SOUL CATCHER

by Colin Kersey ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 15, 1995

A Big Bad Wind avenges the murder of Native American shaman Black Wolf by destroying large areas of Seattle: a rousing supernatural thriller by first-novelist Kersey. A mysterious vision about a boy with no ears drives Black Wolf, shaman of the Caribou People in Western Canada, to Seattle, where he is murdered in an alley by street punks. As he dies, Black Wolf calls upon the great spirit in the Wind, the Williwaw, to find the boy with no ears, finish Black Wolf's quest for him, and avenge his death. Soon Seattle and its nearby waters are hit by fantastic squalls and pinpoint tornadoes, while its huge new 98-story office building, now home of Williwaw, starts losing big windows and chunks of concrete onto the streets below. The story turns on Evan Baker, a deaf 12-year-old, who seemingly must either be sacrificed to Williwaw or defeat the Wind by one ruse or another. As it happens, Evan remains more of a heroic victim, while dropout Native American Paul Judge, a lawyer, takes on the Wind and eventually goes into the spirit world to find the Soul Catcher, an ivory rod that might be able to flatten Williwaw. In a series of subplots, Helen Anderson, an elderly widow, offers background information to down-and-out journalist Billy Mossman, who sees in the Williwaw a chance to reinstate his reputation, while Evan's mother, a public relations hack for the grungy mayor who's up for reelection, enlists Paul Judge to help save her son from the black deeds of the Wind. Meanwhile, the more nerve-jangling parts of the novel show a chopper falling from the air, a 747 being trashed, a ferry sinking with hundreds on board. Then Williwaw winds up for its major punches into downtown Seattle. Neatly suspenseful despite a ""thinking"" Wind for villain, with characters who carry just enough flesh for the story as they face one blustery cliffhanger after another.

Pub Date: Nov. 15, 1995

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 272

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1995

Categories: FICTION