Horror Aficionados discussion

We will be starting the Robert McCammon Challenge on August 15th. The Challenge is to read all of McCammon's catalog in chronological order one book per month. On 8/15, we will be starting with his first novel, Baal. On 9/15, we will reading Bethany's Sin and we'll continue once a month until we get through his whole catalog. You're more than welcome to follow us as much as you'd like on this journey. Feel free to complete as much of it as you want or simply join in on the ones that interest you. The whole purpose of this challenge is to discover one of America's greatest (and somewhat unsung) pioneers in modern horror fiction. While not all of his books are horror, there is definitely something for everyone in his collection. With that being said, who's joining me for Baal?!?

I'd love to do this, but I'll have to dip in and out around my other reading challenges.

I love the synopsis for Baal but I'll have to skip this one as it's not in print in the UK and it's £45 second hand.

I can join in for Bethany's Sin though!

Scrap that, a second hand copy popped up when I bought Bethany's Sin on Amazon. It won't be here for a week or two but I'm in!!

Hi all.
This is a great idea. I wanted to read McCammon for a while now (just read a few short stories which were great) but never really got into it. I will gladly join you and hope to be able to participate regularly here. I can be a slow reader at times but I'll try my best.
Also, Baal is a kindle unlimited ebook so I already downloaded it and am ready to start at the 15th :)

I'm lingering but i don't want to read this one.

And we're off!

Looking forward to discussing this one. Make sure to remember to use spoiler tags and page/percentage markers.

I saw this and started on it today. Looking forward to more McCammon!

I’m going to join in next month.

Terry wrote: "I saw this and started on it today. Looking forward to more McCammon!"

Glad to have you aboard, Terry!

Latasha wrote: "I’m going to join in next month."

Sounds good, Latasha!

I'll be starting it today. I just had to finish the other group read 'Summer of Night' and as usual it kicked my ass, and I couldn't face jumping straight into a new book.

I'm really looking forward to it!

I will join when you read 'Swan song'

I'm hoping to join next month! I wish I could this month but I've got too many BRs going on this month.
I hope everyone enjoys Baal!

How's everyone enjoying it? I'm just upto Part 2 and it's okay. I'm posting through the app so I can't do spoiler tags so I'll be more detailed in my psot tomorrow from work.

The prologue went completely over my head, but religious stuff tends to make my brain stop working. But I really enjoyed the next part.

More tomorrow!

I am a bit late on this but will finally start tomorrow on my way to work. Hope everyone's enjoying so far :)

I finished the prologue and chapter one last night. I'm looking to continue tonight after the kids go to bed. So far, you can definitely tell it's McCammon with his signature smooth and easy delivery. I know he's very critical of his first three novels, saying that we saw him grow as a writer through those books. I'm okay with that. I'm sure, this being his first novel, that there will be some hits and misses along the way but, so far, it's still better than many authors that I've read who have been writing for 20 years.

Chapter One starts off with a bang. I could feel the street that Mary Kate was on. I've heard that Baal is full of McCammon's pent up frustration and anger with his disatisfaction with life at the time he wrote this. I can already see that anger and grittiness bleed through. Looking forward to seeing where all of this goes.

Feli wrote: "I am a bit late on this but will finally start tomorrow on my way to work. Hope everyone's enjoying so far :)"

I'm there with you, Feli. Busy weekend with the munchkins. So, I'm sneaking in a few pages here and there after they go to bed.

I've read up to part two, which is about 1/3rd in. The story isn't bad so far, but I think (view spoiler)[ maybe we're missing a character to relate to. I feel like that would help. Maybe some more insight into Baal himself would help, too. (hide spoiler)]

Ken wrote: "I finished the prologue and chapter one last night. I'm looking to continue tonight after the kids go to bed. So far, you can definitely tell it's McCammon with his signature smooth and easy delive..."

I certainly agree about that feeling of anger permeating through this story so far. Curious to see if that carries through to the end.

Ken wrote: "I finished the prologue and chapter one last night. I'm looking to continue tonight after the kids go to bed. So far, you can definitely tell it's McCammon with his signature smooth and easy delive..."

I totally agree with this. This first part has definitely been my favourite so far. The writing isn't great but I could see the street and the diner where Mary Kate works

Terry wrote: "I've read up to part two, which is about 1/3rd in. The story isn't bad so far, but I think [spoilers removed]"

Definitely. Baal is such an interesting character I want to see more of him, or more from his point of view

Upto Chapter 18 (view spoiler)[The descriptions of the desert scene was a bit brain numbing, yeah there's poverty, yep it's warm, I get it. But once Baal turns up it got more interesting (hide spoiler)]

I think I've steamed ahead a bit too quickly so I'm going to slow down and read in pace with the rest of you guys. The story isn't overly exciting so I think I'm starting to skim read a bit

Upto Part 3 /Chapter 6 onwards (view spoiler)[I really enjoyed the part with Mary Kate and Joe. The horror that they must have both gone through having a child like Jeffrey around!

