Thursday Thrillers: The Omen by David Seltzer

 

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

   

  The Omen is written by David Seltzer (who also wrote the screenplay for the film) and was published in 1976. Currently, it is published by Dreamscape Media. In this tale of religious terror, we are introduced to Jeremy Thorn. The Economic Adviser to the U.S. President, Thorn, and his wife, Katherine, have tried to balance their family life enough for a child. After failed pregnancies, Thorn is approached by a priest and is asked to take in an orphan child recently born. Without letting Katherine know that their latest child has died, he welcomes little Damien as their newborn son. It is not known to Thorn that the child he has brought into their life is the son of the devil.

  Years pass and Damien grows into an adorable little boy. Quiet and often kept to himself, he is not close to Katherine. Thorn is away and sees him rarely. But their staff, Mr. and Mrs. Horton are there to offer their view on his behavior. Horton warns of a large dog that is roaming the grounds of their home. One that sits and waits, watching the estate. Thorn's life is turned upside down after Damien's nanny commits suicide at his birthday party. Gleefully leaping to her death, she says that it is all for Damien. Soon a nosy reporter and a strange priest begin to follow Thorn. They speak of evil, born of darkness, his son. With Damien's new nanny, Mrs. Baylock, guarding the boy with the dog from the woods, Thorn is presented with a dilemma: do you ignore the warnings or do you kill your child to stop the devil?

  The Omen was a fun read. Spooky and filled with tense moments. Damien was creepy and exactly what you would expect from a demonic child. The tension that Seltzer delivers is fantastic. He weaves biblical and historical references into the narrative, giving it weight. Many of his vivid descriptions can be attributed to Seltzer's own world travels. Seltzer started out with National Geographic, working with Jacques Cousteau as a writer for The Adventures of Jacques Cousteau. I appreciated the slow-burn pace of the novel. We are given an insight into the family life of the Thorns. We see a couple trying hard to stay a family, despite Jeremy's constant traveling and Katherine's ambivalence towards Damien. It gave me a false sense of calm that was regularly shattered. Seltzer knows how to pull a reader into a story and shake them up. 

  The audiobook is narrated by Holly Palance, daughter of legendary star, Jack Palance. A fun twist, she was Damien's nanny in the Omen film, leaping happily to her death for her charge. Palance handles the narrative expertly, giving depth to all of Seltzer's characters. Her portrayal of Mrs. Baylock was my favorite. She played the evil nanny with relish. A wonderful performance throughout. 

      The Omen was a great way to start my 2023 Summer reading. It was loaded with macabre imagery and kept me engaged until the exciting ending. I give the Omen 4 Stars.

   Let me know in the comments below what you are reading.

   If you wish to donate to my publishing fund at Venmo. All donations are appreciated.

      Also please follow me on my social media platforms and enjoy shopping with me at eBay and Mercari.

 

  SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS AT LINKTREE

 

 Because there is always time to read,

 Xepherus3

 All written content (c) Copyright 2023 by Thomas Bahr II

Top logo designed by Xepherus Studios

The book cover is Copyright by the publisher