The Ishbane Conspiracy [Paperback]

Randy Alcorn (Author), Angela Alcorn (Author), Karina Alcorn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2001

Jillian is picture-perfect on the outside, but terrified of getting hurt on the inside. Brittany is a tough girl who trusts almost no one. Ian is a successful athlete who dabbles in the occult. And Rob is a former gang-banger who struggles with guilt, pain, and a newfound faith in God. These four college students will face the ultimate battle between good and evil in a single year. As spiritual warfare rages around them, a dramatic demonic correspondence takes place. Readers can eavesdrop on the enemy, and learn to stave off their own defeat, by reading The Ishbane Conspiracy.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries. His books include the bestsellers The Treasure Principle, Deadline, Dominion, Lord Foulgrin's Letters, and The Ishbane Conspiracy. He has written seven other nonfiction books. Randy and his wife, Nanci, live in Gresham, Oregon, and have two grown daughters, Karina and Angela.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (June 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576738175
• ISBN-13: 978-1576738177
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #207,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Realistic, yet frustrating, August 23, 2004

By 

disciple_419 (near Detroit, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ishbane Conspiracy (Paperback)

"The Ishbane Conspiracy" by Randy Alcorn tells the story of four young adults - Jillian, Rob, Ian, and Brittany - over one year. It is the most critical year of a young person's life: the transfer from high school to college, and Alcorn portrays the emotion, fear, and excitment that go along with this move masterfully (no doubt with the help of his two 20-something daughters who co-authored the book).

The drama of the situations and temptations the characters face is realistic. Being barely 18 years old myself, and entering my final year of high school, this book hit pretty close to home. I related well to Rob: the Christian with natural leadership abilities, a strong faith, and a nack for sharing his faith effectively. I really enjoyed his character. I was pleased that Alcorn gave Rob weaknesses, too, such as lust, depression, etc., so he wasn't portrayed as some "super-Christian".

The situations described in the book were, in my opinion, not over-exaggerated at all. If a parent reads this book and says, "There's no way it's this bad out there", well, yes it is.

This is a watershed book. I'd recommend it to freshmen in high school, and their parents. Every chapter was followed by a demonic correspondance, by two demons, Prince Ishbane and Lord Foulgrin, much like Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters", in which two demons talk about how they can keep the teens from God.

The reason I rated the book 4 out of 5 stars is that, about halfway through the book, the demon letters started to get annoying. At times, the letters were longer than the preceding chapter! It was frustrating, I just wanted to know about the story, not the back-story! Every time the story got interesting, it was interrupted by the demon correspondance

If you don't want a primer on the current state of teenage culture, read the book, but skip the letters. Parents, however, should read the letters, as it outlines what we go through, and exposes the truth about the media, etc.

Overall, a very well-written book. I really enjoyed it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When the Dark Comes Rising., February 1, 2003

By 

tvtv3 "tvtv3" (Sorento, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Ishbane Conspiracy (Paperback)

This book was recommended to me at a camp I worked at by one of the best camp speakers I have ever heard. He suggested that anyone who had an interest working with youth, should read it. Since I have a heart for youth and will be teaching junior high and high school students in the next few years, I figured I would check it out. I'm glad that I did.

The ISHBANE CONSPIRACY looks at the life of teenage and young adults in a very real and powerful way. It illustrates how the struggles and problems we face in our life pan out on the Hades side of the spiritual world. The book is written with every chapter followed by a letter of demonic correspondence.

The book reminded me of a cross between C.S. Lewis' THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS and a Frank Peretti novel. True, there are scenes involving drugs, alcohol, allusions to sex, suicidal thoughts, eating diorders, the occult, large family arguments, and a host of other problems and sins. However, these are issues that people in America (not just teenagers) face on a daily basis. Our fight isn't against the powers of this world, but against evil forces of the unseen spiritual realm. It's great to read a newer book that so forcibly reminds us of that.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lord Foulgrin in back, and he's mad as hell!, July 31, 2004

By 

Alan Attebery (Arlington, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ishbane Conspiracy (Paperback)

When we last saw the Fletcher family, they were still recovering from the death of their beloved husband and father, Jordan Fletcher.

When we last saw Lord Foulgrin, his pupil Squaltaint had turned Foulgrin's letters over to the demonic police, and Foulgrin was being dragged away to a corrections facility.

Well, Foulgrin is out, his title "Lord" has been stripped away, and he has been demoted. Ishbane, Foulgrin's former trainer, has also been reassigned to keep him in line. Of course, Foulgrin thinks he knows everything and is not above trying to teach his boss a thing or two. Luckily for Jillian Fletcher, he's still not any good at his job.

In this sequel to "Lord Foulgrin's Letters," Randy Alcorn, joined by his daughters Angela and Karina, has written another good fictional "behind the scenes" look at what the demonic forces are up to in our lives. A slight difference this time around, however, is that we get a bigger look at what is going on in the lives of our main characters.

If you liked either "Lord Foulgrin's Letters" or the C.S. Lewis original "Screwtape Letters," you will enjoy reading this book.