"The Curse of the Reaper" In folklore and mythology, the reaper has long been associated with death and danger. Largely depicted as a hooded figure wielding a scythe, the reaper is said to be an omen of doom and an agent of the afterlife. It is believed that encountering the reaper or being cursed by it brings about certain misfortunes and dreadful circumstances. The Curse of the Reaper is said to manifest in various ways, tormenting its victims with bad luck, illness, and even death. According to legends, those who cross paths with the reaper, whether by witnessing its spectral form or encountering it in their dreams, become subject to its curse. It is believed that once cursed, individuals are followed by an ethereal presence that brings forth a series of unfortunate incidents.
It is believed that once cursed, individuals are followed by an ethereal presence that brings forth a series of unfortunate incidents. **The curse often begins with a string of accidents, mishaps, and financial hardships.** Everyday tasks become fraught with danger as accidents occur seemingly out of nowhere.
Review: Curse of the Reaper by Brian McAuley (Out October 4th)
If you are looking for the perfect book to add to your list of Halloween & spooky season reads, look no further. This is the one. Keep reading to find out more, but no need to beware—I won’t be dropping any spoilers here. This is one you have to experience for yourself.
I seriously cannot sing the praises of Curse of the Reaper enough. Fellow horror fans, this one is for us! I don’t even mean just the people who read horror books—I mean all of you. If you are the type who eats up horror and spooky stuff. If your comfort movies are 80s slashers and you know all the tropes. If your T-shirts are emblazoned with the faces of cinema villains. If you have friends who don’t understand why you’re into these “cheesy, gross movies.” This book is for you.
Yes, yes, a little context is in order: Curse of the Reaper follows Howard Browning, an aging actor who made his legacy playing the titular role in The Night of the Reaper horror movie franchise. The Reaper is a villain who blends the supernatural brute of Jason with the quippy, tormenting one-liners of Freddy. He has a backstory that you will immediately recognize as on par with the origin stories of some of our best-known classic villains, making you feel like you’re watching one of your favorite old school slasher movies, but he’s still the kind of villain that makes you want to root for him, and his kills are gorey, splattery, and amusing as he utilizes a chain as one of his weapons in a move that is purely slasher meets Scorpion.
After playing the Reaper in an entire franchise of movies, Browning has spent recent years hitting the horror con circuit and posing for pics with adoring fans like us. But he’s not exactly satisfied with how things are going and he’s not making much money. Then big news arrives: The Reaper franchise is being revived! We all know Hollywood loves rebooting things, and Howard is about to reap—yes, pun intended, and I’m not sorry at all—the rewards.
Except no he isn’t.
Because they’re replacing him. With someone younger.
Okay, he’s not eight. But he is in his twenties and he has been acting since he was a kid.
As Howard processes this, fighting against the production company’s decision and being met with repeated insult added to injury, the line between Howard Browning and the character of The Reaper begins to get very blurry and things get….let’s say messy. Very, very messy. The novel keeps the reader on their toes as we watch Howard walk the line between being a perfectly nice seeming older gentleman who eats a vegetarian diet, loves cats, and enjoys a good cup of tea, and falling prey to the nagging possession of a murderous villain with vengeance on the brain, his connection to the character becoming stronger and stronger.
What I didn’t initially realize going into this novel is that we are gifted with an alternate POV, too—that of Trevor Mane, the young man who has been cast as the new Reaper in place of Howard. Trevor, a former child star from a beloved family sitcom (you know precisely the type), is fresh out of rehab after a gnarly accident and struggling with a heroin addiction, in addition to taking the helm as a much-loved villain from a very popular movie series, even though horror really isn’t his type of thing. The addition of this POV really makes the novel much more dynamic and expands on not just the tale of the struggles of Hollywood and fickle fame, but also the lore of the Reaper himself.
Essentially, Curse of the Reaper is a slasher within a slasher, but it honestly has a lot of heart and also addresses some very serious issues, such as dementia, losing yourself in various different ways, and of course, addiction. The portrayals of addiction and Trevor’s struggles were at times both heartbreaking and infuriating. It was difficult to watch him slip down the slope, and the novel did a great job of highlighting how addiction impacts not just the addict, but also their loved ones. McAuley highlights Trevor’s specific thoughts and manages to make him a very unlikable character at times as we watch the exact thought pattern behind his attempts to manipulate people, and it makes you want to slap him and also offer him help, as you know some part of this is probably the addiction talking. I was surprised to see these more serious elements interwoven, and I thought that McAuley did a really good job of balancing the more serious elements with the more slasher-y elements.
