Customer Reviews

The Demonologist : The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren

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I know I was not prepared for this. I love horror movies and books, have seen the Exorcist, the Omen, Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist III, etc. I have read both the Exorcist and it's sequel, Legion. And I have even seen the Warrens' seminar four times. I sat down with this book expecting a good scare and some good entertainment. What I got was something else altogether.

To start, The Exorcist is a cakewalk compared to this. It puts any Stephen King or H. P. Lovecraft story to shame. It's simply the most frightening book I have ever read. This is partly due to how convincing it is and partly do to how it portrays real horror. It describes the intelligence and strategy of the demonic spirit, and the insanity, terror, and consequences they're capable of. The Exorcist seems like a very mild case of exorcism after reading this.

But more importantly, this book makes you think. It wasn't written to scare or even to shock. It was written to inform. I didn't come into this a believer, either in the supernatural or religion. I was a curious enthusiast who found the Warrens to be fascinating, even if they are just conartists. (Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. I don't care.) But since I've finished it I've had to completely reevaluate my stance on religion. I think it gives a deeper understanding of true evil and a very real God. This book didn't make me run out and find Jesus, but it did make me rethink religion. One very important reason for this is that the book, even though the Warrens are Catholics, doesn't cater to one faith. Instead it paints a picture of religion that includes all faiths. It basically backs up the belief that all major religions worship the same God, just in different ways.

The case for the existence of demonic spirits is so carefully thought out, so tactfully delivered that one can't help but wonder. I couldn't help starting to believe. This is a very different type of book than The Exorcist or Rosemary's Baby. For one I found reading it at night unbearable.

The book goes on to make the bizarre and ridiculous stories like Amityville seem so much more possible. After reading this the so-called "evidence" that these stories are hoaxes will seem laughable. It will be clear that those people just don't understand.

Many reviews here will tell you that strange things happened to the reader while they were reading the book. This is ridiculous and untrue. For one, this book is doing just what the Devil doesn't want, exposing his truth. Reading it is quite safe and will make you less likely to experience something like this. Knowledge is key. The greatest trick the Devil ever played was convincing the world that he doesn't exist.

So I urge you to read this. You won't forget it. You won't regret it.

It's understandable that most people would dismiss a book like this out of hand. However, considering that this book really does stand in a league of its own, it would be the reader's loss to give this a miss.

I've read widely in many genres including the "ghost/spirit" genre. As a librarian, it has been my job to review non-fiction books of all varieties and judge them for quality. I also have a bit of an interest in the topic personally. So, when I say this book is most recommended, and is in fact in my Top Ten Non-Fiction List, I sincerely mean what I am saying.

I know that the subject seems a bit ... cheesy. Frankly, it's been done to death (no pun intended), but it has never been done RIGHT until Mr. Brittle's book came along. Conjecture, sensationalism, cornyness, New Age claptrap -- I wouldn't blame you if you thought this book was just another lame "Magic for Dummies" type offering. HOWEVER:

1. This book was meticulously researched and documented.
2. This book does not contain anything remotely cheesy. In fact, the cases in this book are explored with a brisk, no-nonsense tone.
3. The pictures included are worth seeing.
4. Ed and Lorraine Warren did not collect phat paychex for going into haunted houses. In fact, they did all of their work for free. Contrast that with many of the so-called "psychic researchers" we see on TV today.
5. This book reads more like a textbook than it does anything else.
6. This book does not try to push religion or in fact any viewpoint down the reader's throat. The facts are presented and you are left to make up your own mind.
7. Ed and Lorraine kick b*tt and make no apologies for their beliefs.

I was very happy to see this book available on Amazon, as it was out of print for years and the only copy I could find was on Alibris for $100.

I would say, buy this book while you can. You'll thank me -- and you'll thank Gerald Brittle, Ed, and Lorraine for being forthright about this much-maligned topic.

This is extraordinarily terrifying non-fiction. First off all I can safely say that many would find themselves better off not reading this book if they are of a nervous disposition. It is extremely serious in tone and probably one of the most compelling dissertations on the phenomena of ghosts, spirits and demons that I have come across. This is not your casual, "I saw a ghost floating across a room in a haunted house" or "I felt a cold spot in my bedroom and watched a glowing orb" type ghost book. It is more along the lines of "This entity was ripping my living room to shreds, writing obscene messages on the walls and appearing behind me as a disfigured monk with no eyes who then proceeded to attack me while my family screamed in terror as they huddled together on the staircase."

