Cycle of the Werewolf
Author: Stephen King
Artist: Bernie Wrightson
Published: 1983
I didn’t realize when I started this that this book is the basis for the 1985 film “Silver Bullet” starring cinema greats Gary Busey and Corey Haim. It’s been nearly twenty years since I’ve seen that movie, but even without reading this book I vividly remember a teenager defending himself from a werewolf with fireworks and the reveal of who the the werewolf was due to an eye patch a short time later. (In the film, the werewolf was played by Everett McGill, aka Big Ed from Twin Peaks, and an actor who one of my favorite podcasts would refer to as a god damned American treasure).
Cycle of the Werewolf is a book that’s difficult to put into a genre. It’s certainly a horror story due to its subject matter. It’s also like a short story collection, as the book is divided into 12 chapters based on the full moon each month, and only about 4 of the twelve chapters really feel connected to the main narrative and the rest seem like vignettes. The book is a very quick read with illustrations mixed in for each chapter (typically a scenery picture to open the chapter, and a werewolf attack or two also illustrated). I wouldn’t classify it as a kids book due to some violence and language, but the pictures and quick read probably make it more juvenile than many adults would want to be seen reading in public (although at 127 pages, and with many of those illustrations or blank title pages this is easily a book one could read in one sitting).
Unfortunately there’s not a lot more to this story than the few iconic moments I remembered from the film as the bulk of the book is just a few paragraphs about a person about to become a werewolf attack victim. The film script that came from this did a much better job of developing characters and telling an interesting story than this book, but as a quick read about werewolves near Bangor this was fairly harmless. The art by Bernie Wrightson was also very fun and added to my enjoyment of the story. I’m also ready to rewatch “Silver Bullet” now, so that’s an added bonus.
- 3 Barrels
- Stephen King
