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The Demonologist
A stolen child.
An ancient evil.
A father’s descent.
And the literary masterpiece that holds the key to his daughter’s salvation.
Professor David Ullman is among the world’s leading authorities on demonic literature, with special expertise in Milton’s Paradise Lost. Not that David is a believer—he sees what he teaches as a branch of the imagination and nothing more. So when the mysterious Thin Woman arrives at his office and invites him to travel to Venice and witness a “phenomenon,” he turns her down. She leaves plane tickets and an address on his desk, advising David that her employer is not often disappointed.
That evening, David’s wife announces she is leaving him. With his life suddenly in shambles, he impulsively whisks his beloved twelve-year-old daughter, Tess, off to Venice after all. The girl has recently been stricken by the same melancholy moods David knows so well, and he hopes to cheer her up and distract them both from the troubles at home.
But what happens in Venice will change everything.
First, in a tiny attic room at the address provided by the Thin Woman, David sees a man restrained in a chair, muttering, clearly insane . . . but could he truly be possessed? Then the man speaks clearly, in the voice of David’s dead father, repeating the last words he ever spoke to his son. Words that have left scars—and a mystery—behind.
When David rushes back to the hotel, he discovers Tess perched on the roof’s edge, high above the waters of the Grand Canal. Before she falls, she manages to utter a final plea: Find me.
What follows is an unimaginable journey for David Ullman from skeptic to true believer. In a terrifying quest guided by symbols and riddles from the pages of Paradise Lost, David must track the demon that has captured his daughter and discover its name. If he fails, he will lose Tess forever.
An ancient evil.
A father’s descent.
And the literary masterpiece that holds the key to his daughter’s salvation.
Professor David Ullman is among the world’s leading authorities on demonic literature, with special expertise in Milton’s Paradise Lost. Not that David is a believer—he sees what he teaches as a branch of the imagination and nothing more. So when the mysterious Thin Woman arrives at his office and invites him to travel to Venice and witness a “phenomenon,” he turns her down. She leaves plane tickets and an address on his desk, advising David that her employer is not often disappointed.
That evening, David’s wife announces she is leaving him. With his life suddenly in shambles, he impulsively whisks his beloved twelve-year-old daughter, Tess, off to Venice after all. The girl has recently been stricken by the same melancholy moods David knows so well, and he hopes to cheer her up and distract them both from the troubles at home.
But what happens in Venice will change everything.
First, in a tiny attic room at the address provided by the Thin Woman, David sees a man restrained in a chair, muttering, clearly insane . . . but could he truly be possessed? Then the man speaks clearly, in the voice of David’s dead father, repeating the last words he ever spoke to his son. Words that have left scars—and a mystery—behind.
When David rushes back to the hotel, he discovers Tess perched on the roof’s edge, high above the waters of the Grand Canal. Before she falls, she manages to utter a final plea: Find me.
What follows is an unimaginable journey for David Ullman from skeptic to true believer. In a terrifying quest guided by symbols and riddles from the pages of Paradise Lost, David must track the demon that has captured his daughter and discover its name. If he fails, he will lose Tess forever.
285 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2013
675 people are currently reading
12486 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Pyper
39 books1,117 followersAndrew Pyper was a Canadian author. He published over ten fictional books, including The Demonologist, which won the International Thriller Writers Award, and Lost Girls, which was a New York Times bestseller and Notable Book of the Year.
Pyper also published under the name of Mason Coile.
Pyper also published under the name of Mason Coile.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,494 reviews
October 28, 2019
Συγκλονιστικό βιβλίο, το συστήνω ανεπιφύλακτα.
Ειναι γεμάτο από ολα τα -ΑΠΟΛΥΤΑ-στοιχεία-συναισθήματα. Ανθρώπινα,θεϊκά,δαιμονικά.
Πανδαιμόνιο μέσα από μια ιστορία ψυχολογικής έντασης και αγωνίας που δεν σου επιτρέπει να αφήσεις το βιβλίο μέχρι τελευταία σελίδα.
Από τα λίγα "unputdownable" που με καθήλωσαν.
Το ανθρώπινο μυαλό μπορεί να κάνει την ΚΟΛΑΣΗ - ΠΑΡΑΔΕΙΣΟ και τον ΠΑΡΑΔΕΙΣΟ - ΚΟΛΑΣΗ.
Αυτό ακριβώς αποδεικνύεται περίτρανα μέσα απο την ιστορία του καθηγητή δαιμονολόγου και της μονάκριβης κόρης του,ενώ η εξαίσια παραστατική αφήγηση σε βάζει μέσα στην κάθε στιγμή της πλοκής και ζεις μαζί τους το δαιμονικό έρεβος.
Γεμάτο υπερένταση και άγχος γι'αυτό που ξέρεις πως θα συμβεί μα δεν θέλεις ούτε να το φανταστείς.
Η υπεροχή των σκοτεινών δυνάμεων ειναι τοσο φυσική και κατανοητή όπως ακριβώς η νύχτα μετά την μέρα.
Έιναι ένα έντονο ψυχολογικό θρίλερ που με πήρε μαζί του και βίωσα πόνο ,θλίψη,πένθος, απόλυτη αγάπη και αφοσίωση, χαρά, ελπίδα και απόλυτο ανόθευτο και αφηρημένο χάος!!
PS. «As heads is tales
Just call me LUCIFER
cop is to criminal
as God is to Lucifer».
Καλή ανάγνωση!
Πολλούς ασπασμούς!!
Ειναι γεμάτο από ολα τα -ΑΠΟΛΥΤΑ-στοιχεία-συναισθήματα. Ανθρώπινα,θεϊκά,δαιμονικά.
Πανδαιμόνιο μέσα από μια ιστορία ψυχολογικής έντασης και αγωνίας που δεν σου επιτρέπει να αφήσεις το βιβλίο μέχρι τελευταία σελίδα.
Από τα λίγα "unputdownable" που με καθήλωσαν.
Το ανθρώπινο μυαλό μπορεί να κάνει την ΚΟΛΑΣΗ - ΠΑΡΑΔΕΙΣΟ και τον ΠΑΡΑΔΕΙΣΟ - ΚΟΛΑΣΗ.
Αυτό ακριβώς αποδεικνύεται περίτρανα μέσα απο την ιστορία του καθηγητή δαιμονολόγου και της μονάκριβης κόρης του,ενώ η εξαίσια παραστατική αφήγηση σε βάζει μέσα στην κάθε στιγμή της πλοκής και ζεις μαζί τους το δαιμονικό έρεβος.
Γεμάτο υπερένταση και άγχος γι'αυτό που ξέρεις πως θα συμβεί μα δεν θέλεις ούτε να το φανταστείς.
Η υπεροχή των σκοτεινών δυνάμεων ειναι τοσο φυσική και κατανοητή όπως ακριβώς η νύχτα μετά την μέρα.
Έιναι ένα έντονο ψυχολογικό θρίλερ που με πήρε μαζί του και βίωσα πόνο ,θλίψη,πένθος, απόλυτη αγάπη και αφοσίωση, χαρά, ελπίδα και απόλυτο ανόθευτο και αφηρημένο χάος!!
PS. «As heads is tales
Just call me LUCIFER
cop is to criminal
as God is to Lucifer».
Καλή ανάγνωση!
Πολλούς ασπασμούς!!
February 25, 2013
I picked up a proof from the bookstore I worked at thinking it looked interesting and wanting to give more Canadian authors a fair chance, I went for it. I found the author's included letter intriguing: he being of skeptical mind set out to convince fellow skeptical-minded readers of a world full of demons. I figured he'd have his work cut out for him trying to convince me of Christian mythos! Challenged accepted.
David is a man at odds with life, his faith, his own self. He has molded his entire life around belief, but on the sidelines as an academic turned professor. He doesn’t believe himself and it’s not until the loss of his daughter that makes him question everything.
