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The Howling #1
The Howling
Alternative cover edition of ISBN 0449138240
Karyn and her husband Roy had come to the peaceful California village of Drago to escape the savagery of the city. On the surface Drago appeared to be like most small rural towns.
But it was not.
The village had a most unsavory history. Unexplained disappearances, sudden deaths.
People just vanished, never to be found.
Karyn and her husband Roy had come to the peaceful California village of Drago to escape the savagery of the city. On the surface Drago appeared to be like most small rural towns.
But it was not.
The village had a most unsavory history. Unexplained disappearances, sudden deaths.
People just vanished, never to be found.
223 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
92 people are currently reading
8182 people want to read
About the author
Gary Brandner
91 books112 followersGary Phil Brandner (May 31, 1930 – September 22, 2013) was an American horror author best known for his werewolf themed trilogy of novels, The Howling. The first book in the series was loosely adapted as a motion picture in 1981. Brandner's second and third Howling novels, published in 1979 and 1985 respectively, have no connection to the film series, though he was involved in writing the screenplay for the second Howling film, Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf. The fourth film in the Howling series, Howling IV: The Original Nightmare, is actually the closest adaptation of Brandner's original novel, though this too varies to some degree.
Brandner's novel Walkers was adapted and filmed for television as From The Dead Of Night. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1988 horror film Cameron's Closet.
Born in the Midwest and much traveled during his formative years, Brandner published more than 30 novels, over 100 short stories, and also wrote a handful of screenplays. He attended college at the University of Washington where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. After graduating in 1955, he worked as an amateur boxer, bartender, surveyor, loan company investigator, advertising copywriter, and technical writer before turning to fiction writing. Brandner lived with his wife, Martine Wood Brandner, and several cats in Reno, Nevada.
He died of esophageal cancer in 2013.
Brandner's novel Walkers was adapted and filmed for television as From The Dead Of Night. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1988 horror film Cameron's Closet.
Born in the Midwest and much traveled during his formative years, Brandner published more than 30 novels, over 100 short stories, and also wrote a handful of screenplays. He attended college at the University of Washington where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. After graduating in 1955, he worked as an amateur boxer, bartender, surveyor, loan company investigator, advertising copywriter, and technical writer before turning to fiction writing. Brandner lived with his wife, Martine Wood Brandner, and several cats in Reno, Nevada.
He died of esophageal cancer in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 385 reviews
August 17, 2019
THE HOWLING by Gary Brandner earned 3.5 hair-raising stars from me!
Karyn Beatty is about to celebrate her first-year wedding anniversary with husband Roy. They are living in Los Angeles within a safe and quiet condominium community. Both she and Roy have jobs they love, a dog they cherish. And to make their anniversary extra-special, she plans to tell him she is pregnant. Yes, Karyn’s adult life is developing perfectly.
Until…
She is raped that very day by the condominium’s maintenance man and her future and dreams go from bright to bleak.
To help Karyn, her therapist recommends leaving the city and finding solitude and rest in the country. Roy finds a home to rent, two miles from the dying town of Drago—nestled in the valley of the Tehachapi Mountains. The area is so isolated that the only phone is in town and coming from the city, Karyn doesn’t drive.
Karyn’s nightmare is about to mushroom (as if it isn't already terrible enough). Because every night, she hears howling. And the howls keep getting closer. Roy doesn’t share in her worries. And the few people living in Drago aren’t talking.
Vulnerable and more alone than ever, will Karyn figure out what strange creature is howling in the woods? Will she survive her mysterious getaway as it closes in around her?
Happy Howlings:
• The story has some very nice atmospheric moments. For example: “Branches seemed to whip out and clutch at her. Behind her, moving silently through the trees, something followed.” Add the mountains, cold air, moonlight, and occasional mist, and the tension nicely ramps up!
• The final battle is awesome, nail-biting, and fast-paced. Loved it :)
Grumpy Growlings:
• You know how some books are timeless classics? Okay, THE HOWLING is not one of them! It was published in 1977 and reflects the norms of the time, which isn’t the author’s fault. However, THANK GOODNESS times have changed!!! Because in THE HOWLING, what do you do after a woman gets raped? Isolate her and give her pills to ease the pain. Ugh! In addition, from a literary aspect, I did not appreciate reading the details of the rape. Even though authors are urged to “show, don’t tell,” I don’t think that holds true with rape, UNLESS the rapist is integral to the story, which here, he is not (he is never mentioned again).
• Roy Beatty is the WORST HUSBAND/PARTNER EVER. There, I said it and feel better :) The poor guy isn’t getting satisfied because his raped wife, who had a miscarriage from the violence, isn’t putting out. And when she does (for his sake), she clearly isn’t into it. So of course, he has to do something about that. This is how he rationalizes his cheating: "Even so, if sex were better for him and Karyn, it would never have happened." Today, that’s called blaming the victim. He also adds: "Feeling guilty would do no one any good. He had never claimed to be a saint." Well, alrighty then.
• ANIMAL LOVERS BEWARE: In their isolated mountain home, the Beatty’s let their dog Lady outside at night. And then they forget she’s outside and they go to bed. REALLY? They didn’t notice Lady was missing until she wasn’t begging for breakfast. Sorry, that was never a norm in the 1970s. That’s just negligence. Jeez. And we, the readers, can easily guess how that worked out in a book full of ravenous werewolves.
I am trying to be understanding that the author was writing in a different time. A lot has changed in 40 years. And I get that some characters in stories simply aren’t likable at any level. Guess I wanted to latch onto at least one character and that really didn’t happen, though the book did have some Happy Howling moments, especially during the final scene!
Karyn Beatty is about to celebrate her first-year wedding anniversary with husband Roy. They are living in Los Angeles within a safe and quiet condominium community. Both she and Roy have jobs they love, a dog they cherish. And to make their anniversary extra-special, she plans to tell him she is pregnant. Yes, Karyn’s adult life is developing perfectly.
Until…
She is raped that very day by the condominium’s maintenance man and her future and dreams go from bright to bleak.
To help Karyn, her therapist recommends leaving the city and finding solitude and rest in the country. Roy finds a home to rent, two miles from the dying town of Drago—nestled in the valley of the Tehachapi Mountains. The area is so isolated that the only phone is in town and coming from the city, Karyn doesn’t drive.
Karyn’s nightmare is about to mushroom (as if it isn't already terrible enough). Because every night, she hears howling. And the howls keep getting closer. Roy doesn’t share in her worries. And the few people living in Drago aren’t talking.
Vulnerable and more alone than ever, will Karyn figure out what strange creature is howling in the woods? Will she survive her mysterious getaway as it closes in around her?
Happy Howlings:
• The story has some very nice atmospheric moments. For example: “Branches seemed to whip out and clutch at her. Behind her, moving silently through the trees, something followed.” Add the mountains, cold air, moonlight, and occasional mist, and the tension nicely ramps up!
• The final battle is awesome, nail-biting, and fast-paced. Loved it :)
Grumpy Growlings:
• You know how some books are timeless classics? Okay, THE HOWLING is not one of them! It was published in 1977 and reflects the norms of the time, which isn’t the author’s fault. However, THANK GOODNESS times have changed!!! Because in THE HOWLING, what do you do after a woman gets raped? Isolate her and give her pills to ease the pain. Ugh! In addition, from a literary aspect, I did not appreciate reading the details of the rape. Even though authors are urged to “show, don’t tell,” I don’t think that holds true with rape, UNLESS the rapist is integral to the story, which here, he is not (he is never mentioned again).
• Roy Beatty is the WORST HUSBAND/PARTNER EVER. There, I said it and feel better :) The poor guy isn’t getting satisfied because his raped wife, who had a miscarriage from the violence, isn’t putting out. And when she does (for his sake), she clearly isn’t into it. So of course, he has to do something about that. This is how he rationalizes his cheating: "Even so, if sex were better for him and Karyn, it would never have happened." Today, that’s called blaming the victim. He also adds: "Feeling guilty would do no one any good. He had never claimed to be a saint." Well, alrighty then.
• ANIMAL LOVERS BEWARE: In their isolated mountain home, the Beatty’s let their dog Lady outside at night. And then they forget she’s outside and they go to bed. REALLY? They didn’t notice Lady was missing until she wasn’t begging for breakfast. Sorry, that was never a norm in the 1970s. That’s just negligence. Jeez. And we, the readers, can easily guess how that worked out in a book full of ravenous werewolves.
I am trying to be understanding that the author was writing in a different time. A lot has changed in 40 years. And I get that some characters in stories simply aren’t likable at any level. Guess I wanted to latch onto at least one character and that really didn’t happen, though the book did have some Happy Howling moments, especially during the final scene!
March 11, 2019
An odd title for a charming coming of age story for a young girl.
Just kidding.
This is a gritty werewolf story.
Most modern horror novels will read with clear connections to Stephen King or Dean Koontz, but The Howling, published in 1977 by Gary Brandner (and six years before King’s own werewolf novella Cycle of the Werewolf), bears the mark of the same author who influenced both King and Koontz – Richard Matheson, who died in 2013. (Coincidentally, so did Brandner) Distinguishing itself from the bloated, 500 page behemoths being printed these days, The Howling is a lean, fast moving 200 pager that draws the reader quickly to the action and never lets up, and develops the characters along the way while building a succinct occult thriller.
Stephen King in his 1981 non-fiction discourse on the horror genre Danse Macabre, estimated that the werewolf, as literature, evolved from the 1886 publication The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, but was, of course, historical legend in origin. Brandner begins his novel with a 400-year-old prologue in a forest village near the Greek and Bulgarian border. This well placed opening setting heightens the reader’s awareness for an occult tale that is as trim and lethal as the wolf itself; a little formulaic at times, reads a little like a campfire scary story, but that is a part of its charm.
Just kidding.
This is a gritty werewolf story.
Most modern horror novels will read with clear connections to Stephen King or Dean Koontz, but The Howling, published in 1977 by Gary Brandner (and six years before King’s own werewolf novella Cycle of the Werewolf), bears the mark of the same author who influenced both King and Koontz – Richard Matheson, who died in 2013. (Coincidentally, so did Brandner) Distinguishing itself from the bloated, 500 page behemoths being printed these days, The Howling is a lean, fast moving 200 pager that draws the reader quickly to the action and never lets up, and develops the characters along the way while building a succinct occult thriller.
Stephen King in his 1981 non-fiction discourse on the horror genre Danse Macabre, estimated that the werewolf, as literature, evolved from the 1886 publication The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, but was, of course, historical legend in origin. Brandner begins his novel with a 400-year-old prologue in a forest village near the Greek and Bulgarian border. This well placed opening setting heightens the reader’s awareness for an occult tale that is as trim and lethal as the wolf itself; a little formulaic at times, reads a little like a campfire scary story, but that is a part of its charm.
January 23, 2019
Straight shooting story best read with Howlin' Wolf as background music. Roy and Karyn move to a quiet little town named Drago. But this town has a very dark past and very sinister town people. Can Roy and Karyn escape the Evil that's building up around them? Classic horror novel (there is a movie too) you won't regret reading. Well written, compelling, some sex, horror and some extremely eerie moments. A book you shouldn't miss!
February 27, 2025
A nice little thriller from the late seventies concerning the werewolf mythos.
A woman gets horribly raped in her own home as a result she and her husband relocate to a quite little Village away from the city of Los Angeles. What the purpose of the rape scene is never quite explained, it series no real purpose for the rest of the book. Is only the scariest scene from the ehole book.
Anyhow while they live in this little quaint village the find that its inhabitants are mostly not very sociable and gradually the woman gets more suspicious about what is happening. The husband considers his wife's behaviour bordering on hysteria and falls for a local woman who literary goes for him.
And all the time a darkness falling down on the village and will the new family fall victim to the local werewolf. Wolfpoo is about to hit the fan.....
A decent book with some very outdated ideas concerning rape and women, they are these days considered old fashion and wrong.
Not the best werewolf novel I ever read, but the first in a trilogy which I did buy completely and will therefore read this coming year.
A woman gets horribly raped in her own home as a result she and her husband relocate to a quite little Village away from the city of Los Angeles. What the purpose of the rape scene is never quite explained, it series no real purpose for the rest of the book. Is only the scariest scene from the ehole book.
Anyhow while they live in this little quaint village the find that its inhabitants are mostly not very sociable and gradually the woman gets more suspicious about what is happening. The husband considers his wife's behaviour bordering on hysteria and falls for a local woman who literary goes for him.
And all the time a darkness falling down on the village and will the new family fall victim to the local werewolf. Wolfpoo is about to hit the fan.....
A decent book with some very outdated ideas concerning rape and women, they are these days considered old fashion and wrong.
Not the best werewolf novel I ever read, but the first in a trilogy which I did buy completely and will therefore read this coming year.
