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The Puller
Note: The Puller has been optioned for a major motion picture.
Matt Kearns has two choices: fight or hide. The creature in the orchard took the rest.
Three days ago, he arrived at his favorite place in the world, a remote shack in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The plan was to mourn his father’s death and figure out his life.
Now he's fighting for it.
An invisible creature has him trapped. Every time Matt tries to flee, he’s dragged backwards by an unseen force.
Alone and with no hope of rescue, Matt must escape the Puller's reach. But how do you free yourself from something you cannot see?
"The Puller delivers thrill after thrill as Matt and the mysterious creature engage in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Five out of five stars. "
-SF Signal
Hodges proves himself to be a master of foreshadowing and of connecting disparate strings of plot to weave an absolutely startling tale.
- James Robert Smith, author of Hollywood-optioned THE FLOCK
Matt Kearns has two choices: fight or hide. The creature in the orchard took the rest.
Three days ago, he arrived at his favorite place in the world, a remote shack in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The plan was to mourn his father’s death and figure out his life.
Now he's fighting for it.
An invisible creature has him trapped. Every time Matt tries to flee, he’s dragged backwards by an unseen force.
Alone and with no hope of rescue, Matt must escape the Puller's reach. But how do you free yourself from something you cannot see?
"The Puller delivers thrill after thrill as Matt and the mysterious creature engage in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Five out of five stars. "
-SF Signal
Hodges proves himself to be a master of foreshadowing and of connecting disparate strings of plot to weave an absolutely startling tale.
- James Robert Smith, author of Hollywood-optioned THE FLOCK
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 23, 2015
57 people are currently reading
1316 people want to read
About the author
Michael Hodges
49 books147 followersMichael Hodges is an American speculative fiction writer. His debut novel, The Puller, was released on April 24, 2015. Film rights for The Puller were purchased by Sonny Mallhi, producer of the film classic "The Strangers". The Puller was acquired by award winning publisher PYR in 2021. Tentative release date is November 2021. Michael's latest release is a short story collection called "The Gloaming". Michael's short stories have been published in over twenty magazines and anthologies, and he's a member of the Horror Writers Association and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
He's also taught writing with Game of Thrones editor Anne Groell. His novel, "Black Friday" was called a "Glorious work of literature" by Horror Novel Reviews.
Along with writing fiction, Hodges is a professional nature photographer, with work appearing in Outside Magazine (Best Adventure Photography of the Year) and newspapers, amongst other places. Animals often play a big role in his fiction, and the two art forms feed each other. He loves hearing from readers at:
facebook.com/MichaelHodgesAuthor/
or his website:
https://michaelhodgesfiction.com/
He's also taught writing with Game of Thrones editor Anne Groell. His novel, "Black Friday" was called a "Glorious work of literature" by Horror Novel Reviews.
Along with writing fiction, Hodges is a professional nature photographer, with work appearing in Outside Magazine (Best Adventure Photography of the Year) and newspapers, amongst other places. Animals often play a big role in his fiction, and the two art forms feed each other. He loves hearing from readers at:
facebook.com/MichaelHodgesAuthor/
or his website:
https://michaelhodgesfiction.com/
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 3, 2018
THE PULLER is the debut novel by Michael Hodges. It appears that I am in the minority of readers in regards to this book, after reading some of the "rave reviews" that others left. Honestly, my frustration with this novel wasn't because of the author's writing, it was more on how the book was put together...
After the first chapter, I had a "suspicion" on where the story was going to go--that was bad enough; I don't like to be able to predict the ending so early on. However, what really bothered me about the book was the continuous repetition about the woods, different animals/bushes/trees, fly fishing, ext. Literally over 100 pages of description before anything remotely "interesting" happens. While I am a big proponent of the importance of atmosphere in a novel, this was simply overdoing it completely. Especially when you consider that much of it felt like the exact same things I had read on the previous pages, with a slightly different organization of the words.
