I listen to a TON of horror fiction podcasts and this is by far one of the most unique, creepy, mind-bending premises I've ever come across. It's the kind of skin-crawling, melancholy, surreal world of nightmares that twists the mundane just enough to set your teeth on edge and make you question everything about the reality in which you've been placed. ABSOLUTELY worth a listen if you love the genre, but beware this is a slow and subtle horror of psychology and tension building, not jump scares and gruesome action. If you can hang with that then you're going to love it!

This is easily a top 3 fictional podcast for me. The pace is slow, but if you stick with it, you will be filled with dread in the most interesting (good) way. There’s a certain quality to the narration that is soothing, yet horrifying, when juxtaposed against the eerie things David (the main character) experiences. You can interpret this podcast in multiple ways, and I am certain nearly everyone will find at least one episode that resonates with their own feelings or experiences in life. What I truly love about this podcast is that if you listen close enough (this one requires full attention as to not miss anything), David will often offer a single line that will turn your view on the story he is telling you sideways and cause you to grin at its cleverness. This podcast is a work of art, storytelling/writing at its finest. I wish it was adapted into a book. Once I finished the podcast, I immediately started it over and am picking up on more pieces and clues I missed the first time around. This is a fun one for folks who have an analytical mind. This is also a fun one for people who are just in it for the ride, wanting body horror themes and creepy, eerie feelings, without any jump scares. One last note. Episode 30 contains some overlapping dialog bits that can be difficult to hear and auto-transcriptions in the podcast app don’t always pick it up. There is an official transcript of the episode on iamineskew(dot)com that lays out any audio you struggle to hear.

There’s a lot of genres you could categorize Eskew under, and a lot of comparisons you could make to other podcasts that focus on weird places where weird things happen, but none of them manage to build the atmosphere and mood as well as David’s narration of his experiences in Eskew. From the first episode, the relentless rain becomes a familiar backdrop that manages to tie together the strange and melancholic world he inhabits. The horrors he finds within it are ones that always seem to begin as banal, slightly “off” experiences, ones that may be familiar to listeners, but escalate in a way that always brings me chills. Have you ever lived in a big city, and been walking back to your apartment at a very late or very early hour, when the streets are completely empty? Your brain, fighting off the fog of sleep, might suddenly be overcome by a feeling of unease. Not that you aren’t alone, but rather that you *are* alone, and that the only thing that has and ever existed is you and the twisting streets that seemed so familiar in the day time...and that scares you. This is the feeling that I find Eskew evokes in me when I listen to it. And I love it. Great job to the folks behind it. Updating this review in the year 2024: I am always coming back to this, even years later, to relisten. Thank you so much.

I really wanted to like this none, heard great thing on Reddit. The rain background killed it for me. I made it through the first episode only to realize I hadn’t paid attention to the actual story because all I could focus on was the rain the whole time. Make a version with the rain cut out and this would be great!

I love it so much, the story, the writing, the ambiance. The one thing that is driving me crazy is the audio editing. I know the shows over but the constant background rain noise (rain? Is it meant to be an old tape recording noise?) and the intermittent metal “whoosh” noise (it sounds like a metal garage door being forcibly closed) that’s between scenes is annoying.

Podcasts to novels, to YouTube horror. It’s the story telling for me. I’ve been chasing that feeling as a kid that I got at the campfire, when my Grandad would scare me out of my mind and wake me up in the middle of the night in my sleeping bag. I love this so much I think because the protagonist himself or really his reaction to everything isn’t the scary part but the underlying horror that would drive anyone crazy, to experience Eskew day after day. To the Rater that said this is only good to put you to sleep because of the narration… You obviously have the attention span of a child. I wouldn’t recommend any books outside of the JV section in fear that anything but the climax of the book would bore you.

I’ve been a fan of horror books and movies, and this podcast has some unusual stories. I enjoyed it.

I didn't think i'd ever find anything to top Knifepoint horror until i found this podcast. Subtle, unsettling, beautifully written and completely immersive. I'm still thinking about it days after finishing. edit: omg why did they remove these to listen to? Edit: does anyone know why this series isn't available for download?

