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The October Boys
HALLOWEEN, 1988
A gang of twelve-year-old boys are trick-or-treating in London. Off in the distance, they hear the discordant chimes of an ice-cream truck. It seems strange to hear on a cold autumnal night, but their thoughts of maximizing their candy haul soon dismissed its incongruous melody… until they saw the rusting hulk idling in the shadows at the end of the street, its driver a faceless shadow.
That was the night he took one of them.
OCTOBER, 2016
Years later, Halloween is fast approaching and Tom Craven is still haunted by the events of that dark night, especially the fact that their friend was never found. Increasingly plagued by horrific visions, Tom returns to the place where it all began, only to discover he's not the only one who can feel it. His friends have already arrived and are preparing for a battle which could get them all killed.
The Ice Cream Man is back… and he’s come for the ones that got away.
A gang of twelve-year-old boys are trick-or-treating in London. Off in the distance, they hear the discordant chimes of an ice-cream truck. It seems strange to hear on a cold autumnal night, but their thoughts of maximizing their candy haul soon dismissed its incongruous melody… until they saw the rusting hulk idling in the shadows at the end of the street, its driver a faceless shadow.
That was the night he took one of them.
OCTOBER, 2016
Years later, Halloween is fast approaching and Tom Craven is still haunted by the events of that dark night, especially the fact that their friend was never found. Increasingly plagued by horrific visions, Tom returns to the place where it all began, only to discover he's not the only one who can feel it. His friends have already arrived and are preparing for a battle which could get them all killed.
The Ice Cream Man is back… and he’s come for the ones that got away.
254 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2019
About the author
Adam Millard
132 books182 followersAdam Millard is the author of twenty novels, twelve novellas, and more than two hundred short stories, which can be found in various collections and anthologies. Probably best known for his post-apocalyptic fiction, Adam also writes fantasy/horror for children and Bizarro fiction for several publishers. His work has recently been translated for the German market.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
April 19, 2020
3.5 Stars
You know, when I do these reviews I always try to say something I've never done before. And, if possible, to throw a joke in there.
Today, though, I'm not in the right headspace - so you'll have to settle for:
Sexagesimal - I had to look up this word, so I'm sure I've never used it before.
Joke: It was exactly a year ago today.
THE OCTOBER BOYS - Halfway through I was fairly sure it was going to be a 5 star read. Millard has a very comfortable writing style - it is so easy to read and picture. Though I wouldn't really call it coming of age, since the story basically takes place when they are adults, but it does have that feel.
However, toward the end something just felt a little - off, perhaps?
Was it the final showdown that was so short? Or the only logical conclusion you can picture for the ending?
I just don't know. As much as I loved most of this book, I have this feeling inside that there is something lacking. Something that could have made this more than it is.
Maybe I'm just not in the right place in my life right now.
At the end of the day, I'm glad I read this story, it doesn't feel like I wasted my time. I don't know who to recommend it to, though.
You know, when I do these reviews I always try to say something I've never done before. And, if possible, to throw a joke in there.
Today, though, I'm not in the right headspace - so you'll have to settle for:
Sexagesimal - I had to look up this word, so I'm sure I've never used it before.
Joke: It was exactly a year ago today.
THE OCTOBER BOYS - Halfway through I was fairly sure it was going to be a 5 star read. Millard has a very comfortable writing style - it is so easy to read and picture. Though I wouldn't really call it coming of age, since the story basically takes place when they are adults, but it does have that feel.
However, toward the end something just felt a little - off, perhaps?
Was it the final showdown that was so short? Or the only logical conclusion you can picture for the ending?
I just don't know. As much as I loved most of this book, I have this feeling inside that there is something lacking. Something that could have made this more than it is.
Maybe I'm just not in the right place in my life right now.
At the end of the day, I'm glad I read this story, it doesn't feel like I wasted my time. I don't know who to recommend it to, though.
October 6, 2024
Ryan is abducted by an mysterious ice cream man. He was hunted down by an ice cream truck playing out of tune Pop Goes the Weasel. His surviving friends Tom, Luke and Marcus tell their story to the police. Nobody believes them. Now 28 years later the horror starts again. Who is this ice cream man? Why isn't his tour of stealing children over? And what are his plans for this years's Halloween? Absolute shock horror at its very best with an evil character you'll never forget. Story telling in the best Stephen King tradition with many twists and a great showdown at the end. This is one of the best Halloween tales I read for a very long time. If you want to get in the mood for Halloween you'll have to read this one. Highly recommended!
October 18, 2020
“The sound of an ice cream truck off in the distance, incongruous for October, was how it all began.”
I love a coming-of-age horror story, but if I fail to connect with the child protagonists and have a general lack of interest in the “big bad”, then any potential magic or nostalgia is simply lost. Homages are pretty popular within the horror genre, and I LOVE a good homage, but there’s a vast difference between a well-executed homage and a poor imitation, and unfortunately this would fall into the latter category for me.
When I posted the synopsis in my stories, lots of people messaged to say “Sounds like IT!” And it really does - the protagonists coming back to their town as adults to fight the evil that plagued them as children, the going back and forth in time from childhood to adulthood, and the fact that the “monster” comes every X number of years... and so forth. Unfortunately Mallard doesn’t provide the same depth and level of characterisation that King does in his masterpiece, and that isn’t surprising given that this is a MUCH shorter book, but it’s the connections you develop to The Loser’s Club that truly make that book magical.
It’s unfair of me to constantly compare the two, this is not IT after-all, but it’s all I could think about while I was reading it. Another grievance for me was that the female characters were poorly written - they were generally hysterical and irritating, and no joke, the big “climax” was wrapped up in about 10 pages. It felt SO abrupt.
The October Boys wasn’t all bad though, it’s a fast read with some interesting scenes. The idea of an ice-cream man villain is promising (although it does make me think of Mr Mercedes - I’M SORRY, I can’t help it!). Although, I did hear an ice-cream van while on my run the other day... so hearing one in October isn’t THAT unusual/creepy. The Halloween setting was cool though! I love books set around the holiday, so it had that going for it.
On the whole, not for me. But I wouldn’t dissuade others from reading it. Just manage your expectations! 2 stars.
I love a coming-of-age horror story, but if I fail to connect with the child protagonists and have a general lack of interest in the “big bad”, then any potential magic or nostalgia is simply lost. Homages are pretty popular within the horror genre, and I LOVE a good homage, but there’s a vast difference between a well-executed homage and a poor imitation, and unfortunately this would fall into the latter category for me.
When I posted the synopsis in my stories, lots of people messaged to say “Sounds like IT!” And it really does - the protagonists coming back to their town as adults to fight the evil that plagued them as children, the going back and forth in time from childhood to adulthood, and the fact that the “monster” comes every X number of years... and so forth. Unfortunately Mallard doesn’t provide the same depth and level of characterisation that King does in his masterpiece, and that isn’t surprising given that this is a MUCH shorter book, but it’s the connections you develop to The Loser’s Club that truly make that book magical.
It’s unfair of me to constantly compare the two, this is not IT after-all, but it’s all I could think about while I was reading it. Another grievance for me was that the female characters were poorly written - they were generally hysterical and irritating, and no joke, the big “climax” was wrapped up in about 10 pages. It felt SO abrupt.
The October Boys wasn’t all bad though, it’s a fast read with some interesting scenes. The idea of an ice-cream man villain is promising (although it does make me think of Mr Mercedes - I’M SORRY, I can’t help it!). Although, I did hear an ice-cream van while on my run the other day... so hearing one in October isn’t THAT unusual/creepy. The Halloween setting was cool though! I love books set around the holiday, so it had that going for it.
On the whole, not for me. But I wouldn’t dissuade others from reading it. Just manage your expectations! 2 stars.
October 6, 2025
This one is like It's slightly less weird and funnier cousin.
The premise is simple, years after a small group of friend has an unfortunate Halloween encounter their worlds start to unravel and things come a head, they must confront the evil they've ran from for so long, but well executed.
The characters were pretty good, it was easy to feel a sense of investment in them. I was a little torn on the often mentioned discomfort with the changing times which was peppered throughout the book but it's definitely of our era isn't it?
overall a solidly enjoyable little read.
The premise is simple, years after a small group of friend has an unfortunate Halloween encounter their worlds start to unravel and things come a head, they must confront the evil they've ran from for so long, but well executed.
The characters were pretty good, it was easy to feel a sense of investment in them. I was a little torn on the often mentioned discomfort with the changing times which was peppered throughout the book but it's definitely of our era isn't it?
overall a solidly enjoyable little read.
November 4, 2024
Surprised by all the mixed reviews of The October Boys. It is a solid horror for the Halloween season! Generally, is well-written, I did pick up on a typo or two (which can happen with independently published books such as this) on my Kindle Unlimited copy, but it didn’t pull me out of the story. The conclusion was a tad rushed, but it made sense with the build up and still felt satisfying. The main characters, and the villain The Ice Cream Man are well-fleshed out.
In the late ‘80s, a boy called Ryan is stolen by a mysterious figure, who drives an ice cream van that plays the children’s nursery rhyme ”Pop Goes The Weasel” in an off and eerie way. Ryan’s friends - Tom, Luke and Marcus - all witnessed his abduction and were traumatised by it. What happened to their friend? Was he killed or is there somehow still a chance he could be out there?
It’s now 2016, and the three men are fast approaching forty. Will this mystery from their childhoods be solved? Or will The Ice Cream Man be out to get those he left behind?
4 Stars 🎃
In the late ‘80s, a boy called Ryan is stolen by a mysterious figure, who drives an ice cream van that plays the children’s nursery rhyme ”Pop Goes The Weasel” in an off and eerie way. Ryan’s friends - Tom, Luke and Marcus - all witnessed his abduction and were traumatised by it. What happened to their friend? Was he killed or is there somehow still a chance he could be out there?
It’s now 2016, and the three men are fast approaching forty. Will this mystery from their childhoods be solved? Or will The Ice Cream Man be out to get those he left behind?
4 Stars 🎃
October 4, 2020
Not bad but the ending was a bit sudden and short.
Would have liked less about the main characters' home life and more about them
working together to end the evil.
Would have liked less about the main characters' home life and more about them
working together to end the evil.
November 4, 2025
Really enjoyed this Halloween read, very intense and scary. The ice cream man entity was absolutely terrifying. The characters were well filled out. A definite 5 star read for October. Highly recommend it
July 20, 2020
So this has definite Stephen King vibes - and I mean that in an entirely good way.
You've got an ancient horror that comes into the lives of some young boys - an ancient horror that is determined to finish what it started, even if it has to wait until they're adults.
Our boys/men were wonderful characters. I loved each of them in their own way. And our ancient horror was wonderfully creepy.
I did want things to be just a touch more epic - especially when it came to their final confrontation. It was more of a whisper than a bang.
However, I thoroughly enjoyed this read!
You've got an ancient horror that comes into the lives of some young boys - an ancient horror that is determined to finish what it started, even if it has to wait until they're adults.
Our boys/men were wonderful characters. I loved each of them in their own way. And our ancient horror was wonderfully creepy.
I did want things to be just a touch more epic - especially when it came to their final confrontation. It was more of a whisper than a bang.
However, I thoroughly enjoyed this read!
October 6, 2020
THE OCTOBER BOYS, by Adam Millard, is a great read for the holiday season. Taking place initially in the year 1988, when four friends were twelve, and a mysterious ice cream truck appeared.
One of the four was never seen again.
". . . None of them voiced it, but each of them felt it."
The remainder of the novel occurs years later when they are 30. Each friend has taken a different path in life, yet they all find themselves besieged with nightmares of that long ago Halloween.
"I'm coming back . . . "
The characters--some a little more than others--were easy to connect with and feel for. The mystery looming over them is palpable at all at all times; a horror that increases in each of their minds as Halloween approaches.
"The Ice Cream man was real."
This novel was a great blend of horror, mystery, and the bond four--later, three--boys shared that would forever link them.
My only complaint was that a lot of time was spent on the current situation of each character, and by the time the end game came it felt a little too rushed. Personally, I would have preferred more of the three men working together, and a more involved confrontation, than their individual family issues.
". . . There are a few things in this world that we are unable to comprehend . . ."
Overall, a great idea that--in my opinion--could have benefitted from a longer, more involved ending. Still, a fantastic concept that hit some high marks for originality.
Recommended.
One of the four was never seen again.
". . . None of them voiced it, but each of them felt it."
The remainder of the novel occurs years later when they are 30. Each friend has taken a different path in life, yet they all find themselves besieged with nightmares of that long ago Halloween.
"I'm coming back . . . "
The characters--some a little more than others--were easy to connect with and feel for. The mystery looming over them is palpable at all at all times; a horror that increases in each of their minds as Halloween approaches.
"The Ice Cream man was real."
This novel was a great blend of horror, mystery, and the bond four--later, three--boys shared that would forever link them.
My only complaint was that a lot of time was spent on the current situation of each character, and by the time the end game came it felt a little too rushed. Personally, I would have preferred more of the three men working together, and a more involved confrontation, than their individual family issues.
". . . There are a few things in this world that we are unable to comprehend . . ."
Overall, a great idea that--in my opinion--could have benefitted from a longer, more involved ending. Still, a fantastic concept that hit some high marks for originality.
Recommended.
January 10, 2023
Una mezcla entre IT y un libro de la serie Pesadillas pero en versión adulta (y un pelín más gore). Es super entretenido, sobre todo la primera mitad, y la traducción es divertidísima porque incluso en momentos ultra tensos te saca una sonrisa.
Si lo lees en Halloween, mejor. No como yo que lo empecé el día de Reyes 😆
Si lo lees en Halloween, mejor. No como yo que lo empecé el día de Reyes 😆
May 7, 2024
Full review at Happy Goat Horror:
https://happygoathorror.com/2024/10/0...
What a bloody great read - Adam Millard strikes again!
I had such a great time with this novel. The characters are really well done (Millard's characters always are - it's one of his greatest strengths as a writer, in my opinion). A creepy ass ice cream truck, missing kids, a lovely little nod to IT, and a race against time. What's not to love?
https://happygoathorror.com/2024/10/0...
What a bloody great read - Adam Millard strikes again!
I had such a great time with this novel. The characters are really well done (Millard's characters always are - it's one of his greatest strengths as a writer, in my opinion). A creepy ass ice cream truck, missing kids, a lovely little nod to IT, and a race against time. What's not to love?
June 18, 2020
This book unfortunately fell very flat for me, which is a shame because I enjoyed the premise. The editing is rife with errors, and there are also a number of continuity/timeline errors.
Did Not Finish
October 11, 2024Cannot. I got 64% in and it was just too much suspended belief with nothing to back it up. Meh.
October 27, 2022
"Tom fue el primero en oírlo: el débil tintineo de una melodía desafinada que sonaba en la noche. Durante un rato, se quedó escuchando, tratando de descifrar la melodía, y entonces lo entendió: era Pop Goes The Weasel, solo que no de la forma en que siempre la había escuchado"
1988 Inglaterra, Noche de Halloween. Un grupo de cuatro amigos celebran una fiesta que aún no está tan establecida en su país, pero de la que ellos pretenden disfrutar. Todo se complica cuando oyen la música de una extraña furgoneta de helados ¡en pleno octubre! que hará que uno de ellos no vuelva a su casa esa noche..
