I know that there's a week to go for the exercise, but I thought it would be easier to post the submissions in a new thread. I'll show you mine if you show me yours! ;-)

"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

In a time when docters were just learning how to extend the lives of the living, one man was intent on reviving the dead.

Victor von Frankenstein was a man obsessed with the idea of bringing back the dead. He worked alone in his dark laboratory hiding his secret endeavor from the outside world that would not approve. He risked his career in medicine and the honor of his family name to bring about the realization of his nightmare.

But in his mania to prove his theories correct he did not think about what to do if he succeeded. Was he bringing back a person from the dead or was he creating a monster he could not control? Find out in Mary Shelley's classic tale of horror.

This was much tougher for me than scribbling off a short. I think some of the sentences seem awkward. I'm open for any comments.

NO DISRESPECT INTENDED

The Bible by God

As with all things, Gods anger seems eternal.
He had created a world and set them in it, alone of all mortals they had been created in his image.
For a crime committed at the instigation of a fallen angel the sons and daughters of man are cast out of the Garden of Eden. Then in one terrible flood, spread across the face of the earth. The Israelites, people of God are left to suffer in a world of sin. Now they must learn to believe in a God they can no longer see. Now they must have faith.
But as with all things, Gods mercy is eternal too.
He sends his own son, Jesus, made mortal and vunerable to redeem his people from the mire. A priceless gift which could save or damn the world. Jesus has an enemy, that self same fallen angel is still trying to keep mankind away from the God he himself cannot face.
Set over hundreds of generations, this sweeping story encapsulates mans struggle in a faithless world to believe in his creator without proof. To believe that there is something more to life than the here and now.
Wars, love stories, tradegy and comedy. It's all here.
If this book isn't enough for you, nothing else will be.

...
I have been trying really hard to write a book blurb, but my favourite books, familiar friends to me, are not really that well known. This was the only one I could think of and I have genuinely tried to do a book blurb, so choice of book aside...What do you think?
I'm not too happy with it myself, it's been a while since r.e. classes had me reading this book and I never remembered the details even then. I found this exercise very difficult. How do you sort the important details out without giving away the whole plot of the book? How do I make it shorter? I did actually try.
I have a new respect for those "blurb writers"
My blurb would stop me reading this I must confess.
I know I'll get pasted for this one, and I deserve it, but I can't learn if I won't show you why I'm going wrong.

I don't think you could have picked a tougher book to try out a blurb. There's grammar stuff wrong in there I'm sure you're aware of. I think "this sweeping story encapsulates mans struggle in a faithless world..." should be nearer to the beginning. The word 'struggle' promises a juicy conflict. The only real problem I had is the last line. I think I know how it was intended to come across - tempting me to read it. But at first it seems insulting. Perhaps this is due to my own bias because these specific books produce emotion in believers and non-believers. I don't know how to better explain it than with an off-the-wall example. You're with your lover or significant other and they say "If I'm not good enough for you, no one else will be." Something about the wordage makes me feel insulted.
Am I making sense?

RAM: I think your blurb was fine. (heck, I didn't even try!) I think your first sentence was the best. Accenting the two different paths "men" were traveling was a great lead. I think it got a little weaker toward the end. But approaching it from the assumption that the book was just released, I think it would generate good interest. Sho: Talk about biting off a big piece to chew, SHEESH! Of coure, how DO you keep a back blurb on the Bible short? As you said, a sweeping epic tale. I think you pointed out the main point or theme of the book near the end--a good summary of what the reader ultimately will be learning/reading. As one of small talent (and one who didn't have the nerve to try), I hesitate to critique, but I will offer a small item that bothered me: You explain what the Israelites are but leave the reader with no explanation of what the Garden of Eden is. Of course, maybe you intended to leave that "question mark" for a purpose. But I think it was a mammoth task and you did well. Also, congrats for making an imaginative choice.

Also, possibly, an item my wife pointed out to me was the common use on "back blurbs" of referencing other best-selling books by the same author. I guess they do it on "back blurbs" of movies as well. Failing some sort of literary history, I suppose one has to forget that approach or else throw in a few words to the effect of, "So-and-so is an up-and-coming author...blah, blah, blah."

We were going to discuss the book blurbs posted after the nineteenth so here's my opinion. Ramnimus, I liked your book blurb although it seemed to me to be aimed more at a young adult audience than the general adult audience. Something in the way your sentences were put together. Perhaps it is because they are quite simple with no big words or concepts expressed. (I have a fourteen year old son who reviews books for young teens so I see a lot of them!) ps First to post....brave, very brave :-) Mine on the other hand was awful. Reading it now a few days later, it seems false and I have a horrible feeling that every sentence I have written is from the back of someone elses book. I hang my head in shame and deserve to. Gosh it's hard to do book blurbs!

and am I the only person who hears "voice over man" from the movies reading out book blurbs in my head? lol

Hahaha, Shoshanna you made me laugh. I was listening to that guys voice while I wrote my blurb. Very funny. He could make taking a crap sound like a dramatic event. Thank you for your input. I did not realise I was using simple vocab. Thanks a lot. I will have to see if I do that by habit. Chuck, thanks for the input. I personally don't mind if you give critiques without submitting your work. I use this forum selfishly to gain any advice and input I can. You are right, I have strong beginnings and fizz out on the promise. It's a weakness I'm trying to work on. Thank you for your honesty.

I'm glad to see people are trying out the exercises, and I'm definitely glad to see such good results.

RAMINUS: I think the blurb would be stronger if you varied the sentence structure a bit:

Victor von Frankenstein was a man obsessed with the idea of bringing back the dead. Working alone in his dark laboratory, he hid his endeavors from the outside world that would not approve. He risked his career in medicine and the honor of his family name to bring about the realization of his nightmare.

The blurb was well-written, and definitely caught my attention.

Shoshanna: great idea. I wouldn't have thought to pick the Bible for a book blurb. It was a very creative and challenging choice. I think some of the verbs and verb tenses you used removed the reader from the story. Grab the reader by the throat and don't let go:

God's anger is eternal.

He created a world and set them in it. Alone of all the mortals, they were created in his image.

You can keep the nice parallelism that you set up in the second set of sentences while keeping the more direct verb tenses:

God's mercy is eternal.

He sent his only son, Jesus, made mortal and vunerable, to redeem his people from the mire.

Also, you have some sentence fragments that are awkward. Contrary to 4th grade English teachers, the occasional sentence fragment can really add to a story, but they have to accentuate something. "He saw a pink elephant wandering down the street. A neon pink elephant."

And, yes, I do hear the omniscient voice-over when I read these. ;-)

I ended up with a lot of last minute chores this last week, so I couldn't get my blurb in on time. Well, miss a deadline, suffer the consequences.

Thanks Crescent.