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Comes the Blind Fury
Amanda: A century ago, a gentle blind girl walked the cliffs of Paradise Point. Then the children came - taunting, teasing - until she lost her footing and fell, shrieking her rage to the drowning sea... Michelle: Now Michelle has come from Boston to live in the big house on Paradise Point. She is excited about her new life, ready to make new friends...until a hand reaches out of the swirling mists - the hand of a blind child. She is asking for friendship...seeking revenge...whispering her name...
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
87 people are currently reading
3328 people want to read
About the author
John Saul
149 books2,831 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 287 reviews
November 16, 2018
Did you know John Saul was actually two people? And his contract states that he does all the publicity and his husband does most of the actual writing? And they've been doing it this way since they got married in a secret ceremony at midnight in a church back in the 1970's? Saul's life is more interesting than anything in this book.
August 13, 2025
"The sound of the ocean filled her ears, and the black-clad child paused for a moment, her face turning seaward, a picture of wheeling gulls forming dimly in the far reaches of her memory. Then, from behind her, she heard another sound—a sound that to any ears but hers would have been lost in the roar of pounding surf.
It was the sound of laughter.
She had heard it all day today, and knew what it meant.
It meant her schoolmates had become bored with their games, and were going to focus their attention on her for a while.
It happened every year during the fall It seemed to her that each summer, when school was out and she seldom ventured beyond the beach and the bluff, the children forgot about her. Then, come September, she would become for a while an oddity to be stared at, wondered about, talked about.
And tormented."
Comes the Blind Fury by John Saul
I recently had a chance for a reread and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I think reading it the second time way better then the first!
I had been a Saul fan since girlhood. Inspired by my lovely Mamacita, to read his books, I loved them. Mom was a Saul super fan and I soon followed. But eventually my tastes changed and his books also changed becoming a bit more gory and violent for me. But I still love some of his his early books and this one, along with Punish the Sinners is my favorite.
SPOILERS:
One thing this book has that many horrors do not is soul. The main character, Michelle, goes through the wringer. Most of Saul's book are about children but this one really gets into Bullying before it was even a known term in the English language. What Michelle goes through is awful but her vulnerability is exactly why Amanda is able to control and use her so skillfully.
This is John Saul so..sigh..do not expect a happy ending.
But I do love this book, no matter how tragic it is. 4.5 stars.
It was the sound of laughter.
She had heard it all day today, and knew what it meant.
It meant her schoolmates had become bored with their games, and were going to focus their attention on her for a while.
It happened every year during the fall It seemed to her that each summer, when school was out and she seldom ventured beyond the beach and the bluff, the children forgot about her. Then, come September, she would become for a while an oddity to be stared at, wondered about, talked about.
And tormented."
Comes the Blind Fury by John Saul
I recently had a chance for a reread and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I think reading it the second time way better then the first!
I had been a Saul fan since girlhood. Inspired by my lovely Mamacita, to read his books, I loved them. Mom was a Saul super fan and I soon followed. But eventually my tastes changed and his books also changed becoming a bit more gory and violent for me. But I still love some of his his early books and this one, along with Punish the Sinners is my favorite.
SPOILERS:
One thing this book has that many horrors do not is soul. The main character, Michelle, goes through the wringer. Most of Saul's book are about children but this one really gets into Bullying before it was even a known term in the English language. What Michelle goes through is awful but her vulnerability is exactly why Amanda is able to control and use her so skillfully.
This is John Saul so..sigh..do not expect a happy ending.
But I do love this book, no matter how tragic it is. 4.5 stars.
August 12, 2016
The Pendleton family arrive at their new home in Paradise Point (a village a couple of hours northeast of Boston). Dr. Calvin Pendleton has switched jobs, from working at a hospital in Boston, to a small clinic in Paradise Point. After treating a small boy in Boston who had an accident and died (he fell from a roof) Cal now feels guilty over the boy's death and is questioning his abilities/judgment. Another doctor that originally worked on the boy, who happened to be from Paradise Point, suggested that Cal move there and take up practice in the small village. He even sold his house to Cal. So Cal moves from Boston to Paradise Point with his family---his pregnant wife June, and their twelve-year-old adopted daughter Michelle.
One day, while unpacking, Michelle finds an old-fashioned antique doll in her closet and she names it Amanda. She later finds out from her friends at school that there's rumors of a ghost that roams the cliffs of Paradise Point---the ghost of a twelve-year-old blind girl that fell off the cliff to her death after being taunted by her classmates over a hundred years ago, and her name was Amanda. Michelle and her friends find it odd that she happened to name the doll Amanda. And Michelle is also starting to have dreams, and visions, of a small girl, dressed in black, wearing old-fashioned clothes, calling to her. One day, while at a picnic with some friends at the cove, Michelle gets picked on and taunted/teased for being adopted. Her mother recently gave birth to a new daughter, Jenny, and a cruel classmate suggests her parents won't love her anymore. Hurt, Michelle runs away, and has an accident. She now has trouble walking and is alone alot. She is being picked on by the kids at school. She wants a friend, someone who loves her. Amanda seems to be calling to her. Amanda will be her friend...
