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Darkness #2
Piercing the Darkness
Now in ebook, the classic sequel to bestseller This Present Darkness, about another small town in the midst of an unseen supernatural battle for truth.This sequel to This Present Darkness follows the supernatural battle over the small town of Bacon’s Corner, where, once again, armies of angels and demons are at war. Sally Beth Roe is trying to escape her past and struggling to find the truth, while Tom Harris finds himself embroiled in a battle to save a Christian school threatened by outside forces.
452 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Frank E. Peretti
81 books3,657 followersFROM HIS WEBSITE:
With more than 12 million novels in print, Frank Peretti is nothing short of a publishing phenomenon and has been called “America’s hottest Christian novelist.”
Peretti is a natural storyteller who, as a youngster in Seattle, regularly gathered the neighborhood children for animated storytelling sessions. After graduating from high school, he began playing banjo with a local bluegrass group. He and his wife were married in 1972, and Peretti soon moved from touring with a pop band to launching a modest Christian music ministry. Peretti later spent time studying English, screen writing and film at UCLA and then assisted his father in pastoring a small Assembly of God church. In 1983, he gave up his pastoring position and began taking construction jobs to make ends meet. While working at a local ski factory, he began writing This Present Darkness, the book that would catapult him into the public eye. After numerous rejections from publishers and a slow start in sales, word-of-mouth enthusiasm finally lifted This Present Darkness onto a tidal wave of interest in spiritual warfare. The book appeared on Bookstore Journal’s bestseller list every month for more than eight years. Peretti’s two spiritual warfare novels, This Present Darkness (1998) and Piercing the Darkness (1989), captivated readers, together selling more than 3.5 million copies. The Oath was awarded the 1996 Gold Medallion Award for best fiction.
For kids, Peretti wrote The Cooper Kids Adventure Series (Crossways and Tommy Nelson), which remains a best-selling series for children with sales exceeding 1 million copies. In August 2000, Peretti released the hilarious children’s audiocassette series titled Wild and Wacky Totally True Bible Stories, reprising his role as Mr. Henry, the offbeat substitute Sunday School teacher found in two Visual Bible for Kids videos.
Peretti released his first-ever non-fiction book, The Wounded Spirit in 2000, which quickly became a best-seller. The book addresses the pain of “wounded spirits” and was written as a result of painful childhood experiences.
Frank Peretti and his wife, Barbara Jean, live in the Western U.S. In spite of sudden fame and notoriety, Frank still lives a simple, well-rounded life that includes carpentry, banjo making, sculpturing, bicycling and hiking. He is also an avid pilot.
With more than 12 million novels in print, Frank Peretti is nothing short of a publishing phenomenon and has been called “America’s hottest Christian novelist.”
Peretti is a natural storyteller who, as a youngster in Seattle, regularly gathered the neighborhood children for animated storytelling sessions. After graduating from high school, he began playing banjo with a local bluegrass group. He and his wife were married in 1972, and Peretti soon moved from touring with a pop band to launching a modest Christian music ministry. Peretti later spent time studying English, screen writing and film at UCLA and then assisted his father in pastoring a small Assembly of God church. In 1983, he gave up his pastoring position and began taking construction jobs to make ends meet. While working at a local ski factory, he began writing This Present Darkness, the book that would catapult him into the public eye. After numerous rejections from publishers and a slow start in sales, word-of-mouth enthusiasm finally lifted This Present Darkness onto a tidal wave of interest in spiritual warfare. The book appeared on Bookstore Journal’s bestseller list every month for more than eight years. Peretti’s two spiritual warfare novels, This Present Darkness (1998) and Piercing the Darkness (1989), captivated readers, together selling more than 3.5 million copies. The Oath was awarded the 1996 Gold Medallion Award for best fiction.
For kids, Peretti wrote The Cooper Kids Adventure Series (Crossways and Tommy Nelson), which remains a best-selling series for children with sales exceeding 1 million copies. In August 2000, Peretti released the hilarious children’s audiocassette series titled Wild and Wacky Totally True Bible Stories, reprising his role as Mr. Henry, the offbeat substitute Sunday School teacher found in two Visual Bible for Kids videos.
Peretti released his first-ever non-fiction book, The Wounded Spirit in 2000, which quickly became a best-seller. The book addresses the pain of “wounded spirits” and was written as a result of painful childhood experiences.
Frank Peretti and his wife, Barbara Jean, live in the Western U.S. In spite of sudden fame and notoriety, Frank still lives a simple, well-rounded life that includes carpentry, banjo making, sculpturing, bicycling and hiking. He is also an avid pilot.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 934 reviews
December 20, 2024
The Darkness series, of which this is the second and final volume, revolutionized Christian literature as we know it. Without it, there would be no Beverly Lewis Amish novels, no "end times" fiction, nor pretty much popular Christian literature as it is today. I hadn't read any parts of this series in a while, but I devoured it in one sitting, despite its length. I'm not sure that spiritual warfare is exactly as this book describes, but it still made for an entertaining read.
