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Halloween
Halloween: The Official Movie Novelization
In 1978, Laurie Strode survived an encounter with Michael Myers, a masked figure who killed her friends and terrorized the town of Haddonfield, Illinois on Halloween night. Myers was later gunned down, apprehended and committed to Smith's Grove State Hospital.
For forty years, memories of that nightmarish ordeal have haunted Laurie and now Myers is back once again on Halloween, having escaped a routine transfer, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. This time, Laurie is prepared with years of survival training to protect herself, her daughter Karen and her granddaughter Allyson, a teenager separated from her family and enjoying Halloween festivities.
For forty years, memories of that nightmarish ordeal have haunted Laurie and now Myers is back once again on Halloween, having escaped a routine transfer, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. This time, Laurie is prepared with years of survival training to protect herself, her daughter Karen and her granddaughter Allyson, a teenager separated from her family and enjoying Halloween festivities.
376 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 23, 2018
About the author
John Passarella
30 books160 followersBram Stoker Award-Winning co-author of Wither (which has been moved to the J. G. Passarella profile. Also, I'm the author of Wither's Rain, Wither's Legacy, Kindred Spirit, Shimmer, Exit Strategy & Others (fiction collection), and the media tie-in novels: Supernatural: COLD FIRE (MAR 2016), Night Terror & Rite of Passage, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Ghoul Trouble, Angel: Avatar & Monolith. Look for Grimm: The Chopping Block. My author website is Passarella.com
but I am also owner & web designer at AuthorPromo.com
but I am also owner & web designer at AuthorPromo.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 280 reviews
October 25, 2018
I loved it! The book is just like the movie with a few more things in the book that I'm hoping are in the deleted scenes when the movie comes out! At least I hope it will have deleted scenes!
If you're interested, I am going to leave a link to my BLOG page that shows me and mom going to the movie. It was a check mark of things I wanted to do for getting through my cancer treatment. Now if I can just keep the cancer away! There is a picture of me and mom that we didn't figure out how to take until we got home! Lol
ME MOM AND MICHAEL
Still Do Amazon Reviews
Happy Reading!
Mel ♥
October 14, 2020
Michael Myers is to be transferred to Glass Hill to be forever locked away. But there is an accident on the way. He frees itself and "The Shape hunts and The Shape kills." Will Laurie Strode and her family survive his coming back to town finishing what he started on Halloween Eve 40 years ago. What a great tour de force of endless killing and wielding a chef's knife. This is a no nonsense horror and must read for all fans of the Halloween movies. If you want to get back to Halloween, grab this book and read. The author does a wonderful presenting a remorseless and relentless Michael Myers obsessed with an evil spirit. What a page turner. A classic. Even if you know the story absolutely worth reading it. Maybe I'm a bit weird but I liked it (like the Rolling Stones say It's only Rock n' Roll but I like it). Highly recommended!
October 28, 2024
I know David Gordon Green’s franchise-acquiring stock has been steadily declining since initially reviving The Shape (essentially bottoming out after The Exorcist: Believer bellyflopped into a shallow pool of split pea puke), but I liked his Halloween trilogy as much as I could like any unnecessary attempt at a slasher amelioration.
All of our favorite famous fictional fatales have appeared in more bad media than good, but marathoning the bloody mishmash is all part of the fun.
Until Scream revitalized the genre (for good or ill), we ‘90’s horror kids had to resort to randomly rewatching the same three edited franchises over and over again on cable.
Both attempts at bringing back the other two big slasher names, Freddy and Jason, failed miserably in the late 2000’s, with Rob Zombie (who has made movies I like), turning Michael into a bullied, white trash, foul-mouthed little shit.
Halloween (2018), and its companion novelization don’t return it to its former glory, and it lacked Busta Rhymes saving the day using Kung Fu (see Halloween: Resurrection), but it at least renewed some interest, did away with the sibling angle with Laurie Strode, the stupid Cult of Thorn stuff, and all the other inconsistencies and straw-grasping of the (brace yourselves) almost half-century old series, and showed Michael once again as an aimless force of nature, death walking, looking at the world through the Devil’s Eye(s).
All of our favorite famous fictional fatales have appeared in more bad media than good, but marathoning the bloody mishmash is all part of the fun.
Until Scream revitalized the genre (for good or ill), we ‘90’s horror kids had to resort to randomly rewatching the same three edited franchises over and over again on cable.