I could tell early on that the writing style was not for me; it’s very bland and only seemed to serve the purpose of leading you from one sentence to the other. At first I was willing to make allowances, but the dialogue and characterization was also so poor that I never took the story seriously. According to the back cover a movie deal is all ready in the works so I have to wonder if Pyper just pitched the idea and didn’t bother to finish the draft. I expect more from a novel it’s not a screenplay after all.
I don't know how this author has won accolades, but I'd hope that that means his other works are much better than this.
And apparently this book is supposed to be scary? Really--where?
I was just glad that it was reasonably short, and I got through it fairly quickly.
Also, challenge rejected. I don't know how this book was supposed to convince a reader about anything let alone such a grand topic like belief. Aside from quoting Milton there wasn't even an argument, and quoting Milton is a cheap shot.
David is a man at odds with life, his faith, his own self. He has molded his entire life around belief, but on the sidelines as an academic turned professor. He doesn’t believe himself and it’s not until the loss of his daughter that makes him question everything.
I could tell early on that the writing style was not for me; it’s very bland and only seemed to serve the purpose of leading you from one sentence to the other. At first I was willing to make allowances, but the dialogue and characterization was also so poor that I never took the story seriously. According to the back cover a movie deal is all ready in the works so I have to wonder if Pyper just pitched the idea and didn’t bother to finish the draft. I expect more from a novel it’s not a screenplay after all.
I don't know how this author has won accolades, but I'd hope that that means his other works are much better than this.
And apparently this book is supposed to be scary? Really--where?
I was just glad that it was reasonably short, and I got through it fairly quickly.
Also, challenge rejected. I don't know how this book was supposed to convince a reader about anything let alone such a grand topic like belief. Aside from quoting Milton there wasn't even an argument, and quoting Milton is a cheap shot.
November 12, 2012
oh wow. when I first heard about this book, the people discussing it said it was scary. the room got quiet and chills ran down spines. I instantly wanted to read it. I was lucky enough to have been given an early copy and oh my goodness.
the story is very well written. the plot is fluid and understandable. despite its references to Milton's Paradise Lost and the academic protagonist, you don't need to be a scholar to enjoy it.
as for the scare factor, its definitely there. there are moments when I was reading that I had to put it down and breathe. but at the same time I didn't want to put it down.
amazing work. I'd definitely recommend.
the story is very well written. the plot is fluid and understandable. despite its references to Milton's Paradise Lost and the academic protagonist, you don't need to be a scholar to enjoy it.
as for the scare factor, its definitely there. there are moments when I was reading that I had to put it down and breathe. but at the same time I didn't want to put it down.
amazing work. I'd definitely recommend.
Read
September 22, 2022I'm a little pissed that this book was right under my nose for so long and none of my other books told me to read it. They're just jealous! This one can sit on the shelf and hold hands with The Exorcist (Blatty), All These Subtle Deceits (Humble), and The Screwtape Letters (Lewis), actually...
April 21, 2013
Skip it. This book may work better as a movie, a horror film with lots of creepy music and scary images of twins. But as a book it is not very exciting. I was extremely disappointed on so many levels. One. I thought this was going to be about Heaven and Hell, Good and Evil, God and Satan. I thought it would challenge me to think about my beliefs. Nah. It is about someone who talks to the dead in Milton-speak. Tiresome. Two. This should have been a short story. The characters are just sketched out, the ending feels rushed, incomplete, and the cross-country locations are made to be boring and stupid. It really kicks you in the face if you are not from New York City. This guy has little love or respect for America. Three. It does not make any sense. He loves his daughter so much and is willing to do anything to save her, but does he save her? People help him, but who does he help? What test does he pass? Does he really do anything good in Venice, Italy, or Jupiter, Florida, or any of the other places he goes? Finally, why not just call it "The Miltonist"? There are other books titled The Demonologist which are probably just as good/bad. Give us a break. Columbia should sue the author for making Ullman such a thoughtless, elitist, professor.
February 5, 2013
“There are things in this world most of us never see,” I find myself saying. “We’ve trained ourselves not to see them, or try to pretend we didn’t if we do. But there’s a reason why, no matter how sophisticated or primitive, every religion has demons. Some faiths may have angels, some may not. A God, gods, Jesus, prophets—the figure of ultimate authority is variable. There’s many different kinds of creators. But the destroyer always takes the same essential form. Man’s progress has, from the beginning, been thwarted by testers, liars, defilers. Authors of plague, madness, despair. The demonic is the one true universal across all human religious experience.”
“That may be true, as far as anthropological observation goes.”
“It’s true because it’s so pervasive. Why this one shared aspect of belief for so many, for so long? Why is demonology more common than reincarnation, more than sacrificial offerings, more than the way we pray or the houses of worship where we congregate or the form the apocalypse will take at the end of time? Because demons exist. Not as an idea but here, on the ground, in the everyday world.”
***
David Ullman is a Milton scholar teaching at Columbia University—a man whose career and life have been devoted, in large part, to the study of Paradise Lost. In spite of his academic interests, David is an atheist, a self-proclaimed “demon expert who believes evil to be a manmade invention.” His family is coming apart at the seams; both he and his daughter Tess wear a black crown of melancholy that unites the two of them, while simultaneously driving a wedge between Dianne, David’s wife, who has been cheating on him with another member of the Columbia University faculty.
To maintain his equilibrium, David confides regularly in his closest friend and fellow professor, Elaine. The two have a sort of intellectual affair—something they both need, but will not consummate. When Elaine reveals that she’s dying of cancer and Dianne decides to move out of the home she and David share, David accepts a mysterious proposal from a frighteningly gaunt woman who shows up one day at his office to fly to Venice and employ his knowledge as a “demonologist.” He takes Tess with him—it’s a chance for both of them to take a break from their familial concerns. It’s not long after their arrival in Venice when, during David’s consultation, a malevolent spirit takes Tess hostage. Possessed, apparently, by a demon, Tess throws herself into Venice’s Grand Canal. No body is found after several days of searching. Upon arriving home again in New York, David embarks on a North American journey following various signs and demonic occurrences in the hopes of tracking down the demonic spirit that has taken his daughter from him.
Andrew Pyper’s The Demonologist borrows heavily from The Da Vinci Code’s DNA: a lone scholar, with assistance and moral support from a plucky female companion, uses a career’s worth of dedicated knowledge to unravel a potentially world-changing mystery. Unfortunately, it shares many of The Da Vinci Code’s problems, too.
The comparison is predictable, but The Demonologist is a stereotypical summer popcorn flick: there’s an immediate fun factor to the novel, but the more I pause to think back upon its story and characters, the less depth I find. The subject matter is engaging enough—ultimate evil is on the rise and one man is fighting through it for the sake of his daughter’s life. However, even with such seemingly high stakes, there is little perceivable threat or gravitas in the pages of Pyper’s novel.
The problems begin with the characters. Though thankfully more tonally mature than Brown’s Robert Langdon, David Ullman is, for the most part, rather stilted and emotionally unconvincing. He describes what he’s facing and going through—his fears, frustrations, and bouts of depression—but never are we really shown the effect all this has on him, never does he seem like a person coming unhinged by the impossible events happening to and around him. Even his attempted suicide in the wake of his daughter’s disappearance feels like a decision made for plot and not because it’s something the character would do—it’s a perfunctory action, not earned, and lacking repercussions to his mental state. The other characters don’t fare any better; Dianne’s one solitary burst of emotion following Tess’ apparent death rings hollow and feels very matter of fact—a detail supported by how effortlessly she’s dropped from the narrative.
More egregious than the character problems, however, are the narrative conveniences within The Demonologist. Without giving too much away, the manners in which certain clues are handled (or mishandled, as the case may be) is often simple to the point of robbing the novel of its tension or excitement. The appearance of the numbers at just the right time on the television, or how David works out the clues about the sunshine state, and the how-did-he-find-them-so-fast appearances of George Barone, a man pursuing David on behalf of an organization that may or may not be the Catholic Church, are all so easily and deliberately tossed into the narrative that I felt cheated as a reader. We’re not on this ride with them, figuring out the clues alongside the protagonist; instead, we as readers are two steps removed, watching a television show about a roller coaster ride we wish we could experience for ourselves. A mid-novel murder-suicide plotline is by far the most effective and unsettling set piece in the entire story, and the only time when the atmosphere of evil was effective at drawing me in.
While I had some fun with this novel in the moment, I’m left with more questions than answers. David’s expertise feels largely inessential to the plot, as his analysis of Milton never dives as deep as I would have liked; it feels less critical to the story and more useful as the décor around which the plot is structured. George Barone’s rationale, and the rationale of his employers (which is more or less “if it ain’t broke, why reveal it”), doesn’t offer a credible sense of threat. (And if it’s so critical to stop David from doing what this evil wants him to do, why would a Church with, well, more money than God send just one man to “take care of business?” Seems to me, when fending off the ultimate evil of the world, you might want to pull out all the stops…) And for that matter, the ticking clock hovering over David’s search for Tess lacks the same sense of threat. It never feels as if it has taken an emotional toll on David. It simply is what it is.
The Demonologist is undone by unfortunately diminishing returns. It never goes as in-depth into the literature or mythology as I’d hoped, preferring instead to skim the surface of Paradise Lost while focusing more on a rather directionless-feeling road trip with the occasional shock-for-shock’s-sake encounter tossed in along the way. David, in the end, seems very much the same as he did in the beginning, and the speed at which the final set of revelations are made is quick to the point of feeling rushed. Ultimately, David’s journey to find some sort of personal faith failed to convince me. Perhaps the upcoming feature film will find a better balance between character and plot, but I remain sceptical.
“That may be true, as far as anthropological observation goes.”
“It’s true because it’s so pervasive. Why this one shared aspect of belief for so many, for so long? Why is demonology more common than reincarnation, more than sacrificial offerings, more than the way we pray or the houses of worship where we congregate or the form the apocalypse will take at the end of time? Because demons exist. Not as an idea but here, on the ground, in the everyday world.”
***
David Ullman is a Milton scholar teaching at Columbia University—a man whose career and life have been devoted, in large part, to the study of Paradise Lost. In spite of his academic interests, David is an atheist, a self-proclaimed “demon expert who believes evil to be a manmade invention.” His family is coming apart at the seams; both he and his daughter Tess wear a black crown of melancholy that unites the two of them, while simultaneously driving a wedge between Dianne, David’s wife, who has been cheating on him with another member of the Columbia University faculty.
To maintain his equilibrium, David confides regularly in his closest friend and fellow professor, Elaine. The two have a sort of intellectual affair—something they both need, but will not consummate. When Elaine reveals that she’s dying of cancer and Dianne decides to move out of the home she and David share, David accepts a mysterious proposal from a frighteningly gaunt woman who shows up one day at his office to fly to Venice and employ his knowledge as a “demonologist.” He takes Tess with him—it’s a chance for both of them to take a break from their familial concerns. It’s not long after their arrival in Venice when, during David’s consultation, a malevolent spirit takes Tess hostage. Possessed, apparently, by a demon, Tess throws herself into Venice’s Grand Canal. No body is found after several days of searching. Upon arriving home again in New York, David embarks on a North American journey following various signs and demonic occurrences in the hopes of tracking down the demonic spirit that has taken his daughter from him.
Andrew Pyper’s The Demonologist borrows heavily from The Da Vinci Code’s DNA: a lone scholar, with assistance and moral support from a plucky female companion, uses a career’s worth of dedicated knowledge to unravel a potentially world-changing mystery. Unfortunately, it shares many of The Da Vinci Code’s problems, too.
The comparison is predictable, but The Demonologist is a stereotypical summer popcorn flick: there’s an immediate fun factor to the novel, but the more I pause to think back upon its story and characters, the less depth I find. The subject matter is engaging enough—ultimate evil is on the rise and one man is fighting through it for the sake of his daughter’s life. However, even with such seemingly high stakes, there is little perceivable threat or gravitas in the pages of Pyper’s novel.
The problems begin with the characters. Though thankfully more tonally mature than Brown’s Robert Langdon, David Ullman is, for the most part, rather stilted and emotionally unconvincing. He describes what he’s facing and going through—his fears, frustrations, and bouts of depression—but never are we really shown the effect all this has on him, never does he seem like a person coming unhinged by the impossible events happening to and around him. Even his attempted suicide in the wake of his daughter’s disappearance feels like a decision made for plot and not because it’s something the character would do—it’s a perfunctory action, not earned, and lacking repercussions to his mental state. The other characters don’t fare any better; Dianne’s one solitary burst of emotion following Tess’ apparent death rings hollow and feels very matter of fact—a detail supported by how effortlessly she’s dropped from the narrative.
More egregious than the character problems, however, are the narrative conveniences within The Demonologist. Without giving too much away, the manners in which certain clues are handled (or mishandled, as the case may be) is often simple to the point of robbing the novel of its tension or excitement. The appearance of the numbers at just the right time on the television, or how David works out the clues about the sunshine state, and the how-did-he-find-them-so-fast appearances of George Barone, a man pursuing David on behalf of an organization that may or may not be the Catholic Church, are all so easily and deliberately tossed into the narrative that I felt cheated as a reader. We’re not on this ride with them, figuring out the clues alongside the protagonist; instead, we as readers are two steps removed, watching a television show about a roller coaster ride we wish we could experience for ourselves. A mid-novel murder-suicide plotline is by far the most effective and unsettling set piece in the entire story, and the only time when the atmosphere of evil was effective at drawing me in.
While I had some fun with this novel in the moment, I’m left with more questions than answers. David’s expertise feels largely inessential to the plot, as his analysis of Milton never dives as deep as I would have liked; it feels less critical to the story and more useful as the décor around which the plot is structured. George Barone’s rationale, and the rationale of his employers (which is more or less “if it ain’t broke, why reveal it”), doesn’t offer a credible sense of threat. (And if it’s so critical to stop David from doing what this evil wants him to do, why would a Church with, well, more money than God send just one man to “take care of business?” Seems to me, when fending off the ultimate evil of the world, you might want to pull out all the stops…) And for that matter, the ticking clock hovering over David’s search for Tess lacks the same sense of threat. It never feels as if it has taken an emotional toll on David. It simply is what it is.
The Demonologist is undone by unfortunately diminishing returns. It never goes as in-depth into the literature or mythology as I’d hoped, preferring instead to skim the surface of Paradise Lost while focusing more on a rather directionless-feeling road trip with the occasional shock-for-shock’s-sake encounter tossed in along the way. David, in the end, seems very much the same as he did in the beginning, and the speed at which the final set of revelations are made is quick to the point of feeling rushed. Ultimately, David’s journey to find some sort of personal faith failed to convince me. Perhaps the upcoming feature film will find a better balance between character and plot, but I remain sceptical.
November 15, 2015
A copy of The Demonologist was provided to me by Simon & Schuster/Edelweiss for review purposes.
'Wandering this darksome desert, as my way
Lies through your spacious empire up to light
Alone, and without giude, half lost, I seek...'
'The Demonologist' is a sophisticated thriller that focuses solely on John Milton's 'Paradise Lost' (and I think it should be noted that it's not a prerequisite to have read Milton before 'The Demonologist' either.) It's not overly steeped in symbolism without sufficient explanation that anyone couldn't pick it up and understand it.
David Ullman is a non-believer despite the fact that he has dedicated his adult life to studying demonic literature, primarily Milton's 'Paradise Lost'. When he's approached one afternoon and asked to be a witness to a phenomenon that requires his professional opinion as a ‘Demonologist’ he accepts the offer and shortly afterwards is headed to Venice, Italy with his twelve-year-old daughter Tess. What David sees in Venice will leave him questioning everything he has ever believed. And when Tess is taken, he has no choice but to accept the things he saw in order to save her from the Underworld.
'...I am an insistently rational sort, a spoilsport by nature when it comes to the fantastical. I've made an entire career out of doubt.
