Rating: Summary: Misfire Review: Unsuccessful as science fiction, thriller, or whatever else it's supposed to be. It's difficult to miss when your target is organized religion, but this "author" does a good job of it with some of the worst writing I've read in years. It appears that little research was done when this was tossed together. I didn't find it convincing at any point and the main challenge was actually finishing a book so redundant. My only problems with this book are that it's literary trash, not that it trashes religion. The right wing religious nuts may have problems with the latter, but I hate the former. I may be a free-thinker, but I do have taste:)
Rating: Summary: Greatest thrill ride of the year! Review: 'The Last Day' is astounding, chilling, unpredictable, shocking, delightful and satisfying. This is a special treat you should take to some private place where you can be alone with your thoughts, because it will provoke them unlike any novel you've ever read. The story is so unique, it virtually creates its own genre--exploring some of the most debated and divisive issues of our time, but in a most original and surprising manner. Some people may be disturbed by the way this novel dismantles (or should I say, takes a wrecking ball to) so many sacred institutions (if you can't handle critical satire, don't read this). Nevertheless, the points are so well made, so refreshingly honest and convincing, this novel just might open a few closed minds. While the conclusion may unsettle some people, truth is the major beneficiary. Simply an outstanding novel!
Rating: Summary: Interesting at times Review: Fairly good thriller that is too often self-indulgent to author's prejudices and just plain cruel at times. The characters are weak and that can sink the best story for me. After slogging through this overlong opus, you may feel that you put more effort into reading this than the author did writing it. There's certainly deeper thought in some of these reviews than any place in this novel. But as a thriller, I give it a pass.
Rating: Summary: Big Disappointment Review: I'm certainly no fan of organized religion and I enjoy seeing hypocrites get taken down a knotch, but this is a terrible novel. After some of the glowing reviews here, I was very disappointed. What begins as a run-of-the-mill thriller becomes a very long, boring, no-surprises, paperback trash read. The lengthy diatribes against Catholics seemed to border on bigotry and ignorance and made this non-Catholic wonder about the motives of the writer. Pretty vile stuff at times.I didn't finish the final 200 pages, but from flipping through them, they are as bad as the first 400. I just didn't want to invest more time in it. There must be a lot of readers angry at religion to generate some of the remarkably positive reviews posted. I love good novels and I'm just not angry enough myself to forgive this book its many faults and unfortunate excesses. Besides, its awful.
Rating: Summary: LAST DAY - LAST TOO LONG! Review: I started out loving it, then by the middle I liked it, and by the time I reached the end I was just glad it was over. I was told this novel was a must read. It isn't, but it is an interesting read, it was OK.
Rating: Summary: Another point of view Review: After reading the book and some of the other readers comments I confess I'm a little confused. While turning the pages my interest focused on the behaviour of the people and the roll of the mass media. One of the questions without answer that almost everybody wonders at least once in a lifetime is: What would happen if the messiah came back nowadays? And I have always thought it was a question about ourselves, about our society. I think that's an important viewpoint in the book, that's why all those pages about the Martins, and the roll of the WNN. About the book in general: sometimes the writting is too childish (that's not the exact word), the story predictable, and the author could have gone much furder.
Rating: Summary: Great Look at How Modern-Day Messiah Would Be Received Review: This is a great book! I could not put it down. It is an interesting look at how today's media and established religions would react to a modern-day messiah.The similarites created to link the "New" Messiah to biblical prophecies are very creative and thought provoking. You may notice that the only people giving this book bad reviews are ultra-conservative religious people who are reacting exactly as they portrayed in the book. I am Catholic and took no offense...it is ONLY a story after all! Any book written on this topic that did not generate controversy would certainly not be worth reading.
Rating: Summary: interesting read Review: This novel seems to create the same divisions among its readers as the central character created in the story. Kleier offers an interesting, thought provoking look at how modern society would treat a modern messiah. The reviewers who hammered the novel pointed to the religious inaccuracies and freedoms the author made in his interpretations of Biblical prophesy. They are unable to suspend their disbelief and enter the world of imagination Kleier creates. Since when is a novel a work of non-fiction? It is really difficult to classify "Animal Farm" as a classic work of non-fiction. On the same token, the author never professes his work is the "Third Testament." Never does he say all Catholics are bad (actually he points out otherwise), and never does he say he will hunt you down and club you if you don't possess his beliefs. If you are looking for a good read, have an imagination, and are not offended by the bashing the Catholic heirarchy and TV Evangelists take, read this book. Otherwise stick with the Bible and "Angela's Ashes."
Rating: Summary: This book really rules! Review: This book really rules! Technically superb and completely emotionally involving as well. Any open-minded reader will love it, at the very least as superb entertainment.
Rating: Summary: Bold, thought provoking & refreshing Review: The Religious Right hates it... which should indicate how good it is. Interesting philosophical/theological premises. Just enough action/adventure/mystery to keep the pages turning. Plenty of food for thought mixed in with a few good laughs at the current state of religious/political affairs. The first fifty pages are a bit iffy, but after that it's a grand ride! He could have left out the Martins in Racine, Wi. - about 10 pages of totally wasted space. Otherwise everything is connected and unfolds seamlessly. If you're open-minded and intelligent - try it, you'll like it.
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