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Highwayman
Legends never die. There's a highwayman that still roams ancient, lost forests. He's a murderer, a dead man who forgot to die. Once, he killed a girl called Madeline Rose Goodman. Now her father is the only one who can stop her killer. He might have to die to do it, lose all that he has left, but he won't face the highwayman alone. In a world where the old things still hold sway, good men will never have to fight alone.
303 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2017
About the author
Craig Saunders
69 books72 followersCraig Saunders is the author of over thirty novels and novellas, including 'Masters of Blood and Bone', 'RAIN' and 'Deadlift'. He writes across many genres, but horror and fantasy (the 'Rythe' tales) are his favourites.
Craig lives in Norfolk, England, with his wife and children, likes nice people and good coffee. Find out more on Amazon, or visit:
www.craigrsaunders.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/craigrsaundersauthor
www.twitter.com/Grumblesprout
A little aside - I don't visit GR often, but I'm always available on Twitter or the FB page. I apologise in advance if it takes a while for me to answer a question here!
Craig lives in Norfolk, England, with his wife and children, likes nice people and good coffee. Find out more on Amazon, or visit:
www.craigrsaunders.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/craigrsaundersauthor
www.twitter.com/Grumblesprout
A little aside - I don't visit GR often, but I'm always available on Twitter or the FB page. I apologise in advance if it takes a while for me to answer a question here!
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
dreaded-dnf
January 25, 2017After forcing myself to skim a bit today, I'm throwing in the towel on this book.
For whatever reason, it's just not working for me and the pace is too slow.
I may pick it up at another time, then again I may not. This is not a reflection on the author, but instead a reflection of my mindset right now. Your mileage may vary.
1.23.17-1.25.17.
For whatever reason, it's just not working for me and the pace is too slow.
I may pick it up at another time, then again I may not. This is not a reflection on the author, but instead a reflection of my mindset right now. Your mileage may vary.
1.23.17-1.25.17.
February 7, 2017
HIGHWAYMAN, by Craig Saunders, is a complex novel blending elements of horror, revenge, fantasy, and love--both lost and found. Karl and Bethany Goodman had a perfect, loving family until the day their daughter, Madeline Rose, was brutally taken and murdered.
A year later, Karl has distanced himself from Bethany, both physically and mentally, in his grief. When he decides to go back, an unexpected plane crash puts him in a deadly coma. This is where he finds himself in a "fog-land", a world in-between, of sorts. Here is also where his daughter's murderer is, and Karl at once understands his purpose. Although much of what he encounters is fantasy in nature, he is cautioned early on: "Some things can be real . . . even when all else is fantasy. Some things can hurt . . ."
An elusive criminal known as the Highwayman is able to enter and exit the "real" world at will. This is the man Karl must destroy, yet the rules are never clear-cut.
"It was going to hurt. But then, things hurt. You get on with it . . . "
Karl is taken on an emotional journey, rediscovering the love for his wife, the futility of time lost, and the fact that he now has a new role to play in this land of the dead--for those that still have missions left undone.
"Sometimes facts or proof or belief have nothing to do with reality. Reality, it turns out, doesn't give a fuck."
In this land of impossibilities, one man will progress and evolve into something more than he once was. The connections he makes and things he bears witness to become his new reality, and he will be tasked with keeping the balance.
". . . things that are true can never be denied."
A surreal journey full of emotion, purpose, and both love and heartache, brought to virtual life by Craig Saunders. It is a trip well worth embarking on.
Recommended.
*I chose to read an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are uniquely my own.*
A year later, Karl has distanced himself from Bethany, both physically and mentally, in his grief. When he decides to go back, an unexpected plane crash puts him in a deadly coma. This is where he finds himself in a "fog-land", a world in-between, of sorts. Here is also where his daughter's murderer is, and Karl at once understands his purpose. Although much of what he encounters is fantasy in nature, he is cautioned early on: "Some things can be real . . . even when all else is fantasy. Some things can hurt . . ."
An elusive criminal known as the Highwayman is able to enter and exit the "real" world at will. This is the man Karl must destroy, yet the rules are never clear-cut.
"It was going to hurt. But then, things hurt. You get on with it . . . "
Karl is taken on an emotional journey, rediscovering the love for his wife, the futility of time lost, and the fact that he now has a new role to play in this land of the dead--for those that still have missions left undone.
"Sometimes facts or proof or belief have nothing to do with reality. Reality, it turns out, doesn't give a fuck."
In this land of impossibilities, one man will progress and evolve into something more than he once was. The connections he makes and things he bears witness to become his new reality, and he will be tasked with keeping the balance.
". . . things that are true can never be denied."
A surreal journey full of emotion, purpose, and both love and heartache, brought to virtual life by Craig Saunders. It is a trip well worth embarking on.
Recommended.
*I chose to read an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are uniquely my own.*
April 8, 2017
Highwayman was the fifth book by Craig Saunders I have reviewed. The story starts out in Cambridge England the year 1993. When Damien Peterson walks out in front of a Taxi a minute before midnight. The bumper of the car catches both legs and his head hits the road and underside of the car. An elderly couple was near. The old man bent down and gave the boy mouth to mouth and then closed the boys eyelids. Then stood and shook his head to his wife and the cab driver. Then the old man opened his mouth and showed his wife the bright light that nestled in his mouth. The old man closed his mouth so he would not drop the soul. Then the couple stepped backward into the land between midnight and were gone. The two in the taxi were co workers Karl Goodman and Bethany Moon. The two were seeing each other. In 1997 Karl divorced his wife Silvia and then got married to Bethany in 1999. Had a daughter Madeline Rose Goodman who was murdered, she was fourteen. In 2014 on a flight back to the UK, Karl's plane crashes in the snow, the back half of the plane is gone and he sees the old couple again. He had not seen them since Madeline's death. Karl now in a hospital in Amsterdam near death all wrapped up like a mummy. His mind drifts off to this fog world, the Land Between Midnight. I will stop here, don't want to say too much. I will start off by saying that this was not one of my favorite books by Craig. I had a hard time getting through the book and finishing it. The book got very slow at times and a little confusing. I do like the way Craig writes but this book just wasn't for me. That said I gave Highwayman 3 stars.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2017
This one has been hard for me to review. I love anything and everything that comes from the shed of Craig Saunders. That said, this one wasn't my favorite. I loved the prose which was witty and intelligent. I loved the story line, which is Craig-like fantastical. As always, I loved the characters who were real, sometimes brutal, and humanly flawed. Certain parts did seem to get a bit rambly at times and a little more "out there" than I typically like.
Highway man was a book that I read right after I lost my wife. There were so many things in it I could relate with, including Bethany who I sort of wanted to hate but I couldn't because I could see reflections of myself. Karl, who is this hapless, self-centered guy, who finds his soul in a coma. And The Highway man who it feels like has been following me all of my life. If you find yourself getting a little lost in this book, the journey is well worth it.
This is Craig Saunders, one of my go-to authors whose work I can't wait to read. I am comparing this book to his previous books, so to say that it's maybe 'less than' one of his other novels still makes it a heck of a lot better than many other books and authors I have read. I'm saying that I liked Deadlift, and Masters of Blood and Bone, and many of his other books better, yes, but I'm not saying that you shouldn't read this. It's Craig. You should always, always read Craig.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.
Highway man was a book that I read right after I lost my wife. There were so many things in it I could relate with, including Bethany who I sort of wanted to hate but I couldn't because I could see reflections of myself. Karl, who is this hapless, self-centered guy, who finds his soul in a coma. And The Highway man who it feels like has been following me all of my life. If you find yourself getting a little lost in this book, the journey is well worth it.
This is Craig Saunders, one of my go-to authors whose work I can't wait to read. I am comparing this book to his previous books, so to say that it's maybe 'less than' one of his other novels still makes it a heck of a lot better than many other books and authors I have read. I'm saying that I liked Deadlift, and Masters of Blood and Bone, and many of his other books better, yes, but I'm not saying that you shouldn't read this. It's Craig. You should always, always read Craig.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.
February 6, 2017
Highwayman, the latest DarkFuse release from Craig Saunders, is a cool bit of folklore horror that draws on plenty of English history and interconnects with some mythological touchstones present in a few of Saunders' other titles (although this, as well as Saunders' other works, is a stand-alone title and functions perfectly well independently).
Here, we're introduced to Karl and Bethany Goodman, who lost their daughter to a savage killer some years earlier. Their marriage is in the dumps, and Karl has taken a posting in Malaysia. After a plane accident, he finds his physical body comatose and near death, while his spirit wanders through Fog-World - where his daughter's killer lurks.
Saunders fills up his story with plenty of spiritual fantasy, providing a landscape for second chances and the possibility of justice. We also get a number of fascinating characters and dynamics. I really appreciated the relationship between the Goodman's and the way each recognizes how they have moved on, and struggle to reconnect, even if only briefly, in the wake of Karl's accident. The killer, the titular Highwayman, is not as present as I would have liked, coming in fairly late in the story, but when he does show up, it's some really potent stuff.
Saunders has a knack for putting a lot of detail and development into a pretty brief page count. Highwayman feels like a much larger book than it really is, and I mean this in the best possible way! It's nicely dense and there's plenty of meat on the plot's bones. He's also a heck of a writer, painting several vivid scenes that will stick with me for a while (I found the finale to the Goodman's story is especially touching, and the way the scene was crafted and framed in my mind's eye is a lovely bit of Gothic horror).
Note: As a member of the DarkFuse Readers Group, I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.
Here, we're introduced to Karl and Bethany Goodman, who lost their daughter to a savage killer some years earlier. Their marriage is in the dumps, and Karl has taken a posting in Malaysia. After a plane accident, he finds his physical body comatose and near death, while his spirit wanders through Fog-World - where his daughter's killer lurks.
