Customer Reviews

The Visitation

5 star:		(118)
4 star:		(55)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

First, for all you fans of Frank Peretti, you need to know that this book is not quite like his other works.

I've noticed that many people have given this a less than five-star rating because they feel that this does not meet the par set by Peretti's other books. I hope I can try to explain why that may be.

This book tells about a small community to which a self-proclaimed messiah shows up. This book is not in the same vein as his "This Present Darkness/Piercing the Darkness" duo or "The Oath." I submit that it is just as good--just different.

The people who will appreciate this book the most are those who grew up in, or have had extensive experience with, pentecostal/charismatic churches--especially those in small towns. This prerequisite fits me well--I grew up in the Assemblies of God (still a member) and always attended small-to-tiny churches as a child. In this book, Peretti captures that setting perfectly.

While some others have criticized this book as being overly critical of specific denominations, I must say that this is not what I take from the book at all. In this book, Peretti (in my view) primarily criticizes the ease with which most Christians are manipulated by apparent spirituality. So often many of us have seen an entire congregation agree with one evangelist unanimously, only to also agree with another evangelist a week later--never mind that the positions taken by the two "evangelists" are polar opposites. This book portrays that problem well--not so much in the example I just gave, but in the general sense that people are willing to accept everything that appears to be holy as holy. We were never given such a command by God, nor admonished to do so by the apostles. (1 John 4:1)

This book will encourage you to think on your own; to engage in the Berean exercise (Acts 17:10-11) before swallowing whole whatever the next guy brings to town. Our hope is in God, and He never changes--regardless of what the newest "evangelist" would have you believe. Test everything--1 Thess. 5:21.

THE VISITATION was the first book by Christian author Frank E. Peretti that I have ever read. Previously, I avoided Peretti's work because I just wasn't sure that Christian fiction could be worth my time. I was sorely wrong, and I'm glad to admit it. THE VISITATION was a very well-written novel, by Christian OR by secular standards.

THE VISITATION is about an ex-pastor and his grapple with issues of faith and God's faithfulness, his search for the truth surrounding some strange events that occur in his town, and his discovery of a Jesus-like man who suddenly arrives on the scene.

THE VISITATION is a suspenseful thriller written in a well-timed manner. The characters are varied and interesting, and the story is multi-layered and complex. Frank Peretti's writing is honest -- he writes about humanity in all its imperfection and sinfulness; he doesn't skirt around delicate issues, and he never takes the easy or cliche Christian way out.

I would highly recommend this book, and any other Frank Peretti book. I am consistently impressed with his honesty and his skillfully written spiritual thrillers, and THE VISITATION is no exception.

Frank Peretti got right to the heart of many things that happen in the Christian journey. It's fiction, but it is very real life stuff, as he tells the story of a burnt out pastor through flashbacks and through the challenge that gets to him when he'd rather not be reached. I laughed more than ever in a Peretti novel, and at times I thought he was reading my mail or going to the same conferences. He touches on all of us in every different kind of church, and the insights all draw us to love more and point fingers less. It's so accurate it's scary, but I will read it over again many times in spots. His word pictures of the mega-church atmosphere were especially thought-provoking. And the focus on a real relationship with Jesus, rather than your pastor or your denomination's particular church rules and flavors, was profound stuff. Not a perfect ending of the Justin story, but in the last couple of paragraphs I found myself weeping, the book had so moved my heart, and its conclusion was profound in the simplicity of the words. As a pastor, I found this a book that I could recommend to anyone, in or out of the church. Peretti and Randall Arthur are the two Christian novelists most in touch with real world people. They make you want to sit down and have a talk, just regular folk.

I always look forward to reading Peretti, but this is the best one yet. One moment, I was chuckling out loud; the next, I was trying to swallow the lump in my throat. Frank brought me back to some very personal and private places and left me wondering, "How did he know?". I've now got a new attitude toward church "stuff" and toward people. Thanks, Frank.

After reading This Present Darkness (A++) and Pierceing the Darkness (A-), I was dissappointed by the Prophet (which I never finished) and The Oath (C-). I decided to give Peretti one last chance with the Visitation. I'm glad I did. One of my chief faults with Peretti is that his protagonists (esp. ministers) tend to be SuperChristians, who never doubt, who never question, who are ever obdeient, and ever ready to selflessly serve. The protagonist in this book,Travis Jordan, is a real person who is confounded by a God who he loves and trust. Kyle Sherman, another of the books minister is young, energetic, nïave, and at times goofy (such as when he shouts at a room full of ministers, "Read your Bibles, folks!"). Also, there are no sacred cows in this book. It could be considered a satire on the excesses of charasmatic churches, the spiritually cold churches, and Super Churches. (The Chapter on the Cathedral of Life sums up my experience with Mega Churches). I could not put the book down. I'm glad Peretti hasn't lost his touch. I eagerly look forward to his next offering.

