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The Exorcist #2
Legion
1983 Simon Schuster hardcover, William Peter Blatty. One by one the bizarre murders frustrate and torment Lt. Kinderman, the homicide detective from The Exorcist. A boy, crucified; a priest, decapitated; another priest slain; a nurse, slaughtered � all bear the Zodiac mark of the Gemini Killer. BUT ... the Gemini Killer has been dead for 12 years � Lt. Kinderman stalks the brutal and elusive killer down the dark streets. Until, finally, in desperation he dares to cross the boundary that separates the living from the dead. - ŷ
269 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
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About the author
William Peter Blatty
56books1,270followersWilliam Peter Blatty was an American writer and filmmaker. He wrote the novel The Exorcist (1971) and the subsequent screenplay version for which he won an Academy Award. Born and raised in New York City, Blatty received his bachelor's degree in English from the Georgetown University in 1950, and his master's degree in English literature from the George Washington University in 1954. He also wrote and directed the sequel "The Exorcist III". Some of his other notable works are the novels Elsewhere (2009), Dimiter (2010) and Crazy (2010).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 918 reviews
November 4, 2023
“Legion� by William Peter Blatty is the sequel to his legendary horror novel “The Exorcist� and my goodness, was I excited to read this! I just finished reading “The Exorcist� on Halloween night and couldn’t wait to jump into the sequel but unfortunately, I was in for quite the shock and not of the good kind.
Now, before I jump into my review, there are a few trigger warnings I found while reading. They are�
- Graphic violence against children
- Major religious defamation against Catholicism
If either of these triggers you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, I was genuinely surprised at the direction Blatty took this novel in because it feels entirely different from “The Exorcist� in every way, shape, and form. Missing are the core elements of sheer demonic horror and bone-chilling atmospheric writing in favor of some weird murder mystery story that didn’t make any sense to me.
This novel is nowhere near as scary as the original and this entire story was beyond boring. It drags on way too much and gets confusing at times due to endless dialogue about literally nothing. I felt Blatty overcomplicated this story big time to try and hammer home the whole good vs. evil angle but it failed big time.
The characters aren’t memorable but very annoying, especially Kinderman. I didn’t mind his character in “The Exorcist� but in “Legion� he was extremely unlikable and I couldn’t stand him. I also didn’t understand why Blatty felt the need to write every single thought in Kinderman’s mind as he tried to figure out this weird murder mystery.
There is way too much fluff here and this novel needed to be more thrilling and creepy to even keep up with the legacy of the original. This was a complete and utter slogfest that I’m surprised was even released. Did there really need to be a sequel to “The Exorcist� considering how it ended the way it did?
I think this could have potentially been one hell of a sequel but Blatty dropped the ball big time after such a historic and impactful horror novel. Instead of this boring murder mystery with a protagonist that questioned everything from science, God, the clouds, chicken soup, and everything else in between, this would have been better if it focused on one or some of the better main characters from the original.
This would probably have been a lot more awesome if it continued Regan’s story or something that you know, would have been interesting. Perhaps a look at Regan decades later as an adult and the demon comes back, possesses her child, or just something that continues the whole demonic terror that made the original as incredible as it was. I could care less about Kinderman but would have loved to have seen what Regan or even her mom Chris have been up to since the ending of the original.
As I kept reading, I was waiting for something, anything to happen. This book is 80 percent nonstop dialogue on top of useless “letters� to fill space and 20 percent somewhat scary things with a decent plot twist way at the end. This was a slow-burn kind of novel that didn’t take me anywhere fun or scary and ultimately a huge letdown. Even the ending was a “wut?� moment because it just left me disappointed.
The only saving grace was Blatty’s excellent writing style which I also loved in the original but that can only go so far if the story is lame and not terrifying enough. Seriously, what happened here? This doesn’t feel like a direct sequel at all to “The Exorcist� and that’s mostly due to Kinderman’s constant rambling all throughout this novel. It was so overdone, this was a frustrating and irritating novel to read.
I wanted demonic horror, not theology. I wanted more of that super creepy demonic possession kind of horror, not some boring murder mystery with a detective who questions the world, birds, the sun, and common sense because he wants to keep blabbing to anyone who has ears.
The plot twist at the end I actually did enjoy but it took way too long to get there. Due to this novel being as slow as it was, it completely took me out of the reading experience. I will always love Blatty’s exceptional writing skills and the impact “The Exorcist� has had on my life both as a movie and novel but this novel shouldn’t have been written or even published.
There really was no need to try and continue the story of “The Exorcist� through Kinderman’s character as it would have been best to leave it alone as a standalone novel and not extend the story with some of the worst characters that nobody even cared about. If this was the path he wanted to go in, that’s fine, but to label this murder mystery nonsense as a sequel to a novel that’s a horror masterpiece is wrong.
“Legion� didn’t add much to the original novel to truly continue the story and even though it does tie things together just a bit, this didn’t cut it for me. It was lifeless and felt as if I was reading a book for college or something that was mandated and not picked for the love of reading horror. The overexplaining of religion, science, God, murder, priests, angels, demons, etc. was unbearable. I can’t tell you how many times I said in my head what the hell am I even reading? I could not wait to be done with this so I could move on to something better.
I give “Legion� by William Peter Blatty a 2/5 as it’s one big snoozefest with barely a few things that were decent. The only things I enjoyed were Blatty’s excellent writing skills once again being a highlight and a decent plot twist at the end that tied things to a degree to the original novel. Everything else? Boring, uninspired, and one huge letdown of epic proportions. I ultimately feel this should have never been written and just left “The Exorcist� as a standalone novel and movie. I see that multiple movies were made with this franchise and as always, nothing will ever top the original. I feel that’s the exact same case here with the original novel being a horror masterpiece and this being something that should never have seen the light of day. I wouldn’t say it tarnishes the overall legacy of “The Exorcist� or Blatty as an author but it definitely leaves a sour taste of green vomit in my mouth. It’s that bad and is a novel I would not recommend to anyone who loves horror. I’d recommend reading “The Exorcist� and leaving it at that while avoiding this hot mess.
Now, before I jump into my review, there are a few trigger warnings I found while reading. They are�
- Graphic violence against children
- Major religious defamation against Catholicism
If either of these triggers you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, I was genuinely surprised at the direction Blatty took this novel in because it feels entirely different from “The Exorcist� in every way, shape, and form. Missing are the core elements of sheer demonic horror and bone-chilling atmospheric writing in favor of some weird murder mystery story that didn’t make any sense to me.
This novel is nowhere near as scary as the original and this entire story was beyond boring. It drags on way too much and gets confusing at times due to endless dialogue about literally nothing. I felt Blatty overcomplicated this story big time to try and hammer home the whole good vs. evil angle but it failed big time.
The characters aren’t memorable but very annoying, especially Kinderman. I didn’t mind his character in “The Exorcist� but in “Legion� he was extremely unlikable and I couldn’t stand him. I also didn’t understand why Blatty felt the need to write every single thought in Kinderman’s mind as he tried to figure out this weird murder mystery.
There is way too much fluff here and this novel needed to be more thrilling and creepy to even keep up with the legacy of the original. This was a complete and utter slogfest that I’m surprised was even released. Did there really need to be a sequel to “The Exorcist� considering how it ended the way it did?
I think this could have potentially been one hell of a sequel but Blatty dropped the ball big time after such a historic and impactful horror novel. Instead of this boring murder mystery with a protagonist that questioned everything from science, God, the clouds, chicken soup, and everything else in between, this would have been better if it focused on one or some of the better main characters from the original.
This would probably have been a lot more awesome if it continued Regan’s story or something that you know, would have been interesting. Perhaps a look at Regan decades later as an adult and the demon comes back, possesses her child, or just something that continues the whole demonic terror that made the original as incredible as it was. I could care less about Kinderman but would have loved to have seen what Regan or even her mom Chris have been up to since the ending of the original.
As I kept reading, I was waiting for something, anything to happen. This book is 80 percent nonstop dialogue on top of useless “letters� to fill space and 20 percent somewhat scary things with a decent plot twist way at the end. This was a slow-burn kind of novel that didn’t take me anywhere fun or scary and ultimately a huge letdown. Even the ending was a “wut?� moment because it just left me disappointed.
The only saving grace was Blatty’s excellent writing style which I also loved in the original but that can only go so far if the story is lame and not terrifying enough. Seriously, what happened here? This doesn’t feel like a direct sequel at all to “The Exorcist� and that’s mostly due to Kinderman’s constant rambling all throughout this novel. It was so overdone, this was a frustrating and irritating novel to read.
I wanted demonic horror, not theology. I wanted more of that super creepy demonic possession kind of horror, not some boring murder mystery with a detective who questions the world, birds, the sun, and common sense because he wants to keep blabbing to anyone who has ears.
The plot twist at the end I actually did enjoy but it took way too long to get there. Due to this novel being as slow as it was, it completely took me out of the reading experience. I will always love Blatty’s exceptional writing skills and the impact “The Exorcist� has had on my life both as a movie and novel but this novel shouldn’t have been written or even published.
There really was no need to try and continue the story of “The Exorcist� through Kinderman’s character as it would have been best to leave it alone as a standalone novel and not extend the story with some of the worst characters that nobody even cared about. If this was the path he wanted to go in, that’s fine, but to label this murder mystery nonsense as a sequel to a novel that’s a horror masterpiece is wrong.
“Legion� didn’t add much to the original novel to truly continue the story and even though it does tie things together just a bit, this didn’t cut it for me. It was lifeless and felt as if I was reading a book for college or something that was mandated and not picked for the love of reading horror. The overexplaining of religion, science, God, murder, priests, angels, demons, etc. was unbearable. I can’t tell you how many times I said in my head what the hell am I even reading? I could not wait to be done with this so I could move on to something better.
I give “Legion� by William Peter Blatty a 2/5 as it’s one big snoozefest with barely a few things that were decent. The only things I enjoyed were Blatty’s excellent writing skills once again being a highlight and a decent plot twist at the end that tied things to a degree to the original novel. Everything else? Boring, uninspired, and one huge letdown of epic proportions. I ultimately feel this should have never been written and just left “The Exorcist� as a standalone novel and movie. I see that multiple movies were made with this franchise and as always, nothing will ever top the original. I feel that’s the exact same case here with the original novel being a horror masterpiece and this being something that should never have seen the light of day. I wouldn’t say it tarnishes the overall legacy of “The Exorcist� or Blatty as an author but it definitely leaves a sour taste of green vomit in my mouth. It’s that bad and is a novel I would not recommend to anyone who loves horror. I’d recommend reading “The Exorcist� and leaving it at that while avoiding this hot mess.
August 3, 2017
"Every man that ever lived craved perfect happiness, the detective poignantly reflected. But how can we have it when we know we're going to die? Each joy was clouded by the knowledge it would end. And so nature had implanted in us a desire for something unattainable? No. It couldn't be. It makes no sense. Why this exception? the detective reasoned. It was nature making hunger when there wasn't any food. We continue. We go on. Thus death proved life."
A young boy is found murdered and crucified on a pair of rowing oars, a priest is decapitated in his confessional box... Mutilations performed at these crime scenes suggest a serial killer from years before, who had been previously shot and presumed dead (although the body had never been recovered). A police detective, Lieutenant Kinderman, investigates these crimes and ends up visiting a mental asylum, where there are a couple of possible suspects and some connections to the exorcism of a certain Regan MacNeil began to form...
