 2007 edition, published by Tor Books | |
| Author | Norman Partridge |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Published | 2006 |
| Publisher | Cemetery Dance Publications |
| Pages | 176 |
Dark Harvest is a 2006 horror novel by Norman Partridge. The book is set in a hamlet where its young men must confront a creature each year in the hopes that they will win a desirable prize. [1]
A film adaptation of the novel was released in 2023.
The novel is set in an unnamed Midwestern hamlet, where each year, all of the young men take part in a yearly ritual in which they hunt a giant pumpkin-headed creature that arises from the corn, known as both "Sawtooth Jack" and the "October Boy". They are tasked with catching the creature before it makes it to the hamlet's church, which it must do before midnight, in order to win the ordeal. Girls are forbidden from participating or being outside during the hunt. The winner of the hunt receives the ability to leave the hamlet – something not otherwise possible – and his family is given a new home, car, and a year free from bills. Winners are frequently idolized, and last year's winner, Jim Shepard, is no exception.
Unbeknownst to the participants, the truth behind the ritual is far darker than what they would expect. While the winner's family does receive their prizes, the winning boy is killed, so he may become the new creature, the following year, when he is resurrected, as a gnarled monster with a pumpkin head. His father, this year Jim's father Dan, is forced to carve a face for the creature and then later, persuade the creature to let itself be caught, if it does happen to make it to the church by midnight. Many of the town's fathers are aware of the truth of the ritual but still allow their sons to take part. This year, the October Boy is determined that it will be the last year for the ritual.
Ultimately, the October Boy manages to make it to the church, with the help of some of the local teens, where he finds that his father has committed suicide. He also comes face-to-face with the hamlet's lawman, Jerry Ricks, who is determined that the ritual continue. Ricks's attempts are for naught, as he is shot and killed. The church and surrounding buildings are then set ablaze by the October Boy as the townspeople flee, now able to freely leave the hamlet.
Dark Harvest was first released in a limited edition, signed hardback in October 2006. [2] [3] The following year Tor Books issued the novel in e-book and paperback format. [4] [5]
Publishers Weekly named it one of the 100 best books of the year. [6] A reviewer for Dread Central was critical, writing that "the author forgot to tie up a lot of loose ends, for example why the entire town is in lock-down in the first place and dependent on the massacre of its perennial monster." [7] The reviewer for the Austin Chronicle was more favorable, as they felt that "The only weakness is Partridge's insistence at times to intentionally use a distracting second-person narrative. That is but a small complaint." [8]
New Regency optioned the film rights, with Matt Tolmach to produce but was sold to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in April 2020 after New Regency dropped the film into turnaround. The film stars newcomers Casey Likes and E’myri Crutchfield in the lead roles, and was released by MGM in 2023, with a screenplay by Michael Gilio. [10] [11]
Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a pocket dimension or demiplane, called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of land pieces called "domains", brought together by a mysterious force known only as the Dark Powers. Each domain is tailored to and mystically ruled by a being called a Darklord who is forever trapped and surrounded by magical mists surrounding the domain. Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire in the original AD&DRavenloft I6 module released in 1983, became the first Darklord, both ruler and prisoner of his own personal domain of Barovia. The story of how Count von Zarovich became Darklord of Barovia was detailed in the 1993 novel I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire. As originally established in the Ravenloft: Realm of Terror boxed set known as "the Black Box" released in 1990, the Ravenloft campaign setting was located in the Ethereal Plane. As a physical manifestation of that plane, lands, monsters and even people were created out of the mysterious mists, and the realm acted as a prison where one could enter or be transported, but means of escape were few. Other Ravenloft Domains and Darklords were eventually added in various AD&D 2nd edition products establishing a core continent attached around Barovia which could be traveled to by others if their respective lords allowed entering or leaving their borders; while some Domains remained isolated in the mists and were referred to as Islands.
Pumpkinhead is a 1988 American supernatural horror film. It was the directorial debut of special effects artist Stan Winston. The film has built up a cult following since its release. The first in the Pumpkinhead franchise, it was followed by a direct-to-video sequel, two TV film sequels, and a comic book series. The film was originally called Vengeance: The Demon and it was inspired by a poem written by poet Ed Justin. The film inspired a video game called Bloodwings: Pumpkinhead's Revenge.
Glenn Chadbourne is an American artist. He lives in Newcastle, Maine. He is best known for his work in the horror and fantasy genres, having created covers and illustrated books and magazines for publishers such as Cemetery Dance Publications, Subterranean Press, and Earthling Publications. Mr. Chadbourne is known for his sense of humour and down to earth manner, as well as the stark honesty of his work.
Richard Thomas Chizmar is an American writer, the publisher and editor of Cemetery Dance magazine, and the owner of Cemetery Dance Publications. He also edits anthologies, produces films, writes screenplays, and teaches writing.
Cemetery Dance Publications is an American specialty press publisher of horror and dark suspense. Cemetery Dance was founded by Richard Chizmar, a horror author, while he was in college. It is associated with Cemetery Dance magazine, which was founded in 1988. They began to publish books in 1992. They later expanded to encompass a magazine and website featuring news, interviews, and reviews related to horror literature.
Norman Partridge is an American writer of horror and mystery fiction. He has written two detective novels about retired boxer Jack Baddalach, Saguaro Riptide and The Ten Ounce Siesta. He is also the author of a Crow novel, The Crow: Wicked Prayer, which was adapted in 2005 into the fourth Crow movie, bearing the same name.
Night of the Demons 2 is a 1994 American horror film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith and starring Amelia Kinkade, Cristi Harris, Rick Peters, Jennifer Rhodes and Christine Taylor. It is the sequel to Night of the Demons and was released on home video in 1994 by Republic Pictures Home Video. Lionsgate released it on DVD in 2007; Olive Films released a widescreen DVD and a first time Blu-ray release on February 19, 2013. The film was followed by the 1997 sequel Night of the Demons 3.
Jonathan Maberry is an American suspense author, anthology editor, comic book writer, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer. He was named one of the Today's Top Ten Horror Writers.
Al Sarrantonio is an American horror and science fiction writer, editor and publisher who has authored more than 50 books and 90 short stories. He has also edited numerous anthologies and has been called "brilliant" and "a master anthologist" by Booklist.
Mojo Press was a small press which primarily published science fiction, horror, and western books and graphic novels between 1994 and 1999.
Lisa Morton is an American horror author and screenwriter.
James Arthur Moore was an American horror novelist and short story writer, and role-playing game author.
This is a bibliography of works about Halloween or in which Halloween is a prominent theme.
Rick Hautala was an American speculative fiction and horror writer. He graduated from the University of Maine in 1974, where he received a Master of Art in English Literature. Rick arrived on the horror scene in 1980 with many of his early novels published by Zebra books. He wrote and published over 90 novels and short stories since the early 1980s. Many of his books have been translated to other languages and sold internationally. Cold Whisper, published in October, 1991 by Zebra Books, Inc. was also published in Finnish as Haamu by Werner Söderström, Helsinki, Finland, in August, 1994. Toward the end of his life, many of his works were published with specialty press and small press publishers like Cemetery Dance Publications and Dark Harvest. His novel The Wildman (2008), was chosen to be Full Moon Press' debut limited edition title.
Brian Hodge is a writer of horror & crime, as well as an avid connoisseur of music. He lives in Boulder, Colorado, where he is working on his latest novel.
The Curse of the Wendigo is a 2010 young adult horror novel by Rick Yancey. It was first published on October 12, 2010 through Simon & Schuster and is the second book in Yancey's Monstrumologist series.
Adam Cesare is an American author of horror novels and short stories. He attended Boston University, where he studied English and film.
Dark Harvest may refer to:
Dark Harvest is a 2023 American fantasy horror film directed by David Slade and written by Michael Gilio, loosely based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Norman Partridge. It stars Casey Likes, E'myri Crutchfield, Dustin Ceithamer, Elizabeth Reaser, and Jeremy Davies.
Casey Likes is an American actor and singer. He is known for playing Marty McFly in the 2023 Broadway production of Back to the Future: The Musical at the Winter Garden Theatre and originating the role of William Miller in the musical adaptation, in 2019 in San Diego and then on Broadway in 2022, of the film Almost Famous.
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