After reading "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness", both of which broke new ground, for me at least, I was dissappointed by "Prophet" and even more by "The Oath." "The Visitation" brought back some of what I enjoyed so much about my earlier experience with Peretti with its honest look at what it sometimes means to be a Christian in this world. The main character, Travis, experiences a lot of what I experience, ups and downs, success and defeat, and he doesn't usually know why -- but he trusts God even in his cynicism brought about by his experiences. I found the flashback sequences, which provide the backstory, very significant in that Peretti is almost always dead on in relating them to the present story. Travis' wisdom, and cynicism, are shown to be born of a youthful immaturity and naïveté and it was refreshing to see the protaganist of a Christian fiction novel developed out of a pointedly imperfect and human soul like myself. He failed, often foolishly, and then grew up a little afterwards. With this book Peretti brings me back to a "real" feeling story and even without the supernatural elements carrying such a prominent role as in many of his other novels, the story is compelling and absorbing. Perhaps even more so because of it.

Peretti does not disappoint. In this latest novel he thrills and chills with characteristic suspense. There's nothing good I can say about this book that hasn't already been said - I'm the 100th reviewer. It was fabulous and I couldn't put it down. What makes this book so different from the others is the way Peretti incorporates theological issues which plague most every Christian. He weaves these issues into the core plot, making the book multi-layered in its depth. Best of all, he does not venture to answer the questions. He simply has the courage to address them, to make the church take an honest look at itself.

My only complaints are: his characters' names were too similar to easily differentiate from each other. I lost track of the times I had to return to the initial meeting of the pastors to see who was who, almost up until the end. I suggest (for anyone who hasn't read it yet) making a list of characters as they are introduced. Also, I felt that Brandon's miracles sometimes bordered on hokey, in their excessiveness. Finally, I sometimes questioned the reality with which Peretti approached the behavior of the townspeople. While Brandon was deceitful enough in the beginning, he soon showed his true, very UNChristlike colors, and no one flinched. They followed him as enthusiastically as ever. Overall, though, very good read.

Peretti refuses to be put in a box, tackling different issues in different ways, instead of resorting to the phenomenally successful formulas of his first two books. I like that. Sometimes it works better than others, though--that's the risk he takes. (More power to him.) Here, the risk was seeming shaky at first. I liked the initial premise--and no, the prologue didn't throw me off track as it did some of my friends--but I couldn't tell where this ride was taking me. Then, slowly, I found myself absorbed in the Travis' past, relating to every detail of his church experiences, laughing to the point of poignant tears at some parts. This book tackles some of the spiritual questions the church often avoids. It refuses to give pat answers, refuses to resolve everything in the usual casual manner, and left me feeling refreshed...I'd waded through some of my own struggles with this fictional character and realized others struggle too. Okay, the conclusion in the town streets got a little wacky and melodramatic, but the deeper issues hit home. Don't be put off by the slow-motion start--this book wants to slam-dunk you, if you'll let it.

Many Christians are familiar with Christ's prophecy in Matthew 24:4-5,11,24 that false prophets will come in the last days, proclaiming that they are the Christ, performing miracles, and deceiving many. Few Christians have stopped to reflect on how Christ's prophecy about these last days could become a reality in our own world. Peretti does the job for us, by painting a vivid fictional picture of how this could conceivably come about. His false Christ is initially so convincing, that I found myself reading with a strong sense of disbelief, thinking "This Messiah looks like the real thing, acts like the real thing, but something is not quite right!" It is this sense of disbelief that kept me reading, intensely curious as to how Peretti would unravel the plot!

The plot is intriguing and entertaining. Peretti sustains interest by working with a story-line composed of twin strands that are intertwined throughout the novel: one being the protagonist's past, the other being his present. Although the plot is not always convincing (the conclusion falls somewhat flat since several loose ends are left hanging), on the whole it is engaging and suspenseful.

