Line #42 Literature/TheVisitation


1	[[quoteright:288:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_visitation_6.jpg]]
2
3	->''Sightings of angels. A weeping crucifix. Images of a messiah in the sky.''
4
5	A novel by Christian suspense author {{Creator/Frank Peretti}} set in TheNineties.
6
7	[[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere Nothing ever happens]] in the sleepy town of Antioch, Washington. That is, until people start seeing angels, a weeping crucifix heals a janitor's arthritis, and Brandon Nichols comes to town.
8
9	An unassuming preacher, Nichols rapidly attracts a large following with his message of universal love and social altruism, and his ability to heal; and also raises questions as to his identity. Is he UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} returned to Earth? An imposter with demonic ulterior motives? A simple do-gooder with divine powers?
10
11	Either way, burnt-out former pastor Travis Jordan wants [[RefusalOfTheCall nothing to do with it]]. But between [[WideEyedIdealist Kyle Sherman]] -- the on-fire newcomer who's replaced him as pastor of [[UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} Antioch's Pentecostal church]] -- regularly pulling him into it, and Nichols' own curious interest in him, he gets dragged into the ensuing chaos.
12
13	----
14	!!Tropes seen in this book include:
15
16	* AmbiguouslyBrown: Nichols is described as appearing of Middle Eastern, or Mediterranean, or Hispanic, or Native American origin. [[spoiler: This allows him to pass himself off as UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} (Middle Eastern) and the [[DeadPersonImpersonation real]] Brandon Nichols (Native American). He has Hispanic ancestry on his mother's side]].
17	* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: [[spoiler: Every person who gets something from Nichols ends up regretting it in one way or another]].
18	* BerserkButton: [[NaiveNewcomer Kyle]] hits [[JadeColoredGlasses Travis']] when he tells him they're going to "take this town for Christ!"
19	* BlessedWithSuck: Tying into BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor above, [[spoiler: Don Anderson becomes a TechnoWizard, and is gradually driven insane when he can't shut off hearing any technological device around him]].
20	%%* BittersweetEnding
21	* ChristianityIsCatholic: Averted. In addition to a Catholic church, Antioch has Pentecostals, Baptists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, Presbyterians and [[{{Cult}} the Apostolic Brethern]].
22	%%* {{Cult}}: The Apostolic Brethren in a [[DownplayedTrope downplayed example]].
23	* DeadPersonImpersonation: [[spoiler: Nichols' real name is Justin Cantwell. He killed the real Nichols and stole his identity.]]
24	%%* TheDogBitesBack: And ''how''.
25	%%* EarnYourHappyEnding
26	* EasyEvangelism: Subverted. [[spoiler: Various characters demonstrate belief in it, or attempt to invoke it, and Nichols accomplishes it - but it's revealed that a faith easily received is not usually a faith that changes anything.]]
27	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: When Travis first meets Kyle, the younger man is exuberant, on fire for God, and [[WideEyedIdealist clueless]].
28	* FamilyUnfriendlyViolence: What Justin Cantwell's father did to him. [[TheDogBitesBack And what Justin did to him.]]
29	* TheFilmOfTheBook: Made into [[Film/TheVisitation a low-budget film]], with [[QuestionableCasting Randy Travis]] as Kyle Sherman.
30	* {{Flashback}}: A little less than half of the story is Travis recalling his past as a pastor's kid and a pastor himself, and what relevance it has to the current situation.
31	%%* ForInconveniencePressOne: The Cathedral of Life.
32	* GoodFeelsGood: What people realize when they start following Nichols and his pro-social messages. [[spoiler: At first]].
33	%%* GoodPowersBadPeople
34	* GoodShepherd: Travis, Kyle, and 90% of the other ministers in Antioch genuinely care about their parishoners and the other people in their town.
35	* HappilyMarried: Most couples in Antioch - Kyle and his wife, [[OddCouple Jim and Dee Baylor]], [[TheSheriff Brett Henchle]] and his wife, and multiple couples mentioned in flashback. The marriage we hear the most about is Travis and Marian Jordan's, though she's died of cancer before the start of the book.
36	* JadeColoredGlasses: Travis, thanks to years of hard knocks and the loss of his wife.
37	%%* HeelFaceTurn
38	%%* KnightinSourArmor: Travis.
39	%%* NothingExcitingEverHappensHere: Antioch in a nutshell.
40	* NotSoDifferentRemark: Nichols continually draws comparisons between himself and Travis, particularly Travis' life before he came to Antioch.
41	* PowerPerversionPotential: Norman Dillard takes advantage of his healed eyesight to become a peeping tom.
42	%%* RealMenLoveJesus:
43	* RequiredSecondaryPowers: [[spoiler: Don Anderson's TechnoWizard abilities didn't come with the ability to turn ''off''.]]
44	%%* ResignedtoTheCall: Travis, eventually.
45	%%* RomanticFalseLead: Amber Carr for a younger Travis.
46	%%* SuperEmpowering: Brandon Nichols.
47	* SympathyForTheDevil: Travis for Justin Cantwell [[spoiler: aka Brandon Nichols, when he learns what happened.]]
48	--> But I had ''never'' been in such a place as Nechville - and I know I'd never been in such a place as Justin's backyard. I only thought I had, and I was acting like it ... Now I was sorry. Desperately sorry.
49	* TechnoWizard: Don Anderson, [[spoiler: after being [[TouchedByVorlons touched by Nichols]].]]
50	%%* VillainWithGoodPublicity: [[spoiler: Nichols]].
51	%%* VillainousBreakdown: In the latter half of the book, [[spoiler: Nichols.]]
52	* WeAREStrugglingTogether: The various church ministers may have similar goals, but they don't always agree on how best to reach them.
53	* WideEyedIdealist: Kyle Sherman. [[KnightInSourArmor Travis, when he was younger]].
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Context Literature / TheVisitation