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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extreme horror at its best, 28 Nov 2002
First and foremost, it must be said that Off Season is not for the feint of heart; this is a visceral, brutal, unrestrained, exceedingly realistic novel that may sicken and disgust those unprepared for such extreme horror. The cover of my copy proclaims this "The Ultimate Horror Novel." I would not go that far in my assessment, but the suggestion doesn't fall very far from the mark. Ketchum held nothing back and pulled no punches in this, his first published novel. The story is rather simple but is far from simplistic. A group of six adults (three male, three female) retreat to a remote cabin in the woods of Maine for a week of relaxation. Unbeknownst to them, a family-group of utterly primitive, sadistic quasi-humans watch, wait, and eventually attack. Among this group are a number of wild children, and it is the children that have the most significant impact on the characters as well as the reader. The battle rages for some time, and many very bad things happen as the innocent victims do everything they can think of in order to survive. I found the conclusion to be spectacular; rest assured it is not the formulaic ending we see so often in novels of this sort. I won't attempt to describe the horrible things the depraved attackers do--imagine the worst things you can think of, then imagine how much worse the unthinkable is, then imagine children taking part in it. This really is one of the goriest, most extreme horror novels I have read, but it rises far above any charges of shock value or gore for gore's sake. It would have been a disservice to the reader had Ketchum not made the awful individuals he described behave in such a fashion; in fact, I would suggest that these characters of Ketchum's creation committed such atrocities on their own and that Ketchum the writer had no choice but to tell their story truthfully and realistically. It is this utter, unimaginable realism that really sinks its claws into you and immerses you in this nightmare landscape of Ketchum's genius. Extreme horror used gratuitously accords the author little respect in my book, but extreme horror written as honestly and dare I say respectfully as that of Off Season deserves the utmost respect that I, as an epicure in the horrible, can possibly give to an author.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Derivative ,but well written and exciting extreme horror., 18 Jan 2009
The genesis of Off Season, or rather Jack Ketchum's struggle to get the book published as he wanted it, is interesting enough to warrant re-telling here. Indeed in a chapter at the end of the book he explains it fully but i shall give the edited version.
Basically the first draft of Off Season was so uncompromising and violent that the publishers balked and wanted to make excessive cuts. Ketchum argued for the book , as any writer would, but ended up re-writing the book to the version that is included in this edition, which it must be said is still hideously violent and uncompromising .But that,s what we want right? Anyway Ketchum in a move that still rankles him threw away his first draft so the unexpurgated version will now never be read. As it was the publishers at the time still wanted more cuts and so Ketchum had to spend more time arguing with an editor who just wanted him to go away. And that was the way they treated Off Season...as something they wanted to go away .So with little fanfare it hit stores , quickly sold out but the shelf's were never re-stacked. Happily this un-edited version has come along and so the novel is more like the version that Ketchum envisaged...complete with not entirely happy ending .
The premise for Off Season is pretty derivative, but that's with a certain benefit of hindsight since the book was originally published in 1980 long before films like "Wrong Turn [2003]" and the remake of "The Hills Have Eyes (2006)" put cannibalistic miscreants in the mainstream. The plot is simple but effective. A group of bohemian New Yorkers head out to a remote cabin near Maine where they are attacked by a large extended family ( including young children ) of inbred cannibals. The action once it gets kick started is relentless and exceedingly gruesome with eviscerations , sexual sadism and a moment to rival the one everyone talks about inI Spit On Your Grave [1978]( the editors objections to this scene as related by Ketchum are quite funny)
Ketchum mostly avoids the tedious navel gazing of many horror writers and the books most salient point - that the capriciousness of fate does not legislate for the kind of person you are - is predictable but well made. I feel the books extreme element has been over played slightly but if you want a nasty thrilling visceral horror Off Season is very much in season.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Savage, brutal and terrific, 21 Feb 2007
This is so far the best Jack Ketchum novel I've read. It is quite short but very fast paced, giving a decent build up and then exploding with violence and brutality and never letting up until the ending. Some very unpleasant scenes abound with the 'family' of cannibals gutting and eating people and is ideal for people who like this gruelling sort of horror novel. Great stuff
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