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Nathaniel
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352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
108 people are currently reading
2,325 people want to read
About the author
John Saul
132books2,767followersJohn Saul grew up in Whittier California where he graduated from Whittier High School in 1959. He attended several colleges—Antioch, in Ohio, Cerritos, in Norwalk, California, Montana State University and San Francisco State College, variously majoring in anthropology, liberal arts, and theater, but never obtaining a degree.
After leaving college, he decided the best thing for a college dropout to do was become a writer, and spent the next fifteen years working in various jobs while attempting to write a book someone would want to publish. Should anyone ever want to write a novel concerning the car-rental industry or the travails of temporary typists, John can provide excellent background material.
Those years garnered him a nice collection of unpublished manuscripts, but not a lot of money. Eventually he found an agent in New York, who spent several years sending his manuscripts around, and trying to make the rejection slips sound hopeful. Then, in 1976, one of his manuscripts reached Dell, who didn't want to buy it, but asked if he'd be interested in writing a psychological thriller. He put together an outline, and crossed his fingers.
At that point, things started getting bizarre. His agent decided the outline had all the makings of a best-seller, and so did Dell. Gambling on a first novel by an unknown author, they backed the book with television advertising (one of the first times a paperback original was promoted on television) and the gamble paid off. Within a month Suffer the Children appeared on all the best-seller lists in the country and made the #1 spot in Canada. Subsequently all 32 of his books, have made all the best-seller lists and have been published world wide. Though many of his books were published by Bantam/Doubleday/Dell his last fourteen books have been published by Ballantine/Fawcett/Columbine.
In addition to his work as novelist, John is also interested in the theater. He has acted, and as a playwright has had several one-act plays produced in Los Angeles and Seattle, and two optioned in New York. One of his novels was produced by Gerber Productions Company and M.G.M. as a C.B.S. movie and currently one of his novels is in development.
John served on the Expansion Arts Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts. He is actively involved with the development of other writers, and is a lecturer at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference and the Maui Writers Conference and received the Life Time Achievement Award from the Northwest Writers Conference. John is also a trustee and Vice President of The Chester Woodruff Foundation (New York), a philanthropic organization.
John lives part-time in the Pacific Northwest, both in Seattle and in the San Juan Islands. He also maintains a residence on the Big Island of Hawaii. He currently enjoys motor homing, travel and golf. He is an avid reader, bridge player, golfer and loves to cook.
After leaving college, he decided the best thing for a college dropout to do was become a writer, and spent the next fifteen years working in various jobs while attempting to write a book someone would want to publish. Should anyone ever want to write a novel concerning the car-rental industry or the travails of temporary typists, John can provide excellent background material.
Those years garnered him a nice collection of unpublished manuscripts, but not a lot of money. Eventually he found an agent in New York, who spent several years sending his manuscripts around, and trying to make the rejection slips sound hopeful. Then, in 1976, one of his manuscripts reached Dell, who didn't want to buy it, but asked if he'd be interested in writing a psychological thriller. He put together an outline, and crossed his fingers.
At that point, things started getting bizarre. His agent decided the outline had all the makings of a best-seller, and so did Dell. Gambling on a first novel by an unknown author, they backed the book with television advertising (one of the first times a paperback original was promoted on television) and the gamble paid off. Within a month Suffer the Children appeared on all the best-seller lists in the country and made the #1 spot in Canada. Subsequently all 32 of his books, have made all the best-seller lists and have been published world wide. Though many of his books were published by Bantam/Doubleday/Dell his last fourteen books have been published by Ballantine/Fawcett/Columbine.
In addition to his work as novelist, John is also interested in the theater. He has acted, and as a playwright has had several one-act plays produced in Los Angeles and Seattle, and two optioned in New York. One of his novels was produced by Gerber Productions Company and M.G.M. as a C.B.S. movie and currently one of his novels is in development.
John served on the Expansion Arts Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts. He is actively involved with the development of other writers, and is a lecturer at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference and the Maui Writers Conference and received the Life Time Achievement Award from the Northwest Writers Conference. John is also a trustee and Vice President of The Chester Woodruff Foundation (New York), a philanthropic organization.
