THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN, Brian James Freeman and Norman Prentiss, Earthling Publications, $40, reviewed by Jim Brock.
“You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, and I’m telling you why” – THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN will be trick or treating this October. Bet you didn’t see that coming. You better hope you don’t see these kids at your door.
Instead of a caretaker husband with a wife and son in an Overlook Hotel ala THE SHINING, this book has a maintenance man wife a wife and a son and daughter in an apartment complex. Written from viewpoints but primarily that of the husband and wife, THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN is frankly one of the more disturbing books I have ever read.
From page to page my opinion of who was the monster behind what was going on changed from husband to wife to the children and then back. I was shocked and startled, grossed out and horrified – and I enjoyed every minute of it. And in the end, I still wasn’t sure who was the craziest – myself included.
Freeman (with whom I was familiar) and Prentiss (with whom I confess I was not) have created a disturbing tale with images so vivid they leapt from the page into brilliantly colored pictures in the mind. This is one powerful book. Treat yourself to this one for Halloween but be warned – have plenty of candy on hand for THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN should come knocking.
//Kudos to the writers and Paul Miller for possibly giving us the most horrifying novel in his Halloween series. Not often does a book raise the hairs on my arms, but this is one that did. I don’t wish to disagree with Jim, but I’m pretty sure he has read INVISIBLE FENCES by Prentiss and possibly some of his other works. Remember we are both having “Senior Moments” and don’t always remember everything. Barry//
No comments:
Post a Comment