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Psycho #1-3
Three Complete Novels
A collection of three complete novels by the author of Psycho follows the continuing escapades of Norman Bates in Psycho, Psycho II, and Psycho House.
503 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1993
17 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Robert Bloch
1,090 books1,284 followersRobert Albert Bloch was a prolific American writer. He was the son of Raphael "Ray" Bloch (1884, Chicago-1952, Chicago), a bank cashier, and his wife Stella Loeb (1880, Attica, Indiana-1944, Milwaukee, WI), a social worker, both of German-Jewish descent.
Bloch wrote hundreds of short stories and over twenty novels, usually crime fiction, science fiction, and, perhaps most influentially, horror fiction (Psycho). He was one of the youngest members of the Lovecraft Circle; Lovecraft was Bloch's mentor and one of the first to seriously encourage his talent.
He was a contributor to pulp magazines such as Weird Tales in his early career, and was also a prolific screenwriter. He was the recipient of the Hugo Award (for his story "That Hell-Bound Train"), the Bram Stoker Award, and the World Fantasy Award. He served a term as president of the Mystery Writers of America.
Robert Bloch was also a major contributor to science fiction fanzines and fandom in general. In the 1940s, he created the humorous character Lefty Feep in a story for Fantastic Adventures. He also worked for a time in local vaudeville, and tried to break into writing for nationally-known performers. He was a good friend of the science fiction writer Stanley G. Weinbaum. In the 1960's, he wrote 3 stories for Star Trek.
Bloch wrote hundreds of short stories and over twenty novels, usually crime fiction, science fiction, and, perhaps most influentially, horror fiction (Psycho). He was one of the youngest members of the Lovecraft Circle; Lovecraft was Bloch's mentor and one of the first to seriously encourage his talent.
He was a contributor to pulp magazines such as Weird Tales in his early career, and was also a prolific screenwriter. He was the recipient of the Hugo Award (for his story "That Hell-Bound Train"), the Bram Stoker Award, and the World Fantasy Award. He served a term as president of the Mystery Writers of America.
Robert Bloch was also a major contributor to science fiction fanzines and fandom in general. In the 1940s, he created the humorous character Lefty Feep in a story for Fantastic Adventures. He also worked for a time in local vaudeville, and tried to break into writing for nationally-known performers. He was a good friend of the science fiction writer Stanley G. Weinbaum. In the 1960's, he wrote 3 stories for Star Trek.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 6, 2019
Solo el primero se merece sus 5 Estrellas
Aunque ya había visto la película y la serie puedo decir que lo disfrute de igual manera con esos giros y juegos que hacer el autor para despistar a lector, pero que al final muestra la verdad que cae como una bomba que explota la cabeza. Aunque es una tanto lineal la historia que va de una desde el inicio, el trasfondo, la inquietud y el misterio que presenta el personaje de Norman sobresale sobre lo demás. No se debe juzgar a una persona por el exterior y aquí se toma al pie de la letra esa frase, cada mente es un mundo aparte.
"Creo que todos nos volvemos un poco locos, aveces".
Psicosis II (3 Estrellas)
Realmente como lo dije en su momento no entiendo el uso que se le dio a Norman en esta segunda parte, solo salvaría las primeras paginas que irónicamente son en las únicas que aparece Norman, se siente mucho la comodidad, la facilidad con la que Roberth Bloch describe y maneja a Norman Bates. Respecto ala historia que sigue algo que se toma mucho hincapié es la critica ala industria del cine y todo los problemas que conlleva trabajar en ella que aquí toma mucho sentido la frase del primer libro, aunque hoy en día ya es muy sabido que no todo es oro en la industria del cine, pero verlo en la perspectiva de una persona de ese entonces es como un preludio de lo que se avecinaba, hablando del final que prácticamente es un copy paste del final del primer libro pero igualmente resulta sorpresivo y bueno.
Psicosis III (3.5 Estrellas)
Aquí con Norman ya fuera del camino ya se vuelve prácticamente un thriller convencional de jugar a adivinar quien es el asesino, no hay tantos giros y sorpresas como en sus antecesores pero igualmente me resulto mas entretenido que el segundo, tal vez por el hecho de darnos una perspectiva del pueblo y de su gente el como la figura de Norman Bates vino a afectar o a favorecer la vida y cotidianidad del pueblo que practicante se volvió una atracción turística.
-Deje que le haga una sugerencia-dijo Steiner-. Cuando termine, tal vez podría escribir otro libro sobre la vida en el manicomio.
-¿Aquí?
-No. -Steiner señalo hacia la ventana-. Ahí afuera.
Aunque ya había visto la película y la serie puedo decir que lo disfrute de igual manera con esos giros y juegos que hacer el autor para despistar a lector, pero que al final muestra la verdad que cae como una bomba que explota la cabeza. Aunque es una tanto lineal la historia que va de una desde el inicio, el trasfondo, la inquietud y el misterio que presenta el personaje de Norman sobresale sobre lo demás. No se debe juzgar a una persona por el exterior y aquí se toma al pie de la letra esa frase, cada mente es un mundo aparte.
"Creo que todos nos volvemos un poco locos, aveces".
Psicosis II (3 Estrellas)
Realmente como lo dije en su momento no entiendo el uso que se le dio a Norman en esta segunda parte, solo salvaría las primeras paginas que irónicamente son en las únicas que aparece Norman, se siente mucho la comodidad, la facilidad con la que Roberth Bloch describe y maneja a Norman Bates. Respecto ala historia que sigue algo que se toma mucho hincapié es la critica ala industria del cine y todo los problemas que conlleva trabajar en ella que aquí toma mucho sentido la frase del primer libro, aunque hoy en día ya es muy sabido que no todo es oro en la industria del cine, pero verlo en la perspectiva de una persona de ese entonces es como un preludio de lo que se avecinaba, hablando del final que prácticamente es un copy paste del final del primer libro pero igualmente resulta sorpresivo y bueno.
Psicosis III (3.5 Estrellas)
Aquí con Norman ya fuera del camino ya se vuelve prácticamente un thriller convencional de jugar a adivinar quien es el asesino, no hay tantos giros y sorpresas como en sus antecesores pero igualmente me resulto mas entretenido que el segundo, tal vez por el hecho de darnos una perspectiva del pueblo y de su gente el como la figura de Norman Bates vino a afectar o a favorecer la vida y cotidianidad del pueblo que practicante se volvió una atracción turística.
-Deje que le haga una sugerencia-dijo Steiner-. Cuando termine, tal vez podría escribir otro libro sobre la vida en el manicomio.
-¿Aquí?
-No. -Steiner señalo hacia la ventana-. Ahí afuera.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2016
Psycho
How can I read and review the book Psycho without comparing it to its movie adaptation? Yeah, not possible. For starters, the biggest difference has to be Norman Bates' physical description, which is balding and dumpy in the book. A far cry from Anthony Perkins. For most of the book I admit to not being able to visualize Norman in a different light than Perkins, who I feel was genius casting. I mean, who in that day and age would ever see that next-door-boy-look as a threat? Other than that, I have to say that the movie is pretty darned true to the book; some minor things but nothing necessary was kept out. I enjoyed Bloch's writing, it's just smooth and easy to read, keeping to a nice clip. The next to last chapter has a bit of an infodump explaining Norman's behavior, but it's short and really didn't bother me. Probably one of the best handled infodumps I've come across. So, I'd definitely recommend reading the book if you enjoy the movie, it adds a little here and there to the film.
4 stars
Psycho II
How do I put this succinctly...? What a total piece of crap.
I thought it started out pretty well, for say about the first 25 or 30 pages, minus Norman's rape of a nun's corpse (which didn't seem in his character IMHO), but then it started going downhill and ended up in a deep, deep well. Bloch's characters and plot are cliche, boring, obnoxious, two-dimensional or a combination of all of the above. The denouement is ridiculous, although not totally unforseen, and it just seemed like Bloch wasn't even interested in writing a proper sequel with Norman Bates and was more interested in showing Hollywood as amoral and vapid. Whatever. I'm glad this is over. I have better things to do with my time, like clean the litter boxes.
1.5 stars
I will eventually get to Psycho House but I need a recovery period so this is going back to the library. I highly doubt that it'll be worse than P2.
How can I read and review the book Psycho without comparing it to its movie adaptation? Yeah, not possible. For starters, the biggest difference has to be Norman Bates' physical description, which is balding and dumpy in the book. A far cry from Anthony Perkins. For most of the book I admit to not being able to visualize Norman in a different light than Perkins, who I feel was genius casting. I mean, who in that day and age would ever see that next-door-boy-look as a threat? Other than that, I have to say that the movie is pretty darned true to the book; some minor things but nothing necessary was kept out. I enjoyed Bloch's writing, it's just smooth and easy to read, keeping to a nice clip. The next to last chapter has a bit of an infodump explaining Norman's behavior, but it's short and really didn't bother me. Probably one of the best handled infodumps I've come across. So, I'd definitely recommend reading the book if you enjoy the movie, it adds a little here and there to the film.
