This was McCammon's first novel. To be honest, it was just okay.

Obviously, he would go on to write some truly amazing books in the future. But, hey, we all have to start from somewhere. It's a decent story with strong 80s horror vibes. It's pretty relentlessly grim, yet also fairly predictable.

I don't want to give the impression that I'm being overly critical of it. It's just that McCammon's writing voice became much stronger and more individual as his career progressed. And BAAL isn't really all that memorable when compared to his later works.

Still, despite all that, it's a quick and engaging read, and I did find some enjoyment in it.

However, be warned that there are some rather disturbing scenes of sexual assault in the book. Some readers may potentially have some real issues with these scenes.

Let me preface this review by stating how much I enjoy McCammon's work.

However, Baal was his first work, written when he was just 25, and it truly shows. After reading this, I can really appreciate how much McCammon has evolved as an author.

Our main protagonist, Dr. Virga, teaches theology at a university in Boston. The book begins with a prologue set in ancient times, where the main towns of Baal worshipers were wiped out by divine means. Then we fast forward to the 50s in NYC, where a woman is raped by a sleazy tramp and is left with first-degree handprints all over her. Needless to say, she becomes pregnant and gives birth to one evil little tyke who starts calling himself Baal.

Baal grows up in a Catholic orphanage, but no one ever adopts him. Eventually, he leaves after burning the place down and takes some disciples (kids) with him. Then we finally reach the heart of the story. Baal is in the Middle East, specifically in Kuwait City, and Dr. Virga goes there to see what all the fuss is about. Thousands of people from all over are flocking to Kuwait City to see Baal, and they are killing and raping one another at his'services'. After some trials and tribulations, Dr. Virga is'saved' by one Michael from the desert, and they go on a hunt to track down Baal.

McCammon's smooth prose is noticeably absent here, as are his typically excellent pacing and nuance. Baal has the nuance of a rock hitting the head. You can pretty much figure out how this is going to play out quite early on, so don't expect any twisty plot turns. As McCammon himself notes in his afterward to the 1988 edition, this was his 'angry-man' novel. Baal is the embodiment of evil and badness, an antichrist. It took some time before McCammon's novels developed their own unique voice; his early work is rather derivative of existing, prominent horror tropes. In the 1970s, with The Omen and others, religious horror was extremely popular, and McCammon definitely jumped on that bandwagon with this book. Good versus evil, the eternal war between God and Satan. Yada, yada, yada. I put off reading this, knowing that it would probably not compare favorably with his later work, and in that regard, I was not too disappointed. Recommended only for McCammon completists, but that's about it. 2 Baals.

Not quite as exciting as I had hoped it would be, but it wasn't terrible either. After all, this was Mr. McCammon's first book. As I was reading, I could sense the not-quite-realized talent within its pages. This talent, I know, shows so well in the other books of his that I've read. The story and the characters had lots of potential. There was a certain charm and promise, but it just didn't quite reach its full potential. However, I'm still glad I read it. It gave me an insight into the early works of an author whose later works I've come to appreciate. If I were to rate it, I would give it 3.0/5.0 stars. It's not a masterpiece, but it's a solid start that shows the author's potential to grow and develop into something truly great.

I have finally completed reading my very first Robert McCammon novel, and I must say that I was extremely satisfied.

I gave this particular novel a rating of 3 out of 5. The main reason for this rating is that the middle part of the story seemed to drag on a bit too much, which made the reading experience a little less engaging during that section.

However, I have to admit that the climax of the novel more than made up for it. It was truly exciting and intense, and it brought the entire story to a satisfying conclusion.

Overall, I am very glad that I decided to read this novel, and I will definitely be reading more of Robert McCammon's works in the future. I am looking forward to seeing what other精彩的 stories he has to offer.

This statement "

Feels like a prototype for Swan Song. Loved it.

