Lo llaman la Academia. Una mansión apartada en lo alto de un acantilado con vistas a la escarposa costa del Pacífico. Una escuela para niños dotados, o malditos, con mentes extraordinarias. Niños que pronto caerán bajo la influencia de una inteligencia aún más brillante que la suya, e indescriptiblemente malvada. Porque dentro de esta mente está tomando forma un plan oscuro. Un plan tan horrible que nadie lo creerá. nadie más que los niños. Y para ello ya es demasiado tarde. Demasiado tarde, a menos que un joven estudiante pueda resistir la seductora invitación que lo llevará a las Sombras.

9501512517

Ten-year-old Josh MacCallum doesn’t fit in. He is extremely intelligent and he keeps skipping ahead grades in school. The kids don’t like him because he’s too smart. Josh is younger than his other classmates and they pick fights with him and they think the teachers favor him. Josh’s mother (Brenda) is barely getting by. Her no-good husband has left and she has another kid to feed (Melinda, Josh’s baby sister). After Brenda gets called in to talk to the principal about Josh getting into another fight at school, the principal suggests a school that would be interested in Josh, the Barrington Academy, a cliff-top mansion overlooking the pacific coast. Eventually Brenda gives it some serious thought and takes Josh there to check it out. Josh finally feels like he fits in and decides to stay. But what about strange Dr. Engersol and his weird experiments. And some people at the school aren’t what they seem. As time goes by, many people are turning up dead…

I really enjoyed this book. As the story progressed, and I found out what the experiments were all about, it was quite creepy. I liked some characters, like Josh, his young friend Amy, and their English teacher Mr. Connors. Then there were some annoying and evil characters that I hoped would eventually get what they deserved. The story had good atmosphere, especially the Academy, with its creaky old elevators, secret basement rooms, etc… I found myself quickly turning the pages to see what was going to happen next.

Another captivating read by John Saul. ( )

I discovered John Saul in middle school, and devoured everything I could find him between my late middle school and high school years--yet, I read them so quickly, and read so many books back then, I haven't had many memories of them as an adult. Re-reading this was sort of fascinating and wonderful, though I'm a little bit horrified to think of how young I was when I first read this one.

Saul's writing is fast and dark, and he doesn't shy away from turning real-feeling characters toward unbelievable tragedy in horror. This book in particular deals with everything from child abuse and endangerment to child suicide and animal experimentation, and just when you think it can't get darker... well, yes, it does.

It's true that this story might feel a little bit dated in terms of the story and technology presented, compared to where we are today, but readers who can get past that will be struck with a master storyteller's tale of horror that won't be easily forgotten. And if you like horror and can deal with those subjects above... well then, yes, I absolutely 100% recommend it. ( )

Erg goed boek. Prima einde. Slechte epiloog.
Serieus. Anders had ik waarschijnlijk 5 sterren gegeven. Waarom willen schrijvers in de epiloog het einde nog verpesten? Laat me denken aan de Kippevel boeken/tv serie waar je op het einde, na veel ellende en avontuur, altijd in het laatste shot het dode monster alsnog een oog zag opendoen (of iets vergelijkbaars) Dat is crap en doet de rest van al het werk teniet.
Nu zijn er geen monsters en gebeurd er niet letterlijk hetzelfde, maar close enough. ( )