The Halloween season has finally rolled around, and with it comes to craving to capture on the screen and on the page; the essence of Samhain.
Here is a short list of five books that perfectly capture the essence of Halloween, to the point you can almost smell the pumpkin spice while a chill runs through the air, and the spirits of the dead aren’t too far away.
All Hallows By Christopher Golden
The recently released All Hallows from the growing reputation of author Christopher Golden, is destined to become a Halloween classic.
Golden much like some of the authors on this list, perfectly captures what makes Halloween so special and for some terrifying.
His story is encapsulated in one night in small-town America in 1984, as an entity called the Cunning Man stalks the neighborhood as children and adults alike are in more danger than they know.
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
There is something special about the way Ray Bradbury writes his stories. Whereas Stephen King is often praised for his characters, Bradbury perfectly nails mood and atmosphere.
In Something Wicked This Way Comes, a mysterious circus act comes to Green Town, but the intentions of its creator are far darker than anyone could ever have imagined.
Adding the carnival element to the Halloween season, Something Wicked… is told mostly from the point of view of children, but with very grown-up danger and flickers of supernatural wonder.
The film adaptation starring Jonathan Pryce is also worth checking out.
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
I mean the clue is in the title, but Ray Bradbury certainly knew how to write about the essence of Halloween.
Much the same as Something Wicked…, The Halloween Tree has a magical element to it that perfectly captures the essence of why this is the most wonderful time of year for many.
Whether it is the crackling leaves underfoot, the chill in the air, or the jack o’lanterns lit on every street corner, it’s all here.
On Halloween night, eight trick-or-treaters gather at the haunted house by the edge of town, ready for adventure.
But when a dark Something whisks their friend Pip away, only one man – the sinister Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud – can help the boys find him. The Halloween Tree goes all around the world, through different times and gives you a full and wide-spreading appreciation of Halloween themes in just a few pages.
At a mere 169 pages, it is also a brisk read that you can get lost in and devour in no time.
Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge
The title Dark Harvest may ring a few bells recently, as Norman Partridge’s novel is finally getting a film adaptation, due out soon.
Much the same as others on this list, Dark Harvest is a period piece, set in 1963 that tells the tale of Sawtooth Jack, an entity from a midwestern town’s cornfield who rises on All Hallows Eve to hunt.
Jack is both hunter and hunted though, as a group of teens band together to try and stop the Halloween ghoul once and for all.
There is a rock’n’roll vibe to Dark Harvest with its electric pace whilst not scrimping on that Halloween atmosphere. Another brisk read at just over 200 pages, this will become a staple of your Halloween reading from the second you put it down.
October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween
It wouldn’t be right if there wasn’t an anthology to accompany Halloween.
In 2002, writer Richard Chizmar compiled the anthology October Dreams, to bring together some of the most talented genre writers to try and create a definitive Halloween short story collection.
Just to name a few you have Dean Koontz, Peter Straub, Jack Ketchum, Christopher Golden, Ray Bradbury, Richard Laymon, Tim Lebbon, Kim Newman, and Ramsey Campbell.
There is something for everyone here, with 40 stories to devour over nearly 700 pages.
Is there any book I’ve missed off this list? Let me know your essential Halloween reads down in the comments.
Bloody Flicks 