Customer Reviews

John Saul: A Critical Companion (Critical Companions to Popular Contemporary Writers)

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

 

 

John Saul has been one of my favorite authors since I was a child. His spine tinglers are set in sleepy towns near major cities (e.g. Eastbury in THE GOD PROJECT and HELLFIRE which is a fictional suburb of Boston) where weird and shadowy things take place. His characters often appear virtuous, yet have a shadow side. He is at no loss for presenting macabre scenes in a plausible way, which makes the story in question all the more delightfully frightening.

Saul is different from Stephen King whereas King's stories, while scary are plainly works of fiction and the reader is aware of that at all times. Saul's spine tinglers on the other hand are subtle yet build in a literary crescendo. While his works are clearly fictional, they are plausible fiction and his characters remain in the minds of readers long after the last page is turned.

This book gives excellent analyses of several of Saul's works. While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, keep in mind that it is a companion to Saul's books. Read it WITH Saul's books and not INSTEAD of Saul's books.

I'm giving this five stars because I think that the idea is good and it's not the book's fault that it's price is insane, but I have to ask: Why would anyone pay $50 for a digital copy of a book??

If you enjoy the thrill and horror, the excitement and the plot twists of the talented John Saul, then you should read this book. Not only is it intriguing and informative, but it gives you real insight to the man himself and where his inspiration comes from. The author, Paul Bail, has chosen a collection of Saul's work and has provided the reader with a real understanding of each selected novel. Not only is this book fascinating for Saul fans, it is a wonderfully written study for fans of the macabre.