House

If you are selling a Christian book, tell people it's is a Christian book. The plot is thin. The characters are undeveloped past hints of what may drive them. The end is insultingly trite. It's a lame story, poorly told.

If you are thinking of buying this book because you like Peretti's other books, DON'T. It sounds nothing like Peretti. I thought the writing was, to use another reviewer's word, dreadful. The story made no sense. The characters were unlikable and unreal. The Christianity tacked on at the end was likewise unreal. It sounded like my favorite type of book, a supernatural Christian thriller, but it is one of the worst books I have ever read.

This was the first suspense christian book I've ever red,I greatly enjoyed it. It kept my interest.I caught myself not being able to put it down. I was glad to find a book that I liked and didn't have to feel like I was sinning to read it.

I usually like what Mr. Peretti writes, but this one was dissapointing. It felt a little disjointed, like it needed more character development. When the characters of Randy and Leslie first appear in the novel, it's as though the authors just left two chapters out of the book. Who are they and how did they get where they are? And Who exactly is this "Tin Man" and where did he come from? There should've been alot more interaction between him and the heros in the book or at least a little more background on him or anyone else. This book could've been much longer and should have been.

Frank Peretti's other books like "The Oath" or "The Visitation" are much better. I haven't read any of Ted Dekker's books yet (I did buy "Showdown") so I won't blame him for this book. It's almost as if one or both of these guys had an idea for a movie based on a book, but had no book to base it off of. With the movie about to start filming, I fear this might be close to the truth. This may be one of those cases where the movie is better than the book. Overall, I have to say stay away from this book.

GREAT book. Definitely was a book that I had trouble putting it down. Keeping track with who's who was my biggest problem, but I end the end was able to follow it. CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE MOVIE!! Highly recommend. I'm looking forward to reading more of Peretti's books.

Every hackneyed horror cliche is trotted out. The writing is third rate. The ending had overt Christian overtones. The 'loose' woman is evil for having casual sex ( she pays the price for THAT lifestyle) and a child of God appears to help fight the devil.

I enjoyed House, but there are other books by Peretti & Dekker I'd rate above this one (like Monster, Obsessed, The Circle Trilogy & Thr3e).

If you are a fan of Peretti and/or Dekker, don't miss it, but don't expect it to be the best ever and you won't be disappointed.

I found the collaboration of these two writers to be less than I expected. I've enjoyed every one of the Dekker books that I've read because each one held a different approach psychologically to the interaction of good and evil, of G-d and Satan. However this book House I felt was not only a bit disturbing but convoluted and drawn out, too repetitious so by the time you got to the denouement you'd already surpassed the peak.

I was expecting by the writeup a little bit scarier book but found this to be a big disappointment. It wasn't even that scary. If you want a scary supernatural thriller then I highly recommend Wildwood Road by Christopher Golden. That was an excellent read.

Jack, a writer, and Stephanie, a singer, find themselves having car trouble on a back road in the middle of nowhere. The car engine is dead and, no surprise, they can't seem to get cell service. The two decide to hoof it on foot and eventually come upon signs of civilization. To be more precise, a literal sign advertising THE WAYSIDE INN. Naturally, they figure they might be someone there who can help them. Shortly after entering the building, they come upon another couple -- Leslie, a psychiatrist, or a psychology professor? both? I was a little confused on that point, and Randy, a hotel CEO -- with a car trouble story eerily similar to their own.

The two couples soon meet inn owners Betty & Stewart and their son Pete. It doesn't take long for both parties to agree that they're all solidly creeped out by this family. There's also something odd going on with the house itself. There is a true threat lurking on the property but it's not where these folks think it is!

The prologue of this novel is only about 1 1/2 pages long but it quickly introduces the reader to Barsidious White, and all we really establish about him is that he seems to have done something VERY bad.

The whole story spans roughly about 1 day, beginning at around 5:17pm. Many (but not all) of the chapters are headed with a timestamp so you can get an estimate of time passing from scene to scene. *Around 4:30am, things get REAL weird.* The early pages (much of Chapter 2, notably) plays off of Alabama redneck / country cop stereotypes.

For what's clearly supposed to be a thriller / mild horror kind of novel, the action takes awhile to get going. Tensions really escalate around pages 45-50 and from there the action keeps a pretty consistent hold. This one is definitely geared toward fans of hillbilly style horror, maybe even fans of the Saw movie franchise. It doesn't get quite that dark here, just kinda has that overall vibe to it, as well as a similar "how far would you go" challenge posed to the story's characters.