February 27, 2011
Even though I gave 5 stars to This Present Darkness, I love Piercing The Darkness more. The second book has touched me much deeply and has even moved me to tears as I “journeyed” with Sally Beth Roe until she finally found her salvation. I love the hide-and-seek-cat-and-mouse mystery that shrouds Roe’s character, and I feel strongly attached to her in a very emotional way. I can relate to the questions and confusions she laid down in her letters to Tom Harris. I especially loved that the story has a big portion on legal issues on it, (plus some courtroom drama) and more particularly, one major character was a Christian lawyer. This is what really made the story very close to my heart.
For the complete review, you may go to It's A Wonderful Bookworld.
For the complete review, you may go to It's A Wonderful Bookworld.
December 6, 2021
I LOVED THIS!!!
What an epic story.
No complaints from me. I am so blessed by this.
My reading vlog is going up soon!
What an epic story.
No complaints from me. I am so blessed by this.
My reading vlog is going up soon!
December 13, 2008
This book was even better than the first one. We need reminders about those evil spirits all around us every day. The same supernatural characters also appeared in this book, and the plot was even more exciting than #1.
December 10, 2019
Worth reading as long as you remember it's fiction!
This is the second I've read in the series. I reserved judgement after reading the first book as I had conflicting thoughts about the subject matter and how it was dealt with. The two books are similar; occultic practices concentrated in a school (in this case) result in a cosmic battle between good and evil/angels and demons and the humans mimic the battle on earth.
The writing is compelling, although repetitive in places and I got a bit bored during some of the spiritual physical fights as it was quite samey. The human narratives are interesting and the story is well weaved together.
As this is fiction commenting on a real spiritual battle, I need to address the theology. There are several problems. The first is that, in both books, the demons are responsible for every sin. They are labelled with names like lust, gossip, slander, deceit etc. They cling to their recipients with their talons and effectively guide and influence every aspect of that person's behaviour. I think this gives too much power to Satan: whilst we know that he was responsible for original sin entering the world and therefore the original fall of man, the Bible says that it is out of the heart of man that these sins originate. Therefore, we are responsible for our behaviour. Blaming various demons for sin leads us down a dangerous path where we cannot ultimately be held responsible. It lessens the victory of Jesus on the cross as it partially removes the need for Him to die in our place.
On a similar note, one of the humans accuses the demons of killing Jesus. This is incorrect as it implies that something went wrong and that God was not in control. We know that Satan caused Judas to betray Jesus and that he was involved in what happened. But, it was people (our sin) that killed Jesus and this was ultimately fulfilling the redemption plan of God. God punished Jesus on the cross instead of us having to be punished. Satan/the demons were never in control of events.
The impact of prayer is well represented in both books. The way the spirit world responds to prayer is clearly depicted in Scripture and in the author's writing.
I have the same concerns about the graphic details of the demonic manifestations and occult activity as I had after reading the first book. I don't think it's something that Christians should fill their minds with. Would you read a book/watch a movie full of sex, violence or swearing just because good triumphs over evil? I definitely don't think children should be reading this.
Jury's still out but I do have some concerns and I'm also questioning the purpose of these books. If the goal is to wake us up to the realities of the spirit world, I'm not sure the author really does that because it will just make people think there is a demon behind everything and perhaps even blame demons for their sin. If the goal is to get us praying then that is a worthy one.
Unfortunately, most of the reviews of these books from non-believers are just mocking because the depictions make Christians seem crazy. When I talk to non-believers about the devil, I am always very careful to destroy the false ideas they have from TV/books. This type of book could serve to enhance the wrong ideas people have. I think it's better to focus at first on sin in the life of an individual and how that damages our relationship with God and keeps us out of heaven.
This is the second I've read in the series. I reserved judgement after reading the first book as I had conflicting thoughts about the subject matter and how it was dealt with. The two books are similar; occultic practices concentrated in a school (in this case) result in a cosmic battle between good and evil/angels and demons and the humans mimic the battle on earth.
The writing is compelling, although repetitive in places and I got a bit bored during some of the spiritual physical fights as it was quite samey. The human narratives are interesting and the story is well weaved together.
As this is fiction commenting on a real spiritual battle, I need to address the theology. There are several problems. The first is that, in both books, the demons are responsible for every sin. They are labelled with names like lust, gossip, slander, deceit etc. They cling to their recipients with their talons and effectively guide and influence every aspect of that person's behaviour. I think this gives too much power to Satan: whilst we know that he was responsible for original sin entering the world and therefore the original fall of man, the Bible says that it is out of the heart of man that these sins originate. Therefore, we are responsible for our behaviour. Blaming various demons for sin leads us down a dangerous path where we cannot ultimately be held responsible. It lessens the victory of Jesus on the cross as it partially removes the need for Him to die in our place.
On a similar note, one of the humans accuses the demons of killing Jesus. This is incorrect as it implies that something went wrong and that God was not in control. We know that Satan caused Judas to betray Jesus and that he was involved in what happened. But, it was people (our sin) that killed Jesus and this was ultimately fulfilling the redemption plan of God. God punished Jesus on the cross instead of us having to be punished. Satan/the demons were never in control of events.
