Blood Meridian cover art

Blood Meridian

Or the Evening Redness in the West

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Blood Meridian

By: Cormac McCarthy
Narrated by: Richard Poe
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About this listen

 Author of the National Book Award-winning All the Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy is one of the most provocative American stylists to emerge in the last century. The striking novel Blood Meridian offers an unflinching narrative of the brutality that accompanied the push west on the 1850s Texas frontier.©1985 Cormac McCarthy (P)2007 Recorded Books Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Scary Emotionally Gripping Old West Wild West

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Critic reviews

“The authentic American apocalyptic novel…I venture that no other living American novelist, not even Pynchon, has given us a book as strong and memorable as Blood Meridian.” (Harold Bloom)
"McCarthy is a writer to be read, to be admired, and quite honestly envied." (Ralph Ellison)
"McCarthy is a born narrator, and his writing has, line by line, the stab of actuality. He is here to stay." (Robert Penn Warren)
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What a journey, sometimes blood drenched , sometimes poetic and philosophical. The Judge has to be one of the most memorable characters I have encountered, both Grotesque and Charismatic. Outstanding performance by Richard Poe he brings a great vibrancy to the story. Loved it.

Great Stuff

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the existential elements which are throughout the story lost me sometime but I wouldn't hesisate to recommend this book.

classic McCarthy

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This is a hard book to understand and it will no doubt mean different things to everyone who reads it. But it seems to me that it is like showing America the violent underbelly of its own history in a mirror. It is certainly not for the squeamish but the book has untold beauty nonetheless.

There is no internal world to explain how people feel, no mourning for the dead nor any moral outrage in the characters or the narrative, just the brutal, almost unimaginably bloody truth of the Glanton gang's scalp-hunting trip in Mexico in the 1840's.(1846/7)?

Overlaid on this deadly history is the Judge, surely the best devil I've ever read, and possibly one the greatest fictional characters I've ever read too. He towers over the book, pronouncing on the art of the ultimate game, war. He says, 'War was here before man came and will be here long after he is gone.' (paraphrased) And when I think of the slaughter of the natives, the Texan war of independence, the American Civil War, the mass graves still being dug for the victims of the drug wars, I can't say I feel able to disagree.

I have listened twice and read this in print and I don't understand it all by any means. It is a book that asks questions rather than answers them but it is a favorite precisely because of its enduring enigma. I will never forget the Judge, the kid, Glanton and the rest. And I will never forget the savage electric beauty of McCarthy's desert. The Attack on Captain White's mercenaries takes my breath for its imaginative power and fine writing. For me this is a work of genius.

Savage, brutal and beautiful

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Brilliantly narrated and written, Blood Meridian is a brilliantly horrifying journey into violence and debauchery. Poe does a good job of all the voices giving them all unique character and non moreso than The Judge, truly one of the most terrifying creations in any story.

Whatever in creation exists without my knowledge exists without my consent.  - Judge Holden

A grueling, horrifying journey

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What a masterpiece this is. Quite possible the greatest novel I've had the pleasure of reading/ listen to.

Pure Brilliance

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This is a truly great work. Both Terrible and beautiful all wrapped up in human skin, rolling purposely across an endless desert.

Genius

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Poetic language, so wonderfully and terribly evocative. Carries you along across the desert into the night.

Beautiful. Terrible.

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This was a perfect choice of narrator for this book, excellent performance. The book itself is quite something

Perfect choice of narrator

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My third time reading and first time listening to this unremitting, blood drenched opus. Possibly the greatest American writer and this is the best of his remarkable collection of works.

Unparalleled

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Hats off to Richard Poe, one of the best readers I’ve heard. The book speaks for itself

Perfect reading of a great book.

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