4 stars
Psycho II
How do I put this succinctly...? What a total piece of crap.
I thought it started out pretty well, for say about the first 25 or 30 pages, minus Norman's rape of a nun's corpse (which didn't seem in his character IMHO), but then it started going downhill and ended up in a deep, deep well. Bloch's characters and plot are cliche, boring, obnoxious, two-dimensional or a combination of all of the above. The denouement is ridiculous, although not totally unforseen, and it just seemed like Bloch wasn't even interested in writing a proper sequel with Norman Bates and was more interested in showing Hollywood as amoral and vapid. Whatever. I'm glad this is over. I have better things to do with my time, like clean the litter boxes.
1.5 stars
I will eventually get to Psycho House but I need a recovery period so this is going back to the library. I highly doubt that it'll be worse than P2.
January 11, 2014
Mmmmmm Of the three books I liked more Psycho than the other two....
September 30, 2016
Después de dos años al fin lo terminé. Quiero aclarar desde ahorita que mi tardanza se debió a que gracias a lo delgado de mi cuenta bancaria, me vi en la necesidad de comprar el pack con los tres libros en lugar de cada uno por separado.
Hace tiempo que había terminado las dos primeras partes pero por una cosa u otra, me tomé mi tiempo para leer la tercera. Y aquí está mi opinión de cada libro:
1. Psicosis: Es la historia que todos conocemos por a película. Lo único que cambia es que ahora se incluye el punto de vista de Norman pero desde dentro de su cabeza, por lo que complementa un poco más la historia. Por lo demás es igual de tétrica que la obra de Hitchcock y es bastante bueno a pesar de la brevedad. Le doy:
2. Psicosis II: Aquí ya todo se tuerce, al menos para mi. La forma en la que manejan los trastornos mentales es poco menos que ridícula (al menos para mi, que medio sé del tema). Aunque la idea general de este libro me agrada, ese detalle le quita muchísimo valor a la historia, en mi opinión. Siento que si hubiera sido manejada de forma diferente hubiera sido muchíiiiisimo mejor. Le doy:
3. Psicosis III: la mansión Bates: Al principio sentí que esto ya era el colmo. ¿Qué necesidad tenemos por utilizar algo y exprimirlo hasta que ya no es reconocible? Pero conforme fue avanzando la historia me fue gustando un poco más. Aunque sigue manejando las cosas de una forma un tanto simplista y absurda, al menos sí provoca una ligera sensación de misterio. Vaya, siento que hubiera sido igual si el libro existiera o no.. Le doy:
Eso nos da un total de 1/3
Hace tiempo que había terminado las dos primeras partes pero por una cosa u otra, me tomé mi tiempo para leer la tercera. Y aquí está mi opinión de cada libro:
1. Psicosis: Es la historia que todos conocemos por a película. Lo único que cambia es que ahora se incluye el punto de vista de Norman pero desde dentro de su cabeza, por lo que complementa un poco más la historia. Por lo demás es igual de tétrica que la obra de Hitchcock y es bastante bueno a pesar de la brevedad. Le doy:
2. Psicosis II: Aquí ya todo se tuerce, al menos para mi. La forma en la que manejan los trastornos mentales es poco menos que ridícula (al menos para mi, que medio sé del tema). Aunque la idea general de este libro me agrada, ese detalle le quita muchísimo valor a la historia, en mi opinión. Siento que si hubiera sido manejada de forma diferente hubiera sido muchíiiiisimo mejor. Le doy:
3. Psicosis III: la mansión Bates: Al principio sentí que esto ya era el colmo. ¿Qué necesidad tenemos por utilizar algo y exprimirlo hasta que ya no es reconocible? Pero conforme fue avanzando la historia me fue gustando un poco más. Aunque sigue manejando las cosas de una forma un tanto simplista y absurda, al menos sí provoca una ligera sensación de misterio. Vaya, siento que hubiera sido igual si el libro existiera o no.. Le doy: Eso nos da un total de 1/3
October 15, 2016
An omnibus edition of the Psycho trilogy.
