Rating: 
Summary: I dare you to read this alone
Review: Extremely creepy book. The book was scarier than the movie. I must say this book made me think twice about turning out the lights to go to sleep. It was a very well written book, where every page tells an important part of the story. The stand off between the old priest and his nemesis is one of the better conflicts I have read. I highly reccomend this book being added to anybody's personal library.
Rating:
Summary: Scary and Well Written
Review: This is a justly famous book. It has an original story and is well told. Most importantly, it has characters who are individuals. When Blatty switches from one character to another you don't find yourself saying "Who is this?" You know. Of course, most people have seen the movie and they will be shocked to see that the events that occupy 50% of the film occupy the last 25 pages of the book. The book uses an interesting technique in that past events are interspersed in italics within the main body of the current time. I don't know for sure but this hearkens back to Hemingway's method in "The Snows of Kilomanjaro". All in all this is a good read and it is well worth the time.
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Summary: Scary Demonic Spirits!
Review: When I first read the Exorcist by William Peter Blatty I found that it was extremely tedious in the beginning. I don't know if it was just me, but I really didn't understand it. It talks about Father Merrin in Iraq. I really didn't see the connection that this had to the book. However, once it got to the point of the story in Georgetown 'WOW'. It was bountiful and very terrifying. I really enjoyed it and got into it because it's something that could really happen. The idea of being with someone who has a demonic spirit possession gives me the chills. Even to think about it gives me the creeps.
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: Good Enough To Warrant Two Reviews
Review: In the last paragraph of my January 29 review of William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist, I gave an idea of why I was writing *that* review; essentially the first time I tried to read The Exorcist it disturbed me too much to complete it, and I wanted to write that review so as to "wet my feet" in The Exorcist's icy waters. Holy smoke! This novel is frightening!Well, so, I *did* read it all the way through this second time, and my personal advice with this novel is just dive on in -- no "wetting of feet" -- because this novel will scare the pooh out of you, no matter which way you read it. That is the thrill ride that is The Exorcist! On the third night reading this (oh, about February 7, or so) I fell asleep having just gotten through pages 150-216. I woke up three times with nightmares. One of the times, I went to the bathroom, did my business, and I thought I saw something moving in the house. Because of the hazy state of being half-awake, half-asleep, I thought (get this, folks!) it was Regan moving through the house! Oh, holy pooh! This novel is scary! Disturbing! I have never had a novel get inside my head this way! It literally gave me nightmares, man. Fiction! Again, my girlfriend just did not understand why any sane human being would want to experience this kind of thing reading fiction -- and the closest thing I can relate it to, is going through the State Fair's Haunted House when I was a little kid. You choose to be scared, knowing (or hoping) you will make it through to the end! The most disturbing section of the novel *is* that stretch from like pages 150-216, where the demon just goes evil on Regan and Chris. And the final 100+ pages is more affirming, and plot/mystery oriented, building to the novel's famous climax. It's an unusual novel. I would not recommend it to most people I know, on the one hand; on the other, it is the most disturbing novel I have ever read. If you *really* want to be so scared as to lose sleep and have nightmares, then I highly recommend The Exorcist! If you do not like being disturbed, I would recommend just about anything *other than* The Exorcist. Wow! It is so disturbing I'm having trouble finishing this revie
Rating: 
Summary: A good read, but almost exactly the same as the movie.
Review: I read this book because I have always like the movie so much. I also read this book because most books tend to be very different than the filmed version. Not so with this book. The movie follows the book almost exactly so when I was reading this it really didn't impress me as much because it was so similar to what I've seen for years. It was still worth reading and I will give it a solid 4 stars out of 5.
Rating:
Summary: A Terrifying journey that will leave you sleepless.
Review: I watched the movie when I was in 7th grade and slept with my mother for 2 weeks. But nothing could prepare me for the nightmares to come after reading this terrifying novel by William Peter Blatty. You are drawn into the 12 year old Regan and held there with the Demon that keeps her until you finally drop the book and have to go for a walk to get the visions out of you head. This is by far the scariest novel that I have ever, and probably will ever read. I highly recommend this book to even the people that scare easy. This is a piece of literature that will never die and will scare the hell out of people for generations to come.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Disturbing Novel I've Ever Read
Review: I stopped reading this novel in Hurricane, Utah last summer. My girlfriend and I were taking a road trip from Arizona north up to Montana and on over to Yellowstone. It seems like I'd checked it out from the library about a week before the trip and I was about 200 pages along by the time we got to Hurricane. I'll just never forget the image of that book cover on a night stand or dashboard and how each and every night she and I talked about the book -- and how disturbing it was to me. The story is so well known it has been parodied and sequeled and spoofed in more than a couple places. At its core, The Exorcist is a simple story about a girl, Regan, being possessed by Satan. Her mother Chris, is a working actress, a single mom, and the setting is early 70s New England. Basically, a priest [Demitri Kerras] who's own faith is borderline must summon up the conviction and faith to save the girl. The story telling is what is so profoundly disturbing, though -- to me. Blatty begins by introducing the fact that something supernatural, something evil is in the MacNeil home. And then he leaves it. He tells Chris and Regan's story. How they are struggling, financially, emotionally, etc., but with each chapter the anticipation (and the fear) is ratcheted up. The themes of religion are not demonized (ironically) and I believe it was Blatty's sincerity, his belief, that makes this all the more horrifying. If he'd have been on a quest to show how screwed up religion is, or how warped fanatics are, this would not have been as effective, as frightening as it is. Blatty's novel approaches a religion-founded horror story from the point-of-view of someone who has a dynamic perspective of religion -- both good and bad -- and the novel really becomes a kind of spiritual quest, where a man's faith, the very thing he believes in (and perhaps the most noble thing *to* believe in) is drawn into question -- to the point of his giving his life. It is such a twisted tale, so disturbing, that I could not finish it. This is not to say it is ineffective. It was too effective. I think the main reason I wanted to write this review was to kind of wet my feet again with the idea of The Exorcist, in that I want to try reading it again. It is a rare novel. Absolutely horrifying. Shocking. Profound. It will scare the hell out of you. Stacey
Rating:
Summary: I'm not even a contemporary horror story fan...
Review: ...I loved it. Disturbing, yes. However, I've just read it for the first time at thirty-five years old this year and found the tale not awful but rather hopeful. I was impressed with a short story written by Blatty and the only book available in a bookstore was The Exorcist. I got it for the car ride home after the holidays. There are some really beautiful aspects of this celebrated horror story. Not the least of which are love, brother/sisterhood and the triumph of good over evil in a moving way. I didn't think I'd recommend it when I bought it. I read it. Check it out. I'm sure you can pick up an inexpensive copy somewhere. The library probably has gone through its list of holds, too. It has been over twenty-five years after its release, after all.
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.
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