The Omen

The whole book made me so frustrated. The writing is dense at times, the characters are as interesting as a loaf of bread and are dumb as hell and the story didn't elicit any emotions from me aside from being bored out of my skull. I really wanted to like this but we don't always get what we want, I guess.

It's effective at times, and there are some moments that made me gasp, but the moral and thematical basis is questionable at best. It's fine in itself a fiction book, though, despite the constant derivative badgering about politics.

If I hadn't read this was a novelization of the incredibly chilling film starring Gregory Peck, by none other than David Seltzer himself, I would have rated it a bit higher. In a rare case, Seltzer has taken liberties with his own original material to transfer the film to the pages, and as it is, the novel seems like a very good effort.

It provides many interesting details about the past of key characters, especially Catherine, Thorn's wife, and father Tassone (who was father Brennan in the film). Also, the character of Jennings -my own personal favourite in both the film and the novel- the young photographer who helps Thorn solve the riddle concerning the boy Damien, is significantly expanded.

The unfortunate thing is that there are some differences in comparison to the film that, in my opinion, are unecessary and take away much of the atmosphere that the film succeeds in creating. I will add no spoilers but I can say that while I definitely enjoyed reading the book, it failed to chill my blood and send shivers down my spine in the way the film did. I have watched the movie twice and will watch it again and again. Do I recommend the novelization? Certainly. Will I read it a second time? I doubt it.