" seems to express a strong admiration for something that is perceived as a precursor or early version of "Swan Song". It implies that the thing in question has qualities or characteristics that are reminiscent of what one might expect from "Swan Song". The person making the statement clearly has a positive attitude towards it, as indicated by the phrase "Loved it". It could be that they have a particular affinity for the concept or style that "Swan Song" represents, and this prototype has captured their attention and interest. Perhaps it has unique features or elements that set it apart and make it stand out. Overall, the statement conveys a sense of excitement and enthusiasm for this prototype, suggesting that it has the potential to be something truly remarkable.

First published way back in 1978, this is McCammon's debut novel which launched his highly successful career. He went on to churn out some of the best works of horror of the 20th Century and beyond.

When considering the time of its release, it's remarkable. All the greats were just getting started too. Stephen King's Carrie was only released four years prior. In 1977, Dean Koontz was gaining traction, though using pen names like K R Dwyer and Leigh Nicholls. Richard Laymon, Ramsey Campbell, Anne Rice, and many more come to mind around that time. This was truly the golden age of horror fiction, with its popularity exploding like a neutron bomb.

Baal is the sixth book of McCammon's that I have read, and I've enjoyed them all so far. Boy's Life remains my favorite, followed by Swan Song, Blue World, Mine, and Stinger.

So, what is the book about?

A woman is ravished, and to her a child is born, unleashing an unimaginable evil upon the world. They call him BAAL in the orphanage where he leads the children on a rampage of violence. In California, he appears as the head of a deadly Manson-like cult. In Kuwait, crazed millions heed his call to murder and orgy. In the Arctic's hellish wasteland, he is tracked by the only three men with a will to stop him: Zark, the shaman; Virga, the aging professor of theology; and Michael, the powerful, mysterious stranger.

Very much like Mine, the novel opens with a violent scene, a rape resulting in the conception of Baal, the name of a Demon Prince he later gives himself. From early childhood, it's clear he's not like other children. He drives his parents against each other before going into the care of an orphanage, where his insidious power quickly amplifies. You definitely get some Damien/Omen vibes here.

I think the Middle Eastern and Inuit customs and religions were well-researched and authentic, given Baal's namesake's ties to biblical mythology. I also liked the story's scope, spanning several continents.

You can tell that with this book, McCammon was still finding his writer's voice, as he's mentioned in interviews. But for a debut novel, it's exceptionally well-written. It had me quite unsettled for the most part, and you wouldn't think it was his first. In fact, he may have written a few trunk novels before this one.

I enjoyed the twist at the end. It was well thought out, and McCammon follows the rules about Good and Evil. True evil can never be eradicated; it can only be overcome, but it's always there, watching and waiting.

Was it the best McCammon book I've read so far? No, but it's still solid. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to try McCammon's work for the first time. His subsequent books just keep getting better. I can't wait to read Mystery Walk next. There are so many books in his backlist that I'm looking forward to. I just want to read them all!

This is an epic horror tale that unfolds on a global scale.

The story progresses in a rather unique way. It initially jumps forward, centering around Baal in a style reminiscent of The Omen. Then, it takes another leap, introducing a dark prophet and his very own cult.

The time jumps might require some time for the reader to become accustomed to. Additionally, the descriptions of the setting and other details are not as elaborate. However, despite these minor drawbacks, the core of the story is truly captivating and engaging.

The narrative has a certain allure that keeps the reader hooked, eager to discover what will happen next. It's like a delicious treat that leaves you craving for more.

Overall, this horror tale has the potential to be a memorable and thrilling read for those who enjoy the genre.

Wow, this was my second time reading this book and it was absolutely great.

This was Robert McCammons first published book and it’s done really well. We follow BAAL as a kid and the horrible things he does to people around him were actually really scary.

Books don’t really scare me much anymore but this book really makes you think “what if”. I really loved the showdown/huntdown between Michael and Baal. If you have any sort of biblical knowledge, you will know what Michael I’m referring to. Some might say that’s lame but I really don’t think it is.

