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Baal cover art

Baal

By: Robert R. McCammon
Narrated by: Ray Porter
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Summary

AudioFile Best Voices - Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Audio Theater, 2014

Baal was Robert McCammon's first novel, a debut that would lead to some of the finest popular fiction of our time. Written at the age of 25 and published as a paperback original in 1978, it has been out of print for years. This deluxe new audio edition from Subterranean Press will give McCammon's many fans both newcomers and longtime fans - the opportunity to trace the development of an extraordinarily talented man.

The story begins with a horrific rape on the streets of New York City. Nine months after that violation, a most unusual child is born. His name is Jeffrey Harper Raines, but he quickly assumes his true name - and true purpose - as Baal, a new incarnation of the ancient prince of demons. The narrative recounts his lethal progress through the 20th century, which begins with the destruction of his earthly "family". From there, Jeffrey/Baal moves to a doomed Catholic orphanage, where he unleashes carnage on an unprecedented scale, then out into the wider world, where he embraces his destiny as the Prophet of the Damned, generating a legacy of chaos, violence, and despair.

Baal is very much a young man's story, raw and brimming with emotion. Listen closely and you'll hear the voice of a gifted storyteller struggling to be born. In 1980, the career that would encompass Swan Song, Boy's Life, and The Five still lay waiting several years down the road. This is where it began.

©1978 Robert McCammon (P)2013 Audible Inc.

Critic reviews

"This chilling horror story…is truly terrifying… Ray Porter deserves kudos for his portrayals of the two main characters… Porter's true accomplishment is giving voice to the demonic Baal, whose voice is something between speech and a growl. This is not a book to listen to in the dark." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about Baal

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passable

excellent narration from ray porter. story was forgettable and a little all over the place.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Damien

A Damien-style imp is born as the result of a rape. His childhood continues with him using others to achieve much evil doing. Got lost a bit towards the end as the story jumped from desert to ice plains.

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Interesting

Ray Porter is the best. Story is pretty poor, but it is his first book

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Terrible

I’ve only added 1 star as i had to to be able to submit a review. No need for the sexual violence- awful story- don’t bother with it waste of time

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Horrible

This is a really bad book, I did wonder that it might have been good when it was written ( probably the 60’s)but I think it was just as bad then. I believe the narrator does not matter so much as even Marc Victor could not spin this one.
It’s poorly written, very generic, could have been passable if it was in a comic book, but even then, that is insulting comic books. I have gone though this monstrosity so you do not have to……listener beware!!!!

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Boring and poorly plotted

Headline says it all. A fairly bog-standard 70s occult thriller but with really poor plot planning. Loads of unnecessary character development, erratic pacing, weak main characters. Just, you know, a boring story told by a mediocre writer.

Very close to just giving up and I've only an hour left to go, I just don't care what happens any more.

Mr Porter does his usual excellent job but even he can't polish a t-rd.

EDIT: I did manage to drag through the last hour. An hour I'll never get back. I will not be revisiting this writer.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A short tale of terror that's as much a thriller a

"A woman is ravished...
and to her a child is born...
unleashing an unimaginable evil upon the world!"

That pretty much sums up the storyline to this one. Dipping into demonic cults and steeped in Mythology this book is perfectly written to match its subject matter.

I'm surprised to see that this was McCammons first novel as he writes with confidence. It's not hard to see why he went on to have such a great career as a horror author.

4 stars for this short and not even slightly sweet novel.

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