The Oath by Frank E. Peretti

Synopsis

Under cover of darkness, something evil is at work in Hyde River, an old mining town deep in the mountains. Its latest victim, nature photographer Cliff Benson, was brutally killed while camping -- and his wife Evelyn has been driven nearly mad by what she saw, but she can't remember what it was. The sheriff thinks a rogue bear killed Cliff. But townspeople whisper -- and Cliff's death is just the latest in a long string of bizarre "accidents." Cliff's brother Steve is determined to find out the truth about what's concealed in the old caverns near Hyde River, a mystery that the local folk legends only hint at.

My Two Cents Worth

I dug to the depths of the "read me" box, searching for an author I had never read and found this massive paperback by Frank Peretti - The Oath. I was intrigued when I read the back cover and completely confused by the introduction. The cover promises a sinister tale of murder and mystery involving evil bears, deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, and the intro talks about a monster known as sin. I just had to open it up and see how one related to the other.

I settled in and got started, and when I looked up, I was at page 195 and had to be at work in three hours!

Peretti introduces the reader to some very compelling characters and weaves a wonderful tale that captures the imagination from the beginning. His sense of style is most impressive as he paints vivid scenes of a graphic and grisly murder in a mysterious and isolated little town that is known for it's unspoken secrets; secrets that lead to the disappearance of several people who dare talk to Steve Benson as he investigates the death of his brother.

Peretti masterfully unveils the pure evil that is behind the action of the story as he identifies the real monster as the sin that exists in all of us and how that sin can grow and thrive when we choose to ignore it and keep it a secret. The imagery that develops the climax of the story is exceptional and powerful, as is the dialogue between the characters of good and evil.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this well-crafted novel and I highly recommend it for all audiences, whether they are Christian or not. It is not a sermon disguised as a novel, but a well-told story with a message. If for no other reason, discover how an entire story can be told without a hint of vulgarity. Stephen King meets Tim LaHaye.

Paperback

550 pages

7 hours

On a personal note . . .

During the past month, I have realized a growing number of interruptions in the book reviews that I actually get posted.

First, we are in the middle of the NFL season - HUGE distraction for this Cowboys fan, and my wife has discovered fantasy football! Go figure!! Eat your heart out, guys. It is great fun to watch her pick out her starting lineup and get so excited about beating some poor man by thirty points.

Second - the holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, birthdays, and now Christmas! What's a blogger do? He gets behind, that's what. I don't like the pattern I have fallen into, of reading eight to ten books before posting the reviews, but for the past month, that's the way it has been going.

As I sit here, I have seven books to review from the past three weeks. The good news is, I have finally found some new authors and I am very excited to share them. Frank Peretti, Alex Berenson and Tami Hoag are first reads for me, and I enjoyed them a great deal.

I will try to be more consistent in my postings and resist the urge to finish one book and immediately dive in to the next. In the meantime, let me know if you discover an author I need to know about. Thanks, and tell a friend.

P.S. - My wife got a Kindle for her birthday!! I am so jealous. Life is not fair!