January 7, 2023
This is one of the series I will begin and complete this year. Gary Brandner is an author best known for The Howling trilogy of books published in the late 1970s and 80s. After Karyn lives through a devastating traumatic event, she and her husband decide to go away for six months to an isolated California town called Drago. Here, the residents are secretive, Karyn and Roy never see children, and the big sheriff seems cold, distant, rough, and accusatory. Trigger warnings for language, home invasion, rape, animal dismemberment, and violence against men and women. (It’s a HORROR story, duh!) There are werewolves, gore, and bloody disembowelment. If I remember correctly, (it’s been a while) I think this is the best of the trilogy, but I could be wrong. I will revisit that statement in further reviews. To a horror fanatic, (which I of course am) this is almost perfect. Even though I have hard and fast criteria about consideration of a property as a classic, this meets my criteria in all but one of my criteria. It is exceptional and shifts the werewolf paradigm. The only place where it is still lacking is in the area of longevity (50 years). It has only been 45 years, but I am going to call it a classic because neither its exceptionalism nor its shifting of the paradigm will change in 5 years.
April 30, 2016
3.5 Stars for an Oldie, but a Goodie!
THE HOWLING is a fast-paced, old-time classic of horror first published in 1977. I don't believe I've ever seen the movie version as I surely would have remembered the horrifically violent and unexpected beginning that results in much needed R&R for our protagonist Karyn and her husband Ray.
Off to the eerie ghost-like town of Drago they go to a secluded cabin deep in the woods, the perfect setting to lounge about OR meet up with beasties and listen to mournful, sinister cries in the dark of night.
Only a short 215 pages, but genuinely creepy (with graphic sex and gore) and an ominous promise of more to come. Not my favorite author of horror, Stephen King, but still pretty darn good!
November 8, 2012
***SPOILERS***
THE HOWLING is an antiquated werewolf novel, but it also is one of the mainstays of werewolf storytelling. Overall, this book was a fast-paced, gripping story of how the werewolf came into existence (according to Brander). That part was interesting. What wasn't interesting was the way the characters developed. Roy, the main male character, is characterized as a hardworking, loving, and loyal husband. Until, that is, his wife is raped. Then he turns into an asshole. I think if my wife was raped, I would do whatever it took to help her recover. The last thing I would be worried about was our sex-life. Roy worries about his sex-life. Karyn, the female lead, is a strong woman who battles personal demons throughout most of the novel. At times, her strength is admirable; at others, her strength is not really strength and comes across as just being silly and stupid.
So, the couple moves to an isolated wooded village on the outskirts of LA. There, the couple tries to eek out a life that will help heal the wounds of what happened to Karyn. Roy, who commutes back and forth from the village to LA, starts to have a wandering eye. The shopkeeper, an exotic woman named Marcia, begins an affair with Roy. You can probably fill in the blanks...yep, Marcia is a werewolf. It is a bit corny. The sex scenes will make you both laugh and feel uncomfortable...a whole new appreciation for the term 'doggy-style'. Anyways, the story is pretty straightforward. Karyn's dog goes missing--it becomes a snack. Roy is attacked--he becomes a werewolf. Karyn battles to save her life--she lives, albeit with a very anticlimactic battle scene.
Why the four stars? It's Halloween. The book was fun. And it kills time. Read the book and then watch the movie. There aren't many surprises here, but you could read a worse werewolf story.
THE HOWLING is an antiquated werewolf novel, but it also is one of the mainstays of werewolf storytelling. Overall, this book was a fast-paced, gripping story of how the werewolf came into existence (according to Brander). That part was interesting. What wasn't interesting was the way the characters developed. Roy, the main male character, is characterized as a hardworking, loving, and loyal husband. Until, that is, his wife is raped. Then he turns into an asshole. I think if my wife was raped, I would do whatever it took to help her recover. The last thing I would be worried about was our sex-life. Roy worries about his sex-life. Karyn, the female lead, is a strong woman who battles personal demons throughout most of the novel. At times, her strength is admirable; at others, her strength is not really strength and comes across as just being silly and stupid.
So, the couple moves to an isolated wooded village on the outskirts of LA. There, the couple tries to eek out a life that will help heal the wounds of what happened to Karyn. Roy, who commutes back and forth from the village to LA, starts to have a wandering eye. The shopkeeper, an exotic woman named Marcia, begins an affair with Roy. You can probably fill in the blanks...yep, Marcia is a werewolf. It is a bit corny. The sex scenes will make you both laugh and feel uncomfortable...a whole new appreciation for the term 'doggy-style'. Anyways, the story is pretty straightforward. Karyn's dog goes missing--it becomes a snack. Roy is attacked--he becomes a werewolf. Karyn battles to save her life--she lives, albeit with a very anticlimactic battle scene.
Why the four stars? It's Halloween. The book was fun. And it kills time. Read the book and then watch the movie. There aren't many surprises here, but you could read a worse werewolf story.
January 2, 2015
If I had known just how miserable this book would make me, I wouldn't have started it.
Karyn is raped right in the beginning of the book. You get to read every single moment of it. Next, instead of helping her, her miserable husband cheats on her because the poor man can't cope with everything.
I don't think I'll be reading the rest (for now), but I do hope Roy gets killed. Slowly and painfully. Poor thing.
Yes, I have pet-peeves. Yes, they can ruin my reading experience. The two issues I mentioned completely overshadowed the fact that this is a horror story about werewolves. Supernatural horror can be great even without detailed rape followed by detailed cheating. Such a pitiful excuse for a human being.
Karyn is raped right in the beginning of the book. You get to read every single moment of it. Next, instead of helping her, her miserable husband cheats on her because the poor man can't cope with everything.
I don't think I'll be reading the rest (for now), but I do hope Roy gets killed. Slowly and painfully. Poor thing.
Yes, I have pet-peeves. Yes, they can ruin my reading experience. The two issues I mentioned completely overshadowed the fact that this is a horror story about werewolves. Supernatural horror can be great even without detailed rape followed by detailed cheating. Such a pitiful excuse for a human being.
October 19, 2021
This was a very straightforward werewolf novel, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It has werewolf action, werewolf gore, werewolf drama, and werewolf ... uh ... romance (if that’s your thing, all the power to you ... no judgment lol). It’s well-paced with a creepy setting and serviceable characters. If you like werewolves, you’ll dig it for sure.
A few random notes:
-This book has one of the douchiest husbands of all time, who tries to justify his affair by blaming it on his wife’s lack of sexual interest in the weeks following an incident in which she was raped during a home invasion and suffered a miscarriage. Dude ... seriously?
-I can buy the fact that there are grown-ass adults out there who never learned to drive, but not knowing that the “R” on the gear shifter stands for “Reverse” is pretty ridiculous.
