Customer Reviews

Vanish

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(31)
1 star:		(32)

 

 

When Tom Pawlik's sophomore novel Valley of the Shadow released this year, it piqued my interest enough to look into its predecessor, Vanish. When I read the synopsis online the story's premise dug its claws into me and wouldn't let go.

Selected as an Operation First Novel winner in 2006 by Jerry B. Jenkins' Christian Writers Guild, Vanish was published in 2008 by Tyndale. It then went on the win a highly respected Christy Award in the Visionary category. With the scent of speculative Christian fiction wafting from every description of the book, how could I resist?

Lawyer Conner Hayden is a man obsessed with his work. The emotional distance he cultivated between himself and his family following the backyard drowning of his young son Matthew have resulted in divorce from his wife and alienation from his daughter. One night he watches an immense black storm roll towards his house, containing strange flashes of light within it. When he wakes he finds himself alone in a deserted city.

It isn't long before he encounters strange, inhuman creatures - watching, following, and waiting. Conner soon encounters other travelers through this barren landscape - a boy who won't speak; a Harley riding mechanic; an aging, small-time actress; a couple of young thugs; and an elderly farmer. Each struggles with burdens from the past that appear in the form of incredibly vivid hallucinations as they are pursued by the mysterious, relentless, and increasingly malicious beings.

After first noting the excellent book design (eerie-contemporary within and without) the next thing that struck me was the limp prose. After barely making it to the storm scene, I was struggling through pages intended to develop character -- but didn't -- stilted dialogue, and a resulting lack of interest in the story. However, after Conner's discovery of an empty world and the introduction of the strange grey figures with spider-like fingers, the pace picked up significantly.

While Pawlik's opening chapters were weak, it's the suspenseful pacing that found me finishing the novel inside of 24 hours. He had my train of thought dashing down all of the expected rabbit trails given the scenario laid out. In truth, I was surprised by the unfolded revelation as the book reached its climax.

The Christian message found in Vanish is likewise largely hidden in the first portions of the novel. While initially only present in the conflict between Conner and his Christian wife and daughter, the unmistakable themes of forgiveness and redemption are clearly revealed by books end.

Pawlik's premise is undeniably unique, despite what could be misunderstood as plot devices held in common with other "Where did everyone go?" titles such as Offworld or Left Behind. If you can endure the first five chapters or so (they are admittedly brief) while you're waiting for the action to kick in, Vanish will provide an entertaining, fast-paced read filled with suspense, mystery, and even a few goose bump raising, heart-pounding moments.

Like an end-times novel, only a few are left behind. I wouldn't say it was scary and it started becoming redundant. Suspenseful in that you couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't. Definitely a page-turner.

The simplified, single dimension characters seem to be drawn from the mind of someone who imagines people he has never known. If he had ever known these people there would be a more believable past for each one.
Their fates together make no sense. Does the author really think a person can be brought back to life by the selfish prayer to save them. By this logic our loved ones died because we didn't pray hard enough.
What do the monsters represent? How does the child get to go to heaven but not Devon? If Helen is mentally delusional, why is she here too? It's the sort of simplistic view of what the auther imagines a sinner to be.

I am a Christian woman over 50 who was pretty much burned out. Somewhere along the line I was focusing less on the cross and more on the people around me. Which will disappoint every time! Why am I saying this? Because this book was a wake up call for me to evaluate myself and return my focus to the cross. This book was a great reminder of some values I seemed to forget and who our God is and what he expects.

I read some of the 1 star reviews and my heart was broken! These are the same opinions and attitudes that keep us from a relationship with God and his saving grace! If they would take some time and study His word in order to form an educated opinion instead of relying on their own "experience" and what they think God should be like, what a difference it would make in their lives. Amazing that that is exactly what Tom Pawlik was trying to say in an "in your face" kind of wake up call and they missed it entirely!

I've read both books twice and would encourage everyone to read these books. On the parts that offend you........look it up in scripture and see what God thinks and don't rely on your own understanding!

The book has a good beginning although the first few chapters are a bit choppy. It's good as far as being scary and very sci-fy, the characters are interesting and the different experiences they share become mind baffling and horrifying. In the end, however, it turns into the authors own personal religious beliefs. It's an easy to read book and I read it in two days. I just find parts of the ending disturbing on a number of different levels.

based on a similar opening as Stephen Kings The Stand where there are only a handful of survivors after a mysterious occurance...this book begins with promise. It did keep me turning the pages up to the alleged climax. disappointment does not come close to the actual feeling I encountered when i realized this book was an entire ruse for Christian fanatics. This was beyond ridiculous.

The great story line caught my attention but as I read on I realized that all I know about the characters was one act that they had committed. There is a wonderful opportunity for more character development, which would make this book an unforgettable read.

I noted a lot of padding in the first part of the book. Also, not the best character development.

That said, I loved the book. The book has several characters who experience everyone vanishing. Eventually they find each other and experience terror as shadows whisper and attack them.
In the first part the chapters alternate with each character. Each story was so exciting that when a chapter ended, one wanted desperately to continue with that characters' story. But as you read the first words of the next chapter, you would get hooked on that character, and then wanted to continue reading that story. It was almost painful to stop reading. You became desperate to find out what was going to happen.
When the stories merged, the book stayed exciting. Then the twist.

This was a terrific Christian fiction book. It combines the fast read and terror of Steven King and the style of the Left Behind series.

This was an exciting read.

This story begins with a short introduction to three characters whose similar experiences brings them together. They are in search of other humans on earth; and while scrambling to find answers, they are continually accosted by alien forms. At first, I thought this story sounded too familiar, and had many parallels to the movie, "I Am Legend", but midway through the book, I realized that wasn't the case. As these three characters become friends and find other "people" in the same situation, they become very determined to find answers and to find a way out of this "hellish" world. The author surreptitiously brings the reader into an enlightened state, asking even oneself, "Is there a God?" and "What if I don't believe in God, what will I face when I die someday?" However, I also saw this as a ploy by the author to push a religious agenda.

a definate thriller, but the author makes something more of it, making you question eternity without imposing a religion that is the answer to all. very well written