My latest read is The Collector, by the late John Fowles, which was his first successful book, back in 1963. It is a dark tale about a young male sociopath who makes a shift from collecting butterflies to collecting a young woman he's been admiring and stalking obsessively.

Frederick Clegg was living a miserable life as a strange loner of a clerk until he won a lottery. After that, he led an even stranger existence, for what he decided to do with all this money was to buy a very secluded house where he set about making all the necessary alterations he would need to keep a "house guest" a secret. In other words, he built a fortified prison in his basement. Then, Frederick bought a van, came up with a plan that included stalking, baiting, chloroform, and bondage. This time, though, instead of successfully netting a rare species of butterfly, he abducted Miranda Grey, a local art student.

The first part of the story is told in first person by Frederick, but then the narrative is given to Miranda, so the reader gets two very different points of view about what is happening. Miranda's story is of course very sad, but also very brave; she tries very hard to reason with her captor, wracks her brains trying to think of ways of escaping, and keeps a diary of her recent past and her future aspirations. It's all the idealism and hope of a very young woman desperately trying to survive. Miranda is a strong character.

John Fowles paints a fascinating portrait of two diametically different people, both doomed in such different ways. This novel is what I would call "a heartbreaking work of staggering genius." My compliments go to Dave Eggers for that moniker! It's a depressing work, but in my humble opinion, you must read this. ( )

I lost a few years writing my Honours and Masters dissertations on Fowles - pretty much entirely as a result of the power of this, his first published novel. The events of this dark tale of obsession, repression and human captivity are recounted from two perspectives: victim and 'collector.'

I still find it extremely gripping - and I've read it a few times now. ( )

This is the first novel by Fowles published in 1963 and a dark physcological thriller. It is about a lonely man who collects butterflies who becomes fixated on an attractive young art student. He proceeds to follow her and after a lottery win he buys a house with plans to abduct the young woman and then keep her captive. After locking her in the basement he supplies her every whim, everything but her freedom. He is an eerie character, very quiet and reserved and half of the book is from his perspective and how he justifies his behaviour. The second half turns to Miranda with thoughts about her relationship with a much older artist and her plans to escape which in the end are futile. The pace builds slowly with a feeling of dread and menace which was very effective making it a compelling page turner . ( )

Another good one, even though less complex; easy-to-read story... an intrusion into a diabolic mind (Fowles' specialty). ( )

The first Fowles I read. Not quite up to the standards he set with The Magus and The French Lieutenant's Woman, but a very good (if slightly disturbing) read! ( )