Customer Reviews

Hostage To The Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

* Satan is roaming the earth, seeking whom he may devour(1Peter 5:8). Many souls are ripe for his tormenting in a socieity where a man's opinion is his God (2TIM 4:3-4) and secular humanism runs rampant.This book sheds light on many of the enemy's tactics.It also empowers the believer in Christ with true knowledge and effective weapons (Ephesians 6:10-17 Remember the Word, the blood of Jesus, the name of Jesus, and the prayers of the saints).
* Martin is a former professor at the Vatian's Pontifical Biblical Institute.He researched and interviewed 5 exorcists and 5 cases of possession. He tells the story of each priest's calling and the circumstances leading to each possession. His prose will captivate you and you'll invite him back for more. I've read this book several times and distributed numerous copies as gifts.
* Martin is Catholic and I'm a Protestant Assemblies of God believer. This book breaks the DEMONINATION BARRIERS.Jesus is the vine(John 15).Who loves Jesus? John 14:21 states," Whoever has my commands and obeys them, He is the one who loves me....."
* Martin explores the spiritual fight that occurs in exorcism (aka deliverance) and details the battle for the soul.The will of the possessed, the strength of the priest's faith, and the crafty tactics of the devil's hordes all play a part in 5 climatic victory testimonies for Jesus....

I read this book b/c I find the material fascinating, albeit horrifying. The topic that is discussed in the book, demonic possession, is something that I find rather interesting. I have read other books, accounts and seen the movies. As a fan of the macabre, I thought I have heard it all. This book totally changed my perception. It makes "The Exorcist" look like Dr. Suess. In fact, I read the first case study, Zio and the Smiler and took it back to the bookstore. What I read was so disgusting, explicit and nauseating that I had trouble falling asleep for 2 days. It reaches into the unimaginable part of the human soul and psyche. The vileness and ugliness of these accounts startles the imagination. This book is definately NOT for the faint of heart, nor the weak in constitution. I find it difficult to believe that one can sustain the type of physical, emotional and spiritual torture that accompanies the possessed. This book will make you reassess your spiritual outlook. It leaves the reader with an utterly claustrophobic feeling and the need to come up for air every now and again. I caution any parent who have children in the house to not leave this book out casually. It may affect a younger or sensitive person adversely. Hideous, sanguinous and wretched, "Hostage to the Devil" will keep the reader entraced and may serve some good....it will make you believe in evil. And when evil is acknowledged, as this book implies, only then can it be conquered.

Martin, an experienced exorcist, presents five full true-life accounts of demonic possession from the 1960s and 1970s. The book is made more interesting by the fact that each case has a different exorcist with his own personality, history, and flaws. (Martin's personal career as an exorcist was primarily in the 1940s and 1950s. He is apparently more of a consultant on such matters now.)

Interestingly, a Web site claims to quote from a Martin interview that, in his opinion, "Cases of possession and obsession have increased about 750% since the early 1970's." It is therefore doubly unfortunate that so many skeptical bishops have effectively forbidden the use of exorcism in their jurisdictions.

I highly recommend this book for those who don't believe that there is a God---Who is merciful and loves them. It is also for those who don't believe in the power of evil (the devil) in the our world. I read this book a while back and have not forgotten the images that were imprinted in my mind. It made me keenly aware of what a priest has to be like in order to carry out his priestly duties as a representative of Christ. It is not a pleasant book to read, but indeed a sobering experience. It gives light to what the true meaning of free-will is and of redemptive love. These exorcisms really happened to those 5 Americans..that is what makes this so impressive reading. This is not a Stephen King novel..yet it reads like one. And you almost wished it was--Instead of something that was recorded as though it was from a crime-scene forenics record...which it could be. Once you have read this book, you will not soon forget it... This book however, is not for the faint hearted. So if you have the courage to read it, then do so..you will not be disappointed in Malachi Martin's book.

This is truly a classic book on the subject of exorcism
from the Catholic perspective, but the truth is: Satan, the
Prince of Darkness, is much more subtle than generally
portrayed here. He [It: Evil] is very much active via
demonic elements which find access thru abuse, past pain,
and (especially) WRONG CHOICES in relation to forgiveness,
bitterness, and morality. Satan is also "The Accuser" and
"The Prosecuter" who is always looking for the opportunity
to slander and accuse GOD and His servants.
Dr.Martin's book is an eye-opener to those who never thought
of Evil as being both personal and a real force in the world
to be reckoned with. In the end, you will find that the only
real protection (and greater power) is Love, Faith, and the
atoning, all-powerful Blood of the Crucified Lamb.
"...and they over came him (Satan) by the Blood of the Lamb,
by the word of their testimony, AND THEY LOVED NOT THEIR
OWN LIVES UNTO DEATH." - Revelation 12:11

The belief system that this book is based upon would ordinarily cause me to dismiss it if it were not for the excellent quality of the writing and intelligence with which the subject is discussed. The whole problem of evil is examined while many things I am sympathetic about (transcending duality-Marianne, revearing nature-Father Yves, androgeny-Richard/Rita, and psychic abilities-Carl) are said to subtly lead to traps set by evil spirits. One would logically be drawn to Christianity as an answer if the conclusions drawn from this book are accepted as stated.

So the overwhelming question is: How true are these stories. Can anyone verify them? This I would like to know.

Whether one accepts the book as true or not, it is a great read and an intellectual challenge.

This is the closest objective view of demonic possesion I have ever read. It was of great help to me in my study of other demons and possesion. In tantric Buddhism, there are similar phenomenas and if you can get close enough gives you the feel of something preternatural in the air. The manifestations and the kind of otherworldiness that preternaturalism does to natural beings like us is like how a rat may feel when its stuck on tar paper. There is that feeling of something bigger out there and infinitely more powerful than yourself. Dogs and other mammals have enough sense to stay away when they feel such vibes. We as humans do not know any better.
There is that sense that evil and good interweave in our everyday life and we still are clueless to its many guises. As a ex-Catholic, I still see the God-picture but I also that the reality does not fit the idealism. Somewhere along the way many people find evil in their search for the good and end up being taken for a long off-track ride. It is the great curiosity of human beings that has pushed knowledge to what it is today.
Demons seem to have their own order and do not grow smarter or more powerful with time. Human beings on the other hand have an incredible means to increasing thier knowledge and technology. We exist in the natural world that sometimes touches the edge of the preternatural world. We are the beings that may may make that crossing and come back from it. It makes one wonder if our evolution will eventually take us from the natural world and into the preter-natural world as to exist simultaneously on two planes. If we can learn to control our gullibility and irrationality, will we be able to reason our way to betterness and be immune to calls of malevolent beings in some better evolved form of us? I still have the picture if a great creator that works his magic over millions of years rather than seven days.

Well written book, not much biased but presented like a reporter. The only concern is - are all those stories true? It obviously looks genuine.

There seem to be only a few good books on this subject : Amorth's books, M Scott Peck's book, and this one.

As my life sadly has been the subject of diabolical influences I have read them all, with care.

My late father surrendered his soul to an evil spirit while quite young. He became one of the totally possessed. Under his pressure I succumbed to a degree of possession at the age of about 8. I did not know I was possessed but felt something was wrong. At about the age of 19 I decided I was going to find out what was wrong whatever the cost. My father sensed this and cursed me.

I had a terrible life. But eventually I came across Amorth's books and at the age of 51 received the Rite of Exorcism of the Catholic Church. One quite simple exorcism freed me. It lasted less than an hour and was quite unlike the exorcisms in this book.

I do not know whether the cases in Martin's book are true. But I know from experience that possession may happen and that exorcism does work.

All above is true.

Someone, maybe C.S. Lewis, said that Satan operates the best when people don't believe he exists. This harrowing book makes it quite clear that evil exists indeed. Malachi Martin chronicles how one comes to be "possessed" and how the exorcism process works. He also identifies which types of human behavior and practices make one especially susceptible to possession. Notably, however, Martin explains that it is the individual's free will which must ultimately consent to possessio--and cooperate with the exorcist for the exorcism to be successful. What impressed me most was the bravery of the priests who willingly become "hostage to the devil" during an exorcism. The possessing spirits place incredible pressure on the priests, who must place their trust entirely in Christ (and never in their own abilities) to see the exorcism to completion. I highly recommend this book which sheds light on an uncomfortable but important subject.