Ninth Configuration

by William Peter Blatty

Book Overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty's The Ninth Configuration is a thought-provoking, blackly comic journey into the heart of madness--and the outer limits of belief--that served as the basis of an acclaimed film (also known as Twinkle, Twinkle, "Killer" Kane).

Hidden away in a brooding Gothic manor in the deep woods is Center Eighteen, a secret military...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765337304
• ISBN13: 9780765337306
• Release Date: April 2014
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Desperately Seeking Sanity

The experience of war has taken its toll on members of the military. They are offered a means of escape and therapy at a secret treatment center in the Pacific Northwest. All of these intelligent men have mental disorders that are inexplicable - are they real or are they faking in order to elude further combat? That is the question at the heart of "The Ninth Configuration" by William Peter Blatty, a short but overwhelmingly powerful book. When the psychaitrist Hudson Kane arrives on the scene, the inmates, especially the leader Billy Cutshaw, immediately put him to the test. And through means of a radical new therapy, the men respond to Kane in promising ways and a cure seems within reach. Cutshaw is especially drawn to Kane, as both men search to prove that God exists in a world that constantly tries to destroy itself. While short, "The Ninth Configuration" packs a powerful and profound punch. From the author of "The Exorcist", this novel also deals with spiritual principles that take center stage towards the novel's end. It will make readers laugh out loud, and sit back and contemplate the points the author raises.

From the Inside

For such a short read, William Blatty incorporated a number of plot twists in this fantastic book. By far, this is one of the best books I have read this year. The fictional Center 18 houses a collection of military officers that have experienced breakdowns. The inmates are seemingly out of control until Colonel Hudson Kane arrives. While employing a new therapy, he explores the question of whether the inmates are faking their illness. In a twist, we see perhaps Hudson Kane is more in need of mental healthcare than any of the others. Without giving much more of the plot away, Cutshaw the leader of the inmates is cured. The cost of his healing raises some of the most intriguing and haunting questions of the book. At times, the book can be laugh-out-loud funny. While simulataneously causing deep moral reflection, this book proves to be a gem.

Another look at evil

While "The Exorcist" put Blatty on the map, it is the "Ninth Configuration" that established him as a "literary" writer. We are dealing with military misfits and instead of the deeply troubled priest, we have the deeply troubled psychologist. The story is not as action-filled as one may like but the way in which the various layers are laid bare is a wonder to behold. One slowly grasps "the twist" made all the more poignant by those involved (no revelations from this reviewer). The ability of the mind to withstand the evil that men do has never been so tested, nor have the reactions to that evil been so effectively dramatized. There is a longing at the end, a sadness and yet a confirmation of all that is good. The rendering of the various personalities was a tour de force of imagination - they still resonate at time.

Well written and insightful

I read this book after reading The Exorcist and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Despite The Exorcist's beautiful language (though disturbing context) the Ninth Configuration is eloquently written and thought-provoking. The underlying messages of faith and spiritual satisfaction loom everywhere in this great novel. It is witty and suspenseful, and never dragging or boring. Based on the first publication, Twinkle,Twinkle Killer Kane, the Ninth Configuration is "short and sweet" and a definte keeper. I really enjoyed reading it and I'm sure any fan of Blatty's would too.

A thought provoking book that examines faith & its origins.

I have had the privlege of speaking with the author and I told him that both books, The Exorcist and The Ninth Configuration, are really about faith. While I would not dare to suggest that the Exorcist was not brilliantly transferd to the screen, it lost some of the book's message- this book being the one the general public is aware of. Luckily, The Ninth Configuration, was transferred to the screen by Mr. Blatty himself. As another reviewer mentioned, this is a book that practically became better as a movie. The book & the movie have terrific dialog between the characters. Ultimately, both books are about faith & our search for it as frail human beings. The movie has so much atmosphere- the music by Barry DeVorzon was very special & the author told me that before shooting each day, they would play some of the music. If you cannot get the out of print book, at least see the movie w/ Stacy Keach, Ed Flanders, Jason Miller & a supreme cast. Written & directed by William Peter Blatty himself.