Robert R McCammon Books In Order

Publication Order of Matthew Corbett Books

Publication Order of I Travel By Night Books

Publication Order of Michael Gallatin Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Robert R McCammon is an American author born in 1952 in Alabama.

+Biography

Robert R. McCammon was one of the most influential writers in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s during the American horror literature boom. Robert’s father, Jack, was a musician. When Jack divorced Barbara Bundy McCammon, Robert went to live with his grandparents in Birmingham, eventually receiving his B.A. in journalism from the University of Alabama.

By 1991, Robert R. McCammon had three New York Times Bestsellers. Following the release of ‘Gone South’, Robert decided to change publishers. He clashed with the editor at a new publisher regarding the direction of ‘Speaks the Nightbird’, a historical fiction novel, the conflict driving Robert to retire from writing.

Following a long hiatus, Robert returned to the publishing arena, kicking the Mathew Corbett series off with ‘Speaks the Nightbird’.

For a very long time, Robert rejected the idea of having his first novels republished (much like Dean Koontz), not because he disliked them; rather they simply didn’t meet the standards of his later works.

With his craft improving over the years and his novels gaining greater renown, Robert decided that he would officially retire his earlier, less attractive works.

However, some of his novels, including ‘Baal’ and ‘The Night Boat’ have been re-released in recent years, not only in their traditional format but as eBooks and audiobooks.

+Baal

A woman is raped and gives birth to a great evil, a child called Baal. Unable to control him, she puts him in an orphanage where he wreaks havoc upon the children, beginning a cycle of violence that will overcome the world.

Baal is a familiar story, stirring up memories of Rosemary’s Baby and The omen rolled into one. The novel has an amazing opening and most readers will enjoy the final pages of the book.

Baal struggles everywhere else. The story is, for the most part, a human drama. It follows a couple that grappling with a difficult decision after the wife conceives her rapist’s child. And while these elements manage to intrigue, the book quickly leaves them behind, changing its tone almost drastically, becoming a religious thriller in some places, a supernatural tale in others, eventually concluding in an end-of-days-type scenario that throws more action into the mix than might be necessary.

One cannot deny the fact that Baal is very well written. Robert R. MacCammon’s soul manifests clearly in every word he writes, his struggle to squeeze as much out of the book as possible showing. The fact that he fails to settle on a single theme prevents his work from achieving its potential.

Robert has described Baal as an ‘Angry Young Man’ novel. His first full publication, Robert R. McCammon produced Baal at a time when he felt completely powerless and trapped by circumstance as a young man in his twenties with very little money, a dead-end job and almost no respect from his peers.

The fact that the story of Baal is not new isn’t likely to scare dedicated readers away. While Robert endeavors to provide the unique perspectives of a number of characters, he avoids erratic head-hopping, instead allowing his readers to appreciate each point of view for as long as possible.

While Robert’s failure to focus on a theme disadvantages his novel, he manages to skillfully lace his story with apocalyptic tones from start to finish, so much so that the action-heavy finale doesn’t seem as out of place.

The different points of view introduced throughout the story allow readers to effectively track Baal’s rise to power, the approach to his journey varying depending on the personality of the character through whose eyes the readers are watching Baal.

Of Robert’s many intriguing characters in this book, Virga is probably the most interesting, a hero that is as ordinary as they come. Aged and not that strong in stature, lacking in courage most of the time and depending on luck to survive the many tumultuous events he encounters.

Baal, while very one-dimensional as a foe, manages to stand out, easy to appreciate because of how abhorrently evil he can be.

Robert is a great writer and it shows in Baal, his pacing steady and his scenes engrossing. The dialogue is convincing and the select few twists interesting enough to cause a gasp or two.

On a whole, minus Robert’s failure to focus the theme of his novel, Baal is a worthwhile read, especially for fans of Robert R. McCammon.

+Bethany’ Sin

Evan Reid, along with his wife Kay and daughter Laurie, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to live in a beautiful house in a small village, not at its bargain price tag.

The name of the village, Bethany’s Sin, weird as it was, quaint and far from the noise and pollution of modern life did little to dissuade him.

However, Evan Reid quickly starts to wonder if Bethany’s Sin isn’t a little too quiet, the night as silent as a grave. It doesn’t take Evan long to notice just how few the men in the small village are, that and the fact that most of them are crippled.

The sound of galloping horses riding at night only makes matters worse. Evan would soon learn of the village’s superhuman secret, though not soon enough to prevent his wife and daughter from entering their sinister cabal.

Bethany’s Sin is only the second novel from Robert R. McCammon and it is hardly one of his favorites. In fact, Robert has gone so far as to reject any efforts to have Bethany’s Sin reprinted.

And while the novel is indeed not one of his best, Bethany’s Sin is none the less quite the entertaining read.

Evan, a writer and Vietnam War veteran moves his wife, a Math professor, and young daughter to a charming little village, unaware of the horror that awaits them.

Evan has a penchant for predicting danger though his wife doesn’t believe in his premonitions. In an attempt to keep his family happy and whole, he stifles his visions even as the strange happenings of the village continue to unnerve him.

Bethany’s Sin unfolds slowly and steadily, Robert taking the time to develop his characters and build a vivid image of Bethany’s Sin and its curious inhabitants before unleashing the horror and thrusting his readers into a wild ride filled with violence, brutality, and horror.