BAAL

For a novel written in 1978, BAAL has aged well. This chilling horror story about an ancient evil reborn in modern times and a scheme to reduce mankind to a murderous mass of hedonists is truly terrifying. Ray Porter deserves kudos for his portrayals of the two main characters: Zark, the strange medicine man in Iceland who evokes a raw confidence, and Virga, the old theologian who fights on despite being nearly paralyzed by fear. But 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. And there’s a sequel! M.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2014]