The Oath - Frank Peretti

Published by Word Publishing: Austin, Texas, 1995.

I first read this book when I was around 13 years old, and have read it again at least once in the intervening years. It is an interesting genre, which I have not seen represented often: what I would refer to as "Christian Horror."

Already that seems bizarre, right?! And it is, but it also works amazingly well.

The set up of the story is that Cliff Benson, a nature photographer, is found dead - and seemingly bitten in two! - in the wilderness near Hyde River, with his wife Evelyn stumbling from the wilderness, terror-stricken, covered in blood and unable to recall what has happened. Cliff's brother, Steve, turns up to investigate, and is soon partnered with local sheriff's deputy Tracy Ellis. Blame is originally put on a bear - mostly because no other animal can explain the horrific death - but as the investigation continues, Steve begins to suspect something else is going on.

Meanwhile, the town of Hyde River is concealing dark secrets, with some locals beginning to sport black marks near their heart, that slowly grow darker and more oozy, until eventually they seem to go insane and wander out to die.

The story would make a great film. It is intense. It is thrilling. And the 'monster' is appropriately scary. 

And yet, the Christian element is never lost in the mix. To get into somewhat spoiler territory, the monster is a dragon, and yet the dragon represents sin. A particular bible verse (which, Peretti, in an act of careful self-control, never mentions in the book) states that "...after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." (James 1:15) This book takes that metaphor and applies it literally. Those who 'embrace' their sinful desires begin to see sin "hook" them through the heart, and once they are fully '"taken" by sin, they stop caring about the sin, and are (literally) eaten by it.

The images in this book, while not necessarily theologically accurate (I don't believe in literal sin-dragons) are nevertheless powerful. Since I first read this book I have often found myself picturing sin as an oily ooze from the heart, smelling of death. The way the characters who are 'near death' begin to lose their fear of sin - in fact, they begin to celebrate their sins - also resonates in a powerful way.

I have pointed out that the Christian element is never lost, but I would also suspect that it never becomes too preachy. Based on the topic, it will come as no surprise that the individuals who begin to fight against the dragon must receive Jesus to do so, but this is important to the plot, and is not done in a cliche 'uber-Christian' way. I would be interested to have non-Christian friends read this book to see if they agree with this assessment.

In the end, this is a fascinating book in an (understandably) minor genre. And even on this third read, I find things to enjoy about it.

Completed 25 June 2026.

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