The Last Day

by James Landis, J.D. Landis

I meet Jesus on the day I get home from the war. I’m on the beach, but I don’t know how I got here. My mind is as dark as the night. . . . I spend the whole night on the beach. But when the sun’s faint light begins to bend around the Earth, I see him. . . . There, coming toward me, out of the light, is a man. . . . Behind the man a faint curtain of light rises to the sky out of the ocean. He wears the light like a robe, though I see he’s dressed like me. Jeans and a T-shirt, no shoes. And that he’s older than I am, a lot older, maybe mid-thirties. He walks right toward me. He walks right into my eyes.

So begins the spellbinding story of Warren Harlan Pease, a young U.S. Army sniper freshly returned from the Iraq War to his native New Hampshire. What follows is a page-turning adventure that is also a powerful meditation on religion and war, love and loss.

The Last Day answers questions and asks many more. Armed with a sniper’s rifle and his deeply held faith, Specialist Pease travels across ideological borders and earns an appreciation for his enemy’s culture and for what connects us all as human beings. “War doesn’t test your faith in Jesus,” Warren comes to realize. “It tests your faith in yourself.” Upon returning home, he spends an entire day with Jesus visiting and contemplating his own life with fresh eyes, and a willing heart. He examines his relationship to those he loves, and grapples with the pain he has been carrying inside since the death of his mother when he was just a boy.

This extraordinary work of compassion and healing grace combines the themes of religion, war and poetry in a way that is wholly original, and unforgettable. It will resonate with skeptics and believers, be shared and discussed between friends and among families.

Genres: Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Jordy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite quotes:

"Is there anything we want as much as for the dead to be able to see us?" - Pg. 29

"Words are like a shield sometimes to protect what's under them. Maybe that's why I like poetry, where words are weapons and wounds both." - Pg. 55

" 'My father's a vet [veterinarian:],' I say, 'who hunts.'...'I never really got it'...'I'd watch him taking care of animals. So gentle. Then he'd go out and shoot them. Talk about a contradiction. Do you know what I mean?' 'My father's the same way,' Jesus says." - Pg. 76-77

"Words are the imagination made visible, the way that human beings are God mad visible." - Pg. 107

"Mr. Smith read me and Bethie a poem by Lord Byron called 'Euthanasia.' He said it was one of the rare poems about death that wasn't an attempt to seduce a woman by telling her how little time we have on earth. Instead, it was an attempt to seduce the reader. Not with love. With death. The poem says, whatever joys I've had, whatever I've been on earth, it's better to die and go back to 'the nothing that I was.'" - Pg. 125

"We weren't there to kill religious people. We were there to kill people who use religion to kill people." - Pg. 157

"We all come from One. The whole world is in the face of one child. Any child." - Pg. 188

"I like contradictions. If we didn't have contradiction, how could we want to kill people and save people at the same time? How could God be God?" - Pg. 191

"My tears light up her hair like diamonds." - Pg. 197

"Our children are what we disappear into before we disappear into God." - Pg. 223

"The ocean waves breathe against the shore. In and out. You think they maybe keep the Earth alive and it would suffocate without them." - Pg. 270

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been (wrongly) compared to Young's "The Shack" in many reviews. If that is what you're expecting, you will not enjoy this book. It is not "The Shack" and does not pretend to be. "The Shack" is politically correct and neatly wrapped up in happy emotions. "The Last Day" is not. "The Last Day" is a glimpse inside of a man's mind when he has experienced love and loss and has attempted to shut out the world. It is not politically correct -- in fact there are many passages that most people would find offensive. It is not wrapped up in a neat little happy ending. This book is a journey all its own. Now, if you can read this novel for what it is, without having to compare it to another novel in which the only thing they have in common is that the protagonist talks to God, it is a good book. Landis has a simple yet beautiful writing style, and the story is easy to read. The main character is one that most readers probably cannot relate to, since most of us will never enter the military. However, he is still a believable character and becomes more and more engaging as the story progresses. His journey with Jesus is very personal -- and that is important for the reader to remember. Not everyone views Jesus in the same way, and many will probably be offended by the way he is represented in this book -- just your average guy that likes walking on the beach and eating cheeseburgers. He also avoids tough theological questions, but never deviates from the journey of faith. Faith, perhaps, is the cornerstone on which this story is built.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading books about our SpecOps forces (SEALs and snipers). I also enjoy reading books about becoming a better follower of Christ. Imagine my surprise, then, when I come across a work of fiction that not only combines these two literary interests of mine, but gives me something that no other book I've read (outside of the bible) ever really has.

For too many years I struggled with what it looks like to live my life with and for Jesus. This book did a wonderful job of showing me what it's like to live in a close relationship with him...if only for one day.

The author does a superb job of weaving the events of two timelines together into one cohesive climax...answering the many questions that arise throughout the book. But he reveals them slowly; giving the reader plenty of time to ponder what is actually happening.