-Lastly, there are some key differences between the book and the adaptation. I’ll leave it you to decide of that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
3.75/5.
A few random notes:
-This book has one of the douchiest husbands of all time, who tries to justify his affair by blaming it on his wife’s lack of sexual interest in the weeks following an incident in which she was raped during a home invasion and suffered a miscarriage. Dude ... seriously?
-I can buy the fact that there are grown-ass adults out there who never learned to drive, but not knowing that the “R” on the gear shifter stands for “Reverse” is pretty ridiculous.
-Lastly, there are some key differences between the book and the adaptation. I’ll leave it you to decide of that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
3.75/5.
December 24, 2023
I have seen the iconic film adaption of this story several times over the years, but never read the book until now. Hard to imagine how this little novel became so famous and spawned a film/book franchise! I am not saying it is a bad novel, but I found it nothing really exceptional. The book did add a bit to the backstory that never made it into the movie, but not really that much.
Our main protagonist Karyn had been married to Roy for about a year, living in L.A., when one day she was raped by the handyman at their complex, inducing some trauma and a miscarriage after three months of pregnancy. After some therapy, she is advised to go somewhere quiet and relaxing and perhaps that will put her marriage on a better footing (she has been unable to enjoy sex since the rape). Well, Roy finds an old cottage in the small California town of Drago and they lease it for six months, and shortly thereafter move in. Drago boasts about 100 souls and their cottage is very isolated to say the least; the only phone in town is at the general store, which is one of the few businesses in the town at all. I seem to remember the film was set in some sort of resort, but here, a small, dying little town.
Brandner packs a bit into this novella and utilizes and economy of prose that made this feel like a screenplay. The couple gets settled in but Karyn is disturbed every night by howling. A wolf? Here? The locals, especially the sheriff, are laconic and taciturn except for the lady who manages the general store, who tries to befriend Karyn. Well, first their dog goes missing one night and then Roy starts acting funny...
Fun, fast read, and perhaps it was made into a movie because it already read like a screenplay and as a bonus, could be made on the cheap as the sets would be minimal. Good stuff for old school werewolves, but that genre has never really been my bag. 3 howling stars!!
Our main protagonist Karyn had been married to Roy for about a year, living in L.A., when one day she was raped by the handyman at their complex, inducing some trauma and a miscarriage after three months of pregnancy. After some therapy, she is advised to go somewhere quiet and relaxing and perhaps that will put her marriage on a better footing (she has been unable to enjoy sex since the rape). Well, Roy finds an old cottage in the small California town of Drago and they lease it for six months, and shortly thereafter move in. Drago boasts about 100 souls and their cottage is very isolated to say the least; the only phone in town is at the general store, which is one of the few businesses in the town at all. I seem to remember the film was set in some sort of resort, but here, a small, dying little town.
Brandner packs a bit into this novella and utilizes and economy of prose that made this feel like a screenplay. The couple gets settled in but Karyn is disturbed every night by howling. A wolf? Here? The locals, especially the sheriff, are laconic and taciturn except for the lady who manages the general store, who tries to befriend Karyn. Well, first their dog goes missing one night and then Roy starts acting funny...
Fun, fast read, and perhaps it was made into a movie because it already read like a screenplay and as a bonus, could be made on the cheap as the sets would be minimal. Good stuff for old school werewolves, but that genre has never really been my bag. 3 howling stars!!
September 13, 2020
The Howling is still one of the best –and scariest- werewolf novels ever made
2019. By this point, we have witnessed every iteration of the werewolf theme; we’ve seen werewolf romances, werewolf military, werewolves vs. vampires, etc. I won’t lie but the massive amounts of love given to this mystical beast in popular culture have led to its greatest downfall: it made the werewolf not scary anymore. But in the late 70s, there was a novel that cemented the werewolf forever in the minds of normal citizens throughout the world and that book is The Howling .
Of course, it has to be considered that Joe Dante’s 1981 adaptation of the film helped the book’s popularity; the movie is considered to be one of the greatest horror films of all time and it featured creature transformation effects that still hold up until today. I saw the movie first and when I chanced upon Brandner’s novel, I thought I was going to read a mere novelization of the movie. I was wrong; this novel is scarier, meaner, and more straightforward than Dante’s film. Whereas Dante added his trademark sly social commentary and comedy, Brandner throws us immediately into the fire, starting the novel with a chilling prologue in an Eastern European village plagued by wolf attacks (a great opener that must be emulated by every horror writer on the planet) and then immediately follows it up with a brutal sexual assault of the main heroine (!). Throughout the book, Brandner gives us scenes of suggestive horror (not every scare is a stalking or killing scene), disturbing erotica, thrilling action scenes, and of course werewolves stalking and killing humans. To have all these elements in a horror novel in 2019 is rare as finding a frog that can sing and dance.
With regard to its influence, the “wolf” novels that were made close to this time period were Wolfen by Whitley Strieber and The Nightwalker by Thomas Tessier. Despite having wolves on their respective covers, neither novel is truly a werewolf novel. (No spoilers as to why) This is why I think The Howling reigned supreme in the hearts and minds of horror fans. They demanded werewolves, and they got a colony full of them.
Oh, did I mention it’s a breezy and fast read?
2019. By this point, we have witnessed every iteration of the werewolf theme; we’ve seen werewolf romances, werewolf military, werewolves vs. vampires, etc. I won’t lie but the massive amounts of love given to this mystical beast in popular culture have led to its greatest downfall: it made the werewolf not scary anymore. But in the late 70s, there was a novel that cemented the werewolf forever in the minds of normal citizens throughout the world and that book is The Howling .
Of course, it has to be considered that Joe Dante’s 1981 adaptation of the film helped the book’s popularity; the movie is considered to be one of the greatest horror films of all time and it featured creature transformation effects that still hold up until today. I saw the movie first and when I chanced upon Brandner’s novel, I thought I was going to read a mere novelization of the movie. I was wrong; this novel is scarier, meaner, and more straightforward than Dante’s film. Whereas Dante added his trademark sly social commentary and comedy, Brandner throws us immediately into the fire, starting the novel with a chilling prologue in an Eastern European village plagued by wolf attacks (a great opener that must be emulated by every horror writer on the planet) and then immediately follows it up with a brutal sexual assault of the main heroine (!). Throughout the book, Brandner gives us scenes of suggestive horror (not every scare is a stalking or killing scene), disturbing erotica, thrilling action scenes, and of course werewolves stalking and killing humans. To have all these elements in a horror novel in 2019 is rare as finding a frog that can sing and dance.