October boys se presenta como lo que no es a varios niveles. Lo primero que nos engaña es su envoltorio de novela juvenil, con un acertado homenaje a la serie de novelas Pesadillas de R.L. Stine, que nos pueden parecer demasiado simples desde una perspectiva adulta pero de las que algunos seguimos disfrutando.
En segundo lugar nos engaña presentándose como un homenaje a It cosa que tampoco es (en todo caso además, más a las adaptaciones al cine que a la novela original de King).
A pesar de las 416 páginas, el libro se lee muy rápidamente. En todos los capítulos pasa algo de importancia para la historia y no hay prácticamente nada de relleno, por tanto, una vez que te atrapa la historia es difícil no seguir avanzando página tras página para conocer la historia de Tom y sus amigos.
El arranque de la novela es fulgurante y en poco más de 30 páginas el escritor pone el conflicto principal sobre la mesa. A lo largo de la primera parte disfrutaremos con un homenaje a las mejores películas de terror de los 80 y los 90. Pero al contrario de lo que nos puede hacer pensar tanto por la presentación como por el arranque la narración discurre por terrores más mundanos y más cercanos a la edad adulta (no os voy a contar más, debéis descubrirlo vosotros).
El tratamiento y el mimo con el que Adam Millard crea cada uno de los personajes nos engancha en todo momento y es quizás el fuerte de la parte central por la que irán desfilando varios personajes carismáticos claves en el desarrollo.
La mitología creada alrededor de la figura del heladero también me ha gustado mucho. A veces más cercano a los parámetros a los que se mueve el género en sus coordenadas juveniles, pero Millard juega con esos elementos de forma muy interesante para que sea nuestra mente truculenta la que rellene esos huecos y termine de darle sentido a la obra.
También es reseñable el aporte que el editor y traductor, Roberto Carrasco, le ha dado a la edición española, con numerosos guiños a la cultura local y momentos que te harán sentir cómplice en la narración.
¿Lo habéis leído? ¿Qué os parece?
1988 Inglaterra, Noche de Halloween. Un grupo de cuatro amigos celebran una fiesta que aún no está tan establecida en su país, pero de la que ellos pretenden disfrutar. Todo se complica cuando oyen la música de una extraña furgoneta de helados ¡en pleno octubre! que hará que uno de ellos no vuelva a su casa esa noche..
October boys se presenta como lo que no es a varios niveles. Lo primero que nos engaña es su envoltorio de novela juvenil, con un acertado homenaje a la serie de novelas Pesadillas de R.L. Stine, que nos pueden parecer demasiado simples desde una perspectiva adulta pero de las que algunos seguimos disfrutando.
En segundo lugar nos engaña presentándose como un homenaje a It cosa que tampoco es (en todo caso además, más a las adaptaciones al cine que a la novela original de King).
A pesar de las 416 páginas, el libro se lee muy rápidamente. En todos los capítulos pasa algo de importancia para la historia y no hay prácticamente nada de relleno, por tanto, una vez que te atrapa la historia es difícil no seguir avanzando página tras página para conocer la historia de Tom y sus amigos.
El arranque de la novela es fulgurante y en poco más de 30 páginas el escritor pone el conflicto principal sobre la mesa. A lo largo de la primera parte disfrutaremos con un homenaje a las mejores películas de terror de los 80 y los 90. Pero al contrario de lo que nos puede hacer pensar tanto por la presentación como por el arranque la narración discurre por terrores más mundanos y más cercanos a la edad adulta (no os voy a contar más, debéis descubrirlo vosotros).
El tratamiento y el mimo con el que Adam Millard crea cada uno de los personajes nos engancha en todo momento y es quizás el fuerte de la parte central por la que irán desfilando varios personajes carismáticos claves en el desarrollo.
La mitología creada alrededor de la figura del heladero también me ha gustado mucho. A veces más cercano a los parámetros a los que se mueve el género en sus coordenadas juveniles, pero Millard juega con esos elementos de forma muy interesante para que sea nuestra mente truculenta la que rellene esos huecos y termine de darle sentido a la obra.
También es reseñable el aporte que el editor y traductor, Roberto Carrasco, le ha dado a la edición española, con numerosos guiños a la cultura local y momentos que te harán sentir cómplice en la narración.
¿Lo habéis leído? ¿Qué os parece?
October 28, 2020
I'm surprised I finished this book. I was very close to DNF it. The premise sounded interesting but once I got into a couple of chapters I didn't really like it. I'm just glad I made it to the end.
October 17, 2020
“Pop goes the weasel....”
On Halloween night in 1988 a group of young boys are targeted and followed by a mysterious ice-cream truck as it plays Pop the Weasel. Super creepy! One never makes it back home. 28 years later they are still trying to recover from the trauma associated from the event and its found out that it wasn’t an isolated incident and kids are still being targeted in the current day.
This is sort of a coming of age story as it begins in 1988 when the group of males are boys and the event that occurs changes all of their lives forever. The majority of the book though is set in the present day where the men are all still trying to come to terms with their experience and band together to try fight the evil in the present day.