So good. Just listen to it, you won’t regret it. An ongoing surreal nightmare. Find the episode where he goes to therapy for the first time. It’s my favorite so far — it wasn’t delivered humorously, but the content itself was a hilarious commentary on therapy. He just can’t figure out the purpose of the 2nd therapist in the corner…

While the writing and storyline of this series is actually quite good, the delivery makes this podcast mind numbingly boring. The only thing I find this good for is putting me to sleep as the constant sound of rain is quite soothing.

I can’t think of a way to accurately describe what this podcast is about or the feelings it elicits. I wasn’t prepared. I’m a horror fanatic but I had recently gotten bored with my usual horror content. It started to feel like everything was just a ripoff, a lazily executed ripoff, of all the story’s I’ve seen or heard previously. This is so different. It’s brilliant, engrossing, melancholic, and one of the best podcasts I’ve stumbled across. It’s so unusual yet niche that it can’t possibly be for everyone. But for those it is for, it’s a rare gem. Even by episode 12, I was still questioning whether I ‘got it’ or not. I’m still questioning if I’ve interpreted everything right. The thing that bothers me is a weird effect between ‘scenes’. It’s a whoooooosh that’s alot louder than the VA. It becomes very excessive in some episodes. If the writing were any less stellar I would’ve probably ditched it simply for that ‘whooooosh’. Oh and the pronunciation of the name ‘Jacoby’. He said ‘juh-KOE-be’ at first, then suddenly switched it up to ‘JAC-a-be’. That was pretty obnoxious, but those are literally the only two complaints I can come up with and they’re pretty trivial.

I love the writing and the general mood, and the voice acting is incredibly well done. However, the editing I think could use some work. I’m only 6 episodes in but the weird breaks of silence where the VA and background sounds arent stitched close enough together, and the sound affect they use that sounds like a passing car is very distracting.

I’ve listened twice all the way through. If you love eldritch horror, this is for you. If you hate jumpscare horror, this is for you. If you like to feel weirded out by your own surroundings every once in a while, this is also for you. Occasionally gory, so use the content warnings as your guide. Also be warned that the transition sound is quite a bit louder than the rest of the podcast.

If you like the Lost Cat podcast, you’ll like Eskew. Conversely, if you like Eskew, check out the Lost Cat podcast. They share DNA for sure.

You’re going to walk away from the first episode feeling dirty and slightly confused. You’ll suspect there is some information; some orientation that you missed. There is a tickle in your brain that might just be because you’re not sure what you just listened to, or it might be one of the small spiders that seem to be falling from that tree has made it through your ear canal and is now burrowing it’s way through the softer tissues. Somehow, although you’re feeling queasy, your finger, extended, moving towards the little triangle on the little computer screen you hold in your hand, the one that is placed besides the words, “Episode 2”. “Maybe that was just excessive as a first episode; start off with a bang” you reason, “each one can’t be like that…viscus” There is a chittering; a chattering; a nervous scratching sound from an area somewhere behind your head. Like many small legs moving across tile. Soft at first, but gaining in momentum and excitement. Oh my dear child; how wrong you are.

This...wasn't for me. I'm not saying it's bad by a long shot, obviously a lot of people love it. And I can certainly appreciate the work that was put into it. I'm sure it's not easy to make a podcast like this. But this wasn't a memorable experience in the slightest. I felt nothing for David and Riol's plight. I felt nothing for David and Riol in general. There was one time when David showed genuine emotion, when he and Riol first met, and that's the only time I thought he might be a -person-, an actual character. Not just words being read back to me monotonously. I'm on the last episode and I genuinely don't care what happens. Again, not bad. Just not for me.

Very unsettling from the overall tone to the occasional unconventional gorefest. Masterfully made surreal horror from start to finish. Not a good ending, but a Good Ending™. Serious note: a lot of the story plays out like a prolonged dissociative episode, so if your mental health may be a concern, please proceed with caution.

finished this today, and absolutely love the ending. I have been spoiled in audio fiction, esspecially horror, as my introduction to the genre has been shows in the top tier, so a few things I didn't find here may not be fair detriments. That said, I am glad I listened to it, and love how they have used the work they did here and pushed themselves with TSV. Also, I sound like I didn't really like it, and that's not true : I really did!

This is one of the all time great podcasts, a fantastic work of weird, surrealist horror, fabulously voice acted, every story has such facinating twists and turns. Highest recommendation.