The impact of prayer is well represented in both books. The way the spirit world responds to prayer is clearly depicted in Scripture and in the author's writing.
I have the same concerns about the graphic details of the demonic manifestations and occult activity as I had after reading the first book. I don't think it's something that Christians should fill their minds with. Would you read a book/watch a movie full of sex, violence or swearing just because good triumphs over evil? I definitely don't think children should be reading this.
Jury's still out but I do have some concerns and I'm also questioning the purpose of these books. If the goal is to wake us up to the realities of the spirit world, I'm not sure the author really does that because it will just make people think there is a demon behind everything and perhaps even blame demons for their sin. If the goal is to get us praying then that is a worthy one.
Unfortunately, most of the reviews of these books from non-believers are just mocking because the depictions make Christians seem crazy. When I talk to non-believers about the devil, I am always very careful to destroy the false ideas they have from TV/books. This type of book could serve to enhance the wrong ideas people have. I think it's better to focus at first on sin in the life of an individual and how that damages our relationship with God and keeps us out of heaven.
December 31, 2015
Wow. The first book was amazing, but the second book was even greater. This was full of action as well as suspense as you follow Sally visiting all the significant places in her past in search of answers.
After Sally escapes barely from a plot to kill her, she escapes in search of answers and trying to stay on step ahead of her killers. Angels are trying to protect her while demons from her past is trying to destroy her.
This is one amazing book of spiritual warfare I would recommend to any Christian reader. Frank Peretti did an amazing job in showing the reader a glimpse of the spiritual warfare going on and the importance we as Christians play. The story was gripping and the reading easy to follow, as well as to flow the story where it goes from the human story, to the dialect and story of the Angels and demons.
I was reminded once again of the authority we have in Christ and that we need to step up and walk in this authority. Scriptures I was reminded of during reading this book was:
" For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
I don't think this book even begins to describe half of what is actually happening in the heavenly realms.
This book made me glad I chose the side of the light! Jesus already conquered all! We need to start living like we believe that!
After Sally escapes barely from a plot to kill her, she escapes in search of answers and trying to stay on step ahead of her killers. Angels are trying to protect her while demons from her past is trying to destroy her.
This is one amazing book of spiritual warfare I would recommend to any Christian reader. Frank Peretti did an amazing job in showing the reader a glimpse of the spiritual warfare going on and the importance we as Christians play. The story was gripping and the reading easy to follow, as well as to flow the story where it goes from the human story, to the dialect and story of the Angels and demons.
I was reminded once again of the authority we have in Christ and that we need to step up and walk in this authority. Scriptures I was reminded of during reading this book was:
" For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
I don't think this book even begins to describe half of what is actually happening in the heavenly realms.
This book made me glad I chose the side of the light! Jesus already conquered all! We need to start living like we believe that!
December 11, 2008
A supernatural, page turner. Opens your eyes to the real unseen world. Just because you can't see something doesn't mean it isn't there.
An absolute must read.
An absolute must read.
February 3, 2016
We must be prepared to face our demons
25 December 2012
The main reason that I did not like this book was because it was shoved down my throat by a fundamentalist Christian when I was twenty years old and living in a halfway house because I had pretty much stuffed up my life. To be honest, I had been charged with a number of criminal offences, stolen about $1000.00 (in 1990s money) off of my parents, and was hanging around with a guy that was not only a bad influence, but also a bad smell. Before I go into this book I might say a word or two about this guy.
He was a funny guy, a refugee from an Eastern bloc country (isn't it funny that refugees from European and Asian Countries were welcomed, but refugees from Middle Eastern Countries aren't) who wanted to live 'the life' but did not want to work for it. I suspect that the main reason he hung around me was because he thought that I could come up with grand some money making scheme that would make him rich, but with the minimal amount of work (probably also because I looked up at him, and he was one of those people that loved having people around that looked up to him – it gave him some form of identity). It was like if he could buy alcohol and clothes by passing off stale cheques or stolen credit cards (it was a lot easier back in those days to rack up credit card debt on somebody else's card because the shops would not be notified until at least a month after the card was reported stolen), he would do it, but if it involved establishing a publishing house (or even a dodgy stock brokerage firm) he was not interested. Oh, and he was also the type of guy that would pretty much take everything for himself, and when I said he was a bad smell, I meant it: I simply could not get rid of him. I would try to disconnect myself from him, and then suddenly he would rock up at my door one day and want to hang around with me. I really don't know what happened to him, and in a way I am curious because it has been a long time since I have seen him and it would be interesting to see if he has pulled himself out of the rubbish that he had got himself into (as I have done), or if he is dead.
Mind you, that is all by the by, because this book is about spiritual warfare. It is about a woman who is haunted by a demon and has to come to terms with this demon by fighting it. A number of Christians that I know don't like this book because it is very works based: the main character has to fight and overcome the demon herself when in reality it is through God that we are able to overcome our demons. Mind you, when I speak about overcoming our demons, I mean it in both in the literal and the metaphorical sense.
