Piercing the Darkness (Darkness Set, #2)

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Piercing the Darkness (Darkness #2)

4.25 of 5 stars 4.25 · rating details · 22,192 ratings · 351 reviews

In Piercing the Darkness, Sally Beth Roe, a young loner, a burn-out, a kind of leftover hippie, finds herself caught in the middle of bizarre events, fleeing for her life while trying to recall her dark past.

Paperback, 376 pages

Published January 1st 1989 by Crossway Books

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Dec 26, 2012 David Sarkies rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Nobody

Recommended to David by: A Fundamentalist Christian

Shelves: fantasy

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 offenses, 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 th...more 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 offenses, 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 with an Eastern bloc country who wanted everything that did not want to work for it, and I suspect the main reason he hung around me was because he thought I could come up with some money making scheme that would make him rich, but with the minimal amount of work. It was like if we could get things by bouncing cheques, he would do it, but if it involved establishing a publishing house 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, namely because the main character has to fight the demon herself, and overcome it, 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 senses of the word, namely in the literal sense and in 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 a 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 kilometers away from my source of marijuana, and I have begun to clean myself up (though I still probably drink too much, 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 money and put it into my sharetrading 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 a certain amount, and develop a friendship network here in Melbourne, as well as going to Hong Kong and actually connecting with a church there, but as the bible says, 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.(less)

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Feb 27, 2011 Lynai rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own-a-copy

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 h...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Davina Sinclair rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Was a bit sceptical about this book before I started. However, during the course of reading it my children and I were looking at some clips on youtube from Cbeebies. While we were waiting for the very innocent Iggle Piggle to come on there was an advert which we couldn't skip for 21 seconds for the film "Twilight" which looked very dark and oppressive, although I believe is accepted as a normal part of youth culture at the moment. In addition I was reminded about our local shopping centre which...more Was a bit sceptical about this book before I started. However, during the course of reading it my children and I were looking at some clips on youtube from Cbeebies. While we were waiting for the very innocent Iggle Piggle to come on there was an advert which we couldn't skip for 21 seconds for the film "Twilight" which looked very dark and oppressive, although I believe is accepted as a normal part of youth culture at the moment. In addition I was reminded about our local shopping centre which may be closing down due to most businesses being affected by the recession. However, the one shop that is doing well is the fortune teller!
Anyway, back to the book. I really enjoyed it, full of drama and adventure.
The story is based around a Christian School in America where a teacher has been accused of child abuse. The real battle however is for religious freedom as the State attempt to gain control of religious activities, also sounding familiar given the current struggle of Scarborough Baptist Church in Australia.
I loved the part in the book where he explains redemption using the bath tub. Very moving but effective. The book challenges the idea that we can create our own god summed up nicely in the lyrics playing on the radio today "I'm free to do what I want any old time". I also enjoyed the comparison that when people allow themselves or demons to control their lives, their lives spiral out of control but when they invite Jesus to take control He helps people see more clearly and brings order out of chaos and hope out of despair etc.
Would have liked to have seen more emphasis on the Bible. Although the Bible says that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers, it also gives Jesus as an example of overcoming temptation by using the "sword over the Spirit, which is the word of God"
I liked that the angels were not too "humanlike" and a great picture was painted of them being in awe of Gods redmeption and the power of reconciliation.
Overall really enjoyed the book. Wish I had read it before my social work training! (less)

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Aug 17, 2012 Liza rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Read when I was very young, naive and hopeful.......and then I grew up.

This is not the kind of book I'd like to read again, but enjoyed it at the time for its "explanation" / "insight" / at least its imaginary way of creating a Spiritual Realm we humans may choose to relate to. I would however recommend it to people interested in finding a fresh way of trying to understand the spiritual world.

It’s not possible to understand the Spiritual Realm fully because our minds are way too small to compre...more Read when I was very young, naive and hopeful.......and then I grew up.

This is not the kind of book I'd like to read again, but enjoyed it at the time for its "explanation" / "insight" / at least its imaginary way of creating a Spiritual Realm we humans may choose to relate to. I would however recommend it to people interested in finding a fresh way of trying to understand the spiritual world.

It’s not possible to understand the Spiritual Realm fully because our minds are way too small to comprehend something that does not fit into anything logical to grasp the majesty of what lies beyond, but reading the book might bring some solace to our way of thinking.

My main concern with promoting this book is that I believe our focus should be directed on the Creator (Who is ultimately the centre of all realms), moving into a deeper and never-ending spiral of relationship with Him. I was about 13 at the time of reading this series, and it completely diverted my focus. Because although this is a work of fiction, there are so many biblical principles included and it’s very hard to distinguish between fact and fiction. Yes, my age then should be considered, and may be the reason that I started believing that the whole spiritual world is on my shoulders and I have this immense responsibility to work harder, pray longer, stay purer, and ultimately work incredibly hard not to fail or become a disappointment to God or His angels etc. In my journey so far, I’ve learnt that my goal should not be to carry this self imposed burden on my own, but that when I understand a little more about God’s grace and mercy, kindness and faithfulness etc. that I become empowered through Him, and He takes care of the rest.

In conclusion: This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness are both imaginative, gripping, heart warming and at times funny. Unfortunately the people interested in this type of genre are usually quite fickle as we change our beliefs (or small aspects thereof) constantly – which is very healthy in my opinion – but it leaves us to wonder onto planes not destined for our human minds to grasp, but for our spirits to understand. If you can dedicate yourself to experience this series as pure fiction (and if you’re over 13, it might help), then by all means, enjoy!
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Feb 25, 2012 Donovan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller, fantasy

This is the second book and sequel to This Present Darkness and I found it to be as good if not better than the first. I need to point out it is heavily Christian in its content but don't let that put you off. Although I am not a Christian, I did find this to be quite a good read and was given to me (with This Present Darkness) while I was going through a particularly difficult period in my life. It provides an interesting and contemporary look at Angels & Demons in a setting that is quite b...more This is the second book and sequel to This Present Darkness and I found it to be as good if not better than the first. I need to point out it is heavily Christian in its content but don't let that put you off. Although I am not a Christian, I did find this to be quite a good read and was given to me (with This Present Darkness) while I was going through a particularly difficult period in my life. It provides an interesting and contemporary look at Angels & Demons in a setting that is quite believable. You don't need to have read the first book to enjoy this one although there are references in there.

Plot ***Spoilers***
It follows the journey of Sally Beth Roe as she tries to escape her past and slowly overcomes her constant struggle to discern the Truth.

Told in this story is the town of Bacon's Corner, and a resident named Tom Harris. His kids are ripped from his home by Child Services.
Seeming to have no connection with other events at first, a young police officer, Ben Cole, is convinced what is being brushed off as a suicide is actually a murder, and ends up losing his job over the issue... which brings him to the side of the embattled Christian school.
Caught in the crossfire is a little girl who's been forced into a curriculum of "meditation techniques" and "inner spiritual guides" that control her moods, attitudes, and actions, the little Amber Brandon, and her mother Lucy who realizes this lawsuit and the people who are "helping" her may be much, much more than she bargained for.

Before the paths that Sally Roe and Tom Harris [and the others] are on collide, the Ashton Clarion editor and his wife, Marshall and Kate Hogan, make a return appearance as veteran fighters in this war against the powers of darkness that threaten freedom of religion everywhere.

As the story unfolds, the lawsuit and its participants are soon locked in a struggle of ethics versus non-ethics, absolutes versus relativism, right versus wrong, and those with interest in this battle are shown to be even in the highest places of government.(less)

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Oct 03, 2009 Anne Hawn Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comfort-read

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 sc...more

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Dec 17, 2012 M. J. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. While I was working through the gift box of books, my band performed at an outdoor church fair, and there was a table of free books. I'm always a bit uncomfortable around free book tables, because I can be a glutton and will readily abscond with more than my fair share, so I was scanning them and trying to resist taking any. However, I spotted the name of an author, Frank Peretti, which I had encountered in discussion of modern Christian literature but never read, so I thought it would be worthw...more While I was working through the gift box of books, my band performed at an outdoor church fair, and there was a table of free books. I'm always a bit uncomfortable around free book tables, because I can be a glutton and will readily abscond with more than my fair share, so I was scanning them and trying to resist taking any. However, I spotted the name of an author, Frank Peretti, which I had encountered in discussion of modern Christian literature but never read, so I thought it would be worthwhile to investigate by grabbing this book. It then waited in the queue behind the remaining books in the box.

I often find books difficult at the beginning, but in this case it may be a more serious issue. What impeded me was the cosmology, which was a highly Christian cosmology focused, on one side, on a spiritual warfare between armies of angels and demons and, on the other side, on a distinctly narrow conservative Christianity. On top of that, it quickly became apparent that the wicked worldly conspiracy theories held among some of those believers were a reality, and I had a great deal of trouble envisioning humanists in education and law cooperating in an organized way with secret satanists and covens of witches to overthrow Christianity. If I had trouble with that, I can't imagine those who are not at all Christian embracing anything in this story as remotely possible. The fantastic battles between spirits were in some ways the most credible part.

Or perhaps they were only the second most credible part. The actions of the "enemy" humans, individually, were quite believable--child services workers snatching children from parents because of false anonymous tips, lawyers in the thinly-veiled fictitious version of the ACLU fighting against the religious liberty of Christians in the name of freedom from religion, educators pushing a non-judgmental version of diversity that attempts to embrace all cultures and ethics as equally valued and therefore ultimately meaningless. Even demonic manipulation behind the scenes was quite credible. The overt conspiracy was implausible, but as a comfortable fiction made the story work.

And ultimately the story did work--once the nature of the Christianity under attack was established it mellowed to a more general conservative evangelicalism; the characters were all believable, and the action was impressively presented. Gradually I was pulled into an exciting and compelling story around a woman who has tried to forget her past and succeeded, and now finds it necessary to remember it so she can understand why someone is trying to kill her--and along the way recognizes not only that the life that brought her to where she is was a way of death, but that there was also a way of life and meaning she had rejected and taught others to reject.

It is no surprise that the forces of heaven won; yet it was reasonably well handled, as the victory brought down all the major enemies without becoming a major story in itself--that is, the Christians won, but the media seemed unaware of this despite the fact that in what seemed entirely separate incidents in different parts of the country people vanished, or were arrested, or lost jobs and influence, or mysteriously died.

The cosmology leaves many questions unanswered--if, for example, the angelic hosts banished thousands of demons to the abyss for eternity, are there still demons in the world, or how do they replenish their numbers? However, it is a good story with a solid ending, and I enjoyed it.(less)

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Jul 27, 2009 Jeanette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 30, 2009 Heather Palmer marked it as to-read · review of another edition

This Present Darkness takes place in the typical small town of Ashton where nothing much ever seems to happen. Until . . . a skeptical reporter and a prayerful pastor begin to compare notes. They suddenly find themselves fighting a hideous New Age plot to subjugate the townspeople, and eventually the entire human race.

The battle against evil continues in Piercing the Darkness, where a young loner fleeing for her life while trying to recall her dark past takes refuge in the tiny farming community...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Daniel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: religion, mystery

I like this book, but not as much as "This Present Darkness," the first book. With Baal Rafar fallen, the Stongman decides to work on a different cult, that focuses on spirit guides. Spirit Guides are really demons that take the shape of things that a human may find attractive, such as unicorns to a small girl, a beautiful Goddess-like creature for a woman struggling with guilt, you name it. God sees this, and sends His angels to battle the so-called spirit guides, while at the same time protect...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Brandon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very engaging book, and definitely a well put together story. The spirit world element was really interesting, however, it guesses at some things about how God works through his angels that don't come from the Bible. I'm assuming Peretti is just taking a little license there to make it work. The story has a lot of parallels with things that are happening in our country in terms of the attack on religion, and Christianity especially, from groups like the ACLU and others. Whether or not there are...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Joseph Rudin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 Prese...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Emmalisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-bookshelf-home

I thought the first book was better, but it still had that supernatural suspense. I couldn't go on reading the rest of this series, because it seems too heavy after a while. You sort of feel like you need a break. Like come back to reading the next book after a couple of months. Its like the movies, where you are on the edge just waiting to see whats happening next. It's not as great as the first book, but still has its purpose of putting the understanding of good and evil into fiction writing....more

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Jul 19, 2010 Don rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow, another awesome book by Frank Peretti. This book had the duality of the intrigue and struggle both on the physical and spiritual realms happening simultaneously. It was very well written and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I real page turner, just like his first.

It was a real eye opener to me how the book talks about how special interest groups will use trial law to further their causes and build up rulings to bend the law in their favor, one ruling at a time. This is a "fiction" book, but this h...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Andrea Goodson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved, loved, loved this book! The symbolism that Peretti uses in his novels makes me think for hours, days, even weeks afterwards about what every small, minute detail could have meant. The battle for good and evil is alive in large proportion as well as inside each individual person. This book, as well as all of Peretti's novel have touched me deeply and inspired me to attempt to inspire others. Peretti will always be an author that inspired me to reach out to the world and follow my own dream...more

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Feb 23, 2011 Linda Yezak rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction

Frank E. Peretti’s fast-paced suspense has a 1989 copyright date, and yes, in some places it definitely shows its age, but overall, the story is even more applicable today. It’s a tale of Good verses Evil set on all playing fields–on earth, and in the spirit realm. The actions of humans spur or bind the actions of angels, both the Heavenly hosts and Satan’s legions. Peretti slips between the realms frequently, and not without the jolt of sudden shifts, but after the reader gets accustomed to his...more

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Feb 05, 2011 Mindi Rosser rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Mindi by: Parents

Reading the Sequel to "This Present Darkness" prior to the original, I was thrown into the story without foreknowledge. It would have helped immensely to read these books in the proper order. They follow one right after the other.

Supernatural twists, thrilling plots, and unforgettable characters come to life through the pages of this book. It's one book that you will not want to put down - may even give you nightmares. I would highly recommend this book to those interested about prayer's impact...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Dorothy Bandusky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this even better than the first one! I really enjoyed the parts when the angels would nudge people to do something. It was just cool.
The characters are easy to relate to; I'm sure everybody could find someone at least.
Like the first book, there are a lot of characters to keep track of,so you need to be fully conscious when you read.
And like the first book, this is a pleasant reminder that prayer does work and God is in control. I'm sure all of us can use that!
I can't wait to read more...more

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May 11, 2013 Matthew rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 aut...more 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. (less)

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Feb 09, 2013 Andi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was the first book that I ever read and enjoyed by Peretti. However, I have to warn that anyone who's turned off by strong Christian themes shouldn't read this book (I sort of feel like that shouldn't be necessary to throw in there, since the author is a well known Christian author, but apparently some people just don't do their research.)

I guess what irritates people the most about this book is that they feel like it's focused too much on "self-works" since the main character has to fight...more

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Nov 11, 2011 Vern rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I remember when my mother purchased both books, This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. She tried to get me to read them when I was in high school but all the angels and spiritual warfare stuff really spooked me back then. I snagged, Piercing the Darkness, from her house a few years ago and finally started reading it earlier this year. I found it to be a slow read but I’m glad I stuck with it.

Lucy Brandon thought her daughter, Amber, had an innocent imaginary childhood friend when she...more I remember when my mother purchased both books, This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. She tried to get me to read them when I was in high school but all the angels and spiritual warfare stuff really spooked me back then. I snagged, Piercing the Darkness, from her house a few years ago and finally started reading it earlier this year. I found it to be a slow read but I’m glad I stuck with it.

Lucy Brandon thought her daughter, Amber, had an innocent imaginary childhood friend when she acted out as Amethyst, the horse, but she was really possessed by a demon spirit. This “possession” propelled the forces of darkness into motion in the small town of Bacon’s Corner. Peretti sets the story in motion quickly and then gives us the details through the middle. Tom Harris, director of the local Christian school, children has been taken by Child Protective Services and he has been charged with child abuse. The child abuse charges does not stem from him abusing his own children but for spanking and trying to cast Amethyst out of Amber. While all this is going on there is a background story and the main character is a mysterious woman named Sally Roe. What happens to Sally Roe ultimately affects the outcome of things in Bacon’s Corner. The most intriguing part of the entire novel is how the ranks of angels and demons actually move the story along.

Peretti gives a lot of background and details so the middle of the story was kind of hard to work through. There was always a lot of suspense and the ending was riveting! My favorite characters had to be the “angels.” It was so great how Peretti made them so diverse. They were of all nationalities. The names that Peretti gave the demons made you really think about how these evil spirits can infiltrate our daily lives. They had names like despair, insanity, destroyer, strongman, and many more. Peretti made it real clear how effective the power of prayer can be when believers unify and cast away demonic imps such as “discord” and “gossip.” We also saw how the spiritual wickedness really is in “high” places.

