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The Oath

Frank E. Peretti

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Mar 22, 2008 Werner rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, supernatural-fiction

Note, Aug. 16, 2022: I've just edited this review to add a content warning at the bottom.

Peretti is generally viewed as the dean of supernatural fiction writers in the commercial "Christian fiction" market (which he was largely single-handedly responsible for opening up to this genre). Although I haven't read any of his other work, I'd be inclined to say that he deserves his stature in the field. His characters (at least, in this novel) are utterly believable, fallible people; his plot is grippi Note, Aug. 16, 2022: I've just edited this review to add a content warning at the bottom.

Peretti is generally viewed as the dean of supernatural fiction writers in the commercial "Christian fiction" market (which he was largely single-handedly responsible for opening up to this genre). Although I haven't read any of his other work, I'd be inclined to say that he deserves his stature in the field. His characters (at least, in this novel) are utterly believable, fallible people; his plot is gripping, and perfectly paced; the Oregon mountain setting is well-drawn (the author makes his home in Oregon, or at least did at the time of this writing); and he writes with genuine psychological and spiritual insight.

It will not constitute a spoiler to reveal this much: the 19th- century founder of Hyde River, Benjamin Hyde, was a Satanist, who persuaded the townsfolk to bind themselves in a satanic pact; and the devil's physical presence continues to be embodied in a huge dragon which (unbeknown to outsiders) still haunts the area. The symbolism Peretti employs here resembles, in some ways, Hawthorne's in "The Bosom Serpent;" but the scale here is grander, the novel-length treatment allows for fuller plot and character development, and the much more lethal menace of the reptile here makes for far greater dramatic tension.

Given that this book was published by Thomas Nelson, it meets ECPA guidelines, and is sold in Christian bookstores belonging to the CBA; so the content was subjected to pretty strict scrutiny. But it does have an instance of unmarried sex (completely non-explicit). Apparently, this is still a serious negative point for some readers. (One Goodreader stated, in a review of a different book, that he felt "slimed" from reading this!) My own view of this is less uncritically negative. Peretti doesn't approve of unmarried sex, but he depicts it as a realistic part of the fallen world he's writing about, and uses it as a springboard for a character's ethical reflection and second thoughts. IMO, this is entirely consistent with what Christian fiction writers should be doing. If any direct fictional confrontation with this kind of thing is ruled illegitimate for Christian writers before they start, they're being asked to approach the depiction of human life with one eye blindfolded. ...more

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