I don't want to give too much more away, but I really enjoyed this book. It was an absorbing, eerie, and sometimes sad read. I liked Michelle, she was a really sweet and likable young girl. She went from being outgoing and friendly to anti-social and alone. Some of the secondary characters I liked, some were annoying. I really hated Michelle’s mean classmate Susan! And although I liked Michelle’s father Cal at the beginning of the book, as the story progressed he turned into a real jerk/wimp. I did like the people who were noticing the changes in Michelle and tried to help her, like her teacher Corinne Hatcher and her mother, June. Michelle’s friend Sally was likable too. This story had good atmosphere---the cemetery, the cliffs, the sea, the fog, the ghost Amanda (Amanda always appeared with the fog swirling around her). This was my first read by John Saul and I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
One day, while unpacking, Michelle finds an old-fashioned antique doll in her closet and she names it Amanda. She later finds out from her friends at school that there's rumors of a ghost that roams the cliffs of Paradise Point---the ghost of a twelve-year-old blind girl that fell off the cliff to her death after being taunted by her classmates over a hundred years ago, and her name was Amanda. Michelle and her friends find it odd that she happened to name the doll Amanda. And Michelle is also starting to have dreams, and visions, of a small girl, dressed in black, wearing old-fashioned clothes, calling to her. One day, while at a picnic with some friends at the cove, Michelle gets picked on and taunted/teased for being adopted. Her mother recently gave birth to a new daughter, Jenny, and a cruel classmate suggests her parents won't love her anymore. Hurt, Michelle runs away, and has an accident. She now has trouble walking and is alone alot. She is being picked on by the kids at school. She wants a friend, someone who loves her. Amanda seems to be calling to her. Amanda will be her friend...
I don't want to give too much more away, but I really enjoyed this book. It was an absorbing, eerie, and sometimes sad read. I liked Michelle, she was a really sweet and likable young girl. She went from being outgoing and friendly to anti-social and alone. Some of the secondary characters I liked, some were annoying. I really hated Michelle’s mean classmate Susan! And although I liked Michelle’s father Cal at the beginning of the book, as the story progressed he turned into a real jerk/wimp. I did like the people who were noticing the changes in Michelle and tried to help her, like her teacher Corinne Hatcher and her mother, June. Michelle’s friend Sally was likable too. This story had good atmosphere---the cemetery, the cliffs, the sea, the fog, the ghost Amanda (Amanda always appeared with the fog swirling around her). This was my first read by John Saul and I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
January 14, 2016
3.5 Stars
Not bad for a simple thriller - easy to read and creepy in several places.
I started reading Saul from the beginning of his career and in these early books he definitely has a formula - in a couple of months I am pretty sure I will not remember if something happened in this book or the others I have read. But, i do enjoy these and will probably read more.
Not bad for a simple thriller - easy to read and creepy in several places.
I started reading Saul from the beginning of his career and in these early books he definitely has a formula - in a couple of months I am pretty sure I will not remember if something happened in this book or the others I have read. But, i do enjoy these and will probably read more.
May 6, 2023
In the charming small town of Paradise Point, a gentle blind girl named Amanda took a walk along the seaside cliffs near her home and vanished forever. Nearly a century later, after many young children reported sightings of Amanda who mysteriously vanished so long ago, the locals of Paradise Point begin to speculate that the events leading to her disappearance may have been more sinister than previously believed.
After the Pendleton family move into their new home in Paradise Point, their daughter Michelle befriends a creepy doll that she instinctively names Amanda. I'm sure you can guess where the story goes from there. It's a tragic tale of a dead child seeking revenge on other children, using an innocent and emotionally vulnerable child as a conduit to unleash her wrath upon the living.
A bit cliche and predictable, but the story plays out well and the ending is surprisingly hard hitting for what it is.
My rating: 3.5/5
After the Pendleton family move into their new home in Paradise Point, their daughter Michelle befriends a creepy doll that she instinctively names Amanda. I'm sure you can guess where the story goes from there. It's a tragic tale of a dead child seeking revenge on other children, using an innocent and emotionally vulnerable child as a conduit to unleash her wrath upon the living.
A bit cliche and predictable, but the story plays out well and the ending is surprisingly hard hitting for what it is.
