Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of The Visitation

The Visitation
The Visitation
Author: Frank Peretti
ISBN-13: 9781595541208
ISBN-10: 1595541209
Publication Date: 4/11/2006
Pages: 560
Rating:
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 62

3.7 stars, based on 62 ratings
Publisher: WestBow Press
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

39 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

MaskedPenguinAvenger avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 27
A burned-out minister in small town Antioch, Washington, must wrestle with his confusion and cynicism when a self-proclaimed messiah takes over his ministry. The replacement minister looks like Christ. He even heals the sick and performs miracles. Could this messenger of hope and renewal be the real thing?
At first, this small town is abuzz with reports of miracles and religious sightings (a weeping statue of Christ, a disappearing hitchhiker warning of Christ's arrival, a soothing angel). But suddenly there's a twist of evil and demonic mystery in the air. It's up to the jaded minister Travis to track down the real story behind this visitor and somehow find a way to stop him.

Frank Peretti has been a hit sensation in the Christian thriller market but admits that up until now his books have surfed in the shallow waters of pop fiction. In The Visitation, Peretti has worked his craft more carefully--exploring how suffering leads to disillusionment in God as well as deepening his characterization. (The main character is a thinly disguised reflection of Peretti's own bout with doubt.) Fans will be relieved to know that Peretti is still dedicated to suspenseful drama, and there's still plenty of spine-chilling mayhem when all hell literally breaks loose on this small-town cast of characters.

This book will probably fare better in a home of someone who is a regular church attender.
ada04 avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 68 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This book was the cause of a few nights lost sleep. I HAD to know what would happen next. I thought it was very good.
reviewed The Visitation on + 28 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
There is a movie that was made about this book. The Book is very detailed on the main characters life and what lead to the whole thing. Very well done.
reviewed The Visitation on + 48 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Overall I like this book. At times some of the "happenings" in the book seem a little outlandish. It does have an unexpected twist to the end. Reading it would not be a waste of time.
ocnsangel avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 224 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
And epic struggle between good and evil. Frank Peretti
never disapoints.
reviewed The Visitation on + 20 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I was sucked in! I couldn't wait to see what would happen.
reviewed The Visitation on + 222 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I started out liking this book about someone pretending to be Jesus, but it dragged on to long and I found myself skimming until the ending.
reviewed The Visitation on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Interesting but not his best effort.
reviewed The Visitation on
Helpful Score: 1
This book by Frank Peretti is typical of his suspenseful novels. I just couldn't put it down! Here's what the comments were from the back of the book from others who have read this book.

"The sleepy, eastern Washington wheat twon of Antioch has suddenly become a gateway for the supernatural - from sightings of angels and messianic images to a weeping crucifix. Then a self-proclaimed prophet mysteriously appears with an astounding message.

The national media and the curious all flock to the little town - a great boon for the local business but not for Travis Jordan. The burned-out former pastor has been trying to hide his past in Antioch. Now the whole world is headed to his backyard to find the Messiah, and in the process, every spiritual assumption he has ever held will be challenged. The startling secret behind this visitation ultimately pushes one man into a supernatural confrontation that will forever alter the lives of everyone involved."
reviewed The Visitation on + 22 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Actually got this for some one else..he had all ready read it said it was a fantastic read
reviewed The Visitation on
Helpful Score: 1
This book is another great Peretti classic. It's one of those action packed books I couldn't stop reading. Even though it is Christian fiction, for those who have been in church circles over the years (or organized religion as they call it) it may ring a bell when it comes to megachurches and the cliques in general. I highly recommend this book.
reviewed The Visitation on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Thrilling suspense novel, one of Peretti's captivating stories.
reviewed The Visitation on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I think this has happened somewhere. It's believable. Now, I want to see the movie.
reviewed The Visitation on + 29 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent Book! I must read all of Peretti's books now!
sandyfl avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 42 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
From the book's slip cover: "Nothing interesting ever happened in the small, eastern Washington wheat town of Antioch - until now. Without warning, Antioch has suddenly become a gateway for the supernatural - from sightings of angels and messianic images materializing in the sky to a weeping crucifix with the power to heal.

Yet these miracles are only the beginning of something much bigger: the return of the Messiah as prophesied in the Bible. Then a self-proclaimed prophet mysteriously appears at a local ranch with a message...but is it from God?

In search of answers and hungry for miracles, the national media - along with the curious - flock in droves to the all-but-forgotten town. But what's great for local business has just the opposite effect on Travis Jordan. The burned-out former pastor has been trying to hide his past in Antioch. Now the whole world is headed to his backyard to find the Messiah, and in the process, every spiritual assumption he has ever held will be challenged. The startling secret behind this visitation ultimately pushes one man into a spiritual confrontation that iwll forever alter the lives of everyone involved.

The Visitation is an epic struggle between the forces of good and evil that will keep the pages turning - and your heart pounding - deep into the night. Frank Peretti, whose books have sold more than 8 million copies worldwide, is the undisputed master of supernatural thrillers. The author of best-selling books 'This Present Darkness', 'Piercing the Darkness', and 'The Oath', Frank lives with his wife, Barbara, in the Pacific Northwest." 519 pages, 32 chapters (including Prologue and Epilogue).
reviewed The Visitation on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A thrilling book written by one of Christian literatures leading authors.
A story of an Anti-Christ, living among the peoples of a small town, Antioch. A mystery/thriller if you ask me, a great read.
reviewed The Visitation on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
good book
cheermom140 avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 85 more book reviews
A great comment I can make about this book is that you don't have to be a Christian (or even believe in Jesus) to enjoy the story. I picked up this book originally without realizing that it was Christian fiction (not something I would normally be interested in reading). I was pleasantly surprised that the plot was good - the characters believable and I feel I got a good understanding of how the Christian clergy leads their ministry.

