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I Died Last Night
Where would your soul be if you died right now? Chances are, it’s not what you think. This is a fictional story of a leader in a conservative church as he takes his journey into eternity. Bible teaching, writings from early Christians and true events form the foundation of this story.But this book is more about your affection than your direction, because what you think will determine your journey in the afterlife.
68 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 7, 2015
Warning! You will be challenged.
You may think such a short book will be easy to read. And in many cases you would be right. This is not that book. You will not enjoy this book. You will be challenged by it. You will think of people you know, people you love as you read this book; you may even see yourself in it. In a world that is so afraid to talk about Hell, a book like this is needed. This book is fiction, but much of the imagery contained within is found first in God's Word. I am of the opinion that Hell will be far worse than mortal man can even begin to imagine, but I think the author does a great job illuminating what a terrible, terrible place it will be. I believe that this book may serve as a wake-up call for many people in the Church. And I am afraid a wake-up call is precisely what we need. "I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God." (Revelation 3:1b-2 ESV)
You may think such a short book will be easy to read. And in many cases you would be right. This is not that book. You will not enjoy this book. You will be challenged by it. You will think of people you know, people you love as you read this book; you may even see yourself in it. In a world that is so afraid to talk about Hell, a book like this is needed. This book is fiction, but much of the imagery contained within is found first in God's Word. I am of the opinion that Hell will be far worse than mortal man can even begin to imagine, but I think the author does a great job illuminating what a terrible, terrible place it will be. I believe that this book may serve as a wake-up call for many people in the Church. And I am afraid a wake-up call is precisely what we need. "I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God." (Revelation 3:1b-2 ESV)
April 6, 2015
powerful
This short book packs a large punch. I did not "learn" anything from the book. That is ok, that was not the purpose of the book. The book was meant to make one think about their eternal destiny. To think about the agony of torment, and to remind each reader to set their heart to seek God. This book accomplished its goal. I will read this book on a regular basis as a reminder for myself.
This short book packs a large punch. I did not "learn" anything from the book. That is ok, that was not the purpose of the book. The book was meant to make one think about their eternal destiny. To think about the agony of torment, and to remind each reader to set their heart to seek God. This book accomplished its goal. I will read this book on a regular basis as a reminder for myself.
March 14, 2017
I DIED LAST NIGHT is a fictional account of a regular church member who dies and finds himself in an eternal state of torment. The descriptions of the experience in hell are quite detailed and graphic (if you're squeamish, just move along to another book). Scripture references are supplied in case one might think that hell is not that bad, which would be a mistake. Following a quite miserable perusal of the kinds of thoughts one might have while being tormented by demons, the souls of those we hated in this life, and ultimately Satan himself, we are asked to examine our commitment to the Lord and ask ourselves the question of the title: Where would you be if you died last night? It appears to me that this book is not written for the non-Christian, but for the church member who has become lax in their commitment to Christ.
I'm not 100% sure what this book is supposed to do ... reading other reviews and the conclusion itself I see the words "wake up call". I do agree that many in the church need to be awakened to a greater level of faithfulness and love for the Lord. I'm not sure that when I read this book that's what I get. I will allow that there might be some for whom a fear-driven religion will keep them on the straight and narrow. But in both the beginning and end of the book the author reminds us that only a few are going to make it without waking up in hell (and I assume the author counts himself among the few!).
Aside from reading it for myself, I don't know that I would hand this book to anyone with the hopes of igniting a greater love for Christ in them. The two main culprits of the narrative that lead us to an afterlife in hell seem to be the false teachers who have led the lost person to believe something wrong and the idea those who lived under the illusion that we can just be a good person and that will be enough to save us.
To quote the departed theologian Jerry Clower, "I have made arrangements to miss hell." I'm sure I don't understand all there is to understand. I'm certain I fall short in performing the duties of Christianity at times (I added 'at times' to make myself feel better). I don't doubt that in God's hands in the afterlife I will realize that some of the things I thought I knew were totally wrong. But I don't think any of those things will cause me to be lost, for the blood of Christ is a powerful cleanser and it continues to flow in my life. And, to me, that's what's missing in I DIED LAST NIGHT. God's greatest desire is to save me, not to send me to torment. My largest impression from this little book is that if I don't get my knowledge and deeds all squared away, too bad - off to hell I go.
If this book really does make someone 'wake up' in their Christianity or decide to repent of some practice they know does not please the Lord ... or even begin doing some things they've been neglecting...well, then good. Yes, it made me squirm a bit (I'm certain that is an intention of the story), and that's not all bad. But I do think if I give this book to someone who really struggles in daily life, they are more likely to give up than to persevere.
That's because I'm not sure that grace has a place in this book. The preacher who was grace-full, writhes in the fire along with the main character. In fact the character asks him, "What happened to all your grace?" That, to me, was the most offensive thing I read in the book. I expect that Mr. Orr believes in grace. I don't want to suggest he doesn't.
