Title: Hellfire
Author: John Saul
First published January 1, 1986
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Rating: 3.84
Overview
For centuries, the old mansion has stood abandoned, its dark past shrouded in mystery. The town of Ridgemont, Oregon, remembers the tragic deaths of the wealthy Sturgess family, whose lives were claimed by a devastating fire.
But when the family’s last surviving heir returns to the mansion, the doors creak open once more, unleashing an unspeakable terror. Inside the mansion, an ancient evil awakens, thirsting for vengeance and hungry for souls.
The nightmare that was once confined to the mansion now spills out into the town, as the fiery wrath of HELLFIRE consumes everything in its path.
About the Author
John Saul grew up in Whittier, California, and graduated from Whittier High School in 1959. He went to several colleges, including Antioch in Ohio, Cerritos in Norwalk, California, Montana State University, and San Francisco State College, where he majored in anthropology, liberal arts, and theatre.
However, he never graduated with a degree.
After leaving college, John decided to become a writer and spent the next fifteen years working in various jobs while trying to write a book that someone would publish. He has excellent background material on the car-rental industry and temporary typists if anyone wants to write about them.
During those years, he accumulated a nice collection of unpublished manuscripts but didn’t make much money. Eventually, he found an agent in New York, who spent several years sending his manuscripts around and trying to make the rejection slips sound hopeful.
In 1976, one of his manuscripts reached Dell, who asked him to write a psychological thriller instead of buying it. John put together an outline and crossed his fingers.
At that point, things started to get strange. His agent and Dell thought his outline had all the makings of a best-seller.
Gambling on a first novel by an unknown author, they backed the book with television advertising, one of the first times a paperback original was promoted on television. The gamble paid off, and within a month, Suffer the Children appeared on all the best-seller lists in the country and reached the #1 spot in Canada.
All 32 of his books have since been published worldwide and made all the best-seller lists. Although Bantam/Doubleday/Dell published many of his books, Ballantine/Fawcett/Columbine published his last fourteen books.
Aside from being a novelist, John is also interested in theatre. He has acted and had several one-act plays produced in Los Angeles and Seattle, and two optioned in New York.
Gerber Productions Company and M.G.M. produced one of his novels as a C.B.S. movie, and one of his novels is currently in development.
John served on the Expansion Arts Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts. He is actively involved in developing other writers and is a lecturer at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference and the Maui Writers Conference.
He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Northwest Writers Conference. John is also a trustee and Vice President of The Chester Woodruff Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in New York.
John lives part-time in the Pacific Northwest, in Seattle and the San Juan Islands. He also maintains a residence on the Big Island of Hawaii.
He enjoys motor homing, traveling, and golfing. He is an avid reader, bridge player, golfer, and loves to cook.
Editoral Review
Hellfire, written by John Saul and first published on January 1, 1986, is a thrilling and atmospheric horror novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. John Saul is a prolific author of horror and suspense novels, and Hellfire is one of his most compelling works.
The novel is set in the small town of Redstone, where a series of mysterious fires has been plaguing the community. As the fires continue to spread and people start dying, it becomes clear that there is something sinister at play.
Sauls writing style is characterized by his vivid descriptions and tense, suspenseful plotlines, and Hellfire is no exception. The novel is a masterful blend of horror, suspense, and mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end.
The plot revolves around a disparate group of characters, each with their own secrets and motivations, who are drawn together by the fires and the terror that they bring. Some of the main characters include the towns sheriff, who is struggling to keep the peace and solve the mystery; a troubled teen who is haunted by her past; and a wealthy businessman who seems to have something to hide.
One of the strengths of Hellfire is its vivid and evocative depiction of small-town life. Saul captures the rhythms and routines of Redstone with an eye for detail, painting a portrait of a community that is both familiar and unsettling.
The novel is also notable for its complex and well-drawn characters, who are more than just stock horror archetypes. Each character is given a rich backstory and personality, making them feel fully realized and compelling.
In terms of themes, Hellfire touches on a number of issues that are relevant today, including the dangers of unchecked greed and the cost of keeping secrets. The novel also explores the idea of collective guilt, and the idea that a community can be complicit in its own destruction.
These themes are woven throughout the novel in a subtle and effective way, giving readers plenty to think about long after theyve finished reading. Despite its strengths, Hellfire is not without its flaws.
The pacing can be uneven at times, with some parts of the novel feeling rushed while others drag. Additionally, some of the secondary characters are not given enough development, leaving them feeling underdeveloped or one-dimensional.
Overall, however, Hellfire is a thrilling and atmospheric horror novel that is sure to satisfy fans of the genre. Sauls writing is evocative and tense, and the novel is bolstered by its well-drawn characters and thought-provoking themes.
While not perfect, Hellfire is a gripping and enjoyable read that is well worth checking out. For fans of horror and suspense novels, Hellfire comes highly recommended.
It is a thrilling and evocative novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. While it may not be for everyone, those who are able to overlook its flaws will find a deeply satisfying and entertaining read.
On a scale of one to ten, Hellfire earns a solid eight, thanks to its compelling characters, vivid setting, and masterful blend of horror and suspense.