My rating: 3.5/5
August 26, 2012
I have read a few John Saul’s in the past but this one was a bit different, it went deeper into the psyche of the characters he created making their grief and pain so much more realistic. The atmosphere surrounding this scary and thrilling novel was quite good, in fact it was one of the most realistic parts and I felt the salty breeze, saw the sandy dunes and the sea grass sprouting near the Pendleton house right over the cliffs near the cemetery in the quaint town of Paradise Point. It seemed to be the perfect spot for a growing family from Boston, the Pendletons with a new baby on the way and their young daughter Michelle found it charming but not for long. Taking over the town clinic wasn’t as easy as Cal Pendleton thought, he was still scared from losing his young patient who happened to fall of the roof of his new house when strange things have started happening to his adopted daughter Michelle. Tragedy starts to follow all the family members when a force that seems to be from beyond the grave takes over their lives and starts to ruin whatever future they were hoping to build for themselves.
Anger, pain and plenty of kid bullying were in my face and really tugged at my heart when I read it, overall it was a fast and interesting read with an edge of dark sadness and a bit of a small town mystery that made it shine. The character buildup and the slow dread coming into play made for a really enticing read, I kept worrying about my favorites the whole time while some nasty and creepy “accidents” kept plaguing the story that lead to a dramatic and intense finish. Looking back at Michelle it made me realize that if someone is different and appears weak, they can grow up to be what the society labels them instead of who they really are, there is a tale of things going wrong when social pressures and games push a young delicate soul over the edge.
Anger, pain and plenty of kid bullying were in my face and really tugged at my heart when I read it, overall it was a fast and interesting read with an edge of dark sadness and a bit of a small town mystery that made it shine. The character buildup and the slow dread coming into play made for a really enticing read, I kept worrying about my favorites the whole time while some nasty and creepy “accidents” kept plaguing the story that lead to a dramatic and intense finish. Looking back at Michelle it made me realize that if someone is different and appears weak, they can grow up to be what the society labels them instead of who they really are, there is a tale of things going wrong when social pressures and games push a young delicate soul over the edge.
April 9, 2018
When one goes into a John Saul novel one knows what he/she is most likely going to get. A haunted story that involves children. This one follows that pattern. In this one, Amanda is a blind girl that is relentlessly teased and it leads to her death. Years later she is a ghost that haunts Michelle who recently moved to the area.
This book entertained me throughout but it wasn't his best offering. Essentially, this book is about how cruel kids can be and the isolation caused by this cruelty. The author did an excellent job with the main character and her descent into this isolation. I really empathized with the character. There was a sub plot with the father that did not work for me and this affected my rating. It just felt out of place. The ending was terrific and I was surprised the author went the route he went. It worked perfectly and I am glad he went this way.
This is a decent ghost possession story that is also a quick read. The message is really important and was the highlight of the book.
This book entertained me throughout but it wasn't his best offering. Essentially, this book is about how cruel kids can be and the isolation caused by this cruelty. The author did an excellent job with the main character and her descent into this isolation. I really empathized with the character. There was a sub plot with the father that did not work for me and this affected my rating. It just felt out of place. The ending was terrific and I was surprised the author went the route he went. It worked perfectly and I am glad he went this way.
This is a decent ghost possession story that is also a quick read. The message is really important and was the highlight of the book.
January 28, 2012
This was my first John Saul and had it not been for this one I probably wouldn't have tried for years to get my hands on every John Saul book that was ever written. It was the first of many to be read. Loved it; cover to cover Exceptional Writer. Highly recommend this.
November 26, 2022
Tematica abordată 10/10
Construcția personajelor 9/10
Elemente horror 2/10
Am crezut că voi avea parte de o sperietură pe cinste, de fiori reci pe șira spinării, de fenomene paranormale, stafii etc, însă a fost așa doar parțial. John Saul scrie un roman despre răzbunare, mistere și crime din trecut care abia acum ies la iveală și care transformă viața lui Michelle și a familiei sale într-un adevărat calvar.Mi-a plăcut povestea fetiței, care, fără să-și dea seama, ajunge victima unui blestem atemporal, ce depășește cu mult granițele verosimilului. Michelle trece printr-o criză gravă, iar adulții din jurul ei mai mult îi complică existența decât s-o ajute să-și depășească traumele. De multe ori, adulții, în special bărbații din cartea asta, se comportă ca niște copii fără minte, uitând că au responsabilități, că trebuie să-și respecte angajamentul luat față de o fetiță adoptată, chiar dacă apare și un copil biologic. Rolurile se inversează, Michelle devine adultul, cea care știe cum să gestioneze o situație de criză și care se străduiește să atenueze orice conflict cu părinții ei.
Însă, atunci când dragostea cu care ai fost înconjurată este îndreptată spre altcineva, iar acum nepăsarea și teama sunt sentimentele cu care ești întâmăinată, s-ar putea să găsești reconfortantă compania unei fantome, un spirit ce vine din timpuri îndepărtate pentru că nu și-a reglat toate conturile. Manipularea ființelor slabe, lipsite de apărare și de o ancoră care să le ofere sprijinul necesar ca să n-o ia razna, este una dintre temele esențiale ale cărții. Fiecare personaj își folosește puterea de convingere în funcție de propriile interese. Iar o poveste în care suferința ajunge un pion important nu poate avea decât un final tragic.
Mi-ar fi plăcut să găsesc mult mai multe elemente horror, mai bine reliefate, și mai puțină descriere care taie mult din tensiune. Autorul nu ratează nimic, nici cel mai ic detaliu, acordând o atenție sporită construirii vieților personajelor, ca apoi să urmărească ruinarea acestora. În ciuda faptului că acțiunea se desfășoară în orașul Paradise Point, totul se transformă într-un infern psihologic. Locul mirific și liniștit determină ruinarea celor ce pătrund adânc în tainele îngropate la baza stâncilor, udate de valurile tumultoase ale oceanului. Doar cei ignoranți supraviețuiesc, cei care sunt mult prea ocupați să se lupte cu propriii demoni ca să mai observe spiritele și lucrurile necurate care se petrec într-un colț de rai infernal.
Construcția personajelor 9/10
Elemente horror 2/10
Am crezut că voi avea parte de o sperietură pe cinste, de fiori reci pe șira spinării, de fenomene paranormale, stafii etc, însă a fost așa doar parțial. John Saul scrie un roman despre răzbunare, mistere și crime din trecut care abia acum ies la iveală și care transformă viața lui Michelle și a familiei sale într-un adevărat calvar.Mi-a plăcut povestea fetiței, care, fără să-și dea seama, ajunge victima unui blestem atemporal, ce depășește cu mult granițele verosimilului. Michelle trece printr-o criză gravă, iar adulții din jurul ei mai mult îi complică existența decât s-o ajute să-și depășească traumele. De multe ori, adulții, în special bărbații din cartea asta, se comportă ca niște copii fără minte, uitând că au responsabilități, că trebuie să-și respecte angajamentul luat față de o fetiță adoptată, chiar dacă apare și un copil biologic. Rolurile se inversează, Michelle devine adultul, cea care știe cum să gestioneze o situație de criză și care se străduiește să atenueze orice conflict cu părinții ei.
Însă, atunci când dragostea cu care ai fost înconjurată este îndreptată spre altcineva, iar acum nepăsarea și teama sunt sentimentele cu care ești întâmăinată, s-ar putea să găsești reconfortantă compania unei fantome, un spirit ce vine din timpuri îndepărtate pentru că nu și-a reglat toate conturile. Manipularea ființelor slabe, lipsite de apărare și de o ancoră care să le ofere sprijinul necesar ca să n-o ia razna, este una dintre temele esențiale ale cărții. Fiecare personaj își folosește puterea de convingere în funcție de propriile interese. Iar o poveste în care suferința ajunge un pion important nu poate avea decât un final tragic.
Mi-ar fi plăcut să găsesc mult mai multe elemente horror, mai bine reliefate, și mai puțină descriere care taie mult din tensiune. Autorul nu ratează nimic, nici cel mai ic detaliu, acordând o atenție sporită construirii vieților personajelor, ca apoi să urmărească ruinarea acestora. În ciuda faptului că acțiunea se desfășoară în orașul Paradise Point, totul se transformă într-un infern psihologic. Locul mirific și liniștit determină ruinarea celor ce pătrund adânc în tainele îngropate la baza stâncilor, udate de valurile tumultoase ale oceanului. Doar cei ignoranți supraviețuiesc, cei care sunt mult prea ocupați să se lupte cu propriii demoni ca să mai observe spiritele și lucrurile necurate care se petrec într-un colț de rai infernal.
August 14, 2017
This books stressed me out in the best possible way. Vivid but heartbreaking characters and great suspense. I all at once needed to know how it ended and dreaded reading the next page.
October 25, 2019
Creepy and violent. Well paced. Refreshing, old school fun.
May 9, 2025
I have a special fondness for classic horror and thriller novels, that modern ones just can’t replicate. Perhaps it’s the thrill of discovering an author or series with an extensive body of work to explore. Something is captivating about immersing myself in narratives that have faded from memory but once fascinated readers. The richly woven plots, coupled with a slower, more deliberate pacing, create a unique tension that draws me in. Whatever the reason, I continually find myself captivated by these older stories, as they offer a glimpse into the fears and societal norms of their times, enriching my reading experience.
"Comes the Blind Fury" tells the haunting story of Amanda, a blind girl from a century ago who, after being tormented by local children, falls from the cliffs of Paradise Point. Her spirit seeks vengeance on those who ridiculed her.
In the present, Michelle Pendleton is excited about moving to Paradise Point with her family, hoping for a fresh start. However, after finding an old doll named Amanda in their Victorian house, the unsettling atmosphere becomes apparent. As Michelle faces bullying at school, she begins to have disturbing dreams of a blind girl in dark clothing, reflecting her own insecurities.
When Michelle suffers an accident that leaves her limping, she connects with Amanda’s spirit, leading to strange and frightening events as she inadvertently aids Amanda's quest for revenge. While accidents befall her classmates, the Pendleton family grapples with Michelle's changing behavior, revealing buried secrets from Amanda's past. The narrative intertwines themes of childhood bullying and despair as Michelle's turmoil deepens, drawing the attention of concerned adults like her teacher, Corinne Hatcher.