1. Psycho (1959) - see my review under the individual title (3/5)
2. Psycho II (1982) - Well this was nothing like I had expected. Norman is barely even in it. It's classified as a horror but I'd hardly call it that, more like a mystery thriller. It was readable though hardly exciting. The ending was a twist and I didn't see it coming. Not bad, not great. (3/5)
3. Psycho House (1990) - This was the best book in the trilogy. Given it rides on the coattails of Psycho but it could have easily been written as a standalone without any mention of the connection. However, the book uses all the information from Psycho I and II to create a backstory. A writer comes to Fairvale to interview people for the true crime book she's writing about the Bates case. It was a quick compelling read. There are lots of murders but not gory (though I believe the movie is a typical slasher). Instead, it is a thinker with a lot of suspense. I enjoyed trying to figure out whodunnit and found the suspense writing to be superb. (4/5)
1. Psycho (1959) - see my review under the individual title (3/5)
2. Psycho II (1982) - Well this was nothing like I had expected. Norman is barely even in it. It's classified as a horror but I'd hardly call it that, more like a mystery thriller. It was readable though hardly exciting. The ending was a twist and I didn't see it coming. Not bad, not great. (3/5)
3. Psycho House (1990) - This was the best book in the trilogy. Given it rides on the coattails of Psycho but it could have easily been written as a standalone without any mention of the connection. However, the book uses all the information from Psycho I and II to create a backstory. A writer comes to Fairvale to interview people for the true crime book she's writing about the Bates case. It was a quick compelling read. There are lots of murders but not gory (though I believe the movie is a typical slasher). Instead, it is a thinker with a lot of suspense. I enjoyed trying to figure out whodunnit and found the suspense writing to be superb. (4/5)
December 31, 2015
Robert Bloch's fiction is cynical and has a dark conception of life and humanity, but he was a logical, ingenious plotter with a vivid, entertaining imagination and some valid psychological insight. Since almost all big-budget films are adaptations/retreads now, someone should adapt these novels (only one of the three has been previously). (Although it's great to find all three "Psycho" novels in one volume, I've never seen so many typographical errors as I have in this Wings Books omnibus edition. If I were reviewing the book and not the novels, I'd dock it a star.)
February 22, 2024
This book is special to me because it was one of the first books, I was gifted this year. When I read this, I felt as if I opened a new gateway to something I couldn't imagine; for context I have not been a huge reader for most of my life. This book was short yet full of suspense and dread. Dread that I myself have never felt before from any sort of media before. The feeling of not wanting to read your favorite character's demise is real in this book. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a couple short yet suspenseful stories.
February 5, 2017
The original Psycho story, like the film is easily a 5 star rating, but this book of all 3 Psycho stories I can only rate as 3 stars. The second and third book are like most horror movie sequels, a rehash of the original formula. The twists are so expected and predictable there was no shock value. Read the first book, only read the rest if you have the time and you're bored.
June 27, 2016
Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho' is my favorite of all time, but the book isn't quite as great. Norman Bates is completely unsympathetic. That being said it was still pretty good. Psycho House was alright, I s'pose. But Psycho II? No. So so bad
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August 23, 2008isbn,original
July 7, 2013
I couldn't finish it. Honestly, I couldn't. At first it was interesting, but then it just got boring.
June 4, 2019
I think I only liked the first book at all because of the movie and it seemed the most genuine but I didn't have the same problem a lot of other reviews did with only being able to see Anthony Perkins as Norman, I pictured the fat man just fine haha. The second book was off to a good start then it fizzled and I disliked both of the heroines of the last two books altogether. The third book I actually thought had a pretty abrupt ending and not much suspense leading up to it. Upon completing this review, I took a star from my rating to make it 2. The movies are better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2019
Psycho ****
Psycho II * (embarrassingly bad)
Psycho House **
Psycho II * (embarrassingly bad)
Psycho House **
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April 3, 2021this is now a thing i have done—read three PSYCHO books in a row.
July 23, 2021
First book is good. Second and third ones are terrible. Just read the first one.
May 22, 2023
5 star is for the first novel in the trilogy, but the other two are fun, too!
November 12, 2024
Ofcourse the original Psycho is a classic masterpiece. But both Psycho 2 and Psycho House are absolute dogshit
February 1, 2023
I only read the first of the three novels. I have no plan to read the sequels at this point. The book is a breeze and moves just like the classic film. There are some major differences between the two, such as Norman’s appearance. All around, it’s a solid, safe and quick read. I can see why Bloch has been a major influence in horror.
June 25, 2023
Yes, Robert Bloch was a Master of Psychological Horror fiction, and in this omnibus volume, you will find 3 of his most successful novels: The classic Psycho, the Real Fun & Still Dark Psycho II, and the last little stab, to close a contract honorably, Psycho House.
A little less fun than his short stories but still, this volume is a great ticket foe real Robert Bloch fan. Enjoy !
A little less fun than his short stories but still, this volume is a great ticket foe real Robert Bloch fan. Enjoy !
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews