Baal by robert mccammon

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

I really liked this book. It was Robert McCammon's very first published novel, and it clearly shows that he has come a long way since then (as he has gone on to write even better stories).

And that's the wonderful thing about McCammon. His stories and ideas are simply amazing. His creativity knows no bounds, his prose and writing style are engaging, and the way he can vividly paint a picture with words is truly remarkable. Everything about his writing is just so cool.

However, "BAAL" was a necessary starting point for him. What I mean by that is, every great writer has to begin somewhere. The story evolves over its 350-page journey. Its beginning, middle, and end are vastly different, taking place in various parts of the world. I must give a warning to readers though. This book is quite graphic and contains scenes of gore. If you can't handle that kind of content, then it's best not to read it. After all, it is a horror story.

I gave it 3 stars because of its potential and the fact that it was McCammon's first literary achievement. It could have been even better, but unfortunately, it wasn't. So, in my opinion, it deserves 3 out of 5 stars.

If you can find it, I would recommend reading it. I managed to get a used copy from Amazon.

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T27

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

Early McCammon's novel is truly captivating. It is filled with the allure of the antichrist that was so popular in the late seventies. In fact, it has a strong resemblance to both Rosemary's Baby and The Omen, especially in the beginning. However, it then transforms beautifully into a sprawling drama that is an older version of the evil depicted in The Omen.

What sets it apart is how it evolves into a Middle East curiosity, with cultists in Kuwait, and also ventures to the cold regions of the north. Eventually, it turns into a rather epic battle of good versus evil, relying on traditional Christian motifs and even some Jewish ones.

Although it does seem to be a product of its time, I believe it has held up extremely well. It pays homage to both the old mythologies and the more common ones, and together, they create a rather flavorful novel that is full of rich ideas.

Admittedly, I loved this book less than almost all of his other works to date, but that doesn't mean it's not good. I have liked almost everything he's written.

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lostinthevoid

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

I feel really bad for penning this review.

I am a huge fan of Robert McCammon, and it truly troubles me to have a negative review for one of his books.

If this had been the very first McCammon book I had ever read, I probably would have never picked up another one of his works.

Thank goodness that wasn't the case, or I would have missed out on some truly great books.

The initial quarter of this book was rather good, but then it became extremely boring and just dragged on.

This was McCammon's first book, and you can clearly see how much he has developed and grown as a writer since then.

If you are interested in reading McCammon's works, then I would highly recommend the following: Swan Song, Boys Life, Wolf's Hour, and Speaks the Nightbird (in fact, the entire Matthew Corbett series).

In my personal opinion, Speaks the Nightbird is his absolute best work.

It is one of the finest books I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

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slavemaster_1991

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

I have a penchant for a solid Good versus Evil story. When I learned that one of my favorite authors was coming out with his first published novel, my expectations soared sky-high. However, unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that his lack of experience was quite evident.

The novel is just okay. It doesn't really manage to grip you and keep you on the edge of your seat as one would hope from such a story. The characters could have been more developed, and the plot had some holes that were a bit distracting.

Nevertheless, at least I can now check it off my McCammon “read” list. It's always nice to be able to say that you've read something by an author you admire, even if it doesn't quite live up to your expectations. Maybe with more practice and experience, his future works will be more in line with what I had hoped for from this one.

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emoore143

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

Apparently, Robert McCammon resisted the re-publication of his early horror novels. He was reluctant to expose the quality of his early writing. However, this demon child-cult-apocalyptic story actually deserves closer examination. It is, in fact, a bit better than he might have thought during his middle years.

Yes, it's true that there are early moments when McCammon makes the cardinal sin of trying to be 'too literary' in a genre novel. Also, the second half of the story slows down as the demon is pursued across the Greenland wastes, although this doesn't always have a bad effect. But overall, it really isn't that bad.

If you're looking for some truly bad first novels, you might try anything by Graham Greene. His early work was truly execrable. One can't help but wonder if he would have progressed beyond the initial stages if he hadn't had the right contacts and been 'in the business'.

In fact, McCammon shows many moments of considerable literary ability. The description of the trek across the ice is vivid and detailed, and the ending is suitably claustrophobic and uncertain. The scenes in the desert where Baal is a dark cult messiah predate Dan Simmons' grim 'Song of Kali' by seven years.

There are moments when the writing exceeds expectations. The exploration of the psychology of the religious and the insidiousness of evil, the deathly trek across the desert, the subsequent one across the ice, and the moments of brutal evil committed by a creature that might make the worst sociopath cringe are all quite powerful.

Above all, the early scenes of Baal's brutal incarnation in the world and the massacre and destruction of a school by the demon child are extremely powerful. What we have here is a set of excellently conceived set piece novellas strung together, even if the whole may not be the sum of its parts.

Written in 1978, 'Baal' is at the tail end of the 1970s cycle of demon stories. It offers a slightly different and darker Manichean vision of reality. Job is an inspiration. Of course, the novel could have been even greater with more experience, but McCammon was only 26 at the time, so we should cut him some slack.

I certainly don't regret reading it. In contrast, I wake up screaming in the night at the hours wasted reading Greene's first two novels. Although not quite up to Simmons' later standards, McCammon made a good attempt at representing cosmic evil, and he should be given credit for that.

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Reki_Retro

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

What a phenomenal debut novel and horror classic!

A woman is brutally raped by an extremely eerie man, and the son she gives birth to is different from the very beginning. The children in the orphanage, along with the nuns and fathers, are all afraid of Jeffrey. Soon, he starts calling himself Baal, just like the ancient demon and god the Canaanites worshipped.

As the years pass by, Baal is gathering a large number of followers in Kuweit. He is regarded as the true Messiah by them. Virga, a professor of theology, is in search of a colleague who wanted to research this new phenomenon and is now missing in Kuweit. Donald, on the other hand, wants to write a book about this new prophet, Baal.

In Kuweit, chaos, violence, and bloodshed occur among the fanatic followers of Baal's cult. Then, Baal, their leader, is allegedly shot by a Jewish person. But was he really assassinated? Virga decides to hunt Baal down and gets help from a strange fellow named Michael.

Who is this Michael and what is his connection to Baal? There is a fantastic showdown in the Arctic. Will the forces of good prevail over those of evil? This is a breathtaking and compelling piece of fiction. You will gain a lot of background knowledge on Baal and be immersed in a nail-biting story full of good, evil, and mysterious happenings.

The novel was written in 1978, but the idea of Baal is still very relevant today if you look at Kuweit or the Middle East. This gives the novel an eerie significance in our modern age. It is an absolute classic. McCammon's first novel is a must-read page-turner that you won't regret!

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NumberSevenTeen

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

One of the very first books in my extensive collection of nearly 2000 books was "Swan Song" by McCammon. I had heard that it was similar to Stephen King’s "The Stand", so I decided to buy it. Just like "The Stand", it was a massive tome of over 800 pages.

I placed the book on the shelf next to Stephen King’s works and other large books of 800 pages, and there it has remained for years. Why haven't I read it yet, considering both of those books have top ratings? It's because they are so massive, and their length intimidates me. However, one day I will definitely read it.

Subsequently, I purchased some other second-hand books by McCammon: "Baal", "Blue World", "They Thirst", "Usher’s Passing", and "Bethany's Sin". I picked up "Baal" and "Blue World" and started reading.

"Baal" is McCammon’s first book, so I assume it's not his best. The story commences with the birth of Baal (which is also the name of a daemon) from a raped woman. As the narrative progresses, we learn about how he lived and how he gathered believers. Simultaneously, we get to know the “good” guys. One is a theology professor, another is a half Eskimo hunter/shaman, and there is a mysterious figure called Michael (the name of an angel). Their plan is straightforward: to thwart Baal’s schemes.

The pace of the book isn't that great; in my opinion, it's rather slow, and only in the latter half are we introduced to one of the major characters. I think the first one hundred pages almost made me want to give up, but I persevered, and in the end, I was satisfied with the book. The rating is fair given the beginning. The imagery is quite good, and the characters are well-portrayed.

You might ask if I would recommend it to you. If you can get through the first one hundred pages, enjoy horror books, and, most importantly, if you liked those movies/books from the 70’s about the antichrist, then I think you will enjoy it.

Even after reading "Baal" and "Blue World" (which weren't the best books I've ever read), I will continue to read McCammon's books. Because I believe he has the potential to do much better. Don't forget that this was his first book, so you can't expect perfection.

I guess "Swan Song" will stay on my shelf for a few more years… Maybe I'll read it during a long holiday.

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archimagik

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

Those who have read several books of this series have probably realized that many writers could not write a good sentence even if their lives depended on it. This particular book is an exception to the rule, as McCammon's writing is excellent. And let this be his first book (later he will have Bram Stoker with "Swan Song" and "Mine") and, overall, the book gives promise of a great writer who is still in his infancy.

Unfortunately, however, as good an impression as the writing makes on you, the plot is just as bad: disjointed, with gaps and with a weak build-up that in no way resembles his much better subsequent books. Typically, it is yet another story of religious terror, with the "Antichrist" being born in our time and a theology professor trying to stop him. There are some powerful scenes, especially in the middle with the desert of Kuwait, but the promises remain unfulfilled (at least in his subsequent books).

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Baal

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