Title: The Manhattan Hunt Club
Author: John Saul
First published July 31, 2001
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
ISBN: 9780345490643 (ISBN10: 0345490649)
Rating: 3.99
Overview
Within the depths of Manhattan’s underground, a society of homeless individuals have created a world of their own. College student, Jeff Converse, is thrust into this world after an “accident” during his transport to prison.
He soon discovers that his mishap was no coincidence, as he becomes the prey in a deadly game orchestrated by some of the city’s most influential figures. Jeff’s only hope of survival is to team up with a crazed protector, whose intentions are just as deadly as those of his adversaries in the Manhattan Hunt Club.
In John Saul’s thrilling novel, readers will follow Jeff’s journey as he battles to escape the underground, and evade his ruthless hunters.
About the Author
John Saul grew up in Whittier, California and graduated from high school in 1959. He attended several colleges, including Antioch in Ohio, Cerritos in Norwalk, California, Montana State University and San Francisco State College.
He majored in anthropology, liberal arts, and theater but did not obtain a degree.
After leaving college, John decided to become a writer and spent the next fifteen years working in various jobs while attempting to write a book that someone would want to publish. He has excellent background material for anyone who wants to write a novel about the car-rental industry or the travails of temporary typists.
John wrote many unpublished manuscripts during those years but did not make a lot of money.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 did not want to buy it but asked if he would be interested in writing a psychological thriller. He put together an outline and crossed his fingers.
Things started getting bizarre at that point. His agent and Dell decided that the outline had all the makings of a best-seller.
They gambled on a first novel by an unknown author and backed the book with television advertising, which was 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 made the #1 spot in Canada.
All 32 of his books have made all the best-seller lists and have been published worldwide. The last fourteen books have been published by Ballantine/Fawcett/Columbine.
In addition to his work as a novelist, John is also interested in the theater. He has acted, and as a playwright, he has had several one-act plays produced in Los Angeles and Seattle, and two optioned in New York.
One of his novels was produced by Gerber Productions Company and M.G.M. as a C.B.S. movie, and currently, one of his novels is in development.
John served on the Expansion Arts Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts. He is actively involved with the development of other writers and is a lecturer at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference and the Maui Writers Conference.
He received the Life Time Achievement Award from the Northwest Writers Conference. John is also a trustee and Vice President of The Chester Woodruff Foundation, a philanthropic organization.
John lives part-time in the Pacific Northwest, both in Seattle and in the San Juan Islands. He also maintains a residence on the Big Island of Hawaii.
He currently enjoys motor homing, travel, and golf. He is an avid reader, bridge player, golfer, and loves to cook.
Editoral Review
In The Manhattan Hunt Club, John Saul takes readers on a thrilling ride through the dark underbelly of New York City. First published in 2001, this book is a suspenseful piece of fiction that combines elements of mystery, horror, and adventure to create a unique reading experience.
Saul is a master of the horror genre, known for his ability to craft page-turners that keep readers on the edge of their seats. The Manhattan Hunt Club is no exception to this rule, as Saul expertly weaves together multiple storylines to create a complex and compelling narrative.
At its core, The Manhattan Hunt Club is a story about survival. The main character, Jeff Converse, is a struggling writer who finds himself trapped in the abandoned subway tunnels beneath Manhattan after being drugged by a group of wealthy hunters.
Forced to fight for his life against vicious predators, Jeff must draw on all his courage and intelligence to stay alive. Along the way, he meets a cast of memorable characters, including a streetwise girl named Sybil and a retired cop named Frank.
Through their interactions, Saul explores themes of class, power, and corruption, highlighting the stark inequalities that exist in modern society. One of the strengths of The Manhattan Hunt Club is Saul’s vivid descriptions of the city.
From the rooftops of skyscrapers to the depths of the subway tunnels, he brings New York to life in a way that is both captivating and haunting. His prose is lush and atmospheric, transporting readers to a world that is both familiar and otherworldly.
That being said, there are some weaknesses in the book. At times, the pacing can be uneven, with some sections feeling rushed while others drag on unnecessarily.
Additionally, some of the dialogue can be clunky or overly expository, detracting from the immersion in the story. Despite these flaws, however, The Manhattan Hunt Club is a gripping thriller that is sure to entertain fans of the horror genre.
It is a well-written and expertly crafted novel, demonstrating Saul’s mastery of his craft. In terms of its historical or cultural significance, The Manhattan Hunt Club can be seen as a commentary on the class divide that exists in America today.
The book presents a stark picture of a society where the wealthy have unlimited power and the poor struggle to survive, highlighting the dangers of unchecked greed and corruption. Overall, I would recommend The Manhattan Hunt Club to anyone who enjoys horror or suspense novels.
It is a thrilling read that is sure to keep you up past your bedtime – just don’t blame me if you have nightmares about abandoned subway tunnels afterwards. I give this book a solid four out of five stars.
