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Nobody True
James True was not there when he died.
He returned from an out-of-body experience to find that he'd been murdered and mutilated. He had no body to go back to.
But who murdered him? The serial killer terrorizing the city--or someone closer? True had no enemies, at least none that he knew of.
To discover the truth, James True must track down his killer. The initial horror of True's experience is followed by an even greater terror . . . . his family are the murderer's next targets.
Without a body, True has no substance and no real power. No one can see him, no one can hear him, and no one except his murderer even knows his spirit still exists.
How can he save his family?
He returned from an out-of-body experience to find that he'd been murdered and mutilated. He had no body to go back to.
But who murdered him? The serial killer terrorizing the city--or someone closer? True had no enemies, at least none that he knew of.
To discover the truth, James True must track down his killer. The initial horror of True's experience is followed by an even greater terror . . . . his family are the murderer's next targets.
Without a body, True has no substance and no real power. No one can see him, no one can hear him, and no one except his murderer even knows his spirit still exists.
How can he save his family?
373 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
89 people are currently reading
1814 people want to read
About the author
James Herbert
100 books2,376 followersJames Herbert was Britain's number one bestselling writer (a position he held ever since publication of his first novel) and one of the world's top writers of thriller/horror fiction.
He was one of our greatest popular novelists, whose books are sold in thirty-three other languages, including Russian and Chinese. Widely imitated and hugely influential, his 19 novels have sold more than 42 million copies worldwide.
As an author he produced some of the most powerful horror fiction of the past decade. With a skillful blend of horror and thriller fiction, he explored the shaded territories of evil, evoking a sense of brooding menace and rising tension. He relentlessly draws the reader through the story's ultimate revelation - one that will stay to chill the mind long after the book has been laid aside. His bestsellers, THE MAGIC COTTAGE, HAUNTED, SEPULCHRE, and CREED, enhanced his reputation as a writer of depth and originality. His novels THE FOG, THE DARK, and THE SURVIVOR have been hailed as classics of the genre.
He was one of our greatest popular novelists, whose books are sold in thirty-three other languages, including Russian and Chinese. Widely imitated and hugely influential, his 19 novels have sold more than 42 million copies worldwide.
As an author he produced some of the most powerful horror fiction of the past decade. With a skillful blend of horror and thriller fiction, he explored the shaded territories of evil, evoking a sense of brooding menace and rising tension. He relentlessly draws the reader through the story's ultimate revelation - one that will stay to chill the mind long after the book has been laid aside. His bestsellers, THE MAGIC COTTAGE, HAUNTED, SEPULCHRE, and CREED, enhanced his reputation as a writer of depth and originality. His novels THE FOG, THE DARK, and THE SURVIVOR have been hailed as classics of the genre.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
September 22, 2016
I think by now everyone who reads my blog knows how much I adore James Herbet he's like right up there in my favourite authors Sadly, he's not with us anymore so this story really struck chords with me. It's such an unusual tale. I've never actually read anything like this! It has so many plots and turns.
Jim True wasn’t there when he died. While he was ‘away’ on an out-of-body experience (something he has been able to do since he was a child) someone murders him. And not just murder's him, they totally mangle his body. It's now up to James to now only find out what the hell happened to his body, but to understand the now supernatural world he lives in and stop a dark threat that looms over his family and loved ones.
Honestly, this was one hell of a tale and totally deserves its place on the supernatural box of the Halloween board.
Jim True wasn’t there when he died. While he was ‘away’ on an out-of-body experience (something he has been able to do since he was a child) someone murders him. And not just murder's him, they totally mangle his body. It's now up to James to now only find out what the hell happened to his body, but to understand the now supernatural world he lives in and stop a dark threat that looms over his family and loved ones.
Honestly, this was one hell of a tale and totally deserves its place on the supernatural box of the Halloween board.
February 12, 2022
‘I wasn’t there when I died.’ The first sentence hooked me. James True is murdered while he is having an out of body experience (OBE). The premise for this horror story is excellent. However, several chapters about Jame’s life as an advertising man were tedious. There was also to much OBE information that it read a bit like a instruction manual.
Alex Moker was a great evil monster and serial
killer. The story was for me very readable but could have done with more editing. 502 pages could have been 350 pages. Still this horror story was gripping and entertaining. Jame’s was extremely gullible with his wife Andrea and his business partners Oliver and Sydney the accountant.
Alex Moker was a great evil monster and serial
killer. The story was for me very readable but could have done with more editing. 502 pages could have been 350 pages. Still this horror story was gripping and entertaining. Jame’s was extremely gullible with his wife Andrea and his business partners Oliver and Sydney the accountant.
September 11, 2018
Next time I have an out-of-body trip, I'm going to make sure I install a car alarm in my body. Not really a horror story (at least compared to Herbert's usual standard).
December 4, 2016
What an unusual topic for a story! This is my first James Herbert book and it certainly won't be my last. What a great book to start off the James Herbert readership with. The story is about James True who has out of body experiences (abbreviated to OBE for simplificity) which he learns to control until he has them almost down to a fine art. However on his last OBE, he returns to his body to find it mutilated and rather dead! He is therefore in limbo land and unable to return back to his body and instead has to adapt to this new state of 'death' by haunting his family and trying to stop his beloved from imminent danger. I really wasn't expecting a Herbert book to have this much imaginative flair but imagined it would be filled with lots of haunted castles complete with bloodshed and gore aplenty. However I was pleasantly surprised and even found myself lamenting on the story long after I had finished, and feeling pangs of sadness as the story replayed itself in my mind.
