‘Session 9: The Official Novelization’ – Christian Francis (Echo Horror Publications)


Page Count: 216 Pages

Before we get started, I’m going to come right out and say that if I had to make a list of my favourite horror movies, ‘Session 9’ would be right up there with its ‘creepy asylum vibe’ building up to a reveal that blew me away when I first saw it and everything came together. Obviously, everyone’s mileage will vary but that’s where I am with this film :o) So when I saw that there was a novelization, of course I ordered myself a copy and of course I got into it over Christmas.

Hopefully it’s clear then that I’m a fan and I bought all of that to the book as I opened it and got reading. That’s a double edged sword though, isn’t it? You know what I mean, you can be over the moon that there’s a ‘book of the film’ but that’s a lot of expectation to bring. Luckily, ‘Session 9’ lived up to the standards set by the film, and a little extra as well.

When a hazardous materials team is tasked with clearing out the crumbling ruins of the Danvers State Hospital, they uncover far more than asbestos. Inside the decaying walls of the abandoned asylum lies a darkness, turning the mind’s deepest fears into terrifying reality, from which there may be no escape.

Once I started reading ‘Session 9’, I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished. I know that’s a trite thing to say but in this case, it was the truth. Francis captures the essence of the movie perfectly, from the foreboding structure of the Danvers Asylum to the hopes and fears of the men tasked with making it safe. I knew how it was going to end but still, I couldn’t help but be drawn along as Francis lets events unfold and run their course.

If that was all you got here, that would have been more than enough for me. Like I said, I knew where the book was headed and I was still being creeped out in the meantime. Francis takes the book to the next level though, expanding on certain existing points as well as giving us brand new passages where we get fresh insight into what led evil to take root in the asylum right at the start. If you haven’t seen the film, I’ll guarantee that you can’t tell which bits are ‘film’ and which are delivered by Francis, that’s how well he does here.

It’s a shorter post than normal but I’m going to wrap it up here before it ends up with my going round in circles about how much I enjoyed the book. I really did though and if you enjoyed the film, you really should pick the book up if you haven’t already.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

‘Hellraiser 3: Hell on Earth’ (1992)

Image
Every time Halloween comes round, I promise myself that I’ll watch more horror films and read more horror fiction; we’re halfway through the month and you can see how that’s going so far… There’s still plenty of October left though so lets see how I do from now until the end of the month ;o) First up is ‘Hellraiser 3’ which I watched last night, mostly because I love it (you can tell how this post is going to go, sorry…) but also because it was cheap on Prime and I’m still just on the wrong side of payday. Here goes… TV reporter Joey Summerskill’s life is changed forever when she witnesses the horrific death of a teenager, torn apart by bloody chains. Joey’s search for a story leads her to the Lament Configuration Box but it has already been opened, waking an old evil from its slumber… Now Pinhead walks the earth once more, creating a new army of Cenobites from the transmuted flesh of his victims; his one desire to reclaim the Box. Even with help from an unexpected source, Joey Summers...
Read more

‘Deathworlder’ – Victoria Hayward (Black Library)

Image
Before I get into the review proper, thank you Black Library for sending me a copy of ‘Deathworlder’ in return for a fair and honest review. Talking of ‘fair and honest’… There will be loads of the latter but I enjoyed the hell out of ‘Deathworlder’ so… We’ll see how being fair goes ;o) That’s your only warning, lets talk ‘Deathworlder’… Lazulai is a world beyond the brink, its battle against the tyranids all but lost. Once-magnificent cities lie in ruin. The seas boil. The skies crack. Horrific alien bioforms devour. In mere days the planet will be consumed. The 903rd Catachan ‘Night Shrikes’ defend one of the last fortresses still standing. Led by Major Wulf Khan, to die fighting is all that is expected of them… until she is given one last mission: to lead a squad through the apocalypse and recover a piece of archeotech that may doom or deliver the entire Lazulai System. Facing insurmountable odds and zero hope for aid, the major must hold her squad together as they pick their way ...
Read more

I'm still here! A quick update...

And I do mean a 'quick update'... It's been a hell of a month and my reading goals (along with any reading in general) have all gone belly up :o( I have managed to get a few audiobooks under my belt (thanks, Audible Offer!) but nothing else. I'm going to have another crack at David Wragg's 'The Hunters' over the weekend so, maybe things will change. Fingers crossed ;o) The reason for all of this was the surgery I had right at the end of last month. I really needed it and I'm glad that I finally had it done, it's going to make a real difference going forwards. They did warn me that it was going to be a painful recovery but I was all, 'oh it can't be any worse than it already is...' Gentle reader, it was a lot worse than I thought it would be... In fact... Damn that hurt... I'm definitely on the mend though so hopefully it won't be like this for much longer. Fingers crossed ;o) As you can probably guess though, its killed my reading...
Read more