This book came as a surprise to me as I didn't really know what to expect from it. And while I do not think that it is for just anyone to enjoy, I wholly recommend it to anyone who finds themselves wondering about it with even the slightest hint of curiosity. One warning: do not dive into this book expecting any deep theology. It's just not there.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone seems to be comparing The Last Day to The Shack, but I find that to be apples and oranges. The Shack is a story of faith. The Last Day is a love story. It is not a study of the nature of God. Jesus is a character in the story, but the story is not about him. It's about Warren Harlan Pease's last day and return home at the end of his tour of duty in Iraq. It's about his love for the people in his life, their relationships and interactions with one another. It's about his personal relationship with Jesus (not Jesus's relationship with the whole world).

I found Warren to be a very real character. I like him a lot. Everyone was likeable, probably because we were seeing them through Warren's eyes. They were also very human. They are presented with their frailties along with their good points.

The Lat Day is a sad book. It brought tears to my eyes. At the same time, it's a joyful book because it celebrates love and life. It has hope woven throughout with love.

This was one of my favorite books of 2009.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I found this book to be very unique and interesting, unlike any book I have ever read before. I was fascinated by the author's intent of drawing out the process of 'meeting Jesus in the air' (1 Thess. 4:17). I found my heart echoing many of Warren's thoughts and regrets as well, making notes of things I should make right before my last day. I did not so much enjoy the parts of this book that reflected on his time in Iraq. They seemed ittered with acronymns that broke up what could have been more meaningful trains of thought. I did however love the relational aspects of this book; War's momories and conversations with Bethie, Ryan, his father, and his daughter. Most importantly, with Jesus.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I don't think that this is exactly how our life comes to a close, I liked that this book urged me to think out of the box. To think about my relationships, death, war, and what it all means when it is mixed up together. And who can't enjoy a book that portrays Jesus as wearing jeans and driving fast?

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young man at war in Iraq, finds himself on the beach in his hometown and can't remember how he got there. He looks up and there is a man walking toward him named Ray. What follows is a beautifully written story of redemption and grace. Highly recommend having a box of kleenex handy.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know how to describe this book: a family tragedy, a love story turned triangle, a sniper in Iraq, fatherhod,so many concepts? issues? experiences? and done very well, in my opinion. The timeline bounces around constantly, so the reader needs to be well grounded. Narration is excellent. Profanity is done as s-, d- etc I found that interesting. I had a little problem with the very detailed war pieces, but I really liked the book.

[Dave Gorzynski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different look at what happens right after we die and a chance to resolve conflicts still unsettled. Well written although narrative lagged just a bit from time to time. Well worth the read

[Jim Strasma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an immensely satisfying book on several levels. First, it's a good story, one that teaches willing readers a lot about those soldiers in our generation who willingly risk death that we may live free. Second, from this book you will learn a great deal about the people who fight for us in places like Iraq, and the people they fight there. Third, and most interesting to me, you will learn a bit of the philosophies and theologies of those who take up arms, both as hunters and as soldiers. Fourth, you will experience excellent poetic writing throughout. Finally, you just may learn a lot about what awaits us at the end of this life.

Having experienced a near-death experience myself a decade before Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote her seminal work "On Death and Dying" describing such experiences scientifically, this book felt a great deal like what I myself experienced and what Kubler-Ross later described. The narrator is met, and his entire life reviewed - and discovers he is loved by God despite everything that remains imperfect about his life.

For me, the parts about how Jesus might spend a final day with a believer is enjoyable fiction but unprovable as fact, at least for now. The least pleasant part for me at first was the idea that Jesus has no problem with an unmarried couple living together and having a child, nor with that only being resolved by a later marriage between the woman and the man's best friend. (Hint: it's not that simple; read the whole thing.)

Just as the recent bestseller "The Shack" answered well the hard question of why a good God permits evil things to happen to innocents, this book answers well those who believe only pacifists are real Christians. For me, raised as a pacifist, that was the most important part of the book and why I'll likely keep to read about "War" again. Here's an example: "Jesus says, 'If the only ones who fight are those who want to fight, the only ones left will be those who want to fight.'" Most pacifists will think differently about snipers after reading this book.

Highly recommended.

