The Ishbane Conspiracy by Angela Alcorn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“Sometimes the best way to see a thing is to look at its opposite,” says Randy Alcorn, quoting A.W. Tozer in his “Note to Readers.” The opposite is something of which we get large chunks in The Ishbane Conspiracy—a novel by Alcorn and his daughters Angela and Karina.
In the story (which was first released in 2001) we follow teenage characters Jillian, Brittany, Rob, and Ian for a year. Jillian’s younger brother Daniel and her mother Diane Fletcher also play main parts in the story. The opposite view comes via letters between demon character Ishbane and his understudy Foulgrin.
The letters give us an inside-out commentary on all that’s happening in the teens’ lives. These foul spirits gloat over successes like getting the “vermin” to consult the ouija board and tarot cards, ignore their parents, and get wasted on drugs and alcohol. But they wring their hands in dismay when the kids clean up their lives, pray, and witness to their friends about Jesus and His power to change them.
During the year, these kids face the gamut of modern teen temptation. They deal with the lure of the occult, drugs, alcohol and the partying lifestyle, the fallout of being bullied and teased, eating disorders, premarital sex, pregnancy, peer pressure, the communication chasm between teens and their parents, and more.
I gave this book four stars (not five) because I did find the characters somewhat one-dimensional, the plot contrived, and some of the demonic diatribes long and preachy. But I would still say The Ishbane Conspiracy is a worthwhile read.
Here are some choice demonic bits I highlighted:
“Keep their eyes closed to the spiritual realm. How? Simply by keeping them busy orbiting around themselves” – Kindle Location 1711.
“The humans’ minds are tainted because they have such vested interests in disbelief. If they don’t have a creator, that means they don’t have a Judge. How convenient” – KL 2393.
“She doesn’t understand prayer isn’t preparation for battle, it is the battle” – KL 5397.
Though The Ishbane Conspiracy is no Screwtape Letters (C.S. Lewis) I would say it does have the potential to impact modern youth. Novelist James Scott Bell says, in his endorsement of the book: “I would love to see The Ishbane Conspiracy in the hands of every high school and college student in America” – KL 17.
This tale did get me thinking too and asking what in my life would make an Ishbane or a Foulgrin groan—or cheer?
I received The Ishbane Conspiracy as a gift from the publisher for the purpose of writing a review.
Violet Nesdoly 