Oblivion

by Jay Bonansinga

Book by Bonansinga, Jay R.

Genres: Horror

340 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 2004

About the author

The national best-selling author of ten acclaimed books – both fiction and non-fiction -- Jay Bonansinga has been called “one of the most imaginative writers of thrillers” by the Chicago Tribune.

Jay is the holder of a master's degree in film from Columbia College Chicago, and currently resides in Evanston, Illinois, with his wife and two sons. He is also a visiting professor at Northwestern University in their Creative Writing for the Media program.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty years ago, a mother ask Father Delaney to help her son Eric. Father Delaney believed that Eric was possessed. Delaney wanted to perform an exorcism on the boy. The church was dead set against this. Father Delaney went against the church and performed the exorcism any way. The boy died and Delaney was excommunicated from the church. Twenty years down the road, Delaney's best friend was a bottle. He could not dig himself out of this rut. Delaney still did a few cleansing, now and then. Then one snowy night in Chicago, Delaney runs into somebody from his past. James Dodd was a former altar boy from the same church that Delaney once worked. Dodd wanted the ex-priest to help him. He wanted Delaney to perform a spiritual cleansing of a mystery mansion. Dodd told the ex-priest that there were certain rules that had to be followed and that he would explain everything later. Once Delaney got into Jimmy's car he was blindfolded. Dodd was taking the ex-priest to the most famous haunted mansion in America. This book was fast paced, with plenty of action. So if you are looking for a haunted house story with a different kind of twist, this book is right up your alley.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was all over the map. There were several story lines all fighting like a bunch of puppies under a blanket trying to see which one would get out first. Is it a ghost story, or a possession story, or an apocalyptic story?

Writing was repetitive and overwrought and the ending was the very definition of unbelievable.

Each of the competing stories has been done better elsewhere.

2 1/2 stars.

[Julian · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was like watching a haunted house movie with terrible special effects, bad acting and an incredibly low budget. While these ingredients make a really bad movie, it makes an even worse book. Move along, nothing to see here...

[cheryl lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and found I just could not put it down. I most heartily recommend it

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story well enough. An excommunicated priest is asked by one of his former altar boys, now grown, to perform an exorcism at a mansion and when he agrees, he is blindfolded and whisked away on a private jet. He discovers the mansion is actually the White House and the president is out—away on a trip.

The reason he had been excommunicated becomes part of the battle, along with his drinking. The staff is down to a ghost crew during the snowstorm which rages outside. They escape before the storm gets real bad, leaving the president’s wife and daughter, and a couple of agents behind with Father Delany.

Delaney battles a force within the White House, and his own inner demons which work against him. There’s a lot of internal struggling and Delaney has road blocks thrown up at every turn.

There are subtleties to the story which act as speed bumps:

The priest must drop his flashlight, like, thirty times over the course of the story and after the fourth or fifth time I just groaned.

Early on there is a hole being dug for a boy, but the story uses the word auguring. An auger is like a big dirt drill—something suitable for fence post digging or digging a hole for a boy who will be buried standing up...

There were also misspellings and missing words which took this reader out of the story, even if only for a moment.

Still, I enjoyed the immediacy with which this was written. It was a real page turner (button pusher...Kindle pun). I was right there beside Delaney, going through what he was. His thoughts and feelings were captured well and no stone was left unturned in his struggle to prevail.

[Trever · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, I have to give this one a "Meh". It had a great setting (Ex-priest called in to exorcise haunted house, which turns out to be the White House, then gets locked down during a winter storm over the Christmas holidays). The concept alone was excellent, and kept me reading, but I thought the writing style could have used a lot of improvement... Cliches abounded, everything happened "at the very last possible second", everyone drops their flashlights (Low on batteries, natch) in the dark during scare scenes, and so on. The breathless narration of the audiobook version I listened to definitely didn't help, and I wonder if the book would be better in written form, without the reader reciting the whole thing in what feels like a dead run.

Bottom line - OK, but I've read much better horror than this.

[S.R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued for most of the novel but the final act into the epilogue was completely unexpected and so different from what I was expecting to happen that I am still not sure how I feel about it.

It was well written and a well executed plot but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. I did like the nods throughout the book to The Exorcist and it's clear that Mr. Bonansinger knows how to craft a plot, it just wasn't my favorite exorcism book but I do recommend giving it a chance if you are a horror fan.

[Francisco Seguin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part horror, part political drama, part fantasy. A good late night tale for those seeking a little jump start to the heart. An easy book to read, Bonansinga tells his tale with lightning pace making the most of the terrors he has in-store; you can almost hear his giddy laughter in every line he writes. A fun tale for fans of John Carpenter and George A. Romero.

[James Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. Fast paced for the most part. It had a very Exorcist feel to it in many ways, yet the story itself is original. The main character is a defrocked priest who is brought into attempting an exorcism on a very unique dwelling. He also reflects (has flashbacks) on various parts of his past which add to the storyline well.

[Dina Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought the book because I like the author and like exorcisms. Great descriptive writing-felt as if I was there. Had a real fun haunted house feel. Liked the history that went into the plot. Entertaining read!

[Jta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an exorcism thriller. If you liked The Exorcist, then this is for you.

A former priest comes into contact with an old friend of his. When asked to help he will decide on the next path of his life.

[Cindy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!!

Wasn't sure what I was committing myself to reading, but found this to be an edge of your seat, can't put it down till you get to the end kind of page turner that I would highly recommend!

[Nesie · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/bo...

[Gary Stocker]

A real page turner. An exorcist is summoned secretly to carry out what seems like a straight forward exorcism in the White House. However things get far from straight forward.

[MaryJude Schmitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm almost finished. This book was actually better than I thought it would be. It is definitely an interesting take on the White House.

[Hope Leblond]

I read it. It is over. I might have nightmares.

[Sally Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. How has more people not read it??!!!