My Review of : Green by Ted Dekker

Green

by Ted Dekker

At Last . . . The Circle Reborn
The story of how Thomas Hunter first entered the Black Forest and forever changed our history began at a time when armies were gathered for a final battle in the valley of Migdon. Green is a story of love, betrayal, and sweeping reversals set within the apocalypse. It is the beginning: the truth behind a saga that has captured the imagination of more than a million readers with the Books of History Chronicles.
But even more, Green brings full meaning to the Circle Series as a whole, reading as both prequel to Black and sequel to White, completing a full circle. This is Book Zero, the Circle Reborn, both the beginning and the end. The preferred starting point for new readers . . . and the perfect climax for the countless fans who’ve experienced Black, Red, and White.

MY Review:

Green. What a great story! I love anything that Ted Dekker writes, but to read Green and see how so many other novels fit together to form this story was just wonderful!
As always Ted Dekker has amazing characters that you come to love, you fear for them, and you weep with them. Thomas Hunter once again takes center stage in Green, but unlike the other books in this varied series, nearly every character is addressed in this final, and yet first, novel. I so enjoyed watching how Dekker wove this story together in a way that it could be the first story you pick up in this series, or the final.
Thomas Hunter must go between the two realities, that really only exist to him, while many other characters in the book try to understand it all through his explanations. One world is current day our world, and the other is 200 years in the future in a “different” world where spiritual issues take a more physical form. This time, Thomas is forced to move between the two realities despite his obvious choice for the world of Elyon. We see Thomas struggle with watching his son turn against everything he has learned to believe, and yet Thomas must let him go. His son Samuel makes choices of his own free will, and resulting in much more dire situation than he could ever imagine. Standing by are many characters we have grown to love, or hate, through Black, Red and White. The evil priests, the worms, the Shitaiki bats all play the role of evil as they battle against the Roush, representing the good. To see things come full circle in this final book was so enjoyable. And yet, when I finished the last chapter my first impulse was to run out to find Black to continue the Circle further!!
There are so many issues that Dekker deals with while telling a wonderful story of passion, love and loss. He deals head on with faith in God, beliefs about evil and many other topics we deal with today. He addresses the struggle our society is facing with understanding truth and where God is in regards to truth. I love how he delves into thoughts we all have, doubts we have even as a strong believers in God, and encourages us to search for the true answer. We see how the characters struggle with trusting in Elyon (God) even though they have not seen him manifest his miracles in what seems like ages. And yet, many stand firm in their beliefs, while many others choose another path to follow. To see the love Chelise feels for her family even though they have yet to believe like she does in Elyon reminds us to love those in our lives without hesitation as they too struggle with our beliefs.
I personally cannot get enough of Ted Dekker of his delightful characters, and I do plan to start the journey again…reading Black, Red and White with a new perspective!