Saunders fills up his story with plenty of spiritual fantasy, providing a landscape for second chances and the possibility of justice. We also get a number of fascinating characters and dynamics. I really appreciated the relationship between the Goodman's and the way each recognizes how they have moved on, and struggle to reconnect, even if only briefly, in the wake of Karl's accident. The killer, the titular Highwayman, is not as present as I would have liked, coming in fairly late in the story, but when he does show up, it's some really potent stuff.
Saunders has a knack for putting a lot of detail and development into a pretty brief page count. Highwayman feels like a much larger book than it really is, and I mean this in the best possible way! It's nicely dense and there's plenty of meat on the plot's bones. He's also a heck of a writer, painting several vivid scenes that will stick with me for a while (I found the finale to the Goodman's story is especially touching, and the way the scene was crafted and framed in my mind's eye is a lovely bit of Gothic horror).
Note: As a member of the DarkFuse Readers Group, I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.
February 22, 2017
I admit it. When it comes to my reading, I'm a completionist. For better or for worse, I finish what I start. I can't remember the last time that my little idiosyncrasy has bitten me in the butt as hard as it did when I read Craig Saunder's Highwayman. So many times I wanted to quit this mismashed bore of a story. But no. I trudged on through the mud of staccato bursts of sentences, multiple points of view storytelling that seemed to lead to nowhere, and a hazy plot that was about as entertaining as watching metal rust. Was it all bad? Not totally, but close. There were, indeed, parts where he'd get the ball rolling and I'd start to get into it only to come to a screeching halt and a new chapter of mundane happenings would be in front of me. I'm sure there's a decent story somewhere in Highwayman. Maybe I don't get what Saunders was trying to create. But, what I read a tedious lesson in patience with no payout for my troubles. Sorry, but I can't recommend Highwayman to anyone.
2 Talking Deer out of 5
This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
2 Talking Deer out of 5
This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
February 15, 2017
3 and 1/2 stars
I’m on the fence on this one. In one hand HIGHWAYMAN can be hailed as the equivalent of a literary novel à la T.M. Wright. On the other hand it can be easily dismissed as nothing more than gibberish. One thing for sure, the novel leaves no reader indifferent. This is a dark and twisted tale of love and redemption that has strong imageries and a firm lyrical stance. The narrative verges on smoothness to unsettling as we follow the journey of a father on the brick of lunacy after losing his daughter to a killer. What he goes through for avenging her untimely death can only be described as odd. You really have to be in the right mood to really enjoy this novel. HIGHWAYMAN is far from being your typical straight-shooter of a read. But the rewards are worth it if one chose to persevere.
I’m on the fence on this one. In one hand HIGHWAYMAN can be hailed as the equivalent of a literary novel à la T.M. Wright. On the other hand it can be easily dismissed as nothing more than gibberish. One thing for sure, the novel leaves no reader indifferent. This is a dark and twisted tale of love and redemption that has strong imageries and a firm lyrical stance. The narrative verges on smoothness to unsettling as we follow the journey of a father on the brick of lunacy after losing his daughter to a killer. What he goes through for avenging her untimely death can only be described as odd. You really have to be in the right mood to really enjoy this novel. HIGHWAYMAN is far from being your typical straight-shooter of a read. But the rewards are worth it if one chose to persevere.
February 9, 2017
I really like Craig Saunders' conversational, easy-to-read writing style, and this book is no exception in that regard. It's kind of difficult to categorize this one, because it has elements of fantasy as well as definitely horror, and as usual with Craig's work, some history and mythology thrown in.
The central figures of the story are a couple whose child was murdered, and as is often the case, their marriage is struggling to survive it. The emotions are real and written very well, and having had someone very close to me go through the loss of a child, I really identified with them both.
I don't want to go into too much of what ensues from there due to the risk of spoiling anything, but it delves into the afterlife and how it connects with our world, and its take on that was pretty fascinating. Honestly, there were some parts of it that I really didn't "get" how the connected with the rest of the story, and I pretty much had to accept them at face value - there is a LOT going on here. But that's been true of Craig's other works as well, and as with those, it really didn't detract from my enjoyment any.
This is definitely recommended for folks who like some history/mythology in their horror fiction. The characters are 3-dimensional, and while it gets a little "out there" at times, the payoff is good.
The central figures of the story are a couple whose child was murdered, and as is often the case, their marriage is struggling to survive it. The emotions are real and written very well, and having had someone very close to me go through the loss of a child, I really identified with them both.
I don't want to go into too much of what ensues from there due to the risk of spoiling anything, but it delves into the afterlife and how it connects with our world, and its take on that was pretty fascinating. Honestly, there were some parts of it that I really didn't "get" how the connected with the rest of the story, and I pretty much had to accept them at face value - there is a LOT going on here. But that's been true of Craig's other works as well, and as with those, it really didn't detract from my enjoyment any.
This is definitely recommended for folks who like some history/mythology in their horror fiction. The characters are 3-dimensional, and while it gets a little "out there" at times, the payoff is good.