The horror / thriller aspect ... even the paranormal elements... that was all pretty mild IMO. Entertaining, easy read with a fair amount of creep factor but if you're after hardcore chills, this particular book might be a bit of a letdown. White has some edge to him, psychologically speaking, in that he has something Manson-esque about him in the way he tricks others into doing his dirty work for him. If anything, I found this one fun in the way that I like to watch low-budget horror / slasher movies in the fall as part of the whole Halloween season festivities. Being able to laugh at the cheezy lines and the ridiculously poor decision making is what makes the experience worthwhile! Like the giggle I got with the cop in this story at one point pronouncing, "I don't mind pointing out that I might not make it"... because think about it, are cops not some of the first to go in horror movies?! Stephanie though, her frequent exclamations of "Oh my God! Oh my God!" ... seriously, just ALL the time. Ugh, OMG Stephanie please shut it.

Though this is co-written by two power players in the Christian Fiction genre, the religious influence here is actually pretty minimal, until you get near the end and there's a mention of "look to the son of God". I actually kinda liked the symbolism within the story though, illustrating the importance of not letting the evil inside you control you.

A decently fun autumn read for religious and secular readers alike, so long as you're not looking for anything monumental. This is definitely one of those "just enjoy it for what it is" kind of experiences.

"House," by supernatural/spiritual/Christian fiction writers Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker is their first collaborative effort. It follows on the heels of numerous successful novels by both authors, and is loosely connected to the Paradise Series by Ted Dekker, though the reader needn't read those books before reading "House."

The story of "House" revolves around four main characters who end up at the titular house through suspicious circumstances. They quickly realize that all is not right at the mansion, and become trapped in a psychopath's bizarre and twisted game. What follows is nothing short of terrifying and disturbing, and ultimately brilliant. The story moves at a good pace, and with its ample twists and turns will keep the reader guessing. The authors do a superb job of creating a creepy and moody atmosphere, both through the house itself and through the oddball people who inhabit it.

My chief complaint with "House" (ultimately keeping it from receiving 5 stars) is its characterization. The four main characters seem to lack depth and complexity. Though they are not completely two-dimensional, they each seem to have received one over-arching trait that defines them and acts as the fuel for how they think and act in the story. The four characters also act in strange and frustrating ways, making parts of the book tedious to get through. Some of the actions of the characters do not make sense, and other actions just want to make the reader role his eyes. Granted, the plot is supposed is supposed to seem weird, but the actions of the characters does not always seem to be in service to the plot, but rather just handled poorly by the authors. Some of the dialogue is also repetitive and uncreative; "shut up" is used much too frequently. The supporting characters are actually more interesting than the main characters, particularly the villain.

Though characterization is not optimal in the novel, the spiritual themes presented in "House" are very interesting. After reading the novel, one cannot help but reflect on the themes and their application in one's own life. While the novel can be categorized as Christian fiction, the reader shouldn't expect every page to be dripping with quotes from Scripture. Though "House" certainly deals with Christian themes, the novel presents these themes in ways that will leave the reader asking questions and (hopefully) delving into those questions. The authors certainly handle the spirituality in a masterful and real way that is never cheesy.

Readers should also note that although this is a "Christian" novel, "House" can be violent, frightening, and disturbing. However, the violence and scares are not distasteful and only serve the heighten the impact of the spiritual warfare contained within. There is no bad language or sex, though an intimate relationship between two unmarried people is hinted at.

So whether you are a fan of Peretti or Dekker, or are just looking for a spooky story with a spiritual angle, give "House" a try. You'll find it original and entertaining, and might even engage in some introspection along the way.

In Summation:

The Good:
-excellent creepy atmosphere
-interesting villain
-good pacing; exciting
-good presentation of Christian themes without seeming heavy-handed or cheesy

The Bad:
-characterization issues
-some repetitive dialogue

With the names of two modern Christian fiction greats on the front cover, I had high expectations, since both authors have proved that they can write suspenseful thrillers with a deeper theological meaning. In this story, Jack and Stephanie Singleton's road trip has them end up at a mysterious house in the middle of nowhere, where they find themselves trapped in a house of horror, along with another couple, Randy Messarue and Lesley Taylor. From there the story quickly turns into a Stephen King style horror plot, as they come to meet the disturbing residents of the house, Betty, Stewart and Peter, and then eventually the embodiment of evil itself, Barsidious White, who is set on murder, and wants the residents of the house to join him in his killing quest. But the house has all kind of secrets and traps, and the four characters find themselves having to battle with themselves, with each other, and with the very spiritual forces of evil in order to escape - if they can.

The last few chapters do bring forward some of the trademark elements we've come to expect from both Peretti and Dekker, and in the end the story does prove to have something to say about spiritual warfare and atonement. But seems to be a pasted on afterthought, and for the most part this novel could just be a horror story written by anyone in the genre. As a Christian, I found it disturbing and hard to read, with a constant refrain of killing and darkness; with a horrific landscape populated with a serial killer, a perversely twisted retarded son, a creepy hotel, a requirement to kill in order to stay alive - perhaps standard fare for the horror genre, but not for Christian fiction.