First of all, William Peter Blatty is now one of my favourite authors. The Exorcist is probably my favourite horror movie of all time (alongside The Evil Dead and Sinister) and is also one of my top books. So when my buddy Cam (Instagram handle is @skipbassman - you should follow him, cos he's awesome) told me that I should read these other Blatty books, I was on board! I've noticed that an underlying theme of all these Blatty books has been good vs evil, the presence (or absence) of God, and what this means for humanity. This is a topic that I've always found very intriguing and one that I probably think a lot about myself. I guess such a topic isn't for everyone, but you can enjoy both The Exorcist and Legion even if that's not your style.
Having previously watched The Exorcist 3 and having LOVED it, I went into this book with a general idea of what I was getting into (The Exorcist 3 is, of course, based on Legion), but that in no way dampened my reading experience. Blatty's writing style is effortless, easy to read, but it packs a punch. He likes to make you think. As someone who loves serial killers and murder mysteries, the storyline of Legion was a page-turner for me. He writes with such wit and humour, Blatty has such an intelligent and unique voice. And Kinderman himself... *slow claps* great character. Just generally likeable and he's really cute with his wife, which warms this girl's black heart.
The links and tie-ins to The Exorcist were pretty great, it makes me want to reread that one again. But on its own, as a standalone novel, Legion is brilliant. I'm struggling to think of a negative about this novel... the only thing that comes to mind is a couple of dream sequences involving Kinderman, but as a general rule of thumb, dream sequences annoy me. I get what they're trying to convey but often it feels like wasted pages to me. I looked at other reviews on ŷ, which I always do when I finish a book, and one of the major complaints was that it wasn't scary. WELL, sorry that Blatty can deliver something other than horror!!! *severe eye roll* I hate when people go into a book by an author they've read before, expecting more of the same... NO, that's not how it works. That's like listening to a band and expecting the same song over and over again... DUMB DUMB.
Anyway, this girl is now a big fan of William Peter Blatty, and I'm now on the lookout for some more of his books. Legion gets 5 stars out of 5 from me! July was an epic reading month!
A young boy is found murdered and crucified on a pair of rowing oars, a priest is decapitated in his confessional box... Mutilations performed at these crime scenes suggest a serial killer from years before, who had been previously shot and presumed dead (although the body had never been recovered). A police detective, Lieutenant Kinderman, investigates these crimes and ends up visiting a mental asylum, where there are a couple of possible suspects and some connections to the exorcism of a certain Regan MacNeil began to form...
First of all, William Peter Blatty is now one of my favourite authors. The Exorcist is probably my favourite horror movie of all time (alongside The Evil Dead and Sinister) and is also one of my top books. So when my buddy Cam (Instagram handle is @skipbassman - you should follow him, cos he's awesome) told me that I should read these other Blatty books, I was on board! I've noticed that an underlying theme of all these Blatty books has been good vs evil, the presence (or absence) of God, and what this means for humanity. This is a topic that I've always found very intriguing and one that I probably think a lot about myself. I guess such a topic isn't for everyone, but you can enjoy both The Exorcist and Legion even if that's not your style.
Having previously watched The Exorcist 3 and having LOVED it, I went into this book with a general idea of what I was getting into (The Exorcist 3 is, of course, based on Legion), but that in no way dampened my reading experience. Blatty's writing style is effortless, easy to read, but it packs a punch. He likes to make you think. As someone who loves serial killers and murder mysteries, the storyline of Legion was a page-turner for me. He writes with such wit and humour, Blatty has such an intelligent and unique voice. And Kinderman himself... *slow claps* great character. Just generally likeable and he's really cute with his wife, which warms this girl's black heart.
The links and tie-ins to The Exorcist were pretty great, it makes me want to reread that one again. But on its own, as a standalone novel, Legion is brilliant. I'm struggling to think of a negative about this novel... the only thing that comes to mind is a couple of dream sequences involving Kinderman, but as a general rule of thumb, dream sequences annoy me. I get what they're trying to convey but often it feels like wasted pages to me. I looked at other reviews on ŷ, which I always do when I finish a book, and one of the major complaints was that it wasn't scary. WELL, sorry that Blatty can deliver something other than horror!!! *severe eye roll* I hate when people go into a book by an author they've read before, expecting more of the same... NO, that's not how it works. That's like listening to a band and expecting the same song over and over again... DUMB DUMB.
Anyway, this girl is now a big fan of William Peter Blatty, and I'm now on the lookout for some more of his books. Legion gets 5 stars out of 5 from me! July was an epic reading month!
May 10, 2019
This book falls in one of my favorite genres � combination of horror and mystery. I had started the novel with very high expectations. Why shouldn’t I? This is after all the sequel to The Exorcist!
Lt. Kinderman, the homicide cop whom we had met in The Exorcist, is investigating the brutal murders of a child, two priests and a nurse. The murders bear the mark of the Gemini Killer. But, adding to Kinderman’s bafflement is the fact that the Gemini Killer had died 12 years ago.
Are the murders random or there is some connection which nobody can see?
I liked the character of Kinderman in The Exorcist. In that book Kinderman was shown as a very shrewd detective who disarmed the suspects with his eccentric mannerisms. Here we see him pondering over deep philosophical and theological questions.
I am sorry to say, that this novel does not live up to the level of The Exorcist. In all the theological ponderings, somewhere the element of horror got diluted. The book had the right sort of plot to become an excellent supernatural mystery, but somewhere the execution went wrong.
The twist at the end was a saving grace.
I am not saying the book is very bad, but it could have been so much better.
Lt. Kinderman, the homicide cop whom we had met in The Exorcist, is investigating the brutal murders of a child, two priests and a nurse. The murders bear the mark of the Gemini Killer. But, adding to Kinderman’s bafflement is the fact that the Gemini Killer had died 12 years ago.
Are the murders random or there is some connection which nobody can see?
I liked the character of Kinderman in The Exorcist. In that book Kinderman was shown as a very shrewd detective who disarmed the suspects with his eccentric mannerisms. Here we see him pondering over deep philosophical and theological questions.
I am sorry to say, that this novel does not live up to the level of The Exorcist. In all the theological ponderings, somewhere the element of horror got diluted. The book had the right sort of plot to become an excellent supernatural mystery, but somewhere the execution went wrong.
The twist at the end was a saving grace.
I am not saying the book is very bad, but it could have been so much better.
September 20, 2016
PRE-READ
When Ben asked me if I wanted to buddy read this scary as f*ck story, naturally, I said,
... I think I may have ran to the wrong direction...
Commencing on the 25th of August.
*looks at Ben and mouths*
If I lose night sleepS, you're in big trouble, Stahl
POST - READ
Yes. I have indeed ran to the wrong direction.
But not because the story spooked me.
No.
And that is why I was very disappointed and aggravated.
Background.
I was excited to read this. Very excited actually because I have read The Exorcist many years ago.
I have read it because my brother was a clown to give it to me.
I was barely in my teens and enjoying Mills and Boons stories when he gave it to me and said this is a better read {side note: why does everyone seem to pick on my reads?}
Anyways, my epic of a brother kept feeding me all these scary sh*t info whilst reading that I felt was truly traumatized.
I had no choice but to finish the damn book coz I know I'm going to cop it if I drop it midway. Siblings are cruel like that and my brother? He's relentlessly infuriating.
Little did he know that I held (still holding) the ultimate card one can have. I played the "I'm-the-youngest-in-the-family card. And boy did I enjoy the results.
Back to the review.
I WAS BLOODY DISAPPOINTED.
The Exorcist was amazing and deserves lots of applauds as it's really one the finest and best horror stories of all time. Watching the movie was an epic experience too.
And this?
I WANTED TO DNF IT.
What kept me going were:
1. I was BR'ing it with Ben
2. The short burst moments of "Oh it's starting to pick up...and then...NOT!"
Speed bumps everywhere.
Kinderman, the Homicide Detective was just....uhm, lets just say I didn't connect with this character and his inner ramblings. Though, I must say that he was very sweet with his other half. The name calling, the tone of his voice when he talks to her, warmth feeling cloaked me.
This book started off when Kinderman was called in to solve who killed a 12 year old mute black kid that delivers newspapers. Then followed by different killings and all these pointed to the works of a serial killer called Gemini. The catch was, he's been dead for many years.
I've been waiting and waiting
for some mind numbing scary scenes but what I got was measly bouts of random letters being scrawled and some not too scary voices.
I didn't shake in my boots at all and to think I have f*n great imagination that gets the best of me all the time but no.
No scary as f*ck happened.
Nothing like this
Or this happened at all.
And what drove me up the wall was the demon had just daddy issues. Yes, lemme write it again, F*N DADDY ISSUES and his vendetta was to get his revenge and when that was resolved, POOF, the bloody demon GONE.
There are many other things that are so wrong in this book too, to name one is: the science and applied principles.
I won't go into details. I'm not wasting more time here.
*looks at Ben*
Mate, you and I need to talk and see if we have the same definition of horror.
But, look, because I adore you,
I'll let this slide and willing to put Blatty and Legion in the rearview mirror.
Rating it: 1 star.
*tags self* I'm IT, mate. My turn to choose a book for our BR.
Be prepared.
Pls click for Ben's review.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You. YOU, STAHL. YOU'RE INBIG HUGE TROUBLE. I'M BANNING YOU FROM CHOOSING HORROR READS FOR OUR BR.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
.
When Ben asked me if I wanted to buddy read this scary as f*ck story, naturally, I said,
... I think I may have ran to the wrong direction...
Commencing on the 25th of August.
*looks at Ben and mouths*
If I lose night sleepS, you're in big trouble, Stahl
POST - READ
Yes. I have indeed ran to the wrong direction.
But not because the story spooked me.
No.
And that is why I was very disappointed and aggravated.
Background.
I was excited to read this. Very excited actually because I have read The Exorcist many years ago.
I have read it because my brother was a clown to give it to me.
I was barely in my teens and enjoying Mills and Boons stories when he gave it to me and said this is a better read {side note: why does everyone seem to pick on my reads?}
Anyways, my epic of a brother kept feeding me all these scary sh*t info whilst reading that I
I had no choice but to finish the damn book coz I know I'm going to cop it if I drop it midway. Siblings are cruel like that and my brother? He's relentlessly infuriating.
Little did he know that I held (still holding) the ultimate card one can have. I played the "I'm-the-youngest-in-the-family card. And boy did I enjoy the results.
Back to the review.
I WAS BLOODY DISAPPOINTED.
The Exorcist was amazing and deserves lots of applauds as it's really one the finest and best horror stories of all time. Watching the movie was an epic experience too.
And this?
I WANTED TO DNF IT.
What kept me going were:
1. I was BR'ing it with Ben
2. The short burst moments of "Oh it's starting to pick up...and then...NOT!"
Speed bumps everywhere.
Kinderman, the Homicide Detective was just....uhm, lets just say I didn't connect with this character and his inner ramblings. Though, I must say that he was very sweet with his other half. The name calling, the tone of his voice when he talks to her, warmth feeling cloaked me.
This book started off when Kinderman was called in to solve who killed a 12 year old mute black kid that delivers newspapers. Then followed by different killings and all these pointed to the works of a serial killer called Gemini. The catch was, he's been dead for many years.
I've been waiting and waiting
for some mind numbing scary scenes but what I got was measly bouts of random letters being scrawled and some not too scary voices.
I didn't shake in my boots at all and to think I have f*n great imagination that gets the best of me all the time but no.
No scary as f*ck happened.
Nothing like this
Or this happened at all.
And what drove me up the wall was the demon had just daddy issues. Yes, lemme write it again, F*N DADDY ISSUES and his vendetta was to get his revenge and when that was resolved, POOF, the bloody demon GONE.
There are many other things that are so wrong in this book too, to name one is: the science and applied principles.
I won't go into details. I'm not wasting more time here.
*looks at Ben*
Mate, you and I need to talk and see if we have the same definition of horror.
But, look, because I adore you,
I'll let this slide and willing to put Blatty and Legion in the rearview mirror.
Rating it: 1 star.
*tags self* I'm IT, mate. My turn to choose a book for our BR.
Be prepared.
Pls click for Ben's review.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You. YOU, STAHL. YOU'RE IN
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
.
January 3, 2021
"y era que El estaba mandando al espíritu inmundo que saliese del hombre, porque hacia mucho tiempo que se había apoderado de él; Lo ataban con cadenas y lo sujetaban con grilletes, pero el rompía sus ataduras, y el demonio lo empujaba al despoblado.
Entonces Jesús le preguntó: ¿Cómo te llamas? Y él dijo: Legión; porque eran muchos los demonios que habían entrado en él"
SAN LUCAS 8, 26-30
"Se describían la belleza y la perfección de Satanás como asombrosas. «Portador de la Luz». «Estrella de la Mañana». Dios debía haberlo amado mucho. ¿Cómo podía entonces haberlo condenado para toda la eternidad?(...)
Pensó nuevamente en Lucifer, aquel ser de increíble resplandor. Los católicos decían que su naturaleza era invariable. ¿Por qué, pues? ¿Podía, realmente, haber traído enfermedad y muerte al mundo? ¿Ser el autor de esa crueldad y maldad de pesadilla? No tenía sentido"
Un joven aparece crucificado en el puerto, y luego un cura aparece decapitado. Ambos con unas marcas distintivas. El detective Kinderman es el encargado de investigar los casos, cuales aparentan guardar relación con lo sucedido 12 años antes(los acontecimientos de "el exorcista")
Separaría la novela en dos partes:
La primera mitad es un poco un viaje a la deriva , con saltos abruptos entre lo trascendental, existencial, teológico, científico,filosófico, e inclusive momentos bastante hilarantes. Si uno se deja llevar se disfruta.
Los diálogos entre Kinderman y el padre Dyer son brillantes. Ademas de la relación entre ellos de suma complicidad y generosidad mutua. Similar a la que estaban comenzando a forjar el detective y el padre karras, solo que esta ya lleva bastante prolongación en el tiempo(12 años).
El personaje de Kinderman es maravilloso. Sumamente inteligente, elocuente, hilarante,irónico y sarcástico. Pero al ser el protagonista puede resultar por momentos un poco invasivo y verborrágico.
La segunda parte se convierte en una novela negra. Se zambulle de lleno en el suspenso y misterio con lo sobrenatural latente en todo momento.
Una novela con algunos "peros", que en general es muy buena, sumamente fluida, inteligente, con buenos conceptos y Arriesgada .
Seguramente debió ser una jugada muy difícil hacer una "continuación" de semejante obra. A mucha gente no le gusta porque buscaban algo muy parecido al exorcista. Para el autor era mas fácil repetir la formula, trascribir el exorcista y cambiar a Regan por un tal "Diego' y los padres Karras y Merryl por "Carlos" y "Jose" y que todo suceda en un país latino (por poner un ejemplo estúpido). Afortunadamente no es el caso y asumió riesgos .
Entonces Jesús le preguntó: ¿Cómo te llamas? Y él dijo: Legión; porque eran muchos los demonios que habían entrado en él"
SAN LUCAS 8, 26-30
"Se describían la belleza y la perfección de Satanás como asombrosas. «Portador de la Luz». «Estrella de la Mañana». Dios debía haberlo amado mucho. ¿Cómo podía entonces haberlo condenado para toda la eternidad?(...)
Pensó nuevamente en Lucifer, aquel ser de increíble resplandor. Los católicos decían que su naturaleza era invariable. ¿Por qué, pues? ¿Podía, realmente, haber traído enfermedad y muerte al mundo? ¿Ser el autor de esa crueldad y maldad de pesadilla? No tenía sentido"
Un joven aparece crucificado en el puerto, y luego un cura aparece decapitado. Ambos con unas marcas distintivas. El detective Kinderman es el encargado de investigar los casos, cuales aparentan guardar relación con lo sucedido 12 años antes(los acontecimientos de "el exorcista")
Separaría la novela en dos partes:
La primera mitad es un poco un viaje a la deriva , con saltos abruptos entre lo trascendental, existencial, teológico, científico,filosófico, e inclusive momentos bastante hilarantes. Si uno se deja llevar se disfruta.
Los diálogos entre Kinderman y el padre Dyer son brillantes. Ademas de la relación entre ellos de suma complicidad y generosidad mutua. Similar a la que estaban comenzando a forjar el detective y el padre karras, solo que esta ya lleva bastante prolongación en el tiempo(12 años).
El personaje de Kinderman es maravilloso. Sumamente inteligente, elocuente, hilarante,irónico y sarcástico. Pero al ser el protagonista puede resultar por momentos un poco invasivo y verborrágico.
La segunda parte se convierte en una novela negra. Se zambulle de lleno en el suspenso y misterio con lo sobrenatural latente en todo momento.
Una novela con algunos "peros", que en general es muy buena, sumamente fluida, inteligente, con buenos conceptos y Arriesgada .
Seguramente debió ser una jugada muy difícil hacer una "continuación" de semejante obra. A mucha gente no le gusta porque buscaban algo muy parecido al exorcista. Para el autor era mas fácil repetir la formula, trascribir el exorcista y cambiar a Regan por un tal "Diego' y los padres Karras y Merryl por "Carlos" y "Jose" y que todo suceda en un país latino (por poner un ejemplo estúpido). Afortunadamente no es el caso y asumió riesgos .
June 24, 2016
Well I must say this was underwhelming. Perhaps disappointing is a better word? The original book was excellent and deserves mention as one of the finest horror stories of all time. This? Well don't let the abnormally high score on GR fool you, it's not good. At all. The only reason I gave this 2 star instead of the more appropriate 1 is that I did finish the book (though I almost quit three times) and there were a few brief moments of "Wait it's getting better....aannndddd no...no it's not".
Stupid Plot Summary:
Annoying Jewish Homicide Detective (AJHD) Kinderman (K), the cryptic, rambling, tangential Homocide detective from the first novel (friend of Father Karas) is the central figure this time. Yes, yes...I know you thought it would be about a demon...and it sorta is..but mostly (90%) it's about AJHD- K.
So years after the events of the first book, AJHD K is brought in to figure out who nailed a mute 12 year old black kid to some rowing oars. The death marks are reminiscent of an old serial killer called the Gemini, who has been dead for a dozen years. The police also find close by an elderly woman from a mental institution. A few more people die. Same signs in the manner of death. AJHD-K finally traces it back to a hospital and finds that the demon from the first book (Pazuzu if I recall) made a deal with the Gemeni killer's soul. There are a few more twists and turns, some random letters being scrawled, eerie voices, unexpected meetings, etc.... apparently the demon had daddy issues and once the dad was solved..the demon goes it's merry way. There...that was the stupid plot.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT:
In a brief explanation- a LOT. This isn't so much of a horror story but a cheap way for a devout Catholic writer to use AJHD-K to spoon feed us religious claptrap and pooh-pooh all that "science crap". Ever read a Michael Crichton book? The way in which he seamlessly melds complicated scientific terms with a great, cogent story is amazing. Blatty attempts the same thing here. Only one teeny tiny problem as Blatty's surrogate (AJHD K) attempts to fill us with God's eternal love whilst cowering behind scientific terms- Blatty doesn't have the background. What do I mean? DR. Crichton had a B.S. and M.D. from Harvard, was a Post-Doc Fellow at the Salk Institue..getting the picture? A REAL science guy. Mr. Blatty- B.A. from Georgetown and an M.A. in English Lit from George Washington Unv. So most certainly NOT a real science guy, also a far inferior student/intellect than the late Dr. Crichton. Why is this important? Well because Blatty uses his fictional surrogate to make points about the "mysteries" of science from the formation of the eyeball, to evolutionary leaps, to the development of air breathing animals from the fishes to point out that it is SO mysterious and amazing- there was a Creator. Um no..no there wasn't. Blatty like the vast majority of people DOES NOT UNDERSTAND SCIENCE. Harsh statement I know...well I have a BA, 2 MA's and PhD...but they are all in social sciences. Want to know what I know about science? JACK SHIT really. I mean "know". Not a laymans understanding..but to KNOW a thing. We may all, ok we ALL do not but most of us, know about Relativity theory...but how many of us can use mathematical proofs to figure it out and prove it? That's the problem here... Blatty tries really hard to downplay science, using certain scientific principles but then says things like "How does the eye manage to isolate a single image? I don't know...but it points to a creator"...well a REAL Doctor, Opthamologist, Biologist, etc..does know. It is NOT mysterious at all. Blatty just lacks the education to explain it. But he uses his AJHD K to do it for him. The vast majority of people who liked this book are religiously disposed. One reviewer, whom I shall not name, said he could build a Linux server, but there is a learning curve. But he saw a Creator in how a titlark (a bird mentioned in the book-and its nesting habits used as an example by AJHD K) built a highly complex nest with a teeny tiny brain and no experience. *sigh* This is why this book has such a high rating.
What Else is wrong with it:
God (no pun intended)..where shall I go? The vast majority of the story (75%) is AJHD K ruminating about how there MUST be a God since he doesn't have the Science background to explain why there ISN'T. Then after this beauteous look at the rapture of Christ (oh did I mention Kinderman was a Jew? so I'm not sure his fascination with Catholic religion/dogma-no wait I do since the author is a devout Catholic)..we then plod along in a story where the demons are kicking the crap out of God and his minions. Just in this book alone- 2 priests die (never mind all the other innocents)..add that to the two from the first book AND the fact that the demon Pazuzzu is alive and well..then uhhhh that means Satan- 4 God-0...
Those parts of the musings of AJHD K are liberally littered with Jewish sayings, banal ramblings and utterly obscure mumblings of AJHD K as he tries to convince the reader that he really does have a modicum of true intellect. This book is a mess...in fact I am now stopping my review since I've wasted more time on it than it deserves..if you want to read this book- have fun. If you are deeply religious-you'll like it. If you are like me...you'll roll your eyes and wait for something to happen...and then wait some more...and then....finish with the Big Bang= Lucifer's fall...and we all are small pieces of Lucifer trying to get back to a single being that can then go hang out with God again and be pals. Think I'm making this up? Waste your time and read this book.
Stupid Plot Summary:
Annoying Jewish Homicide Detective (AJHD) Kinderman (K), the cryptic, rambling, tangential Homocide detective from the first novel (friend of Father Karas) is the central figure this time. Yes, yes...I know you thought it would be about a demon...and it sorta is..but mostly (90%) it's about AJHD- K.
So years after the events of the first book, AJHD K is brought in to figure out who nailed a mute 12 year old black kid to some rowing oars. The death marks are reminiscent of an old serial killer called the Gemini, who has been dead for a dozen years. The police also find close by an elderly woman from a mental institution. A few more people die. Same signs in the manner of death. AJHD-K finally traces it back to a hospital and finds that the demon from the first book (Pazuzu if I recall) made a deal with the Gemeni killer's soul. There are a few more twists and turns, some random letters being scrawled, eerie voices, unexpected meetings, etc.... apparently the demon had daddy issues and once the dad was solved..the demon goes it's merry way. There...that was the stupid plot.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT:
In a brief explanation- a LOT. This isn't so much of a horror story but a cheap way for a devout Catholic writer to use AJHD-K to spoon feed us religious claptrap and pooh-pooh all that "science crap". Ever read a Michael Crichton book? The way in which he seamlessly melds complicated scientific terms with a great, cogent story is amazing. Blatty attempts the same thing here. Only one teeny tiny problem as Blatty's surrogate (AJHD K) attempts to fill us with God's eternal love whilst cowering behind scientific terms- Blatty doesn't have the background. What do I mean? DR. Crichton had a B.S. and M.D. from Harvard, was a Post-Doc Fellow at the Salk Institue..getting the picture? A REAL science guy. Mr. Blatty- B.A. from Georgetown and an M.A. in English Lit from George Washington Unv. So most certainly NOT a real science guy, also a far inferior student/intellect than the late Dr. Crichton. Why is this important? Well because Blatty uses his fictional surrogate to make points about the "mysteries" of science from the formation of the eyeball, to evolutionary leaps, to the development of air breathing animals from the fishes to point out that it is SO mysterious and amazing- there was a Creator. Um no..no there wasn't. Blatty like the vast majority of people DOES NOT UNDERSTAND SCIENCE. Harsh statement I know...well I have a BA, 2 MA's and PhD...but they are all in social sciences. Want to know what I know about science? JACK SHIT really. I mean "know". Not a laymans understanding..but to KNOW a thing. We may all, ok we ALL do not but most of us, know about Relativity theory...but how many of us can use mathematical proofs to figure it out and prove it? That's the problem here... Blatty tries really hard to downplay science, using certain scientific principles but then says things like "How does the eye manage to isolate a single image? I don't know...but it points to a creator"...well a REAL Doctor, Opthamologist, Biologist, etc..does know. It is NOT mysterious at all. Blatty just lacks the education to explain it. But he uses his AJHD K to do it for him. The vast majority of people who liked this book are religiously disposed. One reviewer, whom I shall not name, said he could build a Linux server, but there is a learning curve. But he saw a Creator in how a titlark (a bird mentioned in the book-and its nesting habits used as an example by AJHD K) built a highly complex nest with a teeny tiny brain and no experience. *sigh* This is why this book has such a high rating.
What Else is wrong with it:
God (no pun intended)..where shall I go? The vast majority of the story (75%) is AJHD K ruminating about how there MUST be a God since he doesn't have the Science background to explain why there ISN'T. Then after this beauteous look at the rapture of Christ (oh did I mention Kinderman was a Jew? so I'm not sure his fascination with Catholic religion/dogma-no wait I do since the author is a devout Catholic)..we then plod along in a story where the demons are kicking the crap out of God and his minions. Just in this book alone- 2 priests die (never mind all the other innocents)..add that to the two from the first book AND the fact that the demon Pazuzzu is alive and well..then uhhhh that means Satan- 4 God-0...
Those parts of the musings of AJHD K are liberally littered with Jewish sayings, banal ramblings and utterly obscure mumblings of AJHD K as he tries to convince the reader that he really does have a modicum of true intellect. This book is a mess...in fact I am now stopping my review since I've wasted more time on it than it deserves..if you want to read this book- have fun. If you are deeply religious-you'll like it. If you are like me...you'll roll your eyes and wait for something to happen...and then wait some more...and then....finish with the Big Bang= Lucifer's fall...and we all are small pieces of Lucifer trying to get back to a single being that can then go hang out with God again and be pals. Think I'm making this up? Waste your time and read this book.
October 23, 2024
After having read William Peter Blatty’s iconic work, I was eager to see how this would compare. Labelled “the sequel to The Exorcist�, the book had me quite excited, hoping for something as stellar as that chilling tale that still resonates with me. However, with some similar characters and a loose plot line that extends past the original novel, there was little else that drew me to the piece. Perhaps this was an attempt to extend the horrors, but it went on some painful tangents that left me wondering why I took the time with this piece. Disappointed, but I suppose I can say I’ve read it.
Lieutenant William Kinderman is still working in DC, having spent years trying to come to terms with what happened back in 1971. He’s sent to a few new homicides that are grotesque and haunting in equal measure: a boy who is left crucified, priests murdered in horrible ways, and a nurse who has been slaughtered. They all bear a zodiac sign, a common marking by the Gemini Killer. Kinderman is ready to tackle whatever’s put before him, though he cannot shake the sense that it is nothing good.
Kinderman cannot believe what he’s seeing, as the Gemini Killer has been dead for 12 years. Can this be a copycat out there to keep the killings alive? Kinderman tries to come to terms with it all, working alongside a medical professional, and remembering some of the odd happenings in 1971, around the time Gemini stopped killing. What he comes to discover will haunt him even more, crossing the lines between living and dead in ways never thought possible.
I fully believe that some authors have the gift of being able to pen a novel and continue with that momentum for years to come, either adding to the series or branching out to explore new ideas. While I have only read two of William Peter Blatty’s novels, I am not sure if adding to The Exorcist series was the best idea, much like many of the film additions have been less than successful. Some things are best left to fester in the mind, without adding new layers.
The Kinderman character was odd from the outset and did not get much better as the novel progressed. I found him to be eager to talk in tangents and kept me scratching my head as to why I would care about what he said. His sleuthing skills may be quite effective, but he’s got little substance to really pull the reader in. Both his private and public lives seemed beige to me, even though he talked a big game. Perhaps I wanted something a tad more electrifying in a protagonist. Then again, I was surely playing a comparison game with the series debut and all that could be found within.
It is surely quite difficult to write a sequel to an explosive novel, even if there are some lingering questions. Blatty certainly has some interesting thoughts to share, but I don’t think I connected well with them. Even having read The Exorcist right before, this story did not flow well for me, nor did I find it an enjoyable experience. While there was a great deal of information and I could see the ‘continuation� of sorts, I was not drawn in by either the writing or premise. The story did seem to make decent progress, even if I did not find myself enjoying much of the plot. There were many tangents that just left me wondering how they fit together, as though Blatty wanted to impress the reader with a bunch of random factoids. There was a loose ‘fear factor�, but I would not call it anything close to the chills found in the series debut. I’ll leave it to others to expound on the book. It was a pass for me.
Kudos, Mr. Blatty, for trying to keep the chills alive. It was tepid for me and I will stick to the original for my exorcism needs.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
Lieutenant William Kinderman is still working in DC, having spent years trying to come to terms with what happened back in 1971. He’s sent to a few new homicides that are grotesque and haunting in equal measure: a boy who is left crucified, priests murdered in horrible ways, and a nurse who has been slaughtered. They all bear a zodiac sign, a common marking by the Gemini Killer. Kinderman is ready to tackle whatever’s put before him, though he cannot shake the sense that it is nothing good.
Kinderman cannot believe what he’s seeing, as the Gemini Killer has been dead for 12 years. Can this be a copycat out there to keep the killings alive? Kinderman tries to come to terms with it all, working alongside a medical professional, and remembering some of the odd happenings in 1971, around the time Gemini stopped killing. What he comes to discover will haunt him even more, crossing the lines between living and dead in ways never thought possible.
I fully believe that some authors have the gift of being able to pen a novel and continue with that momentum for years to come, either adding to the series or branching out to explore new ideas. While I have only read two of William Peter Blatty’s novels, I am not sure if adding to The Exorcist series was the best idea, much like many of the film additions have been less than successful. Some things are best left to fester in the mind, without adding new layers.
The Kinderman character was odd from the outset and did not get much better as the novel progressed. I found him to be eager to talk in tangents and kept me scratching my head as to why I would care about what he said. His sleuthing skills may be quite effective, but he’s got little substance to really pull the reader in. Both his private and public lives seemed beige to me, even though he talked a big game. Perhaps I wanted something a tad more electrifying in a protagonist. Then again, I was surely playing a comparison game with the series debut and all that could be found within.
It is surely quite difficult to write a sequel to an explosive novel, even if there are some lingering questions. Blatty certainly has some interesting thoughts to share, but I don’t think I connected well with them. Even having read The Exorcist right before, this story did not flow well for me, nor did I find it an enjoyable experience. While there was a great deal of information and I could see the ‘continuation� of sorts, I was not drawn in by either the writing or premise. The story did seem to make decent progress, even if I did not find myself enjoying much of the plot. There were many tangents that just left me wondering how they fit together, as though Blatty wanted to impress the reader with a bunch of random factoids. There was a loose ‘fear factor�, but I would not call it anything close to the chills found in the series debut. I’ll leave it to others to expound on the book. It was a pass for me.
Kudos, Mr. Blatty, for trying to keep the chills alive. It was tepid for me and I will stick to the original for my exorcism needs.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
January 11, 2024
In Legion, William Peter Blatty goes off into a lot of philosophical/theological tangents. As much as it gives the reader a lot to ponder over, this is one incidence where I prefer the movie adaptation of Legion (The Exorcist III). As much as it does link into the religious themes like the first Exorcist novel does, it really doesn’t feel like a direct spiritual successor. Think more murder mystery than demonic possession.
The ending is a decent twist and was definitely the best part of the story to me.
Lieutenant Kinderman is on the hunt to find the killer of a young boy who was found horrifically murdered in a mock-crucifixion. He is trying to link it to other crimes that have been committed and finds out how all the suspects also link together along the way.
There is an elderly woman who witnessed the murder, a neurologist who can no longer bare the pain of life, a psychiatrist with a macabre sense of humour and a guilty secret, or a mysterious mental patient who is locked in isolation - could any of these people be behind the gruesome killings? Why does each victim suffer the same dreadful mutilations? Is there a reason that two of the victims are priests? So many unanswered questions as the race is on the find out who is behind these deaths�
3 stars
The ending is a decent twist and was definitely the best part of the story to me.
Lieutenant Kinderman is on the hunt to find the killer of a young boy who was found horrifically murdered in a mock-crucifixion. He is trying to link it to other crimes that have been committed and finds out how all the suspects also link together along the way.
There is an elderly woman who witnessed the murder, a neurologist who can no longer bare the pain of life, a psychiatrist with a macabre sense of humour and a guilty secret, or a mysterious mental patient who is locked in isolation - could any of these people be behind the gruesome killings? Why does each victim suffer the same dreadful mutilations? Is there a reason that two of the victims are priests? So many unanswered questions as the race is on the find out who is behind these deaths�
3 stars
December 13, 2020
b>4.0 Stars
This read like a gritty detective story, but (as the sequel to the Exorcist) I knew it would have a supernatural angle. There was a lot of theological discussions in this book, which could have felt pretentious, but actually worked in the context of the story. I did not expect it to be as good as the Exorcist (and it wasn't), but still this was a wonderfully dark and creepy read.
This read like a gritty detective story, but (as the sequel to the Exorcist) I knew it would have a supernatural angle. There was a lot of theological discussions in this book, which could have felt pretentious, but actually worked in the context of the story. I did not expect it to be as good as the Exorcist (and it wasn't), but still this was a wonderfully dark and creepy read.
Read
October 24, 2022I am probably in the minority on this book as it seems that lots of my friends on here gave this book three to five stars, but I am not feeling anything with it, so I am putting it down as dreaded dnf. I have been struggling for awhile with it and the main character is driving me loopy which makes me not enjoy the book. The story is not even spooky and maybe it becomes more spooky near the end of the book but I am not waiting around for it as I am not going to crawl through something that I am not enjoying as there are too many other books out there to read. There will be no star rating for this book as I don't rate books that I don't finish.
January 4, 2015
strange streams of consciousness, nevertheless a page turner, read that in 3 days...
February 13, 2017
“We have every indication that he died of fright.�
As a coincidence, I finally re-read The Exorcist after more than 15 years in December. I followed this up in January with a re-read (been more than 10 years) of Legion, the sequel that inspired the third flick. Strangely William Peter Blatty took his last breath three days later. RIP for the author, he dished out some chilling stories.
We all remember the bizarre and relentless Lieutenant Kinderman from the original story. He kept up his friendship with a priest who was a close friend of Damien Karras and who the lieutenant walked off with when that story closed its horrors. Suddenly entrenched in a bizarre series of truly nauseating deaths, he finds that the blueprints are linked to the Zodiac killer who was executed years ago. As he follows the crime, he runs into a truly unsettling shock.
It's funny that the strength of philosophy in Kinderman's character and the storyline both upped and downed it. Playing off its strengths to continue intellectual pondering when introducing something so flighty as possession, but it was overdone to where it lost its luster and gave some downright dull moments. Still Kinderman is an intriguing detective and we do get some emotional scenes. Part of me greatly enjoyed his strange ponderings, but sometimes it grew too much to where I wanted to skim a few dialogue exchanges and weird mental philosophies. Obviously Blatty would work religion into this book.
There's a sad death here to hated to hear about, and the poor soul was offed in a horrible way. The book doesn't hold back on the violence level seen after the fact. The movie is actually much creepier, and I do wish the author would have done a particular reveal earlier on, but the pacing was still strong and hard to put down. The book takes forever to get to its twist with the cell inmate, while the movie smartly started earlier in the mystery.
Bleak and grim, it was easy to lose myself in the story. Blatty's writing style was more personal than the original Exorcist. Unfortunately the story is a little cheesy in some ways, and the Exorcist is more original (in its time), but this was a worthy follow-up that deserves a read.
Oh, and love the stepback
As a coincidence, I finally re-read The Exorcist after more than 15 years in December. I followed this up in January with a re-read (been more than 10 years) of Legion, the sequel that inspired the third flick. Strangely William Peter Blatty took his last breath three days later. RIP for the author, he dished out some chilling stories.
We all remember the bizarre and relentless Lieutenant Kinderman from the original story. He kept up his friendship with a priest who was a close friend of Damien Karras and who the lieutenant walked off with when that story closed its horrors. Suddenly entrenched in a bizarre series of truly nauseating deaths, he finds that the blueprints are linked to the Zodiac killer who was executed years ago. As he follows the crime, he runs into a truly unsettling shock.
It's funny that the strength of philosophy in Kinderman's character and the storyline both upped and downed it. Playing off its strengths to continue intellectual pondering when introducing something so flighty as possession, but it was overdone to where it lost its luster and gave some downright dull moments. Still Kinderman is an intriguing detective and we do get some emotional scenes. Part of me greatly enjoyed his strange ponderings, but sometimes it grew too much to where I wanted to skim a few dialogue exchanges and weird mental philosophies. Obviously Blatty would work religion into this book.
There's a sad death here to hated to hear about, and the poor soul was offed in a horrible way. The book doesn't hold back on the violence level seen after the fact. The movie is actually much creepier, and I do wish the author would have done a particular reveal earlier on, but the pacing was still strong and hard to put down. The book takes forever to get to its twist with the cell inmate, while the movie smartly started earlier in the mystery.
Bleak and grim, it was easy to lose myself in the story. Blatty's writing style was more personal than the original Exorcist. Unfortunately the story is a little cheesy in some ways, and the Exorcist is more original (in its time), but this was a worthy follow-up that deserves a read.
Oh, and love the stepback
October 3, 2022
In celebration of my 666th review on ŷ, I thought I'd make it about my favorite demonic horror story, "Legion," the literary sequel to William Peter Blatty's legendary "The Exorcist."
Yes, I do like it better than the original, but it's difficult these days to talk about "Legion" without comparison to the first book and even the film "The Exorcist III." I'm hard pressed to think of another book that is so entwined with its representation in other media. Even Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is read and discussed with more objectivity, divorced from our cultural memes about green, flat-headed, lumbering giants and hunchbacked assistants. And I think that's what makes "Legion" such a mixed bag for folks who read it.
People expect to be shocked and scared when they read an "Exorcist" novel. What they don't expect is a funny, introspective detective novel about a crisis of faith. In fact, the book gets a lot of criticism for its philosophical meanderings about film and religion. And readers seem to miss the intended humor in the novel all together.
Blatty cut his teeth on comedy, and he couldn't help but be a little tongue-in-cheek about these otherwise very dark and somber themes. Even the first book had its share of chuckle moments. I myself was helpless to laugh at this previously innocent 12-year-old girl cussing out a priest with lines like, "Because I'm the Devil, you ass!" But the sequel dials it up to the next level, and reminds me at times of Kurt Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions" crossed with a stage play by Woody Allen.
Though Blatty toned down the jokes for his directorial depiction of "Legion" for the 1990 film, you still see the lingering comedic tone in George C. Scott's portrayal of Kindermann interacting with Ed Flanders as Father Dyer.
But whether or not you think the book is funny, "Legion" certainly stands as both a solid sequel to the original story and a standalone novel that explores some of the most frightening ideas of all. Is religion really what we believe it is, or simply an opiate for the masses? Is Evil winning? Does God exist, and if so, does God even care? How do you reconcile the horrible things that people do to each other with a benevolent Creator? Could the universe actually have been a product of Lucifer being torn to pieces and not actually a creation of God?
And the thing about "Legion" is that it does not give you any hopeful answers. The ending is much more bleak than in the film. Some say the end is a letdown, akin to the ending of the original "Jaws" novel, and in a way, I agree. But I think I understand what Blatty was trying to do with the ending he chose, just as I can understand why the studio demanded the ending be changed for the theatrical version.
Is this a perfect book? No. But I think it is far better than people give it credit. So your reading assignment, should you choose to accept, is to approach "Legion" as divorced as you can be from any preconceived notion of what to expect from anything in this franchise. Do not expect epic showdowns with righteous holy men and vomiting baddies. But do think about the implications of such a conflict and how it plays out in your life and the world around you. Then apply those feelings and questions to what you find Kindermann is struggling with in this book. I think it will provide you with a much more rewarding experience.
TRIVIA FOR THE DAY: Blatty was originally going to have John Carpenter direct "Exorcist III," but he declined due to creative differences regarding the ending. However, they evidently remained friends. I can't help but think there's a Carpenter version of "Legion" out there in an alternate universe.
Yes, I do like it better than the original, but it's difficult these days to talk about "Legion" without comparison to the first book and even the film "The Exorcist III." I'm hard pressed to think of another book that is so entwined with its representation in other media. Even Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is read and discussed with more objectivity, divorced from our cultural memes about green, flat-headed, lumbering giants and hunchbacked assistants. And I think that's what makes "Legion" such a mixed bag for folks who read it.
People expect to be shocked and scared when they read an "Exorcist" novel. What they don't expect is a funny, introspective detective novel about a crisis of faith. In fact, the book gets a lot of criticism for its philosophical meanderings about film and religion. And readers seem to miss the intended humor in the novel all together.
Blatty cut his teeth on comedy, and he couldn't help but be a little tongue-in-cheek about these otherwise very dark and somber themes. Even the first book had its share of chuckle moments. I myself was helpless to laugh at this previously innocent 12-year-old girl cussing out a priest with lines like, "Because I'm the Devil, you ass!" But the sequel dials it up to the next level, and reminds me at times of Kurt Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions" crossed with a stage play by Woody Allen.
Though Blatty toned down the jokes for his directorial depiction of "Legion" for the 1990 film, you still see the lingering comedic tone in George C. Scott's portrayal of Kindermann interacting with Ed Flanders as Father Dyer.
But whether or not you think the book is funny, "Legion" certainly stands as both a solid sequel to the original story and a standalone novel that explores some of the most frightening ideas of all. Is religion really what we believe it is, or simply an opiate for the masses? Is Evil winning? Does God exist, and if so, does God even care? How do you reconcile the horrible things that people do to each other with a benevolent Creator? Could the universe actually have been a product of Lucifer being torn to pieces and not actually a creation of God?
And the thing about "Legion" is that it does not give you any hopeful answers. The ending is much more bleak than in the film. Some say the end is a letdown, akin to the ending of the original "Jaws" novel, and in a way, I agree. But I think I understand what Blatty was trying to do with the ending he chose, just as I can understand why the studio demanded the ending be changed for the theatrical version.
Is this a perfect book? No. But I think it is far better than people give it credit. So your reading assignment, should you choose to accept, is to approach "Legion" as divorced as you can be from any preconceived notion of what to expect from anything in this franchise. Do not expect epic showdowns with righteous holy men and vomiting baddies. But do think about the implications of such a conflict and how it plays out in your life and the world around you. Then apply those feelings and questions to what you find Kindermann is struggling with in this book. I think it will provide you with a much more rewarding experience.
TRIVIA FOR THE DAY: Blatty was originally going to have John Carpenter direct "Exorcist III," but he declined due to creative differences regarding the ending. However, they evidently remained friends. I can't help but think there's a Carpenter version of "Legion" out there in an alternate universe.
October 17, 2022
Some of my GR friends really dug this one, but the sequel to the brilliant felt rather flat to me. This picks up a decade or so after The Exorcist and has some of the same characters, including the main protagonist here, a Jewish cop named Kinderman. This starts off with a horrific murder of a young boy delivering newspapers, whose body was found with the marks/signature of the Gemini Killer, who perished 12 years prior. How can the Gemini Killer still be 'working' after his death in San Francisco? The mystery deepens with others are murdered with the same MO...
The reader's reaction to Kinderman will probably make or break this novel, and I found Kinderman, along with his occasional comical riffs, too over the top to really enjoy. While The Exorcist built up a sense of mystery and dread, Legion resorted to clever speculations on the meaning of life (and afterlife), evolution and the nature of the universe. Blatty definitely went 'meta' on this one, and if you enjoy such musings, you will probably really like this. For me, meh.
Yes, the murders were nasty, but they really only served to punctuate Kinderman's musings and spin them in various directions. I almost DNF this; can't say I am glad to have finished it, but the ending was enough to keep me going. 2 'I've got bills to pay' stars.
The reader's reaction to Kinderman will probably make or break this novel, and I found Kinderman, along with his occasional comical riffs, too over the top to really enjoy. While The Exorcist built up a sense of mystery and dread, Legion resorted to clever speculations on the meaning of life (and afterlife), evolution and the nature of the universe. Blatty definitely went 'meta' on this one, and if you enjoy such musings, you will probably really like this. For me, meh.
Yes, the murders were nasty, but they really only served to punctuate Kinderman's musings and spin them in various directions. I almost DNF this; can't say I am glad to have finished it, but the ending was enough to keep me going. 2 'I've got bills to pay' stars.
February 15, 2023
**** 4.1 STARS ****
Legion is a very good follow-up to the impossible to follow, The Exorcist.
After reading The Exorcist, The Ninth Configuration and Legion, I can say, without doubt, William Peter Blatty's strengths are definitely his dialogue and the atmosphere he builds in his books. The latter two books I mentioned aren't great when it comes to a narrative story. However, Blatty more than makes up for this with his amazing dialogue. The conversations between Kinderman and Father Dyer are just amazing. Also, his characters are very good and feel like real people. I do have to mention, The Exorcist, well, that one is phenomenal in every way.
I will say, I prefer the film version of Legion. It was released as The Exorcist III. The performances, particularly George C. Scott and Brad Dourif, are phenomenal, and really elevate the film. The film version also added a new final scene, and it's great.
Legion is a very good follow-up to the impossible to follow, The Exorcist.
After reading The Exorcist, The Ninth Configuration and Legion, I can say, without doubt, William Peter Blatty's strengths are definitely his dialogue and the atmosphere he builds in his books. The latter two books I mentioned aren't great when it comes to a narrative story. However, Blatty more than makes up for this with his amazing dialogue. The conversations between Kinderman and Father Dyer are just amazing. Also, his characters are very good and feel like real people. I do have to mention, The Exorcist, well, that one is phenomenal in every way.
I will say, I prefer the film version of Legion. It was released as The Exorcist III. The performances, particularly George C. Scott and Brad Dourif, are phenomenal, and really elevate the film. The film version also added a new final scene, and it's great.
Read
October 21, 2021DNF
I can't wait this book anymore. It's very dry. This Lt. Kinderman guy has the most uninteresting thoughts rambling through his head while he's working a crime scene and it's distracting from the Gemini Killer storyline. I just got tired of skimming trying to find the threads of interesting bits.
I can't wait this book anymore. It's very dry. This Lt. Kinderman guy has the most uninteresting thoughts rambling through his head while he's working a crime scene and it's distracting from the Gemini Killer storyline. I just got tired of skimming trying to find the threads of interesting bits.
March 10, 2024
Si no hubiera sido lectura de mi club de lectura de Patreon, lo más probable es que lo hubiera abandonado. No entiendo por qué Blatty tuvo que tomar esta historia y vincularla forzosamente con "El exorcista". Hubiera sido una novela infinitamente superior si no se esforzaba tanto en responder a cuestiones ya resueltas en el libro anterior. Realmente es difícil que un libro esté a la altura de "El exorcista", aun si sos el mismísimo autor de la obra, porque es un libro que realmente llevó el miedo a un nivel altísimo, marcó un antes y un después en el género.
Creo que el error radica en haberle buscado tanta conexión, en vez de enfocarse en hacer una historia nueva de género policial con elementos de horror que se valgan de sus propios personajes con vivencias absolutamente distintas. Una pena, en verdad quería disfrutar esta lectura, pero me encontré con un fail terrible.
Creo que el error radica en haberle buscado tanta conexión, en vez de enfocarse en hacer una historia nueva de género policial con elementos de horror que se valgan de sus propios personajes con vivencias absolutamente distintas. Una pena, en verdad quería disfrutar esta lectura, pero me encontré con un fail terrible.
June 8, 2023
This was not for me. I enjoyed The Exorcist, but this was way too cerebral, existential and theoretic for me. I wanted a Horror story, not a study in Theology. I kept reading, hoping I would get to the scary part, but it never came.
April 20, 2021
My favourite book off all time. For me better than the exorcist. Definitely recommend this book.
Read
November 3, 2019Parts of this book are incredible, parts rambling nonsense. In the first half of the book there is 1 page of story for every 5 pages of commentary on God, Evolution, Pain Therapy, "Modern Science", Metaphysics, Causality, Etc. all from the perspective of good old 1983.
It's written strongly and laced with undertones of an exhausted father whose children just refuse to see the light, despite all of the "facts" to the contrary. Many times the book makes a point of how "facts" confuse the truth which seems to be almost blatantly retarded to your average modern atheist with 27 years of additional scientific evidence for everything posited as one of these truth confusing "facts".
The storyline is entertaining but obvious. The book is well written and the transitions from the rabbit trails (which seem to be the reason for this book) to the main storyline are cohesive and often times so rapid it's startlingly subtle. You suddenly realize you're reading something you care about.
This seems to be more of a very loose tie in than a direct sequel to the Exorcist. The writing style is a vast departure, the detail paid to the story is much more minimal, nearly back-burner to the platform for expounding his theories on the universe. Even IF this book had picked up the day after The Exorcist and continued the exact same story, just due to the way it's written, it wouldn't feel the same. Let me go all William Peter Blatty and explain: What if Peter Jackson had directed Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, then suddenly died of an embolism and Return of the King was done under the exclusive creative control of Michael Bay. Wouldn't be the same.
I do not want to be wholly negative about this piece, it's just disappointing if you're expecting what's promised on the cover. This man clearly has a talent for writing and using minimal words to convey vivid imagery. Do not expect to be scared by this book, or if it starts to get uncomfortable, at least know it's very likely the next five pages will be so senselessly unrelated to the story that any suspense you were feeling will be replaced by a quiet sigh and the question of when you can return to the book you thought you had purchased.
It's written strongly and laced with undertones of an exhausted father whose children just refuse to see the light, despite all of the "facts" to the contrary. Many times the book makes a point of how "facts" confuse the truth which seems to be almost blatantly retarded to your average modern atheist with 27 years of additional scientific evidence for everything posited as one of these truth confusing "facts".
The storyline is entertaining but obvious. The book is well written and the transitions from the rabbit trails (which seem to be the reason for this book) to the main storyline are cohesive and often times so rapid it's startlingly subtle. You suddenly realize you're reading something you care about.
This seems to be more of a very loose tie in than a direct sequel to the Exorcist. The writing style is a vast departure, the detail paid to the story is much more minimal, nearly back-burner to the platform for expounding his theories on the universe. Even IF this book had picked up the day after The Exorcist and continued the exact same story, just due to the way it's written, it wouldn't feel the same. Let me go all William Peter Blatty and explain: What if Peter Jackson had directed Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, then suddenly died of an embolism and Return of the King was done under the exclusive creative control of Michael Bay. Wouldn't be the same.
I do not want to be wholly negative about this piece, it's just disappointing if you're expecting what's promised on the cover. This man clearly has a talent for writing and using minimal words to convey vivid imagery. Do not expect to be scared by this book, or if it starts to get uncomfortable, at least know it's very likely the next five pages will be so senselessly unrelated to the story that any suspense you were feeling will be replaced by a quiet sigh and the question of when you can return to the book you thought you had purchased.
September 16, 2016
After First Reading - (4 Stars)
William Peter Blatty is my favourite author, even though I've only read three of his books and liked merely two of them. He just has such a brilliant talent for evoking terrifying impulses whilst captivating you into believing every word of his writing. He writes like an established poet and he understands "scary" even more than Stephen King. The Exorcist is his masterpiece but Legion, the belated sequel, is still a very scary, very dark, very memorable story.
After Second Reading - (3 Stars)
I’m wondering how to go about this. I was honestly surprised and very disappointed that I did not enjoy this as much the second time around. I found re-reading The Exorcist a very rewarding experience, affirming even further my love for that book. But with Legion - (incidentally I originally read this before the first novel) - I found myself mostly surprised that I had loved it so much the first time. I mean, don’t think for a second that the novel is bad. That is definitely not the case. Blatty has written this sequel with admirable imagination and restrain, being sure to make it unique and not feel like a cynical cash-in and means of reminding people of his original classic. The narration of this book has a very distinct voice that, for better or worse, makes this story its own thing. While the prose is not quite as wonderful as Blatty’s best work, there are still some very sleek moments of writing. But I just feel that the story as a whole does not live up to the reputation set by The Exorcist. The premise is more or less a common serial killer thriller. The deaths mount up, the victim’s killed in increasingly imaginative and disgusting ways. The detective protagonist is at a complete loss as to how to find the culprit. Pretty standard though workable fare. Except Blatty gives the concept his own spin, and unfortunately I just don’t think he hits the mark this time around. Kinderman was, even in The Exorcist, slightly annoying with his meandering dialogue. But as he was only a minor character he didn’t have time to grate on the nerves. In this book, however, he is the focal point of the entire narrative. And it really tried my patience having to tolerate his constant ramblings which - (to steal a phrase my buddy reader Aileene used) - places speed bumps throughout the story. Every now and then, things do start getting interesting and exciting - (occasionally, though not often enough, even scary) - but Blatty unceasingly halts these moments with completely unnecessary philosophical speculations which hardly make sense to a reader approaching this book with expectations implanted from the spellbinding first novel.
In the end I still would say I liked this novel. But I admit to being biased. I just love Blatty’s writing style as well as the Georgetown setting he evokes in these two novels. I do not, however, expect my friend Aileene - (whom I encouraged to read this novel with me) - to be as forgiving. And so at the end of the day, I have to admit that I was still, for the most part, disappointed that I did not enjoy this half as much on reading it a second time. On top of that, I now have to put up with Aileene’s wrath for choosing, yet again, a horror novel that did not end up being very scary :P
William Peter Blatty is my favourite author, even though I've only read three of his books and liked merely two of them. He just has such a brilliant talent for evoking terrifying impulses whilst captivating you into believing every word of his writing. He writes like an established poet and he understands "scary" even more than Stephen King. The Exorcist is his masterpiece but Legion, the belated sequel, is still a very scary, very dark, very memorable story.
After Second Reading - (3 Stars)
I’m wondering how to go about this. I was honestly surprised and very disappointed that I did not enjoy this as much the second time around. I found re-reading The Exorcist a very rewarding experience, affirming even further my love for that book. But with Legion - (incidentally I originally read this before the first novel) - I found myself mostly surprised that I had loved it so much the first time. I mean, don’t think for a second that the novel is bad. That is definitely not the case. Blatty has written this sequel with admirable imagination and restrain, being sure to make it unique and not feel like a cynical cash-in and means of reminding people of his original classic. The narration of this book has a very distinct voice that, for better or worse, makes this story its own thing. While the prose is not quite as wonderful as Blatty’s best work, there are still some very sleek moments of writing. But I just feel that the story as a whole does not live up to the reputation set by The Exorcist. The premise is more or less a common serial killer thriller. The deaths mount up, the victim’s killed in increasingly imaginative and disgusting ways. The detective protagonist is at a complete loss as to how to find the culprit. Pretty standard though workable fare. Except Blatty gives the concept his own spin, and unfortunately I just don’t think he hits the mark this time around. Kinderman was, even in The Exorcist, slightly annoying with his meandering dialogue. But as he was only a minor character he didn’t have time to grate on the nerves. In this book, however, he is the focal point of the entire narrative. And it really tried my patience having to tolerate his constant ramblings which - (to steal a phrase my buddy reader Aileene used) - places speed bumps throughout the story. Every now and then, things do start getting interesting and exciting - (occasionally, though not often enough, even scary) - but Blatty unceasingly halts these moments with completely unnecessary philosophical speculations which hardly make sense to a reader approaching this book with expectations implanted from the spellbinding first novel.