One of the funny things that I have found in my life so far is that sometimes our demons (both literal and metaphorical) can be location based, and sometimes they can simply be due to who you hang around with, and I guess that is why I mentioned the story of that guy above. It wasn't until I managed to not only separate myself from him, but from all of the people that were related to him, that my life began to turn around again. Look, I am not blaming my problems on him, by no means, because I always had a choice. There was one time where I (surprise, surprise) ran into him in Victoria Square when I was with another friend, and I was given the choice of going with him or with my other friend (I couldn't have both) and I ended up going with him (bad choice).
The same has happened recently, in that I have moved myself seven hundred kilometres away from my source of marijuana and I have begun to clean myself up (though I still probably drink more than I should, and am kicking myself that I did not buy any beer on Christmas Eve to discover that even in Melbourne you can't buy beer on Christmas Day) and even save money. As I write this on Christmas Day in 2012, I must say that I have managed to achieve three goals this year, I have moved interstate, I have saved $5000.00 and put it into my share trading account, and I have beaten the market (by about 8%). The third one, I must admit, was more luck than skill, and I am not expecting to do the same next year, but I guess my next goal is to bring certain holdings up to about $5000.00 each, and also develop a friendship network here in Melbourne, as well as going to Hong Kong and connecting with a church there. One should remember though that the Bible says that it is not that we should not be making plans, but that we should be making plans with God's purposes in mind, and as I look back on my achievements this year, once again I will have to say that it is not through any skill of my own, but through God's grace that I have been able to do that.
25 December 2012
The main reason that I did not like this book was because it was shoved down my throat by a fundamentalist Christian when I was twenty years old and living in a halfway house because I had pretty much stuffed up my life. To be honest, I had been charged with a number of criminal offences, stolen about $1000.00 (in 1990s money) off of my parents, and was hanging around with a guy that was not only a bad influence, but also a bad smell. Before I go into this book I might say a word or two about this guy.
He was a funny guy, a refugee from an Eastern bloc country (isn't it funny that refugees from European and Asian Countries were welcomed, but refugees from Middle Eastern Countries aren't) who wanted to live 'the life' but did not want to work for it. I suspect that the main reason he hung around me was because he thought that I could come up with grand some money making scheme that would make him rich, but with the minimal amount of work (probably also because I looked up at him, and he was one of those people that loved having people around that looked up to him – it gave him some form of identity). It was like if he could buy alcohol and clothes by passing off stale cheques or stolen credit cards (it was a lot easier back in those days to rack up credit card debt on somebody else's card because the shops would not be notified until at least a month after the card was reported stolen), he would do it, but if it involved establishing a publishing house (or even a dodgy stock brokerage firm) he was not interested. Oh, and he was also the type of guy that would pretty much take everything for himself, and when I said he was a bad smell, I meant it: I simply could not get rid of him. I would try to disconnect myself from him, and then suddenly he would rock up at my door one day and want to hang around with me. I really don't know what happened to him, and in a way I am curious because it has been a long time since I have seen him and it would be interesting to see if he has pulled himself out of the rubbish that he had got himself into (as I have done), or if he is dead.
Mind you, that is all by the by, because this book is about spiritual warfare. It is about a woman who is haunted by a demon and has to come to terms with this demon by fighting it. A number of Christians that I know don't like this book because it is very works based: the main character has to fight and overcome the demon herself when in reality it is through God that we are able to overcome our demons. Mind you, when I speak about overcoming our demons, I mean it in both in the literal and the metaphorical sense.
One of the funny things that I have found in my life so far is that sometimes our demons (both literal and metaphorical) can be location based, and sometimes they can simply be due to who you hang around with, and I guess that is why I mentioned the story of that guy above. It wasn't until I managed to not only separate myself from him, but from all of the people that were related to him, that my life began to turn around again. Look, I am not blaming my problems on him, by no means, because I always had a choice. There was one time where I (surprise, surprise) ran into him in Victoria Square when I was with another friend, and I was given the choice of going with him or with my other friend (I couldn't have both) and I ended up going with him (bad choice).
The same has happened recently, in that I have moved myself seven hundred kilometres away from my source of marijuana and I have begun to clean myself up (though I still probably drink more than I should, and am kicking myself that I did not buy any beer on Christmas Eve to discover that even in Melbourne you can't buy beer on Christmas Day) and even save money. As I write this on Christmas Day in 2012, I must say that I have managed to achieve three goals this year, I have moved interstate, I have saved $5000.00 and put it into my share trading account, and I have beaten the market (by about 8%). The third one, I must admit, was more luck than skill, and I am not expecting to do the same next year, but I guess my next goal is to bring certain holdings up to about $5000.00 each, and also develop a friendship network here in Melbourne, as well as going to Hong Kong and connecting with a church there. One should remember though that the Bible says that it is not that we should not be making plans, but that we should be making plans with God's purposes in mind, and as I look back on my achievements this year, once again I will have to say that it is not through any skill of my own, but through God's grace that I have been able to do that.
October 20, 2016
Enjoyed this book which I listened to via audio which was fantastic. It felt like I was watching a movie without the screen. I liked it a bit more than the first. Beautiful story. Like I said with the first, there is more truth in this book than you realize. Got me praying.
February 12, 2017
79th book read in 2014.
Number 158 out of 422 on my all time book list.
Follow the link below to see my video review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-feZ6...
Number 158 out of 422 on my all time book list.
Follow the link below to see my video review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-feZ6...
May 12, 2013
This book only gets two stars for its ability to create effective suspense, and the inventive narrative structure which combines the drama of the human world with the drama of the conflict between angels and demons. Otherwise, this narrative is full of stereotyping from an evangelical conservative perspective, which in retrospect makes many of its claims laughable. For this reason, it has not stood up well under the test of time. Some of the outrageous evangelical stereotypes espoused by the author are: 1). That the ACLU discriminates against Christians, and is directly involved in a satanic plot to undermine Christianity; 2) that those who practice relaxation practices, like meditation and transcendental meditation, are directed by satanic spirit guides; 3) that people who report pastors, and Christian schools, to Child Protection Services for whacking children with paddles and wooden spoons are also involved in a satanic conspiracy against the church. I'm sure there are more ridiculous claims, but for the moment these are the top three that surface to my memory.
The first claim, that the ACLU discriminates against Christians, and is in cahoots with Satan, is absurd, because one only has to perform a simple Google search to discover that there have been many legal cases where the ACLU represented the rights of Christians to express their beliefs. In fact, there is a whole website called aclufightsforchristians.com which mentions several of these cases.
The second claim, which compares meditation to satanism, is equally ludicrous. When I was a college student, I took some stress management psychology courses, and during those courses we practiced various types of meditation. Not once, were we asked to contact any type of spirit guide, or any demonic entities. Meditation is actually more in line with science than vague spirituality. By practicing meditation, an individual acknowledges that their brain actually is able to more of the involuntary functions of the body than perviously was thought to be possible. By focusing their thoughts, a person can lower their heart beat and blood pressure at will, reduce or increase their body temperature, and naturally enter altered states of consciousness. This is a scientific fact, and has nothing to do with the worship of demons, or lucifer.
As for the third claim, if I knew of any church, Christian school, or parent that was smacking children's backsides with wooden paddles, spoons, belts etc.....I would certainly consider reporting them to Child Protection Services. Study after study has shown the harm that can be caused to children through corporal punishment; and the theology that some Christians cling to to support the continuance of such a twisted tradition is so laughably thin that one has to wonder if anyone who holds to such convictions has actually spent the time to think about how unbiblical they really are. For instance, all Christian childrearing authors, like James Dobson, Roy Lessin, Ted Tripp etc......all make the absurd claim that God invented the human buttocks for the purpose of being spanked. Really? I'm sure that the buttocks has nothing to do with our ability to walk upright, instead of on all fours. But, since I am attacking the theology, and practice of spanking, with logic, I must be in league with the devil.
I enjoyed this novel when I was in 8th grade and was not knowledgable to recognize how stereotypical, and absurd its claims were. When I re-read it as an adult, I still enjoyed some of the suspense, but realized it was completely illogical and out-of-date.
The first claim, that the ACLU discriminates against Christians, and is in cahoots with Satan, is absurd, because one only has to perform a simple Google search to discover that there have been many legal cases where the ACLU represented the rights of Christians to express their beliefs. In fact, there is a whole website called aclufightsforchristians.com which mentions several of these cases.
The second claim, which compares meditation to satanism, is equally ludicrous. When I was a college student, I took some stress management psychology courses, and during those courses we practiced various types of meditation. Not once, were we asked to contact any type of spirit guide, or any demonic entities. Meditation is actually more in line with science than vague spirituality. By practicing meditation, an individual acknowledges that their brain actually is able to more of the involuntary functions of the body than perviously was thought to be possible. By focusing their thoughts, a person can lower their heart beat and blood pressure at will, reduce or increase their body temperature, and naturally enter altered states of consciousness. This is a scientific fact, and has nothing to do with the worship of demons, or lucifer.
As for the third claim, if I knew of any church, Christian school, or parent that was smacking children's backsides with wooden paddles, spoons, belts etc.....I would certainly consider reporting them to Child Protection Services. Study after study has shown the harm that can be caused to children through corporal punishment; and the theology that some Christians cling to to support the continuance of such a twisted tradition is so laughably thin that one has to wonder if anyone who holds to such convictions has actually spent the time to think about how unbiblical they really are. For instance, all Christian childrearing authors, like James Dobson, Roy Lessin, Ted Tripp etc......all make the absurd claim that God invented the human buttocks for the purpose of being spanked. Really? I'm sure that the buttocks has nothing to do with our ability to walk upright, instead of on all fours. But, since I am attacking the theology, and practice of spanking, with logic, I must be in league with the devil.
I enjoyed this novel when I was in 8th grade and was not knowledgable to recognize how stereotypical, and absurd its claims were. When I re-read it as an adult, I still enjoyed some of the suspense, but realized it was completely illogical and out-of-date.