The main plot involved James tailing the grisly and disfigured Moker as he went about his way murdering beautiful victims as a way of fighting his mental demons. Moker was also a suspect in James' murder and as the story progresses the truth is revealed as well as certain twists along the route which were a surprise to all and sundry.
The story writing is very vivid and the characters and stories bounce off the page and into your mind. This is a sign of an accomplished writer. The characters were well developed and each one had their own little secret culminating in a big finale which created an emotional and thought provoking end. As horror books go, this is not the writing of Stephen King who is synonymous with blood and gore, but there is certainly suspense, disturbing moments and the concept of OBE produced almost a magical but paranormal element. The book's only downside was how the narrator happened to always give a hint of what was to come. Personally I would have liked to have experienced the journey on my own, allowing me to make up my own mind and seek surprises and red herrings as they happened. Knowing something was an incorrect assumption and revealing discrepancies to the plot before they happened spoiled my enjoyment. Also the way in which it was revealed was quite simplistic in relation to the rest of the book.
As I read towards the end of the book it was obvious that there would be emotional moments which would bring tears to anyone's eyes. Herbert did not disappoint and the book ended in a bitter sweet way.
I have come across plenty of authors recently which I would not hesitate to follow and read, Herbert is one of them. Unfortunately due to his demise, new books will not be available but I am sure there are plenty in the archives to keep me entertained.
This is an excellent and thought provoking book which takes a look at humanity and also delves into political correctness. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to start on the James Herbert trail.
The main plot involved James tailing the grisly and disfigured Moker as he went about his way murdering beautiful victims as a way of fighting his mental demons. Moker was also a suspect in James' murder and as the story progresses the truth is revealed as well as certain twists along the route which were a surprise to all and sundry.
The story writing is very vivid and the characters and stories bounce off the page and into your mind. This is a sign of an accomplished writer. The characters were well developed and each one had their own little secret culminating in a big finale which created an emotional and thought provoking end. As horror books go, this is not the writing of Stephen King who is synonymous with blood and gore, but there is certainly suspense, disturbing moments and the concept of OBE produced almost a magical but paranormal element. The book's only downside was how the narrator happened to always give a hint of what was to come. Personally I would have liked to have experienced the journey on my own, allowing me to make up my own mind and seek surprises and red herrings as they happened. Knowing something was an incorrect assumption and revealing discrepancies to the plot before they happened spoiled my enjoyment. Also the way in which it was revealed was quite simplistic in relation to the rest of the book.
As I read towards the end of the book it was obvious that there would be emotional moments which would bring tears to anyone's eyes. Herbert did not disappoint and the book ended in a bitter sweet way.
I have come across plenty of authors recently which I would not hesitate to follow and read, Herbert is one of them. Unfortunately due to his demise, new books will not be available but I am sure there are plenty in the archives to keep me entertained.
This is an excellent and thought provoking book which takes a look at humanity and also delves into political correctness. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to start on the James Herbert trail.
June 3, 2022
I wanted to say that I loved this one because James Herbert is one of my favourite authors and it was good, but not a favourite.
The intricate story-telling is there with other-worldly inferences, some fantastic ideas and some shocking horror moments...
...but I could have done without the existential musings and the book was far too long. The actual story was good, I just would have preferred if he hadn't used it to go off on spiritual tangents.
To put this into context:- I read all James Herbert's books about 20 years ago (eek) and they got me back into reading after a break because of studying. Not all of them stand the test of time and I'm in the process of rereading them all. My favourites remain Creed and The Rats trilogy but I'm looking forward to revisiting The Secret of Crickley Hall, Shrine and The Survivor particularly.
The intricate story-telling is there with other-worldly inferences, some fantastic ideas and some shocking horror moments...
...but I could have done without the existential musings and the book was far too long. The actual story was good, I just would have preferred if he hadn't used it to go off on spiritual tangents.
To put this into context:- I read all James Herbert's books about 20 years ago (eek) and they got me back into reading after a break because of studying. Not all of them stand the test of time and I'm in the process of rereading them all. My favourites remain Creed and The Rats trilogy but I'm looking forward to revisiting The Secret of Crickley Hall, Shrine and The Survivor particularly.
August 12, 2021
"Nobody True" by James Herbert is a baffling novel.
The first sentence and the title are pure genius, everything else... not so much. I mean, NINE chapters of backstory?! At the end of chapter 9, the first-person narrator even has the cheek to address the reader saying "Hopefully you've stayed with me so far. [...] Now I'm ready. And, hopefully again, you're primed to hear my tale." Sure, if by "primed" you mean "bored half to death", yes, I can safely say I am.
Overall, the writing style is verbose, pedantic, full of repetitions and exposition. Even the most original idea becomes boring if you repeat it a few hundred times over!
And do I even mention the footnotes? Come on, footnotes are for non-fiction works only, they have no place in novels.
The prose in itself is bad enough, plagued by way too many adjectives and adverbs: "Her poor face was puffy and the redness around her eyes indicated that a multitude of tears had been shed"... It's a preposterously long and convoluted way of saying "She'd been crying".
And by the way, what's with all the passive verbs? "Without warning, the newspaper was picked up and hurled across the dingy room"... There's a serial killer throwing things around in a fit of rage and the author thinks it's a good idea to make *an inanimate object* - a newspaper - the subject of the sentence?
