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Rating:  -
It's a premise that's seen play before. Old rituals still hold sway in nameless towns around the borders of our modern world. Yet Norman Partridge takes this premise and spins it in circles, creating a story that maintains the atmospheric feel of all these wonderful tales while taking on a distinct life and character of its own.
Partridge see-saws back and forth from character to character and an omniscient narrator that involves the reader intimately in the story. It's the kind of risk that could fail miserably, yet that works out perfectly in this case, beautifully setting the scene and building up the atmosphere.
The story itself is a fascinating skein that weaves threads of such writers as Bradbury yet tells its own tale. The twists and turns the story takes are Partridge's own, and are ultimately what make it such an enjoyable read. The book goes quickly---I read it in the space of a morning---and its story sticks with you. While Pete knows a few things about the October Boy and the ritual surrounding him, he doesn't know everything, and the secrets he's about to uncover will change the nature of the game for him in some potentially devastating ways.
My one reservation regards the manner in which he pieces together some of these secrets. There's a character that joins him along the way that's half plot-device. Partridge gives her a personality with depth and character, but in order to be more than a plot device she'd really have to show up earlier and be a bit more involved. However, this a minor and easily forgivable slip.
Rating:  -
This is a very good easy read but as many reviewers have eluded to should have been a bit longer. I felt cheated by the ending as it felt "rushed". Who is the Harvesters Guild? How and Why did it start? Why is everyone "trapped" in this town? Why, why in Gods name would none of these fathres sit down with there sons and tell them not to win its a trick - and they'll die? This is beyond me and losese a star becuase it is never quite explained even though its addressed by Pete when he talks to his dad near the end.
The story is set in 1963 and follows one Pete McCormick on a Halloween "run". Except this is no ordinary run and certainly no ordinary town. This town holds a dark secret one that I don't think we ever really learn. Every year teen boys (over 16) are set loose on Haloween night in search of Ol Sawtooth or Halloween Boy, if you will. Kiling him would bring fame and fortune to that person and their family. It would also bring candy, lots and lot and lots of candy but you know this you've tasted the rush of sweet cherry licorice. Halloween Boy is no ordinary boy however; hes just spawned this Haloween night and someone, someone we all know is carving him a new face with new eyes and a new mouth and the smell of burnt cinnamon, melting wax and gunpowder is prominent. The teen boys are loose now and they are hungry for blood and food. These boys are famished in more ways than one. For starters they have not eaten in the 5 days prior to this night and two they taste blood; if they should be the one to take down the Halloween Boy their families would be set for life. But this town has a dirty secret. And the Halloween boy is heading to town equipped only with a butcher knife and a destination - THE CHURCH. The odds are stacked against the Halloween Boy for those teen will be waiting and circling like rabid dogs. This Halowwen is gonna be different though - you know this, you've been there, this year Pete McCormick is going to figure out this towns dirty little secret and help the Halloween boy get to his destination before midnight tolls. But wait Pete is a teen and hes supposed to take Ol Sawtooth down. But Petes out to make his own history and thus legacy. Pete is gonna help burn this down down and set things right once and for all even if he has to face Officer Jerry Ricks whos on his tail and gunning to kill him...
A good read with great use of descriptive adjectives and thus creating truly beautiful visuals. Should have been longer though. Jack Ketchums original version of Off season, still the most shocking book I've ever read is much better than the rated one. I would love to read Norms original. I'm sure it was edited down, right?
Rating: -
I love it when I come upon a new author (to me) and am completely satisfied. This book was so much fun to read-it only took me two nights. I guess that's not saying much as it is quite short but the story pulled me in from word one. Norman Partridge's writing style is comfortable and familiar. The premise of the story had the potential to be cheesy but the way Mr. Partridge presented it avoided that. It's really more of a coming of age story than pure horror although there were plenty of chilling scenes.
