The Descent

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely the best book I've ever read.
Review: I've never read anything by Jeff Long, but this is ABSOLUTELY the best book that I've ever read. Long's intricate writing style completely wraps into his world. The background descriptions and dark overtone allows for an extremely real experience. I recommend this novel to anybody who is looking for suspense. The novel is not only entertaining, but extremely thought-provoking. I came out of this novel with different perspectives on many issues in life. Give this book a chance, you won't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Extremely thought-provoking and descriptive. This one is not for the faint of heart. A real page-turner.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: I ordered this book from my book club with some skepticism. I only wanted a new book to read and this one sounded OK. Was I suprised when I started reading it! The very begining is very intense! It has lots of twists and turns. I couldn't put it down most of the time. I've never read anything form Jeff Long, but, man, is he descriptive! I felt like I was right there with the people in the book. I could picture everything like I had watched it in a movie! I would've given it 5 stars, but I didn't find the ending very good...it was so abrupt! But all in all I'd still read it because the story itself was awesome! And u never know, maybe he'll write a sequel to make up for the ending.

Rating:
Summary: Damn Scary!
Review: The Descent if one of the scarriest books I have ever read! Jeff Long is an amazing writer. He makes you see the scary sub-species called Hadals and he makes you scared of them. The story progresses very quickly after the initial lead-in, and I could hardly put the book down. I was so scared I didn't want to sleep until I got to a part that didn't make me afraid, but I soon figured out there is no such part. The level of detail and description Long includes in the novel makes it all sound extremely plausible. As I was reading the book I kept expecting to hear on the news that a vast network of caves under the earth had been found. All in all, a book anyone who likes to be scared should read. Or anyone else for that matter. I have recommended The Descent to everyone I know.

Rating:
Summary: 'Descent' Makes Fantasy a Reality!
Review: Jeff Long's new book, 'Descent', takes the reader on a non-stop journey into fantasy where even the most grotesque is made to seem merely ordinary. I found the book to be a great escape-keep 'em coming Mr. Long-how about a sequel?

Rating:
Summary: Satan exists or does he?
Review: I listen to audio books with my wife before sleeping. After listening to the first section of this book my wife had one sleepless night and I had to listen to the rest of book with headphones. Although the adventure kept me going, the author tried to take us to a New World and the descriptions of this New World were lacking. I had to change my visualization of the enemy and the surroundings throughout the book. But even so, I was captivated by the journey. I was disappointed with the end, but what do you expect. In a book about pursuing Satan and doing battle with the underworld, can you possible think of a way for it to end. If Satan does not exist and he's a mere mortal, you feel cheated? If he does exist how can you do battle against him and his minions? But all in all a very good listen.

Rating:
Summary: can't wait to see the movie
Review: This book has been one of the best new fiction books I've read lately. It was a great adventure story that was though-provoking as well. I did not find it a good bone-chilling, can't-look-under-the-bed horror story the way some of Stephen King's early books are; I'd not have any second thoughts if friends asked me to go spelunking with them! But I doubt the author's goal was that in the first place. There were a few inconsistensies about hadals that the author did leave unexplained, maybe because they will be revealed in a sequel? I enjoyed the fact hadals were not portrayed as entirely "demonic" creatures, but more like products of their harsh environment. As the story continued, the line between humans and hadals continued to blur. Another annoying thing I noticed the author failed to explain was lack of drastic rise in temperature as the expedition got deeper and closer to the melting hot core of the Earth. I'm sure Hollywood will make a "Descent"-the movie one day. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed and hope they don't cast Dolf Lundgren and Alicia Silverstone in the lead roles!

Rating:
Summary: The decent
Review: This book was filled with hours of fearful reading. The book was brilliantly written. It had provocative chapters, and a wonderful plot. Not only was the situation scary, but i couldn't put the book down. All in all I loved Long's tale of the Devil, and the man.

Rating:
Summary: The book is only moderately interesting.
Review: The novel, "The Descent" makes a fair read if you can ignore some of the more glaring errors throughout the text. For Mr Long's information an M-16 fires 5.56 mm rounds, not 7.62 mm. This is the kind of shoddy research that makes the reader come to a grinding halt. Claymore mines don't have tripod wire legs, they have metal scissor legs. We haven't used clips in weapons since WWII, and the old M-1. I started reading this novel thinking it would be about spelunking, or perhaps detailed climbing as this is where the author has his expertise. Instead I was treated to what can only be called a nightmare delusion, where the entire world is riddled with caves and caverns, of which we are mostly unaware. The catacombs are inhabited by proto-humans with a society that predates all topworld civilization. This in itself would have been very interesting, but he doesn't stop there. Once you enter this realm they will enslave you and then you will discover that you will slowly become one of them, by some process that remains unexplained. He then introduces scientists and academicians whose only interests seem to be finding...(now hold onto your hat) the Devil. That's right, Lucifer himself. The author presents some really laughable evidence that the Devil really exists, and is planning on taking over the world. This imbecilic evidence wouldn't get past a high school class on mythology. However, it is swallowed entirely by the scientists. This particular thesis is no more than a simplistic view of Christian dogma. It takes an imbecilic turn when severed heads begin talking and take possession of otherwise normal scientists. It's an extremely convoluted explanation for icons and gargoyles throughout art and literature, without taking the time to read or understand the history and geneology of these concepts. When the so-called scientists start to seriously discuss locating Satan, I burst out in laughter. What a hoot..! I think the author, rather than write a novel based on his obvious expertise, decided to write the Dirty Dozen underground...with an eye towards a Hollywood movie. I noticed, at last count, no less than 53 errors of fact, misrepresentations, or plain old dumb ideas which have long been relegated to the dust bin of history.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing story, but could have been much longer..
Review: I found this book enthralling, and could not put it down for the three or four days it took me to finish it. The concept of an ancient civilization beneath the earth is fantastic. The only downfall of this book is it's short length. At about 450 pages, this book's story could be expanded to well over 1000. Overall it was a very good book even though it left many things unexplained.