As for the actual story, the one that occupies about 30% of this book (the remaining 70% is just the protagonist lecturing the reader about metaphysical mumbo jumbo), it's basically a remake of Ghost, only not as good. Yes, the author did acknowledge the source material, and yes, he was probably trying to give this plot a new angle by making his protagonist an "out-of-body spirit" instead of an actual ghost, but that's splitting hairs. The plot is still the same--the only things "Nobody True" adds to it are way too many rape scenes, awful dialogues that don't sound credible at all and plenty of plotholes and inconsistencies, such as: why does Andrea open the door without bothering to check who is it that is knocking? Doesn't she remember that her husband's been brutally murdered a few days earlier and that his killer is still on the loose? That's a whole new level of "too stupid to live". Am I supposed to believe that anyone would behave like that in real life?
Also, after we have already established that Jim can see souls leaving the bodies when people die, why does he worry that his wife might be dead when she gets knocked out in front of him? Doesn't he realize that if her soul had left her body, he'd have seen it?
Last but not least, in the twenty-first century, the world really doesn't need another book published where every single female character has no agency whatsoever, where the disabled are referred to as "monsters", where a bunch of rapists are repeatedly identified by their ethnicity, where a kind-hearted passer-by who tries lending a helping hand to a fellow human being in distress is mocked by the first-person narrator for being overweight and where being physically different and identified as ugly is automatically linked to moral depravity.
This was the first novel by James Herbert I read, and I can safely say it will be the last.
The first sentence and the title are pure genius, everything else... not so much. I mean, NINE chapters of backstory?! At the end of chapter 9, the first-person narrator even has the cheek to address the reader saying "Hopefully you've stayed with me so far. [...] Now I'm ready. And, hopefully again, you're primed to hear my tale." Sure, if by "primed" you mean "bored half to death", yes, I can safely say I am.
Overall, the writing style is verbose, pedantic, full of repetitions and exposition. Even the most original idea becomes boring if you repeat it a few hundred times over!
And do I even mention the footnotes? Come on, footnotes are for non-fiction works only, they have no place in novels.
The prose in itself is bad enough, plagued by way too many adjectives and adverbs: "Her poor face was puffy and the redness around her eyes indicated that a multitude of tears had been shed"... It's a preposterously long and convoluted way of saying "She'd been crying".
And by the way, what's with all the passive verbs? "Without warning, the newspaper was picked up and hurled across the dingy room"... There's a serial killer throwing things around in a fit of rage and the author thinks it's a good idea to make *an inanimate object* - a newspaper - the subject of the sentence?
As for the actual story, the one that occupies about 30% of this book (the remaining 70% is just the protagonist lecturing the reader about metaphysical mumbo jumbo), it's basically a remake of Ghost, only not as good. Yes, the author did acknowledge the source material, and yes, he was probably trying to give this plot a new angle by making his protagonist an "out-of-body spirit" instead of an actual ghost, but that's splitting hairs. The plot is still the same--the only things "Nobody True" adds to it are way too many rape scenes, awful dialogues that don't sound credible at all and plenty of plotholes and inconsistencies, such as: why does Andrea open the door without bothering to check who is it that is knocking? Doesn't she remember that her husband's been brutally murdered a few days earlier and that his killer is still on the loose? That's a whole new level of "too stupid to live". Am I supposed to believe that anyone would behave like that in real life?
Also, after we have already established that Jim can see souls leaving the bodies when people die, why does he worry that his wife might be dead when she gets knocked out in front of him? Doesn't he realize that if her soul had left her body, he'd have seen it?
Last but not least, in the twenty-first century, the world really doesn't need another book published where every single female character has no agency whatsoever, where the disabled are referred to as "monsters", where a bunch of rapists are repeatedly identified by their ethnicity, where a kind-hearted passer-by who tries lending a helping hand to a fellow human being in distress is mocked by the first-person narrator for being overweight and where being physically different and identified as ugly is automatically linked to moral depravity.
This was the first novel by James Herbert I read, and I can safely say it will be the last.
November 19, 2024
A brilliant concept and an astonishing first sentence. But this rather sleazy novel becomes a little tiresome in the end.
June 9, 2013
On a quest to read Herbert, came across this one at the library. This is a good book of his to borrow from the library instead of buying, since it's not really his best. It's an interesting premise (a person away on an Out Of Body Experience OBE comes back to find his body brutally murdered and has to find out what happened), sympathetic narrator, plenty of twists that make the book's name so appropriate and even a moral. Just something about it didn't sing for me the way some of his other books do. Not quite sure what, gonna have to think about it, it did read like a manual a tad in parts, which works in general for the narrative structure, but slowed down the pace some. Less horrific and graphic than some of Herbert's, more to do with horrors of human making. Interesting hope inspiring meditation on meaning of life in the end. Pretty decent read.
March 8, 2010
Unfortunately I was just never engaged... The murder of the body of a man who is having an out of body experience was an interesting idea, but it quickly became apparent that this was just going to get frustrating - lots of can't do this, can't touch that. Things get interesting towards the end as the tension builds for the finale, but it's too late to recapture what Herbert is normally good at. Hate to say it, but this was a pretty boring read.
November 2, 2025
Given the dreaded DNF 🫣😱
Three stars because I do like Herbert usually but I notice his books can either go all in with the story and action or be a tad drawn out…this one started really well but descended into banality unfortunately, I have a mass pile of physical books to get through dammit!!
Three stars because I do like Herbert usually but I notice his books can either go all in with the story and action or be a tad drawn out…this one started really well but descended into banality unfortunately, I have a mass pile of physical books to get through dammit!!
April 26, 2024
I really liked this book! I stayed interested the entire way through and went through a lot of different emotions as the story progressed. This was my second book by James Herbert and was so different from the first one. I have several more of his books to read and if they are even close to this I know I’ll be happy to have discovered his works. Awesome!
June 16, 2013
James True has always had the ability to leave his own body.
It's a skill that gets better with practice just like any other, and despite early reservations and inefficiency toward this latent ability, True begins to accept it and hone it, though it's always in the background of his life.
Because he's a successful man.
A partner in a thriving advertising company, he's happily married with a beautiful daughter. Much of his energy is directed into his business and his personal life, this is until a heated business meeting with another senior partner of GTP - Oliver Guinane.
The two have hired a hotel room for the weekend to work out a pitch for the latest big customer, to thrash out ideas and get the creative juices flowing. But the 2 partners and friends have a massive bust-up. Guinane storms out, and True gets drunk.
And then leaves his body, only to discover he can no longer return to it.
He feels a snap and returns to the hotel room to discover his own mutilated corpse.
After an intense period of desolation, True gradually begins to realise that his life that was is actually over. He's a wandering soul that needs to discover who did this to him and why, and he also learns that he has a final mission on the Earth too - to stop a serial killer.
I found it quite poignant that the book I randomly chose to read by James Herbert after his death was this one. A book talking about an adventure of the soul.
It feels like 2 books though of course it's not.
James True when he was alive and James True when he's 'dead'. Readers may be glad to find out that the majority of the book focuses on the 'dead' bloke. Christ who'd want to read about a successful business man with a glamorous wife and beautiful daughter. Puke.
No this is way more interesting. Despair is chucked your way in plentiful quantities, accompanied by a stunning account of what it might feel like to be a ghost cum spirit kind of entity. Honestly you get the feeling that Jimmy H had the ability himself.
His masterstroke was the introduction of another character by the name of Alex Moker. A deformed, afflicted, and utterly vile character who True becomes very involved with. Can't give too much away. But again, Herberts depiction of the character and what goes on inside its head is pure magic to read. And not just for the obscenity.
To the right reader this might be a 10, but Herbert really pushes the boundaries here with regards to realism - this is pretty much fantastical horror and it's not my favourite genre. Credulity is stretched just a little too far to make it an opus in my eyes.
I'd seriously recommend it to just about anyone though - great read.
It's a skill that gets better with practice just like any other, and despite early reservations and inefficiency toward this latent ability, True begins to accept it and hone it, though it's always in the background of his life.
Because he's a successful man.
A partner in a thriving advertising company, he's happily married with a beautiful daughter. Much of his energy is directed into his business and his personal life, this is until a heated business meeting with another senior partner of GTP - Oliver Guinane.
The two have hired a hotel room for the weekend to work out a pitch for the latest big customer, to thrash out ideas and get the creative juices flowing. But the 2 partners and friends have a massive bust-up. Guinane storms out, and True gets drunk.
And then leaves his body, only to discover he can no longer return to it.
He feels a snap and returns to the hotel room to discover his own mutilated corpse.
After an intense period of desolation, True gradually begins to realise that his life that was is actually over. He's a wandering soul that needs to discover who did this to him and why, and he also learns that he has a final mission on the Earth too - to stop a serial killer.
I found it quite poignant that the book I randomly chose to read by James Herbert after his death was this one. A book talking about an adventure of the soul.
It feels like 2 books though of course it's not.
James True when he was alive and James True when he's 'dead'. Readers may be glad to find out that the majority of the book focuses on the 'dead' bloke. Christ who'd want to read about a successful business man with a glamorous wife and beautiful daughter. Puke.
No this is way more interesting. Despair is chucked your way in plentiful quantities, accompanied by a stunning account of what it might feel like to be a ghost cum spirit kind of entity. Honestly you get the feeling that Jimmy H had the ability himself.
His masterstroke was the introduction of another character by the name of Alex Moker. A deformed, afflicted, and utterly vile character who True becomes very involved with. Can't give too much away. But again, Herberts depiction of the character and what goes on inside its head is pure magic to read. And not just for the obscenity.
To the right reader this might be a 10, but Herbert really pushes the boundaries here with regards to realism - this is pretty much fantastical horror and it's not my favourite genre. Credulity is stretched just a little too far to make it an opus in my eyes.
I'd seriously recommend it to just about anyone though - great read.
October 20, 2018
* spoilers *
My initial reaction to this book was that the killer was the most disturbing fictional character i'd ever been presented with. The graphic descriptions of necriphelia are not for the faint hearted and i was almost shocked by the words, leaving me disgusted by Moker's character. You then follow the spirit of Jim true (recently murdered whilst on an out of body experience).
It's unclear at the start if Jim was murdered by his best friend Ollie, the presentation of this suggestion was weak and unclear until the suggestion is made for a second time. At this point i was thinking how dull it was that Ollie was the murderer as everyone suspected him, much too predictable. As it turns out, this was too obvious and Ollie wasn't in fact the killer.
When Jim is killed, he is in an out of body experience which is an aspect of the book i enjoyed thoroughly, as a lucid dreamer who enjoys dreams of flight myself. Once Jim becomes a spirit (not yet a ghost), he aims to stop Moker committing more murders, and does this, but not before Moker attacks Jim's family. This scene was pretty intense to be fair and Moker is killed. As Moker's spirit leaves her body (yes, her - a revelation which was irrelevant to me), her spirit simply disappears which was, i thought, a lost opportunity for a confrontation between both Moker's spirit and Jim's - since even as a human Moker had been susceptible to sensing Jim's spirit presence (and had mastered the OBE art form), so surely in death as a full spirit Moker would had finally seen Jim, the presence he had always felt?
