The Face (Corbet-Singleton)
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The Face is a horror novel written by Australian author Paul Corbet-Singleton. It was published in 1997 by Scholastic Press.
It tells the story of Gibson Carver, a fifteen-year-old boy who is struggling to adapt to life at a new school, all the while having strange nightmares concerning Cosmic Park, the sinister amusement park located near where he lives. The story is set in early 1993.
The Face is Paul Corbet-Singleton's first novel.
[edit] Story in detail
Gibson Carver is starting at Mailer High School. At first he has trouble adapting, as when it is revealed that he has been to many schools before, rumours start to escalate against him by other students. His only friend in the school is Julie Conrad, the only girl in his roll class.
A mysterious student, Carl Rider, arrives late in the roll class one day, and Gibson takes an instant dislike to him, as he acts overly casually and disrespectfully towards the students as well as the teacher. Soon the teacher is injured in an apparent car accident, and Carl Rider is placed in charge of the roll class.
Meanwhile, Gibson is troubled by a very bizarre, recurring dream - he is on a roller coaster ride called "The Big Dipper" in Cosmic Park, when the roller coaster suddenly accelerates out of control and crashes to the park below. The dream is always very vivid, always leading him to believe that he is really dead, before he wakes.
Gibson notices that Carl Rider has a strange fixation with the concept of enemies - while in charge of the roll class, he always talks about it with the class, asking them who their enemies are and what they want to happen to them. The class, especially Gibson and Julie, are wary of this, but only Gibson realises that something is not right about Carl Rider.
Gibson is beginning to really like Julie Conrad. While in the library one day, Gibson gathers the courage to strike up a conversation with Julie, and she asks him if he would like to walk home with her that afternoon. Gibson agrees, only for there to be revealed that Carl Rider and his friends have been eavesdropping on them, and Gibson is so embarrassed by this he storms away.
That afternoon after school, Gibson walks home with Julie. He tells her that his mother died when he was young, and that his father is overseas - job forces him to move around a lot, which is the reason why he has been to so many schools. He now lives with his grandmother.
While they are walking home, Gibson suddenly falters - his recurring dream comes back to him in a waking vision. He comes out of the vision to find Julie shaking him, alarmed. He then sees a figure walking on top of The Big Dipper, who waves to Gibson and walks into the tunnel on top of the ride. Upon seeing this, Gibson faints.
When Gibson wakes up, Julie is peering down at him, worried. She asks him what happened, and Gibson, in his state of shock, can only think to tell her the truth - he saw somebody on The Big Dipper. Julie finds it difficult to believe somebody would be there, as Cosmic Park is closed. Gibson then tells her about his recurring dream and how he had experienced it again before he fainted.
At school, a bully named Marne Wolfe constantly taunts Gibson whenever their paths happen to cross. Gibson is frustrated when on two occasions, Carl Rider shoos away Marne Wolfe, humiliating Gibson and making him look weak in front of the other students.
Gibson notices that Carl Rider never seems to have a life outside of the roll class. He has long grown suspicious, and investigates Rider by following him after school. He soon realises Rider frequently goes to the Face, goes into the closed Cosmic Park, and never comes out.
[edit] Characters
Gibson Carver - The protagonist. A teenage boy who has horrifying visions of a roller coaster crash in the local fun park. 15 years old. Has dark hair. Presumably Australian. Lives in the suburb of Bayside with his grandmother.
Julie Conrad - Gibson's best friend, a girl in his roll class who soon begins a romantic relationship with Gibson. Has long brown hair. Assists Gibson with investigating the mystery of the amusement park. Lives with her parents.
Carl Rider - A strange classmate of Gibson's, who acts menacingly towards other students. Has blonde hair and blue eyes.
Marne Wolfe - A fat boy who constantly bullies Gibson. Calls him "Gibby" mockingly.
Warwick "Wozza" Marsden - A boy in Gibson's roll class. Is the "class clown", and has a very loud laugh.
Scott Camden - In Gibson's roll class. Plays basketball, has a long nose and is very tall.
Nigel Neeson - In Gibson's roll class. A timid boy with red hair and a red face.
Walter Mellow - In Gibson's roll class. Is considered the class nerd.
Jason Hornblower - In Gibson's roll class. Short and pudgy, has asthma and plays the saxophone.
Joe Jordan - In Gibson's roll class. Is very quiet, and has a grudge against the roll class teacher, Mr. Grassthorne.
Mr. Mitford - Mailer High School's principal. Seems antagonistic towards Gibson.
Mr. Grassthorne - Gibson's roll class teacher. Carl Rider soon replaced him as head of the class.