This is so brilliantly unsettling and well done. I love it.

This is the best horror podcast I’ve ever listened too!!

I started listening to this wonderfully creepy and well written podcast. Sadly now it won’t play any of the episodes. I hope the episodes will be available again soon.

Weird and engaging horror podcast

I saw the 5 star rate and thought this must be pretty good. I listened to the first episode and thought “ what is all this hype about? It’s good but not amazing” and I’m now in maybe the 10th episode and I AM BLOWN AWAY. THIS IS the best writing, I’ve seen, in maybe a year; the voice actors do a fair job, but the script is written so well it might not even matter. Atrocious punctuation forgiven for my review but just wow.

I am in eskew is so great. i love the writing and overall tone of the show, it’s one of the few shows that scares me in a sinking feeling sort of way. the writing is also really good it makes me want to write essays about it, i love the body/spacial horror and commentary on cities. (i’ve lived in them my whole life and it’s only slightly less terrible then eskew lol) i think that fans of the haunting of hill house or junji ito would like this podcast. you should listen!

This was an excellent podcast fir listeners who are into weird horror. Very well produced and great quality. If you enjoy podcasts like Alice isn’t Dead, Within the Wires, The White Vault, The Left Right Game, Welcome to Nightvale, or Old Gods of Appalachia, this podcast is for you. One word of caution though…the voice actor who plays David has a soothing voice, and there’s almost always the sound of rain. Those are two sounds that have lulled me into sleep during some binge listens haha. So I’d have to back up to what I remembered.

Eskew is exceptional in its flow, exquisite storytelling and ability freak you out. I’m absorbed.

If you like The Magnus Archives, you’ll probably like this!! The storytelling is incredible, the narrator’s voice amazing, and all-together very well done! The sound effects leave something to be desired, but I that’s also just my personal opinion. Highly recommend!!

Extremely good and actually scary. A nightmarish city twists banal unpleasantries like corporate jobs and apartment living into a hellish funhouse mirror of genuine horror. The narration is restrained and free of theatrics or overdone sound effects. Loving every minute of this show even when (especially when?) it makes me want to crawl out of my skin.

I've been listening to audio dramas for years and this is by and far my favorite. It is bleak and hopeful in turns and through the entirety of it, the motifs and symbols and thematic strands build into something amazing. I've listened to the entire thing several times but the last three episodes always get to me. I know that a lot of people say that this is terrifying and I certainly classify it as horror. But I recently reccomended it to someone who normally can't stand horror and she loved it. Though conceptually bleak, with a ton of body horror and monstrosity, this doesn't use jump-scares or sexual tramua or any of the tropes which normally put her off of horror as a genre. It is a brilliant story, which came to me at a time when I really needed a story like this one. It means quite a bit to me.

“A horror podcast? How does that work?” “Yes” “Yes”, a second voice says.

A GREAT podcast. Normally I’m not scared of horror, but a lot of the stuff in this was actually terrifying. Great characters, I really liked David, though I feel like he’s not supposed to be likable. I loved the ending, but it did hurt. I love the individual stories just as much as the metaplot, which is rare for me. One of my favorite podcasts, I love it so much.

I’m so impressed by this show. The use of a city, a place, architecture as your main antagonist is so well executed here that I Am In Eskew shines out amongst all other similar shows of the same idea. Eskew COMMITS. And David Ward (writer) makes deep, visceral connections between the uncanny and supernatural and real-world nightmare scenarios, inter and over lapping in terrifying ways. It’s truly wonderful and captures the horror of the themes and institutions it weaves into the narrative like nothing else. I’d consider myself a horror buff and I’ve been consuming horror for a very long time. But this show does something new with the genre. It’s... well, it’s hard to describe! If this show were an artist, it’d be Zdzisław Beksiński. I’d recommend this to anyone who is on the rocks - definitely give it a listen! The voice acting is beautiful and simultaneously nerve-wracking. The story is gorgeous. Welcome to Eskew.

I was lucky enough to find Eskew just as episode 3 dropped. I was swiftly sucked in to the sound of constant driving rain coupled with the dulcet tones of David’s voice. More than horror, it’s an exploration of the loneliness and confusion so many of us face every day. I’ve never enjoyed audio content more than this podcast.

