Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read
Review: After reading about a quarter of this novel in 1 sitting I felt compelled to place my thoughts here as well. This book more than any I've picked up this year had me hooked from page 1 and only gets better the further you travel. I agree with the other comments:Great characters, great story, spooky as hell. Something for every fan of adventure, mystery and action. This is exactly the type of novel that could quickly become a bestseller and I couldn't be happier for Mr.Long. I'm looking forward to delving into his other works as soon as possible.
Rating: 
Summary: Full of inaccuracies
Review: The author, who utilizes the US Armed Forces as a both a backdrop and a prime mover in his novel, has done little to no research in that area, and it shows. If the reader can pardon his mistakes, it is a fair adventure yarn. Better choices are available.
Rating:
Summary: One of the year's best adventures...
Review: High-tech adventure, warfare, mystery, lost civilizations, gruesome horror, the list goes on and on...An incredible read.
Rating:
Summary: Best in Years!
Review: Forget Michael Crichton and Stephen King: think Conrad, Borges, Pinchon, Asimov. Character, plot, symbol, and allegory fold together, and sift through cinematic prose, to be lithified by the weight of the idea of this story into one rock of a book. Cult classic? Too big for one movie? See for yourself. Great read!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: This is a top-notch, very smart horror/adventure/thriller novel. I can't remember the last time I devoured a book so quickly or felt so compelled to keep reading. It's scary, fun and altogether engaging.
Rating:
Summary: Absolute page turner!
Review: Completely hooked from page one. Recommend that this book be read in a dark room with a flashlight!
Rating:
Summary: The most scary intro I ever read
Review: The most scary intro I ever read.
Rating: 
Summary: I really enjoyed this book
Review: I really enjoyed this book, though I admit I may have been seduced by the concept.One of the opening chapters, the one in Bosnia, struck me as one of the creepiest I've ever read. From there is mention of a surprise attack taking out significant world forces as their guard was low. Again, an interesting idea that is well presented and really brought me into the book. The characters, though, are definitely not entirely likable. Nor are they really there too like. They're heavily flawed people, outcasts mostly, and behave as such. I believe this to be intentional on the writer's part, and will not penalize him for it. The adventure is mostly well done. The science may be wonky, but the writing is solid and intelligent. The latter point might truly be why I enjoyed this book, intelligence. All too often these wonky-science-adventure books completely lack any form of intelligence. Here you can see thought being put behind everything, which the author deserves great credit for. I read this book a long time ago, during a lonely week halfway across the world. It entranced me at the time, and I found it to be a very worthy read. Looking back I'm no longer as impressed, but still consider it worth the four stars. Similar books by similar authors have resulted in twists you knew would come and plot holes larger than the story itself. This book is different. Absolutely worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: "The Descent" ascends my expectations!
Review: If you're looking for a book to read which is a page-turner and very different from anything you've read recently, this is for you! When I first ordered "The Descent" off of amazon, I wasn't sure what to expect. But the book kept me enthralled for countless days and nights. Jeff Long does an excellent job of character development (there are enumerous players in the story, but the ones that matter, you realy start to feel for). Best of all is perhaps Ali, the nun in search of both her way and for the origin of human language. Several readers have remarked on the great start the story has. I would agree; the first four chapters were fantastic. The book takes a brief fall, however, after this as the discovery of hell under earth and its human reaction is quickly blazen through in several pages which somehow encompasses global war and the deaths of millions. The book recovers nicely afterwards though, and you will find yourself deeply interested as The Jules Vernes Society searches for their knowledge, Ali searches for her word, Ike searches for his meaning, and The Beowolf Circle searches for their Satan. This is recommended reading for a twist of something different, and I look forward to more coming from Jeff Long.
Rating:
Summary: So close to being the ultimate horror/sci-fi/adventure epic!
Review: This was definitely an amazing book to read - once I started I couldn't stop. Loved the idea of another race of creatures living miles and miles beneath the earth's surface, and the possibility that they might have had a hand in many of mankind's "key moments"...Loved Ike and Ali and some incredibly intense moments in the dark with the hadals. Loved the descriptions of the various creatures living miles below us and what life must be like. I loved his creativity with certain historical reinterpretations and how the Hadals might have fit in. The reason I don't give this 5 stars is that I felt like the author lost sight of what he set up in the first 100 pages or so. It seems like he gave up on who/what Satan is and I would have liked to learn more about him, especially in the last 10 pages or so. I also wanted to learn more about Isaac. I would have also liked more Branch - he was kind of lost towards the end and didn't really serve any purpose, other than to possibly add something more to the "big twist" at the end. Is he or isn't he alive?????
All in all, I highly recommend the book - the intense, dark, horror elements were better than most pure horror books I read.
Looking forward to seeking out more of Mr. Long's books.
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