Hailey Maniates was a tall and beautiful third year grad student majoring in Biochemistry. One night, after returning to her lab, she is pursued by someone or something. Terrified, she runs through Golden Gate Park where she is rescued by a very tall homeless man. She can't understand it, but she can read his mind and she can feel his emotions. He sprints her to the hospital, and leaves her to explain her story. Even though Hailey thinks this is due to the shock from the trauma, the doctors feel it is something more. Hailey is put in a mental institution and is medicated for her hallucinations. She knows she's not crazy, and must find the very tall homeless man to find out what happened and get her many questions answered. What really did pursue Hailey? Why did she think she saw herself being chased through the attackers eyes? How could she feel the thought and emotions of the homeless "giant"? What was happening to her? Was she really just the crazy person her doctors diagnosed her to be?

I had read the second book of this series, "Powers", first, and was a little concerned that I may have ruined this first book. Not at all!! From the beginning, "Shade" pulled me in. Masterfully written, it's full of mystery and intrigue and heart-stopping, spine-tingling terror. Olson wrote a fantastic page-turner that scared the pants off me! His characters have depth and memorable qualities that I won't easily forget, nor will I be comfortable being alone in the dark for a long time to come!! ( )

This fast-paced novel keeps you on the edge of your seat with a wild chase through San Francisco and a glimpse of the underground Goth scene. John B. Olson melds faith, science, romance, and suspense in his novel, Shade.

UCSF graduate student Hailey Maniates' quiet life is suddenly interrupted by a powerful force she can't understand. Running away from a "monster", Hailey is attacked. She is saved by a homeless man named Melchi who delivers her to a hospital where she is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

The only way Hailey can prove her sanity is to find her knight in shining armor. With the help of her friend Boggs, Hailey is reunited with Melchi. He explains that Hailey is a child of The Standing, while he is a child of the prophecy. His job is to fight the Mulo, evil gypsy vampire-like creatures who have the ability to move into different bodies to achieve immortality.

Hailey finds herself torn between Melchi and a magnetic stranger, Sabazios Vladu. At the same time, Hailey must convince the world that she is not insane. She must learn to rely on her own beliefs and faith to overcome many challenges and help fulfill Melchi's prophecy. This is a classic good vs. evil story.

Recommended for teens and adults who enjoy Christian suspense with supernatural and romantic undertones. The themes of faith and redemption are also featured. ( )

Like other reviewers, I did have an issue when the book changed from a science fiction/fantasy novel to Christian fiction. Sure, there had been inklings throughout, but suddenly the whole timbre of the book changed...from just being good versus evil to being salvation versus damnation.

OK, so I still gave it 4 stars - I'm not opposed to Christian Fiction, I just prefer to know when I'm reading it. I thoroughly enjoyed the psychological conflict Hailey is experiencing trying to decide if Melchi is a lunatic or telling the truth - if she really saw and felt what she remembers or if it was all illusion. Some of this got very confusing at times, though - perhaps partly because of Olson's word choice at times.

In the end, though, all the people I assumed were good, were....and those I thought were evil, were. So the suspense sort of fell through toward the end. And, it kind of tied up in a nice little package too well, so I'm curious to take a look at his next book (which I'm getting as an Early Reviewer). I'm not totally sure if it's a sequel...I will read it anxiously, but if it is more of the same as the end of this book, I expect to tire quickly of it. Here's hoping it's more like the middle of Shade and not the end.

Still worth a read, if you like a mix of Christian Fiction and fantasy...Peretti fans should give it a try. ( )

Hailey, a graduate student in San Fransisco, is just trying to get away from the date that her temporary roommate tried to foist upon her, when she has an absolutely bizarre experience of feeling something coming after her which leaves her absolutely full of fear and hunger. Trying to escape, she is accosted in the park by a man with a knife. A homeless man, Melchi, saves her and brings her to the hospital, but when Hailey tries to explain to the doctors what's going on, they're convinced she has paranoid schizophrenia. She's not sure who to believe, but she's soon drawn into events smacking of the supernatural.

