From Publishers Weekly
In this long-awaited novel, Peretti (
This Present Darkness;
The Visitation) tells the story of a young woman who disappears in the Idaho wilderness and the ensuing search for her. The author's prose is clear and crisp, with only a few lapses into Lovecraftian hyperbole: his description of the novel's almost mythical setting is rich and detailed without being overwritten and his characterization of the woman, Beck, and the very unusual creatures she encounters is compelling. Peretti successfully incorporates several contemporary detective drama/suspense thriller tropes; one of his main characters, for example, is a crime scene investigator, and welcome doses of forensic evidence and DNA analysis are thrown into the mix. But the novel suffers from too many supporting characters, and Peretti's failure to develop them greatly compromises the conclusion. More problematic, though, is the novel's agenda with regard to the theory of evolution. Not raised overtly until the middle of the book, Peretti's critique of certain aspects of Darwinism eclipses the story and leads it to an unsatisfying and somewhat confusing end. As in Peretti's previous novels, those who hold conservative views are portrayed as heroic and those who disagree as evil. The novel's devolution into this simplistic moralism, however, will not keep Peretti fans away, and its many merits may attract other readers as well.
400,000 first printing. (Apr. 12)
--Ce texte provient de la
Hardcover
édition.
During survival training in the wilderness, policeman Reed Shelton and his wife, Beck, are attacked and separated by unidentified creatures. Reed's voice is tremulous as he describes what happened. Peretti narrates his own imaginative story of Sasquatch, DNA mutations, cruel experiments, and cold-blooded murder. But his delivery is dry and raspy, with an unpleasant pitch and tone, even though he depicts realistic shouts, shots, and screams. His portrayal of Sasquatch's speech--grunts, tongue clicks, and a variety of growls--borders on the comical. Furthermore, Beck's vocalizations as she assimilates into the tribe bends credulity. Peretti fans will like this, but less imagination and an abridgment would make this more enjoyable for others. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
This text refers to an alternate
Audio CD
edition.
