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Orangefield #3
Halloweenland
In Orangefield, Halloween is never normal—and this year will be no exception. For Orangefield is now the home of Halloweenland, a bizarre carnival run by the mysterious Mr. Dickens. No one who sees the carnival doubts that it's a very strange place, but its real secrets can hardly be imagined.
Orangefield is also the home of Detective Bill Grant, who thinks he's seen it all. He's on the trail of an odd little girl, a girl who could hold the end of the universe in her hand. The trail will lead Grant to Ireland, the ancient home of the Lord of the Dead, then back to Orangefield, where, on what may be the last Halloween, the ultimate battle between Life and Death will take place.
Praise for Halloweenland:
"Halloweenland pays a worthy homage to a season loved by many." -- Shroud Magazine
"No wordsmith since Ray Bradbury has crafted vivid pictures of the autumnal season quite like Al Sarrantonio" --Horror Reader Exclusive Review
Orangefield is also the home of Detective Bill Grant, who thinks he's seen it all. He's on the trail of an odd little girl, a girl who could hold the end of the universe in her hand. The trail will lead Grant to Ireland, the ancient home of the Lord of the Dead, then back to Orangefield, where, on what may be the last Halloween, the ultimate battle between Life and Death will take place.
Praise for Halloweenland:
"Halloweenland pays a worthy homage to a season loved by many." -- Shroud Magazine
"No wordsmith since Ray Bradbury has crafted vivid pictures of the autumnal season quite like Al Sarrantonio" --Horror Reader Exclusive Review
227 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2007
6 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Al Sarrantonio
140 books131 followersAl Sarrantonio was an American horror and science fiction writer, editor and publisher who authored more than 50 books and 90 short stories. He also edited numerous anthologies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 24, 2022
Back in Orangefield, this time for the showdown. Marianne is impregnated. By who? Her dead husband Jack seems to be responsible. Her child is the Uncreator. Can Detective Bill Grant stop this child for causing havoc and death? The end of the world is near. Will he find support at Halloweenland, a big theme park? What about Samhain? Will this shadowy creature help our detective here who goes all the way to Ireland to find out more about him or will he support the Dark One... this was a very compelling book and the perfect book as preparation for Halloween. Fast paced, eerie, mythological, devil incarnate. Absolutely liked this one from the cover to the last page. Highly recommended!
February 27, 2023
I really thought I would enjoy this more at the beginning, but then it quickly turned weird and the story felt rushed and kinda pointless. The book I have has the actual novel and the short novel which is quite different but much shorter and much better. Overall not great.
October 30, 2019
If you want a fun and creepy read, than this is it! The words flow smoothly and the pages just fly by. As soon as I started this book, I got hooked. In fact I started reading this book in favor of the other one I was reading ... Just because it was more fun. And the other one is due in two more days too yet I ended up reading this one. That should say something right there.
This book is about an Irish creature called Samhain. It's sort of creepy: a pale face with a red slash for a mouth and a black cloak. This mysterious creature has been haunting the small town of Orangefield for many years each Halloween and poor detective Bill Grant has to deal with it. I never really knew what the thing wanted or what it was up to...that created uncertainty.
There's a lot involved with the plot: a trip to Ireland, the usual detective work (just try investigating a creature that others don't believe in!!), a mysterious carnival. I admit due to what the back of the book said I had thought the carnival was going to play a much bigger part than what it did, but that's ok..
There are many disturbing things in the book. And Samhain is not the only evil thing in here! There is something even worse!
The story had some unexpected plot twists too towards the end. I never saw that coming!
Oh I also enjoyed learning a little bit about Ireland, like reading about the ancient beehive huts that they have.
The book also includes the original short story called "The Baby" that the novel was based on.. it's basically the first chunk of the book but has a different ending. The ending of the story really shocked me!
This is one book I'd happily read again.
This book is about an Irish creature called Samhain. It's sort of creepy: a pale face with a red slash for a mouth and a black cloak. This mysterious creature has been haunting the small town of Orangefield for many years each Halloween and poor detective Bill Grant has to deal with it. I never really knew what the thing wanted or what it was up to...that created uncertainty.
There's a lot involved with the plot: a trip to Ireland, the usual detective work (just try investigating a creature that others don't believe in!!), a mysterious carnival. I admit due to what the back of the book said I had thought the carnival was going to play a much bigger part than what it did, but that's ok..
