Chopping Mall: The Novelization

by Joshua Millican

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction, Fiction, Media Tie In, Film

156 pages, Paperback

Published December 19, 2024

About the author

Joshua Millican's debut novel, DEEPER THAN HELL, was released by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2022. He is also the author of SEPTUM (Encyclopocalypse), TELEPORTASM (Shortwave), and DOPEFOOT (Mad Axe Media).

Joshua has written film novelizations for FORBIDDEN ZONE, ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE, CIRCUS OF THE DEAD, and CHOPPING MALL. THE DREADFUL YEARS (Encyclopocalypse), is a collection of interviews he conducted during his tenure as Editor-in-Chief at Dread Central.

Reviews

[Benji's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not too different from the film it's based on, but still a lot of cheesy 80s horror fun!

Recommended

[Ga.selle (Semi-hiatus) Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

"She falls to the ground with her unused gas bombs, gripped by unimaginable pain and new echelons of panic. Her screams become blood curdling."



The title doesn't fit and I was a bit surprised by the plot. I was expecting more of a slasher vibes with lotsa hacking action based on the title and it did mention an elusive Mall Mole so...but it still def had its gory moments! 🤣 Only in the 80s - where mall security robots shoot rockets and exploding head included! 🤣
Also watched the movie for the first time today after finishing the book and it was full of 80s nostalgia and wasn't boring due to its short run time. It was silly, campy, cringe yet fun. Albeit the silliness, got to appreciate the 80s future aesthetic of it.
Joshua Millican was able to capture the spirit of the original movie. The novelization had an extra something that wasn't included in the film. In the epilogue, it was revealed who or what was really controlling the killer bots.

"Did they hope to teach us a lesson about the perils of artificial intelligence and tampering with forces we can’t control? Or were their motives something else entirely?"

"Thank you, have a nice day." 🤖🔫🩸



Big thanks to the publisher, Booksirens for the arc. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.🖤

4.5✨

[Leeanne 🥀 The Book Whor3 🥀 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard of the movie Chopping Mall, though I had never seen it, or had a clue what it was about.I thought that maybe, there was a serial killer, who was running riot in a mall, chopping everyone up… wrong!! As soon as I knew that one of my favourite authors, Joshua Millican had written the novelisation, I just knew I had to read it.

As expected, this was gruesome, and a helluva lot of fun, with three robots taking the place of shopping mall security guards, who run riot on a group of kids, which have decided to hold a party in one of the stores.

It’s bonkers, funny, and I had such a great time with this book. There are a few grammatical errors, which I usually balk at, though not enough to drop any stars, and JM is a genius at these novelisations, so who cares… not me!

Thanks to Joshua Millican, Encyclopocalypse Publications, and BookSirens for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Release Date: 19th December 2024

[DH_reads_horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chopping Mall is the first book I've read by Joshua Millican, but it won't be the last. Millican's novelisation is very faithful to the film, just enough additional material to keep things interesting for those familiar with the film. It's a well written book and I particularly like that it is written in the present tense - I don't think I've read a novelisation written in the present tense before, and it works very well.

I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mikepottz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first sentence of this book, "Dr Simon's mouth is dry and his balls are sweaty". The creator of security droids with a head resembling a motorcycle helmet. Laser darts fly out of the droid and send electricity into a robber. The promotion video shows the capability of these droids. You would hope there would be stringent testing and quality control. Well.... This is the future of mall security. These droids have titanium claws that extend, can communicate with other droids. They are known as Protectors. Green lighting sends a invasive signal changing the droids commands to new ones. A technician jerking off is the first kill. The claws grabbing his throat as his erection dies with him. A mention of the awesome movie/book Fast times at ridgemont high and the hottie Phoebe Cates. Yes that pool scene! Another technician gets a claw missile on the back of his skull. The boiling blood percolates out of his mouth. The droid says, " thank you and have a nice day". A janitor has his eyeballs pop out of his head. These droids are busy ripping out larynxes. The best kill in the movie beautifully described with the pink laser beam completely exploding the entire head, a buckets worth of blood, pulverized brain splattering goodiness. Blowing these robots ain't working with their 10 thousand degree heat resistance. Laser to an Achilles. More killing, chasing goodiness. We need more 80s horror put into print. Humans are so much fun to fuck with and off go the aliens.

[Diana | Indie Book Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chopping Mall, the cult classic 80s horror movie, gets a fresh spin with Millican’s novelization, capturing the same campy, gory thrills that made the original so memorable. In the story, high-tech security robots designed to patrol the Park Plaza Mall malfunction after a lightning strike, transforming into deadly killbots on the loose. The story follows several young mall employees looking to party in a store after hours, but they end up fighting for their lives against these rogue bots instead.

Millican captures the chaotic, over-the-top nature of the original film perfectly, delivering a fast-paced narrative and vividly describing the chaos as the characters try to outsmart the robots. One thing that made me laugh is how the author describes Mike’s annoying gum chewing. IYKYK. I find it hilarious because it’s true.

This is my first time reading a novelization by Millican, and I wasn't disappointed. He brings the same engaging writing style and attention to detail that I've enjoyed in his other works. The fast-paced, gory nature of the story is perfect. It’s pure 80s style horror. If you enjoy techno-horror and the campiness of 80s horror films, you should grab this.

[Christina Pfeiffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

**REVIEW**

CHOPPING MALL: The Novelization
By Joshua Millican

Release: 12/19/24
Page count: 146
KU: No
Hoopla: Yes

Synopsis: A group of horny teenagers become trapped in a mall, fighting for their survival from killer robots.

First line: “Dr. Simon’s mouth is dry, and his balls are sweaty.”

Favorite line: “Dr. Simon looks at the face of Mikhail Gorbachev. ‘This sick bastard’s just itching to march millions of rabid communists onto our shores.’”

Thoughts: What a campy, bloody blast! The vivid descriptions of the deaths had me grimacing in horror but turning the next page in this battle royale between human and machine. Another stellar novelization from Millican.

Rating: 5/5

Other recommendations: ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE - the novelization and A CIRCUS OF THE DEAD - the novelization

[Citri · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book that opens up with a sentence about sweaty balls is surely a sign of adventure.

There's two ways of looking at this novelization: either it's a really shallow and silly retelling, or it embraces the ridiculousness of the film by deliberately being shallow and silly. I can't decide which way to feel about the book.

I did enjoy the inclusion of the story of the mall squatter- and the ending was a nice twist.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my third book and novelization by Joshua Millican and he delivered once again!

We follow a group of friends who wanna have a good time in an impressive mall during closing hours, but they have to deal with some killer robots.

Just like any other novelization, I like to watch the movie along side the book for comparison, and once again, Josh does an amazing job capturing the spirit of the film and expanding on everything!

When I say everything, I truly mean it, because there is extra dialogue, extended scenes, extra scenes not in the film, added gore and violence, and my personal favorite, backstories included with our characters. Not just the main ones, but characters only in the film for a few minutes. There is actually a reason to root for some and not care for others. For example, why did Alison take the flare? Why is Ferdy good with engineering? Why are the guys good with guns? Why does Leslie insist on having a certain cigarette after sex? Why is Suzie afraid of closed spaces? and more. The film doesn't bother to tell us all of this, but this author does an amazing job explaining things missing from the movie, while adding things to the story to make it even better!

Speaking of the story, I absolutely loved the ending! It gives a reason to what is actually going on that is missing from the film. The movie is a campy, cheesy, bloody good time, but the novelization makes it a masterpiece!

Kudos to the author for having so many great ideas to make his novelizations even better than the films. It's clear that he is a huge fan of low-budget horror movies and I hope he will do more in the future!

4/5

I received this book from Booksirens, and I am proud to leave this review for them and the author!

[Caleb J. Pecue · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. I feel like they could have expanded on the story more. A large amount of pages are just pictures from the movie (the book is 150+ pages but the story stops at 127). It would have been nice to get a blurb from one of the actors as well.

There were a few spots where editing is needed: the end of Chapter 27, the font doesn't change for the Protector's voice and there were several issues with dashes where em dashes would be. Also, somewhere in the middle, there is a typo that says "blood cuddling" instead of "blood curdling".

All-in-all, it was fine. I wish Joshua Millican had more time to flesh out the characters and add more descriptions. It still felt like a script with the dialogue pushing the narrative. This could have easily been a novel length book instead of a novelette/novella. The chapters are too short (most average 3 pages). I understand they replaced the original author, but perhaps the book needed delayed a few months instead of being pushed out quickly. (It probably was a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation, though.) That being said, it was easy to read in a day.