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I’ll start by saying I love Millard’s style of writing and found this very easy to read. And up until halfway I feel like I was leaning towards giving the book 4 stars but after that point something seemed to get lost for me but I can’t really put my finger on it.
It’s a creepy read and I found the narrative unique and fun. I’m always a sucker for a coming of age story and being set on Halloween makes it the perfect book to read during October.
I do think though that I related and cared more about the males as boys rather than as adults so perhaps that’s where it lost some of its magic for me.
Overall this was an enjoyable read during October and would still recommend it to those looking for Halloween themed reads.
On Halloween night in 1988 a group of young boys are targeted and followed by a mysterious ice-cream truck as it plays Pop the Weasel. Super creepy! One never makes it back home. 28 years later they are still trying to recover from the trauma associated from the event and its found out that it wasn’t an isolated incident and kids are still being targeted in the current day.
This is sort of a coming of age story as it begins in 1988 when the group of males are boys and the event that occurs changes all of their lives forever. The majority of the book though is set in the present day where the men are all still trying to come to terms with their experience and band together to try fight the evil in the present day.
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I’ll start by saying I love Millard’s style of writing and found this very easy to read. And up until halfway I feel like I was leaning towards giving the book 4 stars but after that point something seemed to get lost for me but I can’t really put my finger on it.
It’s a creepy read and I found the narrative unique and fun. I’m always a sucker for a coming of age story and being set on Halloween makes it the perfect book to read during October.
I do think though that I related and cared more about the males as boys rather than as adults so perhaps that’s where it lost some of its magic for me.
Overall this was an enjoyable read during October and would still recommend it to those looking for Halloween themed reads.
October 5, 2020
Don't understand all the great reviews.....SKIP IT.
Well, this was one of the biggest disappointments of the last 4 months! Wow, i was really expecting some creepy as hell and great coming of age horror novel.......FAR FROM It! The BEST thing about this book though, was that there were NO typographical errors or edit mishaps!!! That was great!
So 'The October Boys' starts out as what you think is going to be a really scary read.....then it just takes the dumbest and most 'who gives a fuck' turn into dumb oblivion. The characters are not any that you even care about, and when you realize what is going on, and I figured it out almost 140 pages into it, you just do not care anymore about what happens to these stupid people in this little town. There is no true horror or gore, and the suspense is almost non existing, in fact there was none at all. Cannot recommend this book and would not read anymore from this author.
The only really cool thing in this book....i had never heard these words to the little ditty childrens song, Pop! Goes The Weasel.
Skip this and read something at least suspenseful especially now that it is October! Not this.
Well, this was one of the biggest disappointments of the last 4 months! Wow, i was really expecting some creepy as hell and great coming of age horror novel.......FAR FROM It! The BEST thing about this book though, was that there were NO typographical errors or edit mishaps!!! That was great!
So 'The October Boys' starts out as what you think is going to be a really scary read.....then it just takes the dumbest and most 'who gives a fuck' turn into dumb oblivion. The characters are not any that you even care about, and when you realize what is going on, and I figured it out almost 140 pages into it, you just do not care anymore about what happens to these stupid people in this little town. There is no true horror or gore, and the suspense is almost non existing, in fact there was none at all. Cannot recommend this book and would not read anymore from this author.
The only really cool thing in this book....i had never heard these words to the little ditty childrens song, Pop! Goes The Weasel.
Skip this and read something at least suspenseful especially now that it is October! Not this.
September 5, 2019
We all scream for ice cream
I thought clowns were creepy. Nobody told me that ice cream men were too. This book was creepy from the start. Ghostly ice cream trucks, and driver. Hunting kids on Halloween. Missing kids and a hungry spirit. What would you do to save your family. How far would you go to stop a monster??? Bloody brilliant book. 5 stars!!!
I thought clowns were creepy. Nobody told me that ice cream men were too. This book was creepy from the start. Ghostly ice cream trucks, and driver. Hunting kids on Halloween. Missing kids and a hungry spirit. What would you do to save your family. How far would you go to stop a monster??? Bloody brilliant book. 5 stars!!!
October 18, 2019
Pretty Good
I liked the story, but I would’ve loved more development between characters and a better understanding of the monster’s powers. Overall, I enjoyed this book! Will recommend!
I liked the story, but I would’ve loved more development between characters and a better understanding of the monster’s powers. Overall, I enjoyed this book! Will recommend!
April 4, 2020
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
Thanks to Pete and Bloodshot Books for sending this my way!
The synopsis sounded fantastic and I really loved the cover so when Pete sent it over recently, I was excited to dive into it. I’d heard great things about the book and lately coming-of-age stuff has been hitting a soft spot for me!
What I liked: This one jumps between Halloween 1988 and 2016. Back then a group of twelve-year-olds were out Trick or Treating when they heard the eerie strains of an Ice Cream Truck approaching. They soon realize that the driver isn’t a friendly salesman and they take off running. Now, years later, visions begin to haunt them again and one by one they realize the Ice Cream Truck is coming around again. I loved the friendship between the group and as things progressed, I loved the tie-in characters from 1988 who pop back up.
Millard does a great job of grounding this story in reality, specifically by including several of the spouses of the men now grown up. I find this is often an area where books will completely ignore and it was nice to see the ramifications as some of the men began to go off the rails.
What I didn’t like: The book does have an overall vibe similar to IT and at times the manipulation by the character was similar to Pennywise, but I found that was a charming homage to the genre and to King himself. For me, what I wasn’t a fan of was the all-too-brief finale, the build-up of 90% of the book for an epic battle and then it was over in a matter of several pages. It may have been ideal to cut back on some of the build-up to allow for the ending to take place over a longer period of time, or simply add more to it and keep the build-up. Either way, it was a bit deflating to have things just end.
Why you should buy it: This really is a fantastic coming-of-age horror story and while the ending was over and done with quickly, how it ended still worked really well. It wasn’t a lame ending or a ‘really?’ ending, it worked great and tied things together.
The writing was fantastic and I found I wanted to keep going, find out more and as the story unfolded I became more and more attached to each and every character.
This really was a fun time and I suspect it’ll become standard October/Halloween reading for most horror lovers over the next few years.
Thanks to Pete and Bloodshot Books for sending this my way!
The synopsis sounded fantastic and I really loved the cover so when Pete sent it over recently, I was excited to dive into it. I’d heard great things about the book and lately coming-of-age stuff has been hitting a soft spot for me!
What I liked: This one jumps between Halloween 1988 and 2016. Back then a group of twelve-year-olds were out Trick or Treating when they heard the eerie strains of an Ice Cream Truck approaching. They soon realize that the driver isn’t a friendly salesman and they take off running. Now, years later, visions begin to haunt them again and one by one they realize the Ice Cream Truck is coming around again. I loved the friendship between the group and as things progressed, I loved the tie-in characters from 1988 who pop back up.
Millard does a great job of grounding this story in reality, specifically by including several of the spouses of the men now grown up. I find this is often an area where books will completely ignore and it was nice to see the ramifications as some of the men began to go off the rails.
What I didn’t like: The book does have an overall vibe similar to IT and at times the manipulation by the character was similar to Pennywise, but I found that was a charming homage to the genre and to King himself. For me, what I wasn’t a fan of was the all-too-brief finale, the build-up of 90% of the book for an epic battle and then it was over in a matter of several pages. It may have been ideal to cut back on some of the build-up to allow for the ending to take place over a longer period of time, or simply add more to it and keep the build-up. Either way, it was a bit deflating to have things just end.
Why you should buy it: This really is a fantastic coming-of-age horror story and while the ending was over and done with quickly, how it ended still worked really well. It wasn’t a lame ending or a ‘really?’ ending, it worked great and tied things together.
The writing was fantastic and I found I wanted to keep going, find out more and as the story unfolded I became more and more attached to each and every character.
This really was a fun time and I suspect it’ll become standard October/Halloween reading for most horror lovers over the next few years.
April 21, 2021
This may be the first book I've ever read that is both slow to get going and ends prematurely. There was no epilogue after the final battle with the 'ice cream man'. I think maybe Adam just wanted to be done with it. Maybe he was exorcising some demons with this and he just wanted to forget about them. Definitely worthy of four stars. I love mysteries that simmer and build for decades, waiting for groups of kids to come of age and realize they have to go to war once again with evil. Stephen King popularized this with It, but I've seen several authors run with this plot and build something uniquely their own.
September 22, 2020
I loved this book! It reminded me of Stephen Kings It and that’s a good thing. Def want to read more by this author
October 29, 2020
So I should begin by saying I have never read Stephen King's IT. When reading this book I got the sense it was influenced by/borrow from King, but I can't be sure as to the extent this is happening. Perhaps my opinion of this would be different had I read King first. Regardless, here are the current thoughts I have on The October Boys.
The author does a great job of building suspense in the opening act. The atmosphere and dread are heavy, the ice cream truck is menacing, and the disappearance of Ryan is unsettling. I felt my stomach drop when the boys split off and the truck decides to go after the lone straggler. It's a terrifying beginning, and the rest of this book is permeated with this same fear and tension (except for the ending, but we'll get there).
I liked the jumping back and forth between boyhood in 1988 and adulthood in 2016. It's interesting to see how the three remaining friends have grown up and how the past still haunts them. They all felt like fairly fleshed-out characters, and I genuinely empathized with how the Ice Cream Man was continuing to wreak havoc on their lives and relationships. Some of Tom's adjacent issues are ones I've dealt with myself in the past, and the conflict between him and his wife felt very real to me. Also, I have a little girl and so I felt like I could strongly relate to Luke in the second half of the book as he tries to protect his daughter (indeed the scenes involving her - both in nightmares and reaity - were some of the most disturbing to me).
I thought the background for the antagonist was interesting, but, as it goes with these types of stories, I found myself wanting to know more about him, his abilities, and how exactly the lore tied into the plot of the book. Regardless, the Ice Cream Man made for a very creepy and powerful foe. I was glad that Woods was brought back in the 2016 storyline to help the men conquer their childhood trauma.