There are many disturbing things in the book. And Samhain is not the only evil thing in here! There is something even worse!
The story had some unexpected plot twists too towards the end. I never saw that coming!
Oh I also enjoyed learning a little bit about Ireland, like reading about the ancient beehive huts that they have.
The book also includes the original short story called "The Baby" that the novel was based on.. it's basically the first chunk of the book but has a different ending. The ending of the story really shocked me!
This is one book I'd happily read again.
October 25, 2017
I picked this up at a used book sale because it had Halloween in the title, and I have a problem. (Maybe several? They include a bottomless love for horror and pathological book buying, to start.) I realized after I bought it but before I started reading that it was third in the series, and then went ahead and read it anyway. Life offers so few chances to be a rebel.
Detective Bill Grant is used to the "weird shit” that happens in Orangefield every Halloween, but either he’s getting older or the shit is getting weirder. When a hit and run accident results on some strange events, Grant knows it has something to do with Samhain, the ghostly Lord of Death who rules over Halloween. It isn’t until a sinister carnival called Halloweenland is set up outside of town that he realizes the “weird shit” this time might actually lead to the apocalypse.
I don’t think it’s completely necessary to read this book with the rest of the series. I didn’t have any trouble following the plot or the characters, although I suspect a reveal late in the novel lacked some of its punch for me because it connects to earlier plots. It has a nice Halloween atmosphere, and it’s a fun, easy ride for fans of paranormal detective fiction. I may go back and read them eventually if I happen across copies, but I probably won’t go out of my way either.
The novel starts with an awkward sex scene that actually ends up being one of the creepiest moments in the book, but… I’m just not sure I would start a detective novel that way. I’m fine with an occasional steamy romance novel, but I probably would have put it down if that weirdness continued. Fortunately, it doesn’t. The writing is passable but not overwhelming, and the pacing is strange due to a five year gap in the timeline and an unnecessary and undeveloped field trip to Ireland. Structurally, I wasn’t that impressed by it.
Detective Grant is basically the stock detective: tragic past, drinks too much, but is incredibly good at his job. I like him because I like that archetype, but it isn’t exactly groundbreaking. The rest of the characters are fleeting and forgettable, with the exception of Samhain. While I love the idea of incorporating him as a character, it wasn’t as effective as I’d hoped. The rule for most monster films (or books) is that the more screen/page time the monster gets, the less frightening it is, and Samhain gets considerably less frightening as the novel goes on. (My favorite Samhain character is still the one from Trick ‘r Treat.) The most interesting interactions take place between Grant and Samhain though, and if I were going to read any of the other Orangefield novels, that would be why. He’s certainly more interesting than the actual villain, which is a flatly evil child of Satan that the story doesn’t do much justice. Her motivation for ending the world is pretty much because that’s what children of Satan do. Yawn.
The back cover promises a creepy, Halloween-style carnival, and I’m always chasing stories like this after falling fast and hard for Something Wicked This Way Comes–which is really unfair because who can compete with Ray Bradbury? No one. And Halloweenland doesn’t even come close. The place barely features until well toward the end of the novel, and other than a nonsensical tour through the freak tent, there isn’t much to it.
There’s a novella called “The Baby” at the end of my edition, which is word for word the first seventy-five pages of the book with a minor twist in the last two pages. I was skimming after the first few chapters and a little annoyed that more hadn’t changed–otherwise, why bother to include it? For all the buildup, the changed ending didn’t make a lot of sense, and it doesn’t bring anything more to either story.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
Detective Bill Grant is used to the "weird shit” that happens in Orangefield every Halloween, but either he’s getting older or the shit is getting weirder. When a hit and run accident results on some strange events, Grant knows it has something to do with Samhain, the ghostly Lord of Death who rules over Halloween. It isn’t until a sinister carnival called Halloweenland is set up outside of town that he realizes the “weird shit” this time might actually lead to the apocalypse.
I don’t think it’s completely necessary to read this book with the rest of the series. I didn’t have any trouble following the plot or the characters, although I suspect a reveal late in the novel lacked some of its punch for me because it connects to earlier plots. It has a nice Halloween atmosphere, and it’s a fun, easy ride for fans of paranormal detective fiction. I may go back and read them eventually if I happen across copies, but I probably won’t go out of my way either.
