The Haunted

The Haunted

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3.6 of 5 stars 3.60  ·  rating details  ·  118 ratings  ·  37 reviews
They have the beginnings of a perfect family. A husband, a wife, a baby on the way.

But something will stop them from being happy as they move into their new house: the power of the undead that roam the halls of their home.

The demons that have come to claim them. The darkness that seeks to destroy them.

The haunted.
Kindle Edition, 239 pages
Published 2012 by CreateSpace
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Chris
3 1/2 stars. Extra credit for great ideas.

The story line, (view spoiler)[while very similar to the film "The Others," (hide spoiler)]was very good. However there were none of what I look for in a haunted house story. The creeping dread, the slow build of suspense, the point where we move from thinking things are a bit odd to knowing that forces are at work, the reveal of a history that created the haunting. The haunting in this book slammed into you right away, kept escalating, and I spent most...more
Gina Ibarra
I am not a picky horror reader. One look at my bookshelf will tell you that I love reading crap, and I am not at all hesitant to give it high ratings. That said, I gave Michaelbrent Collings' The Haunted two stars. Normally I wouldn't even bother rating something I didn't like. As a rule I try to avoid giving bad reviews at all. The Haunted was terrible in a frustrating way that really made it stand out from the rest of the books called The Haunted or The Haunting that Amazon keeps suggesting (a...more
David Watson
On top of a hill in a forest surrounded by tall trees that look like green soldiers was a beautiful old house with a dark past. A long gravel driveway leads to the house and occasionally people drove down the highway to admire the home's beautiful architecture. They didn't stay long though because the house had a sinister feel to it and the people in town were afraid of it. The house had a for sale sign in front of it for a long time but one day the sign came down and a young couple expecting a...more
Hal Bodner
I just put down "The Haunted" after reading the final page and had to stop and just breathe for a few minutes. Michaelbrent Collings' work has that sort of impact on a reader.

On the surface, the novel tells the story of a young couple expecting their first child as they move into a new house which, they soon discover, is haunted. On the first day of their arrival, there are some slight annoyances brought about by objects that won't stay put and doors which refuse to remain closed. But the middl...more
Paul Genesse
The Haunted by Michaelbrent Collings is the creepiest book I’ve read in years. The writing is excellent and this short novel (273 pages, $4.99 eBook, $9.99 paperback) builds, and builds to a truly terrifying climax that takes up the last 170 pages. Pregnant Sarah and her husband, Cap move in to a remote old house surrounded by a sinister forest, and the haunting begins. Little things go on at first and the quiet opening made me wonder if this was going to be like the other haunted house books th...more
Andrea
Wow. Well I've rated this book 4 stars, but that's not to say I really liked it. That's not even to say I think it was really well written. It was more that it really had quite a profound effect on me.

The Haunted starts out at an ambling pace; a few creepy things happen here and there, before the scares start to escalate, in the form of horrifying nightmares and uncomfortable feelings. A young couple, soon to be parents, move into the house at the top of the hill. The house that nobody goes to,...more
Heidi Tighe
Part of what made this book so unique was that it terrified me without horrifying me. It's rare to find a supernatural thriller that scares you in delicious supernatural ways without appalling you with human brutality (about which there is nothing deliciously thrilling at all).

When picking up a self-published book, there's always a danger that it will not be a good story or that it will be a good story but in need of a solid story and/or mechanical edit. That was not the case with this book. It...more
Trev Twinem
Now lets get one thing straight I do love horror and I am always searching out good new unique well written horror..and what's not to like about it! You are alone at home late at night, a little spooky music in the background,low lighting (essential) hot drink, feet elevated (comfort)...lets start reading. The Haunted has a familiar theme (not necessarily bad)young family...Sarah and Cap and the unborn baby...move into an old house which they happened to buy at just the right, once in a lifetime...more
theghostwriter
first let me just say, i absolutely hated this book's COVER ART. honest to god. it nearly made me not want to read it, just being real. its corny looking. like someone made that shit on their computer in photoshop. even the font is off-putting. ACK. but alas i refused to go by the cover (yes, yes, i know) and was SO glad i read on. all i have to say is HOLY SHIT what a scary book. the pace is break-neck, the characters are unforgettable and the ghostly shenanigans begin IMMEDIATELY. no waiting a...more
Tiffany
I read this one for a book club.

Well, I love a haunted house story, but this one just didn't work for me.

