Illusion: A Novel

Stories dealing with time travel have fascinated and entertained me at the same time. Stories about real love gill me with happiness. Stories about science and technology challenge me in a good way. This novel is all of these kinds of stories. I loved every page!!

A pretty trippy story about a magician who experiences living in several dimensions at once. A clever story line, but nothing Peretti has written will top "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness" in my opinion.

The characters were engaging. The plot was great. A love story told throughout the ages, reminiscent of the Savior's love for us, but filled with twists and a longing to turn the page. One of the greatest qualities about Peretti's books is that they are gripping, powerful and page turning to the point that you do not want to put the book down. In addition he always has the spiritual realm in sight with the focus being on Jesus, even though he may not directly say His name.

This present darkness series made Peretti one of my favorite authors, but his books seemed to go downhill from there. This books storyline did not interest me enough for purchasing but I decided to give it a chance since I did enjoy his books so much at one time. I am glad I did. It was a unique story and creatively done. I am not normally someone who enjoys love stories but he was able to draw me into thAt as well. I hope go enjoy more books from him in the future.

Illusion starts as a tale of two illusionists, Mandy and Dane, separated by death. Things get freaky when Mandy returns in 2010 as a 19 year old girl, who finds she has the ability to do true magic.

Dane meanwhile wonders if he is going mad, seeing a younger version of his long-lost wife return.

Peretti's prose and imagery of the first 'stanza' of this book are brilliant. I particularly found the bleak hospital settings vivid and compelling.

As the story progresses however things start to fall apart. I was enjoying the magic slant, then somehow sci-fi snuck in there and even government espionge towards the end.

The characters are likeable enough at least, and I was plenty interested to witness their fate, but the actual story became somewhat unhinged, and almost would have been better as 2.5 short novellas rather than a slightly lengthy novel.

A stretch of imagination is engrained throughout the storyline, with thrills and wonderment around every development. Peretti fans will not be disappointed and those new to his literary works are in for a ride.

Peretti does such wonderful research and brings the reader right into the world of magic. Plus the Christian theme is woven into the story. This is a great read. I also buy his kids books for my grandsons who really enjoy them too.

Sforce

Just like all of his other novels, I started reading and I could not put it down. I absolutely loved the story and characters. It was a love hate situation...wanting to see how it would end but not wanting it to end. The spiritual comparison at the end was the icing on the cake.

The book started out great but when explanations began, it got very confusing. Which timeline are we in and which girl is performing now? When I read a novel, I don't want to think too much. Maybe that's why this one was so hard to follow. I like to put my brain on hold. I enjoy reading Frank Peretti books but this is not one I would recommend to very many people.

Just finished Frank Peretti's "Illusion" I haven't read any of his newer stuff before this- really good, sucked me in, mind-bending and gripping. A thriller and a romance rolled into one. Very real while being a little sci-fi.
I have read "This Present Darkness" "Piercing the Darkness" and "Tilly" of his.

As usual Frank Peretti comes through again yet with noticeably less reference to Christianity and the supernatural. The book, though unbelievable, still captivates and holds you in until you've finished. If you like Frank, you'll enjoy his latest release. It makes me wonder if his motivation is to create something that could easily be transferred to the big screen or if he's just run out of ideas that are conclusively of the spirit realm.

For sure the storyline is different than what Peretti has done in the past; however, it does not leave one wanting! As with every other book I've read from him, I'd read chapter after chapter not wanting to put the book down!

I began reading this book with great expectation...that was my problem. I should've gone in expecting nothing. The story no sooner pulled me in that it bogged down with ALL kinds of excessive descriptions of magic tricks, etc.,which, if the book was visual, would have been a LOT more interesting. I found myself skipping MANY, and I DO mean MANY pages(something I just don't do), just to keep the storyline moving. I happily completed this book and am moving on. To me, Peretti has written some real grabbers, especially his early books, but this one just did NOT do it for me. Twists and turns galore, that were NOT interesting, but more confusing and hard to follow. The ONLY way they made sense was to get to the end...whew! Finally. I don't recommend this one to Peretti book lovers, but, if you have the time, and the inclination, and nothing else to do, go for it. Just don't say I didn't warn you. Sorry.

Frank Peretti established himself as a superb writer in the 1980's with This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. This new offering shows us what an amazing talent Frank Peretti continues to be as he weaves a story of love, loss, mystery, intrigue, and twists of time.

I've had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of Illusion. This is a MUST READ! With his attention to character and detail Frank draws the reader into Dane and Mandy's lives so quickly you won't be able to put this book down. Seriously.

And--- that's all I'm going to say. Anything else will spoil the experience of this masterful piece of storytelling.
Kristine McGuire - Author of Escaping the Cauldron (Charisma House, 2012)

Dane and Mandy Collins were magicians set to retire in Mandy's hometown in Idaho. Having recently purchased a ranch, they were on their way to start their new life when they had a terrible accident landing Dane in the hospital and Mandy waking up in the present at the age of 19 believing she was back in 1970.

