Review of A Close Encounter with the Prince of Darkness
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Review of A Close Encounter with the Prince of Darkness
John Carter was a recalcitrant and rebellious boy who never paid heed to advise from his biological parents, other forms of authority, or even God. He hated religion and saw it as a form of imprisonment. This was observed throughout the book, even during and after his near-death experiences. On the other hand, his parents never punished or corrected him appropriately.
From indirectly causing harm to a girl in his school named Leslie by taking her to a drinking joint without her parents' permission to being arraigned before a court, John's life was never short of negative drama. He was punished by being sent to the army, but this did not change him. We understand that, regardless of his shortcomings, he loved to help people, as shown when he risked his life to save the falling child of a certain farmer he worked for. He was hospitalized and saw visions of death. Nonetheless, he felt fortunate rather than grateful that his parents and loved ones interceded on his behalf in place of prayers. The writer's aim was lucid throughout the plot; a life without God is useless and not worth living.
A Close Encounter with the Prince of Darkness by Jerry Francis is enriched with themes that practically strengthen the faith of Christian readers. However, the moral lessons from John's story are all-encompassing and applicable regardless of the religion the reader subscribes to. For instance, his disregard for his Army superiors, which almost led to his death and caused him to leave the army, teaches us how to be orderly and disciplined, especially when we're under authority. The major themes of God's love, pride, fear, indiscipline, and antitheism were among the most prevalent in this book, exemplified by the major character, John Carter. John was vehemently against any form of religion, particularly Christianity.
Walter Carter is John's dad, a calm man who wants the best for his son. On the other hand, Betty Carter loved her son to an emotional extreme and usually cried a lot whenever John displayed anti-social behaviour. Walter and Betty Carter were both devoted Christians. The author unambiguously reveals that being a Christian isn't just enough to raise godly children, but rather appropriately applying the right rewards and punishments when needed. The latter chapters of the book focus more fully on God's grace, love, and willingness to forgive all willing to come into repentance. We can also see how important it is to put on the whole armour of God to combat the fiery darts of the Prince of Darkness.
The book is set in the United States of America. Although there was no specific mention of a particular time or year in the story, we can deduce from the subtle details about Afghanistan that it was set between 2019 and 2021. Recall that the war spanned around 20 years, from 2001 to 2021. The book had no errors.
The book is an excellent read. I recommend it to Christians who seek to rediscover their spiritual understanding and those who have stalled their Christian growth directly or inadvertently. As said earlier, the major lessons from our main character and the boom at large apply to every individual who decides they want to live a better life. I rate this book four out of four. I find nothing wrong with it. I couldn't find any reason to rate it lower.
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A Close Encounter with the Prince of Darkness
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