Book Review: Cycle of the Werewolf

Stephen King published Cycle of the Werewolf in 1983, the same year Christine and Pet Sematary were released. Cycle of the Werewolf was a little over shadowed that year, but its a solid story nonetheless.

I'm a big fan of the layout of this book. Each chapter is one month of the year and follows a year where the werewolf exists. Each month is pretty much its own short story. The coolest part of this book are the illustrations. They appear every other page or so, and Bernie Wrightson did a great job of making the wolf look terrifying. I like this format so much, I might have to steal it, I mean borrow it and credit the author of course........

Cycle of the Werewolf starts in January is Tarker's Mill, Maine where the moon is full and a vicious murder occurs. This happens each month when the moon is full, and the people of Tarker's Mill start hearing things, and spreading rumors of a serial killer. Eventually the story changes to a werewolf because of evidence of foot prints and fur at the scene of the crimes. As the body count heightens, a smart teen-aged boy in a wheel chair discovers the secret of the wolf and is determined to stop him.

If you're looking for a quick scare, this is the book for you. The illustrations really make the werewolf creature come to life.

I give Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King 4 out of 5 Burning Lariats.