The Ritual: An Unsettling, Spine-Chilling Thriller, Now a Major Film

Written by Adam Nevill

Narrated by David Thorpe

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 . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: May 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9780230760714

Adam Nevill

Adam L.G. Nevill was born in Birmingham, England, in 1969 and grew up in England and New Zealand. He is the author of the horror novels: Banquet for the Damned, Apartment 16, The Ritual, Last Days, House of Small Shadows, No One Gets Out Alive, Lost Girl and Under a Watchful Eye. His first short story collection, Some Will Not Sleep: Selected Horrors, was published on Halloween, 2016. His novels, The Ritual, Last Days and No One Gets Out Alive were the winners of The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel. The Ritual and Last Days were also awarded Best in Category: Horror, by R.U.S.A. Many of his novels are currently in development for film and television, and in 2016 Imaginarium adapted The Ritual into a feature film. Adam lives in Devon, England.

[Sara Campbell · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Decent premise but Rambling. A bit all over the place.

[Big Wang · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's well written with some really nice atmospheric writing. I enjoyed the first half of the book but found the second half a struggle to get through and not worth the ending.

[KIMBERLY MOORE · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it. Well written with great visuals. The ending was just slightly unclear and a bit unrealistic but what else should one occasionally expect from a work of fiction right? All in all would definitely recommend.❤️

[Eleanor Paul · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the premise of the book but it was just too long for what it was. A lot of the time it felt like filler. Most of the characters died during a long survival story that turned out to be just a side plot. As for it being a story about the internal lives of the characters, there was too much telling what they were going through and not enough showing.

The fact that the villain was an racist, homophobic, devil worshipping black metal band with no scream grievances felt so over the top it broke my immersion.

If this book had been about a third of the length and had fewer indistinguishable characters in the early chapters I would’ve loved it. I just spent so much of the time waiting for something to happen.

[Alicia Mosley · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I didn’t like at all complete waste of time I would give zero stars if possible!!!

[Donovan Heathwood · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A good start and a story that had originality and potential, however this sadly fell away to the only word I can suggest, disappointment. The reading was enthusiastic and entertaining apart from the accents and language of Swedish and Norwegian, completely wrong.

[cindy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really liked the first half. The building horror was perfect. The second half was almost like a different book.

[Kevin Robles · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Yeah solid and interesting book! Super excited to see the movie now!

[laura.ludlow97 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Me aburrio y la verdad me costaba ponerme a escucharlo (y cuando lo hacia eventualmente me distraia). Da muchas vuletas a las cosas. Me distraia, dejaba de escuchar y cuando volvia a conectar...seguia hablando de lo mismo. De todas maneras el final si me gusto y pues nimodo que despues de sobrevivir a todo esto vuelvas a una vida miserable a pagar deudas y trabajar en un lugar que odias

[vigalo7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Part 1 of this book is great. Four friends are hiking in a Swedish forest and take a shortcut that they greatly regret. There is a lot of mystery, suspense and horror as the author narrates each new nightmarish finding by the hikers. Part 2 changes the tone of the story, still suspenseful but more mundane. An entertaining book all the same.

[Samuel Saker Kunkel · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good misty unsettling horror at the intersection of cruel nature, malicious entities, and the darkness in the heart of humankind, like a (good) Steven King story; fans of It (book) will find much to enjoy. Those who’ve seen the movie will discover a distinctly different story, larger and more complex, a good companion. Suffers for length somewhat: an 8-hour version may be paced better without loosing the tension. A worthy listen nonetheless,

[Mrs Henson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’ve seen this movie twice and read all of Neville’s other books. I tackled this one and it’s so, so good. The horror of nature AND of humanity. Superb.

[Corinne Barker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved the movie, I loved the book!
This novel depicted a crumbling friendship dynamic, put further to the test by extreme conditions. The trip the friends take go from a fun holiday to night survival. The primal nature of the beast that hunts them is unnerving. This book was exciting, brutal, painful at times. I actually jumped or covered my mouth while listening to this at my desk at work. This story is similar to the movie until about halfway thru, but I liked that the story was basically the same. And Luke is still the main character. Worth a read and I look forward to more by this author.

[Erica · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Ritual is about 4 university friends setting out on a trip in the Scandinavian wilderness. They try to get away from the everyday problems of life and reconnect. They're struggling to do so as things have changed, and some hold animosity towards one of them.

They have to overcome many obstacles to try to get through being lost in the woods. They come across something older than God himself and have to try to make it out before they all lose their lives.

This is such an amazing story. I previously watched the Netflix movie, which is one of my absolute favorite movies, and I needed to read the book it came from.

There are slight differences in the book, and to be honest, it is so much better for it.

[Cindy Lowe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I couldn't stop listening! There's a movie, but this book was much better! I could feel it. The terror of these lost men!! Well done

[Paul H · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was hoping this wasn't one of those books where the creature wasn't really a creature, but something like a giant spider or something like that. I was pleased. It was not. I enjoy books like this. If you like supernatural, and by that I mean things that are not natural(not like ghost supernatural)...you'll probably like this one.

[jeremy Figgins · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pretty great! Scary, delivers the experience you would expect. It’s pretty gross! Not gory, exactly, just nasty.

[Greatzel Unabia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyable. Had fun listening to this. I hope things went well in the end for someone.

[jameth15 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Haunting, It will swallow you whole. Vivid and striking. Terrifies.

[Erno Ahola-Olli · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Atmospheric, beautiful writing. The relationship between the friends is extremely well done.

[joseph8wood · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good book not great, but good . . . .

[Steve · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Narration 5/5
First half 4/5
Conclusion 1/5

Wish I had stopped listening after the first half and switched to the movie, which resolves the plot much better. Second part consists mainly of the lengthy introduction a wacky secondary antagonist who adds nothing but filler, a bit extra fat-shaming for flavor, and the removal of any prior character development. Really good before that point though.

[Antonio j. Otero · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

A very poor book, it serves to pass the time, I didn't like it, the second book by this author that I've read after Apartment 16, and I don't think I'm going to read any more. (Translated from Spanish)

[EdgarVuyk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good book. The oppressive and terrifying atmosphere is truly felt; it really makes you feel like you are walking through that terrible forest, conveying the pain, abandonment, and loneliness of the protagonist. I didn't know this author, but I would read other books by him. There is a movie based on the book, with the same name, it's good but of course it doesn't measure up to the book. Recommended if you want to experience an oppressive moment. (Translated from Spanish)

[Elsa Yadira · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I feel that I wasted my time reading this book... It was my first book by the author and in this genre, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. A story that starts well, but as it progresses, one gets lost in a tide of Luke’s thoughts that lead nowhere, and then the story turns into something completely crazy and nonsensical, ending with a pathetic conclusion. (Translated from Spanish)

[Facupatro · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The themes it touches on are the friendship of university peers and pagan gods or demons. It is essential reading for lovers of desolate and macabre forests. (Translated from Spanish)