Brad Anderson’s Session 9 has been one of my favorite psychological horror films ever since I caught a theatrical screening of it at a 24 hour horror marathon in 2001, so it’s cool to hear that horror and dark fantasy author Christian Francis – who has previously written novelizations of the films Wishmaster, Titan Find/Creature, and Vamp – is giving Anderson‘s cult classic the novelization treatment, with Echo Horror Publications planning to send the book out into the world on October 4th – just in time for Halloween season reading!
Starring David Caruso, Peter Mullan, Paul Guilfoyle, Josh Lucas, Stephen Gevedon, and Brendan Sexton III, Session 9 features one of the most epic F-bombs in cinema history and tells the following story: Grand, imposing… abandoned and deteriorating, the Danvers State Mental Hospital, closed down for 15 years is about to receive 5 new visitors. Donning protective gear, the men of the Hazmat Elimination Co. venture into the eerily vast and vacant asylum that is filled with an evil and mysterious past. Rampant patient abuse, medieval medical procedure and rumors of demonic possession are some of the many dark secrets the hospital holds – but then so do each of the men.
A press release informs us that, with Session 9: The Official Novelization, Francis is aiming to “deliver a wealth of fresh nightmares to a new generation” while delving “deeper into the eerie madness that made Session 9 such a horror gem. Set against the backdrop of the real-life abandoned mental institution, the Danvers State Hospital, the film’s atmospheric dread is reimagined on the page in Francis’ adept hands. This novel expands on the film’s screenplay, offering fans new insights into the characters’ psyches and unveiling more twisted, dark secrets from within the sinister asylum.“
Francis provided the following statement: “Bringing Session 9 into a literary form has been a huge honor for me. Brad’s movie is a personal favorite since I sat in the cinema watching it back in ‘01, and I relished being able to expand on its themes and explore the horrors within. My novelization is not only a tribute to the Brad’s amazing creation, but also an invitation to revisit the fear that it first inspired in audiences.“
Session 9: The Official Novelization will be available through all major bookstores and online platforms as an eBook, trade paperback, and hardcover, with an audiobook release expected to come along at the end of the year. There will also be a special Mass Market Paperback edition for retro novelization collectors! More information can be found at session9book.com.
Are you a fan of Session 9, and will you be picking up a copy of Session 9: The Official Novelization? Let us know by leaving a comment below.