Title: The Great and Terrible: From the End of Heaven (Vol. 5)
Author: Chris Stewart
Publisher: Deseret Book
Release Date: May 10, 2008
ISBN: 978-1590388587
Size: 336 pages, hardback
Genre: Speculative
Series: Prologue, The Brothers (vol.1), Where Angels Fall (vol. 2), The Second Sun (vol. 3), Fury and Light (vol. 4)
What happens when the world goes dark?
The battle of good against evil intensifies in the darkness of an EMP-devastated America. The electromagnetic pulses that wiped out the country’s entire electrical grid have reduced people to an almost animal existence. While those with good hearts pull together to help each other, those inclined to evil find free reign for the rage that Satan and his minions are stirring up in their hearts.
For Sara Brighton, the time is fast approaching when she must face the frightening realities her husband, Neil, warned her about before his death. Sam’s problem is more immediate: How can he get his family to a safe place? Bono is still trying to get to his family, and Azadeh is struggling to find her role in the family that has reached out to welcome her in. Meanwhile, the followers of Satan plot to take over the government of the United States and remake it to fulfill their own greed and lust for power.
The situation for all of these people is desperate, but even in a world gone mad, there are moments of hope, the possibility of miracles, and help from the other side of the veil. Discover the truth: The last days are terrible, but they are also great. Don’t miss the next gripping volume in this landmark series!
The release date for this book is specifically May 10, 2008.
I am so happy that we don.t have to wait so long for the next one.
This series by Chris Stewart has had the biggest personal impact on my view of the plan. It really helped me to expand my vision of what role my life on earth plays in the eternities. I hope he writes more!
Review by Erin.
This is a complex story. There are good guys and bad guys, and sometimes you’re not sure which is which. Like the characters in the story, you don’t always know who you can trust. This provides a great tension throughout and keeps you glued to the story.
Although none of the characters are perfect, the good guys are doing their best to be good and to fight against the evil around them. They show a great faith in God and trust in His love and power, despite the devastation in their lives. Their courage is phenomenal. I want to believe that in their situation I’d be strong like them. Reading about them makes me want to keep the faith and stay strong through my own trials.
I think my favorite characters in this book are Bono’s wife, Caelyn, and her mother, Gretta. There is a scene where they stand up to some men who are slaughtering their cattle. They know the men intend to kill them too. They can feel the evil around them like a palpable force. And yet, the stand firm and true and the Spirit sustains them. It was amazing!
I also like Luke, Sarah’s son who was shot in the last book. He’s got a bit of spunk and sense of humor that is inspiring.
One of the drawbacks of a story like this is there are so many people to keep track of. When new characters are introduced, you don’t know whether you need to remember them because they might pop up again later, or brush past them because we won’t ever see them again. I find myself wishing there was a cast of characters in the back of the book to remind us of who is who and how they’re related.
This is definitely not a stand alone book. You must read the previous four volumes or you will be completely lost in the storyline.
I recommend this to readers who like the Left Behind series by Timothy LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. I like both series’ but this one a little better because it incorporates LDS beliefs and teachings.
I give this book four stars.
Caution: Violence.
Comment by Krista.
The thing I loved most about this book, and the series, is the portrayal of the thinning of the veil in the last days. Angels and demons increase in strength and influence, and it reassured me, as a reader and a saint, that evil will be matched. I rooted for the heroes as if they were my family, me.