The present darkness free ebook

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On the whole I believe Frank Peretti does an excellent job of making more real those aspects of the Bible particularly mentioned in Daniel and Revelations. Of course I do disagree with some of his ideas but on the whole I don't believe his book was meant to be fully accurate but rather present a depiction and insight into the ways in which the unknown spiritual real affects the mundane. Take the book as you like that is my opinion and mine alone you don't have to agree or disagree.

Jun 11, Anton Styles rated it did not like it Recommends it for: Cats, because they can't read and would just piss on it or something. I forgot all about this book until it popped up on Goodreads I read it almost 10 years ago, as a sensitive, emotionally-wounded teenager, as I was being funneled through a fundamentalist religious conversion.

Basically, this book introduced a paranoid neurosis into my awareness of self-in-the-world. If that view of things seems OK to you, it might be nice to think about your social relationships—how close are you to people with diverse beliefs? Do all those close to you reflect the same philosophy of self, God, and humanity, that you share? I was taught to be extremely wary of non-Christians, basically to only interact with them in service of the Ulterior Motive to convert them to OUR way.

After a few years, I started to feel like this attitude was generating more heat than light. I got to know a bunch of "spiritual" people—yes, spiritual in the "vague" or "new-age" way.

I thought a bunch of what they thought was silly and strange, and I still do, but I realized that they're actually beautiful people, and the whole teaching that had been drilled into me every week for years—that Satan and his Army of Angry Creatures were clamouring at the door of every heart—came to look like the childish, cartoonish caricature that it is. It was like walking into air and suddenly realizing that I'd been in hazy fog for years. This story-book would have been ok as a D-grade horror novel, but as an actual spiritual teaching?

It's like believing that the Orcs of Mordor will come to eat you if you don't depend on Frodo. In the final analysis, I think this book added nothing but silly, superstitious complication to my spirituality. I should add that with greater literacy, the narrative itself is awkwardly awful — it probably should only be read for comedic value May 27, Vicki rated it really liked it.

I read this book decades ago and it had a really significant impact on me at the time. Though I was definitely a person of faith, the idea of spiritual warfare going on all about us in this modern day was very foreign to my understanding of how God works in world events today.

Frank Peretti's fictional story of the community of Ashton was an enjoyable read back then, but it really challenged my thinking. I have just re-read it because, surprise, it is our current book club selection. I was foggy I read this book decades ago and it had a really significant impact on me at the time.

I was foggy enough on the details that it was almost like reading a new book, but the story line came back to me quickly and I didn't have to struggle with whether or not I believed it was likely that angels and demons might be interested or involved in how human issues might be resolved. The members keep their relationship a secret from the community, as well as the unsavory and questionable business practices they employ to take control of both the college and the community.

The story begins as two spiritual warriors appear in the community to observe and assist the humans who will eventually rise up to thwart the powerful group before it is too late. Peretti moves from the perspective of the angelic warriors to the powerful and ruthless community members to the young minister who feels called by God to intercede for this community through prayer and to the newspaper editor and the news reporter who begin to uncover the seedy goings on around them.

It doesn't take long to realize that the Universal Consciousness Society is a front group for demons who are intent of spreading their earthly kingdom from a power base in this quiet little community. And, though angelic warriors are involved, there is no foregone conclusion that Good will overpower Evil. In fact Evil is so powerful that even the angels know they can't win until a power shift occurs and that will only happen if people who are believers start to pray earnestly for intervention.

This is an exciting saga that moves quickly and dramatically through several skirmishes between good and evil, climaxing in a great spiritual battle scene before the final outcome for this little community is known.

Lots of scripture, lots of great examples of prayer warriors in action as well as spiritual awakenings on the part of several of the key characters. It's a good story. I liked it even more the second time around. Shelves: reads , reviewed , title-love , thought-provoking , thrillers , angels-and-demons. How do I review a book like this? I asked myself this question many times as I got further and further in, close and closer to the end. How can I write a review worthy of this novel?

Now we must pause, and we must reflect… What made it so good? How can you even explain what made it so good? There are no normal, straightforward words that can convey what this book really is. Kind of gave How do I review a book like this? And see? It just is. I think the overall message of this book is that we need to pray more. Aside from the beautiful Christian themes yes, beautiful , this story is gripping.

Or that I did a terrible job of conveying the meaning of the story. But honestly, this is probably the best I can do. When I read the last sentence and closed the book, I smiled to myself. For once, I had nothing to say right after finishing a story… I was speechless. This novel is about angels and demons, good and evil. Allow me to say that Daniel was my favorite Bible character when I was growing up.

He was a prayerful man who did not bent to any pagan rule, even if it meant being fed to the lions on a pit. He was a man miraculously saved by an angel. He was guided by God, not only to see visions but interpret them as well. His book was, for me, the first evidence there was of spiritual warfare.

Beyond what the Scriptures revealed regarding the spiritual warfare is mere conjecture. It all showed in his countenance, now the very picture of pain, grief, and love. His lips moved without sound as names, petition, and praises poured forth with passion and tears. He faced discouragements every day, including a sexual scandal to stain his character.

Victory will be theirs to claim through the global tyrant Alexander Kaseph, owner of Omni Corporations. Possessing demons have wormed into the lives of the townspeople and started ejecting possible threats to their sinister plan.

This Present Darkness is a very engaging fantasy. It has the charisma that drew me into the lives and battles of the characters. I cannot help but root for the heroes of the story.

The good blend of intense action, drama, mystery and humor have to be mentioned, too. Confronted with evil influences, teachings or temptations, we fight with the truth — the Living Word of God. Furthermore, prayer and worship brings us into the presence of God. Prayer is an open communication that empowers and comforts us. Not once was it ever mentioned in the Scriptures.

It is God who empowers them according to their purpose; the same thing may be said with us. Please, understand that it is not my intention to discourage anyone from reading this book. It is a well-written and captivating story. I just wanted to point out that this is a fantasy based on the creative conjectures of a best-selling author. Aug 17, Gary rated it really liked it. I forgot I had read this. I thought it was good, but in the context of the 90s when the New Age movement was booming and conservative Christianity was looking for a response.

Peretti put all of it in a Christian context and showed us an invisible world behind the scenes that although fiction, became reality for many people.

May 07, Kristen Overton rated it it was amazing. Back when I was into Christian Literature, I really loved this author. I've moved past a lot of Christian Authors, persay, but Frank Peretti will always have my heart. He's very witty and well spoken and a ham if you've heard him speak in public. This book was written with a lot of creativity and enlightenment, and though I've moved past a lot of the 'spiritual warefare' movement that ripped through the bible belt in the 90's, this book is still one of the most riveting I've ever read.

It's flat out scary at times. Jul 25, Joseph Lewis rated it it was amazing. Yes, its over stylized with unrealistically gentle depictions of evil, but its the grand-daddy of them all and deserves its five stars. I had to read this book for school and it is one of the worst books I have ever read. The plot was ignorant and unbelievable, the characters were boring, and I felt like I was being preached to the entire time.

None of this should come as a surprise considering it is a Christian novel with an agenda of course. I especially found it absurd that the villains would be controlled by demons while engaging in Eastern meditation and preaching unity and self-awareness.

I understand that this book was sup I had to read this book for school and it is one of the worst books I have ever read. I understand that this book was supposed to be about the power of prayer or something like that, but it seemed to me that it was more about the evils of New Age religions and philosophy.

I could have looked past this if the story was at all interesting or engaging, but at one point I almost fell asleep while trying to get through this book. It is that dull. Jan 22, Liz rated it really liked it. I read this book twice, about a decade apart, and would read it again.

Since I have an open mind about religion I could read it as a story and not as a religious philosophy. My dad didn't like the book because he didn't agree with the religious views in the book, but I saw them as background for the characters. Anyway, the book is about the basic fight between angels and demons, but you see it from the angels' and demons' perspective, as well as from the humans' perspective that they are protecti I read this book twice, about a decade apart, and would read it again.

I found it a very interesting read both times. Feb 14, Jenny Jo Weir rated it really liked it Shelves: unforgettable-read , inspirational-deep-thinking.

Pretty awesome read. Very unique and interesting. A different take on spiritual influences. Shelves: contemporary , spirituality , fiction , novels , fantasy , religion , horror , popular-fiction , ultimate-reading-list.