Both attempts at bringing back the other two big slasher names, Freddy and Jason, failed miserably in the late 2000’s, with Rob Zombie (who has made movies I like), turning Michael into a bullied, white trash, foul-mouthed little shit.
Halloween (2018), and its companion novelization don’t return it to its former glory, and it lacked Busta Rhymes saving the day using Kung Fu (see Halloween: Resurrection), but it at least renewed some interest, did away with the sibling angle with Laurie Strode, the stupid Cult of Thorn stuff, and all the other inconsistencies and straw-grasping of the (brace yourselves) almost half-century old series, and showed Michael once again as an aimless force of nature, death walking, looking at the world through the Devil’s Eye(s).
October 31, 2021
3.5 Stars
This was a fun novelization of a horror I enjoyed. I didn't feel like the book added much more detail to the story, but it was still an enjoyable read. I would only recommend this one to fans of the movie.
This was a fun novelization of a horror I enjoyed. I didn't feel like the book added much more detail to the story, but it was still an enjoyable read. I would only recommend this one to fans of the movie.
November 4, 2020
He pulled out a portion of a white Halloween mask, a piece of Michael Myers' history.
Sartain moved forward to observe the exchange.
Clutching it by the fake hair in back, Aaron held the full mask out before him, like bait or a lure, designed to provoke a reaction- any reaction.
The Shape stood motionless.
A very good adaption of the 2018 Halloween flick, obviously not as good as original classic 1978 low-budget one from John Carpenter and Debra Hill that created the modern slasher movie genre establishing its trademark rules, but I enjoyed a lot the recent reboot inspiring this book: a direct sequel to the first Michael Myers film totally ignoring previously released sequels.
The Shape stood before her.
Waiting to strike-
Waiting for her to surrender-
She remained... balanced-
paralyzed between-
Bzzzt!
The sound startled her out of the moment, maybe even pulled her back from a precipice. She stared ahead. The Shape was gone. Never there.
Always with her...
The novel follows step by step the screenplay including deleted scenes and more, adding flesh to storyline and characters, totally nailing the Halloween series iconic elements and resulting in a page-turning (fast clicking if you read the ebook) action-packed cocktail of tension, horror and gore, with more than an easter-egg from previous installments and remakes.
The prefatory statement to the state doctor's question was lost to time and the limits of technology.
The audio picked up in the middle.
"...Dr Samuel Loomis, January twenty-second, 1979.
Do you wish to give a statement regarding your former patient,
Michael Myers?"
No hesitation in Loomis's reply. "My suggestion is termination."
And, like in the movie, the scene about Michael Myers starting again his killing spree, choosing randomly targets like a shark lured by blood, was a deliciously chilling one.
The Shape's hands reach into the box, gripping the Mask between them, lifting it close enough to smell, staring into the eye holes. The Shape turns the Mask around, lifts it overhead,
pulls it down, fitting it into place... Perfect.
The Shape breathes....
Complete again.
An highly recommended Halloween read if you are in the mood to read a good old slasher tale, and a perfect cherry on cake to end my October horror readings.
The Shape watches the uwoman collapse into her chair, her open eyes vacant as her head falls forward to strike the tablecloth.
Dropping the bloody hammer to the tiled floor, The Shape walks to the counter, reaches past the cutting board and picks up the black-handled knife.
Such a shame the scheduled Halloween kills movie sequel was delayed to next October because of the Coronavirus pandemic, a much more real and frightening kind of horror.
As she looked up, she gasped, a sudden chill racing down her spine. Even in the shadowy corner of the backseat, she could see that The Shape now wore the mask-
-and was staring at her.
From impossibly far away, Allyson heard Dr Sartain.
"Wake up, Michael!"
November 20, 2020
The third sequel to my all time favorite flick. On first viewing, I was contented. But on further analysis, a legitimate understanding of why this series, in all its meta-multiversity, kicks so much ass.
The doctor speaks, his voice weak and raw, "But you promised I could watch." The Shape no longer needs the doctor. (330) There are threads of evil moving puppets about, the tableaux are horrific (cinematic, of course)...
The literary lining is showing! There is an invisible force that talks to Michael as a kid (Halloween 2's 1981 novelization) who, as legend has it, went on to slaughter his older sister one Halloween night. Here, the doctor is likewise entranced by The Abyss.
