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The Revelation
DIVINE PROPHECY. HOLY TERROR.
Strange things are happening in the small town of Randall, Arizona.
The local minister vanishes, his church defiled by blasphemous obscenities scrawled in blood...A crazed old woman in her eighties becomes pregnant...Herds of animals are discovered butchered in a field...And one by one, the good folks in town are falling victim to the same unspeakable fate...Now, an itinerant preacher has arrived spreading a gospel of cataclysmic fury.
Darkness is falling on Randall, Arizona. The smell of fear lingers in the air. And stranger things are yet to come...
RUNNING TIME ➜ 10hrs. and 4mins.
©1989 Bentley Little (P)2019 Journalstone
Strange things are happening in the small town of Randall, Arizona.
The local minister vanishes, his church defiled by blasphemous obscenities scrawled in blood...A crazed old woman in her eighties becomes pregnant...Herds of animals are discovered butchered in a field...And one by one, the good folks in town are falling victim to the same unspeakable fate...Now, an itinerant preacher has arrived spreading a gospel of cataclysmic fury.
Darkness is falling on Randall, Arizona. The smell of fear lingers in the air. And stranger things are yet to come...
RUNNING TIME ➜ 10hrs. and 4mins.
©1989 Bentley Little (P)2019 Journalstone
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1990
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2851 people want to read
About the author
Bentley Little
135 books2,565 followersBentley Little is an American author of horror fiction. Publishing an average of a novel a year since 1990, Little avoids publicity and rarely does promotional work or interviews for his writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
April 29, 2025
This is my first Bentley Little book and I am impressed. His style of suspense is remarkable. I have had little free time lately but I guarantee you that this free time was spent reading his writing.
The author capitalizes on confusion with no relief in sight. People are being mutilated, churches are being desecrated and there is a central mystery which seems to be incomprehensible.
I would recommend this book to my fellow GR readers. It has a place on my reading list as I continue Mr. Little’s following writings.
The author capitalizes on confusion with no relief in sight. People are being mutilated, churches are being desecrated and there is a central mystery which seems to be incomprehensible.
I would recommend this book to my fellow GR readers. It has a place on my reading list as I continue Mr. Little’s following writings.
March 9, 2025
I don’t write reviews.
Alright, so I checked out Mr. Little’s first novel (1989). I can honestly say I wasn’t disappointed, but can equally say, I’m impressed with how much he’s grown as a writer and a stylist. Little took on a topic a bit too large for a first go, mayhaps, leading to: a lot of cool scenes only mentioned in the epilogue, some loose threads of plot flowing around here and there, missing out on chances to go in deep on the interesting characters, (especially Brother Elias, the driving force, yet he remains a complete mystery) as well as, lost opportunities to build up some creepy history and weird events as the town was attacked.
Overall, Little managed to drum up a decent plot, a full cast of (slightly under-drawn) characters and an odd take on a demon/devil possession tale. Definitely worth a read for Little fans.
Book 4 - Just a Little Bit More: Reading Through the Bentley Little Catalog
Alright, so I checked out Mr. Little’s first novel (1989). I can honestly say I wasn’t disappointed, but can equally say, I’m impressed with how much he’s grown as a writer and a stylist. Little took on a topic a bit too large for a first go, mayhaps, leading to: a lot of cool scenes only mentioned in the epilogue, some loose threads of plot flowing around here and there, missing out on chances to go in deep on the interesting characters, (especially Brother Elias, the driving force, yet he remains a complete mystery) as well as, lost opportunities to build up some creepy history and weird events as the town was attacked.
Overall, Little managed to drum up a decent plot, a full cast of (slightly under-drawn) characters and an odd take on a demon/devil possession tale. Definitely worth a read for Little fans.
Book 4 - Just a Little Bit More: Reading Through the Bentley Little Catalog
March 3, 2018
I think this is the scariest Bentley Little novel I’ve read. The Mailman was scary, too, though; it is a hard call. Regardless, Little’s debut novel is a shocker, almost sure to rattle the nerves of even the most jaded horror reader.
A wave of crime is hitting the small town of Randall, Arizona. Churches are desecrated. A local minister and his family have gone missing. Fires are set. Over the course of only a few days, this town goes straight to Hell and it’s up to a handful of people to save it. Perhaps this is not the most original plot, but it is fun — and herein can be found a few excellent twists.
I could not put this one down, and I defy anyone to do so once this book is begun. One of the finest horror debuts I’ve had the pleasure of reading, Bentley Little’s tale of a small town’s destruction is a corker.
A wave of crime is hitting the small town of Randall, Arizona. Churches are desecrated. A local minister and his family have gone missing. Fires are set. Over the course of only a few days, this town goes straight to Hell and it’s up to a handful of people to save it. Perhaps this is not the most original plot, but it is fun — and herein can be found a few excellent twists.
I could not put this one down, and I defy anyone to do so once this book is begun. One of the finest horror debuts I’ve had the pleasure of reading, Bentley Little’s tale of a small town’s destruction is a corker.
July 3, 2023
The Revelation was Little's first published novel and won a Stoker Award as the best in the category back in 1990. The writing isn't as slickly polished as most of his later books, and it's much more of a traditional horror book than those, with clearly defined Good vs. Evil, God vs. Satan tropes. It's set in a small Arizona town and has some genuinely gruesome and graphic imagery. Remember back when dead baby jokes were a thing? It's a good read, but not for the squeamish.
October 9, 2021
This is my second read from Little, and I thought it was a lot of fun!! It had some cringe worthy dialogue, and was very trope-y at times, but overall this was a very messed up, fairly graphic, wild ride. TW’s for infanticide (kinda), and animal death/killings, as well as graphic violence.
Want to read
July 31, 2011Stephen King recommended author. He says: "BEST OUTRIGHT HORROR NOVELIST. Bentley Little, in a walk. Don't know Bentley Little? You're not alone. He's probably the genre's best-kept secret, but at least 10 of his novels are available in paperback; you can pick up three for the price of that flashy new hardcover you've got your eye on. The best thing about Little is that he can go from zero to surreal in 6.0 seconds. My favorites are The Store (think Wal-Mart run by SAYYY-tan) and Dispatch, in which a young fellow discovers that his letters to the editor actually get things done. Bad things."
March 11, 2021
3.5 stars. This book is bonkers, but I had a lot of fun reading it! However do feel like I need to point out that there’s some out-dated terms used in here... so just beware of that. Full review to come.
November 21, 2017
A first novel through and through, Little's The Revelation visits a small mill town in Arizona where the locals are besieged suddenly by diminutive, cackling fiends that want to paint all the churches with goat's blood before burning them down, gnaw on entire families and turn household pets into confetti. Our protagonists--an overwhelmed sheriff, a blue collar laborer with a baby on the way, an Episcopal priest with light ESP--though lacking much personality, are at least stalwart about performing their civic duty to sniff out and then snuff out the source of all this devilry. Secondary characters abound as locals are mangled and their stillborns shanghaied, but otherwise these natives add little more to the narrative other than incident and a body count. It's obvious that Little's ambition is to write a sprawling story that encompasses the many lives of the place it is set in, but awkward chronology, more awkward marital flirting, some cartoonish violence and a slow first half show that some growth as an author is still needed. What The Revelation does have going for it? An apocalyptic street preacher, an inspired but morbid conceit for an infernal threat, and an extended exorcism for a creative finale. I miss the days when people were still scared of Satanism.
July 6, 2008
Some choice moments from this novel:
Two main male characters bond over their refusal to share the same donut, chuckling: "I don't want your AIDS germs, man!" Charming!
My favorite scene is toward the end, set in a Western bar with country music on the jukebox, in which suddenly evil vampiric babies fall from the ceiling fans onto the cowboy hats of the bar's denizens and chomp right into their heads. All this has something to do with the Rapture, but that's never properly explained. Ridiculous!
I can't stop myself from reading this man's terrible books. They are so bad, they're funny. He abuses every bad horror cliche possible, has inconsistent and dreadful characterization, and takes three pages to say what any other writer could say in three sentences. It fascinates me that he is published.
Two main male characters bond over their refusal to share the same donut, chuckling: "I don't want your AIDS germs, man!" Charming!