With regard to its influence, the “wolf” novels that were made close to this time period were Wolfen by Whitley Strieber and The Nightwalker by Thomas Tessier. Despite having wolves on their respective covers, neither novel is truly a werewolf novel. (No spoilers as to why) This is why I think The Howling reigned supreme in the hearts and minds of horror fans. They demanded werewolves, and they got a colony full of them.
Oh, did I mention it’s a breezy and fast read?
December 13, 2015
Highly enjoyable short and no-frills story on the werewolf theme. Very 80's flavor (storytelling, but of course pay phones, answering machines and a myriad of other details) and much like watching a not-too-high-budget horror flick from the time.
With regards to this, I do know that I've seen the movie adaptation of this, but cannot remember enough (a common and slightly depressing statement in my reviews of late...) to even say if it was a faithful one. Pretty sure they changed the ending though.
The book is a recommended easy read though for when that feels suitable!
With regards to this, I do know that I've seen the movie adaptation of this, but cannot remember enough (a common and slightly depressing statement in my reviews of late...) to even say if it was a faithful one. Pretty sure they changed the ending though.
The book is a recommended easy read though for when that feels suitable!
November 12, 2020
Y'all ready?
I didn’t hide this review because I am delusional enough to believe that anyone is afraid to be spoiled for this forty-year-old piece of trash. I did it because there’s some triggering shit in this that has nothing to do with werewolfy creepiness. So, here’s a trigger warning for assault and rape.
And this happens within the first five pages. There’s literally a handful of disjointed paragraphs switching from the perspective of Karyn to that of her rapist (I’m not even kidding, he gets a perspective for a page or two before he is arrested and is never mentioned again), and then he barges into her home and the scene goes on from there – in uncomfortable detail, and for way too long. It was hard to read, very hard, and all that it entails is that Karyn needs therapy and gets advised to move away to a quieter town called Drago. Where the werewolfing is happening of course. You’re telling me I had to read this awful, horrendous, overly long scene all so they can move away?
No, of course not. Because it also served to drive her husband away from her. Roy quickly becomes The Absolute Worst™ when he cheats on his wife, who was assaulted two months ago, because she doesn't sex him anymore. You know. Because trauma. Just a couple of weeks ago. And then he meets a hypersexual bombshell in a nightgown in Little Ville McShittown right smack bang in the middle of nowhere, whom he proceeds to fuck in heavy handed detail, only interrupted by the author reminding us how he can’t possibly control himself when such a beautiful and willing woman is nearby.
But why did I start reading this, then? Well, I’ve been looking for some classic werewolf fiction everywhere. Something trashy and classic about stalking the woods in the dark, creepy for 95 %, with just some gory battle at the very end. Tension building slowly, misty hills, suspicion, that kind of stuff. It’s surprisingly hard to find, so when I stumbled across this book from 1977 or something for just three bucks, I figured, why not. Sure, it wasn’t some Victorian setting, but there was a small town and a forest, so that works for me. But let me tell you. Even Red Riding Hood – you know, the Amanda Seyfried film about teenage romance – did eerie, creepy, suspicious stuff better than this collection of garbage.
The creepy starts of fine, with classics such as old claw marks on the front door when they first arrive at their new house, some howling in the distance, their dog disappearing and turning up dead and a chase in the woods by something large, quick and quiet. Then it promptly dies never to be revived again when the wolf just… parks his ass in the drive way in view of the house? And sits there? Only to get his ear shot off and leave again? Way too early in the book? At that point, my only aim was to finish the book so I could write this review, so at least I get some endorphins from Goodreads-likes for my three bucks. But it became even worse.
You see, Roy, the shitty husband, basically gives the sexy woman, who is obviously Evil because she is beautiful and likes sex, permission to turn him. So, he gets bitten (not by a mysterious and quick shape in the dark, but by the werewolf, of which we get another nice long look so we’re not scared anymore, but never mind that). And he starts acting strange. But instead of staying with the perspective of his scared wife, who already knows about werewolves at that point, we follow him into the woods to witness his becoming a werewolf. Not what I would’ve done, I would have saved Obligatory Transformation Scene for way later, and told it from the perspective of Karyn, but OK. So, Roy turns in the woods. And it is the single most boring, lifeless excruciatingly beige transformation scene I have ever witnessed. It literally says ‘The hands were now paws’ at some point. No thank you ma’am. First of all, don’t tell me that. Show me that. Show me Roy’s fear and complete lack of understanding, show me what is happening to his hands and in his brain. Second of all, paws? Really? Paws are cute. Paws have toe beans and go pat pat pat on wooden floors. What they don’t do, is rip out the throats of innocent townsfolk through a thin wooden wall, which they’ve backed into because they’ve become uneasy after hearing a growl. You know, werewolf stuff.
OK, you might be thinking, but at least there’s a werewolf now. Maybe he can use those paws to trot on over to town and murder some people. But do you know what we’re going to read about next? That’s right, it’s time for some wolf sex! Roy runs into a female wolf and we get to read about wolf desire. Yay. And then, at last, at the end of that first night, he commits his first wolfy murder. You know who he goes after? The single LGBTQIA+ character in the whole book. Who used to be a nun but got kicked out for sleeping with another nun, and has struggled with her sexuality ever since. Because we can’t have the gays survive, now, can we?
No, we can’t. And another thing we apparently can’t have, is a creepy werewolf book. Nope. Because this weird-ass heap of words turns into a zombie novel. Not in the sense that there’s now suddenly zombies, but because of course everyone in the little town is a werewolf. So, our final girl locks herself into a house while wolves swarm outside and literally run into windows and stuff. At some point she even says, ‘Oh, God, another one’. At the very end the cheating-worst-husband-ever-werewolf even gets to fight obviously-also-a-werewolf-creepy-doctor to save Karyn. Thanks, I hate it. He stays, she leaves, wolves howl. The end.
I know this book is old. I know I hate-read it in the end. I know I should not have expected anything – and to be fair, I hardly did. I know rape is prevalent in horror. But you know what? That’s not good enough, I don’t care, it’s shit.
I didn’t hide this review because I am delusional enough to believe that anyone is afraid to be spoiled for this forty-year-old piece of trash. I did it because there’s some triggering shit in this that has nothing to do with werewolfy creepiness. So, here’s a trigger warning for assault and rape.
And this happens within the first five pages. There’s literally a handful of disjointed paragraphs switching from the perspective of Karyn to that of her rapist (I’m not even kidding, he gets a perspective for a page or two before he is arrested and is never mentioned again), and then he barges into her home and the scene goes on from there – in uncomfortable detail, and for way too long. It was hard to read, very hard, and all that it entails is that Karyn needs therapy and gets advised to move away to a quieter town called Drago. Where the werewolfing is happening of course. You’re telling me I had to read this awful, horrendous, overly long scene all so they can move away?
