^ Simply that. This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness, to be exact. So, what do you think of them? Should they be avoided all together, or read with discernment? What do y'all think?

Haven't read those two.

I read his Cooper Kid Adventure books when I was younger.

My mom doesn't like Frank Peretti because he's 'creepy' or something like that. (the writing, not the man.)

But she let us read his kids books, and actually got me started on the series initially with what I consider the best of the series (um... #4, I think, the Desert Stone one.) when I was about 9 or 10.

I've also listened to one of his sermons/conference pieces, which my dad gave me, and agreed with his theology.

That being said:

I don't know what those two books are about, only that they're scary.

I tend to have anxiety attacks if I'm not careful, so I stay away from books that sound like scary books.

But his theology, as far as I've heard, is good. And eventually if I'm feeling brave and reading in the morning (argh, don't read tense books late at night!), I might pick up some of his adult books, and just be prepared to distance my imagination to keep my sanity safe, lol.

(...and usually people tell me that Peretti is tons better than Dekker...)

No. Dekker is better than Peretti. LOL! Just saying.

I haven't read those two, Elanhil. I've seen the movie for The Visitation? I think? And I've read The Oath, Monster, Nightmare Academy, Hangman's Curse, and...hmmm...one other I think.

I completely enjoyed them. I love getting a good scare or thrill out of things, and his books were just PERFECT intensity, I thought. I could just barely get away with reading them in the dark right across from our basement door.

I like Peretti a bit better than Dekker.

I'm not sure that Frank Peretti intended This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness to be literal portrayals of spiritual warfare. Regardless, I just read it as fiction, and exceptional fiction at that. Where else can you get exciting thrillers combined with fantasy fights between sword-wielding angels and demons?

Of Frank Peretti's other adult novels, The Oath and Monster are probably the best, though Prophet, The Visitation, and House are pretty good, too. His teen novels, Hangman's Curse and Nightmare Academy, are also really good. The Hangman's Curse movie is worth seeing if you like the book.

I love Piercing the Darkness and This Present Darkness. I know some people don't like them because of the angels-demons fighting theme but if you just read it as fiction I don't see a problem with it. I haven't read any of his other books.

That's pretty much what I've heard. If you don't accept it as facts or even an interpretation of what the end will be like, then it's totally ok; just read it as fiction. Thanks, ya'll!

My mom got me the books "This Present Darkness" & "Piercing the Darkness" from a second hand store, but I haven't had a chance to read them yet.

Books I have read by Peretti:
-Hangman's Curse - I loved this book! I read it 4 times in a row. I've also seen the movie twice. I screamed each time I watched it. (I'm not a scary movie person, not that it was scary, but one scene startled me good! XD I didn't like the movie as much since there were a lot of things that weren't in the book. (Which is why I screamed. Because I didn't expect to see masks in a corner...)
-Nightmare Academy - I thought this was a great book as well. It really made me think about how the mind works.
-The Visitation - I liked this book quite a bit because it really made me think of how there really are corrupt people out there claiming to be Jesus. I found some of the book a little slow at times, but overall it was rather gripping. There's a movie for "The Visitation"? Hm, I may have to look that over.

I've read just about all the Peretti stuff, Definitely like Piercing the Darkness, This Present Darkness, and Monster the best I can't say whether it's literal or not but how much of what I write is real? It helped me get my prayer life in perspective better, too.

Maybe I should read it...

I haven't seen it, but I've heard it's different from the book, adding more of a demonic horror element. If you watch it, tell us how it is.

Yea, I watched it with my Dad Jon, and we both felt the same; it wasn't very nice we didn't think.

The Visitation movie makes the anti-Christ figure a lot more demonic. And that was something I thought was a LOT better than the book. Personally, I feel that that kind of thing, leading people astray is demonic, and I liked how they did it.

Also...RANDY TRAVIS IS IN THE MOVIE!

I've always liked This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. I love the presentation of the other world in conjunction with this world. Sometimes it is frightening, but after looking at the books and the way our world is and some of the people I've meet, I think the books could have some real life truth to them (not saying that it happens just like that, after all they are fiction). But I always liked them.

Am I missing something? To someone who hasn't read the book that sounds like a very sacrilegious statement. But I'm sure it would make sense if I had read it. Anybody care to clarify?

The Jesus figure is a false Jesus who is leading people astray.

Ok, good. For a minute I was seriously doubting Willow.

I did NOT realize how that sounded, Hillly! So, sorry about that!

That's ok. All's well that ends well. I was just really scared about the kinds of people I was doing stuff with online, but I knew there was some sort of catch.
Anyway, it's a good thing that 'The Visitation' movie makes the FAKE Jesus figure a lot more demonic.

Oh, dear. I'd hope you'd know that wasn't what I meant! LOL! But I should go back and edit that just to make sure.

Another thing I liked about the movie was that it showed how miracles aren't always something from God.

Dekker is better than Peretti!!! Dekker is my favorite author,though, so it is my opinion.
Kenton D. Long

I enjoy both authors. :I like the "Veritas Project" series Perriti wrote.

That's ok, Willow. Like I said, it turned out ok.

I like Frank Peretti a lot. I haven't read Dekker. And yes, the Veritas Project rocks! If I didn't like the stories, I would read them for the apologetics. I haven't read This Present Darkness or Piercing the Darkness, so I don't have any helps there.

I've recently finished "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness" and I absolutely loved them! They went straight to my top ten list of favourites. And the Veritas are awesome. "Nightmare Academy" was way better than "Hangman's Curse" in my opinion. I loved how he showed the massive errors in 'a world without truth' philosophy.

I didn't know there was much controversy over the two angel/demon warfare books. I believe them to be very close to the truth. I love it how it's opened my eyes to the ways of satan; that some things that come from others are not necessarily are not really them talking/acting. I look around now, and I have a great awareness of the protection God has given us in angels. When I'm in a scary situation, it's almost as though I can feel those warriors standing over me.

I've heard a true story about angels the way Peretti depicts them. Two girls were walking through a park, and one of them was attacked by strangers. When they were caught, and asked why they didn't attack the other girl, they replied "Well, she had those two big blokes walking with her!" She didn't have anyone with her. Angels? I think so.

I read the Cooper Kids Adventures. Some of them were quite extraordinary.

The Cooper kids series is good; I'm reading "Tomb of Anak" at the moment. I'm also just beginning "Prophet" by Frank Peretti as well. Not too bad so far.