In the end I still would say I liked this novel. But I admit to being biased. I just love Blatty’s writing style as well as the Georgetown setting he evokes in these two novels. I do not, however, expect my friend Aileene - (whom I encouraged to read this novel with me) - to be as forgiving. And so at the end of the day, I have to admit that I was still, for the most part, disappointed that I did not enjoy this half as much on reading it a second time. On top of that, I now have to put up with Aileene’s wrath for choosing, yet again, a horror novel that did not end up being very scary :P
December 19, 2019
I loved this book. The philosophical questions about good and evil and God's role in both was wonderfully laid out. Kinderman is such stellar character. Although I did not like it as much as The Exorcist, I was pleasantly surprised by how well it held up in comparison. It's a mixture between a supernatural/possession novel and a murder/crime novel. Worth the read!!
December 8, 2024
4 to 4.5 stars. I love Blatty's prose and his existential ponderings through the beloved Detective Lieutenant Kinderman. A sarcastic, yet deeply compassionate character that you can't help but love through all of his blustering, or schmaltz as he likes to call it. A fun, yet beautiful character who refers to one man that had passed on as "a poem," and another lady who went insane over lost love as, "A giant, in a world where love doesn't last, she was a giant." He says all this while constantly ruffling the feathers of his coworkers, at one point telling his Sergeant partner, "Please be silent when you're talking to me!" 😂
Overall, very well written. Although the supernatural aspect was a little overdone in this book, I still like it better than The Exorcist.
The book begins and ends with a mention of 'Hurrah for Karamazov!' Which Kinderman explains at the end. He tells his partner that in the book The Brothers Karamazov, the brother Alyosha speaks to his friends about holding on to memories that help you keep your faith and belief in the goodness of the world. He then tells them, 'First, and above all, be kind,' to which they all shout, 'Hurrah for Karamazov.' A beautiful end after all of the struggle and pain of the more horrifying element of this story, to see that the detective makes it through with his belief still intact.
P.s. The idea at the very end about Lucifer was my favorite since Memnoch the Devil. This will only mean something to a select few, but I love interesting ideas about the beginning of the world.
Overall, very well written. Although the supernatural aspect was a little overdone in this book, I still like it better than The Exorcist.
The book begins and ends with a mention of 'Hurrah for Karamazov!' Which Kinderman explains at the end. He tells his partner that in the book The Brothers Karamazov, the brother Alyosha speaks to his friends about holding on to memories that help you keep your faith and belief in the goodness of the world. He then tells them, 'First, and above all, be kind,' to which they all shout, 'Hurrah for Karamazov.' A beautiful end after all of the struggle and pain of the more horrifying element of this story, to see that the detective makes it through with his belief still intact.
P.s. The idea at the very end about Lucifer was my favorite since Memnoch the Devil. This will only mean something to a select few, but I love interesting ideas about the beginning of the world.
September 7, 2016
"The Exorcist" scared the bejeebers out of me when I read it many years ago. "Legion" was Blatty's sequel (as opposed to the nonsensical theatrical sequel with Richard Burton) and it haunted me for slightly different reasons. The protagonist might well be going through some kind of brain malignancy, and Blatty describes some odd neural phenomena as well as introducing the necessary supernatural stuff. I actually think this was a much better structured and composed book than "Exorcist." Also, being a Georgetown alumnus, I got a kick out of the real-life ubiquitous Hoya booster and tavernkeeper Richard McCooey being a suspect in the killings.
February 10, 2020
Ladies and gentlemen, I intend to make up for the lost time to write a second review today. Let's see if it's possible? Because"the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak"and my flesh must be very anemic. In this case he tortures me with a sore throat, and for the moment Saint Blaise can't help me. I already mentioned that there were two novels that I was greatly saddened to have to suspend them. One of them was Dean R. Koontz's "Nightchills" /book/show/2... and another has been this book "Legion". In this case for reasons other than Dean R. Koontz's book, in fact, I was more sorry to suspend this book than "Nightchills", although this book predates the Song of Roldán it seems as after Turoldo's famous singing, as if there were a gafe, or an misfortune, because I did not read again, except in the case of "Dangerous Legacy" by Elizabeth Camden. Anyway, I liked the book less than you would expect (we will already talk about that peculiar case) /book/show/3... I also realized that Roger Zelazny's third, fourth, and fifth Ambar book were not made for me /series/4085... but *fingers crossed*, I think I have found the book, which will break the evil sortilegio of mediocre books. My intention after this long and boring circumloming (meaningless) is to tell you what I read, while I could not write reviews, and to say, that at least I will write some of the books mentioned here. I would also like to write the review of Evelyn Waugh's "A handful of dust" /book/show/5... /author/show... "Flatland" by Edwin A. Abbot /book/show/3... and worship one of my literary heroes. The underrated Mika Waltari, commenting in a single review three of his books "A Girl Named Osmi", "Finne van Brooklyn" and one of the best police novels I have ever read, despite the absurdity of the motive for the crime I mean "Dangerous Game" with the mythical inspector Palmu (this book is the second in the Palmu saga, incomprehensibly ignored, because they did not translate the other two). /book/show/2... /series/6429... for that, goodreads' little, no-de-a-few friends, there's going to be time. Before, I pledged to write a review of my favorite mollusc, and to capture my love for the ferocious sea creatures, who eat people :-). I mean, before I write these reviews I intend to write a review of Peter Benchley's "Beast" /book/show/8... . But now it's the backing of the sequel to the mythical novel "The Exorcist" /book/show/1... as I confessed at first, I'm very saddened to write this review, and having to suspend this novel has been very painful for me. Because unlike "Nightchills" this is a very moral novel, with very good principles, that shipwrecks for multiple reasons, and one of them is for not knowing what it wants to be. Blatty's idea was to write a novel, defending his beliefs. We see in the dissigressions of Kinderman, who by the way was in the "Exorcist" investigating the crime, and it was together with the Jesuit Dyer aka the priest rater. The best of the novel, of course on the same level as that fierce spiritual struggle, carried out by Lanklester Merrin, and Karras against the Pazuzu spirit. The sequel rescuing the top two siders in the previous saga promised. While he didn't tell me, if I read it on his facebook page. My admired Pablo J. Ginés had been very critical of the sequel to the "Exorcist" I don't remember everything he said, but it was spiritually loose, and that it was inferior to the original. I should have taken into account the advice of Paul J. Ginés, whose book "God's Seeker Converts" I recommend /book/show/4... /book/show/4... (it would be good, that ŷ will put these two books together so he would have seven qualifications) /author/show... I must confess something, and it is that when Mr Ginés tells me, that a book is boring is that it is a barbiturate visually. I mean, there's no one to read it to him. He's already advised me about a very successful fantasy literary saga. I won't say which one, so his fans won't tear us off. I should have kept your judgment more in mind, when I finally found "Legion." I was making inquiries, and I learned, that "Legion" had been adapted into a cinema with the name exorcist III, and that unlike the sequel The Exorcist II, that Except Scorssesse did not like anyone. Exorcist III for what my cousin told whom I will call Galloglass (so that the popular rages do not fall on him). He told me, it was an underrated film, and it wasn't that bad. I can't have an opinion, because I haven't seen any Exorcist movies, I only read the book a few years ago. However, the film featured prestigious actors, such as the legendary George C. Scott, and there was the ever-haunting Brad Douriff (The Grima of the Lord of the Rings the Two Towers) playing the gemini killer. Of course the subject was interesting, as several characters appeared in the same way, as a missing serial killer, named Gemini carried out his crimes. It has been several years, since what happened in "The Exorcist" and the truth is that the passage of time is noticeable. Kinderman, who, as I said, was with Dyer the best of "Exorcist" here he changes his record completely, and becomes a tortured, and meditative character, who would greatly disbelieve. The problem is that his reflections what they do is that the reader loses interest in research, and slows him down, as Comodo said in the Fall of the Roman Empire of his father Marcus Aurelius. Kinderman becomes a heavy philosopher. Sometimes many of the dialogues don't make any sense, and they're crazy. There are some moments when he is saved from burning, when the Jesuit Dyer aka the crook priest appears and they start talking about his favorite films. This topic is very interesting, because Blatty he was a great Hollywood screenwriter, and it's interesting what he thinks about the movies. I think I'd think the same thing about David Lynch's Eraserhear, and think like me that Hays code-era cinema is the best thing ever made. It is also very interesting, when you go to Visit Father Dyer to Father Dyer, but unfortunately it does not come out what it should. Blatty's intentions are good, and it is comforting to see speeches influenced by Plato /author/show... , Teilhard de Chardin /author/show... (who by the way is one of my friend's favorite writers Professor Manuel Alfonseca /author/show... ) G.K. Chesterton /author/show... and especially Dostoyevsky /author/show... particularly the shadow of the Russian writer is very elongated in this novel. It is, of course, comforting to see that among Kinderman's ravings reflections against the random blind, which would cause Dawkins, Pullman, Hitchens, Denet, and Harris to contiter themselves in the same way that Reagan McNeil did in this prequel. Sometimes Kinderman thinks witty theories. In the dialogue with the Catholic physician Anfortas (one of the lucid moments of the novel) he could stand out for his Dostoyevskiana quality. Sometimes I had the feeling that Kinderman was Porfiri, Lukian Timofeyevich Lebedev, or Ivan Ardalionovitch Ivolguin. He had a lot of Russian peasant, and sometimes he was a liar Kinderman, but at these bright moments. I remained in darkness throughout the story. It's because he doesn't know this book, that he wants to be older, if a thriller, a police novel, a theological-philosophical essay and the truth is that the medley is indigestible. It is true, that when you investigate Gemini's past, with its traumatic past. Another evil fanatical evangelist, who confuses religiosity with fanaticism, and who advocates children or atheism, or to be serial killers. Anyway, this is the kind of person who most harms religion, and our enemies use them mercilessly. Hence the criticisms of certain forms of religiosity coming from Protestantism (especially Calvinism) (without denying the enormous vices, and failures of Catholics, which we also have our great weight of guilt in the triumph of today's secularism). You also notice one thing and it is that it is one thing to be a successful screenwriter, as Blatty is, and another is to be a writer. While Blatty's writing is somewhat coarse this bug I've seen in some screenwriter, like William Goldman who write precious speeches, but then the novel is neglected. /author/show... (in this case, they are sometimes surreal, and have no relation to the scene. Film and literature have different languages. We see that the murders are happening, and they are identical to those carried out by Gemini. Some of special cruelty, like Kintry. Then Blatty after a novel with multiple ups and downs makes a decision, and decides to sacrifice one of his best characters, as if he were an expert chess player. Few writers get rid of a good character, and his novel survives such a sinister. Evelyn Waugh himself told /author/show... that characters should not be killed, even if he killed a few. . One of the few novelists, who killed a charismatic character, and not only did not sink, but improved was Michael D's "Father Elijah: An Apocalypse." O'Brien /book/show/5... /author/show... , but it was the exception that confirmed the rule. Alfred Hitchcock's psycho tactics /author/show... doesn't always go well, in fact, it usually goes pretty bad. So Blatty gets rid of a rough diamond, and then he does something, which I should have assumed, but which I thought impossible, that he would do. The author risks everything, and burns the ships. At the risk of destroying "The Exorcist" and that's what the author unfortunately ends up doing. In the end it's not clear to me, what's going on, or who was behind the murders. If Pazuzu, Legion, Gemini (if there is an exchange of souls), Anfortas. In the end this tenuatric phrase of "Father Brown's candour" in particular appears in "The Honesty of Israel Gow" "We have discovered the truth and it makes no sense". There has been a trail of deaths, some of great brutality. The feeling one has at the end is helpless, besides there is no light clearing. Of course there's an epilogue where the shocking Kinderman, who's going to have the darker future than Wallander /series/5165... he gets an anecdote from "The Karamazov Brothers" to tell us that despite the power of evil it will not triumph. It wouldn't have hurt Blatty to have taken from what i had lived on would have been the best Catholic writer of this century. Some say that Baron Corvo /author/show... was better than him, but even if he writes better Robert Hugh Benson is with the passage of time very current, and is one of the pioneers of the novel of exorcists with "Necromancers" /book/show/1... and "Shallot" /book/show/8... I think, that would have been good for Blatty to copy the ending of romance "Necrs" or do the mime that Derrickson did with free us from Emily Rose's evil and exorcism. I guess, despite a pointless plot, I have to keep that. With the eucatastrophic turn, and in which good always wins even if evil has every good to win, as Bernanos noted /author/show... It is a pity to put a good note to this novel by William Peter Blatty, who at least had the guts to face his Georgetown school, when he saw that it was being dechristianized, and organized acts in favor of abortion. Blatty's problem is that pointed out by C.S. Lewis /author/show... with William Makepeace Thackeray /author/show... , that his intentions were good, but he "preaches, but he does it wrong." I think it's best to pretend that this novel that invalidates the first one doesn't take place, and it joined me in Kinderman Hurra's final exaltation for Karamazov, Christus Regnat. Pd. It seems the end of Exorcist III was different from that of the novel.
October 22, 2014
Here are some blurbs on the back of Legion.
"I devoured Legion in one terrified gulp. It even manages to out spook The Exorcist."- Los Angeles Times
"Heartbeat-skipping horror. Read Legion only on a sunny day."- Cosmopolitan
"Ten times better than The Exorcist ... The suspense is breathtaking, and the ideas dark, deadly, and fascinating." The Cleveland Plain Dealer
So what the fuck was I reading? These blurbs are full of lies lies lies! Lies I say.
This book is not scary, not terrifying and didn't really make much sense.
The story centers on Detective Kinderman, a real mensch, he reads books like Waiting for Godot, he questions the nature of God and why evil exists he loves old movies. He's Jewish liberally uses Yiddish loves his family and he's friends with Catholic priests. He's just all around swell, well read and smart. He gets assigned to a murder of a young boy who was crucified onto boat paddles then he has to deal with the murder of two priests. The suspects are a long dead serial killer a near catatonic old lady a dying neurologist and a chauvinistic asshole of a psychiatrist.
I guess what makes this book so terrifying is that some evil force took possession of a dead priest who ended up in a psych ward as a John Doe bided its time then somehow manipulates these people into murdering people for it. The reason for these murders is because the long dead killer, the Gemini killer, has daddy issues and wants revenge and the evil force has scores to settle.
This book left me bored and scratching my head, I felt a disconnect with the characters, especially the dying neurologist and his experiments with EVP and the sudden appearance of his "double". I really failed to see the point of that subplot. I felt the last few chapters were nothing more than a slapdash clusterfuck pieced together for the sole purpose to tie these characters and subplots together.
Don't believe the blurbs on the back of this book and pick up something else to read.
"I devoured Legion in one terrified gulp. It even manages to out spook The Exorcist."- Los Angeles Times
"Heartbeat-skipping horror. Read Legion only on a sunny day."- Cosmopolitan
"Ten times better than The Exorcist ... The suspense is breathtaking, and the ideas dark, deadly, and fascinating." The Cleveland Plain Dealer
So what the fuck was I reading? These blurbs are full of lies lies lies! Lies I say.
This book is not scary, not terrifying and didn't really make much sense.
The story centers on Detective Kinderman, a real mensch, he reads books like Waiting for Godot, he questions the nature of God and why evil exists he loves old movies. He's Jewish liberally uses Yiddish loves his family and he's friends with Catholic priests. He's just all around swell, well read and smart. He gets assigned to a murder of a young boy who was crucified onto boat paddles then he has to deal with the murder of two priests. The suspects are a long dead serial killer a near catatonic old lady a dying neurologist and a chauvinistic asshole of a psychiatrist.
I guess what makes this book so terrifying is that some evil force took possession of a dead priest who ended up in a psych ward as a John Doe bided its time then somehow manipulates these people into murdering people for it. The reason for these murders is because the long dead killer, the Gemini killer, has daddy issues and wants revenge and the evil force has scores to settle.
This book left me bored and scratching my head, I felt a disconnect with the characters, especially the dying neurologist and his experiments with EVP and the sudden appearance of his "double". I really failed to see the point of that subplot. I felt the last few chapters were nothing more than a slapdash clusterfuck pieced together for the sole purpose to tie these characters and subplots together.
Don't believe the blurbs on the back of this book and pick up something else to read.
July 6, 2023
Unfortunately I knew the movie ( Brad Dourif was so exceptionally good in it !!! ) when I started the book and since they're really similar I knew what was coming.
This deals a lot with philosophical and theological issues and is not nearly as scary as the Exorcist, that's something one should probably know to avoid false expectations. What you get is a crime/mystery story with some super funny dialogues and a satisfactory conclusion to the Exorcist.
This deals a lot with philosophical and theological issues and is not nearly as scary as the Exorcist, that's something one should probably know to avoid false expectations. What you get is a crime/mystery story with some super funny dialogues and a satisfactory conclusion to the Exorcist.
October 22, 2022
Класическа в своята неадекватност деветдесетарска корица, заключила никак не лошо текстово съдържание. Блати демонстрира класа и доказва, че успехът на (апропо, спазването на хронологията е просто задължително, инак няма да разберете сюжета) съвсем не е случаен - бива си го като словоплетец. Хареса ми медицинската нишка с данни, почерпени от две специалности - неврология и психиатрия, а четивото ми допадна по един ненатраплив начин.
March 9, 2022
One of the most perfect books I've read. I'm a huge fan of the movie adaptation but the book lived up to it and surpassed it. More than anything it makes me appreciate Brad Dourifs performance as Sunlight in the adaptation.
As always Blattys dialogue is top notch. The guy knows how to deliver wit and condescension in a way that's not pseudo intellectual but actually increases the value of the story and characters. The characters are all more well rounded than you'll get in other novels by other authors. He doesn't over-describe supporting characters like *some* writers but does give them more humanity than *other* writers.
I legitimately only read The Brothers Karamazov so that I would better understand the main characters philosophy and the many quotes he uses from that novel. Another benefit of being aware of William Peter Blatty is that I'm now more aware of Dostoevskys writing and the absolutely wonderful, perfect The Brothers Karamazov, a book of very beautiful religious and social philosophy held together by a fairly basic story of paternal spite and fraternal love, two glaring characteristics that are repeated and reconstituted in this novel.
I'm gonna watch the movie adaptation again soon. I must have seen it more times than the original Exorcist by now.
Thanks to Blatty, Brad Dourif, and George C. Scott for making the novel and the movie so perfect and memorable.
As always Blattys dialogue is top notch. The guy knows how to deliver wit and condescension in a way that's not pseudo intellectual but actually increases the value of the story and characters. The characters are all more well rounded than you'll get in other novels by other authors. He doesn't over-describe supporting characters like *some* writers but does give them more humanity than *other* writers.
I legitimately only read The Brothers Karamazov so that I would better understand the main characters philosophy and the many quotes he uses from that novel. Another benefit of being aware of William Peter Blatty is that I'm now more aware of Dostoevskys writing and the absolutely wonderful, perfect The Brothers Karamazov, a book of very beautiful religious and social philosophy held together by a fairly basic story of paternal spite and fraternal love, two glaring characteristics that are repeated and reconstituted in this novel.
I'm gonna watch the movie adaptation again soon. I must have seen it more times than the original Exorcist by now.
Thanks to Blatty, Brad Dourif, and George C. Scott for making the novel and the movie so perfect and memorable.
October 21, 2018
‘Legion� by William Peter Blatty is more psychological thriller than horror. That being said, ‘Legion� contains more frightening sequences in less than 300 pages than some books can in 1,000 pages.
Lieutenant Kinderman is investigated a series of grisly murders. These murders appear to be the same style of the Gemini Killer who has been declared dead for twelve years.
‘Legion� is a slow burn in every way. Many pages are devoted to the philosophical monologue of the main character about the meaning of life, death, and pain. The murders occur sporadically throughout the work and the action doesn’t really start until about 200 pages in. This leaves about 50 pages for Blatty to deliver a conclusion and he does. The true heart of this work lies with its main protagonist Lieutenant Kinderman, a Jewish man devoted to his family and friends whose calm demeanor is slowly being chipped away from his job.
The sequences of ‘Legion� are both gruesome and subtle, readers don’t see the violence but the results of the violence. What I take away the most from ‘Legion� is Blatty’s underappreciated wit. Kinderman’s responses to character are genuinely funny.
While being a semi-sequel to the masterwork ‘The Exorcist,� I might actually prefer ‘Legion.� There is just something that I love about a lean and mean novel that takes a realistic approach to the supernatural.
Lieutenant Kinderman is investigated a series of grisly murders. These murders appear to be the same style of the Gemini Killer who has been declared dead for twelve years.
‘Legion� is a slow burn in every way. Many pages are devoted to the philosophical monologue of the main character about the meaning of life, death, and pain. The murders occur sporadically throughout the work and the action doesn’t really start until about 200 pages in. This leaves about 50 pages for Blatty to deliver a conclusion and he does. The true heart of this work lies with its main protagonist Lieutenant Kinderman, a Jewish man devoted to his family and friends whose calm demeanor is slowly being chipped away from his job.
The sequences of ‘Legion� are both gruesome and subtle, readers don’t see the violence but the results of the violence. What I take away the most from ‘Legion� is Blatty’s underappreciated wit. Kinderman’s responses to character are genuinely funny.
While being a semi-sequel to the masterwork ‘The Exorcist,� I might actually prefer ‘Legion.� There is just something that I love about a lean and mean novel that takes a realistic approach to the supernatural.
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