Vintage Treasures: Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge
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We got, I dunno, a month or two (or six) before Halloween? But that doesn’t mean you can’t start your spooky Halloween reading a little early this year. My recommendation? Dark Harvest, by Norman Partridge.
Norman Partridge is the author of five collections of horror stories, including The Man with the Barbed-Wire Fists (2001) and Lesser Demons (2010). His short novel Dark Harvest is the tale of Sawtooth Jack, who rises from the cornfields every Halloween and relentlessly makes his way towards town, where gangs of teenage boys await their chance to face off against a creature of nightmare. It was nominated for a World Fantasy Award, and won both the International Horror Guild Award and the Bram Stoker Award for Best Long Fiction. It was also selected as one of Publishers Weekly‘s 100 Best Books of 2006.
Dark Harvest was published in hardcover by Cemetery Dance in October 2006, and reprinted by Tor Books on September 4, 2007. It is 171 pages, priced at $16.99 in trade paperback and $7.99 for the digital edition. The fabulous cover is by Jon Foster. It is still in print.
I read this several years ago and finished it feeling not quite satisfied; the blend of Bradbury and King seemed lacking something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. But then I discovered that couldn’t stop thinking about it; it just wouldn’t let me go. If that’s not a definition of a good book, what is?
I read this a few years ago and absolutely loved it. It has a sort Hunger Games vibe to it (if I’m remembering correctly) that makes it a creepy page turner.
This would make a great movie. I’m surprised it hasn’t been made into one yet.
I also concur with the assessment and recommendation. I read it a couple years ago and thought it ranked as one of the better Hallowe’en-themed stories I’ve read — up there with “The Bone Man” by Frederic S. Durbin.
Did anyone notice the author bio on the back cover? That’s priceless. I think it could only be topped by one of the following:
Norman Partridge lives.
Norman Partridge exists.
Matthew, as a California native, I can assure you that there’s really nothing else to say.
Read this one last year, and think it’s a great Halloween recommendation. The October Boy also reminded me of the Dean Koontz Story “The Black Pumpkin” in the October Dreams anthology, another good Halloween recommendation.
the only thing about Dark Harvest that was disappointing was i wanted some more detail about the October Boy… not WHO he is (the book reveals that) but WHY he is.
A minor quibble; this is a great one for when the leaves start to turn.
Myself, I never read SK’s IT, and think it might be time to fix that with the movie coming and all.
Mick.
Thomas — That sounds very much like the definition of a good book to me.
James — First time I’ve heard the Hunger Games comparison… but it makes sense.
Nick — I read Fred’s “The Bone Man” in F&SF, and that was a standout story. Why hasn’t it been collected yet?
Matt — There’s a few authors who go in for sparse bylines. Some people prefer it. Different strokes…
Hessian — I forgot all about October Dreams! That’s another great subject for a Vintage Treasures article.