March 19, 2017
Review of HIGHWAYMAN by Craig Saunders
HIGHWAYMAN is truly a wild ride, only to expected from author Craig Saunders. We are quickly introduced to a pair of soul-stealers, masquerading as a long-together elderly couple. These two nasties show up at the scenes of “unexpected” death: individuals who are at the brink of death, but possibly recoverable. This couple is not there to soothe the dying, offer medical assistance, or comfort the bereaved. They are present solely to steal the life light; the woman takes from dying females, the man from dying males. These are “highwaymen,” and one man, Karl Goodman, has witnessed their abrupt appearance, behaviour, and equally abrupt disappearance too many times. Now he himself is trapped in a void, “the Land Between Midnight,” and he is determined to avenge the loss of his daughter one year ago, taken by these entities.
HIGHWAYMAN is truly a wild ride, only to expected from author Craig Saunders. We are quickly introduced to a pair of soul-stealers, masquerading as a long-together elderly couple. These two nasties show up at the scenes of “unexpected” death: individuals who are at the brink of death, but possibly recoverable. This couple is not there to soothe the dying, offer medical assistance, or comfort the bereaved. They are present solely to steal the life light; the woman takes from dying females, the man from dying males. These are “highwaymen,” and one man, Karl Goodman, has witnessed their abrupt appearance, behaviour, and equally abrupt disappearance too many times. Now he himself is trapped in a void, “the Land Between Midnight,” and he is determined to avenge the loss of his daughter one year ago, taken by these entities.
January 16, 2017
Highwayman by Craig Saunders is a frightening, folklore based novel that will waylay your nerves from the start. The novel follows Karl as he observes a strange occurrence involving a fatal accident. Years later he again encounters the same strange occurrence and a personal tragedy. Karl then become wrapped up in a struggle with the Highwayman.
Highwayman by Craig Saunders
The book is steeped in folklore which happens to be something I like very much. If you are a fan of old English folklore you will recognize some of the things that happen in the book. I’m no expert in English folklore but have read enough to know the significance of the happenings in the book.
The prose that Saunders employs works great to get the “dream world” feel to the novel. While reading it, I almost felt like I was in a dream world myself. Highwayman is very dark, very eerie which is exactly how it should read. The whole book leaves you questioning what happens when you die.
The characters are all well done. Just enough depth to make them matter to the reader but not hitting them over the head with info dumps. The protagonist “Highwayman” is vile, disgusting and utterly terrifying. Imke, is lovable and tough. Karl has a heart of gold but is flawed. Each character is done just right for this story.
Conclusion
If you like horror and folklore, Highwayman is a great mashup of the two. It blends elements of both to make a great read with no major drawbacks. If I had any criticism, it would be that there was a slower part of the book between about 20-40% or so but the payoff was well worth it. I don’t have any idea where this will fall on my best of list for 2017 but Highwayman was an entertaining read that won’t disappoint many.
Highwayman by Craig Saunders
The book is steeped in folklore which happens to be something I like very much. If you are a fan of old English folklore you will recognize some of the things that happen in the book. I’m no expert in English folklore but have read enough to know the significance of the happenings in the book.
The prose that Saunders employs works great to get the “dream world” feel to the novel. While reading it, I almost felt like I was in a dream world myself. Highwayman is very dark, very eerie which is exactly how it should read. The whole book leaves you questioning what happens when you die.
The characters are all well done. Just enough depth to make them matter to the reader but not hitting them over the head with info dumps. The protagonist “Highwayman” is vile, disgusting and utterly terrifying. Imke, is lovable and tough. Karl has a heart of gold but is flawed. Each character is done just right for this story.
Conclusion
If you like horror and folklore, Highwayman is a great mashup of the two. It blends elements of both to make a great read with no major drawbacks. If I had any criticism, it would be that there was a slower part of the book between about 20-40% or so but the payoff was well worth it. I don’t have any idea where this will fall on my best of list for 2017 but Highwayman was an entertaining read that won’t disappoint many.
January 31, 2017
Folklore abounds in this dark tale
I had a difficult time finishing this book. I almost gave up at the 58% point. It was just too foo-foo for me. I like more concrete tales, rather than dream-like wispy stories.
It reads like a dark fairy tale, with the last half of the book carrying some gruesome, gory scenes (and actually those were the scenes I liked the best. Macabre but true.).
Karl and Bethany Goodman lose their daughter to a sadistic killer and both lose their way in this world because of that.
Most of the story takes place in the Land Between Midnight, if that tells you anything. I have read similar stories in the past and actually enjoyed them, maybe because they were more rooted in reality.
Oh well...definitely not to my taste.
I received this book from Dark Fuse through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
I had a difficult time finishing this book. I almost gave up at the 58% point. It was just too foo-foo for me. I like more concrete tales, rather than dream-like wispy stories.