I was really unsure of what I was getting myself into here. I heard that this book had a cult following and that Stephen King basically calls it his best book of reference. I was aware that this book was about two "ghost hunters" - Ed and Lorraine Warren and covers some of their research, spanning some 60 years, along with various case studies. What I did not know is that this book actually makes a valid statement on the entire issue of haunted houses, ghosts and demons and even goes into elaborate explanations for these phenomena. Truth be told I have read some highly professional books on this very topic before. Here is a word of advice. If you are seriously interested in learning more about the Occult then read "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" by W.Y.Evans-Wentz. It has forward by Jung. It is an ancient Tibetan Holy book that elaborates on and explains many different types of psychic phenomena but the book is not classed as such. It is a religious/psychological book about Tibetan Buddhism but it clarifies a lot about the supernatural. So I was well armed going into this one with at least a little more knowledge on the subject that your average reader.

The first thing that struck me was the authenticity of what I was reading. There are many books on this topic that would make me laugh or at least see another logical reason for what was going on. "The Demonologist" is having none of that. It is straightforward - here is another world, YOUR WORLD, where demons actually exist creating misery for peoples lives. Everything is explained in relentless detail without sparing the readers unease about such a topic. The book moves between cases of demonic disturbances (incorrectly referred to as Poltergeist activity according to the author) and the lives of the two researchers/demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren. Most of the book is done in an interview fashion with Ed and Lorraine answering many questions and telling several stories about their many encounters with the diabolical. One story, about a family called the Donovans, will blow your mind. The case is also illustrated with photographs of demonic activity in progress. There is also transcripts of conversations with ghosts and demons from tape recordings.

Ed and Lorraine Warren are not "ghost hunters" per se. Ed actually uses religious strategies and holy objects to establish and combat the very physical presence of an "inhuman" spirit that is usually violent and on the offensive. Lorraine uses her sixth sense to establish connections with "human" spirits that are passive and inoffensive and are just looking for resolution to their misery. The book mostly concentrates on the malevolent "inhuman" type.

There is also something tremendously otherworldly about the book itself as if it carries with it some sort of direct connection to the Warrens experiences. "Potent" would be the best word to describe it. I am telling you right now in an honest manner, do not go near this book if you think you will be uncomfortable about the subject matter. The mildest parts of this book are utterly mind shattering and the more disturbing elements will deliver instant insomnia with unfeigned paranoia by the truckload. Only for the hardened spiritual explorers who can deal with the "demon shock" - The Exorcist is kindergarten in comparison.

**As a note there is apparently a problem with the US edition which has been heavily edited and is missing pictures. The UNCUT edition is available from the UK. I went the extra mile and got the UNCUT version but I have not seen the US edition so I can not say with certainty that this is the case except that other reviewers too have pointed out that the US edition is cut. Get it from Amazon UK if you want the UNCUT version like I did.**

My only critic about this book is the pictures. Please reprint them as quality standard middle section pictures next time! The resolution was not the best - however, like the rest of the book, they certainly are unsettling.

I purchased my copy of this book over 20 years ago. I would assume it was from the first, un-cut printing.

I have always enjoyed reading about all things paranormal. At the time that I purchased this book, I had already read several Stephen King novels and many other books from the horror and paranormal genres (fictional and non-fictional), so I thought I was in for just another good read.

Little did I know that this book would become the measuring stick from which I would compare every other "scary" book or movie since. My reaction pretty much mirrors what other reviewers have said. Not only did it keep me awake at night, I really didn't want to be alone very much after reading it.

Sometimes, it seems that the motion picture industry and other media portrays the supernatural with special affects and plot lines that are "over-the-top", this book brought the supernatural to a grass-roots, "this could happen to me" level.

Although I'm naturally a skeptical sort and take most things with a grain of salt, I've never really been able to "move on" from this book.

I'm not a professional reviewer (I don't even qualify as a layman), I've just read a lot of books over the years. Not one of them affected me the way that "The Demonologist" did. Even now, after all this time, (25 years, give or take), the memory of some of the events portrayed in this book scares the crap out of me.

If you enjoy reading about the paranormal, pick this one up. You may, or may not, ever forget it.....

