Halloween (novel)

Infobox Book |
name = Halloween
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author = Curtis Richards
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country = USA
language = English
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genre = Horror, Novelization
publisher = Bantam Books
release_date = 1979
english_release_date =
media_type = Paperback
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0-553-26296-3
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"Halloween" is a 1979 novelization by Curtis Richards of the horror film "Halloween" (1978) which has been out of print since the late 1980s. The novel elaborates on aspects not featured in the film such as the origins of the curse of Samhain and Michael Myers's life in Smith's Grove Sanitarium. For example, the opening reads:

"The horror started on the eve of Samhain, in a foggy vale in northern Ireland, at the dawn of the Celtic race. And once started, it trod the earth forevermore, wreaking its savagery suddenly, swiftly, and with incredible ferocity".

The prologue of the novel takes place at the dawn of the Celtic race in Ireland and tells the story of a young 15-year-old disfigured boy named Enda who is passionately in love with the King Gwynwyll's daughter, Deidre. After being severely humiliated for attempting to win her love Enda attacks and brutally slays Deidre and her fiancé at a community ritual event on Halloween. Enda is immediately killed by the other members of the village and his soul cursed to wander the Earth forever, re-creating the events of that night. [Curtis Richards, "Halloween" (Bantam Books, 1979), ISBN 0-553-13226-1; 5th printing, pp 1-6.]

In Chapter 1 we flash forward to 1963 and witness several eerie interactions between little Michael Myers and his grandmother. The grandmother is concerned as Michael has been admitting to hearing voices and having visions and nightmares (which are about the events that happened in the prologue with Edna and Deidre). The voices "tell me to say I hate people", says Michael. There is also discussion between the grandmother and Michael's mother about Michael's great-grandfather who apparently committed some sort of undescribed violent act. "I think there are enough similarities," says the concerned mother. [Curtis Richards, "Halloween" (Bantam Books, 1979), ISBN 0-553-13226-1; 5th printing, pp 7-12.]

Chapter 2 details Michael's experiences further. When he, along with some other children and dressed in the infamous clown disguise complete with mask, later knocks on the Myers home door for trick-or-treats his sister Judy asks "what are you going to do if I don't give you anything?" to which Michael replies "we're going to kill you". Shocked, Judy responds "who said that? Michael Myers--was that you?". Michael replies "I'm not Michael Myers. I'm a clown", already hinting at the transformation that has taken place. [Curtis Richards, "Halloween" (Bantam Books, 1979), ISBN 0-553-13226-1; 5th printing, pp 13-20.]

In Chapter 3, we get a look inside Michael's head.

"It was the voice. the voice stirred up the hatred. It had done so in his dreams and now it was doing it in real life. It had begun with the strange pictures in his head at night, pictures of people he had never seen--oh, maybe in comic books or on television, but never in real life. People in strange costumes, animal skins, armor, leather, drinking and dancing wildly around a fire. One couple in particular. They looked like Judy and Danny, madly in love with each other, dancing in a circle around a huge bonfire while he, Michael, stood in the crowd hating them, burning up with jealousy". [Curtis Richards, "Halloween" (Bantam Books, 1979), ISBN 0-553-13226-1; 5th printing, pp 21-35.]

Chapter 4 details Michael's trial and sentencing. Most interestingly, the details of Michael's experiences at the Smith's Grove "Sanitarium" are given. A conversation between Michael and Loomis gives further insight into Michael's personality. Additionally, strange "occurrences" take place which intrigue Dr. Loomis who gradually becomes aware of what he is dealing with:

"Every time Michael was slighted, or fancied he was, by a staff member or other inmate, some awful vengeance was visited upon the offending person. It might be a day, a week, a month later, but Michael got even. The problem for Loomis was that no one ever observed the boy doing it directly...a nurse who quarreled with Michael fell down the stairs two days later, fracturing her pelvis. A boy who borrowed a game from Michael and forgot to return it suffered a vicious rash that hospitalized him for a month"".

Michael eventually commands the ward as neither the staff nor the other inmates dare to challenge or defy Michael for fear of retribution. [Curtis Richards, "Halloween" (Bantam Books, 1979), ISBN 0-553-13226-1; 5th printing, pp 26-36.]

References