From: timk@world.std.com (Tim King)
Subject: Re: Peretti's Stuff (Darkness and Prophet Spoiler)
Keywords: Spoiler!
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 02:50:34 GMT

This article will spoil _ This Present Darkness _, _Piercing the Darkness _,
and _ Prophet _.

This is a *** spoiler *** . . .


^L


mueller@owlnet.rice.edu (Ernest Conrad Mueller) writes:

>I have read all three of Peretti's books.  Into the Darkness was pretty
>good, and the angels/demons interacting in normal life was interesting.
>I disliked Piercing the Darkness, but probably only because I read
>it second, and the two books are essentially identical.

I think you mean _ This Present Darkness _  and  _ Piercing the Darkness _.
I thought that TPresentD, which I read first, was better as well, but although
they're very similar, they're not essentially identical.  As a matter of
fact, I found some very inspiring differences in the second.

For example, the statement that Sally "belonged" to God all along was very
interesting.  (No, I'm * not * going to participate in another predestination
thread!  :-)  It was encouraging to think that, somehow, God had His hand in
her life even while she was host to demons.


>Before I had read them, I was a little put off by some people who had and
>took them as sound theological advice and were seeing their lives in terms
>of the supernatural stuff in the book.

In his books, Peretti takes a lot of freedom.  Of course, it's fiction.
Although the details are not necessarily biblical, many of the principles he
presents, such as a strong prayer life and the omnipotence of God, are
indeed biblical.  Bottom line:  This is definitely not canon!  However,
it is interesting reading to one who already has a foundation in the Word.


 _ Prophet _:

>Also I felt it was courageous to use a "not everything turns out OK
>in the end" ending - mass market Christian paperback is not known for
>its tolerance of such things.

My opinion:  The "not everything turns out OK" ending, IMO, can make a
story more contemplative.  I found the lack of resolution at the end a bit
disheartening, however.


>What bad?  First of all, Peretti's characterization stinks.
[ . . . ]
>The "good reporters" were always
>unerring in the search for truth, the "bad reporter and bad politician" were
>without fail trying to screw the good ones over, not always for any 
>reason, but just because they were "bad."  

I noticed this too, and I agree that this is extremely unrealistic.  By
about half-way through the book, it was getting a little boring.  Although
there are definitely "bad" people like this in the world, unfortunately some
of them are on our side!


>Not *only* does a girl get killed in an abortion clinic, but *also* the 
>Senator's daughter gets one and *also* the "bad reporter" is just bad
>because she suffers mental anguish from *her* abortion.  This is what
>we refer to in literature as "laying it on thick."

Again, although I haven't done a fraction of the reading that I'm sure
you've done, I noticed this too.  I think this says something for how
"thick" Peretti laid it on.


However, the supernatural angle is always intriguing.  (Or at least for me
it is.)  Providing you're willing to test the writer's theories against
scripture, the book makes good reading.  It keeps you glued to your seat,
and the emotion, intensity, and suspense makes it easy to really get into.

Also, no matter how poorly _ Prophet _ is written in some respects, it's
still a big seller.  I would recommend it highly to anyone who liked the
Darkness books and to anyone who likes sci-fi, mysteries, or thrillers.

Just my ignorant assessment!
-Tim
-- 
Tim King                  |-_      |
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