Jack Ketchum

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misery chastain loves co.

misery chastain loves co.

MORE Count Chocula please.....
Jul 31, 2011
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Brewer,ME
I recently met him at a con and asked him this question " if you have seen all of the movies based on your books but haven't actually read the books themselves, where would you start?" He gave me Joy Ride which I have yet to read.

I've not read a Ketchum book but love the movies so I'm not sure what I'm waiting for. There is no excuse.

What are your favorites by him?
 
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misery chastain loves co.

misery chastain loves co.

MORE Count Chocula please.....
Jul 31, 2011
2,642
15,099
51
Brewer,ME
Moderator said:
I've only read Off Season. Dallas told me the folks in Washington County (ME) aren't real fond of him because of that. ;-D I don't think I could handle The Girl Next Door. I have a copy of Red which is still on my TBR pile.
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I read the true crime version of that case he is referencing in The Girl Next Door. I imagine his version is much more brutal(especially if it's like the movie). It was hard to stomach the real thing so I think I'll pass on that one. We actually talked about Red because I could absolutely understand the subject matter of the movie and what the guy did. I don't know if I can read the book. If you get around to it, please let us know what you think. I have a hard time with animal things. I can't even watch something like Marley and Me.
Hahaha! I saw Offspring(AKA Off Season) and if the book is anything like the movie I can see why the Washington County folks were peeved! ;-D
 
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skimom2

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
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misery chastain loves co. said:
I recently met him at a con and asked him this question " if you have seen all of the movies based on your books but haven't actually read the books themselves, where would you start?" He gave me Joy Ride which I have yet to read.

I've not read a Ketchum book but love the movies so I'm not sure what I'm waiting for. There is no excuse.

What are your favorites by him?
Click to expand...
The Joy Ride with Paul Walker and Steve Zahn? I really liked The Crossings. I'm cautious with him--torture porn turns my stomach.
 
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kingricefan

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
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Spokane, WA
I used to be a huge Ketchum fan but have come to the realization that his books have become far too graphic for my tastes anymore. I have read almost everything he's written including all of the 'Off Season' sequels. Reading Off Season when it was originally published was like a smack in the face as most horror back then was abit tame (John Saul comes to mind). It was a tight and sparsely written small book that packed alot into it's pages. And he pulled a 'Hitchcock' in it to boot! I really liked Red as it wasn't as graphic as the rest, it had more of a storyline to it.
 
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muskrat

muskrat

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Nov 8, 2010
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Ketchum is good. I don't read him as much as I used to--in my younger days I dug all that splatter punk stuff--Skipp and Spector, Edward Lee, David Schow-- all those cats. Oh, how the critics blasted that stuff, calling it obscene, foul, evil--which only made my friends and I want to read it even more. They called us perverts, monsters, future criminals. Idiots. All it did was turn us punks on to READING, and, in my case writing--what's so evil about that?

It's an age old argument. Fredric Wertham tried the same tactics in the fifties, successfully killing off the greatest comic books ever drawn or written, Tales From The Crypt, Vault Of Horror, Haunt Of Fear. Then a year later, out comes Rock and Roll, giving em all a new scapegoat. Splatter punk, punk rock, horror comics, and Stephen bloody King--these were our Gods, and guess what? We all grew up to be decent, sensitive, productive members of society.

So there'll always be a soft spot in my heart for ol Ketchum, bless his fiendish soul. Now and then I'll pick one up, give it a read, and although it's entertaining, it doesn't thrill me like it used to. Gettin old I guess. Need more cerebral stimulation.
 
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staropeace

staropeace

Richard Bachman's love child
Nov 28, 2006
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Alberta,Canada
kingricefan said:
I used to be a huge Ketchum fan but have come to the realization that his books have become far too graphic for my tastes anymore. I have read almost everything he's written including all of the 'Off Season' sequels. Reading Off Season when it was originally published was like a smack in the face as most horror back then was abit tame (John Saul comes to mind). It was a tight and sparsely written small book that packed alot into it's pages. And he pulled a 'Hitchcock' in it to boot! I really liked Red as it wasn't as graphic as the rest, it had more of a storyline to it.
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I am appalled at Right To Life. It is basically a story about rape and bondage and he describes it page after page. There is no need of this unless you are a creep. Sorry, he disgusts me bigtime.
 
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muskrat

muskrat

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staropeace said:
I am appalled at Right To Life. It is basically a story about rape and bondage and he describes it page after page. There is no need of this unless you are a creep. Sorry, he disgusts me bigtime.
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I myself have never read the story in question; as stated above, I've outgrown Ketchum and his colleagues--but there was a time when such shocking fiction was my meat and potatoes. I wasn't then, nor have I ever been, a creep. That kind of thinking leads to censorship, book burnings, etc.

If you don't like it, fine, but don't pass judgement on those who do.
 
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staropeace

staropeace

Richard Bachman's love child
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muskrat said:
I myself have never read the story in question; as stated above, I've outgrown Ketchum and his colleagues--but there was a time when such shocking fiction was my meat and potatoes. I wasn't then, nor have I ever been, a creep. That kind of thinking leads to censorship, book burnings, etc.

If you don't like it, fine, but don't pass judgement on those who do.
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I never passed judgement on those who read him if you will read my post again. I am complaining about his story which basically consists of ways of torturing or shaming a woman...the whole story is practically all about it and little else.
You talk off passing judgement....you just passed it on me. I understand having to use some description if a writer is going to write about this sorta stuff...but he goes way beyond it, I think. I would never censor a book for anyone. I just find his style somewhat offensive.
 
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muskrat

muskrat

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staropeace said:
I never passed judgement on those who read him if you will read my post again. I am complaining about his story which basically consists of ways of torturing or shaming a woman...the whole story is practically all about it and little else.
You talk off passing judgement....you just passed it on me. I understand having to use some description if a writer is going to write about this sorta stuff...but he goes way beyond it, I think. I would never censor a book for anyone. I just find his style somewhat offensive.
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Creepy for reading it, or creepy for writing it? Either way, it sorta sounds judgmental. But don't mind me, I wrote that post with my morning coffee--hardly the best time for me to do such things. Sorry.

I just get all defensive about these kinda subjects. Many writers tend to explore demons, and horror writers are especially guilty of this. Lord knows, I myself have written things best left locked in a box under a sunless sea-- but I'm no creep. Never have been. I abhor any and all violence, especially towards women, kids, and small animals. But, like many, many scribblers, I tend to let the monster out when I take up the pen.

Ah, who am I kiddin? I'm a damn creep and I know it. Boo!
 
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staropeace

staropeace

Richard Bachman's love child
Nov 28, 2006
15,210
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Alberta,Canada
muskrat said:
Creepy for reading it, or creepy for writing it? Either way, it sorta sounds judgmental. But don't mind me, I wrote that post with my morning coffee--hardly the best time for me to do such things. Sorry.

I just get all defensive about these kinda subjects. Many writers tend to explore demons, and horror writers are especially guilty of this. Lord knows, I myself have written things best left locked in a box under a sunless sea-- but I'm no creep. Never have been. I abhor any and all violence, especially towards women, kids, and small animals. But, like many, many scribblers, I tend to let the monster out when I take up the pen.

Ah, who am I kiddin? I'm a damn creep and I know it. Boo!
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Thing is, there was just so much of it. I thought he went overboard. It did creep me out but I did read it and the last thing I would do is tell anybody else what to read. Okay...no harm meant.
 
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