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Blackstone Chronicles #3
Der Atem des Drachen
Eine dunkle Gestalt schleicht durch Blackstones Straßen und verteilt geheimnisvolle Geschenke, deren Ursprung in der Vergangenheit des alten, leerstehenden Irrenhauses liegt. Dort haben angesehene Familien jahrelang ihre kranken und unerewünschten Angehörigen eingesperrt, um die Fassade der heilen Welt aufrechtzuerhalten. Doch jetzt erwachen das Böse und das Leid, die sich dort im Verborgenen abspielten, wieder zum Leben, und die Fassade beginnt zu bröckeln...
Das exotische Feuerzeug, das sie auf dem sonntäglichen Flohmarkt aufstöbert, scheint Rebecca Morrison genau das richtige Willkommensgeschenk für ihre Kusine Andrea zu sein.
Denn Andrea kann ein wenig Unterstützung gebrauchen: Ihre Mutter Martha, deren Haus sie im Streit verlassen hat, sieht der Rückkehr ihrer mittellosen Tochter nur mit Widerwillen entgegen. Doch was als Willkommensgeschenk gedacht war, wird Andrea zum Verhängnis...
Das exotische Feuerzeug, das sie auf dem sonntäglichen Flohmarkt aufstöbert, scheint Rebecca Morrison genau das richtige Willkommensgeschenk für ihre Kusine Andrea zu sein.
Denn Andrea kann ein wenig Unterstützung gebrauchen: Ihre Mutter Martha, deren Haus sie im Streit verlassen hat, sieht der Rückkehr ihrer mittellosen Tochter nur mit Widerwillen entgegen. Doch was als Willkommensgeschenk gedacht war, wird Andrea zum Verhängnis...
127 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
2 people are currently reading
651 people want to read
About the author
John Saul
150 books2,851 followersJohn Saul is an American author best known for his bestselling suspense and horror novels, many of which have appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. Born in Pasadena and raised in Whittier, California, Saul attended several universities without earning a degree. He spent years honing his craft, writing under pen names before finding mainstream success. His breakout novel, Suffer the Children (1977), launched a prolific career, with over 60 million copies of his books in print. Saul’s work includes Cry for the Strangers, later adapted into a TV movie, and The Blackstone Chronicles series. He is also a playwright, with one-act plays produced in Los Angeles and Seattle. In 2023, he received the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement. Openly gay, he has lived with his partner—also his creative collaborator—for nearly 50 years. Saul divides his time between Seattle, the San Juan Islands, and Hawaii, and frequently speaks at writers’ conferences, including the Maui Writers' Conference. His enduring popularity in the horror genre stems from a blend of psychological tension, supernatural elements, and deep emotional undercurrents that have resonated with readers for decades.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 27, 2016
None of these short serial novels are what I would call excellent books, but this is my favorite so far compared to the others. Written focusing on wimpy Rebecca and the horrid aunt that raised her, the daughter has come back into town to find herself gifted with a certain dragon lighter. Of course the lighter is evil, and of course we still don't know how these objects can affect people and what the whole purpose behind any of it either. Oliver is clearly a leading figure in the series as he keeps getting flashbacks and scenes in each book are told through his POV. I can't guess yet what it is, so I do applaud Saul for not making things obvious. The ending was especially sobering, but needed with the character.
April 18, 2019
This was the most harrowing one yet since it directly tackled a moral issue that I take a strong stand on. The book was all the more horrible for how simply, swiftly, and almost cavalierly it was resolved. This series is pushing all the right buttons, and it's rare that I read a modern thriller this intricate and inspired. I just can't believe it isn't as well-known as it should be.
We take a look at three mothers and how their offspring turned out through their very own actions. Fire is the predominant theme here - the flame of religious zeal, of passion, of sin and damnation, and of specious purification. And my word - if anything is to convince the reader of the utter evil of the dead Asylum's "gifts", this tightly-strung novella should banish all doubt. The author doesn't take half-measures - he sets up an unrelenting danse macabre, a ruthless parade of murders and madnesses and tragedies.
I'm rating this 8/10 or 4 fiery stars out of 5.
We take a look at three mothers and how their offspring turned out through their very own actions. Fire is the predominant theme here - the flame of religious zeal, of passion, of sin and damnation, and of specious purification. And my word - if anything is to convince the reader of the utter evil of the dead Asylum's "gifts", this tightly-strung novella should banish all doubt. The author doesn't take half-measures - he sets up an unrelenting danse macabre, a ruthless parade of murders and madnesses and tragedies.
I'm rating this 8/10 or 4 fiery stars out of 5.
December 29, 2018
In this edition of the Blackstone Chronicles a young lady, Rebecca Morrison discovers a beautiful cigarette lighter in the shape of a dragon which gives the effect of the dragon breathing fire when it is used. Rebecca unwittingly buys it for her cousin Andrea Ward who is returning to her home town and to the house of her mother Martha. Rebecca is also living at Martha’s house and wants to welcome her cousin back with a small gift. Little does Rebecca know that the lighter has been placed in the flea market for a specific reason, it comes from the old Blackstone Asylum and all the things that come from there are evil!
Martha is a martinet, a bully and obsessively religious, using God in a dreadful way to break the will of her daughter and to intimidate and rule her.
Andrea is in a desperate state when she has to come home, her employer was also her lover and he has turned her out of their flat and terminated her employment but worst of all she is pregnant. In the eyes of unforgiving mother she is all that is bad and the local townsfolk look down on her also. When Rebecca gives Andrea the welcome home gift of the lighter she feels that at least someone cares for her. Of course the lighter can only bring sorrow and trouble for anyone who owns it.
There is a continuation of characters in the different Blackstone books and they are narrated by someone who has access to the Asylum and choses what item will be released into the world next and who will be the unfortunate recipient. All that we know about him is that he has a connection with the Asylum and that his name is Oliver!
Martha is a martinet, a bully and obsessively religious, using God in a dreadful way to break the will of her daughter and to intimidate and rule her.
Andrea is in a desperate state when she has to come home, her employer was also her lover and he has turned her out of their flat and terminated her employment but worst of all she is pregnant. In the eyes of unforgiving mother she is all that is bad and the local townsfolk look down on her also. When Rebecca gives Andrea the welcome home gift of the lighter she feels that at least someone cares for her. Of course the lighter can only bring sorrow and trouble for anyone who owns it.
There is a continuation of characters in the different Blackstone books and they are narrated by someone who has access to the Asylum and choses what item will be released into the world next and who will be the unfortunate recipient. All that we know about him is that he has a connection with the Asylum and that his name is Oliver!
March 27, 2022
TW: baby murder, suicide, religious fanaticism, murder, slut shaming, mental abuse, toxic parent relationship
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:When library assistant Rebecca Morrison comes across a beautifully ornate cigarette lighter in the shape of a fire breathing dragon, she gives it to her cousin, unwittingly igniting an evil that can only originate from the terrifying Blackstone Asylum. This is third installment in "The Blackstone Chronicles", Saul's serial novel about the horrors that plague a small New England town.
Release Date: 03/02/1997
Genre: Horror
Pages: 86
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3.5)
What I Liked:
• It's a story that is VERY similar to Carrie
• The plot line drew me in
• The characters you are supposed to hate you hate.
What I Didn't Like:
• A little TOO much like Carrie 🔥
Overall Thoughts: This book starts on a wintry March night, so it was PERFECT for me to start this story tonight. It has been snowing in Ohio all day and it's March 26th here. Don't you just love when everything comes together like that?
This story centers around a very religious like mother and daughter. It's kind of similar to Stephen Kings Carrie, but if Carrie got to escape her mother's religious percussion. The daughter - Andrea is not very likeable and loves to blame others for her failing life. It's hard to like her.
This one talks a lot about abortion without really talking about the feelings afterwards. I know it's only 80 pages but it felt odd.
Final Thoughts: This story so far has been the weakest one. It just was so similar to Carrie that I couldn't get it out of my head.
IG | Blog
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:When library assistant Rebecca Morrison comes across a beautifully ornate cigarette lighter in the shape of a fire breathing dragon, she gives it to her cousin, unwittingly igniting an evil that can only originate from the terrifying Blackstone Asylum. This is third installment in "The Blackstone Chronicles", Saul's serial novel about the horrors that plague a small New England town.
Release Date: 03/02/1997
Genre: Horror
Pages: 86
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3.5)
What I Liked:
• It's a story that is VERY similar to Carrie
• The plot line drew me in
• The characters you are supposed to hate you hate.
What I Didn't Like:
• A little TOO much like Carrie 🔥
Overall Thoughts: This book starts on a wintry March night, so it was PERFECT for me to start this story tonight. It has been snowing in Ohio all day and it's March 26th here. Don't you just love when everything comes together like that?
This story centers around a very religious like mother and daughter. It's kind of similar to Stephen Kings Carrie, but if Carrie got to escape her mother's religious percussion. The daughter - Andrea is not very likeable and loves to blame others for her failing life. It's hard to like her.
This one talks a lot about abortion without really talking about the feelings afterwards. I know it's only 80 pages but it felt odd.
Final Thoughts: This story so far has been the weakest one. It just was so similar to Carrie that I couldn't get it out of my head.
IG | Blog
February 10, 2021
Almost done with book 4 already!
September 7, 2017
From Casual Debris
The third part of John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles series is an improved entry over its pair of predecessors, as its formulaic bits are more focused and intertwined.
The italicized introductory pages present a disturbing account of a young woman being ostracized by family and community as a result of an accidental pregnancy. This is followed by the horrific loss of the baby while mother is still locked away at the asylum. Though the sequence is brief, it is effective primarily due to its content. In addition, the brief narrative is directly linked to the plot of this novella, as opposed to the random connection in Part Two's "The Locket."
"The Dragon's Flame" introduces us to Andrea, Martha Ward's prodigal daughter, and cousin to heroine Rebecca Morrison. Her employer/partner has fired her from her job and tossed her out of their apartment. Pregnant and abandoned, Andrea returns to Blackstone and to her mother's home as she has nowhere else to go. Unlike the previous recipients of possessed asylum memorabilia, Andrea lives not the perfect life of the financially comfortable, but is already a victim of life prior to getting victimized by whatever vengeance-seeker is spreading the asylum toys throughout the town. Because of her situation and the reader's natural empathy, we care more about her than we did about the McGuires and the Hartwicks of the previous books. Moreover, since the likable cousin Rebecca is deeply involved in this plot, we have another layer of interest and empathy dropped onto us.
Because the characters, though fairly two-dimensional, are better developed than those in the "The Doll" and "The Locket," the reader is more invested in them, and Saul, by accruing this investment from the reader, has thereby taken on the responsibility of delivering a better book. If we invest and the author flops out at the end, our investment will fail and we will be less likely to trust in the author in the future. However, a good return on our investment will have us rushing over to part four of the series. The ending here is two-fold, with Andrea's expected fate occurring rather early, followed by a not-too-surprising additional climax that leaves Rebecca homeless and the series delivered directly into the story-line of Part Four.
Though I am using adjectives along the lines of expected and anticipated, as there are no surprises and the linear plot is all too linear, this entry is a slightly better read not only due to our own empathy, but in the further development of the overall story. The players Rebecca and Oliver, protagonists involved primarily on the periphery, have now climbed over the plot border in order to take part in the main story. This usurping of the narrative by Rebecca and Oliver places conscious emphasis on the fact that this novella is not a stand-alone work but a chapter of a novel. As a novella there is no real protagonist since Andrea, Rebecca and Oliver serve that role at different points. Though the book promises, with its initial focus and premise, to be about Andrea, she is conveniently cast aside so that the focus shifts over to the larger plot's protagonists.
The third part of John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles series is an improved entry over its pair of predecessors, as its formulaic bits are more focused and intertwined.
The italicized introductory pages present a disturbing account of a young woman being ostracized by family and community as a result of an accidental pregnancy. This is followed by the horrific loss of the baby while mother is still locked away at the asylum. Though the sequence is brief, it is effective primarily due to its content. In addition, the brief narrative is directly linked to the plot of this novella, as opposed to the random connection in Part Two's "The Locket."
"The Dragon's Flame" introduces us to Andrea, Martha Ward's prodigal daughter, and cousin to heroine Rebecca Morrison. Her employer/partner has fired her from her job and tossed her out of their apartment. Pregnant and abandoned, Andrea returns to Blackstone and to her mother's home as she has nowhere else to go. Unlike the previous recipients of possessed asylum memorabilia, Andrea lives not the perfect life of the financially comfortable, but is already a victim of life prior to getting victimized by whatever vengeance-seeker is spreading the asylum toys throughout the town. Because of her situation and the reader's natural empathy, we care more about her than we did about the McGuires and the Hartwicks of the previous books. Moreover, since the likable cousin Rebecca is deeply involved in this plot, we have another layer of interest and empathy dropped onto us.
Because the characters, though fairly two-dimensional, are better developed than those in the "The Doll" and "The Locket," the reader is more invested in them, and Saul, by accruing this investment from the reader, has thereby taken on the responsibility of delivering a better book. If we invest and the author flops out at the end, our investment will fail and we will be less likely to trust in the author in the future. However, a good return on our investment will have us rushing over to part four of the series. The ending here is two-fold, with Andrea's expected fate occurring rather early, followed by a not-too-surprising additional climax that leaves Rebecca homeless and the series delivered directly into the story-line of Part Four.