Yet here I am. Seeing the unseeable.'
Extremely creepy and unnerving. The type that really manages to burrow it's way under your skin. The type that gives you goosebumps. The type that leaves you gasping at it's intensity. The story line was riveting and I found myself flipping through pages rapidly. I'm not typically a fan of scary stories but this one was incredibly well done (I just made sure I kept to reading this while the sun was still up. But even with the sun there were moments where I feared my eyeballs were about to fall out of my head).
Just like that.
So why only 3 stars? Despite the fact that this book had me completely captivated, I felt the ending was an absolute disaster… to put it lightly. There were so many questions generated throughout the book that it was an exciting race to get to the end to get some answers. But it felt like the ending was entirely way too rushed to the point of it being utterly unintelligible. There were so many loose ends that the author may have possibly intended in order for the reader to interpret individually but that didn’t work for me at all. I even thought for a minute that this was a first in a series because of the abundant amount of unanswered questions but to the best of my knowledge, this is a stand alone. A completely enjoyable book with a less than satisfying ending.
'Wandering this darksome desert, as my way
Lies through your spacious empire up to light
Alone, and without giude, half lost, I seek...'
'The Demonologist' is a sophisticated thriller that focuses solely on John Milton's 'Paradise Lost' (and I think it should be noted that it's not a prerequisite to have read Milton before 'The Demonologist' either.) It's not overly steeped in symbolism without sufficient explanation that anyone couldn't pick it up and understand it.
David Ullman is a non-believer despite the fact that he has dedicated his adult life to studying demonic literature, primarily Milton's 'Paradise Lost'. When he's approached one afternoon and asked to be a witness to a phenomenon that requires his professional opinion as a ‘Demonologist’ he accepts the offer and shortly afterwards is headed to Venice, Italy with his twelve-year-old daughter Tess. What David sees in Venice will leave him questioning everything he has ever believed. And when Tess is taken, he has no choice but to accept the things he saw in order to save her from the Underworld.
'...I am an insistently rational sort, a spoilsport by nature when it comes to the fantastical. I've made an entire career out of doubt.
Yet here I am. Seeing the unseeable.'
Extremely creepy and unnerving. The type that really manages to burrow it's way under your skin. The type that gives you goosebumps. The type that leaves you gasping at it's intensity. The story line was riveting and I found myself flipping through pages rapidly. I'm not typically a fan of scary stories but this one was incredibly well done (I just made sure I kept to reading this while the sun was still up. But even with the sun there were moments where I feared my eyeballs were about to fall out of my head).
Just like that.
So why only 3 stars? Despite the fact that this book had me completely captivated, I felt the ending was an absolute disaster… to put it lightly. There were so many questions generated throughout the book that it was an exciting race to get to the end to get some answers. But it felt like the ending was entirely way too rushed to the point of it being utterly unintelligible. There were so many loose ends that the author may have possibly intended in order for the reader to interpret individually but that didn’t work for me at all. I even thought for a minute that this was a first in a series because of the abundant amount of unanswered questions but to the best of my knowledge, this is a stand alone. A completely enjoyable book with a less than satisfying ending.
March 15, 2023
I'm not going to be posting a full gigantic review of this one.
What I will say, is once again, this book has revealed more of its secrets to me in what I think is my 5th (6th?) time reading the novel.
David Ullman holds a special place in my literary heart. As does Tess, the Thin Woman, O'Brien and The Pursuer. The Unnamed is a fantastic antagonist and this novel pushes ahead at a break neck speed, ultimately wrapping up this allegorical tale with an ending that is abrupt, vague and absolutely heart-warming.
Because Ullman believes.
What I will say, is once again, this book has revealed more of its secrets to me in what I think is my 5th (6th?) time reading the novel.
David Ullman holds a special place in my literary heart. As does Tess, the Thin Woman, O'Brien and The Pursuer. The Unnamed is a fantastic antagonist and this novel pushes ahead at a break neck speed, ultimately wrapping up this allegorical tale with an ending that is abrupt, vague and absolutely heart-warming.
Because Ullman believes.
October 3, 2015
This was definitely more supernatural thriller than horror for me. I was expecting (okay, really, really hoping) that The Demonologist would be really scary and would keep me up at night. The blurbs on the front cover, back and the two and half pages on the inside really got me pumped. Unfortunately, I was more bored than scared.
I think it was mainly the main character. I was super bored with him. Right from the start, I felt really bored with him.
I thought the plot was really manufactured and didn't seem to flow naturally. And there was so many coincidences. I just didn't believe most of it.
Overall, there was a lot of potential with this book but it just didn't work for me.
I think it was mainly the main character. I was super bored with him. Right from the start, I felt really bored with him.
I thought the plot was really manufactured and didn't seem to flow naturally. And there was so many coincidences. I just didn't believe most of it.
Overall, there was a lot of potential with this book but it just didn't work for me.
December 14, 2014
One of my favorite horror reads of the year. Very literate with quite a bit of exploration of the literary source of demonic activity. I particularly enjoyed the discussion of how demonic entities enter into and control a person's life. Whether you attribute these influence to an intelligent entity or individual psychosis, the concept provides much food for thought on how we allow ourselves and our lives to spin out of control.
This novel was great in every way, in my opinion. I would class it along with The Club Dumas as thinking person's horror. Now I just need to get his other books.
5 stars and one of my favorites of the year.
This novel was great in every way, in my opinion. I would class it along with The Club Dumas as thinking person's horror. Now I just need to get his other books.
5 stars and one of my favorites of the year.
April 17, 2017
2 stars--it was okay.
I was expecting a horror novel, but this is more like supernatural fiction about a road trip. It reminded me a bit of Between Two Fires or Company of Liars--but not as well written or suspenseful as either of those two novels, just a similar structure. Not bad, but not what I wanted to read, and compared with the two mentioned books, it fell flat.
I was expecting a horror novel, but this is more like supernatural fiction about a road trip. It reminded me a bit of Between Two Fires or Company of Liars--but not as well written or suspenseful as either of those two novels, just a similar structure. Not bad, but not what I wanted to read, and compared with the two mentioned books, it fell flat.
April 7, 2017
Ενώ ξεκίνησα απογοητευμένη, κατέληξα γοητευμένη! Δυνατό θρίλερ πολύ καλογραμμένο. Προτεινόμενο!
December 19, 2021
3.5 stars
June 19, 2020
Σκοτεινό μυσταγωγικό μυθιστόρημα έντονης ψυχοπάθειας. Κλειστοφοβικό, ανατριχιαστικό σε σημείο να ιδρώνουν οι παλάμες σου και να σου κόβεται η ανάσα. Ενώ κυλάει πολύ γρήγορα αποφασίζεις να το διαβάσεις αργά, να το απολαύσεις, να κατέβεις στην άβυσσο, στα σκοτεινά μονοπάτια της κόλασης όπου η οσμή της μούχλας, του χώματος και της σαπίλας σε υποδέχονται κ σε κατατρέχουν ξυπνώντας όλους τους εφιάλτες που σε δαιμονίζουν.
March 8, 2013
This book had real promise, but somehow just missed. It may have been that it took far too long to figure out why the demon was interested in Ullman, or what in his history led him here, or how the Pursuer and the Thin Woman were related to everything... or it may have been the exaggerated conceit of using John Milton's Paradise Lost as a roadmap. Whatever it was, I liked this less than I'd expected. And the comparisons to The Historian don't help, as Kostova fleshed out the story far more than Pyper does.
Some of the imagery is really heavy handed (Ullman=All man, get it?), or the use of Venice as one of the main locations. The whole question of which devil it is, so that Ullman can give it a proper name (although he refuses to use it for a long time) was interesting and could have gone on longer, but how Ullman made his decision isn't quite clear (or wasn't to me). As for Tess' diary, the less said the better.
ARC provided by publisher.
Some of the imagery is really heavy handed (Ullman=All man, get it?), or the use of Venice as one of the main locations. The whole question of which devil it is, so that Ullman can give it a proper name (although he refuses to use it for a long time) was interesting and could have gone on longer, but how Ullman made his decision isn't quite clear (or wasn't to me). As for Tess' diary, the less said the better.
ARC provided by publisher.
January 20, 2020
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for that ending. And for Elaine.
"It is a fearful, even terrifying, journey. But it is one all of us must face, as much now as then."
I was expecting something else when I started the book. After all, it is titled The Demonologist. But halfway through, it led me through a different path. It deals a lot with the main character, David and his daughter, Tess, who are prone to being melancholic too (so comes the question if it is heritable as David's father too seemed to have worn the dark crown); some may call it depression or others as darkness of the mind. Satan and his counsel of demons. Pandemonium. A race against time as David battles his own self, questioning his faith and quest, to find that sliver thread of life which belongs to Tess. Is David a martyr that will save mankind who believes in God or a Prophet to prophesied the coming of Satan? This was truly a riveting read into the many interpretations of John Milton's Paradise Lost and understanding mental health.
"It is a fearful, even terrifying, journey. But it is one all of us must face, as much now as then."
I was expecting something else when I started the book. After all, it is titled The Demonologist. But halfway through, it led me through a different path. It deals a lot with the main character, David and his daughter, Tess, who are prone to being melancholic too (so comes the question if it is heritable as David's father too seemed to have worn the dark crown); some may call it depression or others as darkness of the mind. Satan and his counsel of demons. Pandemonium. A race against time as David battles his own self, questioning his faith and quest, to find that sliver thread of life which belongs to Tess. Is David a martyr that will save mankind who believes in God or a Prophet to prophesied the coming of Satan? This was truly a riveting read into the many interpretations of John Milton's Paradise Lost and understanding mental health.
June 30, 2023
On paper this one had so much potential and I was incredibly excited for it. Sadly it did not live up to the very high hopes I had for it. I’m a huge fan of any book that has to do with the occult and demons and life after death and this one just sounded so good. The idea practically had me salivating and when it first started to unroll I was pretty damn into it and sitting back to enjoy the ride. And then that’s where it started to get messy and a bunch of little things started to really bother me. I won’t nitpick and go into all of them but there’s 2 main things that really brought this from a yay to nay. First, at one point I got pretty tired of the never ending descriptive details, I only need so much to set a scene before I become bored with all the unnecessary details. Second, I didn’t connect with any of the characters which made it hard for me to enjoy as I’m a very character driven reader. The story had so much potential and I really wanted to love it but the execution just lacked for me. The potential is there but this story just didn’t quite work for me.
October 20, 2016
No me ha gustado nada de nada y eso que prometía mucho por la sipnosis pero la verdad es que no tiene mucho que ver...
Está bien como ciencia ficción pero si la idea del autor era dar una lección moral acerca del ser humano , creo personalmente que no lo logra ... Hay trozos del libro que son hororosos de leer ( de hecho me he saltado algunas partes porque era demasiado como el personaje entraba en bucle sobre sí mismo ) y creo que la historia mejor enfocada , hubiera resultado muy interesante... Primer libro que leo de este autor y creo que no leeré muchos más de él.
Está bien como ciencia ficción pero si la idea del autor era dar una lección moral acerca del ser humano , creo personalmente que no lo logra ... Hay trozos del libro que son hororosos de leer ( de hecho me he saltado algunas partes porque era demasiado como el personaje entraba en bucle sobre sí mismo ) y creo que la historia mejor enfocada , hubiera resultado muy interesante... Primer libro que leo de este autor y creo que no leeré muchos más de él.
March 12, 2015
Rounded up from 4.5*
This book was thoroughly engrossing--I read it in 2 big spurts in 2 days. Things have never been quite right for David, having always suffered from 'melancholy' and his marriage is falling apart. He teaches demonology and literature and is an expert on Milton's Paradise Lost and related ancient dark texts. After receiving a mysterious offer to go to Venice, tragedy strikes and he looks the vague darkness that's always followed him through life square in the face.
David sets out on a quest to finally pull himself out of the darkness, which of course means he has to confront it head on and with full faith in the horrors around him.
The story is well-paced and the ending is satisfying but not hokey.
This book was thoroughly engrossing--I read it in 2 big spurts in 2 days. Things have never been quite right for David, having always suffered from 'melancholy' and his marriage is falling apart. He teaches demonology and literature and is an expert on Milton's Paradise Lost and related ancient dark texts. After receiving a mysterious offer to go to Venice, tragedy strikes and he looks the vague darkness that's always followed him through life square in the face.
David sets out on a quest to finally pull himself out of the darkness, which of course means he has to confront it head on and with full faith in the horrors around him.
The story is well-paced and the ending is satisfying but not hokey.
April 19, 2019
pag 243
De oorlog tegen de hemel is nooit in de hemel gevoerd en evenmin op aarde. Het strijdtoneel ligt in de geest van de mensen. "De geest is zelf een plaats die hel tot hemel kan maken of de hemel tot een hel".
Het is voor mij geen thriller of horror of spannend boek maar ik vond het hele verhaal maar creepy.
Wanneer David Ullman professor in demonische literatuur met als hoofdonderwerp Het paradijs verloren van John Milton (een bestaand boek) een uitnodiging krijgt om naar Venetië te gaan neemt hij zijn dochter Tessa mee. Maar wanneer deze daar verdwijnt begint de bizarre zoektoch naar zijn dochter en met bizar bedoel ik dan ook bizar want toen er sprake was van een andere wereld dacht ik een beetje aan een fantasy verhaal maar niet aan brrrr die demonische toestanden.
De oorlog tegen de hemel is nooit in de hemel gevoerd en evenmin op aarde. Het strijdtoneel ligt in de geest van de mensen. "De geest is zelf een plaats die hel tot hemel kan maken of de hemel tot een hel".
Het is voor mij geen thriller of horror of spannend boek maar ik vond het hele verhaal maar creepy.
Wanneer David Ullman professor in demonische literatuur met als hoofdonderwerp Het paradijs verloren van John Milton (een bestaand boek) een uitnodiging krijgt om naar Venetië te gaan neemt hij zijn dochter Tessa mee. Maar wanneer deze daar verdwijnt begint de bizarre zoektoch naar zijn dochter en met bizar bedoel ik dan ook bizar want toen er sprake was van een andere wereld dacht ik een beetje aan een fantasy verhaal maar niet aan brrrr die demonische toestanden.
July 23, 2019
What a disappointment! I was intrigued to read a paranormal mystery that includes Milton's Paradise Lost, but I would have never expected such a bad outcome.
I will keep this review short, because I really do not feel like wasting any more time on this than absolutely necessary.
The main character was flat, one dimensional. He did not possess any depth or could hold the reader's interest regardless of the fact that this story was narrated from his point of view in the first person singular.
It is difficult to create a character that is supposed to appear distant from his life and surroundings without establishing such distance between the character and the reader.
The secondary characters seemed stereotypical and were only included for the purpose of representing one character trait for each of them. They did not aid in establishing greater interest in the plot, the main character or the book in general.
The narration was poorly done. Pages and pages were used for non-sense descriptions about obvious and predictable "plot twists". Any attempt to add an element of eeriness fell short and got lost in the overly detailed and quite boring descriptions done by the narrator.
Interactions between characters and even actions described felt awkward and not well thought out in the hopes of bringing forth a sense of mystique.
A quick note about the inclusion of Milton's Paradise Lost: quoting what seems like random passages and words that are somehow supposed to add up at the end of the story only causes the reader confusion.
For those readers, who have not read Milton, it would have seem far fetched and unnecessary. And those, who have read Milton, feel cheated by its cheap use in the story.
Overall, I felt the story was a poor attempt at combining the idea of the Exorcist and including a lesson on 17th century English literature. I do not recommend this book and actually feel quite robbed of the time I spent reading it.
ElliotScribbles
I will keep this review short, because I really do not feel like wasting any more time on this than absolutely necessary.
