Monster
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4.7 • 3 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
The suspense is bone-chilling when you realize the monsters are real . . .
Miles away from the hectic city, Reed and Rebecca hike into the beautiful Northwester woods. They are surrounded by gorgeous mountains, waterfalls, and hundreds of acres of unspoiled wilderness.
During their first night camping, an unearthly wail pierces the calm of the forest. Then something emerges from the dense woods. Everything that follows is a blur to Reed—except the unforgettable image of a huge creature carrying his wife into the darkness.
Enter into deep wilderness where the rules of civilization no longer apply. A world where strange shadows lurk. Where creatures long attributed to overactive imaginations and nightmares are the hunters . . . and people are the hunted.
New York Times bestsellerFull length, standalone novelIncludes discussion questions for book clubs
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this long-awaited novel, Peretti (This Present Darkness; The Visitation) tells the story of a young woman who disappears in the Idaho wilderness and the ensuing search for her. The author's prose is clear and crisp, with only a few lapses into Lovecraftian hyperbole: his description of the novel's almost mythical setting is rich and detailed without being overwritten and his characterization of the woman, Beck, and the very unusual creatures she encounters is compelling. Peretti successfully incorporates several contemporary detective drama/suspense thriller tropes; one of his main characters, for example, is a crime scene investigator, and welcome doses of forensic evidence and DNA analysis are thrown into the mix. But the novel suffers from too many supporting characters, and Peretti's failure to develop them greatly compromises the conclusion. More problematic, though, is the novel's agenda with regard to the theory of evolution. Not raised overtly until the middle of the book, Peretti's critique of certain aspects of Darwinism eclipses the story and leads it to an unsatisfying and somewhat confusing end. As in Peretti's previous novels, those who hold conservative views are portrayed as heroic and those who disagree as evil. The novel's devolution into this simplistic moralism, however, will not keep Peretti fans away, and its many merits may attract other readers as well. 400,000 first printing.
Customer Reviews
A monster of a book
Frank Peretti has grown to be my favourite author. His books are amazing, especially the Oath. I picked up this from the library and gave it a go. Well, it isn't as good as the Oath, and there isn't really a Christian message to grab hold of. So what is this book about? Evolution. It's meant to get people to question the methods of evolution. Left to his own devices man will always create a monster, the book says.
So if it doesn't have any tangable Christian message, is it worth the read? Yes! It's very exciting and doesn't get boring. It is quite scary in some scenes, especially when you realize you had the monster wrong to begin with. Even though a Christian message isn't overly apparent I did see an overlaying of God's mercy throughout. It's not said, but it's implied. So if you look closely Christians wil still get something valuable out of it. The violence does get gory at times, and the whole story has a King Kong vibe to it. The monster takes the girl hostage but the monster is actually a big softy. See what I mean. Anyway I'd easily recommend this to anyone looking for something thrilling, and a good summer read. Frank does what he does best, makes your heart pound.