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T.E.D. Klein
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The Ceremonies Hardcover – June 29, 1984

by T. E. D. Klein (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 146 ratings
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Graduate student Jeremy Freirs and aspiring dancer Carol Conklin, summering in the New Jersey village of Gilead, are trapped in a nightmare of terror, with an evil force emanating from a place once called Maquineanok, the Place of Burning
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    502 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Viking Adult
  4. Publication date
    June 29, 1984
  5. Dimensions
    20 x 20 x 20 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0670209821
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0670209828
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Viking Adult; First Edition first Printing (June 29, 1984)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 502 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0670209821
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0670209828
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.09 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 20 x 20 x 20 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 146 ratings

About the author

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T.E.D. Klein

T.E.D. Klein

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
146 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Rory Coker
5.0 out of 5 stars A horror novel that builds slowly with immense convincing detail... a classic!
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2023
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This is the only novel T. E. D. Klein has ever written, and it's a whopper, in many senses of the word, at 614 pages with a fairly small font. The basis of the novel is a short story, "The Events at Porroth Farm," which has only three characters. In the novel, those three are retained but a huge number of other characters are introduced, including most importantly a girlfriend for the original junior college instructor character, Jeremy, and an elderly sorcerer who looks like a short, cherubic senior citizen but plans to destroy all human civilization! The tension builds very slowly, with many "slice-of-life" episodes for the many characters, but there are always sinister undertones and the reader will have become uneasy long before a nearly hidden monster, a Dhole, starts to zombify a cat and then people. A main influence here is Arthur Machen, who is indirectly and directly referenced repeatedly. The beginning and end of the events form a fond nod to H. P. Lovecraft. The novel is full of such rich detail that it merits re-reading after a reasonable amount of elapsed time. This is obviously the only novel editor, essayist and critic Klein is ever going to write... he confesses to extreme writer's block. Do not miss it if you love the weird in fiction, because it doesn't get much weirder than this!
3 people found this helpful
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Micheal Huxel
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent.
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2017
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It’s a tad long, bit of a slow burn but with it if you stick with the novel. The writing is plain and understandable but extremely effective; often the bluntness and frankness of the writing aids in the impact of the revelation of the horrors.

I disagree with people disappointed in the ending.

Perhaps it is a bit anti-climatic, but the epilogue ends on what to me is the most terrifying part of the novel. I want reiterate it here in case you haven’t read it before, it’s an amazing last line and it should be first read in the full context of the story.

I will say however, that to me, the point of it is that the main character seems to have moved in with his life more or less and is attempting to cover up the horrors he has experienced with the humdrum of everyday life, but he is unable to. His worldview has been irrevocably changed, and through everything, behind the veil of the world we build for ourselves and call reality and life, if we listen closely enough, you can almost hear the roar…..
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars It needed some aggressive editing but good atmosphere.
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2018
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A solid story but overlong.
4 people found this helpful
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Hwang
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Horror Novel
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2014
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TED Klein's first novel is surely bound to go down in history as a horror classic that thoroughly engrosses from start to finish.

Beginning with the discovery of an ancient evil residing in the forest by a small boy who begins to increasingly gain the power to subtly manipulate the lives of people through forces unknown to realize a hideous design to rekindle the life force and, hence, reawaken and regenerate the evil force residing beneath the earth that will give birth to a terrifying entity that will forever consume the earth in an apocalypse onto the climax of the novel, this novel subtly manoeuvres the reader with strong character development, an engrossing storyline and interesting twists of the plot only to end on an anti-climactic note. On the overall, a fine read and a sophisticated novel.
6 people found this helpful
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B.G.
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2020
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I'm a big fan of horror books. This is my all time favorite and the only one that ever scared me a little bit while reading it. Listening to it is a unique pleasure too, especially when driving in the dark. Love T.E.D. Klein and wished he'd continued cranking out books instead of retiring young.
3 people found this helpful
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Teresa J.
3.0 out of 5 stars Not in as good of condition as stated by seller
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2016
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I love this book and the story but the copy I bought was supposed to be in "good" condition, when in reality it looks like it could fall apart at any moment.
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Holly Harris
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Horror Genre Books
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2018
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A classic of horror. Recommended for all fans of the genre.

A rare book that provides urban paranoia and rural paranoia; both of them duly warranted. This story is original and lovely, providing a quiet, creeping sense of unease along with those bang a gong jump scares.

