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Portent (Hardcover)

by James Herbert (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
RRP: £17.99
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Portent + Once + Haunted
Price For All Three: £28.14

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  • This item: Portent by James Herbert

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  • Once by James Herbert

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Macmillan; New edition edition (16 Jan 2004)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0333761286
  • ISBN-13: 978-0333761281
  • Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.7 x 3.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 523,941 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #58 in  Books > Horror > Authors > Contemporary Authors > Herbert, James

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Product Description

Product Description

It is the near future and signs of an impending global disaster are multiplying. Earthquakes, floods and volcanic eruptions sweep the earth. As the storms and tempests rage, a series of ominous events signal the emergence of a new and terrifying force.

While scuba-diving on the Great Barrier Reef a diver watches fascinated as a tiny light floats past him towards the surface. Moments later he is torn to pieces as the reef erupts with colossal power.

On the banks of the Ganges, a young boy pauses from his back-breaking labours, transfixed by the play of a mysterious light amidst the monsoon rains, before a towering geyser of boiling water bursts from beneath the streets, scalding him to death.

In the Chinese city of Kashi travellers bring back reports of a strange light seen shining above the endless dunes of the Taklimakan Desert. And as the city's inhabitants watch for its return, the desert rises up to engulf them in a tidal wave of sand.

All have seen a portent. A sign of unimaginable powers about to be unleashed. A sign that something incredible is about to begin...



About the Author

James Herbert is not just Britain's No. 1 bestselling writer of chiller fiction, a position he has held since publication of his first novel, but is one of our greatest popular novelists, whose books are sold in thirty-five other languages, including Russian and Chinese. Widely imitated and hugely influential, his twenty novels have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide.

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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (3)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment from such a talented author., 21 Jul 2004
By Chris Hall "Dreadlocksmile" (Cardiff, Wales) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)      
This review is from: Portent (Paperback)
Looking at the other reviews of this novel, I feel rather alone in not really enjoying it. I've read a lot of Herbert's work and feel that this is by far his weakest offering. Herbert has proved that he is a master of suspense and has an outstanding ability to create a truly dark and creepy atmosphere. Yet here Herbert seems to have by-passed such talents and put together a novel that seems to float through a thread bare plot that never really seems to develop itself. The ending just wanders into place, leaving the reader (well me anyway) with a sense of dissatisfaction. With such experience and exceptional talent, one would have thought that Herbert would have gripped the reader in some way with this novel, but I felt bored as I battled through the mundane novel chapter after chapter.

Obviously, this is only my opinion on the book and others have thought something completely different (see below), but if you are new to Herbert's work, I would strongly recommend The Rats, Lair, The Fog, The Survivor, Sepulchre and '48. All are outstanding pieces of imaginative work.

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Worrying!, 22 April 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Portent (Mass Market Paperback)
After reading this book you will panic! The events, while perhaps fanciful, are definitely some of the most graphically described and richly portrayed of any from books of a similar ilk. So much so, that you can easily envisage elements of this story being fact rather than fiction. The characters' descriptions are great - each one is really brought to life, even those who appear for mere moments; and I can guarantee you will visualise people you know as some of them! (Particularly the lead character's work colleagues!!) The plot unfolds gently and intriguingly throughout and the central story is evenly broken up to a manageable pace by some excellent sideline events that come together as one dramatic and enjoyable whole.

There are no clumsy misplaced speed-ups - the pace is only altered when the writer emphasises the dramatic tension, which is so well done that your blood will chill! And you are thrown into the action so there is no "when will it get to a good bit?" feeling.

James Herbert captures the imagination and throws you into a world chaotic, savage, but strikingly real, leaving you feeling very much in-the-moment, the savagery only serving to increase the beauty once you know why it is that the events are happening.

The style is excellent, the descriptive writing when introducing new characters and locations is second to none, and the moments of tension will grasp you leaving your heart racing.

Though regarded as horror, this book is much, much more. It does have genuinely mouth-drying moments, but there is also an under current of love, hope and heroism - though none of which are in over-kill. The cleverly thought up fictional side is well balanced with enough perfect imagery and factual base to invoke dread and more than a little concern for the world around you, but above all it will complete capture you - "Portent" is a thrilling and enthralling, very, very clever book.

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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Especially scary given todays news, 19 Jan 2005
By A Customer
This review is from: Portent (Paperback)
I started reading this book just before the sri lanka disaster. As Herberts work maybe not one of his best but chilling when read in light of the horrific events which happened over Boxing day.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Not one of Herbert's better novels
No, Chris Hall, you are not alone in giving this two stars. This novel was originally published in 1992 and, to me, reads like it. Read more
Published 9 months ago by R. Griffiths

5.0 out of 5 stars EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS
As a writer myself whose interest lies in all things environmental, I have been knocked for six by James Herbert's passion, in this book, about the world upon which we live... Read more
Published 20 months ago by J. P. Henderson-Long

5.0 out of 5 stars Mother nature will fight back
I agree with the previous reviewer. I read this book when it was first published and likewise whenever we have freak weather I remember this book vividly. Read more
Published on 29 Jul 2007 by Jo, Burgess Hill

4.0 out of 5 stars You won't watch the weather in the same way again
This book is bound to be good, it is James Herbert. A very enjoyable read with a good story line and great characters. Read more
Published on 6 Jun 2007 by Sarah

2.0 out of 5 stars Ambitious misfire
Following two of the best novels he’d ever written in Haunted and Creed, Portent is an unfortunate misfire from James Herbert. Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2006 by dogbarkssome

5.0 out of 5 stars The Future is ..........
An outstanding book. A look into a very possible future -- with a twist. The world is undergoing a change - and this could be for the good or for the bad. Read more
Published on 5 Nov 2003 by paulineyates

4.0 out of 5 stars A sign of things to come?
Yet another brilliantly written book by Herbert. Once again his focus is on the future mankind may bring upon itself by it's blatant disregard for the world we live in. Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars gripping and enthralling reading
Portent has to be the best James Herbert novel that I've read to date. The characters and events are so well described that you begin to fell like one of the characters. Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars Moon would be an excellent choice for the horror reader
'Moon' was the second book I bought in the James Herbert series, 'The Fog' was the first which I purchased towards the close of secondary school. Read more
Published on 16 Jun 2000

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