My favorite scene is toward the end, set in a Western bar with country music on the jukebox, in which suddenly evil vampiric babies fall from the ceiling fans onto the cowboy hats of the bar's denizens and chomp right into their heads. All this has something to do with the Rapture, but that's never properly explained. Ridiculous!
I can't stop myself from reading this man's terrible books. They are so bad, they're funny. He abuses every bad horror cliche possible, has inconsistent and dreadful characterization, and takes three pages to say what any other writer could say in three sentences. It fascinates me that he is published.
April 23, 2018
Creeps, it gave me creeps!
April 19, 2017
This book reads like a horror B movie. Thin plot, cardboard characterisation, stupid heroine, nightmare scenes (you often wake up from these), posessed monsters, mass slaughter, pints and pints of blood...there are even pitchforks!! Everything for the B movie lover... but not really for me.
July 13, 2018
kind of liked it...
May 20, 2025
★★★½
Bentley Little’s "The Revelation" is my third outing with the author and what a fun, frantic read this turned out to be. It has all the hallmarks of old school horror, playing out like a late 80s horror flick you would catch on late night telly. The ingredients are spot on. Supernatural forces rooted in ancient evil, a small town gripped by escalating terror and those ever-effective religious horror vibes that give the story an extra unsettling edge.
I really liked how gory and relentless it was, with plenty of suspense and a good dose of grisly action packed into a fast moving narrative. There is a real sense of chaos in the final stretch which I thought worked brilliantly, capturing that anything could happen atmosphere I always enjoy in horror stories like this.
The one area that let it down a little was the character work. Some of them felt a bit thin and while I managed to connect with most, a touch more depth would have given the story extra weight. Even so, this was great fun and well worth a look for anyone after something pulpy, violent and unapologetically over the top.
Bentley Little’s "The Revelation" is my third outing with the author and what a fun, frantic read this turned out to be. It has all the hallmarks of old school horror, playing out like a late 80s horror flick you would catch on late night telly. The ingredients are spot on. Supernatural forces rooted in ancient evil, a small town gripped by escalating terror and those ever-effective religious horror vibes that give the story an extra unsettling edge.
I really liked how gory and relentless it was, with plenty of suspense and a good dose of grisly action packed into a fast moving narrative. There is a real sense of chaos in the final stretch which I thought worked brilliantly, capturing that anything could happen atmosphere I always enjoy in horror stories like this.
The one area that let it down a little was the character work. Some of them felt a bit thin and while I managed to connect with most, a touch more depth would have given the story extra weight. Even so, this was great fun and well worth a look for anyone after something pulpy, violent and unapologetically over the top.
July 15, 2025
My first time reading Bentley Little! Without spoiling anything, this book was much crazier and gorier than I expected it to be, based on the premise. It starts like a Stephen King-esque small town horror, giving off real 'Salem's Lot vibes. Throughout I was reminded of many horror books and movies, particularly David Morrell's The Totem, and The Omen. That's not to say it felt derivative, just that it gave me a cozy kind of feeling. It felt like watching a really good 80s horror movie. But then, toward the end, it got REALLY, REALLY insane. So much so that it no longer felt like any movie they would have made then OR now. I have to say, I've certainly not read any book or seen any movie with a climax like this one!
My only complaint was the brutal kitten death that I saw coming from a mile away - a cheap shock tactic, but since this was Bentley Little's first novel, I'll forgive him.
My only complaint was the brutal kitten death that I saw coming from a mile away - a cheap shock tactic, but since this was Bentley Little's first novel, I'll forgive him.
January 9, 2013
I read Little's "The Walking" years ago and really didn't like it. I decided to give this, his first novel, a try, and I'm glad I did. This book is not for everyone, but if you are a fan of pulpy horror novels by writers with names like Laymon, Garton, Lee, Keene, etc., you most likely will really enjoy it. Its way, way over the top in the gore and mayhem departments, so if that's not your thing, I don't recommend it. Horror fans will get a good kick out of it.
