Wishmaster

The Novelization

By: Christian Francis, Peter Atkins

Narrated by: Sean Duregger

Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

The Wishmaster movie introduced horror fans to a new and enduring villain - the Djinn. A demonic genie who would offer wishes but would only grant nightmares.

Wishmaster showcased its tale with an abundance of imagination and excitement, establishing itself as a classic worthy of its creator's lineage - yet, unlike many of its contemporaries, it never received a novelization - until now!

23 years later, Encyclopocalypse Publications steps into the fray to right this wrong.

Based on the original screenplay by Peter Atkins, this novelization was written by Christian Francis (Author and narrator of Everyday Monsters and Incubus The Descent).

©2021 Peter Atkins (P)2021 Mark Alan Miller

In 1997 Wes Craven Changed Cinema FOREVER

No, not with Scream 2. I’m talking about Wishmaster. (Obviously.)

The Robert Kurtzman directed special effects bonanza may not have netted the same box-office bucks as Craven’s other productions but through an ensemble cast of horror actors (a veritable who’s-who), a “you seeing this s--t?” series of high-concept gory setpieces, and Craven himself underwriting the production as an executive producer, Wishmaster swiftly established a rabid fanbase on cable, VHS and DVD.

Nowadays the film rubs shoulders with the likes of Hellraiser, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Pumpkinhead as a crowd pleasing example of the “slasher fantastique”, the subgenre that asks, why settle with a guy in a white mask stabbing teens when you can unleash a whole emissary of hell on unwitting American suburbanites?

Peter Atkins, the architect behind the best of the Hellraiser sequels, re-constituted his expertise in the eldritch, service-based demon industry for the screenplay of Wishmaster. It’s one of those movies that always felt like it was based on a novel, in part because Atkins style has a literary flair to it. That’s what made his work on the Hellraiser sequels so strong-- though they’re not based on any Clive Barker works, they somehow have the feeling that they are, as if Atkins conjured Barker’s source material from an alternate reality where Hellbound: Hellraiser II was a best-selling follow-up to the Hellbound Heart and went to town.

Wishmaster has that fully formed sense of lore and mythos, and the character (as played by Andrew Divoff and designed by KNB effects) has this amazing insect otherness to him. Just thinking about how creepy the Djinn is makes me want to dig my Vestron Blu-ray set off the shelf for an all day marathon.

But what happens if we strip all that stuff away? What if we paired Wishmaster down to the story itself? Would it feel like an actual horror novel or would it feel like a cheesed-up version of Atkins script?

That was my question going into Christian Francis’ novelization of Wishmaster. The concept was sound-- after all, it felt the sort of thing Wishmaster would have received back in the day. Did I recall plucking a copy of Wishmaster - The Book of The Movie off an airport turnstyle in 1997, or is that the same part of my brain that fell prey to various forms of the Mandela Effect?

Indeed, it is a recent invention from Encylopacolypse Books, purveyors of novelizations new and old, as well as various pulp and pop culture apocrypha. They are to novelizations what Scream Factory or Vinegar Syndrome are to classic horror or exploitation movie restorations, so of course they’d be throwing their weight behind Wishmaster - The Novelization by Christian Francis.

Thank the Djinn they did. This is the first time I’ve read Francis’ work, though his name is heavily associated with the Encylopacolypse brand. I have to say, as a disillusioned horror reader who is dead inside and hates most things (not unlike a Djinn!), I am thoroughly impressed. His prose recalls Barker’s “Books of Blood” period, an interpretation which makes sense given the Peter Atkins connection and the fact that I can’t look outside my window without seeing a cloud shaped like a Cenobite.

It’s literate, bordering on Lovecraftian, style with an emphasis on fleshing out the Djinn’s lore and understanding his psychology as a monster. It serves to sand down the cornier edges of the original film, making for a more sinister splatterpunk reading experience. Wishmaster - The Novelization never loses its black sense of humor or sense of blockbuster movie night pacing, Christian Francis just goes harder with it all. It’s exactly the sort of approach the material needs. Faithful, but not so faithful as to leave out the details about what’s really going on inside those spilled entrails on the floor over there next to that guy the Djinn just turned into an inside out stag monster.

Additionally-- in the spirit of honesty and innovation, it is worth noting I received a review code for their Audible iteration, as read by Sean Duregger, whose performance and narration is top notch.

Sean clearly knows the material inside and out and understands the challenges posed by adapting a film like Wishmaster into an audiobook. From an actor’s perspective, the movie is sort of like 'The Expendables’ of horror. You try turning a piece which boasts Tony Todd, Joe Pilato, Ted Raimi, Reggie Bannister and Angus Schrimm (just to name a few) into a one-man reading. Nevertheless he does it seamlessly, conjuring my beloved Djinn, Alexandra, Beaumont and Nick without missing a beat or making me dwell on the absence of Andrew Divoff, Tammy Lauren, Robert Englund or Chris Lemmon.

In many cases he grounds the archness of their “we-know-exactly-what-sort-of-movie-we’re-in” performances into something more earnest and, frankly, terrifying. Take Sean’s version of Beaumont, who started out, to my ears, as a take-off on Englund’s interpretation in the movie, but developed this uniquely unlikeable, sniveling rhythm that makes the Djinn’s payoff at Beaumont’s party that much more delectable.

The audiobook’s version of the Djinn similarly uses Divoff’s poetic croaking as a springboard into the creature’s parasitic psyche, reveling in its antipathy for the human race. He’s like a genie mixed with a trapdoor spider… and Sean paints this picture with only his unique vocal range and inflection. He really makes the part his own.

He has a lot of range outside of the Djinn, but we all know that’s why you’re spending your hard-earned money on an audiobook called Wishmaster, right? It’s not because he also does a good George “Buck” Flower. But he also does that as well. Anyway, his performance and the production itself is A+.

One complaint: the Audible version does not include the forward by Mark Allan Millar, which is an oversight that feels like it could easily be corrected with a single patch. Does Audible have patches? In 2022, everything should be able to receive a patch.

Overall, Wishmaster is an excellent way to extend your love of the franchise and certainly the best thing to come out of the series since the original movie. A fine horror novel on its own, excellent novelization and tremendous audio book reading and production, I would highly Wishmaster - The Novelization recommend to casual and hardcore Djinn fans alike.

Check it out, as you wish…

The Novelization we didn't know we needed

While I've always been a fan of the movie, it was definitely polarizing with the horror crowd. This Novelization, however, was surprising in that it included details that were missing from the movie. details that definitely aided the story and will bring new life and appreciation for the story, and I imagine for those who weren't huge fans of the movie as well. Sean Duregger does a fantastic job with narration as well. he's pretty much spot on for the movie narrator and the voice of the Djinn.

Deadly Wishes

I really enjoyed listening to this well written gruesome tale of a devious Djinn who was set loose accidentally upon the world. The story is very descriptive and entertaining for gore lovers. Sean Duregger does a phenomenal job with the many voices especially that of the Jinn bringing the characters and storyline to life making the story more frightening. I highly recommend this book to anyone over 18 who loves gruesome horror. One word of advice be very careful who you talk to and what you wish for it could be the last thing you ever do.
I received this book for free in exchange for my honest unbiased review. This is my honest unbiased review that I am voluntarily leaving of my own volition. Listen or read the book you won't be sorry.

Improvement from the movie for sure

It had been a long time since I had watched Wishmaster. Long enough I really only remembered the premise. Listening to the novelization I kept wondering, how does this compare to the movie. The only reason I asked that is because the movie came first which I would say is not the typical path of a book and movie. Have to say based on listening to the book and watching the movie. I pictured things better based off the book versus the movie so I recommend this version hands down.