The novel starts with an awkward sex scene that actually ends up being one of the creepiest moments in the book, but… I’m just not sure I would start a detective novel that way. I’m fine with an occasional steamy romance novel, but I probably would have put it down if that weirdness continued. Fortunately, it doesn’t. The writing is passable but not overwhelming, and the pacing is strange due to a five year gap in the timeline and an unnecessary and undeveloped field trip to Ireland. Structurally, I wasn’t that impressed by it.
Detective Grant is basically the stock detective: tragic past, drinks too much, but is incredibly good at his job. I like him because I like that archetype, but it isn’t exactly groundbreaking. The rest of the characters are fleeting and forgettable, with the exception of Samhain. While I love the idea of incorporating him as a character, it wasn’t as effective as I’d hoped. The rule for most monster films (or books) is that the more screen/page time the monster gets, the less frightening it is, and Samhain gets considerably less frightening as the novel goes on. (My favorite Samhain character is still the one from Trick ‘r Treat.) The most interesting interactions take place between Grant and Samhain though, and if I were going to read any of the other Orangefield novels, that would be why. He’s certainly more interesting than the actual villain, which is a flatly evil child of Satan that the story doesn’t do much justice. Her motivation for ending the world is pretty much because that’s what children of Satan do. Yawn.
The back cover promises a creepy, Halloween-style carnival, and I’m always chasing stories like this after falling fast and hard for Something Wicked This Way Comes–which is really unfair because who can compete with Ray Bradbury? No one. And Halloweenland doesn’t even come close. The place barely features until well toward the end of the novel, and other than a nonsensical tour through the freak tent, there isn’t much to it.
There’s a novella called “The Baby” at the end of my edition, which is word for word the first seventy-five pages of the book with a minor twist in the last two pages. I was skimming after the first few chapters and a little annoyed that more hadn’t changed–otherwise, why bother to include it? For all the buildup, the changed ending didn’t make a lot of sense, and it doesn’t bring anything more to either story.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
December 13, 2018
I'm not a big fan of the Orangefield stories, but this one was a lot of fun. Detective Grant once again goes up against Samhain, but this time there is a twist. Marianne, who may or may not have had sex with the ghost of her husband, gives birth to a girl who has a very sinister purpose. Grant has to figure out a way to find this girl before she can destroy the world. There is a lot of fun in this, especially when Grant has to go to Samhain's home, to Ireland. Mr. Dickens's carnival is great, as is the mysterious Mr. Dickens. I figure he named himself after the phrase "scare the dickens out of you." The ending is a bit on the silly side, but that's my only gripe. As for "The Baby," the additional novella, it's essentially the same as part one of the book except for the ending. Still, this book is fun.
November 7, 2016
This was the only Halloween book I was able to read for this season and it was a disappointment. Not a lot of action and the story just did not put me in the Halloween spirit as I had hoped.
December 29, 2021
В третата част от поредицата Сарантонио се връща към похвата на мозаичния роман и това е в плюс за книгата. Историята включва познати лица от предните две книги, както и нови.
Детектив Гранд отново е по следите на Самейн и неговия господар. Този път ще се впусне да преследва едно странно дете, родено на Хелоуин и заченато от може би мъртъв съпруг. Дете, което държи съдбата на нашия свят в смъртоносните си ръчички. Това ще отведе Грант чак до Ирландия и корените на Повелителя на мъртвите.
В Оринчфийлд през това време ще пристигне необикновен карнавал с още по-необикновен собственик. Всичко води до доста симпатичен финален обрат, където Самейн ще се понрави доста на публиката, въпреки съмнителните си действия в цялата трилогия.
Сарантонио ме накара доста да ссе задълбая в корените на празника, от който до нас пристига само изцяло комерсиалната част. Благодарение на това книгите ми се понравиха още повече, защото дори абсурдните части са свързани с развитието на Хелоуин в американската култура.
Все пак "Стършелите" или първата част на първата книга си остава най-доброто от автора на оранжевото поле.
Детектив Гранд отново е по следите на Самейн и неговия господар. Този път ще се впусне да преследва едно странно дете, родено на Хелоуин и заченато от може би мъртъв съпруг. Дете, което държи съдбата на нашия свят в смъртоносните си ръчички. Това ще отведе Грант чак до Ирландия и корените на Повелителя на мъртвите.
В Оринчфийлд през това време ще пристигне необикновен карнавал с още по-необикновен собственик. Всичко води до доста симпатичен финален обрат, където Самейн ще се понрави доста на публиката, въпреки съмнителните си действия в цялата трилогия.