The switch to the orphanage was a bit jarring and like Terry mentions, we definitely could have done with a character to relate to. Baal should be such an interesting character but we didn't see much of him here. He's quite a flat character, nothing to him other than him being Evil. Hopefully we get more of him soon. (hide spoiler)]

Okay, I am still a bit behind, but I am enjoying it so far. I am switching between the German and the English version (mostly to make sure the translation I am reading isn't ruining everything... early translations of horror definitely are questionable.)

I agree with the anger and I can imagine this going on for the rest of the novel. (view spoiler)[His anger when Mary Kate told him about the pregnancy. But really, she was being a bit naive there... (hide spoiler)]

What confused me at one point (the hospital scene in the very beginning): McCammon switched the POV mid-chapter. It was all from Joe's POV and he switched to the doctor. I hope that's not a thing he does too often.

I have meaning to read more of this author as he has written some of my favorite books. So though I would Join in.

I am about 10% in and finding it a quick read am not gripped yet like I am with most of his writing but enjoying it.

Okay... Forget what I wrote about Joe before ;)

Chapter 6 has some 'The Omen' vibes which I really like.

Through Chapter 4 -

(view spoiler)[ Okay. I wouldn't be too happy if I knew that my wife had known she was pregnant for a couple of months and didn't tell me. For a relationship already on the rocks, this couldn't be helping it. Looking forward to seeing where this goes and the obvious elephant in the room of who is the father. (hide spoiler)]

Ken wrote: "Through Chapter 4 -

[spoilers removed]" I agree there. (view spoiler)[I wouldn't even know how to not tell my husband for such a long time.. maybe you wait a bit to be sure, okay. But months? Oh my... And she obviously was excited about it, so it couldn't be the fear of him not wanting the baby.. (hide spoiler)]

Finished Part One.

Does anyone else picture Isaac from the movie Children of the Corn as Baal? I'm definitely getting an Omen meets Children of the Corn vibe here. (view spoiler)[ Great imagery, so far. I can literally picture Baal setting the dormitory on fire with a simple touch as he chooses his minions to follow him. (hide spoiler)]

I didn't think of him at the time of reading that bit but I can see it now that you've mentioned him.

Whenever I think of Baal in general I get the Ash vs Evil Dead version stuck in my head...

Jennifer wrote: "I didn't think of him at the time of reading that bit but I can see it now that you've mentioned him.

Whenever I think of Baal in general I get the Ash vs Evil Dead version stuck in my head..."

Interesting. I'll have to keep that in mind as I continue reading.

I didn’t realize this was being read! I’ll try to join in with the next book. My bin of books is still unreachable:(. I’ll just be haunting this thread for now.

Terry wrote: "I've read up to part two, which is about 1/3rd in. The story isn't bad so far, but I think [spoilers removed]"

I agree there, Terry. It would be helpful!

Have finished part 1 and started part 2. Well, part 1 definitely was more up my alley. I am not enjoying the new setting of part 2.

Chapter 11 - Well, that was a great chapter. The discussion and thinking on the pen being mightier than the sword or not was really great. And also how bad things happen in the world whilst we're sleeping obliviously

My initial thoughts are that I like Virga (I keep calling him Vega after the Mass Effect character). He seems really interesting and I hope we see more of him, and Baal doesn't kill him!

When I heard the news about a new messiah in the world I groaned out loud. I think we can guess what that's about but I'd like to hope that it's not.

And I don't want Naughton to go, Baal's going to get him and leave Judith as a widow.

Finished Part II. The word I would use to describe it is bleak. The way McCammon described the Middle East is a living hell, between the unrelentlessly hot desert to how the presence of Baal is bringing humanity down to its most uncivilized and animalistic form. What is everyone else's thoughts?

Ken wrote: "Finished Part II. The word I would use to describe it is bleak. The way McCammon described the Middle East is a living hell, between the unrelentlessly hot desert to how the presence of Baal is bri..."

Finished Part 2 yesterday, too. I agree with your description of it and 'bleak' is a very good word for it. I didn't like that part as much as part 1, really, but it created a certain atmosphere and showed us the influence Baal has on a whole country without having Baal himself as a main-character there and that was done quite good.

I liked Virga and hope he will make it till the end, he already was quite a daredevil for his age ;)

Hope to finish part 3 today or tomorrow because after that I'm on vacation and I don't know about wi-fi there.

I'm reading Part 2 again as I flew through it too fast. Just finished Chapter 12 and I agree with bleak!

What a terrifying place to be! The combination of the heat, how busy the place is and the actions of the people make it seem like a really horrible place to be. The disregard for human life is just awful.

If Baal can affect people like that before they even meet him, then I dread to think what will happen when they meet him.

All I can say is 'Run away Naughton. Please give up and go home!'

I’m not quite done with part two yet, but bleak is certainly the overwhelming consensus.

Halfway through part 3 and I like it! (view spoiler)[ It's completely different and very interesting, especially Zark.
But there's not much story yet.. nothing that adds to the plot. 🤷 (hide spoiler)]

I've just finished Part 2 and I'm really looking forward to Part 3.

(view spoiler)[I know it won't have any last effect of him but I did a little 'woo hoo' when Baal was shot. But then I had to undo it when I found out it was all part of his plan. Do they really have any hope at stopping him?

I really hope Michael can do something! (hide spoiler)]

I finished this one up over the long weekend. While I don't consider it up there with McCammon's best, it still wasn't a bad read. I can rattle off a boatload of authors that would kill to be able to write at this caliber. You can see the writing style is smooth and easy to read. The characters are engaging and the dialogue is realistic. I think the story could've used maybe a little more development, a little more payoff. All in all, still a 3.5 star, rounded up to 4.0, read. I'll post a review here after I chew on what I just read a little more.

Feli wrote: "Halfway through part 3 and I like it! It's completely different and very interesting, especially Zark.
But there's not much story yet.. nothing that adds to the plot. 🤷"

I agree, Feli. It felt a little clunky in that we learn about Baal's beginnings all in Part One, but then it seems to be one big chase scene in Parts Two and Three. Don't get me wrong. I think the chase scene progresses nicely and McCammon uses this type of storytelling in some of his best tales later on (Swan Song, Mine, and Gone South come to mind), he just does it much better. It's really hard to nitpick when you know this was written in his mid-twenties, but I do because I know how good he is soon after Baal.

Jennifer wrote: "I've just finished Part 2 and I'm really looking forward to Part 3.

I know it won't have any last effect of him but I did a little 'woo hoo' when Baal was shot. But then I had to undo it when I fo..."

I hear you Jennifer. Baal is such a nasty bastard that I eagerly root for his demise. I wondered if Michael had some tricks up his sleeve to defeat him. He was kind of an enigma up to this point. I wanted to know more!

Great comments, Ken. I finished up also, and went with three stars. I thought it wasn't quite as good as his later books, but it had lots of potential.

Terry wrote: "Great comments, Ken. I finished up also, and went with three stars. I thought it wasn't quite as good as his later books, but it had lots of potential."

Yeah. For me, there was just something missing. It had a lot of the elements that I love McCammon for, but it didn't have that feeling that I got with his later gems. And I think it was because of Baal. I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out. (view spoiler)[ Baal seemed like this invincible bad ass in Parts One and Two. In Part Three, he seemed like a foul-mouthed eunuch. From my understanding, Baal is a demon/semi-god that is one of Satan's minions. I tended to put him in the same category as The Exorcist's Pazuzu. But, Pazuzu had more power and nuts than Baal did in part Three. Was Michael that powerful? If so, how? There really wasn't much explanation on how Michael was able to control Baal from killing everyone. I needed more. (hide spoiler)] Does that make sense?

Ken wrote: "Terry wrote: "Great comments, Ken. I finished up also, and went with three stars. I thought it wasn't quite as good as his later books, but it had lots of potential."

Yeah. For me, there was just ..."

That makes total sense. (view spoiler)[ I kept waiting for the exact same things in part three, and was shocked it ended without more revelation. I assumed Michael was The Archangel Michael, but we don't really know. Too abrupt. (hide spoiler)]

Now on to Part 3, you couldn't get more of a change of scenery eh?!

I'm really enjoying it. I was speeding through it too fast earlier, but I really want to savour it now and so I'm taking my time.

I like how new characters are coming in at different times in the story. It's good how it keeps moving forward, bringing in new things and new environements. We're really travelling the world in this book!

Zark seems like an interesting chap. How nice of him to help out the locals with their family issues!

I obviously never want to see Baal again, but I also really want to see what he can do.

Finished! Overall it was alright, it had some really good parts and some not so great. The ending was a bit flat, too abrupt

(view spoiler)[I laughed when we got to the pissy, teenager-esque Baal at the end. I'd had the Evil Dead version of Baal stuck in my head, and he was a bit of a wet weekend. And then this Baal turned out to be the same. I was expecting something a bit more epic from him and Michael (hide spoiler)]

Not the best book in the world, but a solid start to McCammon's career and it'll always be 100 times better than anything I could write.

I'm looking forward to discovering more by him!

Jennifer wrote: "Finished! Overall it was alright, it had some really good parts and some not so great. The ending was a bit flat, too abrupt

[spoilers removed]

Not the best book in the world, but a solid start t..."

My thoughts were the same, Jennifer.

Jennifer wrote: "Zark seems like an interesting chap. How nice of him to help out the locals with their family issues!"

Haha, yes. 🤣

Terry wrote: "That makes total sense. (view spoiler)"

I was thinking the same about Michael. We don't know for sure, but that was exactly my guess, too.

I finished a while ago and, as most of you, have rated it in the 3-3.5 * range. It was an interesting read but nothing that will leave a mark. I enjoyed the first part the most and thought the characters were really interesting.
It wasn't bad, though, and a well written debut novel for sure. I can't wait to start McCammon's next book in a few days!