Here is another Thomas Nelson book review, everyone! I finished Ted Dekker’s Green just today, and I am anxious to tell you all what I think. Green is the fourth, and final–maybe, installment in Dekker’s Circle series, which are directly related to his Paradise novels (Saint, Sinner and Showdown) and his series called the Lost Books. The links between these novels are numerous, varied and confusing; albeit they are coherent and brilliant. In all of the above-mentioned novels, Dekker has created a fantasy world in which elements of the spiritual realm in our own world become real characters and settings. It is a modern-day fable paralleling those great works of literary history like The Pilgrim’s Progress, The Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia.
There are several criterion important to me when judging a work of quality fiction–character development, pacing and the ending. Others may have other priorities for their literary tastes, but these are what I crave when reading and that is how I will review his book.
It is difficult enough for an author to effectively develop a character over the course of one book, let alone four books. The protagonist must change in believeable ways from start to finish in each novel, and like in the Circle Series, that character must change noticeably throughout the course of the series. Ted Dekker’s character Thomas Hunter is truly a deep and believable character who goes from being an impetuous, street-smart youth in the first novel, Black, to a venerated general of futuristic, nomadic armies in Green. Really, it’s how Dekker leads us through Thomas’ mind that makes the whole fantasy worth taking seriously as the reader feels an immediate attachment and empathy with Thomas. Even in Green, the series’ apocalyptic installment, we find Thomas changing. In the beginning of the book we see the struggling washed out and tired leader who suddenly finds reserves of courage and hope deep within him with the help of Elyon. He returns with a determination seasoned with knowledge. I rarely have found characters so well treated throughout the course of a series.
I have one word to describe Dekker’s pacing in this novel–”whoa.” The pace of each conflict in the book will leave the reader breathless. As a matter of fact, I waited several hours before writing this review just so I could catch my breath! Every scene is laced with emotional and physical tension. If you enjoy some time to breathe in your novels, don’t pick this book up. It will have you looking for a respirator. One nice addition to the pacing of series in this book is a morbid romance set between two dark characters. It was particularly chilling to feel the sensual tension between these two in a Christian fiction novel. Well done.
In every book I read, I love a good, solid ending. It could be a tragedy or comedy, but I like to see things resolved to a good degree. Every good story must end sometime. As much as I don’t want to admit it, I was largely disappointed in the way Green ended. One would think that an apocalyptic book would make an easy way for an author to end a story, no matter how hoaky it may be (Like when everything is about to go to you-know-where, and aliens suddenly appear out of nowhere and save some people. Aliens weren’t a part of the story, but suddenly they’re a part of the solution. Come on. Where’s the creativity in that?), but Ted Dekker finds a way to keep the story alive, although it’s crying to be laid to rest. I imagine this was the man’s intent in trying to imitate a circle in that it has no end or beginning. I felt in a circle alright–no way out.
All in all, I would suggest the Circle Series to anyone, even Green. They are an extremely well-written, heart-pounding adventures with too many connections to our own world to count. The thought invoked by these parables alone are worth the read.