Then, it started to get interesting. I did begin to enjoy it once things took off, but there were too many returns to the emotional past of the main character, Matt (which we were told about numerous times already--I sympathized with him, but didn't need to be hit over the head with the reason for it on every other page). And again, the detailed descriptions of fishing, different plants/animals, etc., got old after the first mention.
As for the ending, well, I'd predicted that long before, so I can't say that it added anything to my enjoyment. I DID appreciate the message that the author was conveying, however; I feel that it could have been done much more effectively with less redundancy, and more "forward momentum". There were quite a few errors in my kindle version, but I feel this was more the fault of an editor, and did not detract from my rating on account of this.
Overall, this is only my personal opinion/experience with this novel, and as many other reviewers seemed to love it, I would still say that readers who like the synopsis should give it a chance. Everyone's taste differs.
After the first chapter, I had a "suspicion" on where the story was going to go--that was bad enough; I don't like to be able to predict the ending so early on. However, what really bothered me about the book was the continuous repetition about the woods, different animals/bushes/trees, fly fishing, ext. Literally over 100 pages of description before anything remotely "interesting" happens. While I am a big proponent of the importance of atmosphere in a novel, this was simply overdoing it completely. Especially when you consider that much of it felt like the exact same things I had read on the previous pages, with a slightly different organization of the words.
Then, it started to get interesting. I did begin to enjoy it once things took off, but there were too many returns to the emotional past of the main character, Matt (which we were told about numerous times already--I sympathized with him, but didn't need to be hit over the head with the reason for it on every other page). And again, the detailed descriptions of fishing, different plants/animals, etc., got old after the first mention.
As for the ending, well, I'd predicted that long before, so I can't say that it added anything to my enjoyment. I DID appreciate the message that the author was conveying, however; I feel that it could have been done much more effectively with less redundancy, and more "forward momentum". There were quite a few errors in my kindle version, but I feel this was more the fault of an editor, and did not detract from my rating on account of this.
Overall, this is only my personal opinion/experience with this novel, and as many other reviewers seemed to love it, I would still say that readers who like the synopsis should give it a chance. Everyone's taste differs.
February 23, 2022
It tells the story of a young man who retreats to his family's fishing cabin located in the wilderness of the forests in overlooking Lake Michigan in Michigan's Upper Peninsula He's gone there to gather his thoughts and collect his emotions after the deaths of his father, his girlfriend, and his dog. While there, he encounters and is subsequently trapped in the isolated cabin by a monstrous creature referred to as "the Puller" It has been a very long time since I've seen a writer create so effective and monstrous a monster as the creature in this book. We are treated to a number of fascinating characters that include a cast of animal inhabitants of the Upper Peninsula, all of whom have some connection to Matt. The author proves himself to be a master of foreshadowing and of connecting disparate strings of plots to weave an absolutely startling and terrifying tale. I live in Michigan and have visited the UP many times. Think maybe I'll remember next time what could be lurking nearby.
July 30, 2015
To the people who have seen my various reviews on Amazon, you know I'm a huge fan of unique monster stories. The Puller was no slouch in this area and was a fun and exciting read. Characters were very well developed and it left you just enough in the dark as to what The Puller or the Being really was, let alone it's origins. You begin to really feel for the main character, especially with all of the stuff that he has dealt with and all that he has to deal with in the story. Very well written and a superb page turner. Highly recommended to all.
April 28, 2017
Excellent debut from an author I will check out again. Really enjoyed this book.
July 18, 2015
Entertaining prose reminiscent of Stephen King, i.e. internal monologue / protagonists conversations with himself / warning voice. Effective build-up of dread and fear. Unfortunately, the meat of the story to include the anxiety building comprised less than half the story. Fully 50% of the book is a description of the Michigan Northwoods Upper Peninsula. Page after redundant page concerning the trees, flora and fauna. Ad nauseum descriptions of the cabin, the grounds, fly rods and fishing techniques. I was beat over the head with the evils of logging. I get it. The editing was nearly non-existent. Full of typos and grammatical errors that say the author didn't care enough to provide a truly polished story. Several story lines that seemed not to have a purpose to the end game and were themselves heavily diluted by more trivial details. Only one story line (concerning a character that is helpful to the protagonist at the conclusion) was truly effective in terms of character development and details. This is essentially a short story that was developed into a novel. If the story had left out all but the most compelling descriptions of the area and logging effects, it would have had flowed as opposed to being choppy. Bizarre dream sequences that tried to say "I'm getting some supernatural help", but were really just a vehicle to write about a man having a sexy encounter with a hot gal. The true meat of the story was actually scary. The protagonist is very likable and grows during his ordeal. I was rooting for him. The unexpected help he receives is a very nice touch. I really wanted to like this book. I really wanted an explanation about the monster. I really wanted an epilogue about the protagonist, say maybe a year later. It took forever (85 pages) to get to anything interesting and it did not really tie up loose ends. Tired and frustrated with what could have been an excellent book. Description is one thing, redundancy is another.
September 25, 2023
I picked this book up by chance at the library. I did quickly read some good reviews on Goodreads while I was there, before checking it out.
Wow! What a story! I’d never heard of Michael Hodges. In many ways I was comparing the writing style to Stephen King. The way the characters were fully fleshed out. Matt the young man we follow in the story went to get away from it all staying in a shack he and his father used to visit. He wanted to just be out in nature to try to gather his thoughts after losing his Father and others recently. Things start to get strange and he has to deal with being trapped in the area by……….something mysterious.
The wilderness plays an important part in the story. It’s one of the main characters.
This whole book of 279 pages continued to hold my attention and I flew through it. Usually when the story goes back in time to explain things I’m bored. Not here. Every chapter created tense drama that added to the main story. It all fit together perfectly.
Here’s hoping the author writes more books as strong and compelling as this, in his future!
I would not be surprised to see a movie someday based on this novel. I hope they do at least 1/2 as good tackling it as the book does.
Wow! What a story! I’d never heard of Michael Hodges. In many ways I was comparing the writing style to Stephen King. The way the characters were fully fleshed out. Matt the young man we follow in the story went to get away from it all staying in a shack he and his father used to visit. He wanted to just be out in nature to try to gather his thoughts after losing his Father and others recently. Things start to get strange and he has to deal with being trapped in the area by……….something mysterious.
The wilderness plays an important part in the story. It’s one of the main characters.
This whole book of 279 pages continued to hold my attention and I flew through it. Usually when the story goes back in time to explain things I’m bored. Not here. Every chapter created tense drama that added to the main story. It all fit together perfectly.
Here’s hoping the author writes more books as strong and compelling as this, in his future!
I would not be surprised to see a movie someday based on this novel. I hope they do at least 1/2 as good tackling it as the book does.
September 21, 2015
Michael Hodges’ debut novel, The Puller, is an action-packed creature feature with an environmental conscience.
After losing his father, girlfriend, and childhood dog, Matt Kearns heads to his family’s remote shack in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for “nine days of peace and quiet” in the hopes of figuring out his life. Matt is a twenty-one-year-old Chicagoan who developed his love of the outdoors from his father and their trips to the Ottawa National Forest, a “million sprawling acres of undeveloped federal land on the Wisconsin/Michigan border.”
But something evil lurks in the U.P. Moose in the area are disappearing at alarming rates and dying in strange and vomit-inducing ways. At the same time the forest shows signs of an impending ecological disaster.
It isn’t long before Matt becomes plaything of an invisible monster, aka The Puller, who traps him in the surrounding area of his beloved cabin. Every time Matt tries to escape, the creature “pulls” hims back onto the property. What he does to anything or anyone else who enters the property is much worse.
The Puller (published by Severed Press) delivers thrill after thrill as Matt and the mysterious creature engage in a deadly game of cat and mouse. With very little to go on, Matt must figure out the creature’s weaknesses — if he has any — while trying desperately to stave off starvation and dehydration — and madness.
Still, the shack and the woods hold good memories and Matt finds solace in the past, as he remembers those idyllic trips with his family and friends to the great outdoors.
But where the story really sparkles is Hodges’ masterful descriptions of the U.P. In lush and vivid detail he draws the reader into the woods and takes them on a scenic tour of the Michigan wilderness. The Puller is like a field guide of the Ottawa National Forest. But while Hodges lovingly describes the endangered wilderness, he also scares the crap out of you, so you may want to hold off on that hike.
The Puller is about the brutal and beautiful power of nature and the importance of respecting it. The book not only has scares — it has a heart.
After losing his father, girlfriend, and childhood dog, Matt Kearns heads to his family’s remote shack in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for “nine days of peace and quiet” in the hopes of figuring out his life. Matt is a twenty-one-year-old Chicagoan who developed his love of the outdoors from his father and their trips to the Ottawa National Forest, a “million sprawling acres of undeveloped federal land on the Wisconsin/Michigan border.”
But something evil lurks in the U.P. Moose in the area are disappearing at alarming rates and dying in strange and vomit-inducing ways. At the same time the forest shows signs of an impending ecological disaster.
It isn’t long before Matt becomes plaything of an invisible monster, aka The Puller, who traps him in the surrounding area of his beloved cabin. Every time Matt tries to escape, the creature “pulls” hims back onto the property. What he does to anything or anyone else who enters the property is much worse.
The Puller (published by Severed Press) delivers thrill after thrill as Matt and the mysterious creature engage in a deadly game of cat and mouse. With very little to go on, Matt must figure out the creature’s weaknesses — if he has any — while trying desperately to stave off starvation and dehydration — and madness.
Still, the shack and the woods hold good memories and Matt finds solace in the past, as he remembers those idyllic trips with his family and friends to the great outdoors.
But where the story really sparkles is Hodges’ masterful descriptions of the U.P. In lush and vivid detail he draws the reader into the woods and takes them on a scenic tour of the Michigan wilderness. The Puller is like a field guide of the Ottawa National Forest. But while Hodges lovingly describes the endangered wilderness, he also scares the crap out of you, so you may want to hold off on that hike.
The Puller is about the brutal and beautiful power of nature and the importance of respecting it. The book not only has scares — it has a heart.
July 4, 2015
Really good reading...
I enjoyed this book immensely....a nod to the environment and also endangered animals...great story flow (a little stephen kingish) and the main character was written in a way that I felt I was almost there! I also loved the correlation between death and acceptance...please keep writing Mr. Hodges & I will keep reading...
I enjoyed this book immensely....a nod to the environment and also endangered animals...great story flow (a little stephen kingish) and the main character was written in a way that I felt I was almost there! I also loved the correlation between death and acceptance...please keep writing Mr. Hodges & I will keep reading...
March 22, 2016
This was a great read. I enjoy a good horror story that keeps me guessing. I found myself really liking the main character. The only reason this book received four instead of five stars was due to the ending. I don't expect a detailed description as to why this creature came to the woods, but I felt the ending was too vague. I have a good guess, but nothing much to confirm my suspicions.
January 30, 2017
Love the monster
Living in Michigan this novel really made me smile. While I'm not a yooper the northwoods of the state are as magical as the author makes them sound. The monster was unusual and I sure hope this was the first book of a series.
Living in Michigan this novel really made me smile. While I'm not a yooper the northwoods of the state are as magical as the author makes them sound. The monster was unusual and I sure hope this was the first book of a series.
February 24, 2016
Great Story that sucks you right in until the end!
While this is not my usual genre, a friend recommended this book to me and it sucked me right in!
This is a great story of the triumph of human spirit. The Author has written in such great detail that you can picture the scenes and feel this man's physical struggle and pain throughout the story. Once I got through Day 1, I could not stop reading until I got to the end.
Definitely recommend this book!
While this is not my usual genre, a friend recommended this book to me and it sucked me right in!
This is a great story of the triumph of human spirit. The Author has written in such great detail that you can picture the scenes and feel this man's physical struggle and pain throughout the story. Once I got through Day 1, I could not stop reading until I got to the end.
Definitely recommend this book!
November 16, 2022
Ooof. I’m a speedy reader but this felt like trudging through muck. The descriptions of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula were repetitive AF. The book was rife with typos. An interesting story but definitely could have used a good editing.
November 2, 2015
Did Not Expect This Level of Quality
As Stephen King can be scary and well written, so can Mr. Hodges. Amazingly tight plot for this genre. And, honestly, sort of inspiring.
As Stephen King can be scary and well written, so can Mr. Hodges. Amazingly tight plot for this genre. And, honestly, sort of inspiring.
January 17, 2018
In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, there exists a creature that is a little bit animal, a little bit alien, and a whole lot dangerous. The Puller is an effective horror story in the manner of Stephen King & Peter Benchley, and it shows the influence of both to good effect. Where Benchley's great white shark controls the local environment, traveling invisibly, so does the Puller. Within its environment, it has a seemingly unfair advantage in power and stealth over people and animals that come close. It also has an appetite. Mostly, however, it is bellicose animosity.
Unlike Benchley, Hodges puts the action in rural solitude in the same sort of isolated and isolating environment frequently employed by King. Readers who enjoy Benchley and King will enjoy Hodges' work quite well.
Of literary note, Hodges dares the reader to ponder if the Puller is created in the image of man. Though the being is formidable in and of itself, it is not on the best of terms with Mother Nature. This dysfunctional relationship becomes apparent at the end of the book. It is one aspect of the work that I would have enjoyed seeing further developed.
Unlike Benchley, Hodges puts the action in rural solitude in the same sort of isolated and isolating environment frequently employed by King. Readers who enjoy Benchley and King will enjoy Hodges' work quite well.
Of literary note, Hodges dares the reader to ponder if the Puller is created in the image of man. Though the being is formidable in and of itself, it is not on the best of terms with Mother Nature. This dysfunctional relationship becomes apparent at the end of the book. It is one aspect of the work that I would have enjoyed seeing further developed.
October 29, 2018
I was so excited to read this. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. The basic premise is that the main character, Matthew, gets away to a cabin in the woods he went to as a kid. He was hoping to be alone and think about his father whom he had recently lost. However, some unseen (literally, its invisible) creature is holding him hostage within a certain radius of the cabin.
I am a fast reader. It usually takes me a day or two but I was holding onto this for what felt like weeks. It was very slow. The plot never really seemed to develop. The author clearly knows how to write but I just don't think his style is for me.
I am a fast reader. It usually takes me a day or two but I was holding onto this for what felt like weeks. It was very slow. The plot never really seemed to develop. The author clearly knows how to write but I just don't think his style is for me.
March 15, 2022
If I see Upper Peninsula as a setting I'm all in and this book has lots of the UP. So many pages of the trees, colors, fishing, flora and fauna that the storyline gets buried in the wilderness.
Matt retreats to his cabin in the woods following a series of tragic losses. This has always been his safe space, but now there's an invisible (yes, invisible...eye roll) evil being tormenting him and preventing him from leaving. And it evolves into Dean Koontz territory. Lots of potential in initial plot line but evolves into a (never fully explained) monster story. 2.5 stars
Matt retreats to his cabin in the woods following a series of tragic losses. This has always been his safe space, but now there's an invisible (yes, invisible...eye roll) evil being tormenting him and preventing him from leaving. And it evolves into Dean Koontz territory. Lots of potential in initial plot line but evolves into a (never fully explained) monster story. 2.5 stars
August 26, 2017
This as an interesting story. One act of kindness can be the difference of life or death. What a journey this man lived through during his time to reflect and try to have some peace in his life. I am glad the story ended the way it did. This was a Goodreads giveaway winner.
March 8, 2020
Loved the storyline
I was hesitant to give the 5 star rating because editing could have been better and the story had a slow beginning. However, the author's depiction of nature was beautiful and well-worth 5 stars
I was hesitant to give the 5 star rating because editing could have been better and the story had a slow beginning. However, the author's depiction of nature was beautiful and well-worth 5 stars
April 19, 2022
This was a bit different from alot of horror/thriller books- not the usual and not too predictable which was nice. But, not enough to really wow me either. It was a solid, entertaining read. I'd recommend it for those who enjoy alone & trapped in the woods by a mysterious creature horror/thrillers.
February 8, 2020
Boring
Horrible ending. Book had good story but went off coarse every other chapter. Do not recommend to anyone else. Okay
Horrible ending. Book had good story but went off coarse every other chapter. Do not recommend to anyone else. Okay
April 27, 2020
Classic
Simply beautiful, epic, and expansive on so many levels. It's a story wrapped in another story wrapped in yet another story. Pure gold.
Simply beautiful, epic, and expansive on so many levels. It's a story wrapped in another story wrapped in yet another story. Pure gold.
December 11, 2021
Great read!
If you truly love nature and the animals in it, this book is for you. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before and I loved it.
If you truly love nature and the animals in it, this book is for you. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before and I loved it.
April 9, 2022
Put down without finishing.
January 26, 2026
love them woods
Enjoying read and never dull. Nature at its best and a Good ending too. Just a little bit too much on describing the type trees.
Enjoying read and never dull. Nature at its best and a Good ending too. Just a little bit too much on describing the type trees.
July 15, 2015
The Puller is a strange ride.
It took me a while to get into it, mostly due to the author way overdoing the descriptive writing.
Instead of setting the scene, it was really putting me off, kinda reminding me I was reading.
When things got rolling, I started to enjoy the book and found myself rooting for the main character, Matt.
I liked the underlying theme of caring for animals and the environment.
The scene where Matt sleeps beside a black bear was a highlight, and to, Matt's father freeing bear cubs that had been caught by poachers.
***I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone, so stop reading now if you haven't yet read the book.
The ending left me a little mystified though and I feel as though I missed something.
Why did the animals start attacking the puller?
Was it revenge, or survival, on their part?
Were these animals even alive, or were they ghosts?
The mention of the mountain lion being ghostly kind of threw me.
Though the lion did escape the poachers earlier in the story, but that was a long time ago!
Matt's escape was riveting and action packed, but I feel a lot goes unexplained.
I might even reread the last few chapters to see if I can make more sense of what goes down.
I would also be interested in hearing the ideas of others, so feel free to fill me in if I actually did miss something in the final scenario.
It took me a while to get into it, mostly due to the author way overdoing the descriptive writing.
Instead of setting the scene, it was really putting me off, kinda reminding me I was reading.
When things got rolling, I started to enjoy the book and found myself rooting for the main character, Matt.
I liked the underlying theme of caring for animals and the environment.
The scene where Matt sleeps beside a black bear was a highlight, and to, Matt's father freeing bear cubs that had been caught by poachers.
***I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone, so stop reading now if you haven't yet read the book.
The ending left me a little mystified though and I feel as though I missed something.
Why did the animals start attacking the puller?
Was it revenge, or survival, on their part?
Were these animals even alive, or were they ghosts?
The mention of the mountain lion being ghostly kind of threw me.
Though the lion did escape the poachers earlier in the story, but that was a long time ago!
Matt's escape was riveting and action packed, but I feel a lot goes unexplained.
I might even reread the last few chapters to see if I can make more sense of what goes down.
I would also be interested in hearing the ideas of others, so feel free to fill me in if I actually did miss something in the final scenario.
October 1, 2015
Follow the link to listen to my podcast review:
The Daily PawnCast reviews: "The Puller"
The Daily PawnCast reviews: "The Puller"
November 2, 2016
Really weird book. Thought it was more of a monster book but it was not. Pretty slow for my taste and I think the author listed tree types no less than 1000 times throughout. I get the general premise and theme but it was way too loose of a concept and the end pulled it together as tightly as a piece of hair would be able to tie your shoes.
February 9, 2020
An entertaining and experimental novel. The author created a unique monster. The next Alien. I felt sympathy for Matt.
August 18, 2015
Very Disappointed
This was one of the worst books it was so boring I couldn't finish. Made no sense a real struggle I finally gave up. Do not waste your time or money.
kozetteksmith
This was one of the worst books it was so boring I couldn't finish. Made no sense a real struggle I finally gave up. Do not waste your time or money.
kozetteksmith
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews