Circus of the Dead: The Novelization

by Joshua Millican, Billy Ho Pon (writer), Lee Ankrum (writer)

A sadistic group of clowns kidnap an unsuspecting man, Don, forcing him to play a deadly game in order to save his family. Don finds himself at the center of the clowns' mayhem and struggles to follow the horrifying rules of the game. Trapped in a moral dilemma, Don realizes he will do anything to save his family from the blood-thirsty clowns and escape the maniacal circus.

From the minds of Billy Ho Pon and Lee Ankrum and the pen of Joshua Millican, Circus of the Dead comes to life like never before in the Official Novelization!

Genres: Horror

246 pages, Paperback

Published November 26, 2024

About the author

Joshua Millican's debut novel, DEEPER THAN HELL, was released by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2022. He is also the author of SEPTUM (Encyclopocalypse), TELEPORTASM (Shortwave), and DOPEFOOT (Mad Axe Media).

Joshua has written film novelizations for FORBIDDEN ZONE, ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE, CIRCUS OF THE DEAD, and CHOPPING MALL. THE DREADFUL YEARS (Encyclopocalypse), is a collection of interviews he conducted during his tenure as Editor-in-Chief at Dread Central.

Reviews

[Lady MacDeath 🌒🌕🌘]

It’s a known fact that I love anything that Joshua Millican releases. After reading Deeper Than Hell, and Septum (my favourite), I was hooked, and so forth and so on…

Circus of the Dead is a movie by Billy Pon and Lee Ankrum, which was released in 2014 about a bunch of homicidal clowns. When I realised JM had written the novelisation, I just knew I had to read it. Also I’m a coulrophobe, but just love them in books and movies…makes it more fun, right?!

The circus is in town, and a sadistic group of clowns, headed up by the nefarious, Papa Corn, have kidnapped Don, a husband and father, who drifts through life, unappreciative of all he has. In order to save his two daughters, Don is forced to accompany Papa Corn, Mister Blister, Noodledome, and Jumbo on their twisted, murderous rampage.

This is fast paced, jaw droppingly brutal, horrific, and a helluva lot of fun, from the first page.
As soon as I finished the book, I immediately watched the movie on YouTube, and I can tell you that JM’s novelisation is so much more fun, gory, and disturbing. I loved it, and highly recommend it to anyone, who is a Splatterpunk, horror fan, with a fear of clowns, and a huge slice of mayhem.
Joshua Millican is a genius, and can do no wrong!!

Thanks to the author, Encyclopocalypse Publications, and BookSirens for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.

Release Date: 26 November 2024

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[BookDragonAshh]

Clowns and gore!!
I don't think I could have picked up a better book for this halloween season.



So, normally I don't include trigger warnings but this book certainly warrants the heads up. And if you are anything like me, you will be looking at these warning like it's a shopping list.

*Violence
*Rape
*Abuse
*Death
*Sex
*profanity

These warnings come directly from the BookSirens website, but I still feel like I need to stress a few things. This book is extremely gory and descriptive. If you aren't into extreme horror, this book is definitely NOT for you. I will say, I have a strong stomach and there were parts of this book that had me flinching. So if you are a blood and gore horror buff like myself, this is right up your alley.

At this point, I feel like I also need to add a few other disclaimers.

This book is a novelization of a movie that I did not watch and have no intentions of watching in the near future. I have small children. I have to read my horror to protect their sweet little minds, lest they accidentally wander into the room with murderous clowns on the TV.

With that said, this review is going to be based entirely on this book alone, (like it should be), with absolutely no influence from the cinematic format whatsoever. So if you watched the movie and are wondering if this book does it justice... you won't find your answers here.

Now that I have taken the time to thoroughly warn everyone about the contents of this book and informed the people of my intensions with this review, let's get into my thoughts....

I loved this book. (Probably more than my previous therapists would like for me to admit.)

Do I feel a little guilty for enjoying this gory masterpiece? Nope. Not at all.

At some point, a few days ago, I crawled out of the rock I was residing under and discovered Joshua Millican. At this point, the only thing I feel any sort of remorse for is the fact that it has taken me so long to discover this author.

Joshua Millican provides us with a delicious amount of description that is perfect for the horror buffs needing to fully immerse themselves into the blood and gore. Not only was it easy to picture the scenes, but the clowns were also so vivid in my imagination.

Thankfully, the author was kind enough to provide their description up front, instead of slowly feeding us information throughout the course of the story. It was a much more enjoyable experience to be able to fully picture these horrifying clowns throughout the duration of my reading. I guess it goes without saying, but it is so annoying when an author slowly drops little details here and there and I have to stop and reimagine what I thought things originally looked like.