"Comes the Blind Fury" explores themes of loss, bullying, and responsibility. It combines suspense, horror, and deep emotions, highlighting John Saul's talent for merging the supernatural with human fragility. John Saul, a master of psychological horror, has published over 30 books since 1976, focusing on children and supernatural themes, earning a loyal readership for his gripping stories.
"Comes the Blind Fury" tells the haunting story of Amanda, a blind girl from a century ago who, after being tormented by local children, falls from the cliffs of Paradise Point. Her spirit seeks vengeance on those who ridiculed her.
In the present, Michelle Pendleton is excited about moving to Paradise Point with her family, hoping for a fresh start. However, after finding an old doll named Amanda in their Victorian house, the unsettling atmosphere becomes apparent. As Michelle faces bullying at school, she begins to have disturbing dreams of a blind girl in dark clothing, reflecting her own insecurities.
When Michelle suffers an accident that leaves her limping, she connects with Amanda’s spirit, leading to strange and frightening events as she inadvertently aids Amanda's quest for revenge. While accidents befall her classmates, the Pendleton family grapples with Michelle's changing behavior, revealing buried secrets from Amanda's past. The narrative intertwines themes of childhood bullying and despair as Michelle's turmoil deepens, drawing the attention of concerned adults like her teacher, Corinne Hatcher.
"Comes the Blind Fury" explores themes of loss, bullying, and responsibility. It combines suspense, horror, and deep emotions, highlighting John Saul's talent for merging the supernatural with human fragility. John Saul, a master of psychological horror, has published over 30 books since 1976, focusing on children and supernatural themes, earning a loyal readership for his gripping stories.
August 20, 2008
John Saul's early novels are characterized by archaic, Biblical-sounding titles with pictures of people with weird blank eyes.
When I searched for John Saul, the first FIRST book on the list is by Dean Koontz. Ah, John Saul, did you want to be Dean Koontz as well as Stephen King? Well, I suppose since you would never be Stephen King, and Dean Koontz for a while was a second-rate Stephen King, then we are left with John Saul, who is the bargain-basement Stephen King.
When I searched for John Saul, the first FIRST book on the list is by Dean Koontz. Ah, John Saul, did you want to be Dean Koontz as well as Stephen King? Well, I suppose since you would never be Stephen King, and Dean Koontz for a while was a second-rate Stephen King, then we are left with John Saul, who is the bargain-basement Stephen King.
March 21, 2013
I have actually read this book twice. The first time was when I was a tween. I reread it recently because I had always been bragging about what a great book it was. This book is a great starter book for someone who wants to get into the horror genre. Nothing gruesome particularly disturbing occurs in this story.
March 6, 2014
This was the first John Saul book that I read and I was completely hooked on his books from day one. They are well written, interesting, and easy to read. This is the only author that I own every single book he has written and when a new one comes out I buy it without even looking to see what it is about. He is THAT good!
Read
August 18, 2011Read it when I was 12. Scared me to death. About to reread it again 13 years later! :-D
August 12, 2016
I loved it! Great book for being my first John Saul book I read.I give it 5 stars
December 23, 2012
Twelve-year-old Michelle isn't sure what to expect when her family moves from Boston to the tiny seaside village of Paradise Point. She knows her father, Dr. Cal Pendleton, is reeling from a mistake he made, a mistake which caused a young boy to die during surgery. Michelle's mother, June, is very pregnant, and can't wait to resume her career as an artist.
After the mishap in Boston, Cal meets Dr. Josiah Carson, the elderly doctor who accompanied the doomed boy from Paradise Point to Boston. Dr. Carson seems a kindly enough old gent, and Cal doesn't think too long before accepting the offer "Dr Joe" proposes: Cal will buy out Dr Carson's practice, as well as the huge Victorian house that has been in his family for generations, and move from Boston to the idyllic small town.
The house is perfect. There's a small outbuilding June can use for her painting, and Michelle falls in love with a small, upstairs corner bedroom with lots of windows. As she's unpacking, Michelle finds a hidden treasure. In the back of her closet, there's an antique doll. She falls in love with the doll, whom she promptly names Amanda.
As it turns out, there was an Amanda who lived in Paradise Point long ago, a twelve-year-old blind girl who was mocked by her classmates, until she plunged to her death from a seaside cliff. This same Amanda is rumored to roam Paradise Point to this day, a shadowy form dressed all in black.
On a picnic with some new school friends, Michelle suffers a fall from a path up the bluff, leaving her mostly lame in her left leg. Most of her new classmates mock her when she comes back to school. She soon makes a new friend named Amanda, a blind girl dressed all in black, who always appears in a thick cloud of fog. Amanda becomes Michelle's only friend.
And people start to die.
This book grabbed me early--when Michelle discovers the doll--and never let go. This isn't really a book with basic, workaday narrative intercut with big "GOTCHA" moments. John Saul maintains a constant level of menace and suspense throughout. There is something just palpably wrong with Paradise Point, with its people, and with the small cemetery next to Michelle's new home. A few decent people live in town--a big-hearted teacher and her psychologist boyfriend, and one girl who never stops trying to be Michelle's friend--but most people don't seem to trust the new doctor, especially when his daughter starts talking about Amanda. We get the impression that Michelle is not the first Paradise Point resident to see Amanda. Even when things seem okay for awhile, the flat-out wrongness of the place flows just beneath the surface.
When "The Exorcist" was released in theaters, there were disturbing sounds that didn't match the action onscreen--swarms of angry bees, for example. Viewers couldn't really pick out the sound, but it was disconcerting nonetheless.
John Saul's beautifully sinister narrative serves the same purpose here. The sun may be shining, and people may be enjoying themselves, but you can never quite trust that the peace will last. The shadows are too omnipresent for us to let down our guard.
I've read a number of John Saul novels over the past few months. I have enjoyed some of them more than others. "Comes the Blind Fury" is by far my favorite. The story keeps moving forward, as if being drawn to an inevitable conclusion. The suspense is steady, and Michelle makes an excellent ingenue heroine, cruelly scorned by her friends, but with a newfound cruelty within herself, something she can neither understand nor control.
This is a lovely read.
Highly recommended.
After the mishap in Boston, Cal meets Dr. Josiah Carson, the elderly doctor who accompanied the doomed boy from Paradise Point to Boston. Dr. Carson seems a kindly enough old gent, and Cal doesn't think too long before accepting the offer "Dr Joe" proposes: Cal will buy out Dr Carson's practice, as well as the huge Victorian house that has been in his family for generations, and move from Boston to the idyllic small town.
The house is perfect. There's a small outbuilding June can use for her painting, and Michelle falls in love with a small, upstairs corner bedroom with lots of windows. As she's unpacking, Michelle finds a hidden treasure. In the back of her closet, there's an antique doll. She falls in love with the doll, whom she promptly names Amanda.
As it turns out, there was an Amanda who lived in Paradise Point long ago, a twelve-year-old blind girl who was mocked by her classmates, until she plunged to her death from a seaside cliff. This same Amanda is rumored to roam Paradise Point to this day, a shadowy form dressed all in black.
On a picnic with some new school friends, Michelle suffers a fall from a path up the bluff, leaving her mostly lame in her left leg. Most of her new classmates mock her when she comes back to school. She soon makes a new friend named Amanda, a blind girl dressed all in black, who always appears in a thick cloud of fog. Amanda becomes Michelle's only friend.
And people start to die.
This book grabbed me early--when Michelle discovers the doll--and never let go. This isn't really a book with basic, workaday narrative intercut with big "GOTCHA" moments. John Saul maintains a constant level of menace and suspense throughout. There is something just palpably wrong with Paradise Point, with its people, and with the small cemetery next to Michelle's new home. A few decent people live in town--a big-hearted teacher and her psychologist boyfriend, and one girl who never stops trying to be Michelle's friend--but most people don't seem to trust the new doctor, especially when his daughter starts talking about Amanda. We get the impression that Michelle is not the first Paradise Point resident to see Amanda. Even when things seem okay for awhile, the flat-out wrongness of the place flows just beneath the surface.
When "The Exorcist" was released in theaters, there were disturbing sounds that didn't match the action onscreen--swarms of angry bees, for example. Viewers couldn't really pick out the sound, but it was disconcerting nonetheless.
John Saul's beautifully sinister narrative serves the same purpose here. The sun may be shining, and people may be enjoying themselves, but you can never quite trust that the peace will last. The shadows are too omnipresent for us to let down our guard.
I've read a number of John Saul novels over the past few months. I have enjoyed some of them more than others. "Comes the Blind Fury" is by far my favorite. The story keeps moving forward, as if being drawn to an inevitable conclusion. The suspense is steady, and Michelle makes an excellent ingenue heroine, cruelly scorned by her friends, but with a newfound cruelty within herself, something she can neither understand nor control.
This is a lovely read.
Highly recommended.