I picked this up to read before I receive the sequel from Early Reviewers. It's solid Christian suspense fiction, dominated by pace, and definitely worthy of the comparisons to Ted Dekker. Though the events are unbelievable after stepping back from the book, during the reading it's a scary adrenaline rush that had me reading it straight through all afternoon. ( )

Enjoyable if you like the suspenseful type of reading ( )

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The premise is an intriguing one, and had it been handled just a touch differently, I think it would have made all the world. The problem was that I had such a hard time getting into the book. It was such an awkward beginnging and did not giuve enough of the backstory that one would need to really delve into the story right away.

I also hard a problem with liking the female lead. She really had no redeeming qualities, as she seemed to vacillate between trusting Melchi and pushing him away that by the end when she has to put her trust in him it seems forced and weak. ( )

Several strange episodes leave a grad student grappling with whether she’s schizophrenic. Her rational, scientifically-driven mind insists that her experiences must be products of her imagination. Her Christian faith, however, allows for certain experiences that fall outside the realm of “normal.” A part of Hailey wonders if there’s something more to her episodes, something frighteningly real. Read more or get the quick scoop. ( )

I enjoyed the basic plot of a graduate student, Hailey Maniates, pursued by an unknown enemy who is then saved by a homeless man who may be more then he seems. I also thought I would like the apparent mixing of genres, mystery, science fiction, Christian fiction, etc. However, problems with the back-story and editorial problems really took away from the book. The beginning of the story turned out to be fairly jumbled, which at first I thought was part of the structure of the book, but the chaotic nature took away from the story and didn't pan out for the reader. The ending felt rushed with random bits of story that seemed placed just to make the whole thing wrapped up, while having nothing to do with other parts of the book. For the most part, the story is half good mystery, and half bad science fiction novel. ( )

Full of whispers of vampires, cults, and an ancient prophecy, Shade is packed with suspense. Hailey doesn’t know who she can trust when she starts having what the doctors dismiss as hallucinations. However, she can’t shake the feeling that something evil seems to be tracking her and she begins to question her friends, the police, and even herself. Does Melchi, a homeless man, have the answers to her questions, or is he crazy too? Truth and lies, good and evil are jumbled and confused as the reader, along with Hailey, tries to determine which is which. I think I must have changed my mind several times about who was good and who was evil before the end. I confess that I never really got as interested in the subplot involving Athena, although I suppose it added to the pacing and overall suspense of the story. There were some moments of confusion, especially at the beginning when I wasn’t sure what was going on, but as I read further, it only seemed appropriate since the character herself often doesn’t fully understand what is happening. Overall, I enjoyed the suspense and general creepiness as well as the uniqueness that a character like Melchi brings to the story. I will likely look for more by this author in the future. ( )

Okay now onto the review. Pretty creepy cover eh? Not to mention the fantastic trailer. (http://blip.tv/file/725117) But how about the story itself? Yuppers, you guessed it, creepy stuff indeed. However, this isn't just a scary story, it also manages to mix in lots of suspense and a little bit of romance too. Strangest thing of all to me was that this book is considered by some to be Christian fiction, I didn't discover this until I'd finished reading it. Shade does contain a thought-provoking look at faith and how it relates and balances out with science and a fantastic battle between good and evil, but in no way is this novel religious-heavy like some Christian literature. It is simply a fun and enjoyable read, that I believe will appeal to people of all faiths.

Hailey, a graduate student, is the type of person that believes science can find an answer for everything. So when supernatural forces start wrecking havoc with her life (not to mention her mind) she feels like her world is shattering. The handsome Melchi is there for her though, as a protector, a teacher and a friend.

It seems that Melchi believes there is something evil out there, that he must stop. Now Hailey must come to terms with the fact that science cannot explain what is going on.This will not be as easy as one thinks, because Hailey and the people around her are convinced she is going insane...or maybe Melchi is the insane one? Who and what can she trust? Can she even trust herself anymore?

So we have the basic plot, it's a terrific good versus evil type of story, with a whole lot more thrown in the mix. Hailey and Melchi are amazingly well-developed characters. Witnessing the downward spiral that Hailey experiences really connects the reader to her and creates tonnes of emotional response. Melchi is quite the mysterious man, which keeps the pages turning as you try to learn just how he's involved and exactly what he's involved with. As Hailey experiences doubts about this man, the reader also starts to question things.

