Monster

My only exposure to Mr. Perretti was in his novel, "The Oath," which I found to be an exciting and entertaining blend of "horror" and "spirituality." It did not feel like I was reading a book by an author of Christian literature. Not that there is ANYTHING wrong with Christian literature; I love good literature, and embrace a novel that can open my eyes and make me think about my own beliefs and/or doubts.
"The Visitation" succeeds on that level, as it explores the many doubts and questions of a burned out minister named Travis Jordan. When a charming self-proclaimed Messiah appears in the small town of Antioch, Washington, Travis ultimately is the one called on to get to the bottom of his seemingly miraculous visitor.
The novel takes a long time (too long, perhaps) in becoming a "suspense" novel. There are many flashback scenes, and many pages spent on religious theory discussions. By the time the suspense arrives, you may feel you had to wait too long.
The second half or so of the book, however, does pick up steam as we learn more about the "Messiah" and the people of the town.
Perretti has done a very good job in sketching the townspeople and how these miracles affect their lives. It is very reminiscent of Stephen King's "Needful Things" in that the people get what they wish for, but at a price.
Overall, this is not a bad book, but a challenging one. Challenging in its pace, and also in challenging the reader to re-think Jesus, faith, their church, and ultimately, their lives.

I have thoroughly enjoyed Peretti's other fictional works, among them This Present Darkness, Piercing the Darkness, and The Prophet. All of these other books are fascinating reading.

In Monster, Peretti's stated goal is to expose the lie rampant in evolutionary circles that mutations can be beneficial. The fact that he was able to craft a story worth reading around that issue is a credit to Peretti's incredible gift for story telling. The truth is that the book was written in a style that kept me going, desperate to find out what happens next. This is the best part of the novel.

Monster, however, is not without problems. A young Big Foot creature is killed. Its grieving mother forcibly "adopts" a woman hiker who happens to have the same color hair. The abducted woman grows to love the Big Foot family. And so on. It's such an over-used and implausible story vehicle that I would have lost interest if I hadn't known the author. Then there is the disturbing demonization of evolutionary scientists. Although there are elements of truth in Peretti's characterization of them, overall it is an extreme portrait. Perhaps Peretti is making a point through exaggeration? And as for his stated goal, Peretti certainly highlights the issue of beneficial mutation, but he falls far short of truly demonstrating or proving anything about it. Yes, many of the creatures in the story are horrible, non-beneficial mutations caused by the mad evolutionary scientist fiddling with DNA, but what does that prove? Is this a lot like Frankenstein?

If you're a Peretti fan, you should read this book. If you're looking for a better example of what he's capable of, read one of his other novels.

"There are things out there you've never seen, never felt, things you need to experience," Reed Shelton tells his wife, Beck, as he leads her into the woods for a week of survival skills.

What was really out there was beyond anything Reed could ever imagine.

Reed and Beck trek to the campsite, only to find the cabin destroyed and their guide missing. Determined not to let this ruin their survival week, Reed makes the decision to camp for the night and wait for their friends' arrival the next day.

With darkness come wails, snaps and thumps. Something is out there. Watching. Waiting. Then pursuing! Reed and Beck flee for their lives. Then the unspeakable happens. Reed watches helplessly as a huge foul smelling creature carries Beck away.

As Beck experiences things her husband had never envisaged and learns the ultimate survival skills, local townsfolk and friends join Reed in a hunt that leaves a trail of victims. It soon becomes apparent that they aren't the only ones doing the hunting. Exactly who, or what, is hunting whom?

With each pulse-racing sentence, Peretti had me hooked from page one, and kept me turning the remaining 418 pages of his fast paced thriller about things that go bump in the night.

MONSTER proves Peretti is the master of suspense. Just when you think you have it figured out, BANG, Peretti hits you with another twist.

The only things that let this book down for me were the POV inconsistencies throughout and apparent name confusion early on.

For old and new fans alike, MONSTER won't disappoint. A must read - but perhaps better read in daylight hours!

This is by far the best book by Peretti. It tells of the struggles of a pastor with the congregation, the elders, the board members. It tells of the false prophets that draw people from the church for "signs and wonders." It tells how bad the church is today...how the pastors have failed to ground the congregations in the truth and they're swayed to and fro by any wind of doctrine. It tells about the self-righteous, the cruel, the mean side of church goers who think they never do harm. It's a great book, with a great message...a message that rings true for most of us that have attended church all our lives. None of us are perfect, but there'd be a lot more hallelujahing if the self-righteous gang would shut up and sit down. There's a lot of walking wounded out there that have left churches because of the hypocracy of the leaders, and the so-called "brownie points" one must earn from God to be good enough, when in reality it's brownie points from the leaders of the church that are supposed to be earned. Lots of love and understanding and ministering is missing today, not to mention discernment by the pastor and the leaders. Peretti points it out so succinctly...excellent book, excellent job...beware of wolves in sheep's clothing!

The Visitation sees Peretti growing in many ways as a writer but still finds him holding on to some of his old ways. The story revolves around a former pastor, Travis Jordan, in a small Washington town. His quiet life is suddenly shaken by supernatural occurances that begin to randomly take place and accompany the appearance of a mysterious messianic figure. Are we seeing the return of Christ in this man, or is he something other than what it seems? Jordan must face his past experiences and come to grips with his personal doubts as he tries to solve what becomes a fast-paced mystery.
In Jordan, Peretti has his best-ever written and developed character. This is a fully fleshed-out man, with true human strengths and weaknesses. That is significant, since before his characters sometimes came across a bit flat. However, Peretti fails with his plot resolution to break new ground. Because of that, The Visitation could've been great but ends up being only well done. Still, Peretti fans will love it and others should still enjoy the visit. 3 3/4 stars.

Peretti does not disappoint. In this latest novel he thrills and chills with characteristic suspense. There's nothing good I can say about this book that hasn't already been said - I'm the 100th reviewer. It was fabulous and I couldn't put it down. What makes this book so different from the others is the way Peretti incorporates theological issues which plague most every Christian. He weaves these issues into the core plot, making the book multi-layered in its depth. Best of all, he does not venture to answer the questions. He simply has the courage to address them, to make the church take an honest look at itself.
My only complaints are: his characters' names were too similar to easily differentiate from each other. I lost track of the times I had to return to the initial meeting of the pastors to see who was who, almost up until the end. I suggest (for anyone who hasn't read it yet) making a list of characters as they are introduced. Also, I felt that Brandon's miracles sometimes bordered on hokey, in their excessiveness. Finally, I sometimes questioned the reality with which Peretti approached the behavior of the townspeople. While Brandon was deceitful enough in the beginning, he soon showed his true, very UNChristlike colors, and no one flinched. They followed him as enthusiastically as ever. Overall, though, very good read.

Peretti refuses to be put in a box, tackling different issues in different ways, instead of resorting to the phenomenally successful formulas of his first two books. I like that. Sometimes it works better than others, though--that's the risk he takes. (More power to him.) Here, the risk was seeming shaky at first. I liked the initial premise--and no, the prologue didn't throw me off track as it did some of my friends--but I couldn't tell where this ride was taking me. Then, slowly, I found myself absorbed in the Travis' past, relating to every detail of his church experiences, laughing to the point of poignant tears at some parts. This book tackles some of the spiritual questions the church often avoids. It refuses to give pat answers, refuses to resolve everything in the usual casual manner, and left me feeling refreshed...I'd waded through some of my own struggles with this fictional character and realized others struggle too. Okay, the conclusion in the town streets got a little wacky and melodramatic, but the deeper issues hit home. Don't be put off by the slow-motion start--this book wants to slam-dunk you, if you'll let it.

Didn't read it--found out about Peretti's "christian" slant from reading the back cover; Peretti's "faith-based" bias is definitely something I wish I'd known prior to purchase! I'm returning it posthaste; I don't read "christian" books (had enough of that growing up, & have a further gutfull from present-day AmTal politicians). I will certainly check unfamiliar authors MUCH more carefully in future.

If you're looking for a book in which half of the main characters are the missing evolutionary link between humans and apes that tells a story in which the author argues against the theory of evolution, look no further. This book is an excellent gift if you want to make a biology professor collapse in a fit of rage. I'm not sure if I'm more disappointed by the fact that I actually read half of this book before realizing it belonged in my recycling bin, or the by the fact that people exist who sincerely enjoyed reading this. My faith in humanity is at an all time low thanks to this novel.

Often times, when I read a second book by the same author, I find that I've gotten my hopes up so high that I just didn't enjoy the story as much because I expected too much. It happens so often that I've finally come to expect it. However, Peretti always bashes those expectations, and this book is yet another example of that. His ability to weave a new story together is incredible. It seems that very little is the same from the other stories. It just comes with a strong Christian theme. In "The Visitation," I found an intriguing story of a false Christ, come to a town to show them how things could change for them if they would just embrace him. I think this book is an excellent reminder of all of the false Christs that are out there right now! The fact of the matter is, we need to be aware that there are many out there trying to mislead us. However, if we will stay in touch with Jesus, we are on the right path. Frank Peretti holds to that theme all throughout his different books. I, for one, applaud him for it, and can't wait to see what he has to offer next!

Reidy had a rather charming idea for a book: two "tween" girls are totally hepped up on the suffering of female saints. So hepped up that they finally have a vision of Mary themselves. Mary delivers a message that birth control is okay.

There were a lot of interesting places Reidy could have taken this, like a modern, New Zealandish Song of Bernadette retelling. However, the whole Mary visitation plot is quickly forgotten, making an 11th hour reappearance at book's end. The narrative collapses around a standard tale of two girls fighting against a controlling, intolerant father, unable to accept his daughters are blooming into sexually active women. You begin to wonder if you're still reading the same book.

The daughters vs their father plot is well told, but you do feel like the books a bit of a literary bait and switch. We were promised a tender, quirky, religious satire but we got a heartbreaking work of staggering standardness.

Well, I have to say that this is my first review about a book that I didn't totally love. I've read most of the Peretti books and have loved them all. When the Visitation was ready to come out, I pre-ordered it and got it the first day it hit the stores. Much to my surprise, I was a tad disappointed. Let me start off with the good points in the book. As far as putting a real-life problem into a "Perettied" fiction, this book is top notch. It potrays the fact that just because things are spiritual and supernatural, doesn't mean they are from God. The book was a great way to show how to be sceptical in a clever fiction manner. However... Perhaps I didn't like the book because unlike his other novels, this one didn't have to many action, "leave you on the egde of your seat" moments. There wasn't too many twists and turns in the book. The book had too many flashbacks of the main character's past in it. Most of all, I thought that the book ending was a little odd. I was disappointed in the way the bad guy lost. I guess if you're looking for a book with more action in it, (read Frank Peretti's "The Oath") then this one isn't for you. Don't get me wrong, I still loved the book, it's just I thought that his other books were so much better, that it made this one disapointing.

I'm compelled to write this in part due to the generally lower ratings this book has compared to other Peretti novels. But the more motivating fact is that I want to eventually write my opinion on most of my favorite things in this world.

As I led to, this is one of my favorite books, if not my favorite. The Circle Trilogy and The Lost Books, by Dekker are in stringent competition for the helm. These are all novels that entwine Christian beliefs, re-imaginings of stories from the Bible and explanations of morals as-well as the lessons and value of life. And of course they're written by Christian authors. Something even more interesting is that I don't necessarily define myself as a Christian, even if its beliefs is what I most closely identify myself with. I've only read part of the Bible and been to Church very few times. I love science and learning how things work, I think Evolution makes sense and I have a obsession to theorize and philosophize. So from where I stand, you may assume I wouldn't care for books ultimately about Christian beliefs or the path to understanding. And yet, I love, love, love these stories and they have kindled my interest in reading and my faith in life.

Perreti is a rather unconventional Christian author compared to most, Ted Dekker seems to have the closest writing style. I've read many condemning comments as their novels are much darker, sometimes disturbing and always push the envelope. But I strongly believe the stories are much more effective, and sometimes utterly beautiful, emotional.. thrilling. They're down to earth: stories about real people, real opinions mixed in an expansive story that require an open and theoretical way of thinking. And these stories are made even better when they constantly question and challenge Christian beliefs.

"Monster" is quite an elusive story for good portions of it and for a good reason. It's best to read it knowing very little or nothing about it. There's seamless introduction to characters and the setting, which is an art in itself (Dekker is rather good at this too). There's not much of a compass leading into the story, and the story is best when you feel a little lost. In short time the story follows along Reed and Beck, a married couple, closing in on their camping/survival vacation. Or maybe less of a vacation and more of a challenge. Reed is a rough-n-tough guy and policeman by profession, that is "forcing" his wife on this wilderness expedition, because he strongly believes it will be good for her. Beck is quite the opposite from him, she's a home-girl and doesn't socialize much, and most easily identifies with her conveniences and luxuries. She's can be rather unlikeable in that respect, but her uncontrollable stuttering makes her kind of adorable. As anyone can guess this wilderness experience eventually turns out very bad. The story turns itself upside down and pulls out all the stops. It's downright terrifying at times, always interesting and the characters emotions are translated very well and draw you in.

The only annoying nuance later in the book, is it's hard-push for Creationism in a portion of the book. I'm sure part of the reason I felt edgy was due to my uncontested understanding of evolution. I mean I was brought up with the idea through school, I never thought to question it much. But I was quick to realize it is a theory in itself. Of course creationism could have been explained more elegantly, but the context of the "evolution bashing" was true to the character it was portraying, so is excusable. I believe it is healthy to question your beliefs, for it will steer you on a path to the truth, strengthen your faith (whatever it be in) and make you much more interesting to talk to. It's hard to talk with someone that either won't reason or open their mind. I've seen lots of situations where religion is used for argument, rather then collaboration. And also in reason to hate or exclude someone, rather than love and embrace. It's a shame.

The originality of the story will surprise you. The person who ended up being my favorite character wasn't who I thought it would be. The ending was really satisfying. The story lacked stereotypes, conventionalism and assumption. And I will say no more.

I had thoroughly enjoyed all of Frank Peretti's novels, from This Present Darkness to The Visitation, until this one. While the story starts out well, the many scenes of Beck being dragged here and there through the forest by her Sasquatch abductors soon become repetitious and at times downright boring. As for the "science" behind the actual monster in the story, it appeared to me that Peretti was trying to go for a Michael Crichton-type story line, but Peretti doesn't have Crichton's gift for making complex science understandable (and entertaining) to layman readers. Also, if Crichton were writing this story (which of course he wouldn't, since he doesn't expound a Creationist doctrine), he would have concentrated more on the monster and it's creation and the various scientific, social and moral implications of it's creation, rather than spending endless chapters on Beck learning how to appease her captors. As a Christian, I always look forward to the underlying spiritual meaning of Peretti's stories, but with the exception of the rather perfunctory "Darwinism doesn't work" message, I could find no real spiritual values at all, unless you want to count Beck's gaining some self-esteem and losing her stutter. But then, you know that will happen before you finish Chapter One.

"Monster" finds Peretti writing a Crichton-esque "thriller," where science has gone askew. As much as it aspires to be a Jurassic Park, Peretti fails to inspire both the fearful peril of the Crichton classic, or the variety of the read.

Peretti sets the majority of Monster in a large, mainly wild forest. Our only break from that is the rare paragraphs where a side character does some university scouting. Making a forest interesting for the length of an entire book is really only managable if you are an expert wordsmith, which Peretti is not.

As much as the publishers want the reader to think there will be many twists, there aren't. Most essential points are laid out easily in the first quarter of the book. Pay basic attention to the desciptions provided and you realize that things don't quite add up. The solution is easy to decipher from there.

The publisher wants to believe so hard that the book is scary that they warn us in the introduction. I can't imagine any adult finding this book even remotely threatening. I'm the sort who can't watch lame horror movies without about losing it, but this book sure didn't faze me.

That's two ways the publisher has underestimated the reader... our ability to figure out a plot, and our scare level... they hurl one final insult at us. They don't trust us to be able to keep track of where everyone is (despite only a few main characters to keep track of), so they provide maps at the end of each chapter as a kind of "re-cap". They are pathetic little maps like you might use in 5th grade to solve math problems. The book isn't that complicated to need this little visual tidbit.

The (few) scientific ideas present are interesting... however, mostly attempt to use raw logic instead of actual science. They'll be things I ponder, perhaps, but I'm not going to use them in any kind of significant arguement. I mean, paying attention to science in a book like this is like reading "The DaVinci Code" and taking it's religion at face value.

This was honestly a two star book... but I gave it three because I liked the whole bigfoot theme. Borrow the book from the library... but spending money on it will probably yield disappointment.

A dense, layered book that concerns the life of widower Travis Jordan, a former Pentecostal minister, whose town is turned upside-down by the arrival of a young man claiming to be Jesus Christ; other supernatural signs (a weeping statue in a Catholic Church, mysterious healings) also occur, leading the townspeople to believe that Antioch is destined for great things. But is the mysterious stranger Brandon Nichols really a messenger from God? Or is his power from another source?

The novel is deeply layered and is predominantly told in the first person narrative from Travis's point of view. We learn of Travis's early life in the ministry, his adolescence and young adulthood and how those events have shaped him into the man he is today.

The ending is a bit implausible and somewhat slow in coming, but it's a good read nonetheless.

Let me just say this upfront: if you've read other books by Frank Peretti, this one is quite different. If your expectation of this book is that it will be a great work of Christian fiction with subtle clues and profound metaphors, you might be disappointed. I say "might" simply because you just might do like I did and realize part of the way into the book that it is not a typical Peretti book. At that point, I just decided to read it for what it is: a suspenseful, science fiction story that leaves you on the edge of the seat and not wanting to put the book down. I was so entranced I read it in one day, in three different sittings.

This book will be particularly interesting to anyone who has at least a passing interest in the Sasquatch/Bigfoot legend. It's clear Peretti has done his homework on the subject. Perhaps he is a believer in this legend himself.

