Review – Green

Green, called both prequel and sequel to the Circle Series, switches between the years 2010 and 4036 AD. Earth’s apocalypse occurred as prophesied in the Books of History by Daniel and John, and future populations are uncivilized. But the deity, Elyon, gives the planet another chance, and restores life with a new firstborn called Tanis, with advantages unlike those in 2010. Tanis has abilities to see, feel, taste, and touch the spiritual-both good and evil.

Bands of “Horde”, enslaved by Teelah’s evil disease, roam the forests and deserts in search of rebels, led by their leader, “Qurong.” The book opens with the rebel’s annual Gathering to celebrate their love for Elyon, and look for his promised return. Thomas Hunter leads the small band of 3,000 albino rebels washed in the “red pools” until their skin cleared of the “scabbing disease that cracked the skin and deceived the mind. They journey to the Gathering that meets in four different locations for safety.

Ted Dekker’s name tops the best seller lists, and for good reason. He combines metaphor and story with mega-themes of good and evil, and writes “adrenaline-laced” narratives that leave readers wanting more at books end.

Green, Book Zero, fits the author’s exceptional writing skills, but not the plot. Dekker writes Green can either be read first or last in the series, but I disagree. Without reading Red, White and Black in the Circle Series, as well as knowing characters from previous books, readers become confused.

Perhaps that’s the reason for the long and boring dissertations in an otherwise action filled adventure story-to fill in missing details. Then, if you read Green first, it spoils other books for those who don’t want to know how stories end before they read them.

Readers familiar with the Bible, will see strong similarities between Jesus’ blood, and “drowning” in the red pools, between Elyon, and Elohim, Hebrew name for God, and Elyon’s mandate to love regardless of personal cost. Some issues concerned me, whether salvation can be lost and time travel to “save” a loved one from an earlier time. Shataiki, a bat-like vampire described as the embodiment of evil, made me question why vampires were included, since the story would have read better without it. Many readers find vampires distasteful and won’t read books about them.

Just as Green is a mixed bag of ingredients, so is my review. I liked some parts; excellent descriptive writing and fast pace, but disliked the vampire aspect, the confusing time elements, and questioning of basic Christian thought. I’m a Dekker fan, but recommend this book with the aforementioned warnings.