Cold Moon Over Babylon (1980)

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 HALLOWEEN REVIEWS 2024


by Michael McDowell



The age-old cycle of the rich and powerful abusing the less fortunate with impunity plays out in the small Southern community of Babylon through the tragic interconnections between the poor, blueberry-farming Larkin family and the wealthy, banking Redfields.

 


However, this time, there are supernatural forces at work to balance the scales.

 


It is quite satisfying to see a sociopathic, entitled shit get his comeuppance but at a certain point the trajectory of such a story becomes clear and it takes a talented author to maintain interest.

 


Fortunately, Michael McDowell, gone too soon, was a wonderful writer.

 

Michael McDowell

In this book, he peoples what could have been a pretty standard pulp horror story with vividly drawn, interesting characters and a powerful sense of location. 



There are some startling developments and truly creepy scenes.

 

"The Mists of Babylon" (French)

I didn’t much care for the hallucinogenic, reality-bending sequences, but there are also some terrific scenes with creatures that are something like a cross between a ghost and a zombie.


"Cold Moon Over Babylon" (German)

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