And speaking of slasher-y elements, although I would be keen to remind people that it’s not just a slasher, there’s still plenty of slashing, and a lot of fun elements for fellow horror movie fans to enjoy. In between each section break, we are treated with a few pages of the script for the different Reaper films, including the opening pages from the OG Night of the Reaper from 1980 which could have been ripped straight from a Friday the 13 th film—specifically, Friday the 13 th Part II. I loved reading the little scripts, and honestly, if The Reaper franchise were a real movie series, I would watch it.
and love every second of itThe whole book is full of lots of homages to horror like this, and you can tell McAuley is a big horror fan who knows the “classics” through and through, and he brought a lot of that knowledge to the page. McAuley also brings knowledge of filmmaking and Hollywood to the page, bringing the behind the scenes portion of things to life, and you can tell he knows his stuff there, too (as well he should—his previous writing credits include everything from penning the horror thriller Dismissed, starring Dylan Sprouse, to that episode of Fuller House where Steve attempts to take DJ “back to when they were hottest the couple at Bayview High”—so he’s been on all sides of this, and lends some of that knowledge to the stories and experiences of Howard and Trevor).
All in all, this is easily a new favorite of mine, and I think it will be incredibly successful amongst the horror community. There’s a lot to lose yourself in, and you will absolutely devour it. Easy 5/5 stars, go pre-order it so that you get it in time to read it for Halloween. It’s releasing at the perfect time and will be a flawless addition to any October TBR.
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- ← ARC Review: The Depths by Nicole Lesperance (Out September 13th)
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Because they’re replacing him. With someone younger.
Personal relationships may suffer, leading to conflict and estrangement. Furthermore, the cursed individual may experience a decline in health, with unexplained illnesses and ailments plaguing them relentlessly. **As the curse progresses, the victim may find themselves facing tragedy and eventual demise.** Friends and family members may meet untimely deaths, accidents become increasingly severe, and the curse seems to tighten its grip. It is believed that the reaper's curse ultimately leads to the cursed individual's final encounter with death. Throughout history, tales of the Curse of the Reaper have spread as warnings to those who may come face to face with the ominous figure. The curse serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the inescapable nature of death. It also carries an underlying message that individuals should cherish and make the most of their time, as encounters with the reaper may bring forth unimaginable consequences. While the Curse of the Reaper remains a fascinating part of folklore and mythology, its existence in reality is a subject of skepticism. Many view it as mere superstition or a metaphorical representation of the impermanence of life. Nevertheless, the tales of the reaper and its curse continue to captivate the human imagination, reminding us of our mortality and the importance of appreciating the present moment..
Reviews for "Supernatural Signs: Recognizing the Presence of the Reaper's Curse"
1. Samantha - 1/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Curse of the reaper". The plot was incredibly predictable and lacked any originality. The characters were dull and one-dimensional, making it hard for me to care about their fates. The pacing was also off, with slow and boring moments that made it a struggle to stay engaged. Overall, I found this movie to be a major letdown and would not recommend it to anyone.
2. Mark - 2/5 stars - "Curse of the reaper" had potential, but it fell flat for me. The special effects were subpar and took away from the overall viewing experience. The acting was mediocre at best, with many performances coming across as forced and unbelievable. The dialogue was cliché and lacked any depth or originality. I had high hopes for this movie, but unfortunately, it just didn't deliver.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - I was excited to watch "Curse of the reaper" as I'm a fan of horror movies, but this one didn't live up to my expectations. The scares were cheap and predictable, relying on loud noises and jump scares rather than building genuine suspense. The story was disjointed and confusing, leaving me feeling detached from the characters and their motivations. The overall execution felt sloppy and rushed, making it hard for me to fully enjoy this film.
4. Brian - 1/5 stars - "Curse of the reaper" was a complete waste of time. The plot was convoluted and poorly developed, making it difficult to follow and understand what was happening. The acting was cringe-worthy, with performances that felt forced and unnatural. The special effects were laughably bad, and the attempts at creating tension and scares were ineffective. I have seen many horror movies, and this one was by far one of the worst. Save your time and skip this one.
5. Jessica - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Curse of the reaper", but it ended up being a disappointment. The storyline had potential, but it was poorly executed. The pacing felt off, with moments of intense action followed by long stretches of dullness. The characters lacked depth and were not compelling, making it hard to emotionally invest in their fates. Although there were a few scary scenes, overall, the movie failed to deliver on its promise of a thrilling horror experience.