Because the ending was a bit weak (not as good as the other 9/10ths of the book), I gave this review 4 stars instead of 5. I was a bit sorry to see the story end - even at 500+ pages, it was never boring.
reviewed The Visitation on + 22 more book reviews
Good Read
MrsCatD avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 82 more book reviews
A Peretti classic! Exciting and suspenseful.
reviewed The Visitation on + 1568 more book reviews
This one moves a little slowly for my taste, but it has a lot of fascinating 'what if?' ideas in it.

From back cover: The sleepy, eastern Washington wheat town of Antioch has suddenly become a gateway for the supernatural--from sightings of angels and messianic images to a weeping crucifix. Then a self-proclaimed prophet mysteriously appears with an astounding message.The national media and the curious all flock to the little town--a great boon for local business but not for Travis Jordan. The burned-out former pastor has been trying to hide his past in Antioch. Now the whole world is headed to his backyard to find the Messiah, and in the process, every spiritual assumption he has ever held will be challenged. The startling secret behind this visitation ultimately pushes one man into a supernatural confrontation that will forever alter the lives of everyone involved.
SouthernChelz avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 216 more book reviews
Very interesting book
reviewed The Visitation on + 163 more book reviews
The Visitation is read by Joseph Campanella, he will keep you on the edge of your seat, with this Christian fiction a supernatural thriller, a struggle between forces of good and evil.
(from the back of the box)
Nothing interesting ever happened in the small, eastern Washington wheat town of Antioch--until now. Without warning, Antioch has suddenly become a gateway for the supernatural--from sightings of angels and messianic images materilaizing in the sky to a weeping crucifix with the power to heal. Yet these miracles are only the beginning of something much bigger: the return of the Messiah as prophesied in the Bible. Then a self-proclaimed prophet mysteriously appears at a local ranch with a message...but is it a message from God?....
reviewed The Visitation on + 48 more book reviews
It's abridged, so sometimes you're a little lost in terms of the timeline, but after a moment you catch on to what's happening. In all, a good book - quite entertaining.
reviewed The Visitation on + 4 more book reviews
really good auther, suspencful and exciteing..... i loved it
janisbeth avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 34 more book reviews
Who'd've ever thought I'd be reading a book with a Pentacostal preacher protagonist---and LIKING it? Well written, and the religion is taken for granted so it's not preachy. Good book!
reviewed The Visitation on + 54 more book reviews
Nice book. Great story. Nothing lacking.
reviewed The Visitation on + 135 more book reviews
This is a fascinating book. A disillusioned Pentecostal preacher sees Jesus one day..........very real characters and a surprise ending. Don't miss it if you like Christian fiction.
ministerlarry avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 6 more book reviews
Frank Peretti has a way of mystery and thrilling suspense writing that seems to come together in his novels. The Visitation opens up to be a gateway to the supernatural in a false messiah coming to the small town of Antioch, Washington, deceiving the townspeople with signs and wonders. Only two people in town are not really deceived but try to discover the past to this false messiah. Beware of false Christs that come to your town! Deception can cause religious cults that can destroy the very soul! True belief in God is not found in just signs and miracles.
reviewed The Visitation on + 21 more book reviews
Very suspenseful !!!!! Hard to put the book down
reviewed The Visitation on + 25 more book reviews
I am almost finished with this book. I have read other works by this author as well
and they are real good. Ditto for this one too. Of course, this one is a hardback,
but that's okay. I believe I saw the movie on Showtime once. I love the main character
as he and the new pastor tries to find out about the stranger who came into the town of
Antioch.
cborgmann avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 35 more book reviews
This was good reading. I know I am an avid reader, but when I can read a book in three days, to me that is a good book.
reviewed The Visitation on + 636 more book reviews
This turned out to be more exciting than it started off to be. I had really enjoyed _The Oath_, but this one was more... preachy. There were tangents, off-shoots and rants that gave much of the book a rather negative air. And to be perfectly honest, I don't know that I had enough religious knowledge to keep up with all of the church politics in the beginning. Not to mention the fact that I had thought that the Pentecostals were not only the sect that spoke in tongues, but that handled snakes as well... I don't know, the rather heavy-handed sections weighed the book down - like the constant repetition of what a sin it is to smoke, for example - that just started to become offensive. Not to mention the comments and the implied position on some of the other religious groups... Still, the plot was pretty exciting and the twist was interesting, although the romance fell flat.
reviewed The Visitation on + 20 more book reviews
Keeps you on the edge of your seat.
momoffour49783 avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 43 more book reviews
I often read the jackets of the book to get an idea of the plotline and often I feel mislead about what the book is really about...this started out pretty cool but if an author is going to go the paranormal route, then they should go a little deeper with it to suit my taste. I can see why people like this author...thought I'd give him a try...not sure I will read another because there's so many authors out there to discover...
alanhagg avatar reviewed The Visitation on + 22 more book reviews
Quite a page-turner. I took a bit of time starting, then got rolling quickly through a captivating story of disillusionment and rediscovery. Peretti has crafted a scary, uplotting tale that will work at some very deep levels. Well done !
reviewed The Visitation on
Excellent. Keeps you wondering the whole time. How will they figure it out? What will they do about it?
reviewed The Visitation on + 137 more book reviews
I didn't read this one. I bought it for my (then) 15 year old son. The synopsis reads: "The sleepy, Eastern Washington wheat town of Antioch has suddenly become a gateway for the supernatural, from sightings of angels and messianic images to a weeping crufifix. Then a self-proclaimed prophet mysteriously appears with an astonishing message." This book is of the Christian genre. I believe it is similar to the very popular "Left Behind."
reviewed The Visitation on + 2 more book reviews
x-library book