Rating: 
Summary: Terrifying
Review: The Exorcist
The Exorcist, by William Peter Batty, is a chilling experience which brings you closer into the
constant battle between good and evil. It focuses on the story of a young girl, Regan MacNiel,
who becomes possessed by the Arab demon of sickness, Pazuzu. It all starts when Regan begins
exhibiting strange behavior, such as cursing, laziness, and aggression. Things become worse as
time goes by. Regan develops monster like facial features and speaks in completely different
voices, almost as if she were a another person. Regan s mother, Chris, seeks help, but no doctor
can give any explanation. Meanwhile, Father Damien Karras begins questioning his own faith after
having his mother die. The exorcist tells the terrifying story of the struggle of good and evil and
the how Father Karras and Father Merrin fight to save the soul of this poor little girl. I would
suggest this books to fans of horror and suspense novels. On the other hand, would warn those
who have a weak stomach. "He hastened toward Mosul and his train, his heart encased in the icy conviction that soon he would face an ancient enemy."
Peter Blatty, William. The Exorcist. New York, NY: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc., 1971.
Rating: 
Summary: Could not put it down...
Review: The Exorcist is a book that immediately captures your attention and then it will not let you go. The evil that Regan experiences is of the darkest kind, which terrifies most people. This book makes a person wonder about this world and what actually thrives in it that we can't see.
Wickedness has always been part of this world and I suppose it always will be. The Exorcist forces people to think about what they would do if the same frightening things started to happen to them.
Although some of the scenes were a bit graphic for me, overall the book makes its point loud and clear. Evil has absolutely no boundaries.
Rating: 
Summary: "Exorcist" delivers as expected
Review: We've all seen the movie, we all know the story, but not quite as many of us have read "The Exorcist" in its original form, which is the novel by William Peter Blatty. In comparing the book to the film, it can't be said that the book blows the movie out of the water as both have their pros and cons over each other but the book is certainly just as suspenseful, disturbing, and delivering, if not moreso, than the movie.Telling the story of a 12 year old girl who starts showing signs of extreme mental illness and possibly split personality, her mother, a young budding movie star begins to see signs of possession by an other-worldly presence despite the fact that she is an atheist, resulting in her calling in one Father Karras, a priest/psychiatrist who has begun to lose his faith due to the tragic death of his mother, and Father Merrin, an older man and one of the few Jesuit priests who have actually performed an exorcism in this time period. The plot may sound cliche now, especially considering how many horrible rip-offs of this story, both in writing and film, have been made since its release (including two horrible film sequels), but you have to read this with a fresh imagination to truly appreciate that this was one of the first stories of its kind, not to mention that the author had the guts to include some pretty graphic language during Regan's Satanic ramblings. Most notably about The Exorcist is that, despite the fact that the characters are not the best ever created, they are very believable, especially Father Karras, Chris Macneil, and Lieutenant Kinderman. Father Karras' struggle for his religious faith ties in deeply to the plot as he wrestles with his own beliefs and sanity to accept the fact that the little girl he is trying to treat may very well be possessed, even as his belief in God dies slowly. This theme persists throughout the story and even as Karras is faced with the demon personified before him, he still attempts to write it off as a disease of the brain dealing with repressed guilt. This struggle to dismiss the supernatural is very human and realistic and certainly makes for a better struggle than a lot of best sellers in the last 10 years. Father Merrin's battle with the demon which goes back further than it seems is also very disturbing and Lieutenant Kinderman's ramblings and ill health are also signs of well written characters. In addition to the characters, the plot never ceases to develop and moves at a good pace, rarely stopping for unnecessary details or pointless inclusions, managing to hook the reader within the first 10 pages with the eerie introduction taking place in Iraq. The most notable scenes and incidents are during Karl, the servant at Chris's house struggle with his daughter's condition and the final exorcism against the demon, but the rest of the plot builds to these moments quite nicely. One comparison to the film that the book also manages to include quite graphically is the inclusion of the possessed Regan's filthy, demoralizing use of language. She makes numerous references to religion which some may find disturbing, but her choice of words only make the belief that she is possessed stronger and more to the point. You don't have to have any religious beliefs or any opinion on demonic possession one way or another to enjoy this as its one of those "must read" novels for the horror fan and is a page turner whether you're Catholic and actually buy into the plot or hardcore atheist just reading it for the thrills. Anyone who enjoys horror is sure to find something in The Exorcist. It's before possession became cliche and is horror in its finest form.
Rating:
Summary: Horror Classic Not To Be Missed
Review: William Peter Blatty's classic, later turned into a major hit movie,one of those "required" readings for fans of horror. This book did for demonic possession what Dracula did for vampires; it provided a very well written, very disturbing classic with memorable characters that brought a lot of recognition to an underexplored subgenre. The major reason this novel works so well is that Blatty makes you care about his characters: An actress mother who loves her daughter very much,a gold-hearted child who is possessed by a vile demon, a Jesuit Priest questioning his own faith (this idea didn't become a cliche until AFTER Blatty's book), and a fasinating old detective with health problems. This novel not only disturbed a generation, it disturbed the Vatican who deamed it very plausible and terrifying. What is the most desterbing, however, is that this book has somehow managed to go out of print. If Dracula, Frankenstein, and A Tale of Two Cities have managed to stay unhaultedly in print, why hasn't the Excorcist?
Rating:
Summary: The Power of God compells you!
Review: You all have got to be kidding! You call yourself a horror fan, and you still haven't read The Exorcist? Oh, you've seen the movie? It's not the same darn thing!! This book will terrify you to all lengths that one can go. If you're like me, you'll sit in bed nearly all night, lights off, covers over your head, and a flashlight in hand...reading. Knowing you have to get up early the next morning, you lock up your conscience in the wraths of Hell and indulge yourself in one the most terrifying, gripping, and elusive horror novels of all time: The Exorcist. Don't you DARE call yourself a fan of horror (I don't care how many Stephen King books you've read) until you take a look at The Exorcist. It may change how you look at the little things in life...ouija boards, divorces, and nerves. May want to take a closer look after reading this novel. I can't help my self...I have to say it...GREAT JOB WILLIE!
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