September 15, 2016
I just finished reading this book. It was absolutely riveting. Peretti even outdid himself. I decided to go back and read This Present Darkness again before reading this one, for comparison's sake.
This story revolves around another small town named Bacon's Corner that is being overtaken by evil. A woman named Sally Beth Roe stars along with a man named Tom Harris, but they follow parallel storylines, tied together but unknown to one another--at least at first. Our heroes, Marshall Hogan and Bernice Krueger, make their way back onto the scene, with Marshall's wife Kate playing a more active role than in Ashton.
I love how Peretti starts the story out with tons of action and confusion but then slowly brings some order out of it without telling all. Although we, as readers, are able to see from many different characters' perspectives, including the angels and demons, Peretti ably conceals the tortuous route that the story takes us through. And even though we can guess the end--good prevails over evil--we are driven to find out HOW good will prevail over evil. At so many points in the story, impossible situations occur, things get bleaker by the second, evil's grip become a chokehold . . . and yet, we continue to root for good to triumph SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY. Peretti does not fail his readers.
I am a Frank E. Peretti fan for life!
This story revolves around another small town named Bacon's Corner that is being overtaken by evil. A woman named Sally Beth Roe stars along with a man named Tom Harris, but they follow parallel storylines, tied together but unknown to one another--at least at first. Our heroes, Marshall Hogan and Bernice Krueger, make their way back onto the scene, with Marshall's wife Kate playing a more active role than in Ashton.
I love how Peretti starts the story out with tons of action and confusion but then slowly brings some order out of it without telling all. Although we, as readers, are able to see from many different characters' perspectives, including the angels and demons, Peretti ably conceals the tortuous route that the story takes us through. And even though we can guess the end--good prevails over evil--we are driven to find out HOW good will prevail over evil. At so many points in the story, impossible situations occur, things get bleaker by the second, evil's grip become a chokehold . . . and yet, we continue to root for good to triumph SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY. Peretti does not fail his readers.
I am a Frank E. Peretti fan for life!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2015
This book is the one that first made me want to be a writer. One of my all time faves. I have read it multiple times, and that says something for me. A classic!
March 26, 2022
This sequel was just as exciting as the first book and deals with a subject that is becoming an increasing problem and that is the encroachment of anti Christian bias in our schools. The quasi-religious activities such as using a mantra or acquiring a spirit guide are being practiced in our public schools and are not benign exercises in values clarification. In areas where there are no Christian schools, or other alternatives, people are turning more and more to homeschooling.
The small church school in this story is being attacked by an ACLU type organization. The lawyers seize the opportunity to involve themselves in the school because the mother one of children in the school is receiving Federal day-care funds. The organization wants to set a precedent for interfering with religious schools. This could easily be tomorrow's headlines.
The plot has several threads and the author weaves them in and out to keep the action moving, but they all dovetail at the end. One of the most interesting ideas is that the angelic host cannot fight unless there is enough "prayer cover" and that demonic activity can thwart the angels by spreading gossip and strive within the Christian community.
The small church school in this story is being attacked by an ACLU type organization. The lawyers seize the opportunity to involve themselves in the school because the mother one of children in the school is receiving Federal day-care funds. The organization wants to set a precedent for interfering with religious schools. This could easily be tomorrow's headlines.
The plot has several threads and the author weaves them in and out to keep the action moving, but they all dovetail at the end. One of the most interesting ideas is that the angelic host cannot fight unless there is enough "prayer cover" and that demonic activity can thwart the angels by spreading gossip and strive within the Christian community.
July 9, 2011
This book is classic Peretti. He creates a situation in which the angels of heaven do actual battle with the demons of hell in a bid to help a group of people in a small town overcome the biggest personal and legal battles of their lives. Peretti is masterful at creating a story in which he has asked the question, "What if spiritual warfare looked like real warfare?", and then making that come to life in his words.
Piercing the Darkness follows the same heavenly warriors from the book This Present Darkness as they now battle demons for the life of Sally after a failed murder attempt on her life. They also battle for the emotional, spiritual, and personal well being of a small Christian school principal who suddenly finds himself battling a lawsuit against his school, while at the same time trying to regain his children from CPS, who have taken them from him, for seemingly no reason at all. Stranger yet, is that the lives of the woman and the principal intertwine, even though they have never met.
A page turner for sure. If you enjoyed This Present Darkness, then you'll love Piercing the Darkness.
Piercing the Darkness follows the same heavenly warriors from the book This Present Darkness as they now battle demons for the life of Sally after a failed murder attempt on her life. They also battle for the emotional, spiritual, and personal well being of a small Christian school principal who suddenly finds himself battling a lawsuit against his school, while at the same time trying to regain his children from CPS, who have taken them from him, for seemingly no reason at all. Stranger yet, is that the lives of the woman and the principal intertwine, even though they have never met.
A page turner for sure. If you enjoyed This Present Darkness, then you'll love Piercing the Darkness.
June 14, 2024
I am reminded once again just how important prayer is. A good reminder for this time in my life.
