House by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker (team-up)
Being out in the backwoods of Alabama at night is creepy enough. Being out in the backwoods of Alabama with your soon-to-be-ex-spouse would put anyone on edge. So what would you do if all four of your car’s tires got shredded by a strip of metal spikes in the middle of a dirt road? (Besides freak out, I mean.)
If you’re Stephanie and Jack Singleton, you head for shelter in a house-turned-inn. Unfortunately, they’re not the only ones there. Leslie Taylor and Randy Messarue had the same thing happen to them, and the four of them become unwilling housemates. The house isn’t empty, though; it’s populated by locals, or “inbreds”, as a cop calls them. Betty, Stewart, and their mentally disabled son Pete are definitely not what you would consider sane. After a power loss, a pickup crash into the side of the house, and a sadistic note etched on a tin can tossed down the chimney, things take a sinister turn. The seven people become players in a terrifying game that can only end when one or more of them dies.
“HOUSE RULES
- God came to my house and I killed Him
- I will kill anyone who comes to my house like I killed God
- Give me one dead body and I might let Rule #2 slide
You have until dawn.”
See what I mean? The players have to not only survive the mad killer stalking them but resist backstabbing and suspicion. And when they enter the basement, they face something worse – their own personal demons and pasts haunting them and staring them in the face.
House starts off with a definitely creepy tone, and it doesn’t get any less creepy until the last chapter. Remember what I said about it messing with your head? Ohhhhhh yeah. Talk about mental games. They’re dealing with a sadistic serial killer, insane inbreds, their own pasts, fears, and inner feelings (how’s that for spooky), plus a house that *spoiler* aw man… If any of you have read Hangman’s Curse and Nightmare Academy, you know what I’m talking about. In this book you have the spiritual depth and insight of Peretti mixed with the mental genius and twists of Dekker. One of my friends said the ending was predictable; she was kinda right, but you know with this team-up, you’re in for a really great ride along the way.
Possible objectionable content: Hey, no sex this time! Mental games, though – don’t read the book at night. I read it in broad daylight in the middle of precalc, and I still got chills. Mentions of violence and attempted violation, plus some very spiritually dark points. I give it a 14+ rating just to be safe.
Stardragon’s rating: 9 out of 10 butterscotch candies
QUOTES: none that I can put without spoiling. 
Oh, I take that back, just one:
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood it.
Seriously, amazing book. I read it twice yesterday. (Yes, I read super-fast. I finished Eragon in one day and read the first Harry Potter book four times in three days. I could have finished Eldest in one day, but I forced myself to stretch it out over a month. Just to make things interesting. “Never, oh never, oh never again, if I live to a hundred or a hundred and ten…”) Go get it and read it for yourself. I’ll write more later, but I have to do chores. Bye!
i read the book and i found myself unable to put it down. I thought the bood was full of twist and turns. And I would rerecommend this book to young adults.
Sarah Smith
I dont think this book should be 14 plus. I was thirteen when I read this book its amazing. It gets creepier and creepier by the page. The part that freaked me out was when they were looking out the door window and saw a man with a shotgun. I absolutely love this book. I have read hangman’s curse and Nightmare Academy and they were great too but were not even compared to House. Seriously what could be more creepy than getting your tires slashed finding a home infested by a strange couple with a mentally challenged son. Moving meat at the dinner table, rotten dog food being eaten because a mentally challenged boy is forcing a teenage girl to eat it. A demon possessed person pointing a shotgun at you. A demon possessed person running on your roof scaring the crap out of you. A mentally challenged boy throwing darts at a teenage girl. Moving walls an inescapable house leading to furniture moving by itself the demon possessed person chasing you in an old house were you don’t even know whats behind every door and your only help is one cop who turns out to be the demon possessed person not to mention a strange girl found in a hallway who turns out to be an angel. This book is awesome. As a Christian this book made me sit back and say wow. I could not put this book down for nuthing it rocked.
What Were The Quotes You Said You Couldn’t Put Without Spoiling The Book. I Have Read The Book, So If You Wouldn’t Mind Putting Them Up, That Would Be Great.
uhh
i tried reading the book but couldn’t get into it
yeah its creepy
but its creepy at random
i need logical weirdness
I totaly loved this book!!!!! if you read this book you have to read Hangman’s Curse!!!!
I have read the book
I would also recomend the other Ted Dekker books.. eg.: the Cirle Trilogy it is very very geniuos as well
I read this book over and over and I coulden’t but it down it was that good.
I would say READ IT RIGHT AWAY IT IS AWEOSME!!!
Actually, I haven’t read the book but it will be shown in theaters on November 7! But I’ll not be a good critic of the story though…I read lots of comments about the book and the film and most have positive feedback so far (can’t even remember if there’s a negative one!).
Alright, it’ll be in 400+ theaters, according to House’ official website, http://housethemovie.net . Hope that the date will not be changed again.
I just ordered this book and I’m really excited to read it and I really want to see the movie but it isn’t showing near me.
Thanks for the reivew it was helpful!
You’ve got to see this movie guys, I’ve seen it and loved it! All the scenes are pretty creepy especially the scenes in the basement of the house! Cool!
this book is one of the creepiest i’ve read. the mind game made me feel like it was real ya know. i found the best time to read was late at night. it added that eerie feeling to it. i couldn’t put it down either. felt sorry for the characters in the book which isn’t unusual for me. i recommend the book for anyone interested in the supernatural type of things. !!
I read This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness, both books were awesome. Great character development and I couldn’t put them down. I read both in about 3 weeks.
I thought it was great spiritual warfare ‘relaity’ training and I was impressed with the conversations between angels and demons that were going on above the people as they were being influenced by them unawares.
The books both mentioned particular angels and demons that had spiritual leadership over certain areas, which I thought was right on what the Bible says about the principalities and powers of the air. There was a couple mentions of people being “delivered” or a demon(s) cast out, which was also right on as well. I experienced something similar when I was involved with a new age cult, short period of time in my life, but so scary. Frank must have been through something to have this type of understanding to write or imagine. Wow.
I was wondering if the House book was similar, it sounds more horrifying though which I’m not interested in nor do I know anything about the other writer. I’m discerning about what I let into my home and most importantly my head.
frank peretti is amazing!! i havent personally read anymore of ted dekker’s books… but i have for mr. peretti. he’s amazing. if you all love this book, you should check out his others:
-the oath
-hangman’s curse
-this present darkness
-and by all means, read house again!! :d
(i’m 15 btw)
~emolizzyout~
OH MY WORD!!!!!!!!! i checked this book out from our local library afternoon and finished it before 11 that night! one of THE best books i have ever read. haven’t seen the movie yet, but want to, just not by myself!
Oh, my gosh. That book was amazing! I read it in three hours. (Yes, I still do have a social life people!) I couldn’t put it down! It captivated me as no book had ever done. I was taken for a spiritual ride, with Frank Peretti twisting my mind through the trap doors of that house right along with the characters.
Oh my goodness, I LOVE THIS BOOK!!
[...] It’s hard to do them well, because each author’s style is so incredibly unique. House remains the sole exception that I personally have [...]