MaXXXine

X Trilogy #3

by Tim Waggoner

Her dream was to be a star…but Hollywood can be a killer. In 1985… Adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break… But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past…

Genres: Horror, Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published February 19, 2025

About the author

Tim Waggoner's first novel came out in 2001, and since then, he's published over sixty novels and eight collections of short stories. He writes original dark fantasy and horror, as well as media tie-ins. He's written tie-in fiction based on Supernatural, The X-Files, Alien, Doctor Who, Conan the Barbarian, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Grimm, and Transformers, among others, and he's written novelizations for films such as Ti West’s X-Trilogy, Halloween Kills, Terrifier 2 and 3, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. He’s also the author of the award-winning guide to horror Writing in the Dark. He’s a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, a one-time winner of the Scribe Award, and he’s been a two-time finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and a one-time finalist for the Splatterpunk Award. He’s also a full-time tenured professor who teaches creative writing and composition at Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Ti West’s MaXXXine is a fun watch and solid conclusion to the X trilogy, it was my least favorite of the three films because it lacks the depth that the first two have. One of my issues with the third installment, for example, is that the police evidence from X resurfaces in the film but that plot point is quickly dropped without a satisfying resolution. However, Tim Waggoner’s novelization includes additional scenes and insight that fill in some of the gaps that I felt were missing from the original film.

In the movies, Maxine does not resonate with me as much as Pearl does because, while Pearl’s motivations and struggles are on clear display throughout the films, Maxine has her guard up and is a more difficult character to read. In the MaXXXine novelization, we get to see Maxine’s internal monologue, which gives the reader more insight into how she feels about her relationship with her father (the book actually has new information about Maxine’s father that surprised me), the hysteria surrounding the night stalker killings, her involvement in the “Texas Porn Star Massacre,” and other key events.

Although the writing in this book (like the X and Pearl novelizations) is on the dryer side and probably wouldn’t be as engaging to people who have not seen the films, I think this book is worth the read if you saw MaXXXine and wished the story had a bit more to it.

[Bert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even after watching the movie, it wasn’t until reading the novelisation that it really hit me that Maxine was literally on the run for murder when she reinvented herself as a porn star in L.A., then casually decided to pivot into horror films. The sheer audacity of this woman is incredible. So brazen, so unstoppable.

MaXXXine F**kin’ Minx. An absolute icon.

[Haley Newlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need more X books! I’m so sad every time I put one of these down because they’re just so good. I get this giddy feeling when reading X, Pearl, and Maxxxine that’s like THIS IS WHY I LOVE HORROR.

Waggoner is so good at amplifying the details of each of the X films throughout these novelizations which makes me appreciate the films even more. I didn’t love Maxxxine when I first saw it, but I loved this novelization so I’m going to rewatch the movie. There were definitely things I missed on the first watch that the novelization made me like the Maxxxine story a lot more.

If you’re looking for campy, religious, slasher, fast-paced horror, the X novelizations are absolutely perfect. I will definitely be rereading these!

[Joshua Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Movie tie in novels are just fun. It’s such a great way to experience the movie in a different way. Tim has done a great job with this trilogy and, similar to the movies, this installment just kind of drug on a little slower than the others. Maxine has made it to Hollywood and her whole future is in front of her, nothing is going to hold her back. Well almost nothing, Maxines past is out to get her and if she isn’t careful her career will be over before it even begins.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The little details were captivating and I love how it kept the essence of the film. I loved this series so much. I’m glad this book was made. I really loved Maxine’s inner thoughts especially the interesting ending.

[piper monarchsandmyths · Rating 4 out of 5]

arguably the best of this series because it helped me understand and appreciate the movie a lot more!! i will not accept a life i do not deserve

[Tay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked X and Pearl better but still pretty good! Maxine is a badass!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think i liked the book better than the movie tbh!

such a fun little easy series to read, loved it

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good pulp horror fun!

[Josh Gott · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was ight

[Rogomelec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Color me shocked—I loved this book. And that’s saying something, because I was not a huge fan of the film. I gave the movie a solid “meh” three stars out of five, and it was my least favorite of the trilogy. The ending just felt… unearned? And I found myself so annoyed with Maxine for not working with the cops. Like girl, come on.

But then the book comes along and says, “Hey, what if we gave you internal monologue and actual character motivation?”

Seriously—this fleshes everything out in a way that made me way more sympathetic to Maxine. Her choices made sense. The lead-up to the ending didn’t feel sudden or jarring; it felt like a slow-burn spiral into exactly the place she was always going to end up.

Also, did I miss that Theda Bara callback in the movie?? Because in the book it was fantastic. The entire narrative was just so much richer—more tension, more grime, more heart. Even the detectives (who felt like disposable horror movie fodder in the film) got enough detail to make their deaths actually hit. In the movie it was like, “Oh no anyway,” and in the book it was like, “Wait… no… NOOO!”

If you watched the movie and walked away unsatisfied, give the book a try. It’s the same bloody mess—but with depth, nuance, and just a little more soul.

[Dylan Derryberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wrapped up my 11th book of the year MAXXXINE- the final book/movie in Ti West’s X trilogy. I love that A24 gave these flicks the novelization treatment, their pulpy nature is perfect for the dime book format and author Tim Waggoner captures and expands upon the source material in unique ways.

MAXXXINE was probably the weakest of the three films for me, but its larger collection of characters really worked well in written form. This is primarily because we get to occupy the inner monologues of the supporting characters, and it’s really haunting to experience their final emotions as they perish one by one. #MaXXXine #X #TiWest #A24

[Jose Padilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly I love x and pearl, when it came to maxxxine. It was fine, but definitely th weakest in the trilogy. Something felt like it was missing. I ended up buying the trilogy of the novelization of the movies. And like, I think the book made me enjoy maxxxine more than I did watching. I was hooked through 2/3rds of the book. The revelation though, like the movie is obvious. But still the journey was really entertaining to read.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished reading through these trade paperback editions, which are really fun tie-ins and well-designed while also not over-staying their welcome on the page. In general, I'd argue all three of these novelizations strike a good balance between merely recapping what happens in each film and bringing a fresh personality to the storytelling on the page. This is the weakest of the three films, but the book might be my favorite of the bunch (these developments are probably connected).

[Shaay3Hay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maxine Minx really is the ultimate final girl, her determination to be the winner, the last one standing, not letting anyone or anything get in her way! As novelisations go this one is my favourite, very descriptive, very graphic, a lot more emotion thrown in and Molly is just as annoying in the book as she was in the movie

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great sequel to X with a little more than the movie provides, especially related to Maxine's father. A thrilling and fun end to the trilogy. I think, like the X novelization, this could stand on its own.

[Ash Hillary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maxxxine is the weakest movie in the trilogy and the novelization doesn’t do much to elevate it, but still a good read just like the other two. Definitely going to seek out more Tim Waggoner!

[Lila-Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

finally found out the name of sophie thatcher’s character 😌 war is over

[Angel · Rating 2 out of 5]

this novelization trilogy could have been an email

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars is me being nice

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

🤩

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

not remarkable by any means, but very fun! the movie was a beautifully shot callback to giallo films, while this reminds me of vintage pulp novels!

[Leonidas · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started so good the theme and the topic and the time it plays is just so incredibly choosen on the last chapters it got a little to simple and the ending was meh. But a really good book!!!!!

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like the movie. So fun!

[Christine Rifkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly enjoyed reading this more than I liked the movie.

[Andrés · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yup, this one was really good