Eventually Jim takes over Moker's body in order to get vengeance for his own murder, it's during this take over of Moker's body that line's are blurred and you're forced (as Jim was) to consider the person, and the hurt, behind Moker's actions to understand the outcast behind the killings and necrophelic acts that i found so disturbing earlier - a real twist of emotions. In the same way, you end up suprised by the personality behind the character of Jim's mother.
Jim take's Mokers body to his office, expecting to Kill Ollie to get revenge. This is when you hear Sydney admit he's the killer. This confused me slightly, it would have been easier for sydney to just frame Moker as the killer, and he would be less of a suspect if Ollie remained alive. Jim stops Moker and exacts revenge on Sydney, but his spirit doesn't move on. After a conversation with the ghost spirit of his father you come to realise this is because Jim hasn't accepted those who have wronged him in life, you need to be able to forgive people to pass on - a lesson for all of us probably. Jim did have a lot to forgive, initially I had thought the title of the book "Nobody True" was reference to Jim becoming Nobody in death, as he was largely invisible to humans and feared by ghosts, he was accepted by noone. But at this point in the book i came to appreciate the title's double meaning as Jim asks "Was nobody true to me?" - it was reference to the deceptions against him he now needed to forgive.
I took great comfort in the spirit world James herbert created, with Jim's father stating he had tried to stay connected to Jim even after passing over, and we have a memory of them that "won't ever be spoiled". Jim's father also suggests that Jim has been given the opportunity to learn more about the world you've lived in, but i think the lessons to Jim are directed at the readers to "go back, be impartial, learn".
The story ends with Jim visiting his family once more, in order to allow him to move on. A touching moment shared between Jim's spirit and his non-biological daughter, showing that family isn't all about genetics, it's about love. It is this love that allows Prim to see Jim.
I liked this book a lot, and drew similarities with "The Host", another favourite book of mine. I liked it so much i didn't put it down on holiday (literally i fell asleep on a sunlounger with this book in my hand and woke up when it fell from my grip).
Definitely go and read this book. It is not much longer than this review which I am made to write because my sister enjoys reading them.
My initial reaction to this book was that the killer was the most disturbing fictional character i'd ever been presented with. The graphic descriptions of necriphelia are not for the faint hearted and i was almost shocked by the words, leaving me disgusted by Moker's character. You then follow the spirit of Jim true (recently murdered whilst on an out of body experience).
It's unclear at the start if Jim was murdered by his best friend Ollie, the presentation of this suggestion was weak and unclear until the suggestion is made for a second time. At this point i was thinking how dull it was that Ollie was the murderer as everyone suspected him, much too predictable. As it turns out, this was too obvious and Ollie wasn't in fact the killer.
When Jim is killed, he is in an out of body experience which is an aspect of the book i enjoyed thoroughly, as a lucid dreamer who enjoys dreams of flight myself. Once Jim becomes a spirit (not yet a ghost), he aims to stop Moker committing more murders, and does this, but not before Moker attacks Jim's family. This scene was pretty intense to be fair and Moker is killed. As Moker's spirit leaves her body (yes, her - a revelation which was irrelevant to me), her spirit simply disappears which was, i thought, a lost opportunity for a confrontation between both Moker's spirit and Jim's - since even as a human Moker had been susceptible to sensing Jim's spirit presence (and had mastered the OBE art form), so surely in death as a full spirit Moker would had finally seen Jim, the presence he had always felt?
Eventually Jim takes over Moker's body in order to get vengeance for his own murder, it's during this take over of Moker's body that line's are blurred and you're forced (as Jim was) to consider the person, and the hurt, behind Moker's actions to understand the outcast behind the killings and necrophelic acts that i found so disturbing earlier - a real twist of emotions. In the same way, you end up suprised by the personality behind the character of Jim's mother.
Jim take's Mokers body to his office, expecting to Kill Ollie to get revenge. This is when you hear Sydney admit he's the killer. This confused me slightly, it would have been easier for sydney to just frame Moker as the killer, and he would be less of a suspect if Ollie remained alive. Jim stops Moker and exacts revenge on Sydney, but his spirit doesn't move on. After a conversation with the ghost spirit of his father you come to realise this is because Jim hasn't accepted those who have wronged him in life, you need to be able to forgive people to pass on - a lesson for all of us probably. Jim did have a lot to forgive, initially I had thought the title of the book "Nobody True" was reference to Jim becoming Nobody in death, as he was largely invisible to humans and feared by ghosts, he was accepted by noone. But at this point in the book i came to appreciate the title's double meaning as Jim asks "Was nobody true to me?" - it was reference to the deceptions against him he now needed to forgive.
I took great comfort in the spirit world James herbert created, with Jim's father stating he had tried to stay connected to Jim even after passing over, and we have a memory of them that "won't ever be spoiled". Jim's father also suggests that Jim has been given the opportunity to learn more about the world you've lived in, but i think the lessons to Jim are directed at the readers to "go back, be impartial, learn".
The story ends with Jim visiting his family once more, in order to allow him to move on. A touching moment shared between Jim's spirit and his non-biological daughter, showing that family isn't all about genetics, it's about love. It is this love that allows Prim to see Jim.
I liked this book a lot, and drew similarities with "The Host", another favourite book of mine. I liked it so much i didn't put it down on holiday (literally i fell asleep on a sunlounger with this book in my hand and woke up when it fell from my grip).
Definitely go and read this book. It is not much longer than this review which I am made to write because my sister enjoys reading them.
June 19, 2015
James True is een zakenman , getrouwd met Andrea en ze hebben een dochter, Primrose. James heeft vanaf kinds af aan al een bepaalde gave, namelijk dat hij “Out of body experiences” heeft, oftewel in het Nederlands, zijn astrale (geestelijke) lichaam kan uit zijn fysieke lichaam treden. De eerste zin van het boek is : “ik was er niet bij toen ik doodging. Echt,ik was er niet…” Hij had op dat moment juist een buitenlichamelijke ervaring… hij vind zijn verminkte lichaam terug en vraagt zich af wat er gebeurd is, wie heeft hem zo toegetakeld? Is hij echt dood? Waarom kan hij dan niet meer in zijn fysieke lichaam?
James (of Jim ) gaat als geest op zoek naar de dader, want dat hij geen natuurlijke dood is gestorven ziet hij meteen. Hij komt op allerlei plaatsen waar hij nooit eerder is geweest en hij komt ook van alles te weten over zijn vrouw en zijn zakenpartner, dingen waar hij anders nooit achter zou zijn gekomen. Hij probeert zijn vrouw te waarschuwen voor de moordenaar, maar dat is knap lastig als men je niet ziet. Hij komt achter dingen uit zijn verleden en ook van andere overledenen. Ook kan hij in lichamen van andere overledenen kruipen en hun emoties voelen.
Het verhaal leest als een trein, vanaf de eerste zin zit je in het verhaal. Er gebeuren zulke bizarre, ongelofelijke en mooie dingen dat je gewoon door wilt lezen. Je voelt de emoties van Jim en de onmacht die hij heeft .Als geest kan je overal doorheen, maar niemand ziet of hoort je immers. Het boek is geschreven in de “ik“ vorm, wat altijd even wennen is, maar daardoor lijkt het wel of jij de hoofdpersoon bent. De andere personages, Andrea en Oliver onder andere, worden goed omschreven.
Het verhaal zit vol spanning, ongeloof, humor, intriges en natuurlijk veel bovennatuurlijke scenes. Het plot is goed gevonden, zeker niet voorspelbaar
James (of Jim ) gaat als geest op zoek naar de dader, want dat hij geen natuurlijke dood is gestorven ziet hij meteen. Hij komt op allerlei plaatsen waar hij nooit eerder is geweest en hij komt ook van alles te weten over zijn vrouw en zijn zakenpartner, dingen waar hij anders nooit achter zou zijn gekomen. Hij probeert zijn vrouw te waarschuwen voor de moordenaar, maar dat is knap lastig als men je niet ziet. Hij komt achter dingen uit zijn verleden en ook van andere overledenen. Ook kan hij in lichamen van andere overledenen kruipen en hun emoties voelen.
Het verhaal leest als een trein, vanaf de eerste zin zit je in het verhaal. Er gebeuren zulke bizarre, ongelofelijke en mooie dingen dat je gewoon door wilt lezen. Je voelt de emoties van Jim en de onmacht die hij heeft .Als geest kan je overal doorheen, maar niemand ziet of hoort je immers. Het boek is geschreven in de “ik“ vorm, wat altijd even wennen is, maar daardoor lijkt het wel of jij de hoofdpersoon bent. De andere personages, Andrea en Oliver onder andere, worden goed omschreven.
Het verhaal zit vol spanning, ongeloof, humor, intriges en natuurlijk veel bovennatuurlijke scenes. Het plot is goed gevonden, zeker niet voorspelbaar
May 11, 2015
Ah, there is nothing like a James Herbert back on form. After the horror (metaphorical rather than literal) that was 'Once' I find myself once more in the horror (literal) that is 'Nobody True'. This book would suggest that, as I had hoped, that Once was a blip rather than a dip in the form of the writer.
This is a classic James Herbert. Based on a solid story there are really dark elements of this book. The book is a single volume so you know that when you get to the end it will actually be the end and there is a great cast, an interesting premise and a pace to keep you enthralled right to the end.
There are a load of interesting ideas which are well executed within this book and none outstay their welcome. It is incisively written and crafted to take the reader on a journey.
This book was better than I expected. Well worth a visit for anyone who likes a good mystery with a generous dash of the macabre.
This is a classic James Herbert. Based on a solid story there are really dark elements of this book. The book is a single volume so you know that when you get to the end it will actually be the end and there is a great cast, an interesting premise and a pace to keep you enthralled right to the end.
There are a load of interesting ideas which are well executed within this book and none outstay their welcome. It is incisively written and crafted to take the reader on a journey.
This book was better than I expected. Well worth a visit for anyone who likes a good mystery with a generous dash of the macabre.
October 11, 2014
Previous to "Nobody True" I have read two other James Herbert books, "The Ghosts of Sleath" and "Others" both which I enjoyed. On that strength I can't believe James Herbert actually wrote this book - it's almost like he went into a school and said to the students "Ok, here is the outline for the story, now go write the whole book and I'll print the winning one under my name"!!! It's pretty bad. Poorly written, repetitive (how many times can he tell us he can't tell how much time has passed or what the time is?), predictable and pretty boring. A huge disappointment. And I was on such a good run of books - the last 5 or 6 books I've read have been 4 and 5 star books, that just came to an abrupt halt!!!