For as long as I can remember, Ed and Lorraine Warren have been like a paranormal "institution." They were already famous, the world over, when I was just a kid. I don't believe there is anyone, not even the renowned Hans Holzer, that can claim the the track record that Ed and Lorraine Warren have had. Despite having attended a couple of their lectures in past years however, I hadn't really been following any of their activities for quite some time, so it was only after I had learned that Ed Warren had, sadly, passed away, that I went into their website for the first time in several years, and there saw the book, "The Demonlogist." The very first comment I'd like to make about the book itself, is that it is definitely worth the money. I'd like to follow that comment by stating that I have been drawn to the paranormal since early childhood. I have worked as and still do research as a paranormal investigator, and I have accumulated quite an extensive library of books on the paranormal. From a scientific investigating and research point of view, I feel this is an extremely important, and absolutely "must have" book. And although it is apparently used as a demonology "textbook" of sorts, by the Catholic Church, when training their own priests in the subject, it does not read like a textbook at all. It is, by turns, fascinating, terrifying, and extremely thought-provoking. There were a few things in the book that I did not agree with, the first being that the Goddess Diana is a demon. In Wiccan religion the Goddess Diana is the loving protectress of women and children, there is nothing demonic about her. And although it was very encouraging to read Lorraine's comments that Wicca is utilized for good and positive results, I disagree with her that any "grey" witchcraft, magic used to help oneself, to attract prosperity, love etc, is evil. However, intent, as they say is everything, and it is one's "intent" that determines if one's actions are good or evil. When magic is used against the free will of another, it doesn't matter what kind of spell is being cast, or magic being performed, the action is a negative one, and will, in the end, yield negative results. Having said that however, nothing in "The Demonologist" came across as fabricated, or exaggerated. On the contrary, it was all the more credible to see the pains the author took to state that only the information and cases that were witnessed and documented both by clergy and/or the principal individuals were included in the book. For anyone interested in the paranormal, or for any paranormal investigator, I would give this book a hundred percent endorsement as absolutely required reading. For those who scare easily, I would not recommend reading the book before bed (I did but only because that's the only time I had to read it).I think that if you're not sure where you stand in terms of religious or spiritual belief, this book will definitely help you make up your mind. If there is anything that comes across in the book, it is that Ed Warren was extremely knowledgable about the subject of demonology; extremely adept at helping people deal with and resolve the terrifying results of their encounters with inhuman spirits; and that both he and his wife Lorraine were being completely authentic and sincere in regards to everything that they claimed to have experienced over the years. This incredible book is most certainly worth the money, and you will not be disappointed if you buy it.

I resisted reading this book for a long time because I thought it was just a knock-off of The Exorcist, but after learning that Stephen King uses The Demonologist as a reference I figured it was time to give it a try. My God I wasn't prepared for what I'd find out. Throw away all your other ghost stories, you won't need them after this. Not only is The Demonologist a legitimate book in its own right, it's one of the most incredible things I've ever read. This isn't just some collection of ghost stories, this book reveals the exact process behind spirit activity and then backs it up with real cases that have happened today. All I can say is no wonder it's back in print, it needs to be!

It is hard to believe that there are still so many people out there who do not believe in the supernatural. There are others who last loveones and want to establish contact with them in various ways.Reading "The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Careers of Ed and Lorraine Warren" should make you aware of that you should not "play" with things that you do not know and that you might not be able to deal with the possible consequences. The book is not just a set of so called Ghost Stories but a very very usable source of gaining knowledge on the topic. I would call the book a WARNING an insight into the "Other World".
I have to admit that I was scared to death when I read the book but I was unable to put it down. I read over half of it in 5 hours and I had the feeling as if somebody did not want me to read it.
I urge you to read this book even if you are a non believer. It will help you when you are confronted with the spirit world and teach you to be careful in what you are doing.