The main character was flat, one dimensional. He did not possess any depth or could hold the reader's interest regardless of the fact that this story was narrated from his point of view in the first person singular.
It is difficult to create a character that is supposed to appear distant from his life and surroundings without establishing such distance between the character and the reader.
The secondary characters seemed stereotypical and were only included for the purpose of representing one character trait for each of them. They did not aid in establishing greater interest in the plot, the main character or the book in general.
The narration was poorly done. Pages and pages were used for non-sense descriptions about obvious and predictable "plot twists". Any attempt to add an element of eeriness fell short and got lost in the overly detailed and quite boring descriptions done by the narrator.
Interactions between characters and even actions described felt awkward and not well thought out in the hopes of bringing forth a sense of mystique.
A quick note about the inclusion of Milton's Paradise Lost: quoting what seems like random passages and words that are somehow supposed to add up at the end of the story only causes the reader confusion.
For those readers, who have not read Milton, it would have seem far fetched and unnecessary. And those, who have read Milton, feel cheated by its cheap use in the story.
Overall, I felt the story was a poor attempt at combining the idea of the Exorcist and including a lesson on 17th century English literature. I do not recommend this book and actually feel quite robbed of the time I spent reading it.
ElliotScribbles
April 1, 2013
Makes me question the devil's competence, the author's grasp on storytelling, and David Ullman's hold on sanity.
David's marriage is a mess. The protagonist has to have little going right for him in such novels. Except his daughter Tess who is the only ray of light in his otherwise dismal existence. And truth be told, the one thing that this book gets somewhat right are the bits about the father and daughter interactions. When his wife informs him of her decision to move out of their house, David uses the opportunity to accept an invitation from a mysterious lady to go on an all expense paid visit to Venice with his daughter. What happens at Venice leaves David with only a matter of days in which he must decipher clues to retrieve his daughter before she is claimed by the devil for all time.
The plot needed to be developed, the characters fleshed out, the clues needed to contribute to the fabric of the plot. That didn't happen; the result is a constant attempt at smashing adverbs into every sentence in the hopes of producing literary fusion. It has to be "A quietly beautiful woman too", while "Outside, the interstate hums and yawns", or the truly climatic "Her hand on my elbow a patch of cool on my suddenly burning skin", while the mind bends to wrap itself around "She exhales. And before I can awaken, she releases an endless sigh. One that forms itself into an utterance that grows in volume and force, until it billows out of her as a kind of poem." On the other hand, "I sip the coffee. The taste of liquefied rust" does bring a smile as I remembered the brew that goes by the name of coffee in so many fast food joints.
And finally, it's a jet, it's a plane, but is "The jet humming and whistling, soothing as a mechanical womb"?? This question will keep me awake for hours on end. The plot? Not so much.
Full review at http://blog.abhinavagarwal.net/2013/0...
David's marriage is a mess. The protagonist has to have little going right for him in such novels. Except his daughter Tess who is the only ray of light in his otherwise dismal existence. And truth be told, the one thing that this book gets somewhat right are the bits about the father and daughter interactions. When his wife informs him of her decision to move out of their house, David uses the opportunity to accept an invitation from a mysterious lady to go on an all expense paid visit to Venice with his daughter. What happens at Venice leaves David with only a matter of days in which he must decipher clues to retrieve his daughter before she is claimed by the devil for all time.
The plot needed to be developed, the characters fleshed out, the clues needed to contribute to the fabric of the plot. That didn't happen; the result is a constant attempt at smashing adverbs into every sentence in the hopes of producing literary fusion. It has to be "A quietly beautiful woman too", while "Outside, the interstate hums and yawns", or the truly climatic "Her hand on my elbow a patch of cool on my suddenly burning skin", while the mind bends to wrap itself around "She exhales. And before I can awaken, she releases an endless sigh. One that forms itself into an utterance that grows in volume and force, until it billows out of her as a kind of poem." On the other hand, "I sip the coffee. The taste of liquefied rust" does bring a smile as I remembered the brew that goes by the name of coffee in so many fast food joints.
And finally, it's a jet, it's a plane, but is "The jet humming and whistling, soothing as a mechanical womb"?? This question will keep me awake for hours on end. The plot? Not so much.
Full review at http://blog.abhinavagarwal.net/2013/0...
February 12, 2019
The Demonologist has an intriguing premise – after accepting an invitation from a mysterious woman to travel to Venice and provide his professional opinion on a phenomenon, David Ullman, a professor of demonic literature specializing in John Milton’s Paradise Lost, is sent on a whirlwind adventure to save his daughter, Tess, from demons. The first chapter hooked its claws in me, and I found myself racing through in the fast-paced story; however, I was never particularly engaged or invested in the story.
In order to save Tess, David embarks on a road trip across North America following clues that are highly improbable and convenient, which send him from New York, to North Dakota, to Florida, to Northern Ontario, and back to New York, with stops in various other states in between, in only six days. While I can’t be bothered to take the time to map the distance he travelled and the time it would take to drive that distance, I find it hard to believe that a journey of that length would be possible in the time he had (the drive from Florida to the Muskoka region in Ontario would be nearly 23 hours alone, according to Google Maps). Additionally, David was emotionally flat which made it difficult to care about his plight, while the secondary characters felt like pawns who were only included to further the plot. Combine the plot and character issues with a rushed ending, and you end up with a novel that feels manufactured to “thrill” the reader without offering them any lasting connection to or impression of the story. Ask me next week what this book was about, and I doubt I’ll be able to tell you.
This is my third Andrew Pyper novel, all of which I have been disappointed with for one reason or another. I think it is time I give up on his work as clearly it isn’t working for me.
In order to save Tess, David embarks on a road trip across North America following clues that are highly improbable and convenient, which send him from New York, to North Dakota, to Florida, to Northern Ontario, and back to New York, with stops in various other states in between, in only six days. While I can’t be bothered to take the time to map the distance he travelled and the time it would take to drive that distance, I find it hard to believe that a journey of that length would be possible in the time he had (the drive from Florida to the Muskoka region in Ontario would be nearly 23 hours alone, according to Google Maps). Additionally, David was emotionally flat which made it difficult to care about his plight, while the secondary characters felt like pawns who were only included to further the plot. Combine the plot and character issues with a rushed ending, and you end up with a novel that feels manufactured to “thrill” the reader without offering them any lasting connection to or impression of the story. Ask me next week what this book was about, and I doubt I’ll be able to tell you.
This is my third Andrew Pyper novel, all of which I have been disappointed with for one reason or another. I think it is time I give up on his work as clearly it isn’t working for me.
April 12, 2013
i really wanted to rate this higher than i did. i'm not sure what went wrong -- alright, i lie. i know exactly where it went wrong. i'm not a fan of dan brown or books in his area, and the demonologist turned out a little too dan brown for my liking.
there were far too many coincidences, deux-ex-machinas going on to get the plot moving forward, and much of the narrative somehow took the sense of urgency and action away from what should have been emotionally thrilling scenes. i did enjoy a few scenes; at times the imagery elicited really works to get that horror senses tingling.
unfortunately, characters weren't really a strong point. i liked the idea of it: a father doing all it takes to rescue his daughter? i can see myself falling for that character. hard. the execution however was a little ... droll, maybe? i guess what i'm trying to say is, it got boring after a while. and it's funny because there was a LOT going on to keep your head spinning and busy. perhaps that's exactly the problem though? there were far too many plot points that we never spared enough time and emotion on one in particular. the result is a meh sort of feeling, where you trudge through the scenes and the characters rushing through, you don't get a real connection to them.
there were far too many coincidences, deux-ex-machinas going on to get the plot moving forward, and much of the narrative somehow took the sense of urgency and action away from what should have been emotionally thrilling scenes. i did enjoy a few scenes; at times the imagery elicited really works to get that horror senses tingling.
unfortunately, characters weren't really a strong point. i liked the idea of it: a father doing all it takes to rescue his daughter? i can see myself falling for that character. hard. the execution however was a little ... droll, maybe? i guess what i'm trying to say is, it got boring after a while. and it's funny because there was a LOT going on to keep your head spinning and busy. perhaps that's exactly the problem though? there were far too many plot points that we never spared enough time and emotion on one in particular. the result is a meh sort of feeling, where you trudge through the scenes and the characters rushing through, you don't get a real connection to them.