No, of course not. Because it also served to drive her husband away from her. Roy quickly becomes The Absolute Worst™ when he cheats on his wife, who was assaulted two months ago, because she doesn't sex him anymore. You know. Because trauma. Just a couple of weeks ago. And then he meets a hypersexual bombshell in a nightgown in Little Ville McShittown right smack bang in the middle of nowhere, whom he proceeds to fuck in heavy handed detail, only interrupted by the author reminding us how he can’t possibly control himself when such a beautiful and willing woman is nearby.
But why did I start reading this, then? Well, I’ve been looking for some classic werewolf fiction everywhere. Something trashy and classic about stalking the woods in the dark, creepy for 95 %, with just some gory battle at the very end. Tension building slowly, misty hills, suspicion, that kind of stuff. It’s surprisingly hard to find, so when I stumbled across this book from 1977 or something for just three bucks, I figured, why not. Sure, it wasn’t some Victorian setting, but there was a small town and a forest, so that works for me. But let me tell you. Even Red Riding Hood – you know, the Amanda Seyfried film about teenage romance – did eerie, creepy, suspicious stuff better than this collection of garbage.
The creepy starts of fine, with classics such as old claw marks on the front door when they first arrive at their new house, some howling in the distance, their dog disappearing and turning up dead and a chase in the woods by something large, quick and quiet. Then it promptly dies never to be revived again when the wolf just… parks his ass in the drive way in view of the house? And sits there? Only to get his ear shot off and leave again? Way too early in the book? At that point, my only aim was to finish the book so I could write this review, so at least I get some endorphins from Goodreads-likes for my three bucks. But it became even worse.
You see, Roy, the shitty husband, basically gives the sexy woman, who is obviously Evil because she is beautiful and likes sex, permission to turn him. So, he gets bitten (not by a mysterious and quick shape in the dark, but by the werewolf, of which we get another nice long look so we’re not scared anymore, but never mind that). And he starts acting strange. But instead of staying with the perspective of his scared wife, who already knows about werewolves at that point, we follow him into the woods to witness his becoming a werewolf. Not what I would’ve done, I would have saved Obligatory Transformation Scene for way later, and told it from the perspective of Karyn, but OK. So, Roy turns in the woods. And it is the single most boring, lifeless excruciatingly beige transformation scene I have ever witnessed. It literally says ‘The hands were now paws’ at some point. No thank you ma’am. First of all, don’t tell me that. Show me that. Show me Roy’s fear and complete lack of understanding, show me what is happening to his hands and in his brain. Second of all, paws? Really? Paws are cute. Paws have toe beans and go pat pat pat on wooden floors. What they don’t do, is rip out the throats of innocent townsfolk through a thin wooden wall, which they’ve backed into because they’ve become uneasy after hearing a growl. You know, werewolf stuff.
OK, you might be thinking, but at least there’s a werewolf now. Maybe he can use those paws to trot on over to town and murder some people. But do you know what we’re going to read about next? That’s right, it’s time for some wolf sex! Roy runs into a female wolf and we get to read about wolf desire. Yay. And then, at last, at the end of that first night, he commits his first wolfy murder. You know who he goes after? The single LGBTQIA+ character in the whole book. Who used to be a nun but got kicked out for sleeping with another nun, and has struggled with her sexuality ever since. Because we can’t have the gays survive, now, can we?
No, we can’t. And another thing we apparently can’t have, is a creepy werewolf book. Nope. Because this weird-ass heap of words turns into a zombie novel. Not in the sense that there’s now suddenly zombies, but because of course everyone in the little town is a werewolf. So, our final girl locks herself into a house while wolves swarm outside and literally run into windows and stuff. At some point she even says, ‘Oh, God, another one’. At the very end the cheating-worst-husband-ever-werewolf even gets to fight obviously-also-a-werewolf-creepy-doctor to save Karyn. Thanks, I hate it. He stays, she leaves, wolves howl. The end.
I know this book is old. I know I hate-read it in the end. I know I should not have expected anything – and to be fair, I hardly did. I know rape is prevalent in horror. But you know what? That’s not good enough, I don’t care, it’s shit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2025
Yes, spank me if you must, but my favorite werewolf movie is NOT "American Werewolf in London". It's "The Howling". But I hadn't read the book upon which it was based until now. How does it hold up to the legendary film from that legendary year in horror cinema?
Having read some of Gary Brandner's other novels, I was actually surprised to find this to be one of his more serious and depressing entries. He has a knack for injecting some great wit and humor in his stories, but not so much here. "The Howling" is brutal, dark, and tragic from the opening pages.
The details of the novel are very different from the film, but the overall gist is the same. In both versions, a traumatized wife and her husband go to a small mountain village for some R&R, but find the friendly local inhabitants are not what they seem. I appreciate the changes for the film, which tie the different plot elements together in a way more satisfying for horror cinema. At the same time, I prefer the characterization in the novel, which makes all the players much more complex, believable, and sympathetic. The book also has some incredibly atmospheric set pieces. We may not be able to enjoy Rob Bottin's ingenious transformation special effects, but Brandner does a fabulous job capturing the helplessness of being trapped in a rural area, the woods and town somehow feeling as claustrophobic and dangerous as a sinking submarine.
Brandner can sometimes knock your socks off with his prose or make you laugh out loud, but here he takes a more traditional approach. Perhaps this is because "The Howling" was his first horror novel. But his straightforward style clearly worked, quickly catching the attention of Hollywood and leading to the release of the film version four years after publication. Brandner's career was kick-started, and he would go on to make The Howling a trilogy, and a movie franchise was born that contains eight movies so far.
Speaking of the movies, if you've seen the film, sometimes reading the original book after-the-fact is difficult, because you can't unsee the events and actors from the visual media. However, like "Jaws", I found the novel to be written so well that it came to life all its own. And don't avoid reading this book because you think you know how it all turns out based on the film. You'd be wrong.
I was pleased with how effective this novel is, and highly recommend it for vintage horror fans.
SCORE: 4 distant howls in the woods out of 5
Having read some of Gary Brandner's other novels, I was actually surprised to find this to be one of his more serious and depressing entries. He has a knack for injecting some great wit and humor in his stories, but not so much here. "The Howling" is brutal, dark, and tragic from the opening pages.
The details of the novel are very different from the film, but the overall gist is the same. In both versions, a traumatized wife and her husband go to a small mountain village for some R&R, but find the friendly local inhabitants are not what they seem. I appreciate the changes for the film, which tie the different plot elements together in a way more satisfying for horror cinema. At the same time, I prefer the characterization in the novel, which makes all the players much more complex, believable, and sympathetic. The book also has some incredibly atmospheric set pieces. We may not be able to enjoy Rob Bottin's ingenious transformation special effects, but Brandner does a fabulous job capturing the helplessness of being trapped in a rural area, the woods and town somehow feeling as claustrophobic and dangerous as a sinking submarine.
Brandner can sometimes knock your socks off with his prose or make you laugh out loud, but here he takes a more traditional approach. Perhaps this is because "The Howling" was his first horror novel. But his straightforward style clearly worked, quickly catching the attention of Hollywood and leading to the release of the film version four years after publication. Brandner's career was kick-started, and he would go on to make The Howling a trilogy, and a movie franchise was born that contains eight movies so far.
Speaking of the movies, if you've seen the film, sometimes reading the original book after-the-fact is difficult, because you can't unsee the events and actors from the visual media. However, like "Jaws", I found the novel to be written so well that it came to life all its own. And don't avoid reading this book because you think you know how it all turns out based on the film. You'd be wrong.
I was pleased with how effective this novel is, and highly recommend it for vintage horror fans.
SCORE: 4 distant howls in the woods out of 5
September 28, 2022
First published in 1977. I was in 7th grade and a friend of mine Pam Dzurof lend me the book. Oh, the horror and the sex.... It was a really good re-read and funny because of how much I remembered (no not the sex).
April 22, 2022
After enduring a horrifying incident that leaves her traumatized, Karyn and her husband Roy travel to the peaceful Californian village of Drago to get away from the cruel insanity of city life. The village is not the peaceful getaway they were looking for however. Ancient legends of supernatural horrors lurk in the shadows of the trees, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting travelers. Little did Karyn know, her traumatic situation was bound to get even worse.
This is a classic werewolf horror story that didn't quite stick the landing for me. It's not bad for the time it was written, but it fell short in a few areas that kept me from fully appreciating it.
***Contains spoilers for the first chapter below!
The protagonist Karyn endures a horrific assault at the beginning of the story which is described in grossly intimate detail. Worst of all, it's done just for shock value. It doesn't really aid in her character development, it doesn't add much to the overall plot and it just ends up feeling like pointless tastelessness. It's brushed off and dismissed way too easily. The criminal that attacks her is barely even mentioned or acknowledged after the fact.
Her husband Roy was also an insufferable dick about the whole thing which could've made him a good villain for Karyn to overcome, but his role in the story ends up feeling anticlimactic. In fact, everything including the ending just felt really shallow and anticlimactic to me. Not even the werewolves were very interesting or scary.
The style of the book reminds me a bit of Richard Matheson, but with not as much depth or strong writing.
This is a classic werewolf horror story that didn't quite stick the landing for me. It's not bad for the time it was written, but it fell short in a few areas that kept me from fully appreciating it.
***Contains spoilers for the first chapter below!
The protagonist Karyn endures a horrific assault at the beginning of the story which is described in grossly intimate detail. Worst of all, it's done just for shock value. It doesn't really aid in her character development, it doesn't add much to the overall plot and it just ends up feeling like pointless tastelessness. It's brushed off and dismissed way too easily. The criminal that attacks her is barely even mentioned or acknowledged after the fact.
Her husband Roy was also an insufferable dick about the whole thing which could've made him a good villain for Karyn to overcome, but his role in the story ends up feeling anticlimactic. In fact, everything including the ending just felt really shallow and anticlimactic to me. Not even the werewolves were very interesting or scary.
The style of the book reminds me a bit of Richard Matheson, but with not as much depth or strong writing.
October 24, 2022
The Howling
Se lee rápido, la historia fluye.
Tiene un inicio bastante fuerte, como dicen ahora, trigger warning.
Y una vez que se mudan al pueblo, no tarda mucho en escuchar los primeros aullidos.
A partir de ahí el libro te atrapa y no te suelta. Algunas muy buenas escenas
El final es frenético, si un tanto hollywoodesco, pero creo que le va bien.
Al final fue un libro que disfrute mucho
3.7 stars
Se lee rápido, la historia fluye.
Tiene un inicio bastante fuerte, como dicen ahora, trigger warning.
Y una vez que se mudan al pueblo, no tarda mucho en escuchar los primeros aullidos.
A partir de ahí el libro te atrapa y no te suelta. Algunas muy buenas escenas
El final es frenético, si un tanto hollywoodesco, pero creo que le va bien.
Al final fue un libro que disfrute mucho
3.7 stars
January 13, 2020
It’s really a shame this book gets a bad rep, overshadowed by the stunning success of the film from the horror industry. But it’s not as bad as folks have made it out to be.
Although the book could have used a better editor with all the overwriting and filler, the premise and unsavory outcome was quite digestible, even a new vision considering the film was so different.
In short, I dug this jam.
Although the book could have used a better editor with all the overwriting and filler, the premise and unsavory outcome was quite digestible, even a new vision considering the film was so different.
In short, I dug this jam.
December 20, 2022
An efficient and entertaining read. Not amazing, but certainly fun
February 17, 2026
Love the movies and finally got my hands on copies of the whole trilogy. The first installment was really good, the setting of a remote creepy town was established well and the dynamic between the main characters was well written and compelling. I would say the ending is a little rushed,but knowing the sequels follow the same characters I wasn't too disappointed about that. Would definitely recommend!
After a traumatic home invasion, Karyn and her husband moved to a remote village for a fresh start. But after hearing terrifying howling every full moon she begins to find out that this place is not as peaceful as it seems. Can she survive the werewolves of Drago town?
After a traumatic home invasion, Karyn and her husband moved to a remote village for a fresh start. But after hearing terrifying howling every full moon she begins to find out that this place is not as peaceful as it seems. Can she survive the werewolves of Drago town?
January 21, 2018
"A few minutes later he was very glad that she was asleep. Because in sleep she could not hear what he heard off somewhere in the night. The howling."
A Re-Read.
It's interesting how the movies were created based on these books - the story-line for this original novel actually made it into the fourth Howling movie and not the first, with the exception of the ending, which fits (to a point) the first movie. Personally I loved the first movie, so it would have been nice to have that in story form here, but obviously the book was written first anyway so that's a moot point.
Up until about halfway, the book has a story almost identical to the fourth movie, but then we can see how the screenwriters started changing things up. I prefer the book's finish of a story-line since it paints the husband in a more sympathetic - and also multi-dimensional - view. Still, some of the characters are a little bit of a stereotype, the premise is rather cheesy on the demonic origins, but it does craft a decent horror story that focuses on furry monsters.