It reads like a dark fairy tale, with the last half of the book carrying some gruesome, gory scenes (and actually those were the scenes I liked the best. Macabre but true.).
Karl and Bethany Goodman lose their daughter to a sadistic killer and both lose their way in this world because of that.
Most of the story takes place in the Land Between Midnight, if that tells you anything. I have read similar stories in the past and actually enjoyed them, maybe because they were more rooted in reality.
Oh well...definitely not to my taste.
I received this book from Dark Fuse through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
March 10, 2017
After the loss of his daughter and a horrible plane crash that left him shattered and on life support, Karl finds himself wandering in The Land Between Midnight. His wife Bethany, is home battling against her own conflicted feelings of despair and the days gone by that were full of hope and promise.
If they are to survive individually, they will need to find a way to search out and fight their own demons separately. Only then will they have a shot at redemption. Only then can Karl and Bethany get the justice (and revenge) they seek.
I am a big fan of Craig Saunders and the Highwayman is a good tale, but honestly, a wee fantasy-ey for me and I may have got confused a time or two in the Fog-World. It was still an entertaining read and written well, as I knew it would be from Saunders. 3+ Stars
If they are to survive individually, they will need to find a way to search out and fight their own demons separately. Only then will they have a shot at redemption. Only then can Karl and Bethany get the justice (and revenge) they seek.
I am a big fan of Craig Saunders and the Highwayman is a good tale, but honestly, a wee fantasy-ey for me and I may have got confused a time or two in the Fog-World. It was still an entertaining read and written well, as I knew it would be from Saunders. 3+ Stars
February 7, 2017
A broken, grieving father, trapped in a land between life and death, hunts for the monster that killed his daughter in this gripping new novel by Craig Saunders.
A nightmarish folktale rich in English folklore, it’s both a thrilling page turner and a haunting portrayal of grief and revenge.
The Fog World is a wonderfully vivid creation packed with dark and twisted imagery, while the Highwayman is a chilling villain up there with the best nightmarish creations.
Saunders brings the story to life through well-crafted characters and a short and punchy prose style that keeps the story ticking over at a break-neck pace.
It’s a fantastic read sure to appeal to fans of Joe Hill’s Nos4a2 or Stephen King and Peter Straub’s the Talisman.
A nightmarish folktale rich in English folklore, it’s both a thrilling page turner and a haunting portrayal of grief and revenge.
The Fog World is a wonderfully vivid creation packed with dark and twisted imagery, while the Highwayman is a chilling villain up there with the best nightmarish creations.
Saunders brings the story to life through well-crafted characters and a short and punchy prose style that keeps the story ticking over at a break-neck pace.
It’s a fantastic read sure to appeal to fans of Joe Hill’s Nos4a2 or Stephen King and Peter Straub’s the Talisman.
March 12, 2017
The HIGHWAYMAN is a story of life, death and love. Once upon a time a bad man killed a child. When later the father died, before he expired, he told his wife what he saw on the other side.
Craig Saunders writing makes this a very easy story to get into. As you get deeper into the tale it becomes more dreamlike and fantastic. I enjoyed reading this version of his take on death and recommend it to all.
I received a digital version of HIGHWAYMAN from the publisher.
Craig Saunders writing makes this a very easy story to get into. As you get deeper into the tale it becomes more dreamlike and fantastic. I enjoyed reading this version of his take on death and recommend it to all.
I received a digital version of HIGHWAYMAN from the publisher.
February 2, 2017
I really, really wanted to like this book. I loved the name, the cover and the story sounded interesting. It even started out well.
Then the story just kind of...fell apart for me. So much didn't make sense. And I'm not talking about the rules of the Fog-World, which I'll get to in a minute.
There's a lot of real-life things that don't make sense. For instance:
Sometimes it seemed like the author wrote some stuff down, then forgot to go back and make some of the previous things match. .
Not to sound heartless but there's very little reason we should care. We don't get to know Madeleine at all. We don't know her, what she liked, her personality or anything. We get two sentences of her whining about being driven to school in their 4x4.
Bethany, Karl's wife and Madeleine's mother, is one of the worst characters I think I've ever read. I think she's supposed to be written as bitter from her losses. But to me she's just bitchy. To everyone. we're also told she doesn't have any friends and then suddenly...poof! A support group that's never been mentioned before and then dropped. She also is an idiot
The section in the forest is just interminable. It goes on and on. I did enjoy the parts with the Deans although, again that part is unclear what actually happens to them.
For all of the over-description of some parts
So to say I was unenthusiastic about the book is an understatement. In fact, I enjoyed the afterword much more than the story proper. It reminds me a lot of taking the game Persona 4, Tolkein's Old Forest, throw in some mythology and hit the blend button.
I honestly can't recommend the book to anyone.
Received from Netgalley for an honest review.
Then the story just kind of...fell apart for me. So much didn't make sense. And I'm not talking about the rules of the Fog-World, which I'll get to in a minute.