Where the book suffers is that some suspenseful moments are saved by happenstance, which tends to erode credibility. Also, I would be cautious about having so much useless violence in a book that is sold on the shelves of Christian bookstores. Yes, I know, we live in a violent world but...many who buy this book will be existing Peretti fans or Christians that have heard about his past works and decide to start with this one. There are quite a few murders in this book, some graphically described. That may pose a problem for some Peretti fans.

All in all, it's a very good book and an exciting read. But, it is different from other Peretti stories. Some reviewers have said that they would not ever buy or read another Peretti book again, and this after claiming to have read all other Peretti books. Frankly, I can't quite comprehend or justify that manner of thinking. Frank Peretti is a brilliant author and I wouldn't hesitate to read anything else that he releases.

What's it like growing up poor and Catholic in New Zealand in the 1960s? Meet the Flynn sisters, Catherine and Theresa. Their childhood games consist mostly of re-enacting the lives of martyrs and saints, torturing themselves before an audience of their numerous siblings, with the Baby occasionally projectile-vomiting to add color to their already grisly pretend play. Things get pretty surreal when one of the little girls has a nun habit made and starts wearing it every day in preparation for a life in God's service.
One day, the Flynn sisters receive a visit from the Virgin Mary, who manifests herself above the lemon tree in the backyard. The manifestation puts in the girls' trust a letter for the Pope. It is insinuated in the story that the letter is one advocating birth control and family planning. The young sisters hand the letter to their parents, and their conservative father doctors the letter before handing it to the religious authorities to make it appear as though the letter confirms and approves the status quo; i.e. religious prohibition against birth control.
That is not all there is to the story. Surreal though the plot may sound so far, Reidy's prose is down-to-earth, warm and full of feeling. The girls grow up, meet many people with different points of view, experience sexual awakening, learn to stand up against their parents and their patriarchal values and learn what it is to be a woman and an individual.
Although this book raises what some may consider controversial issues, ideas are presented in a wholesome, non-offensive manner that is sure to endear itself to its readers.
Recommended reading to anyone who enjoys a good story and appreciates objectivity and freedom of information.

This book by Peretti has its postives and negatives. Good story, about false christs and people easily being led astray by them. However, the book could have been shorter with less filler material.
Travis, the main character, is a former preacher who has lost interest in serving the Lord, and his community. Along comes Brandon Nichols, who begins performing miracles in his small town of Antioch, Washington. Many people in the town, including church goers, claim he is the Christ, since he is able to heal...etc. Travis, and the new minister at his church, Kyle, know Brandon is a false messiah. The story goes about with Travis finding out about Brandon's past, and Brandon harassing Travis that their lives are so much alike. Several chapters are spent at times, with Travis reminiscing about his past.
As with many Peretti books, this one deals with one or two people struggling against demons, personal and real, and finally turning and relying on God to set things straight. Not as good as Peretti's previous works.

It's summer high in the Idaho mountains, and Reed Shelton has brought his wife Rebecca--"Beck"--to the woods to participate in a survival weekend with their friends Cap and Sing. Beck, an artist and writer, is shy and self-conscious because of a nagging stutter, and Reed wants to get her out of the house and expand her horizons by introducing her to the outdoors. They are scheduled to meet Randy Thompson, the leader of the expedition, at a secluded hunter's cabin deep in the woods. But the minute the arrive at the cabin, they know something is wrong. The cabin has been ransacked; everything is destroyed, and there is no sign of Randy. Reed and Beck decide to spend the night near the cabin in the hopes that Randy will return. But during the night, they hear strange wails and howls rising from the trees, gradually drawing closer. They are attacked in the darkness by a strange creature and are separated; Reed manages to crawl to safety, but Beck is taken captive. The next morning, a search party gathers--but the searchers have little hope of finding Beck alive. What has taken Beck? Some say a bear, more superstitious people say a Sasquatch...but the truth may be even scarier.

Miles away, at a university in Washington, microbiologists are at work on a top secret experiment, forcing mutations that combine chimpanzee and human DNA. But now one of their renegade researchers has gone too far in his quest to prove Darwin's theory, and he must face the consequences of his carelessness when one of his creations escapes into the Idaho wilderness.

It's been six years since Frank Peretti's last novel, so his faithful readers have been waiting a long time for MONSTER to hit the shelves. And they won't be disappointed in Peretti's latest offering--in fact, with MONSTER, Peretti may gain legions of new fans. The book does contain allusions to Christianity--but only covertly, not overwhelmingly. And Peretti's discussion of Darwinism will raise questions for Christians and seculars alike: If mutations bring drawbacks, how did we, a superior species, descend from apes? The novel is suspenseful and contains surprising twists; it's a complex plot, but custom maps at the end of each chapter will effectively help readers keep up and recall important details. MONSTER contains verdant description delivered in Peretti's clear, concise prose, and the setting of the novel is so mysterious that it's almost mythical. There is a lot of information in the text about DNA and mutations, forensic crime-solving, and professional tracking that is interesting as well. The best part of the book, however, is the compelling way Beck interacts with her captors, learning how to survive by developing the mannerisms of creatures very different from her, adapting to her new "family".

But yes, there are some flaws in MONSTER. Many other reviewers have pointed out the needlessly large cast of characters--and they are right to do so. So many people join the search party, but their characters are underdeveloped by Peretti, which makes the ending less effective than it could have been (and, actually, a little bit confusing). The plot, like I said before, is complex because it contains a lot of characters and a lot of detail--but really, if you look at the big picture, it's a very simple story: Beck gets moved around a lot in the woods while attempts to rescue her keep getting thwarted. Because of this, the narrative gets a little repetitive in certain spots, what with all the hiding and tracking.

But despite all this, MONSTER is a quick, entertaining, suspenseful read that raises some big questions about our origins. Maybe not Peretti's best work--but good enough to be worth the wait.

There are a few redeeming qualities in The Visitation. Peretti paints the big faith, the big enthusiasm, the big church, and the big disappointment. Then he draws us to the simple day-to-day faith that perseveres through a developing relationship with the true Living God. The story starts out with good suspense and draws you through to the end, but read it in a short time rather than spreading it out over a week, as I did, or you will face some depressing days.
If you've been involved with the church at all, this is not a fun read. Peretti has a good handle on the falsity of religion that leads most of us astray at sometime or another, but he cheapens the story with an unbelievable and violent climax that belies the humor leading up to it. The pat ending gives little evidence to the prevailing question raised in the prologue. Peretti is a great storyteller, and the story is here, but he could have done so much more.

Despite its slow start, this book really turned out to be quite exciting by the end! Probably the last book that I read of Peretti's was The Oath - and that was probably ten years ago, at least. But when I saw this title, and read the description, I thought it sounded worth reading. This one had a decidedly more "preachy" tone than The Oath. And Peretii included some rather random tangents, off-shoots and rants that gave much of the book a surprisingly negative air (and not in a dramatic tension way or anything like that). And to be perfectly honest, I just didn't have enough religious knowledge to keep up with all of the church politics in the beginning (which led to it feeling so slow). Not to mention the fact that I had thought that the Pentecostals were not only the Christian sect that spoke in tongues, but that handled snakes as well... I don't know, the rather heavy-handed preaching sections weighed the book down - like the constant repetition of what a sin it is to smoke cigarettes, for example - that just started to become offensive. Not to mention the comments and the implied position on some of the other religious groups... There just wasn't much of an accepting tone of differences within the Christian faith, let alone other religions... Still, the plot was pretty exciting and the twist was interesting, although the romance fell completely flat. It disappointed me overall, because I wasn't expecting so much negativity that had nothing to do with the actual plot...

This is as good as Christian fiction gets. In fact, it is as good popular fiction gets. Peretti writes a story here that is not only gripping but it resonates very much with my own spiritual journey and my perceptions of the state of American Christianity today. I almost wept as I read of the burned-out ex-pastor who was so full of faith and expectation in his youth, only to have reality continually chip away at his idealism, until he was left at a place of cynicism and doubt. How he is restored to a deeper, wiser faith is, to me, the central theme of the story. Peretti is also very perceptive about the gullibility of many Christians today who are dazzled by spectacular manifestations that may or may not be biblical. Most people who read this book will be able to identify themselves in at least one of the characters, and everyone will see someone they know in this story. All in all, the book is a treasure to be read and re-read.

To be up front about it, I'm not much for Christian fiction and likely wouldn't have picked this up if it hadn't been in a library sale.
That said, I tried to give this an honest shot, glossed over a few items on the science side, and otherwise tried to give it an honest try.

And then....Beck. That cliched, depressingly flat, simplistic and empty headed little cartoon character. At one point, kidnapped by a Bigfoot and facing an uncertain fate, she takes a moment to enjoy the feel of brushing her hair and that was the first time I threw the book across the room.

those expecting a peretti-style supernatural thriller will most likely be disappointed as there is no sign of anything close to his previous books (present darkness, piercing the darkness) in this novel. i would have to agree with reviewer marty love that its the most enjoyable book of his since the darkness books, it must be difficult to write after such a successful series when readers are expecting more of the same

despite it being quite a different style to anything else peretti has written i enjoyed the change of scenery. i thought the suspense was good, i liked the custom maps at the beginning of each chapter so you could track what was happening where. i agree there were a few too many characters to follow exactly who was being killed off and who was left alive but it didn't bother me as much as its bothered some of the other reviewers. all in all, worth the read

People are being killed by a creature, which is covered up and blamed on bears in a novel by Frank Peretti. Am I talking about "Oath"?

Fortunately, the similarities to my least favorite Peretti novel end there (though I may be alone). While both fit into being horror, they are two different books. "Oath" is more of an allegory, while "Monster" fits more into science fiction.

I won't spoil any of the surprises, but it is a good story. There are very effective twists that may surprise you.

Some question the "intelligent design" aspect. To be honest, I think some people who believe in evolution refuse to be as open-minded as a true scientist should be. I doubt this novel will change the minds of many, but I have two comments:

1. It does bring up a weakness of evolution -- I won't tell you what it is because it will spoil the story, but it is clear what that weakness is by the time you finish.

2. Do you have to agree with the point of view to enjoy a novel? I enjoyed the novel Jurassic Park and the first and third movies of the series even though I disagree with their perspective. Can the other be done as well?

This is a good novel, and to me, the most positive of his novels since the darkness series.

I expected more from this book. The jacket promised an entertaining
story, the kind where mankind discovers ancestors from a different
branch of our collective family tree squirrelled away in the remote
woods (think Esau, by Phillip Kerr, an excellent book.) But alas,
such was not to be the case with this book. To be sure, we are
presented with proto-human ancestors, but they are of the Bigfoot
kind and their encounter with the humans is presented in most
perfunctory terms. The story arc involves a couple who wanted to
disappear in the wilderness for a weekend, but one thing leads to
another and before you know it, one-half of one couple has been
abducted by the Sasquatch. A parallel story line involves research
on primate DNA (chimpanzee) done by a professor at a local university
and the unintended consequences of that research escaping and
terrorizing the Sasquatches. The Sasquatches run, chased by the
DNA-created monster; the DNA-created chimpanzee runs, chased by
humans intent on capturing it ... and so on. After many deaths of
a large assortment of uninteresting secondary characters, the story
comes to its logical end: the abducted is saved, the DNA-created ape
has been killed and the Sasquatches? What Sasquatches are you talkin'
about, Willis? I think that the story had potential --- the
whole notion of fusing human and chimpanzee DNA, which is hinted at
but left completely unexplored, would have provided a thought-provoking
story line in itself.

Sheriff's Deputy Reed Shelton persuades his physically in shape wife (from jogging) Rebecca to go hiking and camping with him. Reluctant Beck agrees because she loves her spouse. However, when they reach the isolated cabin, someone has previously broken into it. Suddenly at night they are in trouble from an unknown assailant; while fleeing she falls and they end up separated in spite of his efforts to find her. Beck, who is not a survivalist like her husband, becomes lost in the wilderness, dangerous for her as a greenhorn.

A frantic Reed and others search for Beck, who meets many odd beings on her quest to find her way back to her spouse. However, Reed and company meet with no success, but find instead something that one of them, a crime scene investigator, insists could not be human, killing anything in its path. The fear is that the creature is coming for Beck if it has not already succeeded.

When the tale focuses on a strong search and rescue mission, the story line is a top rate thriller though the multitude of support characters can prove difficult to keep up with; but worth it as amazingly Frank Peretti gives the keys ones differing personalities. On the other hand when the center of the plot goes into an anti evolution tirade even with a potential Bigfoot explanation, the pace slows down accordingly as the novel turns lecturer rather than action-oriented. However, once past that diatribe, the book goes full speed with everyone wondering who will find Beck first even as she befriends some interesting creatures on her mystical trek through the wilds.

Harriet Klausner

Be afraid. Be very afraid. Let's face it: there's nothing worse than an author with a hidden agenda. And that describes Frank Peretti to a T. But let's forget about that, and take Monster at face value for a moment. It's described as a suspense/horror novel, although the suspense is invisible and the only horror is Peretti's pathetic prose.
One big problem is the book's predictability. Once one of the main characters is kidnapped by a family of Bigfoots (Bigfeet?), you know just how the story will play out, and there's no surprises, no twists, and no reason to keep reading. I dutifully read the first 75 percent or so, then skimmed the rest, just to be sure the entire futile effort was as banal as it appeared. Ridiculous characters, tension-free developments and laughable dialogue dominate throughout. How silly are Peretti's characters? One is a scientist who's also a creationist. Not just a christian, no...one of those people who think the planet is only a few thousand years old and believe dinosuar bones are A TRICK OF THE DEVIL! Sure, that's believable. I'm willing to bet there's not an actual scientist on Earth that holds such inane beliefs, seeing as how becoming accredited and acclaimed in that field generally requires a college degree.
It's after that revelation that Peretti suddenly begins to sneak god into the novel, mentioning his/her name every other page until you realize: I've been duped! Thankfully for yours truly, I didn't waste any money on this trash, just a little precious time I can never get back after I checked it out at my local library. Don't make my mistake, folks-even the most honest of creationists would have to agree that this is one terrible book.

Beck is not thrilled to be taking this survival weekend with her husband Reed. She isn't a big fan of the outdoors, but Reed thinks a wild camping adventure is just the thing to cure her of her nervous stutter. During their first night of camping, a horrifying wail pierced the night. Then something emerges in the darkness and chases them through the forest. The last thing Reed sees is a huge, hairy creature carrying his wife away into the night.

The next morning, a rescue party sets out to track the footprints and a hunting party sets out to bag a huge bear. Reed knows it wasn't a bear. When a few more mysterious murders pop up, Reed calls a close friend to investigate. No one believes that a big foot monster carried off his wife, but Reed knows what he saw. And the more they discover, the more his theory is supported. But there may be another creature out there who has begun to hunt them.

I LOVED this book! It was such a great premise and handled so well. I loved how Peretti showed Beck's point of view with her "captor." I loved seeing her character grow and change just to survive. And then there was the whole mystery to figure out and the awesome nod to God's amazing ability to create unique species. This is a great read. It's creepy and scary, so if you don't like that, steer clear. Otherwise, you must read Monster. It rocks!

As an avid fan of Frank Peretti's novels (Prophet,This Present Darkness, Piercing The Darkness, The Oath and The Visitation are all quite excellent), I was quite intrigued when I read the blurb on the back cover of "Monster" and had the feeling I would be in for quite a read. It certainly met my expectations and then some. The characters were so well written, I actually began to see them as real live people. Sometimes it was impossible for me to put this book down causing a couple very late night/very early morning reading sessions. On the other hand, some scenes were so intense, I had to put the book down for a few moments. Many great scenes in this novel. It had me on edge, It had me gasping, it had my heart pounding, I even teared up in a few scenes (like the scene where Beck sees Rachel's dead child and Rachel cries) I liked how each chapter ended with a map of the primary settings, so the reader can keep track of everything going on. I have to point out I feel the description on the back of the book is deceiving (in a clever way, mind you) because the real "monsters" here are a few of the human characters, IMHO. I love Peretti's style of writing. He reminds me a lot of Steven King (another one of my favorite authors), sans the explicit sex, violence and cussing. Monster is a great, thrilling read. I can see it being made into a movie. Peretti really has a knack for taking issues that are a concern to the Christian faith and using the power of the written word to not only entertain but to make the reader think as well. Whether you're a Christian or not if you're into a thrilling read with twists and turns along the way, then I highly recommend Monster.

I found this novel in the Christian literature section of Borders (the section was in the basement, far corner, and you had to crane your neck to see it from the stairs). When I saw it, I thought, what is this book doing here? The jacket description didn't reveal much other than it was about some kind of experiment gone wrong. I was curious enough I bought it. Half way through the book I was still wondering, what makes this Christian? Other than one of the characters is mentioned to be Born Again, nothing seemed to make it Christian per se. Even when I learned that the protagonist was kicked out of his professorship for questioning certain aspects of Darwin theory, I still wondered, so--what makes that Christian lit? The novel superbly highlights some of the close-mindedness that fogs college campuses today. The Left Wing fears the slightest questioning of its dogma. I know this first hand, as do countless other researchers who refuse to go along with global warming theories and other Left Wing ideologies. If you don't tow the line, you get ostracized. Google a man named Ed Krug to learn just how devastating the shunning from the left wing academics can be. I would like to see more books written on this subject. All science should be questioned--that's what science does. When it fails to do so, it becomes a religion, a cult. The Left Wing science is now a cult, devoid or reason, or objective evidence. Ironically, the novel itself faces such censorship when its relegated to the far corners of the basement of a Borders, in an obscure fiction section, merely because it goes against secular Left Wing tenants. Christian? I wouldn't call it that, even if the author himself is a Born Again. Rebellious? Definitely.

The book was somewhat engrossing. I would say its Stephen King without the sex and cursing. Its not really a theological book as some of his earlier writings are. Its a monster story; real monsters against a man made monster.

It was a story which was easy to follow and the suspense built well. Its not so scary as to give you nightmares. Each chapter begins with a map that has icons which shows where the earlier action took place. I found this to be a novel idea and it helped keep things in perspective for me.

