Customer Reviews

Seeking Spirits: The Lost Cases of The Atlantic Paranormal Society

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First let me say as have others, I am a huge fan of the show and their investigative style. I have been heavily interested in the Paranormal for close to 40 years, and have read more on the subject than I can even begin to describe.

When I found the show a few years ago I was gratified at the objectivity these guys and their crew displayed and the way they came at the cases, first attempting to debunk the claims of their clients as opposed to most who seem to see paranormal activity everywhere.

I have seen and read others attempts to discredit Jason and Grants evidence saying most is hoaxed so as to boost ratings, I took much of this with a grain of salt. After all the team has been very succesfull on their television program, so some jealous negativity is expected to come their way. On to the book:

I read Jason and Grants first book and enjoyed it immensly, but this second has caused me to rethink their entire group and the authenticity of TAPs as well as their claims. I dont take this position lightly, again I have watched, and continue to watch every show the Ghost Hunters put out.

Reading this second book has me wondering how they were able to document the amazing claims on video that these cases present, while having such minor (in comparison) evidence show up on their tv program.

This second book tells of the following Paranormal activities caught on tape: Small black figures stacking furniture at a clients home. A large menacing black mass hovering over the team for minutes while the cameras are rolling. Objects caught on tape it seems at every investigation moving around by itself. In fact the team even caught a extraterrestrial Grey peeking in a window, and then later presumably that same creature is caught on tape walking past a sliding glass door.

Why do we not see this amazing evidence watching the Ghost Hunters on tv? The most amazing thing I can remmenber visually is a lamp at the Myrtle Plantation moving slightly over the course of an hour. Or a door closing here or there.

This evidence they have reportedly documented in this book would be some of the most amazing footeage ever captured I would imagine. Again, they state they have captured small figures stacking furniture in a clients house and they have this on film!!! Huge Claims here!! Where is this evidence? Is it on their website? This should be dispalyed for all to see.

The book is a fun read and it holds your interest throughout, I just am very dissapointed in the doubts it has given me as to the teams truthfullness.

I will continue for now to watch the show.I am not sure I will buy the Ghost Hunters next book.

I truly Hope Jason and Grant address my concerns,as I am sure I am not the only long term fan who is beggining to doubt.

If you're a fan of the show Ghost Hunters, then you'll need to pick this up. Over all it was a good read.

There are a lot of good things about this book that were improvements over the last book. All of the cases are cases not seen on Ghost Hunters. That's a big plus. The cases were new to us, and they were a very interesting read. Jay and Grant both cases where they had evidence of ghosts, and cases they debunked. After all, not every house they come to is haunted. The cases ranged from some that really broke my heart to cases that made me laugh out loud. All's I'll say is that on one of the cases, a guy was having a **really** good time. It was really neat to see how Jay and Grant debunked some of the cases. Some of the debunking cases, I'd like to have seen on the show, but they didn't have the show back then.

I also liked how Grant told us of his first real paranormal experience. I don't want to say to much of it here because I don't want to spoil it, but man, it was an interesting read. I wish him the best of luck on it. (You have to read that part of the book to know what I mean.)

It was also interesting to see how Jay and Grant first met Krysten and Steve.

I also like that part at the end of each chapter entitled, "Ghost Hunter's Manual" This is the part were they tell tips of Ghost Hunting to people just starting out in the paranormal field. It was a really nice touch.

For me, the book feel short in some places. One of the biggest places it fell short for me is the use of the word "globules". We all know how they feel about orbs, and I'm glad they feel the way they do about them. For me, the problem is that Grant said how globules are signs of the paranormal. Grant gave a definition of the word "globules" and to me, it's the same definition as the word "orbs". The same thing. So how can "globules" be good, and "orbs" not be good.

We know that TAPS really doesn't do an investigation from a religious angle, which to me is fine. Again, the problem is that most of the cases, the guys will call in a "sensitive" to cleanse a house. According to them, it's the only way to "cleanse" a house. However, in the show, the guys tell the family to "come together to get rid of the ghost". To me is sounds like their covering their bases. Either you use "sensitives" or you don't. You can't have it both ways.

In some of the investigations, we're told that the guys collected EVP's. I just wish we were told what the EVP's said. That would have added so much to the book and hook the reader in further. Granted, on some of the cases, we did learn what the EVP's were, but for most of the cases we're never told what they said, rather, "we collected some EVP's."

If you watched the show, we know that they bought an Inn, and it's haunted. We get a lot of detail on that part of the book. I just feel that, that part of the book is awfully self serving. They know that people will come and want to investigate it, and I know that it won't be cheap. Like I said, for me, it was very self serving on their part.

This next part isn't Jay and Grant's fault, but this book needed a better editor. There were a lot of typos in it.

One part I really liked, the "Lost Ghost Hunter's Episode". That was a very interesting read. It mentions once case that we're told about on "Next week on Ghost Hunters....." but it was never aired. Now we know what happened, and it was an interesting read. I really liked it.

Over all, as I put, it has 4 stars. I like it, well, most of it. Is it perfect? No. That being said, if you're a fan of the show and want to see the early days of TAPS and read about their investigations, then go and pick this book up. I doubt you'll be sorry, I know I wasn't. Overall, I liked it.

Disappointing second effort from the TAPs guys. I looked forward to this for months, read it the first day I got it and was really disappointed at the end. In my opinion, despite a couple of good things, there were more cons than pros with this book.

Pros:

Grant's telling of his first paranormal experience

Colour pictures insert, although some of the pictures were not very good quality.

Cons:

One or two of the same stories in this as in a former TAPs member's book - Paranormal Realities

Stories were very very short. In fact, I hesitate calling them 'stories'... they were almost summaries, in my opinion.

As a long-time fan of GH (have watched every single ep), I really don't need the info injected between the stories about EVPs, etc. I would have preferred that all to be at the end so I could skip it easier.


I do hope that there will be a third book, one with more meat on its bones. Only time will tell.

I'm a fan of syfy's ghost hunters and I've read both of J&G's books by now. I personally prefer the first book, mainly because I prefer to read about cases not presented in the tv series. This second book contains chapters / tips relevant to those who aspire to investigate / start their own investigational team, which was not personally interesting for me. On the whole though, it's a very well written book, I breezed through it in 2-3 evenings. The icing on the cake, I have to say, is Grant's revelation. And I must give credit to the guys for demystifying a topic that has been so mysterious and petrifying to many, especially after watching one too many Hollywood's spin on this subject. 9 out of 10 for the first book. 8 out of 10 for the second. Keep writing guys!

Welconme to my 'Guilty Pleasure'. I LOVE Ghost Hunters. I have been a loyal viewer of Ghost Hunters on SyFy since it first aired. I cannot NOT watch a show, even if its a repeat. I've even purchased every season on DVD because each show is not only engaging and entertaining from a viewer standpoint, but Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson make you feel like you are right there with them. In fact, you feel like you know these guys. You trust these guys! There is nothing phoney or pretentious about Grant and Jason. They are two hard-working, honest, compassionate men devoted to their families who (through a shared interest in the paranormal) have also opened the door toward a greater understanding of the paranormal world through genuine concern for their clients and a search for the truth. The sincerity and professionalism of Grant Wilson, Jason Hawes and their investigative team at T.A.P.S. (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), combined with their use of scientific technology, as well as an open but objective attitude shows us they are not only serious about their investigations but strive to maintain a standard of ethics and honesty in their work. The reason I bring this all up in my review is because ALL of these attributes have been captured in "Seeking Spirits".

Consequently, I doubt its any surprise that I LOVE "Seeking Spirits" in which Grant and Jason share memories of their early cases as paranormal investigators. Each case is engaging, fascinating, suspenseful and (at times) frightening. Each case is told in such a way you almost feel like they are talking to you personally. To be honest, reading this book brought back that feeling of being a child, sitting around a campfire at night beneath a blanket of stars, spellbound while listening to ghost stories --eager to learn what happens next and, at the same time, not wanting the story to end. But these are NOT stories; they are real events from actual paranormal investigations by the authors, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson.

As a reader, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As an author, I congratulate Jason and Grant,(as well as Michael Jan Friedman) for "Seeking Spirits: The Lost Cases of The Atlantic Paranormal Society".

Whether or not you are a viewer of Ghost Hunters, if you enjoy or are fascinated by the paranormal, I highly recommend this book. My only complaint? I wish it was a BIGGER book filled with lots more fascinating case histories.

Ashley Kath-Bilsky

Don't get me wrong. I love the show. I've been watching it since Day One. I continue to watch it even when I get frustrated at some of the incredibly shoddy conclusions they've reached about some of their evidence.... *cough*statue!*cough*

But with this book they've taken a step too far.

It starts out well enough. The stories are fairly interesting, and I didn't mind the ghost hunting tips too much.

And then you read the story called "Pots & Pans", and it all falls apart. Because you realise that this isn't just a case of misinterpreted evidence. It's utter fiction. Or, since this book is presented as "fact", a bald-faced lie.

Because in this story, Jason and Grant claim to have caught on videotape a visible non-human entity moving the pots and pans in somebody's kitchen. In 1997.

That's right. In 1997 TAPS captured THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF PARANORMAL EVIDENCE EVER RECORDED. Pardon the all-caps, but I think it's that important to note. A visibly non-human entity, on video, moving objects about, would blow the scientific world away. It is, quite simply, the proof that every paranormal investigator has been hoping to find. TAPS had this in 1997...

AND THEY'VE NEVER REALEASED IT. ANYWHERE. EVER.

That, to my mind, means that entire story is bull. And if one story is suspect, ALL the stories in the book are suspect. And, since Jason and Grant are claiming the stories in this book are true, it means that their credibility takes a hit right across the board.

Sorry guys. Very, very disappointing...

First I must say I'm a big fan of Ghost Hunters. I've seen every episode of the show and read the first book. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed in this one.

The stories are very short. Sound bites, really. There's so much they could have said, yet they didn't. For example, the story about the first season's "lost" episode was written by another TAPS member and posted in the TAPS forum later that season. It was a long and detailed account - a page turner. The facts weren't quite in sync with the story in the book. I tend to believe the longer, earlier account. Frankly, it makes me wonder if the rest of the stories in the book are completely honest being so truncated.

Basic informational segments follow the stories. If you watch the show regularly or know Paranormal 101, it's stuff you already know. I skimmed through it. I would have preferred they save it for a separate book. I bought one for "The Lost Cases of The Atlantic Paranormal Society" promised in the title. It didn't deliver enough. Not nearly enough.

One guy reviews this book claiming he watches the show all the time and the only evidence GH has ever shown was a lamp move. Buddy, you must be watching some other show! Another person gave it a bad review because he found someone online who 'claimed' GH is fake. Anyone can say anything they want online, even, I suspect, some bitter ghost hunters without tv shows (one unhappy reviewer makes a point of saying HE'S been doing the same thing for 40 years). So, in spite of these rare bad reviews that deserve serious debunking, I bought the book and loved it and I actually DO watch GH every week. It's my favorite. Keep up the good work guys!

I really enjoyed the stories. I have been a fan of the show for years, I found myself holding my breath reading this book at times..boy I wish that I could see some of the stuff they describe in the book on TV!!Grant's story about how he started was really creepy. Much more exciting then Jason's story. One story even made me cry...

This book is a must-read for any fan of Ghost Hunters or the paranormal. Authors Jason and Grant share a variety of their early cases which include everything from posession and elementals to a doppelganger ghost and even an alien encounter. These compelling accounts are interlaced with some cases which they debunked as well as some explanations of techniques and equipment used in paranormal research. If you're a seasoned viewer of GH, don't expect any major revelation related to equipment or technique.

Perhaps the most intriguing story is Grant's first encounter with the paranoraml--the one he's never discussed. After re-reading that first chapter, I can see why. It's as fascinating as it is unbelivable. I think it was very wise for him to establish his credibilty in the field through many years of investigation before sharing his story. That's why I believe it. Hopefully, there will be a future edition in which he'll reveal more than just the "tip foit he iceberg". It serioulsy raises more questions and provokes more curiosity. Grant's story alone is worth the price of the book. But no worries; there's plenty of other bizarre and even disturbing stories which give the reader many reasons to read Seeking Spirits. I finished it in one sitting, simply unable to stop.

Honestly, the book is better than the show. In the book, we actually see how the pair have really helped people through their work. The show has become hollow, formulaic, and routine. Completly eviscerated. I wish GH could approach their cases now with even half the enthusiasm and determination conveyed in the book. I feel like through the show we only glimpse an unsatisfying fraction of what Jason and Grant could offer.