Book Review: Damon

Book Review: 'Damon' by C. Terry Cline, Jr.

1 / 5 Stars

 

'Damon' first was published in 1975 by G. P. Putnam's Sons. Fawcett Crest issued this mass-market paperback edition in 1975.

 

The premise of 'Damon' is simple: a four year-old boy is a Bad Seed. The novel documents his transgressions, along with efforts by his caretakers to determine if the boy's behaviors are of pathological, or supernatural, origin.

 

In the novel's opening passages we are introduced to Damon Daniels, the only child of high-achieving parents Melba and Edward. Damon's family lives in a nice home in a rural area outside Decatur, Georgia. We learn that Damon has a high IQ, along with some peculiar traits: he can read minds, and he can cause rose bushes to wither and die with a simple gesture. His parents, dumbfounded by their son's behavior, consult with eminent psychiatrist Kyle Burnette. 

 

Burnette subjects the rather truculent Damon to a variety of physiological and psychological tests and assays. These reveal a 'hormonal imbalance,' a condition which may explain the boy's predisposition to certain shocking behaviors. Burnette observes that Damon regularly lapses into catatonia, during which he displays the voice and mannerisms of adult male, in particular, an aggressive, sex-obsessed, and malevolent male.

 

Is this a case of demonic possession, a la 'The Exorcist' ? Author Cline surely was aware that he was treading on well-known fictional ground by proceeding in such a direction. Accordingly, the narrative in 'Damon' distances itself from 'Exorcist' territory by evading the supernatural, and instead dithering through clinical and diagnostic activities. These are related with a pedantic attitude, much in the manner of a Michael Crichton novel. 

Interspersed with the medical discourses and lengthy conversations between Damon and his psychiatrist, are episodes in which Damon Behaves Badly. Even by the relaxed, 'groovy' sensibility of the 70s, these have a disturbing quality and plainly are designed by author Cline to emulate, and even surpass the transgressive sensibilities of 'The Exorcist.' Indeed, I doubt any modern-day publisher would agree to publish 'Damon' unless some of the content is removed. As the back cover blurb, attributed to Publisher's Weekly, states: 

If The Exorcist contained its fair share of shocks, sexual and supernatural, Damon outdoes it.

   

By the final fourth of 'Damon,' even the titillation of shapely Nurse Betty Biting the Pillow starts to pall, and boredom sets in. I anticipated that author Cline would have a contrived, underwhelming denouement in store. Without disclosing spoilers, that is exactly what the novel delivers ! The denouement is dumb.

 

Is 'Damon' a must-have for collectors of Paperbacks from Hell ? Decidedly, no. Its one of those novels where its transgressive qualities only can ropel the narrative so far, for so long, before the plotting stalls and sputters. It's a One-Star novel.

 

For another review of the book (contains spoilers) from another underwhelmed reader, I direct readers to the Trash Fiction Champion blog.