The Watcher
by Charles Maclean
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Description
Charles Maclean's horror classic is finally back in print Friday, rush hour. Martin Gregory just manages to catch the 4:48 train. Tomorrow is his wife's birthday and he plans to devote the weekend to her and their beloved dogs. But when he rises in the morning, Martin does something so horrific, so inexplicable, and so out of character that his only option is to run. A lost horror classic back in print at last, "The Watcher" chronicles Martin as his quest for understanding plunges him show more through shifting realities and twisted corridors of time, and into the deepest recesses of the human mind. "The number one horror novel of all time " --"The Guardian (London)" "An extraordinary book, unlike anything else I've read." --Charlie Higson, author of "The Dead" "I'm something of an insomniac. I read "The Watcher" and stopped sleeping altogether." --Paul Newman "If you are easily upset...stop right here." --"The New York Times" show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
brianc6 A similar book in many ways, drawing the reader deep into a world of possible madness.
bluepiano Renarkably similar in protagonists' confusion about event, time, and place and their consequent distress as well as in the dispersion of identity. Similar too in the quality of the uncertainty and unease they arouse in a reader.
bluepiano Dissimilar plots, similar in dreamlike episodes and overall feel. Someone who emjoyed one might well enjoy the other.
Member Reviews
Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
*Complimentary copy received in exchange for an honest review
The Watcher is a deep psychological thriller with mind numbing twists and turns, reminiscent of the good 80's style psycho-horrors where nothing is quite as frightening as the human mind.
I honestly wasn't sure if I would be able to read this book to completion. The Event that takes place at the beginning that sets up the rest of the story is utterly and completely disturbing and I literally had to take a break from the book after reading it to let it settle.
Once I got back to the tale though, it was a steady influx of madness and paranoia, mystery and intrigue, and had me wondering over and over again who the show more hero and villain really were, or if there were actually any at all!
It's definitely a tale that will have your mind working overtime to try and figure out what's really going on, and even when it's all said and done, if you're like me, you still won't be sure what exactly happened, which all leads to the beauty of the doubt that Charles Maclean weaves into his story.
While not the best horror/thriller I've read recently, it was solid and compelling, and I'm glad I had the chance to read it.
LITERAL ADDICTION gives The Watcher 3 1/2 Skulls. show less
*Complimentary copy received in exchange for an honest review
The Watcher is a deep psychological thriller with mind numbing twists and turns, reminiscent of the good 80's style psycho-horrors where nothing is quite as frightening as the human mind.
I honestly wasn't sure if I would be able to read this book to completion. The Event that takes place at the beginning that sets up the rest of the story is utterly and completely disturbing and I literally had to take a break from the book after reading it to let it settle.
Once I got back to the tale though, it was a steady influx of madness and paranoia, mystery and intrigue, and had me wondering over and over again who the show more hero and villain really were, or if there were actually any at all!
It's definitely a tale that will have your mind working overtime to try and figure out what's really going on, and even when it's all said and done, if you're like me, you still won't be sure what exactly happened, which all leads to the beauty of the doubt that Charles Maclean weaves into his story.
While not the best horror/thriller I've read recently, it was solid and compelling, and I'm glad I had the chance to read it.
LITERAL ADDICTION gives The Watcher 3 1/2 Skulls. show less
Vor Jahren in Englisch und jetzt in Deutsch. Und beide Male hat es mich gepackt. Blutige Tat, Psychiater, Regressionstherapie, erschreckende Erinnerungen an frühere Leben... und das Ganze gut und vorallem spannend geschrieben. Solche Bücher sind's, die bei mir bis drei Uhr früh das Licht brennen lassen.
Sep 13, 2009German
1
Vor Jahren in Englisch und jetzt in Deutsch. Und beide Male hat es mich gepackt. Blutige Tat, Psychiater, Regressionstherapie, erschreckende Erinnerungen an frühere Leben... und das Ganze gut und vorallem spannend geschrieben. Solche Bücher sind's, die bei mir bis drei Uhr früh das Licht brennen lassen.
Jun 28, 2009German
Martin Gregory rentre chez lui par le train de 16 h 48. Cadre moyen, marié, sans enfants, mais avec deux chiens qu'il adore, c'est un banlieusard que rien ne distingue de quelques millions d'autres banlieusards. Jusqu'au jour où il commet un acte sanglant, inexplicable, inexcusable, inexpiable. Tout le monde est surpris, indigné, affolé. A commencé par sa femme. Et par lui. L'analyse à laqelle il accepte de se soumettre dévoilera petit à petit que Martin Gregory n'est pas l'être qu'il croyait être. Son geste a indiscablement été commis sous l'empire d'un dédoublement de sa personnalité. Mais s'il se révélait que Martin Gregory n'avait pas deux personnalités, mais trois, cinq, sept ?
Et si, en plus, il se croyait investi show more d'une mission salvatrice ? show less
Et si, en plus, il se croyait investi show more d'une mission salvatrice ? show less
Aug 14, 2010French
1
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Author Information
10 Works 453 Members
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Bibliotheca stylorum (2004)
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Watcher
- Alternate titles*
- Страж
- Original publication date
- 1982
- Dedication
- For Jamie
- First words
- There was no warning of any kind.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)But I believe the day will come when I can go out of the wilderness, and on that day I shall tell the truth, I will tell my story, and men will follow me.
- Blurbers
- Newman, Paul; Higson, Charlie
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 150
- Popularity
- 218,459
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (3.89)
- Languages
- 5 — English, French, German, Hungarian, Russian
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 17
- ASINs
- 2