The plot of Shade quickly pulls the reader in and enmeshes them in the tumultuous mayhem that the characters are caught up in. Written in a well-paced mode the suspense grows with each chapter. Realistic dialogue helps to make this story and it's characters come to life. There are also touches of humour spread through the writing, here is one of my favourites: "That's right. Butter up the crazy person before she snaps and goes Ninja Turtle all over your car." Although there are a few places where the action and narrative flow become chaotic and a little confusing, these passages do manage to create a connection to how the characters are feeling. All in all, Shade was a very enjoyable read for me and I look forward to reading more from John B. Olson. ( )

Having enjoyed reading similar books in this genre (esp. Frank Perretti), I really had difficulty getting into this book. From the opening lines of this book, I was having difficulty of grasping what was going on - so I gave up after a few more pages. This is on my stack to revisit. ( )

I'm not sure if I just don't scare easily, but I found nothing scary in this book. Maybe it needs to be a more realistic story to scare me. I don't know. Even if it didn't scare me, I still liked it. It was complex and the main characters feelings could be understood by their actions. Some of the secondary characters were not as well flushed out, but I think this was a narration point, because the story was told from the characters pov. If the character does not understand what the person feels, neither will we.

There were a couple of times when we heard the story from the pov of one of the secondary characters, which seemed a little odd. Overall I really liked it. For a more complete review, check out my blog and enter my contest to win your own copy. ( )

Grad student Hailey Maniates is running for her life. Pursued by a seemingly invisible presence that infiltrates her mind, inciting fear and rage within her, she runs instinctively with no thoughts as to her destination. Hiding amongst the bushes in Golden Gate Park she is attacked by a knife-wielding stranger -- a much lesser threat -- only to be saved by a towering giant of a man. A homeless man with matted hair, tangled beard and hunched back whose thoughts and emotions somehow resonate within her, creating a sense of trust and safety in his presence.

Following this traumatic evening Hailey is hospitalized, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and released under a heavy medication protocol. Doubting her sanity but sure of what she experienced, she soon recognizes that her life is still in danger. The only one with the answers she needs is her homeless rescuer, Melchi. In order to survive she must plumb the depths of his knowledge, venturing into an unknown territory that includes ancient prophesy and a secret battle between the forces of light and darkness that has been waged for millennia.

In Shade John Olson has created a world in which nothing is as it seems, and where no answers are certain. As Hailey struggles to make sense of the battles raging around her she moves between belief and disbelief, struggling to set her feet on a firm ground that never quite materializes. Olson keeps certain aspects of his story amorphous, leaving room for reader interpretation and paving the way for future novels in this vein.

Often referred to as a Christian vampire novel, I would not assign Shade this label. While the determinedly stalking antagonist -- the Mulo -- is given his name from the term for a Gyspy vampire, this isn’t precisely what he is. Certainly there are vampire-like aspects to his character, but he is not entirely one of them, an example of the vague and undetermined nature of this work. However, the emotional tenor created, the fear of the chase and the ever present night hunter create a dark world of fear similar to that found in vampire-genre novels.

Olson does not rely upon the elements of fear and danger to drive his novel alone; he has populated this dark, mysterious world with characters whose emotions are authentic and ring true. In the unlikeliest romantic pairing Olsen brings together a huge, odorous homeless man who is either brainwashed, insane, or an unlikely hero figure with a brainy, emotionally recalcitrant heroine who may not have it all together mentally and sparks a tender flame between them. This thread of storyline is beautifully touching, and it works; a feat traditionally considered difficult for male authors – congratulations John.

The only weakness worth mentioning is the somewhat contrived presentation of the gospel message. Rather than being woven throughout the text it pops up unexpectedly, thrown into the middle of the story like a heavy rock that makes a large splash before sinking to the bottom of the pool. Flashy and obvious, the message of Christ’s forgiveness is included but affects little of the story.