John lives part-time in the Pacific Northwest, both in Seattle and in the San Juan Islands. He also maintains a residence on the Big Island of Hawaii. He currently enjoys motor homing, travel and golf. He is an avid reader, bridge player, golfer and loves to cook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
February 3, 2018
Janet Hall's husband Mark dies in an accident while visiting his old hometown, Prairie Bend, (where his parents live). So Janet leaves their home in New York and goes to Prairie Bend with her son Michael for the funeral. (Janet can't understand why Mark visited Prairie Bend, he didn't tell her he was going there, and he hasn't seen or spoken to his parents for years.) Janet meets Mark's parents (Anna and Amos) who tell her Mark owned a farm. (This is a surprise to Janet since Mark never told her anything about this.) Janet eventually decides to stay in Prairie Bend and live on the farm Mark owned. She is very happy when the townsfolk all pitch in and help her fix up the farmhouse. She likes the friendliness of the people and finally feels like she belongs. (Janet always wanted to live on a farm.)
Janet has an eleven-year-old son, Michael. He has made some new friends but he doesn't seem to be getting on well with his grandfather Amos, who is a very strict man. Amos tells Michael to stay away from old Ben Findley's farm (an anti-social hermit who doesn't want to be disturbed.) But Michael keeps feeling a subconscious pull to go to Findley's farm, especially his barn. Michael keeps hearing a voice calling to him from the barn... the voice says its name is Nathaniel. But according to the townsfolk Nathaniel is dead...
This book had great atmosphere and settings. The barn and farm were eerie. I liked some of the characters, Janet and Mark's sister Laura. And some I didn't. I thought old Amos was horrible and mean, especially to Michael's dog Shadow. I liked when Shadow got back at Amos later on in the book. I wished some things (that confused me) in the plot were explained a little better though...
Janet has an eleven-year-old son, Michael. He has made some new friends but he doesn't seem to be getting on well with his grandfather Amos, who is a very strict man. Amos tells Michael to stay away from old Ben Findley's farm (an anti-social hermit who doesn't want to be disturbed.) But Michael keeps feeling a subconscious pull to go to Findley's farm, especially his barn. Michael keeps hearing a voice calling to him from the barn... the voice says its name is Nathaniel. But according to the townsfolk Nathaniel is dead...
This book had great atmosphere and settings. The barn and farm were eerie. I liked some of the characters, Janet and Mark's sister Laura. And some I didn't. I thought old Amos was horrible and mean, especially to Michael's dog Shadow. I liked when Shadow got back at Amos later on in the book. I wished some things (that confused me) in the plot were explained a little better though...
January 23, 2019
”I saw something that night.�
John Saul is a very deceptive writer. The characters that people his stories are ordinary everyday folk doing ordinary everyday things. Even the horror elements are hardly apocalyptic or grotesque (or perhaps I haven’t read enough of his books yet). Instead, it creeps and crawls and worms its way into the reader’s consciousness.
If there isn’t overmuch character development, it’s because the characters come fully formed. These are the kind of people we all know, which makes it so much more disturbing when strange things start happening. We can relate.
”I saw something out there.�
In Saul’s stories, it’s the little things that kill. Nathaniel is no exception; it’s an insidious novel. There are multiple shades of grey here, and my allegiance kept swinging from one set of possibilities to the next. It’s never very clear what exactly is going on (until, obviously, at the very end), and just when you think you finally have the truth of it some new information is revealed to set you back a step or two. This book requires a bit of “reading between the lines�, so come prepared.
That said, it all seems to work in the book’s favour, since reader frustration with character beliefs and perceptions often form an integral part of what makes this a “horror� story. It’s sometimes scary just because you don’t want it to happen.
[He], too, sensed the change in the atmosphere, and suddenly felt his skin begin to crawl.
Even though it’s a slow-burner and the body count isn’t exactly sky high it does read pretty quickly. Things do pick up at around the halfway mark. And In fact, on more than one occasion I found myself literally forgetting to breathe. Needless to say, it gets pretty tense, especially given Saul’s penchant for distressing endings; you never quite know what to expect.
[She] felt a sickness in her stomach as she realized what had gone on in her house so many years ago.
Although this isn’t the most horrific novel by today's standards (it lacks hordes of action scenes and buckets of gore to qualify), it still makes for some darn uneasy reading. The subject matter deals with themes like babies being stillborn, creepy family secrets, paranoia, and such, and there is just enough of a supernatural angle to keep your teeth on edge. I enjoyed it a lot; it packs a psychological punch and it kept me guessing. Also, the prairie was an interesting setting.
