Adam

I love thrillers/borderline horror films and even considered picking up Steven King novel, but I was weary to do so because of the usual content in thriller/horror genres. Generally, I also avoid horror movies despite liking the thrill and suspense they give for the same reason. When I found out that Christian thriller/horror existed I was ecstatic and eager to break my reading funk. Adam is my first Ted Dekker read besides his coauthored book "House," and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Adam explores the fall of man in a unique way and explores how people have free choice about what they accept into (or reject from) their hearts and the corruption and destruction it can cause to others and a persons soul. I also like that Ted's work never spoon feeds you throughout the story, he makes you work to find all the hidden details that unfold in the book. I usually take issue with Christian genres for their seemingly unspoken rule of family friendliness that comes across goofy and childish. Rarely I find a Christian film or piece of literature that is truly thought compelling or thrilling, rather than a simple rehash of Biblical truths we've heard time and time again, but Ted has really raised the bar on what I expect from Christian authors and myself as a novice writer. I read through the book rather quickly considering I'm usually busy, but I couldn't put it down easily and Ted completely blindsided me with a twist towards the end of the book that I absolutely loved. I don't want to give much detail about the book in my review to not risk spoiling it, so I'll say this: READ IT! It'll keep you on your toes and leave you wanting more of Ted's works, I know I certainly do.

Ted Dekker does it again with the novel "Adam." I don't think that Ted Dekker can write a bad book. The main story is the search of a Serial killer who has killed 16 women. Daniel Clark a FBI investegator has spent years searching for the serial killer called Eve. When Daniel Clark gets to close to Eve a near death experience occurs for Daniel and draws him even further into the mind of the serial killer. What happens next is a whirlwind page turning ride that will make you see the real light of God. A very powerful and intense story that keeps you wanting more. I love the way the book switches between the story and magazine articles. Im not sure if this ties into the rest of Teds book or stand alone but who know with the mind of Dekker.

From the time I finished "When Heaven Weeps" (Dekker's second novel), I knew we were witnessing a new direction in the world of fiction with a faith-based message. While never hiding his Christian roots and their influence on his writing, Dekker has carved out his own niche in the marketplace with big concepts, fast-paced stories, and prolific output. "Adam" is as fast-paced and riveting as anything Dekker's written. While unfolding the antagonist's background through cleverly inserted magazine bits, Dekker spends even more time letting us follow an FBI investigation through the eyes of Daniel Clark. Daniel has given years of his life to capturing Eve, a serial killer with unknown motives and a knack for avoiding detection. While Eve's motives become more personal, drawing in Daniel and his ex-wife, Daniel is threatened by the disorienting effects of a bullet wound suffered in an earlier showdown with Eve. In the past, Dekker has sometimes passed over certain details to focus on the heart of a story, but he bolsters this latest thriller with research that adds to the story's realism and sense of danger. Not only does this lift it above many other books out there, it becomes essential to the ending--where fact and fiction, faith and doubt, and good and evil collide. This is one of Dekker's best books overall, and may be his best thriller yet. Combining character and plot development with spiritual ideas, he proves that he has many more stories for us. Although the climax is reached in a somewhat expected exorcism scene, God's truth and light are on full display, pinpointing mankind's fall and the hope of redemption. Good storytelling need never be preachy, and Dekker proves that once again with "Adam."

When Frank Peretti endorsed Ted Dekker's debut novel, "Heaven's Wager," he knew it was something special. Fans of Frank Peretti, including me, figured Dekker was something special. Ted Dekker has repeatedly impressed time and time again. At least I've been impressed! I really love his work, and would immediately recommend it to anybody. So when "Adam" was released into the "New Release" category, I immediately wondered, almost figured that it might be an addition that goes along with "The Circle." Nope. Not this time. Dekker came out with something that would make the likes of Frank Peretti and Randy Alcorn wince, and author John Eldredge would personally endorse this. Evil. It is all around us. Evil is what "Adam" is all about. Or rather Eve. And Daniel Clark is set, more like obsessed, with finding what Eve is all about. Eve is an abductor, and a killer, and Eve will play with your head. It all begins with the kidnapping of two children, and will certainly end in death. And Eve has clearly told Daniel to back off! Daniel himself has been driven to the brink, and it scares the living hell out of him. And when he's been scared, he goes deeper than he thought he could ever go. And now he's got nothing to lose. Right? Ted Dekker is once again brilliant. He holds nothing back, and he refuses to apologize for it. And his aim this time is to show the defeat of Satan through Jesus Christ. He takes evil on and clamps down hard! He refuses to let go until the time is right. He tackles spiritual warfare through an outstanding thriller! That's Ted Dekker, the one Frank Peretti endorsed some time ago. I still endorse him to this day! Great work!!

FBI agent Daniel Clark is obsessed with stopping Eve, a serial killer that has taken the lives of fifteen victims. His training in behavioral psychology has helped him get close to the killer numerous times, but despite his hard work he is always one step behind. His relentless pursuit of Eve has cost him his marriage and will now cost him his life. As Daniel follows a new break in the case he comes face to face with his nemesis and dies as a result. His partner, Lori, fights to resuscitate him as Eve vanishes into thin air. When Daniel is brought back to life twenty minutes later he realizes that he is the only eyewitness that has ever seen Eve. The only problem is that the image is burned into Daniel's subconscious and try as he might he can't retrieve it. Daniel's mind and body are now all out of whack and he is plagued with a perpetual nightmare about what he saw while he was dead. Soon Daniel and Lori are convinced that the only way to identify Eve is for Daniel to die again in an effort to reclaim those lost moments. As Daniel gets closer to the truth he uncovers shocking revelations about Eve that will challenge his own personal faith to the core. To make matters worse, Eve has now made the game personal and Daniel will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves. Ted Dekker brings suspense and terror to a whole new level with Adam. We always expect "outside of the box" fiction from Dekker, but this one pushes the boundaries more than any of his previous works. And that's a good thing! Not only do we get another well crafted plot and more intriguing characters, but this time around Dekker shows us a darker side of spirituality that is ultimately frightening and real. Much of the plot deals with demon possession, and Dekker effectively sheds light on a diverse subject that is often overlooked or ignored. As always Dekker uses the darkness to show us the light, and it doesn't get any darker than this. We are reminded how real evil is and if nothing else this novel will help us to wake up and pay attention to the dark forces that are unseen in our world. Adam is bound to be considered controversial, but I must admit I loved every moment. I read that Dekker researched more for Adam than any of his previous works and if so it really pays off. The glimpses into near death experiences are especially eye opening and delightfully creepy bringing the chill factor to new heights. This is not a typical Dekker story with alternate universes and mind blowing plot twists around every corner. Instead we see a new side to Dekker's writing that is just as enjoyable and even more thought-proving and challenging. Everyone will be talking abut this one!

Dekker fans are in for a wild ride. Dekker is at his best when he writes thrillers. His fantasy is good, but his thrillers are breathtaking and sleep stealing. Adam pivots on the usual Ted Dekker standard theme of man's fall and God's extravagant grace. An avowed atheist, psychological profiler on his quest to catch the bad guy enters into places he never believed existed, especially within himself. The woman who loves him gets entangled in the increasingly tense cat and mouse game between the ever-changing status of hunted vs. hunter. Dekker covers the murderer's intriguing backstory in a multi-part news expose which amps the tension with each segement of article. The only negative is some ambiguity in the final sewing up of details. Dekker may very well have meant to be ambiguous as he left some story lines with opportunity for growth in future novels which would be very okay by me. The climax ended on a decided downbeat, too. But to have pumped any more intensity into the scene may have been overkill. I'm calling Adam my favorite Dekker novel -- to date -- you never know what's going to tweak his creative flow next.