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The Exorcist

The Exorcist

Book · Horror books · 93 mentions · 4 subreddits · discussed in r/horrorlit, r/BookRecommendations, r/hometheater, r/suggestmeabook

Reddit take

AI summary of the Reddit excerpts below — not a quote

The Exorcist is widely regarded on Reddit as a masterpiece of horror literature, frequently praised for its exquisite writing, deep character development, and philosophical underpinnings. While most readers find it genuinely terrifying and 'skin-crawling,' a small minority feel it lacks the scares found in modern horror. Many contributors highlight that the book offers a more detailed exploration of the psychiatric and existential aspects of the story than the famous film adaptation.

Pros

  • Exquisitely written with significant philosophical and historical depth
  • Strong character development that exceeds the film version
  • Highly recommended audiobook version narrated by the author, William Peter Blatty
  • Effective 'skin crawl' atmosphere that remains memorable years after reading

Cons

  • A minority of readers find the book fails to deliver actual scares
  • Some readers find the pacing or tone to be only 'okay' rather than gripping

Caveats

  • The book takes itself very seriously and focuses heavily on psychiatric and physical explanations
  • Readers who have seen the movie may find the book's scares less impactful if they are already familiar with the plot beats

Best for

  • Fans of classic horror who want more depth than the movie provides
  • Readers interested in the intersection of horror, religion, and philosophy
  • Audiobook listeners looking for a performance by the original author

Avoid if

  • You are looking for modern, fast-paced horror and find classic possession tropes dated
  • You are primarily seeking 'jump-scare' style thrills rather than a slow-burn psychiatric study

This summary uses balanced time weighting with about a 122-month half-life. The evidence is drawn from a 12-month window in 2025 with a median age of 407 days, primarily sourced from r/horrorlit.

Sentiment

86 positive (92%) · 5 mixed (5%) · 2 negative (2%)

Trust + time weighted score: +92% · raw score 90%

What redditors said (10 of 93)

I got The Troop, The Exorcist and The Indifferent Stars above in my reading list!
positive · u/b****x · r/horrorlit · Jan 22, 2025 · open on Reddit ↗
I loved The Exorcist.
positive · u/j****0 · r/horrorlit · comment · Aug 29, 2025 · open on Reddit ↗
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty is on there!
positive · u/Y****- · r/horrorlit · comment · Jul 12, 2025 · open on Reddit ↗
Now is a great time to begin reading The Exorcist. Start at 5 pm and read it straight through, then try to go to bed.
positive · u/P****e · r/horrorlit · comment · May 17, 2026 · open on Reddit ↗
The Exorcist did weird me out. The demon was vile and everyone seemed powerless to stop it.
positive · u/m****n · r/horrorlit · comment · Sep 10, 2026 · open on Reddit ↗
The Exorcist read by Blatty himself. Some of the Regan dialogue gave me chills
positive · u/R****8 · r/horrorlit · comment · Sep 6, 2026 · open on Reddit ↗
I don't think you can go wrong with "The Exorcist" by William Peter Blatty.
positive · u/m****l · r/horrorlit · comment · Sep 2, 2026 · open on Reddit ↗
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty while it isn’t fully a archeological horror book it does feature everything you have talked about.
positive · u/S****2 · r/horrorlit · comment · Aug 30, 2026 · open on Reddit ↗
I really enjoyed The Exorcist because of its slow build up and its atmospheric writing.
positive · u/t****7 · r/horrorlit · Aug 28, 2026 · open on Reddit ↗
The Exorcist. Just super super creepy.
positive · u/P****7 · r/suggestmeabook · comment · Aug 28, 2026 · open on Reddit ↗

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