February 5, 2013
I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of this book so I could eagerly consume this latest work by an author I have been a fan of since his first novel, LOST GIRLS. Pyper never disappoints, and this latest thriller is no exception.
From the very first page, Pyper draws the reader in to a character and situation that begs the reader to keep turning pages - and he doesn't let up throughout the entire book. He plays upon a parent's special love and deepest fears and insecurities beautifully, documents an incredible male/female relationship that transcends friendship and eloquently draws upon Milton's Paradise Lost to create a masterful mosaic of literary horror.
If you've read Pyper before, then you know what kind of treat you're in for - if you haven't read him, then, by all means, what are you doing reading this? Get out there and get your hands on The Demonologist. You can thank me later.
From the very first page, Pyper draws the reader in to a character and situation that begs the reader to keep turning pages - and he doesn't let up throughout the entire book. He plays upon a parent's special love and deepest fears and insecurities beautifully, documents an incredible male/female relationship that transcends friendship and eloquently draws upon Milton's Paradise Lost to create a masterful mosaic of literary horror.
If you've read Pyper before, then you know what kind of treat you're in for - if you haven't read him, then, by all means, what are you doing reading this? Get out there and get your hands on The Demonologist. You can thank me later.
July 24, 2017
Δεν με ενθουσίασε. Η ιδέα είναι καλή, από τη μια μεριά ένας δαίμονας ο οποίος καταλαμβάνει ζωντανά άτομα ή εμφανίζεται με τη μορφή πεθαμένων και από την άλλη μεριά ο ακαδημαϊκός καθηγητής ο οποίος ψάχνει να βρει την κόρη του και να τη σώσει από το δαίμονα. Υπάρχουν επίσης πολύ ωραίες περιγραφές μέσα στο βιβλίο όσον αφορά την εξωτερική εμφάνιση και τα τοπία, όπως και καλή μεταφορά συναισθημάτων αλλά κάπου εδώ τελειώνουν όσα μου άρεσαν.
Φαίνεται ότι ο συγγραφέας έχει βασίσει τεράστιο μέρος της πλοκής στο βιβλίο "ο χαμένος παράδεισος " του Μίλτον, το οποίο εγώ δεν έχω διαβάσει. Και δεν με πειράζει που το πήρε σαν βάση για την πλοκή, αλλά έχω την υποψία ότι όλη η αιτιολόγηση των κινήσεων και οι αποφάσεις που έπαιρνε για το επόμενο βήμα του ο πρωταγωνιστής βασιζόταν σε στίχους του ποιήματος, χωρίς να υπάρχει κάποια ιδιαίτερη περαιτέρω επεξήγηση. Ή εγώ δεν την κατάλαβα τέλος πάντων.
http://kiallovivlio.blogspot.gr/2017/...
Φαίνεται ότι ο συγγραφέας έχει βασίσει τεράστιο μέρος της πλοκής στο βιβλίο "ο χαμένος παράδεισος " του Μίλτον, το οποίο εγώ δεν έχω διαβάσει. Και δεν με πειράζει που το πήρε σαν βάση για την πλοκή, αλλά έχω την υποψία ότι όλη η αιτιολόγηση των κινήσεων και οι αποφάσεις που έπαιρνε για το επόμενο βήμα του ο πρωταγωνιστής βασιζόταν σε στίχους του ποιήματος, χωρίς να υπάρχει κάποια ιδιαίτερη περαιτέρω επεξήγηση. Ή εγώ δεν την κατάλαβα τέλος πάντων.
http://kiallovivlio.blogspot.gr/2017/...
March 23, 2013
I can't believe some of the poor reviews of this book. It was very well-written, the characters were well-developed, and it was one hell of a story. Pun intended. I was genuinely creeped out so many times. I even felt some spine-tingling going on. I guess you either love this book or hate it.
November 7, 2017
I can think of no higher compliment to give Andrew Pyper and his masterful work than this: I was much too entranced by his story to be scared by it. Pyper, himself calls his story “an unapologetic, full-fledged horror novel”, and early reviews had billed it as a book that would cause readers sleepless, terror-filled nights, so I prepared myself to crawl out of my skin, keeping the lights on and the doors locked as I traversed Pyper’s landscape. As it turns out, I was kept awake for two consecutive nights—but not because I was too frightened to sleep lest I awoke to a stealthily moving shadow in the corner of the room. I stayed up two nights in a row reading because I was much too impatient to wait to find out how the story ends. The Demonologist is an intelligently written novel about David, a professor who makes a living lecturing about John Milton’s Paradise Lost but who doesn’t personally believe in the biblical events that inspired it. David is forced to re-examine his beliefs when his precious daughter, Tess, disappears during their trip to Italy. Identifying clues from Milton’s poem and memories of his childhood, David must race against time (and supernatural foes) to save his innocent daughter. Pyper’s novel encompasses suspense, adventure, heartache, and humour, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. His incredible narrative skills will take you alongside David’s international journey: You’ll feel everything he feels, including his paralyzing fear at who or what is lurking in the dark corners of every room he enters and his pessimism that he will ever shake off whatever has had a grip on his soul his whole life.
Plot & Pacing
It took me two nights/early mornings to read The Demonologist, and that’s only because pesky work got into the way. This story successfully injects a new plot with elements of a (centuries-) old story. In fact, as someone who only read Milton’s Paradise Lost to pass a university exam (and then promptly forgot everything afterwards), I would say that in shedding light on some of the poem’s more obfuscating—and arguably beautiful—passages, Pyper has managed to make me interested in re-reading Milton. As a teacher myself, David’s life interests me, and I really enjoyed Pyper’s decision to have his protagonist’s profession inform the course of the story. A mysterious and very tempting offer, a trip to a city teeming with history, an enviable father-daughter relationship, and anyone’s greatest nightmare of losing the one you love … What more could I have asked for in a plot? (The ending is just delicious, by the way.)
Characters
There’s nothing formulaic about any of Pyper’s characters. David is a good person whose reticence and inability to connect deeply with his wife, Diane, is both and understandable and pitiable. He really loves his daughter, Tess, and for me, that almost redeems his less-than-admirable bond with Diane. Tess and David are so similar to one another, and it’s no surprise the lengths he goes to find her when she disappears. Although we don’t see much of Tess in the novel, her presence permeates the pages through David’s thoughts and feelings. One can’t help but admire the strength and awareness that this 11-year-old girl exudes. Finally, there is also O’Brien, another professor whose wit and sarcasm match David’s own, and whose intelligence complements his rather than rivals it. A strong, female character who functions as David’s champion and conscience, her feisty ways contribute much to the story.
Setting
Pyper paints perfect scenes. From depicting the unbearable heat of New York in late spring to describing the streets of Venice for those of us who may never see it in person, Pyper eloquently takes his readers along with his characters as they travel from place to place. That one scene in Venice, for example, in the room with the video camera … Yeah, I didn’t really want to be there, but there I was anyway. I also loved Pyper’s scattered references to Toronto, the Muskoka Lakes, and the Leafs. As a proud Canadian, references to his home and native land made me smile, like we were sharing a secret about this great corner of the world.
Style & Writing
Sometimes, a writer shows his/her skills in the characters’ elegant turns of phrases and archaic or sesquipedalian words. The strength of Pyper’s writing stems from the seamless way that his words meld with the reader’s own thoughts. His liberal use of em-dashes for asides in his narration—which I enjoy—and the realistic dialogue between two professors who, in the hands (pens?) of another author may have spouted speeches rather than spoken like normal people combine to demonstrate his prowess at the written word. That isn’t to say that he doesn’t have elegant turns of phrases. Rather, he places more value on authentic dialogue and unique voices than on making his characters “sound smart” through polysyllabic words.
