Soul Catcher: A Novel (P.S.)

by Michael C. White

Book Overview

Augustus Cain is a damaged man haunted by a terrible skill: the ability to track people who don't want to be found. Rosetta is a runaway slave who bears the scars, inside and out, of a life of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061340731
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 1.0" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

My favorite book of 2007

A complex and wonderfully told story of a slave catcher and the runaway who challenges his path in life. Multifaceted, rich in historic detail, and emotionally gripping--I could not put this book down. The characters are complex and fascinating, and none of their choices are pat or easy. White somehow creates a sympathetic protagonist out of a character you feel you ought to hate. I really wanted to see Cain redeem himself. Very cinematic in tone--this would make a terrific movie!

Fabulous story about redemption

I could not put this book down. The background details were almost as wonderful as the characters, but the pace of the book never lagged. When Cain finally "humanizes" one of the slaves he captures, the trail to redemption is fascinating. I really liked "Garden of Martyrs" but I LOVED this one. Also historical detail seemed accurate. I hope some movie producer picks this one up....it would make a fantastic movie. (Hallie Berry and Russell Crowe maybe???)

Great Historical Novel

Eberly is a rich, poor excuse for a human being, owner of many slaves. He is very distraught since the escape of his favorite slave, Rosetta, a beauty he truely must have returned. I won't let you in on to their true relationship in fear of ruining the plot. Cain is a slave catcher. He conducts searches for escaped property in return for a handsome monetary reward. He does not condone slavery, however through his own childhood rearing believes slaves are better off being the property of someone else since they would not be able to fully take care of themselves. Mud hut vs warm shack and food in return for services. Not a bad exchange. Cain is paid alot of money to locate and return Rosetta. It is his job. Once Rosetta is located the journey back to Virginia commences along with a search for his own soul. The title of the book is even interesting in that a soul catcher is an individual who captures the beings of captured slaves. It may also apply to Cain and his own quest in capturing his true self. A must read

"As Good as Lonesome Dove"

This is as good a story of life in the very rough days of the nineteenth century as I've ever read.The characters are unforgetable. The action is constant. The insight into the human condition is profound. It would make as good a film or TV miniseries as "Lonesome Dove". When I finished the book, I felt like I had ridden every mile, dodged every bullet, and felt every feeling along with Augustus Cain. Don't miss this book if tales of America's days before the automobile are your thing--Talmage Boston

Soul Catcher - A Great Read

Soul Catcher by Michael White Reviewed by GW It is truly a joy when a book comes along like Soul Catcher. From the opening chapter until the final sentence, I was mesmerized by this very important piece of work. I could not wait to get home from work and begin reading about this journey of adventure, romance, poker, gunfights, horses, moral conflict, and an absolutely original and terrific plot. Augustus Cain is a character that will live in the minds of the reader for years to come. All of the characters are memorable. Some of them are down right mean and vicious while others are just trying to adjust to a way of life forced upon them. When Rosetta a slave escapes from her owner, Eberly, a wealthy tobacco plantation owner, Cain's services are needed. Cain tracks and returns runaway slaves to their owners for money, and he is very good at his trade. Unfortunately, Cain is forced into this job. Having lost money and the bill of sale for his horse in a poker game, Cain must take the job. Augustus Cain is very dependent upon his horse, and he will do anything to keep him. Augustus Cain has an adventurous background, and it is revealed throughout the book. The reader will hang onto every phrase in this exciting story as Augustus deals with his past, present, and future. The two slaves in question by Eberly are Henry and Rosetta. They escaped at the same time, but Rosetta is the main reason Eberly wants the services of Cain. Rosetta will touch the heart of everyone reading the book. Cain must take the Strofe brothers and a man called Preacher with him to retrieve the slaves. As the journey starts, it is apparent that trouble is brewing down the road. Cain is an intelligent man who reads Milton's Paradise Lost. Cain's comrades lack sophistication and intelligence. This story is set in Pre Civil War leading up to the beginning of the conflict. Michael White's prose moves like a shark in the water - smooth, engaging, easy to follow and smart. To give away any more of the plot would be a travesty to avid readers. Rush to the nearest book and track down Soul Catcher by Michael White. Real events are dispersed throughout the book that gives it realism and depth. It is a reading experience that delivers thought provoking dialogue and issues for anyone interested in the human race and life. Finding the right thing to do with one's life and the journey arriving there is sometimes difficult and filled with moral consciousness and mind challenging events. I wish someone else in my community would read the book. I want to discuss every aspect and motive within this classic piece of work. It was relevant before the Civil War, and many themes are relevant today. I have not read a book in a long time that has affected me like this. I think about the characters and the story throughout the day as I go about my job. The relevance and emotional depth that the book leaves with the reader is exactly what books should do. Whether fiction or non fiction, the reader