There were a lot of shocking revelations and moments in the text when you speed read to see what happens next. The most moving and beautifully written part for me was when Sally Roe came to know Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. At that moment, she found peace and confidence that she had been searching for for years.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” – Ephesians 6:12
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May 13, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: guilty-pleasure, bland-protagonist, the-message, theology-unfortunate-implications, too-many-people, popcorn-lit

This book is a bit of a guilty pleasure. Some days I just crave flat, evil cultist baddies and a good ol'fashioned exorcism (though, unlike every movie ever, these actually work!). It is immensely stupid, yet fun to read. I would, however, advise Mr. Peretti to cut down on his cast; it doesn't really help the book.
Things I learned: if you want to be taken seriously, don't use onomatopoeia in your fight scenes. Especially "AWWWW!" Pacing and tension are not Peretti's strong points. Neither are...more

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Apr 30, 2011 David Brollier rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's been a while since I read this book, but I remember when I read it I was pleasantly surprised to find such great writing in a Christian work of fiction. I'm so used to embellished Bible stories, which used to be the only kind of fiction a Christian author could get published. Things have changed, and I think we have the great work or people like Frank to thank for it. This was a great visual of spiritual warfare, the 2nd book if I remember correctly. (The first being This Present Darkness)

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Feb 22, 2013 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First Frank Peretti book I read. Much along the lines of the "Left Behind" series. Earthly warfare of a team of lawyers, much akin to our current day ACLU, trying to destroy Christians/Christianity in thru little, devious ways. And a Spiritual warfare for the survival of Christians. Good book. The only thing I didn't like or care about is Peretti introduces at LEAST one new character, sometimes three or four, per chapter for most of the book. Trying to remember them all and keep them straight ma...more

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Jun 27, 2010 Dave rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sequal to This Present Darkness. I could not put this down until I finished it. Classic spiritual warfare showing the unsettling weaknesses in the church that empower and confirm the brilliance of the enemy's strategy. It highlights his plan to divide and conquer and will expose and deal with all to realistic apathy and pettiness that easily besets us. Also shows how we limit the power of the angelic hosts to fight on our behalf. Great writing and imagery.

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Jan 08, 2010 Joanna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this book a lot! It's about just like a murder mystery type where at first you have no idea what's going on and there are 40 million characters but as the story goes on you start to figure out stuff and it's really suspensful, but there's another side to everything (that makes the story more interesting and kinda helps tie everything together) since there are angels and God and the devil and stuff!

Wow, that's probably the longest run-on sentence ever.

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Apr 13, 2012 ElenTikvah (Lea Coville) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction

Well, this is the fourth or fifth time that I've read Piercing the Darkness, though it has been *many* years since my last perusal.

It is *obvious* that this book was written in the early '90s. That aside, it is still an enjoyable read. That said, reading it as a more well-rounded adult, outside the conservative Christian circles I was nutured in, the simplistic "demons under every doily" is a bit tiring.

Even with these limitations, I still find myself enjoying Peretti's writing style. Specifica...more

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Jan 25, 2008 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, fiction, read-2001, read-2005

This novel is the second Christian thriller by Frank Peretti, and sort of a sequel to This Present Darkness. It portrays problems in small-town America which are mirrored in the spiritual realm with angels and demons battling for lives and souls. It's exciting enough that it would probably be enjoyed by anyone who likes action-packed thrilling novels although it probably makes more sense to Christians.

As encouragement for Christians to stand up for what they believe, and to keep praying, it's pr...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A good sequel to the first. I liked the way Peretti tied in the characters from the first book. However, I prefer This Present Darkness simply because it was the first book I read like it. The Present Darkness is basically the same story as the first, just with different characters. And it's as LONG as the first, too. Still, I'd recommend it to Peretti fans, or anyone looking for a book that illustrates the power of prayer!

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Feb 19, 2013 Jennifer Dow rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: modern-fiction

As a young girl I read this book. It made all the difference to me as I faced a decision to follow a path of new age religion or Christianity. Through this book I saw that the intrigue and depth of Christianity was more than I had originally thought. I was compelled to choose the path of Christianity largely because of this book. I also suspect the prayers of those who loved me had much to do wit it as well.

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About Frank Peretti

FROM 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 blueg...more FROM 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 writted 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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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/999187.Piercing_the_Darkness?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1180108868l/999187.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/999187.Piercing_the_Darkness?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti[/url]

Piercing the Darkness (Darkness #2)

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