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albatrossonhalfpointe's review
4.0
This book has several endorsements on the back, saying how much it sucks you in, refuses to let you go, and makes you want to stay up all night reading it. They're not wrong. I didn't stay up all night or anything, but I did find myself finding opportunities to get some reading in when I don't normally. It really was very enthralling and suspenseful, and while I knew Tim would survive, because the jacket says that Hurwitz was working on the next Tim Rackley novel, but I had no guarantees for any of the other characters, so I was seriously tense for the last few chapters. Good job, Mr. Hurwitz.
Some people have criticized his portrait of this cult for being extreme to the point of caricature, but I'm not so sure. There are some pretty insane cults out there, and the fact of the matter is that we simply don't know what goes on in many of them. Even when people do get out, they often don't really want to talk about what happened inside, for one reason or another, but I think we've heard enough that nothing in this book is entirely implausible.
In fact, I found it extremely chilling. It's a work of fiction, of course, but it's clear from the way it's written that a lot of research went into this book, and it carries a lot of truth in it. There are uber-creepy cults out there, they do lull people in using all kinds of methods of manipulation, and there certainly are some pretty atrocious cult leaders. And that's kind of what kept sticking with me. I can't begin to fathom how people like that can treat other people in these ways, and live with themselves. I can accept that some cult leaders are just plain crazy, and truly believe they're some kind of Messiah, but I'd guess that most of them know exactly what they're doing, and just get off on the power trip. There's obviously a high level of sociopathic tendency there, and I guess really, that's what it comes down to. They can live with themselves because they have an extremely diminished capacity to feel remorse, or empathy for others. In a way, I almost feel bad for these people, because in order to be that way, you'd have to have pretty extreme narcissism, to the point of having no regard whatsoever for anyone other than yourself, and I think that's pretty sad.
Which of course, doesn't make it any less horrifying, or any less baffling that people allow themselves to be abused like this. This book actually did give some pretty good insight on how one can get sucked in, and I found it very interesting to watch how certain people got completely carried away with it, while others felt much more reticence, even if they ultimately succumbed. The recruitment process was fascinating, and while it's easy to tell yourself that you'd never fall for it, I think we'd all be surprised. If they can get you past the initial little group party, and into that huge group of people where they have you at the mercy of all their manipulation tricks - ranging from relaxants in the refreshments, to pretty intense peer pressure, to outright hypnosis - I think we'd all be surprised at what we might fall for. Even the act of walking away, when you have several hundred people looking at you like that walk away makes you inferior and less enlightened than they are, can suddenly become extremely uncomfortable, and can take a lot of personal strength. Falter for a moment, and they've probably got you.
Nonetheless, it's still mind-boggling to me that anyone can inspire such fanatical devotion that people will endure sleep deprivation, starvation, complete lack of privacy or personal freedom, total isolation from all friends and family, sexual abuse, and all kinds of torture, both psychological and physical. It's mind-boggling, but also horrifying, because we should never forget that it could be us. None of us are immune, and all of can be broken.
The book itself showed me all this, and left me with such intense feelings, ranging from utter revulsion to extreme relief in some places that I have to declare it well-written. It may not be the most factual account of cult life out there, but I think it's worthwhile, and while it may have been a bit sensational, I'm glad I read it.
Some people have criticized his portrait of this cult for being extreme to the point of caricature, but I'm not so sure. There are some pretty insane cults out there, and the fact of the matter is that we simply don't know what goes on in many of them. Even when people do get out, they often don't really want to talk about what happened inside, for one reason or another, but I think we've heard enough that nothing in this book is entirely implausible.
In fact, I found it extremely chilling. It's a work of fiction, of course, but it's clear from the way it's written that a lot of research went into this book, and it carries a lot of truth in it. There are uber-creepy cults out there, they do lull people in using all kinds of methods of manipulation, and there certainly are some pretty atrocious cult leaders. And that's kind of what kept sticking with me. I can't begin to fathom how people like that can treat other people in these ways, and live with themselves. I can accept that some cult leaders are just plain crazy, and truly believe they're some kind of Messiah, but I'd guess that most of them know exactly what they're doing, and just get off on the power trip. There's obviously a high level of sociopathic tendency there, and I guess really, that's what it comes down to. They can live with themselves because they have an extremely diminished capacity to feel remorse, or empathy for others. In a way, I almost feel bad for these people, because in order to be that way, you'd have to have pretty extreme narcissism, to the point of having no regard whatsoever for anyone other than yourself, and I think that's pretty sad.
Which of course, doesn't make it any less horrifying, or any less baffling that people allow themselves to be abused like this. This book actually did give some pretty good insight on how one can get sucked in, and I found it very interesting to watch how certain people got completely carried away with it, while others felt much more reticence, even if they ultimately succumbed. The recruitment process was fascinating, and while it's easy to tell yourself that you'd never fall for it, I think we'd all be surprised. If they can get you past the initial little group party, and into that huge group of people where they have you at the mercy of all their manipulation tricks - ranging from relaxants in the refreshments, to pretty intense peer pressure, to outright hypnosis - I think we'd all be surprised at what we might fall for. Even the act of walking away, when you have several hundred people looking at you like that walk away makes you inferior and less enlightened than they are, can suddenly become extremely uncomfortable, and can take a lot of personal strength. Falter for a moment, and they've probably got you.
Nonetheless, it's still mind-boggling to me that anyone can inspire such fanatical devotion that people will endure sleep deprivation, starvation, complete lack of privacy or personal freedom, total isolation from all friends and family, sexual abuse, and all kinds of torture, both psychological and physical. It's mind-boggling, but also horrifying, because we should never forget that it could be us. None of us are immune, and all of can be broken.
The book itself showed me all this, and left me with such intense feelings, ranging from utter revulsion to extreme relief in some places that I have to declare it well-written. It may not be the most factual account of cult life out there, but I think it's worthwhile, and while it may have been a bit sensational, I'm glad I read it.
darlenemarshall's review
4.0
I have a new hero--Postal Inspector Owen B. Rutherford! Sure, he's no matinee idol, but when it comes to protecting our mail, he's the man! Dang, I had no idea what postal inspectors do for us. They're clearly the unsung heroes of the federal system.
However, he's not the hero of The Program. Tim Rackley is back, with a shot at redeeming himself with the U.S. Marshal's program. This time it's undercover infiltrating a cult, and it's spooky how the cults suck people in. You can read this and understand how it could happen to almost anyone.
Tim's got to walk a tightrope of staying in character while looking for ways to crack the cult open, but The Teacher, the leader, is very good at covering his tracks with legalities.
It's a snappy read, and once again people who you don't expect to have much depth surprise you. I'm becoming a real fan of Hurwitz's work, and I intend to read more this summer.
However, he's not the hero of The Program. Tim Rackley is back, with a shot at redeeming himself with the U.S. Marshal's program. This time it's undercover infiltrating a cult, and it's spooky how the cults suck people in. You can read this and understand how it could happen to almost anyone.
Tim's got to walk a tightrope of staying in character while looking for ways to crack the cult open, but The Teacher, the leader, is very good at covering his tracks with legalities.
It's a snappy read, and once again people who you don't expect to have much depth surprise you. I'm becoming a real fan of Hurwitz's work, and I intend to read more this summer.
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