His 1986 debut novel, This Present Darkness, turned spiritual warfare into a rich, action-packed, suspense-filled fantasy world. Three years later, he followed with a sequel, Piercing the Darkness, which was equally well-received. Between the two, he released a novella entitled Tilly, a touching story originally written as a radio drama.

In 1992, Peretti took off in a different direction, on Prophet, which pitted the high-energy world of television news with a subplot involving abortion and the making of a modern-day prophet. Following his signing with Word Publishing, he released The Oath in 1995, perhaps his most chilling novel to-date, in which a small town harbors a dark secret that threatens to destroy them. In 1999, he released The Visitation, about a modern-day sighting of a man some believe to be Jesus, followed by the first two entries in his Veritas Project series for teens, and The Wounded Spirit, his first work of nonfiction.

I recently caught up with Frank by phone as he was battling a cold while hard at work on his next novel, which he dropped some tantalizing hints about...

As in the previous books in the series, the first half of the book is devoted to tying up loose ends from the prior installment. Yet even this part of the book is crackling with anticipation, as the followers of Jesus eagerly await his final return to earth. We get quite a surprising twist in the "who lives/who dies?" questions raised by the final pages of the last book, while intrigue and excitement wait around every corner as Antichrist's armies prepare to attack God's people. That very remnant, meanwhile, continues watching the skies for his inevitable appearance.

Once the title event occurs -- which is almost exactly at the halfway point in the book -- Glorious Appearing suddenly becomes un-put-down-able. Like the characters in the story, we are treated to a front-row view of the end of time itself and some of the most historic and powerful acts of God the world has ever seen unfold right before our eyes. (This thing would destroy any special effects budget if it were ever turned into a film.)

Yet the story succeeds in the smaller, more intimate moments as well. For once, Jenkins and LaHaye don't allow their love for prophecy to outweigh the story's fragile, human emotions. Such as when, after his return, Jesus arranges a simultaneous personal encounter with every believer left standing, cradling each of them in his strong, loving arms and reminding them how much he loves them and that they can now, finally and completely, rest in him. It's a beautiful, tender moment that's very well written, and it brought tears to this reader's eyes.

Unfortunately, as in the previous books, the drama comes in spurts, between pages and pages where the action screeches to a halt so that one character or another can offer a sermon or quote passages from the Bible or share their personal testimony. Entire chapters suddenly stop so that someone can have an opportunity to preach or testify.

This endless stopping-and-starting of the narrative, in order to evangelize the reader, raises a question that must be answered: Can art be used as an effective evangelism tool? More importantly, should it? If the reports of countless conversions thanks to these books are accurate, then few could argue that it hasn't been effective, in this case. But is it an ideal evangelism tool? There's the rub.

Most readers would probably have been far more captivated at the events depicted throughout the entire series, had the authors chosen to simply portray the events of the Tribulation in an enlightening, entertaining, realistic fashion. But instead of remaining true to any such artistic vision, the authors made their now-famous decision to insert a conversion experience into every book in the series, along with the Sinner's Prayer itself.

Evangelism is never a bad thing. But I remain unconvinced that this is the best venue for it. These sermons and prayers never feel real to many because we, the reader, immediately know that "the storyline will be back after this message." The sense of wonder and mystery and joy that comes from being born again is lost, because it is relayed instead of portrayed -- which is a method that ignores the primary purpose of storytelling anyway.

But the stop-and-start nature of the narrative aside, if you can push past that or simply don't mind it, you will be rewarded with the most grandiose entry in the saga. The authors were at least clever enough to realize that in this story, they have the ultimate "happy ending" of all time, and they had better get it right. Happily, they do just that, and it's a magnificent thing to behold.

Plenty of room is left in the last few chapters for the inevitable sequel (and don't kid yourself -- you can bet your bottom dollar there will be one, probably set during the 1,000-year reign), although Glorious Appearing definitely provides the end of the story of the Tribulation Force. And all in all -- even though it's not as great as it could have been -- I'm a satisfied reader.

New Way to Be Human is all about the story -- the grand story you and I are living out right now, called "life." Peacock begins his story by relating a tale of a young man he once encountered at a restaurant who had just heard him speak at a nearby college. The man is full of philosophical questions and deeper wonderings about the meaning of knowledge, words, and how he can know the fundamental truths he bases his beliefs upon, have been accurately interpreted by others.

Peacock gives the young man a few things to chew on, but later he realizes the missed opportunity of that moment. The young man was wrestling with the difference between an absolute God and the imperfect words we use to describe him. Peacock uses this new understanding to launch into an amazing treatise on just what it means to be a follower of Christ, and why most of us walk the earth with such a limited understanding of this.

He speaks repeatedly of the power of stories and how they shape not only culture, but our perceptions of life itself -- a concept we at Fuse Magazine strongly believe in. Peacock explains why storytelling is not only important, it's necessary as a way of relating the Gospel message to the world. And not only telling that story, but living it.

In Chapter 2, Peacock writes, "We are storytelling humans living in a world full of stories, and there's a problem with the stories we tell one another." This is the crux of the book: he claims that modern Christians have fallen back on narrow worldviews and trite, underdeveloped notions of what living the Christian life is supposed to look like. And he explains how we overcome that.

Chapter 10 explains Peacock's Art House -- the old church he and his wife purchased and renovated into a home and gathering place for like-minded individuals who want to explore theology, art, and the kingdom of God. He tells the story of how he and his wife developed a burden for creating a home where they could live "intentionally and creatively," and found this truly unique place that they now call home.

Chapter 17, one of my favorites, explains the importance of imagination and creativity. "The link between imagination and ethics is an important one... When the imagination and biblical ethics come together to create good, the image of God in humankind shines bright..." Amen!

New Way to Be Human will challenge you, inspire you, and ultimately, change you. I highly recommend it.

Probably the closest thing to a "making of" book that we'll get, The Passion book is much larger than I expected, at nearly 150 pages. Somehow it feels right for a film that is so defined by its striking visuals to have a companion book that showcases most of those images in striking detail. The photos are laid out in chronological order according to the story, so that you can go through the book and follow the storyline of the film.

Sprinkled in among the photographs are scripture passages that correspond with the film, and bits of Latin and Aramaic actually spoken in some of the film's most memorable scenes, along with their English translations. Gibson contributes a nicely-worded foreword at the beginning of the book, in which he explains why he made the movie.

The pictures are the real reason to buy the book, though, and they are stunning. Ken Duncan made two visits to the set to take photos, and his are the ultra-wide panoramic shots interspersed throughout the book. But Philippe Antonello took the bulk of the photos, as he remained on the set during the entire fifteen-week shoot as the stills photographer for the movie. Their pictures are so realistic, you're tempted to think they are screen captures taken straight from film stock. (They're not.)

The last few pages of the book show some behind-the-scenes shots of Gibson, the actors, and the crew during moments when the cameras were not rolling. These are fascinating shots, showing Gibson acting out scenes for the actors' references, or quietly contemplating this undertaking. This section is all-too short, sadly; I would have loved to have seen much more behind-the-scenes coverage.

The Passion is a gorgeous representation of the story of The Passion of the Christ with truly beautiful photography. It works better as a coffee table art book than anything else. Most of the film's most graphic images do not appear, although there's plenty of blood and scars to provide an accurate representation of the film.

Because this is a crazy, outlandish idea... and it works. Most of our modern media industries -- and even the art-makers behind them -- are so concerned with playing it safe and feeding consumers what they think they want, that rarely do we see this kind of risk-taking showmanship anymore. Put simply: it's a brilliant, dangerous idea. And we need more dangerous ideas.