[Christy Trever · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Day by James Landis is the truly rare gem of a life-changing book. It's difficult to write a book in which a contemporary character meets Jesus without writing cheesy sentimentality or preachy discourses on faith. Landis' stunningly beautiful novel avoids all of those traps. Warren "War" Pease, a twenty-year-old soldier serving in Iraq meets up with Jesus, who calls himself Ray, on a mysterious visit to his hometown in New Hampshire. War meets up with Bethie, the mother of his daughter, Dodie, who he loved desperately, but could never let her into his heart; his father, a veterinarian with a unusual view of religion and guns; and his best friend Ryan, who has stepped into Bethie and Dodie's lives to fill the void he left when he went to Iraq. War jumps around in narration between his experiences in Baghdad and encountering the ones he left behind. Landis is a lyrical storyteller who has labored over each and every sentence, constructing them carefully for maximum power and emotion. His descriptions of the paranoia and accompanying recklessness of young soldiers are brilliant. War is a thoughtful young man who takes his job as sniper very seriously, and readers will find themselves pulled into his life. Ray and War's repartee keeps the book from becoming gloomy or dark. Ray keeps the reader's and War's focus right where it needs to be: on Him. In the beginning of the book, I was mentally fighting the obvious ending, but by the end, Landis' writing makes War's end a thing of beauty and grace. I know it's early in the year, but I am certain that this will make my top ten list of 2010.

[W. Derek Atkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many others have done a great job of summarizing this book, so I will simply give my thoughts here. As others have noted, the way the author depicts Jesus is quite different from the picture many of us have of Jesus, and I'm not sure I quite agree with the author's theology. Also, the depictions of violence in Iraq are so graphic they turn my stomach. But would I recommend this book? Absolutely. The characters are believable, there is real character development, the dialogue is quite amazing at times, and the author does a great job of making this story work. I'm curious to know what the author's background is - whether he's served in the military and been to Iraq or not, because the details he includes about military life and what contemporary Iraq are like sure do sound authentic.

I would recommend this book to anyone high-school aged or older. I say that because the graphic violence in this book is definitely too much for children, and will be quite disturbing even for adults. I think high school students should read with with a teacher to talk to afterwards.

Many have compared this book to The Shack, but having read The Shack, I have to say I think this book is far better than The Shack, even though I don't necessarily agree with how the author portrays Jesus.

[Joy E. Rancatore · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Landis managed to pen a war story that is beautiful and gripping and speaks to any reader who has the good fortune to pick up The Last Day. This compelling story begins with the words, "I meet Jesus on the day I get home from the war." Landis follows the experience of a soldier's last day, his interaction with Jesus and his ability to leave family, friends and his life on earth in peace.

I love the fresh look at religion from a "regular Joe's" eyes and the way Landis weaves in bits and pieces of literature and poetry, specifically a few selections from Emily Dickinson.

While Landis' character development was a bit abrupt in my opinion I think he did a good job of introducing his readers to a large set of integral characters through only one day of activities.

I would whole-heartedly recommend this book that, while sad in its subject matter, ends with a bright ring of hope.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the write-up here on goodreads: "It will resonate with skeptics and believers". That says it all for me. I couldn't even call myself a skeptic, that has a shred of belief to it, but I guess I read this like a science fiction book, not believing what happens in it in any way, but enjoying the writing. And thinking how nice it would be for a person to be able to visit the people he loves as Warren Harlan Pease does.

From a review listed on the Hennepin County Library website:
"Debut novelist Landis's creation of Jesus as a regular guy with amusing yet wise words and Warren's blend of sensibility and spirituality turn a potentially proselytizing work into a powerful story of one young man's faith, failings, and redemption.-Joy Humphrey, Pepperdine Univ. Law Lib., Malibu, CA (c) Copyright 2010."

(The date I finished the book is just a guess.)

[Alvana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only say that this book was ok because there were a few notable paragraphs. I almost never quit a book, but I contemplated quitting this one. (The ONE reason I didn't quit was because I was on vacation and didn't have any other books with me!) The author's grammer was quite poor. (Shouldn't most writers, or high school grads for that matter, know that run-on sentences that end with "of" are gramatically incorrect?) Also, the "plot" skipped around so much that it was hard to keep track of everything. I try to give every book I read a fair chance, but I was so disappointed that I don't have many good things to write.

[Gloria]

Yes, I read The Shack (and thought it was so-so), but I'm not sure why this book keeps getting compared to it.

I gave this book several more chapters to do "something" (anything!) that would remotely capture my interest. It failed. To me, it came across as somewhat juvenile and condescending. And with characters more caricatured than I like to see-- as well as the dialogue.

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Um. wow. this book....I couldn't finish it. I read about 200 pages and it's one of the only books in my life that i couldn't finish.
Perhaps someone who is or was in the army would appreciate it.

[Monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm afraid I didn't like it that much... Maybe because it was presented being the new "The Shack", I expected too much. I still need to finish it, but for now I've laid it aside, maybe next time I'll like it more.

[Laura Bogue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really enjoying this, but in the end it was too violent for me to finish...

[Jim Munro · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is kind of a locavore's version of The Shack. The most interesting part of the book is that all of the street names and landmarks are familiar but the story was not all that good

[Kathleen Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

They compare this book to the Shack, but I didn't see it. I liked it, but it didn't hit me the same way the Shack did.

[Lori]

review copy from publisher

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the ending!!!

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an odd combination of war story and Christian teaching/ inspiration. I really prefer both of those themes separately. This may work for people who are new believers or seekers.

[Micaella]

yawn