Assuming you have seen the movie I’m not really going to go into the story. It is a decent story that was made much better by the novelization. I enjoyed how things were described a bit better and often more clarity or story was written around certain scenes. While I never was a huge fan of the Wishmaster movies, this novelization definitely gave me a greater appreciation of at least the first movie in the series.

Sean Duregger did a fantastic job with the narration. He has a great cadence and I enjoyed all his character voices. He did an exceptional job of channeling Andrew Divoff’s grit and tone for the voice of the Djinn. I believe that if I had the unfortunate chance to meet a Djinn that is exactly as it would sound.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

A fun revisit to a cult classic

Wishmaster was one of those movies that made an impression on 11 year old me. At the time, I thought it was the goriest movie ever and remember rerenting the VHS over and over.
35 year old me still loves it so I was excited when a novelization was announced.
I’m new to the audiobook world and pleasantly surprised when I heard Sean Duregger’s voice. While I expected a read through of the novel, he makes the effort to bring to life the Djinn’s voice and that effort pays off. His take on the villain makes this listen a much more fun experience and look forward to more novelizations like this.

Worth a listen

I loved the narrator (I'll be finding more from him) and to be completely honest that's why I picked this book up.

The story and narration really drew me in, although, I found two sections where the gore was unnecessary and a little boring. "I get the picture, lots of imaginative death- let's move on."
But unlike some gore books the story was really good, which is why those long sections bothered me- they got in the way of the story for me.
I am unfamiliar with the movie this is based on...

Wish Granted

I am probably a little too into the film, Wishmaster. It's a silly, gory movie filled with special effects gag that came into a post Scream world. I have no doubt if it was made today, people would go nuts over it. Imagine my surprise when Encyclopocalypse announced a novelization in late 2020. Not bad for a movie that came out in 1997.

Author Christian Francis expands well on the lives and world of the characters, but it is Sean Duregger's performance that truly brings the material to life. Filling Andrew Divoff's shoes is no easy task, yet Duregger's low growl for the character is bone chilling. Nathaniel Demerest, the Djinn's human disguise, is just as important of a character to the story and provides a lightness to the Djinn's primordial cadence. The film is loaded with cameos of Horror and Genre actors. Duregger does a wonderful job paying tribute to small parts originally played by Angus Scrimm, Buck Flower and Robert Englund, to name a few. But it's not just the male characters that shine like the Fire Opal, Alex, Shannon, and Wendy Derleth are fully realized characters.

Encyclopocalypse and Sean Duregger breath life into a franchise that has been long too dormant. This audiobook is the closest fans will get for new Wishmaster content.

I was provided with a complimentary copy for review.

A New Spin on a Classic

I love the original film. It's fun if not a bit cheesy.

This audiobook of the novelization is fantastic. Sean C. Duregger is able to convey the menace of the Djinn as well as making each voice distinct and stand apart from one another. This takes more time to dive further into details that I wish were included in the original film.

Great movie & audiobook

The movie is great and so to is the audiobook version of the story I hope they do a novelization of the second movie too.

THE DJINN IS LOOSE!

Encyclopocalypse Publications delivers another fantastic (in every sense) audiobook adaptation of an 80s/90s cult classic horror movie!

WISHMASTER is based upon the 1997 film directed by Robert Kurtzman and scripted by the venerable Peter Atkins, screenwriter of HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II and other memorable horror fantasies. The novelization by Christian Francis gives this delightfully over-the-top gory fable an almost lyrical, fairy-tale retelling—the darkest of the 1001 Arabian Nights. Freed from the Hollywood constraints of budget and running-time, Francis is able to lavish even more imagination and lush description on the twisted torments the story's eponymous djinn metes out on his hapless human victims.

Reciting the tale as if around a Bedouin campfire, narrator Sean Duregger conveys the mayhem with ghoulish gusto, his personification of the Wishmaster dripping with sadistic relish. The combination of vivid writing and propulsive performance makes this a captivating listen.

Scheherazade would be proud!