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Helltracks
As, one by one, people on train platforms begin disappearing without a trace--the victims of a phantom train--a psychotic serial killer travels through the state on a rampage of slaughter
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1991
About the author
William F. Nolan
377 books242 followersWilliam F. Nolan is best known as the co-author (with George Clayton Johnson) of Logan's Run -- a science fiction novel that went on to become a movie, a television series and is about to become a movie again -- and as single author of its sequels. His short stories have been selected for scores of anthologies and textbooks and he is twice winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Special Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
Nolan was born in 1928 in Kansas City Missouri. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute and worked as an artist for Hallmark Cards. He moved to California in the late 1940s and studied at San Diego State College. He began concentrating on writing rather than art and, in 1952, was introduced by fellow Missouri native (and established writer) Ray Bradbury to another young up-and-coming author, Charles Beaumont. Moving to the Los Angeles area in 1953, Nolan became along with Bradbury, Beaumont, and Richard Matheson part of the "inner core" of the soon-to-be highly influential "Southern California Group" of writers. By 1956 Nolan was a full-time writer. Since 1951 he has sold more than 1500 stories, articles, books, and other works.
Although Nolan wrote roughly 2000 pieces, to include biographies, short stories, poetry, and novels, Logan’s Run retains its hold on the public consciousness as a political fable and dystopian warning. As Nolan has stated: “That I am known at all is still astonishing to me... "
He passed away at the age of 93 due to complications from an infection.
Nolan was born in 1928 in Kansas City Missouri. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute and worked as an artist for Hallmark Cards. He moved to California in the late 1940s and studied at San Diego State College. He began concentrating on writing rather than art and, in 1952, was introduced by fellow Missouri native (and established writer) Ray Bradbury to another young up-and-coming author, Charles Beaumont. Moving to the Los Angeles area in 1953, Nolan became along with Bradbury, Beaumont, and Richard Matheson part of the "inner core" of the soon-to-be highly influential "Southern California Group" of writers. By 1956 Nolan was a full-time writer. Since 1951 he has sold more than 1500 stories, articles, books, and other works.
Although Nolan wrote roughly 2000 pieces, to include biographies, short stories, poetry, and novels, Logan’s Run retains its hold on the public consciousness as a political fable and dystopian warning. As Nolan has stated: “That I am known at all is still astonishing to me... "
He passed away at the age of 93 due to complications from an infection.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 25, 2020
Spooktober 2020 Book 22
What the hell did I just read? Seriously, what the shit was this?
I literally have no idea what Nolan was trying to achieve with this book because it’s a big pile of steaming crap.
Nothing makes sense in this story. Nothing is explained. The 2 stories that are told in Helltracks have zero relation to each other except that they take place in the same area of Montana and one chance encounter between the serial killer character and the father of one of the other main characters. When the the train shows up (after like 240 pages) it’s literally for no reason and with one small throwaway reference to why it behaves in the way it does...and that reasoning is as inane as stupid as the rest of the garbage that randomly happens in this book.
Look, I didn’t go into Helltracks expecting much but I defiantly wanted more than this sad excuse for a book.
What the hell did I just read? Seriously, what the shit was this?
I literally have no idea what Nolan was trying to achieve with this book because it’s a big pile of steaming crap.
Nothing makes sense in this story. Nothing is explained. The 2 stories that are told in Helltracks have zero relation to each other except that they take place in the same area of Montana and one chance encounter between the serial killer character and the father of one of the other main characters. When the the train shows up (after like 240 pages) it’s literally for no reason and with one small throwaway reference to why it behaves in the way it does...and that reasoning is as inane as stupid as the rest of the garbage that randomly happens in this book.
Look, I didn’t go into Helltracks expecting much but I defiantly wanted more than this sad excuse for a book.
June 9, 2012
This was an interesting read. It follows two paths, one about a Montana sheep rancher who looses his daughter and he sees visions that tells him she was kidnapped on a train, and he tries to find vengeance. The other path follows the journal of a serial killer who is known as the Big Sky Strangler and we follow his path of killing as he travels through Montana. This tale ends with some supernatural horror but it's more like a crime thriller for the bulk of the book. It's an interesting mix and it kept me entertained, Nolan wrote a well crafted story here; it's not a spectacular story but it is a good story and I would easily recommend it. I'm glad I read it.
March 20, 2019
In both William F. Nolan's Helltracks and Chet Williamson's Dreamthorp, the narrative is structured around a dual threat: an ancient or supernatural evil localized within a small town, and a human serial killer traveling across the country toward that town.
Helltracks: Major Characters and Interrelations
The characters in Helltracks are divided between the supernatural mystery in Montana and the mundane but lethal threat on the road.
* Sam Heaston: A Montana farmer and the primary protagonist. He is searching for his daughter, who disappeared after leaving for the city.
* The Killer (unnamed/diary entries): A psychotic serial killer traveling through the Northwest toward Montana. His perspective is shared through "epistolary entries in a diary".
* Lori Heaston: Sam’s daughter, whose disappearance serves as the catalyst for Sam’s investigation into the "phantom train".
* The Mining Company Executives: Antagonists representing corporate greed; they are despoiling the local environment, providing a secondary "man-made" horror subplot.
Helltracks: Chapter-by-Chapter Action Summary
The novel operates through alternating perspectives and "incident upon incident".
