Off Season is the story of a New York editor who rents a remote house in Maine to focus on her work. She invites her sister and some friends over to for a week stay, but does not anticipate that the local CANNIBALS will show up to the party. This paper-based slasher story is gruesome, graphic and delightful. This is definitely not a story for everyone, but if you are into gore and are not too squeamish you will love this book. Fast-paced and full of Jack Ketchumy goodness. ( )

Ketchum is a master of horror, but this book was kinda dissapointing. ( )

Three couples, including two sisters and an ex-husband, head for the woods to enjoy some time outdoors relaxing. Little do they know that they are being stalked by some feral hill folk who have entirely different plans for them. The premise is admittedly a little shopworn by now, and Ketchum doesn't do much with it at first, leading to a somewhat conventional beginning. I was less tempted to feel concern for the principals, as I was to be calculating mental odds on who would be first to wind up on the wrong end of a rusty knife.

All of which is quickly forgotten once the killers and victims first meet up. As much as Ketchum's style and characterization may be dull, his pacing and his skill at presenting violence are quite riveting. The conventionality of the opening quickly evaporates as Ketchum quickly establishes that there is no morality in his universe. Neither innocence nor bravery will allow you to survive, or even ensure that your death holds some nobility or dignity. This combines with some excellent pacing to make for a heart-racing experience; the story moves fast enough to keep the reader from feeling safe while providing enough reason to keep going. (Which nicely parallels the situation in which the characters find themselves.)

Though there is some very gruesome violence, Ketchum manages to keep it from feeling gratuituous. (Save for one death, the rather drawn out end of an obvious sacrificial lamb which felt as if it came pretty close to being exploitative.) Like the movies Night of the Living Dead or the Hills Have Eyes, the feeling is of a post-Vietnam reality, where man's inhumanity to man and the temptation to resort to savagery hover over everything. (Not made explicit; Vietnam is mentioned only a couple of times.)

Though not a perfect novel by any stretch, I'd have to say Ketchum's command of suspense and pacing and his talent for portraying an entirely plausible savagery make this an instant horror classic. ( )

This one is gruesome, gorry, and downright stomach turning. Just the way good slasher horror should be. It reminded me of the literary version of the old B rate slasher movies I grew up on. It read quick and definetly kept my attention. ( )

Off Season is (to quote Thomas Hobbes) a nasty, brutal and short thrill ride of a novel. Very, very highly recommended.

It reminded me (in a good way) of going into the living room at midnight, tuning in one of those low budget '80's splatter flicks like The Evil Dead or The Hills Have Eyes (which, like Off Season was based on the Sawney Bean legend).

Ketchum builds the tension slowly and expertly, interchanging chapters between three disparate groups of characters, watching them come together into what you already know will be a very bad night. This is a good example of a thriller where knowing what is coming serves to ratchet up the suspense.

The characters are believable, the explanation and origins of the cannibal clan is well handled and the action is fast paced and exciting while maintaining enough plausibility so you aren't smacking your head saying 'come on!' The violence is extremely graphic and matter-of-fact for those put off by such things.

Overall I was very impressed with this novel. I will be reading the sequel Offspring, though I've heard that like many sequels it doesn't quite hold up.

My edition (from Leisure Horror) also has a nice afterword where Ketchum explains some of the battles with editors this book underwent, prior to being released in this current uncensored edition.

It also includes a tangentially related short story called 'Winter Child' ( )