The Ritual by Adam Nevill

The Ritual

by Adam Nevill

From Britain's 'master of horror', Adam Nevill, comes The Ritual, winner of the August Derleth Award and perfect for fans of Stephen King. Now a major film with Rafe Spall.

Four old university friends reunite for a hiking trip in the Scandinavian wilderness of the Arctic Circle. No longer young men, they have little left in common and tensions rise as they struggle to connect. Frustrated and tired they take a shortcut that turns their hike into a nightmare that could cost them their lives.

Lost, hungry and surrounded by forest untouched for millennia, they stumble across an isolated old house. Inside, they find the macabre remains of old rites and pagan sacrifices; ancient artefacts and unidentifiable bones. A place of dark ritual and home to a bestial presence that is still present in the ancient forest, and now they're the prey.

As the four friends struggle toward salvation they discover that death doesn't come easy among these ancient trees . . .

Reviewed by bearley on

2 of 5 stars

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Really excited to read this after seeing the movie, but this is the rare case where the movie was better. It was such a slow burn that had I not been waiting for the creature I would’ve dnf. The last 50 pages were almost worth the long beginning though. Just really wanted more of Moder — my reason for reading the book in the first place.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 18 June, 2021: Finished reading
  • 18 June, 2021: Reviewed