February 18, 2024
Another 5 star novel from John Saul for me. For many, he's the poor man's Stephen King as his writing is mostly story/plot, characters, and mystery, but he amps up the horror atmosphere and the creepiness factor to 11. To me, he's way better than King in just "going for it" in horror. To think this book was written in 1980. Wow! Comes the Blind Fury is his fourth novel, and coincidentally is the fourth Saul novel I've read. (The others are 1977's Suffer the Children, 1985's Brainchild, and 2001's The Manhattan Hunt Club. All excellent!) As with extreme horror author Richard Laymon, I plan to read John Saul's entire bibliography in time. Like Suffer the Children, Saul's debut, a gothicly haunted family past, a small seaside town, and children are the focus. There's nothing creepier than an evil child - especially the primary one here, Michelle, who doesn't even realize she's evil because she has a helper, a manifestation ("ghost" is too tame of a word) named Amanda (Mandy). Saul turns the crank slowly during the story's events, revealing a little at a time, in a mystery that envelopes you and never falters. Sure, some of his writing and the reactions of the characters are a little stilted and unnatural, but all is forgiven as he is a master storyteller as far as I'm concerned. Better than Stephen King, of whom I've read about 20 novels. King has said in interviews he doesn't like to outline, and it shows in many of his novels where the style is brilliantly written but meanders all over the place as he doesn't really know where his story is going but eventually gets to the end. It's clear that Saul meticulously outlines, has definite beats and reveals, and cranks up the terror by the end as other characters catch up to the horror that is really happening. Super quick read which I really appreciate too! Sadly, John Saul retired after he published 2009's House of Reckoning, but he has written about 35 novels, so can't wait to work my way through his entire oeuvre. Brilliant writer!
July 3, 2012
While I loved this book - classic John Saul - and read it within a two days - I felt that some of the characters acted like props. The father figure turns easily into a complete *hole. The mother figure goes with it and tries to make everyone happy without really doing anything about it. The neighbor boy seems to lack action or feelings unless it is related to someone else's feelings. It was a classic John Saul story - something horrible happen in the past and the house is haunted in some sense because of it and the new family has to deal. The Ghost Story rocked. The characters needed some work.
July 22, 2009
My sister and I were on a big John Saul kick when we were in junior high and high school. We eventually got tired of the formulaic storytelling but for a while there we were hooked. This one was about a blind girl who winds up dying while being teased by a group of kids and she comes back to enact her revenge. I think I'll stay away from any re-reads and just be happy with my memories of this one!
June 2, 2017
Here's the thing with John Saul - at least some of his earlier stuff from the late 70s, early 80s: his characters make decisions and act based on the needs of the plot, rather than on their own internal logic.
There's a lot to like about this story. It's rare these days that I get really creeped out by a book, but there are some images early on in here that really feel like they're going somewhere; really gave me a chill. Unfortunately, the characters were so poorly realised that as the story progressed, their motivations seemed to become less clear, and their actions and decision less justified. So that wall of suspended disbelief couldn't hold, and the story ended a lot less satisfactorily than it had begun.
This is a decent little horror story for a lazy rainy (foggy) afternoon. But sadly doesn't quite make it into the classics.
There's a lot to like about this story. It's rare these days that I get really creeped out by a book, but there are some images early on in here that really feel like they're going somewhere; really gave me a chill. Unfortunately, the characters were so poorly realised that as the story progressed, their motivations seemed to become less clear, and their actions and decision less justified. So that wall of suspended disbelief couldn't hold, and the story ended a lot less satisfactorily than it had begun.
This is a decent little horror story for a lazy rainy (foggy) afternoon. But sadly doesn't quite make it into the classics.
September 10, 2008
Haven't read early John Saul since I was a teenager. Can't remember hardly a thing other than they scared me at the time and contributed to my love of horror. I can't imagine any of his books would have the same effect on me now. John Saul just isn't that good of a writer, even all these years later, I don't think he's gotten any better.
November 15, 2010
I haven't read this in years. My rating may change if I were to read it now. I just remember loving the premise of this book, I would read it over and over again.
tbr-horror-and-thriller
January 27, 2016John Saul isn't particularly adventurous with venturing far off formulas, but I remember enjoying this one. It needs a re-read to refresh my memory and so I can give it a proper review.
May 17, 2012
This book was pretty good, definitely spooky at times, if it was a movie I probably couldn't watch it, but it was a fun read. Fast-paced and attention grabbing!
September 27, 2018
Pretty darn terrible.
September 2, 2025
Be careful who you pee off! They might haunt your descendents centuries later.
This was actually a genuinely good ghost story, that actually spooked me a little bit.
This was actually a genuinely good ghost story, that actually spooked me a little bit.
October 19, 2024
Dnf at 50%. Dated and slow. I used to love John Saul in high school!
February 21, 2015
Amanda net twaalf jaar. Ze was een klein, tenger meisje. Altijd in het zwart gekleed. Het belangrijkste ze was blind. Ze liep met haar stok tastend over het pad langs de kust over de rotsen.
Toen kwamen de kinderen. Ze treiterden haar en Amanda wilde daar weg. Ze vluchtte en toen was er niets meer. Geen grond niets...
Honderd jaar later verhuist Michelle met haar stiefouders naar Paradise Point. Ze is twaalf en altijd vrolijk. En verheugd zich op haar nieuwe bestaan in een nieuwe omgeving. Maar dan komt de mist op en op raadselachtige wijze de kinderen van Paradise point om het leven komen. Michelle weet niet wat er gebeurt, maar weet dat iets haar in zijn greep houdt.