To explain, Dekker's Black, Red, and White are three books all releasing in a single year, that combined tell one massive story. Similar to the Lord of the Rings and Matrix films, Dekker's trilogy is a mythical epic, with a vast, predetermined plot and a scope of staggering proportions.

Black is the first book in the trilogy, and it introduces us to the main character, Thomas Hunter. I don't want to give away too much, because part of the fun of this story is learning just how rich and detailed it all is, as you go along. There are layers upon layers... But, very briefly: The story opens in Denver, where Tom is being chased through an alley by a group of attackers. He manages to escape, but a bullet grazes his temple and he's knocked out.

Enter the twist.

He wakes up in a fantasy world: an enchanting colored forest where he's disoriented and has no memory. Each time he goes to sleep in one place, or reality, he wakes up in the other. One is an entrancing realm of magnificent creatures and charming traditions, and the other is a hard-edged rendering of the world we live in. Dekker is best known for how well he does the latter; you'll be happy to know that he handles the former equally well, adding another weapon to his arsenal.

Tom eventually comes to realize that these two realities are related to each other by more than just his presence: events in one can affect the outcome of the other. He begins using this newfound gift as a resource, intentionally taking sleep aids or having someone knock him out, so that he can go to the other place and retrieve needed information.

Again, giving too much away would be a crime, but before long, the plot that unfolds in the colored forest comes into focus, and you realize what Dekker's up to. As he noted when I interviewed him a few months ago, he's retelling redemptive history. And it's quite a beguiling, unsuspecting adaptation.

As with all of Dekker's books, Black becomes harder to put down the more you read. The man is a master of suspenseful plotting, knowing exactly how to keep you turning those pages. And the addition of a fantasy realm to his repertoire has added a whole new layer of complexity.

The colored forest, which eschews traditional fantasy elements in favor of something entirely new, is a fully realized world with its own residents, history, social order, and pathos. The time that must have been spent in assembling all of the necessary backstory for this is mind-boggling.

Dekker is essentially telling two stories in one here, and I love the way he leverages each within the context of the story. For example, each time Tom goes to sleep in one reality, it's almost always at a crucial juncture, a cliffhanger of sorts that makes you want to know what's going to happen there next. But then of course the entire tone shifts to accomodate the other reality and you quickly get wrapped up in the events there, instead. And then the cycle repeats itself. It's a very clever plot device, and it definitely keeps you hooked -- indeed, twice as hooked as usual -- breathless to know what happens next in both scenarios.

It ends with a satisfying resolution to the story in one of the realities, while the other concludes with a big cliffhanger. Dabbling in the world of fantasy, while still keeping himself firmly rooted in a razor-sharp rendering of the real world, is quite a balancing act to pull off without descending into camp. But Dekker makes it look easy.

Black is one of those books that will make you thankful that you know how to read. If you love a good story, and don't mind suspending a little healthy disbelief, Black will keep you utterly enthralled from beginning to... well, cliffhanger.

Red can't get here fast enough.

I have never been a huge fan of comic strips. I've glanced at Garfield from time to time, and I'll admit to enjoying The Far Side's twisted sense of humor. But Calvin & Hobbes, right from the start, was always something special. Fans know what I'm talking about. The strip contained an indefinable quality that tapped into the untamed, gleefully imaginative psyche of a child, with a level of purity that I'm not sure anyone else has ever achieved.

Calvin's totally uninhibited nature made him the driving force behind nearly every story, as he and his imagination found their way into one hysterical situation after another -- all perfectly accurate portrayals of what it feels like to be a 6-year-old boy. Ever at his side was Hobbes, the dry-witted stuffed tiger who is alive and has a mind of his own, at least from Calvin's perspective. Hobbes could always be counted on for a sardonic commentary on whatever bizarre new scheme Calvin had cooked up -- that is, if he wasn't helping Calvin carry it out.

Filling out the remainder of the cast were Calvin's longsuffering parents, who never stop wondering what they did to deserve such a hyperactive child; Susie Derkins, the object of Calvin's unending torment, who more often than not outsmarts him; Miss Wormwood, Calvin's frustrated teacher, who seems to take his crazy antics in stride (although it's hinted that she's become a chain smoker thanks to him); Moe the bully, who is all muscle and no brains, just like all the world's bullies; and Rosalyn, the horrible babysitter who practices financial extortion on Calvin's parents anytime they want an evening out (no one else will babysit him).

The strip's greatest humor came from Calvin's utter abandonment to anything that the world deems "acceptable." He lived entirely in his own world, defined only by the parameters of his vivid imagination. This was best embodied by story elements like his wagon, which often became such vehicles as trains, plains, and spaceships; his giant cardboard box, which usually got used as some sort of scientific device; and his snowman art sculptures -- whenever it would snow, Calvin would build snowmen in scenarios that depicted whatever was currently on his mind. Like the time his dad came home to find a group of snowmen in the front yard who looked like they were gagging. Sure enough, he went inside to find out they were having some kind of vegetable or casserole for supper.

This trait -- Calvin's existence in his own imagination -- also somehow made him oddly insightful about the human condition. Such as when he was forced to play baseball on a kids team, but found the other players cruel and condescending when he made a mistake that cost them the game. He prefers his own game, "Calvinball," which is completely unstructured and can never be played the same way twice.

Though over a dozen Calvin & Hobbes books have been published, collecting its entire run, the Tenth Anniversary Book is the best of the bunch. Because throughout, Watterson offers his insights on how and why he did things as he did. We learn his inspiration behind various conventions of the strip, such as Calvin's alter-egos Spaceman Spiff, Stupendous Man, and Tracer Bullet. He explains his reasoning behind reformatting the Sunday strip to a larger size, and gives his take on the art of comic strips in general. He also picks out his personal favorite Calvin & Hobbes strips from over the years and explains why he likes them so much, and admirably, he does the same with some of his least favorites, explaining why he thinks they didn't work.

Calvin & Hobbes is frequently cited among many modern cartoonists as their favorite comic strip of all time. And it's for the same reason that it became enormously popular among the public: it was hysterically funny, with remarkably fully-formed characters that always managed to say something funny or worthwhile. It was an oddity of the medium -- one that spoke to comic strip fans and non-fans alike. It's a classic that wisely ended before it wore out its welcome, and no one else has ever come close to equalling it.

In Room of Marvels, Smith shows us a deeply insightful view of the realities of Heaven. He was inspired to write the book based on his own journey through grief and pain, from the losses of his friend Mullins, his own mother, and his daughter, all of whom died within the space of one year. The insightful novel depicts a writer very much like Smith himself, who travels to Heaven while asleep one night, and is met by his own loved ones, and forced to confront the deepest recesses of his own soul.

If your life were a movie, this page will tell you what it would be rated. (Mine is Rated G.)

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Author Sarah Arthur walks you through nine distinct choices between good and evil, such as integrity vs. corruption, loyalty vs. betrayal, and hope vs. despair, all taken straight from Tolkien's work and all directly applicable to anyone's life. Her bite-sized, easily digestible chapters are written in everyday English, wasting no time in getting their points across.

One of the best parts of the book compares the unwaveringly loyal Sam to the duplicitous Gollum, explaining that they are how they are only because of the choices they have made. That's really all that separates them. By the same token, each of us has a little bit of Sam and Gollum in us, because we are all capable of choosing, just as they did.

In the end, that's what the book (and Tolkien's trilogy) is all about: will you choose darkness, or will you choose light? Like Arthur, I adore Tolkien's work because it forces us to confront this issue head-on, and it does it in a very compelling way. Arthur realizes this, and uses it to her advantage in this clever little book.

Walking With Frodo is an easy read; perfect for teenagers or college students with short attention spans or very little free time. There's even a convenient glossary of Tolkien's characters and terms in the back, for the more casual fan.