It’s rare to find an inventive and well done podcast that stays good right to the end. Body horror, city horror, and psychological horror fans should give it a try

I am in Eskew is more than a scary story, though make no mistake it WILL scare you. David Ward brings an incredibly creative, original twist to the horror genre. Certain lines are nothing short of poetry. 10/10 subscribe now!!

Just finished the series and it’s some of the best writing I’ve ever encountered in a podcast. Thanks for the hard work!

Sometimes, fiction and metaphor speaks more clearly and truthfully about actual lived horror than factual non-fiction can. There is such in this podcast, accompanied by beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking writing, diverse cast, and excellent sound design that makes Eskew and the characters you meet in there feel so incredibly real and relatable. You can palpably touch the horror in Eskew, and can feel the love and talent that was poured into it. Ever since it ended i have been searching for another podcast like it, and nothing has come close. If you enjoy horror, or even just psychological/philosophical story telling, this is an absolute must listen.

I love listening to these. Despite the “coldness” that emanates from Eskew, these feel warmly made. They’re super calming to me despite their eerie and gruesome subject matter. Love how the narrator’s own mental state becomes part of the unstableness of Eskew as if a line dissolves between them. Also a bit of black humor. I love art like this that is made with obvious and unique passion. Feel very grateful it exists :) also quite lovely that creators ask you to donate to other up and coming podcasts, or toward missing persons charities, when you go to make a donation. How sweet. And just goes to show you what a passion project this is. Thank you, Creators! Keep being awesome.

Lucky to have found such a well performed and creepy podcast. There are not too many episodes, so I try not to listen to all of them too quickly. A great listen.

This scratches my brain and spine the same way that Magnus Archives does, where the world and the stories are so beautifully unsettling, and the world of Eskew such a vivid, funhouse-mirror echo of normalcy. I love the incredible, understated, chillingly subdued narration of this strange place. Brilliant.

I absolutely adore this podcast, they’ve created such a vivid world. The minutiae of life in Eskew is as fascinating as the plot. Great narration and production!

Creepily original. Chilling lovecraftian vib. I listen before bed but stay up all night bc its so good.

This is dark fantasy storytelling of the highest order. On par with Alice Isn’t Dead, Spines, and The Magnus Archives in regard to originality and strength of literary voice. Great stuff thus far.

Deservedly a highly rated podcast. So creepy and addictive. The telling of each episode is delivered by a narrator that has a deep, melodic, cultured voice. Weirdly beautiful in a world of horror and mystery.

I Am in Eskew is very difficult to describe. Basically, it’s about a man (David Ward) living in a very strange city, and all of the horrifying things he encounters there. The city feels like the creation of a non-racist Lovecraft on LSD - it’s awful and amazing and so very, very weird. The podcast itself is great, the narrator is a wonderful storyteller with a great voice. He conveys the horror and madness so well. Give it a try!

The presentation of all the moving parts; story, narration, pacing, sound design, and overall delivery are top-notch. The stories are episodic, with a larger overarching story that is mysterious and unnerving. Can’t say enough good things about it. Props to the makers. In a densely populated genre, this is truly an under appreciated gem.

I love everything about Eskew. The ideas behind each episode, the twisted reality of Eskew, the metaphorical and ominous pictures drawn by the narration, the unexpected and surreal turns of events. It almost feels like catching a glimpse of internal workings of someone else’s mind. When regular events are perceived, broken down, stripped of the minute details and reassembled back into something much more scary and beautiful. I’m in awe with the show, and keep going back to some episodes, which have impressed me the most (like Illumination)

Does a fantastic job of blending fascinating surreal fantasy with a punch to the gut of horrifying. This show builds such a world that has such varied and yet consistent-feeling terrors, and loves to go for your emotions at the same time as your fears, which can make for a REALLY powerful package. And it'd be easy for it to be just an endless string of horrible events, but it also is telling an overall story and wildly changing up the protagonist's status quo to keep things Fresh Funky F--ked Up. But also even amidst the horror, the ending of episode 21 made me yell "HELL YEAH" and im VERY excited to see where that storyline goes next!

It’s hard to describe this podcast. It profoundly creepy but also beautiful. It’s a grim soggy look at a bleak city that has its own personality.