White

If you have read Ted Dekker's Circle series, or if you have been following along with these reviews and then decided to pick up the series, you may have noticed something very interesting about the books Black, Red, and now White. All three of them are thinly veiled allegories of the Christian faith and the story of Jesus Christ. Told through the wonderful imagination and fluid writing of Ted Dekker, each book in the series holds a story that, though fictionalized, has the ability to strengthen a Christian's faith walk by reminding him where it started. Black told the story of the fall of man and humanity's plunge into sin, Red was the daring rescue of all mankind carried out by Jesus, and White, the third and final book in the Circle series, tells the tale of Christian missions. It is a reminder of what God has called all Christians to do after the have become whole in Christ.

Thomas Hunter always knew this day would come. From the very first moment he was able to live in two realities at once, he knew that someday both his worlds would end. This knowledge wasn't always in the forefront of his mind, but it had always been present in his thoughts. The day of destruction has finally come. With a deadly virus ravaging earth's entire population in one reality and the Hoard constantly chasing Thomas and his friends in the other, there are no options left. Thomas is cornered on all sides and he has run out of ideas; both his worlds are expecting him to be their savior, but does Thomas have what it takes to fulfill their hopes? Can one man truly alter history, are enemies enemies forever, and could love be the answer to all this? 

I have thoroughly enjoyed Ted Dekker's Circle series. Black and Red were both excellent and, now that I've read it, White can stand beside them and receive the same praise. Building off of its two predecessors, White finishes the story of Thomas Hunter and does so in a satisfying way. I have grown very attached to Thomas and the rest of the characters in the Circle series; like any flaky reader, I grew to love these characters because they felt real to me. I felt their pain, were joyful with them in their triumphs, and were with them during every step of their journey. The story of Thomas Hunter is a special one told by a very gifted writer; it is a story that everyone can relate to and learn from in some way, so everyone should take the time to read it. In many ways, the end of this story and the end of the characters struggles in this last book was also the end of part of my story so I'm glad that it finished on a high note. These characters are part of me, they can be part of you to if you choose to join them on their journey. 

*****

RJ

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Red

I do not read sequels or series often. Perhaps I have a short attention span or I can't sit still long enough to become invested in a long on-going story, but I think the most likely reason is my tendency to get bored when nothing new or exciting has happened in a while. After reading a book, I am just not ready to sit through another one about the same characters in the same setting; the concept becomes boring to me even through the story line of the sequel might be very good. I am more inclined to pick up a brand new book, one that I know nothing about, and throw myself whole-heartedly into discovering brand new characters and a whole new universe. Because of this, it takes a very good author to get me to sit through an entire sequel or series; I have to be completely invested to the point where boredom can't set in. Red, the sequel to Ted Dekker's Black, is one of these attention-holding sequels.

Fifteen years have passed since Thomas Hunter first began to dream of two realities, or maybe only moments have passed. Time seems to move differently in both realities and yet they are both as real as when Thomas first discovered them. He is a resident of both worlds now and, while he has led two separate lives, he is still entirely himself. In one reality, he is barely out of his twenties, a head strong young man who until recently wasn't very important; in the other, he is nearly forty, he has a wife and two children, everyone knows and respects him. Regardless of which reality he exists in, both his worlds are facing a crisis, a disaster that could wipe out civilization as Thomas knows it. And he may be the only man who has the knowledge or the power to save both his worlds. Old enemies rise up again, bravery will be tested, sacrifices must be made to see a new day come, and a promise will be fulfilled.

As I said earlier, I do not usually read whole book series; I find them boring and stray to greener, more exciting pastures. But to my great surprise, this typical boredom did not set in when I picked up Red, the sequel to Black. In fact, I really enjoyed the book and had a heard time putting it down. Though Red picks up right where Black ended, with all the same characters and locations in play, I found myself engaged in the story line to the point of real enjoyment. I wanted to keep reading, I wasn't tired of the world Ted Dekker had created, and I sometimes even read multiple chapters in a row. Maybe this was possible because I was so invested in the characters from Black; I really enjoyed reading about them and cared about them a lot. I was interested in their lives and wanted to see them get a happy ending. When Thomas Hunter and the rest of the characters migrated over to Red, I was more than happy to keep reading about them, to see if they finally found their happy ending. Regardless of all this, and my personal thoughts on the book, though the book is wonderful and I would highly recommend it, I would caution younger readers and parents when they pick up Red. There are intense chapters describing battle, torture, and execution that might be troubling to some readers. A good book can't be fully enjoyed unless a reader is fully prepared for everything contained in its pages.


Photo Credit: Amazon.com

*****
RJ

Black

Fantasy fiction is a genre of literature that is well-loved by many readers. Focusing on the fantastical rather than reality, there is something quite special about fantasy fiction. Within the pages of a fantasy novel, the reader is instantly transported to a reality far different than his own. He can read about far away lands filled with magic, awe inspiring beasts and monsters that could never live outside a story book, and great heroes that take on the ultimate evil for the greater good. When looking for a good fantasy fiction book, look no further than three well-known authors who specialize in this particular genre. Tolkien created a world full of Hobbits, Wizards, and Dwarfs; likewise C.S. Lewis wrote the story of four siblings in a magical land, and Ted Dekker wrote his Colored Books Series. The first of these was Black.

Thomas Hunter never thought he was special. He may have had an unusual childhood growing up on an army base in the Philippines, he may have done a few things wrong in his life, he might have the mind of a flighty wannabe author but he was never special. That is, until he is called upon to save the world. In a strange twist of fate, Thomas' mind is no longer his own; without provocation his mind is suddenly able to jump between two different realities when he sleeps. Both realities seem so real, as if they could be coexisting, though both realities are wildly different from each other and both contain their own unique set of challenges Thomas finds that he is completely at home no matter where his mind is. Thomas hopes that he can exist peacefully in either reality as a man that no one knows or cares about; he thinks he can lead a semi-normal life and one day gain control of his own mind again. But what will happen when worlds start colliding, when both fantasy and reality need a hero? Will Thomas rise to the challenge? Is Thomas Hunter strong enough to save his worlds?

I can't begin to describe this book accurately; it is simply too detailed and too vast to summarize in a few short paragraphs. Ted Dekker has written a wonderful piece of fiction that can stand alongside anything written by Tolkien or Lewis. To put it bluntly, I loved this book. I was surprised that I enjoyed Black as much as I did. I am not an avid fiction reader, I much prefer any other genre. While I can say that I had high hopes going into the book I never expected to come out hungry for more. Written in a beautiful style, Ted Dekker's book truly immerses the reader in a world unlike any other. Vividly described and meticulously crafted, it's not hard to get lost in the book for hours simply admiring the scenery. I genuinely loved the characters and felt attached to them by the end. Though I did typically enjoy series, I am excited to read the next book from Ted Dekker and I'm hoping I enjoy it just as much as this first book. I would suggest that younger readers skip this book for now or read it was a parent due to some graphically described deaths and tense situations; however, if younger children are interesting in reading this book on their own there is an abridged comic-book version for the first three books in the Colored series. That being said, Black would be an enjoyable read for anyone who loves fantasy fiction. Whether in comic book form or not everyone should take the time to read this book and the accompanying series.


*****
RJ

Photo Credit: Amazon