Сарантонио ме накара доста да ссе задълбая в корените на празника, от който до нас пристига само изцяло комерсиалната част. Благодарение на това книгите ми се понравиха още повече, защото дори абсурдните части са свързани с развитието на Хелоуин в американската култура.
Все пак "Стършелите" или първата част на първата книга си остава най-доброто от автора на оранжевото поле.
November 8, 2016
I feel like some readers have judged this trilogy a little harshly.
I think expectations were a little too high. So, here's my thinking on some of the points others have made:
1. Not scary. Well, no, I myself didn't feel any level of fear from any of the three books in this trilogy. Frankly, I'm not sure I was intended to. I did like a lot of the various characters and I "cared" about them. But okay - so look at the covers, particularly the cute owl in the tree on the cover of book two. Does that scream sheer terror to you? To me, it says "Oh cool, funky nostalgic Halloween schtick. " And guess what? I was right! That said, there are some sort of gory parts, especially in the first two books. Unless you tend to serious hysterical drama, you'll be okay.
2. Not well-written. Other than some minor editing oversights, I didn't find any serious flaws. The author told a story. Sometimes it went in a different direction, but I'm okay with that, too. Then again, I wasn't expecting this Sarrantonio guy to be quite up to par with Joyce or Hemingway.
3. Boring. I'm seeing this complaint in a lot of reviews lately. What does that even mean and how is it a valid complaint? I didn't find these books boring. Nor did I find them as entertaining as, say, finding $10k in my mailbox. What the hell?
There's more, but really, I don't need to justify myself anymore. Either read these books or don't - it's not like it matters to me. Here's the rub: I got three books for 99 cents. They amused me for a decent length of time. This last one I liked the best.
I think expectations were a little too high. So, here's my thinking on some of the points others have made:
1. Not scary. Well, no, I myself didn't feel any level of fear from any of the three books in this trilogy. Frankly, I'm not sure I was intended to. I did like a lot of the various characters and I "cared" about them. But okay - so look at the covers, particularly the cute owl in the tree on the cover of book two. Does that scream sheer terror to you? To me, it says "Oh cool, funky nostalgic Halloween schtick. " And guess what? I was right! That said, there are some sort of gory parts, especially in the first two books. Unless you tend to serious hysterical drama, you'll be okay.
2. Not well-written. Other than some minor editing oversights, I didn't find any serious flaws. The author told a story. Sometimes it went in a different direction, but I'm okay with that, too. Then again, I wasn't expecting this Sarrantonio guy to be quite up to par with Joyce or Hemingway.
3. Boring. I'm seeing this complaint in a lot of reviews lately. What does that even mean and how is it a valid complaint? I didn't find these books boring. Nor did I find them as entertaining as, say, finding $10k in my mailbox. What the hell?
There's more, but really, I don't need to justify myself anymore. Either read these books or don't - it's not like it matters to me. Here's the rub: I got three books for 99 cents. They amused me for a decent length of time. This last one I liked the best.
October 28, 2019
My new book review video is up. In this episode, I discuss Halloweenland by Al Sarrantonio, give the history of the Jack o' Lantern, and I finally receive my pumpkin spice latte.
https://youtu.be/vJ6MoWh_PUE
https://youtu.be/vJ6MoWh_PUE
December 6, 2020
2.5 Stars
rounded up to 3 Stars.
This book was the finale to the Orangefield Series and there was some good points but also for me wishy washy points. The character development for Detective Grant was just sort of spotty especially with the 5 year time gap leaps. Character development for Reggie (Gina) Bright was too rushed and the development of Anna was not for me well defined enough. The Halloween feel for the town of Orangefield didn't hold up strong in this book at all. Yes, there was an ending that felt more cartoonish silly than Halloween scary with answers that were too open ended for any finality. Unfortunately I finished the book with a mediocre blah feeling. I felt the author had so much going for the plot in this story that he somehow just let slide. It felt as if he himself just got tired and bored of the Orangefield and Samhain storyline and wanted to put it to bed fast.
