Customer Reviews

Baal a

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Even Mccammon admits that Baal wasn't his best work. I have to agree, which hurts me because Mccammon wrote the incredible Boys Life (best book ever), and Swan Song (Go read these now!), but I didn't care for Baal much. Baal is the progeny of Satan via the rape of a poor woman, whose tale for the first 40 pages is engrossing and very entertaining as she beings to suspect that there is something wrong with her son...Then the tale moves to the next two phases of Baal's life - the orphanage, and as an adult as he amasses his fanatic zealots to aid his cause of chaos. And it is in these last 2 parts that the tale turns south.
If you are a die-hard fan of Mccammon(as I am), you have to read it, but just don't expect it to come close to anything else he has written - but to be fair this was his first book, and the first 40 pages are certainly foreshadow of the writer he would become.

Relic113

This book was awful. The story boring and predictable, not to mention a bit confusing historically (Baal was banished by the Hebrews), the characters totally unbelievable. If you are looking for an intro to Bob McCammon, do yourself a favor and read Swan Song or Mine, two extraordinary novels of horrific proportions, edgy and energetic, frighteningly vivid.

...this is the perfect novel. This novel will thrill you and keep you in suspense days after you've finished reading it.

I started reading Robert R. Mcammon, with the short story collection, "Blue World". I loved that so moved on to his other works, and AM VERY DISAPPOINTED to learn that he's supposedly stopped writing horror. Anyway, "Baal" is a classic horror novel. Anytime a novel or movie stays with me, I know it's done it's job. It's entertained me and become part of what I like about reading. That is the STIMULATION of IMAGINATION. Well, the Dracula-esque ending, and shear terror and disturbing quality of this novel, makes it a true KING fan's honorary favorite of Mcammon's books. If you like this one I ALSO RECOMMEND "SWAN SONG" AND "BLUE WORLD", also by McCammon

I read this book in an evening; it's a fairly quick read if you don't lose interest. I had no problem with it, but I can see where others had issues with it. This was McCammon's first book, so it is by no means his best. The story of Baal (a daemon or demigod of evil) who is born from a raped woman and manages to gather together a frenzied following of believers. The "good guys" we follow include a theology professor, a half Eskimo hunter and the mysterious "Michael" in their quest to end Baal's influence.

The book is well written, though from the beginning I feared I was reading an "Omen" rip off. Then we changed settings and drifted away from the "Omen" plot and moved on to other plots we have seen before. The problem with this story versus so many other of McCammon's is that there really isn't anything here that we haven't seen before. Granted it's brilliantly written, but it's a rehash and remixing of all of the other antichrist movies and books.

As a McCammon fan, you will probably be a bit disappointed since, as I previously stated this was his first book and therefore not as polished or mind bogglingly genius as his following novels, however even his first book is far superior to many of the others on the shelves for purchase. I did enjoy reading this, the Eskimos were a nice touch... but he could have gone much farther than he did. Still I will give it 4 stars because even though it's not his best, it's better than most of the garbage that is published.

"Baal" one of McCammon's best books. Pure horror and suspense. It's a book easy to read and to understand. It really get's your attention to it. It's pure evil. Fantastic. Claudia Cox

Robert MCammon is hands down one of my favorite novelist The Wolf's Hour, Mine, andBoy's Life are some of my favorites. He makes some of the greatest character choice and usually reading his books you know that no character is truly safe.

Baal has some good moments, I think this book could have been a lot stronger, if we got to stay with Baal more. I found the first six chapters really interesting, cause they show how Baal grew up and gave you insight in to how he manipulates people and creates follower. Then we hardly see Baal in person after that until the end. The end didn't ave the build up that I have come to expect with McCammon novels. It does have some scary moments, some great description that could leave you a little sick.

For a Robert McCammon fan I did find this book rewarding, this being his first published novel, I got to see the choices that he makes in this book effect the choices in other books. In one scene it's Baal, michael, Zark, Virga, and the dogs, ad you think they have him right where they want him, which remind's me of a scene from Mister Slaughter where Mr.Slaughter, Matthew. Hudson, and two horses are in Close to the same predicament and He makes a totally different choice. In this book like most of the others he uses weather as an adversary.

I thought this book had a lot of potential but was let down by the choices made.

I read Baal about 10, give or take years ago. This novel is to about the only novel that I find to be so close to the GOOD AND EVIL of ALL. I think that it was well written and captures your interest and won't let go.

This book will inspire you to buy the whole McCammon collection. The best Anti-christ book in ages..

Robert McCammon's fast paced tale takes you around the world to stop the Baal. Can Armageddon be averted? A new twist to a classic theme