Who Would Like This Book:
If you're a fan of hardcore horror and have a strong stomach, "Off Season" is a notorious genre classic you won't want to miss. Jack Ketchum's debut is the grindhouse horror novel people still talk about, notorious for shattering taboos when it first hit shelves. It's fast-paced, ultra-violent, and relentlessly tense, evoking the savage energy of 70s and 80s exploitation films like "The Hills Have Eyes." What sets it apart is not just the graphic content but the raw, claustrophobic atmosphere and the sense that absolutely anything could happen. If you're curious about the origins of extreme horror or love that unsettling, can't-look-away feeling, this is a must-read.
Who May Not Like This Book:
This book is definitely not for everyone. Many readers take issue with the sheer level of violence, graphic gore, and sexualized brutality - some say it's more "torture porn" than true horror. If you're not a fan of explicit depictions of gore, cannibalism, or cruelty (especially involving women, children, and sexual violence), this will likely go beyond your comfort zone. Others have found the writing style workmanlike or dated, with shallow character development or clichéd plot points. If you want psychological depth, emotional resonance, or subtle chills over shock value, you may leave disappointed.
About:
Off Season by Jack Ketchum is a gruesome and graphic horror novel set in a remote house in Maine where a group of New Yorkers encounters cannibals, leading to a terrifying fight for survival. The book is described as fast-paced, brutal, and filled with explicit scenes of violence, gore, and savagery. The writing style is noted for its detailed and matter-of-fact narration of disturbing events, creating a sense of tension and suspense throughout the story.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include graphic violence, cannibalism, sexual assault, and intense gore.
From The Publisher:
September. A beautiful New York editor retreats to a lonely cabin on a hill in the quiet Maine beach town of Dead River-off season-awaiting her sister and friends. Nearby, a savage human family with a taste for flesh lurks in the darkening woods, watching, waiting for the moon to rise and night to fall....
And before too many hours pass, five civilized, sophisticated people and one tired old country sheriff will learn just how primitive we all are beneath the surface...and that there are no limits at all to the will to survive.
Ratings (28)
Incredible (6) | |
Loved It (11) | |
Liked It (9) | |
It Was OK (1) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (117):
Read It (30) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (63) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (22) |
2 comment(s)
When I started this I didn't know it was a series but I'm definitely interested (and bit worried) to buy and read the next book. It took sometime to really get going but when it did it definitely was gory and weird. Don't think I've ever read from this author before but do think I want to read more.
Ploy
What can you read after
Off Season?
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