There weren't many things I didn't like in this book, but I did feel like the female characters weren't as dynamic and detailed as the male characters. My biggest complaint is actually about the ending (don't you hate when that happens?), as to me it came across rushed and confusing. But to say more would be to venture into spoiler territory. Though the book left a sour taste in my mouth, overall it was a lot of fun to read - especially during the Halloween season!
The author does a great job of building suspense in the opening act. The atmosphere and dread are heavy, the ice cream truck is menacing, and the disappearance of Ryan is unsettling. I felt my stomach drop when the boys split off and the truck decides to go after the lone straggler. It's a terrifying beginning, and the rest of this book is permeated with this same fear and tension (except for the ending, but we'll get there).
I liked the jumping back and forth between boyhood in 1988 and adulthood in 2016. It's interesting to see how the three remaining friends have grown up and how the past still haunts them. They all felt like fairly fleshed-out characters, and I genuinely empathized with how the Ice Cream Man was continuing to wreak havoc on their lives and relationships. Some of Tom's adjacent issues are ones I've dealt with myself in the past, and the conflict between him and his wife felt very real to me. Also, I have a little girl and so I felt like I could strongly relate to Luke in the second half of the book as he tries to protect his daughter (indeed the scenes involving her - both in nightmares and reaity - were some of the most disturbing to me).
I thought the background for the antagonist was interesting, but, as it goes with these types of stories, I found myself wanting to know more about him, his abilities, and how exactly the lore tied into the plot of the book. Regardless, the Ice Cream Man made for a very creepy and powerful foe. I was glad that Woods was brought back in the 2016 storyline to help the men conquer their childhood trauma.
There weren't many things I didn't like in this book, but I did feel like the female characters weren't as dynamic and detailed as the male characters. My biggest complaint is actually about the ending (don't you hate when that happens?), as to me it came across rushed and confusing. But to say more would be to venture into spoiler territory. Though the book left a sour taste in my mouth, overall it was a lot of fun to read - especially during the Halloween season!
October 27, 2020
The perfect Halloween reading. An evil entity in the form of an ice cream seller that snatches children on Halloween night. The three boys who escaped it years ago when their friend didn't. The grizzled former cop who joins them when it returns year later. This novel read like a classic Stephen King tale, only much shorter.
January 14, 2020
A very atmospheric halloween story
I felt like I was reading a much shorter version of Stephen Kings IT mixed in with a little if Ray Bradbury The Halloween Tree. A fun Halloween story which I both enjoyed and would recommend.
I felt like I was reading a much shorter version of Stephen Kings IT mixed in with a little if Ray Bradbury The Halloween Tree. A fun Halloween story which I both enjoyed and would recommend.
December 26, 2020
I thought this was a superb coming-of-age story in the vein of IT, but not quite. The imagery of the opening chapters were masterfully done to set up the book. The downside was the ending, however good, was cut a bit short...a bit abrupt, but overall I give it five stars!
October 3, 2020
My first Halloween read of the year and I really wanted to love it but besides the huge Pennywise vibes there was spelling and grammatical errors, dates didn't match up- a Will Smith as Ali poster in 1988? And the author needed to decide either English or American language not keep switching between the two.
I have read novels by Bloodshot Books before and been unhappy with them. Many of the errors in this book should have been fixed by the publisher before going to print.
I have read novels by Bloodshot Books before and been unhappy with them. Many of the errors in this book should have been fixed by the publisher before going to print.
August 20, 2019
In The October Boys, Millard creates a sinister horror character in the form the The Ice-Cream Man. The novel begins in Halloween 1988, and hops between than and 2016 as the Ice-Cream Man that terrorised the protagonists as children returns.
In many ways it's reminiscent of IT - a devourer of children, returning periodically, confronting childhood terrors as adults, but it's a formula that works for the novel. Millard handles his characters well as they are revisited by the terror and come together. It's the moments when the boys are together, both in 1988, and reunited as adults that the novel is at its strongest as the camaraderie between them really works. We also see the trauma their early encounter had on the boys and how this has affected them in their adult lives.
The mythology of the Ice-Cream Man is largely worked into the novel well, but I wanted more from the finale. It was over a little too quickly. I shan't say more to avoid spoilers.
A highly entertaining read.
In many ways it's reminiscent of IT - a devourer of children, returning periodically, confronting childhood terrors as adults, but it's a formula that works for the novel. Millard handles his characters well as they are revisited by the terror and come together. It's the moments when the boys are together, both in 1988, and reunited as adults that the novel is at its strongest as the camaraderie between them really works. We also see the trauma their early encounter had on the boys and how this has affected them in their adult lives.
The mythology of the Ice-Cream Man is largely worked into the novel well, but I wanted more from the finale. It was over a little too quickly. I shan't say more to avoid spoilers.
A highly entertaining read.
October 14, 2019
A good old fashioned horror story, that does not disappoint. I had never heard of the author before I found out about him on Facebook's books of horror. Just cruising threw pictures when i saw this cover, and it hooked me. Sympathy for the characters, all young and being put thru a Demon chasing them thru 28 years of pure unadulterated hell. I hope i never come across the particular demon. Very well written and fast paced. He fleshes out the characters really well. I'm not a professional reviewer by any means, but i love the book and so will you. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. If you dont like it o well, sit on it. 5 out of five stars. Your gonna need a bigger boat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2020
It’s 1988 and it’s Halloween night and a group of 12 years olds are trick or treating. The night is a little boring and they decide to call it quits and cut their losses, when they hear a noise off in the distance.
The sound is the distinct chime of an ice cream truck, but it sounds slightly off key. The boys are very confused because why would an ice cream truck be running in October?
Then, when the ice cream truck finally comes into view, the it starts chasing the boys and they end up getting separated. Three boys go one way and one ends up on his own.
The last thing the three boys see is a shadow driving the ice cream truck chasing their friend.
28 years later that night still haunts all 3 men.
Then the ice cream man visits each of them and tells them that he is coming for them and they won’t get away this time.
Thus begins a fight between the ice cream man and the men, will the men be able to put a stop to the ice cream man before he gets them?
I really liked the idea of this book. The plot seemed like something I would really enjoy and it struck me as something that would appeal to me.
However, I feel like it’s just too similar to IT by Stephen King.
You have a friend group being chased by this monstrous evil being, they survive, then as grown ups they have to go back and fight it again for good.
Even the evil thing itself is kind of similar. A clown and an ice cream man, both things that are supposed to be benign to children and aren’t inherently evil.
They even refer to the Ice cream man as IT at times in the story. I know that using “it” is usually used when you don’t know what something is, but Its just a little weird in my opinion how close they are.
I honestly wouldn’t have minded a shorter version of something similar to IT, because my main issue with IT is the length. But this just isn’t as good as IT.
The majority of the book is extremely boring in my opinion, it takes a really long time to build up to the climax and I just didn’t feel like I was invested in the slightest.
The characters are really not great. The male characters all seem slightly aggressive and off putting to me. They just were weird and not really like able. I felt like they had this “tough guy” persona on all the time and tried to prove how manly they were through words but it just came off abrasive.
The female characters were also really annoying. They seemed super shrill and just obnoxious. I didn’t like how the women were portrayed in the story at all. They way the men saw them were kind of just like a “nagging woman” in the way of their stuff. Almost like a hindrance more than a partner or whatever. All the characters just came off cold and annoying.
I also didn’t care for the writing style at all. This is going to be weird to say, but it almost felt angry? Like really sarcastic and mad and I guess angsty? Every sentence just seemed mad? I don’t know if that makes sense, it’s hard to explain.
The ending was so abrupt that it just felt like an afterthought, like the author was trying to wrap up the story fast and came up with that quickly.
I honestly wish I liked it more, don’t get me wrong, there are some aspects I did like, but I felt like it could have been done differently for me to enjoy it.
Overall, just a very “meh” story.
The sound is the distinct chime of an ice cream truck, but it sounds slightly off key. The boys are very confused because why would an ice cream truck be running in October?
Then, when the ice cream truck finally comes into view, the it starts chasing the boys and they end up getting separated. Three boys go one way and one ends up on his own.
The last thing the three boys see is a shadow driving the ice cream truck chasing their friend.
28 years later that night still haunts all 3 men.
Then the ice cream man visits each of them and tells them that he is coming for them and they won’t get away this time.
Thus begins a fight between the ice cream man and the men, will the men be able to put a stop to the ice cream man before he gets them?
I really liked the idea of this book. The plot seemed like something I would really enjoy and it struck me as something that would appeal to me.
However, I feel like it’s just too similar to IT by Stephen King.
You have a friend group being chased by this monstrous evil being, they survive, then as grown ups they have to go back and fight it again for good.
Even the evil thing itself is kind of similar. A clown and an ice cream man, both things that are supposed to be benign to children and aren’t inherently evil.
They even refer to the Ice cream man as IT at times in the story. I know that using “it” is usually used when you don’t know what something is, but Its just a little weird in my opinion how close they are.
I honestly wouldn’t have minded a shorter version of something similar to IT, because my main issue with IT is the length. But this just isn’t as good as IT.
The majority of the book is extremely boring in my opinion, it takes a really long time to build up to the climax and I just didn’t feel like I was invested in the slightest.
The characters are really not great. The male characters all seem slightly aggressive and off putting to me. They just were weird and not really like able. I felt like they had this “tough guy” persona on all the time and tried to prove how manly they were through words but it just came off abrasive.
The female characters were also really annoying. They seemed super shrill and just obnoxious. I didn’t like how the women were portrayed in the story at all. They way the men saw them were kind of just like a “nagging woman” in the way of their stuff. Almost like a hindrance more than a partner or whatever. All the characters just came off cold and annoying.
I also didn’t care for the writing style at all. This is going to be weird to say, but it almost felt angry? Like really sarcastic and mad and I guess angsty? Every sentence just seemed mad? I don’t know if that makes sense, it’s hard to explain.
The ending was so abrupt that it just felt like an afterthought, like the author was trying to wrap up the story fast and came up with that quickly.
I honestly wish I liked it more, don’t get me wrong, there are some aspects I did like, but I felt like it could have been done differently for me to enjoy it.
Overall, just a very “meh” story.
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