What impresses is the prism of variations taken from other tomes of the series (except for the non-Myers movie, the grotesque HIII--but including, surprisingly, some Rob Zombie staples). Don't believe me? Babysitters getting stalked (H1, H4); British podcasters making a documentary (H:Resurrection); Dr. Sartain=Samhain (H6) and a mysterious person/cult who cares for him clandestinely; there's cop shannanigans (H5) and a burning man (H2)... Rob Zombie's Loomis' is as crazed as Sartain (RZ H1, H2)... this Myers is as strong as RZ's!
This is your fate...
No more superstition...
Life is cyclical, as is trauma and family legacies. Love this authentically American horror masterpiece!
And, did you know what Laurie Strode's bevarage of choice is? Strawberry milk.
The doctor speaks, his voice weak and raw, "But you promised I could watch." The Shape no longer needs the doctor. (330) There are threads of evil moving puppets about, the tableaux are horrific (cinematic, of course)...
The literary lining is showing! There is an invisible force that talks to Michael as a kid (Halloween 2's 1981 novelization) who, as legend has it, went on to slaughter his older sister one Halloween night. Here, the doctor is likewise entranced by The Abyss.
What impresses is the prism of variations taken from other tomes of the series (except for the non-Myers movie, the grotesque HIII--but including, surprisingly, some Rob Zombie staples). Don't believe me? Babysitters getting stalked (H1, H4); British podcasters making a documentary (H:Resurrection); Dr. Sartain=Samhain (H6) and a mysterious person/cult who cares for him clandestinely; there's cop shannanigans (H5) and a burning man (H2)... Rob Zombie's Loomis' is as crazed as Sartain (RZ H1, H2)... this Myers is as strong as RZ's!
This is your fate...
No more superstition...
Life is cyclical, as is trauma and family legacies. Love this authentically American horror masterpiece!
And, did you know what Laurie Strode's bevarage of choice is? Strawberry milk.
December 12, 2024
Halloween (2018)
The Official Movie Novelization
This is the eleventh instalment in the Halloween film series and a sequel to the 1978 film of the same name, while disregarding all previous sequels Its plot follows a post-traumatic Laurie Strode who prepares to face Michael Myers in a final showdown on Halloween night, forty years after she survived his killing spree. The novel and the film begin on October 29, 2018, where Michael Myers, who has been institutionalized at Smith's Grove Psychiatric Hospital for 40 years is being prepared for transfer to a maximum-security prison Glass Hill in Colorado. On the night of October 30, as Michael is being transferred, the bus crashes and he escapes. It is later revealed that Dr. Ranbir Sartain, Michael's psychiatrist and former student of Dr. Samuel Loomis, had orchestrated Michael's escape to study him in the wild. Then follows a killing spree unleased by Michael that continues till the night of Halloween. In the final showdown in Laurie’s now fortified house, she shoots Michael and then traps him before setting her own house on fire to kill him. As credits roll, one can hear Michael breathing heavily implying he has survived.
The Official Movie Novelization
This is the eleventh instalment in the Halloween film series and a sequel to the 1978 film of the same name, while disregarding all previous sequels Its plot follows a post-traumatic Laurie Strode who prepares to face Michael Myers in a final showdown on Halloween night, forty years after she survived his killing spree. The novel and the film begin on October 29, 2018, where Michael Myers, who has been institutionalized at Smith's Grove Psychiatric Hospital for 40 years is being prepared for transfer to a maximum-security prison Glass Hill in Colorado. On the night of October 30, as Michael is being transferred, the bus crashes and he escapes. It is later revealed that Dr. Ranbir Sartain, Michael's psychiatrist and former student of Dr. Samuel Loomis, had orchestrated Michael's escape to study him in the wild. Then follows a killing spree unleased by Michael that continues till the night of Halloween. In the final showdown in Laurie’s now fortified house, she shoots Michael and then traps him before setting her own house on fire to kill him. As credits roll, one can hear Michael breathing heavily implying he has survived.
October 31, 2018
"We fight to survive. He is a killer. But he will be killed tonight."
This was such a fun read! It was the perfect book to end October with, and I really enjoyed it. The storytelling is so close to the movie, and it was very easy to visualize.
I think the Halloween novelization is good for fans, and for people who haven't seen the movie. The story is told well, and it was fun to spend some time in Haddonfield in a literary format.
This was such a fun read! It was the perfect book to end October with, and I really enjoyed it. The storytelling is so close to the movie, and it was very easy to visualize.
I think the Halloween novelization is good for fans, and for people who haven't seen the movie. The story is told well, and it was fun to spend some time in Haddonfield in a literary format.
