History Literature / ANightInTheLonesomeOctober

* BullyingADragon: When Jack confronts the Vivisectionists to save Snuff, they brandish their scalpels at him and warn him that they can do a number on a person's face. One of them suggests that Jack hasn't ever dealt with someone who really knows how to cut. Jack's response was to pull out his magical knife. We don't get to see the ensuing conflict.

* BadPeopleAbuseAnimals: Nearly all the Openers are shown being cruel to animals at some point. One attempts to poison Snuff. Another attempts to drown Greymalk in a well. The main villain hunts Needle with a crossbow and tries to get Snuff done in by vivisectionists. The vivisectionists themselves are depicted as gleefully cruel people.

* EldritchAbomination: The Openers want to open The Doorway to let Them in, the Closers are trying to keep it shut.

* WouldNotShootACivilian: Not only humans. {{Familiar}}s tell normal critters to stay the hell away and some are outraged when mundane animals (who they actually refer to as "civilians") catch fallout from the Game, such as crossbow bolts.

* BadPeopleAbuseAnimals: Nearly all the closers are shown being cruel to animals at some point. One attempts to poison Snuff. Another attempts to drown Greymalk in a well. The main villain hunts Needle with a crossbow and tries to get Snuff done in by vivisectionists. The vivisectionists themselves are depicted as gleefully cruel people.

* VillainProtagonist: He doesn't act like one, but the reader is rooting for UsefulNotes/JackTheRipper to save the world. In a different sense, much of the book is spent trying to figure out who is on which side, and there are some surprises before the end. Someone the reader thinks is a hero may turn out to be a villain or vice versa. [[spoiler:In the final analysis, all named Closers are more or less traditional antagonists, who choose to hold the gate closed not because they're secretly good, but because they like the world the way it is and don't want beings from another dimension messing things up for them.]]

* VillainProtagonist: He doesn't act like one, but the reader is rooting for UsefulNotes/JackTheRipper to save the world. In a different sense, much of the book is spent trying to figure out who is on which side, and there are some surprises before the end. Someone the reader thinks is a hero may turn out to be a villain or vice versa. [[spoiler:In the final analysis, all named Closers are more or less traditional antagonists.]]

* MisplacedWildlife: [[spoiler:Bubo is a ''pack'' rat, so ought to be in North America rather than London.]]

* SoleSurvivor: At the end of the book, Crazy Jill and Graymalk are the only openers to still be alive [[spoiler:and then only because they ended up on the closing side. Nightwind's and Tekela's fates are not explicitly stated, but it's established earlier that an unsuccessful opening attempt typically results in the deaths of the openers, from the magical backlash if nothing else]].

* TheAlcoholic: Rastov is always drinking whenever we see him. Quicklime says [[spoiler: after Rastov's death]] that he drank so heavily because he "felt everything" and the alcohol numbed the pain he felt because of it.

* BatOutOfHell: Averted with Needle, who's quite friendly, is not a blood-drinker, [[spoiler: and is on the Closers' side]].

* ChekhovsSkill: In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it example, there's Bubo's passing mention that he's [[spoiler: a ''pack'' rat. As in, a type of rodent famous for swapping objects.]] This attribute plays an important role in the final chapter.

* DynamicEntry: [[spoiler: The Count has a beautiful one.]]

* FaceHeelTurn: Played with; after [[spoiler: Rastov's death,]] his snake familiar Quicklime tells Snuff and Graymalk that [[spoiler: the Druid Owen (an opener) had apparently successfully talked Rastov into switching sides. However, this is defied when Owen himself gets killed, and Owen's familiar Cheeter tells Snuff and Gray that though Owen ''tried'' to get Rastov to switch sides, Rastov ultimately refused to do so.]]

* HeroAntagonist: The Great Detective is just trying to solve a series of unusual crimes being committed in and around London, [[spoiler: though late in the book he comes to realize there are supernatural forces at play, and is sympathetic to Snuff and Larry Talbot.]]

* MisplacedWildlife: [[spoiler: Bubo is a ''pack'' rat, so ought to be in North America rather than London.]]
* MistakenForBadass: One of the characters everyone else assumes is [[spoiler: a Player]] turns out to be, if not exactly an innocent bystander, in town on unrelated business and unaware of the Game.

* NeckSnap: [[spoiler: How the Count kills Morris and [=MacCab=] during the final ceremony; he snaps both their necks simultaneously.]]

* PayEvilUntoEvil: [[spoiler: Vicar Roberts, an opener, murders Rastov the Monk, a closer, to try and stack the Game in his side's favour. The Count responds by murdering Owen, another opener, to balance things out, and as a warning to the vicar.]]
* PerpetualStorm: There's a non-stop thunderstorm that lingers perpetually over the farmhouse where the Good Doctor lives. [[spoiler: It finally breaks on the morning after his place burns down, leaving the immediate vicinity awash in mud for days to follow.]]

* RedHerring: Early on, the possibility is raised of a secret Player the others don't know about, which is why Snuff's calculations about the location of the rital site seem to be continually off. [[spoiler: There is no secret Player; Bubo the Rat has been faking his and the Good Doctor's involvement in the Game, which is the actual reason Snuff's calculations aren't working.]]
* SealedEvilInADuel: The final fate of [[spoiler: Larry and the vicar]].

* ShadowPin: [[spoiler: Owen binds Cheeter to be his familiar by nailing his shadow to the wall with silver pins.]]

* SoleSurvivor: At the end of the book, Crazy Jill and Graymalk are the only openers to still be alive [[spoiler: and then only because they ended up on the closing side. Nightwind's and Tekela's fates are not explicitly stated, but it's established earlier that an unsuccessful opening attempt typically results in the deaths of the openers, from the magical backlash if nothing else]].

** If Bubo's self-description as a "pack rat" is to be taken literally, he's on the wrong continent (pack rats are a North American mammal) and [[spoiler: his claim that he hangs around the Good Doctor's place to scavenge the man's gory research waste makes no sense (pack rats are herbivores)]].
* SpannerInTheWorks: Rather, a whole ''series'' of non-Player Spanners, operating independently, suffice to [[spoiler: derail the Openers' scheme: Larry, the Great Detective, the experiment man, the Lord of Cats' advice, and Bubo.]]

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: It's unclear what happens to [[spoiler: Nightwind or Tekela]] during the final chapter, or whether [[spoiler: Needle]] was present for the ceremony at all.

** Two of Jack's ingredients are stated to specifically require collection at midnight [[spoiler: and the Vicar's satanic rite on October 18 happens at that hour.]]

* WildCard: At the beginning of the book, the Good Doctor is this for Snuff; not only can he not figure out what side the Doctor is on, the divinations which other players try to perform on him are vague at best, and Snuff's attempts to calculate the location of the ceremony site don't work. [[spoiler: Then it turns out the Good Doctor isn't a Wild Card at all, because he's not a Player and doesn't even appear to know about the Game; he just came to the village to work on his experiment in peace and quiet. Bubo, the pack rat that claimed to be his familiar, was lying about their involvement in the Game, hence the uncertain divinations and Snuff's calculations being thrown off when he tries to include the Doctor in them.]]

* SoleSurvivor: At the end of the book, Crazy Jill and Graymalk are the only openers to still be alive [[spoiler:and then only because they ended up on the closing side. Nightwind and Tekela's fates are not explicitly stated, but it's established earlier that an unsuccessful opening attempt always results in the deaths of the openers, from the magical backlash if nothing else]].

** If Bubo's self-description as a "pack rat" is to be taken literally, he's on the wrong continent (pack rats are a North American mammal) and [[spoiler:his claim that he hangs around the Good Doctor's place to scavenge the man's gory research waste makes no sense (pack rats are herbivores)]].

* WildCard: At the beginning of the book, the Good Doctor is this for Snuff; not only can he not figure out what side the Doctor is on, the divinations he tries to perform on him are vague at best, and his attempts to calculate the location of the ceremony site don't work. [[spoiler: Then it turns out the Good Doctor isn't a Wild Card at all, because he's not a Player and doesn't even appear to know about the Game; he just came to the village to work on his experiment in peace and quiet. Bubo, the pack rat that claimed to be his familiar was lying about their involvement in the Game, hence the uncertain divinations and Snuff's calculations being thrown off when he tries to include the Doctor in them.]]

* ThoseTwoBadGuys: Morris and [=MacCab=], Nightwind's masters. They don't get a heck of a lot of characterization beyond being partners and, as we later determine, openers.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: It's unclear what happens to [[spoiler: Nightwind or Tekela]] during the final chapter, or whether [[spoiler: Needle]] was present for the ceremony at all.
* WickedStepmother: Gender-flipped version. Lynette's stepfather is a priest of Nyarlathotep, and plans to sacrifice his stepdaughter to acquire supernatural power.

* FriendlyEnemy: The players to each other in general, though less so toward the end of the month once everybody knows for sure who's on their side and who isn't. Snuff and Gray (and their respective masters) in particular, even after the battle lines have been drawn.

* {{Graverobbing}}: With morbid relish.

* HowlOfSorrow: ''"Lost!"''

* BigBad: Vicar Roberts quickly establishes himself as the main antagonist, being the most visible and hostile antagonist, and the clear leader of the openers who remain at the end of the month.

* ArtifactOfDoom: The Opening Wand. Inverted with the Closing Wand, the purpose of which is to ''protect'' the world; averted with the other Game artifacts, which can empower whichever side holds them.

* AndCallHimGeorge: The "[[FrankensteinsMonster experiment man]]", although they manage to explain that Kitty would like to be put down now, please, before he does the kitty any permanent harm.

* CatsAreMean: Completely averted.

* GeometricMagic: How the Thing In The Circle is confined.

* WildCard: At the beginning of the book, the Good Doctor is this for Snuff; not only can he not figure out what side the Doctor is on, the divinations he tries to perform on him are vague at best, and his attempts to calculate the location of the ceremony site don't work. [[spoiler: Then it turns out the Good Doctor isn't a Wild Card at all, because he's not a Player and doesn't even appear to know about the Game; he just came to the village to work on his experiment in peace and quiet. Bubo, the pack rat that claimed to be his familiar was lying about their involvement in the Game, hence the uncertain divinations and Snuff's calculations being thrown off when he tries to include the Doctor in them.]]

* ChekhovsSkill: In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it example, there's Bubo's passing mention that he's [[spoiler: a ''pack'' rat. As in, a type of rodent famous for swapping objects.]] This attribute plays an important role in the final chaper.

* RedEyesTakeWarning: Arguable whether Jack gets actual "red eyes" or just the glint of a killer when his curse comes upon him. ("The light came into his eyes") Either way, the SlasherSmile alone should give you pause.

* AllWitchesHaveCats: Jill and Greymalk.

* CanineCompanion: Snuff

* ChekhovsSkill: In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it example, there's Bubo's passing mention that he's [[spoiler: a ''pack'' rat. As in, a type of rodent famous for swapping objects.]]

* {{Familiar}}: About half the characters. Including the narrator: Snuff, Jack's dog.
* FemaleFelineMaleMutt: Graymalk and Snuff.
* FlyingBroomstick: Jill the witch has one.
* FriendlyEnemy: The players to each other in general; Snuff and Gray (and their respective masters) in particular.

* MagicWand: Two of them, a matched and opposing pair.

* MustBeInvited: Discussed when Needle the bat is being hunted and asks Snuff for sanctuary.
* NeckSnap: [[spoiler: How the Count kills Morris and [=McCab=] during the final ceremony; he snaps both their necks simultaneously.]]

* SoleSurvivor: At the end of the book, Crazy Jill and Graymalk are the only openers to still be definitively alive (Nightwind and Tekela's fates are left unresolved).

** An ordinary bat like Needle would be hard put to finish three grapes, let along a plum, without his stomach exploding.

* StolenMacGuffinReveal: Played with. [[spoiler:Bubo attempts one of these, switching the key [=MacGuffins=] so that when the Openers attempt to open the gate they'll actually be closing it. He didn't count on the Closers gaining the upper hand, and they nearly open the gate, attempting to close it, before he explains what he's done.]]
* ThoseTwoBadGuys: Morris and [=McCab=], Nightwind's masters. They don't get a heck of a lot of characterization beyond being partners and, as we later determine, openers.
* TitleDrop:

* WouldNotShootACivilian: Not only humans. {{Familiar}}s tell normal critters to stay the hell away and some are outraged when mundane animals--''who were actually called "civilians"''--catch fallout from the Game, such as crossbow bolts.

* EvilVsEvil: When the Things escape, the Thing In The Wardrobe winds up brawling with the Thing In The Steamer Trunk.

* EvilAlbino: The main villain has an albino raven as a familiar.