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The Gargoyle Code |  | Author: Dwight Longenecker
Brand: Tan Books and Publishers
Category: Book
List Price: $11.95
Buy New: $9.00
as of 9/9/2010 20:15 MDT details
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Seller: medicalman22142
Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 683834
Media: Paperback
Pages: 103
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.4
MPN: 2240
ISBN: 1935302000
EAN: 9781935302001
ASIN: 1935302000
Publication Date: October 1, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Not since the Screwtape Letters has there been such a devastatingly diabolical collection of correspondence. Master Tempter Slubgrip writesdaily to a trainee devil Dogwart, advising him on the temptation of aconfused young Catholic, while he struggles to control his own patient,an older Catholic man who is facing a serious illness. Meanwhile,Slubgrip has to watch his back, keep control of various under devilswho are plotting to take control of his territory and send him to thebanqueting house of the Father below. The Gargoyle Code makes forun-put-downable reading at any time, but it is especially designed as abook to be read during Lent. The letters from the tempters begin onShrove Tuesday and follow day by day, taking the reader on anentertaining, enlightening and sobering journey toward Easter Sunday.Fr Dwight Longenencker has written a book on spiritual warfare that isprofound, hilarious, upbeat and inspiring. He nails the devils and allhis works, and succeeds in keeping the reader s attention all the waythrough. This is a book to be read and re-read and to share withothers. Publisher: Saint Benedict Press/ TAN Books 2009 Author: Dwight Longenecker Format: 103 pages, paperback ISBN: 9781935302001
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The Perfect Book for Lent February 11, 2010
Brandon Vogt (http://www.thinveil.net)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
There is a tradition dating back to St. Benedict that says you should read a good spiritual book during the months of Lent as a sign of devotion and spiritual growth. To this end, Fr. Dwight Longenecker--a former Evangelical college student, Anglican-priest, and now Catholic-priest--has written a delectable book, "The Gargoyle Code".
The book is essentially a collection of letters between a master, demonic tempter and a young diabolical trainee. For those familiar with C.S. Lewis, you'll immediately recognize that "The Gargoyle Code" shares its genre and style with Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters".
The plot is similar in both books: the tempters of Hell use every tactic possible to lure their "assignments"--the people of earth--into eternal damnation. However, Fr. Longenecker's book differs from Lewis' in a couple of ways.
First, "The Gargoyle Code" describes the temptations of a handful of Catholic men and women. The two main tempters, a master demon named Slubgrip and a novice tempter named Dogwart, are in charge of an old, ultra-conservative Catholic man and a struggling, young adult Catholic, respectively. Whereas Lewis sought to describe the tempting of "mere" Christians, Fr. Longenecker details the trials of men and women tempted in uniquely Catholic ways: belittling the significance of the Mass, rote prayer and confession or the discernment of religious vocation.
Also different from Lewis' book, "The Gargoyle Code" contains a chapter for each day during Lent, making this a great book to read during this time. Recognizing the liturgical season of Lent as the time of Jesus' temptation in the desert, and as a time to deeply contemplate our own spiritual attacks and temptations, this book is an appropriate guide during this season.
Besides being a more `Catholic' version of "The Screwtape Letters", however, "The Gargoyle Code" is also a more modern version. The tempters in Fr. Longenecker's book encourage sloth through the medium of 24/7 sports networks and vanity through the use of media. In the Introduction to the book, Fr. Longenecker invites the reader to read the tempter's communications as a mirror; that is, to see oneself in each situation and temptation. This is very easy to do, maybe moreso than in Lewis' older book, for the majority of temptations are ones each of us has encountered at some time or another.
The communications of the tempters reveal something significant: things are not always as they seem. Our culture sees quaint things like attending Mass, living chastely, or deathbed penitents as novelties at best and insignificant at worst. But looking through the eyes of the underworld, one sees the immense power that each of these acts carries. This is nothing new, of course, if one considers the words of the great Saints throughout history; many of them wrote about the lethality of the Eucharist, the greatest spiritual weapon in the armory of the Church.
A simple, honest prayer can move mountains as Jesus hinted at, yet those may be the mountains of Hell instead of the Rockies. This book injects significance into each small movement of faith, helping to show how the smallest acts are huge blows to the forces that seek to draw us far from God.
We are involved in a war, invisible though it may be; this is our unfortunate condition. But we are armed with an infinite supply of weapons, and a King who is unconquerable. In the life of faith, especially during the time of Lent, a line is drawn in the sand, a line temptation challenges us to cross. If you are looking for fuel to fight against temptation during the season of Lent, or want to better recognize the ploys of evil, I strongly recommend picking up a copy of "The Gargoyle Code".
Great book to read for Lent February 11, 2010
Karen in Mommyland (NJ)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
During the Summer I picked up a copy of C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters and found myself riveted. It was one of those books that I couldn't easily put down. Shortly after reading the Screwtape Letters, I started noticing posts on Fr. Longenecker's blog promoting his book entitled The Gargoyle Code. The book is written in the tradition of Lewis' Screwtape Letters. At first, I'll admit that I hesitated to buy the book. I enjoyed Fr. L's blog immensely, but I figured there was no way I was going to enjoy his book as much as I enjoyed Screwtape Letters. And, I'll be honest, I also assumed that this book was just going to be a slightly more modern version of Lewis' timeless classic. Eventually, I decided to buy Fr. L's book since I had read so much about it on his blog.
When the book arrived, I picked it up expecting to read it for a few minutes and then resume my day. Instead I found myself unable to easily put the book down. Fr. L's writing is every bit as good as C.S. Lewis' and I daresay I enjoyed this book far more than Screwtape Letters. The book is written for Catholics and would be an excellent book for Lenten reading. The book, which starts with Shrove Tuesday and ends with Easter, has a letter for each day of the Lenten season. One could easily take a few minutes to read a letter a day from this book during Lent. I think the book is invaluable spiritual reading.
I found this book to be a wonderful blend of spirituality, humor and seriousness. I thoroughly enjoy reading Fr. L's blog and I stopped several times while reading The Gargoyle Code to laugh at how much a particular line or character name reminded me of something I had read on his blog, whether it sounded like something one of his alter egos would have said or whether it was just Fr. L's personality shining through.
In short, this book is an incredibly engaging read. It's a solidly Catholic book that is perhaps the most engaging and enjoyable spiritual reading that I've done all year.
Do yourself a favor this Lent, buy a copy of Fr. L's The Gargoyle Code. You'll be glad you did. I'll be reading this book again for Lent.
The Gargoyle Code May 11, 2010
Donnamarie Arnold (USA)
Young adult and older. Although this book advertises that its good to read during Lent, it can be read at anytime of the Liturgical year. This book was very easy to read and did not take alot of time. It gave a good description of hell in the sence that in hell there is absolutely NO love at all. Even the demons that are supposedly "friends" with each other are only out for themselves and they will back stab eachother. (I could never live like that! I think that would be my biggest fear of hell .... that no one would love me there!) The book also brings out the fact that there is a CONSTANT battle for the human soul here on earth. The details of that battle are brought out in the letters of the demons describing the work they do as they try to cause humans to sin. There are also mentioned times in which the demons' efforts are thwarted by "the enemy" (God and His angels). This book has a Catholic perspective and, being Catholic myself, I learned about some areas that definately applied to me and that I can work on changing! A good book to read for help in resisting evil and staying on the narrow road to heaven!
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