Its not really a religious story but more of a woman is captured by monsters/aliens/indians and must be rescued story. One of the protagonists is a college professor who was fired for believing in Creationism or intelligent design and the Cheif antagonist is a geneticist who has fooled around with DNA to prove evolution and like Dr. Frankenstein has created a monster on the loose. With all the Intelligent Design/Evolution stories in the news thats about as close as it comes to talking about religion though most of the main characters seem to be church goers.

Overall it was light escapism and I wouldn't be surprised to find it made into a film reminiscent of those campy monster movies from the 40's and 50's that used to show up on the Late Late Show though its a lot like "The Legend of Boggy Creek" which shows up sometimes on Mystery Science Theatre 3000.

Monster started out with a bang. I would say a good portion of the first half of the book would probably earn about 4.5 stars. The middle is closer to 2 to 2.5 stars. The last few chapters are probably a solid 3 to 3.5 stars.

Peretti has a knack for story-telling. There's no doubt about that. His descriptions are great! I did not feel that his characters were very developed. I also think he expends a little too much energy trying to push his agenda. I entered the story thinking it was just a story. Halfway in, I am caught off guard. He brought up some interesting points; however, sometimes it is nice for a COMPLETE escape. Also, I felt like his plot was bogged down in the middle because of the aforementioned biases.

All in all, I would rank it as closer to 3.5 stars.

What an amazing book! Mr. Peretti's writing is superb. There were parts of this book that made me laugh out loud and others that made me really stop and think. The plot was gripping and thought provoking while the characters were memorable and extremely well developed. Mr. Peretti does an excellent job of illustrating the various conflicts that exist between different denominations that really shouldn't and the fact that being religious and having a relationship with Jesus Christ are not always the same thing. Spiritual warfare is a huge theme in The Visitation. There were a few flashbacks in the book that dragged slightly, but they seemed necessary in order to fully develop the main character. If you're looking for a suspenseful, unpredictable, well-written, Christian book, this book is for you!

The whole crazy adventure starts when Reed and Beck Shelton go on a trip to get away from the pressures of life. Reed is hoping that it will give Beck more self-confidence and she is just going along to placate him. Neither expects to spend a terrifying night in the woods, during which Beck is taken captive by a nameless `thing'. Now Reed and others are racing against time to find his wife before it's too late, while trying to discover just what- or who- the 'monster' is.

While Monster was an interesting read, I wouldn't say it was up to the same level of intensity as most of Frank Peretti's books. I found there were no mind-blowing revelations or totally unexpected twists. However, even if it's not his best novel, this was a good book and I still enjoyed reading it.

It's been awhile since I've read a Peretti book. Monster is a departure from the supernatural books he's known for, this effort is more along the lines of the genre that includes Relic,Congo or Nightman. As with his previous books, it is fast paced and propels you to the end. Peretti avoids for the most part "God talk." Too often Christian novelists insert dialogues relating to God or Christianity and it comes off contrived and obvious. In fact, this isn't typical Christian fiction full of churches and bible verses. The best Christian authors, like Tolkien or Lewis, allowed Christianity to influence their works, not overtake them into sermons. Peretti doesn't sermonize, but sometimes the prose seems a but amateurish, but improves as the story goes along. There are too many named extras in the book, but the one character's story with the bigfoots makes the story. The monster, however, ends up being a minor extra in the story.

The real joy of reading a Peretti (like going to an M. Night Shyamalan movie) is in not knowing what the subject matter will be, what twists will appear, or where the strange or supernatural will enter in. That being the case, to disclose any of the plot does a disservice to the potential reader even if the veil is only just slightly pulled back. Better to hit the story flat with no expectations other than of an entertaining read. To review it in some way that may be helpful, however, I offer the following:

"Monster"'s fast pace, flat prose and easy readability of a contemporary thriller combined with the taste of the bizarre that one expects from Peretti will leave his fans satisfied. Others, not familiar with his books, will not be disappointed either if they're looking for a "Da Vinci Code" type airport read with an underlying spiritual philosophy quite different from Brown's book. Peretti set the standard so high with "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing The Darkness", that it is not surprising when his subsequent works fall just short of those classic originals. "Monster" falls short mainly in being a little more difficult to suspend disbelief on as compared to the "Darkness..." books. Even so, it is a good, light summer read.

I was really looking forward to this book; I read a couple of chapters on a Christian bookstore site and couldn't wait to get my hands on it.
But I admit to being disappointed -- not so much with the journey back to faith on the part of the narrator (the only thing about the book that kept me reading it) -- but with the plot, which felt like a Christianized version of the Stephen King book "Needful Things", wherein a demonically-driven (or flat out demonic) entity comes into town and gives people what they think they want, only to have that thing turn out to be a curse. (Sound familiar?)
I'm more likely to go back to "Piercing the Darkness" and "This Present Darkness" or "Prophet" than "The Visitation".

While training his wife to survive in the wild, Reed witnesses her being carried away by a giant ape-like creature. As he does all he can, with the help of friends and others, to rescue her, a plot of cover-ups smolders in the background. Adam Burkhardt, intent on continuing his radical experiments in genetic engineering, tries to hide his mistakes. When a "mistake" does escape, his problems mount.

This is a unique look at the possibilities of genetic engineering at its most nightmarish. For much of the book, it is difficult to tell which creature is the monster and which guys are the bad guys. It is not until the finale that we learn the truth.

The maps that are placed before each chapter show the locations of each development in the search for Beck. These are interesting and lend reality to the plot. They don't help in solving the puzzle though.

I enjoyed the storyline in MONSTER, but I had difficulty developing any compassion for the characters. The characters seemed one-dimensional and unrealistic, reacting in superficial ways.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I am officially adding Frank Peretti to my list of favorite authors. Monster was so beyond words amazing. Typically, not the kind of stuff I read, but I could not put it down. It has been a LONG time since I read such a thick book in such a short amount of time. I finished it at about 12:30 this morning. My head was throbbing and I was barely awake, but I could not sleep until I knew how it would end.

And, for those who are wary of Christian fiction, this is so not Christian fiction. Um, yea, they pray for Beck to be found alive and safe. And, the one professor is a creationist, so you figure they are Christians. LOL! Really, it is not cheesy Christianese in the least. It is riveting.

Think, Michael Crichton (cp?), who Peretti says is his fave author. It has a very Jurassic Park feel to it. Oh, look what Science can do! Let's play God! Oops, we're NOT God... We have a problem. Ummmm.... Maybe if we start killing the witnesses we can get away....

I say RUN, don't walk, to the bookstore/library and grab it. This was so worth the 6 year wait.

You've read the plot summaries. Beck and Reed travel to the wilderness to get away from it all, but unbeknownst to them, a deadly beast is prowling and killing anyone who dares to stand in its path. That's all true. But Monster is so much more than just another survival story. Peretti is a master at character development, and by the climax my palms were sweating, my breath bated, body tense with expectation. (I actually listened to the unabridged audio version of this book, and I'd highly recommend it as Frank does an incredible job with all the character's voices.)

If you've wondered if Monster could really be all that it's hyped to be, wonder no more. It is. And if you're still wondering, let me whisper one word - Sasquatch. Interested now? Good. Crack open Monster and be ready to experience a sleepless night of page turning. I boldly declare Monster tops all of Frank Peretti's other novels.

Like many others, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Peretti's latest novel. The cover and write-up increased my expectations. Although it sounded a bit like "The Oath" (probably my favorite Peretti book), I knew it would explore new territory. I was sure of it.

I was right, and I was wrong.

The story starts with an eerie attack at night. The main characters, Beck and Reed, are on a hike that is supposed to challenge them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It does all three, but not in the ways they expect. When Beck is carried off into the darkness by an unknown creature, her husband's emotions are put to the test. Peretti creates a wonderful opportunity to explore issues of faith in the face of heartache. Instead, he churns out a fast-paced story that rarely flags, but gives little character development. In fact, the deepest development goes to his cast of forest-dwelling monsters. In this aspect, he does a marvelous job.

Yes, Peretti tackles the issue of evolution in a creative way. No, he doesn't give us much to chew on. Creationist readers will find only one or two arguments on which to hang their hats; evolutionist readers will endure only a stab or two at their foundational thinking. In other words: You'll see what you want to see. And maybe that's all Peretti intended.

"Monster" is a very quick read, with lots of entertainment and plenty of scenes for a movie. Maybe it's only me, but I was still hoping for something more.

Frank Peretti knows how to grab a reader and not let go, and his latest novel is a good example of why he's one of the best writers in Christian fiction today. Even though this is probably his weakest entry to date, it STILL kept me turning the pages.

So why only three stars? Peretti deals with the creation vs. evolution theme, the story's only significant Christian content, in generalities rather than presenting a detailed and compelling examination of the scientific evidence (mutations, fossils, etc). Of course, if presented clumsily it could bog the story down and/or come off as "preachy". I'll bet Michael Crichton, were he a creationist, could've made it work.

Overall, this is a quick read that goes down easy, but won't leave much of an impression. I'd give it four stars if it was written by someone else, but I expect better from Peretti. This was a light snack, not the banquet I was hoping for.

This small town: Antioch, Washington...is chock full of charecters you just want to SMACK! ...They have truth to them. But much of their truth is dark truth we see in other people we know or even within ourselves. A Bold move for Peretti and I salute him for it.
It's a good story too...but much of what goes on here is obviously influenced from the spirit realm like his first two books were...and now that I think of it, if the Angels and Demons were made real charecters here, this book would have been much better and made a perfect third installment into his 'Darkness' series.
Alot of this book is back story of the main charecter (A retired minister). And it seems obvious that Peretti was getting out much of the experiences and emotions he delt with on his road of ministry. And while this back story is good and entertaining on it's own, I really don't see HOW it significantly fit into the rest of the book.
Still, a good read. Nothing to *rush* out to the Library or bookstore for (like his book "This Present Darkness"...fasinating in my opinion), but it's worth the time to read it just the same.

I picked this up without knowing anything about Peretti's Christian credentials, so I can honestly say I came into this one with a completely open mind. On the plus side, there's plenty of action, lots of close calls and tense, suspenseful (if a bit contrived) plotting. On the negative end of things, the main characters are pretty thin and the secondary characters are completely interchangeable. This becomes a big problem during the latter half of the novel when you're trying to track multiple hunters, some of whom are the bad guys, through the woods. I honestly found it somewhat hard to put down and I have to give Peretti credit for that. The writing style is unimpressive, but I did keep turning pages to see what happened next.

As for the creationism nonsense, I honestly didn't feel it was that intrusive. Frankly, if I'm able to buy the existence of Bigfoot I'm able to suspend my disbelief long enough to accept a creationist character who's proven right. Does it make sense? Hell no, but neither does most of the rest of the plot when you step back and think about it. Ignore the bible-thumping and the book is a fairly enjoyable read. While the anti-evolution theme is definitely present,I didn't feel like it was being aggressivly crammed down my throat. That said, I doubt I'll be looking for any other Peretti novels. It's seldom a good idea to craft a story in order to push a particular ideology, but Peretti gets away with it here - barely.

One thing that DID stick in my craw a bit was the smarmy self-promotion that ran all through my hardcover version. We get a letter from the publisher extolling the virtues of the book and the author, a lengthy interview with the author, advertisements for all his other books and a sample chapter from yet another book. This is pushing it a bit and it's typical of most evangelical Christian products that don't just wan to sell you one thing, but want you to buy into EVERYTHING they have to offer. I don't mind previews at the movies but I hate the twenty commercials you're forced to see these days and this book reminds me very much of that sort of marketing. Come to think of it, the evangelical agenda in this book was very much like product placements in modern movies: you tend to notice it and find it mildy irritating, but it's not really that much of a distraction from the film.

Overall, fundamentalists will enjoy this book and the rest of us will find it a pleasant-enough read after a little eye-rolling.

As a Christian and a nonfiction writer on cryptozoology I am pleased to report that "Monster" has its pluses. The sasquatches are interesting, if occasionally a bit too human. Peretti has clearly done his research, and I thought the old Albert Ostman tale of sasquatch abduction peeked through a couple of times. (See John Napier's 1972 "Bigfoot," still the best work on this topic, for details.) The main humans are interesting as well, although too many secondary characters crowd the book. Some things remain murky. Exactly what is the mad scientist attempting to create in his ape experiments? Exactly what does Peretti think his sasquatches are? Since part of the book's point is rejecting evolution, it would have been interesting to hear his characters speculate on the origin of sasquatch and the place of this apelike creature with its near-human intelligence in the Christian view of the universe. Despite these questions and at least one subplot too many, Peretti has turned in a book that's above average for crypto-related fiction.

Matt Bille

I'm not sure why others are so critical of this book. I read it in two days because I just couldn't put it down. Most "cons" from other reviewers seem to be based on Peretti's writing style - just because you don't like his style doesn't mean it's not a good book. I loved his detailed descriptions - painting a picture of the beautiful landscape where this book takes place and the undocumented creatures that inhabit it.

Yes, there are a lot of characters, but wouldn't there be on a search and rescue mission? After a few chapters, I had no problem keeping them straight. And there are several twists in this book. At one point, I thought I had it figured out, but then another twist would come. In similar fashion to the main characters' attempt to solve the mystery - they would solve a portion, but something else would throw a twist at them.

I give 4 of 5 because I reserve 5s for the literary classics. There was one thing that did red flag me at one point. Why wouldn't a sheriff, hiking into bear territory, not have a gun, or maybe a cell phone? Most people that live around those parts and go hiking take a heavy duty handgun or rifle in case of a bear confrontation. And at that, a lot of sheriff's carry their weapon concealed when off-duty. But that was the only odd thing that bothered me. The book was great!

This book was not what I expected it to be, but it was BETTER than I expected! This is the first book by Frank Peretti that I've read, so I didn't know his writing style, and from the title and book cover I expected this to be a very dark, scary book (like along the lines of a religious Stephen King maybe?). But I was very surprised to find this book was not dark at all, and I enjoyed it very, very much! Told mostly in the first-person narative of the main character, a burned out small town minister, as he makes personal discoveries about himself while trying to learn more about the "antichrist" who has come to his town. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

What an exciting and fast paced novel. Many times I thought the end was near, and a new twist would present itself. Do you believe in Sasquatch? I figured out pretty quickly what the monster was but the who-done-it kept me guessing right up to the end. This book has a map at the end of every chapter to help you visualize where in the wilderness action is happening. I found that to be distracting after the first few chapters so I just ignored them.

A great comment I can make about this book is that you don't have to be a Christian (or even believe in Jesus) to enjoy the story. I picked up this book in the library without realizing that it was Christian fiction (not something I would normally be interested in reading). I was pleasantly surprised that the plot was good - the characters believable and I feel I got a good understanding of how the Christian clergy leads their ministry.
Because the ending was a bit weak (not as good as the other 9/10ths of the book), I gave this review 4 stars instead of 5. I was a bit sorry to see the story end - even at 500+ pages, it was never boring.

Michael Crichton writes gripping thrillers into which he weaves some interesting scientific ideas. If you read a book by Crichton, you might become a little bit smarter.

Peretti has written a gripping thriller into which he weaves a creationist polemic. If you read this novel, you might become a little bit dumber.

To be fair, the creationism is really a pretty minor part of the story. The thriller is pretty thrilling, and Peretti is great at making the "monsters" and the scenery feel real and alive. But he clearly doesn't understand the first thing about evolution, and his depiction of the evolutionary scientist in this book is a cardboard caricature straight out of a creationist's nightmare.

I just wish he had talked to some real scientists - then this might have been a terrific book.

Frank Peretti is the type of writer who gets better as he goes. Although I enjoyed his earlier works like "This Present Darkness" and "The Prophet", "The Visitation" represents Peretti at his best. The premise is fascinating: A burned-out Pentecostal minister is forced to get back in the game when Jesus (or a clever facsimile thereof) comes to town and turns all of the small town's relationships upside down. As usual, the author successfully builds a creeping awareness of evil into the storyline and combines it with character deepening elements that the knowledgeable reader knows are highly autobiographical. If you only read one Peretti novel, make it this one.

I love Monster!! I am not into creepy books, but I love Frank Peretti's books. Monster will keep you guessing until the very last sentence. Even when you think you have it figured out...you don't! This book begs the question 'Who is the monster?' That is for you to decide. It is a fast paced book that makes for a fast read...I couldn't put it down. Read it and see if you can guess where it's going...

I'm a true fan of Christian fiction because of this author. I also enjoyed reading Prophet.
I loved the plot---filled with spiritual conflict and dramatic suspense. It's traditional "good vs. evil", mixed with a nice dose of "questionable faith and committment to God, the Church and man". I wouldn't characterize this story as "Christian horror" like other reviewers have. Likewise the comparison to Stephen King.
It think the novel asked more questions than it answered, which was good because it made me think. Why are some prayers answered and some not? Why does evil exist? Why are there many religions? And, the big question: Who's going to believe it when the Messiah returns?
Travis was a very believeable character. Readers could relate to someone who has questioned his faith after a major loss or dissappointment. (The flashbacks were crucial to his character development.) The character of Brandon was also very believeable---especially once the reader learned about his past. The contrast between the different Christian denominations was well illustrated. Why are there so many? What are the differences? Is one closer to God than the others?
I liked this novel better than all the Left Behind books. I highly recommend it!

While Peretti's Piercing the Darkness, This Present Darkness, and the Prophet (his best), were fantastical, The Visitation is impossible. There are too many threads left unwoven. It's too fantasical, too choppy, a little too unbelievable. At the same time, one can guess what is going to happen.
The circus trip through the town, the chaos that breaks forth, reminds one of a cheap (very) version of The Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis, and that reminder helps one remember the difference between a great author, Lewis, and an author that needs to go back to school, Peretti.
The Visitation will keep you interested, somewhat, but does not compare to the far better and shorter book by Franklin Sanders, Heiland.
On the other hand, The Prophet, was believable and was down to earth in that it approached a very real problem, the slaughter of the unborn in America, and the battle that ensues around that topic.
Anyway, I was quite disappointed in this book and think Peretti may need spend more time on how to structure a book before cranking out another.

