Customer Reviews

Brainchild

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Brainchild is a well-crafted, fairly thrilling read, the story holding up very well until almost the very end; had the final chapter not have been included, I would have given this book five stars. That ultimate chapter, though--basically a postscript--changes the whole tenor of the novel and in doing so does it great harm, in my opinion. I can forgive its inclusion, though, and it takes nothing away from the engrossing read of the novel up to that point. This is a rather typical Saul plot, augmented by a technological pulse that holds together very well, despite some minor inherent problems. There is a curse of sorts involved, and yes it all started over a century ago; yes, there is a rather typically happy family that find their lives turned upside down by tragedy. These are Saul staples, yet all of this works remarkably well in Brainchild. Your typical teenaged boy does a typically teenaged thing and ends up at the bottom of a ravine inside a thoroughly wrecked automobile. His massive brain injuries should have killed him, but he survives; his father, a doctor, calls on the only brain specialist who can possible save his son--a childhood acquaintance of his wife's whom he essentially despises. Miraculously, the boy does survive; he even prospers, becoming super-smart, but the rebuilding of his brain has left him without emotion and without any memory of his life before the accident. His friends begin to avoid him eventually, and his father especially senses something very wrong, but the doctor who saved his life refuses to tell the family exactly what he did to save him. Then his mother's friends begin to be mysteriously murdered, and a tragedy that happened long ago somehow becomes an integral part of the horror that is unleashed on an unsuspecting town. The plot heats up quite satisfactorily from there, and there is enough unpredictability to the concluding events to keep you deeply involved in seeing how the story plays out.

John Saul is a talented writer, and he does a great job of keeping this story moving at all times. Brainchild is one of his more original novels--the basic theme is rather typical of his work, but the narrative flows exceedingly well, the technological marvels we encounter remain sufficiently plausible throughout, and all of my questions were answered quite satisfactorily. I did not like the last chapter, but that does not mean that others won't find it compelling; it does offer a final twist to things. A futuristic medical thriller, invested heavily in horror and science fiction, Brainchild should prove itself a compelling, satisfying read for fans of several genres.

A young boy is saved from life ending brain damage when a local doctor's miraculous new technique of energizing dead brain tissue with computer chips brings him back, albeit as an emotionless and quite homicidal super genius.

With its spooky combination of science and the supernatural, it was easy for me to gulp this frothy yet suspenseful and frightening tale down in a single warm, summer afternoon, in no less than four hours. Once again Saul delivers a unique psychological thriller to enthrall his numerous fans. Recommended.

If you are a John Saul reader, you don't need a review. You already know how good he is. If you are not a reader already, then get this book and get started. You will be hooked like the rest of us already are.

One of John Saul's better works follows his typical path involving youngsters, a curse, and mayhem. This novel is a little differant because John included a touch of scientific

evil to the plot. The ending is a bit weak which drags down the overall rating of the book, but the rest is well written and very engrossing.

I just finished Brain Child, Hellfire, and The God Project ... all three were compelling and thrilling ... an exciting journey through people I felt I knew. If Punish the Sinners is as good as these three were, I'll enjoy another John Saul thrill. I recommend all Saul's books.

This was a terrifying read by the great John Saul. The whole book just drips of creepiness. The thoughts that flow through the main character's brain kept me uncomfortable through the whole book. I was thoroughly frigtened and on the edge of my seat the whole way through Brain Child. Read this great horror novel for a quick fright and a fun trip through vengeance and terror.

I didnt buy this book off here, i bought it a long time ago from the bookstore. But it has always stuck with me and remained my favorite story out of his writings. He does well getting into the mind of a youth, i found this story creepy,sad, and page turning.

Wow, this book is Science Fiction, well done, realistic, and frightening. One can imagine this story being true to a degree. How many roads can you take me down, John. Another one of those read all night stories. Sometimes I wish I hadn't read the last chapter. Sometimes I want a happy ending.

John Saul uses his incredible knack for technological thrills. I love books that keep you guessing

John Saul's ability to make the reader feel as if he was right there is undescribable. It works extremely well for my simplistic mind, anyway. His mixture of technology and horror is wonderfully explored in this book.