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Oddly enough I am in the process of re-reading Blood Meridian. I read it years ago and decided it was time to go through it again.
I have a much different opinion of it than others in the thread though. It's easily one of my favorite books. I wouldn't call it enjoyable, it's a brutal read and there's not really a likable character in the book or even a plot to speak of. It hit me pretty hard though, and I agree with the mentions I've seen that it's a successor to Moby Dick. It touches on the same themes, and in a way that kept me reading much more than Moby Dick did.
That said it's definitely not a book I'd recommend to people or expect many people to like. I'm interested now in the historical references McCarthy used which were supposedly pretty extensive and while some are considered unreliable I'd love to learn a little more. There's a book called I believe Notes on Blood Meridian that has a collection of essays about the book and the history that is pretty highly respected but when I first checked it was out of print and selling for around $400. Looks like it is back in print now though.
The book I read before that was Child of God also by McCarthy and it was another disturbing, dark read, and pretty quick. It was one of his earlier works. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I'm not sure I gleamed much from it. Usually when I finish a McCarthy book I'm hit with some major theme or idea that gnaws away, but this one I didn't. Creepy though.
I'll probably continue with McCarthy. I have a friend who swears by Suttree, and seems to think he could spend the rest of his life just rereading that one and analyzing it.
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