Cold Moon over Babylon

By: Michael McDowell

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

Welcome to Babylon, a typical sleepy Alabama small town, where years earlier the Larkin family suffered a terrible tragedy. Now they are about to endure another: 14-year-old Margaret Larkin will be robbed of her innocence and her life by a killer who is beyond the reach of the law.

But something strange is happening in Babylon: traffic lights flash an eerie blue, a ghostly hand slithers from the drain of a kitchen sink, graves erupt from the local cemetery in an implacable march of terror. And beneath the murky surface of the river, a shifting, almost human shape slowly takes form. Night after night it will pursue the murderer. And when the full moon rises over Babylon, it will seek a terrible vengeance.

Cold Moon Over Babylon, the second novel by Michael McDowell (1950-1999), author of Blackwater and The Elementals and screenwriter of Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a chilling Southern Gothic tale of revenge from beyond the grave that ranks among his most terrifying books.

©2015 Valancourt Books (P)2016 Griff Furst

Best audible listen to date...

There are only two other audio books that I would rate as high as this and both of those were fully dramatized so I don't know if they could even be compared. And if you knew anything about me you would know how extremely picky I am when it comes to choosing my next credit. I wouldn't have even seen this title had I not spent the better part of an hour surfing through the sea of suggested reads. I am soooo glad I did.

Scott Brick couldn't have been a more perfect fit as narrator. I won't claim to love every thing he's read so believe me when I say what a great job he did with this. He has a knack for smoothly separating dialogue from story. I never had to guess who was speaking which kept me deeply immersed in the story.

As far as the story itself, it swallowed me like quicksand. I haven't been so involved in what happens since Stephen King's "Cell". The storylines are nothing alike, but the prose was so aptly done it kept me glued to my seat. I felt myself truly caring about these people because it was almost as if I knew them, like I was right there in the midst of the drama.

I dont want to give away anything by going into details of what happens. Half of the fun is going in blind... but I highly recommend buying this book, you will not be sorry.

42 of 46 people found this review helpful

Predictable and Boring

I bought this book based on the glowing reviews and Stephen King's comments but I was sorely disappointed.

First off, I have to say that the narrator was amazing. I wish he'd had something better to work with, and I would listen to another story read by him, but not by the same author.

I expected a lot more from the story, especially based on the way it began. The Prologue was probably the most exciting part of the book for me.

As others mentioned, I figured out who the bad guy was right away, but kept telling myself that it couldn't be that easy, yet it was.

I didn't care for any of the characters. The only one I liked was Jerry, but his participation was minimal. I cared more about Jerry's parents than the rest of the family, especially Evelyn.

Overall the story was boring, predictable, and repetitive. I got so tired of hearing about the black water on the floor, the slapping sounds, etc.

Lastly , the ending was extremely disappointing. I thought that maybe the ending would make up for the rest of the book but it didn't.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

I'm disappointed Stephen King gave it such glowing review...

This book is so basic in its plot that I was scratching my head wondering why such brilliant storyteller as King was singing the author praises. I don't want to give anything away but if you after a story with substance, suspense, multidimensional characters and plenty of twists and turns stay clear of this one.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Not a great story

Narrator was great, but story was kind of guess able. Was about as scary as a Harry Potter story. I wish I had not purchased, will rethink any further books from this author

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Well worth the listen!

I love reading horror but I'm also pretty critical as to what really draws me in. This book, for me, was a homerun. I really got into the story & Scott Brick is always good. I also recommend The Elementals if you enjoy this.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Solid Southern Gothic

With the background of the lush steamy south (always a favorite) and a dark deep river with a hungry past, this is the kind of classic ghost tale that makes up a good round-the-campfire repertoire. You're left to choose whether there is madness afoot or revenge from the grave, but either way, there is no way out from the genuine creepy pall that overcomes you with this read. Well written with a broad story, rife with possibilities, kept on track.

It's worth pointing out that this was originally released in 1980; we'd had a decade of outstanding genre-bending horror: Peter Benchley's Jaws, William P. Blatty's The Exorcist, John Carpenter's Michael Myers, Anne Rice's Vampires, Hannibal Lecter, Rosemary's Baby, the wives of Stepford -- from Aliens to haunted house horrors...not to mention Stephen King who had redefined the genre with everything from demon cars to alien spider/clowns. *Whew*...the little old ghost story was hardly worth a goosebump. But McDowell did it with an edgy touch of suspense and his own recognizable flourish.

A great intro into this story sets up an haunting legacy that feeds a hunger for revenge so ravenous it's felt in the very nature of Babylon -- an eerie and foreboding presence that feels like a heartbeat, a clock ticking, a breath waiting to be released. There were moments it lagged, but this is old-school ghost territory, so hang in there and enjoy. The Scooby-Do feel gives way to a good ghostly karmic smack-down.

18 of 24 people found this review helpful

Finally a Novel As Original as...

...Gillian Flynn's novels, Dark Places and Sharp Objects.
It's a horror novel, and not one with the same old formulaic plot & forgettable characters.
Get this book, but don't read it at night. The scenes featuring the killer are truly horrific.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

awesome!!

this was a fantastic scary story! so sad this author passed away -the future was so bright for him!

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

Ohhhhh it's a ghost story???

I assume everyone who reads this book knows upfront it's gonna be a ghost story but I thought it was a true crime type murder mystery type of novel. I do not like ghost stories bcuz I guess ghosts don't scare me bcuz I've never seen one or seen a TANGIBLE sign of one, so if they exist I have no fear of them bcuz I've never been scared by one...lol... I'm babbling, the book IS GREAT, whether or not you like ghost stories, but ESPECIALLY if you like a good "scary scary ghost story" you'll love this. I just don't get scared by these books at all, it takes true crime type thrillers to "make my spine tingle" or whatever...lol Read "Cold Moon Over Babylon", enjoy. P.E.A.C.E. 1

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Peculiar Mix of Genres

Author McDowell seems unable to decide on the kind of story he wants to tell us.

He opens with a chilling account of death by snakes, then veers off into murder mystery territory, followed quickly by encounters with silly visions of the recently deceased. Eventually, he brings the plot home with a decidedly supernatural conclusion heavily draped in karmic overtones.

That bizarre development in which the villain digs up the bodies of his two most recent victims serves no discernible purpose. And what's up with that pulsating, in-your-face moon? Stylistically speaking, the similes pile up more rapidly than the body count, as do the evocative names: Babylon, the River Styx.

The entire book, padded with strained literary devices and its uncertain theme ends up missing all the notes, probably because there are too many.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A VERY GOOD DEBUT NOVEL INDEED

i really enjoyed this book. I do love a good horror and the atmosoheric discriptions at times, did give you the creeps! it took sometime to get used to the narrators southern yankie accent but this in itself made it different. without giving too much away, i was very happy to hear the culprit got what was coming to him! i will look out for this writer again.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Atmospheric, moving, genuinely unsettling

Any additional comments?

Very good example of a Southern Gothic ghost story. Well written, clever characterisation, interesting cast of characters. Lots of witty, acute observation of small town life. Rather satirical but with lots of pathos. Takes a little while to get going but once it does it's quite gripping. Some of the supernatural scenes are very spooky indeed. Superior pulp horror. The reading is excellent.

If you like creepy...

Excellent story, read with usual brilliance by the unsurpassed Scott Brick. A story of small town murder; small town people and supernatural revenge. I loved it!

Absolutely love Michael McDowell

Absolutely love Michael McDowell books and Scott Bricks narration. Looking forward to my next book.