Learnability & Teachability
Old fans and newcomers to Milton’s Paradise Lost will enjoy the more-than-passing allusions to this timeless work. Those who enjoy reading stories that do not tie up loose ends until the last possible moment would definitely enjoy this novel, too. And anyone who’s looking for a story that demands its readers to ask themselves questions like, “How do we come about believing what we believe?”, “How do we know that what we believe is the right thing to believe in?”, and the ever-present “Where does evil come from?” will definitely enjoy Pyper’s crisp, clean writing and thought-provoking plot.
Potential Teachables
Milton’s Paradise Lost; the Bible (especially, Genesis); crafting characters that connect with readers; creating intricate plots; mapping David’s journey (Venice, New York, the Muskoka region, etc.); realistic dialogue; good vs. evil; faith and belief; good to compare to Lord of the Flies using theme of where evil comes from.
Quotable Quips
“Milton was right about the joy of offspring … But trust me, he was way off about marriage as being common with paradise.” (19)
“Who sits in a church in the middle of a weekday afternoon? Drunks, runaways, addicts in all their varieties. The lost who have only themselves to blame. I know because I sit among them. Praying for the first time in my adult life.” (88)
“Then, to my atheistic surprise, the Bible took up an immovable place in my study carrel. And Milton soon after. His blank verse that seemed to defend the indefensible. The poem that, upon my first reading, made me weep with self-recognition when the villain tried to set aside his past and find a way out of the darkness, to use his mind alone to talk itself out of his suffering.” (156)
Plot & Pacing
It took me two nights/early mornings to read The Demonologist, and that’s only because pesky work got into the way. This story successfully injects a new plot with elements of a (centuries-) old story. In fact, as someone who only read Milton’s Paradise Lost to pass a university exam (and then promptly forgot everything afterwards), I would say that in shedding light on some of the poem’s more obfuscating—and arguably beautiful—passages, Pyper has managed to make me interested in re-reading Milton. As a teacher myself, David’s life interests me, and I really enjoyed Pyper’s decision to have his protagonist’s profession inform the course of the story. A mysterious and very tempting offer, a trip to a city teeming with history, an enviable father-daughter relationship, and anyone’s greatest nightmare of losing the one you love … What more could I have asked for in a plot? (The ending is just delicious, by the way.)
Characters
There’s nothing formulaic about any of Pyper’s characters. David is a good person whose reticence and inability to connect deeply with his wife, Diane, is both and understandable and pitiable. He really loves his daughter, Tess, and for me, that almost redeems his less-than-admirable bond with Diane. Tess and David are so similar to one another, and it’s no surprise the lengths he goes to find her when she disappears. Although we don’t see much of Tess in the novel, her presence permeates the pages through David’s thoughts and feelings. One can’t help but admire the strength and awareness that this 11-year-old girl exudes. Finally, there is also O’Brien, another professor whose wit and sarcasm match David’s own, and whose intelligence complements his rather than rivals it. A strong, female character who functions as David’s champion and conscience, her feisty ways contribute much to the story.
Setting
Pyper paints perfect scenes. From depicting the unbearable heat of New York in late spring to describing the streets of Venice for those of us who may never see it in person, Pyper eloquently takes his readers along with his characters as they travel from place to place. That one scene in Venice, for example, in the room with the video camera … Yeah, I didn’t really want to be there, but there I was anyway. I also loved Pyper’s scattered references to Toronto, the Muskoka Lakes, and the Leafs. As a proud Canadian, references to his home and native land made me smile, like we were sharing a secret about this great corner of the world.
Style & Writing
Sometimes, a writer shows his/her skills in the characters’ elegant turns of phrases and archaic or sesquipedalian words. The strength of Pyper’s writing stems from the seamless way that his words meld with the reader’s own thoughts. His liberal use of em-dashes for asides in his narration—which I enjoy—and the realistic dialogue between two professors who, in the hands (pens?) of another author may have spouted speeches rather than spoken like normal people combine to demonstrate his prowess at the written word. That isn’t to say that he doesn’t have elegant turns of phrases. Rather, he places more value on authentic dialogue and unique voices than on making his characters “sound smart” through polysyllabic words.
Learnability & Teachability
Old fans and newcomers to Milton’s Paradise Lost will enjoy the more-than-passing allusions to this timeless work. Those who enjoy reading stories that do not tie up loose ends until the last possible moment would definitely enjoy this novel, too. And anyone who’s looking for a story that demands its readers to ask themselves questions like, “How do we come about believing what we believe?”, “How do we know that what we believe is the right thing to believe in?”, and the ever-present “Where does evil come from?” will definitely enjoy Pyper’s crisp, clean writing and thought-provoking plot.
Potential Teachables
Milton’s Paradise Lost; the Bible (especially, Genesis); crafting characters that connect with readers; creating intricate plots; mapping David’s journey (Venice, New York, the Muskoka region, etc.); realistic dialogue; good vs. evil; faith and belief; good to compare to Lord of the Flies using theme of where evil comes from.
Quotable Quips
“Milton was right about the joy of offspring … But trust me, he was way off about marriage as being common with paradise.” (19)
“Who sits in a church in the middle of a weekday afternoon? Drunks, runaways, addicts in all their varieties. The lost who have only themselves to blame. I know because I sit among them. Praying for the first time in my adult life.” (88)
“Then, to my atheistic surprise, the Bible took up an immovable place in my study carrel. And Milton soon after. His blank verse that seemed to defend the indefensible. The poem that, upon my first reading, made me weep with self-recognition when the villain tried to set aside his past and find a way out of the darkness, to use his mind alone to talk itself out of his suffering.” (156)
April 10, 2022
This was literary horror meets dark academia. I found the horror moments chilling. This is a book that, at least to begin with, kept me up at night feeling uneasy. That being said, it did lose some of that tension towards the end as it became dialogue heavy and confusing. The transient location theme didn’t hold the same eeriness as rainy New York or gothic Venice which resulted in it losing some of its steam, which is a crying shame because it was so good.
This aside, I found it hard to not get swept up in this story.
I enjoyed the unfolding of the characters, sitting in an underground New York bar drinking vodka, a crumbling marriage, and a bizarre visitor. It immediately invited me in with it’s allure and mystery. An atheist professor on demonic and mythical literature, teaching classes of rather bored students; a teacher just doing his day job in the English department at Columbia University, counting down the days to spring break. It was a creepy and authentic tale. I just wish it had held up better towards the end.
4 stars.
This aside, I found it hard to not get swept up in this story.
I enjoyed the unfolding of the characters, sitting in an underground New York bar drinking vodka, a crumbling marriage, and a bizarre visitor. It immediately invited me in with it’s allure and mystery. An atheist professor on demonic and mythical literature, teaching classes of rather bored students; a teacher just doing his day job in the English department at Columbia University, counting down the days to spring break. It was a creepy and authentic tale. I just wish it had held up better towards the end.
4 stars.
April 9, 2017
Δεν μπορώ να πω ότι με ενθουσίασε. Πρωτότυπη ιστορία, αλλά δοσμένη πολύ ρηχά. Κάποιες φορές μπερδευόμουν να καταλάβω τι θέλει να πει ο συγγραφέας. Το όλο θέμα είναι η πάλη μεταξύ του καλού και του κακού, του Σατανά με το Θεό. Και η αγάπη ενός πατέρα που τους νικάει όλους προκειμένου να σώσει την κόρη του. Παρ όλο που κάπου με έχανε, δεν ήθελα να το αφήσω. Ήθελα να μάθω τι στο καλό θα γίνει και που το πάει. Το βιβλίο αυτό σώζεται από την ατμόσφαιρα που δημιουργεί ο συγγραφέας και σε κρατάει εγκλωβισμένο μέχρι τέλους. Τρομακτικό δεν θα το έλεγα. Κλειστοφοβικό ίσως. Ενδιαφέρον βιβλίο.
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