October 10, 2022
I haven't been to successful with picking up horror books with a lot of scary elements. This novelization got slightly closer. Was worried that this wouldn't be good as it's a novelization for a movie but I was pleasantly surprised
May 26, 2020
Enjoyed the film, loved the novelization.
This book fits perfectly with the core themes of the Halloween series; tension, dread, horror, action – everything just works.
The novelization of Halloween feels more in-depth than it’s Hollywood counterpart; from the Shape’s inner monologue to the clear and present danger he evokes in the sights of his victims. The book reads like a 80’s slasher with that omnipresent menace waiting to unleash hell at any given moment (and believe me, there are many, many moments!).
Perhaps my gushing praise in somewhat rose-tinted due to the fact it’s been around 12-18 months since I watched the film, however I don’t necessarily believe this to be the case. The characters, from perennial series protagonist Laurie Strode down to Dr. Sartain (the psychiatrist obsessed with Michael Myers) are very well written and with their respective introspective narrative adding to what is already a solid story.
Perfect for 80’s horror fans.
This book fits perfectly with the core themes of the Halloween series; tension, dread, horror, action – everything just works.
The novelization of Halloween feels more in-depth than it’s Hollywood counterpart; from the Shape’s inner monologue to the clear and present danger he evokes in the sights of his victims. The book reads like a 80’s slasher with that omnipresent menace waiting to unleash hell at any given moment (and believe me, there are many, many moments!).
Perhaps my gushing praise in somewhat rose-tinted due to the fact it’s been around 12-18 months since I watched the film, however I don’t necessarily believe this to be the case. The characters, from perennial series protagonist Laurie Strode down to Dr. Sartain (the psychiatrist obsessed with Michael Myers) are very well written and with their respective introspective narrative adding to what is already a solid story.
Perfect for 80’s horror fans.
June 26, 2023
After reading this book if this was the version that was made into the movie I would watch it repeatedly for my entire life. I seen the movie but the book was wayyy better. The book allowed me to connect with the characters and better understand them it, it allowed me more depth. The book was full of action and was really good ! I wished I would’ve read the book before seeing the movie!
Laurie as always was just a kick ass character and she is always ready for whatever came her way!
This audio book was good ! I really enjoyed it you should give it a listen.
Laurie as always was just a kick ass character and she is always ready for whatever came her way!
This audio book was good ! I really enjoyed it you should give it a listen.
March 25, 2022
I came to this book hoping it would add something to the movie. Maybe some depth of characterisation, interesting extra detail, hints of things that were in the script but missing from the finished film. All I got was the movie retold with an abundance of unnecessary over-description and repetition. I lost count of the amount of times a scene from a couple of pages earlier would be repeated from a different character’s point of view with nothing new added. (The handful of scenes that aren't in the finished film are the same ones found in the Deleted Scenes on the blu ray - at least one of which creates a continuity error with Halloween Kills.)
Back in the older times, thirty or forty years ago, movie novelisations served a purpose. If you loved the movie it was a way to revisit it cheaply, or maybe you a kid who wasn’t allowed to see a popular movie and this was a way to catch up during the long wait for video or tv release.
Some of the better novelisations added to the experience, eg Gremlins/ by George Gipe created background on where the Mogwai came from, which director Joe Dante has said he would have added to the movie if he’d known about it in time. The Goonies by James Khan is told in first person from two characters’ point of view, so we get their often amusing insights as well as a few scenes that were in the script but deleted from the finished film. Lethal Weapon by Joel Norst is based on Shane Black’s original script, before it was rewritten to lighten the tone and completely change the ending, so it gives the readers whole new experience from watching the movie.
In these times when a movie starts streaming online barely after theatrical release and where access to movies in general is high, a novelisation really needs to add some of these details to avoid being redundant. But in this case, we just get a description of the movie with lots of unnecessary verbiage to extend the thing to book length. I could almost see the writer looking at the word count and going back through the manuscript to see where he could pad things out some more.
This might not be entirely the writer’s fault. Even some of the better novelisation writers, like Alan Dean Foster and Max Alan Collins, have talked about how in some cases they were contractually obliged to not add any story elements. Given how thin the movie’s script already was, that would have made for an impossible task; without the charisma of the actors even a writer as evocative as Dennis Etchison (who wrote two of the better earlier Halloween novelisations under the pseudonym Jack Martin) would have trouble making anything much out of Halloween 2018.
Back in the older times, thirty or forty years ago, movie novelisations served a purpose. If you loved the movie it was a way to revisit it cheaply, or maybe you a kid who wasn’t allowed to see a popular movie and this was a way to catch up during the long wait for video or tv release.
Some of the better novelisations added to the experience, eg Gremlins/ by George Gipe created background on where the Mogwai came from, which director Joe Dante has said he would have added to the movie if he’d known about it in time. The Goonies by James Khan is told in first person from two characters’ point of view, so we get their often amusing insights as well as a few scenes that were in the script but deleted from the finished film. Lethal Weapon by Joel Norst is based on Shane Black’s original script, before it was rewritten to lighten the tone and completely change the ending, so it gives the readers whole new experience from watching the movie.
In these times when a movie starts streaming online barely after theatrical release and where access to movies in general is high, a novelisation really needs to add some of these details to avoid being redundant. But in this case, we just get a description of the movie with lots of unnecessary verbiage to extend the thing to book length. I could almost see the writer looking at the word count and going back through the manuscript to see where he could pad things out some more.
This might not be entirely the writer’s fault. Even some of the better novelisation writers, like Alan Dean Foster and Max Alan Collins, have talked about how in some cases they were contractually obliged to not add any story elements. Given how thin the movie’s script already was, that would have made for an impossible task; without the charisma of the actors even a writer as evocative as Dennis Etchison (who wrote two of the better earlier Halloween novelisations under the pseudonym Jack Martin) would have trouble making anything much out of Halloween 2018.
November 1, 2021
*Audiobook*
I have never read a Halloween novelization before, and decided to go with this one simply because it was included in our Audible subscription.
That being said, I will also note that this was not my favorite Halloween movie in the franchise, BUT, I still love them all!!! Even a bad Halloween movie is still fun and comforting to me. It reminds me of all the times I’ve watched the original on Halloween night, especially as an adult after my trick or treating days were long over.
I liked this novelization, mostly because we learn more about what the characters are thinking and feeling, and not just what they’re saying. Some of the scenes seemed a little longer, but that could be my imagination. Also, the dialogue seemed true to the movie.
Overall, 4.5 stars.
I have never read a Halloween novelization before, and decided to go with this one simply because it was included in our Audible subscription.
That being said, I will also note that this was not my favorite Halloween movie in the franchise, BUT, I still love them all!!! Even a bad Halloween movie is still fun and comforting to me. It reminds me of all the times I’ve watched the original on Halloween night, especially as an adult after my trick or treating days were long over.
I liked this novelization, mostly because we learn more about what the characters are thinking and feeling, and not just what they’re saying. Some of the scenes seemed a little longer, but that could be my imagination. Also, the dialogue seemed true to the movie.
Overall, 4.5 stars.
January 6, 2019
It's Halloween. It's Michael and Laurie. It's awesome!
I had a blast reading this novelization of the 2018 film. I enjoyed the way we, as readers, get somewhat of a view from The Shape's perspective. However, there's no internal dialog from Mr. Meyers, of course. I mean, we can assume that he has some sort of thought process, but to delve into that could be problematic, and I'm glad the author didn't attempt it.
As this is the first movie novelization I've ever read, I suppose that it's pretty much like watching the film but with a bit more detail? Anyway, if you love Halloween and you love to read then go ahead and pick this one up. It's not high art or anything but it never pretends to be. Just pop some popcorn, chill out, and have a ball!
I had a blast reading this novelization of the 2018 film. I enjoyed the way we, as readers, get somewhat of a view from The Shape's perspective. However, there's no internal dialog from Mr. Meyers, of course. I mean, we can assume that he has some sort of thought process, but to delve into that could be problematic, and I'm glad the author didn't attempt it.
As this is the first movie novelization I've ever read, I suppose that it's pretty much like watching the film but with a bit more detail? Anyway, if you love Halloween and you love to read then go ahead and pick this one up. It's not high art or anything but it never pretends to be. Just pop some popcorn, chill out, and have a ball!
Read
October 21, 2021I don't feel comfortable giving this a rating because I'd already seen the movie, so there were no surprises here. I was merely curious, as I'd never read a novelization before and since it's on my bucket list to write one myself some day I figured I should get an idea. That being said, I thought Passarella did a fine job with this. Long live Michael Myers!
October 28, 2019
4 stars. One of my favorite film series of all time. And yes that includes the trash ones, I still love them as well. Michael Meyers has been stressing Laurie Strode out for 40 years now and this new reboot was fantastic. This book is basically the film (obviously) with some subtle changes. I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun to read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The movie is better but I don’t regret having picked this up.
{Challenges completed:
✔For Love of a Book: Camping Team Challenge
✔For Love of a Book: Haunt Your House Challenge
✔For Love of a Book: Greatest Love Stories Challenge}
{Challenges completed:
✔For Love of a Book: Camping Team Challenge
✔For Love of a Book: Haunt Your House Challenge
✔For Love of a Book: Greatest Love Stories Challenge}
November 2, 2021
“The sooner you realize he is evil and only evil the sooner you’ll understand what must be done.” Laurie Strode
Absolutely loved this! I thought I was going to be bored cause I’ve seen the movie but being that it’s my favorite movie franchise I thought eh why not! Well, I was never bored. This brought so much more to the story than the movie did. It’s the same thing just in novel form but all the death scenes were incredible and gave more in the form of description than what you get just watching it. Getting chapters from Michael (not necessarily thoughts but his actions) was exhilarating. A definitely must if you are a Halloween fan. Also, the audiobook was amazing!
November 10, 2018
***1/2
I picked up this book after having recently read over some of the novelizations from my youth. Back then, I'd read the books as soon as they came out--or as soon as I noticed them on the shelf at Walden Books--eager for the story, not even minding that I'd know the whole thing by the time the movie was released. I wouldn't do that as a spoiler-conscious adult, but when I saw the new "Halloween" had been adapted as a novelization, thought it might be fun to read after seeing the movie.
I actually read it between two screenings of the new Jason Blum production, about a week apart. My feelings about the movie didn't change much with the second viewing. There are definite story issues, and the whole psychiatrist character could have been left on the cutting room floor, and the movie would have been better for it.
Actually, as I'm writing this, I feel more positively toward John Passarella's novelization than I do toward the film itself. That's not because the book version contains a bunch of scenes the movie doesn't. But, for one thing anyway, with the book I can't SEE some of these characters, which is a great help in the case of most of the teenagers, who annoyed the hell out of me in the film. Many scenes in the book are longer than in the movie, some of the dialogue a bit better, and, strangely, the pacing works better on the page than on the screen.
The events, and order of events, in the book are pretty much the same as what you see in the theater. Longer scenes, like I said, and some of the humor in the movie isn't in the book. A couple of the death scenes turn out a bit differently, as well.
I also like the way Passarella writes the scenes which takes place from The Shape's point of view. He has a good understanding of the character. The author has a cool style, and I'm curious now to read one of his original stories.
I picked up this book after having recently read over some of the novelizations from my youth. Back then, I'd read the books as soon as they came out--or as soon as I noticed them on the shelf at Walden Books--eager for the story, not even minding that I'd know the whole thing by the time the movie was released. I wouldn't do that as a spoiler-conscious adult, but when I saw the new "Halloween" had been adapted as a novelization, thought it might be fun to read after seeing the movie.
I actually read it between two screenings of the new Jason Blum production, about a week apart. My feelings about the movie didn't change much with the second viewing. There are definite story issues, and the whole psychiatrist character could have been left on the cutting room floor, and the movie would have been better for it.
Actually, as I'm writing this, I feel more positively toward John Passarella's novelization than I do toward the film itself. That's not because the book version contains a bunch of scenes the movie doesn't. But, for one thing anyway, with the book I can't SEE some of these characters, which is a great help in the case of most of the teenagers, who annoyed the hell out of me in the film. Many scenes in the book are longer than in the movie, some of the dialogue a bit better, and, strangely, the pacing works better on the page than on the screen.
The events, and order of events, in the book are pretty much the same as what you see in the theater. Longer scenes, like I said, and some of the humor in the movie isn't in the book. A couple of the death scenes turn out a bit differently, as well.
I also like the way Passarella writes the scenes which takes place from The Shape's point of view. He has a good understanding of the character. The author has a cool style, and I'm curious now to read one of his original stories.
October 31, 2018
This is the first novelization I have been excited about since I was a teenager. I had pre-ordered the book along with the film's soundtrack, which I listened to while reading the novelization. Let's just say the music really got me in the perfect Halloween mood!
