Review of "Door in the Dragon's Throat"

"What evil do you suppose could be unleashed if the Door itself should be opened at last?"

     Frank E. Peretti's The Door in the Dragon's Throat takes a family of archaeologists and pits them against a threat older than time itself. Dr. Jake Cooper and his children, Jay and Lila, have been summoned to the Middle Eastern country of Nepur to research and open an ancient, towering door that sits at the bottom of a deep, terrifying cavern. The President of Nepur is convinced the Door houses an ancient treasure that will make him rich beyond his wildest dreams, and Dr. Cooper suspects he isn't far off the mark. After all, if the markings on the Door are accurate, the ancient king Nimrod may very well have buried his wealth in the Dragon's Throat. But when a desert shaman makes several attempts to sabotage their mission, the Coopers must face the possibility that the Door doesn't house wealth, but an ancient terror pulled straight from the Bible.

     This is, at heart, a very Christian book. The Coopers and their three-man team are all very strong Christians who have no qualms about discussing their faith with those they meet. They pray to God before every expedition and often call on Him for help, whether they need rescue from an unshakable dread or a very real cave-in. Though it can get a bit preachy at times, Peretti's writing is strong and caries a firm sense of authenticity throughout the whole story.

     Since this book isn't  very long, there isn't a whole lot of time to develop the characters. Somehow, though, the Coopers and their companions are crafted into unique individuals with their own quirks and habits that separate them from everyone else. Even if Jeff, Tom, and Bill, their three workers, are relatively flat, the characters who star in this book each get their chance to shine. They use seismographic equipment, blow up rubble, and call on Jesus with equal enthusiasm, each character approaching their task in their own way.

     The Door in the Dragon's Throat may be a mere 125 pages long in paperback, but it's packed full of action. The Door is surrounded by a myriad of superstitions, curses, and horror stories that set the locals on edge, and though their guide relays these tales with an amusing amount of hysteria, readers get the sense that there really is a threat here. People have died, fled in terror, and befallen other horrible situations after approaching the Door. So when trouble strikes, as it often does, it's not unexpected. But as the Coopers are assaulted with problem after terrifying problem, a suspicion may begin to form that things aren't as they seem--a suspicion the protagonists share, and which foreshadows the frighteningly wonderful ending.

     Aside from the excessive preaching, there are few things in Peretti's story that might turn people away. The other one is the tension level. The Coopers face everything from cave-ins, vipers, and curses to kidnapping, a greedy dictator, and supernatural forces of evil. However, despite the sheer amount of conflict going on, nothing is overly intense and nobody is seriously injured. The message here is that God can overpower any evil, and Peretti's characters experience this on every possible level. While the theme is a little in-your-face, it does leave behind a tale that is clean and relatively addicting.

     I would recommend this book to any tween looking for an entertaining adventure with a strong Christian message. With quick, deft strokes, Frank E. Peretti paints a picture of a desert nation on the verge of great wealth that isn't what it seems. Though it can be preachy and, at times, a tad intense, The Door in the Dragon's Throat is a great read for those interested in strong characters with a firm Christian foundation. It deserves four stars out of five.