“I never forget Halloween,” Hat said. “If I can, I stay home on Halloween. Don’t want to be out on the street that night.” “You’d feel in danger?” I asked. “No,” he finally said. “Not exactly. But I wouldn’t feel safe either.”October Dreams is a well-above average anthology of Halloween-themed horror stories that like a bag of the holiday candy is full of savory treats, with nary a stinker to be found. In addition to some really great short stories (and one poem!), the book includes the ‘Favorit...

In some manner my literary, musical, and aesthetic sensibilities transmogrify with the season. Once the autumnal gods blow forth the cool air, carrying with it their fragrances of dry leaves, patchouli, apple spice, and the harvest, and pumpkins begin to grace doorsteps, the numinous in me is sustained by clichéd images of chilling awe; graveyards (with or without decayed hands rising there from), howling wolves silhouetted by full moons, implied malevolent cackling of jack-O’-lanterns, as well

This is a huge anthology celebrating the spookiest night of the year....Halloween! I really wanted to love this collection more, but a lot of the stories just aren't that memorable. Still, it's worth the effort to pick and choose.

A Celebration of Halloween edited by Richard Chizmar & Robert Morrish is a collection of new and previously published short stories, novellas and true-life memories taking place on Halloween. Included is a brief (and interesting) history of Halloween and guides to Halloween film and fiction all written by some of my favorite horror and dark fantasy writers.I’ve been working at this one for over a month and not due to disinterest either. This sucker is HUGE and its anthology format makes it the p...

This would've been a solid 3-star book: some good stories, some so-so stories, and it even includes the phenomenal Pork Pie Hat by Peter Straub. But a lot of the "favorite Halloween memory" chapters feel like filler, as do the movie reviews and overview of other stories that aren't in the collection. I'm also taking one star off for the transparent and unsubtle anti-abortion propaganda that is F. Paul Wilson's shitty story.

4.5 starsThe perfect anthology for reading during the run-up to Halloween! As well as the short stories by a huge variety of authors there are also 'Halloween Memories' from some of the authors sprinkled throughout which I think is a really great idea and adds to the Halloween atmosphere as you read through. There are also a couple of segments that recommend Halloween themed stories, novels and movies so it's great to refer back to for inspiration when Halloween comes round again. While there we...

"Ahhh, Halloween...The air is crisp, the leaves are turning, the bonfires are lit and everyone anticipates the one day where they can be whatever they want and go begging for treats, and more importantly, and if you're lucky, be on the receiving end of a really good scare! To start your season off right, pick-up a copy of this fantastic book, brimming with stories that will have you up late into the night turning the pages of one of the best Horror Anthologies to date. There is something for eve...

Rereading snippets of this book for the season reminded me how solid and informative an anthology collection can be. The jewels in this book are various authors' recollections of their personal Halloween stories, in addition to many great horror tales. Highly recommended, whether this edition or the later reprint editions not put out by Cemetery Dance.

A must-read for fans of horror or Halloween! A thrilling collection of short fiction and Halloween memories from top writers in the field! LOVE!!!

I enjoyed the favorite Halloween memories better than most of the shorts.. a great book to read this time of year

One of the absolute best Halloween anthologies out there! Volume II is very good as well, if you can find it. It's horrifically rare and expensive. 🎃

I love Halloween. I love short stories. And yes, I love this book.

It might be the season of the witch!October Dreams are special. It might be a ghost, a monster, a witch, a spirit from the past; it might be pain, tears; it might be something terrifying and mysterious, coldblood fear, desperation. These dreams saturated with crispy autumn air, falling rotten sweetness, with a painful squeeze of soul, bittersweet feeling of long gone childhood. These dreams go through the dark golden trees, wait at the lightspot of the streetlights, rustle among the dry brown le...

This book is a lovely holiday companion piece.I am a seasonal reader. When the days become noticeably shorter, usually August here in my hometown, I start reading material of a supernatural, horrific type. This goes on until after Halloween, through the dark days of the winter solstice. After the solstice my head turns towards all those lovely floor plans, both the Victorian kind published by Downing, Sloan and Bicknell as well as all the more recent floor plans available online.This is an essen...

I think of Halloween as a season which begins as soon as fall is in the air and ends when the leaves are gone from the trees, or after October 31st.What a deliciously nostalgic, fun Halloween anthology! I enjoyed the memories, history, literature & film essays interspersed with the short stories. It was a nice touch! There were some surprisingly somber moments within (Ed Gorman's "October!" immediately comes to mind), as well as your typical, enjoyable scary story (Lewis Shiner's "The Circle").

I'm completely obsessed with this book and I think everyone who has the slightest interest in Halloween should read it, though I may be a bit partial because this magical holiday happens to be my birthday. This anthology is brimming with personality and American tradition, not to mention legitimate creepiness. Most of the stories/anecdotes made me want to call up the author and rave about their work and pick their brain about their conception of Halloween. I raced through the 650 pages in less t...

There are some great stories here but also some awful crap. A pro-life horror = a big no from me thank you. A rubbish chapter on movies for Halloween and what I can only describe as complete pretentious crap from Kim Newman.Pork Pie Hat was a brilliant story though and the last 'memory' was Halloween perfection.

Only managed to make it through 185 pages before the book was due back at the library, and being that Halloween will soon be here and gone, I decided it wasn't worth renewing. Next year I may pick up where I left off, though.On the whole, the stories weren't all that great. I was looking for something that would make me get nostalgic about childhood Halloweens (in the tradition of Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree ), but didn't find much that could fulfill that request--not even in the non-fi...