This gets as high a rating as it does because I have to acknowledge it does have its merits when contrasted to the books in the genre I've read, even if this is emphatically not a book for me. I tried this because I'm working through a list of recommended reading, "The Ultimate Reading List" and decided not to skip the "Inspirational Fiction" section of Christian fiction despite not being a believer. This did well in This gets as high a rating as it does because I have to acknowledge it does have its merits when contrasted to the books in the genre I've read, even if this is emphatically not a book for me.

This did well in presenting a community, that of small town Ashton, in displaying a sense of humor, and gets points for imagination. In this novel, dark forces are gathering in the town--a battle of good and evil, with two chosen humans, the young pastor Henry Busch and the weary, cynical publisher of the small town newspaper, Marshall Hogan.

Demons hover over both trying to break them or at least wear them down--demons with names like Complacency , Deception , Lawlessness and Jealousy. Also gathering are an Angelic host, but they need "prayer cover" from believers to have the strength to defeat the evil.

What kills this novel for me is what Peretti sets as his forces of darkness. The Reverend Olive Young is one of those personifications of evil--because, after all, he cares about "saving the whales" and his congregation is described as "different, liberal, even bizarre.

Sorry--I've known too many wonderful people who consider themselves part of the New Age movement or even Pagans--kind, compassionate honest and wise, to put up with this bigoted demonization of them for the purposes of fiction. Sep 09, Lou Rocama marked it as checked Shelves: p-x , s-reviewed , csn-1 , j-supernatural , w-unintentionally-hilarious , j-jesus-loves-me , z-checked-before , w-made-of-fail , xx , xa-p. My boyfriend gave me this, and it had me on the floor laughing.

I never actually read any of it past the cover blurb, but the idea of a nefarious new age plot to enslave the world struck me as hilarious, considering the things I knew about Wicca from my adolescent 'I wanna be a witch' phase. It involves a lot of gardening and smelly candles, from what I remember. Watching lunar cycles, I guess. Even now, I'm having t My boyfriend gave me this, and it had me on the floor laughing. Even now, I'm having trouble coming up with a dastardly plot involving these actions.

The closest I can get is public indecency. Perhaps Buddhism is a bigger den of evil, though if you're like Tofu Roshi, the hyperoxygenation caused by endless deep breaths in meditation would leave you unable to tie your own shoelaces, much less stage an evil world takeover. Best to stick with tending the compost.

Of course! The common denominator of all those terrible new age religions. Possibly the Eastern ones too, though I'm not terribly familiar with them, beyond the great Tofu Roshi. I'm sure some awful plot involving compost is the answer. Perhaps the Terrible New Agers inc. Shame this doesn't take the nitrogen based stuff common today into account, but I'll just pretend the New Agers didn't know about it, since they're uneducated hippies.

Then the Devout Hero saves the day by bringing chemical fertilizer to the small farms held in the evil clutches of the Terrible New Agers, thus ending their dependence on compost and ruining the Terrible New Agers Dastardly Plot.

Am I close? Well, drat. Nov 15, Andrea rated it did not like it. This book annoyed me in so many ways. There were multiple typographical errors. The characters all began sentences with "Aw". Not every sentence, but enough to be really irksome. THe idea behind this book is interesting but the characters were so unbelievable.

The Christians were either fanatical or really evil in disguise. Everything that happens is attributed to either demons or angels. It was just too much. I did finish the book and I have to say at least the pace did pick up about halfway th This book annoyed me in so many ways. I did finish the book and I have to say at least the pace did pick up about halfway through. Still, not worth a lot of time.

Oct 01, Mike the Paladin rated it liked it Shelves: fantasy. I might prefer to give this a 3. It's very much a youth book and told that way but it's very readable for older readers. Unseen by the human protagonists, armies of angels and demons wage war against one another in the spiritual realm for the souls of the people of Ashton.

Up against supernatural forces, the future of the town seems bleak — but the power of prayer might be able to influence the outcome of the fight. This fast-paced thriller birthed an entirely new genre, setting the standard for spiritual suspense. It has since sold over 2 million copies worldwide, sparking a renewed interest in the concept of spiritual warfare.