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  • Blackwater: The Complete Saga

  • Written by: Michael McDowell
  • Narrated by: Matt Godfrey
  • Length: 30 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (245 ratings)

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Blackwater: The Complete Saga

Written by: Michael McDowell
Narrated by: Matt Godfrey
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Publisher's Summary

Blackwater is the saga of a small town, Perdido, Alabama, and Elinor Dammert, the stranger who arrives there under mysterious circumstances on Easter Sunday, 1919. On the surface, Elinor is gracious, charming, anxious to belong in Perdido, and eager to marry Oscar Caskey, the eldest son of Perdido's first family. But her beautiful exterior hides a shocking secret. Beneath the waters of the Perdido River, she turns into something terrifying, a creature whispered about in stories that have chilled the residents of Perdido for generations. Some of those who observe her rituals in the river will never be seen again....

Originally published as a series of six volumes in 1983, Blackwater is the crowning achievement of Michael McDowell, author of the Southern Gothic classics Cold Moon Over Babylon and The Elementals and screenwriter of Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas. This first-ever one-volume edition will allow a new generation of listeners to discover this modern horror classic.

©1983, 2017 Michael McDowell (P)2017 Valancourt Books LLC

What listeners say about Blackwater: The Complete Saga

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
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    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining story

The end of the story leaves a lot of untied lose ends. Lots of characters that you don't know what happen to them. Maybe it will continue at some point. I hope so.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Blackwater

Long but I enjoyed it. I was left with several unanswered questions? Would recommend, if you’ve got the time.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Not what you expect

This isn't the book I was looking for, or expected, based on the synopsis. Still good though. The narrator is excellent!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A mix of spooky, history and fiction.

I didn't know what to expect of this book. I liked it. A pleasant surprise.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastically captivating

The story, and character's are incredibly well written! I felt like I was there.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic narrator

Story was great and drew in from the start. If you’re expecting a typical swamp monster story this isn’t it. Narrator captured the characters perfectly and kept me entertained for 30hrs without getting bored.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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loved it!

if you are looking for non stop action this is not the book for you, but if you love family histories and and a little Sci fi, you will totally dig this one. I absolutely loved it and wish there was more.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent Book with a HUGE flaw

You know a book is great when you listen for 30 hours and you're sad when it ends. I loved everything about this story except one annoying thing I notice a lot of White authors do when writing about Black characters. Why do you have to CONSTANTLY remind the readers a character is Black? Almost every time Zaddie or any other character is mentioned, they're always called "the black girl, black woman, or black man." Do they think we'll somehow forget Bray Sugarwhite is Black after being reminded one hundred times in fifty pages?! No need to mention the race of anyone else if it's mentioned at all.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

More than 30 hours of listening seemed daunting.

Now I’m sorry it’s over. Vivid characters followed me even when unplugged. My only wish now is for a sequel where I could visit the decedents of the Caskey family once again and see how they and the blackwater mysteries are faring in this century.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

NOT what I was expecting but immersive and moving

wow! where to begin!

actually, I know where: turning the saga into one long audiobook was, imo, a mistake. there's just too much going on and it's easy to find yourself getting lost.

This book is definitely an cross-generational drama/ romance centered on Eleanor. It follows her life from her arrival in the town to her death, and covers just about everything in-between. the characters, especially the first generations I find, are very real and it's hard not to become attached and invested. There were times I was cheering, and times I was nearly tearing up over all the different things happening. The moments of supernatural horror sprinkled in really took place at some great times and added a whole other layer.

possible spoilers?:

I found the last generation hard to relate to. I'm not sure if it was just book-fatigue from not taking a break between parts, but by the end of it I found myself just.... not really caring anywhere near as much as I had for the original 2 generations. I think that a break between the 2nd and 3rd generation (probably a bit Francis before gets married). I usually find myself getting struck w book fatigue around that point in any story though, but I really thoroughly enjoyed this and I am desperately trying to get a friend to listen so I have someone to talk to about it lol

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