“You don’t believe me, do you?� he said quietly. “You don’t think I saw anything.�
John Saul is a very deceptive writer. The characters that people his stories are ordinary everyday folk doing ordinary everyday things. Even the horror elements are hardly apocalyptic or grotesque (or perhaps I haven’t read enough of his books yet). Instead, it creeps and crawls and worms its way into the reader’s consciousness.
If there isn’t overmuch character development, it’s because the characters come fully formed. These are the kind of people we all know, which makes it so much more disturbing when strange things start happening. We can relate.
”I saw something out there.�
In Saul’s stories, it’s the little things that kill. Nathaniel is no exception; it’s an insidious novel. There are multiple shades of grey here, and my allegiance kept swinging from one set of possibilities to the next. It’s never very clear what exactly is going on (until, obviously, at the very end), and just when you think you finally have the truth of it some new information is revealed to set you back a step or two. This book requires a bit of “reading between the lines�, so come prepared.
That said, it all seems to work in the book’s favour, since reader frustration with character beliefs and perceptions often form an integral part of what makes this a “horror� story. It’s sometimes scary just because you don’t want it to happen.
[He], too, sensed the change in the atmosphere, and suddenly felt his skin begin to crawl.
Even though it’s a slow-burner and the body count isn’t exactly sky high it does read pretty quickly. Things do pick up at around the halfway mark. And In fact, on more than one occasion I found myself literally forgetting to breathe. Needless to say, it gets pretty tense, especially given Saul’s penchant for distressing endings; you never quite know what to expect.
[She] felt a sickness in her stomach as she realized what had gone on in her house so many years ago.
Although this isn’t the most horrific novel by today's standards (it lacks hordes of action scenes and buckets of gore to qualify), it still makes for some darn uneasy reading. The subject matter deals with themes like babies being stillborn, creepy family secrets, paranoia, and such, and there is just enough of a supernatural angle to keep your teeth on edge. I enjoyed it a lot; it packs a psychological punch and it kept me guessing. Also, the prairie was an interesting setting.
“You don’t believe me, do you?� he said quietly. “You don’t think I saw anything.�
March 25, 2011
okay, this next part isn't my own review, but it was written on GoodReads in 2008 and i feel it deserves a wider audience:
I LOVE THIS BOOK.. IM NOT SURE WHY CUZ IF YOU ASK ME FOR DETAILS ABOUT IT I COULDNT GIVE EM TO YA... MAYBE THATS WHY I CAN READ BOOKS A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TIMES.... MY MEMORY IS HORRIBLE....
thank you, "� Lou"! if you were still around, i'd follow your reviews! you've read Nathaniel 3 times! that is a horrible memory PLUS dedication! i am your fan.
as for me, i was in high school when i read this, and i actually remember it pretty clearly. this is because my high school girlfriend and i read chapters to each other in the park inbetween make-out sessions. how creepy and romantic! but mainly creepy. it is important to point out that i painted my nails black back then.
the novel itself is about some eerie kid, like all john saul novels apparently.
I LOVE THIS BOOK.. IM NOT SURE WHY CUZ IF YOU ASK ME FOR DETAILS ABOUT IT I COULDNT GIVE EM TO YA... MAYBE THATS WHY I CAN READ BOOKS A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TIMES.... MY MEMORY IS HORRIBLE....
thank you, "� Lou"! if you were still around, i'd follow your reviews! you've read Nathaniel 3 times! that is a horrible memory PLUS dedication! i am your fan.
as for me, i was in high school when i read this, and i actually remember it pretty clearly. this is because my high school girlfriend and i read chapters to each other in the park inbetween make-out sessions. how creepy and romantic! but mainly creepy. it is important to point out that i painted my nails black back then.
the novel itself is about some eerie kid, like all john saul novels apparently.
February 17, 2023
In the late 80s/early 90s, I picked up John Saul just about every time I went to the library. He was a prolific, pulpy writer who wrote in the only genre I was into during my brace face years. Somehow, Nathaniel never got checked out back then, but it turns out I wasn't missing much. It was dumb and not very creepy.
Prolly explains why I don't reach for Paranormal Thrillers much anymore: I'm still burned out decades later.
The 80s was a totally awesome time to be a teen, by the way.
