Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Unnecessary religious screed, April 27, 2007
One thing about books on Cryptozoology is that no two cryptozoologists agree on very much. And that's fine, indeed, helpful, in its way; it keeps things dynamic. But living pterosaurs as proof of Creationism? I have difficulty imagining a good case being made for such an idea, and this book sure ain't it. As with most all Creationism, you have to start off believing in Jesus, and if you don't happen to, well, there's nothing in the theory for you. Science certainly has its dogmas, and that's bad, but how replacing them with other dogmas is supposed to fix anything, I've no idea. Not recommended to anyone who isn't already a creationist.
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8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not what I was looking for ................................, February 6, 2007
Mr Whitcombs book is well written and well researched to the best of my knowledge. Readers may be disappointed in his lack of apparent accomplishment in discovering Ropens, but he self-funded his expedition and as a man with family commitments was only able to spend limited time in New Guinea. I applaud his commitment to achieve as much as he has for an ordinary man of modest resources - if only more people had his passion and zeal to accomplish dreams. The book relies a great deal upon circumstantial evidence and eyewitness testimony in regards the existence of Ropens - but so does so much that is cryptozoological. Mr Whitcomb presents some interesting and not implausible theories about the geographic range and biology of the Ropen.
Much of the book is then given to Mr Whitcombs belief that the Earth was created by God and again makes a not unreasonable scientific case for this. He also talks intelligently about 'Scientific Dogma' which I found interesting and believeable. Persoanlly I am in a sort of agreement with Mr Whitcomb - I believe that much of science is now bogged down in dogma and is as fundamentalist as certain branches of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. There is no tolerance for a different perspective. If it cannot explain anything it demeans it as superstition and folklore.
For me personally although I am interested in Mr Whitcombs Creationist arguments I feel that they belong in another book that he should obviously write. Not that his Creationist theories are not valid theories for explaining the case for Pterosaur survival; but I cannot help but feel duped into buying what I believe was ultimately about making a case for Creationist Theory rather than a book of cryptozoological interest.
I can't say I enjoyed this book, but then again I hadn't read the reviews before I bought it - my mistake. It does not pretend to be anything it isn't in all honesty, but the title I found misleading. I was expecting - and hoping for - a cryptozoological account and case for of a supposed surviving pterosaur (Ropens) in the southwest Pacific. What I got was that in part, but in the context of this book it was used to support the authors 'Creationist' view of nature and the universe: in other words it was all made by God.
I am not a Christian, but neither am I anti-Christian. Neither am I a convinced 'Evolutionist' - that all life on Earth is the result of small changes over aeons of time. OK, so some scientists will hate me for saying this, as will some Christians - but I find the General Theory of Evolution no more convincing an argument for the creation of the universe than I do the Jewish/Christian/Islamic standpoint. For that matter no indigenous or other religious standpoint seems any more or less outlandish than any other. As far as I'm concerned, I don't know, I'm content in that lack of knowledge and really am just happy to be here - and I don't care how got here.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Seeking truth with eyes open? Read this book!, April 5, 2008
I can hardly put this book down. It is quite astonishing to read of creatures so large that they can lift a human up into the air or rob a corpse from a new grave. They even glow at night with bioluminescence.
It is understandable how eyewitness are somtimes reluctant to tell their stories because of ridicule they experience - fueled by Western evolutionary superstition. How sad we in the west are so blinded by wrong assumptions fed to us by the 'scientific' mainstream.
This book is so refreshing. Jonathan Whitcomb is to be congratulated for giving us a glimpse of our world denied us by the wildlife 'experts' from western countries.
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