I am a paranormal investigator and bought this book last year after experincing my first case of possession and known diabolical activity. It easy to say we just interested in ghosts but we do not choose what we come into contact with. There are members of the ghost hunting community that will tell you demons are mythical such as IGHS and try to convience you the biblical references are just a bunch of B.S but dispit there efforts to have you believe they are the foremost authority with just over twenties years combined experince in ghost research, this book is by a couple who can say they have over a century of combined experinced and they have researched many cases world wide with the documentation to prove it.
This book is a must read for anyone interested in paranormal research of spirit entities or for those interested in becoming Clergy, entering the deliverance field or even thinking of playing around with the occult.
While the Warrens are catholic and speak in terms related to those of the catholic denomination, the information in this book applies to all denominations. They provide a clear explanation of the various spirit types breaking down ghost and demons as seperate entities. Each has it's own catagory of phenomenia and most often demonic spirits are brought in by invitation. my philosephy is if it was good enough for Jesus to believe then it is good enough for me. Anyone questioning the exsistance of demons or any other experince should read the bible at least once, there is plenty to say in fact I can't imagine why many paranormal buffs do not or have not read the bible since it is full for such stories related to our interest in the supernatural.
For those believing every word such groups like IGHS tells them, you might start to notice the contridictions of Dave & Sharon who are the IGHS. The Warrens were around long before IGHS was even out chasing ghosts and IGHS did not coin the term orb either since it appears in the orginal publication back in the eighties.
Ed Warren says "knowledge is power" and he is so right. I wish I read this before getting involved in ghost research. The case of possession I ran into sent me straight back to church where I had stopped going over the years. I gave my life back to Christ, actually read the bible from front to back, and was baptized with in just a few months are that possession case. I will not be falling down again. When something like this is experinced, it changes you. There is no more doubt what can happen and if you thought chasing ghosts was just a fun activity, think again. It's russian Roulette with consequences and while the Warrens don't try and discourage this practice, it is best to know what your up against and what to do when you do run into this activity. It is a must have, must read, and most important investment you'll ever make. It not enjoyable reading because of the content but it is surely the most educational text ever written.

I bought this book years ago when it first came out in the 80s off the bargain shelf of Walden's. I was just expecting the same old ghost stories as from other books which I had read, but this one is different and made the most lasting impression on me. For one thing, it's not really a ghost book at all like I had anticipated at the time I bought it, but a book about sly, evil and invisible UNearthly beings which wish us simple earthly beings harm. Ghosts are at least from our own earthly existence going about their own business (usually), but devils & demons (fallen angels) are vastly different? I had never had an education of such spiritual matters before, and none since. It was an eye-opening, educational read, and I started reading it the day I picked it up and finished it the next day. The Warrens must have incredible inner strength spiritually to do what they do, and I could never see myself doing this for one a minute (or less).

This book is a MUST have and a MUST read for anyone interested in the demonic in today's world. The Demonologist leads the reader from cases of ghost hauntings, to spirit infestation, oppression, and ultimately possession. Although the back cover gives praises for Brittle's writing, Brittle actually writes very little, and instead has put together this cohesive volume of interview responses from Ed and Lorraine Warren, who cite many examples and anecdotes from their fascinating careers.

Ed is a self described demonologist - an expert in demons - while his wife Lorraine is a clairvoyant. Together, they've traveled throughout the world investigating hauntings and spirit phenomena. They've lectured across the United States and Great Britain, particularly on college campuses, hoping to educate people on the demonic, and how to avoid it. They share their experiences so that people no longer unwittingly invite demons into their lives, and so that people know the difference between ghosts - deceased human spirits - and inhuman or demonic spirits.

Keeping true to their Catholic faith, they never once perform an exorcism, but instead leave that up to the priest. However, they have trained a lot of priests in practical demonology, and have made the case for an exorcism on a number of different occasions. They have also worked with Protestant ministers, rabbis, and even yogis in expelling demons. Most fascinating of all, however, beyond the paranormal phenomena often associated with demonic presences, are the Warrens' understanding of the demonic, and how they interacted with it.

There are facts about the demonic contained in this book that you will not come across in any other book. As such, this book would make an excellent textbook on the demonic in contemporary times, and in fact, the back cover claims that it is being used as a textbook in various seminaries. I can see why. For instance, there are different classes of demonic spirits, different levels of intelligence, and different rankings. Devil possession is rarer than demon possession, where the devil is the master of the demonic. Plus, it is not uncommon in possession to have multiple demonic spirits present, perhaps even a devil and numerous demons.

While there is not a lot of narrative from Brittle, there is just enough background information given to give context to the actual words from the Warrens themselves. There are even a couple of transcripts from tapes the Warrens recorded, and some photographs showing phenomena in progress. There are no shortcuts taken in this book, nothing hidden. The Warrens even explain how the demonic enters our lives, and in over half the cases they investigated, it was through a Ouija board! An excellent and thorough book, this is a must have, if not for the information on demons and possessions, just for the story about the Warrens and their fascinating careers.

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