Friday the 13th Novels

[Utellme]

List some of the different story lines in the novels that was not in the movie.

[Jigsaw]

The Jason Lives novel follows the film pretty closely but there are some significant differences, some character descriptions are different than what some of them look like in the film (like Cort and Paula), the ending is different, Martin the Caretaker is a survivor and the murder scene of Martin, Annette and Steven is absent and there are other changes, with different dialogue or alignment of scenes, etc.

[Darth Sinister]

The first novelization by Michael Avallone (sp) was based on the original script before the revisions were made. Rick's original name was Derek, Shelly and Vera are chased by the bikers and a reference to Chili having a sister named Pepper. A twin sister.

In the novelization to the second film, there's an extended prologue that explains how Jason was before he became the way he was. And how Jason found out where Alice was. A second version of the third film was done, but this was pretty much a straight forward adaptation of the film itself. The Freddy Vs Jason novelization includes a different version of when Freddy first messes with Jason in the beginning. Heather, the dream victim changes to Alice and then to various other characters from the first nine films, before Freddy appears as Pamela.

[James M]

More differences in the original Part 3 novel... Loco is described as being black and Ali has gold teeth. Jason is characterized a bit differently...he sometimes laughs after he kills. I don't think there's any reference to Jason's motive. Also, instead of an axe to the head, Chris decapitates Jason with a sickle. And of course, the original ending.

[CampNewBlood]

I wanna get these. Aren't there only novels out for Parts 1, 2, 3 and 6? I used to have Part 2 novel, but that was years and years ago and I cannot remember what I did with it.

[Lammert]

There are 2 different books of Part 3... and there's one about Freddy vs Jason.

[Darth Sinister]

The original novelization to the third film was released in 1982. In 1986, Simon Hawke did the sixth film. He then parlayed that into doing the first three films, which probably would've continued with four and five, before going into the later films. But sales weren't good enough to warrant this and thus the books ended there. They all went out of print, but can be found in used book stores and on auction websites. But the prices can go up to fifty bucks, if there is a mint or near mint copy. The rarer the item, the pricier it will get.

FvsJ was released in 2003, since NLC was actually willing to market the thing. Later, the publishing company known as Black Flame released Jason X to kick start the Jason X book series. Black Flame also did a book series set in the present day with regular Jason. But the books ended in 2005, I think. In the 90's, Eric Morse published four young adult books set after JGTH. They used the idea of Jason's mask possessing people who wear it. Morse would later follow up his work with an online novel, which tied his work and the films to the television series of the same name, but separate continuity.

[CampNewBlood]

Thanks Darth for the info. :D

[Just Jeans]

It's a shame Black Flame didn't continue publishing novels. In hindsight, I wonder if New Line decided that publishing new novels whilst working on a remake might end up confusing some people.

[Rich]

I liked Carnival of Maniacs.

[Kane Lives]

I liked Church of the Devine Psycopath, Hate-Kill-Repeat, and Carnival of Maniacs.

I didn't feel Hell Lake was horrible story, but felt like Jason shouldn't really have been a part of it. With all the things going on around him, he felt to me like he was just tacked on and along for the ride. It did several things that did not IMO, stay true to his character. I strongly disliked The Jason Strain. The worst of the regular F13th novels IMO.


I ended up reading the second Jason X novel, The Experiment, and didn't care for it at all. I own all five of those, but haven't read a single word of Planet of the Beast, Death Moon, or To the Third Power.

They're on my shelf simply because I am a compulsive completist. lol

[Germaniac]

My scores for the books I have read so far:

Jason Lives by Simon Hawke
9/10
great, entertaining read with a good flashback on F13 1-ANB. Also introduces the regeneration effect.

Mother´s Day by Eric Morse
3/10
Book for children IMO. Stupid plot about Jason´s evil hockey-mask.

Jason´s Curse by Eric Morse
3/10
See above. Even worse. Ridicoulus ending. Not interested in the other Morse books.

Freddy vs Jason by Stephen Hand
10/10
One of the best novelizations ever from an author who is obvously a huge fan!

Church of the divine Psychopath by forgot the name (Scott Phillips?)
9/10
dirty, bloody, great.

Hell Lake by forgot the name
1/10
WTF is this? Jason teleports out of an TV screen? Jason shoots a machinegun? Jason replaces his kockey-mask with a wielding-mask!? Trees had to die in order to have this crap printed on paper?

Hate-Kill-Repeat by Jason Arnopp
9/10
dirty, bloody, great. What makes this book even better is that this is an alternative F13th Part 8 (taking place between TNB and JGTH ignoring JTM!)

The Jason Strain by Christa Faust
7/10
Very good read. The premise ("survivor"/Running Man with Jason) was great. Proably theb est set of charactersof the Black Flame books. Would have been better if the Zombie-plot wasn´t in there.)

Carnival of Maniacs by Stephen Hand
8/10
Good references to the series but major plot-holes (Jason´s shack and the bodies weren´t discovered by the police?). Strange sci-fi elements (Jason only gets active when the moon shines on Pamela´s head huh?). Other than that good slasher-fun


Jason X by Pat Cadigan
5/10
Wasted potential. Cadigan obviously knows nothing about the franchise and the character (she says that Jason kept his medical-knife and threw away the machete; explaining Jason as some sort of generic, evil anti-life). The Crystal-Lake-holo-sequence wasn´t used well. An author who knew his stuff would have thrown in thousands of references from the franchise in here or show Jason´s feelings/thoughts but there is nothing about that here.she even tkesaway the focus of the slasher-action. Some kills aren´t even discribed. But if you are looking for character-analysis and backstories for such unrelevant characters as Kicker than this is your book.

The Experiment by Pat Cadigan
2/10
Jason drives a truck! WTF. JAson is immobilized for like 90% of the book. When he is set free there is no discriptive body-count. (Other than 3 kills in the beginning we don´t get any details on the kills). Too many characters that you can´t remember (and wmost of them don´t even get killed). More of thant Anti-Life Crap!

Planet of the Beast by Nancy Kilpatrick
7/10
Good read. great scif-fi slasher fun with a good set of characters and a good body-count. Some incoherences with Jason´s movements (moves a bit too fast, jumps like super-Mario or uses his machete like some sort of cook/chief).

Death Moon by some crack-smoking monkey
0/10
Worst book ever! Can somebody explain to me what this one is all about? Do you have to be high to understand it? The text/description on the back-cover of the book reads well and promises a great sasher-story, but the 500 pages in between the cover and the backcover are a waste of paper and a waste of your time!

To the third Power by Nancy Kilpatrick
7/10
IMO the best JX Novel. The athmosphere reminds me ofthe original F13th (set of charatcers go to an isolated area that has a bad history). Good athmoshere and slasher-action.

[sCabbOy]

I own all of the older Hawke and Morse books and have read them all.
I also own the Avallone Part 3 book and then Church Of The Divine (Actually sort of entertaining) and then Hell Lake (really bad) and Hate, Kill, Repeat (not very good).

I sort of lost interest with the novels because the authors (or course) take Jason as their own creation and really do corny things with him. They usually paint him as a one dimensional character (and he's not) that ONLY kills with a machete (yawn).

[Just Jeans]

Might as well face facts -- Jason will never be explored as deeply as we might like, and the potential to portray him as anything beyond what has been explored on screen is wasted. Where hardcore fans see depth, the general public see a hockey mask. If an author had approached Black Flame with a novel that actually tried to do anything with Jason's character beyond portray the on-screen persona, it would have very probably been rejected. Jason is a guy who stalks around killing teenagers -- that's the the majority of movie goes (and gore novel readers) expect from the character. If they want depth and breadth, they'll look elsewhere.

Even if an author had bright ideas about adding depth to Jason Voorhees and the publisher allowed him to run with those ideas, I wouldn't blame the writer for ultimately shying away. The fanbase is so particular that the author would end up being chewed up and spat out, no matter what he tried to do with the property.

[sCabbOy]

Well, you're sorta right. It might as well be to those who Jasond efined further and deeper. But to some who dislike what each author creates I guess it can be seen on the other end.

[Jigsaw]

I liked COTDP a lot and HKR was my favorite. Carnival Of Maniacs wasn't terrible either. Hell Lake and The Jason Strain though on the other hand :X ...

I'm pretty sad that Black Flame isn't publishing any more F13 novels, I really enjoyed the three I mentioned. COTDP and HKR would both make awesome movies.

[sCabbOy]

I once contemplated making a short fan film based on COTDP, but 1) it would be too costly and 2) location would be a problem. The only place willing to let us shoot at a camp was a Wesleyan Camp and they told us no nudity, drugs or blood if we shot there.

[Jigsaw]

That sucks :( I hope you get to make it someday though.

[sCabbOy]

the one were doing now is a less serious one that has zero budget other than the cost of the mask, wardrobe and blood.

But I'm sure we will do something like it if/when we get alocation and money to do so.

[Jigsaw]

I'm sure you'll find a camp that'll let you film there with the content that your film will have if you make it.

[Darth Sinister]

Well, you're sorta right. It might as well be to those who Jasond efined further and deeper. But to some who dislike what each author creates I guess it can be seen on the other end.

This is where fanfiction works its magic. Anyone can tell their story without having to shy away and be controlled by an editor or publisher.

[sCabbOy]

I'm sure you'll find a camp that'll let you film there with the content that your film will have if you make it.

Most of the camps here are all religious/bible camps. We checked with 5 in the area and one said OK. the others are way too far away... however there is Allegany State Park. You can rent a cluster of cabins for about 30 a night and it will look like a camp.
ADDED:
This is where fanfiction works its magic. Anyone can tell their story without having to shy away and be controlled by an editor or publisher.

I agree 100%, but at the same time some people take that fan fiction and try and relate it to the movies... thats all cool, but dont be surprised when people don't agree.

[Joshg]

I've only read the Jason Strain novel...OMG...that was a terd among terds!!!! One of the worst...gah! But the shark attack was pretty fun, since it reminded me of Zombi 2. Well, I read it before I saw that, so...vice versa.

[Darth Sinister]

Most of the camps here are all religious/bible camps. We checked with 5 in the area and one said OK. the others are way too far away... however there is Allegany State Park. You can rent a cluster of cabins for about 30 a night and it will look like a camp.
ADDED:

That would be a good place to go and film, with maybe a few scenes at the camp that said yes. You know, for accuracy.

I agree 100%, but at the same time some people take that fan fiction and try and relate it to the movies... thats all cool, but dont be surprised when people don't agree.

Oh, indeed.

[sCabbOy]

That would be a good place to go and film, with maybe a few scenes at the camp that said yes. You know, for accuracy.



Oh, indeed.

I think we're going to do the Allegany State Park idea. This is sort of what I mean by renting a cluster of cabins, the ones we want are brown and a little bigger but it looks like a camp.

http://a503.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/108/l_45a355e83043279f620d5deb40c79f86.jpg

[Patrick]

sCabbOy...that sound like a great idea. Would love to see some of your fan-films when you finish.

Where is that place that is in the picture? It sure is a beautiful place and kinda reminds me of Friday 1 & 2.

[nottidelterrore]

I just acquired the novelization of Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives off a friend. He sold it to me for what he paid for it: $14. I've been wanting to get it for a long time now.

I've read the Camp Crystal Lake series & thought the books were pretty decent but nothing really great overall. My favourite was probably The Carnival.

[Scarecrow]

SO what's a complete list of the Black Flame novels, in order? And which are considered the best?


- Scarecrow

[Jigsaw]

Counting the F13 and Jason X novels from BF:


Church Of The Divine Psychopath
Hell Lake
Hate-Kill-Repeat
The Jason Strain
Carnival Of Maniacs

Jason X
The Experiment
Planet Of The Beast
Death Moon
To The Third Power


I've read all the JX books minus TTTP, and thought they were all awful (especially Death Moon, ugh :X). COTDP and HKR are very good, which HKR being my favorite, and COM isn't bad either. Hell Lake is best avoided, it starts out okay but becomes terrible in the second half. TJS should be avoided at all costs :X

[sCabbOy]

I thought Church had potential, but I didn't like it. Hell Lake was GOD awful and so was HKR. I dunno... these authors try and make Jason out to be Godzilla and I hate it.

[Jigsaw]

Hell Lake was okay in the first half and moderately enjoyable, but the second half was a complete mess and by then it didn't even know what kind of story it wanted to be. Very weak and bad novel on most counts.

[Natman]

I thought that Hell Lake did indeed become a complete mess. It made a lot of bad decisions, only one of which being replacing Jason's mask. I still really enjoyed Hate-Kill-Repeat, Church of the Divine Psychopath and Carnival of Maniacs (as Hand also did a good job with the FvJ adaption). Read all the Jason X books but only even moderately enjoyed the first two. And the Jason Strain is just unmentionable.

[Jigsaw]

I forgot about the FVJ novelization, I liked it a lot. IMO it was much better than the film.

[Natman]

Even though I did enjoy FvJ as time went on (and mostly due to the fact that I had been waiting so long) that is probably true. The novelization kept continuity with the entire series, it was allowed to do things the movie wasn't.

[Jigsaw]

With the FVJ novelization you're also able to envision your own version of the movie in your mind. What I was able to envision reading the novelization was a lot more effective than the quick-cut and overstylized film.

[Rich]

Why would book writers make Jason drive and truck? Did some of those people ever even see a Friday the 13th movie?

[sCabbOy]

Yeah Jason driving is slightly comical, but overly absurd. I still can't get behind Michael Myers driving a panel truck all the way to California. Some of the novels are really hard to take seriously because of crap like that.

[Rich]

Ant then one of the other books had Jason use a machine gun? Well, at least the comics got the character right.

[Darth Sinister]

Well, driving is a bit far fetched, but a gun isn't. Jason's been shot a few times, I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to figure out how to use a gun. Reloading, would be a bit more difficult.

[sCabbOy]

nah, Jason knows how to use a gun- he's a country boy.

He's definitely used them before, and I am sure if more were laying around he would have used them more.