I can see from the other reviews that it impacted some in a more positive way. Good. That wasn't my experience. I did give it two stars for creative presentation of the experience of hell by the author and the graphic art by Stewart Yeakley that was, indeed, graphic. I also liked the cover art by Josh Feit and the general design of the book. Start2Finish books always have a professional appearance to them. I would not discount anything else written by John Orr, as he has a way with words and I'm sure he has a lot to offer should he dedicate himself to another volume.
I'm not 100% sure what this book is supposed to do ... reading other reviews and the conclusion itself I see the words "wake up call". I do agree that many in the church need to be awakened to a greater level of faithfulness and love for the Lord. I'm not sure that when I read this book that's what I get. I will allow that there might be some for whom a fear-driven religion will keep them on the straight and narrow. But in both the beginning and end of the book the author reminds us that only a few are going to make it without waking up in hell (and I assume the author counts himself among the few!).
Aside from reading it for myself, I don't know that I would hand this book to anyone with the hopes of igniting a greater love for Christ in them. The two main culprits of the narrative that lead us to an afterlife in hell seem to be the false teachers who have led the lost person to believe something wrong and the idea those who lived under the illusion that we can just be a good person and that will be enough to save us.
To quote the departed theologian Jerry Clower, "I have made arrangements to miss hell." I'm sure I don't understand all there is to understand. I'm certain I fall short in performing the duties of Christianity at times (I added 'at times' to make myself feel better). I don't doubt that in God's hands in the afterlife I will realize that some of the things I thought I knew were totally wrong. But I don't think any of those things will cause me to be lost, for the blood of Christ is a powerful cleanser and it continues to flow in my life. And, to me, that's what's missing in I DIED LAST NIGHT. God's greatest desire is to save me, not to send me to torment. My largest impression from this little book is that if I don't get my knowledge and deeds all squared away, too bad - off to hell I go.
If this book really does make someone 'wake up' in their Christianity or decide to repent of some practice they know does not please the Lord ... or even begin doing some things they've been neglecting...well, then good. Yes, it made me squirm a bit (I'm certain that is an intention of the story), and that's not all bad. But I do think if I give this book to someone who really struggles in daily life, they are more likely to give up than to persevere.
That's because I'm not sure that grace has a place in this book. The preacher who was grace-full, writhes in the fire along with the main character. In fact the character asks him, "What happened to all your grace?" That, to me, was the most offensive thing I read in the book. I expect that Mr. Orr believes in grace. I don't want to suggest he doesn't.
I can see from the other reviews that it impacted some in a more positive way. Good. That wasn't my experience. I did give it two stars for creative presentation of the experience of hell by the author and the graphic art by Stewart Yeakley that was, indeed, graphic. I also liked the cover art by Josh Feit and the general design of the book. Start2Finish books always have a professional appearance to them. I would not discount anything else written by John Orr, as he has a way with words and I'm sure he has a lot to offer should he dedicate himself to another volume.
March 31, 2026
I’m torn on this book. It definitely made me reflect and think about my priorities and relationship with God. I looked up the Bible verses and they are correct; however, it seems that this book is missing grace. It also seems that the gift of salvation can be taken away, that there is a condition to going to heaven beyond accepting Jesus into your heart, knowing he died for our sins, repenting, etc. I definitely need to do more Bible reading and talk to some pastors about what this book is stating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2015
The book considers the life of an individual who did not take Christ seriously and what occurred after his demise. The book tries to explain for us what would happen to anyone who dies in a lost state. The focus is more so on those who have been saved by the blood of Christ but through their own actions ended up in a lost condition but also reflects on the fact that anyone who is outside of Christ is in the same lost condition.
Pros:
1. I can appreciate the fact that this book did not focus on just the physical torment that one would endure. The rich man, while enduring the pains of torment, realized that his brothers were in a lost condition and was greatly troubled by that. Surely, Hell will be a place where one can think of all the mistakes he made in life for all eternity.
2. The book made me do some self-reflection, which is the ultimate point of the book. As you read through the past actions, thoughts, and words of this man, you are ultimately forced to look at yourself. I appreciate a book that makes you stop and think.
3. The book also reminds us that we can avoid that place by making the right changes in our own lives. Jude wrote that sometimes we need to dangle people over the fires of Hell to help them make a proper change in their lives. This book helps do that.
4. It reminds us to be humble in our Christian lives. Truly, we can think of ourselves in the mindset of being better than others because we are Christians. That should not occur.
5. It is an easy read. I think I read it in about an hour and a half. That was mostly due to small interruptions here and there. If you are not a HUGE fan of reading, you will still enjoy this book.
Negatives:
1. There are a few interpretations that I disagree with. It may be my own personal thoughts on the subject.
2. While the book did mention these things, I would have liked a little more focus on how one comes to be saved. Again. That's just my personal preference.
Overall, I think the book is well done with two minor things that I would have done differently. I would recommend this book to anyone. Considering that it is only 99 cents on the Kindle, it is worth the buy.
Pros:
1. I can appreciate the fact that this book did not focus on just the physical torment that one would endure. The rich man, while enduring the pains of torment, realized that his brothers were in a lost condition and was greatly troubled by that. Surely, Hell will be a place where one can think of all the mistakes he made in life for all eternity.
2. The book made me do some self-reflection, which is the ultimate point of the book. As you read through the past actions, thoughts, and words of this man, you are ultimately forced to look at yourself. I appreciate a book that makes you stop and think.
3. The book also reminds us that we can avoid that place by making the right changes in our own lives. Jude wrote that sometimes we need to dangle people over the fires of Hell to help them make a proper change in their lives. This book helps do that.
4. It reminds us to be humble in our Christian lives. Truly, we can think of ourselves in the mindset of being better than others because we are Christians. That should not occur.
5. It is an easy read. I think I read it in about an hour and a half. That was mostly due to small interruptions here and there. If you are not a HUGE fan of reading, you will still enjoy this book.
Negatives:
1. There are a few interpretations that I disagree with. It may be my own personal thoughts on the subject.
2. While the book did mention these things, I would have liked a little more focus on how one comes to be saved. Again. That's just my personal preference.
Overall, I think the book is well done with two minor things that I would have done differently. I would recommend this book to anyone. Considering that it is only 99 cents on the Kindle, it is worth the buy.
April 7, 2015
I'm mixed on this book, but I believe that partially that it's due to personal preferences. This book doesn't seem to be written for those that are outside of Christ, but for those that would already say that they are living a life committed to Christ.
For the "negatives," some of them deal more with a difference in interpretations, and so that's not really a real issue, at least to me. I did think the book was written from more of a position of instilling fear though. There is certainly the reality of eternity away from God, I've usually found that seeing and understanding better the love of Christ is a better, more permanent motivator for devotion to Christ than the fear of hell, though sometimes the reality of such is needed to "jump start" a heart geared towards better seeking the love of Christ.
For the "positives," it really is a book that makes you stop and think. It can be beyond easy to get into this mindset, even if we don't say it out loud, that simply because we call ourselves Christians and go to church then we're okay, but that's simply not true. It was also good to see the superiority complex that we can easy get addressed within this book.
While one may disagree with some of the specific details of this man's fictional experience in Torments and then Hell, I think this would be a good book for Christians to read, and the things I didn't like tend to be more of a personal thing. It's short, and an easy read, and will still make you stop and think about how devoted your heart is in light of what Jesus has done for us.
For the "negatives," some of them deal more with a difference in interpretations, and so that's not really a real issue, at least to me. I did think the book was written from more of a position of instilling fear though. There is certainly the reality of eternity away from God, I've usually found that seeing and understanding better the love of Christ is a better, more permanent motivator for devotion to Christ than the fear of hell, though sometimes the reality of such is needed to "jump start" a heart geared towards better seeking the love of Christ.
For the "positives," it really is a book that makes you stop and think. It can be beyond easy to get into this mindset, even if we don't say it out loud, that simply because we call ourselves Christians and go to church then we're okay, but that's simply not true. It was also good to see the superiority complex that we can easy get addressed within this book.
While one may disagree with some of the specific details of this man's fictional experience in Torments and then Hell, I think this would be a good book for Christians to read, and the things I didn't like tend to be more of a personal thing. It's short, and an easy read, and will still make you stop and think about how devoted your heart is in light of what Jesus has done for us.
May 12, 2015
This is a very brief read, and some aspects of it are very valuable. Overall, though, I was fairly disappointed. The writing style was amateurish, and the conclusion was lacking. I did like the integration of Scripture into the narrative - it was creative and in some places enlightening. It would've been at least three stars if the weaknesses were less noticeable. Without giving anything away, I also feel that the introduction/description is slightly misleading.
May 19, 2015
Amazing eye opener
This book reveals a heart-wrenching portrayal of a soul that thought they could live life just coasting through.
Although we cannot earn our salvation, our eternity certainly depends on how we live our lives.
Please consider reading this book and sharing with others...and ask yourself...what would happen if I died last night?
This book reveals a heart-wrenching portrayal of a soul that thought they could live life just coasting through.
Although we cannot earn our salvation, our eternity certainly depends on how we live our lives.
Please consider reading this book and sharing with others...and ask yourself...what would happen if I died last night?
April 6, 2015
Extremely Humbling
This is a very thought provoking and frightening book. I appreciate the lesson brought out by the author. While this book is a short, quick read, it has a very potent message. If you are a Christian this book is a must read!
This is a very thought provoking and frightening book. I appreciate the lesson brought out by the author. While this book is a short, quick read, it has a very potent message. If you are a Christian this book is a must read!
May 12, 2015
Short but powerful. It is this readers opinion that everyone should read this book.
January 31, 2016
WOW!
Gripped my heart tightly. Wake up people! It's time to get real. Life is a vapor. Here today gone tomorrow
Gripped my heart tightly. Wake up people! It's time to get real. Life is a vapor. Here today gone tomorrow
February 25, 2016
The one book that everyone should read. The one book that will make everyone think
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews