October Dreams [Paperback]

"The Black Pumpkin" by Dean Koontz is the story of a sinister pumpkin and it's maker who promises that "you get what you give" with respect to the money paid for his work. This is the first story in the book, and is most certainly a great way to kick off the collection.

"Mask Game" by John Shirley is, at 35 pages, one of the longer stories in the book. Cousin Neva comes over one night to play a new game involving some homemade masks. When everyone places the masks on their faces, they get a whole new perspective on those around them.

"Boo" by Richard Laymon is a story of several trick-or-treaters who get more than they bargained for when the come across an old unlit house on the block and invite the resident to join them in their candy-obtaining festivities.

"Buckets" by F Paul Wilson is probably my favorite story in this particular anthology. Dr. Edward Cantrell is haunted on Halloween night by some of his choices in the past involving his abortion clinic.

"Eyes" by Charles L. Grant tells the tale of Ron and his son Paulie, and a fatal mistake that Ron is reminded of when he glances at the carved eyes of pumpkins.

Also included is a short essay on the history of Halloween, as well as a recommended Halloween "Trick or Read" reading list, and a list of creepy Halloween movies that are not to be missed. These prove an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to indulge in the holiday year-round, and finds they are craving more. Richard Chizmar and Robert Morrish have done an excellent job pulling together something truly special for Halloween enthusiasts.

October Dreams is indeed a celebration of Halloween! This collection of tales is not to be missed by anyone who is a fan of the holiday, or anyone who wants to indulge in some creepy campfire-type ghost stories.

I just came to the anti-abortion story in the book. It struck me as odd. I wanted to see the horror in it, but it seemed to me to be more like an author's crusade against abortion clinics. I guess I'm one of those readers who needs to feel justified in the victim's deaths--a la Crypt Keeper. (I don't know why. Horror is filled with good people dying. Isn't that what makes it horror?) This story, "Buckets," however, jolted me out of the Halloween experience.

I began October Dreams excited. The first couple of stories really worked on me. Then I saw that it was more than a collection of fiction. The short stories traded spaces off and on throughout the book with authors' memories of their favorite Halloweens. There are also a few essays on Halloween fiction, movies, and whatnot.

I thought, "This is a cool book."

And I guess it still is. But, in practice, I find myself skipping the favorite Halloween memories, the essays, the recommendations for books and film, and, of course, the "whatnot." I go straight for the fiction, and if I start getting bored with a story, which has happened several times--several, several times--I skip to the next one. I've only read half of this book, and at this rate I'll be finished in a couple of days, a skim-read of hundreds of pages. It's a thick tome.

Maybe the rest of you will like the filler. It does flesh out the book, almost giving the short stories a sense of glue. I think October Dreams is OK. It's unusual, a nice attempt at giving you something more for your dollar.