Providing a more integrated, realistic element of faith in this title are the ongoing references to God and the Holy One from the main characters. References to Biblical history and early members of the human family also serve to establish a Christian worldview. It’s obvious that Melchi and Hailey are seeking to serve the Lord, though Melchi struggles under the weight of the Law.

Shade is the first novel that Olson set out to write (though not the first published), and of the two I’ve read I think it’s the best to date. The uncertainty, suspense, and driving need to solve the mysteries woven throughout had me through the novel in two sittings. Olson skillfully raised questions and dangled answers like bait before jerking them away again, leaving readers delightfully agitated and striving onward. While we aren’t presented with a cliff-hanger ending and a sense of closure is provided, there are enough open ends and future adventures sensed to leave readers crying, “Give us another one John!”

Reviewed at http://quiverfullfamily.com ( )

This was one creepy book! I enjoyed reading about places in San Francisco that I've been. It really makes you think about the mentally ill, and all they have to deal with. I would liked to have seen Haley and other characters more developed, but maybe there is another book in the works. Thanks for the opportunity to read this book.

Shade is the first book that I have received as an LTER. Not really the kind of book I would pick, but having said that, I really enjoyed reading the book. Fans of Peretti and Dekker would probably love this book. The setting is San Francisco which is experiencing a spate of missing youth and Sudden Onset Dementia cases. The book is written from the points of view of the main characters. When the character is experiencing confusion and out of body experiences, the reader feels the confusion also. Nothing is as its seems and this adds to the suspense. I would recommend this to anyone interested in reading experiences of sprititual warfare.

Beckie Burnham ( )

I just couldn't get into this story. There's too much going on that isn't explained well enough. The paranormal element just doesn't fit. I could only make it about a quarter of the way into the book before giving up. ( )

The story focuses on two main characters. Hailey is a grad student who is gifted in The Standing, an order that is protected by Melchi.

The story is well thought out, but I felt it did lack a little in delivery. I did feel connected to the two main characters, but the supporting cast seemed to just fade as the story developed.

I enjoyed the imaginative prose of the author. Melchi was a fascinating man and I loved his specific attributes. The way he lived. The way he moved around the city. It all seemed to have the "super hero" effect that the author may have been looking for.

The genre is Christian Fiction. The messages were subtle, so I'd recommend this to anyone, regardless of their religious strength. ( )

I really wanted to like this book much more than I actually did. I loved the basic plot, a grad student being pursued by an unknown enemy only to be saved by a heroic homeless man. Along the way both seem completely delusional, to the point where Hailey, the grad student, is treated for schizophrenia and believes the diagnosis herself. Despite this, they grow more attracted to one another and Hailey learns to reluctantly trust her hero, Melchi, and he spins a tale full of the evil Mulo, or gypsy vampire that he must destroy in order to save our world. This is a great plot with exceptional characters that were easy to like and sympathize with.

The problem was in the actual story telling. Too much was thrown into the mix. The backstory was confusing and often made me feel like the schizophrenic one, wondering what could possible be added next. The beginning of the story was chaotic and jumbled and the ending felt rushed and thrown together with random bits of story that seemed placed just to make the whole thing wrap up nice and tidy, while having nothing to do with other parts of the book. I appreciated the faith based aspects of the story and characters, especially set against the basic science, but I just felt it could have been much clearer to enable the reader to enjoy without having to scratch my head every few pages. I do however look forward to a sequel, in the hopes of shedding more light on the general plot line. ( )

Hailey Maniates is a San Francisco graduate student in biochemistry. She is a scientist who trusts in data that can be observed with her senses but she is shaken one night when she is attacked in her laboratory by a supernatural force that causes her to question her own sanity. She is rescued by a homeless giant named Melchi and though she finds herself drawn to the stranger by an unexplainable attraction, he is just as confusing to her as the attacking force, as she seems to be able to read his emotions.

As the story progresses, Hailey enters even more confusing situations and constantly questions what is real around her. Doctors want to diagnose her with paranoid schizophrenia; her friends warn her of a plague of Sudden Onset Dementia that has been sweeping the city; and stranger still is Melchi's explanation of a spiritual war between an evil vampirish being known as The Mulo and a mysterious force for good called The Standing. The real answer lies somewhere between faith and science and it is up to Hailey to discover the truth in time to save several lives - including her own.

Combining faith, mystery, science, and suspense, with a dash of romance, John B. Olson has crafted one of the most intelligent works of Christian fiction on the market today. Fans of Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti will not want to miss this book - but be assured that Olson's style and voice are unique and original. Shade is a fast paced and suspenseful thriller yet even with all the action, it manages to deliver well-developed characters with plenty of heart. Olson does a great job of engaging the reader in Hailey's struggles and the challenge is on to distinguish reality from hallucination alongside the protagonist. Thought-provoking as well as entertaining, Shade is truly a book that shines! ( )

Really liked this book. Had many componenets for a good read, and it falls into a number of genres so I think it will be a good book for many different types of readers. Anyone reading from religious thrillers to conspiracy theories to vampire novels will like this book. ( )

This is the story of a grad student, Hailey Maniates, who has her quiet life ripped to shreds by some unearthly happenings. While being attacked both physically and mentally by a stranger in Golden Gate Park, she is rescued by a handsome homeless man called Melchi. From this encounter, her life seems to spiral out of control and both she and the reader begin to doubt what is real and what is purely an overactive imagination. Her savior Melchi deposits her at a local hospital because she had been hurt by her attacker but when she descends into abnormal hysterics, the doctors think she is mentally unhinged.

I think this was a good book but my biggest issue was that the book rested too much on making the reader feel too much as Hailey felt. When she was confused, we were confused. When she could not determine reality, we could not determine reality. As a story telling device, this is wonderful but the problem began when this device is overused as I think it was here. I spent the first 65 pages of the books confused and wondering exactly what was going on and I don't think that this is a good thing. There was quite a bit of jumping around between scenes and not enough character development. The villain's motives were a bit blurred and confusing and even when we we are told why he is doing what he does, it just seems kinda flimsy and lacking in complexity.

But the pluses of the book are many. I liked its main message and I really liked the two main characters and wish I got to know them better. In my opinion, the last 100 pages were the best part of the book. It was in the last 100 pages that I felt the thrill and suspense that I felt had gone missing midway through my reading of the book. I hope the writer writes a sequel to this book,one that gives a clearer picture of the legend that spured the story and allows us to truly understand what was going on. Definitely an interesting read. (And any writer who finds a way to work in a mention of Dr. Who and his sonic screwdriver has my vote)!! ( )

Early Reviewers

*Possible Spoilers*

10/12/08

There was just so many problems with this book. Where do I begin.....
First, let me state that I love Christian fiction. I am a huge Ted Dekker fan. I feel that this is an important piece of info about myself because there are some people that might not like Christian fiction and would give this book a bad review simply because that is the genre. I am not one of those people.
This book just did not deliver.
It was supposed to be a thriller. I was actually quite nervous about reading this book because I really do not like books that keep me awake at night. Well, maybe I am desensitized or something, but this book was not even remotely creepy. This actually relieved me, however I often found myself re-reading the blurbs on the book to make sure I had read them correctly.
Next…..The story bounced around all over the place. That is all fine and good, but there was not one character, plot point, back-story, or ANYTHING that was well developed. Mostly, I think the author relied completely on action scenes to carry this book. And that’s fine; I like action scenes. But, it would be really nice to have a thoroughly developed plot, back-story, character, etc, for the action to really be intense and/or exciting. The entire book is nothing but an action scene, but the reader is always a little bit confused as to WHY the action is happening. Please explain WHAT is chasing the hero/heroine and WHY!! The reader is not enlightened to this until almost the very end. I like a good mystery as much as the next person, but it just felt the author didn’t really know what was happening either. It was as if he worked it out in his head as he went along.
Okay, I am making it appear as though this was the worst book I have ever read. It absolutely was not. I really, REALLY liked the lead character (Melchi) very much. He might be one of my favorite fictional characters to date. I wanted to give him a huge hug the entire time I was reading it. Oh, how I wish this book would have been more developed!!!! There is so much more wonderful things that could have been done with that character.
Also, *sigh*, I hate to say this, but the lead characters were so dumb. Melchi (whom I really liked) is a borderline, if not full-fledged genius. He reads Homer and John Milton and diligently takes notes on their works. He writes poetry referencing ‘Paradise Lost’ and ‘The Odyssey‘. He prays constantly. HOWEVER, he has never read the Bible because he thinks one has to be a priest to read it. Please. That is so weak.
The Heroine (Hailey), oh good grief, she was continually confusing herself. It got really old, really fast. She was a very sweet character, but, geez, suck it up and put on your big girl panties.
One thing that irritated me the most about this book was the “real world” portrayal. A girl thinks a monster is after her. So, in the real world, what do you think happens? The police restrain her, ship her off to a psych ward, doctors pump her full of drugs and tell her she has a mental illness. She accepts the fact that she is a complete loon. Yep, that is what would happen. I am cool with that. However, the heroine WILL NOT let go of that concept throughout the entire book. This is fiction. It is okay to have a character react slightly different than one would react in a real world situation to make it better fit the story. Please give me a character that is a little tougher and smarter. Please.
I really like the concept of this book. I like Christian fiction and I really like vampire fiction. I was SO excited for this book because the two merged together. This book could have been really amazing if the author would have spent more time developing…….everything. ( )

