Rating: 
Summary: ARE YOU READY TO TAKE THE OATH?
Review: Quite simply, "The Oath" is one of the finest thrillers I have ever read. Frank Peretti's morality tale of a monstrous evil that haunts a small town and uses those who think they use it is not only a delightful read but food for Christian thought as well. Never preachy, Peretti delivers his message in fluid, descriptive prose that brings the story to magical life. The characters are fully human and easy to identify with, and the relentless horror that hovers over all builds steadily to a devastating climax. Highly recommened to Christians, fans of fantasy or thrillers, and anyone who loves a good morality story.
Rating: 
Summary: Avoid Becoming dragon Bait!
Review: I recommend _The Oath_, but its premise has disturbed me since 1995, when I first read it, staying up way too late. Mr. Peretti's premise shook me: sin, even if seemingly small and inconsequential, draws Satan's attention!
He created many characters, attractive and unattractive who could never make up their minds about whom they would serve, and Frank portrayed the only Christian as the town eccentric. He didn't quote Bible verses as much as he developed biblical themes that reminded me of passages like Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked . . . "; 1 Peter 5:8,9 "Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour . . . "
What if I heard a lion ROAR, every time I gossiped, or bucked my husband's plans -- or popped an extra candy in my mouth? What if I felt the hot breath of a satanic creature, every time I laughed at a joke, a joke whose punch line was something Christ died to save me from?
I do not care much for fantasy books and because of some of its detail, I squirmed when I read it. (I did give it to an unbeliever who is attracted to Stephen King novels, however.) Yes, I felt several times in the book, Mr. Peretti skated right up to the edge of questionable material. And I kept thinking, "Uh-oh, Frank, This is not good --. " Nevertheless, on the very next page, he showed me why his fantasy was so disturbing. Sinful behavior and passions, my second-nature, *are* disturbing and have grievous consequences! This disturbing fiction showed me how the "O.K. sins," sins even Christians seem dull to, can produce alarming consequences! This book warned me that a real enemy is lurking, and I better be sure my homing devices are disconnected through the power of the Blood of Jesus Christ. AND that I don't fiddle around with *any* switches, looking for a buzz! By that I mean, Christians sometimes dabble in worldly stuff, TV, movies, music, conversation, food, drink -- and discount how "stuff" can feed our sin nature. We are slow to confess and repent. The picture of how attractive, but foolish people -- characters I came to care about in the book -- allowed a little "lust" to take root, blossom and attract the enemy scared me silly! _The Oath_ moved me to probe my heart for my "comfortable" sins that I too readily excuse, to look at my sins with the lens of the Holy Spirit -- and *be* terrified. Accommodating my sin nature is risky business. Thank God for Jesus Christ who is the only effective shield against so awful a dragon. Frank Peretti gave me a graphic reproof however to get rid of any and all "dragon bait!"
Rating: 
Summary: Ok but I've read better
Review: I enjoyed Frank Peretti's books, but this one had a different plot and had alot of death involved. It was a mix of a christian novel, relating to sin and curses/old folk tales. If someone is just getting interested in Frank Peretti as an author, I would recommend reading "This Present Darkness".
Rating: 
Summary: not impressed
Review: I thought this book was good & suspensful at first but as I kept reading it just seemed silly. The book was depressing with all the murders and the christian part of it was very weak. I kept expecting it to be more like his other books with more of a good vs. evil plot. The lead character becomes a believer ... Stupid! I would not recommend this book
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Suspense Novel
Review: This, I think, is one of Peretti's highest achievements it is funny, sad, suspenseful, scary and very intriguing page-turner.
Do not be discouraged by how the first two or three chapters seem like they are talking about absolutely nothing because they are basically setting up one of the most complex of sceneries for an excellent thriller story. Imagine if there was an evil unleashed on a town because of a sin that was committed by the townspeople and an oath was made to cover it all up. Well...what if we took it a bit further and said that the evil became a living creature with supernatural powers, thriving on fear and terror and devouring those who have committed one of the seven deadly sins. We would have a very strange story indeed, and with Peretti's skill it almost becomes too realistic as a race against time and creature stirs up the town until it is ready to burst, literally. Only reading this powerful novel will tell you how the survivors got out alive in this twisting and turning plot of something actually being "out there."
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: This book was a real page turner. What I liked best about the book was that it has real depth. I really enjoyed the symbolism that Peretti used in the book. It really gets you thinking and looking at things from a different perspective. I can't wait to read another one of his books.
Rating:
Summary: sweet book, NOT too deep (or dark for that matter)
Review: sure it is deep, but i read it twice i loved it so much! i got so involved, i read all 549 pages in one day! (i was 13 and it was a school day too) i like books that are deep and i don't think it is much deeper than any of his books i am in the middle of this present darkness/piercing the darkness (one volume) i am on the piercing the darkness. I LOVE THE OATH!! .... there is Christianity in it, Levi is a Christian, and he is right all along, steve cries out to God in his moment of need, and God listens and responds, {if i remember correctly} it has been a while since i read it. i like books that are a little on the dark side, the hangman's curse really scared me cuz i know that sort of thing could happen anyplace, anytime. the oath was a little freaky, but that got me so involved, i don't like predictable stories, and the oath was DEFINITLY not predictable!!!
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put it down
Review: This is my first Peretti novel, but after reading it I am sure
that I will read more. I couldn't put it down. I had heard that
his books were very strange and full of Christian "stuff". Being a christian myself,I was curious to see how strange you can make christian fiction. I am impressed by the imagery he has created in this book. Yes, it is very dark. And yes, it does remind me of something that Stephen King (I have been a big fan for years) could have written. Unlike another reviewer however, I do not believe that it is a "sin" to read dark fiction. What I like about this book is that it doesn't hit you over the head with christianity, and since it takes a while to even get to the spiritual parts, it may be a good book to get non-believers to start thinking. Recommend it to a non-believing friend who likes to read "dark" literature. Check with them later to see if they "got it". Who knows, it may be "seed".
Rating:
Summary: The Oath of Sin
Review: Peretti writes good fiction that is exciting and gets you involved with the characters. In "The Oath" Peretti uses the story of a small western town to teach us about the sin and it's effects on our lives. This book is scary at times and you can't putit down! It is a must read for any Peretti fan.
Rating: 
Summary: to read the Oath, or not read the Oath - Not read
Review: I tried reading this book because of the author's reputation for writing good Christian thrillers, and found it totally boring! The story centers around the main character investigating the killing of his brother by a bear, in a small rural town. The author builds some tension, but after reading it for fifty some odd pages, and nothing else happens, you lose interest, fast. I just couldn't get into it, but will try his other books(This Present Darkness, and Piercing the Darkness) hopefully they are better.
Suggestion for Christians who like a book that moves; try Cain, by James Byron Huggins, same basic plot, but it moves a lot faster! Peretti should try reading this book to see how to write a Christian thriller.
Another Good Christian (End Times) thriller is Blood Moon by Hal Lindsay.
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