The Ishbane Conspiracy

'The Ishbane Conspiracy' is a great combination; it is a highly entertaining novel that contains many important ideas and food for thought. I would recommend it for any adult or teenager. The authors did a great job of combining a Christian worldview and spiritual truths with a great story. This is a sequel to 'Lord Foulgrin's Letters', which I would also recommend. I think this is fine as a stand alone book though. I don't think it is necessary to have first read its predecessor. Along the way, the authors touch on many very relevant issues to young people - teen pregnancy, abortion, drugs, alcohol, the occult, etc. This is done in a way that is very loving to those struggling with these issues. This is a great book. I highly recommend it.

Randy Alcorn fearlessly challenges pretty much every issue facing adolescents today. Bridging topics from drinking/drugs to premarital sex to witchcraft to family relationships, Alcorn deftly weaves in the spiritual battles going on behind the physical appearances in this fast-paced novel that you just can't put down. Throwing in plenty of twists and turns along the way, Alcorn has created a must-read for all teens and parents.

When we last saw the Fletcher family, they were still recovering from the death of their beloved husband and father, Jordan Fletcher. When we last saw Lord Foulgrin, his pupil Squaltaint had turned Foulgrin's letters over to the demonic police, and Foulgrin was being dragged away to a corrections facility. Well, Foulgrin is out, his title "Lord" has been stripped away, and he has been demoted. Ishbane, Foulgrin's former trainer, has also been reassigned to keep him in line. Of course, Foulgrin thinks he knows everything and is not above trying to teach his boss a thing or two. Luckily for Jillian Fletcher, he's still not any good at his job. In this sequel to "Lord Foulgrin's Letters," Randy Alcorn, joined by his daughters Angela and Karina, has written another good fictional "behind the scenes" look at what the demonic forces are up to in our lives. A slight difference this time around, however, is that we get a bigger look at what is going on in the lives of our main characters. If you liked either "Lord Foulgrin's Letters" or the C.S. Lewis original "Screwtape Letters," you will enjoy reading this book.

This book was recommended to me at a camp I worked at by one of the best camp speakers I have ever heard. He suggested that anyone who had an interest working with youth, should read it. Since I have a heart for youth and will be teaching junior high and high school students in the next few years, I figured I would check it out. I'm glad that I did.The ISHBANE CONSPIRACY looks at the life of teenage and young adults in a very real and powerful way. It illustrates how the struggles and problems we face in our life pan out on the Hades side of the spiritual world. The book is written with every chapter followed by a letter of demonic correspondence.The book reminded me of a cross between C.S. Lewis' THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS and a Frank Peretti novel. True, there are scenes involving drugs, alcohol, allusions to sex, suicidal thoughts, eating diorders, the occult, large family arguments, and a host of other problems and sins. However, these are issues that people in America (not just teenagers) face on a daily basis. Our fight isn't against the powers of this world, but against evil forces of the unseen spiritual realm. It's great to read a newer book that so forcibly reminds us of that.

Once again, Randy Alcorn amazes his readers (or listeners) with first class Christian fiction. A sequel to Lord Foulgrin's Letters, The Ishbane Conspiracy is a top notch, edge of your seat, ride "behind the scenes" at what Satan's henchmen do in the lives of God's image bearers. A must for those who enjoy the Left behind series, this is the same quality writing by Alcorn. And, yes Frank Muller fan's, he is the reader in his unmatched style!