This book was the finale to the Orangefield Series and there was some good points but also for me wishy washy points. The character development for Detective Grant was just sort of spotty especially with the 5 year time gap leaps. Character development for Reggie (Gina) Bright was too rushed and the development of Anna was not for me well defined enough. The Halloween feel for the town of Orangefield didn't hold up strong in this book at all. Yes, there was an ending that felt more cartoonish silly than Halloween scary with answers that were too open ended for any finality. Unfortunately I finished the book with a mediocre blah feeling. I felt the author had so much going for the plot in this story that he somehow just let slide. It felt as if he himself just got tired and bored of the Orangefield and Samhain storyline and wanted to put it to bed fast.
February 2, 2015
Probably the most well written of the trilogy, but not quite as much fun as the first book: Horrorween. This one was slightly less B-Movieish than book two: Hallows Eve, returning to the more straight up horror of book one.
Sarrantonio called on some classic suspense, and pulled it off quite well, as I found myself staying up late into the night devouring every page. He even threw in a Dan Brown style surprise toward the end that added to the fun in a perfect way.
It's a bummer that these books are out of print, but it's good that I was able to find them used for less than two dollars each. They are all quick, fun reads, and I would say Halloweenland was the perfect ending to a great trilogy that any horror fan should read.
Sarrantonio called on some classic suspense, and pulled it off quite well, as I found myself staying up late into the night devouring every page. He even threw in a Dan Brown style surprise toward the end that added to the fun in a perfect way.
It's a bummer that these books are out of print, but it's good that I was able to find them used for less than two dollars each. They are all quick, fun reads, and I would say Halloweenland was the perfect ending to a great trilogy that any horror fan should read.
October 10, 2017
This book is based on a 80-page short story by the same author called 'The Baby', which also came with the edition I got. Read that story and skip the actual novel. The short story is decent, gets to the point, and ends on a satisfying note.
The novel dicks around Ireland for forty pages, doesn't establish the villain that well and makes you feel that not much got accomplished by the time you read the final page. Also, the 'twists' are just random curveballs from left field that don't make sense and much of the novel is reliant on you reading the previous installments and not standing on its own two feet.
The novel dicks around Ireland for forty pages, doesn't establish the villain that well and makes you feel that not much got accomplished by the time you read the final page. Also, the 'twists' are just random curveballs from left field that don't make sense and much of the novel is reliant on you reading the previous installments and not standing on its own two feet.
October 15, 2019
The characters are cardboard cutouts who Sarrantonio seems to think are adequately defined by the objects around them and not by any interior life; the plot is thin and mechanical with an incomprehensible climax; the settings are wanly depicted and often unnecessary, as with the excursion to Ireland or the existence of the Halloweenland theme park.
Really horrible.
Really horrible.
October 22, 2025
3.5⭐️ Good ole spooky cheese fest
November 3, 2021
A bit disappointing. The protagonist, Detective Grant, missed a lot of things that should have been obvious to him, causing him to needlessly travel to Ireland. That just seemed to be simply an easy way for the author to impart some info regarding the history and origins of Samhain. The ending felt rushed and was ultimately unsatisfying.
January 2, 2025
Halloweenland (Orangefield, Book 3) is like a haunted house tour led by a master of spooky atmosphere—Al Sarrantonio takes us back to the creepy town of Orangefield, where Halloween isn’t just a holiday, it's a supernatural showdown. Detective Bill Grant returns to face off with the ancient, pumpkin-loving entity Samhain (pronounced "sow-in," for all you horror newbies), and things get even weirder when a creepy carnival rolls into town. Because of course it does—what's Halloween without a sinister carnival?
Audiobook Review:
The narration for Halloweenland absolutely nails the mood. It's like listening to a campfire ghost story told by that one friend who knows how to get the spooky vibes just right. The narrator manages to amp up the tension with a voice that drips with suspense, especially when Samhain slithers into the scene. The way he delivers the creepy carnival moments will definitely make you rethink your next visit to the county fair.
One of the best things about this audiobook is the pacing. It’s not a full-throttle horror ride, but rather a steady build-up of unease. Think of it as a slow-cooker horror stew: the flavors intensify, the dread simmers, and by the time you get to the finale, it’s bubbling over with supernatural terror. Just be prepared for a few moments where the story takes its sweet time to marinate.
That said, if you're expecting jump scares or action-packed horror, you might feel like you're waiting for a trick that's more treat. Sarrantonio goes for atmosphere over gore, weaving together a spooky, unsettling world where Halloween is more curse than candy.
