Spellbinder

By Harold Robbins

Book Overview

From the author of The New York Times #1 bestselling novel The Carpetbaggers comes a hard-edged look at the seductive, high-stakes and often hypocritical world of religious revivalism and televangelists....

Spellbinder is the story of a genuine and charismatic believer known as "Preacher," who returns from the foxholes and horrors of Vietnam with a simple goal--to spread the word of peace, love, and charity. He immediately attracts a following as he moves from California communes to small surfing towns. "The Church," as his mobile flock is now known, is a culture that centers as much on sex and drugs as prayers, sacraments, and salvation.

Despite a growing following, The Church is bordering on bankruptcy. As they reach what is surely the end of the line in Texas, a powerful billionaire witnesses Preacher and likes what he sees. Offered a platform for his heavenly message to reach millions, Preacher takes the leap into the new world of mass broadcasting the gospel.

Before long, Preacher becomes one of the most powerful televangelists in the country, making influential friends and building a vast empire as the newest religious superstar. He finds his new success and status as "the" rock star entertainer of big-top religion intoxicating. Deep inside, though, he realizes that he's become just another televangelist selling everlasting salvation for an earthly price. Religion professes the only power... Preacher's power is love, but he meets greed, lust, and corruption from his believers. With a burning conscience, he faces a truly gut-wrenching choice--preserve his empire to continue to spread the word, or become the sacrificial lamb on the altar to expose the hypocrisy surrounding him.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1633734439
• ISBN13: 9781633734432
• Release Date: August 2018
• Publisher: Iridium Press
• Length: 318 Pages
• Weight: 1.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

One of the best that can only come from Robbins!

Spellbinder is one of the best written works by Robbins. Written in 1984, the book wears a typical style of writing which only Robbins can deliver. The story is about the "Preacher", a medical vet who took retirement after the Vietnam War, and starts the Church, where sex and drugs are common among the young disciples and him. He in fact grows marijuana to raise funds for the Church. All this remains low profile until a multi-millionaire businessman of Texas notices him and offer him his land and other resources. In return he takes the broadcasting rights of his services. The "Preacher" fights to maintain balance between money and God. This novel touches a very delicate subject, which some people may find totally unacceptable, but it's not hard to relate many religious groups of today with the story. With your open mind and eyes, you might agree with Harold Robbins.

God is in the details, as they say

Spellbinder is one of Robbins' most explosive and powerful novels if not the most eplosive one. It's hero is "Preacher" - a Vietnam vet, California hippie young man who preaches the word of God in a small commune. His faith becomes a tangible asset when he is chosen by a Texas billionaire to lead a new campaign of religious revivalism that uses money, TV and the best media money can buy to spread the word of God (and make a lot of money). The book is like a backstage pass to corporate-driven TV evangelism, the "other" major money-making entertainment industry in US. Its ending is exquisite (and a valid parabole on Jesus), but its biggest strength lies in the details. Robbins did a lot of research on American TV evangelism, and paints here such a realistic picture with all those details, that one really wonders: wasn't this, by any chace... a true story ?

Intriguing subject matter, entertainingly told.

Interesting look at hype and fraud associated with modern religious cults. Tackles morality issues well and has a satisfying ending.