Millennium Rising

By: Jane Jensen

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 19 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Right after the millennium, pilgrims of all faiths flock to the Mexican village of Santa Pelagia to witness a miraculous visitation. Among them are 24 who experience their own startling personal vision. A messenger appears differently to each - as the Virgin Mary, an angel of Islam, the Hindu goddess Kali - but carries the same terrifying tidings: The Day of Judgment is at hand.

To investigate this extraordinary situation come two very different men. Father Michael Deauchez is an agent of the Vatican, with personal experience of the supernatural - and a dedication to reason that will not allow him to believe the wonders he witnesses. Simon Hill is a top New York Times reporter, convinced that the events in Santa Pelagia are Pulitzer material, especially when the apocalyptic prophecies of the Twenty-Four begin to come true.

From the holiest councils of the Vatican to the boardrooms of powerful multinational corporations to the highest level of the U.S. government and military, Deauchez and Hill hunt desperately for the truth, as the prospect of the world's end looms ever closer. But what is the truth? Mass hysteria? A devious, far-reaching plot? Or has God truly spoken?

©1999 Jane Jensen (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Long Sermons

Another reviewer has mentioned that the book is needlessly long, and I have to agree. But there are a lot of sermons in this book too that seemed to go on forever. I like a good apocalyptic novel, but this one was just a bit much for me, and very depressing. Dick Hill is a great narrator and does a wonderful job with all his characters, but it didn't save it for me.

Fantastic

A truly fantastic Apocalyptic thriller. Check it out, I am certain you will enjoy it.

Apocalyptic

Would you consider the audio edition of Millennium Rising to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version, but Dick Hill was superb in this reading. I cannot imagine that mere print could be better. Mr Hill can change voices effortlessly in seconds.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Millennium Rising?

The moment when Father Deauxchez realized that he and the other Prophets were not divine messengers, but merely human pawns. His sense of betrayal is palpable, his anger and very real feelings are human and not a goody-goody priestly rendition.

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked any of the scenes in which Mr Hill was reading the sermons. He made the televangelist come alive. If he gets tired of voicing novels, he could easily do tv religion. He was great. The other scene I liked was when the reporter Simon Hill recovered. I was worried for a while that he would die. He was my favorite character.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It was. I almost made it, too, but had to go to work. So, two sittings.

Any additional comments?

The ending was not the best. It was a little rushed and implausible, even given the suspension of belief needed simply for the type of book this is. Still, it was a good listen most of the way through.

Too Long

This is the first time I have listened to or read a book by this author and it will probably be the last. I found the premise intriguing and the beginning is interesting, but the book goes on and on and on. There is a lot of nit-picky detail and repetition that I found distracted me from the story. A good editor would have cut the book by at least 25% and made it a more cogent read.

Dick Hill fans may stay with it because of his masterful reading--I know, I know, there are Dick Hill non-fans out there, but I find that I enjoy listening to him. He has a fine baritone and has the ability to differentiate characters through the use of accents and cultural coloration. As far as I'm concerned, he IS Kurt Wallander.