Soul Catcher [Hardcover]

Michael C. White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2007

In the tradition of Cold Mountain comes this bold, exquisitely written and profoundly moving epic of a slave catcher and a young woman on the run on the eve of the Civil War.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

White's latest novel (after 2004's The Garden of Martyrs), a sweeping if often predictable saga of Antebellum societal and political tensions, follows Augustus Cain, a down on his luck gambler, wounded Mexican-American War veteran and notorious fugitive slave catcher. After a run of bad luck, Cain accepts an assignment from Mr. Eberly, a wealthy Virginia landowner that Cain's in debt to, to track down two runaway slaves, Henry and Rosetta. Along with three of Eberly's men, Cain sets out on a dangerous journey that takes him from Richmond to New York and Boston. After Cain captures the runaways and turns homeward, the trek becomes a means of redemption for both the soul catcher and his captives, and paints an unsettling portrait of a nation on the brink of civil war. Intercut with the journey are vivid flashbacks of the battle that left Cain crippled. Despite an abundance of stock cameos (a traveling salesman/con artist, wise elderly people who dispense easy advice) and a predictable conclusion, the book succeeds in presenting a fractious era and a host of moral quagmires. Cain—a flawed and coarse antihero—becomes emblematic of a historical moment under White's sure hand. (Sept.)
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From Booklist

Like Huck Finn, 17-year-old Augustus Cain lights out for the territory, leaving his father's farm for the adventure of the Mexican-American War. But the carnage of combat strips him of his idealism and the full use of one of his legs, leaving him addicted to laudanum. He soon falls back on his uncanny skill for tracking runaway slaves, vowing after every job that he will give up the occupation. But over the course of decades, his love of liquor and gambling inevitably leaves him low on funds and in need of another job, and so he sets out again, this time in search of Rosetta, a proud, light-skinned house slave dearly prized by her owner. Over the course of the long journey from Virginia to Boston and back, Augustus forges an intense bond with Rosetta, who has suffered sexual abuse and worse at the hands of her owner; for the first time, Augustus is able to fully see the sordidness of his profession. Historical novelist White's heartbreaking story is slow to build but devastating in its final impact. Wilkinson, Joanne

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1st edition (August 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061340723
• ISBN-13: 978-0061340727
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,330,036 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Depth and Action in One Book, October 15, 2007

By 

J Martin Jellinek (Memphis, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soul Catcher (Hardcover)

In Soul Catcher, Michael White has created a complex and fascinating look at the internal search for meaning and truth. His book is set in the antebellum world of slaves and slave-catchers. The main figure, Cain, is a wonderfully developed character of great depth and strength. His biblical name is very apt as one who leaves his settled world, sacrifices all that is dear to him, and enters a new world, protected by God's mark. Rosetta, the main female character, is likewise a very strong character. She is almost Mosaic as she leads Cain through his personal wilderness into a place of self-acceptance.

I did have one problem with the book. It may be a personal grudge, but I was really disappointed when White makes Cain into almost a super-human character. He was shot and stabbed more times than I could count and yet, like the Eveready bunny, he keeps on ticking. This just didn't ring true to me and detracted from an otherwise breathtaking book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "As Good as Lonesome Dove", September 20, 2007

By 

Talmage Boston (Dallas, Tx United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soul Catcher (Hardcover)

This is as good a story of life in the very rough days of the nineteenth century as I've ever read.The characters are unforgetable. The action is constant. The insight into the human condition is profound. It would make as good a film or TV miniseries as "Lonesome Dove". When I finished the book, I felt like I had ridden every mile, dodged every bullet, and felt every feeling along with Augustus Cain. Don't miss this book if tales of America's days before the automobile are your thing--Talmage Boston

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soul Catcher - A Great Read, September 16, 2007

By 

Ghost Writer "Ghost Reviewer" (Selmer Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soul Catcher (Hardcover)

Soul Catcher by Michael White
Reviewed by GW

It is truly a joy when a book comes along like Soul Catcher. From the opening chapter until the final sentence, I was mesmerized by this very important piece of work. I could not wait to get home from work and begin reading about this journey of adventure, romance, poker, gunfights, horses, moral conflict, and an absolutely original and terrific plot.
Augustus Cain is a character that will live in the minds of the reader for years to come. All of the characters are memorable. Some of them are down right mean and vicious while others are just trying to adjust to a way of life forced upon them.
When Rosetta a slave escapes from her owner, Eberly, a wealthy tobacco plantation owner, Cain's services are needed. Cain tracks and returns runaway slaves to their owners for money, and he is very good at his trade.
Unfortunately, Cain is forced into this job. Having lost money and the bill of sale for his horse in a poker game, Cain must take the job. Augustus Cain is very dependent upon his horse, and he will do anything to keep him.
Augustus Cain has an adventurous background, and it is revealed throughout the book. The reader will hang onto every phrase in this exciting story as Augustus deals with his past, present, and future.
The two slaves in question by Eberly are Henry and Rosetta. They escaped at the same time, but Rosetta is the main reason Eberly wants the services of Cain. Rosetta will touch the heart of everyone reading the book.
Cain must take the Strofe brothers and a man called Preacher with him to retrieve the slaves. As the journey starts, it is apparent that trouble is brewing down the road. Cain is an intelligent man who reads Milton's Paradise Lost. Cain's comrades lack sophistication and intelligence.
This story is set in Pre Civil War leading up to the beginning of the conflict. Michael White's prose moves like a shark in the water - smooth, engaging, easy to follow and smart.
To give away any more of the plot would be a travesty to avid readers. Rush to the nearest book and track down Soul Catcher by Michael White. Real events are dispersed throughout the book that gives it realism and depth.
It is a reading experience that delivers thought provoking dialogue and issues for anyone interested in the human race and life. Finding the right thing to do with one's life and the journey arriving there is sometimes difficult and filled with moral consciousness and mind challenging events.
I wish someone else in my community would read the book. I want to discuss every aspect and motive within this classic piece of work. It was relevant before the Civil War, and many themes are relevant today.
I have not read a book in a long time that has affected me like this. I think about the characters and the story throughout the day as I go about my job. The relevance and emotional depth that the book leaves with the reader is exactly what books should do. Whether fiction or non fiction, the reader should be left with food for thought and knowledge for conversation.
I highly recommend Soul Catcher by Michael White to anyone looking for substance, significance, and accomplishment. I commend Michael White for creating a story with wonderful characters, just the right amount of action, and a knock out plot for everyone to enjoy.
Augustus Cain has become one of my favorite fictional characters. He has an adventurous soul that lurks inside all of us. However, like Cain, we must strive to find the right path.