Catacombs

by Paul McCusker

A group of fugitive Christians running from persecution take shelter in an abandoned mountain church, only to find their lives threatened by snow and a food shortage as they await the Christian underground's assistance.

Genres: Fiction, Christian, Christian Fiction

296 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Paul McCusker is a writer of many different kinds of things. You may know him from Adventures In Odyssey and Focus On The Family Radio Theatre. Or the Father Gilbert Mysteries. Or the Augustine Institute audio dramas Brother Francis: The Barefoot Saint of Assisi and The Trials of Saint Patrick. Or plays like The First Church of Pete's Garage and Catacombs. Or C.S. Lewis projects like The Chronicles of Narnia audio dramas or The Annotated Screwtape Letters. Or the film Beyond The Mask. Or lots of other dramas, novels, scripts and lyrics. He simply can't make up his mind what he likes to write.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As bleak and unsettling as The Hunger Games, though it predates that best-selling trilogy by several years, Catacombs tells of a time where Christians are not only persecuted, but hunted down and tortured like criminals. There's no Hollywood ending where everything turns out okay; that wouldn't be realistic. Though this book may be several years old, it probably won't be long until Paul McCusker's vision of the future is all too real.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is gritty in light of the premise alone: Christians are weeded out like roaches and killed or tortured. It centers around a group of modern-day Christians hiding in a church from the persecution.
The story is realistic and shows each individual character's struggle with death and following Christ in such a troublesome time. The writing is clever, witty, and bits of humor lighten the intensity of the story. Catacombs proposes some thought provoking questions and given the way our culture is headed; I found the story to be rather timely.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is isn't quite dystopian, but more of a realistic view of what things might be like if Christianity became illegal. This isn't a feel-good story, but one that shows the true-to-life issues faced by persecuted believers across the world and throughout church history, but told in the backdrop of modern America.

The writing was good, not great, but I enjoyed the novel, and it prompted me to think in a more concrete way about what I would do if I'm ever faced with the decision of choosing between my faith or my life. Or closer to my current life situation, am I willing to suffer some pain or some humiliation for the sake of the God I believe and follow?

[Lisa Rathbun]

This book is dark but challenging. I like the realism: the Christians aren't all perfect and there's no "Superman" rocketing in to save everybody. It was slightly claustrophobic reading; you just wanted the characters to get away! Because this book is so realistic, you can truly picture yourself in the same situation. Where would you stand? How would you choose to live - or die? Don't read this in the bleakness of December; wait for a sunny day when you're feeling cheerful because it could be depressing. Well, doesn't the title say it all?

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thrice I have had the honor of preforming the play that preceded this book. It has been a part of my growing up years and on the advent of our last production we decided to give every member of the cast a copy of this book. Sadly the play is out of print, and book may soon follow.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was hard to read, because it really made me think about what I would do, say, etc. if I ever live in a time of persecution of Christians. It was not fun to read in many ways, but it was convicting. The ending was not what I expected, and yet it made sense to end as it did.

[Sara Kreps · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought provoking but not great.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not an easy book to read, but worth it, particularly if you are a Christian.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad but somehow realistic of what might happen in a repressive regime

[Kira Murphey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books without splendid writing. You know; one of those books that don't have the best writing in the world, but by the time you reach the second page, you just don't care anymore.
This is not a book for children. This is not a book for the faint of heart. This is a beautiful book that's wrapped up in tragedy and death and some morbid scenes. This is a book that touched my heart at the same time as being one of the few books I can't really explain.
The book is full of heart. It's a story of a group of Christians in a world very similar to our own except for the fact that Christians are persecuted. It tells the story of what faith in our Lord sometimes takes, and how it's worth it all.
I love this book. I wouldn't read it again for a little while, because then I would cry all over the pages, but by the time I closed it on the afternoon I started it, it surely did make my favorites list.