Though I am using adjectives along the lines of expected and anticipated, as there are no surprises and the linear plot is all too linear, this entry is a slightly better read not only due to our own empathy, but in the further development of the overall story. The players Rebecca and Oliver, protagonists involved primarily on the periphery, have now climbed over the plot border in order to take part in the main story. This usurping of the narrative by Rebecca and Oliver places conscious emphasis on the fact that this novella is not a stand-alone work but a chapter of a novel. As a novella there is no real protagonist since Andrea, Rebecca and Oliver serve that role at different points. Though the book promises, with its initial focus and premise, to be about Andrea, she is conveniently cast aside so that the focus shifts over to the larger plot's protagonists.
January 19, 2023
Nette Geschichte, die ich aber gar nicht so gruselig fand. Auch hier besser nicht zum Hörbuch greifen, die Sprecherin nervt in dieser Geschichte wieder gewaltig mit den hohen, zittrigen Stimmchen, die sie gewissen Frauen verpasst.
December 10, 2022
Re-read.
The dark figure has chosen the Ward family as their next victim. Martha Ward is a religious fanatic. She drove her husband away and then her only daughter, and when her sister died in a car accident, she took in her niece Rebecca and tried to teach her the path of righteousness. Everyone in town refers to her as "Poor Rebecca" as they all believe the accident has left her mentally deficient, but really, it just removed her filter.
Years later, dumped, fired and pregnant, Rebecca's cousin, Andrea, has no choice but to return to the home she fled from the day she turned 18. Rebecca is thrilled and decides to buy a welcome home gift for her cousin. The dark figure makes sure that the gift Rebecca finds in a dragon-head lighter with ruby eyes. Andrea is only home for a few days before everything goes horribly wrong.
Needless to say, the dragon lighter is a bad, bad idea. Looks like tragedy is only getting started in this town.
The dark figure has chosen the Ward family as their next victim. Martha Ward is a religious fanatic. She drove her husband away and then her only daughter, and when her sister died in a car accident, she took in her niece Rebecca and tried to teach her the path of righteousness. Everyone in town refers to her as "Poor Rebecca" as they all believe the accident has left her mentally deficient, but really, it just removed her filter.
Years later, dumped, fired and pregnant, Rebecca's cousin, Andrea, has no choice but to return to the home she fled from the day she turned 18. Rebecca is thrilled and decides to buy a welcome home gift for her cousin. The dark figure makes sure that the gift Rebecca finds in a dragon-head lighter with ruby eyes. Andrea is only home for a few days before everything goes horribly wrong.
Needless to say, the dragon lighter is a bad, bad idea. Looks like tragedy is only getting started in this town.
May 20, 2025
We're back in form with this third outing of The Blackstone Chronicles. And this even though there is not much horror to find in this one.
The previous two outings gave us the classic possession, where a person does something against their will, triggered by the presents they received. This time the evil is in the people themselves and was always there.
But that's a good thing and a welcomed change of pace. It really is amazing how different the single issues are.
In the third part, we're not only dealing with a lot of childhood trauma and disturbed characters, but also with religious fanaticism. Right out of Mr. King's playbook. And Saul handles it well.
On to the next one.
The previous two outings gave us the classic possession, where a person does something against their will, triggered by the presents they received. This time the evil is in the people themselves and was always there.
But that's a good thing and a welcomed change of pace. It really is amazing how different the single issues are.
In the third part, we're not only dealing with a lot of childhood trauma and disturbed characters, but also with religious fanaticism. Right out of Mr. King's playbook. And Saul handles it well.
On to the next one.
September 1, 2020
When you are raised be a religious fanatic and learn that no matter what you do your mom will always disapprove you end up with a token of pain. This is a sad and satisfying story at the same time. It also helps the story line continue to flow.
February 14, 2021
Definitely felt inspired by King's Carrie, but with some interesting developments. I will say as I've continued reading I find that I pretty much hate everyone in this town too. #herefortheunspokenstoriesofthepast
September 18, 2022
The books are getting easier as I go this one still dragged a bit in the beginning. The flash back makes you really curious and then the beginning of the current time is a bit blah then it picks up and pretty abruptly ends only to repeat this pattern next book.
April 22, 2020
I just can't get enough!
