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Cormac McCarthy
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Outer Dark (Vintage International) Kindle Edition

by Cormac McCarthy (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,732 ratings
From the bestselling author of The Passenger and the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel The Road • A novel at once fabular and starkly evocative, set is an unspecified place in Appalachia, sometime around the turn of the century.

A woman bears her brother's child, a boy; he leaves the baby in the woods and tells her he died of natural causes. Discovering her brother's lie, she sets forth alone to find her son. Both brother and sister wander separately through a countryside being scourged by three terrifying and elusive strangers, headlong toward an eerie, apocalyptic resolution.
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  1. Print length
    257 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    August 11, 2010
  6. File size
    2.4 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Vintage will rerelease these previous novels from McCarthy to coincide with the paperback appearance of All The Pretty Horses : Outer Dark is a mysterious tale of an Appalachian family, while Child of God , also set in the hill country, tells of a violent ex-convict.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

To coincide with the paperback release of McCarthy's National Book Award winner, All the Pretty Horses ( LJ 5/15/92), Vintage is reissuing these two earlier novels. Relating the story of a mother's search for her lost child, Outer Dark was described by LJ 's reviewer as a "novel full of horror and pathos" ( LJ 9/15/68). Child of God tells an equally bleak story with characters that comprise a "sad human compost heap" ( LJ 1/15/74). For serious fiction collections.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003XT605E
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 11, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 257 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0307762498
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 1,732 ratings

About the author

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Cormac McCarthy

Cormac McCarthy

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Cormac McCarthy was born in Rhode Island. He later went to Chicago, where he worked as an auto mechanic while writing his first novel, The Orchard Keeper. The Orchard Keeper was published by Random House in 1965; McCarthy's editor there was Albert Erskine, William Faulkner's long-time editor. Before publication, McCarthy received a travelling fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which he used to travel to Ireland. In 1966 he also received the Rockefeller Foundation Grant, with which he continued to tour Europe, settling on the island of Ibiza. Here, McCarthy completed revisions of his next novel, Outer Dark. In 1967, McCarthy returned to the United States, moving to Tennessee. Outer Dark was published in 1968, and McCarthy received the Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Writing in 1969. His next novel, Child of God, was published in 1973. From 1974 to 1975, McCarthy worked on the screenplay for a PBS film called The Gardener's Son, which premiered in 1977. A revised version of the screenplay was later published by Ecco Press. In the late 1970s, McCarthy moved to Texas, and in 1979 published his fourth novel, Suttree, a book that had occupied his writing life on and off for twenty years. He received a MacArthur Fellowship in 1981, and published his fifth novel, Blood Meridian, in 1985. All the Pretty Horses, the first volume of The Border Trilogy, was published in 1992. It won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award and was later turned into a feature film. The Stonemason, a play that McCarthy had written in the mid-1970s and subsequently revised, was published by Ecco Press in 1994. Soon thereafter, the second volume of The Border Trilogy, The Crossing, was published with the third volume, Cities of the Plain, following in 1998. McCarthy's next novel, No Country for Old Men, was published in 2005. This was followed in 2006 by a novel in dramatic form, The Sunset Limited, originally performed by Steppenwolf Theatre Company of Chicago. McCarthy's most recent novel, The Road, was published in 2006 and won the Pulitzer Prize.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
1,732 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's writing style, noting that every word is poetry, and appreciate its wonderful imagery and vivid descriptions. The pacing receives mixed reactions, with some finding it compelling while others note a distinct lack of plot. The dark tone and impact also draw mixed responses, with some describing it as brilliant while others find it hard to follow.

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50 customers mention "Readability"37 positive13 negative

Customers find the book excellent and amazing, with one customer noting it is compelling from the first word.

"Another exceptional book by Cormac McCarthy. It is admittedly gloomy and rather violent. In some ways it seems like a precursor to Blood Meridian...." Read more

"...All-in-all, the book is short, dark, enthralling, but it is not quite as deep and amusing as Blood Meridian, nor as sparse and electric as The Road...." Read more

"...work but don't know where to start, Outer Dark is a great entry into McCarthys novels! Highly recommended!" Read more

"Outer Dark will perplex you, amaze you, confound you, and impress you...." Read more

44 customers mention "Writing style"37 positive7 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the book, noting that every word is poetry, and one customer mentions how the dialogue helps paint a vivid picture.

"...However, as is usual with Cormac, the writing is brilliant with many graphic and penetrating scenes that grip the reader...." Read more

"Beautifully written and menacingly bleak, McCarthy crushes it in this novel...." Read more

"...Don't get me wrong, the book does have redeeming qualities in the writing style, etc. Hence the 3 stars. It was not the worst book I ever read...." Read more

"...In his second novel, McCarthy has fashioned a tale both deceptively simple and profoundly complex...." Read more

16 customers mention "Visual style"16 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's visual style, praising its wonderful imagery and beautiful prose, with one customer highlighting its stunning descriptions of place and another noting its perfectly rendered desolation.

"...However, as is usual with Cormac, the writing is brilliant with many graphic and penetrating scenes that grip the reader...." Read more

"...There is a sense of perfectly rendered desolation, like the Road but with trees and plant life! The details however are pretty vague...." Read more

"...of how life in this area in this time must have been seemed very realistic. And something about the writer's style really appeals to me...." Read more

"...You must read this precocious second novel by Cormac McCarthy, it is stunning. I find this story full of symbolism and metaphors...." Read more

56 customers mention "Pacing"31 positive25 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding the story compelling and highly allegorical, while one customer describes it as rambling.

"Beautifully written and menacingly bleak, McCarthy crushes it in this novel...." Read more

"Another exceptional book by Cormac McCarthy. It is admittedly gloomy and rather violent. In some ways it seems like a precursor to Blood Meridian...." Read more

"...I find this story full of symbolism and metaphors. For instance, Culla and the three mysterious men seem to have nothing in common...." Read more

"...of a baby--the product of incest, manages to examine grand questions of good and evil, luck and spirituality, destiny and free will, and ultimately,..." Read more

18 customers mention "Dark tone"11 positive7 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the dark tone of the book, with several finding it very dark, while one customer describes it as reading like a bad dream.

"...All-in-all, the book is short, dark, enthralling, but it is not quite as deep and amusing as Blood Meridian, nor as sparse and electric as The Road...." Read more

"...Outer Dark reads like a bad dream...." Read more

"Outer Dark will perplex you, amaze you, confound you, and impress you...." Read more

"The prose are dark, disturbing and unadorned with superfluous grammatical items...." Read more

9 customers mention "Impact"6 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the impact of the book, with some finding it brilliant, while others describe it as futility.

"...This is a very significant work. It begs for a re-reading, which I hope to do in the future." Read more

"...in a loop of characters wandering around, bungling and not really accomplishing anything...." Read more

"...It is a very impactful read that's shorter than his other novels but is no less impactful...." Read more

"This 1968 novel written by Cormac McCarthy is brilliant, but also one of the most disheartening stories that I've ever read...." Read more

9 customers mention "Comprehension"0 positive9 negative

Customers find the book difficult to follow, with one mentioning that the inserted scenes are particularly challenging to understand.

"...The details however are pretty vague...." Read more

"...describes the human condition in all its worst forms; degradation, ignorance, futility, crushing poverty, cruel luck, meanness, depravity,..." Read more

"...Some passages are torture for me !" Read more

"...stopped dead because the language choices have this showy and unfamiliar erudition. Put up with it...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Ernest Ohlmeyer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A dark but gripping Cormac McCarthy novel
    Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Another exceptional book by Cormac McCarthy. It is admittedly gloomy and rather violent. In some ways it seems like a precursor to Blood Meridian. As usual with Cormac, one must think hard and delve deep to answer "What is the meaning?" It is highly allegorical, with many allusions to Biblical and other literary sources. It is in the form of a quest journey. A brother and sister, Culla and Rinthy, conceive a child. After its birth, Culla tries to get rid of the child by leaving him in the wilderness, but he is rescued by an itinerant tinker. When Rinthy discovers this she goes in search of the child. Culla, full of guilt for his incest and attempted infanticide, goes on his own quest whose purpose is unclear. It may be to find the child or to find Rinthy or just to assuage his guilt. An image that comes to mind is the Garden of Eden and the expulsion of Adam and Eve due to their original sin. Along the way, both Culla and Rinthy experience a variety of encounters with strangers. Rinthy is mainly treated with kindness by those she meets. Culla, on the other hand, keeps getting into trouble, is falsely accused of a variety of crimes, and is pursued by a mob trying to kill him. The culmination of his troubles is when he runs into an evil trio of killers. They are a murderous lot, terrorizing the countryside, and seem bent on extracting retribution for Culla's sins. Some critics think the novel has a distinct Gnostic overtone, where humans are entraped in an evil world ruled by malevolent demigods or archons. The true, benevolent, God is hidden, but tries to keep a spark of knowledge about him alive in the hearts of men. In this respect, the evil trio may represents archons who persecute Culla. In terms of responding to the proffered interior light, the hapless Culla seems to miss the invitation completely, while Rinthy is responsive to it and maintains her hope and optimism throughout her ordeal. The dramatic culmination of the novel will be left for the reader to discover. The meaning or moral point of this story is somewhat obscure and Cormac leaves it to the reader to figure out. However, as is usual with Cormac, the writing is brilliant with many graphic and penetrating scenes that grip the reader. This is a very significant work. It begs for a re-reading, which I hope to do in the future.
    17 people found this helpful
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  • Kevin F. Tasker
    4.0 out of 5 stars Sparse, brutal, strangely incomplete
    Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2010
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    Cormac likes his gothic blood-letting. This book is no exception. An earlier work, it has little of the grandiosity of Blood Meridian (though there are some incredibly lyrical passages IE similes comparing the characters to a cast of alien vaudevillians pirouetting through a menacing landscape as though through a dream lens, those never get old). The story is simple. Brother knocks up Sister, hides baby in the woods, Tinker finds baby, takes off. Sister goes to look for Tinker. Brother goes to look for Sister. Meanwhile, band a three oddball killers are striking through the forest, gutting folks at random. The novel sort of meanders with the brother constantly looking for work from people he meets, or getting into trouble sleeping in what he believes are un-owned houses. The Sister spends most of her time asking about her "chap", witnessing other couples' states of disarray. Cormac's prose captures beautifully the sinful sweep of the world in what we assume to be the early 1900s. There is a sense of perfectly rendered desolation, like the Road but with trees and plant life! The details however are pretty vague. We don't know the time period, the motivation for the killers (we assume it is only a kind of insatiable anarchic glee that drives them) and so on. Also the fates of a couple characters are sort of left hanging, as the book just ends ALA No Country For Old Men, though not as abrupt. All-in-all, the book is short, dark, enthralling, but it is not quite as deep and amusing as Blood Meridian, nor as sparse and electric as The Road. I like it more than No Country, I think. It reads sort of like a gothic fairy tale, where there aren't many likable characters, some bizarre allegorical scenarios, lots of murders (though not compared to Blood Meridian--though most books cannot compare) etc. If you are a fan of old Cormac, give this one a shot. It is wry, poetic, nightmarish. Don't expect a happy ending.
    25 people found this helpful
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  • Plainview
    5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommend!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2024
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    Beautifully written and menacingly bleak, McCarthy crushes it in this novel. It is a very impactful read that's shorter than his other novels but is no less impactful. If you want to read McCarthys work but don't know where to start, Outer Dark is a great entry into McCarthys novels! Highly recommended!
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • James M. Slade
    5.0 out of 5 stars Outer dark
    Reviewed in Canada on March 1, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Classic Cormac MeCarthy, a very dark tale, wonderfully told. Guaranteed to give you shivers and to horrify. I recommend it.
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  • lucie
    5.0 out of 5 stars super
    Reviewed in France on November 19, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Thank you very much for this nice experience. Quick delivery, perfect state of the product and very interesting book will shop again sometime
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  • Darren
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another classic
    Reviewed in Australia on May 22, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Another great read from this author. Even though this novel is one of his earlier one it is classic McCarthy with amazing descriptions of the landscape and full characters you can love and loath. Highly recommend.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in Spain on June 1, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent service, did as they said and gave prompt, fast delivery with no problems. Recommended, and I would use them again..
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  • Tommy Dooley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, Bleak and the work of a true Master of English Literature
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I am biased her as I consider Cormac McCarthy to be the best living writer in the English language. This dark story of incest is set as a parable in a time not specified and in a place of landless intent. The brother and sister plough two different paths – one in search of a child that should never have been. The other to escape the sin that can not be admitted to.

    The journeys take two different paths but the roads are full of decrepitude, filth, hopelessness and a cast of characters that make the term ‘a grotesquery’ seem somewhat lame. The language used is pure poetry; describing scenes that are often beyond the want to witness and painting a terrible picture with words that add bring an inner beauty to the whole ensemble.

    This is a book I devoured in a few readings as it is truly astounding and is the only book of his that I had yet to read. I hope he has many more of this ilk still to offer the World.
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