Well, here it is, the first Peretti novel I've read since the "This Present Darkness" series. I haven't read those in 5 or 6 years, but I was still very familiar with his writing when I picked up this book. I smiled as I started reading the first few chapters of the book. I recognized the setup, I had seen it before. It bolted into two quick, stunning miracles and the whole town is informed by the tenth page. So how can other reviewers here say that the book is slow to start? I don't understand.
I *loved* the main character in this book. Travis Jordan is definitely my most likable Peretti character, and may rank at the top of my favorite fictional characters in general. He is 45 years old in the novel. He has the wisdom of a 65 year-old and the outlook on life of a 25 year-old. He's uncertain about this "messiah" that's come to town, and being unsure about the messiah, himself, and God it reveals his strongest trait: cynicism. I like how Peretti assigns a cynical behavior to Travis Jordan and backs it up with a story to show why he's that way. Many books and movies give characters traits with apparently no reason, maybe to avoid character development. But this behavior is unforced, it's how any human would turn out living the same life as he.
I would say at least 30% of this novel is Jordan, in the first person, recalling his life from the time he was in high school until present day. Yes there was a lot of unnecessary storytelling and yes, the novel could've been trimmed down to a more readable size, but it was all interesting. Some of it fascinating.
Jordan has been through it all, a banjo player in a bluegrass band, a youth pastor, a bible college student, a janitor at a mall, and an outsider. Many of these stories will have you laughing (the voice mail fiasco was great) and some just smiling. How he met his wife was completely original, and a sheer pleasure to watch develop.
Frank Peretti is not treading on unknown ground, he knows Pentecostal churches like the back of his hand. Being raised in one, I can identify with some of the emotions and feelings, and could swear that I've met some of these characters in real life. He doesn't write to explain what Pentecost is all about, he writes assuming we know how things go, how people act, and how God moves. I know all of this, and relating myself to the book was the easiest task reading it.
The novel is not totally without flaws. I was expecting a more spiritual confrontation in the end, but instead it worked more like a Hollywood action suspense thriller. It was still entertaining, but I didn't anticipate a David Koresh parallel. It's more like Waco in Washington seven years later than anything else.
And what was the deal with all these churches? Peretti never tells us the population of Antioch, but for a town with one bar, a newspaper that prints just twice a week, and 3 police officers (who, in the end, waited *way* too long to call the county sheriff), there sure are quite a few places of worship. You've got Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, and Episcopalian churches all right there. And in a town so small and religious, wouldn't there be quite a few debates over whose religion is right? But no, everyone lives as if they're all in it together. I've never seen a town in such harmony.
And the epilogue leaves something to be desired. There are a lot, let me repeat, a *lot* of characters in this book - new ones are being introduced almost to the end. I would recommend writing each character's name down on paper and taking brief notes on them. I didn't do this and couldn't keep them straight after a while. The epilogue does not tie up all the loose ends. We're left wondering about too many characters. Especially Armond Harrison of the Apostolic Brethren. He seemed like he was going to be a major playor in the story, but nothing came of him. Why set it up if you're not to going pay it off? And it's a little confusing to find out the exact reason Travis Jordan turned his church over to the younger pastor, which is part of the whole underlying story.
But these are minor faults, I guess. The book is about characters more than anything else, and they are aptly deveopled. Some of them probably overdeveloped. I hate to negatively criticize this book too much. It was wonderful reading, thouroughly entertaining, and pleasantly fascinating. I plan on reading "The Oath" next, and the aforementioned comments make me eager to do so.

I'm new to books on tape and this one was a great one to start. Great how Peretti kept the action going and the three plots moving and growing. I knew Peretti (as most have) from the past Christian-based novels but, let's give the guy a chance to do other stuff - this was great - and with the violence of attacks, I appreciated his descriptions as realistic and not gory.
I really like him doing the narration - a real plus to hear the author reading his own works.
Let's not expect everything Peretti does to be another This Present .. he can tackle other genres and grow if he wants. Excellent stuff here....

I'm a big fan of Peretti's novels. This story is about the return of the Messiah Jesus Christ, who was prophesied to come again and bring peace and joy to the world. In a small town miraculous healings and other supernatural wonders start happening, but is this really Jesus Christ or a false christ named "Brandon" bent on deceiving everybody? Is he of God or the Devil? The pastor Travis Jordan learns of this man's true identity and must battle this "visitor" as well as his own feelings of spiritual inadequacy and doubts, to expose him as the fake he is. This thrilling storyline will keep you reading to the end.

Frank Peretti's _Monster_ finds the Stephen King of Christian fiction exploring the eerie depths of the Pacific Northwest with a walk into Bigfoot's backyard. Unfortunately, _Monster_ has Bigfoot-sized shoes to fill, and its author only writes a size 8.

Gung-ho cop Reed Shelton and his stuttering, artistic wife Beck take a backpacking trip to help Beck move beyond the inner sanctum she's locked herself in. Never a social butterfly, Beck's further retreated from the world only a few years into their marriage.

When she's abducted by a pack of hulking monstrosities, Beck uses every ounce of her survival skills to stay alive. Reed and a large group of trackers, plus the couple they were supposed to camp with (a discredited college prof and his forensic scientist wife) help out. And yes, there's a happy ending.

Remember those size 8 feet in Bigfoot's shoes? Well, _Monster_ is burdened with misses that render it highly unsatisfying:

* Too many characters. Peretti has so many interchangeable, one-dimensional characters in this book that it's tough to follow the action. Readers will quickly lose track of who's who once the tracking parties form up. Complicating the issue, not everyone is who he or she seems--yes, characters use aliases. (Trust me, if you decide to read this, make a cheat sheet for the characters when Peretti introduces them.)

* Too long. The book consists of one set piece after another that follows this pattern: monsters move around, Beck learns one more new thing about them, trackers track, and something bad happens. Lather, rinse, repeat ad nauseum. Chop a hundred pages of that repetition and this novel might get better. But as it stands at 452 pages, the reader feels every repetitious dead-end, literally muddling along with the characters as they slog through the forest. Yawn.

* Sledgehammer moral. All the Peretti I've read over the years suffers from this problem. In this book, he pounds the reader over the head with an anti-evolution, anti-genetic-engineering message telegraphed so far in advance readers can sense it coming on the first page. When the final confrontation between good and evil hits, readers will just want to get it over with to escape the preachiness of it all.

* No payoff. Ever read a story that ends with a whimper and not a bang? _Monster_ could be the poster child for that disease. The real monster is not all that interesting. And if Beck losing a stutter and gaining a minor bit of self-revelation makes for a great read, then I suspect we all need to read a broader selection of novels!

Honestly, this book should garner one star. I'll give Peretti another one for trying to push the envelope in the Christian fiction market. Peretti's taken a chance with his readership by avoiding an explicitly Christian storyline or characters; this doesn't read like a Sunday morning in church. Whether that's a good or bad direction is left up to the reader.

But overall, a poor book from a decent writer.

As a Christian and a nonfiction writer on cryptozoology I am pleased to report that "Monster" has its pluses. The sasquatches are interesting, if occasionally a bit too human. Peretti has clearly done his research, and I thought the old Albert Ostman tale of sasquatch abduction peeked through a couple of times. (See John Napier's 1972 "Bigfoot," still the best work on this topic, for details.) The main humans are interesting as well, although too many secondary characters crowd the book. Some things remain murky. Exactly what is the mad scientist attempting to create in his ape experiments? Exactly what does Peretti think his sasquatches are? Since part of the book's point is rejecting evolution, it would have been interesting to hear his characters speculate on the origin of sasquatch and the place of this apelike creature with its near-human intelligence in the Christian view of the universe. Despite these questions and at least one subplot too many, Peretti has turned in a book that's above average for crypto-related fiction.

Matt Bille

I'm not sure why others are so critical of this book. I read it in two days because I just couldn't put it down. Most "cons" from other reviewers seem to be based on Peretti's writing style - just because you don't like his style doesn't mean it's not a good book. I loved his detailed descriptions - painting a picture of the beautiful landscape where this book takes place and the undocumented creatures that inhabit it.

Yes, there are a lot of characters, but wouldn't there be on a search and rescue mission? After a few chapters, I had no problem keeping them straight. And there are several twists in this book. At one point, I thought I had it figured out, but then another twist would come. In similar fashion to the main characters' attempt to solve the mystery - they would solve a portion, but something else would throw a twist at them.

I give 4 of 5 because I reserve 5s for the literary classics. There was one thing that did red flag me at one point. Why wouldn't a sheriff, hiking into bear territory, not have a gun, or maybe a cell phone? Most people that live around those parts and go hiking take a heavy duty handgun or rifle in case of a bear confrontation. And at that, a lot of sheriff's carry their weapon concealed when off-duty. But that was the only odd thing that bothered me. The book was great!

This book was not what I expected it to be, but it was BETTER than I expected! This is the first book by Frank Peretti that I've read, so I didn't know his writing style, and from the title and book cover I expected this to be a very dark, scary book (like along the lines of a religious Stephen King maybe?). But I was very surprised to find this book was not dark at all, and I enjoyed it very, very much! Told mostly in the first-person narative of the main character, a burned out small town minister, as he makes personal discoveries about himself while trying to learn more about the "antichrist" who has come to his town. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

What an exciting and fast paced novel. Many times I thought the end was near, and a new twist would present itself. Do you believe in Sasquatch? I figured out pretty quickly what the monster was but the who-done-it kept me guessing right up to the end. This book has a map at the end of every chapter to help you visualize where in the wilderness action is happening. I found that to be distracting after the first few chapters so I just ignored them.

A great comment I can make about this book is that you don't have to be a Christian (or even believe in Jesus) to enjoy the story. I picked up this book in the library without realizing that it was Christian fiction (not something I would normally be interested in reading). I was pleasantly surprised that the plot was good - the characters believable and I feel I got a good understanding of how the Christian clergy leads their ministry.
Because the ending was a bit weak (not as good as the other 9/10ths of the book), I gave this review 4 stars instead of 5. I was a bit sorry to see the story end - even at 500+ pages, it was never boring.

Michael Crichton writes gripping thrillers into which he weaves some interesting scientific ideas. If you read a book by Crichton, you might become a little bit smarter.

Peretti has written a gripping thriller into which he weaves a creationist polemic. If you read this novel, you might become a little bit dumber.

To be fair, the creationism is really a pretty minor part of the story. The thriller is pretty thrilling, and Peretti is great at making the "monsters" and the scenery feel real and alive. But he clearly doesn't understand the first thing about evolution, and his depiction of the evolutionary scientist in this book is a cardboard caricature straight out of a creationist's nightmare.

I just wish he had talked to some real scientists - then this might have been a terrific book.

Frank Peretti is the type of writer who gets better as he goes. Although I enjoyed his earlier works like "This Present Darkness" and "The Prophet", "The Visitation" represents Peretti at his best. The premise is fascinating: A burned-out Pentecostal minister is forced to get back in the game when Jesus (or a clever facsimile thereof) comes to town and turns all of the small town's relationships upside down. As usual, the author successfully builds a creeping awareness of evil into the storyline and combines it with character deepening elements that the knowledgeable reader knows are highly autobiographical. If you only read one Peretti novel, make it this one.

I love Monster!! I am not into creepy books, but I love Frank Peretti's books. Monster will keep you guessing until the very last sentence. Even when you think you have it figured out...you don't! This book begs the question 'Who is the monster?' That is for you to decide. It is a fast paced book that makes for a fast read...I couldn't put it down. Read it and see if you can guess where it's going...

I'm a true fan of Christian fiction because of this author. I also enjoyed reading Prophet.
I loved the plot---filled with spiritual conflict and dramatic suspense. It's traditional "good vs. evil", mixed with a nice dose of "questionable faith and committment to God, the Church and man". I wouldn't characterize this story as "Christian horror" like other reviewers have. Likewise the comparison to Stephen King.
It think the novel asked more questions than it answered, which was good because it made me think. Why are some prayers answered and some not? Why does evil exist? Why are there many religions? And, the big question: Who's going to believe it when the Messiah returns?
Travis was a very believeable character. Readers could relate to someone who has questioned his faith after a major loss or dissappointment. (The flashbacks were crucial to his character development.) The character of Brandon was also very believeable---especially once the reader learned about his past. The contrast between the different Christian denominations was well illustrated. Why are there so many? What are the differences? Is one closer to God than the others?
I liked this novel better than all the Left Behind books. I highly recommend it!

While Peretti's Piercing the Darkness, This Present Darkness, and the Prophet (his best), were fantastical, The Visitation is impossible. There are too many threads left unwoven. It's too fantasical, too choppy, a little too unbelievable. At the same time, one can guess what is going to happen.
The circus trip through the town, the chaos that breaks forth, reminds one of a cheap (very) version of The Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis, and that reminder helps one remember the difference between a great author, Lewis, and an author that needs to go back to school, Peretti.
The Visitation will keep you interested, somewhat, but does not compare to the far better and shorter book by Franklin Sanders, Heiland.
On the other hand, The Prophet, was believable and was down to earth in that it approached a very real problem, the slaughter of the unborn in America, and the battle that ensues around that topic.
Anyway, I was quite disappointed in this book and think Peretti may need spend more time on how to structure a book before cranking out another.

Well, here it is, the first Peretti novel I've read since the "This Present Darkness" series. I haven't read those in 5 or 6 years, but I was still very familiar with his writing when I picked up this book. I smiled as I started reading the first few chapters of the book. I recognized the setup, I had seen it before. It bolted into two quick, stunning miracles and the whole town is informed by the tenth page. So how can other reviewers here say that the book is slow to start? I don't understand.
I *loved* the main character in this book. Travis Jordan is definitely my most likable Peretti character, and may rank at the top of my favorite fictional characters in general. He is 45 years old in the novel. He has the wisdom of a 65 year-old and the outlook on life of a 25 year-old. He's uncertain about this "messiah" that's come to town, and being unsure about the messiah, himself, and God it reveals his strongest trait: cynicism. I like how Peretti assigns a cynical behavior to Travis Jordan and backs it up with a story to show why he's that way. Many books and movies give characters traits with apparently no reason, maybe to avoid character development. But this behavior is unforced, it's how any human would turn out living the same life as he.
I would say at least 30% of this novel is Jordan, in the first person, recalling his life from the time he was in high school until present day. Yes there was a lot of unnecessary storytelling and yes, the novel could've been trimmed down to a more readable size, but it was all interesting. Some of it fascinating.
Jordan has been through it all, a banjo player in a bluegrass band, a youth pastor, a bible college student, a janitor at a mall, and an outsider. Many of these stories will have you laughing (the voice mail fiasco was great) and some just smiling. How he met his wife was completely original, and a sheer pleasure to watch develop.
Frank Peretti is not treading on unknown ground, he knows Pentecostal churches like the back of his hand. Being raised in one, I can identify with some of the emotions and feelings, and could swear that I've met some of these characters in real life. He doesn't write to explain what Pentecost is all about, he writes assuming we know how things go, how people act, and how God moves. I know all of this, and relating myself to the book was the easiest task reading it.
The novel is not totally without flaws. I was expecting a more spiritual confrontation in the end, but instead it worked more like a Hollywood action suspense thriller. It was still entertaining, but I didn't anticipate a David Koresh parallel. It's more like Waco in Washington seven years later than anything else.
And what was the deal with all these churches? Peretti never tells us the population of Antioch, but for a town with one bar, a newspaper that prints just twice a week, and 3 police officers (who, in the end, waited *way* too long to call the county sheriff), there sure are quite a few places of worship. You've got Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, and Episcopalian churches all right there. And in a town so small and religious, wouldn't there be quite a few debates over whose religion is right? But no, everyone lives as if they're all in it together. I've never seen a town in such harmony.
And the epilogue leaves something to be desired. There are a lot, let me repeat, a *lot* of characters in this book - new ones are being introduced almost to the end. I would recommend writing each character's name down on paper and taking brief notes on them. I didn't do this and couldn't keep them straight after a while. The epilogue does not tie up all the loose ends. We're left wondering about too many characters. Especially Armond Harrison of the Apostolic Brethren. He seemed like he was going to be a major playor in the story, but nothing came of him. Why set it up if you're not to going pay it off? And it's a little confusing to find out the exact reason Travis Jordan turned his church over to the younger pastor, which is part of the whole underlying story.
But these are minor faults, I guess. The book is about characters more than anything else, and they are aptly deveopled. Some of them probably overdeveloped. I hate to negatively criticize this book too much. It was wonderful reading, thouroughly entertaining, and pleasantly fascinating. I plan on reading "The Oath" next, and the aforementioned comments make me eager to do so.

I'm new to books on tape and this one was a great one to start. Great how Peretti kept the action going and the three plots moving and growing. I knew Peretti (as most have) from the past Christian-based novels but, let's give the guy a chance to do other stuff - this was great - and with the violence of attacks, I appreciated his descriptions as realistic and not gory.
I really like him doing the narration - a real plus to hear the author reading his own works.
Let's not expect everything Peretti does to be another This Present .. he can tackle other genres and grow if he wants. Excellent stuff here....

I'm a big fan of Peretti's novels. This story is about the return of the Messiah Jesus Christ, who was prophesied to come again and bring peace and joy to the world. In a small town miraculous healings and other supernatural wonders start happening, but is this really Jesus Christ or a false christ named "Brandon" bent on deceiving everybody? Is he of God or the Devil? The pastor Travis Jordan learns of this man's true identity and must battle this "visitor" as well as his own feelings of spiritual inadequacy and doubts, to expose him as the fake he is. This thrilling storyline will keep you reading to the end.

Frank Peretti's _Monster_ finds the Stephen King of Christian fiction exploring the eerie depths of the Pacific Northwest with a walk into Bigfoot's backyard. Unfortunately, _Monster_ has Bigfoot-sized shoes to fill, and its author only writes a size 8.

Gung-ho cop Reed Shelton and his stuttering, artistic wife Beck take a backpacking trip to help Beck move beyond the inner sanctum she's locked herself in. Never a social butterfly, Beck's further retreated from the world only a few years into their marriage.