June 20, 2020
Really enjoying this series!! This one was the creepiest so far.
July 16, 2021
Nope. The series is losing me.
November 4, 2021
Not my favorite so far but still worthy of finishing the serial. “Cuz 2 out of 3 ain’t bad…”.
3 more to go…
3 more to go…
December 6, 2021
Hoping Rebecca gets got in the next one 👍
April 25, 2022
Still a good read but not as scary as the first two.
March 11, 2024
This time the secrets we learned I was not really expecting but should have known just by the last 2 books!!! Why do I get surprised? But still poor things
October 14, 2024
Diese Geschichte wurde auch gut geschrieben.Es hat mich vor allem beeindruckt wohin religiöser Wahn führen kann.Ich sag nur soviel:
Die Frau hatte echt schräge Gedankengänge!
Die Frau hatte echt schräge Gedankengänge!
August 30, 2019
This book is really terrific.
March 24, 2023
Story:
Tante Martha erhält einen unerwarteten Anruf. Ihre Tochter, die sie und Blackstone vor Jahren zurückgelassen hat, möchte zurückkehren. Das ist für ihre Ziehtochter eine willkommene Gelegenheit, um auf dem Flohmarkt nach einem passenden Geschenk zur Begrüßung zu suchen. Schon bald wird sie fündig und hält den scheinbar perfekten Gegenstand in der Hand. Als Andrea schließlich ankommt, muss ihre Familie aber schnell feststellen, dass sie ein weit größeres Päckchen Probleme mit sich herumträgt, als sie angenommen hatten. Andrea muss wieder auf die Füße kommen und dafür muss sie schwere Entscheidungen treffen. Natürlich stets begleitet von ihrem Geschenk. Wie wird es wohl ihr Leben beeinflussen?
Eine wirklich gelungene, spannende Geschichte, die mich vollkommen fesseln konnte. Die Geschehnisse sind stimmig und überzeugend. Einige Passagen waren wirklich herzzerreißend und traurig. Diese Geschichte, konnte mich berühren und hat mich fast noch mehr mitfiebern lassen als schon die vorherigen.
Charaktere:
Die Charaktere wurden gut vorstellbar dargestellt. Sie sind facettenreich und können überzeugen. Sie handeln stets ihres Charakters entsprechend und haben eine interessante Hintergrundgeschichte.
Die Gefühle und Gedanken der Charaktere sind stimmig und gut nachvollziehbar.
Erzähler:
Die Personen werden von einer sehr talentierten Erzählerin gesprochen. Sie vermag ihre Stimme beeindruckend an die verschiedenen Personen anzupassen und vermittelt die Geschichte eindrucksvoll. Eine sehr gelungene Wahl für die Geschichte.
Eine spannende und absolut fesselnde Geschichte.
Tante Martha erhält einen unerwarteten Anruf. Ihre Tochter, die sie und Blackstone vor Jahren zurückgelassen hat, möchte zurückkehren. Das ist für ihre Ziehtochter eine willkommene Gelegenheit, um auf dem Flohmarkt nach einem passenden Geschenk zur Begrüßung zu suchen. Schon bald wird sie fündig und hält den scheinbar perfekten Gegenstand in der Hand. Als Andrea schließlich ankommt, muss ihre Familie aber schnell feststellen, dass sie ein weit größeres Päckchen Probleme mit sich herumträgt, als sie angenommen hatten. Andrea muss wieder auf die Füße kommen und dafür muss sie schwere Entscheidungen treffen. Natürlich stets begleitet von ihrem Geschenk. Wie wird es wohl ihr Leben beeinflussen?
Eine wirklich gelungene, spannende Geschichte, die mich vollkommen fesseln konnte. Die Geschehnisse sind stimmig und überzeugend. Einige Passagen waren wirklich herzzerreißend und traurig. Diese Geschichte, konnte mich berühren und hat mich fast noch mehr mitfiebern lassen als schon die vorherigen.
Charaktere:
Die Charaktere wurden gut vorstellbar dargestellt. Sie sind facettenreich und können überzeugen. Sie handeln stets ihres Charakters entsprechend und haben eine interessante Hintergrundgeschichte.
Die Gefühle und Gedanken der Charaktere sind stimmig und gut nachvollziehbar.
Erzähler:
Die Personen werden von einer sehr talentierten Erzählerin gesprochen. Sie vermag ihre Stimme beeindruckend an die verschiedenen Personen anzupassen und vermittelt die Geschichte eindrucksvoll. Eine sehr gelungene Wahl für die Geschichte.