Yet at the same time Peretti is very introspective. He takes the reader on a fast ride, but not so fast that you don't get to enjoy the scenery on the way. The main character, Travis Jordan, is very believable, and his struggles and development are superbly portrayed. In the process, Peretti shares thoughtful insights about the state of church-life in contemporary North America. His careful attention to characterization enables him to create an effective satire on the hypocrisy of emotion-driven charismatics, as well as the superficiality of factory-style big city churches. At one point he goes somewhat too far, in my view, by creating a false dilemma between membership in Christ's church and having a personal relationship with Christ. His endorsement of Arminian theology is also one I personally do not share.

But you don't have to agree with Peretti in every respect to find this novel stimulating. While being entertained by an original story-line, I found myself gaining a heightened awareness of the dangers of false prophets in the future, and of the dangers of superficial church life in the present. It is this quality that makes this novel much more than a story with a token Christian touch, but a novel with a genuinely Christian and thought-provoking message.

Well, here it is, the first Peretti novel I've read since the "This Present Darkness" series. I haven't read those in 5 or 6 years, but I was still very familiar with his writing when I picked up this book. I smiled as I started reading the first few chapters of the book. I recognized the setup, I had seen it before. It bolted into two quick, stunning miracles and the whole town is informed by the tenth page. So how can other reviewers here say that the book is slow to start? I don't understand.

I *loved* the main character in this book. Travis Jordan is definitely my most likable Peretti character, and may rank at the top of my favorite fictional characters in general. He is 45 years old in the novel. He has the wisdom of a 65 year-old and the outlook on life of a 25 year-old. He's uncertain about this "messiah" that's come to town, and being unsure about the messiah, himself, and God it reveals his strongest trait: cynicism. I like how Peretti assigns a cynical behavior to Travis Jordan and backs it up with a story to show why he's that way. Many books and movies give characters traits with apparently no reason, maybe to avoid character development. But this behavior is unforced, it's how any human would turn out living the same life as he.

I would say at least 30% of this novel is Jordan, in the first person, recalling his life from the time he was in high school until present day. Yes there was a lot of unnecessary storytelling and yes, the novel could've been trimmed down to a more readable size, but it was all interesting. Some of it fascinating.

Jordan has been through it all, a banjo player in a bluegrass band, a youth pastor, a bible college student, a janitor at a mall, and an outsider. Many of these stories will have you laughing (the voice mail fiasco was great) and some just smiling. How he met his wife was completely original, and a sheer pleasure to watch develop.

Frank Peretti is not treading on unknown ground, he knows Pentecostal churches like the back of his hand. Being raised in one, I can identify with some of the emotions and feelings, and could swear that I've met some of these characters in real life. He doesn't write to explain what Pentecost is all about, he writes assuming we know how things go, how people act, and how God moves. I know all of this, and relating myself to the book was the easiest task reading it.

The novel is not totally without flaws. I was expecting a more spiritual confrontation in the end, but instead it worked more like a Hollywood action suspense thriller. It was still entertaining, but I didn't anticipate a David Koresh parallel. It's more like Waco in Washington seven years later than anything else.

And what was the deal with all these churches? Peretti never tells us the population of Antioch, but for a town with one bar, a newspaper that prints just twice a week, and 3 police officers (who, in the end, waited *way* too long to call the county sheriff), there sure are quite a few places of worship. You've got Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, and Episcopalian churches all right there. And in a town so small and religious, wouldn't there be quite a few debates over whose religion is right? But no, everyone lives as if they're all in it together. I've never seen a town in such harmony.

And the epilogue leaves something to be desired. There are a lot, let me repeat, a *lot* of characters in this book - new ones are being introduced almost to the end. I would recommend writing each character's name down on paper and taking brief notes on them. I didn't do this and couldn't keep them straight after a while. The epilogue does not tie up all the loose ends. We're left wondering about too many characters. Especially Armond Harrison of the Apostolic Brethren. He seemed like he was going to be a major playor in the story, but nothing came of him. Why set it up if you're not to going pay it off? And it's a little confusing to find out the exact reason Travis Jordan turned his church over to the younger pastor, which is part of the whole underlying story.

But these are minor faults, I guess. The book is about characters more than anything else, and they are aptly deveopled. Some of them probably overdeveloped. I hate to negatively criticize this book too much. It was wonderful reading, thouroughly entertaining, and pleasantly fascinating. I plan on reading "The Oath" next, and the aforementioned comments make me eager to do so.