In terms of character development, there was nothing really there to make Sarah and Cap seem real enough for me to become invested in them and care at all about their fates. Thus, it was difficult for me to feel engaged while they were being haunted. I just hated their idyllic marriage and the fact that they didn't have any noticeable personality flaws or any tension between them. Obviously,...more
Joe D.
I really like haunted house stories, books and movies. This one was okay. The first half seemed really forced. I didn't like the part before the priest showed up but after he did, it got really good. I think the author spent more time trying to describe the fear the characters felt more than the events that actually caused the fear. There was one memorable funny moment (although I'm not sure it was intentional), where the ghosts couldn't get into the room so they phoned the house and tried spook...more
Helen
I love haunted house novels! In this one, a young couple (plus unborn baby) move into an isolated old house in the woods. You just know what's going to happen next! This one was different from others I've read in that after only a very short build up the horrific events were literally non-stop, told in real-time over a few hours; there was no time to breathe! And this is no mild haunting - there's a whole cast of gruesome spectres and evil hooded demons intent on doing major harm to the couple w...more
Nathan Shumate
What's most important about a haunted house story isn't the clever way in which the author tries to make the scenario different from previous haunted house stories (and after Shirley Jackson and Richard Matheson, any such attempts are easily seen as the gimmicks they are). What's most important is simply this: Is it scary? The answer for THE HAUNTED is, "Hell, yes." Place a husband and pregnant wife who love each other in a secluded house possessed by a crapload of spooks, and suddenly the reade...more
Teatree_elle
I read this book about two months ago and still remember it vividly. The book starts with this young couple that are about to have a baby and are moving into their new home. Of course, it doesn't take long before everything starts to go south. The book is fast-paced and the scares don't stop. Be prepared to feel fear from what you're reading and also pity for that poor young couple. The premise was excellent, the scares horrific, and the ending...that was one hell of a twist! I can truly say tha...more
D.J. Butler
Cap and Sarah have moved into an old house in the woods and are unpacking. Their story begins as a straightforward haunted house tale, with things seen out of the corner of the characters' eyes, strange sounds, devices that turn themselves on and off without help, etc. Then it gets freaky, visceral and dark. Father Michael says the house won't let them go. Is he right? And what does he mean? I won't give away any of the twists, but I will tell you that you'll be seeing a grotesque and Dickensian...more
Kelly
You know those days where you're looking for something creepy and gruesome and a little twisted? This book would work. It's dark and dangerous. It makes the dark places in the corner of your house look a little sinister. It screams at you and it keeps you on your toes.

Sarah and Cap's story seems straightforward on the surface but the more you read, the more you begin to wonder. Sarah's hints at something dark that happened in her past give even the smallest of incidents a sheen of terror. Cap -...more
Karleneb
I'm giving this 4 stars based on style of writing for the genre. Horror is not my thing and it's a rare horror book that gets a lot of stars from me.

As a rule, I DO NOT read ghost stories. They freak me out. I had to read this one to judge it for a contest. It was eerie, freaky scarey, and I couldn't read every single word of it. I skimmed. And skipped the really spooky parts. And the thought of it makes me shudder.

And normally, I wouldn't say anything about it here because it's just not my cup...more
Beryl Cost
I really enjoyed this book. The terror experienced by the young couple was very genuine feeling. I stayed up way past my bed time reading under the covers so as not to wake my husband. I have to say I suspected early on what was really up with them, but it was still a very good, very scary read.
Savanna Seaman
This book was perfect for reading while I was at the gym: made me run faster. The book kept me intrigued and freaked out from beginning to end. FINALLY, a supernatural horror novel where the main characters aren't complete idiots and completely unlikeable. I felt terror and real sympathy for them. I kept wanting to help. I really like ghost stories and this one has an excellent twist. Not only that, but it was beautifully written. Thank you Michaelbrent!
Charlene
May 18, 2012 Charlene rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who likes a haunted house story.
This book is a fantastic haunted house story!

A couple is moving in to their new house. They're expecting a baby together and have finally found a home that they can afford. They are happy to be starting this new chapter in their lives.
Then all hell breaks loose!

Mr. Collings does a great job of keeping up the tension throughout the story. The characters were likeable, but mysterious. Both the husband and the wife keep mentioning "The Before" and it kept me reading, hoping to find out what that...more
Shannon
This book kept my interest from start to finish! I had a hard time putting it down. The end was unforeseen and creative. As a Stephen King junkie and Dean Koontz fan, this rates right up there with them. I will be looking for more of this authors books to read!
Karen
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Liwen
故事的前半依循著美國鬼故事的軌跡,顯得中規中矩,例如:樓梯、衣櫃、地下室....之類的,到了後半段故事情結大逆轉,給了讀著新鮮的感覺,還不錯!!
Lisa
A nice good spooky book. The author did a great job starting out with creepy things here and there and then escalating to more horrorish events. It has a great twist that was done in such a way that makes it unique and not expected.
Quest
Simply said, this book was very unoriginal, and boring. The writing was bad and the story ending was a ripoff of a 2001 movie called, 'The Others'.
Joanne Moyer
The Haunted is a really good really creepy take on a haunted house story that will have you jumping at every odd noise in your house ...
Kimmie
This was an "ok" book in my opinion. More of a gory horror story. I like more explanation and didn't get it.

The ending was super!!!!!
Cerulean
Jun 29, 2012 Cerulean rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Yes
Shelves: kindle
First I have to agree with http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/37... The cover is very generic for such a good book, and I almost didn't get it because of this. This author and his vivid descriptions draws you in and yes it can be very scary at times, I didn't want to get out of bed to get water in the dark. A clever story and scary. I am interested in his next book.
Robin
Scared the crap out of me! Loved it! The ending was incredible, never in a million years did I see that coming!
Audrey
Wasn't a masterpiece, but it had a pretty great ending, which I definitely didn't see coming.
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The Haunted (Paperback)
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Michaelbrent Collings is a #1 bestselling novelist and screenwriter. He has written numerous bestsellers, including Darkbound, Apparition, The Haunted, The Loon, Rising Fears, and the bestselling YA fantasy series The Billy Saga, beginning with Billy: Messenger of Powers.

He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.

Michaelbrent...more
More about Michaelbrent Collings...
Run Billy: Messenger of Powers (Billy Jones, #1) Apparition The Loon Darkbound

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