Rating: 
Summary: There's not much to fear from this Black Lightning
Review: In Black Lightning, John Saul builds his plot around a serial killer of unusual distinction. I have a morbid fascination with serial killers and their motivations, but midway through the book it was quite apparent that Saul was going in a weird direction; glimpses into the mind of the maniac dwindle with time, and the door to insight is slammed shut by the paranormal elements of the story. This is by no means a bad novel; it's always nice to read a Saul novel that has nothing to do with some type of hundred-year old curse or mysterious genealogy. The writing is quite tight and riveting in places. The scenes describing one character's acrophobia attacks are incredibly intense, and the descriptions of the individual murders are painstakingly realistic.The novel begins with the execution of serial killer Richard Kraven. Journalist Anne Jeffers, who worked diligently to assure the killer's conviction, is there to witness the event. While Kraven is being electrocuted, Anne's husband is suffering a near-fatal heart attack. The doctors don't seem to really do anything at all for Glen Jeffers, but he is soon back home resuming a fairly normal life. Warned by the doctor that her husband's behavior may be changed as a result of the heart attack, Anne and eventually her children become increasingly disturbed by Glen's behavior. They would really have worried had Glen told them he was having blackouts; he continually finds himself having to explain actions he has no conscious memory of having performed. Meanwhile, a new killer is on the loose, committing murders eerily similar to Kraven's handiwork. Soon the killer begins entering Anne's home secretly and leaving her messages. When cops begin finding Kraven's "signature" on fresh murder victims, a signature that no one besides the deceased Kraven and the cops could possibly know about, things go from bad to worse. When the killer finally turns his eyes toward his nemesis Anne Jeffers, things get worse still. This is no average serial killer, as Anne soon discovers when he strikes truly close to home. The basis of this novel winds up seeming a little hokey. Midway through the novel, the story switched directions on me a little bit, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but by the time I reached the conclusion, this potentially impressive plot really started sputtering. At times, incidents and dramas last a little longer than they should, and this drags down an otherwise fairly brisk story. I can't address the paranormal aspects of the tale without divulging too much information, but it is not quite original and pushes the limits of credulity in the context of the novel Saul constructed around it. There are also a few subplots that seem important early on but sort of fade into obscurity, such as the relationship between Anne and the lead detective. Sometimes riveting, sometimes a little drawn-out, Black Lightning is a perfectly satisfactory horror novel. It makes a good change of pace for Saul, who sometimes seems to get in a rut of old curses and young teenagers. The effort is undeniably there, but unfortunately the book seems to shoot itself in the foot at the very end.
Rating:
Summary: Saul - Black Lightning
Review: In looking over previous reviews I've seen words and phrases like "point of view" and "character development." This leads me to believe that people are either expecting too much of Mr. Saul or they're over-thinking the book. Saul writes horror and thriller novels - he does not attempt to reach the modern literary equivalent of War and Peace each time he puts pen to paper. If that's what he was trying to accomplish, he would be an astonishing failure. To the contrary, he's actually quite successful and good at what he does. He writes entertaining, escapist thrillers that are, at best, amusing and, at worst, a cheap thrill. Black Lightning is no different than previous Saul novels although it deals less with the traditional supernatural horror elements and focuses on fairly standard "serial killer" fare. But there are problems. The novel is probably 100 pages too long, the ending is poor and the overall plot is merely a slightly enhanced version of hundreds of novels already on bookshelves. Saul has written better - check out The Blackstone Chronicles. There are better novels and authors but there are also worse. Saul is, as always, middle of the road.
Rating:
Summary: Saul - Black Lightning
Review: In looking over previous reviews I've seen words and phrases like "point of view" and "character development." This leads me to believe that people are either expecting too much of Mr. Saul or they're over-thinking the book. Saul writes horror and thriller novels - he does not attempt to reach the modern literary equivalent of War and Peace each time he puts pen to paper. If that's what he was trying to accomplish, he would be an astonishing failure. To the contrary, he's actually quite successful and good at what he does. He writes entertaining, escapist thrillers that are, at best, amusing and, at worst, a cheap thrill. Black Lightning is no different than previous Saul novels although it deals less with the traditional supernatural horror elements and focuses on fairly standard "serial killer" fare. But there are problems. The novel is probably 100 pages too long, the ending is poor and the overall plot is merely a slightly enhanced version of hundreds of novels already on bookshelves. Saul has written better - check out The Blackstone Chronicles. There are better novels and authors but there are also worse. Saul is, as always, middle of the road.
Rating: 
Summary: What a stupid ending!
Review: It takes a lot for me to stick with a book like this all the way through to the end. The story had good attention grabbing aspects in it and I hoped for the best for an exciting ending. IT NEVER CAME. The ending of this book was as uneventful as the movie version of Stephen Kings' "Storm Of The Century". The guts of it were good but what happened? Did the author get tired? Was it getting too close to the due date to turn the completed work over to the publisher? Did someone forget to put the last chapter in the book? I will not waste my time reading any other works by this author. He betrayed me when he left me with this dumb, thoughtless, closure-less ending.
Rating: 
Summary: Vivid reading....
Review: John Saul's knack for making you feel as if you're right in Seattle, without ever being to the west coast myself, is remarkable. His twists and turns make for excellent page-turning. I found the ending to be - not a disappointment - but, rather an exquisite trademark of Saul's work.
Rating:
Summary: This is the best book I've read since the Boxcar Children n
Review: Kevin Mitchell goal:2500 pages Book Club so far:500 pages Jan.19,1999 This book is the best book I've read since the Boxcar Children.I would recommend this book to anyone ages 10-adult. My feelings about this book are great.I feel good to have read a book that is usually read only by an adult. The book is about a lady named Anne Jeffers,a New York journalist, who's been writing about this serial killer for five years. About a month and five years that he had been killing people, he is cought and prosecuted. Anne thinks that her nightmare is over for good, but she's dead wrong. About a year later a similar killing stuns the city as the butcher stalks/haunts Anne. Then Anne remembers the killers last words. "This isn't over. How will you feel? It'll all start over again. How will you feel?"
Rating:
Summary: An awsome page turner for long summer nights !!
Review: Saul's writing produces explicit graphics in the imaginations
of all the followers of this horrific writing. I recommend Black Lightning to anyone who loves a fast page turner, but
if you are offended by blood and guts, you're in the wrong section of the library.
Rating:
Summary: Average book
Review: Sauls' writing is fast-paced and easy to read, I like how he gets to the point quickly and lucidly wihtout wallowing in melodrama. As a few others have said, the book has an exciting first few chapters. His initial desription of Richard Kraven (the serial killer) and his stay in death row was vivid. But...if this novel was supposed to scare me, it didn't happen. Sure, I was pleasantly disgusted by the gory details Saul described about how Kraven killed his victims, but I felt very little tension or suspense, even if the killer happen to be hiding in the bushes or something. Also, I had a feeling this brewing love affair that took place wasn't going to go anywhere, and I was right. I wish he added an appendix to clean up the loose ends. Otherwise an enjoyably harmless read.
Rating: 
Summary: Creepy doesn't even begin to describe this book about
Review: the execution of a convicted serial killer and the bizarre chain of events swirling around the life of the reporter who wrote of the killer's exploits. Containing typical elements of Saul's style, including a bit of overwriting here and there and an ending that doesn't quite do justice to that portions that preceded it, it's still a very good suspense piece. (Suspense may be a misnomer, however, since the denouement may be predicatable to some)
Rating:
Summary: A evel spirt gos in to a guy during his heart attack.
Review: This book is full of twists and turns. You don't know whats going to happen next. If you love Horror and excitement you will LOVE this book.
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