There's a lot of real-life things that don't make sense. For instance:
Sometimes it seemed like the author wrote some stuff down, then forgot to go back and make some of the previous things match. .
Not to sound heartless but there's very little reason we should care. We don't get to know Madeleine at all. We don't know her, what she liked, her personality or anything. We get two sentences of her whining about being driven to school in their 4x4.
Bethany, Karl's wife and Madeleine's mother, is one of the worst characters I think I've ever read. I think she's supposed to be written as bitter from her losses. But to me she's just bitchy. To everyone. we're also told she doesn't have any friends and then suddenly...poof! A support group that's never been mentioned before and then dropped. She also is an idiot
The section in the forest is just interminable. It goes on and on. I did enjoy the parts with the Deans although, again that part is unclear what actually happens to them.
For all of the over-description of some parts
So to say I was unenthusiastic about the book is an understatement. In fact, I enjoyed the afterword much more than the story proper. It reminds me a lot of taking the game Persona 4, Tolkein's Old Forest, throw in some mythology and hit the blend button.
I honestly can't recommend the book to anyone.
Received from Netgalley for an honest review.
February 2, 2017
Highwayman is a fantasy/afterlife novel from Craig Saunders. I've really enjoyed his books from the last few years, but couldn't get in to this one as much.
The pacing is very strange. At the beginning we jump forward in time and set up the story of what will ultimately be our protagonist, Kurt, in an innovative and exciting way. After this burst of action, the story slows way down. Kurt's story takes place in another plane of existence, and I didn't connect with the setting. Bethany (Kurt's wife) has her own storyline in our world, and I found this track much more interesting and was disappointed when the story veered away from it. As events finally shake out and lead to the climax I felt like I was fully engaged again, but I spent most of the middle of the book feeling antsy and not that interested.
The ending introduces some new characters in such a way that I thought I was supposed to know who they were. The afterword explains that Highwayman ties in to some of Mr. Saunders other works, so that would explain that, but I felt it could have been handled a little better for readers who hadn't read everything.
I have unabashedly loved what I have read of Craig Saunders over the past few years (check previous reviews for the proof), but Highwayman didn't do it for me. I would recommend starting with the classic Deadlift instead. 3 stars.
The pacing is very strange. At the beginning we jump forward in time and set up the story of what will ultimately be our protagonist, Kurt, in an innovative and exciting way. After this burst of action, the story slows way down. Kurt's story takes place in another plane of existence, and I didn't connect with the setting. Bethany (Kurt's wife) has her own storyline in our world, and I found this track much more interesting and was disappointed when the story veered away from it. As events finally shake out and lead to the climax I felt like I was fully engaged again, but I spent most of the middle of the book feeling antsy and not that interested.
The ending introduces some new characters in such a way that I thought I was supposed to know who they were. The afterword explains that Highwayman ties in to some of Mr. Saunders other works, so that would explain that, but I felt it could have been handled a little better for readers who hadn't read everything.
I have unabashedly loved what I have read of Craig Saunders over the past few years (check previous reviews for the proof), but Highwayman didn't do it for me. I would recommend starting with the classic Deadlift instead. 3 stars.
July 1, 2017
DarkFuse and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Highwayman. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
The author has based Highwayman in part on Old English lore regarding the Tyburn mask and highwayman/killer John Austin. Karl Goodman has been a witness to terrible tragedy, with an elderly man and woman as peculiar participants in the aftermath. When Karl himself is involved in a plane crash, he ends up in the Land Between Midnight being escorted by a little girl named Imke. Discovering an evil man with direct ties to him, Karl seeks out help from the man and woman, in order to keep both worlds safe.
Although I did find Highwayman to be interesting, there were gaps in the story that did not help with the cohesion. Evil for evil's sake is a hard sell for me and I do not think that the author went far enough to address the highwayman's motivations. The other plot hole involves the psychopomps and how they were chosen - the why question was not addressed properly. With that being said, the little horror and a little supernatural elements may appeal to readers who enjoy both genres.
The author has based Highwayman in part on Old English lore regarding the Tyburn mask and highwayman/killer John Austin. Karl Goodman has been a witness to terrible tragedy, with an elderly man and woman as peculiar participants in the aftermath. When Karl himself is involved in a plane crash, he ends up in the Land Between Midnight being escorted by a little girl named Imke. Discovering an evil man with direct ties to him, Karl seeks out help from the man and woman, in order to keep both worlds safe.
Although I did find Highwayman to be interesting, there were gaps in the story that did not help with the cohesion. Evil for evil's sake is a hard sell for me and I do not think that the author went far enough to address the highwayman's motivations. The other plot hole involves the psychopomps and how they were chosen - the why question was not addressed properly. With that being said, the little horror and a little supernatural elements may appeal to readers who enjoy both genres.
August 25, 2017
Karl Goodman lost his daughter and that has destroyed their marriage. Karl becomes aware that he is in the hospital and then in a different place know as world between Midnight. It is also called the land of fog.A little girl helps him adjust in this new place. Karl discovers that the man who killed his daughter is here. There is much Karl must learn and understand before he can get his revenge. By the time he goes after the murderer it is to save his wife from his daughter's murderer as intends to kill her.