^ Not an actual picture of anybody I know. This could be a stock photo of ANY high school in the late 80s. It's the big hair with bangs and oversized t-shirts.
Prolly explains why I don't reach for Paranormal Thrillers much anymore: I'm still burned out decades later.
The 80s was a totally awesome time to be a teen, by the way.
^ Not an actual picture of anybody I know. This could be a stock photo of ANY high school in the late 80s. It's the big hair with bangs and oversized t-shirts.
October 27, 2019
I picked this up at a local book sale. I haven’t read Saul’s work in years. My grandmother read a lot of his stuff in the 90s. I remember borrowing one of his books from her and giving her Everville by Clive Barker. These authors are world apart. My grandma came away saying she wouldn’t be reading anymore Barker, but I liked John Saul alright and planned to come back to him someday.
Flash forward a good 20+ years, and I finally found some time to pick his work up again.
As a writer, I learned a bit about improving my dialogue herein. Saul’s pretty good at breaking up the monotony in dialogue, and the actions he uses to intersperse the longer discussions vary enough to keep things interesting.
I’d say this is a slow burn, but there really is no point at which the story really ignites. It is good, but it is such a subtle paranormal story.
The payoff comes in the last 30 pages. The pace doesn’t increase, but there were some nice twists and clarifications therein.
All in all, this dude is a respectable and prolific writer. I respect him greatly and look forward to checking out a few of his high watermarks in the new year.
This year (2019) I’m going to spend a lot of my time learning from writers through reading. I always do, but this year I’m making a conscious effort to do so. This was a good start to that endeavor for sure.
Flash forward a good 20+ years, and I finally found some time to pick his work up again.
As a writer, I learned a bit about improving my dialogue herein. Saul’s pretty good at breaking up the monotony in dialogue, and the actions he uses to intersperse the longer discussions vary enough to keep things interesting.
I’d say this is a slow burn, but there really is no point at which the story really ignites. It is good, but it is such a subtle paranormal story.
The payoff comes in the last 30 pages. The pace doesn’t increase, but there were some nice twists and clarifications therein.
All in all, this dude is a respectable and prolific writer. I respect him greatly and look forward to checking out a few of his high watermarks in the new year.
This year (2019) I’m going to spend a lot of my time learning from writers through reading. I always do, but this year I’m making a conscious effort to do so. This was a good start to that endeavor for sure.
July 9, 2022
This was my first read from horror master John Saul's vast catalogue. What I can say is that the man can write and has a sure hand for a spooky atmosphere - there was at least one scene in the dark fields that gave me the heebie jeebies.
It was a solid old school supernatural shocker that pleasently killed my time but that didn´t leave a deeper mark in my horror fiction crowded mind. Maybe this just isn't fair because I´m pretty late to the party and Nathaniel was a big deal when it first came out? I really can´t tell, because I only discovered it now and it did what it did but didn´t put anything new or long lasting on my table.
It was decent enough though to keep me interested in Saul's work and maybe I´ll find MY personal little gem in there soon.
Alright, this was a quick one because I guess most readers are already more familiar with the author than myself. Otherwise: Horror fans who enjoy more classic chills without buckets of gore should give this one a try!
It was a solid old school supernatural shocker that pleasently killed my time but that didn´t leave a deeper mark in my horror fiction crowded mind. Maybe this just isn't fair because I´m pretty late to the party and Nathaniel was a big deal when it first came out? I really can´t tell, because I only discovered it now and it did what it did but didn´t put anything new or long lasting on my table.
It was decent enough though to keep me interested in Saul's work and maybe I´ll find MY personal little gem in there soon.
Alright, this was a quick one because I guess most readers are already more familiar with the author than myself. Otherwise: Horror fans who enjoy more classic chills without buckets of gore should give this one a try!
June 4, 2016
This book was really good until the last few chapters. The twist at the end totally ruined it for me and turned the whole story into a garbled mess that made no sense. I really hate frustrating ending like this
April 17, 2020
5 Stars all the WAY!!!!
What can I say, I have always loved this man's writing...and i had always read them as they were published, and even knew him for a while when i lived in Seattle. So I think this book, his 7th published horror novel, is my all time favorite of his, well almost, it is hard to say. I will not go into the plot of this book, because this 342 page Ghost / Revenge Fest reads like a frigging 750 page horror Tome! Yes, it is that quick and tense, and visceral of a read....and a damned good one too!
