Shade [Paperback]

John B. Olson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2008

"You will not fear the terror of the night." —Psalm 91

A monstrous waking nightmare is pursuing graduate student Hailey Maniates across San Francisco to Golden Gate Park where she is rescued by a towering homeless man. She seems able to read her rescuer’s mind, but is it just a delusion? Doctors diagnose her as a paranoid schizophrenic and attempt to prescribe away her alleged hallucinations. But too many questions remain around Hailey and the man who saved her. He appears to suffer from her same mental condition and is convinced that some type of Gypsy vampire is trying to kill them both.

Against reason, Hailey finds herself more and more attracted to this strange man. But what if he is a fantasy? What if he is the monster?

Endorsements:

"From its stunning first scene to its heartwarming last, Shade is a striking tale of mystery and danger that kept me hooked. This is Olson’s finest work yet, and reading it, one gets the feeling he’s just getting warmed up."

Robin Parrish, author of Relentless and Merciless

"Unseen enemies. Questioned sanity. The weighing of reality. All the things I like in a book! The shadows are not silent. I lost sleep over this book. I got goose bumps from this book. The kind of scary that you crave and cringe at, Shade offers up a monster made more frightening by its originality. Thanks a lot, John Olson--because of you, I will not walk alone at night for a long time to come."

Tosca Lee, author of Demon: A Memoir and Havah: The Story of Eve

"John B. Olson is a seasoned storyteller, and Shade is quite a story! As the heat turns up, and as menacing tones and brooding characters abound, the theme of God's grace boils to the surface. A few years back, Olson gave us a new twist on Jekyll & Hyde; now he puts his own fast-paced spin on the Dracula story. I can only hope there's a sequel in the works!"

Eric Wilson, author of Field of Blood and A Shred of Truth

"Shade is a smart, gripping thriller. John B. Olson whips you along in a breakneck odyssey through a hellish paradise lost--and keeps you up all night doing it."

Melanie Wells, author of My Soul to Keep and When the Day of Evil Comes

"Things that go bump in the night are not all figments of overwrought imaginations or evidence of mental illness. As our heroine discovers, evil personified preys on the ignorance of its victims. Lock your doors and windows, leave the lights on, and hunker down for a splendid, spine-chilling read."

Donita K. Paul, author of the DragonKeeper Chronicles

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Christy Award–winner for Oxygen, Olson, a biochemist-turned-novelist, keeps pace with a page-turning thriller that will please fans of paranormal spiritual battle tales. In a goth-vampire–infused mind-bending race through the streets and underworld of San Francisco, Hailey Maniates discovers a deeper diagnosis than paranoid schizophrenia for her hallucinations. One man wants her as bait in a cosmic duel, and another—Melchi, the child of prophecy—wants to save her life. With the help of her graduate school friends and Melchi, Hailey turns from victim to fellow soldier with Melchi in the battle against the evil Mulo, the spirits of the dead who act like vampires. With breathless pacing, a sharp sense of suspense, memorable descriptions and a churning plot, this novel is a must-read for those who enjoy such authors as Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti. Readers will appreciate carefully woven themes from Dracula, science, faith, conspiracy theory and divine battle. Christian themes surface in the supernatural warfare, and a Christian character, Susan Boggs, helps Hailey see beyond the physical world to a deeper reality. (Oct.)
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About the Author

John B. Olson holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin but left his job as a director and principal scientist at a major scientific software company after eight years to pursue full-time writing and speaking. He has since won several awards for his books. Olson lives with his wife and two children in San Leandro, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: B&H Fiction (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805447342
• ISBN-13: 978-0805447347
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,235,259 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John is a novelist and speaker who lives with his wife Amy and two kids in the San Francisco Bay Area. John earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and did postdoctoral research at the University of California at San Francisco. His novels have won several awards including a Christy Award, a Christy finalist, a Silver Angel award, and placement on the New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smart Christian Thriller!, October 24, 2008

By 

L. Guerrero - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shade (Paperback)

Hailey Maniates is a San Francisco graduate student in biochemistry. She is a scientist who trusts in data that can be observed with her senses but she is shaken one night when she is attacked in her laboratory by a supernatural force that causes her to question her own sanity. She is rescued by a homeless giant named Melchi and though she finds herself drawn to the stranger by an unexplainable attraction, he is just as confusing to her as the attacking force, as she seems to be able to read his emotions.

As the story progresses, Hailey enters even more confusing situations and constantly questions what is real around her. Doctors want to diagnose her with paranoid schizophrenia; her friends warn her of a plague of Sudden Onset Dementia that has been sweeping the city; and stranger still is Melchi's explanation of a spiritual war between an evil vampirish being known as The Mulo and a mysterious force for good called The Standing. The real answer lies somewhere between faith and science and it is up to Hailey to discover the truth in time to save several lives - including her own.

Combining faith, mystery, science, and suspense, with a dash of romance, John B. Olson has crafted one of the most intelligent works of Christian fiction on the market today. Fans of Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti will not want to miss this book - but be assured that Olson's style and voice are unique and original. Shade is a fast paced and suspenseful thriller yet even with all the action, it manages to deliver well-developed characters with plenty of heart. Olson does a great job of engaging the reader in Hailey's struggles and the challenge is on to distinguish reality from hallucination alongside the protagonist. Thought-provoking as well as entertaining, Shade is truly a book that shines!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, Another Can't Put It Down Novel, September 19, 2008

By 

James L. Rubart (Woodinville, WA. USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shade (Paperback)

I don't find many novels I'm sucked into, where most waking moments are devoted to finishing the book. Shade is one of the rare ones. Vivid characters, great foreshadowing that kept me guessing and intrigued, great pacing, and room for a sequel. Next book soon, please.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Shade, September 8, 2008

By 

K. Larsen "klarsenmd" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shade (Paperback)

I really wanted to like this book much more than I actually did. I loved the basic plot, a grad student being pursued by an unknown enemy only to be saved by a heroic homeless man. Along the way both seem completely delusional, to the point where Hailey, the grad student, is treated for schizophrenia and believes the diagnosis herself. Despite this, they grow more attracted to one another and Hailey learns to reluctantly trust her hero, Melchi, and he spins a tale full of the evil Mulo, or gypsy vampire that he must destroy in order to save our world. This is a great plot with exceptional characters that were easy to like and sympathize with.

The problem was in the actual story telling. Too much was thrown into the mix. The backstory was confusing and often made me feel like the schizophrenic one, wondering what could possible be added next. The beginning of the story was chaotic and jumbled and the ending felt rushed and thrown together with random bits of story that seemed placed just to make the whole thing wrap up nice and tidy, while having nothing to do with other parts of the book. I appreciated the faith based aspects of the story and characters, especially set against the basic science, but I just felt it could have been much clearer to enable the reader to enjoy without having to scratch my head every few pages. I do however look forward to a sequel, in the hopes of shedding more light on the general plot line.