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
October 29, 2020
So following up on this series over the last few weeks after reading them originally in HS. The 2 books were really enjoyable and I was worried about how they would be after all this time. Well I had a good ride with them. They are Christian fiction novels depicting the duality of the natural world and the spiritual that many Christians believe is portrayed in part in the Bible. Peretti expands those beliefs into an enjoyable experience of heartache, woe, and redemption. Not everyone ends up happy, but there is definitely a faith over paganism element to this story. Evil is banished and those at the church are happy.
January 4, 2010
This is a terrific sequel to THIS PRESENT DARKNESS. This one centers around the real problem we have in the USA which is demonic practice sneaking into our schools. Very well-done as usual and I want to read it again!
June 11, 2009
Loved reading this book back in high school. Opened my eyes to possibilities in the spiritual realm that I had not seen/considered before. Very cool.
August 11, 2015
wow....This is one amazing book of spiritual warfare I would recommend to any Christian reader. Beautiful book written by Frank Peretti.
August 16, 2016
This book made me realize the really importance of the prayer. I recommend this book for eveyone, is very good. Loved i!
January 30, 2020
3.75⭐️
While this is technically book 2 in this universe, it’s one of those series that you don’t have to read in order. A couple characters from the first book appear in this one but nothing in this book spoils book 1.
The town of Bacon’s Corner is being turned upside down.
The mother of a young child is suing the Christian School her daughter had been attending, for attempting to ‘cast a demon’ out of her one day. Soon, the school director who did the ‘casting’ is fired and his 2 young children are subsequently removed from home and placed into foster care.
Meanwhile, a recently released convicted felon narrowly escapes an attempted assassination on her life. She inadvertently kills her would-be assassin, takes a signet ring and an envelope stuffed with $10,000 off the body and flees for her life.
Tom and Sally’s individual hardships are connected...but how? And how can they fight the evil forces threatening their lives when they don’t even know each other, or who their common enemy might be?
Trigger warnings could be: child abuse, infant death, occult, witchcraft, demon possession
I enjoyed this book, though it did seem darker than the first one. Again, like the first one, there were a LOT of characters to keep track of, which was a bit confusing at times.
I listened to the 20hr audio book for this one and I found my mind wandering a lot, so, while I feel like I missed sections here and there, it didn’t hinder my understanding of the events. Along with following the perspectives of many of the characters, you also see inside the lives of the angels and the demons as they prepare to battle for the souls of Bacon’s Corner.
If you enjoy fiction books about spiritual warfare, give this series a try!
While this is technically book 2 in this universe, it’s one of those series that you don’t have to read in order. A couple characters from the first book appear in this one but nothing in this book spoils book 1.
The town of Bacon’s Corner is being turned upside down.
The mother of a young child is suing the Christian School her daughter had been attending, for attempting to ‘cast a demon’ out of her one day. Soon, the school director who did the ‘casting’ is fired and his 2 young children are subsequently removed from home and placed into foster care.
Meanwhile, a recently released convicted felon narrowly escapes an attempted assassination on her life. She inadvertently kills her would-be assassin, takes a signet ring and an envelope stuffed with $10,000 off the body and flees for her life.
Tom and Sally’s individual hardships are connected...but how? And how can they fight the evil forces threatening their lives when they don’t even know each other, or who their common enemy might be?
Trigger warnings could be: child abuse, infant death, occult, witchcraft, demon possession
I enjoyed this book, though it did seem darker than the first one. Again, like the first one, there were a LOT of characters to keep track of, which was a bit confusing at times.
I listened to the 20hr audio book for this one and I found my mind wandering a lot, so, while I feel like I missed sections here and there, it didn’t hinder my understanding of the events. Along with following the perspectives of many of the characters, you also see inside the lives of the angels and the demons as they prepare to battle for the souls of Bacon’s Corner.
If you enjoy fiction books about spiritual warfare, give this series a try!
April 9, 2018
My Thoughts: I read this book several years ago and wanted to revisit it. This time I chose the audio version, read by Frank Peretti. The music, the reading - incredible. My heart beat faster as tension rose. I loved the story then, I like it even more now.
There is a kingdom we can't see. Peretti revealed that hidden realm in a way that made it alive. My faith increased, my love for the Bible deepened. I'll probably listen to this book again and again. It's that good.
There is a kingdom we can't see. Peretti revealed that hidden realm in a way that made it alive. My faith increased, my love for the Bible deepened. I'll probably listen to this book again and again. It's that good.
May 13, 2010
If you believe that angels are literally in the hen house and demons are lurking behind every sagging fence, this book is for you. The book is entertaining as the battle in the heavens reaches fever pitch, but it also has a sobering message about legal maneuvering that can take place on the earth.
Currently reading
January 7, 2009Even though this book is listed under Fiction... I believe that it definitely has some truth to it... If you have a relationship with Christ and you want to know something about the spiritual realm this book will definitely enlighten you!
July 19, 2018
Excellent followup to "This Present Darkness". The scecond read was better. I love the examples of prayer being necessary and truly changing the outcome. I will pray more!!