March 8, 2013
I thought Bram Stoker winner was a good way to get introduced to this author. Oddly enough as I read this book, I kept having deja vu, like I've read it before and pretty much completely forgot it except for certain parts. So not particularly memorable or maybe award worthy (don't know what the competition was like that year), but this was pretty a pretty entertaining and lightning quick (under 3 hours) read with a decent twist on the same old something's off in the small town theme and a whole bunch of mutant possessed homicidal fetuses. Solid writing, fast pace, some genuine creepiness included.
August 26, 2022
Randall. Paesino rurale dell’Arizona. L’eterna lotta fra il Bene e il Male si impossessa delle anime dei vari protagonisti, coinvolgendoli in un “horror” davvero agghiacciante.
Un autore, Bentley Little, apprezzato dallo stesso Stephen King.
Una prosa lineare, pulita, scorrevole accompagna una trama sorprendentemente complessa e mai scontata, preparando psicologicamente il lettore all’inevitabile incontro-scontro con le proprie paure e tensioni, con i propri disagi e demoni interiori.
(Recensione completa sul mio profilo Instagram @albertinichiara)
Un autore, Bentley Little, apprezzato dallo stesso Stephen King.
Una prosa lineare, pulita, scorrevole accompagna una trama sorprendentemente complessa e mai scontata, preparando psicologicamente il lettore all’inevitabile incontro-scontro con le proprie paure e tensioni, con i propri disagi e demoni interiori.
(Recensione completa sul mio profilo Instagram @albertinichiara)
February 9, 2025
Brilliant debut novel set in a small town in Arizona, with loads of weird shit you come to expect from a Bentley Little book. Loved it.
April 25, 2022
Old school δείγμα τρόμου με μια κωμοπολη που δέχεται επίθεση απευθειας από την κόλαση. Δαιμονικά μωρά, διαμελισμοι, τρόμος και άκρατο μακελειό. Με λίγα λόγια: απόλαυση.
April 21, 2023
This was the second BL book I read. He's one of a kind.
February 11, 2021
The Revelation
By Bentley Little
Signet/NAL
1989(First Edition, St. Martin's Press)/1999 (Signet, edition I read)
🎃🎃🎃
I haven't reviewed anything in six months! Woah. Sorry bout that. To be fair, I have been busy being a therapist during civil unrest, COVID-19, having a family and cutting a full length album with my band @anxious.wave
So excuse me!
I decided to jump back into it with an author I have been meaning to check out for a while: Bentley Little.
This here is his first book, published in 1989, and winning a Bram Stoker for best first novel. While I enjoyed the book, and it's a touch above its peers, I can't really see why it won that prestigious award.
I do, however, recognize how and why Little has garnered himself a considerable amount of fanfare and a long, prosperous career in writing Horror fiction. Here, he takes the best parts of John Saul (as limited as they are, there is a wildly accessible nature to his writing), Richard Laymon and maybe just a touch of Clive Barker, and makes his own pretty unique telling of a story you've read millions of times.
It's the millions of times part that'll be the make or break part for the. I think this would be a great place for a reader just coming off King or Koontz, exploring what else is out there. The limits are certainly pushed farther, the outlandish is more outlandish, the fun dials are turned up, the fatty stuff turned down. Plenty of enjoyment to be had, but if you've read your fair share of Horror from 1989...here's more of pretty much the same.
A small Arizona town is cursed, but this time the curse manifests in the form of mutant flesh eating undead babies. Here to save the day is a mysterious evangelist, a Pepsi delivery driver and father to be, and a cardboard cutout of a small town cop.
Ridiculous moments galore, a healthy dose of gore and deformed babies chomping on all sorts, and some respectable story telling here but an empty, paint by the numbers plot keep this one at strictly 3 star status.
#horrorreads #horrornovels #horrorbooks #horror #horrorreading #horrorpaperbacks #horrorfiction #80shorror #80shorrorpaperbacks #paperbacksfromhell #bookstagram #horrorbookstagram #therevelation #bentleylittle #signethorror #signetpress #signetnal
#stmartinspress #stmartinspresshorror #stmartinshorrorbooks
The Revelation
By Bentley Little
Signet/NAL
1989(First Edition, St. Martin's Press)/1999 (Signet, edition I read)
🎃🎃🎃
I haven't reviewed anything in six months! Woah. Sorry bout that. To be fair, I have been busy being a therapist during civil unrest, COVID-19, having a family and cutting a full length album with my band @anxious.wave
So excuse me!
