The Soul Collector

Borrowed Souls #1

by Paul B. Kohler

Jack Duffy is the exemplification of average. He lives a normal life with a less than desirable job. He's a distracted husband, living in a ordinary apartment, and is married to an extraordinary wife. That’s how he would explain it. At the end of an unusually bad day, Jack's life is turned upside down when he witnesses something truly harrowing. The only thing that can catch him from falling is the soul collector. His primary concern: Will he be allowed to keep his soul, or will he have to give it back? 

Genres: Paranormal, Fiction

90 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2015

About the author

Paul B Kohler is the International Bestselling author of the highly acclaimed novel Linear Shift. His recent work includes Turn, Detour, and Reversion, from The Humanity's Edge Trilogy, along with several short stories. His short story, Rememorations, was included in The Immortality Chronicles - The Best Anthology of the Year as voted in the 2016 Preditors and Editors Readers Poll. Rememorations was also nominated for Best American Science Fiction.

Reviews

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death Touches Us All

A short story covering a big subject. An intriguing twist on the grim reaper. Well written with an interesting idea and interesting characters.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and thrilling

Oh man. Bravo to the author! The twists! I love it. That was exactly the short story I needed tonight.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the first of 7 in the series, that you can read individually or in the new book set recently completed by this talented author Paul Kohler. This book goes back and forth from present to the recent past as we along with the main character try to figure out what is going on in the story.

An example, "Speaking her name jarred something loose in my head, and the memories from the past twenty-four hours began to resurface. A feeling of loss and despair rushed in, but I could not pinpoint the reason behind it. I felt my pulse rise, anxiety shot to the surface, and my pace quickened. I looked back at the man following me, and he also increased his pace. Not wanting to discover his intentions, I turned the corner..."

This stranger, Wilson had a special coin he handed to Mr. Duffy, "I turned the coin over, and as I did, my morning came flooding back to me." Wilson was a soul collector and he was there with Mr. Duffy waiting to take his soul.

Great first installment of the Soul Collector, once you get the hang of how the book is written, this reader raced on to find out what will happen next. Excellent writing and original story line.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

nother work of art from a very talented and creative author. Mr. Kohler first came to my attention with his short story"Amy". After finishing it,i contacted him asking him to write more to the story and not let it end where it did. I lost that battle. Then he asked me to read "Linear Shift", a four part book on time travel. Once again I found his work excellent and his ability to draw his readers in and keep them begging for more, genius.
I have just finished part 1 of another adventure with Mr. Kohler and his fantastic imagination, and it must be said I enjoyed it as much if not even more than his other works I have read. That is no easy accomplishment even for this extraordinarily talented man. In this new series there are seven parts. Now I will have to suffer withdrawals I wait for the next parts of "Borrowed Souls" to be published.

[Doreena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really LOVED this book. I was trying to remember why I didn't post the review when I finished this book, now I remember it was because I read my previous kindle to death and was waiting for the new one, but reading on my phone, so a review would have been difficult.
Anyway, back to the book, Borrowed Souls was absolutely fantastic. It was engrossing and goes off on tangents that you will think you know where it's going, but trust me, you don't. Borrowed Souls leaves you anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
Thank you to the very talented author, Mr. Paul Kohler for the arc.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start for the series

Well if that doesn't beat all. Just when you think life is good, work is bad and one bad day isn't unusual. Sometimes life in general is the pits. Choices, direction and consequences.
This is one of those rare books you get to the end of and say "oh shit!". The book may not have been long but wow. Well written.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another stunning new find via Instafreebie, this had me hooked from the get go - talk about the shittiest day in history! I loved how the chapters alternated between the present and the protagonist remembering what had happened in the near past. What a corker of a last line too. Can't wait to find out what happens next!

[Lynn Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. There was a small twist about 75% into the story, but it's nothing compared to the very last sentence. I will be reading book 2.

[Michele Packard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it bad to say I thoroughly enjoyed a book about death? Great read and creative writing lends to a clever story that can be read in one quick sitting. Can't wait to read the other in the series!

[AR bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hauntingly similar to what I’d expect from a tale on the Twilight Zone show of yore: haunting and unexpected.

This quick story flows very well to its surprising conclusion. Well done.

[Lena · Rating 2 out of 5]

9/10ths of the book is a guy describing The Worst Day Ever to another guy. Super boring with very cliche bad day events. The twist at the end kept it from being a 1 star.

[MelMon Sanchez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminded me of a movie I once watched. The irony is that no matter what he lost and lost again. I'm curious to know what happened with Cyndi. A great little read to get the mind thinking.

[Viking Jam · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://koeur.wordpress.com/2016/01/1...

Publisher: Global

Publishing Date: December 2015

ISBN:9781940740140

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2.5/5

Publishers Description: The afterlife is not at all what Jack Duffy had expected. A failed suicide attempt launches him into a world that continually tests his ability to forgive and forget. With each new soul that he’s entrusted to collect, he learns more about himself and his horrific decisions in life.

Review: I really should like this writer’s novels. Good story lines, strong character development, solid writing……So where does it fall down for me? The novel just drags on and on, with “poor me” dialogue thrown in consistently throughout. I get that Jack lost his wife and that he took a less than noble path as a consequence but to rehash this over and over and over really diminishes the storyline and halts the movement. Also the idea that your wife is your still your soul mate when she has repeatedly had sex with other men in your own bed is ridiculous.

I still found this entertaining, and I am sure others will find that soul collecting combines the nuances of real life and the unknown into palatable entertainment.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting story which has encouraged me to read other stories by this author. Whilst short, it has an interesting premise which will, no doubt, be explored in future stories.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Borrowed Souls. It was an interesting story with a twist of an ending. I just wish there where a little more to it. I would love to read a follow up to it!

[Sherri Shade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this story! Read other's by this author! Love it, love it, love it. Five big beautiful 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟's from a new, not so girly, fan.

[Emmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

•audiobook•

I was given a promo code for Book 1 and thought I would try the prequel first. I should have known better. Most prequels turn me off from the series.

I’ve always worked in Corporate America and have many friends and acquaintances in different businesses. I’ve never known anyone in “upper management” who treated others like what’s his name’s boss.
Having car problems, I’m even more baffled why he opted to drive a few blocks for lunch. I didn’t buy the reason provided by the main character.
And the thing at the pharmacy? Oh my. Which country is this in? It was ridiculous.
It’s clear the intent was to share a bad day, but I felt it was a poor conveyance and I wasn’t sympathetic nor empathetic. I could care less. This was a character who would clearly be better off dead because he was wimpy, spineless, and lacked the common sense a cockroach possesses.
With hopes of being able to forget I read this, I’ll check out the first full book in a while and see a stronger story line is written.

2 stars because it was cohesive and structurally sound.