The Oath

Very well written

Frank Peretti is a master of telling stories. There's no way around it. Even people who either don't agree with his views or don't necessarily like what stories he tells, they all have to agree on how well he tells the stories.The Oath is a multilayered story essentially about a monster. But we first a death. Cliff Benson is in the mountains of Hyde River, a small mining town in the Pacific Northwest. It's concluded that it's the work of a rogue bear, but Cliff's brother, Steve Benson, is determined to find the truth behind it. Along the way he meets the quirky people of the backwater town and begins to peel away this story's many layers.At first it's a murder mystery, but Peretti begins adding different elements that cause us to question what's really going on. Before we know it, the twists start coming, the action begins, and Peretti has us by the throat and won't let go.I'll start off by saying The Oath is gripping. Throughout the story the tension builds to the breaking point, and by the end, you're dying to know how everything will go down. Every scene filled with suspense. Peretti utilizes the very best aspects of writing to create the atmosphere of apprehension. He builds it on a scene-by-scene foundation. The Oath stands on its own just because of how gripping it is.But that's not the only thing going for it. The story is so layered and intricate that it's impossible to see where it's going. Peretti weaves the past and present together and as we read on, the pieces steadily fall into place like a puzzle. With all of the subplots, there has to be a sufficient payoff, and Peretti nails it. He ties off every loose end, and wraps up the story with a satisfying conclusion.None of the above would work, though, if we didn't care about the characters. And that's also something Peretti does well. In many of his other books we are introduced to characters that go through a dramatic change throughout the course of the book, and he delivers much of the same technique here. Steve Benson, the protagonist, is a strong lead. He was believable and I cared about the decisions he made. It pained me when he made bad ones. I wanted him to succeed. And he changed, drastically, from beginning to end, which is the most important part about characterization. And the supporting characters were well enough developed and likeable (or unlikable) enough to get the job done.Now I'd like to address the more logistical aspects of the book. Pacing, writing style, dialogue, and fluidity. As I said before, The Oath is very gripping, and it does have very good pacing. It is consistent, and doesn't move too slow or too fast. And Peretti's writing style is like reading a detailed movie script. Quick, moving descriptions, fast paced action, and not too detailed, yet enough to create a vivid picture in the mind of the reader. The dialogue is effective and well written. Conversations are accurate and realistic.And, another important aspect is fluidity. With a book like this, starting out like a murder mystery and then delving into supernatural elements, it needs to flow well. And Peretti does a good job. The transition isn't sudden, but more of a build up to the final revelation. I won't spoil anything.To tie all of this together, I'll address the spiritual aspect to The Oath. As I said before, the story is essentially about a monster. That monster is sin, and The Oath is an illustration on the effect sin has on our lives. And I must say, that illustration is highly effective. Peretti manages to weave this spiritual analogy within the narrative without being preachy and in your face. That's not to say he doesn't show sin for what it is. What needs to be said, he says. That's part of what makes Peretti such a good writer. He knows the best way to his message across. I believe that only Christian authors can write with this sort of depth and meaning.The Oath works on every level, and can be enjoyed by Christians and non-Christians. Peretti is definitely one of the best supernatural thriller writers, and he proves it with The Oath. Very readable, highly recommended.

The Oath is a great book to read and put in your collection.

The Oath is a very long tale of fiction that continued the legacy of Frank Peretti as one of the most prolific Christian writers of our time. Having recently read Peretti's Monster, I must say that the two books parallel each other in many ways with several plot elements mirroring each other.I found myself tiring between revelations and being disappointed with the character qualities of some of his subjects. My major complaint, although it has to do with my taste and needs for reads to move along and make the point, is that Oath could have been shortened by a hundred pages without losing anything.Peretti used as his backdrop a very dark and evil little mining town with a terrible secret past. He mixed it with a preposterously unbelievable central focus that he masterfully made believable as well as acceptable. He then pitted good against evil, regenerate Christianity against a dark and dying segment of the world, and made the surrealistic elements of sin into black ooze that issued forth from the unregenerate human heart.Frank Peretti expertly employed allegory to teach a truth, preach a sermon on salvation, share a parable of the effects and reality of the power of sin, and bring into view the invisible effects of a black heart. He is a true Christian writer.Were it not for Peretti's highly developed wordsmithing skills, creative genius, fearless trek into the world of devils, I might have succumbed to the slow lumbering pace of plot development, the disappointing ups and downs of some of his characters, and what I thought was a disproportionate text to action ratio.It helps to have some knowledge of Saint George's Dragon, Herpetology, and then allow the master weaver of creature based fiction to carry you along on his fairytale-like pen thrusts.Oath is a very good read and a pictorially beautiful journey into the mountains. It is rewarding and in placed even a bit overwhelming to the faint at heart. There is violence, gruesome depictions of bad ways to die, and stomach turning visualizations of the rotting and overpowering caustic nature of sin that has been around just about as long as man has been.Sometimes, the reader finds him or herself having to accept biblical truths contained in Oath as a little child, just as they are put forth in Scripture. If this isn't the case, then evil will win, the devil will not flee from anyone, the cross has no real power over sin, we have no security or protection, and we certainly cannot wage war against the gates of hell.In a Peretti book, God is good, righteous, powerful, sovereign, and loving. The devil is bad, unrighteous, strong, hateful, and seemingly but not actually sovereign. Peretti never sells God short nor does he shy away from the true plan of salvation. That's why I have read most of his works and have been blessed by all of them.I recommend this book, but I caution the timid reader to be prepared for a rollercoaster ride through thrills, human weakness, some gore, and suffering and pain.I do believe Peretti has matured and has perfected his writing skills as he has put on a few years and produced more great works.

I was gripped by the story, although it was gruesome in parts.

I have read almost all Frank Peretti's novels, and this has got to be one of his very best. The gripping story draws you into it and is completely absorbing. The allegory underlying the theme of the book (that sin can get a hook into your heart) is very powerful and you can't help a bit of soul searching as you are reading it.I would wholeheartedly recommend to anybody who loves Christian fiction

Good

had read Frank Peretti books a number of years ago and loved them. I enjoyed this but found the story rather far fetched although thought it got its message through

One of my favourite books by Frank Paretti