When she's abducted by a pack of hulking monstrosities, Beck uses every ounce of her survival skills to stay alive. Reed and a large group of trackers, plus the couple they were supposed to camp with (a discredited college prof and his forensic scientist wife) help out. And yes, there's a happy ending.

Remember those size 8 feet in Bigfoot's shoes? Well, _Monster_ is burdened with misses that render it highly unsatisfying:

* Too many characters. Peretti has so many interchangeable, one-dimensional characters in this book that it's tough to follow the action. Readers will quickly lose track of who's who once the tracking parties form up. Complicating the issue, not everyone is who he or she seems--yes, characters use aliases. (Trust me, if you decide to read this, make a cheat sheet for the characters when Peretti introduces them.)

* Too long. The book consists of one set piece after another that follows this pattern: monsters move around, Beck learns one more new thing about them, trackers track, and something bad happens. Lather, rinse, repeat ad nauseum. Chop a hundred pages of that repetition and this novel might get better. But as it stands at 452 pages, the reader feels every repetitious dead-end, literally muddling along with the characters as they slog through the forest. Yawn.

* Sledgehammer moral. All the Peretti I've read over the years suffers from this problem. In this book, he pounds the reader over the head with an anti-evolution, anti-genetic-engineering message telegraphed so far in advance readers can sense it coming on the first page. When the final confrontation between good and evil hits, readers will just want to get it over with to escape the preachiness of it all.

* No payoff. Ever read a story that ends with a whimper and not a bang? _Monster_ could be the poster child for that disease. The real monster is not all that interesting. And if Beck losing a stutter and gaining a minor bit of self-revelation makes for a great read, then I suspect we all need to read a broader selection of novels!

Honestly, this book should garner one star. I'll give Peretti another one for trying to push the envelope in the Christian fiction market. Peretti's taken a chance with his readership by avoiding an explicitly Christian storyline or characters; this doesn't read like a Sunday morning in church. Whether that's a good or bad direction is left up to the reader.

But overall, a poor book from a decent writer.

I will admit that this one immediately had me thinking, 'What is this stuff?' but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did. While it does hit evolutionary theory fairly hard, it never quite takes center stage. Peretti does a good job of keeping the plot moving, and throws in enough twists in the end to keep it interesting. I really found it to be much better than I initially thought it would be. A side note, many friends saw what I was reading and many, many of them had read it before and everyone liked it even better than I did. This is a book with a wide audience.

Frank Peretti has written quite a few very popular novels, and truly pioneered the spiritual warfare genre. His novels "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness" dealt with the conflicts between angels and demons, from the perspecive of said other-worldly hosts. His other more illustritive novels, "The Visitation" and "The Oath" dealt with the same premise of good vs. evil, but from the perspective of humans, and we see Peretti at his best: in shades of grey.

His newest novel "monster" was 6 years in the making, a long time to wait for a new novel. I had high hopes for monster, and was somewhat let down. Don't get me wrong, it is a very good book, but with 6 years behind it you would think it would be a bit farther along.

This book does have action, suspense and a fair share of plot twists, and great lovecraftian suspense. What it does not have is one of the things that really counts: good desrcription. This may sound strange, considering the excrutiating detail it uses, but this makes it tedious at times, and this detail truly slows the book down. The action kicks up fast, but then slows, then runs wild, then slows, the comes a great conclusion, but one last plot twist actually confuses you more than it solves anything. The book also suffers from far too many side characters, none of whom are develeped enough to feel for them. In fact some important characters aren't even described, which hurts the plot in a terrible way.

All in all though, the book is a nice read, but definatly not Peretti's best. Action and good lessons keep it good, but a few big flaws mar it in many ways.

I was extremely satisfied with the visitation. Peretti did a wonderful job writing this book. He sculpted a fabulous plot and set of well developed characters. I loved the way he covered how we as Christians can get so caught up with rules and how things look to not loving and ministering to one another and getting caught up with how many people attend our church. This seems to be a common theme in many churches today causing us to forget what we are truly there for. Peretti certainly made me think about this and examine my own thoughts and actions. This is definitely a must read!!!

Frank Peretti has written some really remarkable books, including "This Present Darkness", and his writing style is always enjoyable to read. That said, this book is not as deep nor profound as some of his other works, but because it is a book that is fun to read and hard to put down, I recommend it as the kind of light reading we like to enjoy in the summer months at the beach.

The book starts with a couple out for a long trek in the wilderness, with the husband pushing his shy wife, who has a stuttering problem, out to strengthen and test her. The book never really explains how this wilderness trek is supposed to do this, but it's a believable premise anyway. The two are attacked by creatures in the forest they think are bears, or perhaps "Bigfoot"?

Now, when the book starts out by creating a situation about "Bigfoot" I was very unsure of where it would go. Typical for Peretti though, all is not what it seems. The wife, "Beck", is captured by these creatures and the rest of the book centers on her rescue, as well as some discoveries of how these creatures came to be.

The writing is good, not great, but as I mentioned it flows along and the story unfolds in a way that keeps you engaged. There are some bigger issues tackled here, but not to the extent of his other work. In fact, for those who may read the book for its "Christian" content, there just isn't much there.

Overall, a good effort and a fun light read, although not up to his best work.

I love the book very much and have read it at least three times now since I first bought it. It's about three characters (though only 2 of them are main characters) trusting in God to get them through what must be the most dangerous time in their lives. The wife, struggling to survive in the midst of wild creatures who could kill her in a heart beat and the husband who must look past how completely hopeless the situation seems, and trust God for whatever fate has befallen his wife. I'm not an outdoors person but Peretti is good at describing the areas traveled and the suspenseful moments when Rebecca seems just inches from rescue. And the story goes a lot deeper than that. Conspiracy type stuff. But I don't want to spoil.

I found this to be an outstanding and captivating first venture into the works of Mr. Peretti. Holds one's interest in the caliber of such authors as Dean Koontz and Stephen King. Not a boring chapter in the book as some have claimed. An exciting tale of fear and mayhelm with the kidnapping of the heroine Beck, by a family of Bigfoots, and the relentless search by her husband Reed to find her. Exposes "scientific" cover-ups, and the lengths some Evolutionists will go to defend their theories. I was first drawn to this novel, after reading comments about it on a Bigfoot website, which aroused my curiosity since I had written a screenplay dealing with similiar subject matter; Bigfoot and the whole Creation versus Evolution debate. Amazing how closely the ideas of writers can paralell one another. On file with the Writers Guild of America since 2002, I should be in no danger of accusations of plagarism, since Mr. Peretti's work wasn't published until 2005.

No one would want to end up like "Adam" Burkhardt, yet as Frank Peretti shows us, that's where we're all headed if we try to ignore God. God's wisdom is evident all around us in His creation, both human and animal. Our survival is not dependent on knowledge we would sell our souls to buy from the world, but the knowledge God will freely give us if we ask Him. Just like Beck and Reed had to learn the rules of the wilderness, we have to learn the rules of the spiritual world we live in, and patiently wait for God to deliver us from the Monster of sin. God will be able to use other people in our lives to bring about our devliverance, but we have to keep the faith, even when it seems like there's no hope.
Once again, Mr. Peretti illustrates spiritual truth and unmasks spiritual deception without sounding religious, in a book that draws you in and holds you like a Sasquatch mom. This book will challenge the thinking of many about the utopian promises of Darwinian science and may bring some back to the true science of "self-correction".

Frank Peretti is an absolute sensational author with all of his books and this one is no different.

At 451 pages, this book might seem overwhelming; however, this books captures you from the beginning and holds your attention through the whole book.

camping, killings, wailing, pursuits, captured, gps, governments....

all leads you through a path that is both gripping and captivating

I loved this book for many reasons but mostly because I've never read a Christian horror book before. Although it wasn't really horror...more just as thriller. But it was very inspiring and very intense. It had a good balance of deep and serious parts, violence, scary parts and a little too cheezy. But after finishing it, I couldn't help but think how blessed I am that none of that happened to me. And also how much of a wimp I am, comparing myself mostly to Beck but also to the rest of the characters.

This book was really inspiring to me in my life right now, seeing everyone have such strength through horrible times. Its also convicting because I know I don't always call out for Gods help when I need it, and they almost did every time and they were going through much harder times that I am. Yes we all know that these people didn't actually exist...or did they? And even when they did cry out to God, He didn't answer it right away. But like always, it worked out in the end.

If you get scared easily, like I do, I advise not to read this at night while in a dark room with a dim lamp so all you can see is the book. This book does get pretty intense in the beginning and the last couple chapters. Also, be ready for out of the blue violence. Such as getting shot in the head, getting stabbed in the upper thigh and necks being almost twisted off. But being a guy, I thought it was great.

I loved everything but the fact that Beck names the animals. That threw me off, but it was the only way to know who know who was doing what so I really have no complaints! I highly suggest to read this book. I hope you have as much as a good time reading it as I did.

Peretti's work is fun, imaginative ... Do I believe these monsters exist?.. NO ... but I like to walk in make-believe as the story unfolds... It is a bit long tale, but hard to put down ... I read because I CAN pretend and go-with-the-flow, without analyzing, as a few reviewers did... It's a BOOK people! ... Fiction doesn't HAVE to be believable! ... Allow it to be fun... Enjoy it ... A book is cheap entertainment that keeps you home safe physically, but where the mind can wander into a creepy camp site and "watch" the terror... hehehe

As an avid Peretti fan, I thoroughly believe that this is his best work of adult fiction since This Present Darkness. That being said, the book does what Peretti intends it to do: bring up questions, which are, in this case, about evolutionary theory and its inherent problems. In a world where evolutionary theory is treated as fact by many, the book has some valid points that are worth considering. Therefore, it is not surprising that those people who cling to evolution by faith, without any real self-evaluation, wouldn't like this book.

As far as the story goes, it is interesting enough to hold you attention througout, and makes for some good light suspense. This book is not a difficult read, although I would hasten to say that it is not "sophomoric" either as one reviewer labeled it. This is not Tom Clancy. Without wishing to spoil much of the plot, the most interesting thing to me were the interactions between Beck and the Sasquatches, particularly the growing affection between them.

As a final note, the passages regarding some of the genetic criticims of evolutionary theory are fairly short, so if you don't care to think too deeply about the issue, you don't have to. On the other hand, these passages bring up valid points that are often brushed aside by evolutionists. All in all, this was pretty good book.

Now, I can't wait for a sequel to the Darkness books that Peretti has recently hinted at.

This being the fourth book by Frank Peretti that I have read (considering that I thought the last one I could have left unread), I was genuinely surprised by the depth of emotion that was displayed in the work. With this book, I think Mr. Peretti has managed to do something that many writers fail to do -- touch people's souls.
"The Visitation" was an incredible look into the lives of several people who were used, abused, confused and bruised by a "form of religion." The characters were real, in the sense that I felt connected with their struggles. I especially felt like I knew Morgan -- a woman who preached. but never really said anything.
"The Visitation" used all the emotions that make us human, but it didn't take the reader's intelligence for granted. This book made me laugh and cry, but most of all, it made me think and grow because it challenged me to re-examine my views about certain issues. I think Mr. Peretti was trying to make the point, "No matter what is goind wrong in your life, Jesus will help you make it alright." This book is well-worth the read!!!!!

This is another of Peretti's books that was almost impossible to put down until completed.
It's the story of a down-and-out pastor who is placed in the position of standing against some strange happenings that come town. Some say they're miracles from God, but he believes otherwise. As the story progresses, the true nature of these "miracles" is manifested.
This book, while fiction, does much to expose the foolishness and wickedness that permeate our "churches" today. As in "The Visitiation," much that is called Godliness is in fact from Satan.

This book was an excellent Peretti effort. He brings out the evil of Satan's demons as well as ever, but this time there is a bit more of a human face to the evil. The supernatural is toned down somewhat in this book, and it is offset by a bit more exploration of the need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The plot moves crisply when dealing in the present time, but some of the treks into the past drag a bit. I liked this book immensely, probably more than any other Peretti title I've read.

I have read Most of Peretti's books. Altough none have pictures/drawing in them, they dont need them. The reader becomes part of the story on account of how vivid Peretti pieces are. With that said this in my oppinion is by far his best. It literally moved me to tears, the resolve, giving up and starting again, the great patience and unbelief...(to say the least, I dont want to give it away) This is a master piece from beginning to end. An edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting, can't-put-this-book-down read. Enjoy!!!

Peretti has crafted a wild story in Monster.

Adrenaline ramped up and grabbed me by the throat, then took me crashing through tight prose and powerful writing, chapter by terse chapter.

Monster offers excellent proof of Peretti's growth as a writer.

The story serves up surprises, enough horror, gore and intensity that I struggled with setting it down and taking the time to sleep, and when my tired eyes gave out, my mind wondered if I should be sleeping without the lights on.

Not only is the story intense, it contains enough what-if possibility that I found my toes curling.

Entertaining read.

i picked this book up and put it back on the shelf at least three times before i finally decided to check it out from the library. And i couldn't put it down after that! it's an amazingly fast read for being so thick. Very interesting subject and the pacing was beautiful. i'm a big fan of Stephen King and Dean Koontz, and i must say Mr. Peretti fell into step with these giants of literature. Only afterwards did i discover that Mr. Peretti is a Christian author. There wasn't an overly expressed religious tone to the novel at all. And i must say that this book is an exeception to the 'judge a book by its cover' rule. The cover is what made me pick it up in the first place. Very unique.

I've just started listening to the audio version of this book. But I have to say - the author should NEVER EVER EVER EVER read another book. His voice is distracting. He sounds bizarre and almost like a cartoon character voice. I have started and stopped this book 3 times now because I honestly can not stand to hear his voice. Thankfully, I have the abridged version, so when I finally do finish it, it won't be too long. But really - with a voice that awful, how could he have thought to read the book?!?!

When I first read this book's title, I was intrigued by the front cover. Since I know Frank Peretti to be a good author, I bought the book without reservations. I wasn't too sure how events would unfold when I started reading, but after "Jesus" disappeared and "answered" Sally's prayer, I was hooked. It is a great book. It speaks so true to what pastors are going through in their churches. It also speaks to what people believe in when Jesus said just have faith (not a wooden image of Him or cloud images to believe in). I loved the way it "attacked" cults and how easily people are misled. All I can say is "thank you Mr. Peretti for another great book."

The religious world is wrapped in outward signs of miracles and signs. It seems as if it's not 'good' enough to just give your life to the Lord, if you don't embrace the trends. Like hysterical laughing, visions, speaking in tongues etc. God of course does do those same things today, but if He doesn't for YOU that's ok. In this book, the Visitor feasts on others vulnerability in wanting to appear 'religious'...it will no doubt offend some...but it's clearly truth. And truth in our world isn't always comfortable.

Readers have come to expect so much from Peretti, that any small flaw in plot line or character development inevitably is magnified into a major defect. If you are one such critic, then approach "Monster" with your tweezers and magnifying glass -- you'll need them to pick nits. Sure, the army of supporting characters was too large and underdeveloped and there was a time or two when Coleridge himself may have been unwilling to suspend his disbelief and, yeah, maybe the Deus Ex Machina moment with the GPS was pushing it a little, but, doggone it, this was an entertaining read that moved as fast as a Sasquatch through a clearing. Frank Peretti's eye for detail delivered in crisp, clean prose overcomes the imperfections. The only criticism I would level at Peretti is that it's been too long between books. Write more, Frank.

I have read most/all of Peretti's books and agree that this is one of the best. What I thought set it apart from earlier books was the more subtle way that the unseen forces of good and evil were at work. The story itself is very interesting and could easily be front page news. What really hooked me into the story was trying to determine if 'Jesus' was 'Jesus'. The story was written so well that I felt very much drawn into it, wondering what MY reactions to the events would have been. On another level, I too found that questions about my beliefs were brought to the fore and I was confronted with them. Reading this book was a very spiritual experience for me.

Evolutionists and Creationists face off in this suspenseful and much anticipated novel. Once again, Peretti takes his readers on a roller coaster ride with unexpected twists. Just when you think it's safe to unhook your safety belt, you discover the ride isn't over. Sadly, the story line could have been taken from today's headlines...deception, murder, mistrust, and finally truth winning in the end. Peretti is less "Christ-focused" in this novel than he has been in the past. His frequent supernatural twists are left out. He offers no Gospel-sharing here, either. I didn't get the usual creepy goose-bumps while reading "Monster," but was still left on the edge of my seat. This is another must read for Peretti fans.

Its been years since I read "Monster" but I remember when I read it I felt it was well written, a good story and had a good amount of suspense in it. If you are, like me, not a religious person, you'll have to get by that part of the book. But I liked it and felt it was a relatively easy read.

While other have said that this isn't Peretti's best, I tend to agree. This Present Darkness was just a revelation, just because it was so fresh and unexpected.

So, quibbles about Monster's plot - and the foray into the evolution issue - aside, let me just say that Peretti has a knack for tweaking the language through descriptions and visual imagery to invoke the maximum level of emotional response. Seldom have woods come across so menacing, and he does a crackerjack job of communicating each noise and odor.

Peretti fills his canvas full of characters, and that seems to be more of an asset than a liability. It lends weight and sobriety to a story that could've easily been laughable.

A fine job.

