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.
Rating: 
Summary: The only way to get there, is to go straight to down
Review: Ever thought of the possiblity that there might actually be a race of hominids living beneath our feet, totally unknown by us, presently, but seen and dealt with by out early ancestors, and that this is where our perception of Satan has come from, the horns, the tail, living in the center of the Earth, being sadistic. Well I hadn't either, but that's OK cause Jack Long thought of it for us. One very interesting read, if your into the Chricton science meets adventure genre. I've read plenty of those, but this book stands out. Its an exceptional read full of humanity and depravity. Its a lot like a frontier story, with man coming in pushing the savages back out of their territory using his superior technology and quest for adventure and riches as his catalyst and justification for ruining yet another another part of our planet. After all he's just taming Hell.
Maybe we're not alone. Just instead of looking up we should be looking down. And maybe we should be a little more respectable. Because you just never know who's watching.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely great book!!!
Review: Jeff Long's masterpiece. Another race, possibly belonging to satan is found underneath all of us. Basically, an around the earth subterreanean system is found with creatures. A war begins between us and them, war deep below the earth and the oceans. The characters are great, the writing first class, the action good. This is a book not easily forgotten.
Rating:
Summary: Great Story
Review: I bought this book to take on vacation when it first came out, and have read it several times since. I don't care what the other reviewers have said, it is a great story, leaves you with a haunted feeling. It is one of my favorites and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves sci-fi horror.
Rating: 
Summary: Too bad ...
Review: Great idea about invaders fm below but they just don't invade anything and then get shy after killing hundreds of thousands of soldiers; where is my action ? Too bad because the idea is new ( as far as I know) on that scale and Long can write.
Rating: 
Summary: So much promise, but gets lost
Review: Sigh...Okay, I think I agree with at least some of the other reviewers on this page. I would say that I am a fan of sci-fi and horror, but Long makes a mistake that I feel is very common to the genre.
The opening chapters of this book scared the hell out of me, and I was utterly fascinated, but by the time the "colonization" of Hell began my interest began to wane, as I thought "here we go again".
It seems to me that a large number of science fiction writers love to make the point that humanity (ie. Capitalists, the military or organized religion) are the "real monsters". I'm sure this was a revolutionary idea at one time, but I've heard it a million times. Isn't a race of underground demons scary enough? Is it really necessary to make thme "just misunderstood" and introduce a new, human villain?
The Hadals were damn scary monsters, but as soon as he began to potray them as helpless and exploited and mentioned an "evil" corporate agenda I was rolling my eyes. Yes, let's pity the man-eating, subteranean hellbeasts. Give me a freakin break.
Not every good horror story needs a to be a heavy handed moral lesson in human tolerance and understanding.
Rating:
Summary: I had bad dreams, mission accomplished
Review: What a twist in reality. Simply loved this book. Did give me some scary nightmares. Very vivid, very real, well done.
Rating:
Summary: Scariest and most well written I've seen in decades
Review: I had never heard of Jeff Long but I will never forget him now. He had me from the first page and that is very unusual. The language, the way he wrote it had me by the throat and would not let go. It's been years since anyone wrote a book that I really could not put down, could not finish in one night. I kept going back over passages asking, did he say that? I had to re-read paragraphs because they were so pleasing to my eye and my brain. And how well he said it. Oh, I was stunned, beautifully written. The man has suffered physical pain. I had just had surgery and no one has ever told how pain really is until him. I didn't think anyone could tell another what pain really felt like until I read this book.
I hated knowing it was coming to an end. I saw the end of the book coming at me like the final cliff, screaming "please don't let it end." In actuality I re-read it several times because I kept going back just to enjoy his wording. He is a classic born. Stephen King cannot be compared and I know Steve was in awe as I was. I'm searching Amazon for ever book I can find of his. The book just shines as you read it.
Of the thousands of books of fiction I've read this is the top one. It will terrify you, delight you, impress you beyond expression. The way he uses language is stunning. By the way, I'm well over 13, I'm 62 and it scared the hell out of me. I loved it.
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