I decided to jump back into it with an author I have been meaning to check out for a while: Bentley Little.
This here is his first book, published in 1989, and winning a Bram Stoker for best first novel. While I enjoyed the book, and it's a touch above its peers, I can't really see why it won that prestigious award.
I do, however, recognize how and why Little has garnered himself a considerable amount of fanfare and a long, prosperous career in writing Horror fiction. Here, he takes the best parts of John Saul (as limited as they are, there is a wildly accessible nature to his writing), Richard Laymon and maybe just a touch of Clive Barker, and makes his own pretty unique telling of a story you've read millions of times.
It's the millions of times part that'll be the make or break part for the. I think this would be a great place for a reader just coming off King or Koontz, exploring what else is out there. The limits are certainly pushed farther, the outlandish is more outlandish, the fun dials are turned up, the fatty stuff turned down. Plenty of enjoyment to be had, but if you've read your fair share of Horror from 1989...here's more of pretty much the same.
A small Arizona town is cursed, but this time the curse manifests in the form of mutant flesh eating undead babies. Here to save the day is a mysterious evangelist, a Pepsi delivery driver and father to be, and a cardboard cutout of a small town cop.
Ridiculous moments galore, a healthy dose of gore and deformed babies chomping on all sorts, and some respectable story telling here but an empty, paint by the numbers plot keep this one at strictly 3 star status.
#horrorreads #horrornovels #horrorbooks #horror #horrorreading #horrorpaperbacks #horrorfiction #80shorror #80shorrorpaperbacks #paperbacksfromhell #bookstagram #horrorbookstagram #therevelation #bentleylittle #signethorror #signetpress #signetnal
#stmartinspress #stmartinspresshorror #stmartinshorrorbooks
September 24, 2010
This was surprisingly a good book! The plot of the story is that in a small town in Arizona, strange things begin to happen. All of the goats on numerous farms have been slaughtered and their blood used to write vulgar words on the churches in the town. People are being murdered and mutilated. A strange looking preacher arrives in town, preaching to whoever will listen, promising the coming of Satan.
This book was scary at times. I'm glad I don't know anyone with a baby because Bentley Little has even made infants horrific to me after reading this book. I won't spoil it for anyone that's considering reading it, but I will tell you, it gets better and better the more you get into the book. Lots of blood, gore, and scenes that should your imagination take you there, may even give you nightmares. No wonder this book was the winner of a Bram Stoker Award.
This book was scary at times. I'm glad I don't know anyone with a baby because Bentley Little has even made infants horrific to me after reading this book. I won't spoil it for anyone that's considering reading it, but I will tell you, it gets better and better the more you get into the book. Lots of blood, gore, and scenes that should your imagination take you there, may even give you nightmares. No wonder this book was the winner of a Bram Stoker Award.
January 23, 2016
This book was my 2nd read from the author & the more I read from him the more I like him. This book had a unique story the characters were very likable & like always with this author the suspense is sooo intense. He builds it up throughout the book sooo much you will definitely just keep wanting to read more & more. The ending was a good ending I just wish there was just a tab bit of more action, but still really good overall. For his first book not a bad one at all. He is definitely a new favorites in the genre!
January 7, 2017
Well here we go with another from the bag of books given to me while I was healing up from surgery. This one was worse than The Burning, by far. This takes place in Randall, Arizona and pretty much sums up the end times, or if you are a Ghostbusters fan, "dogs and cats living together"....... yeah you get the reference. Bad things happen. God and Good versus Satan and his lively road show. Don't even try to read this one. It's barely entertaining, and this writer won the Bram Stoker Award? I want to read the book that awarded him that!
*cough*
Danny
*cough*
Danny
October 6, 2011
Another tale set in Arizona. As all other books by Little are creepy as hell. As other books there is a certain Good vs Evil idea behind. What' is what sort of thing.
Churches vs churches vs Satan coming. A preacher that arrives to "save" the day.
