A review by the_weirdling
Black: The Birth of Evil by Ted Dekker

4.0

Most Christian fiction starts with a bad sermon and throws some two dimensional characters around it. Ted Dekker typically comes up with a great (often trippy, weird or freaky) story and uses it to explore some theological and philosophical issues along the path to a strong finish- you know, like all the other good books you've ever read that deal with "great questions". Tolkien and Lewis also did this, writing Christian fiction that doesn't preach but instead dives deep into the mysteries of the faith if you have eyes to see but also just spins a really fun, great story if that's all you're in the mood for. This Dekker book is typically in the same league. He sets up a character trapped in two world, one "ours" and a perfect and heavenly realm that also claims to be "ours" and just as real. If you have eyes to see, it is a parable for The Fall in Eden, but it is great even if you don't see it or don't care. Dekker looks at one of his favorite themes (good and evil and how they relate) along with a bunch of Matrix-what's really real type themes. Good stuff. I - as usual - enjoyed reading Dekker's novel.