[Rich]

True he's used an arrow gun more then once, but to use a friggen machine gun...that is just not Friday the 13th/Jason style. I would not want to see Jason using a shot gun on people. That is the only problem I had with the fan made movie based on Eric Morse's Mother's Day. I liked the story, but I did not like how every kill was basically a shot gun blast. To me, that is just not Friday the 13th...or even the slasher genre.

[Utellme]

A harpoon gun im ok with a shot gun would not work for me.

[sCabbOy]

Jason with a machine gun with a cigar in his mouth would be a funny site.... but if it were up to me I'd love Jason to use hand tools.

[Darth Sinister]

It wouldn't hurt if Jason was being attacked by someone with a shotgun, then he'd rip it out of their hand and shoot them with it.

[Utellme]

It wouldn't hurt if Jason was being attacked by someone with a shotgun, then he'd rip it out of their hand and shoot them with it.
or crack them up side the head would be even better.Jason using a gun is just way to easy and boring when you can have Jason slam someone off a tree in there sleeping bag.

[MellySuicide]

I liked Carnival of Maniacs.

That was the only one I got to read. My friend's ex husband had it on his bookshelf and I read it in about 3 hours. I now wish I knew how rare it was back then... I would have conned him into selling it to me. Actually, I believe he had one of the movie novels as well, but that was about 8 years ago. :sniffle:

[Spook]

The only Friday the 13th novel I own/read was the Freddy vs. Jason novelization. I've been dying to read some of the Black Flame novels. I own a couple from the A Nightmare on Elm Street series (Suffer the Children and Protege) and thought they were really good. The only ones I want to read, though, are: Church of the Divine Psychopath, Hate-Kill-Repeat, and Carnival of Maniacs. I've read that the other ones are quite terrible.

[Jigsaw]

Indeed, Spook. Hell Lake and The Jason Strain are atrocious.

[Geomonic]

I've read Carnival of Maniacs and Jason X, the latter I found to be quite dire, but Carnival was an enjoyable read. The authors of these books obviously aren't Stephen King; but they do a decent job.

I'm halfway through The jason Strain, and I can't read a page without thinking about that Stone Cold film The Condemned; it's a carbon copy with Jason thrown in.

[Just Jeans]

Although in this case, wouldn't The Condemned be a carbon copy of The Jason Strain? I'm almost positive the book came first...

I recently (!) unpacked my paperback novels, and in doing so unearthed Hate-Kill-Repeat, The Jason Strain and the Jason X novel with Moon in the title. Still need to read the latter two (as well as the Nightmare novels Protege and Suffer the Children).

[sambob25]

I have all the movie novelizations and they're all in very good shape. I bought the Hawke novels when they were brand new and had them stored away for years. They do have a bit of an old-book smell now (they miraculously survived a basement flooding completely intact, but a slightly-musty smell remains). I got Avallone's part 3 novelization off Amazon a few years back (everyone had it listed at something ridiculous like $50 to $100, but I somehow logged on at the perfect time and got it for $7). When the day comes that I need to buy a new car in a pinch, I'll probably sell them ... I can't BELIEVE the prices they command in online auctions!

Anyway, for those people that want to read them for the alternate endings and backstories, this site has some of them transcribed:
http://campblood.shiversofhorror.com/Novels/novels.htm

[James M]

I just got myself a copy of Simon Hawke's Jason Lives novel in "like new" condition for $23.50 off Amazon. Not bad. The other other novels are going for ridiculous prices right now. Some can reach over the $200 mark. The cheapest Part 2 on Amazon right now is like $115.

I have Hawke's Part 1 and Avallone's Part 3. I managed to get decent deals on those a while back.

[nottidelterrore]

That's pretty cool, James. I still only have the Jason Lives novelization. It's in decent condition with some writing in it & whatnot. Other than that, it looks good. I also have the Eric Morse books. I kind of want to go through them again.

[sCabbOy]

I should not have sold my book collection, I really miss them.

The books were so easy to read that when I was bored I would pick one up and read half of it in a day.

[Darth Sinister]

I just got myself a copy of Simon Hawke's Jason Lives novel in "like new" condition for $23.50 off Amazon. Not bad. The other other novels are going for ridiculous prices right now. Some can reach over the $200 mark. The cheapest Part 2 on Amazon right now is like $115.

I have Hawke's Part 1 and Avallone's Part 3. I managed to get decent deals on those a while back.

LIke I said, that's the rarity factor. People will offer high prices knowing how rare they are. In your case, you paid 23 bucks for a book that cost what, $2.50 in 1986. That's why I scour used book stores. I know my odds are a lot longer there, but you never know. I can get it for dirt cheap. Free in at least one store, as part of a trade-in.

[Patrick]

I got me a first edition Part 3 book off of eBay last week for $10. It's in good condition too. I am very happy with it. :D