For more than three decades, bestselling novelist John Saul has been summoning macabre masterpieces from the darkest realms of his imagination. Wit...
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Sep 13, 2007
Scott
rated it: 
John Saul is a bit of a tush.
This book was god-awful. It provided a whole lot of background and build up, leading to a completely incomprehensible and a simply poor ending.
It reminds me of the time my high school girlfriend wanted to "save herself" for Prom night - and then, that night, she left early because her best friend needed consoling for some reason.
A whole lot of waiting and patience and anticipation - and I was just left unsatisfied.
This book was god-awful. It provided a whole lot of background and build up, leading to a completely incomprehensible and a simply poor ending.
It reminds me of the time my high school girlfriend wanted to "save herself" for Prom night - and then, that night, she left early because her best friend needed consoling for some reason.
A whole lot of waiting and patience and anticipation - and I was just left unsatisfied.
Aug 27, 2011
Athena
rated it:
I was very disappointed with this book. The two brothers burying a pet lizard and finding a box was a great beginning, and then the story continues in present day. Ryan McIntyre is attacked by deliquent school mates at Dickinson's, and transferred to St. Isaac's at the suggestion of his mother's boyfriend Tom Kelly. It is known from the beginning that Tom Kelly and Father Sebastian Sloane are friends. Ryan fits in at St. Isaac's but things keep getting more bizarre after Ryan finds out that the
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Oct 15, 2008
Zach
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Big buildup--then does not explain!
Also the book has the added bonus of being offensive to Catholics and Muslims at the same time.
The book did not have strong characters--and many parts of it were predictable (thankfully--the author moved quickly once the reader knows what is going to happen and does not belabor it). The characters were also unengaging and one dimensional. All of this could have been forgiven, and I kept reading (or rather listening) as I the author More...
Also the book has the added bonus of being offensive to Catholics and Muslims at the same time.
The book did not have strong characters--and many parts of it were predictable (thankfully--the author moved quickly once the reader knows what is going to happen and does not belabor it). The characters were also unengaging and one dimensional. All of this could have been forgiven, and I kept reading (or rather listening) as I the author More...
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Oct 16, 2008
Jennifer
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Like a plethora of the other readers, I found the ending of this book completely unsatisfying, and was additionally dissatisfied by Saul's attempt to ride the tide of generalizations about Muslims. I currently live in a predominately Muslim nation where it's the Christians who hate us; playing up the fundamentalist actions of a few individuals doesn't help anyone.
Saul's works have always been sort of a guilty pleasure for me, along with the works of the (now deceased and incorporate More...
Saul's works have always been sort of a guilty pleasure for me, along with the works of the (now deceased and incorporate More...
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Jan 21, 2012
Linda
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After Ryan McIntyre gets beaten up by thugs at the public HS, his mother transfers him to parochial school, St. Isaac's, hoping for a better social situation. What Ryan encounters there is far worse than bullying. In the bowels of his new school, his classmates are being terrorized literally out of their wits. For kindly young Father Sebastian has an agenda of his own....
With The Devil's Labyrinth, John Saul has written an overwrought travesty of a horror novel that stretches credulity More...
With The Devil's Labyrinth, John Saul has written an overwrought travesty of a horror novel that stretches credulity More...
Jun 29, 2011
Colin
rated it: 
Thirty novels in as many years, is productivity not to be sniffed at and John Saul has created his own niche in the horror genre since the publication of "Suffer The Children" in 1977. You can read more details of his most recent novel "Faces Of Fear" at his official website.
What we have here is John Sauls previous novel, one which treads the murky path of religion where nothing is quite as it seems. This is the story of Ryan McIntyre, a schoolboy who is bullied by More...
What we have here is John Sauls previous novel, one which treads the murky path of religion where nothing is quite as it seems. This is the story of Ryan McIntyre, a schoolboy who is bullied by More...
Aug 05, 2008
Delanie
rated it:
So there I was in Ely, at the only grocery store in town, and I'd forgotten to bring any books with me (unpardonable sin, I know, but that's what happens when you're functioning on 5 hours' sleep because you were up late the night before baking for your mom's Summer Sweet And Savory Fest). It was down to this or "The Millionaire's Inexperienced Love Slave."
I made the wrong choice.
I made the wrong choice.
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Sep 20, 2009
Michele
rated it: 
John Saul has never written a book that I didn't get into. I know the moment I open the cover I'm going to be stuck until I finish it. The Devil's Labyrinth was no different.
The book has a lot going on.
We have 16 yr old Ryan, the stories main character, who is really just trying to find a way to do life without his dad. He's smart, he's likable and a little on the quiet side. We don't get a lot of his inner turmoil till midway thru the book. We do see how he battles with More...
The book has a lot going on.
We have 16 yr old Ryan, the stories main character, who is really just trying to find a way to do life without his dad. He's smart, he's likable and a little on the quiet side. We don't get a lot of his inner turmoil till midway thru the book. We do see how he battles with More...
Jun 07, 2010
Victoria
rated it:
This book was pretty good - not great, but it definitely had a few creepy moments and a page-turning plot. I read a few of Saul's books a long time ago, and while I recall one of them as being particularly frightening (The Right Hand of Evil), this book was more of an entertaining mystery than genuinely scary (though there are also a few "gross-out" parts, too). I wish that there had been more to wrap up the end, since as it is felt rushed and with some pretty major loose ends. Still,
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Feb 09, 2009
Michele
rated it:
I love John Saul and I always eargerly await his next book. This book was no different. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and wondering what could happen.
The reason that I didn't give this book more than 3 stars was because it was like a 70s devil flick, except it took place in the 21st century. When I say 70s devil flick, I think of the Omen, Rosemary's Baby and, The Exorcist. Except in this book the devil is reincarnated by an exorcism?!
Overall I would recommended a More...
The reason that I didn't give this book more than 3 stars was because it was like a 70s devil flick, except it took place in the 21st century. When I say 70s devil flick, I think of the Omen, Rosemary's Baby and, The Exorcist. Except in this book the devil is reincarnated by an exorcism?!
Overall I would recommended a More...
May 31, 2011
Lyndie
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Jul 05, 2009
Charlene
rated it: 
Not the best John Saul book that I've read. The characters were mediocre and at first I cared for them, but then I really didn't. The synopsis in the back of the book talked about Ryan and his mother but they were barely in the book. A huge chunk of the book were devoted to the Catholic priests.
It was entertaining at first but then it got a little annoying especially when the author didn't really explain what was going on. Were the children drugged or hypnotized? I really didn't get More...
It was entertaining at first but then it got a little annoying especially when the author didn't really explain what was going on. Were the children drugged or hypnotized? I really didn't get More...
Jan 10, 2011
Danielle
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Mar 05, 2011
Patrick
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The Devil's Labyrinth was the second John Saul book I've read, the first being Black Creek Crossing. I can say that John Saul's writing style is quite interesting even if it isn't too varied.
The Devil's Labyrinth deals with a thrilling story of possession in a boarding school. Ryan McIntyre is new to this school and quickly discovers a strange conspiracy involving a corrupt priest who claims to cure children from their sins when he is actually invoking something far worse.
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The Devil's Labyrinth deals with a thrilling story of possession in a boarding school. Ryan McIntyre is new to this school and quickly discovers a strange conspiracy involving a corrupt priest who claims to cure children from their sins when he is actually invoking something far worse.
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May 29, 2011
Kasia
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Growing up without a father is tough enough but when sixteen year old Ryan McIntyre decides to do the right thing by acting like a man and standing up for himself he gets punished for it. Refusing to let a bully cheat of his test gets him beaten up so badly that his bleeding body feels terror at the thought of going back. His loving mother Teri reluctantly listens to her boyfriend Tom's advice about transferring Ryan to St. Isaac's Preparatory Academy,a Catholic school located in a grand structu
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Sep 11, 2008
Charity
rated it:
I just finished “The Devil’s Labyrinth” by John Saul. As with most of his books, it involved evil possessing a child or teenager. This time it involves a teenage boy named Ryan who got beat up at his high school and ended up being sent to the private St. Isaac’s Preparatory Academy. There he meets up with Father Sebastian Sloane, a Catholic priest who has had some “success” in helping troubled teens. This priest has been noticed by the Vatican for his successes.
The only problem is, h More...
The only problem is, h More...
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Sep 09, 2011
Lori
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It has been a couple of years at least since I read this book but, in my notes, I wrote that I very much liked it unlike, I see, most of the reviewers on Amazon.
Few authors want to dabble into church matters especially with the United States being a Christian nation. And perhaps that is one of the reasons I enjoyed this novel. Saul is not afraid to have a Catholic school (as the backdrop in the novel) with many atrocities going on inside sacred walls leaving readers like myself sati
Few authors want to dabble into church matters especially with the United States being a Christian nation. And perhaps that is one of the reasons I enjoyed this novel. Saul is not afraid to have a Catholic school (as the backdrop in the novel) with many atrocities going on inside sacred walls leaving readers like myself sati
Aug 05, 2011
Egged to read this book due to Wei San as well as recommendations on Reilly's cover. A famous author which I have not tried reading. Short and concise writing, I managed to plough through this in a day. The short terse chapters are reminiscent of Khoury, but the tension built up is tremendous and entices you to read. The ending wasn't too satisfying, as the solution is not revealed at all, but is up to the reader to expound on. such as the elements of religion and dark rituals. However, I rather
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Jun 27, 2009
Lara
rated it:
Fun read. Page turner. Saul's prose is easy to read. What was really fun about this book is that it was totally apparent who the bad guys were, but I didn't really know who the hero would be. There were plenty of protagonists but they kept being incapicitated so I wasn't sure who would save the day - it was different than most books. There were some totally disturbing parts, things that shocked me but kept it so real and interesting. If you like thriller books, you'll enjoy this one.
Apr 03, 2011
Jason
rated it:
I got hooked with the development of each characters, intricacies of their individual circumstances, and how they became intertwined to build the bigger story. However, I'm just as frustrated finding that I only have 20 pages left to include the climax and the explanation (or the lack of it) behind the plot. John Saul built the momentum, only to lose it's edge in the end due to lack of depth in bringing his story to conclusion. Unforgiveable. He's outta my list.
Feb 19, 2009
Jason
rated it:
I've never been a big fan of John Saul's but gave this one a chance. Up until around page 320, this book had me drawn in. Great story, good characters and creepy at times. Once the antagonists were revealed though, the book lost some of its luster for me. Overall, I'd recommend it for any John Saul fan or fan's of horror that are looking at a unique thriller with a religious backdrop.
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Feb 22, 2009
Peter
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This is that type of book one buys in an airport when you've forgotten your book at home and the choice is an exorcism novel with a Papal twist or a how to manual for flipping property. Under exactly those circumstances and assuming you either have no interest in flipping a house or already know everything there is to know about the same than buy this book.
Dec 31, 2008
Dale
rated it:
This book is somewhat dark. As typical of John Saul's books, it includes supernatural aspects. It is about a Priest using satanic rituals to take over the minds of teenagers in an attempt to assinate the Pope. It has some interesting thoughts regarding the reasons for the Inquisition. I didn't like the way it treated the Catholic Church.
Jan 10, 2009
Tina
rated it:
This was definitely not John Saul's best work. It was simplistic, it followed his tired "forumla" of a disenfranchised child/teen who has some kind of social distress going on, and I felt like he was trying to get in on the Da Vinci Code mania with the inclusion of the Catholic church as part of the storyline. I finished the book, but wasn't enthusiastic about it at all and rushed through it.
Oct 23, 2010
Nancy
rated it:
It was awful, but it was kind of fun, like a bad movie. The plot was ridiculous and confusing with Muslim terrorists posing as Catholics and calling demons into being in an unexplained sort of reverse exorcism, and then there was an equally unexplained talisman that was pulled out at the last minute to save everyone.
Jun 15, 2009
Leslie
rated it:
I didn't really like tihs book. For me it was pretty anti-climatic. You wait the whole book for SOMETHING to happen and it finally does in the last 3 pages and even then it wasn't really intriguing. :( The only good thing that came from it was it somehow got me wanting to go back to church regularly LOL not sure why but it did :)
Jan 19, 2009
Kathy
rated it:
If you like Ghost Stories or things about darker side of religion such as Satan's realm, you will like this book. It is a quick read and I found it entertaining enough to cut through the boredom of long layovers and airline flights. Of course you may have nightmares after reading it.
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Mar 15, 2010
Linda
rated it:
Where there was suspense, it was great! It's what Saul does best. With a title like The Devil's Labyrinth I should have expected religious anything, but these were religious extremes and I don't care which extremist religion, it's just too much religion for me, hence the 3 stars.
Mar 29, 2009
Arista
rated it:
This book had its scary moments, would have been better if some devils were involved or some ghosts or something! was mostly about exorcising some kids who the church thought were posessed. Not really exciting but interesting
Dec 12, 2010
Maiakaiser
rated it:
Seriously, I don't remember the last time I read a worse book. I've been a John Saul fan in the past so I kept giving it the benefit of the doubt hoping it would turn around. It didn't though. It was just an awful book.
