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The Saved
The Saved", first published in The Clackamas Review in 2001 and also as part of the bonus material included in the 2005 deluxe slipcased edition of 20th Century Ghosts, was reprinted in December 2007 as part of PS Publishing's annual Holiday Chapbook series, available, free of charge, to subcribers of the quarterly magazine Postscripts.
It's the story of an average guy who picks up a hitch hiker one stormy night, and his life very well may not be the same after that. Don't worry this is not your typical "hitch hiker" story.
It's the story of an average guy who picks up a hitch hiker one stormy night, and his life very well may not be the same after that. Don't worry this is not your typical "hitch hiker" story.
- GenresHorror
27 pages, Chapbook
First published January 1, 2001
262 people want to read
About the author
Joe Hill
506 books29.9k followersJoe Hill's debut, Heart-Shaped Box, won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. His second, Horns, was made into a film freakfest starring Daniel Radcliffe. His other novels include NOS4A2, and his #1 New York Times Best-Seller, The Fireman... which was also the winner of a 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror Novel.
He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.
He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.
He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.
He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 14, 2008
The book was short but sweet. I found it accidentally online and just had to order it. It's a short story that was excluded from the regular release of 20th Century Ghosts. It's good, but definitely warrants thinking about. Joe Hill proves that he is a very talented writer, whose work will make you think and leave you wondering about what you are supposed to take away from it.....and it definitely leaves you thinking.
SPOILER
The main character in this story, Jubal Scott, is an estranged father, treking out in a storm to visit his daughter that he hasn't seen in 3 years. On his way, he picks up a stranger, who informs him that not only is he an answer to prayer, but that he was just walking with Jesus and that Jesus just gave him his denim jacket to keep warm. With that being said, Jubal notices that the man's jacket is covered in blood. Did he just kill someone for his jacket? Or is he for real? What is going on here???
Really good stuff and worth reading if you are a fan of Joe Hill!
SPOILER
The main character in this story, Jubal Scott, is an estranged father, treking out in a storm to visit his daughter that he hasn't seen in 3 years. On his way, he picks up a stranger, who informs him that not only is he an answer to prayer, but that he was just walking with Jesus and that Jesus just gave him his denim jacket to keep warm. With that being said, Jubal notices that the man's jacket is covered in blood. Did he just kill someone for his jacket? Or is he for real? What is going on here???
Really good stuff and worth reading if you are a fan of Joe Hill!
March 19, 2020
A short chap book. And a solid little story.
I really enjoyed it.
I won this book on eBay for a tenner, which is extremely lucky, as I have noticed it goes for silly prices.
Anyways... I'm giving this a 3.5 rounded to 4.
Seems about right.
I really enjoyed it.
I won this book on eBay for a tenner, which is extremely lucky, as I have noticed it goes for silly prices.
Anyways... I'm giving this a 3.5 rounded to 4.
Seems about right.
June 21, 2022
“When He(Jesus) sleep, parts of the world disappear. It’s only because He wants it that it exists at all.”
Joe Hill commented the following about this story on my IG post: “I remember this one. Pretty dull, I thought”. -Joe is pretty hard on itself, although not perfect it’s good for what it is.
Jubal is making his way to Maine to a daughter he hasn’t seen in 3 years when he decides to pick up a traveler. Said traveler talks about Jesus like he had just seen him and is insomewhat of an unnerving travel mate who speaks of the eternal nature of the soul and very passing nature of matter. Jubal pretty much runs the man off, gets a less than warm welcome from his ex-wife & has his truck mysteriously disappear; almost like it was forgotten out of existence.
-one of Hill’s most ambiguous and existential short stories. Mixes the perfectly mundane with the unnerving.
Joe Hill commented the following about this story on my IG post: “I remember this one. Pretty dull, I thought”. -Joe is pretty hard on itself, although not perfect it’s good for what it is.
Jubal is making his way to Maine to a daughter he hasn’t seen in 3 years when he decides to pick up a traveler. Said traveler talks about Jesus like he had just seen him and is insomewhat of an unnerving travel mate who speaks of the eternal nature of the soul and very passing nature of matter. Jubal pretty much runs the man off, gets a less than warm welcome from his ex-wife & has his truck mysteriously disappear; almost like it was forgotten out of existence.
-one of Hill’s most ambiguous and existential short stories. Mixes the perfectly mundane with the unnerving.
January 12, 2017
Printed in 2007 by PS Publishing Ltd
Although it only contains 27 pages short and well written, it captures the story well, although for me this could have been a much larger story, maybe even a future comic book ;)
Although it only contains 27 pages short and well written, it captures the story well, although for me this could have been a much larger story, maybe even a future comic book ;)
August 18, 2013
The Saved by Joe Hill
...the man-who-had-a-jacket-from-Jesus...
This special edition chapbook of Joe Hill's short story, "The Saved," was published by PS Publishing as a holiday gift for their subscribers. It is the third in the series. Signed hard copies were sent to all Postscripts hardcover subscribers; paperback subscribers received unsigned copies. The press run was very small, as no copies were offered for sale to the general public.
The 24 page short story originally appeared in The Clackamas Review Vol. V, 2001 and is bound in light blue and black pictorial boards with wraparound artwork by James Hannah that is repeated as endpapers. Issued without a dust jacket.
This is the first story I have read by Joe Hill. I became interested in him after finding out that his book, "The Horns," is currently being made into a movie starring Daniel Radcliffe. "The Saved" is reminiscent of Flannery O'Connor's work - sharp, tight writing combined with themes of religion and violence. A middle aged man, Jubal Scott, consistently down on his luck, finally scrapes up enough money to buy an automobile so that he can travel to visit his young daughter who he has not seen in three years. While driving to see her, Jubal stops to pick up a hitchhiker, who turns out to be wearing a coat covered in blood (something he doesn't at first notice).
I won't say more for fear of giving away too much, other than that this is a ghost story (I think)! And Jubal is struggling with the overwhelming guilt he feels for what basically amounts to abandoning his young child. He is constantly trying to rationalize and justify his behavior, but when held up to the harsh light of reality, he discovers that he's done so much less for his child than what he'd been trying to tell himself.
Before I end this review, I must comment on James Hannah's extraordinary artwork - I loved it! The artwork perfectly illustrates the story Hill is telling and immediately draws your eye. Eerie, haunting, and gothic, just like Hill's story.
I liked this story. The conclusion was unexpected - this isn't a story with a tidy ending - and left me wondering what (could have) happened next. I would definitely read something else by Joe Hill, but first, I'm going to sit down and re-read "The Saved!"
...the man-who-had-a-jacket-from-Jesus...
This special edition chapbook of Joe Hill's short story, "The Saved," was published by PS Publishing as a holiday gift for their subscribers. It is the third in the series. Signed hard copies were sent to all Postscripts hardcover subscribers; paperback subscribers received unsigned copies. The press run was very small, as no copies were offered for sale to the general public.
The 24 page short story originally appeared in The Clackamas Review Vol. V, 2001 and is bound in light blue and black pictorial boards with wraparound artwork by James Hannah that is repeated as endpapers. Issued without a dust jacket.
This is the first story I have read by Joe Hill. I became interested in him after finding out that his book, "The Horns," is currently being made into a movie starring Daniel Radcliffe. "The Saved" is reminiscent of Flannery O'Connor's work - sharp, tight writing combined with themes of religion and violence. A middle aged man, Jubal Scott, consistently down on his luck, finally scrapes up enough money to buy an automobile so that he can travel to visit his young daughter who he has not seen in three years. While driving to see her, Jubal stops to pick up a hitchhiker, who turns out to be wearing a coat covered in blood (something he doesn't at first notice).
I won't say more for fear of giving away too much, other than that this is a ghost story (I think)! And Jubal is struggling with the overwhelming guilt he feels for what basically amounts to abandoning his young child. He is constantly trying to rationalize and justify his behavior, but when held up to the harsh light of reality, he discovers that he's done so much less for his child than what he'd been trying to tell himself.
Before I end this review, I must comment on James Hannah's extraordinary artwork - I loved it! The artwork perfectly illustrates the story Hill is telling and immediately draws your eye. Eerie, haunting, and gothic, just like Hill's story.
I liked this story. The conclusion was unexpected - this isn't a story with a tidy ending - and left me wondering what (could have) happened next. I would definitely read something else by Joe Hill, but first, I'm going to sit down and re-read "The Saved!"
September 15, 2014
A quick and fun fast read for anyone who loves Joe Hill's work! It's set up as a mysterious ghost story. It's only twenty seven pages long and speaks a lot about relationships and being a parent. There are some small twists in this story that surprised me. Overall I give it a four and a half star rating because I enjoyed myself!
Spoiler regarding the ending.
As with most of Joe Hill's stories don't expect a nice neat happy ending. =)
Spoiler regarding the ending.
As with most of Joe Hill's stories don't expect a nice neat happy ending. =)
September 7, 2009
This is a story about loss. It starts out like a traditional hitchhiker horror tale, but doesn't go the way you expect. You expect the hero to loose his life, or have to fight for it against said hitchhiker. Turns out, not so much. It's the trials of every day life that cause him to lose his life (metaphorically speaking). It's a bleak little tale and may not click for everyone, but is definitely worth a read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2013
I had to give this one two stars as it had so much potential but didn't go anywhere for me
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews