The Unloved

Rating:
Summary: Good, But Not My Favorite
Review: "The Unloved" (though unoriginally named and oftentimes confused with his other book, "The Unwanted"--what next, "The Unneeded"?) is a pretty good thriller by John Saul, though it doesn't fit his typical supernatural fare. This one takes place on a South Carolina family plantation (Sea Oaks), which is located on Devereaux Island. It's here that 40-year-old Kevin Devereaux has returned with his wife and two children (15-year-old Julie and 8-year-old Jeff), to visit his cruel, dying mother.

But shortly after their arrival, the grandmother dies, leaving an odd twist in her will that forces them to remain at Sea Oaks or they won't inherit anything. However, that doesn't seem to be a problem, seeing as how someone intends on making sure they cannot leave the island either way--dead or alive.

As one reviewer mentioned, "The Unloved" does have a slight V. C. Andrews/"Flowers in the Attic" feel to it in more ways than one. For starters, Marguerite Devereaux (Kevin's older sister) has an odd similarity to the deceased author--she lives with her elderly mother, is slightly crippled and interested in ballet--not to mention two common threads seen in most V. C. Andrews books: a Southern setting and abusive home life (though none of Andrews' incest exists here; Saul exchanges that for blood and violence).

I did like this book--the setting was particularly descriptive--however, it was rather obvious who the killer was halfway through it, so no major surprise there. Even though it's been years since I've read this book, it's not one I'd necessarily re-read by Saul (unless I was really, really bored)--but it is one I'd recommend to horror fans.

Rating:
Summary: Good, But Not My Favorite
Review: "The Unloved" (though unoriginally named and oftentimes confused with his other book, "The Unwanted"--what next, "The Unneeded"?) is a pretty good thriller by John Saul, though it doesn't fit his typical supernatural fare. This one takes place on a South Carolina family plantation (Sea Oaks), which is located on Devereaux Island. It's here that 40-year-old Kevin Devereaux has returned with his wife and two children (15-year-old Julie and 8-year-old Jeff), to visit his cruel, dying mother.

But shortly after their arrival, the grandmother dies, leaving an odd twist in her will that forces them to remain at Sea Oaks or they won't inherit anything. However, that doesn't seem to be a problem, seeing as how someone intends on making sure they cannot leave the island either way--dead or alive.

As one reviewer mentioned, "The Unloved" does have a slight V. C. Andrews/"Flowers in the Attic" feel to it in more ways than one. For starters, Marguerite Devereaux (Kevin's older sister) has an odd similarity to the deceased author--she lives with her elderly mother, is slightly crippled and interested in ballet--not to mention two common threads seen in most V. C. Andrews books: a Southern setting and abusive home life (though none of Andrews' incest exists here; Saul exchanges that for blood and violence).

I did like this book--the setting was particularly descriptive--however, it was rather obvious who the killer was halfway through it, so no major surprise there. Even though it's been years since I've read this book, it's not one I'd necessarily re-read by Saul (unless I was really, really bored)--but it is one I'd recommend to horror fans.

Rating:
Summary: the unloved
Review: 'The Unloved'is one of my favourite books.It is one of those books that once you get stuck into it, it is hard to put down. I love the way in which the climax is built up and the tension john saul has created. The book s interesting all the way through and leaves you wanting more!

Rating:
Summary: the unloved
Review: 'The Unloved'is one of my favourite books.It is one of those books that once you get stuck into it, it is hard to put down. I love the way in which the climax is built up and the tension john saul has created. The book s interesting all the way through and leaves you wanting more!

Rating:
Summary: First book of his I've read...
Review: and I'm not too impressed, but I'll give him another chance. Too many characters in this one, too many bodies dropping like flies, and why is it that everybody in the story bites their lip? Little boys, teenaged girls, and middle-aged women...must be the air in South Carolina.

Rating:
Summary: It's a book you can't stop reading...
Review: As all other John Saul books, The Unloved is a book that you simply can't stop reading and before you'll notice, you're through... John Saul has the instincts to drag you in his books and make you part of his stories. Reading this book is living a wonderful (and scary) experience...

Rating:
Summary: Another One Of John Saul's Fast Reads!
Review: As usual, John Saul doesn't disappoint with this particularly chilling fiction! I see it being made as a movie of the week and it would be made AS IS---no changes would need to be made! There's no slow start whatsoever---it gets into motion from the first page and keeps you going until the hair-raising ending!! I totally recommend this book to anyone who likes the idea of sleeping with one eye open!

