''The Blackstone Chronicles'' is a

serialized novel In literature, a serial is a printing or publishing format by which a single larger work, often a work of narrative fiction, is published in smaller, sequential instalments. The instalments are also known as ''numbers'', ''parts'' or ''fascicle ...

by American horror and

suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being undecided, or being doubtful. In a dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the outcome of a plot or of the solution to an uncertainty, puzzle, or mystery, particularly as it aff ...

author

John Saul John Saul (born February 25, 1942) is an American author of suspense and horror novels. Most of his books have appeared on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller List. . Biography Born in Pasadena, Saul grew up in Whittier, California, and grad ...

. The series consists of six installments and takes place in a fictional

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

town called Blackstone. The series has been adapted into both a

computer game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...

and

graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...

Plot

''The Blackstone Chronicles'' follows the lives of several people in the fictional town of Blackstone, New Hampshire. An uninhabited

asylum Asylum may refer to: Types of asylum * Asylum (antiquity), places of refuge in ancient Greece and Rome * Benevolent Asylum, a 19th-century Australian institution for housing the destitute * Cities of Refuge, places of refuge in ancient Judea ...

was set to be demolished for a new shopping mall, only for the funding to be withdrawn at the last moment. The series follows a different character each chapter as they receive a "gift" from an anonymous source and the terrible things that happen to the recipient (or those around them) shortly thereafter. The books also follow the character of Oliver Metcalf, editor of the local paper, who had previously grown up on the asylum's grounds and suspects that a single source is behind each of the tragedies that befall the gifts' recipients. The final novel reveals the connection between the various objects and the identity of the mysterious gift-giver.

Publication details

# ''An Eye for an Eye: The Doll'' Publisher: Fawcett Books (December 28, 1996) Paperback 82 pages # ''Twist of Fate: The Locket'' Publisher: Fawcett Books (January 29, 1997) Paperback 86 pages # ''Ashes to Ashes: The Dragon's Flame'' Publisher: Fawcett Books (February, 1997) Paperback 86 pages # ''In the Shadow of Evil: The Handkerchief'' Publisher: Fawcett Books (March 30, 1997) Paperback 83 pages # ''Day of Reckoning: The Stereoscope'' Publisher: Fawcett Books (1997) Paperback 84 pages # ''Asylum'' Publisher: Fawcett Books (June 1997) Paperback 97 pages (including Afterword by John Saul, 92 otherwise) ISBN 0-449-22794-4 The series was later reprinted in an omnibus edition as ''The Blackstone Chronicles: The Serial Thriller Complete in One Volume!'' (, 544 pages).

The Blackstone Chronicles in other media

Computer game

In 1998 Mindscape published a multimedia computer game developed by

Legend Entertainment Legend Entertainment Company was an American Video game developer, developer and Video game publisher, publisher of computer games, best known for creating Adventure game, adventure titles throughout the 1990s. The company was founded by Bob ...

. The game, titled '' John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles: An Adventure in Terror'', is a sequel to the novels and takes place several years after the sixth book. The game follows Oliver Metcalf (the main protagonist of the novels) as he attempts to find his missing son Joshua, who has been hidden somewhere in the Blackstone Asylum by Malcolm Metcalf, Oliver's seemingly dead father. The object of play is to rescue Joshua and uncover the elder Metcalf's agenda. Malcolm Metcalf was voiced by Henry Strozier. Critical reception for the game was mixed to negative, with

GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...

giving the game a rating of 5.5 and writing "The Blackstone Chronicles isn't a bad game. It's just average to a fault".

Graphic novel

In 2011 a graphic novel adaptation of John Saul's ''Blackstone Chronicles'' by Bluewater Productions was announced, with the first issue having a November 2011 release date.

Unmade miniseries

The ''Blackstone Chronicles'' was at one point licensed by

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

for a six-hour miniseries to air in 1998,Roush, Matt. Blackstone' serial a pretender to the King''. USA Today. Apr 10, 1997. 05.D/LIFE. but plans for the TV adaptation fell through.

References

{{reflist

External links

Official author page

Official publisher page for the Blackstone Chronicles
Novel series American thriller novels Novels first published in serial form