PLEASE NOTE: I have to preface this review by saying that I am reviewing the audio version of the book. I did not actually read the books so I am sure many of my spellings of names are probably spelled wrong. Not owning the print book, I cannot confirm the correct spellings.

Black was the first Ted Dekker book I’ve ever read but within minutes of getting absorbed in the story I knew it wouldn’t be my last. I was completely sucked in, fascinated with the story unfolding and the adventures of Thomas Hunter in both worlds.

Thomas Hunter is a young man far from perfect and prone to trouble. His latest escapades have put him in a loan shark’s sight and causes more trouble than he has yet encountered. While running from the collectors sent to relieve him of the debt he owes, a bullet grazes his head and he blacks out. Next thing he knows, Thomas is in a dangerous new world, with a head injury and no memory of who he is or how he got there. All he can remember is “don’t drink the red water.” When he passes out again he wakes in this world, filled with thoughts of a strange place. But which is the dream and which is the reality?

Thomas discovers he is a rarity. Through his dreams he is two people, living in two separate worlds, both of which are on the brink of disaster. While in the other world, that of the colored forest, he learns of a deadly virus about to be unleashed in our Earth that will wipe out all of civilization. In that world, hideous monstrosities resembling huge black bats, the Shitaike, are waiting to be released so they can wreak havoc on the world.

Now Thomas is in a race against time in both worlds. Here he is desperate to make people understand the imminent threat of a miracle vaccine turning into deadly virus. In the colored forest, his drive to find the information necessary to save our world becomes the catalyst leading to the ultimate destruction of the colored forest and the unleashing of the plague of Shitaike.

Wow! This story is fascinating, adventurous, suspenseful, and deeply moving. Thomas is not a religious man, but the people he encounters in the colored forest are deeply devout and determined to make him understand The Great Romance. What exactly is this Romance? It is the love of the Creator… Elyon… for all His people. Through his future mate Rochelle, Thomas, (and in turn the readers) learns what life is really about. He has to learn this lesson before he can truly be successful in his duty to save both worlds.

Though initially the transitions back and forth between worlds through Thomas’ dreams can be confusing, readers soon get used to the concept and find themselves following along quite easily. The pace of the novel speeds along, leading up to the dramatic twists that culminate in a gripping cliffhanger. I was left rushing to the library for Red, the second book in the trilogy.

Black by Ted Dekker is a deeply spiritual work, without being ‘in your face’ about it. Readers find themselves really thinking about life, and what it truly means to love wholeheartedly from the deepest part of the soul. Though Thomas is the main character surrounded by a rather large ensemble of players, the real hero is Elyon and He is the most important individual encountered.

Rob Lamont does an incredible job bringing Black to life. His powerful voice can be molded into so many different tones to portray such a wide variety of characters. He does the reading masterfully, so there was never any doubt in my mind as to who was talking at any time. You can hear the love in Elyon’s voice and feel the terror caused by Teelah, the leader of the Shitaike. I have never listened to an audio book performed by Rob Lamont, but he did an amazing job with this one. The addition of mood music and sound effects enhance the performance even more, providing the perfect method for moving between emotions, characters, scenes, and worlds.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, September 2006. All rights reserved.