Setting aside what the clowns looked like, I also feel like I need to commend their depth. In other words, the personalities of these sadistic killers all varied so much that it was easy to tell them apart and appreciate them differently.

Not only were these characters beautifully written, but simply the story itself. I feel like I was able to vividly picture everything that was going on. There was never a moment where I felt like I needed more.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story line. I love that Mexican Loteria was a key component in this book. It was a wonderful way to connect Mexican culture to the story and keep me hanging on the edge of my seat. I couldn't put this book down because I so desperately needed to know what card Papa Corn was going to pull out of his bag next and what he was going to do with it.



For context, I was born and raised in South Texas in a Mexican/American family. With that said, I am definitely no stranger to the game of Loteria. My family has been playing for generations and it is still something we do to this day to get together and bond while also honoring our ancestors who used to sit together and play. It's a way we keep our family connection going and also stay in contact with everyone.

With that said, there was a few times Papa Corn pulled out a card that is definitely not a part of the Mexican Loteria that I know and love today. I am very familiar with the 52 cards that make up the game and at one point, I thought I was going crazy. Is he using a different variation of the game? What am I missing?

To put myself out of my misery, I decided to pause and do a bit of light research. I learned a lot about where Loteria originated and how it was spread throughout several countries. I even looked into said countries variations and still came up short.

These mysterious cards do not exist. At least, according to my minimal research...

Now again, I didn't watch the movie. Maybe these cards were in the movie and the author decided to keep it as close as possible to the cinematic version. I really don't know what the case is here.

Either way, I would have loved if the cards didn't stray from the original Mexican variation of the game. It would have been much easier for me to fully enjoy this book and appreciate it that much more.

None of this was enough to drastically change my opinions to the point where I would say I didn't like this book. I really did enjoy this story and the writing style. But, I will not deny that it did annoy me enough to feel the need to mention it here.

With everything said, I definitely enjoyed this book and wouldn't mind reading it again in the future.

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys extreme horror and likes all of the gore and blood. Especially, if you are someone who likes those things with a little Mexican flare.

I would definitely NOT recommend this book to anyone who isn't into extreme gore and horror. Anyone who has a weak stomach, definitely pass on this one. And anyone who is sensitive to the trigger warnings mentioned in the beginning of this review, I would not go anywhere near this book.

If you are someone who loves horror novels but haven't quite ventured into splatterpunk, I would proceed with caution.

*I was given a free copy of this book. Nothing mentioned above was said against my will and I was not encouraged in any way to give this book a positive rating. This review is entirely made up of my honest opinions.*

[Brian Mcclain]

Circus of the Dead is a movie that I've always been interested in seeing but never took the time to do so. Based on this experience with the novelization I'm 100% going to make the time to watch it.

This book is nuts, with psychopathic clowns perpetuating a trail of horrific actions upon unsuspecting people and yet there's a pervasive sense of pitch black humor throughout.

It does feel at times like a novelization of a movie, which is not a surprise but perhaps leaves room to be fleshed out further in a different setting.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Luka Jae]

I remember watching this movie a few years back. Not Great, and I usually love all things Horror.

The novelization made it so much more interesting without the low budget filming and cheesy acting.

[Cristian Rubén Melis]

I loved this one.

[Megan Beck]

if you are a fan of the movie, you will love this book. it can definitely be very graphic so keep that in mind if you are sensitive to certain content

[Alex]

This may be the longest review I have posted, so get comfortable and I hope you enjoy it!

"Circus of the Dead" is a film released back in 2014, I remember watching it back in the day, and I remember it being very mediocre. The acting was bad, it felt very rushed, the editing was not great, and it felt very poorly filmed. I re-watched the movie in preparation for this novelization, and I still feel the same as I did 10 years ago, haha, however it's an entertaining watch about clowns and I appreciate the practical effects of the gore.

But this is not a movie review, this is a book review. I have read novelizations before for films, and there is a bit of extra dialogue here and there, maybe an extra scene that didn't make the cut, and a bit more monologues, but overall, it follows the film almost by detail. However, this is by far the BEST novelization I have ever read!

First off, almost EVERY single scene is extended is some way or another, with more dialogue and more actions. There is a lot of backstory for a lot of the characters that make them feel more real and fleshed out. Nothing feels rushed like the previous counter-part.

Second, it's a lot more violent and gory, while the film had it's moments, this is truly a splatter book that does not hold back! It's just more disturbing in every way, I know that movies can only do so much while books can get away with more, but I thought there could have been a few scenes that could have made the cut.

The story is slightly updated, which makes it feel new. For example, there is a few references to Art the Clown, even though the film came out in 2014 and the first "Terrifier" was released in 2016. Normally, novelizations are written as (or after) the movie is finished filming, but these writers came together many years later to create a new and better story!

