Jason X: To the Third Power

Black Flame

Company type	Publishing imprint
Industry	Publishing
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Books, novels

Jason X: To the Third Power is a 2006 British science fiction horror novel authored by Nancy Kilpatrick and released through Black Flame. Serving as the fifth and concluding entry in the Jason X novel series connected to the Friday the 13th movies, the narrative follows scientists confronting escaped convicts alongside an undead cyborg version of Jason Voorhees. This work marks the finale of the Black Flame collection, cementing its role within the horror and sci-fi tie-in genre.

Plot

Jackson Mansfield, a wealthy entrepreneur, instructs his protégé Free Jefferson to assemble a team of five experts to create a cybernetic organism on Elysium, a moon orbiting Earth II. The group comprises Brad Simpson, a cyberdesigner; his partner Lynda Barnes, skilled in cybertechnology; bioengineers Anyar Signh, who is blind and dependent on neural implants, and Herbert Dearman; along with Skye Fellows, a cyber-engineer and daughter of Doctor Armando Castillo. Their base of operations is Moon Camp Americana, an abandoned facility on Elysium monitored by an artificial intelligence named Major Tom. Two decades prior, Doctor Castillo’s project—an undead cyborg Jason Voorhees—had slaughtered him and others at a Military Complex and Moon Camp Americana. This incident was concealed by the New American Republic, which repurposed the Military Complex into a prison for exiled offenders. Free and Skye develop a romantic relationship and uncover through her father’s hidden records that Free is actually Jason’s son, conceived from an experiment conducted by Professor Claude Bardox on Free’s deceased mother.

An experimental teleportation device called the Sling, designed to transfer prisoners from Elysium to its counterpart moon Thanos, malfunctions and releases most inmates, including survivors Juan Jimenez "JJ" Gonzales and Amanda Cartwright. Among them are Viper, an ambitious prisoner, and his pyromaniac girlfriend Blister, who overhear Free and Skye discussing Jason’s entrapment beneath the Military Complex. Driven by a desire for control, Viper liberates Jason intending to use him against JJ. Jason incites a riot where inmates commit brutal killings and assaults; he eliminates everyone except Free and Skye.

Utilizing Castillo’s programming, Free and Skye finalize their cybernetic creation—an A.I.-controlled Jason replica operated by Major Tom. Suspecting manipulation within ongoing Jason projects, Free sends an emergency signal to Mansfield. The replica merges with the original Jason, who kills Skye and chases Free to the Sling during prisoner transfer to Thanos. Free manages to escape while Jason clings externally to the Sling in transit. Stranded in the devastated Moon Camp Americana awaiting rescue, Free asks Major Tom about Jason’s destiny; the A.I. responds, "He will always survive. It is in his nature."

Publication

Black Flame commissioned Nancy Kilpatrick to author a novel inspired by Jason X. Without providing a formal writer's bible, Black Flame allowed Kilpatrick creative latitude, subject to final approval from New Line Cinema, owners of the Friday the 13th property. After reviewing previous series novels to align her work appropriately, Kilpatrick developed outlines for To the Third Power (initially titled Jason X: Cubed) as well as the preceding Jason X novel Planet of the Beast within one week. Although she planned to write a sequel to Planet of the Beast, Black Flame had already assigned Alex S. Johnson to produce Death Moon. Displeased by the death of London Jefferson—the sole survivor from Planet of the Beast—Kilpatrick negotiated with her editor to author another Jason X installment. She retroactively altered Jefferson's fate to enable writing To the Third Power, acknowledging this posed challenges due to restrictions on Jason's characterization and storyline continuity.

Kilpatrick found writing these novels personally demanding as she sought to effectively blend science fiction with horror elements. As an admirer of the franchise, she noted that portraying Jason Voorhees was difficult because he "doesn't speak" and displays limited emotions beyond rage. Reflecting on Jason X and its related works, Kilpatrick considered them successful genre experiments but recognized they were not sustainable over time, noting that some purist fans resist such hybridizations.

Reception

In a retrospective review for Bloody Disgusting, Nat Brehmer expressed a favorable opinion of the novel. Similarly, Louis Fowler from Bookgasm praised it as "enjoyable" and "highly entertaining," describing it as "the most absurd and humorous installment yet" within the series that places mass murderer Jason Voorhees in a futuristic space setting. Cole Hediger, contributing to Bookstr, highlighted the series' dynamic, action-oriented narratives and the militarized portrayal of Jason, which injects a science-fiction element into the classic character. However, Hediger also warned that readers who prioritize horror with more suspense and fright over action might find it less satisfying. The Jason X series is primarily aimed at audiences who appreciate science fiction with a strong emphasis on action.

External links

• Interview with Nancy Kilpatrick on Friday the 13th Films
• Interview featuring Nancy Kilpatrick at Friday the 13th Franchise