Rating: 
Summary: spiritual superiority
Review: This is probably one of the most mysterious books that ever came out. One could read it as a novel and be completely disappointed by the plot and give it up half way through ...... but the true value of the book is in simplifying spiritual concepts that had been long forgotten by man along the way ........ the concepts and spiritual ideas of the book had long been researched and practiced for thousands of years and what the writer does is try to put those old / everlasting theories into a new and comprehendable scenario so that the people of the new age would understand them.To enjoy this book you have to understand what it really offers and from there you would appreciate the values that might change your life forever, otherwise it will be just another OK novel.
Rating:
Summary: 5 STARS, BUT DON'T TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY
Review: I read this book, on a "chance" recommendation from a total stanger at the market. Most of my reading was on a commuter train going and returning from work. At least 80 people came up to me in the few days it took to read and shared their experiences with the book. I have never before or since has this reaction to any book. It must be agreed that this book is an allegory. Taken in this form, and melding the insights into everyday life, will definately give one a fresh perspective on viewing the world. The message is simple and pure. The writing style is breezy. Life may not be as simple as the book portrays, but it sure would be nice if it was. The only negative comment I have personally heard about this book came from a reverend who felt threatened by the message. As he put it, "Where would I be, if everyone communicated with God and "nature" without formal church direction?" Where indeed?
Rating: 
Summary: What are you searching for?
Review: well.....you may not need a college level education in writing to have duplicated the writing style or the plot complexity of this book.... or for that matter.....to even had read the book ..so...for those people who need to be dazzled by such criteria...(and will thus... judge a book accordinly ) ...then...there are are so many other books that are more worthy of reading and my recommendation is not to waste your time on this one ....in my opinion... the writing style (which is so persecuted in many of the other reviews I read) may have been the author's intent to reach as large a mass of readers as possible for obivious capitalistic reasons....this is confirmed by the way the book ends in a kind of dissapointing cliffhanger...with a promise of a sequel "The Tenth Insight" ..so...he chose his stlye accordingly...you can't blame him totally....he is afterall an author trying to cash in... as would any other... although other reviews complained of technical blunders in research (regarding the physics of energy and other scientific data)....the spiritual ideas and concepts presented in this work are still worthy and are the book's own saving grace ...it probaly partially accounts for the reason that it sold 8 million copies (besides a clever marketing ploy)....however.....for those of you who consider yourselves to be more spiritually advanced...the so called "insights"... provided are probaly nothing new and you will most certainly recognize them as just a repackaging of old concepts and ideas and my recommendation to you is... also.... don't waste your time...on the other hand.... if you feel you are just beginning to explore your own spirituality but don't feel a need to identify yourself with any particular religion.....well then... this book may have something to offer and could serve as a good starting point to be presented with some intresting food for thought and contemplation....the fact that the book sold 8 million copies is probaly evident of the growing restlessness among the human race as a whole to rise above materialistic core values and try to advance to something more meaningful which is ...by the way.... the basic substance and message of this book and is also an indication of the sad state of affairs our society is in... when it comes to spiritual matters.
Rating: 
Summary: the reviews are better than the book
Review: I logged on here to try to counteract all the new-age mishmash I thought I'd find in relation to this book, but was thrilled to find reader after reader giving it the thrashing it so desperately deserves. So how the heck did it sell 8 MILLION copies? Anyway, I'm heartened that I'm not the only one who thought it was ridiculous. The beginning was anyway-I can't talk about the rest as I gave up about a third of the way through, about the time some Peruvian saint or somebody started talking about the "poor me syndrome". What? Poor ME, for being subjected to this book. PS-I was forced to give it one star because it's the only way my review would print.
Rating:
Summary: Fantasy fiction with a message of hope
Review: This book has sold more than 8 million copies. It's hard to understand why. It's a poorly written fantasy-fiction novel about a modern day young man who goes to Peru to search for a manuscript that is supposed to reveal ancient secrets about the fate of humankind. The Church and the Peruvian government want to suppress this information, so there is an attempt at a plot. Most of the time I was bored and annoyed at the book, whose "insights" were certainly not new. All the characters seemed the same, and the story was silly. I was prepared to write a scathing review. And then I thought about it some more and have softened my attitude. The basic concept of the book is one of hope. The vision it leaves is that the world is evolving into a far far better place. Not only that, but each one of us, by just being aware of the insights in our daily lives, can carry the message and make this nirvana happen sooner. And this hope I speak about is not just a personal salvation, but a salvation for the whole human race. This little book makes it all seem possible. I don't think this book meant to be viewed as literature. It isn't. It's a positive message about the meaning of life. In that, the author succeeded. I would recommend it for curiosity seekers who would be willing to plod through it for this message. And, frankly, I'm glad I read it.
Rating: 
Summary: This is NOT great fiction. So what? Read it anyway!
Review: I've read all the reviews before this one. No, I couldn't put it down either and read it in one day. No, it isn't great fiction, not great writing. So what? If that's what you want, read something else. If you want something that will make you think about your own life, and if you are the least bit open minded, then read this book. It may not change your whole life, but it might at least make you think about your life, your past, your family and how you fit into the whole. Isn't that worth something? Yes, the plot is simplistic, but so is the Bible. In my case, the mere fact that a friend gave me this book to read is a coincidence that I cannot ignore. And my restlessness and lifelong search for the meaning of my life makes this book well worth reading. I bet there are a lot of you out there just like me.......
Rating: 
Summary: REDFIELD IS THE LUCKIEST TWIT EVER ALIVE
Review: I'm being generous here to give him 2 stars since I think his book at least contains some interesting message, though rather simplistic and superficial and will especially appeal to the "unprejudiced" minds. As far as the writing style goes, as I mentioned in the title of this review, Redfield is the luckiest iliterate so-called writer ever alive. His "novel's" plot is as complicated and adventorous as "See Spot Run" or "Pooh Foraging For Honey." And the fact that many find his writing compelling shows us how illiterate much of the world's population and how easy to please its underdeveloped mind is. At first, after you finish the reading you might think, "O, right, how life has all the meaning and purpose for us. This is very comforting." Later on, when you contemplate more, and supposedly after reading some more stuff on "real" spirituality, you realise how corny his ideas are. What a fairy tale! This kind of nicey nicey "life philosophy" is surely appealing to the feeble minds and if that really helps them to come to term with their life difficulties, I think we should be happy for them. And of course, even an illiterate can be a shrewd businessman, so he keeps coming back with more, if unnecessary, "insights." And surely the "unprejudiced" hearts out there are looking forward for more and more "insightful" lullabies to accompany their sweet ongoing dreams. O well, I suppose some people just got be damn lucky sometimes. Such is life.
Rating:
Summary: Wish I could give it a rating of negative infinity
Review: At the risk of repeating what has already been said by the more discerning readers, this book is simply dreadful. It's a shame so many trees had to be wasted on its printing. The "plot" and the miserably deficient philosophy contained therein are nothing but a thinly disguised excuse for making as much money as possible at the expense of a gullible public searching for answers that don't require effort or concentration. Furthermore, the author's self-centered, New-Age, western bias rears its ugly head on practically every page. Why, in a Spanish-speaking country, does everyone speak English? And why does the author feel compelled to reconcile his "philosophy" with Christianity? This book was recommended to me by a former boyfriend, who said that it had changed his life and subscribed religiously to the "philosophy" contained therein. After a few months, I realized that he was a self-absorbed, whining adolescent, kind of like James Redfield.
Rating:
Summary: Not the Best Car in the Lot
Review: When I first read this book, I was captivated not by the plot, but by the ideas expressed. It was only sometime later that I realized why--I was tired of being told how to think--by my church, my government, my society. To its credit, this book urges you to see life as a mystery and to seek your own answers, rather than take someone else's opinion as your own. However, after a little rational thought, I realized that there are numerous flaws in the nine "insights". First and most important, any aspect of them that is measurable fails the test. They don't seem to work, so where did this guy get them? He doesn't say. As for the actual writing, it's not very good. Once you admit to yourself that the philosophy could never be true, the actual writing itself becomes visibly awful. The plot and characters aren't really so good, and anything to do with science was bungled badly (I'm a Physics and Computer Science major in college). In short, the book is only good in that it can stimulate your curiosity to find out for yourself what you believe in, but many other books can do that. I would recommend finding a book that is written better.
Rating:
Summary: "oh the world is full of stupid people..."
Review: I am continuously amazed at how many people are willing to give in to irrational ideals that make them feel better about themselves. Alas, many of these persons look down upon critical thinking as being close-minded and cut-off from God. They are sheep, and members of a not so elite flock that is herded to and fro according to the ramblings of a psychopathic megalomaniac, or a fool. This time a fool only because he and his forbears got there first. A coincidence I am thankful for.
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