By the twentieth century, the exorcism had all but vanished, wiped out by modern science and psychology. But Ray Russell resurrected the ritual with his classic 1962 horror novel,giving new rise to the exorcism on page, on screen, and even in real life.
By the 20th century, the centuries-old Roman Catholic exorcism ritual for combatting demonic possession was all but dead, eviscerated by the ascent of modern science and rationalism. But Ray Russell's 1962 novel, The Case Against Satan, set the stage for a proliferation of exorcisms on page, screen, and even bizarrely, in real life.
Paperback
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Summary
By the twentieth century, the exorcism had all but vanished, wiped out by modern science and psychology. But Ray Russell resurrected the ritual with his classic 1962 horror novel,giving new rise to the exorcism on page, on screen, and even in real life.
By the 20th century, the centuries-old Roman Catholic exorcism ritual for combatting demonic possession was all but dead, eviscerated by the ascent of modern science and rationalism. But Ray Russell's 1962 novel, The Case Against Satan, set the stage for a proliferation of exorcisms on page, screen, and even bizarrely, in real life.
Description
Before The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby, there was The Case Against SatanBefore The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby, there was The Case Against SatanBy the twentieth century, the exorcism had all but vanished, wiped out by modern science and psychology. But Ray Russell-praised by Stephen King and Guillermo del Toro as a sophisticated practitioner of Gothic fiction-resurrected the ritual with his classic 1962 horror novel, The Case AgainstSatan, giving new rise to the exorcism on page, screen, and even in real life.Teenager Susan Garth was "a clean-talking sweet little girl" of high school age before she started having "fits"-a sudden aversion to churches and a newfound fondness for vulgarity. Then one night, she strips in front of the parish priest and sinks her nails into his throat. If not madness, then the answer must be demonic possession. To vanquish the Devil, Bishop Crimmings recruits Father Gregory Sargent, a younger priest with a taste for modern ideas and brandy.As the two men fight not just the darkness tormenting Susan but also one another, a soul-chilling revelation lurks in the shadows-one that knows that the darkest evil goes by many names.For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust theseries to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-datetranslations by award-winning translators.
Critic Reviews
“"Provocative, shocking, moving."”
Provocative, shocking, moving Kirkus Reviews
[Sardonicus is] perhaps the finest example of the modern gothic ever written -- Stephen King
Russell links postpulp literature and the Grand Grand Guignol tradition with the modern sensibilities of America in the 1960s... a fascinating combination of the liberal and the heretic -- Guillermo del Toro
About the Author
Ray Russell (1924-1999) was a pioneer of the modern horror genre. As an editor at Playboy, he helped publish such writers as Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, and Charles Beaumont. His best known work, Sardonicus, was called by Stephen King "perhaps the finest example of the modern Gothic ever written." He receivedthe World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1991.Laird Barron is a writer of horror fiction. He has received three Shirley Jackson Awards, for his collections The Imago Sequence and Other Stories and Occultation and Other Stories and for his novella Mysterium Tremendum. His other works include two novels,The Light Is the DarknessandThe Croning, and a story collection,The Beautiful Things That Awaits Us All.He lives in upstate New York.
Product Details
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.
