Rating: 
Summary: John Sauls' new novel was fantastic!
Review: I don't know why people are being so critical about this book! Lets see all of you write a book and get it out there. I read for enjoyment, not to find every little mistake I possibly can. Every one has different style, Saul shouldn't have to write like King or Cook. I think some of you people are reading for the wrong reasons. Enjoy the story, get lost in it and don't freak over every little impurity.
Rating:
Summary: Typical John Saul horror mystery
Review: I enjoyed Saul's newest book. Although written simply and easy to read--it was hard to put down until you finished. Saul writes in present day horror with people you can relate to, although repetitious in places, you don't easily figure out where he is going which keeps you reading.
Rating:
Summary: Reviewing "The Presence"
Review: I enjoyed this book a lot. I love John Saul's writing. His creativity and style surpass others. He is my favorite next to Dean Koontz. I liked this book for many reasons. For one, I liked the development of characters. His setting was perfect also, he placed a horror/suspense story in the tropical paradise of Maui! This book was very imaginative and is unique in his writing and others. I took one star off because of how slow the reading was for me, personally. It took me a while to get into the book. At the beginning of the book, the foreshadowing stories were awesome. I also was very indulged into the book because of the ties that were placed in the novel between archeology, anthropology, and even "strange-alien pods" under the sea. I loved the book, I'd read it again, Saul has a way of placing you in the novel as if you are there.
Rating: 
Summary: Very entertaining
Review: I enjoyed this book as much as I have enjoyed all of John Saul's books. It was fast-paced and hard to put down once I started reading it. Though it certainly wasn't as scarey as some of his books, it certainly stimulated the imagination.
Rating:
Summary: One of Saul's more impressive novels
Review: I had my doubts about The Presence early on. Although the Hawaiian setting was a new one, the subject of human experimentation on children by a mysterious group of seemingly unfeeling men is rather standard fare for Saul. The book started off slowly, moving from an unexplained discovery of a mysterious geode off the shores of the big island of Hawaii to a rather bland account of the move by anthropologist Katharine Sundquist and her son Michael from New York to Maui. Brought there to study the remains of a peculiar skeleton found near the volcanic slopes of Haleakala, Katharine soon finds herself in a living nightmare, one which threatens to take the life of her son. She has only the help of new boss and former flame Rob Silver in learning the truth about her new employer Takeo Yoshihara. Young Michael suffered asthma as a youth and had worked hard to overcome the condition, setting his sights on joining the track team in defiance of the ailment that had made his life a solitary one. On the island, he wins a spot on the team and makes several friends very quickly, but after the group sneaks off for an ill-advised night-time scuba dive, Michael's world spins out of control. As tragedy begins to strike his friends, Michael himself begins to struggle once again for each breath he takes. The problem is not asthma this time, however, but something much more dangerous-and unnatural. The story of Michael's unhappiness over the move to Hawaii, his introduction to and contact with his friends on the track team, and Katharine's own work with Rob Silver on the unidentified skeleton are rather rough going. The plot doesn't seem to move very well, and the characters are not very compelling. Once things start moving, though, and the secrets at the heart of the plot begin to emerge, the novel becomes quite gripping and fascinating. There are some rather farfetched and seemingly unnecessary elements attached to the storyline, but they do not harm one's enjoyment of the book. All in all, the whole package is wrapped more tightly than many of Saul's other novels, leaving me with few unexplained answers at the conclusion. It's a well-told story, although one aspect of the denouement seems just a little too convenient. The setting, based on Saul's own familiarity with the island of Maui, is rich and vibrant, adding further energy to the tale. The basic idea of The Presence, secret experimentation on unsuspecting children, is nothing new, but this novel has legs to stand on its own two feet. The main characters eventually seem convincingly real, the science Saul evokes does not come across as utterly implausible, and the conclusion succeeds in tying together most of the loose ends scattered throughout the text. For my money, this is one of Saul's more impressive novels.