Rating:  -
The town that 16-year-old Pete McCormick lives in is probably the town he will die in, just like his unemployed alcoholic father. Nobody gets to cross "The Line", the town boundaries, except one lucky teenager each year. That lucky boy is the one that kills the "October Boy", a fearsome knife-wielding monster made of corn husks, vines, and other leafy matter, crowned with an illuminated pumpkinhead. Each Halloween night a bizarre cat and mouse game occurs in which only the town boys can participate. The October Boy's goal is always the same. It tries to make its way to the church at the center of town. The goal of the young men is always the same as well. One of them has to kill the October Boy before he makes it to said church. What does the lucky boy win? He gets to cross the line and leave this deadend town behind. Adding to the desperation of the run is the fact that all the boys are denied food for 5 days prior to the hunt, in order to fuel their adrenaline to kill the October Boy. For you see, his insides are stuffed with candy, and to these starved guys, that means food! Pete McCormick is planning on being the one to nail the Boy, cause he's had his fill of dead-ends. But the laws of the town are capable of being bent this night, and there's a local cop that wouldn't mind gunning down Pete and blaming it on the night's insanity.
Dark Harvest was an interesting work, but I hesitate to call it a "good" one. It was much too short and left too many lingering questions to qualify as that. Partridge did a quality job of portraying the dreams and manic desperation of disaffected youth burning to tread paths their parents couldn't even dream of. Being set in 1963, there were all kinds of shades of the coming hippie movement and echoes of an American Graffitti past and you felt like this book was WRITTEN in 1963. Unfortunately, the ambience of the novel couldn't keep it from turning into an at times cheap chase tale reminescent of contemporary Hollywood. I cannot believe that it took Pete McCormick so long to finally put 2 and 2 together to figure out the secret of the October Boy. Actually, it wasn't even that high-level of a math problem. It just doesn't seem logical that this Run could've went on for as long as it did. Partridge doesn't handle the climax as well as he could have either. You're going to be left with some basic questions about the book forever unanswered.
Rating: -
I have been anxious to read Norman Partridge for some time now, and DARK HARVEST was a great introduction to the author. This book takes no prisoners and will punch your ticket from the get-go.
As the reader, you get the impression from the book description that you're going to be set for a rather typical good vs. evil, boy vs. monster plot scenario. But what Partridge delivers is so much more and so much different than your average horror novel. This is the tale of the scarecrow creature known as the October Boy. Upon his resurrection each Halloween, the small town's teenage boys compete for the honor of being the first one to destroy old Sawtooth Jack. Because if a boy is crowned the winner of the "Run", it's his ticket out of town. In fact, it's the only way anyone ever escapes the cornfields and the never ending nothingness of this particular midwest 'burg. Pete McCormick is 16 years old, and he is determined to be this year's winner of the Run. He wants out of town, and the only way to get his wish is to stop the October Boy from making it to the town square church before midnight.
However, Partridge's trick along the way is a clever story twist to keep the reader guessing about who the victims really are and who the monsters really are. What is the history behind this macabre tradition that has the farm folk running rabid every Halloween night? Partridge does a wonderful job of setting you up for one type of story, then stopping you in your tracks, and finally putting his own unique spin on the plot flow to really keep you guessing. His pacing and prose are both switch-blade sharp and will take you for a ride like few other authors can.
When I read DARK HARVEST, it reminded me of another novel by Joe R. Lansdale called THE NIGHTRUNNERS, which is also measured by hard hitting action and violent characters. In addition, I see some parallels with Partridge and author Charlie Huston. Material by all of these writers is actually some of the best dark fantasy and pulp noir to be found anywhere today.
As for the title of this review, it's really a nod to another October Boy, the mysterious scarecrow character from the early 1970's TV movie, DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW. The networks used to run it every fall, but I haven't seen it listed for many years now. It is still one of the best horror films ever to be offered by TV producers. Like the original NIGHT STALKER, this movie is very much in the same vein as the projects of Dan Curtis. I'm still waiting for someone to release it on DVD. In the meantime, read DARK HARVEST for an original Halloween treat. Almost as good as a carmeled apple or a popcorn ball......
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