nights at Freddy’s (or FNAF) has grown from that scary game to a multimedia empire. Scott Cawthon and Elley Cooper wrote a series of books that retold the story for adults. In this new series, Cawthon along with with some other talented writers have now written a series for younger readers, Fazbear Frights. This is not FNAF World type of stories. This is not even Goosebumps. Think back to Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark and you will know what type of story you are getting into. Scott has said that these stories might fill in some gaps from the games. This is not simply just explaining events. You have to look at themes and do a little thinking. What follows is a look at the first three stories and how they might relate to the game series.
Into the Pit
Oswald has had a tough life. A kid whose family stayed in town when the mill closed. He is looking forward to a summer filled with library books and pizza at the rundown restaurant. Everything changes when he discovers that a closed off ball pit transports him back in time and to what original occupied the building, Freddy Fazbears. Oswald thinks his summer might turn out to be awesome, but not everything is fun. There is that employee in the golden bunny suit who seems to just stare at the kids. And if Oswald can go back in time, does that mean something else can go forward?
The idea of time travel is a new one for the FNAF Universe. This is a central part of the story, but it is the other aspects that connect it to the game series. The date that Oswald goes back will set off alarm bells for anyone familiar with the series. The event is new, and is particularly gruesome in description. One thing that stuck out is that Oswald does not know about Fazbear’s pizzeria. He reacts not with dread, but with wonder in this environment that would send anyone else screaming into the night. And we all know that when you introduce time travel, things can change.
To Be Beautiful
Sarah does not like the way she looks. All she wants is to be beautiful and maybe have the popular guy notice her. A bad day has her ditch the school bus for a long walk home. Passing a junkyard, she spies a broken animatronic and decides to take it home. She is not prepared for it to activate and introduce herself as Eleanor. Wishing to repay her kindness, Eleanor decides to make Sarah more beautiful every night. Day by day, Sarah becomes what she always wanted. This is not a fairy tale and Sarah will learn that every change comes with a price.
If Oswald never heard of Freddy’s, Sarah surely has. She even has a plush Freddy doll in her bedroom. She is not afraid of a talking robot. Also like the first story, there is a scene that is graphic you might be wondering if this is a really a kid’s book. The most confusing thing is Eleanor. The name might be different, but her description tells the reader that this is Baby from Sister Location. Perhaps if Sarah knows about Fezbear, she would not trust a animatronic with that name. Eleanor even has the same motives as Baby, and we know what Baby wants more then anything.
Count the Ways
Millie is a Goth girl who has to spend the year with her Grandfather. She is obsessed with the dark parts of the world. A meeting with a new boy might change her outlook, but there are setbacks and misunderstandings. This story is told as flashback as Millie finds herself in the belly of an animatronic her grandfather was working on in his garage. This very cheerful bear is planning a dastardly end for Millie. All she has to do is choose how she will die.
Of all the stories, this one is not centered around the gang of FNAF. The structure is interesting and we feel the growing terror as we learn how Millie found herself with this impossible choice. The animatronic is not Freddy as one might think, but Fun Time Freddy from Sister Location. The one main takeaway is that this Freddy states something about his purpose. He is not created to entertain, but to kill anyone he gets his paws on.
Final Thought
This first book seems to revolve around Sister Location. The Oswald story is a good introduction to the world. Of all three stories, Count the Ways is the one that stuck with me after reading. To Be Beautiful shows that not all stories have a happy ending. In relation to the games, these stories have started to present ideas that might come to fruition later on. I will reserve my guesses for a article that goes a little deeper. Overall, a good start for a new series.
Next: A very obedient dog, a story of sibling rivalry, and a toy that you will never be able to get away from.
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Into-Pit-Five-Nights-Freddys/dp/1338576011