* Introductory Phase: Establish Sam Heaston’s grief over his missing daughter and the introduction of the "Ghost Train"—a hellish death train that appears on the Montana plains at night.
* The Road (Alternating): The serial killer moves along the highways, committing a "rampage of slaughter". These chapters focus on his internal psyche via his diary.
* The Investigation: Sam begins to realize that the disappearances from train platforms are linked to a supernatural entity. He encounters resistance from local authorities and the mining interests.
* The Escalation: The "phantom train" begins taking more victims directly from the town’s periphery. Simultaneously, the killer's diary entries show him drawing closer to Sam's location.
* The Climax: The two "twin evils"—the supernatural train and the human killer—collide in a "shattering climax".
Comparative Analysis: Helltracks vs. Dreamthorp
| Feature | Helltracks (William F. Nolan) | Dreamthorp (Chet Williamson) |
|---|---|---|
| Local Evil | A supernatural "phantom train" that abducts people from platforms. | Ancient spirits/evil unleashed after an Indian burial site is disturbed. |
| Serial Killer | An unnamed psychotic traveling through the Northwest, chronicled via diary. | Gilbert Rodman, a mutilated man seeking revenge on the woman he blames for his condition. |
| Primary Hero | Sam Heaston, a grieving father and farmer. | Tom Brewer, a widowed woodcarver and teacher. |
| Narrative Strategy | Uses epistolary diary entries for the killer to create a sense of psychological intimacy with the antagonist. | Uses philosophical essay quotes (from Alexander Smith) as chapter headings to provide a thematic frame for the violence. |
| Convergence | The killer and the supernatural train meet at the end, though critics note they feel like "separate works". | The killer (Gilbert) specifically targets the town's newcomer (Laura Stark), tightly weaving the human and supernatural threats. |
Narrative Comparison:
Both authors use the "encroaching killer" to create a ticking-clock tension against the backdrop of a localized supernatural mystery. However, Williamson uses a more integrated approach where the killer’s motivation is directly tied to a main character in the town (Laura Stark). In contrast, Nolan’s killer is often described as a parallel force of nature that only intersects with the supernatural plot at the very end. Williamson also leans heavily on the "Chautauqua" setting of Dreamthorp to contrast idyllic peace with graphic "savage death".
Helltracks: Major Characters and Interrelations
The characters in Helltracks are divided between the supernatural mystery in Montana and the mundane but lethal threat on the road.
* Sam Heaston: A Montana farmer and the primary protagonist. He is searching for his daughter, who disappeared after leaving for the city.
* The Killer (unnamed/diary entries): A psychotic serial killer traveling through the Northwest toward Montana. His perspective is shared through "epistolary entries in a diary".
* Lori Heaston: Sam’s daughter, whose disappearance serves as the catalyst for Sam’s investigation into the "phantom train".
* The Mining Company Executives: Antagonists representing corporate greed; they are despoiling the local environment, providing a secondary "man-made" horror subplot.
Helltracks: Chapter-by-Chapter Action Summary
The novel operates through alternating perspectives and "incident upon incident".
* Introductory Phase: Establish Sam Heaston’s grief over his missing daughter and the introduction of the "Ghost Train"—a hellish death train that appears on the Montana plains at night.
* The Road (Alternating): The serial killer moves along the highways, committing a "rampage of slaughter". These chapters focus on his internal psyche via his diary.
* The Investigation: Sam begins to realize that the disappearances from train platforms are linked to a supernatural entity. He encounters resistance from local authorities and the mining interests.
* The Escalation: The "phantom train" begins taking more victims directly from the town’s periphery. Simultaneously, the killer's diary entries show him drawing closer to Sam's location.
* The Climax: The two "twin evils"—the supernatural train and the human killer—collide in a "shattering climax".
Comparative Analysis: Helltracks vs. Dreamthorp
| Feature | Helltracks (William F. Nolan) | Dreamthorp (Chet Williamson) |
|---|---|---|
| Local Evil | A supernatural "phantom train" that abducts people from platforms. | Ancient spirits/evil unleashed after an Indian burial site is disturbed. |
| Serial Killer | An unnamed psychotic traveling through the Northwest, chronicled via diary. | Gilbert Rodman, a mutilated man seeking revenge on the woman he blames for his condition. |
| Primary Hero | Sam Heaston, a grieving father and farmer. | Tom Brewer, a widowed woodcarver and teacher. |
| Narrative Strategy | Uses epistolary diary entries for the killer to create a sense of psychological intimacy with the antagonist. | Uses philosophical essay quotes (from Alexander Smith) as chapter headings to provide a thematic frame for the violence. |
| Convergence | The killer and the supernatural train meet at the end, though critics note they feel like "separate works". | The killer (Gilbert) specifically targets the town's newcomer (Laura Stark), tightly weaving the human and supernatural threats. |
Narrative Comparison:
Both authors use the "encroaching killer" to create a ticking-clock tension against the backdrop of a localized supernatural mystery. However, Williamson uses a more integrated approach where the killer’s motivation is directly tied to a main character in the town (Laura Stark). In contrast, Nolan’s killer is often described as a parallel force of nature that only intersects with the supernatural plot at the very end. Williamson also leans heavily on the "Chautauqua" setting of Dreamthorp to contrast idyllic peace with graphic "savage death".
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews