Rating: 
Summary: Read this book
Review: It's pretty obvious to me, as has been pointed out by others, the periodic spate of angry reviews that pop up on this page are from the same reviewer. I categorically disagree with him. I found "The Last Day" to be a splendid read, filled with fine writting and one startling surprise after another. None of the negatives I've read here make any sense at all, which is why the lone reviewer never quotes any passages of the book to support any of his charges about poor writing or bigotry. There is no substance to these claims. If the book were anti-Catholic, why would a Catholic theologian have endorsed it (see below)? If it's such a lousy read (this is an outright misrepresentation), why is it a bestseller? What we have here, I believe, is one angry guy on a personal crusade. Because of its controversial content and compelling message, The Last Day is going to offend some people. So did Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. But what I find far more offense is the transparent attempt at censorship. If this book offends that type of mentality, I say, more power to it!
Rating:
Summary: Deliciously fun
Review: I found this book to be quite intriguing, the plot complex and compelling. The subject matter was ambitious, but deftly and courageously handled by the author. I've not disappointed my friends or associates to whom I've recommended this book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: I find this an outstanding book and recommend it very highly. In my opinion, it is one of the top novels of the year. As a professor of Bible study at the University of Alabama, Birmingham since 1968, I not only enjoyed "The Last Day" as a contemporary suspense thriller, I found it a timely treatise on the current, pivotal state of world religion. "The Last Day" presents a fresh, relevant and important message about intolerance in the major organized religions. It exposes the closed-mindedness and hypocrisy which is so prevalent today, dividing so many churches and congregations as the world approaches the third millennium. The novel is beautifully written, with strokes of genious throughout in the plotting and in the prose (the parables are most remarkable and satisfying). Despite the violence and mass hysteria depicted in the story, which at times can be very disturbing, it has a surprisingly uplifting conclusion and offers a liberating philosophy that provides great food for thought. I can understand how this book would prove upsetting to certain religious groups and why some people are intent on suppressing it. I don't feel they will succeed and I certainly pray they do not. The world religions must be open to criticism if they are to adapt and remain relevant. Or indeed, the story that this book so vividly portrays may well come to pass.
Rating: 
Summary: Good,light page turner with something interesting to say
Review: I read this in one sitting and found it to be a fun read. There were times when I wished the terrific plot premise had been in the hands of a more adept writer, but I did enjoy the ride. Kleier's criticisms of the Catholic church have been handled better and with more grace by Father Andrew Greeley. For a light-weight thriller, this was not bad, and I found it surprisingly difficult to get out of my mind days later.I might mention that I am a deeply committed Christian, but at my church we are not required to check our brains at the door. While some of Kleier's criticism of organized religion was presented in an extreme, over-the-top fashion, that is a common characteristic of most social satire and should have been expected. I thought Kleier was fairly effective at pointing out those areas where over the centuries, followers of Jesus have added trappings totally contrary to the modest, fair-minded lover of humanity who spoke the words of Matthew 5-7. His Jeza was far more in line with the Jesus I see in the New Testament than are most of the so-called religious leaders who are currently ranting about this book. Flawed, yes. Amateurish, certainly. But interesting? Fun to read? Absolutely. As much fun as wading through another Grisham book, and more thought-provoking.
Rating: 
Summary: Anythings Possible
Review: Clone escapes from lab on New Years 1999, is proclaimed messiah, and immediately raises hell in Vatican. Anythings possible... I guess. The only suspense in this thriller is just how much worse is the stupid book going to get. The novel is horribly written with abysmal characterizations. The silly New Age religion stuff doesn't help any, although the parables from the Newer New Testament are a hoot. I kept wondering if the author was actually serious. Sadly, I think he thought he was writing a deep and meaningful book, not a shallow piece of trash. I understand the author got a million smackers for this. For that much money I might consider reading the thing again and discovering a masterpiece this time!
Rating: 
Summary: Extraordinary
Review: Are we as readers so spiritually bankrupt that thit feeble-minded and ineptly written novel might conceivably appeal to us somehow. I have had flyers handed to me in the tube that were better written and more thoughtfully presented than this ridiculous diatribe against Catholics. If the author could write worth a penny, I might have listened to him. But this drivel must be an embarrassment to the publisher. I understand a motion picture company bought this? Good lord.
Rating:
Summary: Legitimate Criticism
Review: I just now finished it and Here on this page I notice that the reviews focus on the really terrible writing, cartoon characters and dialogue, or so-called "religious message." I share most readers reaction to these elements and believe such criticism is more than justified. Kleier does write poorly, incredibly so. And he does dump a load of garbage on the Catholics which goes way beyond criticism and borders on something fairly ugly. The depth of understanding of some complicated issues by Kleier is pathetic. He hasn't the talent or learning to explore these issues intelligently, so he goes for the easy, "hot button" issues rather than true substance. I was more astonished and often bored with the whole tired exercise. It seemed to me to degenerate into a anti-Catholic screed that appeals to those bigots who cheer that kind of poison. I'm open to questioning the Church in any way, but this novel lacks the heart and the author lacks the skill to intelligently challenge Catholicism. He simply trashes the Church for the sake of controversy (sales). I guess there are always those who need their prejudices reinforced and the one thing this book is successful at is expressing its crude bigotry.
Rating:
Summary: This Is It
Review: Well, it's here. The worst thriller I have ever read. The religious issues and condemnation of organized religion I have no problem with. In fact, that was interesting for a while. But it went on and on. And I absolutely hated little Jeza! People here have discussed the awful writing better than I ever could. At first I thought that was done on purpose but nooo. And I ended up cheering for the Church. If only someone had the sense to shoot Jeza at the start I would have been spared 400 odd pages of the boring shrew's philosophy. When the inevitable finally happened and everybody was redeemed I felt like I had put myself through hell for nothing. Please, grant it's another 2000 years until Jeza returns (and until G. Kleier attempts to write another lousy book!)
Rating:
Summary: "Comparison Shopping"
Review: I agree with many of the thoughtful criticsms of this novel offered on this page. Certainly, the reader would do better to search Amazon for some of the far superior novels which address the same issues as Last Day, but with intelligence and fine writing. James Morrow, Daniel Easterman, James Halperin, and Stone's Damascus Gate, put Kleier's overwrought, flat effort to shame. I think superb, informed writing is more worth my time than a shallow novel driven by a concept jotted on a cocktail napkin. Manufactured thrillers like this are many, but readers will find something unique as well as rewarding in the alternate authors mentioned.
Rating:
Summary: Inspires strong emotions
Review: After reading this book, I can see that it might inspire strong emotions for some people who don't feel comfortable with an honest examination of organized religion. Too bad. This book is a page turner, with a compelling plot, wrought with clever twists all the way to the end. As a reader, you may not agree with the books point of view, but you absolutely, positively won't be able to put it down.
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