The first book I read by Ted Dekker was Thr3e, which I enjoyed thoroughly from start to end. But then it felt like Dekker hit a dry spell. I read House which he had co-authored with Frank Peretti[1. Peretti is probably my favorite fiction writer, especially in the Christian genre. He, however, also disappointed me first with Monster and then with House.] and it disappointed thoroughly. House seemed to lack real story (as most horror does) and focused on an extremely fragmented narrative.[2. By this I mean the book is told in small segments, swapping back and forth between characters, times, places, etc. This is fine when done in moderation (e.g. one chapter about one character, the next about another), but when it becomes pervasive it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I consider it an artificial method of creating a driving thriller. Instead of real substance one breaks up the story in a way that feels "fast-paced" but if placed in order would simply feel simplistic and dull.]

After that it was Showdown and Saint (The Paradise Series), both of which I found somewhat boring – probably due to the imaginative storyline which felt just a bit too fantastical for my tastes. I picked up Obsessed but never was obsessed with it and haven’t finished it yet (not sure if I will). I’d heard good things about his Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, and White) but have avoided them out of my distaste for The Paradise Novels.

I stopped by the library recently and picked up two of his latest – Skin and Adam. I read Skin first. I was solidly disappointed yet again. I was tempted to just return Adam without even a second glance. I’m not trying to say Dekker’s books where awful – they weren’t – they were okay, good, average. They just weren’t great and I have a reading list a mile long. I decided to give it a try anyways – a few pages, then put it aside. Dekker grabbed me in the first several pages and wouldn’t let me go. Wow! By the end Charity had joined me and we were reading the story together. We both agreed that it was his most mature work to date. In fact, I would consider it a masterpiece in its genre.

Synopsis:

Daniel Clark works for the FBI and is hunting down a mysterious serial killer known only as “Eve” for taking innocent women and murdering them via a lethal biological injection. Clark has been hard on Eve’s trail for a long time and has lost his marriage over his obsession to catch Eve. Now it seems that Clark is finally getting close, but Eve outsmarts him again – shooting him in the head and killing him. Miraculously, Clark is resuscitated, but not without losing his memory of the killer’s face. The key to capturing this devious criminal is locked in his damaged mind.

Okay, so the storyline isn’t perhaps all that different from any number of other crime thrillers, or for that matter many of Dekker’s other stories – but the execution is flawless. Dekker interweaves the current narrative of the serial killer chase with fictitious newspaper articles written after the case describing the evolution of Alex Price (Eve) from a man into a killer.

There are only so many times one can read a crime thriller. They pretty much have the same narrative structure and storyline – bad guy kills people, bad guy gets caught. Flesh it out and you have your story. So how does one separate oneself from the masses? Dekker does it (and rightly so) by asking deeply philosophical (and theological) questions via his narrative[3. He does this in some of his other novels, but generally I have found the execution flawed with the exception of Thr3e and Adam.], specifically, “What is it that causes an individual to become a serial killer? Is one born as such or bred as such? Can a good man become a bad one?” This questions can be asked in a heavy-handed manner that demands a certain pathway be followed and fails to truly explore the questions and accept the unanswered dimensions, but Dekker succeeds in asking these questions in a way that feels real and authentic.

Conclusion:

If you are looking for a thrilling read, Adam is a great place to look. I have read few books that have grabbed me in such a firm way – and that I look back on with deep thoughts. I think the question of the darkest edges of humanity (e.g. serial killers) fascinates us because we believe at some point that it gives us insight into the whole of humanity. We want to understand how we can aberrate so far – we want to find an answer. Dekker encourages us to search our souls for the right answers.[4. This book is not a pure criminal thriller. If you want to get an idea of the secret twist (which makes the story even more frightening) click here, it'll take you to a book referenced in the novel that is tightly intertwined with the plot - but warning - its a spoiler!]

Related posts:

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Hotel Rwanda – PG-13 – Released: 2004 – Tells the gut-wrenching story of the Rwandan genocide and one man who was willing to stand up to the oppression – while we as the world stood quiet. What is the role of the United States or any country in the world, especially when it involves genocide? This film brings that question straight into our hearts and refuses to let us go until we have wrestled deeply with it.

Something the Lord Made – NR – Released: 2005 – Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) hires an African-American carpenter, Vivian Thomas (Mos Def), to assist him around his medical offices. Vivian shows great ingenuity and becomes the forerunner in a partnership between Blalock and Thomas that lead to radical, life-saving medical innovations. All this occurs against a background of racism in which Thomas is unable to take credit for his own work due to his skin color and lack of a medical degree. An exciting film about the triumph of man over illness and oppression.

Life Is Beautiful – PG-13 – Released: 1998 – Roberto Benigni is an absolute genius. He creates and stars in this amazing film that does the impossible – creates a respectful and heart-warming comedy of the Holocaust during World War II. I know, it sounds impossible, but you will have to see this absolutely marvelous film to understand it.

The Passion of the Christ – R – Released: 2004 – Mel Gibson’s amazing vision of the torture and crucifixion of Christ. A painful, beautiful, disturbing portrayal of what Jesus suffered for the sake of mankind.

We Were Soldiers – R – Release Date: 2002 – Mel Gibson strikes again with this gritty film about the Vietnam War. Based on the true story of the 7th Cav. (carried by helicopters, not horses) this film is an epic solely on its war film merits alone. However, the reason it makes this list is not for its non-stop action but the interweaving of the stories of the wives who were left at home and the anguish they face waiting the news whether their husband has joined the every growing list of killed in action.

Awakenings – PG-13 – Release Date: 1990 – Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro star in this marvelous true story of one doctor who dared to find a cure for individuals left comatose for decades by encephalitis. The story is encouraging and heartbreaking and challenges us to remember the potential we have to discover new cures and better ways of living.

Luther – PG-13 – Release Date: 2003 – Martin Luther was one of the most significant leaders of a movement known as the Reformation which birthed the division between Protestant and Catholic churches. Luther’s personal struggle with faith and battle to reform the excesses of the church are marvelously displayed and recitations of some of Luther’s most famous words by Joseph Fiennes are enough to send shivers down the spine.

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One of the shows I really loved (and that was canceled) was Jericho. 50,000 lbs. of nuts sent to CBS’ offices later they re-launched the show for a second season – only to cancel it again…But that was okay with me. The second season of Jericho should be considered non-canonical – the quality, storyline, etc. where morphed too much by an attempt to garner ratings. I never did watch the season finale for season 2.

That said, the first season is a worthwhile view. Jericho is the story of a small town in Kansas. When nuclear blasts occur throughout the United States in major metropolitan areas the government essentially falls apart and life as we know it ends. The show shows in a fascinating manner what the collapse of society might look like and how we would slowly start to put things back together.

In this context one enjoys the friendship, feuds, and adventures shared by the townspeople. They are forced to work together – fight together – and grow together. They bring their own demons to the table – dark pasts that haunt them, but also looking forward to the opportunities a new future brings them.

Jericho exists at two levels. In the first is the overarching story arc of a post-apocalypse world with all the mayhem and pain this includes. At the second level it is a homely tale similar to House on the Prairie that shares in the daily lives of people. The overarching story gives it momentum, the townsfolk focus gives it heart and depth.

So, take a look…and just pretend Season 1 is it. That the story ends with that dramatic cut-off (which I won’t reveal)…or write your own ending. Its a good drama series with a lot of interesting lessons about honor, courage, and sacrifice.

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