A note on why I'm mentioning the movies so much - most people familiar with these stories grew up with the films, as bad as some of them were, not the actual books, so the story keeps coming to mind in comparison. It was a delight to be able to re-read this one and find it in digital form, since my old paperback (much loved) was already used when found and has suffered more damage over the years since.
What could come across creepy doesn't necessarily do so except for one scene where Karen looks out and sees a wolf downright goading her on the front lawn at night. The author focuses a bit too much on the she-wolf vixen and the developing pull over the husband. Toss in the former nun as a friend and companion and that helped keep the story more complex and not so focused on just husband and wife running into problems. Karen had the conflicted friend to help her be filled in on some of the town's history and to keep the story pushing forward, but there was also the Grocery story matronly pal who took up some of the book.
The story opens with a rape scene that was downright uncomfortable, which is why they move to the town of Drago in the first place for a temporary mental vacation. It was realistic how much Karen struggled with intimacy with her husband in the story, and the author handled that well and delicately, but throwing in the lust of another woman drawing him away when Karen is obviously not able to fulfill him isn't always a needed part of the story. Ah well, life is what it is I guess.
The ending is a bit too abrupt, though - an extended epilogue would have wrapped it up smoother.
A Re-Read.
It's interesting how the movies were created based on these books - the story-line for this original novel actually made it into the fourth Howling movie and not the first, with the exception of the ending, which fits (to a point) the first movie. Personally I loved the first movie, so it would have been nice to have that in story form here, but obviously the book was written first anyway so that's a moot point.
Up until about halfway, the book has a story almost identical to the fourth movie, but then we can see how the screenwriters started changing things up. I prefer the book's finish of a story-line since it paints the husband in a more sympathetic - and also multi-dimensional - view. Still, some of the characters are a little bit of a stereotype, the premise is rather cheesy on the demonic origins, but it does craft a decent horror story that focuses on furry monsters.
A note on why I'm mentioning the movies so much - most people familiar with these stories grew up with the films, as bad as some of them were, not the actual books, so the story keeps coming to mind in comparison. It was a delight to be able to re-read this one and find it in digital form, since my old paperback (much loved) was already used when found and has suffered more damage over the years since.
What could come across creepy doesn't necessarily do so except for one scene where Karen looks out and sees a wolf downright goading her on the front lawn at night. The author focuses a bit too much on the she-wolf vixen and the developing pull over the husband. Toss in the former nun as a friend and companion and that helped keep the story more complex and not so focused on just husband and wife running into problems. Karen had the conflicted friend to help her be filled in on some of the town's history and to keep the story pushing forward, but there was also the Grocery story matronly pal who took up some of the book.
The story opens with a rape scene that was downright uncomfortable, which is why they move to the town of Drago in the first place for a temporary mental vacation. It was realistic how much Karen struggled with intimacy with her husband in the story, and the author handled that well and delicately, but throwing in the lust of another woman drawing him away when Karen is obviously not able to fulfill him isn't always a needed part of the story. Ah well, life is what it is I guess.
The ending is a bit too abrupt, though - an extended epilogue would have wrapped it up smoother.
October 9, 2013
I thought this book was a quick, fun read. I had watched the movie quite awhile back and all I could remember was the beginning and that the werewolves were scary. I was probably about 8 or 9, so when I picked up this book I couldnt really compare it to the movie.
I really loved the backstory at the beginning of the book about the town of Dradja. I thought Brandner did a good job at making the reader feel the tension and horror that Karyn felt throughout the book.
I would recommend this book for anyone who likes werewolves or has seen The Howling movies.
I really loved the backstory at the beginning of the book about the town of Dradja. I thought Brandner did a good job at making the reader feel the tension and horror that Karyn felt throughout the book.
I would recommend this book for anyone who likes werewolves or has seen The Howling movies.
September 4, 2021
No-nonsense pulp horror. The Howling is lean and to the point. Brander's prose is solid but never showy and he wastes little time on needless exposition. There's some good atmosphere during the build-up and the violence and gore is handled with a deft hand.
March 11, 2026
The Howling is an original horror novel from 1977 by Gary Brandner (not to be confused with Gary Braunbeck, thanks), that was the basis for the iconic werewolf film from 1981 that was directed by Joe Dante. The film is quite different in some of the background and details but has the same basic message and impact. There were four or five different people who did drafts of the filmscript, but they eventually made seven more Howling movies, and Brandner wrote two sequels to his novel, so it's safe to say both versions were successful. All of the trigger warnings from one apply to the other. It's a very tense and creepy book, an easy four stars on the Lawrence Talbot scale.
February 28, 2025
I'm a huge fan of the 1981 werewolf movie "The Howling", so I was kinda disappointed by this novel. It's fast-paced and pulpy, but nowhere near as entertaining or scary as the superior movie version. Plotwise, the two are also very different... Still, it was a quick and (mostly) fun read. 3 stars.
June 4, 2007
The movie is one of my all-time favorites, a very intelligent old horror movie with a great cast and great cinematography. I had to read the book. Apparently it's been out of print for a number of years, so I got a copy from Amazon.com, and the day it came, I read the thing from cover to cover. Couldn't put it down. The thing is, it's VERY different from the movie. It's less quirky and the themes are much less complicated. It's a pretty straight-forward story, written in a very straight-forward style, but for that sort of book, I must say that what the author accomplished without flashy writing or even that original of a plot is, a clear sense of dread. It's just a very creepy read! Perhaps the fact that the book is so simple adds to that, in a way - there's no frills, it's just very "real." (As real as a werewolf story can get, anyway!) I felt increasingly unnerved as I read further an further. Read it in February 2005, but currently I'm reading it a second time, and find the same sensation to be true.
January 12, 2025
One of my favorite horror movie franchises as a kid, ( even though I was only allowed to watch the first two on basic cable I.E the censored versions until I hit double digits)...The book version is much different and my much better then the movie.
December 3, 2016
The howling
A well written, quick read story of werewolves. Thank goodness it wasn't as scary as the movie! It scared me so bad when I was too young to be watching it
A well written, quick read story of werewolves. Thank goodness it wasn't as scary as the movie! It scared me so bad when I was too young to be watching it
January 2, 2023
We're going to talk about it soon on What's In The Box? But I'm giving it 3.5 stars rounded up.
February 20, 2024
First time reading a horror novel with a wolf premise. I liked the authors writing style. I’ll have to watch the movie now.
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