Cycle of the Werewolf - Book Review

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King, S. Cycle of the Werewolf. Wrightson, B. (Illustrator). Hodder & Stoughton. (2023). Image Link.

Cycle of the Werewolf is a horror novella that was written by American novelist and “King of Horror” Stephen King and illustrated by Bernie Wrightson. It is 127 pages long and was first published in 1983. A film adaptation called “Silver Bullet” was released in 1985. A new paperback edition of Cycle of the Werewolf featuring Wrightson’s original illustrations was published by Hodder & Stoughton on 26 December 2024. The book is set in the fictional town of Tarker's Mills, Maine. This review will contain spoilers.

Marty Coslaw is a ten-year-old kid and a wheelchair user. He lives in the town of Tarker’s Mills with his mother, father, and 14-year-old sister Kate. For the past few months, the residents of Tarker’s Mills have been gripped with fear over a series of suspicious deaths within the town. The brutal nature of the attacks coupled with the fact that they have only ever occurred during a full moon leads Marty to suspect that the killer might in fact be a werewolf. In July, the town cancels the Independence Day fireworks, out of concern for the killer who is still on the loose. Marty is given a bag of fireworks from his Uncle Al so he can still celebrate. Marty waits until his family goes to bed and then sneaks outside. The noise of the fireworks attracts the werewolf which attacks him. Marty is able to blind it by shooting a rocket into its eye. Marty survives the encounter and becomes determined to finish off the werewolf for good.

Cycle of the Werewolf is a story about good vs and evil and who has the most power. King is such a master storyteller. He does a great job at describing the eeriness of the full moon, the isolation of the town, the howl of wind and snow, and how the werewolf moves through the night to hunt its victims. I liked that the main protagonist ended up being a 10-year-old child and a wheelchair user. Marty is a very smart and brave kid. When he figures out who the werewolf is he doesn’t run to his mother or hide under his bed. He starts sending him threatening letters and gets himself a gun and some silver bullets. Reverend Lester Lowe serves as the antagonist of the story. He reminded me a lot of the character of Father Paul Hill from the gothic horror miniseries Midnight Mass (2021). The most terrifying part of the story is the chapter from Reverend Lowe's point-of-view where he tries to justify the evil things he has done.

Summary: Cycle of the Werewolf tells the story of a werewolf terrorizing a small town.
Cost $34.98
Website: Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King - Hodder & Stoughton Books
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