Genre

Horror, Mystery

Audience

Adult

Author’s Worldview

Catholic

Year Published

1983

Themes

Pain, Grief, Possession, Ghosts, Crucifixion, Doubt, Murder, Mental Illness

 

Reviewed by

A.R.K. Watson

Let me just say right off the bat that this book has the single best plot twist I have ever read.

A sequel to Blatty’s famous The Exorcist, I was initially skeptical, thinking that this might be one of those sequels that the publisher pushed the author to write, rather than one that flowed naturally from the events of the first book. To my surprise, I enjoyed this even more than The Exorcist.

Legion follows the Jewish detective Lieutenant Kinderman as he investigates a string of murders, beginning with the cruel crucifixion of a young boy. Impossibly the murders mirror that of a long dead serial killer. Is this a copycat, or is something supernatural afoot? After the events of The Exorcist, Kinderman is no longer sure. Following the tradition of his Jewish faith to wrestle with God, and grieving the death of a friend from the first novel, Kinderman is struggling to reconcile the concept of a loving God with a world where pain and evil seem to rule the day. The result is a book that provides the reader a language to reconcile this problem in terms that Catholics, Jews, and Atheists will understand and find comfort in. For this reason, and that thrilling plot twist, it is my personal favorite of Blatty’s trilogy.

It’s also worth mentioning that, unlike The Exorcist, I did not find this book scary, perhaps because the only dead child in the book is in the first chapter. And his murder, while sad and disturbing, is not dwelled upon for long before the plot moves forward. There is another murder later in the book that some might find scary, as it involves some penis mutilation. Perhaps my inability to physically empathize blunted the horror of it for me.

One thing I especially appreciate about Blatty is that even though he is a horror author he never relies on gratuitous violence. Gratuitous violence happens, of course, but it is never dwelled up or described in a way that would encourage the reader experience excitement or entertainment. Blatty shows he is a true master of his craft by instead using the beauty of language to confront true evil. The greatest thrills his stories give come from moments when the characters trust a higher power and fall into the arms of grace without any sort of spiritual comfort to cushion them. While the killer in this book mutilates and degrades his victims, the book itself does not revel in that mutilation but describes the facts of what happened in a manner respectful of human dignity.

Blatty continues to prove a reliable author for both the Catholic, Protestant and secular reader and a credit to Catholic arts everywhere. Although the events in this book can be understood without having read The Exorcist, they will be better enjoyed if you have read the first book.

Get Catholic Books & eBooks for as little as $1 to FREE

Where to begin with J. R. R. Tolkien?

Beyond the adventure, the way to read The Lord of the Rings is not as an allegory but as a meditation on the human Story we are each caught up in, and in which we each have our part to play, our temptations to resist, and our task to accomplish.

Celtic Crossing by Len Mattano

Relic lost, and faith found.

Honor at Stake by Declan Finn

If you’re looking for a vampire-romance with a truly unique twist look no further.

Where to Begin with C.S. Lewis

When he was four years old, C. S. Lewis renamed himself Jack and refused to answer to Clive Staples. For the rest of his life, he was Jack to his friends.

Revelations Of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich, read by Sr. Wendy Beckett, Edited by Donna K. Triggs

A 14th century account of visions exploring the meaning of love, and God as love.

Cinderella by Charles Perrault

The true story of the Catholic saint who inspired the myth of Cinderella

Why Reading Fiction Made Me a Better Catholic

How reading fiction became a crucial step in my conversion to the Catholic Church.

Best Books of 2022

Our favorite book finds of the year!

Christmas Spirits by Karina Fabian

A dragon PI and a Faerie nun try to save a businessman from the Ghosts of Christmas.

Strange Matter by Brian Niemeier

Ready for the end of the world, battle mechs, and body swaps? This collection of short stories has it all.

The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas

Would you die for a flower? Would you kill for one? Providence, romance, and danger rule in this tense, heart-warming prison romance.

Where to begin with Dorothy L. Sayers?

A Detective novelist who believes in conscience, and in the reality of redemption.

Night by Ellie Wiesel

One of the most famous and horrifying first-hand accounts of the Holocaust

Prayer Journal by Flannery O’Connor

An intimate window into the mind of a great artist and honest Christian

City of Shadows by Declan Finn

St. Tommy uncovers a group of elites using an ancient artifact to destroy London.

Absence by Kaye Park Hinckley

Absence will chill you with the stark reminder that human beings are not just bodies, but souls whose spiritual influence cannot be suppressed, even when the bodies have gone missing.

House of War by Carlos Carrasco

With the government on the verge of outlawing Christianity, a group of Catholics launch a new Crusade.

If Wishes Were Dragons By Karina Fabian

What happens when LARPing becomes a lot more real than a group of D&D players can handle?

The Haunted Cathedral by Antony Barone Kolenc                           

Xan is finally bringing his parent’s killer to justice, yet his guardian monk insists he must forgive the murderer