Maybe 1 star is a little harsh - I didn't completely dislike it so it should probably have a rating of 1.5.
Maybe 1 star is a little harsh - I didn't completely dislike it so it should probably have a rating of 1.5.
December 11, 2012
I have been a James Herbert fan for years and loved this most unusual book. He has an easy-to-read style of writing and always makes good use of his excellent imagination. I was afraid that the subject matter would pall but it steadily increased my interest until I could not put it aside for any length of time. It left me with much to think about. Brilliant book and excellent writing.
March 27, 2024
It all started with a hot potato.
<3
<3
February 3, 2023
ciekawa
July 11, 2011
Nobody True - more like Nothing New.
One of Herbert's worst books, a copycat of Body Rides by Laymon with a bit of OBE real-case cliched stuff thrown in. I've been a fan of his for some time, but this book confirmed my suspicion that he's losing it. The book is about an ad exec who, once murdered, comes back as a ghost because he's been astrally projecting in his youth. The book is divided, slow and cliched to start, then fast and almost-Herbert towards the end, just before Herbert decides to go for the cliche again. The first half consists of a copy of those case studies on astral projection you come across in books about the occult/supernatural and OBEs, where people describe OBEs they had during a car or motorbike accident, operations, or simply during sleep, and all the cases are very simliar, so when Herbert decided to write about the same he came up with nothing new. In this book, instead of going for something different, he goes for the first mind-numbingly cliched thing that comes to him and writes about that. All the ad business stuff bored me to death and I found myself skipping parts to get over it. The rest of the novel is a fast paced ride toward the inevitable, with, again, cliched stuff covered in most non-fiction books about OBEs.
One of Herbert's worst books, a copycat of Body Rides by Laymon with a bit of OBE real-case cliched stuff thrown in. I've been a fan of his for some time, but this book confirmed my suspicion that he's losing it. The book is about an ad exec who, once murdered, comes back as a ghost because he's been astrally projecting in his youth. The book is divided, slow and cliched to start, then fast and almost-Herbert towards the end, just before Herbert decides to go for the cliche again. The first half consists of a copy of those case studies on astral projection you come across in books about the occult/supernatural and OBEs, where people describe OBEs they had during a car or motorbike accident, operations, or simply during sleep, and all the cases are very simliar, so when Herbert decided to write about the same he came up with nothing new. In this book, instead of going for something different, he goes for the first mind-numbingly cliched thing that comes to him and writes about that. All the ad business stuff bored me to death and I found myself skipping parts to get over it. The rest of the novel is a fast paced ride toward the inevitable, with, again, cliched stuff covered in most non-fiction books about OBEs.
December 27, 2023
Nobody true by James Herbert was a delight to reader - truthfully I pondered to not finish this book, but I rejoice in the fact that I did not stop reading this splendid piece of writing. I enjoyed the way the writer plays around with events that boggles the reader’s mind. Furthermore, the plot twists were incredibly well written - I did not see most of them coming. Moreover, the events in the book plays around with the reader’s emotions and the reader is able to develop a deep connection with the characters in the book. Additionally, the book contains lessons that are absolute gems such as With acceptance comes forgiveness, and forgiveness is important to you right now. However, the book contains cuss words, but it fits in with the personality of the characters. I would highly recommend Nobody true to any reader that enjoys a deep connection with the characters and a book that will require you to suspend your disbelief. Also, so many plot twists and anxiety while reading!
December 18, 2021
This story works best when Herbert is describing the ghostly life of James True, as he tries in a sort of impotent way to piece together why he was murdered, by whom, and to protect his family. He almost convinces us of the afterlife experience. It does sort of remind you of the movie ‘Ghost’, and this is acknowledged in the book. The rest of the story, unfortunately, is a bit hackneyed and uninspiring, with True and the killer possessing bodies. Also, there is quite a long section at the beginning where True gives himself a mini autobiography and describes his work at an ad agency – I think this must have been taken from Herbert’s own life, so maybe much of the story is autobiographical – and this becomes quite dull. The pace, too, seems to evaporate a bit toward the end. On the plus side, it is one of the few Herbert books that was quite poignant at times.
March 30, 2019
I'd never think a horror/thriller novel would have such a beautiful message.
I really enjoyed this book. Had a couple of issues - the author often repeated some information and the story didn't exactly take the course I'd love the most -, but overall really enjoyable and intriguing.
I want to read more by Herbert.
I really enjoyed this book. Had a couple of issues - the author often repeated some information and the story didn't exactly take the course I'd love the most -, but overall really enjoyable and intriguing.
I want to read more by Herbert.
Read
December 25, 2023Nope. Couldn't do it.
Great opening line: "I wasn't there when I died."
Then Herbert proceeds to eschew any forward motion with the plot, spending about the first hundred pages—a solid fifth of the book—dragging the reader through James True's entire freaking life, from childhood to current job...and not in an entertaining way.
And when he finishes that, he gives far more information than any reader would ever need on the inner workings of an ad agency.
It literally takes him thirteen chapters to finally get back round to not being in his body when he died. And by then?
...Yeah, I just didn't care.
DNF, no rating.
Great opening line: "I wasn't there when I died."
Then Herbert proceeds to eschew any forward motion with the plot, spending about the first hundred pages—a solid fifth of the book—dragging the reader through James True's entire freaking life, from childhood to current job...and not in an entertaining way.