Also, the epilogue... I need to rewatch the movie because I don't remember the last few paragraphs being in it and I'm not sure I really like them as they felt silly. That may not be the writer's issue if that was in the movie. I simply don't remember.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read and review for me.

First, I am aware of the last minute author change on this novelization. It's a bummer because I do like Brian's work, but I was happy to see Joshua Millican take over. I am a huge fan of Millican's other works, especially Teleportasm.

Second, I have never seen Chopping Mall. I know, that's weird, why would I read the novelization of a movie I have never seen? Mostly because I thought the concept for the movie was cool, but probably somewhat poorly done and dated.

The novelization, in light of the above, met all of my expectations. Millican does an awesome job of capturing that corny 80's horror movie vibe. Things move along at a good pace, which seems to be in line with the film's short run time. There is just enough detail and exposition to really get your imagination humming, without weighing down the plot.

Also, it's 150ish pages of robots murdering people inside a mall. That's just a recipe for a good time. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Chopping Mall, and will be watching the film it is based off of tonight. I think that's pretty positive praise.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It has been a long time since I saw the movie, and the memories came flooding back, and this is a faithful novelisation which I kinda wish had fleshed and detailed out more, but regardless it was a blast the doesn't let up when it gets going all the camp 80's gory glory

If you like 80s horror B-movies, you will likely have a blast with this.

[Kalin Stevey · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

I enjoyed this a lot. I don’t give it 5 full stars simply because there is better mall horror out there but I’ve seen Chopping Mall more than one lol and this was a really good novelization of a fantastic, old horror movie.

[Bobby Stringini · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of cheesy fun. The writing can be a bit clunky, but it works with the B-movie cheese of it all. Like all good novelizations it also adds a little extra to the story with a few characters given an extra scene or two, and maybe a nice little twist to everything. I had a good time with it!

[Blayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know if this was officially sanctioned or if it’s a fan project but the author definitely understood the assignment. Almost as much fun to read as the movie is to watch.

[Brittani Button · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love the movie, you'll love this!

[Rutendo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chopping Mall the novelization by Joshua Millican is a sci-fi horror comedy based on the 1986 screenplay “Chopping Mall” directed by Jim Wynorski and Steve Mitchell. The story is about an attempt to technologically, rather ‘robotically’ advance and enhance security at a shopping mall going south as the “Protector Bots’ morph into ‘Kill Bots’ after a strange green lighting strikes the Secure Tronics guidance and relay system, “Gatekeeper Omega Gamma” bolted to the roof of Park Plaza Mall altering the programming that controlled the functioning and duties of the Protector Bots. The code-manipulated androids go on to unleash chaos mainly on a set of four teenage unsuspecting couples namely Suzie Lynn and Greg Williams, Leslie Todd and Michael Brenan, the wedded Rick and Linda Stanton and lastly the ‘blind dates’, Alison Parks and Ferdinand Meisel as they indulge themselves in an orgy party at Ferdinand’s Uncle Sid’s ‘The Furniture King store inside Park Plaza shopping mall.
1985 Century City USA, the story’s sub setting, ‘in a conference room on the top floor of Secure Tronics high -rise building’ Dr Stan Simon, a robotics engineer spearheading the invention of the Protector Bots 101 Series and Project Sanctuary in tandem is summoned by the Secure Tronics three person Board of Directors namely billionaire, financier and Ceo of Secure Tronics Russell Crampton, Retired Admiral P.Frederick Henry and a mysterious Freemason identified only as Mr X for a progress report. The engineer is nervous to stand before his superiors as he has not yet made the expected progress on both projects. Adding to his dilemma he is rather dishonest about it and decides to make his staff work overtime and forgo quality testing to keep his powerful superiors happy.
The story takes a leap, 1986 Los Angeles at the world’s biggest mall that cover four city blocks and stretches three levels up, situated at the corner of Beverly and West Olympic, Park Plaza Mall. A gathering of business owners in Park Plaza Mall are treated to a screenplay of a burglar robbing a jewelry store clean. As he makes his escape a Protector Bot swoops in and ‘saves the night’ by electrocuting the perpetrator with a taser dart and knocking him out, ending the screenplay. The screenplay is met with mixed emotions, such as amazement, skepticism and some were of a complete lack of enthusiasm. For instance, a yuppie couple Paul and Mary Bland who run Paul and Mary’s Country Kitchen share their lack of enthusiasm for the security team with a question voiced by Mary, ‘If they’re called Protectors what do they protect? The tone of this question showcased Mary’s ‘Bland’ nature and how much of a snob she is. Mary’s character immediately disregarded the Protector Bots without even being curious of the androids’ other capabilities and features. Another example is of Dr Clarington; Miss Vanders’ former college Professor who voices his concern over the Protector Bots being violent and potentially lethal to humans both innocent and guilty owing to their weaponry and defense mechanisms. The androids look more like overgrown titanium murder weapons as they are each armed with panels that open to reveal gun barrels and a launching power claw, each with four retractable arms that can extend to impressive lengths, and arms capped with a crippling titanium claw that screamed “better to chop off your limbs with”. To top it of Dr Simon’s cliché phrase ‘Trust me. Absolutely nothing could go wrong’, did nothing to quell the old professor’s concern over the androids.

I would like to express my gratitude to BookSirens and the author for the free review copy.

[Books For Decaying Millennials · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Note: The Following review is for the Chopping Mall Novelization by Joshua Millican
GoodReads is aware that this edition is only edition currently being published, and has thus far refused to update the book info on this site. Do better GoodReads, all this is doing is making things confusing for readers.
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Encyclopocalypse Publishing has come to feel like the reading equivalent of visiting the local video-store back in the latter days of the 20th century. Their Movie Tie-in Series, above all, exemplifies this. For what is brain if not a meaty Video Player, with books as the VHS cassettes? (Don't answer that question). Novelizations of films are a special sub-set of fiction that, when done well, can stand on their own merit as well as be enjoyed along said the same named film.
Prior to penning the novelization of Chopping Mall Joshua Millican , firmly established his ability to bring film to the page, check out my reviews for his adaptations of Circus of The Dead and All Through the House for the most recent examples.
okay, let's stop for a moment..If you have yet to watch Chopping Mall, do yourself a favour and follow these steps:1. go watch it - I recommend the Joe Bob Briggs Last Drive In episode featuring it. 2. Now go read the book. All Done? Good, ok let's continue.
Josh is a master at bypassing one of the major pitfalls in film novelization. Too often writers treat the narrative like a re-hash of the film script itself, perhaps with some moments of world building and character development. With Chopping Mall , Josh fleshes out the scope of the story with lavish strokes, the elements at play reach far beyond the confines of this one mall. The characters and story fans already enjoy are given a fresh boost of life, and still retaining the humor and charm of the film. The mall itself almost becomes a character, inhabited and full of its own stories. Chopping Mall is a fun, fast moving read. A selection of shots of from the film are included in the appendixes. You'll find yourself wanting to give the Jim Wynorski classic a re-watch.

[Mark M J Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I have to admit that it has been around a decade since I last watched Chopping Mall, so some of my memories about it are a little hazy. However, I'm pretty sure the novelisation adds more to the story such as an explanation as to how the mall manages to have state-of-the-art million-dollar killbots, sorry, Protectors.

I haven't read a film novelisation in a while and of what I have read, ninety per cent were written by Alan Dean Foster. Not only that, but Chopping Mall is the first title I've read by Joshua Millican. Both of those things had me looking forward to reading it, which makes me happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Millican perfectly captures the eighties feel of the movie with mentions of things from the era as well as the expected blend of schlocky violence and fun. Those moments from the movie that I had thought forgotten, rose from my mind like a long-dormant beast emerging from slumber thanks to Millican's writing. His descriptions coaxed those images forth and I had a blast reading Chopping Mall.
If you want to read a great novelisation of a fun eighties movie, this is one for you, but don't worry if you haven't seen the flick as the book is great as a stand-alone title as well.

Reading the novelisation, I had that same, relaxed state of fun I experience when watching a low-budget eighties horror and I couldn't ask for more than that.

Even better than my joyful eighties reminiscence was how Millican's novelisation has me eager to read not only more of his work but also more from publisher Encyclopocalypse Publications.

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like it or not, I'm a child of the 80s (albeit in the UK, where we didn't really have malls until much later!) and this book manages to perfectly capture the vibe of that insane decade and the original movie that it spawned.

