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The Totem
Slowly, bizarre events grip the tiny mountain community of Potter's Field, Wyoming. Cattle are mutilated. Animals become savage. Children go insane. Townspeople are found without faces. And one man must confront the evil behind the hideous events, an evil that is all too human and deadly. From the bestselling author of Desperate Measures.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
70 people are currently reading
1983 people want to read
About the author
David Morrell
217 books1,673 followersDavid Morrell is a Canadian novelist from Kitchener, Ontario, who has been living in the United States for a number of years. He is best known for his debut 1972 novel First Blood, which would later become a successful film franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. More recently, he has been writing the Captain America comic books limited-series The Chosen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
July 1, 2018
Absolute classic. Mysterious murders are taking place in a little peaceful smalltown. But who committed those terrible crimes? What turned human beings into monsters? Masterfully plotted David Morrell sends his characters on an adventure no one will forget. He also put allusions to Vietnam into the book. What happened to the obscure commune into the mountains? You definitely have to read this pageturning novel. I loved it!
April 16, 2018
The author of First Blood delivers the tale of a small town under siege by hippies with rabies. Excellence achieved.
January 7, 2025
David Morrell is an author who deserves more recognition. Best remembered for creating the character of John Rambo in his novel ‘First Blood’ I think modern readers may have the impression that he writes the kind of gung ho action typical of the later Rambo movies. In fact his work is much more subtle, tense and interesting than that.
‘The Totem’ is no exception, a dark, suspenseful horror novel about weird series of deaths in a small town. It pits a mismatched duo of typical 70s thriller stalwarts (a cop and a journalist) against an unknown horror that gradually ramps up and comes into focus as the book progresses.
The book has a slightly fragmentary style, skipping rapidly between scenes that are sometimes no longer than half a page. This may in part be because this 70s version of the novel was a cut down one (Morrell published a much longer version years later), but it works, keeping the reader constantly off balance. It’s tense and compulsively readable stuff, with a very 70s sense of paranoia and uncertainty that works brilliantly.
‘The Totem’ is no exception, a dark, suspenseful horror novel about weird series of deaths in a small town. It pits a mismatched duo of typical 70s thriller stalwarts (a cop and a journalist) against an unknown horror that gradually ramps up and comes into focus as the book progresses.
The book has a slightly fragmentary style, skipping rapidly between scenes that are sometimes no longer than half a page. This may in part be because this 70s version of the novel was a cut down one (Morrell published a much longer version years later), but it works, keeping the reader constantly off balance. It’s tense and compulsively readable stuff, with a very 70s sense of paranoia and uncertainty that works brilliantly.
May 24, 2016
Just finished a reread of this one, and it's still a great horror novel - one of the all time greats for me. It has pace, verve, genuine thrills and scares and maintains a humanity in the characters all the way through to the climax. It's a wonderful thing and I love it.
October 24, 2015
David Morrell is known best as the author of thrillers but he is, in fact, a multi-genre writer. His oeuvre includes western, historical, horror, and science fiction novels, as well as nonfiction books. In fact, despite the many Morrell thrillers I've enjoyed, it is his sci-fi novel, The Shimmer, that I consider my favorite. After reading Morrell's horror novel, The Totem, I rank it up there with The Shimmer.
The Totem was originally published in 1979 to much acclaim. That book, however, was much shorter than the version the author originally wrote. Republished in the 1990 in its entirety, this version is twice as long as the original and includes a different beginning and ending. To be honest, I can't imagine this book in its shorter version; every chapter and scene seems integral to its simmering horror and suspense.
Nathan Slaughter is the police chief of a small rural community where he took refuge to escape the nightmares of his former job as a Detroit police officer. Slaughter initially assumes a growing number of cattle mutilations are the work of wild dogs that have come down from the mountains to hunt after a particularly harsh winter. But when the mutilated corpse of a human is found, Slaughter begins to worry the problem may be far worse than he first thought.
The Totem reminds me of Richard Matheson's Shadow on the Sun. Both are set in rural environments—Matheson's in the Old West, Morrell's in the cattle community of Potter's Field, Wyoming. In both, the elements of terror and horror build slowly until the final climatic endings reveal the truth behind each plot. Both are also psychological studies of the people in a small township. In The Totem, Morrell deftly and subtly contrasts the psychopathic actions of the killers to the sociopathic actions of the town's nearly dictatorial mayor.
Whether you are a connoisseur of horror novels or thrillers, The Totem will satisfy your appetite.
The Totem was originally published in 1979 to much acclaim. That book, however, was much shorter than the version the author originally wrote. Republished in the 1990 in its entirety, this version is twice as long as the original and includes a different beginning and ending. To be honest, I can't imagine this book in its shorter version; every chapter and scene seems integral to its simmering horror and suspense.
Nathan Slaughter is the police chief of a small rural community where he took refuge to escape the nightmares of his former job as a Detroit police officer. Slaughter initially assumes a growing number of cattle mutilations are the work of wild dogs that have come down from the mountains to hunt after a particularly harsh winter. But when the mutilated corpse of a human is found, Slaughter begins to worry the problem may be far worse than he first thought.
The Totem reminds me of Richard Matheson's Shadow on the Sun. Both are set in rural environments—Matheson's in the Old West, Morrell's in the cattle community of Potter's Field, Wyoming. In both, the elements of terror and horror build slowly until the final climatic endings reveal the truth behind each plot. Both are also psychological studies of the people in a small township. In The Totem, Morrell deftly and subtly contrasts the psychopathic actions of the killers to the sociopathic actions of the town's nearly dictatorial mayor.
Whether you are a connoisseur of horror novels or thrillers, The Totem will satisfy your appetite.
October 14, 2022
Чел съм Лунният звяр, преди двайсетина години, та очаквано нямах абсолютно никакви спомени. Тогава ми го зае приятел, но покрай едно скорошно библиофилско проучване се сетих за него и импулсивно реших да го придобия от чичко антиквар, за да си го преговоря в рамките на октомврийската кампания #OctoberHorrorBookFest.
Изданието е деветдесетарска класика - с шарена, мамеща окото корица, която учудващо дори има връзка със съдържанието. Преводът е зле и придава допълнителна дървеност на поначало замисления, както става ясно от предговора на Морел, динамичен текст с кратки, почти лишени от описания изречения. То се знае, не липсваха куриози – кметът говореше на гражданите през диктофон, децата похапваха Зърнин за закуска, а любителите на бира разнасяха охладители…
Въпреки това се забавлявах. Романът, публикуван за първи път през далечната 1979 е влизал в доста класации за най-добри книги на ужаса, пък и дава една сносна научна трактовка на случващите се страхотии в малкия градец Потърс Фийлд, Уайоминг.
Предговорът, споменат по-нагоре, също е ценен. В него Морел обяснява, че е написал тази творба, впечатлен от Кинговия Сейлъм'с Лот. Впоследствие двамата автори подхващат кореспонденция, прераснала в добро приятелство, а Краля е и един от хората, подкрепяли Матю, петнадесетгодишния син на Морел, докато е гаснел от рядка форма на костен рак.
И на финала на отзива ми, винаги съм се чудил къде за първи път съм чул?/видял?/прочел? много любимата ми сентенция Пиши това, което би искал да четеш. Е, оказа се, че въпросният предговор започва именно с нея.
Изданието е деветдесетарска класика - с шарена, мамеща окото корица, която учудващо дори има връзка със съдържанието. Преводът е зле и придава допълнителна дървеност на поначало замисления, както става ясно от предговора на Морел, динамичен текст с кратки, почти лишени от описания изречения. То се знае, не липсваха куриози – кметът говореше на гражданите през диктофон, децата похапваха Зърнин за закуска, а любителите на бира разнасяха охладители…
Въпреки това се забавлявах. Романът, публикуван за първи път през далечната 1979 е влизал в доста класации за най-добри книги на ужаса, пък и дава една сносна научна трактовка на случващите се страхотии в малкия градец Потърс Фийлд, Уайоминг.
Предговорът, споменат по-нагоре, също е ценен. В него Морел обяснява, че е написал тази творба, впечатлен от Кинговия Сейлъм'с Лот. Впоследствие двамата автори подхващат кореспонденция, прераснала в добро приятелство, а Краля е и един от хората, подкрепяли Матю, петнадесетгодишния син на Морел, докато е гаснел от рядка форма на костен рак.
И на финала на отзива ми, винаги съм се чудил къде за първи път съм чул?/видял?/прочел? много любимата ми сентенция Пиши това, което би искал да четеш. Е, оказа се, че въпросният предговор започва именно с нея.
April 26, 2020
Weeeeeeeee! Now that was a ride! The pace, the madness the writing! Weeeee!
Now I won’t lie I fully expected this to be the typical early 80’s pulp rubbish ‘horror’ that I wouldn’t enjoy at all.
How wrong I was.
The writing was face paced but lost none of it’s quality for that, the story was mad but not mad enough to be unbelievable, and it had insane, infected hippies so what is there not to like?
A perfect depiction of small town hysteria and a very clever plot that sounds like it had actually been medically researched. Interesting characters and lots of blood and screaming. Wonderful.
Also the hippies end up on fire. Perfect.
Now I won’t lie I fully expected this to be the typical early 80’s pulp rubbish ‘horror’ that I wouldn’t enjoy at all.
How wrong I was.
The writing was face paced but lost none of it’s quality for that, the story was mad but not mad enough to be unbelievable, and it had insane, infected hippies so what is there not to like?
A perfect depiction of small town hysteria and a very clever plot that sounds like it had actually been medically researched. Interesting characters and lots of blood and screaming. Wonderful.
Also the hippies end up on fire. Perfect.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2015
Originally published in the late 70's, which is the setting for this novel, but reissued in 1995 with previously cut material, this clever and frightening novel examines how a small town deals with inexplicably brutal deaths of animals, cattle and pets, and eventually, townspeople. And those who are wounded become ravenous creatures, avoiding light and seeking fresh blood and meat. The town police chief tries to piece together the gruesome puzzle, with the help of a reporter and town medical examiner, but the mayor refuses to believe his theory, or enlist help, before it's much too late.
Morrell, famously known for First Blood, is one of the best suspense thriller writers, period, and this slight departure into horror (along with his story collection, Black Evening, and his novel, Creepers) is a classic in the genre, and highly recommended!
Morrell, famously known for First Blood, is one of the best suspense thriller writers, period, and this slight departure into horror (along with his story collection, Black Evening, and his novel, Creepers) is a classic in the genre, and highly recommended!
June 11, 2024
I appreciated the idea of this, but there was so much jumping around - something like 110 chapters in a 250 page mass market paperback! Insane. Some of the chapters would just be like “HE” or “IT” but there are multiple hes and its in the story, who are we talking about here! Maybe it’s my attention span, but once in awhile I was a little confused as to who I was supposed to be following. Otherwise, decent enough book.
July 3, 2021
Hippy Zombies? Ooooh. This is difficult to review as I have the first edition; TT was later re-released adding in the 150 pages or so that were cut out by a rude editor. So, while I liked the story, I did have some issues with the novel that may be rectified if I had read the 'author's cut'. Set in a small town in Wyoming, the story largely follows the (mis)adventures of the police chief Slaughter as a series of strange deaths/occurrences beset the town. First, there is a hit and run fatality that walks out of the morgue; then animals started coming down with a mutated form of rabies; then all hell breaks loose.
My edition of TT could really use some more fleshing out of the main characters as this is a character driven tale but we are just tossed into the story seemingly midway with little backstory. The police chief Slaughter obviously has some hidden demons as he fled his job in Detroit to Wyoming; these are gradually alluded to in orts and scraps as the story unfolds. I also assume there is more backstory to the hippy commune in the mountains above town that was cut out for some reason. So, the story seems very disjointed in this edition. Great ideas for a killer story; I will need to read the unabridged edition to write a better review. 3 hippy stars.
My edition of TT could really use some more fleshing out of the main characters as this is a character driven tale but we are just tossed into the story seemingly midway with little backstory. The police chief Slaughter obviously has some hidden demons as he fled his job in Detroit to Wyoming; these are gradually alluded to in orts and scraps as the story unfolds. I also assume there is more backstory to the hippy commune in the mountains above town that was cut out for some reason. So, the story seems very disjointed in this edition. Great ideas for a killer story; I will need to read the unabridged edition to write a better review. 3 hippy stars.
December 10, 2014
This was a pretty gripping horror novel from thriller writer David Morrell. Too bad he dudn't dabble more in the genre, but his writing was engaging and visceral. The tempo of Morrell's prose in this book is rapid fire and certainly kept me flipping pages. The man doesn't waste words. The characters and dialogue were natural and never forced. All in all, a superbly crafted book that I would recommend. My only complaint was that the ending, though exciting and tense, came off a bit weak in my opinion.
February 19, 2016
Abandoning this one. I just couldn't get into it.
May 29, 2022
Misterija i užas u malom gradu, USA. Već viđeno u 1001 varijanti, ali lepo napisano... drži pažnju.
March 27, 2015
The small Wyoming town of Potters Field is in the middle of cattle and horse country. When animals begin to get mutilated wild dogs, wolves, coyotes or even a cougar are the usual suspects, except the livestock is not being eaten, just eviscerated. Enter (appropriately named) Nathan Slaughter, transplanted Detroit cop looking for a quieter life, unsuccessful horse breeder and current sheriff. That quiet life is about to blown out of the water. Slaughter is eventually joined by a washed up, alcoholic reporter hoping for a big story to get his life and career back on track, a medical examiner with daddy issues and the local Mayor who refuses to give up his power no matter what the cost. As they muddle through the clues as to what might be happening up on the ridge strange events begin to happen in town as well.
I picked up this (audio) book for several reasons; I am a David Morrell fan, the book was listed in one of the volumes of Best 100 Horror Books, I was looking for a good scary story to read and by Mr. Morrell’s own admission he was not satisfied with the first publication of the book in 1979 so went back to the original manuscript and republished the book “the way it was supposed to be published” without the extensive editing and the publisher’s mandate that it include a “love interest”. I have not read the original publication but, honestly, cannot imagine that it could have been any worse than this edition. Believe me, it was difficult to write that sentence because I am such a fan of Mr. Morrell. When the story started I was anticipating a good horror story with, possibly, some elements of Native American folklore woven in – there was a tease of that, but it was never really expanded. Maybe it should have been? Then is took a sharp right turn into becoming a medical thriller. The story stayed on that course for the rest of the book, but it was a curvy road at best, drawing in elements that made me think there were going to be supernatural transformations (nope), or ghosts (nope), or at the very least maybe a mythical beast hanging out in the wilds of Wyoming (nope). Well, then there was this cult that set up a commune in the 1970’s that all disappeared … no that theme was never really tied up with any kind of satisfaction.
Wow, this was one confused book. The only story line that caused me a slight shiver and goose bumps was the little boy sneaking out of bed at night in search of a raccoon he saw. His fear of how his parents would react when they discovered he snuck out created a more tangible sense of foreboding than did any of the other so called horrors in the book. I loved being privy to his thought processes as he was scheming and worrying about how to keep himself out of trouble. Unfortunately, that whole episode went off the rails too quickly and then totally got lost in the muddled confusion of the rest of the book. I plodded along hoping eventually it would all come together in a huge AHA! moment at the end. Sadly, it didn’t. When the muttering blob came crawling down Main Street I threw my hands in the air (figuratively since I usually listen to audio books in the car) and just kept listening to see how on earth this was all going to end. In case you are curious – not well.
If you are looking for good vintage David Morrell pick up Creepers (scary), First Blood (action) or even The Spy Who Came For Christmas (humorous espionage) … don’t start (or maybe even bother) with The Totem.
I picked up this (audio) book for several reasons; I am a David Morrell fan, the book was listed in one of the volumes of Best 100 Horror Books, I was looking for a good scary story to read and by Mr. Morrell’s own admission he was not satisfied with the first publication of the book in 1979 so went back to the original manuscript and republished the book “the way it was supposed to be published” without the extensive editing and the publisher’s mandate that it include a “love interest”. I have not read the original publication but, honestly, cannot imagine that it could have been any worse than this edition. Believe me, it was difficult to write that sentence because I am such a fan of Mr. Morrell. When the story started I was anticipating a good horror story with, possibly, some elements of Native American folklore woven in – there was a tease of that, but it was never really expanded. Maybe it should have been? Then is took a sharp right turn into becoming a medical thriller. The story stayed on that course for the rest of the book, but it was a curvy road at best, drawing in elements that made me think there were going to be supernatural transformations (nope), or ghosts (nope), or at the very least maybe a mythical beast hanging out in the wilds of Wyoming (nope). Well, then there was this cult that set up a commune in the 1970’s that all disappeared … no that theme was never really tied up with any kind of satisfaction.
Wow, this was one confused book. The only story line that caused me a slight shiver and goose bumps was the little boy sneaking out of bed at night in search of a raccoon he saw. His fear of how his parents would react when they discovered he snuck out created a more tangible sense of foreboding than did any of the other so called horrors in the book. I loved being privy to his thought processes as he was scheming and worrying about how to keep himself out of trouble. Unfortunately, that whole episode went off the rails too quickly and then totally got lost in the muddled confusion of the rest of the book. I plodded along hoping eventually it would all come together in a huge AHA! moment at the end. Sadly, it didn’t. When the muttering blob came crawling down Main Street I threw my hands in the air (figuratively since I usually listen to audio books in the car) and just kept listening to see how on earth this was all going to end. In case you are curious – not well.
If you are looking for good vintage David Morrell pick up Creepers (scary), First Blood (action) or even The Spy Who Came For Christmas (humorous espionage) … don’t start (or maybe even bother) with The Totem.
December 7, 2018
Excellent thriller from a master!
Read
April 30, 2012I guess this is the literary equivalent of a boring 70's Z-grade horror movie I would fall asleep watching late at night. Which is not a bad thing, as that's a sort of pleasure I enjoy.
The Totem stars the ubiquitous horror movie small-town Sheriff, a part perfected by L.Q. Jones in a zillion movies. Totem's Sheriff, named Slaughter (no surprising moniker from the writer who brought us Rambo in First Blood) is a man running from his past in the East Coast and has settled in the relatively peaceful pasture of Potter's Field, Wyoming (what kind of town name is that?). He has the usual tics: he's lonely and he's afraid he might be a coward at heart.
His courage will be put to the test when animals- and people- start turning stark-raving mad, and apparently rise from the dead. There's soon a pandemic of rabid maniacs on the lose, and Slaughter and his pals are running out of time.
At first I was annoyed that there was no supernatural element to this book (it's called the Totem, after all) but I soon learned to appreciate its police procedural qualities. This is a book that is less Night of the Living Dead and more Cronenberg's Rabid, which means to me its reference point is the thriller genre, not horror.
Though there is certainly plenty of horror in it, especially the ending, which in its own slight way dealt with some pretty freaky stuff.
Although I usually dislike mult-multi-POVs in novels, in the Totem they work because they are quick (most are no more than a paragraph) and add to the scope of the novel while increasing its tempo. Also, whenever the POV changes to a person/animal infected with the virus, the pronoun changes to "it," which implies, among other things, a creepy hive-like mind at work.
The pacing seemed a little forced and off at the end, but then again this is one of those books where I read about 20 pages a day and then barrel through the last 50 pages, so what do I know. Apparently the author has a new edition of the novel out, which is much longer and totally different and probably has different pacing, but I really don't have any interest in reading it.
All in all, this was a surprisingly enjoyable read. It even had a 70's filthy hippie cult, which I always love. I bought my copy for 35 cents at the Salvation Army and it has a gorgeous cover which unfortunately can't find online. Maybe I'll scan it later.
The Totem stars the ubiquitous horror movie small-town Sheriff, a part perfected by L.Q. Jones in a zillion movies. Totem's Sheriff, named Slaughter (no surprising moniker from the writer who brought us Rambo in First Blood) is a man running from his past in the East Coast and has settled in the relatively peaceful pasture of Potter's Field, Wyoming (what kind of town name is that?). He has the usual tics: he's lonely and he's afraid he might be a coward at heart.
His courage will be put to the test when animals- and people- start turning stark-raving mad, and apparently rise from the dead. There's soon a pandemic of rabid maniacs on the lose, and Slaughter and his pals are running out of time.
At first I was annoyed that there was no supernatural element to this book (it's called the Totem, after all) but I soon learned to appreciate its police procedural qualities. This is a book that is less Night of the Living Dead and more Cronenberg's Rabid, which means to me its reference point is the thriller genre, not horror.
Though there is certainly plenty of horror in it, especially the ending, which in its own slight way dealt with some pretty freaky stuff.
Although I usually dislike mult-multi-POVs in novels, in the Totem they work because they are quick (most are no more than a paragraph) and add to the scope of the novel while increasing its tempo. Also, whenever the POV changes to a person/animal infected with the virus, the pronoun changes to "it," which implies, among other things, a creepy hive-like mind at work.
The pacing seemed a little forced and off at the end, but then again this is one of those books where I read about 20 pages a day and then barrel through the last 50 pages, so what do I know. Apparently the author has a new edition of the novel out, which is much longer and totally different and probably has different pacing, but I really don't have any interest in reading it.
All in all, this was a surprisingly enjoyable read. It even had a 70's filthy hippie cult, which I always love. I bought my copy for 35 cents at the Salvation Army and it has a gorgeous cover which unfortunately can't find online. Maybe I'll scan it later.
December 31, 2008
Like many good horror novels, the premise for this one is very simple. A virus is unleashed in a small town. It is spread through bites by infected individuals. Dogs, cats, and humans are the most affected. The virus, similar to rabies but different, turns the victim into a raving, slobbering, violent, lunatic. Domestic dogs and cats become killers.
That's the story. Morrell then throws in some believable and sympathetic characters and lets 'er rip. There's the sheriff who moved there from Detroit several years before. There's a down-on-his-luck star journalist who got his first big break in the town several years ago and is back to reclaim lost glory. There's the coroner who discovers the virus. The vet who helps him research it. There's the mayor who fights against the sheriff for his own political reasons. There's members of the sheriff's force.
There are a lot of characters, and that is the book's main flaw. Morrell could have cut a few and gotten deeper into the main ones. Worse, Morrell implies that the sheriff and coroner had some sort of breakdown that prompted them to move the small town, but never fully explains what caused the breakdown. A major oversight.
But the writing is good, the suspense is great and the pace is crisp. It's also a literary statement on human nature and the thin line that prevents us from devolving into our base animal natures.
Overall, a fine book and enjoyable read.
That's the story. Morrell then throws in some believable and sympathetic characters and lets 'er rip. There's the sheriff who moved there from Detroit several years before. There's a down-on-his-luck star journalist who got his first big break in the town several years ago and is back to reclaim lost glory. There's the coroner who discovers the virus. The vet who helps him research it. There's the mayor who fights against the sheriff for his own political reasons. There's members of the sheriff's force.
There are a lot of characters, and that is the book's main flaw. Morrell could have cut a few and gotten deeper into the main ones. Worse, Morrell implies that the sheriff and coroner had some sort of breakdown that prompted them to move the small town, but never fully explains what caused the breakdown. A major oversight.
But the writing is good, the suspense is great and the pace is crisp. It's also a literary statement on human nature and the thin line that prevents us from devolving into our base animal natures.
Overall, a fine book and enjoyable read.
September 16, 2020
I don’t write reviews. This is my third time.
I went into this novel with high hopes. The character development seemed structured and nicely planned out. Then it happened; the characters all talked and acted far too similarly. I would confuse who was speaking. Then it all fell apart.
I enjoy a long novel, something to get my teeth into. This wasn’t a good use of the reams of typing paper. We didn’t get INTO the story. The foundations of the characters never had a house built upon them. The storylines didn’t explain each other or tie together. The result was disjointed. And the ending was so short that it was a split second flashback. I didn’t appreciate that.
I exchanged this book. I’m a book hoarder. It says something when I know I’ll never read a book again.
Peace and love to you.
Lizz
I went into this novel with high hopes. The character development seemed structured and nicely planned out. Then it happened; the characters all talked and acted far too similarly. I would confuse who was speaking. Then it all fell apart.
I enjoy a long novel, something to get my teeth into. This wasn’t a good use of the reams of typing paper. We didn’t get INTO the story. The foundations of the characters never had a house built upon them. The storylines didn’t explain each other or tie together. The result was disjointed. And the ending was so short that it was a split second flashback. I didn’t appreciate that.
I exchanged this book. I’m a book hoarder. It says something when I know I’ll never read a book again.
Peace and love to you.
Lizz
February 8, 2022
"Лунният звяр" четох преди около 10 години може и повече. Не помня всичко по сюжета, но съм останал с усещането за удовлетвореност. Може би, ако я прочета пак, ще намаля петте звезди, но докато настъпи този момент - 5.
January 13, 2015
While I listened to this novel from beginning to end, it would have made no difference if I had not. While the author claims to be happy pages weren't destroyed, he may be the only one. 0 of 10 stars
December 28, 2017
Not that this is a surprising thing for me to say, but I enjoyed this book. The ebook that I had purchased contained two versions: it begins with the newly-revised edition, and ends with the novel as it was initially published. I found this approach to revision inventive as well as refreshing; it was a nice treat to be able to experience two different visions of the same essential work. Think of it as the ebook equivalent of a DVD which contains both a theatrical release as well as a director's cut, and you're not far off the mark.
What does surprise me is that I have to disagree with Mr. Morrell. I felt the original publication was easier to sink into, as it was more tense and concise. Having said that, I did find it easy to understand what he was trying to do with the revised work, and indeed appreciated the changes more having the ability to compare the two. While I realize that I'm merely offering my own two cents' worth here (and believe me, I've overcharged you), I wish this approach was more commonplace in revised literature. No matter which version the reader prefers, it's fascinating to see how word choices within a given narrative can radically change a novel's voice. It should also be said that no matter what version a reader prefers, he or she walks away a winner.
I feel it would be a disservice to you, dear reader, if I were to rehash the blurb or regurgitate plot points here. I'm sure this review is in the presence of others which have already done this, and of course there's the description present on whatever online retailer you decide to purchase this novel from. I will instead say that whether you are reading the revised edition or the novel as it was originally published, if you're a fan of Mr. Morrell's you are going to be treated to a master at work. It would be my recommendation to find and read both versions, as it is not all that often that we as readers have access to the level of insight this provides. I myself found it to be a fascinating experience, and I feel that you would as well.
What does surprise me is that I have to disagree with Mr. Morrell. I felt the original publication was easier to sink into, as it was more tense and concise. Having said that, I did find it easy to understand what he was trying to do with the revised work, and indeed appreciated the changes more having the ability to compare the two. While I realize that I'm merely offering my own two cents' worth here (and believe me, I've overcharged you), I wish this approach was more commonplace in revised literature. No matter which version the reader prefers, it's fascinating to see how word choices within a given narrative can radically change a novel's voice. It should also be said that no matter what version a reader prefers, he or she walks away a winner.
I feel it would be a disservice to you, dear reader, if I were to rehash the blurb or regurgitate plot points here. I'm sure this review is in the presence of others which have already done this, and of course there's the description present on whatever online retailer you decide to purchase this novel from. I will instead say that whether you are reading the revised edition or the novel as it was originally published, if you're a fan of Mr. Morrell's you are going to be treated to a master at work. It would be my recommendation to find and read both versions, as it is not all that often that we as readers have access to the level of insight this provides. I myself found it to be a fascinating experience, and I feel that you would as well.
May 16, 2018
Unsurprised to hear that the edition I read (from 1979) had a lot of material excised from it before publication, which has since been rectified in a newer expanded edition released in the 90s. Here's my take on the trimmed 70s version:
Very badass, but very underdeveloped.
Not sure if it's because of the edits or it's just his style (it's been ages since I read First Blood, so I have nothing to compare it to), but Morrell is not one to to get bogged down by wordy descriptions or needless character fluff. It's a really fast read, with some chapters only lasting a couple sentences that still speak volumes thanks to Morrell's writing capabilities. It's a blessing and a curse, as the writing gives the book a feeling of constant motion that never slows down, but it never slows down enough to let the reader take a breath and absorb the environment, characters, etc.
The issues are mostly in the second half ("Part Two"). The book completely breezes over the most fascinating part of the novel - the reveal of the virus's origins. It almost felt like a commentary on the "back to nature" aspect of the counterculture movement, but alas, there's no time to explore anything interesting with the reveal since it's condensed into five pages and rushed like hell. There are also some weird character decisions/relationships that could have used at least another fifty-odd pages to flesh out, and Morrell leads you to believe there's going to be a giant guns a-blazin' finale, then seriously cops out with a lackluster solution to the epidemic.
It sounds like I'm giving The Totem a lot of shit, but I seriously did enjoy the hell out of this - it feels exactly like '70s/'80s horror-thriller movie, like First Blood meets I Drink Your Blood (I Drink Your First Blood?). It's a lean read with tight writing, nonstop action, and some amazing visuals (especially towards the end).
Very eager to check out the expanded edition now.
Very badass, but very underdeveloped.
Not sure if it's because of the edits or it's just his style (it's been ages since I read First Blood, so I have nothing to compare it to), but Morrell is not one to to get bogged down by wordy descriptions or needless character fluff. It's a really fast read, with some chapters only lasting a couple sentences that still speak volumes thanks to Morrell's writing capabilities. It's a blessing and a curse, as the writing gives the book a feeling of constant motion that never slows down, but it never slows down enough to let the reader take a breath and absorb the environment, characters, etc.
The issues are mostly in the second half ("Part Two"). The book completely breezes over the most fascinating part of the novel - the reveal of the virus's origins. It almost felt like a commentary on the "back to nature" aspect of the counterculture movement, but alas, there's no time to explore anything interesting with the reveal since it's condensed into five pages and rushed like hell. There are also some weird character decisions/relationships that could have used at least another fifty-odd pages to flesh out, and Morrell leads you to believe there's going to be a giant guns a-blazin' finale, then seriously cops out with a lackluster solution to the epidemic.
It sounds like I'm giving The Totem a lot of shit, but I seriously did enjoy the hell out of this - it feels exactly like '70s/'80s horror-thriller movie, like First Blood meets I Drink Your Blood (I Drink Your First Blood?). It's a lean read with tight writing, nonstop action, and some amazing visuals (especially towards the end).
Very eager to check out the expanded edition now.
February 23, 2015
This was a very well put together horror story. I liked how at all times there were multiple stories going on all through the town of Potters Field, and the mystery kept you interested all the way through. The ending fizzled out a little, but other than that, this was a great read.
April 14, 2021
There are frostbitten hippies in the mountains and they've got rabies? Or so goes the plot in David Morrell's The Totem, a story about a remote Wyoming town plagued by animal attacks. Told in a vague manner so concise it makes Hemingway seem loquacious, Morrell's first horror novel is a good idea wrapped in a far too tight packaging.
Slaughter the improbably named ex-cop from Detroit is the lawman in these here parts, and the designated main character, accompanied by a borderline necrophiliac coroner and a drunk reporter. A corpse disappears from the morgue, animals attack, something stalks the shadows between the chapters, and the reporter keeps wondering about a red Corvette. The hippies are almost an afterthought, as in oh yeah, those guys, whatever happened to them? I wonder indeed.
The novel was apparently significantly altered according to the publisher's wishes, prompting Morrell to replace all future editions with his author's cut in the mid-1990s. The version I have at hand is, however, the first version, which is all muscle and no fat, and so lean it hurts. The chapters are short, the action fast and precise, with very little room for anything else. Even the language is drained of anything extra. Great choice for an action novel, but in horror mood and description count for a lot. Ask that Lovecraft chap, he knows.
Morrell is best known for his 1972 novel First Blood, featuring Rambo the disturbed Vietnam vet, who in later movie instalments grew a lot bigger and became something else entirely. Morrell's horror output has been slim, but it notably features the excellent short story "Orange is for Anguish, Blue for Insanity", about a genius painter much like Van Gogh whose paintings happen to hide a sinister explanation. It's truly a masterpiece of horror and well worth seeking out.
Meanwhile in The Totem the epic, semi-Lovecraftian ending gets it right, but getting there is a bit of a chore, at least for someone who never bothers with action novels. Some sections are good, and the idea is great, but in general the execution doesn't quite fit the contents. While I haven't seen the author's preferred edition, it probably exists for a very good reason. Go with that one, find and read "Orange", and skip this first version.
Slaughter the improbably named ex-cop from Detroit is the lawman in these here parts, and the designated main character, accompanied by a borderline necrophiliac coroner and a drunk reporter. A corpse disappears from the morgue, animals attack, something stalks the shadows between the chapters, and the reporter keeps wondering about a red Corvette. The hippies are almost an afterthought, as in oh yeah, those guys, whatever happened to them? I wonder indeed.
The novel was apparently significantly altered according to the publisher's wishes, prompting Morrell to replace all future editions with his author's cut in the mid-1990s. The version I have at hand is, however, the first version, which is all muscle and no fat, and so lean it hurts. The chapters are short, the action fast and precise, with very little room for anything else. Even the language is drained of anything extra. Great choice for an action novel, but in horror mood and description count for a lot. Ask that Lovecraft chap, he knows.
Morrell is best known for his 1972 novel First Blood, featuring Rambo the disturbed Vietnam vet, who in later movie instalments grew a lot bigger and became something else entirely. Morrell's horror output has been slim, but it notably features the excellent short story "Orange is for Anguish, Blue for Insanity", about a genius painter much like Van Gogh whose paintings happen to hide a sinister explanation. It's truly a masterpiece of horror and well worth seeking out.
Meanwhile in The Totem the epic, semi-Lovecraftian ending gets it right, but getting there is a bit of a chore, at least for someone who never bothers with action novels. Some sections are good, and the idea is great, but in general the execution doesn't quite fit the contents. While I haven't seen the author's preferred edition, it probably exists for a very good reason. Go with that one, find and read "Orange", and skip this first version.
February 20, 2025
I need to take a moment to brag; I found a mint condition first edition at Half Price Books that is hand numbered (506) and signed by the author and illustrator. SO cool.
Aside from that, I was hooked right away. It was a great story and kept me interested until the very end.
I only wish the origin of the disease had been explained or how it was first contracted because that would have been fascinating. I realize that you don't get answers like that all the time though and maybe it makes it more creepy not knowing.
Aside from that, I was hooked right away. It was a great story and kept me interested until the very end.
I only wish the origin of the disease had been explained or how it was first contracted because that would have been fascinating. I realize that you don't get answers like that all the time though and maybe it makes it more creepy not knowing.
February 8, 2022
great story
i am ready this for my 2022 50 states 50 scares challenge for Wyoming
i am ready this for my 2022 50 states 50 scares challenge for Wyoming
August 30, 2022
Awesome thriller/horror that trucks along at a decent pace. The whole mountain terrain setting worked perfectly for this and it was also nice reading something kind of old without all the new age technology overloading you. It kept it simple. The book will have you more curious than scared but that curiosity is fulfilled in more ways than one. The only complaint is I felt the ending was a little lackluster. I felt the author could of packed a way bigger punch.
October 26, 2018
The version of this that I read is the “unedited” edition. (I hadn’t realized as much when I ordered it online from Thriftbooks.) As with Stephen King’s The Stand, it would seem that The Totem’s author was unhappy with the editorial abridgments forced upon his work in its initial published form and — years later, presumably now with greater “pull” in the book world thanks to subsequent success — was able to see his originally-conceived version released in full (or so Morrell explains in the introduction).
I can only assume that the initially-released Totem must be vastly superior (it seems to be highly regarded critically, meriting a place in at least one well-known “top 100 horror novels of all time” list) because this iteration — after a reasonably competent and modestly engrossing first 200 pages — collapses spectacularly in its latter half into an absolutely jawdropping display of incompetence, as if the entire book has had a midpoint lobotomy. The results are, truly, godawful and — irony of ironies — clearly cry out for a firm editorial hand and a desperately-needed rewrite.
Midway, characters’ motivations start becoming bafflingly inexplicable (and not just in the traditional, horror-genre “why-would-you-go-in-that-dark-room?” sort of way, but in terms of even the most everyday human interactions — nobody behaves in any sort of plausible fashion); important backstories are hastily shoehorned in late in the plot that obviously should have been introduced far earlier in the scenario; and one critical figure from the narrative’s past appears at precisely the required moment (after twenty years’ absence) for no other reason than plot convenience — all of which virtually screams that this is a hastily-finished first draft in dire want of an editor, despite the author’s introductory suggestion that he was having his artistic integrity compromised with the modified version initially released.
The finale — in which a small-town posse sets out across rugged terrain to confront the book’s ostensible antagonists — is a particular mess: It’s never clear how many people are involved, half of the players aren’t even given names, random characters get pro forma character sketches just before being offhandedly bumped off, the supposedly feral and mindlessly animalistic aggressors suddenly develop unaccountably sophisticated attack strategies, the basic geographies and logistics of the ultimate conflict are haphazard and confusing, and the entire climax and dénouement are dashed off so abruptly and cursorily that it’s like the author was trying to beat some sort of deadline and get everything finished up as quickly as possible in the last 20 pages.
I never actually read the long-form version of The Stand, so I certainly don’t mean to imply any parallels past the obvious one (i.e., that it and The Totem each had a “director’s cut” version of an early incarnation re-released) — but as far as any contention that Morrell is making about the supposed impetus for The Totem’s re-issue, I strongly suspect that the recompense he was seeking was not that of artistic vindication.
I can only assume that the initially-released Totem must be vastly superior (it seems to be highly regarded critically, meriting a place in at least one well-known “top 100 horror novels of all time” list) because this iteration — after a reasonably competent and modestly engrossing first 200 pages — collapses spectacularly in its latter half into an absolutely jawdropping display of incompetence, as if the entire book has had a midpoint lobotomy. The results are, truly, godawful and — irony of ironies — clearly cry out for a firm editorial hand and a desperately-needed rewrite.
Midway, characters’ motivations start becoming bafflingly inexplicable (and not just in the traditional, horror-genre “why-would-you-go-in-that-dark-room?” sort of way, but in terms of even the most everyday human interactions — nobody behaves in any sort of plausible fashion); important backstories are hastily shoehorned in late in the plot that obviously should have been introduced far earlier in the scenario; and one critical figure from the narrative’s past appears at precisely the required moment (after twenty years’ absence) for no other reason than plot convenience — all of which virtually screams that this is a hastily-finished first draft in dire want of an editor, despite the author’s introductory suggestion that he was having his artistic integrity compromised with the modified version initially released.
The finale — in which a small-town posse sets out across rugged terrain to confront the book’s ostensible antagonists — is a particular mess: It’s never clear how many people are involved, half of the players aren’t even given names, random characters get pro forma character sketches just before being offhandedly bumped off, the supposedly feral and mindlessly animalistic aggressors suddenly develop unaccountably sophisticated attack strategies, the basic geographies and logistics of the ultimate conflict are haphazard and confusing, and the entire climax and dénouement are dashed off so abruptly and cursorily that it’s like the author was trying to beat some sort of deadline and get everything finished up as quickly as possible in the last 20 pages.
I never actually read the long-form version of The Stand, so I certainly don’t mean to imply any parallels past the obvious one (i.e., that it and The Totem each had a “director’s cut” version of an early incarnation re-released) — but as far as any contention that Morrell is making about the supposed impetus for The Totem’s re-issue, I strongly suspect that the recompense he was seeking was not that of artistic vindication.
November 12, 2016
A real page-turner of a horror novel! I thought this was on a par with some of Stephen King's or Dean Koontz's stories with maybe a little Richard Laymon thrown in. The story takes place in the small town of Potter's Field in the cattle country of Wyoming. It starts out with some mysterious mutilations of cattle and then escalates to the death of a man whose face has been torn off. And then a young child goes berserk and attacks his mother. So what is going on and who or what is responsible? The local Police Chief, Nathan Slaughter, who has left Detroit for a more peaceful life in Wyoming, delves into the nightmare that is plaguing Potter's Field. Along with the local medical examiner, they discover a possible plague, but what exactly is it? And how does it relate to a commune of hippies that settled nearby in the mountains over 20 years ago?
Overall, a good thriller that kept my interest throughout. I also have a few other Morrell novels that I need to get to soon.
Overall, a good thriller that kept my interest throughout. I also have a few other Morrell novels that I need to get to soon.
October 27, 2017
The Totem has appeared on a lot of "Best Of" lists I've seen recently. I thought I was extremely lucky to find a copy. In retrospect maybe lucky is not the word. What I just finished was the novel David Morrell originally wrote-without the changes in the first printings Morrell states were made at the behest of his editor. Writers: sometimes it is a good idea to listen to your editor, sometimes they know what they are talking about. This horror novel never scared me-it built slowly to an unsatisfying conclusion. I hate that I spent several days reading this and falling asleep doing so I should have pulled the plug but I am really stubborn. I kept expecting it to redeem itself that didn't quite happen. Consider this a metaphorical bullet I took for you, Constant Reader, and find something else to scare you this October.
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