Rating:
Summary: Great! Wonderful!
Review: I bought this book three days ago and from that moment on I couldn't put it off. I have just finished the book and I am still in shock! It's one of the best books I have ever read! It's full of frightenin' at the same time creepy events! It was like my hands nailed to the book! I recommend it to everyone who loves horror! It also has a very good ending! Something very different from what I thought! It was brilliant.

Rating:
Summary: Now I know what the left hand was doing?
Review: I find that I am still catching up on the work of many twentieth century authors. Here's another. I review Saul's past work when I happen upon one of his books at used bookstores or other places. I recently read and reviewed one of his newer works, "Right Hand of Evil." The best way to summarize what I thought would be to admit that "The Unloved" was the original and "Right Hand" was a cheap imitation. "Right Hand" made me wonder what the left hand was doing, and now I know. It must have been busy writing "The Unloved."

"The Unloved" was classic Saul. Mysterious and seemingly supernatural encounters were completely explained by logical and rational means. His stories begin with the tale of some supernatural phenomena in someone's life. The story progresses and the reader finds out that all of this ghost story melodrama is the result of real world hoax or occurrence. Dean Koontz has much the same writing style and for the longest time, I have thought that they were one and the same person.

As in "Right Hand," a middle-aged couple comes to inherit an old family mansion. The old family mansion is (you guessed it) wrought with terrible secrets. A mother, father young daughter and younger son come to live at the mansion and horrible things happen to them. Where seemingly supernatural experiences in "The Unloved" had scientific explanations, "Right Hand" left them explained as something spooky and supernatural... and UN-believable! Even funnier, everything was "caused" by some spooky, old female relative (in-law) who was somehow involved in the death of her husband some forty years prior. I hate to keep making these comparisons, but the two stories were so ridiculously alike that it is difficult to keep them separated!

Saul must be at a loss for new material and he is stuck on this theme. He does that once in a while. He was stuck on the "haunted little girl theme" for a while, when I read a series of books that began with "Comes the Blind Fury." Now, he's milking this haunted house gimmick to death. This probably explains why I don't go rushing to the bookstore when his latest comes to the shelves. I know that his latest and greatest will be a cheap re-enactment of one of his former writings.

Pardon the pun, but on the OTHER hand... I actually DID like "The Unloved!" Reading it made my initial distaste for "Right Hand of Evil" even more severe, that's all. And believe me, dear reader, I actually DO recommend that you consider giving this one a look. Maybe you can get your money back on "Right Hand" and/or trade it in for "The Unloved."

Rating:
Summary: Now I know what the left hand was doing¿
Review: I find that I am still catching up on the work of many twentieth century authors. Here's another. I review Saul's past work when I happen upon one of his books at used bookstores or other places. I recently read and reviewed one of his newer works, "Right Hand of Evil." The best way to summarize what I thought would be to admit that "The Unloved" was the original and "Right Hand" was a cheap imitation. "Right Hand" made me wonder what the left hand was doing, and now I know. It must have been busy writing "The Unloved."

"The Unloved" was classic Saul. Mysterious and seemingly supernatural encounters were completely explained by logical and rational means. His stories begin with the tale of some supernatural phenomena in someone's life. The story progresses and the reader finds out that all of this ghost story melodrama is the result of real world hoax or occurrence. Dean Koontz has much the same writing style and for the longest time, I have thought that they were one and the same person.

As in "Right Hand," a middle-aged couple comes to inherit an old family mansion. The old family mansion is (you guessed it) wrought with terrible secrets. A mother, father young daughter and younger son come to live at the mansion and horrible things happen to them. Where seemingly supernatural experiences in "The Unloved" had scientific explanations, "Right Hand" left them explained as something spooky and supernatural... and UN-believable! Even funnier, everything was "caused" by some spooky, old female relative (in-law) who was somehow involved in the death of her husband some forty years prior. I hate to keep making these comparisons, but the two stories were so ridiculously alike that it is difficult to keep them separated!

Saul must be at a loss for new material and he is stuck on this theme. He does that once in a while. He was stuck on the "haunted little girl theme" for a while, when I read a series of books that began with "Comes the Blind Fury." Now, he's milking this haunted house gimmick to death. This probably explains why I don't go rushing to the bookstore when his latest comes to the shelves. I know that his latest and greatest will be a cheap re-enactment of one of his former writings.

Pardon the pun, but on the OTHER hand... I actually DID like "The Unloved!" Reading it made my initial distaste for "Right Hand of Evil" even more severe, that's all. And believe me, dear reader, I actually DO recommend that you consider giving this one a look. Maybe you can get your money back on "Right Hand" and/or trade it in for "The Unloved."