The Last Day

Rating:
Summary: Very unusual book
Review: Any book that can stir up nearly 600 reader-reviews--from die-hard fans and foaming-at-the-mouth detractors, alike--is something I had to investigate for myself. Verdict: THE LAST DAY is a cultural event. There's more reality in one page of this brilliant "fiction" than there is in volumes of most so-called "non-fiction" written on this subject. The author strips religious hypocrites and hypesters buck naked before the whole world. And is it a delight to watch! A terrific, rewarding read!

Rating:
Summary: What a missed opportunity!
Review: A great idea that deserved a talented author! The opportunity was completely missed to say something profound about the hypocrisy of the Church and Christianity's failure. Instead, we get a rehash of old bigoted attitudes, feminist stereotypes, and a cartoonish thriller. I would give this five stars for inspiration and zero stars for the clumsy, hatchet-job attempt at writing. It could easily have been half its lumbering length and been half as bad. The author must hire a ghost writer if he has another good idea, or an editor with better sense and judgment.

Rating:
Summary: What a Relief
Review: I read this novel with great anticipation. What a relief that I'm not alone in rating it so low. This is the worst thing I've read in years. Definitely not "the best book I ever read." I don't care if the Catholic Church gets skewered, but at least put the barbs in the context of an interesting and readable story.I recommend Damascus Gate by Robert Stone (available here at Amazon) for an excellent millenium novel about the Holy Land and the meaning of faith. Now that is a great novel.

Rating:
Summary: Makes you stop and think
Review: This is the type of story that you want to discuss with someone. Through all its many twists and turns, it brings up a lot of salient points about many things most of us take for granted. But in the context of this gripping story, you are forced to reevaluate some of those beliefs--and the answers you arrive at are anything but conventional. High marks for drama, plot and exciting, fast-paced writing, too.

Rating:
Summary: A worthwhile read
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I tend to disfavor "organized" religion and I thought the book was both entertaining and to some extent, thought provoking. While I read it, I thought of something I think Kurt Vonnegut said in one of his books (this by all means is not an exact quote): he that thinks he knows what God is doing is a fool!

Rating:
Summary: Well done!
Review: This is a really different novel that holds your interest from the very first page. The burning question on many a mind as we approach the new millennium, is what would happen if we did have another encounter with divinity. This story explores that situation in depth, and with some unexpected results. You may not like the answers it comes up with, but there's no tearing yourself away until you learn how this mad plot ends. One of the best adventure novels in years, and a book that would make an exciting movie.

Rating:
Summary: I liked this book. A lot.
Review: What can I say? Am I a bad person because I found this book a lot of fun? I practice my religion, but at the same time, I see a great deal wrong with it, and with Christianity in general. The way organized religion is practiced by many churches nowadays, it's all about money and control. This book addresses many of those issues in a very unexpected and interesting way. I don't agree with all it's points, but I have to say, many of them hit real close to the mark. The writing and the characters are strong, and the suspense and unexpected turns kept me reading well into the night. I don't care whether you buy into the surprising conclusions or not, this is still a really exciting and different sort of story.

Rating:
Summary: The case for spiritual independence
Review: This is great reading. A spine-chilling suspense thriller with some thought-provoking philosophy mixed in. It makes a great argument for using the brains you were born with to figure out the mysteries of life rather than relying on the ol' spoon-fed dogma of stuffy prelates. Stimulating book.

Rating:
Summary: Powerful and convincing
Review: After finishing the book, it's pretty obvious to me why some reviewers are trying so hard to talk people out of reading this author. It's kind of like how GM reacted to Ralph Nader's book "Unsafe at any Speed." Kleier is to orgzanized religion what Ralph Nader was to the Corvair. Kleier is a master engineer disassembling a flawed vehicle. His novel takes apart and exposes the problem components of contemporary religion. But what makes this such an extraordinary feat is how he does it--by creating a convincingly supernatural "divine messenger." This messiah--a shrewd young woman named "Jeza"--uses the very tools of organized religion (scripture, parables, biblical prophesy) to expose some of religion's most disturbing failings and inconsistencies. He ties all this into an endlessly fascinating, suspenseful and emotional piece of fiction. Contrary to some of what I've read here, this novel is truly intelligent and well written. It's a quick-reading page turner, meticulously researched with a harrowing, unpredictable plot. Some people would have you think otherwise. They'd also like to sell you a nice, used Corvair.

Rating:
Summary: This is a worthwhile read.
Review: I found this to be one of the most interesting and original novels I've ever read. The story deals with explosive subject matter--how a messenger of God might relate to the organized religions of the world today. But the author handles this delicate topic with wonderful panache and tongue-in-cheek humor. Obviously, some people--particularly religious hardliners--aren't going to find this a bit amusing. The messiah character's divine nature is extraordinarily well developed and convincing, making her efforts to unmask religious hypocrisy all the more effective and entertaining. This is a very provicative, stimulating novel. Surprising insight and high caliber suspense combine to create a realistic, revealing and memorable look at what might happen if the world really were to experience a "Last Day." This is not something I'd recommend to the average, garden variety bible thumper, but for those with less militant religious leanings, it's a rollicking good read.