Verdict:
If you’re into Halloween horror with a side of eerie carnival rides and creepy pumpkin gods, Halloweenland is your jam. The audiobook does a fantastic job of drawing you into the unsettling charm of Orangefield, with a narrator who keeps you hooked through every haunted twist and turn. It's the perfect listen for anyone who thinks Halloween should last all year long—just maybe skip the pumpkin patch this season.
Audiobook Review:
The narration for Halloweenland absolutely nails the mood. It's like listening to a campfire ghost story told by that one friend who knows how to get the spooky vibes just right. The narrator manages to amp up the tension with a voice that drips with suspense, especially when Samhain slithers into the scene. The way he delivers the creepy carnival moments will definitely make you rethink your next visit to the county fair.
One of the best things about this audiobook is the pacing. It’s not a full-throttle horror ride, but rather a steady build-up of unease. Think of it as a slow-cooker horror stew: the flavors intensify, the dread simmers, and by the time you get to the finale, it’s bubbling over with supernatural terror. Just be prepared for a few moments where the story takes its sweet time to marinate.
That said, if you're expecting jump scares or action-packed horror, you might feel like you're waiting for a trick that's more treat. Sarrantonio goes for atmosphere over gore, weaving together a spooky, unsettling world where Halloween is more curse than candy.
Verdict:
If you’re into Halloween horror with a side of eerie carnival rides and creepy pumpkin gods, Halloweenland is your jam. The audiobook does a fantastic job of drawing you into the unsettling charm of Orangefield, with a narrator who keeps you hooked through every haunted twist and turn. It's the perfect listen for anyone who thinks Halloween should last all year long—just maybe skip the pumpkin patch this season.
March 26, 2018
Very little horror on hand here. It didn't bother me so much that this was part of a series - it stood alone well enough until the ending called back to characters I didn't know - but the plot moseyed along despite the meager page count and nothing scary really happened. I was lured in by the back cover description of the Halloweenland amusement park since I have a thing about amusement park horror, but it features in the action of the story so slightly it didn't even need to be there.
March 27, 2023
This book had great promise. A spooky halloween storyline with elements of Paganism, a trip to Ireland, a dark character representative of the Christian Devil.
It could have been great. Instead it felt both plodding slow and too hurried. There were a lot of elements that suggested a story before this one (there probably is but I dont know which one) and so many of the tantalizing details are a mystery to me.
It's still a pretty good book, just left me with a few questions. Such as : was there anything of her mother in Anna? Why did she kill Beatrice? What made Sam change his mind?
It could have been great. Instead it felt both plodding slow and too hurried. There were a lot of elements that suggested a story before this one (there probably is but I dont know which one) and so many of the tantalizing details are a mystery to me.
It's still a pretty good book, just left me with a few questions. Such as : was there anything of her mother in Anna? Why did she kill Beatrice? What made Sam change his mind?
September 15, 2022
Sarrantonio’s “Orangefield” series hit its mark here. I love the turn of heart for the God of Death and the continuation of Detective Grant’s story. There’s great callbacks to the other books in the series and the heart put into this one is just expert.
If Hallow’s Eve was fun, Horrorween was spooky, and Halloweenland was everything wanted in a Halloween book and pulled off correctly. I loved this one!
If Hallow’s Eve was fun, Horrorween was spooky, and Halloweenland was everything wanted in a Halloween book and pulled off correctly. I loved this one!
September 3, 2024
I really enjoyed this, was my first Al Sarrantonio and it does A LOT. I was expecting a pretty typical haunted carnival story, but there was a lot more at play.
Cosmic Horror, Ireland, Samhain, creepy little ladies, all tied together with one DRUNK ass detective.
This wasn't super slow paced, but it wasn't super fast paced, I guess this is the rare medium paced novel.
Sarrantonio beautifully sets scenes with very vibrant atmosphere.
The Carnival stuff is only in the last act.
Cosmic Horror, Ireland, Samhain, creepy little ladies, all tied together with one DRUNK ass detective.
This wasn't super slow paced, but it wasn't super fast paced, I guess this is the rare medium paced novel.
Sarrantonio beautifully sets scenes with very vibrant atmosphere.
The Carnival stuff is only in the last act.
January 21, 2020
2 stars. I'm sure my rating would be much higher if anywhere on the book it said that this was the third book in a series. Since it doesn't, I can't give it any higher because there's a lot of stuff that didn't make much sense or have much of an impact because the events recall other books that I didn't read beforehand.