April 19, 2018
Changed my perception of the world and life in general, way back in the 90's
March 21, 2020
Never gets old. I am not sure why it wasn't marked read before now. I have read this one multiple times since I was a teenager, and it's every bit as wonderful now as it was the first time.
February 25, 2023
I don’t know how this is even possible but I enjoyed this one even more than the first book! It was so cool to see how Peretti demonstrated the power, intimacy, and wonder as one of the characters was called into a relationship with Christ. That scene alone was one of the most powerful scenes in literature that I have ever read
August 15, 2018
First sentence: It could have begun in any town. Bacon's Corner was nothing special, just one of those little farming towns far from the interstate, nothing more than small hollow dot on the AAA road map, with exit signs that offered gas, no lodging, maybe a little food if the place was open, and little more. But it began in Bacon's Corner.
Premise/plot: Piercing the Darkness is a companion book to This Present Darkness. Some of the characters of This Present Darkness--including some of the angels--make an appearance in this one.
Sally Roe is fighting for her life. Escaping from one assassination attempt, she is on the run from both humans and demons that want to silence her permanently. She is a woman with a past--a past that they don't want their opposition to know about.
Tom Harris is a Christian educator. (Principal and schoolteacher?) His two children are taken away from him the day before a lawsuit is filed against him. The accusation is child abuse. The small town's Christian population is torn. Is he guilty of doing something to his own kids or to their kids--or both?! How could they not know?
The woman bringing the lawsuit is Lucy Brandon, who works at the post office. Her daughter, Amber, briefly attended the Christian school. Lucy removed her from the public school system because of behavior issues. The case centers around a spanking and a failed attempt to cast out a demon.
As Harris and his friends try to figure out the hows and whys of the case, they learn of a dangerous curriculum the public school is using; a curriculum that encourages children to meet and befriend spirit guides as they relax and meditate.
My thoughts: Piercing the Darkness is a compelling mystery/thriller. I found it thought-provoking as well.
Would it be an exaggeration to say that most Christians don't think in battle terms--the Christian life as a spiritual battle to be fought day in and day out because the threat is real.
Prayer or lack of prayer is a major topic in the book.
Ideas matter. Ideas have consequences. Few--if any--are completely harmless and divorced from a world view.
Quotes:
In a case like this, public opinion is important. It's the public mind that eventually creates the laws we all have to live by. You see, we fight our battles at two levels: in the courts and in the public arena. A lot of the cases we win today came about because of public opinion that was molded years ago. What we do now to mold public opinion will have a positive effect on legal cases that arise in the future. It's a process. (41)
He was thinking of all those young, impressionable children sitting in all those classrooms down there, and what they must be learning right now. As usual, most of his spirit underlings were occupied with that task. They were the best, and he reveled in the fact that for the past several years, ever since the laws had been changed, their job had been so much easier. Oh, how quickly men could accept the most outrageous lies once the Truth was removed from consideration! (88)
Premise/plot: Piercing the Darkness is a companion book to This Present Darkness. Some of the characters of This Present Darkness--including some of the angels--make an appearance in this one.
Sally Roe is fighting for her life. Escaping from one assassination attempt, she is on the run from both humans and demons that want to silence her permanently. She is a woman with a past--a past that they don't want their opposition to know about.
Tom Harris is a Christian educator. (Principal and schoolteacher?) His two children are taken away from him the day before a lawsuit is filed against him. The accusation is child abuse. The small town's Christian population is torn. Is he guilty of doing something to his own kids or to their kids--or both?! How could they not know?
The woman bringing the lawsuit is Lucy Brandon, who works at the post office. Her daughter, Amber, briefly attended the Christian school. Lucy removed her from the public school system because of behavior issues. The case centers around a spanking and a failed attempt to cast out a demon.
As Harris and his friends try to figure out the hows and whys of the case, they learn of a dangerous curriculum the public school is using; a curriculum that encourages children to meet and befriend spirit guides as they relax and meditate.
My thoughts: Piercing the Darkness is a compelling mystery/thriller. I found it thought-provoking as well.
Would it be an exaggeration to say that most Christians don't think in battle terms--the Christian life as a spiritual battle to be fought day in and day out because the threat is real.
Prayer or lack of prayer is a major topic in the book.
Ideas matter. Ideas have consequences. Few--if any--are completely harmless and divorced from a world view.
Quotes:
In a case like this, public opinion is important. It's the public mind that eventually creates the laws we all have to live by. You see, we fight our battles at two levels: in the courts and in the public arena. A lot of the cases we win today came about because of public opinion that was molded years ago. What we do now to mold public opinion will have a positive effect on legal cases that arise in the future. It's a process. (41)
He was thinking of all those young, impressionable children sitting in all those classrooms down there, and what they must be learning right now. As usual, most of his spirit underlings were occupied with that task. They were the best, and he reveled in the fact that for the past several years, ever since the laws had been changed, their job had been so much easier. Oh, how quickly men could accept the most outrageous lies once the Truth was removed from consideration! (88)
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