There is a fair amount of old English folklore. According to the aftermath in the book, the author tells how the highwaymen were executed. It's written well. I was completed immersed in the story as I read it. The characters in the novel were perfect for the story. I enjoyed the supernatural aspects of the novel. Craig Saunders has a new fan!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
There is a fair amount of old English folklore. According to the aftermath in the book, the author tells how the highwaymen were executed. It's written well. I was completed immersed in the story as I read it. The characters in the novel were perfect for the story. I enjoyed the supernatural aspects of the novel. Craig Saunders has a new fan!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
October 27, 2018
A strong follow-up
In some ways I liked this second book in this trilogy better than the first. There are some good twists, and the Green Man along with Sam and William makes another solid appearance in this story. Love and sacrifice, grief and peace are all themes throughout, and there's some great imagery. A really solid offering that makes me eager for Coachman, last in the series!
In some ways I liked this second book in this trilogy better than the first. There are some good twists, and the Green Man along with Sam and William makes another solid appearance in this story. Love and sacrifice, grief and peace are all themes throughout, and there's some great imagery. A really solid offering that makes me eager for Coachman, last in the series!
February 7, 2017
I liked this novel, interesting plot, heard of Green Man, etc. but no specifics. Recommended. Plot and story took off after the 25% mark.
March 23, 2017
A good dark fantasy
For a full review, please go to http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/ and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/ and follow me on Twitter @josenher
February 9, 2017
It's a bit hard for me to really talk about how I felt while reading Highwayman by Craig Saunders. To some extent, I feel that I may not know as much about old lore and mythology as I thought I did - and that's definitely a possibility. The concept behind the book is intriguing, but there are many elements of Saunders story that failed to satisfy me.
In the wake of a plane crash, Karl Goodman finds himself in-between life and death - a sort of limbo that I felt was reminiscent of an episode of Supernatural where Castiel and Dean are fighting vampires in purgatory. I say this largely because of the whole Fog-World/forest atmosphere. In this surreal world, a murderer from centuries past is able to cross the lines between the worlds of the living and dead to continue visiting his reign of horror upon unsuspecting individuals. Guided by the Deans, who appear to be a set of reapers, for lack of a better term (or maybe ferrymen), and a young, comatose girl named Imke, Karl finds himself seeking out this murderous highwayman so that he can exact revenge for his daughter's death.
While I have a strong love for the supernatural and paranormal, I couldn't help but find myself confused more often than not by several aspects of the story. I am, admittedly, ignorant of the White Hart and the Green Man, but I like to think I'm a bit more versed in the many varieties of spooks. In fact, Saunders portrayal of a barrow-wight did not stray unreasonably far from its native draugr. What does baffle me though is how Saunders introduces these supernatural elements into his book. When I received Highwayman, I was expecting something dark and macabre that dealt with... well, with highwaymen. The main villain of the tale is precisely that, but the book itself is largely a ghost story. That isn't necessarily a problem, but it simply did not sit very well with me.
To further complicate the telling of the story, there are far too many differing points of view - five or six, total. (I can't remember if there was a part told from Mr. Dean's perspective.) This makes it hard to keep track of the passage of time, and whether or not that is intentional, I found it bothersome. For instance, at one point Bethany, Karl's wife, does something. Then, for several chapters, the story does not return to her. In fact, the disparity between returning to her point of view was so great that I actually thought that Saunders had forgotten about her.
One of the other issues that bothered me was the circumstances of Karl and Bethany's daughter's death. At first it is explained as a drowning, but then later we learn it was not. Apparently her murder was so horrid that Karl conveniently blocked the tragedy from his mind with a far more "rational" explanation, and to me this felt more like slapping a bandaid on a forgotten plot element than something that was done naturally.
At no point during my reading of this book did I feel any sort of emotion or attachment to any of the characters, and I found that to be extremely disappointing. The cast of Highwayman are not, in any way, extraordinary (well, not depth wise), and that made it harder for me to get into the book.
Overall, I didn't care much for Highwayman; however I will not let that discourage me from reading more of Saunders' work in the future. As part of the DarkFuse Reader's Group, I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank DarkFuse, Craig Saunders, and NetGalley for this opportunity.
In the wake of a plane crash, Karl Goodman finds himself in-between life and death - a sort of limbo that I felt was reminiscent of an episode of Supernatural where Castiel and Dean are fighting vampires in purgatory. I say this largely because of the whole Fog-World/forest atmosphere. In this surreal world, a murderer from centuries past is able to cross the lines between the worlds of the living and dead to continue visiting his reign of horror upon unsuspecting individuals. Guided by the Deans, who appear to be a set of reapers, for lack of a better term (or maybe ferrymen), and a young, comatose girl named Imke, Karl finds himself seeking out this murderous highwayman so that he can exact revenge for his daughter's death.