And when he finishes that, he gives far more information than any reader would ever need on the inner workings of an ad agency.
It literally takes him thirteen chapters to finally get back round to not being in his body when he died. And by then?
...Yeah, I just didn't care.
DNF, no rating.
January 22, 2023
Halfway through the book I guessed who the murderer might be and I was right! The descriptions could’ve been shorter and I wished the writer just got to the point in some chapters LOLOL. It was kind of a slow read for me but I loved the plot so it’s a 3.5/5 for me
March 10, 2023
Disturbing
March 24, 2021
So bad! Interesting idea, very poorly executed. My first and last ever James Herbert book!
December 23, 2014
I don't read anywhere near enough books and when I have finished one I nearly always take time out for my other interests. It's wrong I know and I'm missing out on so many good books - I'll put that right soon.
Well Nobody True by James Herbert, it hits all the right chords with me.Maybe I see the books that I've read as being better that how others rate the book because I don't read often enough - but personally I think that the authors I read tend to write from an often twisted perspective...... so they probably really are good.
The book - Nobody True I thought was an outstanding read another book that kept my attentions while I was not reading it. The book is interesting from the start and it doesn't take long to pick up the pace and maintains it's interest throughout.
The above description on the book is as the story goes about a guy who can have out of body experiences whenever he chooses. One night while in his hotel room during a business trip he lays on the bed and decides to have one of those experiences, gliding effortlessly through various walls, buildings and rooms where other people are. It just makes you wish that you could do that until of course he re-enters his hotel room to find out that his body is now dead and mutilated and he can no longer return to it.
From this point he now sets out on an amazing journey to find his his own killer and in quite bizarre circumstances.
Such an easy to read and hard to put down book - truly outstanding.
Well Nobody True by James Herbert, it hits all the right chords with me.Maybe I see the books that I've read as being better that how others rate the book because I don't read often enough - but personally I think that the authors I read tend to write from an often twisted perspective...... so they probably really are good.
The book - Nobody True I thought was an outstanding read another book that kept my attentions while I was not reading it. The book is interesting from the start and it doesn't take long to pick up the pace and maintains it's interest throughout.
The above description on the book is as the story goes about a guy who can have out of body experiences whenever he chooses. One night while in his hotel room during a business trip he lays on the bed and decides to have one of those experiences, gliding effortlessly through various walls, buildings and rooms where other people are. It just makes you wish that you could do that until of course he re-enters his hotel room to find out that his body is now dead and mutilated and he can no longer return to it.
From this point he now sets out on an amazing journey to find his his own killer and in quite bizarre circumstances.
Such an easy to read and hard to put down book - truly outstanding.
July 19, 2021
"Now that I have you incapacitated, I shall proceed to monologue about all my motivations and schemes so that you, dear victim, can know the extent of my cunning. Yes, I will kill you in a moment, but I just HAVE to get this off my chest. Not like there's any chance of someone overhearing me in this large building where apparently anyone off the street can come in at any moment. Oh, what's that? You want to know about plot elements that you weren't even aware of? Sure, let me elaborate in perfect detail because it's not like there's a chance you'll survive this encounter."
If you're fine with moments like that in a book, then this review doesn't apply to you. Go ahead and enjoy your convoluted plot, stupid twists, bad writing, awful dialogue, weak characters, and some truly disgusting scenes. As for everyone else, don't waste your time or money on this garbage. The premise had potential, but this author completely failed to utilize it and it lost steam as soon as it played out. Add to that the constant repetition that he couldn't interact with physical things while continuously trying to, made me want to rage-quit multiple times and looking back, I probably should have.
If you're fine with moments like that in a book, then this review doesn't apply to you. Go ahead and enjoy your convoluted plot, stupid twists, bad writing, awful dialogue, weak characters, and some truly disgusting scenes. As for everyone else, don't waste your time or money on this garbage. The premise had potential, but this author completely failed to utilize it and it lost steam as soon as it played out. Add to that the constant repetition that he couldn't interact with physical things while continuously trying to, made me want to rage-quit multiple times and looking back, I probably should have.
January 16, 2019
"I wasn't there when I died". Great first line!
My first read of James Herbert after many years. This was a really good book with a different idea. James True has the ability to leave his body and travel around watching people and visiting places he has never been. He has out-of-body experiences, OBE's, and has had them since he was child. It may sound great but there's a major problem. One night while James is out floating around town, having one of his OBE's, his body ends up being brutally murdered and mutilated; now what? This is a great story of good vs evil, family, and what we would do for those we love. Warning: it is violent and graphic and pretty gruesome and horrific. The bad in this book is pretty evil and disturbing. My only real negative is I found the author tended to repeat things often throughout this book. Some of the information felt too repetitive and left me thinking, "but I've already read these exact words". Other than that it was a solid read.
My first read of James Herbert after many years. This was a really good book with a different idea. James True has the ability to leave his body and travel around watching people and visiting places he has never been. He has out-of-body experiences, OBE's, and has had them since he was child. It may sound great but there's a major problem. One night while James is out floating around town, having one of his OBE's, his body ends up being brutally murdered and mutilated; now what? This is a great story of good vs evil, family, and what we would do for those we love. Warning: it is violent and graphic and pretty gruesome and horrific. The bad in this book is pretty evil and disturbing. My only real negative is I found the author tended to repeat things often throughout this book. Some of the information felt too repetitive and left me thinking, "but I've already read these exact words". Other than that it was a solid read.
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