So, here is a link to my video book review that i just posted yesterday on my YouTube Channel; AreYouIntoHorror:
And please if you have not already, SUBSCRIBE and share the channel with your friends. I would love to hear your comments on what you thought of 'Nathaniel' or what you think of John Saul as a horror author.
Thanks for taking the time out to read this, and check out the channel.
Richard.
What can I say, I have always loved this man's writing...and i had always read them as they were published, and even knew him for a while when i lived in Seattle. So I think this book, his 7th published horror novel, is my all time favorite of his, well almost, it is hard to say. I will not go into the plot of this book, because this 342 page Ghost / Revenge Fest reads like a frigging 750 page horror Tome! Yes, it is that quick and tense, and visceral of a read....and a damned good one too!
So, here is a link to my video book review that i just posted yesterday on my YouTube Channel; AreYouIntoHorror:
And please if you have not already, SUBSCRIBE and share the channel with your friends. I would love to hear your comments on what you thought of 'Nathaniel' or what you think of John Saul as a horror author.
Thanks for taking the time out to read this, and check out the channel.
Richard.
July 9, 2011
A very creepy story that blends elements of a horrendous family legacy with ESP, madness and gore set in a backwards midwestern town. This is the second John Saul book I've read and it was much better than the first. It has a lot of elements that felt like influence from Stephen King. I defintately liked the book and would recommend it.
July 9, 2022
Don't expect happy endings when you read a John Saul novel....
Although I found Creature to be a better book, this one was pretty good.
Although I found Creature to be a better book, this one was pretty good.
September 22, 2020
Ok, so this may not be the literary equivalent of a 5-star novel but it was one of the most fun ghost stories I've read in a very long time. (I actually listened to it on cd, but whatever.) The book was originally published in 1984 and is very well-known and well-loved. I'd call it a "classic" as in classic ghost story. I really enjoyed it.
August 15, 2008
I love John Saul, and this has got to be my absolute favorite book of his! It has lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end when the surprise ending leaves you speechless!
October 23, 2008
I read this book many years ago (early 80's), so I could not give an accurate review. I have it listed in my records as a "very good read".
February 14, 2020
I have not read any Saul in decades, but I read a lot of his stuff once and recall liking it. Nathaniel is 'typical' of his work, being set in a small town and the main characters are a family (single mom, young son). The story starts with said mom and child (the two main leads) arriving in a small Nebraska town. Her husband and father of the child had visited his home town and parents for the first time in decades and accidentally died there; newly widowed, she comes to her in laws house for the funeral.
I liked the set up, and with Saul, you know you are going to get something strange. You are never quite sure if you are dealing with something from beyond or simply an active imagination of a young boy. Something, however, is contacting the son about his father's death, and indeed, about a whole string of strange deaths that go back over a 100 years. I will not go into the details, as Saul has lots of fun twists and turns. Suffice it to say that Saul writes in an engaging style, and while he employs stereotypes, he at least gives them a good twist. I can see why he was best seller in the 80s. 3.5 stars.
I liked the set up, and with Saul, you know you are going to get something strange. You are never quite sure if you are dealing with something from beyond or simply an active imagination of a young boy. Something, however, is contacting the son about his father's death, and indeed, about a whole string of strange deaths that go back over a 100 years. I will not go into the details, as Saul has lots of fun twists and turns. Suffice it to say that Saul writes in an engaging style, and while he employs stereotypes, he at least gives them a good twist. I can see why he was best seller in the 80s. 3.5 stars.
September 28, 2022
Michael y Janet, su madre, llegan a Prairie Bend, un pueblito en donde se crió su Mark Hall, el esposo recién fallecido de Janet. Allí se encontrará con esa familia que no habían conocido y� empezarán a ocurrir cosas muy extrañas. Voces que intentan hacerse oír, y que sólo Michael logrará atender. Un secreto muy oscuro y una maldición que recae sobre esa familia.
En lo personal me ha gustado mucho. Aunque debo admitir que no supera a El hijo de la mente (opinión mía). Aun así, se disfruta este libro. Con personajes como Michael, uno de los principales; Ryan, su primo; Amos, el abuelo (a este lo odié demasiado); Anna, la abuela; Ben Findley, un vecino con una historia con la familia Hall; Sombra, un perro hermoso (mi personaje favorito ❤️). Desde luego, Nathaniel (el personaje «principal»).
PD: Ese final� me recordó mucho a Inception (solo en cierto momento).
3,7⭐️
En lo personal me ha gustado mucho. Aunque debo admitir que no supera a El hijo de la mente (opinión mía). Aun así, se disfruta este libro. Con personajes como Michael, uno de los principales; Ryan, su primo; Amos, el abuelo (a este lo odié demasiado); Anna, la abuela; Ben Findley, un vecino con una historia con la familia Hall; Sombra, un perro hermoso (mi personaje favorito ❤️). Desde luego, Nathaniel (el personaje «principal»).
PD: Ese final� me recordó mucho a Inception (solo en cierto momento).
3,7⭐️
Read
October 8, 2019Listened to an abridged version on audible.
I hated it.
I hated it.
October 19, 2020
Warning: SPOILERS!
I love this book. I have read it so many times that I have lost count. Truth be told, I adore all of John Saul's books but this one seems to change every time I read it. From the supernatural elements to the "what is real" aspects, I love the well rounded nature of this story and I love how it combines a childlike innocence with a very adult nature. That said, here's my review:
Summary: Narrated by the author, told from various characters viewpoints as it directs the flow of the story.
Prairie Bend is the epitome of a small tow. From it's everybody knows everyone mentality to the scary stories that somehow always originate from the founding families. And when Michael Hall comes to the sleepy town with his mother in order to attend the funeral for his dad, he learns of a family he never knew he had.
Micheal's father left Prairie Bend as soon as he was able to, no longer able to stand his own fathers overbearing nature and the fact that his own mother refused to leave her wheelchair. Although he left a sister behind, he promised her that her life would be different than that of their parents. After a visit back, unbeknownst to his wife and son, Michael's father dies in a horrible accident and his immediate family must now come to terms with the fact that this man had many secrets, including his strange parents and the town of his youth.
Michael immediately bonds with his cousins and some of the other town kids but has a strong dislike for his grandfather, who has the mentality of 'spare the rod, spoil the child'. When his mother announces that she is pregnant, the Hal's deliver her to a house that is in desperate need of care-taking and massive upkeep, telling her that it is her house. Gifted to her husband after their wedding. Michael is immediately excited about his new home and even adopts a stray dog which becomes his protector when his grandfathers discipline becomes too much.
One night, Amos Hall tells the story of Nathaniel and his mother Abby who lived out on the plains. One winter, scared and starving, Abby killed and ate her children. The lone survivor of her slow decent into insanity was Nathaniel; now used as a scary story to warn the children in the town t behave or Nathaniel will get them.
You see, babies have a funny way of being born dead in Prairie Bend. And no one but Amos Hall and Doctor Potter know why. Until Michael starts hearing the voice of a boy, calling himself Nathaniel...
Character Analysis:
John Saul is not big on character development. He hands his people to you as is and you watch them slowly follow the story he is imagining for them. Although each book is descriptive and wonderfully written, the characters are fairly as is.
There is, however, something beyond creepy about scary stories that involve children, which is Saul's M.O.
That said, watching what we think may be young Michael Hall's slow decent into madness is terrifying in it's own way, even with a boy written without much substance. Mind you, I don't enjoy John Saul's books because they are profound. I enjoy them as the guilty pleasure books they are meant to be ;]
So readers, what do you think? With Halloween fast approaching, what is on your creepy to read list? Tune in next week for another book review and thanks for following along with me today :]
August 12, 2011
Nathaniel by John Saul is, to put it lightly, very familiar territory for him and for anyone who has read several of his books. I seriously think that this book's
largest problem, at least for me, is that I read it as my 27th Saul read. If I would have read it much earlier on I would have thought much more of it but the same
elements keep turning up again and again. Yep, there is a suffering child in this one who is placed in a strange new home with strange new authority figures who are
much more than they seem, and a few of them seem unpleasant from the start. Where would a Saul novel be without some poor kid to be at the heart of the tragedy? Also,
this book seems to do the switch from having a main protagonist to not having one at all which is something I really respect Saul for doing, dozens of times over. There
are other familiar charicteristics as well such as telepathy between Michael (the main, recycled, child character) and the evil force, the sudden tragic death of a
parent (in this case the boy's father) which starts all of this happening, and the provoberial abusive step-somethings. In this one, it is grand-parents.
I suppose that my respect for Saul has fallen very gradually the more I read of him, kind of like how my taste for the cheap Ramen Noodles has declined with each time I
eat them. At first, the cheap thrills are amazing and the feelings are wonderful, but the more you read (or eat if you like that analogy better) them, you realize that
too much of something can leech all of the glory out of it. Things get old, Ramen Noodles are cheap but lose those cheap thrills rapidly like Saul's work, and, unlike
most things on Earth, plots are not good to recycle. Perhaps Saul's name would shine more fiercely from bookshelves everywhere if he realized this a bit more.
largest problem, at least for me, is that I read it as my 27th Saul read. If I would have read it much earlier on I would have thought much more of it but the same
elements keep turning up again and again. Yep, there is a suffering child in this one who is placed in a strange new home with strange new authority figures who are
much more than they seem, and a few of them seem unpleasant from the start. Where would a Saul novel be without some poor kid to be at the heart of the tragedy? Also,
this book seems to do the switch from having a main protagonist to not having one at all which is something I really respect Saul for doing, dozens of times over. There
are other familiar charicteristics as well such as telepathy between Michael (the main, recycled, child character) and the evil force, the sudden tragic death of a
parent (in this case the boy's father) which starts all of this happening, and the provoberial abusive step-somethings. In this one, it is grand-parents.
I suppose that my respect for Saul has fallen very gradually the more I read of him, kind of like how my taste for the cheap Ramen Noodles has declined with each time I
eat them. At first, the cheap thrills are amazing and the feelings are wonderful, but the more you read (or eat if you like that analogy better) them, you realize that
too much of something can leech all of the glory out of it. Things get old, Ramen Noodles are cheap but lose those cheap thrills rapidly like Saul's work, and, unlike
most things on Earth, plots are not good to recycle. Perhaps Saul's name would shine more fiercely from bookshelves everywhere if he realized this a bit more.
October 3, 2023
So, the story was entertaining and a page turner for me as a Halloween/October read, especially after finishing The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons (eye-roll). However, with Nathaniel, it felt like I was reading any other "popular" book written by the authors who have a hundred books on their resumes and a line of ghost writers in their antechambers. My partner believes Saul's writing felt like reading John Grisham.
The story's about a mystery over a boy in a village called Prairie Bend. The plot has some elements that could be considered spooky such as dark barns, mysterious attics, sudden smell of smoke, a weird kid, angry reclusive old men, women who have been torn apart from their children, hardships of childbirth, and biting winters of famine.
Clichés aside, the story was a light reading for Halloween for me who is not scared easily. There is sth that after reading The Other by Thomas Tryon both my reading partner and I noticed in this book and that is we wish that if we watch or read an interview by Saul somewhere, he mentions that he has been inspired by Tryon! I mean, could it possible that he was not?
The story's about a mystery over a boy in a village called Prairie Bend. The plot has some elements that could be considered spooky such as dark barns, mysterious attics, sudden smell of smoke, a weird kid, angry reclusive old men, women who have been torn apart from their children, hardships of childbirth, and biting winters of famine.
Clichés aside, the story was a light reading for Halloween for me who is not scared easily. There is sth that after reading The Other by Thomas Tryon both my reading partner and I noticed in this book and that is we wish that if we watch or read an interview by Saul somewhere, he mentions that he has been inspired by Tryon! I mean, could it possible that he was not?
June 17, 2011
I listened to Nathaniel on abridged audio. I of course, prefer unabridged audio but I knew I'd never actually get through the book and this is the only audio version available. I was disappointed in the ending. It seemed like the story was built up really well and then just crumbled at the end without a satisfactory conclusion. I often have problems with Saul's endings, but it should be noted I was listening to abridged version and may have missed something. However, on my initial reading in the 1990's I also remember not being happy with the ending.
Nathaniel was chosen as the June 2011 Group Read in the John Saul LitGroup. Feel free to join our discussions anytime - we're always reading a John Saul book!
Nathaniel was chosen as the June 2011 Group Read in the John Saul LitGroup. Feel free to join our discussions anytime - we're always reading a John Saul book!
September 20, 2012
Nathaniel has been on my personal bookshelf for many years, I picked it up from a garage sale for $1 (along with a few more of Mr Saul's book) but until now I haven't had a chance to read it.
The blurb intrigued me when I read it and made me think of Stephen King a little bit.
Nathaniel was easy to read, there was lots of twists that kept your attention and made you want to keep reading. It was dark, believable with a hint of the supernatural.
I must admit when I read this quote:
"If that's what you want," Anna whispered. "If you're sure that is what you want, then you're welcome here. More than welcome. But I warn you," she suddenly added. "Once you become a part of Prairie Bend, you'll never be able to leave." Page 53, Nathaniel.
It made me shiver.
The blurb intrigued me when I read it and made me think of Stephen King a little bit.
Nathaniel was easy to read, there was lots of twists that kept your attention and made you want to keep reading. It was dark, believable with a hint of the supernatural.
I must admit when I read this quote:
"If that's what you want," Anna whispered. "If you're sure that is what you want, then you're welcome here. More than welcome. But I warn you," she suddenly added. "Once you become a part of Prairie Bend, you'll never be able to leave." Page 53, Nathaniel.
It made me shiver.
November 1, 2012
Something about barns is just plain spooky. It seems like the last few books that I have read have had barns in them & it has led to some very dark ocurrences.
On that note, Nathaniel was one creepy book. It is another great October read. Many things were disturbing about the plot and very mysterious. I really despised Amos and I hated him when he hurt Shadow. I can't stand to read stuff like that when it comes to animals. I did enjoy the surprise that came at the end with everything coming together. There was not a dull bore moment in this book. Horror at it's best!
On that note, Nathaniel was one creepy book. It is another great October read. Many things were disturbing about the plot and very mysterious. I really despised Amos and I hated him when he hurt Shadow. I can't stand to read stuff like that when it comes to animals. I did enjoy the surprise that came at the end with everything coming together. There was not a dull bore moment in this book. Horror at it's best!
November 1, 2011
I didn't much care for this book.. I thought the story was going well until the end.. The last hundred pages of the book, I thought the story got lost (or I got lost).. It ruined the whole story for me, thus I gave it two stars.. Saul has written much better..
April 23, 2020
This is my first John Saul book. It starts out a little slow but once it gets going, it’s okay. And even though the story involves dead babies and killer children, it all felt so... tame. Almost like I was reading a YA book. Not sure I’ll be going back to the John Saul well anytime soon...
August 28, 2018
This was the second book by John Saul I read and it's one of my favorites. The atmosphere is so spooky and Amos Hall... brrr
I was living at Browngate, 8th grade so 1986 or so
I was living at Browngate, 8th grade so 1986 or so
March 26, 2013
It was a good read, interesting and kept my attention. The ending however, was total rubbish.
July 19, 2016
I read this when I was 12 and it enthralled me. Characters are believable, well-written and keep you engaged through the story. Everyone is a mystery in this book.
August 9, 2019
Typical John Saul....awesome book.
December 24, 2023
Terror ochentero del bueno , yo no terminé de enterarme de que va la historia hasta el tercio final. Maldiciónes ,fantasmas y niños muertos las especialidad de este escritor
Súper recomendable.
🐵🔪🔪
Súper recomendable.
🐵🔪🔪
September 25, 2021
At this point, I don't really have high expectations for John Saul. Some of his books have a big nostalgia factor for me, like , and some of them are just so over-the-top in their gross-out factor that I have to be entertained, like , but this one shocked me because it was like... I mean, this was good . Not perfect, but good.
It does start off following a usual Saul formula; man takes family back to his old hometown which has at least one parent that is an abusive asshole, except this time Man is Dead, and also this small town is way more... I mean, it's way more rural and out-of-touch than usual? This book just felt different than, say, . A lot of the side characters were way more sympathetic, and there was a genuine mystery here, where you weren't actually sure who was in the right for a while, which I definitely dug. It felt almost western? I don't know, there was just something about this book that felt different, and good, and I would definitely, honestly, probably recommend this one.
It does start off following a usual Saul formula; man takes family back to his old hometown which has at least one parent that is an abusive asshole, except this time Man is Dead, and also this small town is way more... I mean, it's way more rural and out-of-touch than usual? This book just felt different than, say, . A lot of the side characters were way more sympathetic, and there was a genuine mystery here, where you weren't actually sure who was in the right for a while, which I definitely dug. It felt almost western? I don't know, there was just something about this book that felt different, and good, and I would definitely, honestly, probably recommend this one.
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