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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
First time reading this author, a little disappointed toward the end. Not sure if I want to read more of his books.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Such a good book that was hard to put down. It was written very well, characters were developed well and it read so smoothly.
On the a really good read took a while for me to get though but a great story. Love this author.I found this book hard going but I can see how some would read it in a night.A lot stuff going on kind of need to have the time to sit down and read.
Taking place in the fictional wheat town of Antioch, The Visitation is told in first-person narrative by a former minister who struggles to reconcile his former pastoral life with that of a present-day false Messiah. An intriguing page-turner, this book had excellently crafted and well thought-out characters - each with secrets and subtle backstory of their own. Some were a bit cliche and thus predictable at times, which took away from my reading experience. Flashbacks were plentiful but done in such a way that they never disrupted the main plot. Each chapter ended with a cliffhanger that left me wanting more, and there were plot twists around every corner. The Visitation reminds readers not to believe everything for what it seems and illustrates the potential effects of turning away from God. A successful piece that I am glad to have read, The Visitation is a must-read for Christians that desire insight into grief and false preaching.
I haven't read Peretti in a while, but this was a fantastic read that made full use of its supernatural premise to explore the very real issues of hypocrisy and demagogues in Christian churches. There were some pretty moving and thought-provoking lines in this novel. Plus, it was just an engaging story that held my interest. Great read.
Rating: 4-4.5 Stars (Very Good).
Rating: 4-4.5 Stars (Very Good).
**I read this book and wrote this review on June 4, 2006. I still recall that I was impressed with the book, so I'm posting this review here, copied and pasted from the original on my Amazon account.**
---EXCELLENT STORY, GRIPPING AND FAST-PAVED---
Welcome to Antioch, Washington, a small town over an hour from Spokane. Travis Jordan is the burnt-out ex-pastor/narrator of the story and what a storyteller he is. Either Peretti was a burned out, disillusioned Christian, or he has excellent powers of observation. He nails disappointment and disillusionment with God, cynicism forged by unanswered prayer, and constant disappointment honed by too many years of working with the body of Christ.
Everything is going along as always in Antioch when the large wooden crucifix at the local Catholic Church begins to weep tears that heal the sick. Not long afterward, people begin seeing Jesus's face in the clouds and in tree bark along with a few other spiritual miracles.
When Brandon Nichols shows up, ostensibly from Missoula, Montana, to work as a ranch hand for the rich widow Mrs. Macon, he starts performing miracles of healing and prophecy. The town is split on who and what he is. Unbelievers and even some of the "elect" believe he's the Christ, but the other half of the town thinks he's a demon deceiver. Young, new pastor Kyle Sherman is beside himself with righteous indignation, wanting to "take this town for Jesus!" and expel this demon interloper. But Travis Jordan has "been there and done that" and he steadies Kyle's actions. Learning the where and what of Travis's "been there and done that" is interwoven skillfully into the tale. Soon, the public gets word of Brandon's miracles and the media come running, along with folks from all over the country, everybody wanting a special healing or simply to see and experience this new messiah. But why won't Brandon allow cameras, even when he goes public with his ministry and sets up shop? What's he hiding? Who is he and where did he come from? And where did he get his "power"?
Peretti has paced this story very well; even though we know up front (if you've read Peretti before) that Good will prevail over evil in the end, the hook is seeing how Good prevails. The author does an excellent job building suspense and holding all the reins under control, rationing out revelations slowly to keep the suspense and the mystery going right up to end of the book.
The Visitation probably contains a lot from Peretti's real life. Travis Jordan's life has been a panorama of colorful and realistic church experiences and church folk. If you were ever a believer in a small town or even a member of a very large church, you're likely to read in amazement as Travis relates his own story, because you're likely to see your story there, too.
The Visitation was a book I couldn't wait to get back to--I read at lunchtime at work and in the evenings after work. It's been a long time since I was that excited about a novel. Fortunately, Peretti has other novels so the fun doesn't have to end yet. I hope you'll find The Visitation as exciting and captivating as I did. I highly recommend it. I learned from Peretti's website that there's also a movie made from the book, and I immediately put it in my Netflix queue. Rumor has it the movie is even better than the book
---EXCELLENT STORY, GRIPPING AND FAST-PAVED---
Welcome to Antioch, Washington, a small town over an hour from Spokane. Travis Jordan is the burnt-out ex-pastor/narrator of the story and what a storyteller he is. Either Peretti was a burned out, disillusioned Christian, or he has excellent powers of observation. He nails disappointment and disillusionment with God, cynicism forged by unanswered prayer, and constant disappointment honed by too many years of working with the body of Christ.
Everything is going along as always in Antioch when the large wooden crucifix at the local Catholic Church begins to weep tears that heal the sick. Not long afterward, people begin seeing Jesus's face in the clouds and in tree bark along with a few other spiritual miracles.
When Brandon Nichols shows up, ostensibly from Missoula, Montana, to work as a ranch hand for the rich widow Mrs. Macon, he starts performing miracles of healing and prophecy. The town is split on who and what he is. Unbelievers and even some of the "elect" believe he's the Christ, but the other half of the town thinks he's a demon deceiver. Young, new pastor Kyle Sherman is beside himself with righteous indignation, wanting to "take this town for Jesus!" and expel this demon interloper. But Travis Jordan has "been there and done that" and he steadies Kyle's actions. Learning the where and what of Travis's "been there and done that" is interwoven skillfully into the tale. Soon, the public gets word of Brandon's miracles and the media come running, along with folks from all over the country, everybody wanting a special healing or simply to see and experience this new messiah. But why won't Brandon allow cameras, even when he goes public with his ministry and sets up shop? What's he hiding? Who is he and where did he come from? And where did he get his "power"?
Peretti has paced this story very well; even though we know up front (if you've read Peretti before) that Good will prevail over evil in the end, the hook is seeing how Good prevails. The author does an excellent job building suspense and holding all the reins under control, rationing out revelations slowly to keep the suspense and the mystery going right up to end of the book.
The Visitation probably contains a lot from Peretti's real life. Travis Jordan's life has been a panorama of colorful and realistic church experiences and church folk. If you were ever a believer in a small town or even a member of a very large church, you're likely to read in amazement as Travis relates his own story, because you're likely to see your story there, too.
The Visitation was a book I couldn't wait to get back to--I read at lunchtime at work and in the evenings after work. It's been a long time since I was that excited about a novel. Fortunately, Peretti has other novels so the fun doesn't have to end yet. I hope you'll find The Visitation as exciting and captivating as I did. I highly recommend it. I learned from Peretti's website that there's also a movie made from the book, and I immediately put it in my Netflix queue. Rumor has it the movie is even better than the book
raises some excellent points about what is essential in the Christian life--relationship with Jesus and not legalism.
I love the idea of a good Christian thriller, but this one just didn't thrill me in the least...