The major change, in my opinion, was the the character of Papa Corn (the leader of the clowns). The actor did a great job portraying him, but in this novelization, the character, while still being so sadistic, seemed to be a lot more sophisticated and creepy. That is mainly because of great writing and the extended dialogue. Even the other clowns are more fleshed out!

Overall, this is definitely a disturbing, depressing, fun and wild ride! both movie and book. The ending is still gut-wrenching in both and if you have actually seen the film, you MUST check this out!

The writers of this did an amazing job turning a less-than-par movie into a masterpiece! They removed a few minor things from the film and added so much more! If the movie was actually made in this fashion, we would be talking about it today!

I truly hope the writers make more novelizations for older movies, because this truly blew my mind on how different it was!

There is a prequel at the end of the book about one of the characters, but I don't wanna talk about it so you can be surprised! It's just as good!

I didn't mean to keep mentioning the film, but this is a novelization, so I hope you still enjoyed it!

4/5

I received a copy of this book from Booksirens, and I am proud to always help the authors and them out!

[Luis Roco]

I hadn’t watched the movie before reading the novelization, but I will surely do so now. It will be very interesting to see how all the violence depicted in the book is translated to the screen.

I must say that this book really surprised me. At first, I started reading it out of curiosity, but soon enough, it submerged me in the devious world of Papa Corn and his band of psycho/sadistic clowns.

In the first chapters, the book feels like a script translated into prose. It feels rough, and the descriptions are very basic and to the point. However, as the story progresses, it improves and grabs you by the neck, submerging you completely in the story.

This is a really great book if you love the torture or clown horror genre.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Andy]

As someone who enjoyed the macabre experience of the movie, the novelization of Circus of the Dead did not disappoint. Having an extra peek into the minds of the characters as they unleashed their horrors on the people around them or suffered those horrors at the hands of the unhinged killers was a unique perspective and added another layer to a story I already knew. I also thoroughly enjoyed When Papa Met Doll Boy which contained a whole new short but terrifying scenario and gave some interesting background on an otherwise more mysterious character in the original storyline. This was a fun and wild read, and I'm so glad I got to experience it all over again with even more detail than before.
(A huge thank-you to BookSirens for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review of my own volition, and it contains my personal opinions and experiences.)

[Doreen Fernandes]

When the circus comes to town, people look forward to its fun activities. This circus is not for those who value their lives. A chilling account of mayhem and massacre and the depths of human depravity.

[Rachel]

So creepy and so awesome!! Loved this!

[Books For Decaying Millennials]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
-
Encyclopocalypse publications has made a name for itself providing horror fandom with a growing selection of of novelizations of horror films from recent films like Splice back to infamous gems like Plan 9 From Outer Space (which I've reviewed here, go check it out). Joshua Millican's adaptation of the 2014 film is a worthy addition to their catalog.

Circus of the Dead is an unrelenting, unforgiving kaleidoscope of depravity, violence and gore. author Joshua Millican takes all of these elements, mixes them with white grease paint and loving and quite effectively building off of Billy Ho Pon and Lee Ankrum's screen play. Pon and Ankrum's screen play is the bones, their 2014 film is their vision made manifest. All this being the case, Millican's novelization is that vision re-animated. The world of Papa Corn and his clowns is filthier, messier and in scope and scale for more twisted and disturbing than what would pass muster with cinema censors. There in lies the magic of this adaptation, the gloves are off, the confetti and body parts are flying! This one isn't a read for the squeamish, but if you are a fan of gore, debauchery, extreme horror and all that fun stuff, this book is just the ticket!
so hang on tight, and remember... Papa Loves YOU.

Lest I forget, Bill Oberst Jr., the man who brought Papa Corn to life in the film, provides an excellent Forward to meat of the story. I'm almost ashamed to admit that, upon reading this book I had not seen the film. Bills Forward, that some may read as a warning, drove to me to watch the trailer before reading further. This ensured that the voice of Papa Corn was firmly in my brain while reading.

[Jeremy Fowler]

Disturbing Clowns and Terrifying Gore Abounds in Circus of the Dead!

Circus of the Dead is the Novelization I didn’t know I needed to read this year! Following closely on the cult classic film, this novelization takes the basis of the film and dials to up by a 1000%!

Joshua Millican’s additions to this story had me physically getting ill at times. Not only is the base line story dark and evil, but the way that this story transformed in my mind made it much more real. I was petrified to go to bed and was waiting for Papa Corn to bust down my door with his giggling gang of misfits and murder me. This story is not for the faint of heart, it is labeled as splatterpunk and it really is. The film is disturbing, but the book is downright despicable and I cannot reiterate it enough. Don’t worry though, if this is your thing, you’ll love this book as much as I did! It’s truly going to change your outlook on the film. And it gives you a few extra moments you can take with you. The last little prequel at the end of this story is just a bloody twist and I could have taken another 150 pages of that story too!