A mix of romance, science fiction and suspense, "Illusion" seems to have an identity crisis. It has a rocky start, a slow-moving middle and an action-packed ending which may make it worth reading for some. Although the characters and plot are intriguing, I felt like I had started the book in the middle and was trying to catch up. Slow and complicated, Peretti spent too much time on Mandy's magic acts and not enough time explaining what I was supposed to see in the scene. By the time I got to the climax, I didn't really care how the book ended.
If you are expecting the Peretti who wrote "This Present Darkness", you won't find him in "Illusion". The spiritual themes are there but are easy to miss if you are trying to understand the plot. If you want to read it, I would suggest checking your local library for this one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster, as part of their Book Review Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Illusion
By Frank Peretti

From the back cover of the Advance Reader's Edition:
Dane and Mandy, a popular magic act for forty years, are tragically separated by a car wreck that claims Mandy's life--or so everyone things. Even as Dane mourns and tries to rebuild his life without her, Mandy, supposedly dead, awakes in the present as the nineteen-year-old she was in 1970. Distraught and disoriented in what to her is the future, she is confined to a mental ward until she discoveres a strange magical ability to pass invisibly through time and space to escape. Alone in a strange world, she uses her mysterious powers to eke out a living, performing magic on the streets and in a quaint coffee shop.
Hoping to discover an exciting new talent, Dave ventures into the coffee shop and is transfixed by the magic he sees, illusions that even he, a seasoned professional, cannot explain. But more than anything, he is emotionally devastated by this teenager who has never met him, doesn't know him, is certainly not in love with him, but is in every respect identical to the young beauty he first met and married some forty years earlier.
They begin a furtive relationship as mentor and protegee, but even

Since I don't want to give anything more away than the back cover gives the reader, that's all the summary I will give. This book was amazing. I will rate it as one of the best books that I have ever read. The story had a depth to it that I never expected and a complexity that kept me turning the page wondering how it all fit together. For the first half of the book, I was wondering how all the pieces fit together. Then as Peretti started brining the pieces together, I wondered how they would all work out. I raced through the last 100 pages still trying to figure the story out, and until it ended, I still wasn't sure what was going to happen and how. This is only the second Peretti book that I have read, the first being Tilly (c 2003) and now I am curious about his other books.
I give this book a resounding 5 stars! This will most definitely be on my list of top books of 2012!

I received an Advance Reader's Edition free from Handlebar Marketing for the purpose of this review.

Peretti created as far as I know a truly original plot with this book. I applaud him for creating a plot I have never heard of before and making it convincing. I couldn't put the book down. Readers will surely finish the book very satisfied.

I really like Peretti but this book seems more like a story done by Ted Dekker than Peretti alone. Peretti usually have a story that is more spiritual but this one falls short on that. Don't get me wrong, it's a good story but not the caliber that I'm used to from Peretti.

Strong and suspenseful work form Peretti. Not quite as great as his peak novels in the 80s and 90s, but I highly recommend it.

It started a little slowly for me, but it quickly got going. This novel seemed to have less emphasis on spiritual/faith matters. Although it is definitely still a Christian novel.

Although it started a little slow, patience brought me to a point where I couldn't wait to see what was coming next. I am so glad to see a book from Frank Peretti full of the things that made me fall in love with his writing in the beginning. I'm not a fan of his co-written books with other authors. But this one brought me back to his corner. I hope there are many more to come as spellbinding as this one.

I have never been disappointed in a Frank Peretti book. The illusionist is exciting and hold your interest through each exciting chapter. Sometimes you really appreciate a novel that is intriguing without any real garbage that so many authors feel necessary these days. I have read all of Peretti's novels and they all rate high on my list.

This book proved to be another excellent cliff hanger by Frank Peretti. His ability to intertwine people, demons, and angels makes for compelling reading. I have read all of Mr. Peretti's previous books, and this one stayed up with his standards.

Just finished the newest novel by best selling spiritual thriller author. Wow! I was totally blown away by the story. I quickly became immersed in the love story of the two main characters, Mandy and Dane. "Christian magicians? Interesting..." Soon I couldn't' put the book down and couldn't wait to get back to it as soon as I got back from work. It was more entertaining than TV for sure. If you've been waiting for a good book to keep you on your toes. Get this one!

I was pleasantly surprised by the difference in the writings of This Present Darkness/Piercing the Darkness, which I just read again. This book grabbed me and held me from beginning to end.
This is a good read for anyone, any age.
Thank you for staying true to your calling. God Bless ;)

I'm not finished but feel very confident that this will end as FANTASTICALLY as it's gone so far. I'm near the end and liked it soooooooo much that when my husband couldn't find me - I WAS OUT IN THE CAR LISTENING TO ILLUSION!!! Frank Peretti is a master when it comes to suspence and I love that he reads his own works.

Great read! Love how Peretti develops his characters, paints a visual picture for his audience and surprises you with changes of direction in the storyline. This book tugs at the heart and challenges the intellect. I am starting to reread it already. It has had a profound impact on my perspective on issues I am experiencing in my own life! This book was a homerun far over the centerfield fence!