Отзывы читателей

• reemsf-1

  (3/5)

  The only way out is in!I've always been into horror but this is my first with regard to Christian Horror. I didn't even know that this was a sub genre that existed and yet, here I am!Who knew that the perfect scene out of the horror movie you just watch would be the start of a killer's game? A bit cliched, almost like the shower scene in almost every horror. Driving down the road as night begins to fall and of course things just don't feel right. Some how things are contrived to have two couples end up at what looks like a bed and breakfast from the outside. Walk in and everything is perfect, hot food on the table, ice cold drinks on the sideboard. Just wonderful but is it really?Soon the two couples find themselves being tested, around every corner a new personal fear that they must face. All throughout the story there is a lone child. She brings with her a sense of peace that is both unnerving and calming at the same time.At no point did I actually feel a connection to any of the characters. I can't say that there was any one person that I really wanted to succeed, I didn't grow fond of anyone. I did expect more from this story and I was left rather disappointed.Maybe next time!
• buttonholed

  (4/5)

  This story is a haunted house that represents the evil of each person's heart without having Christ. The book starts off with Jack and Stephanie are on their way seeking some marriage counseling in Alabama. On the way, Jack is almost rear-ended by a state-boy and he eventually pulls them over. Jack stops and the officer races past them. WTH? They drive on and Stephanie convinces Jack they are lost. Jack sees the lights of a police car ahead and stops to ask for directions. It's the same cop who almost rear-ended them earlier. Officer Lawdale, asks Jack to step out of the car and walk to the back of the car. He uses his billy club to point out a brake light on their car that isn't working. As they talk about the light officer Lawdale tells Jack the road ahead is under repair but how kind is he to point out a shortcut through the backwoods. Mmm. He warns the two that if they have car trouble they should stay in their car until he comes back through in the morning on his way home. Stephanie doesn't like the idea, but, Jack takes the detour. Men, right?Jack and Stephanie travel on this back road for quite some time and the only sign they have seen is one for a hotel called the Wayside Inn. Just after Jack suggests they stay there the night, their car hits a spike strip and all 4 tires are slashed. They walk to the Inn where they find another couple who have had the same problem.Soon the lights go out in the house and the two couples meet the owners of the Inn who are pretty damn rude. They all eventually sit down for dinner and the food starts to rot in front of their eyes. Stephanie gets up to run from the house and is stopped by a man with a shotgun who chases her back in and locks the two couples and the "owners" of the Inn in the house. He throws an old soup cap down the chimney that outlines the rules of a game that he decides to play with them. He makes them go against each other by seeking one dead body in exchange for the freedom of the others. You've gotta read this and see if Officer Lawdale...or.... ~ Evilicious.
• laella-9

  (3/5)

  So, this was an enjoyable read. I found it to be...I don't know, maybe outlandish? The ending was disappointing.
  
  
• carmenmilligan

  (3/5)

  ***SPOILERS***
  
  Entertaining and fast read of yet another "game" in a creepy house with strangers brought together under suspicious circumstances.
  
  The difference with this one is that it's Christian fiction, which gives it a bit of a different flavor and none of the gore, sex, or language that you'd find in a Clive Barker, Joe Hill, or Stephen King book.
  
  With an interesting twist that the horrors in the house are of the guests' own making, with sin directly from their own souls, this delivers frights of the supernatural kind. Angels? Check. Demons? Check. Good vs Evil? Check.
  
  However, it wouldn't be Christian fiction without a salvation message. Of course, in the course of the game, two players see their need for Jesus and it ends well for them. The others? Not so much. What happens to the house? Well, I guess you'll have to read it to find out.
  
  It's a very quick and easy read. It probably won't change your life, but it's a recommended read for Halloween month.
  
• whitewavedarling

  (3/5)

  A thrill ride of a book, Dekker and Peretti's House gains momentum quickly, and then doesn't slow down for more than three hundred pages. This might, though, be the biggest problem with the novel--action, horror, violence, and conflict are so incredibly constant in the work that there's never a chance to savor any suspense or horror. Instead, the pace is kept frantic, ever moving forward--it's no exaggeration to say that I was using so much attention and energy to keep up with the plot that I never really had time to feel any fear or worry, or to get that creeping sensation you find when a horror novel really takes hold of your own reality. Am I complaining that the book moved too quickly to really keep me up at night? Yes, a little.On the upside, the characters here are frighteningly believable, and the authors' descriptions are as brutal as they are visual, making this book one heck of a thrill ride. It may well be that they simply tried to fit too much in, though, because this book does have a little bit of everything, and tying it all together in the end felt something like a stretch, even for a horror novel.All in all, it was a bit messy and chaotic, and it didn't give me the chills I associate with my favorite horror novels, but it was a great piece of entertainment, and more than enough to make me curious about these authors' individual efforts.
• dom76-1

  (2/5)

  Was very boring, not worth the read
• mirandalg14

  (3/5)

  2.75 stars:
  A fun horror with some interesting twists.
• kiwiria_1

  (3/5)

  Honstly? I was really disappointed by this one. It doesn't live up to the standards set by neither Ted Dekker nor Frank Peretti, but was more the sort of book I'd expect somebody like Stephen King or Dean Koontz to write. The symbolisms were more heavy-handed than even Narnia (don't get me wrong, I love that series, but subtle it is not). To give the book the benefit of doubt it may just be that it's not a book appropriate for audiobook format, and I might have thought differently if I'd read it myself instead.
• abookvacation

  (5/5)

  I really liked this book. It was full of suspense, though it's alittle pbvious who the killer is, but even so, very well done. I kept thinking this was like a movie I saw at some point, and it turns out this book was made into a movie, but it was a lot better than the movie. It wasn't "in your face" Christianity either, which is nice, because I don't like being preached at, but the moral of the story is there, very blatant, and makes you think.
• calwise_1

  (3/5)

  Good idea, but poorly executed. I like both authors, so I was disappointed with their team-up. They basically beat the reader over the head with their spiritual message using several cheap copouts and alot of improbable dialogue.
• rebeccaday1

  (3/5)

  I listened to this book today at work, it was good, I didn't care for the narrators voice, and I was a little confused about the twist of the story but over it was good listen! It wouldn't be the first book that came to mind when making recomendations but hey everyones a critc lol!
• spiceca_1

  (1/5)

  I grabbed this book randomly since the synopsis looked like it might be interesting. The whole concept of good vs evil is not a new idea and has been done much better in other books (I.e. Stephen King's "The Stand" is a good example) The story was choppy and incoherent. The characters were poorly constructed and made little sense with their actions. I could have also done without the overly "righteous" ending. I did not like this book in any sense. I wouldn't even recommend it to those who like Christian fiction because of how crudely written it was. Give this one a miss.
• sdav65

  (3/5)

  Pretty good read. Quick and not too bogged down with details.
• readingrat_1

  (3/5)

  I found the plot to be disjointed and the characters not very likable.
• bookshop_lady

  (1/5)

  Without doubt, one of the worst conceived and most poorly written books I have ever read. The set-up was right out of a Stephen King or Dean Koontz novel, and some of the happenings inside the house were reminiscent of plot points from the old television series, "Dark Shadows." But for all the promise of horror, there was nothing remotely frightening. I've packed the book away in a box and will read it again in a few years. Until then, my advice is - if you really have to read this book, borrow it from a friend or from the library first. Don't buy it until you've read it.
• nesum_1

  (3/5)

  I have to say, I'm rather tore about this book. On the one hand, I really liked the metaphor here, and I thought it was a really picture of the way we are in sin. On the other hand, it was just a little too lost in fantasy for my tastes (I think horror novels are scarier when they are grounded in reality first, but this one is nothing but wild fantasy that did not connect with me), and I didn't like the characters.I will say that this is an improvement to the other Dekker novel I ahve read, where the characters were unlikeable and two-dimensional. At least here they have some depth. But I like Peretti's solo novels a bit better.This is worth a read as a metaphor for the nature of sin and ourselves, and the freeing power of Christ, but as a story I just didn't think it worked.
• madameguillotine

  (1/5)

  Where was the supposed twist ending? Absolute bore. I could care less about all characters involved. Total waste of my time.
• hidden_lyric

  (1/5)

  I have a habit of not finishing books if I am not interested. I was determined to finish "house," so I can honestly say, it is horrible. I thought that with two great authors it would have been fantastic, but I was sorely disappointed. Don't waste your time.
• jcsoblonde

  (4/5)

  This book thoroughly freaked me out! Stayed up all night reading it! I would not recommend doing that...read it in full daylight! It was good...I cannot read these books that much or I'll go insane, and I am very picky with this genre, but this book was very good.
• nm7fall077kstinnett

  (5/5)

  i love this book! its scary and adn keeps you in the egde. Its keeps you wanting more. It isnt like other books that you can predict waht will happen. There are many twists and surpises.It makes you think twice! I would suggest this book to anyone!
• chickadeegirl

  (4/5)

  very heavy...and demonic(?) mature audience only :)
• bluenichols_1

  (3/5)

  good book thought it would have been better though with the combination of Dekker and Peretti
• steelerxbabe101

  (4/5)

  This book is very scary but it rocks
• sonkissed

  (4/5)

  this book was fast paced, and definitely suspenseful. However, I was sorely disappointed by the cheesy story book ending. my recommendation would be to read something by the authors separatly, before reading this. Though a good book, it isn't great.
• elbakerone

  (2/5)

  I am a long time fan of Frank Peretti and recently impressed with the works of Ted Dekker, but in the case of House I don't think that the sum of these authors was greater than their individual parts. Although it contained some of the suspense and intrigue that both authors are known for it also seemed predictable and the villainous characters were a little over the top. To anyone looking for Christian thrillers from these authors I would much more strongly recommend Peretti's This Present Darkness or Monster and The Circle Trilogy (Black, Red and White) or Obsessed from Ted Dekker.
• debs4jc

  (4/5)

  Plot Summary: What happens, When & Where, Central Characters, Major Conflicts"Jack and his wife Stephanie are on their way to a counseling session for their troubled marriage when a series of detours end up leaving them stranded in the backwoods. The only option they have for shelter is an old plantation style house which seems to be an inn of sorts. There they find another couple who has also been stranded there for the night and Betty, Stewart, and Pete--""Inbreds"" and ingracious hosts. Things just seem to getting more and more bizarre and creepy, eventually leading Jack and the others into a fight against evil and for their lives after a can is dropped down the chimney with the following message: 1) God came to my house and I killed him. 2) I will kill anyone who comes to my house as I killed God. 3) Give me one dead body and I might let rule two slide."Style Characterisics: Pacing, clarity, structure, narrative devices, etc.Tight suspense with creepy stuff happening almost immediately. Jack is a well drawn character, struggle with the death of his marriage and his spiritual beliefs. The other couple at the house seem like no more than foils to Jack's struggle. The point of view shifts, even to the killer's mind. The character of Susan, an angelic figure, is pulled off well. The middle gets a little bogged down, as it just seems like one neverending chase scene repeating itself over and over.How Good is it?A powerful message/metaphor about how sin can trap us and how we need to face it.
• slmr4242

  (1/5)

  I try to read outside of my usual lines. This one had far too many caricatures, rather than characters. Disappointing.
• Merissa Makes Stuff

  (5/5)

  The scariest part about this book is looking at what my house must look like! The ending was not very strong. It's very fast- paced and that makes it hard to be creeped out at all. But, I think the pace and the way it makes the reader feel was intentional. It gives you the feeling of being excited. I like how clear the message was. I definitely think the ending could have been better. Worth the read, especially if you like thrillers without all that gore and sex.
• agrimscythe

  (2/5)

  House takes place in the backwoods of Alabama, down a dirt road where only inbreds are really known to reside. When Jack and Stephanie, en route to a marriage counseling session in order to save their failing marriage, take a wrong turn, they quickly find themselves victims of sabotage. Abandoning their care, they walk to the nearest place, an old, rustic inn, where they encounter Randy and Leslie. The four of them soon find themselves caught up in a tale of horror that is best compared to a B-rated horror movie.
  
  I really, really wanted to love this book. It’s no secret that I have a fondness for psychological thrillers and the supernatural, but I was actually hoping for something a bit more on the realistic side of the spectrum. Without going into too much detail, I will admit that the resolution for this story probably could have been reached without adding elements of the paranormal. Of course, House is marketed as a supernatural thriller, so its tendency toward the fantastic is expected, even if it does lean a bit on the side of ridiculous.
  
  This book is yet another title with largely flawed and unlovable characters – the sort that are stereotypical for this genre. It’s very easy to imagine characters like Jack, Stephanie, Randy, and Leslie in a movie like Saw because they are, ultimately, a cookie cutter image of horror movie victims. There simply wasn’t much in the way of originality at all.
  
  One of the reasons I absolutely love haunted house/hotel stories is because I like to see the story that has been woven to explain why the locale plays host to the dead. What information we’re given about the house that our quartet encounter is vague. As a result, upon the conclusion of the story, there’s still a few questions left hanging in the air.
  
  At best, this book was meh. As I stated previously, its tale plays out more like a cheesy horror flick than anything truly thrilling. I listened to the audiobook version, and for that reason alone I almost dropped it. The book is narrated by Kevin King, and as a listener with a voice fetish for lack of better words, I found his voice to be extremely grating. I’m glad the audiobook is over and for those who are sensitive to the way certain narrators sound, I recommend simply picking up the book or checking it out at your local library.
• rochwa

  (4/5)

  Synopsis: A mind-bending supernatural thriller from the creators of This Present Darkness and Showdown.Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker - two of the most acclaimed writers of supernatural thrillers - have joined forces for the first time to craft a story unlike any you've ever read. Enter House - where you'll find yourself thrown into a killer's deadly game in which the only way to win is to lose...and the only way out is in.The stakes of the game become clear when a tin can is tossed into the house with rules scrawled on it. Rules that only a madman - or worse - could have written. Rules that make no sense yet must be followed. Amazon.com