The Last Guardian [Paperback]

Shane Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 20, 2001

In 1975, the life of Cornell graduate student T.G. Shass is forever changed when he finds himself in possession of a mysterious and ancient artifact. Unable to remember how he acquired it and powerless to rid himself of it, T.G. is soon shaken not only by the object’s presence, but by a chilling encounter with evil and a jarring journey to another world.

He was the most unlikely of all prophets.
His was the most critical of all missions.

Upon his return, T.G. discovers that Earth is no longer the home he knew. His sweetheart, Jenni, is missing, and all evidence indicates that she’s been caught up into the macabre, unnatural realm he’s just departed.

His determination to find Jenni overrides the bitter aftertaste of his otherworldly experience, and T.G. seeks a way to go back. But his second journey holds far more than he imagines. Can T.G. fulfill his key role in God’s plan to defeat the forces of darkness? Or will his imperfect faith lead to destruction as the last days draw to a climactic end?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the tradition of Christian thrills-and-chills writers Frank Peretti (This Present Darkness) and Stephen Lawhead (Byzantium), first-time novelist Johnson offers a gory fantasy that is loosely based on the New Testament Book of Revelation. But where Peretti succeeds in creating heart-pounding scenarios of demonic warfare, Johnson's story falls flat, and where Lawhead's characters believably embody their hard-won spiritual truths, Johnson makes awkward attempts to pair those truths with his characters' too-sudden insights. Cornell graduate student T.G. Shass unexpectedly becomes the last guardian of an ancient artifact that holds the Creator's divine truth. When Shass proves too weak to resist demonic forces that threaten to seize the gift, a striking man who wears a brilliant blue robe and calls himself Ish (identified by the author in the afterword as Jesus Christ) transports him to a planet named Noron for his own protection. On the surface, Noron seems to be a paradise, but the society's moral depravity is evidenced by its citizens' enjoyment of a dish called Sholari (cooked from unborn children who are conceived in vitro and harvested at 18 months), and by gruesome funeral rites in which infants are murdered to bring the dead back to life. Despite a publisher's note suggesting that the novel's barbarous elements serve to illustrate humankind's depravity and need for spiritual regeneration, much of the violence is gratuitous, and many Christian readers will understandably be offended. The heavy-handed tome takes too long to recount Shass's determined attempt to redeem the fallen people of Noron and win them to Ish. Predictably, Shass triumphs, reunites with his true love and enjoys eternal paradise with other like-minded followers. Why aren't we more excited for him? (Feb.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Out of those shadowy passages in Genesis that hint of magnificent ancient worlds, Johnson creates the planet Noron in The Last Guardian, a vivid alternative universe filled with dinosaurs and ruled by a race of pagan, sometimes cannibalistic giants. T. J. Shoss, a nondescript graduate student and very much an earthling, finds himself propelled into Noron in 1975. God, called Ish, has chosen T. J. to carry forth the ancient, long-suppressed gospel contained in the "artifact." Slowly, it grows clear that in this new universe T. J. is to play the role of Christ, to be discredited, cruelly killed, and resurrected. Through T. J., Ish will defeat Beltesha, and the fates of Earth and Noron will become one. Johnson spent 20 years and more working on The Last Guardian, and it shows in his depth of characterizations and astounding detail. John Mort
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press; 1st edition (February 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578563674
• ISBN-13: 978-1578563678
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 1.2 x 8.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,655,880 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not my usual fare, BUT..., January 30, 2005

By 

Michael Freeman (Blanchard, OK) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Last Guardian (Paperback)

...I'm definitely glad I picked it up!

This is NOT the type of book I read--in fact, I saw it on the clearance rack or I never would have gotten it.

As several have already said, the book is a "spiritual thriller." I have to COMPLETELY disagree with the Publisher's Weekly review in almost every point. Yes, there are significant portions of violence, but none of them "gratuitous."

Without going into the plot much, which would REEEALLY spoil it for those of you who haven't read it, Johnson does a masterful job of weaving a couple of storylines into a single work. Basically, the story takes place in two "alternate" universes. Far-fetched? Yeah, of course, but it makes a great story, and the spiritual message is not left behind.

It took me a while to figure out where the author was going with the plot, and just when I thought I had it, he surprised me again. The book was tough to put down until completed, the measure by which I judge most books--this one gets five stars!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book! I hope he writes another!, February 22, 2001

By 

Scott W. Bell "über-reader" (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Last Guardian (Paperback)

When I read the summary on the back of this book, it didn't really grab me. But I went ahead and started reading anyway. Wow! Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. That said, this book is sure to be controversial. Some scenes are somewhat graphic (strong PG), but certainly not gratuitous. One thing I have always regretted about Christian fiction was that it is usually either poorly written, overly preachy, or both. The "Left Behind" series is a welcome departure from this trend, as are the Frank Peretti novels. If you enjoy Peretti, especially "Piercing the Darkness" and "This Present Darkness," or if you enjoy science fiction or fantasy, even if you aren't a Christian, you will like this book. Get it. You won't regret it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pardon me; could you please squeegee me off the floor?, August 9, 2002

By 

silverfox (Abilene, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Guardian (Paperback)

My mom sent this book to me when I was at camp this summer. I thought I would have no time to read it. Wrong. In fact, I was so hooked, I skipped a lot of the camp activities so I could keep reading.
This isn't another copied story. It's an intense, original, masterfully written novel that quickly became one of my very favorite books. And coming from an avid C.S. lewis, Frank Peretti, and John White fan, that's saying alot. And, this book incorporates many of the great characteristics of these authors.
If you're as much of a Christian fantasy/thriller fan as I am, DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK. It has a lot to teach.