Melchi is a homeless man who was raised and trained in combat techniques to be the one prophesized to stop the Mulo, a seemingly immortal entity who can cross dimensions and is killing off the limited number of people, called Children of the Standing, who are able to ‘feel’ the Mulo. He’s followed the Mulo from city to city as a number of people are dying or have disappeared, and a large number of people are diagnosed with Sudden Onset Dementia.

Hailey Maniates is a graduate student, alone in her lab one night when she feels an evil presence, making her feel like she’s being stalked. She ends up running out of the building and into Golden Gate park where she sprains her ankle while being pursued and is rescued by Melchi, who sounds kind of nuts when he’s telling her they have to get away from the Mulo. He gets her to the emergency room, but she’s overcome when being able to see through Melchi’s eyes and feel the hate and anger being broadcast by the Mulo, which no one else in the ER can feel. She’s drugged and diagnosed as Paranoid Schizophrenia.

Melchi is telling her wild stories, the pills are making her nuts, but it appears she’s being stalked. Is it real or just in her head? Who does she trust?

I found the story interesting and thought the characters were fairly well done. The suspense was good with not knowing if they were nuts or if things were real, and who to trust. But I also found some of it confusing. It could be that we were supposed to feel that way as we are with Hailey when she starts to experience things and we don’t know what’s real and what isn’t. But the Mulo itself was confusing when it comes down to what it wants, what the consequences are and actually what the result was in the final battle.

I also found the constant requests for help from the "Holy One" for practically everything Melchi had to do when the Mulo was around to be a little much. ( )

This suspense novel tells the story of Hailey Maniates, a graduate student who is attacked by an unseen pursuer and then rescued by a mysterious homeless man. As the story progresses, Hailey (and the readers) begins to question who or what could possibly be behind her attacks--or if, in fact, it could all be in her head.

I was not immediately impressed with this book, perhaps because I have not had much experience with suspense novels. The action starts very quickly, which may please many readers, but I felt it jumped around too much at the beginning, leaving me a bit confused. I would have liked to learn a bit more about the characters before the action began.

However, by the time our two main characters meet, I began to get a little more comfortable and was able to enjoy the story. Olson definitely does a good job of blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, and keeps the reader guessing about who can really be trusted. In addition, I very much appreciate the message of this novel. It is nice to see some good Christian fiction breaking in to the fantasy/suspense genre. ( )

Without giving away any detail or plot, let me say that
"Shade" is completely entertaining. One is never sure who is good/bad, sane/crazy, real/imaginary, telling the truth/lying, or what is possible/impossible. Some unique plot twists make for a refreshing departure from the "norm" of the supernatural genre.
I would recommend you plan to read this in one sitting, it's difficult to put down.
I hope Mr. Olson has a sequel planned.
Thanks for the ER copy and the opportunity to review. ( )