Eine spannende und absolut fesselnde Geschichte.
March 9, 2012
Part three delves more into Rebecca Morrison’s life, we’ve met he in the previous books as “poor Rebecca” the woman whose parents died in a car accident when she was a teenager where she suffer severe head trauma leaving her in almost the same mental state as when she was a teenager. Rebecca then ends up being the ward of her religious fanatic aunt Martha, who drove away her own husband and child years prior. Unlike the other books where a “cursed” object is left at someone’s home in this book Rebecca buys it as a welcome home present for her cousin Andrea who has finally come back to Blackstone after having nowhere else to go. I found this book focuses more on the main story line that ties the books together, which is not bad but left this part lacking in intensity though this is the first book to blatantly explain the connection between the memento and victim. All in all I really hope the books get better otherwise I have wasted my time for nothing.
As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me.
Be sure to check out my blogs at:
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http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me.
Be sure to check out my blogs at:
http://reflectionsofabookworm.wordpre...
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
September 15, 2014
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
April 26, 2011
Lots of burning and religious fanaticism in this one. The general message is you'll burn from the Dragon's Flame and then you'll burn in Hell.
My favorite passages:
"Martha's a religious fanatic. You know she sees the hand of God in practically everything."
"Sometimes people like that decide they are the hand of God," Becker said pointedly. (chapter 8)
"The firemen were circling the wreckage of the house like a band of hunters warily inspecting fallen prey, knowing it was mortally wounded, but all too aware that it was still capable of inflicting damage upon anyone who ventured too close." (chapter 11)
My favorite passages:
"Martha's a religious fanatic. You know she sees the hand of God in practically everything."
"Sometimes people like that decide they are the hand of God," Becker said pointedly. (chapter 8)
"The firemen were circling the wreckage of the house like a band of hunters warily inspecting fallen prey, knowing it was mortally wounded, but all too aware that it was still capable of inflicting damage upon anyone who ventured too close." (chapter 11)
September 21, 2014
One of the most tragic installments in the series, "The Dragon's Flame" delves deeper into the asylum's horrific history, painting us a portrait of a woman forced to believe she was insane when she wasn't, and the repercussions for that crime.
Not only that, but the direction the book takes toward the end really lets you know how dire the situation in Blackstone is getting. The mystery begins to unravel as to why these objects are being left for very specific residents and the bigger picture starts to come into focus. The tension is palpable now and I really felt like I was standing there at the end, beholding the horror unfolding in front of me. I cannot recommend this series enough.
Not only that, but the direction the book takes toward the end really lets you know how dire the situation in Blackstone is getting. The mystery begins to unravel as to why these objects are being left for very specific residents and the bigger picture starts to come into focus. The tension is palpable now and I really felt like I was standing there at the end, beholding the horror unfolding in front of me. I cannot recommend this series enough.
October 12, 2024
3.5 Stars
This third segment is more suspenseful than the previous two parts, even though there's a predictable outcome with the dragon-shaped lighter; the relationships between characters are deepened as tensions rise, and the ending has a bit of a twist to it. I was also eager to see what happened next because of Oliver Metcalf's “memory flashbacks”, which helped carry this to a deeper level. I spent the majority of the time thinking, “What is his story?”. It's always fun to try to figure out a character's motive and background, and this spiked that interest for me.
This third segment is more suspenseful than the previous two parts, even though there's a predictable outcome with the dragon-shaped lighter; the relationships between characters are deepened as tensions rise, and the ending has a bit of a twist to it. I was also eager to see what happened next because of Oliver Metcalf's “memory flashbacks”, which helped carry this to a deeper level. I spent the majority of the time thinking, “What is his story?”. It's always fun to try to figure out a character's motive and background, and this spiked that interest for me.
June 12, 2008
Rebecca Morrison bought a cigarette lighter in the shape of a dragon with ruby eyes from a flea market as a welcome home gift for her cousin Andrea Ward, who left Blackstone years ago after an argument with her mother, Rebecca's aunt Martha. Why has Andrea returned to Blackstone? Rebecca, who has lived with her aunt Martha ever since her own parents died when she was very young, didn't know that the lighter would bring evil into the Ward home, evil that has been there once before.
February 18, 2016
Book 3 of 6 to the Blackstone Chronicles. It was approximately 80 pages. I guess it is an okay story. Quick read for sure. Been reading John Saul books ALL YEAR. I am his biggest fan lately. Can't wait to change it up a bit. Go from horror to Amish books..lol
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