Rating:
Summary: One of Saul's more impressive novels
Review: I had my doubts about The Presence early on. Although the Hawaiian setting was a new one, the subject of human experimentation on children by a mysterious group of seemingly unfeeling men is rather standard fare for Saul. The book started off slowly, moving from an unexplained discovery of a mysterious geode off the shores of the big island of Hawaii to a rather bland account of the move by anthropologist Katharine Sundquist and her son Michael from New York to Maui. Brought there to study the remains of a peculiar skeleton found near the volcanic slopes of Haleakala, Katharine soon finds herself in a living nightmare, one which threatens to take the life of her son. She has only the help of new boss and former flame Rob Silver in learning the truth about her new employer Takeo Yoshihara. Young Michael suffered asthma as a youth and had worked hard to overcome the condition, setting his sights on joining the track team in defiance of the ailment that had made his life a solitary one. On the island, he wins a spot on the team and makes several friends very quickly, but after the group sneaks off for an ill-advised night-time scuba dive, Michael's world spins out of control. As tragedy begins to strike his friends, Michael himself begins to struggle once again for each breath he takes. The problem is not asthma this time, however, but something much more dangerous-and unnatural. The story of Michael's unhappiness over the move to Hawaii, his introduction to and contact with his friends on the track team, and Katharine's own work with Rob Silver on the unidentified skeleton are rather rough going. The plot doesn't seem to move very well, and the characters are not very compelling. Once things start moving, though, and the secrets at the heart of the plot begin to emerge, the novel becomes quite gripping and fascinating. There are some rather farfetched and seemingly unnecessary elements attached to the storyline, but they do not harm one's enjoyment of the book. All in all, the whole package is wrapped more tightly than many of Saul's other novels, leaving me with few unexplained answers at the conclusion. It's a well-told story, although one aspect of the denouement seems just a little too convenient. The setting, based on Saul's own familiarity with the island of Maui, is rich and vibrant, adding further energy to the tale. The basic idea of The Presence, secret experimentation on unsuspecting children, is nothing new, but this novel has legs to stand on its own two feet. The main characters eventually seem convincingly real, the science Saul evokes does not come across as utterly implausible, and the conclusion succeeds in tying together most of the loose ends scattered throughout the text. For my money, this is one of Saul's more impressive novels.
Rating:
Summary: teenager - clean, lacks gore but hold his attention
Review: I have a teenage boy and it is hard to find books that interest him that I can let him read. He is not ready for Stphen King - too much of everything! But Presence was wonderful, combines science, volcanos, mystery, teenage boys into mischief but nothing illegal or terribly harmful. It was a story line for adults but lack sex, violence or gore. THis seems just right for teenagers or young adults. I am disaaapointed that it looks like Mr. Saul's other books are not like this one.
Rating:
Summary: John Saul's books can't be bad
Review: I have read all of John Sauls books over the last three years and I think this one is just as wonderful as the others. I can't believe that people don't love it. I think that this is one of his BETTER books!
Rating:
Summary: Review on "The Presence"
Review: I have recently just finished reading the book titled "The Presence." I feel that this book was really good. The reason why I think this is because it gives you a feel of what the main character "Michael" is really going through. The book is about Michael having trouble with a bully at his school. When Michael's mom finds a job in Haleakala, Maui she decides that she should take it because it would be a whole lot better for Michael and his mom moved there. When he arives there he starts having the same problem as he was in his other school but this time it is a little bit worse because there was more than just one bully. After a few weeks he starts making friends and he is having a really great time scuba diving and school. He even saved a life and made a friend all one day. Suddenly when something happens to Michael's best friend a horrible truth dawns.
Once you read the book you will really enjoy it. You will also want to read more of his books because his style is really cool. I have read a couple of John Saul's books and I have really understood what type of style he has and I really enjoy reading it. This book is some what like the book "Whispers" By: Dean Koontz.They are both kind talking about presences in a different way. If I were to choose which book would have a higher rate I would choose " The Presence" because it is a better, just how it slowly starts coming together than telling you the whole thing at once. If I rated this "Whispers" I would give it about a 3.5.The reason why is because at first the book really starts off at a fast pace. I really recomend "The Presence" to all of my friends and family members because it is a really great choice of book for anyone into mystery and horror types of books.
Rating:
Summary: Review on "The Presence"
Review: I have recently just finished reading the book titled "The Presence." I feel that this book was really good. The reason why I think this is because it gives you a feel of what the main character "Michael" is really going through. The book is about Michael having trouble with a bully at his school. When Michael's mom finds a job in Haleakala, Maui she decides that she should take it because it would be a whole lot better for Michael and his mom moved there. When he arives there he starts having the same problem as he was in his other school but this time it is a little bit worse because there was more than just one bully. After a few weeks he starts making friends and he is having a really great time scuba diving and school. He even saved a life and made a friend all one day. Suddenly when something happens to Michael's best friend a horrible truth dawns.
Once you read the book you will really enjoy it. You will also want to read more of his books because his style is really cool. I have read a couple of John Saul's books and I have really understood what type of style he has and I really enjoy reading it. This book is some what like the book "Whispers" By: Dean Koontz.They are both kind talking about presences in a different way. If I were to choose which book would have a higher rate I would choose " The Presence" because it is a better, just how it slowly starts coming together than telling you the whole thing at once. If I rated this "Whispers" I would give it about a 3.5.The reason why is because at first the book really starts off at a fast pace. I really recomend "The Presence" to all of my friends and family members because it is a really great choice of book for anyone into mystery and horror types of books.
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