I have been an avid reader of Frank Peretti's books for a long time, and I anxiously awaited the arrival of his latest work, The Visitation. The book was well worth the wait. Peretti combines several spectacular storylines into one bangup book. The Visitation combines both earthly and spiritual struggles into a powerful, moving tale of two men whose lives were so similar, but yet so vastly different. In Travis Jordan's hometown of Antioch, Washington, nothing interesting ever happens-until the day an unassuming farmhand named Brandon Nichols comes to town. Pretty soon, Nichols is working miracles throughout the town and setting himself up as the Messiah-Jesus come back to earth. Most in Antioch never doubt. Here is a humble man restoring sight to the blind, producing bread seemingly from heaven, making the lame able to walk again, healing the sick, comforting... and yet Jordan and pastor Kyle Sherman find something not quite right about him. Jesus claimed to be "the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6), so how come this "new" Jesus claims the people can call him whatever they want and think of him however they please? As Jordan gets more drawn into the life of this false Messiah, Nichols begins to taunt him with phone calls. "You're just like me." Peretti explores Jordan's life before Nichols came to town in detail. The contrast between the self-examination of Jordan juxtaposed with the miracle-working and taunting of Nichols makes for wonderful reading. As readers get deeper into the lives of both Jordan and Nichols, they find themselves identifying with both men and their spiritual struggles. Peretti weaves and engaging story with spellbinding impact as he relates the tale of two men searching for spiritual meaning in the world. From the attention-grabbing introduction to the tense conclusion, The Visitation is nothing short of an outstanding novel.

The story is great. It's sold in the Christian category, but there is very little religion in this book. It's mostly a story about some monsters and a search and rescue. I expected a little more sci-fi out of it, but it was worth the read.

I picked up this book because the author was recommended. Maybe I should have read a differnt book by Mr. Peretti. The begining of the book was interesting and built up a good amount of suspense and mystery. As it went on it became just plain silly. Nothing really scary and the suspense was quickly gone, so it was easy to loose interest. I forced myself to finish it in hopes it would get better, but it got worse. It probably would have made an excellent short story, but the book dragged on alot. I will try one of his other books before giving up. Maybe the next one won't disappoint.

First off, I am a big Peretti fan, unfortunately Monster was not his best effort. At times we had an occasional glimpse of the great Peretti writing we love but for the most part the story line was just barely ok. I would have quit the book had it been anybody but Peretti, I kept thinking it's got to get better. This is the first time in a Peretti novel that I was able to guess the outcome about half way through the book and get it right!

After reading "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness", both of which broke new ground, for me at least, I was dissappointed by "Prophet" and even more by "The Oath." "The Visitation" brought back some of what I enjoyed so much about my earlier experience with Peretti with its honest look at what it sometimes means to be a Christian in this world. The main character, Travis, experiences a lot of what I experience, ups and downs, success and defeat, and he doesn't usually know why -- but he trusts God even in his cynicism brought about by his experiences. I found the flashback sequences, which provide the backstory, very significant in that Peretti is almost always dead on in relating them to the present story. Travis' wisdom, and cynicism, are shown to be born of a youthful immaturity and naïveté and it was refreshing to see the protaganist of a Christian fiction novel developed out of a pointedly imperfect and human soul like myself. He failed, often foolishly, and then grew up a little afterwards. With this book Peretti brings me back to a "real" feeling story and even without the supernatural elements carrying such a prominent role as in many of his other novels, the story is compelling and absorbing. Perhaps even more so because of it.

I was a Literature major in college, and to be truthful I have always found most Christian fiction "lacking." However, Frank Peretti achieves the delicate balance between pleasing a modern reader and still writing a novel with Christian tenets intact. There are many American cultural signposts along the way which made me laugh aloud at several points in the book, while at the same time being frightened in other areas. Read this, you won't be disappointed.

Frank Peretti is truly a great author.
"The Visitation" explores the many doubts and questions of a burned out minister named Travis Jordan. When a charming self-proclaimed Messiah appears in the small town of Antioch, Washington, Jordan is the one called on to get to the bottom of his seemingly miraculous visitor.

The novel takes a some time in becoming a good suspense novel. There are many flashbacks, and many pages of religious theory discussions. When the suspense arrives, you may feel you have had to wait too long.

The Second Half of the book picks up steam as we discover more about the so called Messiah and the people of Antioch. (This part of the book is very hard to put down)

Perretti has sketched the townspeople and how these miracles affect their lives.

overall this is a good book. It will challenge the reader to re-think Jesus, faith, their church, and ultimately, their lives.

One of the best books I have ever read! Hate to say goodbye to it now that I finished it. Was unsure at first but was hooked from page one. Was on the edge of my seat so many times! Loved the twists and turns, the characters, the emotions Frank brought to all who played a part. Loved everything about it. Usually I read nice, quiet Amish books but this one caught my eye. Felt like I was there looking on through the whole story. As a homeschooling mom of 6, it was great to etch out some spare time during the day to enter this awesome story and get to be apart of it. Great job Frank!

I am a Frank Peretti fan. I loved both Darkness books, the Oath, and the Visitation. (Never read his teen books). But I didn't particularly care for Prophet, and I didn't really like Monster either - for similar reasons. Both had plots that were too easy to figure out, and poor characterization. Monster actually starts out pretty suspenseful. However, by the middle of the book, when Cap starts meeting with his former university colleagues, the direction of the plot became easy to foresee and the suspense died.

The other big problem was poor characterization. First, way too many members of the search and rescue teams were introduced, and it was hard to keep them straight. (There turned out to be a reason for all these characters, but it didn't make the reading easier to follow). Second, almost none of the central characters was developed enough to really care about them, Beck being the sole exception. Ironically, the non-human characters were better developed, and therefore, more interesting.

Frank Peretti is truly a gifted author but "The Visitation" pales in comparison to his earlier works. The book opens countless doors enticing readers with alluring theological debates but in the end answers few questions and fails to spark that religious fervor common in his other works. Peretti's distinctly conservative theology appears to be weakening as "The Visitation" took many shots at traditionalists christians with ridiculous and farcical worship practices, and his penchant for anti-catholocism could not have been stronger as Peretti in his strongest performance yet calls for the repeal of Christ's own words "Let them be one". His animosity for the church and adherence to a splintered, incoherent invisible community is a testament to how far down the slippery slope protestantism has come. In summation "the visitation" was a frankenstein, with bits and pieces of dead and rotting material sewn back together and lumped into one. It showed life at times but in the end no character bonds to the reader and so many arguments are left incomplete and people left unexplained.

I first read this book when I was in my late teens. Now, myself a published author, I've found that I return to read this story again and again. If you're intrigued by "This Present Darkness" and the subsequent books that share the supernatural/spiritual warfare themes ("Piercing the Darkness," "The Prophet," "The Oath"), then this may not be your favorite Peretti read, but that's possibly why it's one of my favorites. I am a fan of Frank's early writing, "This Present Darkness" was an absolute inspiration for my first book, "Lucky 13," but this abandons the themes that earned Peretti renown and took a chance delving into unknown territory. And maybe it's that risk that keeps bringing me back for more? Lucky 13 (Volume 1)

Honestly, though I'm a believer, I've never been a big fan of Christian fiction. Most of what I've read simply isn't up to the quality of writers in other genres. In fact, I hate to say it but this extends to Peretti as well. He tells some good tales and can put words together well, but his writing isn't the cream of the crop. Except for this book.

"The Visitation" is one of THE best books I've ever read, Christian fiction or not. It is deeply personal and engaging, and is the first Christian book that I read that deals with the life of a believer credibly without sounding forced or archtypical. These characters are real with real struggles, and they respond in realistic ways. I can easliy see myself in aspects of the story. And one of the most important messages of Christian faith is presented beatifully at the end when two broken individuals, one with faith and one without, are contrasted by their actions.

Excellent story, well written, credible, and uplifiting.

I call this one "Frank Peretti Lite." It was very entertaining but not a deep as his previous books. Instead of focusing on sin and spiritual warfare, this one had a creationist angle. I really enjoyed it, just not the same as his other books. Also, you have to remember that this is fiction. Of course the scenario is highly unlikely if not impossible. But the central point about mutations comes through. Great summer read.

I hadn't read Peretti in a very long time (since the Darkness books back in the late 80's). However, from the cover description, it seemed that Monster looked like good read.

And it wasn't bad.

But I must admit that I agree with most of the critiques already published. Their points are accurate and so I won't rehash them.

However, I want to bring up some technical issues I have with this book. For one, Peretti doesn't stick with one point of view within a scene. Any Writing 101 class will tell you that this is a no-no. It causes confusion and takes the reader's attention off of the story and places it instead on trying to sort out what the author is doing.

Also, Peretti should fire his editor and proof-readers. There were several errors that were simply glaring (i.e. calling one of the characters by the wrong name when he is first introduced).

Finally, it appears that Peretti forgot to include us in on the fact that most of these characters knew each other. The book starts out as two couples travel up into the mountains to get away from it all. When in reality, they are still in their own backyard. Not only was this not developed well, it simply wasn't developed.

If this had been a rookie attempt at a novel, I would have said, "descent job, keep working at it. You get a B." But this was Frank Peretti, for Pete's sake. He should have known better and he should have put more effort into the work. So he gets a C.

Hmm... let's see--when you think of Frank Peretti, you think of a writer who seems to engage you--keep you yearning for every page. If that's what you think about Peretti or what you like, you will not be disappointed in this book. Peretti writes portions of this book (I'd say the majority) in the first-person ("I did this", "I thought that"). Of course, there is some third-person narrative in the book also. It takes some getting used to the style, but in the end it engages you, placing you in Travis Jordan's mind. The book slows down in some places while it fills in the holes which make the story make sense, but overall the book keeps surprises coming around every corner. Compared to Peretti's other novels of note, (This Present Darkness, Piercing The Darkness, Tilly, The Oath) this book in my opinion shines brightest (maybe because I just read it!). The book also makes you think about yourself and how you view your relationship with God and others. It may even stir up some of your own memories as Travis Jordan talks about his. I think any Christian in any church can empathize with some of the stories presented here. The overall plot of the book--the visitation of the "messiah" Justin Cantwell/Brandon Nichols: from his meek entry into the town, his "healings", his "ministry" and his eventual demise, you are not disappointed with the plot and its masterful portrayal of the "messiah's" loss of identity and mind, and of Travis Jordan's finding his. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT NOT READING THIS BOOK!

i am a long-time fan of frank peretti, and this book DID NOT fulfill my hopes or expectations.

thankfully, i checked this book out of the library. it took me so long to trudge through it that i ended up with a late fee, and i still feel cheated. i kept hoping it would get better.

typically, frank peretti creates intriguing, three dimensional characters. in this book, i didn't get to know the characters well enough to care what happened to them. the plot is chaotic and, in spite of some unbelievable action, pretty boring.

lastly, there isn't a lot of faith in this book, other than hating on evolution.

peretti is one of the only christian fiction writers i really enjoy. he sort of sets the standard for the genre. and in this book, the effort fell flat. overall,this is an uninspiring read.

Perhpas I should not venure too far from my cops and heroes books, but "The Visitation" seemed a challenge. I did not take me too long to guess the eventual outcome. I was glad to see that this author did not attempt to stage religious wars, or make this a theological treatise. Travis Jordan is an enjoyable character, but 519 pages could easily have been condensed to about 300, and which would have necessarily tightened the plot.

I am a huge Peretti fan. I adore This Present and Piercing, and Prophet is one of my favorite books of all time. No, this book is not like any of those books. He already wrote those books. This is a new book. Why do people insist on giving negative reviews on an author's new book because it wasn't like his old one? And if he had written something more like This Present, surely he would have received criticism for writing a book so similar. I've seen reviews knocking it for being too spiritual and not spiritual enough. Seems you can't please everyone. Negative reviews aside however, I loved this book. It was fun, fast-paced, and beautifully written as all Frank Peretti's books are. Fantastic summer read, without all of the sex and swearing that I dislike. I highly recommend it

Beck is abducted by a family of Sasquach (bigfoots)and must use her wits in order to survive her captors. Her husband, Reed, and others search the forest unaware that there is also a DNA altered champanzee loose killing hunters. There is a cover up to hide the truth of what is going on. Beck learns self-reliance through her ordeal. There is a message here though not overpowering examining creationism and darwinism. Peretti took 6 years in reseaching his topic and does a great job of converting his facts into a fine piece of horror.

I overall enjoyed reading this book. (Especially the ending) But I do think the story could have been shortened a bit. Sometimes I just didn't feel like reading it anymore. Then I would hit a really good part and want to keep reading it! Then I would hit a boring part, etc. But the beginning was good and the ending was good. If you are a big Frank Peretti fan, I recommend it. (even though its not his greatest)

I was excited that Peretti had finally come out with another fiction book but was quickly disappointed in this one. It's an ok story line, but I read Peretti's books specifially for the supernatural element and there is none in this book. It's certainly not one I'd read again or recommend. His other previous books like The Visitation, The Oath, This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness were much better!! Tilly is also a wonderful little fictional book, but on an entirely other subject, of abortion. I hope Peretti will give another book "a go", but in the style he is known for....the supernatural invisible world!

Frank Peretti in his other books I've read usually takes awhile to actually get into his story but this book didn't really take off until page 300 something which really angered me because the whole book was only 511 pages. So about 2/3s of it was pretty much useless information.
Throughout the book there is this prophet in Antioch Washington, proclaiming to be Jesus but he actually has a lot of demonic influence, but fools the town through healing and miracles. The book shows his corruption and shows parallels he has to the main character in the book, Travis.
Peretti shows a lot of Travis's past to show the parallels, but thats the useless information. I think in this instance Peretti included all the extra information to merely make his book longer.
Although the ending of this book was good, the last 100 pages of so, overall the book wasn't that great because the first 300 or so pages were so boring. Also the book was entirely religious, so hence is not recomended to non-christian/catholic people.

Christian thriller about MONSTERS! Another one of my favorites by F. Peretti! Reading this author is like watching a good movie! It's so easy to visualize every scene! And what a captivating page-turner this book is! Enough of mystery and suspense to keep me up half of a night!

Anyone who has been involved intimately in the ups and downs of a church congregation will be able to relate to this story. It will both entertain and enlighten you in a "been there-done that" fashion in regards to the fictional characters in the book. In the process you will be jarred awake to the possibility of false prophets and how gullible people can be. Especially people who are hurting and searching for a quick fix. Interwoven in the fiction the reader will learn about staying strong in the faith. These characters are very real. This was my first time to read a book by Frank Peretti but it will certainly not be my last. Enjoy!

I've read other books by Peretti, some I liked, some I loved (Present Darkness), some that were just so so (Oath). This one was fabulous. It's an enjoyable book to read, written in his "movie" style that has a modern appeal. You see things clearly in your head. Don't expect some overwhelming Christian message or anything like that, just expect a well written story that entertains and intrigues (and doesn't offend with unneccesary language.) It's a great book and I highly recommend it. Well done, Mr. Peretti!

Thought this was going to be a good suspense story and was sort of horrified to discover that it was "Christian fiction" in the jacket blurb...but it was actually an interesting and gripping story...the characters were not, other than the main ones, well delineated. But the relationship between Beck and the mutations was touching and well described. And, the so called "Creationist" theory wasn't harped upon. But doubt if I will read another from this author.

I enjoyed Frank Peritti's "The Visitation". And I was really interested in his discriptions of the pentecostal/charismatic circumstances of it's people and way of beliefs, practices and mindset. Travis was the real true hero here.

Describing the mindset and of this faith and it's practices, was a center piece of this book too.

The legalism, and hardshell fundementalist society that is shown here, along with the emotional antics and extremism, it's easy to see how a pastor, or even members of this faith could burn out, let alone develope mental problems.

I can't believe the first three centuries of Christianity, nor the early church founded by the Apostles and it's people and followers, and it's spread accross the known world at that time, functioned liked the description of the modern day pentecostal/charismatic churches of today.

It seems mental, emotional, and spiritual disorders of these people described in this book, is very much a part of this type of charismatic culture today.

Yes, I believe in the spiritual gifts and miracles of the early ancient Church that they possessed are true, but carried out with far more reverence, compassion and in a far better respectful way, than these baptised in the holy spirit, and speaking in tongues churches of today.

Just a simple viewiing of the antics shown by these T.V. evangelists, and there congregations, on christian television is quite obvious. Pastor Kyle in this book is also a good example of this.

It's quite obvious that Pastor Travis, the lady Methodist pastor, along with the Catholic Priest, have far more spiritual maturity in the story.

This book gives a very good insight into the charimatic/pentecostal society, and that's worth a great part of this heroic story of Travis and others, struggling against dark forces described in this tale.

This book deserves better notice by charismatic/pentecostal christians today. It might give them a better knowledge of themselves, that is badly needed.

I really like Frank peretti books, and I can usually read a book in about a day but one took a little longer. I read the book and I was able to reflect on some areas of my life. Very good book, I definitely recommend it. Some times we just have to see things through others experiences.

This was my first Peretti book, and my last. I picked it up while in the hurry at my local library, and saw the dark, foreboding jacket, on the back promising a tale of a terrifying monster that will stop at nothing to terrorize the Idaho hills.

OK, that covered the first 50-60 pages, which ARE very suspenseful...until Peretti makes the first of a series of mistakes: telling parts of the story in Beck's (who has been kidnapped by a strange beast) point-of-view. Within a few chapters, the beasts are de-mystified and whatever frightful image has been dancing in the reader's head is replaced by that of...a sasquatch. Yes, like "Harry and the Hendersons". Freaking BIGFOOT.

With any semblance of thriller/horror writing out of the way, the reader will cling to the story of the rescue attempt to keep them interested. However, even this becomes muddled as we are swept away constantly to scenes of Beck brushing sasquatch hair and subsequently being thrown on the beast's back and whisked away whenever it or one of its kind hears the slightest sound in the woods...seriously, how many times does Peretti say something akin to "Beck held on to the beast's neck tightly as they moved swiftly through the branches, leaping over logs", etc.?

The most annoying part of the story is the creation vs. evolution storyline, which at first is a minor inconvenience that interrupts the story every 10 or 15 pages...but soon takes over the entire book. The problem isn't that Peretti or his characters don't buy into evolution; the problem is that the entire issue is entirely oversimplified and abruptly thrown into the story out of nowhere as if the author was thinking, "I have a good story started, but I need some kind of moral here...ah, I've got it!" When the story devolves into some kind of "Island of Dr. Moreau" nonsense complete with mad scientists and evil corporations, it's already too late to save the book.

Lastly, the characters are simple at best and completely dull and unrealistic at worst. It's not the number of characters-any time there's a search party involved, you're going to run out of pages before you can "develop" all of them-it's the fact that the main characters are so bland and boring. Did anyone actually feel any closeness to these characters whatsoever? Even after 350+ pages? I find it laughable that some have said that the best part of the book is Beck's developments with the sasquatch family. Beck is a terrible character, from the first stutter to her 137th child-like "Why me, God? It's NOT FAIR!" internal monologue. Her life is on the line. She doesn't know if her husband is alive or dead. She doesn't know whether she will live through the day...and she thinks "It's just not fair!" like a whiny 11-year old who isn't allowed to go to the mall with her friends? Come on. To sum it up, I gave this book 2 stars only because I managed to get through the entire thing.

One last thing...I find it a little disturbing that Christian readers have the audacity to complain so much simply because they think that a book isn't "Christian enough". What's that all about? Consider the plight of the Christian author (or musician, for that matter): too evangelical for "mainstream" acceptance, but one slight misstep (50 pages without mentioning a Biblical quote, or *gasp!* a murder or two in your book) and the very audience that you strive to please is raking you over the coals.

Long awaited book from Frank Peretti. I have enjoyed many of his previous novels and looked forward to the supernatural aspect but was a bit disappointed.

A great read, though, in my opinion, not his best work.

Reviewed by: Keiki Hendrix
Reviewed for: The Vessel Project

The Visitation gets another thumbs up from me. The way that Peretti puts you in the pastor's shoes makes you be a part of the book too, almost like you've been there and done that. I am certainly not saying that I feel like a pastor now, because they work very hard to be what they are, but I do know the book has offered me new outlooks on how they feel. In reading Peretti's books I have noticed the one thing that makes the difficult to read, and that is you must have patience. I have talked to more than one person who started reading the book but quit because it didn't take off like they wanted it too. I promise that if you read through the places in the book that aren't so thrilling, they will give you insight when you get to the thrilling parts, and you won't put the book down until you're done. In my opinion, Peretti has written another great novel that has shown me a different insight on what God has given me. Thanks Mr. Peretti.....

This book is difficult for me to review. I can't give detailed reasons why this book fell short for me without giving away too much of the plot. I have heard many good things about this author and I wish I had started with another of his books first. I guess I can say that two monster story lines going at the same time were just too many, and it added to the lack of believability. Having said that, it is not a bad book and I will be looking forward to reading another of Mr. Pereti's books.

I sat at my computer waiting for the store.com to tell me this book had been released. I have read all of Peretti's books and was sure that this one would exceed my expectations. I was wrong. Although the book is interesting enough, it lacks the drama, symbolism, and spirituality of the others, especially The Oath. I love Frank Peretti for his heart and for his contributions to Christian literature, but this book left a lot to be desired for me. Of course, it is still a must read for all die-hard Peretti fans.

While reading this book, I kept thinking that Travis Jordan was a pastor I would love to have. He's real, he's multi-dimensional, and yet I do not feel that this character compromises his Christianity in any way. As for this being a "Christian Novel..." who cares? As a Christian, I enjoyed it, but as a reader, I found it to be up to par with so many great novels of secular lineage out there today. I literally cried when he began telling Morgan the stories of all the people in his congregation and his town that he had touched and ministered to throughout the years. The story of Bruce Hiddle was extremely encouraging, to see and almost feel a pastor care so much about the people God has placed in his life. As for the Brandon/FakeJesus character, God help us all!!

Not quite as strong as Peretti's other works, as some of the other readers have noted. His prose moves smoothly but doesn't stand out in any way. I found this book after I read "Tales from 2 a.m." and maybe that colors my view. If you're looking for a fine collection of suspense/horror fiction with a Christian spin and a lot of intriguing angles, check that one out instead.

Overall, "Monster" is good, just not as good.

Frank Peretti was one of the first Christian authors I actually thought was interesting. So when I heard he was doing Monster I was really excited. I just finished the book and am much less excited.

The creepy stuff did give me the wiggins, but generally I feel the book was way too middle of the road. As a "Christian" book, it was disappointing. Very little discussion of God, a lot of descriptive violence. And while the book was a struggle to get through what with all the characters and descriptions, the book wasn't hard to figure out. While I disagree with the evolution theory, I felt it was a bit cheesy to have big bad evolutionists. They just weren't scary.

I think with more character development and less of Beck being carried around the book could be more interesting. The reason I think so many people thought the most interesting stuff was Beck learning her new "family" behaviors is because that is the closest we got got character development.

So if you want a few chills down your spine, sure, read it. But don't expect a book that will pull you in and make you really think or feel.

I have read many of Frank Peretti's books and I haven't found one yet that I didn't like. This was one of the first books of his that I read. At first, I wasn't too interested in the topic, but as I read it, I started loving it! Give it a chance because you may be surprised like me.

Summary:

Peretti is a writer of Christian fiction and spiritual thrillers. In Monster, the protagonist was an ex-scientist named Reed. He went on a vacation to the woods with his wife Beck, who suffers from a speech impediment. On the first night, Beck has mysteriously disappeared. A group of Sasquatches took her in. The female, whom is later known as Rachael, treats Beck as her child since her own was killed. There is another twist. A mad scientist that used to be Reed's friend has been altering ape DNA and creating "super apes". One of them escapes and is after the Sasquatches and anyone who comes in its way. The major theme is "survival of the fittest". Without giving away the ending, Reed will do whatever he can to get Beck back. One last twist is that the hunters that say they are helping Reed find the super ape and Beck suddenly turn against him to keep the ape project confidential. In the end, Reed must fight to keep his own life.

Reaction:

My father works as the business manager of a church and was given this book by a friend. He though it was fabulous and recommended it to me. I loved the book as well. It was fast paced and kept me on my toes. I am usually not a big fan of Christian writing, but the spiritual themes were discreet. I loved the map idea at the beginning of each chapter, which would refresh my memory of what had happened in previous chapters. The classic theme, survival of the fittest, was used well. The writing was clever, and so were the twists. I did not know many things until they were tied together at the end. I recommend this book and I enjoyed it very much.

Frank Peretti is known to write page-turning novels and Monster is no exception. The deeper in the book I got the more chapters I read in one sitting.

Frank Peretti is known throughout the Christian market, but the religious aspect of Monster does not come off overly strong. In fact, the only real references to Chrisianity are with some of the main characters who openly pray and ask God "why" in times of trouble - but who doesn't? So this is a non-threatening book for a non-Christian to read.

The underlying theme of Monster focuses on evolution and what happens when man tries to play God. If you are looking for a suspense-filled, page-turning novel then Monster should be your next read.

Each page I read of Mr. Peritti's book was like reading a page from my life the past few years. The pastor's thoughts were my own. I could not put the book down. This is truly Mr. Peritti's finest work. I cried, I prayed, but most of all I healed. I have never read a book that has touched me more than the Bible itself. This book is truly inspired. Thank you Mr. Peritti for writing it for all of us "outsiders". The irony is that once you figure out you have been an outsider, miraculously, you are no longer there! I recommend this book very highly at the Christian bookstore I work at. Customer response has been great.

Same writing style as Stephen king, however instead of having the character say the word they use in an intense moment, the author wrote, "and he cursed." It holds the same intensity and meaning however pulls out the unnecessary junk that we get in main stream media.

The only cheesy part is a slightly more frequent reference to being in youth groups, but these are far and few between.

Great book for both the christian and non christian reader just looking for a good clean book.

Peretti has written a great horror novel. The writing flows so easily and just when you think you have it figured out, the Monster is not who you think it is. However, it does not have the spiritual warfare of his previous works, This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness, so you'll be disappointed if that is what you expect to find. Peretti works in his views on God and evolution, and effectively presents information on current genetic research. For someone looking for a great suspense, horror/science fiction novel with no foul language, graphic sex, or gratuitous violence, I highly recommend this book.

This is Peretti's third best effort, "The Oath" was the best, and "the Visitation" was the second best.

This book starts really strong. It uses the same "fear" strategy used in the oath. It appeals to your senses in a very real way.

We are shocked by several plot twists. The end is absolutetly mind blowing, and blood chilling.

My wife sent me this book while im on my current deployment in Afghanastan. I really liked it! Lot's of action and its indepth. Plus it takes place in the great state of Washington so it can't go wrong lol. I really liked the twist's is had leading from "Bigfoot" to the "Monster". I'm a fan.

I only give this novel 4 stars because I thought it was very slow going in the beginning. I actually got really close to returning the book--but I hung in there and I am glad I did. The book went from slow to incredible. I loved all of Peretti's novels--up until The Oath which was a little out there for me so I was hesitant in purchasing The Visitation. Up until The Oath, I had always been satisfied with Peretti's novels--I loved the "Darkness" books, The Prophet and Tilly. I heard he has a new novel coming out in November and I can't wait to read it.

I enjoyed this book! I thought that it was a good change, though I love Frank Peretti's other books. He touched on a subject and brought to life a great novel that was full of intriging thoughts, twists, turns and surprises.

He is an amazing writer with the gift of making you feel that you are watching the movie rather than reading the book. I say read this and you will enjoy. It will be different, but you will enjoy!

The Oath was my first Peretti title, and as good as that was, I found the Visitation to be even better. The characters are all believable, the writing quick and detailed, the story a non-stop page turner. Once again Peretti proves that Christian fiction is NOT a waste of time. The moral to this epic: God will never abandon those who truly love Him. A must read.

Frank Peretti masterfully spun a tale starting with a couple just going to meet friends for a camping trip. When the wife has been captured by a Sasquatch and taken as her young, she finds herself in a spinning array of events and emotions. Meanwhile, her husband is in another set of emotions and events trying to find her.

She must learn to act the way her captures act and live within a world in which she is rejected by some and protected by one. Her husband must learn who he can really trust and find his wife alive.

The tale spins other side plots as well but I found the main story well enough to keep me reading. Keep up the work like this.

Wow, keeps you on the edge of your seat. Couldn't put it down. A little different from his usual style but I could relate to his main character very well! Been there, done that too! Don't want to spoil it for you, read it for yourself! It really encouraged me about the Importance of prayer &
taking your authority over the forces of evil! I really enjoyed it! Fantastic book!

I had never read any of Frank Peretti's novels before, so when I saw Monster on sale at a local Christian bookstore, I decided to pick it up. I'd heard good things about Peretti, but if Monster is any indication of his past works, it's likely I will never be cracking a book of his again.

Peretti starts out interestingly enough: readers are immediately thrust into the center of the action and are familiarized with (most of) the main characters. However, what follows is so overplayed and ridiculously drawn out that by Chapter 5 it's easy to predict exactly how the book is going to end. Rather than further develop the action, Peretti easily spends half of the book in excruciatingly detailed descriptions: the interior of the log cabins, what the lab looks like, and even the forest. Also, the book could have been made half as short had Peretti just omitted the uninteresting sidestory involving a character named Cap. It's a painfully agonizing thing to read through, especially when Peretti should have instead focused on character development. After reading of all their troubles, you'd think it would be easy to empathize with these people, but again it comes to the point where you just don't care because of the sheer predictability of it all. What follows is what feels like a thrown together, last minute resolution that is wholly unsatisfying.

If anything, Monster is a decent skim through at best. If you're looking for something particularly engaging, don't look here. The real Monster is this book.

If you have ever been drawn to supernatural sightings, Jesus, Mary, UFOs, or Elvis then this is a must read. It is frightening that people can be caught up as they are in this novel. However this reflects true life more than we imagine. Learn to test the spirits.

Ray Ruppert, Author of "The Sovereign Reigns, or Does He?" "The Sovereign's Last Battle" and "Revelation: A Layperson's Reflections"

I've read several of Peretti's novels, and I think "The Visitation" is his best yet. The storytelling is excellent, the prose is beautiful, and the message is wonderfully given. The cast of characters is very large and can be cumbersome to keep up with at times, however.

The ending of the novel is very surprising and climactic, tying in several plot threads into one big hidden story, common of a Peretti novel (what comes to mind is his earlier hit, "Piercing the Darkness"). I bought the novel and read it in a day or two, and loved every minute of it.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Visitation. Frank Peretti has an uncanny way of drawing you directly into not only the storyline, but also the characters. You often times find yourself identifying with one or more of the characters. However, in comparison with his other books This Present Darkness and Piercing the Dark, I feel the two previous books were much more entertaining and riveting. The Visitation started out a little slower than the other two books, but he did bring it to the level of capturing your complete interest. I would like to see him write more on the line of the other two previously mentioned storylines.
Frank Peretti, thank you so very much for not only entertaining US, but also enlightening us.
PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!! When is your next novel due????????

Frank Peretti had a novel idea for this book. He had a strong beginning of the book, having the characters and their lives seem so real, but yet a third of the way through he seemed to have gotten lost "chasing rabbits" and having many strange conflicts come to arise every few chapters. About two-thirds through he seemed to be "kicking a dead dog," and dragging the book out longer than he should have. He tried to tie in the life of a backslidden pastor, anciet religion, and contemporary situations that made the book come out as an interesting book, but then all of a sudden he adds evil spirits and mystic powers, which then made the book seem kind of silly in a way.
The whole adding of characters in the end of the book was very annoying, along with the fact that he kept switching from the present life of a backslidden pastor, to his young-adulthood.
What I did like about the book was the fact of that pastor's determination not to give up and the way he took charge of a very strange and unusual situation in his town. He showed leadership characteristics such as bravery and patience.
But if you enjoy a very good beginning, a 5-star beginning, and a very slow, dry ending, this is your book.

Same writing style as Stephen king, however instead of having the character say the word they use in an intense moment, the author wrote, "and he cursed." It holds the same intensity and meaning however pulls out the unnecessary junk that we get in main stream media.

The only cheesy part is a slightly more frequent reference to being in youth groups, but these are far and few between.

Great book for both the christian and non christian reader just looking for a good clean book.

Peretti has written a great horror novel. The writing flows so easily and just when you think you have it figured out, the Monster is not who you think it is. However, it does not have the spiritual warfare of his previous works, This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness, so you'll be disappointed if that is what you expect to find. Peretti works in his views on God and evolution, and effectively presents information on current genetic research. For someone looking for a great suspense, horror/science fiction novel with no foul language, graphic sex, or gratuitous violence, I highly recommend this book.

This is Peretti's third best effort, "The Oath" was the best, and "the Visitation" was the second best.

This book starts really strong. It uses the same "fear" strategy used in the oath. It appeals to your senses in a very real way.

We are shocked by several plot twists. The end is absolutetly mind blowing, and blood chilling.

My wife sent me this book while im on my current deployment in Afghanastan. I really liked it! Lot's of action and its indepth. Plus it takes place in the great state of Washington so it can't go wrong lol. I really liked the twist's is had leading from "Bigfoot" to the "Monster". I'm a fan.

Frank Peretti does not dance around the fact that many Christians struggle with their faith. This book shows his point perfectly through his main character, Travis Jordan, a former pastor who has become disillusioned by the church. When a stranger mysteriously shows up in town, performing miracles and proclaiming to be the Messiah, Jordan is compelled to get to the bottom of the man's origins. In doing so, he also makes amends with his jaded past.

This book has great suspense, wonderful characterization, and a good balance of plausibility and fantasy. I FELT for the characters in this book, because of the truly HUMAN way in which Peretti painted them.

Having only read one other Peretti book (Monster), I don't know how this one compares with his other works (The Oath, This Present Darkness, Piercing the Darkness, etc). However, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a thriller that includes a spiritual component. Mind you, I think Peretti keeps it real enough that even non-Christians would find this to be an interesting read.

After reading this novel, I decided to research the Davidians and the infamous (and late) David Koresh. You might want to do the same!

I only give this novel 4 stars because I thought it was very slow going in the beginning. I actually got really close to returning the book--but I hung in there and I am glad I did. The book went from slow to incredible. I loved all of Peretti's novels--up until The Oath which was a little out there for me so I was hesitant in purchasing The Visitation. Up until The Oath, I had always been satisfied with Peretti's novels--I loved the "Darkness" books, The Prophet and Tilly. I heard he has a new novel coming out in November and I can't wait to read it.

I enjoyed this book! I thought that it was a good change, though I love Frank Peretti's other books. He touched on a subject and brought to life a great novel that was full of intriging thoughts, twists, turns and surprises.

He is an amazing writer with the gift of making you feel that you are watching the movie rather than reading the book. I say read this and you will enjoy. It will be different, but you will enjoy!

The Oath was my first Peretti title, and as good as that was, I found the Visitation to be even better. The characters are all believable, the writing quick and detailed, the story a non-stop page turner. Once again Peretti proves that Christian fiction is NOT a waste of time. The moral to this epic: God will never abandon those who truly love Him. A must read.

Frank Peretti masterfully spun a tale starting with a couple just going to meet friends for a camping trip. When the wife has been captured by a Sasquatch and taken as her young, she finds herself in a spinning array of events and emotions. Meanwhile, her husband is in another set of emotions and events trying to find her.

She must learn to act the way her captures act and live within a world in which she is rejected by some and protected by one. Her husband must learn who he can really trust and find his wife alive.

The tale spins other side plots as well but I found the main story well enough to keep me reading. Keep up the work like this.

Wow, keeps you on the edge of your seat. Couldn't put it down. A little different from his usual style but I could relate to his main character very well! Been there, done that too! Don't want to spoil it for you, read it for yourself! It really encouraged me about the Importance of prayer &
taking your authority over the forces of evil! I really enjoyed it! Fantastic book!

I had never read any of Frank Peretti's novels before, so when I saw Monster on sale at a local Christian bookstore, I decided to pick it up. I'd heard good things about Peretti, but if Monster is any indication of his past works, it's likely I will never be cracking a book of his again.

Peretti starts out interestingly enough: readers are immediately thrust into the center of the action and are familiarized with (most of) the main characters. However, what follows is so overplayed and ridiculously drawn out that by Chapter 5 it's easy to predict exactly how the book is going to end. Rather than further develop the action, Peretti easily spends half of the book in excruciatingly detailed descriptions: the interior of the log cabins, what the lab looks like, and even the forest. Also, the book could have been made half as short had Peretti just omitted the uninteresting sidestory involving a character named Cap. It's a painfully agonizing thing to read through, especially when Peretti should have instead focused on character development. After reading of all their troubles, you'd think it would be easy to empathize with these people, but again it comes to the point where you just don't care because of the sheer predictability of it all. What follows is what feels like a thrown together, last minute resolution that is wholly unsatisfying.

If anything, Monster is a decent skim through at best. If you're looking for something particularly engaging, don't look here. The real Monster is this book.

If you have ever been drawn to supernatural sightings, Jesus, Mary, UFOs, or Elvis then this is a must read. It is frightening that people can be caught up as they are in this novel. However this reflects true life more than we imagine. Learn to test the spirits.

Ray Ruppert, Author of "The Sovereign Reigns, or Does He?" "The Sovereign's Last Battle" and "Revelation: A Layperson's Reflections"

I've read several of Peretti's novels, and I think "The Visitation" is his best yet. The storytelling is excellent, the prose is beautiful, and the message is wonderfully given. The cast of characters is very large and can be cumbersome to keep up with at times, however.

The ending of the novel is very surprising and climactic, tying in several plot threads into one big hidden story, common of a Peretti novel (what comes to mind is his earlier hit, "Piercing the Darkness"). I bought the novel and read it in a day or two, and loved every minute of it.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Visitation. Frank Peretti has an uncanny way of drawing you directly into not only the storyline, but also the characters. You often times find yourself identifying with one or more of the characters. However, in comparison with his other books This Present Darkness and Piercing the Dark, I feel the two previous books were much more entertaining and riveting. The Visitation started out a little slower than the other two books, but he did bring it to the level of capturing your complete interest. I would like to see him write more on the line of the other two previously mentioned storylines.
Frank Peretti, thank you so very much for not only entertaining US, but also enlightening us.
PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!! When is your next novel due????????

Frank Peretti had a novel idea for this book. He had a strong beginning of the book, having the characters and their lives seem so real, but yet a third of the way through he seemed to have gotten lost "chasing rabbits" and having many strange conflicts come to arise every few chapters. About two-thirds through he seemed to be "kicking a dead dog," and dragging the book out longer than he should have. He tried to tie in the life of a backslidden pastor, anciet religion, and contemporary situations that made the book come out as an interesting book, but then all of a sudden he adds evil spirits and mystic powers, which then made the book seem kind of silly in a way.
The whole adding of characters in the end of the book was very annoying, along with the fact that he kept switching from the present life of a backslidden pastor, to his young-adulthood.
What I did like about the book was the fact of that pastor's determination not to give up and the way he took charge of a very strange and unusual situation in his town. He showed leadership characteristics such as bravery and patience.
But if you enjoy a very good beginning, a 5-star beginning, and a very slow, dry ending, this is your book.

THE VISITATION is set in a small town in Eastern Washington State. It begins with a washed-up preacher moping around in life, hearing of all these signs and images taking place at his old church. At first, he feels these signs and images are being made up by over dramatic Christians looking for answers. Yet a person arrives proclaiming he is the messiah. This antichrist begins healing the sick and performing miracles, sparking joy around this small town. However, things begin taking an evil and demonic form throughout the community. The old preacher, Travis Jordan, takes it upon himself to track down the real story behind this visitor and find a way to stop him.

THE VISITATION is the only novel I've read written by Frank L. Peretti. The novel is both suspenseful and insightful. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Christian Literature and/or novels dealing with supernatural events.

I am only reviewing the quality of the audio. I tried to listen to this book on tape through speakers while riding as a passenger in a Plymouth voyager. I could only recognize about 25% of the words. The man reading the book spoke in tones too low and without enough variation to be able to make out what he was saying. I and the driver had to give up listening after a while. I gave the book (not the audio) 4 stars on reputation. The audio gets only 1 star.

Don't get me wrong. I love Frank Peretti. And I'm no prude when it comes to things that make me squeamish. But had a hard time getting over the "overkill" of brutality that is scattered throughout this book.

In the beginning, Peretti does an excellent job describing the after-effects of a "full-blown" trashing of a cabin site by the as-yet-un-named "Monster." The scope of the damage is depicted well-- that, coupled with the creepy sounds made in the night is more than enough to set our spines tingling and keep us turning pages. I wasn't even bothered by the overwrought descriptions of the mutilated bodies of the book's first victims. These details had a purpose and place in the story and served to convince us of the physical power and sinister goals of those who carried out the killings.

However, the moment one of the bad guys puts a gun to the head of a woman (and we are treated to the full details leading up to his pulling of the trigger and his subsequent retreat), I found my stomach churning. I wanted to ask Mr. Peretti, "What in the world was the point of that scene, Frank?" Could we not have been simply treated to the sound of the gunshot and brought into the scene after the fact? I don't believe the majority of Peretti fans actually enjoy these details. (I hope not, anyway).

I read Christian fiction with the assumption that the authors will refrain from assaulting their readers with twisted, sick descriptions of violence. Yes, a few are sometimes necessary... but really, this was a bit much.

My teenage son was desperate to read this book. I read it ahead to check it out and loved the suspense, even if the evolution thing was "fluffily" dealt with. But I was sick about the thought of his mind being assaulted with these scenes of violence-- particularly against women. I kept waiting all the way through the book for a darn good reason-- something redeeming, an uplifting message-- that would justify the brutality I'd read about again and again. It never came.

In the end, we're given a woman who overcomes her stutter, a presupposition that evolution is a flawed theory (we would have loved MORE details as to why!) and a message that says Bigfoot is probably real. Sorry, that wasn't good enough for me. Bottom line... read it if you want. The suspense is good (until you figure out the ending), details of the Pacific Northwest are dead-on and beautiful. But... think twice before you recommend it to friends, or allow your kids to get their hands on it.

This book is really well written, in the typical Peretti style. The back cover is a bit misleading, stating it as a thriller. The plot is easy to understand and fun to read. It was a hard book to put down, even if you figured out the "mystery" half way through the book or sooner as I did. I found myself wanting to finish the book to find out how Beck was found and "released" as opposed to who the "monster" was. If you are looking for a scare, this is not the book for you, but if you want an interesting book with a fast paced, fun to read, hard to put down story line, then this is the book for you. The next time I am in the woods it will make me take a closer look at my surroundings, that is for sure!

This is an all-around excellent book which had me turning pages at an alarming rate. Frank Peretti includes the elements of suspense, faith, sadness, sweetness, and humor in this story of supernatural events taking place in a small town, centering around the appearance of a mysterious stranger. The main character is a man of faith, but has his flaws, as we all do. The characterizations are top-notch in this book. The best book I have read for a long time!

This is a pseudoscience thriller in which a family group of bigfoots (bigfeet?) aren't even the title characters. It was sufficiently engaging that I finished it, but the so-called science was preposterous. It's not uncommon to push the envelope scientifically in books in this genre, but in this case the author has a clear agenda. He is a self-identified "Christian author", and credits a visit with Discovery Institute's Jonathan Wells for helping refine his ideas. Wells is a widely discredited creationist who has tried to use unconvincing pseudoscience to attack evolution. The agenda of the author takes about a half book to emerge, but then we learn that one of the principal protagonists has been fired from a university for anti-evolutionary views. Then it turns out that the major bad guy is an evolutionist who have combined DNA from chimps and people to generate many unfortunate mistakes and eventually a monster, which he tries to hide by murder of those in a position to learn of his secret. The rationale of why anyone would choose to pursue such a tactic is ridiculous, and the explanation of the science involved bogus. At least it has a happy ending; the bad guy loses and the creationist is welcomed back to the university - right! If you like this kind of book, I would recommend Douglas Preston solo or with Lincoln Child instead.

Another great book written by Frank Peretti. This book kept me on the edge of my seat for sure. Loved the characters, loved the mystery. Wasn't sure if I should feel sorry for the "monster" or not in this book, but, I did. Can't wait to read the next Frank Peretti thriller!

So compelling, like most of his books. I couldn't put it down. Each line kept me hanging on to the next. I believe Peretti has a close clear view of today's church and it's tendency to be "tossed about by every wind of doctrine that comes its way". In a truly humorous way , Peretti addresses every type of denomination and its quirks and addresses them and puts them in their place. I guess we all have to laugh at ourselves sometimes, and I was truly laughing out loud! It really inspired me to narrow my vision of the church and its purpose to the vision of Christ and the simple gospel message. Near the end of the book, Peretti slips back into his old ways and the battle begins! Hang in there and fight the good fight! It's a great read!

Publisher's Note
During a hike into the beautiful, unspoiled wilderness of the Northwest woods to escape the noise and tumult of the hectic city, Reed and Rebecca come face to face with a mysterious and deadly creature that is out to destroy everything and everyone it encounters.

This book was okay. It started out excellent, then slowly went downhill, with a few exciting parts at the end.

I have read all of Peretti's other works (except House) and enjoyed them all, but I am rather disappointed with this one. Yes, it's a good book. . .but compared to his others, well. . .not so good.

Try reading "The Oath" by Peretti. It's his best work in my opinion, and its kinda like this one.

Ok, this book is awesome, but you have to belong to 'church culture' to really get it. Otherwise don't bother. I love this book and I can relate a lot to the main character. I have only two complaints: The movie and the fact that people keep giving this book to non-believers and expecting a positive reaction from them. The Visitation is by Christians, of Christians and FOR Christians. Which is not a bad thing in the slightest. In fact, I just might go and re-read it right now.

This is my first read of Frank Peretti, which was given to me as a gift as I enjoy sci-fi, thriller and horror books. I will begin by saying that the story started out gaining my attention and interest, and actually had a plot which could have made the rest of the book a much better read, IF, it would have remained consistent. ( As interesting as a bigfoot creature could be ) However, about quarter way through the novel, the author clearly loses the "monster" aspect of the book by going off on too many tangents of unimportance and insignificance. First and foremost, this book has many different characters, of which are very underdeveloped and rather distracting. Attempting to keep up with a dozen or so minute characters who essentially do not play a significant role in the story is plain annoying. Next, when one of the main characters is kidnapped by a group of bigfoot creatures, the story describes her combing their hair with a brush, naming them OT Biblical names, and getting rather acquainted with one in particular female bigfoot. I'm sorry, but for a "terrifying" thriller/horror book, this was a very lack-luster effort by Mr. Peretti, as well as very average writing skills. ( There were even errors in the text of the book, which were not picked up during proof-reading. ie: stating "she" when the author was referring to a "he." )
As others have stated, there are so many insignificant parts to this book, one feels like they're never going to get to a part which is thrilling or exciting; except for the first quarter of the book.

'Monster' is a great read. I loved the exploration of myth and legend, and the portrayal of the characters adapting where they need to in order to survive. Things aren't what they seem in the mountains of Idaho...

This man can draw the Christian or unbeliever into his works with a magical, insightful hand. He is the master of the Christian novel and should be honored as such. He is also a darn good man, honest and humble in real life--that counts for a lot! Keep these novels coming, Mr. Peretti!

Peretti has done it aqain with his latest outing. He constantly entertains while, at the same time, throws out a challenge. As a minister I find his work invites me to assk myself the hard questions: "what would I do in this situation?" "How would I respond to the events around me?" His insight into pastoral burnout while also dealing with spiritual matters adds a dose of realism and this book is worth reading for the sub-themes eg. the restoration (redemption?)of a burned out small time pastor. I don't alsway agree with Peretti, but I do enjoy his writing and the challenges it throws out to me: it offers me something like a spiritual and ministerial health check. Well done again!

"Monster" is one of Frank Peretti's best. The action and thrills do not stop through out the book. Peretti thinks creation is the only way we could have come into existence and expresses this belief in his book. His portrayal of the characters as evil and good added to the suspense and texture of the book. I will highly recommend this book even though other people with evolutionist beliefs may not like it.

Wow.........after waiting all this time for a new Peretti book we get this. I find it hard to believe that Frank Peretti wrote this book. I've read everything he's ever written and loved each one. I kept on reading and reading this, waiting expectantly for it to suddenly explode into something profound and wonderful.......something with a plot........something with meaning. This was the biggest waste of time read....if anyone else had written it I would never have plodded all the way through it.

AFTER HAVING READ "THIS PRESENT DARKNESS," "PIERCING THE DARKNESS," "THE PROPHET," AND "THE OATH" WHICH IN MY OPINION WERE POWERFUL, EXCELLENT BOOKS, I WAS SORELY DISAPPOINTED IN "THE VISITATION." WE WAITED HOW LONG FOR THIS ONE? TOO LONG AND DRAWN OUT. THIS STORY COULD HAVE BEEN TOLD IN FEWER PAGERS. BUT GOD BLESS PERETTI'S EFFORT.

I have read and enjoyed other Peretti books, but this one must have been written by someone else. The plotline was predictable and silly-I mean Bigfoot for crying out loud. The characters were shallow(I didn't care if they lived or died)-the one prayer that was spoken was like"O-k, uh..God, uh..help my wife o-k?,Uh, thanks. Pathetic. And that was when anyone prayed.Beck spent so much time asking God "why?" and no time pleading to GOd for help, neither did Reed or anyone else.I would have been praying like crazy if I were either one of them.

It was just completely boring. The bad guys were predictable-I picked them out from the beginning.I knew just what was going to happen every time.I skipped pages and didn't miss anything.If you want to read good books about genetically mutated animals with characters you actually care about, and plotlines that are exciting-Read Dean Koontz. His books are probably more "Christian" than this one too.

Plus at the end of the book is an interview where Peretti says basically , that we can communicate God's truth better with 'stories" than with sermons. Sounds like Emerging/PostModern Christianity talk to me.

Incredible book! The plot is intensely absorbing, and it was difficult to put the book down! A little sci-fi, but overall it was believable and well-thought out. Definitely read it if you like action books with a message!

If you're a fan of Peretti's other books, expect this one to be a bit different. To me, it seemed less interlaced with spiritual content than his previous books, and though that is one of the reasons I like his other books, this one was still entertaining.

I didn't think it possible for Frank Peretti to outdo himself, but The Visitation was difficult to put down from the very first chapter. With his seemingly heightened skillful, thought provoking illustrations, he waltzes the reader into the most colorful scenes with vividly whimsical characters. This fast-paced, brainy adventure helps the Christian community see itself as the disjointed body that we are, in hopes that we will wake up and unite as one body while there's still time.
Not to be compared to his previous books which intriguingly fishtail you in and out of the spirit realm, it's evident in The Visitation that Mr. Peretti did his homework on human emotions!

Since we don't have a television, my husband and son and I enjoy reading stories aloud in the evenings, as well as in the car on long trips. I have to say that I am a HUGE Peretti fan and have loved all 5 books I have read. This one was especially good for reading aloud, as it was full of action, and the plot was easy enough to follow, even with the twists. We really thoroughly enjoyed it.

AMAZING. I SPEND MUCH OF MY DAYS IN THE CAR AND MY HUSBAND BOUGHT ME THIS TO LISTEN TO. I WAS AMAZED! THE TIME PASSED SO QUICKLY AND ENJOYABLY THAT I DID NOT WANT TO GET OUT OF THE CAR WHEN I REACHED MY DESTINATION. IT WAS VERY SUSPENCSEFUL AND I THOUGHT THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO STOP THE CAR A FEW TIMES BECAUSE I WAS SO EMERSED! IT WAS QUITE SCARY AT TIMES BUT IT WAS SO ENCOURAGING THOUGH. IT REALLY AFFIRMED MY BELIEF IN GOD AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE WHO IS SEARCHING......

I hadn't read a Peretti book since the 'Darkness...' series. This one is excellent and reminded me what a great story teller he is. Weaving in some of his own story between the lines made this book even more interesting.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two thirds of the book. The subplot outlining the background of the main character was beautifully rendered and true to life. I know that quite a bit of it was autobiographical for Peretti and its veracity shined through. His writing about Christian culture is somewhat reminiscent of Garrison Keillor with less cynicism and more sincerity. Unfortunately the last third of the book became increasingly and outlandishly ridiculous, ghoulish and formulaic. The chilling and thrilling non-stop action and lurid conclusion hurt an otherwise well crafted book

I bought this book while on vacation, looking for a good read. I had loved Peretti's stuff in the past. I started reading and almost put it down when I found out what the creatures were. I felt that it was a little cheesy in its premise.

But then Peretti sucked me back in with his suspenseful writing style. Overall I liked the book. I would check it out from a library instead of buying it though. (...)

Good Bigfoot story WITHOUT 'F' words, tons of gore, or the misuse of God's name. Had tense moments and a pretty good ending, too. I totally wish there were more Christian thrillers with a cryptid in it.

At first I thought this a HORROR novel. Around chapter five...I wouldn't suggest reading it while camping!

However it shifted to where you were no longer sure who the MOnSTER was. By the end your perspective changes, and your view changes.

The basics...Evalution is man made or naturalcan only go so far. God created what he created, and that , is that. The other main point, nature has its own way, we have forgotton that, and are cut off from some truths.

I was blowing away by this amazing novel. Frank Peretti does it again incorporating a thrilling drama, with Biblical teaching. Being a pastor himself, you can see the struggles that Peretti must have gone through in his earlier profession. The book is a little slow at first but picks up speed and will not let you put it down.

Peretti amazingly twist together all that is wrong with "religion", and then conveys that instead of rules we truly need a loving relationship with a heavenly Father. Only when we see that kind of a relationship with the Father can we truly be happy with the mission He gives us.

My mom read this and said it was SO good and then my dad read it and he read it in a few days he liked it so much! So my mom convinced me to read it cause I normally don't read books quite this long but I loved it! I am 13 and it was really good! Ever since I have been a Frank Peretti fan! My mom is wanting me to try the oath!

I LOVE PERETTI - just not this book. Monster was the first Peretti book I ever read. And needless to say, a long time went by before I decided to read another Peretti book. Thank goodness I gave him another chance. I have become a Peretti fan but have to say this book is my least favorite. Monster is not up to Peretti's style. I found it a wasted read.