The Disciple

by Laird Koenig

The Disciple [Paperback] [Jan 01, 1983] Koenig, Laird …

Genres: Horror, Fiction

247 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1983

About the author

Laird Koenig (born 24 September 1927 in Seattle, Washington) is an American author. His best-known work is The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane, a novel published in 1974. The novel was adapted into a movie starring Jodie Foster. He also wrote a play based on the novel.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 2 out of 5]

Koenig's 1983 novel The Disciple is not a bad book, but one that never really grabbed me. Religious horror was a big deal in the 70s and 80s and I would call this evangelical horror for lack of better words. Our main protagonist is Marc-Anthony, an 8 year old kid who lives, along with his family, in their old family mansion in up-state New York. On the mansion's estate is the old factory that once provided the profits that build the family fortune, now abandoned and used as a basketball arena by the father (Dar).

The Cragin family has fallen on hard times with the factory closed, and their only source of income is the campground on the river that Dar set up a few years ago. Dar, an old snob, hates the 'river rats' and has prohibited his son Marc-Anthony from going down there. Yet, Marc's twin is buried in the old family graveyard down there and he has a hankering to visit his twin sister's grave. So, the novel starts off with Marc sneaking down to the river to find the grave, but on the way, he encounters a 'row' at the campground. Some bikers have decided to swim starkers and some of the other campers are appalled; this leads to a shouting match and one of the old campers keels over dead from the excitement. Then, a mystery figure (who we will know as 'brother leaf') appears on the scene and apparently restores the guy's life with he exhortations to the Holy Ghost.

Marc starts to literally worship Brother Leaf and becomes his disciple (hence the title). His father Dar (and his local lover) think he is a crock, but his wife, devoted to televangelists after the death of her daughter quickly falls in line. A few more 'miracles' ice the cake and bring Dar into the fold as well. We know, however, that this will turn ugly somewhere, and Koenig gradually builds up the tension. This is definitely a slow burn, but you could see the ending happening from a mile away and in the end, I found it rather anti-climatic to the extreme. Lots of build up for basically, not a lot of pay off. If you are really into vintage religious horror, you will probably get more of a kick out of this than me, but so it goes. 2.5 stars, rounding down for the ending.

[Dick Grunert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d actually give this 3 1/2 stars. I’m not a huge fan of religious horror, but this book sucked me in. Unfortunately, the build up was better than the pay off.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. It had a good sense of dread running through it and would have made a great tense movie. It almost could have been written as a western. Like another reviewer said it’s a little hard to pin point if it’s a horror or thriller. Well worth picking up.