While I have a strong love for the supernatural and paranormal, I couldn't help but find myself confused more often than not by several aspects of the story. I am, admittedly, ignorant of the White Hart and the Green Man, but I like to think I'm a bit more versed in the many varieties of spooks. In fact, Saunders portrayal of a barrow-wight did not stray unreasonably far from its native draugr. What does baffle me though is how Saunders introduces these supernatural elements into his book. When I received Highwayman, I was expecting something dark and macabre that dealt with... well, with highwaymen. The main villain of the tale is precisely that, but the book itself is largely a ghost story. That isn't necessarily a problem, but it simply did not sit very well with me.
To further complicate the telling of the story, there are far too many differing points of view - five or six, total. (I can't remember if there was a part told from Mr. Dean's perspective.) This makes it hard to keep track of the passage of time, and whether or not that is intentional, I found it bothersome. For instance, at one point Bethany, Karl's wife, does something. Then, for several chapters, the story does not return to her. In fact, the disparity between returning to her point of view was so great that I actually thought that Saunders had forgotten about her.
One of the other issues that bothered me was the circumstances of Karl and Bethany's daughter's death. At first it is explained as a drowning, but then later we learn it was not. Apparently her murder was so horrid that Karl conveniently blocked the tragedy from his mind with a far more "rational" explanation, and to me this felt more like slapping a bandaid on a forgotten plot element than something that was done naturally.
At no point during my reading of this book did I feel any sort of emotion or attachment to any of the characters, and I found that to be extremely disappointing. The cast of Highwayman are not, in any way, extraordinary (well, not depth wise), and that made it harder for me to get into the book.
Overall, I didn't care much for Highwayman; however I will not let that discourage me from reading more of Saunders' work in the future. As part of the DarkFuse Reader's Group, I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank DarkFuse, Craig Saunders, and NetGalley for this opportunity.
March 1, 2017
I am so sorry to say I had no idea where this book was going.. I could not finish it, I picked it up and tried many times..It was a man who just wanted to die... He got his wish but now on some other wordly parallel plain, looking for a man that sucks the life force out of victims that are still alive.
I am very familiar with all Craig Saunders works..He is usually action packed and bloody fun too read... I will list below all the books I have read that were excellent and do Recommend.
I would not recommend new readers to start with this book. He has so. many better psychotic reads..
Home by the Sea
The Dead Boy.
The Noose & Gibbet ( Loved this one about spirit walkers )
Rain
Deadlift
The Estate.
Sorry , Craig :(
I am very familiar with all Craig Saunders works..He is usually action packed and bloody fun too read... I will list below all the books I have read that were excellent and do Recommend.
I would not recommend new readers to start with this book. He has so. many better psychotic reads..
Home by the Sea
The Dead Boy.
The Noose & Gibbet ( Loved this one about spirit walkers )
Rain
Deadlift
The Estate.
Sorry , Craig :(
January 25, 2017
A man who is attempting to overcome the loss of his daughter after she drowns, has been contemplating suicide, is involved in a plane-crash. Whilst the plane spirals to the ground he recognises an elderly couple sitting close to him on the plane as being in the vicinity when his daughter died. Were they involved? The drowning scene itself is very harrowing. As he battles between life and death he enters a Fog World where he encounters other beings and a shadowy world which may lead him to the cause of his daughter’s death. Meanwhile his ex-wife is edging towards switching off the life support keeping him alive. Although it had its moments, and was strong on atmosphere, I struggled to get through this book. It was a ghost story of sorts with a strong supernatural twang, it just did not pull me in and large sections were rather dull. The folklore connections and the origins of the Highwayman were interesting enough, as were the sequences with the old couple gathering souls, but with so much high quality horror fiction around at the moment this novel didn’t quite hit the mark for me, it might for others though.
February 3, 2017
This is a hard one to review for me, because this book has so much promise and it wasn't that I didn't enjoy the book, but I found a lot that I didn't understand. For starters I thought the beginning was rushed. I felt it was a bit of a jump from the first death to the second. I would have liked to have seen more story between, such as more of Madeline Rose, as her death was pivotal to the plot and yet she was so lost in the background and there was no way for me to feel a connection to her. I also loved Imke, but her character was so much older sounding than she was in reality. Even with the time lapse, I still felt she sounded even older than that. The main part of this book is Karl seeking out the highwayman who killed his daughter and getting justice, yet in her death scene... there is nothing about him being the one to kill her? I don't know, I'm a bit confused. Despite this, the second half of the story was so good and the detail within the book was so beautiful.
April 8, 2017
Loved this Book
This work is rift with facts about English history and the veil between the worlds. Craig knows his research and it shows in this fabulous tale of love, a journey in death and the history of time. Excellent read, well played out and darkly entertaining.
This work is rift with facts about English history and the veil between the worlds. Craig knows his research and it shows in this fabulous tale of love, a journey in death and the history of time. Excellent read, well played out and darkly entertaining.
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