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Een boek met spanning en verrassing vanaf het begin. Het einde laat een open einde achter waardoor je met vragen achterblijft. Het boek in het Nederlands gelezen. Het is zeker een aanwinst voor mijn boekenkast. Zoals de meeste boeken van John Saul.
De vier sterren zijn omdat de spanning oploopt, het verhaal lekker leest en het verhaal je in zijn greep houdt. De personages leer je oppervlakkig maar genoeg kennen om emoties te voelen.
---
John Saul is geboren in 1942 in Pasadena, Californië. Hij groeide op in Whittier en haalde zijn diploma in 1959 van de Whittier High School.
Na verschillende opleidingen aan net zoveel beroepsopleidingen te hebben gevolgd zonder het behalen van een diploma of graad, besloot hij van school te gaan en auteur te worden. In de daarop 15 jaar schreef Saul verschillende manuscripten en had hij verschillende baantjes. geen enkele uitgever zag iets in zijn verhalen, totdat zijn agent bij Dell terecht kwam. Daar wilden ze niets kopen, maar vroegen ze hem of hij een psychologische thriller kon schrijven. Saul maakte een verhaallijn, schreef het uit en hoopte dat het goed genoeg was. Zowel zijn agent als Dell waren laaiend enthusiast en zagen in dit verhaal een bestseller. Dell pakte groots uit. Advertenties en TV spots voor deze onbekende auteur werden gemaakt. En het slaagde. Saul werd in een klap wereldberoemd. Suffer the Children was geboren. Alle boeken die erna kwamen kwamen wel in de Bestsellerlijsten en zijn boeken werden wereldwijd uitgebracht en in verschillende talen vertaalt. De boeken werden uitgegeven door uitgeverijen die zijn verbonden aan Random House. Naast auteur is Saul ook acteur, scriptschrijver en is 1 van zijn boeken in 1984 uitgebracht als film.
Meer informatie over John Saul is te vinden op een van de onderstaande sites.
http://www.johnsaul.com/index.html
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0766657/
---
Boekinformatie
Uitgeverij Phoenix
ISBN: 90.6879.004.8
240 pagina's; paperback
Toen kwamen de kinderen. Ze treiterden haar en Amanda wilde daar weg. Ze vluchtte en toen was er niets meer. Geen grond niets...
Honderd jaar later verhuist Michelle met haar stiefouders naar Paradise Point. Ze is twaalf en altijd vrolijk. En verheugd zich op haar nieuwe bestaan in een nieuwe omgeving. Maar dan komt de mist op en op raadselachtige wijze de kinderen van Paradise point om het leven komen. Michelle weet niet wat er gebeurt, maar weet dat iets haar in zijn greep houdt.
---
Een boek met spanning en verrassing vanaf het begin. Het einde laat een open einde achter waardoor je met vragen achterblijft. Het boek in het Nederlands gelezen. Het is zeker een aanwinst voor mijn boekenkast. Zoals de meeste boeken van John Saul.
De vier sterren zijn omdat de spanning oploopt, het verhaal lekker leest en het verhaal je in zijn greep houdt. De personages leer je oppervlakkig maar genoeg kennen om emoties te voelen.
---
John Saul is geboren in 1942 in Pasadena, Californië. Hij groeide op in Whittier en haalde zijn diploma in 1959 van de Whittier High School.
Na verschillende opleidingen aan net zoveel beroepsopleidingen te hebben gevolgd zonder het behalen van een diploma of graad, besloot hij van school te gaan en auteur te worden. In de daarop 15 jaar schreef Saul verschillende manuscripten en had hij verschillende baantjes. geen enkele uitgever zag iets in zijn verhalen, totdat zijn agent bij Dell terecht kwam. Daar wilden ze niets kopen, maar vroegen ze hem of hij een psychologische thriller kon schrijven. Saul maakte een verhaallijn, schreef het uit en hoopte dat het goed genoeg was. Zowel zijn agent als Dell waren laaiend enthusiast en zagen in dit verhaal een bestseller. Dell pakte groots uit. Advertenties en TV spots voor deze onbekende auteur werden gemaakt. En het slaagde. Saul werd in een klap wereldberoemd. Suffer the Children was geboren. Alle boeken die erna kwamen kwamen wel in de Bestsellerlijsten en zijn boeken werden wereldwijd uitgebracht en in verschillende talen vertaalt. De boeken werden uitgegeven door uitgeverijen die zijn verbonden aan Random House. Naast auteur is Saul ook acteur, scriptschrijver en is 1 van zijn boeken in 1984 uitgebracht als film.
Meer informatie over John Saul is te vinden op een van de onderstaande sites.
http://www.johnsaul.com/index.html
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0766657/
---
Boekinformatie
Uitgeverij Phoenix
ISBN: 90.6879.004.8
240 pagina's; paperback
Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews