The Exorcist

Rating:
Summary: "What an excellent day for an exorcism!"
Review: "The Exorcist" is a masterpiece that combines horror, religion, inexplicable phenomenon and most of all, the puzzling question and struggle of faith. Every character in this story must deal with events that are either unexplainable or challenge his/her system of beliefs. There is the police detective, who logically connects the murder of a director to black mass desecrations yet has no suspect except a very ill girl. Then there are the priests: one who must face an old foe bent on demonic vengeance and another whose guilt over his mother's death has shattered his faith. Finally, there is the secular mother of a possessed girl who has no religious beliefs but desperately seeks to cure her from her inexplicable transformation into a monster.
Whether you are religious or not, this book is likely to have a long and lasting effect on you for many years to come. I highly recommend the movie as well.

Rating:
Summary: READ THIS EVERYBODY!!
Review: 5 out of 5 stars: Scary Possibilities And Horrifying Realities

The Exorcist(1971). William Peter Blatty's First #1 Bestselling Novel.

In 1971, 'The Exorcist' leaked out to bookstores everywhere, and critics instantly praised the novel for it's spell-binding and disturbing subject matter, not to mention it dealt with the problems of the day(the 70's) and was written well. With the critics behind it, people began to pick up the novel daily, and it became quite controversial, building up controversy from christians and (oddly) satanists, not to mention scaring the be-jesus out of the easily frightened. THAT was before the movie came out. When 'The Exorcist' debuted in theaters, it became easily the highest grossing horror film, and to this day, among 'Rosemary's Baby' and 'The Shining', is considered the scariest movie ever. Today, the movie is a household name, yet few actually know of the book. Well, as usual, behind every good movie there's always a book, so, being a fan of the movie, I decided to check out the book that originated it. So, was I happy or disheartened with the results? Read on to find out!

Plot-

For Chris Macneil, budding actor/director, she and her 12-year old daughter Regan(known as Rags affectionately) spend a humble tenure at an apartment near Georgetown University, where Chris is shooting a movie with renound director Burke Dennings. Chris is exceptionally happy to learn that her agent has even gotten her a directing job, something she's wanted but not been able to get for years! Soon after the good news, weird things start happening to Chris and her daughter Regan. During the middle of the night, mysterious thumps and scratches are heard, and Regan's furniture is moved to odd parts of the room without her knowing. Oddly, Regan even starts muttering obscenities that even her mother didn't know! Then, at a dinner party, Regan, dressed only in a nightgown, came down in front of all of Chris's friends and "wet" herself and fainted. After this *disturbance*, Chris takes Regan to a psychiatrist, who notices Regan's odd behavior but can't diagnose it(he believes she's suffering from depression). As the months go by, Regan progresses to the point where she is turned from a cute, loveable young 12-year old to a disgusting, hate-filled monster, undoubtedly not the person that her mother knows. As her mother desperately searches for her problem, with psychiatrists and doctors, thinking Regan is possessed, she risks her one last hope on local Jesuit Damien Karras before Regan disappears forever.....

Writing/Opinion/Etc.-

'The Exorcist', unlike the movie, hardly features any interaction between the priest and Regan until the end, so most of the novel you see Regan's general descension into her own hell. As the reader knows, Regan is possessed by a demon, but psychiatrists and doctors try to convince Chris otherwise, and it shows how stubborn people can be, when clearly Regan isn't suffering from any "known disease". Blatty's dialogue of Regan and Chris's hellish expirience is professional and imaginative, basing fiction on fact to create a story rich with disturbing possibilities and documented truths. One thing you'll get out of the novel is a deep understanding of mental disorders, satanism, possesion, and religion, and all of Blatty's "statements" are entirely true, even if the plot isn't, making it all the more eerie. While the story starts slowly, as soon as Regan starts to "misplace" things in her room the story is set in motion and doesn't slow down from then until the apocolyptic ending, and the reader is *possessed* to read the book in a few days. 'The Exorcist' is all it's cracked up to be, a chilling portrait of possession that blends fiction with fact to create an easily possible story that the reader might have trouble sleeping on. While Blatty's basic point is the never-ending battle between "Good & Evil", I liked how neither side *won* at the end of the novel, and the reader never learns if the demon was killed or not.

Overall, 'The Exorcist' is a chilling, eerily possible novel on possession that stays believeable and well-written throughout to create a book enjoyable not only to *popcorn* readers but to Lit teachers too.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO FANS OF HORROR, FICTION, AND THE MOVIE! READ THE BOOK, THEN SEE THE MOVIE: YOU'LL LOVE BOTH OF THEM!

Also Recommended-

The Exorcist- DVD
The Exorcist: The Beginning- Theatrical Release
Whispers- Dean Koontz

Thanks For Reading!

Rating:
Summary: Terrifying!!!!
Review: As horrifying as the film is, the novel surpasses it big time!
First of all, the film is very slow to take off with the frightening bits, and is boring for the first fifty minutes or so, but in the book - the eeriness starts instantly.

The characters are a lot more likeable in the book, and we see a lot more of the snooping detective - Kinderman.
Now, I'm an absolutely huge fan of King, and all the books I've read belonging to him have freaked me out in some way or gave me chills, or plainly stopped me from sleeping. But this book is so eerie, it's undescribable.

It's kind of like the eeriness starts your engine, and your warming up. And when you get to a more frightening scene of the book you feel like throwing it and never looking at it again.

Ah no, seriously, you wouldnt throw it away - but you would definitely think about it. It's a reasonably small book so you could read it in one night, but the eeriness and terrifying sequences have pushed me onto my fourth night of reading.

Truly, an excellent read, but one you wont read again for a long time after, unless that is; your made of stone!!!!! :-)

Rating:
Summary: "What a glorious day for a scary story..."
Review: Going home from the gym one day, a girl asked me what I was reading on the bike. Apparently I looked so engrossed in the book that she had to know what I was reading.

This is a page-turner in the purest sense of the word. This book is creepy and haunting. A great story that moves along at a quick pace yet still has the power to shock (particuarly when Pazazu fakes being possessed by the dead). This may not be one of my favorite books, but I give it five stars because it was one of the most enjoyable. It's consistently entertaining. Even if you have seen the movie, I'd recommend it. (I saw the tepid "Version You've Never Seen" of The Exorcist and hated it, but I loved this book). The book just involves the characters inner thoughts into the book a lot better, and explains a lot of the scenes that came off badly (i.e. the desecrated Virgin Mary). This is a must!

Rating:
Summary: An excellent & terrifying novel...
Review: I first read this book during my last year of college. I really became absorbed in it...I couldn't put the novel down for 3 consecutive days. Blatty presents various psychiatric & neurological conditions to explain the bizarre phenomena occurring within the MacNeil household...but at the end, the reader is forced to accept the concept of demonic possession. One of the most chilling sections in the novel occurs when Detective Kinderman tries to research Satanism...reading the description of satanic rituals/rites was quite disturbing for me...even at the age of 21 when maturity should temper shocking material. The rising tension & suspense created by the novel was great...and I certainly had some difficulty falling asleep during the 3-day span of time I spent in completing the book. Moreover, I kept pondering the themes of the book (the nature & existence of Evil) for a long while afterwards. The Exorcist galvanized me to explore the genre of the supernatural, the occult, & the dark aspect of the human experience. If anyone wants to chat about this book &/or related topics, feel free to send email to [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable!!
Review: I have to admit, this book didn't scare me as much as Hell House (Matheson) or Ghosts (Hynd), but I loved it nonetheless. By far, the most enjoyable parts, if it's even possible to use that word, was the conversations between the demon and Father Karras. I loved the way the demon tried to mess with his mind. And the ending that involved Karras was brilliant. All in all, a very very good horror novel.

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly Excellent
Review: I saw the film "The Exorcist" years ago, and found it wanting. Nonetheless, I did file away the book on my mental "must read" list. With interest in the original film renewed by the
prequel film, I figured now was as good a time as any to read it. I am quite pleased that I did.

The basic premise should be known to all. A young girl, Regan MacNeil, begins exhibiting horrifying behavior, and it is soon determined that she is possessed by a demon, and an exorcism takes place. What I found amazing about the novel is just how effective William Peter Blatty is in developing the course of plot. I knew what the ultimate story of the novel is, and yet I found myself on edge. The is due almost entirely do to Blatty's effective descriptions of Regan's behavior while possessed, which are grotesquely sexual in nature, as well as generally violent. Her conversations with the novel's main protagonist, Father Damien Karras, are also frighteningly vivid.

Another of the novel's great strengths is the development of its two main characters: Chris MacNeil, and Farther Karras. I found Chris initially to be a fairly unpleasant character when Blatty introduced her. She is demanding, controlling, and vaguely unhappy. Her only true seems joy to be her daughter. However, as the novel progresses, Chris engenders a great deal of sympathy, as her ordered world falls apart around her ears, and her daughter is victimized of something she cannot fight off through conventional means.

Likewise, Blatty's depiction of Karras is masterful, as we see a priest who understands the world too much, and as such, finds himself uncomfortable with his role of priest, but at the same time giving himself to the duty willingly. His ultimate fate is tragic, to say the least.

The novel is far from perfect. The dialogue at times does feel forced, and more suited to a screenplay. The character of Detective Kinderman is particularly hurt by this tendency. While it is his admitted style to come off as a goofball, there were many times I wondered if he'd just shut up and get to the point. There is a subplot involving the MacNeil household help which tends to be a red herring, as well as a commentary on society. Blatty doesn't fully succeed at either goal.

And the titular exorcist, Father Merrin, feels like a lost opportunity. I felt this way about the film, as well. Merrin's past is hinted at. Blatty acknowledges that Merrin has battled this particular demon before, but beyond that, we know nothing about the character. A little more depth would have gone a long way.

All in all, I enjoyed the novel, and I am particularly surprised at just HOW MUCH I enjoyed it. Now I think another viewing of the film is in order.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Horror book I have ever read.
Review: I thought that The Exorcist was an great novel, that never failed to keep me on the edge of my seat. The creativity that Blatty uses to depict the terrifying phenomenom that young Regan is undergoing is extrodinary. I read the book twice just so I could pick up some of the details that i missed the first time through. The characters are also well created, Regan the young girl that is slowly turning into a monster, Father Karras a young man who's concious is tainted with the death of his mother, and Father Merrin a old man who is fighting a life long enemy.The Demon that has possesed Regan, Pazuzu. I thought this was a very well put together story that is a must read.

Rating:
Summary: The Cry of a Demon
Review: I was skeptical as I began reading, could this book live up to all the hype I was subjected to? "Well it did". The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty was an amazing read. The beginning started off a little slow, but the rest definitely made up for it. Regan's character got so evil and sinister it was impossible to put the book down. The author throws you right into the middle of the story. He captivates you with his horrifying and shocking scenes of blasphemy and bizarre sexual content. I definitely recommend this book. If you've seen the movie and want more, or you just are looking to be horrified, this book delivers in every way.

Rating:
Summary: Chills and thrills
Review: OK, I hadn't read The Exorcist until now - October 2004. I really wish I'd read this book before, because it was excellent. I can't wait to read Legion.