Especially nowadays with all the conspiracy-spiritual-warfare happening today. It stays true to the story and I ate every bit of it up. ***Beyond This Point ***Possible Spoilers***

The ending was quite ambiguous and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I thought it was the perfect way to tie everything up. It really floored my imagination and made me question what really did happen after all of that?

Part of me hopes Michael stood on business. The other part of me thinks most likely Baal prevailed. If McCammon ever made a sequel, this is the one I want. Rumor has it, Robert pulled this book from any further publications.

I hope he didn’t. I REALLY hope some day he says what the hell and writes a sequel to this. Please Mr. McCammon!

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I had an absolute ball reading Baal. From way downtown, Virga nails the triple (3 stars-ish), maybe he got fouled on the play! Michael is the Phil Jackson of this outfit and without a doubt, Zark is a combination of Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippin, wildly sexual and undervalued.

This is a nefarious little novel and it’s divided devilishly into three parts.

Part 1 is incredible. Aside from a questionable phrase on like page 2 or 3, I was immediately and totally absorbed. McCammon calls this his “angry man” novel, but I really enjoyed the moments of depravity and rage in the first few chapters. Some of the passages here legitimately creeped me out and had me on edge. You can really feel our protagonists' hopes and fears. I imagine McCammon was pouring a lot of himself into them. There are very few characters in this book and the ones we meet early on are, in my opinion, the most interesting and the most three-dimensional.

Part 2 takes a pretty radical turn. The reader is shot out of a cannon into the Middle East. I think it’s a totally sound decision, but it feels like whiplash. That’s okay because we’re hot on the trail, chaos is building and we’re in the hotbed now - it is hot here, folks. If you didn’t know, the characters will let you know. They will say “it’s hot here” or something like that. Here, the cities are falling apart and madness rules the streets. I liked how disorienting this section of the book was, but it felt a little naive at points as the author tiptoes around really establishing the environment and culture, most likely from lack of exposure to it (which is fine), a minor gripe. Bold, you could say, or hot!

But things cool down literally and figuratively as we hit Part 3 where we fly to Greenland in yet another whiplashing change of location. Speaking of whiplash, there are sled dogs in this section, but he keeps calling it a “sledge” and now I’m not sure what it’s really called anymore. This book was incredibly smooth and entertaining, like riding a sledge. That said, moving around this much is kind of funny without establishing the places better. I could see this guy writing good dad fiction where the hero is constantly jumping out of planes in foreign countries, solving mysteries, and breaking up drug rings. I was a little bored in Part 3 and confused about Baal’s behavior, but it did end up making sense in the end. Sort of anticlimactic but a good ending.

I think this book is cool and I am really looking forward to reading more of McCammon’s work. At 25 years old, this is one hell of an achievement.

This book is truly an absolute gem. It completely blew me away and had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It's like a powerful, never-ending storm that keeps battering you with its intensity, never giving you a moment to relax or catch your breath. I can't emphasize enough how amazing McCammon's writing is. Every single book I've picked up by him has made me feel as if I've just delved into a work of pure fiction genius. I could go on and on about how great this book is, but I think it's time for you to experience it for yourself. If you haven't read this book yet, why not?? Just go out and buy it right now. Trust me, you won't regret it, and you'll be thanking me later.

I truly relished this book. It was an absolute delight to read, and I am most definitely going to explore more works by this author.

His writing style is so engaging and captivating that it keeps me hooked from the very first page until the last.

I am now eager to discover which of his other books I should pick up next.

If anyone has any suggestions or recommendations, I would be more than grateful to hear them.

I'm sure there are many hidden gems among his literary creations waiting for me to uncover.

Maybe I'll start with the one that has received the most praise or the one that seems to be the most popular among readers.

Either way, I'm excited to embark on this new literary adventure and see where it takes me.