October 26, 2024
Good story, but the ending was rather disappointing. How can Samhain lord of the dead grow a conscience. Author basically made the devil into a hero. Who does that? And the short story The Baby is not a different story but taken from his previous story Horrorween.
September 13, 2019
A first-rate thriller featuring the reclamation of [occult] detective Bill Grant and Samhain, Lord of the Dead.
September 24, 2020
Really enjoyed this book! Definitely want to read the rest of the series. Loved Samhain's character.
October 20, 2021
3.5 but not good enough to round up to 4! overall was okay, super easy read. didn’t love the million chapters and storyline was a little odd at times but overall a decent halloween read
November 12, 2024
girl i don’t know
October 19, 2014
This was a random PaperBackSwap find for me and it sounded interesting enough and all in the Halloween spirit so why not, right? Except it was less than exceptional in its execution and was sorely lacking in its build-up of suspense and any scare factors. A lot of tell going on and short on the way of show so I just wasn’t invested in most of it.
The pacing was, at times, awkward and seemed to stagger on some portions and fast forward through far too many more that probably would have been more relevant and eerie to the plot. The carnival itself isn’t even mentioned until two-thirds of the way through the book and even then we see it get erected and then not again until the climax so I think to really hinge so much of the story on the carnival is a bit of false advertising.
Grant’s your standard hard knock cop who goes off the deep end a bit when a demon child gets born because he’s the only one who knows about it and can’t prove it. He loses his job and then, of course, keeps posing as a police officer in order to get access to the information he needs to solve this mystery he’s building. The initial scary element, this figure of death, gets reduced, rather quickly, to this kissy faced creature with overt concern for this child that was just born in a most unnatural way. Then he gets all existential and anything scary it once had vanishes. The child itself is seen for a moment when it’s born and then in flashes as it ages and then once again in full view once the story’s climax comes into play. For a demon spawn she really isn’t developed enough to be scary. Of course I’m told she’s scary because she kills with a touch but beyond that . . . why has no one dropped kicked this serial killing five-year-old yet? It’s like, I don’t know . . . a killer doll. Because they’re so difficult to overcome, what with their size and strength . . .
The conception of this death child was the most interesting part and it gets glossed over. Anything scary is glossed over. Suspense is glossed over. Really, there isn’t very much that isn’t slid over for the sake of advancing the plot. I think this could have been genuinely creepy if a little more care was given to really homing in on suspense. If I’m not actually afraid of anything, what do I care what’s going on? And it did become difficult for me to keep reading because I just wasn’t interested in what happened. Plus, the “bonus” novella at the end that was talked up as being so different from the opening part of the book turned out to be nearly exactly the same but where Part 1 of the book obviously had to open the story up the novella’s ending finished it.
Meh. I didn’t dig this one. The ambiance wasn’t there. I didn’t FEEL like it was Halloween and I didn’t get carnival feelings once that came into play either. I wasn’t scared, I wasn’t on the edge of my seat. I just wasn’t digging it at all. It’s a story. It serves a purpose. But it seemed it was more interested in getting the story out than giving it time to grow and that care is what I’m missing. Without it I feel nothing.
1 1/2
The pacing was, at times, awkward and seemed to stagger on some portions and fast forward through far too many more that probably would have been more relevant and eerie to the plot. The carnival itself isn’t even mentioned until two-thirds of the way through the book and even then we see it get erected and then not again until the climax so I think to really hinge so much of the story on the carnival is a bit of false advertising.
Grant’s your standard hard knock cop who goes off the deep end a bit when a demon child gets born because he’s the only one who knows about it and can’t prove it. He loses his job and then, of course, keeps posing as a police officer in order to get access to the information he needs to solve this mystery he’s building. The initial scary element, this figure of death, gets reduced, rather quickly, to this kissy faced creature with overt concern for this child that was just born in a most unnatural way. Then he gets all existential and anything scary it once had vanishes. The child itself is seen for a moment when it’s born and then in flashes as it ages and then once again in full view once the story’s climax comes into play. For a demon spawn she really isn’t developed enough to be scary. Of course I’m told she’s scary because she kills with a touch but beyond that . . . why has no one dropped kicked this serial killing five-year-old yet? It’s like, I don’t know . . . a killer doll. Because they’re so difficult to overcome, what with their size and strength . . .
The conception of this death child was the most interesting part and it gets glossed over. Anything scary is glossed over. Suspense is glossed over. Really, there isn’t very much that isn’t slid over for the sake of advancing the plot. I think this could have been genuinely creepy if a little more care was given to really homing in on suspense. If I’m not actually afraid of anything, what do I care what’s going on? And it did become difficult for me to keep reading because I just wasn’t interested in what happened. Plus, the “bonus” novella at the end that was talked up as being so different from the opening part of the book turned out to be nearly exactly the same but where Part 1 of the book obviously had to open the story up the novella’s ending finished it.
Meh. I didn’t dig this one. The ambiance wasn’t there. I didn’t FEEL like it was Halloween and I didn’t get carnival feelings once that came into play either. I wasn’t scared, I wasn’t on the edge of my seat. I just wasn’t digging it at all. It’s a story. It serves a purpose. But it seemed it was more interested in getting the story out than giving it time to grow and that care is what I’m missing. Without it I feel nothing.
1 1/2
October 8, 2010
This is part of the 2008 Cemetery Dance book club(September selection). I've just received it in June of 2009. Mine is one of 1250 signed copies.
Al must have written about some of these characters before, particularly the ex-cop - Detective Bill Grant. Or maybe he wrote about the town - Orangefield, New York.
The cop has a real drinking problem which he has to overcome in order to investigate what exactly happened the night Jack Carlin died. His wife thinks he came home and made love to her. Afterward, she finds out she's pregnant. The problem is that Jack died hours before. And Orangefield's residents begin reporting Samhain sightings.
Samhain is the Lord of Death.
This story takes the idea of immaculate conception and turns it on its head for a well paced quick read that travels from New York to Ireland and back again to Orangefield. The story is well imagined and fun to read.
Al must have written about some of these characters before, particularly the ex-cop - Detective Bill Grant. Or maybe he wrote about the town - Orangefield, New York.
The cop has a real drinking problem which he has to overcome in order to investigate what exactly happened the night Jack Carlin died. His wife thinks he came home and made love to her. Afterward, she finds out she's pregnant. The problem is that Jack died hours before. And Orangefield's residents begin reporting Samhain sightings.
Samhain is the Lord of Death.
This story takes the idea of immaculate conception and turns it on its head for a well paced quick read that travels from New York to Ireland and back again to Orangefield. The story is well imagined and fun to read.
October 21, 2010
This is the third book in Sarrantonio's Orangefield series... the writing was fine, with quick chapters, great pacing, and a pretty straight forward story. I really like Detective Grant... though towards the end i thought his dealings with his "enemy" were a little odd... also i broke my own rule which is never ever read a series out of order...as this was my first ever from Sarrantonio and there was some reference back to the other books... made me really wich i had read them.
Also the back cover of the book is just WRONG. I blame that on Leisure though.... reading the back cover one is thinking they're going to get a creep carnival during halloween (2 of favourite things in horror novels)... well the titular Carnival is only in the brought in in the middle of the first half and then again at the very end of the book. Other than a setting for the climax (and then only HALF the climax is in the carnival) it plays no real role in the book. :(
Also the back cover of the book is just WRONG. I blame that on Leisure though.... reading the back cover one is thinking they're going to get a creep carnival during halloween (2 of favourite things in horror novels)... well the titular Carnival is only in the brought in in the middle of the first half and then again at the very end of the book. Other than a setting for the climax (and then only HALF the climax is in the carnival) it plays no real role in the book. :(
March 12, 2011
Halloweenland is a novel that had its first breath as the short story ‘The Baby,’ and it is this short story which opens the book (and lasts the first 77 pages — and not to mention is included again at the end of the book as ‘The short Curious History of ‘The Baby”, serving no purpose but to seemingly take up space).
Marianne Carlin wants a baby more than anything else in this world. Her husband, Jack, would rather drink and hang out with his friends. On the night when they plan to conceive their child, Jack comes home late and smells of booze. But he promised, and so they make love. Marianne’s dream come true and she finds out she’s pregnant … problem is Jack died hours before they made love.
Continue reading: http://www.read-all-over.net/fiction/...
Marianne Carlin wants a baby more than anything else in this world. Her husband, Jack, would rather drink and hang out with his friends. On the night when they plan to conceive their child, Jack comes home late and smells of booze. But he promised, and so they make love. Marianne’s dream come true and she finds out she’s pregnant … problem is Jack died hours before they made love.
Continue reading: http://www.read-all-over.net/fiction/...
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