The Exorcist

A Novel

By: William Peter Blatty

Narrated by: William Peter Blatty, Eliana Shaskan

Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Four decades after it first shook the nation, then the world, William Peter Blatty's thrilling masterwork of faith and demonic possession returns in an even more powerful form. Raw and profane, shocking and blood-chilling, it remains a modern parable of good and evil and perhaps the most terrifying novel ever written.

©2011 William Peter Blatty (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

Wow! Who knew?

I'd never read the book -- I did see the film, of course, but now, decades later, I remembered only two scenes, probably the same ones you remember. But this is a fine novel by any standard -- much more complex and nuanced that I ever expected. Back then, I guess I was too engrossed in the green puke and turning heads to realize that there was a real story here, and a good one. The struggles of Father Damien are really touching. Quite a story.

But really, what made this book among my favorites -- and yes, I will listen to this one again -- is the author's narration. I actually had to go look, to see if William Peter Blatty had acting experience in his background -- and no, apparently not, but wow. He's seriously talented -- famed as a scriptwriter, director and novelist, but apparently he stayed on the other side of the camera. But Blatty as narrator is absolutely excellent -- one of the best narrations of anything I've ever heard. He manages the Irish brogues, the Brooklyn cant, the whole panoply of DC accents with aplomb, worth a listen for that alone, see how a master really interprets a novel. The whole thing, every scene, just comes alive.

Not to be missed, this one.

Worth the dowload

Overall, I thought this was a great download. I tried to read the original, and thought it was a little slow after seeing the movie and being terrified. This audio version solved that. William Peter Blatty does a fantastic job! I agree with the other reviewer that his voice is made for narration. I too am leery of any author who reads their own work, but I can't imagine a better narrator.

I was a little confused with the addition of the little girl voice three-quarters of the way through the book. It was disconcerting to hear after we have been hearing Blatty's voice for so long, but it really didn't make much sense to me since Blatty also does Regan's voice before the possession so suddenly hearing her as a little girl seemed unnecessary.

Overall, a creepy, great autumn listen!

Legendary!!!

What did you love best about The Exorcist?

The depth of character development, the symbolism of inner struggles with doubt (all kinds of doubt, not just faith), the amazing blossoming of the story, and the performance of William Blatty. It's all so good, there is no way to decide what is 'best'. I loved it all!

Which character – as performed by William Peter Blatty and Eliana Shaskan – was your favorite?

All of them! William Blatty is simply the best! His voice is rich & dark - perfect match to the story - but he somehow is able to pull off the voices of all characters believably! A true actor in every regard!

Any additional comments?

I would recommend this to everyone age 18 and up. Much more going on in this book than the obvious. A true classic - the book that sets the standards sky-high for the horror genera.

very different from movie

the book is very different than the movie and that is a good thing because I think the focus on Father Damien shows a genuine struggle for faith.
In examining Regan he exhaust all scientific possibilities.

Not just a horror story...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

The Exorcist is a classic movie that follows this book fairly closely. What you don't get in the movie is the human struggle and the interesting historical facts behind "possession" vs. "mental illness" that the author spends a good bit of time on. The author does a great job reading his own work. Really, the Exorcist does not seem to be about a girl being possessed by a demon; rather, it seems to be a story about a struggling priest's fight with his lost faith and his eventual salvation.

Enjoyable Performance

Author's performance really brought this classic to life. Having listened to this audio version, I don't think I can watch the movie again. This version is so much deeper and intriguing it makes the movie seem like a trailer.

Highly Recommended

Amazing story and performance. The author does a fantastic job as narrator. What better story for the Halloween season. This is my second time listening to it. Read the book then watch the movie.

the movie was disturbing... but the book was good

Good book... I think the movie went too far... I remember riding this many years ago...

Well performed and classic horror!

As both horror fan and practicing Catholic, I am tremendously fond of this book. It is obvious that the writer is having a great time reading this novel and is invested in his performance. Dynamic characterization and development really make this story addicting- despite the fact that it is a 12 hour recording, I listened to the whole thing in 2 days!

Absolutely chilling

After listening to this, I realized what a beautiful love letter the film was to the original source material of which these days are rare. id highly recommend this to anyone who loved the film.