Rating: 
Summary: Inaccurate and biased
Review: This book is heavily biased and contains many inaccuracies. Some examples:The author states that Joseph Smith "repeatedly demonstrated that he, himself, had little respect for the religious views of non-Mormons, and was unlikely to respect the constitutional rights of other faiths." However, this is contradicted by Joseph Smith's statements: "If it has been demonstrated that I have been willing to die for a Mormon, I am bold to declare before heaven that I am just as ready to die for a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or any other denomination. It is a love of liberty which inspires my soul, civil and religious liberty" (The Words of Joseph Smith, ASIN 0884944190). "We are not disposed, had we the power, to deprive any one of exercising that free independence of mind which heaven has so graciously bestowed upon the human family as one of its choices gifts" (History of the Church, II, pp. 6-7. ISBN 087747074X). Religious intolerance is also contrary to the Mormon church's official articles of faith (which were written by Joseph Smith): "Article 11 - We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege; let them worship how, where, or what they may." Regarding the Mountain Meadows Massacre, the author states that Brigham Young "explicitly 'gave' the Indians all the emigrant cattle on the Old Spanish Trail.... The prophet's message to the Indian leaders was clear enough: He wanted them to attack the Fancher; wagon train. The morning after the meeting, the Paiutes left the City of the Saints at first light and started riding hard for southern Utah." There is no evidence that Young was referring specifically to the Fancher party. However, there is substantial evidence that the Indians at that meeting did not participate in the massacre. The author also ignores the fact that Brigham Young sent a letter specifically telling southern Utahns to leave the Fancher wagon train alone. Mormons today regard the massacre as a terrible tragedy. In 1999 when the Mormon church reconstructed its monument to the victims, the president of the church said, "There is no question in my mind that he [Brigham Young] was opposed to what happened. Had there been a faster means of communication, it never would have happened and history would have been different.... We have a Christian duty to honor, respect, and to do all feasible to remember and recognize those who died here." If you want an accurate and objective discussion of the Mormon church and its history, this book is not a good choice. Reviewers in respected national publications have also panned this book: The Boston Globe: "Trying to extrapolate profound truths from isolated examples of religious excess is a dangerous game. The Laffertys were not the first murderers to hear voices, and they won't be the last. But applying Krakauer's model, every David Berkowitz (''Son of Sam'') would provoke an inquiry into the sinister potential of Judaism.... Insofar as Krakauer recounts Mormonism's past, he does it poorly, using outdated sources and discredited reports to portray a Joseph Smith and a Mormonism reminiscent of 19th-century caricatures. His picture of contemporary Mormonism is also seriously misinformed.... His book is ultimately more about doing violence to a faith than uncovering the violence behind a faith." (The Boston Globe, Terryl L. Givens, 27 July 2003) The Wall Street Journal: "This is all quite misleading. Anyone who has spent any time with members of the Mormon Church will know that Mormons are not today polygamous, let alone violent. Indeed the church produces some of the most productive, law abiding, patriotic and community-minded citizens the country has ever seen. True, 'Under the Banner of Heaven' is purportedly about the off-shoots of the Mormon church, whose members long for the days when the church allowed polygamy and banned blacks. But by linking the history of the church directly to these groups, and lightly skipping over the past 100 years of Mormon history, Mr. Krakauer implies that the fundamentalists are the rightful inheritors of the church's tradition." (The Wall Street Journal, Naomi Schaefer, 11 July 2003)
Rating: 
Summary: Can't stop reading it or talking about it
Review: Krakauer's lastest book, on the surface is very different (in my opinion) from Into the Wild or Into Thin Air, when I finished reading it though I found that in many respects it is incredibly similar in terms of looking for an understanding of what human nature will drive people to do. Krakauer examined not just the murders of a woman and her child, but more importantly why did the killers do the crime and why were they so up front and honest about what they had done. In examing why the crimes had been committed, Krakauer provides an intriguing history of the LDS church, albeit one that members of the modern church would heavily dispute. This history does an excellent job of providing a basis for understanding how the fundamentalists got to the point at which they did and why they continue to practice a belief system that landed most of the members of the church out of the church. This book provides an interesting insight into the nature of people. Not just of those who blindly follow the FLDS or the LDS faith, but also of those who chose to abandon the faith as well. Anyone who is interested in learning more about the history of the LDS church or trying to understand why and how religion has such a powerful hold on people would be well advised to read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: Readers who pick up this book looking for a classic "true crime" story may be disappointed. Krakauer uses the story of the Lafferty brothers crime as a catalyst to analyze religious extremism. While the overall account is not necessarily flattering to the LDS religion as a whole, Krakauer is pretty careful to focus his critical eye on fundamentalist Mormons. As a non-Mormon Christian, I found the history of the early Mormon church fascinating. It also made me wonder how the early Christin church would appear today if we had the amount and type of contemporary historical sources available for analysis. Should us non-Mormons Christian's reading the book begin to feel a bit smug about their belief in Joseph Smith's revelation, we should remember that for all of us, the esence of faith is to believe in something we don't fully understand and can't prove. A good book makes you think; this one certainly does that.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Book in Many Ways
Review: This book can be described perhaps as many stories wrapped in one. It's the story of an upsetting murder by Mormon fundamentalists brothers of their sister-in-law and her baby in 1984. It's the story of Joseph Smith and the beginning history of the Mormon faith and their migrations from Ohio to Missouri to Illinois to Utah and ultimately Joseph's demise. It's the story of Brigham Young and the church's views regarding polygamy and other doctrines within the church. In other words, you get a brief overview of the whole religion from its beginning to present day formations plus you get on top of that the gruesome story of a murder and what drove these brothers to commit this atrocious act. The reader gets a chance to peer inside the minds of religious zealots and to see how irrational or outlandish some beliefs can be and what the consequences of this may be. As you read the book you get the feeling that Krakauer is both fascinated by Mormon culture but at the same time probably doesn't agree or even understand for sure how people could cling to beliefs that are in many ways unscientific, irrational, and for lack of better explanation downright nutty. However, he doesn't make fun of, or belittle the people who hold such beliefs but merely explains that it's more than likely a product of environment/culture and the yearning to be comforted...to have the answers given to us in times of distress. Ultimately though one has to come to the conclusion that life is a great mystery and that we don't always have all the answers and in fact God may not be talking to us or sending down aliens to probe our bodies. Really an excellent book that is both entertaining and educational. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Religion and violence
Review: Great book, but does Krakauer think he is handing us a revelation?! Religion is synonymous with violence? Who'da thunk?! Of course there synonymous, one only needs to dust of the history books and refresh their minds about events like the crusades, or try more modern history like "The Troubles" in Ireland, Palestine and Israel, Al Queda, or the recent violence in Iraq! Don't forget "Sacred" books like the bible were used to support things such as slavery! Isn't it funny that no man/woman has ever died in the name of Atheism?! A book like this is to be treasured as a book of true enlightenment and education! A must read!!
Rating:
Summary: Read in addition to Stegner and Denton's books
Review: Combines american religious history, the great awakening, with modern crime into a fast read. You'll be shocked, chilled, warned, and educated.
Rating: 
Summary: Not at all what I expected.
Review: Krakauer is an exceptional storyteller, with keen insights and an ability to flesh out only the most intriguing details by way of clean, well paced prose. Unfortunately, though, I bought this book expecting something entirely different from what was ultimately delivered. My fault or the author's? Who knows. I've been on a true crime kick of late, and couldn't wait to dive into what I believed was Krakauer's first dabbling in the genre. However, instead of a focused, hands-on look at the Lafferty brothers and their crimes, what I got was an extensive historical account of the Mormon faith and its more devious offshoots. Maybe my frustrations are a result of bad timing: I read this book on the heels of Mailer's The Executioner's Song, which effortlessly weaves together the lives and stories of Gary Gilmore, his family, his victims, and anyone else who is relevant to an ultimate understanding of the man and his crimes. My point here is that the book never loses focus. You always know where you are and why you're there, whereas Under the Banner of Heaven often times left me wondering when we were getting back to more specific details about the Lafferty ordeal. While I absolutely feel that a certain amount of historical background is essential for readers to better understand the Lafferty brothers' point of view (however distorted it may be), I didn't quite understand why well over half the book was devoted to this account. Detail by painful detail. Again, maybe it was my fault for assuming. So if you're after an exhaustive journey through the annals of Mormon history, from its very beginnings to present day preachings, than this book is for you. But for those true crime buffs out there, I'd let this one pass.
Rating:
Summary: Comic, frightening, unbelievable, and highly instructive
Review: If for no other reason, this book is invaluable as a candid history of the Mormon Church, which before reading this book I knew just general tidbits about. While not condemning the religion per se, the book should make anyone who reads it seriously question what is going on out in Utah and similar confines and question some of the general policies of that church.
It's also a frightening example of religious extremism pervading our own backyard; these fundamentalist communities described in this book pose a much more direct and cognizable threat to our country than anyone in the Middle East could ever hope to.
The book is well written and easy to stay hooked on - it was actually rather impressive investigative work and easily surpasses what was a good (albeit overblown) Everest book.
Rating:
Summary: Another home run from Krakauer
Review: Jon Krakauer is an extremely talented reporter and writer, and "Under the Banner ..." is another home run. If you haven't read any Krakauer before, "Into the Wild" is a good start, a shorter piece to whet the appetite.
A disclaimer: I know some Mormons. I have been aware of the religion since the late 1980s, when I worked one summer alongside a tiler who was a Mormon and loaned me reading material. I completed Basic Combat Training with a Mormon. There is a highly respected Mormon ranching family in our county who set an example to aspire to in terms of human conduct. Bottom line, every Mormon I have ever met I have respected. Having said that, "Under the Banner ..." presents a disturbing picture of the religion in general and fundamentalism in particular.
There is much to like in this compelling non-fiction book. It seems Krakauer is steadily marching through different genres (the outdoors, youth psychology, true crime) and demonstrating a mastery of each. His writing often reminds me of John McPhee, and I like it as well, which is saying a lot.
The book is true crime, fascinating history and a thought-provoking discussion of fundamentalism. The book is strong both in its main narrative and in its digressions, such as the true story behind the Elizabeth Smart case, which for some reason seems to have been neglected by the media, who have been far more focused on the crime than on the religious issues at its roots.
The book does raise disturbing questions about the LDS church, but it's mainly focused on fundamentalism, and since the mainstream church has gone to great lengths to separate itself from the fundamentalists, it seems a little strange that some adherents find this book so threatening. It is no doubt challenging, but that ought to be an important part of any faith, being challenged and finding it true or false. Blind faith seems undesirable and the main problem documented in this book.
The most disturbing experience I ever have reading these reviews in this wonderful forum that amazon.com created is when people seem to hysterically condemn books or music because it challenges them. It ought to be possible, it seems to me, to separate the point of view of a book from the craft of the book. In other words, it seems to me it would be a sign of maturity to be able to say, "I don't agree with a word this book says, but it is brilliantly done" or "I find this book's subject matter offensive, but it is brilliantly written." There is less of this approach than one might like.
Personally, I want to be challenged. I want to be offended. I want to be made to think. I want my beliefs questioned. I want my opinions criticized. I want my paradigms held up to scrutiny. That is why I read.
Regardless of how unpleasant an experience it might be for some people, this is a brilliant book and well worth reading. It builds beautifully, it is wonderfully executed, and it is just an outstanding piece of craftsmanship. I was not quite the same when I finished it, and my view of both fundamentalism and the LDS church was changed by it. That does not mean I hold individual Mormons I know in any less respect, and surely the manner in which religious followers live says the most about their religion. This book documents the appalling behavior of some -- a problem common to all religions, whether displayed by Christian inquisitors/crusaders or Muslim terrorists or the Mormon Lafferty brothers. It is this problem Krakauer bravely explores, to great effect -- and it's a terribly important topic.
Rating:
Summary: God tells these people what they want to hear
Review: Ostensibly a history of zealots in the Mormon and Fundamentalist Mormon sects, this book does much more. For me it lays out in harrowing terms the danger posed by those who believe God speaks directly to them. Amazingly, in the Mormon Church, the Fundamentalist Mormon Church and even in the case of individuals like Ron and Dan Lafferty, God has an uncanny knack for telling them precisely what they want to hear. In other words, what these people are "hearing" are the voices in their own heads; by attributing these bizarre commands to God, they can get the gullible to go along with otherwise unthinkable acts (Ron Lafferty was not only "told by God" that his four most dire enemies in life should be killed, but that his brother Dan was to carry out the murders. How convenient is that?). God also told the Mormons to knock off the whole polygamy thing at the exact moment that it became politically necessary to do so. Oh and of course in the 1970's God finally got around to telling the Mormons that people of color are okay after all ("Oops", one can almost hear God saying, "I forgot to tell the Mormons about the blacks!"). This is a very well-researched and informative book, no matter what your religious views are. I do urge the reader to dismiss the one-star reviews contained here, most of which are from religious zealots whose only agenda is to discredit the idea that anyone could ever do anything evil in the name of God (my favorite is the guy who says he "personally knows some Mormons!" and they are "awesome!" How insightful to know that a thoroughly documented historical account of Mormonism can be dismissed by one person's anecdotal experience. His love of Mormons seems to be surpassed only by his love of exclamation marks). From the faithful to atheists, everyone can gain some insight into the dangers of zealotry from this book.
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