All in all this is a phenomenal novelization and readers are going to love it!

[Tammy Riner]

I received an ARC of this book and these are my honest thoughts on it.

Wow, what a ride. I did not see the film, so this story was completely new to me.

I loved the writing style, it was fun and laced with dark humor that made me laugh out loud and instantly feel guilty for laughing. So much creative depravity and scenes that will stick with me (La Madre card, I’m looking at you).

There was a “Prequel” after the main story that gave some extra backstory, and I loved it. I wish there was more that delved into the origins of the other clowns as well.

I would absolutely recommend this book to fans of extreme horror/splatterpunk. There’s gore galore and no shortage of other terrifying and sickening topics to tickle the worst part of your brain.

[Kirstyn (readwithkirstyn)]

Circus of the Dead by Joshua Millican is a thrilling descent into horror that will captivate fans of splatterpunk. Millican expertly weaves a tale filled with unsettling imagery and relentless tension, immersing readers in a nightmarish carnival world that is both grotesque and fascinating. The characters are vividly crafted, and the plot is packed with shocking twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys dark, visceral storytelling and a macabre atmosphere.

**Please note that this novel contains themes of violence, rape, abuse, death, profanity, and kidnapping, which may be triggering for some readers.**

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stacie]

Thank you for letting me read a copy of this book in exchange for my review. I liked the detailed descriptions of each clown; each with their own individual characteristics. All equally horrifying in their own way. Put them together they are an absolute nightmare. This book wasn’t bad, it was definitely graphic and gross, but it’s to be expected with this type of book so that’s not a negative. It was a decent storyline, it didn’t grab me to where I couldn’t put the book down, but it was decent. Overall it’s a good read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stephanie]

Thank you to BookSirens and Encyclopocalypse Publications for providing a review copy.

I will admit that I have never seen Circus of the Dead. It's one I kind of always meant to watch, and then would promptly forget existed again. Josh Millican is an auto-read for me, so reading the book was a no brainer. I definitely won't forget to watch the movie now! "Sadistic circus clown" is a new favorite subgenre of horror. I can't rate how it compares to the movie, but I had a great time with the book. 4.5 stars

[Kat M]

Joshua Millican does a fantastic job in writing this novelization to the movie Circus of the Dead. It had everything that I was looking for from this type of book. It was wonderfully written and the characters felt true to the story, it had that splatterpunk element and it worked as it's own story. It uses the movie perfectly and thought the Circus was just as deadly.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[B]

Thanks to Joshua Millican, Encyclopocalypse Press and BookSirens for the chance to read this book. I didn't think it would be that good of a read because of it being a movie novelization, but I loved Joshua Millican's other books so much I thought I would check it out. I'm glad I did because he did a great job of writing a disturbing story of clowns or psychopaths with clown makeup and humor mixed in. I haven't ever seen the movie but if its as good as the book I look forward to it.

[Tiffany]

I’m such a huge fan of the movie, and was excited to have the opportunity to read this book. Talk about a wild, sadistic, crazy ride! I couldn’t put this story down. I loved the extra details, back stories, and fun little surprises that made me laugh. Papa Corn and the clowns depravity made me just want more, and this definitely delivers! This should be on every horror fans wish list, you will not be disappointed.

[Nancy]

I have never had a fear of the circus or clowns. But this book gave me a new fear. Papa Corn is a sadistic MF for sure.
Don is a family man who goes to the Circus with his wife and 2 teen daughters. But when he is kidnapped by the clowns, he may never be the same after. Definately a must read for anyone who enjoys sadistic horror and clowns. You will never look at a circus the same again!!

[Lyndsey Gollogly]

Oh I really really hate clowns! This book is why they are just the worst. This is all kids of wrong on so many levels. It’s hard to shout and scream about these books but I really like this writer. Please check your trigger warnings and stay away from the circus.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Annemarie]

Definitely not for the squeamish as it can be quite graphic. If you don't already have a clown phobia, this is enough to give you one.

I received a free Advance Reader Copy of Circus of the Dead through BookSirens and have chosen to leave a review.

[Lola Jansen]

Gory, twisted, dark, depraved…. What more would a girl want in a book?!

This was a very good read! I’ve never seen the movie, but the novelization is very good!

Check those triggers tho cuz it’s very very dark and depraved!

Just wow!

[Cindy Richerson]

i really enjoyed the book. once i started reading it i didnt quit until i was finished. look forward to reading more from the author