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Hampton Village Book Club (HVBC), the inspirational book group sponsored by Pampa’s Lovett Memorial Library, meets montly at the main office of Hampton Village on Alcock. Visitors are welcome. For more information, contact the library at 669-5780.

Since its inception in 2012, HVBC has read a number of Christian fiction as well as several non-fiction titles.

Fiction

Some of the fiction titles HVBC members have selected and read include “In Everything Give Thanks” by Terry Barnes; “One Step Over the Border” by Stephen Bly; “Boo” by Rene Gutteridge; “The Chair” by James L. Rubart; “The Visitation” by Frank Peretti; and “The Harbinger” by Jonathan Cahn.

For this post, let’s examine one of two titles – “Visitation” by Peretti. (The “Harbinger” by Cahn will be the subject of a follow-up post.)

“Visitation” is Christian fiction served with a nice slab of horror. This title even has a movie version starring Randy Travis and Kelly Lynch. Though the library does not currently own the video, the book is part of the library’s holdings. The library can, for a slight postage fee, make an interlibrary loan request for the movie title for interested patrons. Please contact the library at 669-5780 for more information.

In “Visitation,” Peretti takes a few well chosen jabs at modern mega churches and superstar evangelists. In fact, the book makes a study of the sometimes destructive nature of that indefinable something called “charisma.” The story includes a very clever and very driven “bad guy” who oozes destructive charm, an abundance of confidence, and a big personality (imagine, if you will, Hitler, Jim Jones, etc.). This villain excels at underhanded machinations and cunning manipulations while posing as a psuedo-messiah or as THE messiah.

The lead “good guy” is balanced yet flawed. Peretti fashions this character, the main character, as a jaded minister overwhelmed by small town politics and the viccitudes of life. The plot has many twists and turns and is rounded out with likeable -- though not always believeable, characters.

“Visitation” contains a somewhat surrealistic edge intermingled with biting insight. If you like classic Peretti as much as this blogster does, you should enjoy “Visitation” with its spooky nuances and suspenseful moments.

Look to an upcoming post for a bit about “Harbinger.”