The Brood

by Richard Starks

This is the novelization by Richard Starks of a horror movie-script written by the director David Cronenberg.

Genres: Horror

192 pages, Paperback

First published September 20, 1979

About the author

Richard Starks is a former journalist, editor and publisher, and is now a full-time writer.

"My latest book (cowritten with Miriam Murcutt) is a novel, In A Town Called Paradox, which is set in 1950s Utah when the Big Five Hollywood studios arrived to film their blockbuster movies. Part of the plot is centered on the making of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The opening line sets the scene: I wasn't looking for Marilyn Monroe when I bumped into her...

"My other books include a couple of financial thrillers and the novelization of a horror-movie script by the director David Cronenberg. I've also written for television.

"My non-fiction books include a (mercifully short) economics book, and four narrative non-fiction titles, all co-authored by Miriam Murcutt."

These are:

Lost in Tibet (published by The Lyons Press; it tells the story of five US airmen who, in 1943, were forced to bail out of their plane over Tibet);

Along the River that Flows Uphill - from the Orinoco to the Amazon (published first by Haus Publishing and now also a Kindle ebook; it tells the story of a journey that Miriam Murcutt and I took along a strange river in Venezuela called the Casiquiare);

A Room with a Pew - sleeping our way through Spain's ancient monasteries (published by The Lyons Press; it tells the story of another journey we took, this time through Spain, where we stayed exclusively in ancient monasteries); and

Greenland for $1.99 (published by Prestwicke Publishing as a Kindle ebook; it gives an account of journey we made inside the Arctic Circle)."

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novelization of David Cronenberg's 1979 masterpiece is actually pretty good, and that's coming from someone who doesn't usually care for novelizations. It never rises to the level of great simply because it's lacking the intensity that Oliver Reed and Samantha Eggar brought to the film, as well as Cronenberg's chilly direction, but it's perfectly serviceable as a novel and well-written. Especially in the beginning of the book, Starks fleshes out the characters by adding some backstory which the film never provided. At a certain point, though, it becomes a description of the film scene by scene, and the climax feels a little rushed (as if the author was speeding through to meet a deadline), so you're probably just better off watching the film. This is good to read once, but unlike the film, not something one is likely to want to revisit.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kind of feel bad giving The Brood this low of a rating, and it's honestly not that much of a fault to the story itself, or really even the subject matter, which I found somewhat interesting. The real problem was in the writing. The writing for this book, based on a movie that I haven't yet seen, but assume is taking itself fairly seriously, feels like a 9-12 novel, and kind of a poor one at that. I'm not sure if it was just my copy, but there were tons of spelling errors and misprints throughout the book that were so weird.
Throughoutthebookthatweresoweird.
Like that! Weird. Anyway, it was pretty fine, a little un-happening, but I like a good slow-burn horror. Gonna watch the movie soon!

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Psychotherapist Dr Hal Raglan runs the Somafree Institute, where he practises ‘psychoplasmics’, a technique he’s developed which encourages patients to release suppressed emotions through physiological changes to their bodies. Nola Carveth is one of his patients but when her husband, Frank, discovers their daughter Candy has been injured on a visit, he wants to stop them connecting. The problem is, Nola is Raglan’s best patient, the one who has taken the technique to its logical and murderous conclusion.
Based on David Cronenberg’s screenplay, this does a workman-like job of telling the story though Starks does add some touches of his own and delves a little more into the background of certain aspects. The book has a decent enough pace but suffers with little characterisation and doesn’t make as much of the set-pieces (especially Ruth Mayer’s big scene) as the excellent film does. Worth a read as a companion piece but the film is better way to experience this story.

[Willy Boy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Always a good sign when the actual author isn't credited on the cover. Sells Dave C short trying to pitch him in with the Rats, Crabs, Omens and Others that fed the '70s pb horror boom - that said, a nice piece of trivia for the Cronenberg completist, and another candidate for the 'what's the most unlikely movie to have gotten a paperback tie-in released?'

[Arshad · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book wasn't an engaging read from the beginning. Only the ending is good. It's a very short story type and easy to read. Teenagers will find it of their type.

[Wayne Noble · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing novelisation of one of my favourite films. Doesn't really add anything to the narrative, you would be much better off watching the film version in my opinion.

[Elaina Talley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good before bed type of book. I enjoyed it, even though it is more like a short story.