Reading this book was akin to travelling back in time; not to a 1980s that ever existed, but to the first time I saw 'Chopping Mall'. The colour, vibrancy, craziness and gonzo horror is here - but with his usual flair and skill, Josh adds little touches here and there to give extra background that felt like deleted scenes from an old DVD, as well as a little political and social commentary to make it seem relevant to the post-mall world of the mid-2020s.

We may have moved on from such sci-fi futurism (or not, given the look of the Tesla tanks!), but this is more than just a novelization. It's a fun adventure that manages to capture the characters of the movie while drawing the reader in to relate more than perhaps we could with what were previously pretty shallow waters.

I particularly appreciated (and chuckled) at the adapting of Asimov's First Law of Robotics, changing 'humans' to 'consumers'. Because what's a priority to a mall, if not consumers - or those who aren't? I see American friends commenting online that security staff usher those who aren't shopping out of malls these days - gone are the 'hang-out' places if you're not spending...

On-the-nose '80s-style slasher fun.

I was kindly sent an early copy of this book but the above opinions are entirely my own.

[Racheal Chitondwe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect from Chopping Mall, having never seen the movie. As a result, I can provide an unbiased review based on what I've read. The story begins with an air of mystery, as the men who set the plot in motion put the lives of many innocent and not-so-innocent people in danger. It starts innocently enough, with a leap forward in technology, but as we all know, it's not always that simple. When the lights go out and the shopping mall is closed, the mall takes on a life of its own. The robots designed to serve and protect instead slice and dice the guilty and innocent alike. One night seems like many, and the sun can't come up soon enough. Certain lives intersect on this one night of foolishness, involving a couple of young, hot-blooded juveniles and two corrupt hillbilly restaurant owners. The mall is no longer just a mall; it's an alternate reality, its own world that houses stories from different lives and emotions. It's easy to spot who will end up dead next and who the likely survivors will be, as the living are picked off one by one by the three robots. The novel is fast-paced, keeping us on the edge of our seats as it explores our everyday fears about technology and AI. Should we really give it power or life, and live side by side with it, without it trying to conquer us? The novel raises thought-provoking questions, and its commentary on technology is timely and relevant. Overall, Chopping Mall is a thrilling and suspenseful ride that will keep you guessing until the very end.

[Alethea Rocks · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a longtime fan of Chopping Mall, I was thrilled to dive into Joshua Millican’s novelization of this cult classic, and I was not disappointed. Millican breathes new life into the story, offering vivid details and rich backstories that deepen the experience without losing the film's fast-paced, campy charm.

One of my favorite parts was the scene discussing Jack and Diane, brilliantly tied to the song by John Mellencamp. The connection was a nostalgic touch that grounded the chaos of killer robots in a more human, relatable moment. This kind of detail elevated the novelization beyond a simple retelling; it felt like revisiting an old friend but discovering hidden depths you hadn’t noticed before.

The buildup to the action was particularly enjoyable, with Millican painting the scenes in such a way that you could practically hear the hum of the mall’s fluorescent lights and feel the eerie quiet before the mayhem. He fleshes out the characters, making their motivations and fears more tangible, which only heightens the tension when the robots inevitably start their rampage.

If you’re a fan of the movie, horror novelizations, or both, this book is a must-read. It’s a fun, fast-paced ride with just the right balance of nostalgia, humor, and gore. Millican's writing captures the spirit of the film while adding layers that make the story even more engaging.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When I saw the opportunity to take a look at the new novelization of the 1986 cult classic horror flick Chopping Mall, I could not resist. It had likely been over 20 years since I had actually sat down and watched the movie, so I figured I would check out the novelization and then revisit the movie, which is exactly what I did.

Sadly, the novelization is almost a blow by blow of the exact film with very little added in beyond a few scenes that were either not filmed or didn't make the final cut as Millican was working from the original screenplay. Those parts were certainly good, and helped make the book a bit better but it seemed almost too close to the film at times, which can be a good thing, but for me personally a novelization should expand upon the film as opposed to just recreate it directly in words.

To be fair, Millican had to come in at a very late stage in the game as Encyclopocalypse severed ties with the original author after books had already hit printing, though I am not sure of the exact reasonings. Millican certainly did the best he could in the short timeframe, but overall it does feel like with more time there could have been a bit more to enjoy out of it. It's competent certainly and I look forward to checking out more of Millican's work.

[Jay Kulpa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite fun!

A novelization that captures both the camp and fun of the film, and adds just enough extra to the characters, especially those I wanted more of (the cameos, naturally: Walter Paisley, Paul and Mary Bland) to delight while never undermining the the original work. This is a speedy read (it went by about as quickly for me as the movie did), that actually adds both actual weight to the proceedings, and more laughs. Everything that really worked for me would be a spoiler, but if you're a fan of the original, this is worth a read. Four stars of enjoyment.

Getting to compare this version to the film and other adaptations gave me a new appreciation of just how entertaining the story remains on repeat visits. Millican always delivers as both journalist and author. This is his third novelization I've read (after Forbidden Zone and All Through the House). He respects the genre and has a deft touch at capturing what works with a film, fixing what doesn't, and adding what feels right to make it all work.

(Do check these novelizations and his original works out. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)

[FantasyBookNerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chopping Mall by Joshua Millican is the novelisation of the cult, low budget horror film of the same name.

In the film, a trio of state of the art robot security robots go ballistic after they have been struck by lightning, and a group of mall workers wanting to party have to attempt to survive the assault by the out of control machines.

Chopping Mall is the latest in the novelisations that have been published by Encyclopocalypse, who have successfully done a number of film to books of a number of low budget horror films. Which to be fair, have all been quite good.

This latest one by Josh Millican, captures the over the top, campy essence of the film whilst adding some extra scenes that flesh out the story a little bit more, and subsequently adding meat to the bones of the original story.

All in all, this was a fun, over the top, fast paced narrative that had more than a little gruesomeness and kept me entertained.

[Kim Layman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, the joys of a mall in the 80’s. Millican brings to life the 80’s film, Chopping Mall, where teenagers get frisky, and robots become deadly.

This was a lot of fun to read. This novel is the embodiment of what happens when machines become “alive” and are able to make choices outside their programming. The bots take aim at anyone foolish enough to be in the mall after hours, and it’s up to a group of teens, who stayed in the mall for some sexy fun, to save the day. It’s bloody, macabre, over-the-top, and great, albeit slightly cheesy, fun. It’s couldn’t have been any other way. But the best part? The ending-more specifically, that last line. It was the perfect way to close out the bloodbath. 4.5 stars.

A big thank you to Book Sirens, and Encyclopocalyse Publications for my ARC. My opinion is my own.

[Cavak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bunch of dumb '80s action-horror fun that captures the narmy and gory charm of the original film. This novelization lands the film's beats with bonus homages that Roger Corman fans might enjoy. The biggest surprise was Paul and Mary Bland from Eating Raoul going beyond their simple cameo. I suppose since we may not get a sequel to their film, I can't argue with how they fare in this book.

Easiest way to say it is that if you enjoy Chopping Mall, you'll probably like this book. It does expand a little on what the film doesn't touch. And if you don't know this film, don't come into this book expecting to be blown away by moving narration nor deep characters. It's simply not that kind of story, and Millican revels in that. Enjoyed this one.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Erin Saulpaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Joshua Millican, and was not disappointed. I really enjoyed reading this book! Now I have not watched the film so can't say if this is better or not, nor can I tell you if it matches the movie's energy. I love that this book is written in present tense. It made me feel like I was right there in the book. This was a fast-paced, fun adventure and I enjoyed it so much. Even though this was kind of gory, horror book, there were plenty of laughs. If you loved the 80s movie I suggest you give this a shot! You might take yourself down memory lane.. Now it's time for this 90s baby to watch this movie. I'm so cerious!

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another great novelization from Joshua Millican, I've always enjoyed the Chopping Mall movie and thought this had the spirit of the movie and have the charm of this novel. It had that blend of horror and comedy that I was looking for and enjoyed the robotic chaos. The characters felt like they were supposed to and worked with the setting. It had a great overall feel and was glad I got to read this. I'm excited to read more from Joshua Millican as it's always been a great read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Erin Sterett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great movie adaptation by Joshua Millican! I blew through the book in one sitting. I picked up All Through The House by him not too long ago, so knew I was going to be in for a real treat with this one. His ability to retell a classic B horror movie is phenomenal! Great writing as always! Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, cheesy horror read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily! Thank you to BookSirens and the author for a chance to read/review!