The characters Gordon Lewis and Marina are expecting a child in a town where several womens are losing their babies.
It's like seeing a B movie with a religion theme and gore elements. Good tale. But not the first story reading Bentley Little.
Churches vs churches vs Satan coming. A preacher that arrives to "save" the day.
The characters Gordon Lewis and Marina are expecting a child in a town where several womens are losing their babies.
It's like seeing a B movie with a religion theme and gore elements. Good tale. But not the first story reading Bentley Little.
June 14, 2022
This is my fourth Bentley Little Novel i have been reading and it won't be the last. I just love is writting. His stories are just pure horror and i love it!!
4.6 stars
4.6 stars
August 23, 2024
Am I supposed to be afraid of killer newborn babies? Actual literal infants? Am I supposed to read a passage where supernaturally-charged fetuses bring down trees by chewing through the trunks with their little infant teeth and not laugh? Am I supposed to actually picture BABIES crawling through a woman's house with KNIVES in their hands and take that seriously?
Eartha Kitt stupid dot gif.
Eartha Kitt stupid dot gif.
June 22, 2012
Supposedly this was Little's first book. It won the Bram Stoker award for best first novel. For a first novel, I would have to say it was very good. It has some pretty creepy parts to it. Some gore included. This is only the 2nd Little novel I've read. I enjoyed this one better than the first one called The Walk.
It's about a small town in Arizona called Randall. It's the typical small town. Quiet, not much going on then all hell breaks loose. In comes a creepy preacher who wants the people to follow him. Do they follow this preacher who has these eerie black eyes that tells of an evil there to destroy the town? Or is he the one that is the evil? Or is it just a cult causing problems.
The story kept me somewhat guessing until the end. I had my doubts of what was really happening, had many parts where I couldn't put the book down and enjoyed most of the characters. I never really got scared but definitely was creeped out at times. Look forward to reading more by Little.
It's about a small town in Arizona called Randall. It's the typical small town. Quiet, not much going on then all hell breaks loose. In comes a creepy preacher who wants the people to follow him. Do they follow this preacher who has these eerie black eyes that tells of an evil there to destroy the town? Or is he the one that is the evil? Or is it just a cult causing problems.
The story kept me somewhat guessing until the end. I had my doubts of what was really happening, had many parts where I couldn't put the book down and enjoyed most of the characters. I never really got scared but definitely was creeped out at times. Look forward to reading more by Little.
January 27, 2016
This is Littles creepiest book. The beginning sent shivers down my spine - literally. Although the very end is a small let down, the majority of this book holds firm and scared the sh*t out of me. There's more gore than one can handle, grisly imagery - it's simply mind-numbing.
One thing that really works here is the atmosphere - most novels out there don't pack this much punch, that's for sure. It will have you looking over your shoulder before the night is through.
Each character rang the realistic bell; good job here.
Little stumbles sometimes, but all is forgiven by the time I came to the last chapter. Read this for yourself and see what I mean, but be warned - Little is not for the weak of stomach (or mind).
One thing that really works here is the atmosphere - most novels out there don't pack this much punch, that's for sure. It will have you looking over your shoulder before the night is through.
Each character rang the realistic bell; good job here.
Little stumbles sometimes, but all is forgiven by the time I came to the last chapter. Read this for yourself and see what I mean, but be warned - Little is not for the weak of stomach (or mind).
June 25, 2024
An excellent debut novel from Bentley Little. I’m making it a point to reread the entire catalog of Little books, starting from the first published to the most recent.
This book has a lot of fun qualities in a horror book. The good vs evil cliche is here, but it’s well done. The characters are not awesome, but they’re written just well enough to care, and the dialogue feels natural. I really enjoyed the small town Arizona setting. This book feels like a relic of its time, but in a good way. A lot of disturbing imagery in here. I cringed a few times but I had a blast with this one.
This book has a lot of fun qualities in a horror book. The good vs evil cliche is here, but it’s well done. The characters are not awesome, but they’re written just well enough to care, and the dialogue feels natural. I really enjoyed the small town Arizona setting. This book feels like a relic of its time, but in a good way. A lot of disturbing imagery in here. I cringed a few times but I had a blast with this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews