Ascent From Darkness by Michael Leehan

Ascent from Darkness by Micahel Leehan, is an autobiographical story of Leehan's journey from deep inside satanism to Christianity. Leehan leaves nothing to the imagination as he recounts everything from his initial exposure to satanism, to the various pacts and agreements he made with Satan, as well as the rituals and sacrifices involved in his worship of Satan. Throughout this period of his life, which spanned decades, his exposure to Christianity and the Church played a key role, both in his practice of Satanism, as well as in his eventual deliverance from that and his redemption by Christ.

This was my first exposure to satanism beyond simply being aware that it exists. Leehan's straightforward explanation of his rituals, practices, and interaction with Satan and his demons can be pretty terrifying; you can almost feel the darkness emanating from the pages. I read the first hundred pages in one sitting and then had to put it down for a few days to kind of take a breath, pray, and dwell on Christ. Leehan's writing style flows very quickly, and the story itself is so intriguing, that overall its an enjoyable read as far as the act of reading goes. The content however, is pretty disturbing, which will effect the overall reading experience.

Thankfully, Christ is more powerful than Satan, and Leehan's story doesn't end mired in darkness and hopelessness. Instead, it ends with another astounding story of God's amazing grace and power. After years of His pursuit, with the support of some wonderful men of God, Leehan surrendered his life to Christ. The story of Leehan's journey and deliverance is ultimately full of hope, as it shows that no one can go so far that God's love and grace can't reach them.

I'd recommend Ascent From Darkness to those who may currently be involved in some form of devil worship, but want out. I'd also recommend it to a believer who may be dealing with someone in that situation, because Leehan is very honest about how it feels and what goes on. Those who may be contemplating becoming involved in some form of devil worship will also benefit from this book, and hopefully be steered away from this lifestyle as a result.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

The Scroll by Grant Jeffrey and Alton Gansky

The Scroll, by Grant Jeffrey and Alton Gansky is about an archaeological dig taking place in modern day Israel that has explosive results. Following Dr. David Chambers, the book focuses both on the dig and Chambers' personal live, and how the two intersect. As the dig progresses, it becomes clear that those who have financed and commissioned the dig have a much bigger plan than simply uncovering some old artifacts.

The story of The Scroll builds pretty slowly. I was at least 1/4 of the way through before I read something that had to do with the actual plot, and not just back story. However, once the pace picks up, the rest of the story moves along at a fairly fast pace. There were some surprising elements, some good and some that required more of a leap than the author's description and classification of this book would lead the reader to believe. It almost feels like I signed up for a somewhat historical book, and ended up with a fantasy one instead. The character development was weak, and the attempts at it were somewhat distracting as a result. Overall, The Scroll was an OK read, but not something I'd recommend to friends.

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers as part of their Blogging for Books book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255