Rating: 
Summary: Elegant!
Review: What a delight! Not at all what I suspected--The Last Day is not your typical apocalyptic story, but a very intricate, clever, intriguing suspense thriller that takes you into the heart of the greatest question of them all---and has the brilliant audacity to pose an answer--a most surprising and credible answer. Provocative, stimulating, and most entertaining. Did not want to see this one end.
Rating:
Summary: Liberating
Review: I came away from this book feeling better about myself than I have in many a year. I've never understood why so many people in America (and the world) impose their spiritual beliefs on others. It's been this way since religion was first invented, and the legacy of this practice has often been to confuse and subjugate (if not burn at the stake) innocent people; or at the minimum, to inflict feelings of guilt on independent thinkers. Here's a book that stands up to that intolerance, a fresh, bold voice that speaks out as true and clear as any you'll ever encounter. The fascinating heroine of this novel declares independence from religious self-righteousness and absolutism, and she does so in a riveting story told in a very fast moving, journalistic style. If you belong to one of the major religions and you're firmly settled in your spiritual beliefs, don't bother with this book, it will only make you angry. But if you're an independent thinker who believes you were given the gray matter between your ears to use, then step back from the flock, shed the guilt and take this incredible journey.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining and thought provoking
Review: Listened to the audio version (6 hours)while driving across a portion of the west. Found it reduced the boredom of the drive considerably and I spent an additional 15 minutes on reaching my destination just to finish it. The abridgement was very seamless. I selected it for the sci-fi aspects and yet I was more entertained by the religious topics. I strongly recommend the audio version.
Rating:
Summary: Surprising
Review: I figured that any book that can garner 400 reader reviews deserved a look and I ordered this one. I have to say, it was not at all what I anticipated. This is not some dark, depressing, preachy religious book. It proved to be a very sophisticated and intense suspense thriller. I was impressed with the quality of writing and the degree of research and authenticity that went into this. The unusual plot,which has many surprising twists and turns, is both credible and entertaining and delightfully mischievous. It delves into some weighty matters, but it does so with touches of humor and touching sensititivy. There is wisdom and truth in what the book is saying. The ending is unexpected and appealing, it sneaks up on you and literally takes your breath away. I found the story and characters fascinating throughout. I can understand why the book seems to evoke such polarizing responses in its readers, some loving it, some loathing it. The story takes strong and critical positions against some activities of several large, established religions. If you are offended by critical satire of this nature, I would shy away from reading the book. But if not, I think you'll find this a truly fascinating and intelligent novel.
Rating:
Summary: My pick of the year
Review: As 1998 winds down and I look back on all the great new fiction I've enjoyed this year, I still come back to The Last Day as my favorite. What makes this novel so special to me is its uniqueness. It is a terrific suspense thriller in the classic sense--unpredictable, enthralling, powerful characters (particularly the Messiah and her chief inquisitor, di Concerci). The prose is crisp and riveting. The parables alone set this book apart from all the rest. I read this novel last February for the first time, and have just re-read it to see if my first evaluation still held. It was like revisiting an old friend whose stature had grown with time. I love this book, and I recommend it highly. It has a magical quality to it, the ability to move the soul.
Rating:
Summary: Explosive!
Review: If you're in the mood for something gutsy, stimulating and very different, here's some real fireworks for you! This is the story of the coming of a self-proclaimed messiah--a gorgeous young woman--who takes the world by storm with her amazing proberbs, parables and "miracles." Unfortunately, her shocking message places her in the cross hairs of the world's religious superpowers because she (like Christ cleaning out the temple of old) boldly exposes their dirty laundry and demands no less than their complete abolishment as failed insitutions. Because this novel is based on many factual elements of recent religious scandals, and the "messiah's" arguments are so credibly developed and persuasive, many people are going to be VERY unhappy with this book. If you are offended by views that challenge conventional religious beliefs, I would tell you to stay far away from this one. It will upset you. A LOT! But if you like hot debate, gut-wrenching suspense and frighteningly believable story lines, curl up tight with this one for a hell of a ride.
Rating:
Summary: Unlike anything I've ever read before
Review: I haven't enjoyed a novel this much in a decade. The Last Day has a unique creative spark and originality to it that I found very appealing. It virtually bristles with energy. At the same time, it's an intelligent and disciplined novel. It teases and tempts the reader along, never overplaying its hand, continually challenging, provoking the reader to explore a wide range of compelling, sometimes disturbing issues. This is a highly suspenseful story. The extraordinary attention to detail and the depth of research makes the plot feel entirely credible. The pace is furious and the action tension-filled and unnerving. I particularly enjoyed the surprising plot twists (you never see them coming), and especially the way the climax is handled--most unusual and poignant--and refreshingly positive, upbeat. You come away from this book with an extraordinary sense of peace and contentment. Literally feeling as if you've been eye-witness to something epochal--or dare I say it, divine!
Rating: 
Summary: The Last Novel I'd Ever Recommend
Review: I don't know what this book is supposed to be but it struck me as stupid New Age nonsense. Whoever wrote the thing really hates the Catholic church and many, many pages are spent bashing it. That got very old. Most of the characters are unlikeable and the story was dumb and predictable. It's awful long for a thriller where nothing really interesting happens but the writer had a lot of prejudice to vent and endless ravings about religion. Turns out to be a mindless rant that left me feeling sorry for the pope and sick of Little Jeza. Skip it.
Rating: 
Summary: Below Average
Review: As a thriller, this is below average, lacking in plot, suspense, and interesting characters. As literature, it's a joke. This is obviously the work of an amateur with some big ideas and little talent. There's a lot of overstated ideas that never get off the ground.A very odd book that was neither entertaining or worthwhile.
Rating:
Summary: OK Thriller
Review: This is a fair thriller with too few thrills. Crude writing and tends to get preachy. The author is insensitive to religious folk and is pretty brutish in his disdain for Catholics. The science fiction angle is clumsy and the romance stupid. It's ok as a timekiller but not recommended for serious reading as it's too long for a lite read and too dumb to devote serious thought to.
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