Since I haven't seen the film yet, I have no idea if the novelization follows closely to it. Most of the time, films can have reshoots and last minute changes that differ from the screenplays, which the novelizations are based on. For this book, author did a great job creating detailed descriptions, which made the story feel less of a "novelization" and more like a full-fledged horror novel.
Overall, I loved reading the Halloween: The Official Movie Novelization. If the book follows closely to the screenplay, then I would say it's one of the better sequels in the series.
Since I haven't seen the film yet, I have no idea if the novelization follows closely to it. Most of the time, films can have reshoots and last minute changes that differ from the screenplays, which the novelizations are based on. For this book, author did a great job creating detailed descriptions, which made the story feel less of a "novelization" and more like a full-fledged horror novel.
Overall, I loved reading the Halloween: The Official Movie Novelization. If the book follows closely to the screenplay, then I would say it's one of the better sequels in the series.
October 10, 2019
I did not read what movie this took from. For some reason, I assumed it took from the original. Should have paid more attention to the cover and synopsis.
So I stepped into something I wasn't expected so I felt off at first until I realized what I was listening to. This follows the movie fairly spot on. I really didn't get anything new. I would have loved some deeper character insight. That is always something I look for on novel adaptations. This one had a couple extra scenes but nothing significant. Although one stalking scene was creepier here than the movie. Otherwise I think the movie alone is just fine. This is okay but unneeded.
So I stepped into something I wasn't expected so I felt off at first until I realized what I was listening to. This follows the movie fairly spot on. I really didn't get anything new. I would have loved some deeper character insight. That is always something I look for on novel adaptations. This one had a couple extra scenes but nothing significant. Although one stalking scene was creepier here than the movie. Otherwise I think the movie alone is just fine. This is okay but unneeded.
October 20, 2020
I enjoyed this retelling 2018 movie. I enjoyed the movie too. This was quick and had all I wanted from a Halloween novel.
October 6, 2019
I still prefer Halloween II(1981) as a sequel, but this one is good too. I always enjoy reading various movie novelizations, and while this is not the best one I have ever read, it was good enough for me.
November 10, 2018
Absolutely loved. Saw the movie first and the book is definitely on spot. Highly recommend
October 18, 2023
First of all I might be a little bit biased because I love the Halloween movies. However that being said a good movie doesn’t always a make a good book but in this case the book was amazing. It very much follows the flow of the film with little filler bits which I loved as I could vividly image the parts. Also within the books some parts are written more with Michael at the focus which I loved because they terrified me and made me feel like he’s not human at all. I really feel that everything was described so well and at points I genuinely felt ill from the gruesome descriptions.
This is such a well written book and I highly recommend it. It’s so good I am only pausing to write this review before going on to the next!
This is such a well written book and I highly recommend it. It’s so good I am only pausing to write this review before going on to the next!
June 24, 2023
This book caught my eye because it has already proven itself as a classic horror film, it was a typical slasher full of fun but predictable as expected. Although I enjoyed the writing style the he said / she said was overused and got slightly annoying.
I found that the author using the word "Shape" took away the fear factor that Michael Myers possesses even though this is part of the original concept for this character.
On a whole the level of gore was satisfactory, but it could of pushed the boundaries further to make this more enjoyable to my own taste. As I am still trying to find my feet in the horror genre this book has only scratched the surface.
I found that the author using the word "Shape" took away the fear factor that Michael Myers possesses even though this is part of the original concept for this character.
On a whole the level of gore was satisfactory, but it could of pushed the boundaries further to make this more enjoyable to my own taste. As I am still trying to find my feet in the horror genre this book has only scratched the surface.
October 28, 2022
This was enjoyable. I don’t really love the Halloween franchise, but I enjoy it enough. I don’t think I’ve seen this movie but I have seen the second one so it was good to see the first. Honestly I have nothing much to say about this except there isn’t really any action until like 75% which is a bummer.
July 16, 2021
Very good novelization of the film! Could’ve been gorier, but that’s probably just me 🤪
November 1, 2024
Excellent read for something spooky on Halloween! 👻 🎃💀
October 1, 2023
Movie novelizations should be banned …
February 18, 2020
The novelization definitely kept me on my feet. I made the mistake of listening to this before bed and had nightmares. I’m not even upset because that’s what a good horror movie/book will do to you. Being able to have the scene described to you made me visualize what was happening. The author refers to Michael Myers as “the shape” and at first I was confused but it just notes that he lacks humanity. He’s a killing machine and he has other evil forces behind him. The ending was dramatic in horror movie fashion.
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