Customer Reviews

Darkness

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

this is the first john saul book i read. yeah i know everyone in the review said it but its true, although i dont know why.anyway, i found it gripping, creative and somewhat simple. unlike those other huge novels, this one had limited characters, maybe due to the fact this is based on a secluded town. i wouldnt say this is really much of a horror book, but i could say its a soft-sided b rated movie type of thing. it has great description about the swamp setting and it has an interesting twist about the dark man. which i wont say.speaking of the dark man, he is an interesting person, if not a weird one. the story i think is basically about how the influence of the dark man takes toll on the town, and the price a person would pay for eternal life.

Although the underlying premise of this novel is rather ridiculous when you think about it, Saul manages to make the story work. It's not terribly thrilling or suspenseful, however. There is no surprise to be found in the conclusion because the clues to what mysteries this tale contains are glaringly obvious early on. Darkness is Saul's take on the old eternal life theme. While the Dark Man is rather creepy and mysterious early on, his true identity, purposes, and methods are revealed halfway through the book, leaving the reader with a long sprint toward a finish line of foregone conclusions. The medical and scientific aspects here are rather laughable, really, and a little inconsistent (not to mention somewhat disgusting) in the end.

The setting of the novel both helps and hurts it. Most of the action takes place in the Florida swamps, a setting I myself find quite unappealing (although Saul has tourists lining up to explore the dangerous, disgusting swamps, small children and babies in tow). It's certainly creepy, what with all the strange sounds and movements taking place in the dark shadows, not to mention alligators, crocodiles, water moccasins, and other deadly beasts roiling and slithering their way through all of the actions. I got a little tired of one individual after another getting lost and trying to find his/her way home in this ruthless environment, though. As soon as one person turned up, another ran out and got lost, starting the whole swamp search ordeal over again.

I can't voice my criticisms of the story without giving too much away. I will just say that this novel is much less believable than most of Saul's fiction. For that reason it didn't strike too strong of a chord in me personally; the fact that the main plot twists and ultimate conclusion were so obvious also left the novel incapable of truly grasping my complete attention and fascination. In less talented hands, this story could easily fail miserably because of its flimsy relationship with reality, but, as I said, John Saul makes it work. I was in no great hurry to reach the conclusion, but I also never felt compelled to toss the book aside without finishing it. If you've never read Saul before, I wouldn't recommend letting Darkness be your introduction to his work-it is not quite up to his normally high standards.

Darkness was the first Saul book I ever read and ever since I've been hooked. I loved the setting and the storyline was so imagintive. It makes you wonder what really goes on the those swamps when you're not looking. I would definetly recommended it!

Well, I'm usually not one to complain about a story being unrealistic. I understand that good fiction often requires a little suspension of reality. But Darkness goes well beyond "a little" suspension of reality. This book is unbelievable almost to the point of being funny. I never really got sucked into the story. In part, because although I was able to picture the faces and places, the almost cartoonish story line meant it never seemed real, even in my imagination.

That being said, this book isn't horrible. It's average and that's about it. I'd like to give it 2.5 stars, but can't. There's a few twists. Most are pretty easy to see coming, but I don't think Saul was really intending to blindside you with them anyway. The end was a little disappointing, although I read worse.

In the deepest part of the Florida swamps there is a crazy man who is stealing youth from "the dark children" and giving it to the men of the swamp to live forever. The babies are being kidnapped and given up to this crazy man as an offering of the purest evil. The son of the dark man and this punk girl who got away are the only ones who give the swamps a chance to overcome this evil. Upon this punk girls return, everything starts to get scary. She's tried to commit suicide because she keeps seeing this man in her dreams and in the mirrors behind her, but she dosen't understand any of it. When she returns to the Florida swamps she eerily knows her way around then and is not frightened by all the dangers within, though they could kill her or anyone else at any time. She has problems, her adoptive parents dont realize that she's been temporarily possessed, and she dosen't want to admit that she really does need help. Michael dosen't realize that he's in deeper than everyone else, that he's the only one who can start the cycle of rebirth to give the swamp children their youth back. The swamp holds evils, and evils that contain good. The women of the swamp hold the keys that everyone is looking for, but who will find them? Judd Duval and the old woman may not hold all the answers, in fact i assure you, there is much more to it than that.This book is filled with a lot of questions and suspense. You want to know what's going to happen long before you get to find out. John Saul is a matermind of horror, an incredible writer, and a genius in creating the fictional human mind. Once you pick this book up, i guarantee you'll have a hard time not staying up until two in the morning to finish it, it's incredible.

All my life I really nevered liked to read. I liked some books but not all filled me with interest, until one day I found a book with a interesting title.
It was a sunday morning and I went to a garage sale and I found the book Darkness, by John Saul. It sounded interesting so I bought it. It was just 1 dollar. I never heard of the author so I wanted to try it out and see if it was a good book.
Once I began reading the first page, my eyes glued to the book. The metaphors, description, and the horror, made the book so interesting and great.I never let go of the book. Its a shock because this is the only book that I actually enjoyed. This is my second time reading the book. I RECCOMEND EVERYONE TO READ THE BOOK. YOU'LL REALLY GET ADDICTED TO THE BOOK!

Kelly and her family had just moved from Atlanta to a small town in Florida called Villejeune where her adoptive parents, the Andersons, were originally from. Her parents took her to this little town to save her from the wild city that they thought caused Kelly to attempt suicide. What they did not know was that Kelly was seeing a dark man in her dreams and in the mirror. Kelly was afarid to tell her parents because she believed they would think she was crazy. Her parents took her to this nice quiet town without knowing that Kelly, along with all the newborn babies from the town, had her youth taken from her by the Dark Man. The Dark Man would take the youth of all these innocent children to conserve himslef and other men young forever. However, Kelly found a very special new friend that made her feel safe from the world and the Dark Man. Together they will fight against all those who took their youth from them to get it back. John Soul used very descriptive language in this thriller. It was easy for the reader to picture the scenes full of suspense throughout the novel. The author hooks the reader with his dynamic and exciting fiction. Darkness has very good qualities; however, it was too fictitious. If youth could be taken from children, everyone would be immortal, not only those who are evil.

This book was absolutely the best book I have ever read. I love the way Saul makes you try to figure out who was taking the children. I was left wondering if Kelly was really Sharon and Dr. Phillips was really the Dark Man. I have said too much already. If you want to know more, you better read it immediately. The book will make you want to read it over and over again. I am a victim of the suspense of this book!

I bought this book because I heard that John Saul was a great horror novelist. I wouldn't call this book a horror. It is a great story and a great book, but I wouldn't call it horror. The book didn't scare me like I was expecting. Instead I found myself wondering who was who and who was good and bad (kind of like a mystery novel). I'm not saying that this book is bad, I just don't know why it was in the horror section of the book store. I would totally recommend this book. I think that it is very gripping and there is lots of suspence. If you are up for a suspenceful read, this is a great book to turn to.

Kelly, a 16 years old girl, grew up in Orlando. She has hallucinations of a dark, strange men. She decides to make an end of the hallucinations......and her own life! It didn't turn out the way Kelly wanted it to be and she survives. Her parents think it might be better, for kelly, to move to a little village, villejeune. Unfortunetly kelly doesn't get less problems, Villejeune is where the trouble begins.

Darkness is one of the best books i ever read. After opening the book and beginning at the first page, John Saul leaves you in an exciting adventure. You don't want to stop reading anymore, because the book holds your attention till the end. Even if you're not a horror/thriller fan you will be thrilled by this. After all it's a wonderfull book and I recommend it to everyone!