The plot also seemed to go in circles at times, with the characters just running from one place to the next, and facing the same threat of evil over and over again. So even on the level of story it wasn't very satisfying, with no real clear linear development. I had to force myself to finish reading the book, and I'm sorry to say that in the end it really wasn't worth the effort. Sadly even the deeper layer that the ending purports to offer isn't convincing enough to provide enough redemptive qualities to make it worth ploughing through all the evil and darkness to get there. This novel might satisfy Stephen King fans, but those wanting to meditate on whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report (Phil 4:8) will want to give this a miss. A disturbing and disappointing read, that doesn't live up to what both writers have delivered in the past. - GODLY GADFLY (October 2014)

WARNING-A BIT OF A SPOILER HERE... With little time for reading, I like to read something that has both well-developed characters and a plot that will make all their struggles worth it in the end. This book has neither. Somehow, I expected this book would be an allegory to the darkness within mortal souls filled with unforgiveness and anger that they never turn over to God. It was definitely that. But, even in most dark lives, there is more light & hope for change than was introduced to any of these characters.

Of course, when the "light" was introduced in the book, she later told them they had not been able see it or hear it and used the Scripture that says, "The light came into darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not." But just because the characters could not hear the truth and see the light does not mean the reader should not have been able to see that an answer of hope was being presented. The fact that hope and light were not sewn as a thread (even a thin thread would have been nice) throughout the story made the ending seem both forced and expected. And while the light gets a certain amount of victory at the end, it didn't seem to be enough of a victory to give balance to all the darkness in the story.

The story does have a lot of intensity, and there were parts of it that did make me want to keep reading to see what would happen to the characters if they continued on their present path, but mostly that was my own hope that things weren't as hopeless as they appeared. It's kind of like reading a 300-page love story where the characters totally hate each other for 295 pages and only realize at the end that they should have been together all along. Without some glances or hints along the way to show the reader that the characters belong together, the "happy" ending of love doesn't bring balance to all the hatred.

All said, I would recommend this book to those who just want to read about intense darkness and the maze of false answers and hopelessness that can be created within the human heart. It has some scary scenes and some creative ways of presenting the darkness and evils in this life. But for those like me who long to see conflict resolved, it will leave you feeling a bit empty from reading it. And the fact that two of the characters die without really getting the opportunity to shed the darkness of their souls, one of whom seemed on the verge of having a little hope, probably left me more empty (due to hopelessness) than anything else.

This book got off to a fairly engaging start. The characters Jack and Stephanie were on a trip through the middle of nowhere in Alabama, and the writers didn't really give away everything about them, and why they were having some kind of marital problems. Not getting all of the information made me want to keep reading to find out more, and the plot remained interesting as the characters found the fateful house in which the rest of the book unfolds.

As the book wore on, there were numerous moments that were exactly like I would expect a screenplay to be written. The whole narrative had an arc and amount of exposition, followed by the kind of rising action that I would see in a movie. Even much of the dialogue had a feel as if it were written for a movie. I found out that this book was adapted into a film shortly after release, so this makes me think that it was written with the aim of easily being translated to film.

The main problem I had with this book was that many scenes and dialogues went on way too long (it actually reminded me of some of my worst writing). It was as if although the book was cowritten by two people, both of them forgot to send it to an editor before publishing. Even in the lengthy conversations it feels like some characters repeat things they have already said, and do an unnecessary amount of running around the house to where it even gets very confusing for the reader to follow. And by the end, I was kind of racing to the climax not because I was so gripped by the narrative, but because I was ready to maybe find out the resolution and be done.

Although I was disappointed with how clumsy some of the writing was, I think it was a decent plot. I wish the writing had been better to fully execute the plot in a compelling way, though.

Honestly, one star is being generous. This book is 10 kinds of terrible covered in 5 layers of awful sauce. I won't write any spoilers even though there is nothing to spoil because the whole thing is a giant waste of time. The plot and story line are mediocre at best, I'll give it that. However, every single character is flatter than the pages the book is written on. No character has any redeable qualities so there's no one to cheat for. The dialogue is something really special. I feel like everything anybody says could have been said by any body else. It's impossible to care about annoying characters who say annoying things and do annoying stuff while thinking annoying thoughts. Sometimes when reading the dialogue I found myself just pausing in a state of disbelief. Not only was it just plain stupid in general but it normally wouldn't make any logical sense at all. Obviously these are just my opinions but seriously, if I had a dollar for every time I stopped reading and said "what?!" out loud, I could have have paid for the book plus had enough left over to buy a real book.

Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker have collaborated to write a truly suspenseful and scary story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Jack and Stephanie are a couple driving down the back roads of Alabama. Already late for their appointment, they find themselves in a strange accident when they drive across a hidden set of road spikes. Now with their car disabled and no cell phone coverage, they set out on foot. Soon, they come across the Wayside Inn; an old Victorian-style boarding house. Upon entering, they encounter Randy and Leslie; another couple that has encountered the same fate. But this house is not what it seems.

As the night wears on, the two couples will be exposed to unimaginable horrors, for unbeknownst to them, a homicidal maniac has made Jack, Stephanie, Randy, and Leslie pawns in a terrible game. The only way out is for the group to deliver one dead body to the killer, known as the Tin Man, before dawn. To make matters even worse, a strange inbred family lives in the house, and they seem to be under the control of the Tin Man. The four have seven hours to comply with the Tin Man's instructions, or they will all die; or will they?

I've been a big fan of Ted Dekker's for several years, and I thoroughly enjoy his novels of conflict between good and evil, and "House" definitely fits his pattern of writing. Peretti and Dekker have crafted a scary story that will leave you turning pages one after the other. The character development is very good; from Stephanie's wounded wife character to Leslie, the even-headed psychologist, and Jack, who tries to maintain his sanity while at the same time being strong for his estranged wife.

I give this great book my highest recommendation. If you enjoy reading good, suspenseful books, then don't miss "House".

Although I read this book nearly ten years ago, it stuck with me....not in a good way. Even for a dark, supernatural thriller it’s too depressing. Unlikable characters, weird setting, unblibical pretense. I still think about the disturbing elements of being trapped in this house. It most certainly did nothing to uplift my spirits. Yes, I am a Christian but enjoy well-written thrillers. (Suspension of disbelief) I recommend Thomas Harris and Michael Crighten if you want excellent thrillers!

When I first read House, I was completely and totally enthralled. I gripped that book with white knuckles, and literally tore through the pages. There was something so intense about it. I wish such things could last from read to read, but alas, the magic does wear off. It isn't the book's fault, nor the author's. It's just how the human brain works. If I would have written a review after reading it then, the enthusiasm would be bubbling over. It might even be contagious. But at this point, all I can say is read it and enjoy it. You'll love it the first time, but probably not the second.

I found this book while browsing through the Christian Fiction section of a bookstore. When I noticed the authors, heavyweights Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti, I thought there was no way this book could be anything but good. I could not have been more wrong.

House tells the story of two couples, Jack & Stephanie and Randy & Leslie, who end up at an inn and encounter the unusual and creepy hosts. They soon realize that they are trapped in the mysterious house by a serial killer that appears to be in cahoots with the hosts. The killer demands that they murder one of themselves in order save the other three. After being warned to stay out of the basement, all four end up in the basement and wonder around for hours looking for a way out. But it seems that the house is always changing and nothing is as it seems. Sounds interesting, right? I thought so too in the beginning. The first 10 chapters of this book are actually pretty good, but somewhere around chapter 11, things go south. The writing is repetitive and horrid - it's choppy and quite annoying. It almost reads like stage directions or a movie script rather than a novel. There's nothing suspenseful about people walking down mysterious hallways and finding hidden doors to nowhere again and again for 15 chapters. There were several times when I almost stopped reading, but I kept hoping that the book had a point. It didn't. While things did pick up towards the end, I saw most of the big "twists" coming from the beginning, and the ending really isn't profound or meaningful at all. This book was actually painful to read, and after I finished, I spent 10 minutes asking myself why I finished it at all!

Both Dekker and Peretti have done better. If you want great Christian fiction, you can't beat Peretti's classics "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness,' or Dekker's "Three." Do yourself a favor and skip this one. And if you must read it, please get if from the library - don't waste your money.

House
By Ted Dekker ad Frank Peretti

Mr. White has issued a challenge the people inside of a seemingly innocuous inn after stranding the four there, if they do not kill one among them then he will kill them all so goes this story making the people inside face their own demons. Set in backwoods Alabama the strangers face in breeds who are trying to sacrifice them to Mr. White and being trapped in a maze underneath a haunted house. Can they keep true themselves, or will the survival instinct kick in and force them to do the unthinkable?
This book was definitely different I enjoyed the mix of supernatural with psychological unfortunately the book itself was too predictable. From the very beginning I knew what was going on and who Mr. White was I was hoping I would be surprised so I kept reading when it turned out that every new "twist" was exactly as I predicted I was thoroughly disappointed. It was a fun read and the suspense was palpable but do not get your hopes up.