Book Review: Green by Ted Dekker

I've read quite a few Sci-fi and Fantasy novels over the past 25+ years. I've read good ones, bad ones, and great ones. I've read stand alone novels and books that are part of extended series. All in all, I would estimate that I have read over 500 books in the science fiction and fantasy genre. So when I say that I like a book of that type, you know that I'm not just impressed with something shiny....

And I'm saying that I really liked "Green" by Ted Dekker. I liked it as a stand alone novel but I really enjoyed it as part of the Circle series. At least, I think I do. See, I haven't read any of the other books in the Circle series yet (Black, Red, and White). But Green, the 4th (and supposedly last) book published in the series, is written in such a way that you can either start the series with it, or end the series with it.

Dekker has really made a circle with the Circle series. Which is why Green is called "Book 0. The Beginning and the End."

In Green, Dekker opens up the scene on Earth 2000 years in the future. He shows us the people of Earth given a second chance after an apocalypse wiped everything out in our present day. Things are different in this future. Culture is primitive and somewhat medieval. There is no real technology and very little science there. But the biggest difference is that the forces of Good and Evil, the things that in our day are in the spirit world, have very physical manifestation on this future Earth.

I won't delve into all of the details about these manifestations. Or about time travel, angels and demons, or the end of the world. But I will tell you that Dekker is an amazing story teller and writer. The worlds (current Earth and future Earth) that he has imagined and illustrated with his words are incredible. I could hardly put the book down. Even staying up until after 2:00am one night reading "just one more chapter."

Once I finally did finish "Green", I was lucky enough to find a single volume that combined Black, Red, and White in their entirety (thank you Lifeway!) and I'm reading deeper into the Circle.

Whether you start the Circle with Green or finish it there, I recommend getting it....

Per the recent FTC ruling, I am required to tell you that I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in return for publishing my review.