Illusion: A Novel [Hardcover]

Frank Peretti (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 6, 2012

Dane and Mandy, a popular magic act for forty years, are tragically separated by a car wreck that claims Mandy’s life—or so everyone thinks. Even as Dane mourns and tries to rebuild his life without her, Mandy, supposedly dead, awakes in the present as the nineteen-year-old she was in 1970. Distraught and disoriented in what to her is the future, she is confined to a mental ward until she discovers a magical ability to pass invisibly through time and space to escape. Alone in a strange world, she uses her mysterious powers to eke out a living, performing magic on the streets and in a quaint coffee shop.

Hoping to discover an exciting new talent, Dane ventures into the coffee shop and is transfixed by the magic he sees, illusions that even he, a seasoned professional, cannot explain. But more than anything, he is emotionally devastated by this teenager who has never met him, doesn’t know him, is certainly not in love with him, but is in every respect identical to the young beauty he first met and married some forty years earlier.

They begin a furtive relationship as mentor and protégée, but even as Dane tries to sort out who she really is and she tries to understand why she is drawn to him, they are watched by secretive interests who not only possess the answers to Mandy’s powers and misplacement in time but also the roguish ability to decide what will become of her.

Frank Peretti has crafted a rich, rewarding story of love and life, loss and restoration, full of twists and mystery. Exceptionally well written, Illusion will soon prove another Peretti classic.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Frank Peretti is a master storyteller. His novels stay with you a lifetime, drawing you closer to God and the truth in His word.” (Karen Kingsbury, New York Times bestselling author)

"Frank Peretti kicked open the doors that all of us Christian novelists are passing through today. We owe him a huge debt." (Jerry B. Jenkins, author, The Left Behind Series)

"Frank Peretti may just be the master storyteller of our time—using modern metaphors and fresh images, this remarkable writer helps us visualize the unseen world in ways we never quite pictured before." (Joni Eareckson Tada)

"Frank Peretti is a master storyteller. He has a way of using fiction to draw our attention to the very real spiritual world around us. His stories are modern day classics and I can't wait to see the impact Illusion has on readers!" (Michael W. Smith)

About the Author

Frank Peretti is the author of This Present Darkness, Piercing the Darkness, The Oath, and many more. There are more than 12 million copies of his novels in print. He lives with his wife in the Western United States.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books; 1 edition (March 6, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439192677
• ISBN-13: 978-1439192672
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (252 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Frank E. Peretti is one of American Christianity's best-known authors. His novels have sold over 10 million copies, and he is widely credited with reinventing Christian fiction. He and his wife, Barbara, live in the Pacific Northwest. www.frankperetti.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 66 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Peretti's Illusion Is Magic March 6, 2012

By Kathleen Edwards

Format:Hardcover

One minute magician Dane Collins is tooling down the road with his beautiful wife of forty years, Mandy, the next he stands beside her badly charred body as the doctor takes her off life support. A tragic car accident separates him forever from his one and only love. One minute a 19- year-old Mandy is traipsing through the county fair with her best friends, the next finds her at the fair - 40 years later, a teenager dressed only in a hospital gown - trying to convince everyone around her she isn't crazy.

I am happy to be the bearer of good news. Peretti is back. It's been six years since his last book where he matched metaphors with Ted Dekker (House) - an experiment in "You write then I'll write" which left me feeling embarrassed for two of my favorite authors. Before that was Monster (2005), which was so weak I couldn't get beyond page 50.

So when I say "Peretti is back" I mean the Peretti of novels I can't put down. Illusion is the story of married magicians Dane and Mandy Collins who have decided to retire from Vegas to start a new chapter in their lives. But when Mandy is killed, Dane struggles to continue living life with out her. So when a teenage Mandy doppelganger appears on the streets of his small town, he thinks he's one rabbit short of a magic trick. Mandy is no less perplexed when she's snatched out of the 1970s and thrust into the present. Peretti's newest book is a sort of a Siegfried and Roy Meet Quantum Physics. He skillfully blends the worlds of platform magic and stage illusions with an inter-dimensional, time travel slight of hand - "now you see it; now you don't", sci-fi style.

But the real magic of Illusion comes from the time-altered romance between Dane and Mandy. A calling of kindred souls across a temporal divide, their relationship is seemingly both forbidden and familiar. There is a sweet strength about their commitment to each other - even when their world is a swirling mass of confusion.

I did love Illusion, however, the dominant spiritual aspects so apparent in his earlier novels (This Present Darkness, The Visitation) are sadly missing. The main characters mention God, pray, and go to church, but it's almost as an aside. I have always been inspired by his deeply Christian plot lines. Illusion doesn't go there. It is a thriller without the theology. Still, it's a good read. Suspenseful, swift-paced, and sentimental, Illusion immediately drew me in with engaging characters, mystery, and Peretti's wry sense of humor. If you have been anticipating Peretti's newest book - you won't be disillusioned.

(Courtesy copy of Illusion provided by Howard Books through Netgalley)

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Illusion March 13, 2012

By C. Yates

Format:Hardcover

When I first heard that Frank Peretti was releasing a new book after six years,I was so excited I could not contain myself! While I was waiting on "Illusion" to arrive,I read an interview that was done with Frank about the book. In the review he said that "Illusion" was not a typical Frank Peretti book,that it was his way of celebrating his own relationship with his wife of 40 years and so in a sense it was a love story. I was skeptical at the idea of Frank Peretti writing a love story,having been a huge fan of his work for many years. Then I received the book,and jumped right into it. I began to get a little anxious as I read the first few chapters,because it seemed the story was going nowhere. In fact,after I had read the first 20 chapters and they were a little slow moving,I started to get scared that not only was this story not going to be typical Peretti,but would be a total departure from what he normally writes.

I need not have worried. Once the action began,I remembered that most of the previous books I had read by this author started out slowly,giving you time to get to know the characters and develop a feel for their situation. Then when the action starts,it comes at you from all directions and keeps you on the edge of your seat. "Illusion" was no different. It may not have been a typical Frank Peretti novel in one sense, but in another it was totally Frank Peretti!

The story begins with Dane Collins losing his wife of 40 years,Mandy,in a car wreck. They were magicians for that time and had decided to retire to Idaho,where Mandy grew up. After her death,Dane decides to go ahead with the move. Meanwhile,we meet Mandy before she ever met Dane,at a county fair. She is just going about her business,having a good time with her friends,when something happens that she just cannot describe. She is still at the fair,but everything has changed. The people are different,some of the buildings are different,and she is now in a hospital gown in front of them all. She decides to make the best of it,and after a number of setbacks,she and Dane eventually meet. Of course,he thinks he is crazy to see someone who looks so much like Mandy,but he just can't seem to let it go.

I loved this story,especially the discovery and explanation of what was going on. I have read many books that included this element,but never was it so beautifully explained--very scientific yet believable. Despite the serious content of the book,there were also bits of humor and I felt that glimpses of the author were included in Dane's character. My total rating would be 4.5 out of 5 stars and I highly recommend this book to everyone. Just be sure to stick with it through the slow parts and you will not be disappointed.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Never Fear, Peretti's Magic Is Still Here! March 9, 2012

By Wolfe Moffat

Format:Hardcover

What can you say about Frank Peretti that hasn't been said? That man is a legend, and one of the biggest forces that the Christian fiction industry could've dreamed of, and beyond. I thrived off of "The Oath," which was my first Peretti read, I shot through "Prophet," was awed and inspired by "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness," and the list goes on and on, doesn't it? But before this, before "Illusion," there was "Monster," and for me, it was a major stumbling block. So when "Illusion" was announced, there were question marks. Does Peretti still have what it takes to awe and inspire like he did all the other times? The answer is a refreshing YES, and as a magician might make it out to be, in spades! Peretti hasn't gone anywhere, and he's still got some magic left in his hat!

Dane has said goodbye to his beloved wife, Mandy. To the world of magic and entertainment, Dane and Mandy were the names to watch, and you loved them, plain and simple. But no more Mandy. Now, what?

Oh, really? See, there is a Mandy, and the mental ward has been keeping an eye on her, until she finds a way to get out of there. Now, this Mandy thinks the year should be 1970, and thinks she's 19 years old. But discovering that things aren't what they appear to be, Mandy lives in this world, and picks up a gig at a coffee shop, and shows off some magic that she has up her sleeve. And then a man walks into that coffee shop, only to be reminded of his beloved wife! What is this? What's going on here? Well, what's going on is that Dane begins talking to this young prodigy, learning about her, growing to love her, as a mentor, despite the age being obvious.

And oh yeah, they are being watched, and they are being watched carefully. Just thought you should know.

I also thought you should know that Frank Peretti continues to amaze me! What an illustration he puts together, and he dazzles his audience! Frank Peretti has a treat for his fans this time around. Don't you dare think otherwise. If you do, you're missing some of the best there is to offer in fiction in 2012, and you really don't want to miss that, do you? So you possibly thought, like I did, that Peretti lost his touch after "Monster" emerged? Never fear! He's back, and I just experienced it. Peretti deserves his applause, and all the glory to God!