The Watcher

This Horror tale or (possibly) a psychological depiction of paranoid madness, I thought excellent. I will not give you a summary of the story as it can be viewed from two standpoints. That of the paranoid and delusional main character, whom, if you are to believe his thoughts, is caught in the middle of a grand conspiracy to prove him mad for the benefit of others or alternatively that of his psychiatrist who is either trying to help or destroy him (depending up your viewpoint). The complex story is built gradually through a series of hypnotic regressions, therapy notes and delusional episodes so it is not the easiest of reads (for those of faint heart) but it is certainly worth persevering. As the story reaches fullness it becomes littered with tiny clues to the truth. Like "Blatty's "Legion" or "Redemption", a couple of Stephen King novels, Dan Simmons "Drood" and a few others, this novel stands up as one of the great "Horror" novels of our time. I would certainly recommend it.

I agree with only one point that the negative reviewers of this book make: the cover is misleading. You'd be forgiven for expecting a traditional slasher/thriller but this is something quite different.I found out about this book in an article online, downloaded it and read it over the next couple of days. I couldn't put it down.The beginning is disturbing, inexplicable and casually violent. The proceeding story weaves through a series of mysterious events and psychotic fantasy as the protagonist is subjected to regression therapy by his psychiatrist, in fact you soon start to feel that your only possible tether to reality is the therapist's reports of the treatment.The writing is skilful and provocative. I enjoyed puzzling little mysteries out (I'm still working on a few). There is a definite 'symptom' that precedes several of the main character's worst episodes and every time it made an appearance, the anticipation of what would happen next was horribly intense. I will definitely have trouble getting rid of some of the images now stamped on my brain but I intend to read it again. I will, no doubt, pick up all sorts of previously undiscovered references and clues...but maybe not very soon. I need to read something light next.

It was OK. Maybe I'd have been more excited/horrified if I gave a toss about dogs, but I don't. I liked the story being told from multiple character viewpoints (or was it only two? Sorry, forgotten already). I thought that the standard of writing deteriorated in the last chapter (guff descriptions of climbing around a tower). The ending was a let-down for me. I liked the fact that although, right from the start, I didn't like the main character, I still wanted to follow his story.

I purchased this book as i expect a lot of people have thinking this would be a gruesome horror story. How wrong I was. The way it starts you think that Martin Gregory will turn out to be nothing more than a maniacal killer. Quite the opposite. He is a very complex character that as the story unfolds you find a deep sympathy for him and a willingness to help him through his ongoing mental issues.I must admit when the story started to change I at first found it difficult to follow but as it gets further into it I became engrossed in all that was happening to him and his fragile mind. All the different personas and the paranoia from the regression and him thinking Dr. Somerville is unwilling to believe his theories.Great read, almost like 2 books in one. Certainly not as disturbing as some make out but i would reccomend this to most.

I read a lot - probably three books a week - and this is the first one in years to really blow me away. It's very clever - it employs the whole unreliable narrator trick very effectively. It also becomes very tense towards the end. I was reading it in bed and I couldn't get to sleep for thinking about it. I was exhausted but I had to put the light on and finish it even though I had to literally hold both my eyelids open. Outstanding.