Every time a crappy new Stephen King book is released, I re-read T. E. D. Klein instead.
17 people found this helpful
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RANDALL
5.0 out of 5 stars First rate compelling horror.
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2014
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There seems to be a high degree of interest in flash, bang, blood, and guts horror today. I have been reading horror books and stories from the time I was a small child and the most satisfying reads I've ever experienced have been books built along the lines of an interesting plot, character development, both leading to a truly terrifying, unexpected fright. The Ceremonies was a great read back in the 80's and I found it even more satisfying to date. If you love horror then i cannot recommend this enough!!!
7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Julio Toro San Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in Canada on August 25, 2021
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Book came on time and in excellent condition. Story is phenomenal!
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Simon
4.0 out of 5 stars Sehr spannende Handlung - kann man nicht weglegen
Reviewed in Germany on April 20, 2024
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Der einzige Grund, warum ich 'eine fünf Sterne gebe: es wurde am Lektor gespart. Das Buch enthält viele kleine Flüchtigkeitsfehler, als hätte es KI von einem handschriftlichen Manuskript abgeschrieben.
Ansonsten hatte ich es vor 30 Jahren schon gelesen, finde es jetzt immer noch extrem fesselnd.
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Ricardo Terrazo
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfecto!
Reviewed in Mexico on June 4, 2021
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Muy bueno llegó sin problemas ni daños y a tiempo
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Esteban
4.0 out of 5 stars Muy buena novela de horror y suspenso
Reviewed in Spain on March 16, 2020
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Me ha gustado mucho este libro. Realmente atrapa desde un principio con la conspiración cosmica que se va tejiendo de manera ominosa y con personajes son interesantes, presentados en ambientes muy bien descriptos.
Eventualmente, la historia pierde su impulso inicial, y el final me resultó algo abrupto y decepcionante. En cierta medida predecible.
De todas formas recomiendo esté libro para los amantes del horror lovecraftiano y, en caso que deseen leer algo menos extenso, sugiero leer la novela corta "The events at Poroth's farm" que es la precursora de este libro, con la misma estructura básica pero más corta y enfocada.
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Charlie Vaughan
5.0 out of 5 stars A slow-burning creepy novel with ceremonial magic at it's evil heart
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 30, 2014
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I have to agree with other reviewers of The Ceremonies: this is a masterful novel, rooted in the occult horror genre.

However, despite the nod to Lovecraftian horror, it doesn't use old-fashioned or Gothic language to represent the 'other-worldliness' of the religious community or the ceremonies nor does it use the mis-match between the country-girl vs the city or the modern-world vs the Amish-like religious community where the majority of the novel is set.

Instead, it uses the ordinariness of language and daily life to weave its magic.

One of the horrific threads of the novel, is the fact that the characters, and indeed the Ceremonies themselves, proceed through fairly normal and everyday life, language and occurrences : when you consider that, it can seem even more horrific that a simple act, such as the wearing of a white dress, can with the addition of the appropriate rituals, fulfil the promise of darker rites to come.

In one sense this can be seen as a perfect presentation of Ritual Magic. Agreed, no ceremonially-robed magician, no circle of adepts, no wands, cups, black roosters,and no lengthy invocations to unpronounceable gods and demons, but all the more effective and horrific for that.

Proof perhaps, that neither God nor Devil needs all the pomp of exotic trappings to work their magic of change: just belief, faith and determination.

The concluding passages are wonderfully evocative ( in all senses of the word ) and, at least to this reader, brought home the 'apocalyptic' nature of the novel's intent, through the symbolism that places it firmly in the Christian world-view.

Are these final passages disappointing, as at least one reviewer has suggested ? Well, I can see the point of view here, but although there is perhaps a small let-down,surely the epilogue turns that around as well.

The writing is clear and very effective, and very "clean" : I can barely recall a profanity. It could be edited down at times, and the book would be a bit more focused if reduced in length, but it really doesn't detract from the overall effect. Each passage ( even the long tale from Sarr Poroth about his visit to New York ) has a point and a place in the novel, even if you don't realise at the time.

I understand that Klein is not a prolific writer, which is both good and bad for us readers, and that this novel started off as a novella, which is suggested to be more tightly written and focused on events. I'd like to read that , just to compare it to the novel, but in the end, I am more than happy with the novel as it is, and can more than recommend it to those who enjoy the more creepy and psychological horror/occult-style novel.

Next on my list is Machen's 'The White People', a review of which prompted me to track down 'The Ceremonies'.

Hopefully that too will be as worthwhile a read as the Ceremonies was !
5 people found this helpful
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