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The Circle #0-3
Circle Series 4-in-1
Thomas Hunter is an unlikely hero who finds himself pulled between two worlds. In our reality, he works in a coffeehouse. In the other, he becomes a battle-scarred general leading a band of warriors known as the Circle.
Every time he falls asleep in one reality, he wakes in the other—and both worlds are facing catastrophic disaster. In one world, Thomas must race to outwit sadistic terrorists intent on creating a global pandemic by releasing an unstoppable virus. In the other, far into the future, a forbidden love could forever destroy the Circle’s ragtag resistance.
Thomas can bridge both worlds, but he quickly realizes that he may not be able to save either. In this mind-bending adventure, the fate of both worlds now rests on his ability to shift realities through his dreams—and somehow, find a way to change history.
Four novels. Two worlds. One story.
Every time he falls asleep in one reality, he wakes in the other—and both worlds are facing catastrophic disaster. In one world, Thomas must race to outwit sadistic terrorists intent on creating a global pandemic by releasing an unstoppable virus. In the other, far into the future, a forbidden love could forever destroy the Circle’s ragtag resistance.
Thomas can bridge both worlds, but he quickly realizes that he may not be able to save either. In this mind-bending adventure, the fate of both worlds now rests on his ability to shift realities through his dreams—and somehow, find a way to change history.
Four novels. Two worlds. One story.
1602 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2009
2232 people are currently reading
2860 people want to read
About the author
Ted Dekker
204 books9,851 followersTed Dekker is known for novels that combine adrenaline-laced stories with unexpected plot twists, unforgettable characters, and incredible confrontations between good and evil. Ted lives in Austin with his wife LeeAnn and their four children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
March 31, 2018
Full review now posted!
This series is incredibly special to me. I first read it when I was sixteen years old, and it radically changed the way I viewed my own faith. There are only a handful of books that have had so great an impact on my core beliefs, and this series was one of the first, if not the first, to do so.
I pushed it on my brother, my parents, my best friend, and the boy I was dating who turned out to be my future husband. Dekker’s series dramatically impacted them as well, and changed the way we discussed our faith. My husband has the emblem tattooed on his forearm, and we just reread this together because of how dramatically it impacted us when we were dating. My best friend has a medallion of the emblem that she wears all the time. And I have bought multiple copies of the series, lending them out to anyone I could convince to give Dekker a try, and giving them away to anyone who felt their impact as deeply as I.
What makes this series so special? Imagine if you will living simultaneously in two world; whenever you slept in one world, you awakened in the other. And now imagine that this other world you’re experiencing is different in one drastic way: anything that is spiritual in our world is physically manifested there. God (Elyon) manifests Himself in a lake, and you can literally dive into His presence. Sin is a disease that can be seen on your skin and in your eyes and in your aversion to the Elyon’s waters. The cure for this disease? Literally drowning in the lake, breathing in Elyon and accepting the new life he gives.
Seeing my faith physically manifested in such a way rocked me to my core as a teenager. At the time, my favorite Bible verse (and the way I signed my letters to anyone) was Romans 12:2, which says “Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but rather by transformed by the renewing of your mind in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” That signature soon became Dive Deep with that verse tacked onto it, because that little two word phrase now held such a depth of meaning for me, and I yearned for people to ask me what it meant so that I could share my faith with them.
Going back and rereading this series after so many years was eye-opening for me. I have honestly become lazy in my faith; I no longer go out of my way to share that faith with others because I don’t wish to offend anyone. I feared that my passion had cooled, but rereading this series proved otherwise. If my faith has cooled, it is only because I have not fed it as consistently as I used to, but Dekker’s work reminded me of that necessity. I will definitely be rereading more of his novels, and soon, because I deeply desire to reclaim the closeness with God that I used to take for granted.
However, my eyes weren’t only opened to my need to work on my faith. I have read so many books in the past twelve years since discovering Dekker, so many by fantasy authors who were new to me, that I have to reevaluate my proclamation of Dekker’s talent. I’ve already mentioned how spiritually impactful his work has been for me; I own a copy of every single book he has ever released, which is something I can claim for very few authors. That’s 46 Ted Dekker books that live on my shelves. But I have to admit that, having now read so many other authors in similar genres, Dekker is not the best of writers technically speaking. His dialogue can be clunky and his metaphors can be heavy-handed. The writing itself just honestly isn’t that great.
While not a prose-smith, Dekker is a masterful storyteller. If you can look past the writing itself, the stories he tells are deep and brimming with truth presented in radical ways. They’re stories that stick with a reader so strongly that getting a tattoo of an emblem from his book covers ten years after having read them makes complete sense. My family still uses his books in our conversations about faith.
Something else that I really appreciate about Dekker’s writing is the interconnectedness of so many of his books. This interconnectedness is why I have remained such a Dekker fan for years, and is actually the reason I started reading Stephen King, because I had heard his work provided something similar. While the Circle series can absolutely stand alone, I would strongly recommend reading his Paradise trilogy (Showdown, Saint, and Sinner) and possibly Immanuel’s Veins before reading Green, Dekker’s final installment in the Circle. Green is one of the most unique reading experiences I’ve ever had, as it’s neither book 1 nor book 4; it’s book Zero. This is the book that makes the Circle series a literal circe in itself, ending at the beginning or beginning at the end. I was so conflicted over this book when I read it the first time, because while the idea was intellectually incredibly unique, I felt cheated out of an ending. However, in this 4-in-1 bind-up, Dekker gave us an alternate ending that was actually an ending, which gave me closure I didn’t realize I needed twelve years later.
Do I recommend this series? Absolutely yes. If you have any interest in the Christian faith, this is allegorically one of the best representations of it I’ve ever come across, and it’s emotionally power-packed. This is a story brimming with struggle and philosophy and war and rage and, maybe more than anything else, Romance. That R is totally capitalized for a reason. But be aware that the writing might not be as polished as one might expect. My rating of this book is purely based in the impact the story has had on my life, not on Dekker’s prosaic craftsmanship. But, read with an open heart, this is a story that can radically change your view of the world, your faith, and even your life.
Dive Deep, my friends.
For more of my reviews, as well as my own fiction and thoughts on life, check out my blog, Celestial Musings.
This series is incredibly special to me. I first read it when I was sixteen years old, and it radically changed the way I viewed my own faith. There are only a handful of books that have had so great an impact on my core beliefs, and this series was one of the first, if not the first, to do so.
I pushed it on my brother, my parents, my best friend, and the boy I was dating who turned out to be my future husband. Dekker’s series dramatically impacted them as well, and changed the way we discussed our faith. My husband has the emblem tattooed on his forearm, and we just reread this together because of how dramatically it impacted us when we were dating. My best friend has a medallion of the emblem that she wears all the time. And I have bought multiple copies of the series, lending them out to anyone I could convince to give Dekker a try, and giving them away to anyone who felt their impact as deeply as I.
What makes this series so special? Imagine if you will living simultaneously in two world; whenever you slept in one world, you awakened in the other. And now imagine that this other world you’re experiencing is different in one drastic way: anything that is spiritual in our world is physically manifested there. God (Elyon) manifests Himself in a lake, and you can literally dive into His presence. Sin is a disease that can be seen on your skin and in your eyes and in your aversion to the Elyon’s waters. The cure for this disease? Literally drowning in the lake, breathing in Elyon and accepting the new life he gives.
Seeing my faith physically manifested in such a way rocked me to my core as a teenager. At the time, my favorite Bible verse (and the way I signed my letters to anyone) was Romans 12:2, which says “Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but rather by transformed by the renewing of your mind in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” That signature soon became Dive Deep with that verse tacked onto it, because that little two word phrase now held such a depth of meaning for me, and I yearned for people to ask me what it meant so that I could share my faith with them.
Going back and rereading this series after so many years was eye-opening for me. I have honestly become lazy in my faith; I no longer go out of my way to share that faith with others because I don’t wish to offend anyone. I feared that my passion had cooled, but rereading this series proved otherwise. If my faith has cooled, it is only because I have not fed it as consistently as I used to, but Dekker’s work reminded me of that necessity. I will definitely be rereading more of his novels, and soon, because I deeply desire to reclaim the closeness with God that I used to take for granted.
However, my eyes weren’t only opened to my need to work on my faith. I have read so many books in the past twelve years since discovering Dekker, so many by fantasy authors who were new to me, that I have to reevaluate my proclamation of Dekker’s talent. I’ve already mentioned how spiritually impactful his work has been for me; I own a copy of every single book he has ever released, which is something I can claim for very few authors. That’s 46 Ted Dekker books that live on my shelves. But I have to admit that, having now read so many other authors in similar genres, Dekker is not the best of writers technically speaking. His dialogue can be clunky and his metaphors can be heavy-handed. The writing itself just honestly isn’t that great.
While not a prose-smith, Dekker is a masterful storyteller. If you can look past the writing itself, the stories he tells are deep and brimming with truth presented in radical ways. They’re stories that stick with a reader so strongly that getting a tattoo of an emblem from his book covers ten years after having read them makes complete sense. My family still uses his books in our conversations about faith.
Something else that I really appreciate about Dekker’s writing is the interconnectedness of so many of his books. This interconnectedness is why I have remained such a Dekker fan for years, and is actually the reason I started reading Stephen King, because I had heard his work provided something similar. While the Circle series can absolutely stand alone, I would strongly recommend reading his Paradise trilogy (Showdown, Saint, and Sinner) and possibly Immanuel’s Veins before reading Green, Dekker’s final installment in the Circle. Green is one of the most unique reading experiences I’ve ever had, as it’s neither book 1 nor book 4; it’s book Zero. This is the book that makes the Circle series a literal circe in itself, ending at the beginning or beginning at the end. I was so conflicted over this book when I read it the first time, because while the idea was intellectually incredibly unique, I felt cheated out of an ending. However, in this 4-in-1 bind-up, Dekker gave us an alternate ending that was actually an ending, which gave me closure I didn’t realize I needed twelve years later.
Do I recommend this series? Absolutely yes. If you have any interest in the Christian faith, this is allegorically one of the best representations of it I’ve ever come across, and it’s emotionally power-packed. This is a story brimming with struggle and philosophy and war and rage and, maybe more than anything else, Romance. That R is totally capitalized for a reason. But be aware that the writing might not be as polished as one might expect. My rating of this book is purely based in the impact the story has had on my life, not on Dekker’s prosaic craftsmanship. But, read with an open heart, this is a story that can radically change your view of the world, your faith, and even your life.
Dive Deep, my friends.
For more of my reviews, as well as my own fiction and thoughts on life, check out my blog, Celestial Musings.
June 4, 2013
Rare is the story that takes readers out of this world and into another.
Rarer still the story that captures heart, soul, and mind...leaving the reader forever transformed.
This is that story.
Dive deep and enter the Circle.
The Circle is an epic story of evil and rescue, betrayal and love, and terrorist threat unlike anything the human race has ever known.
It beings when a man named Thomas hunter finds himself being chased down an alley after working the late shift at a coffee house. When a bullet grazes his head, he awakens in an entirely different reality. Now every time he falls asleep, he wakes up in the other reality--and every choice he makes impacts the fate of two worlds.
At long last, all four novels in this groundbreaking series have been brought together in one adrenaline-laced volume.
Four novels. Two Worlds. One Story.
I'd give the series 20 solid stars, if I could!!
Rarer still the story that captures heart, soul, and mind...leaving the reader forever transformed.
This is that story.
Dive deep and enter the Circle.
The Circle is an epic story of evil and rescue, betrayal and love, and terrorist threat unlike anything the human race has ever known.
It beings when a man named Thomas hunter finds himself being chased down an alley after working the late shift at a coffee house. When a bullet grazes his head, he awakens in an entirely different reality. Now every time he falls asleep, he wakes up in the other reality--and every choice he makes impacts the fate of two worlds.
At long last, all four novels in this groundbreaking series have been brought together in one adrenaline-laced volume.
Four novels. Two Worlds. One Story.
I'd give the series 20 solid stars, if I could!!
August 4, 2017
SO. I finally got through this 1.6K-page tome that weighs a tonne. And it only took me 4 months!
In terms of actual reading time, I read Black over the course of April/May (I think, or whenever I posted the update) and then I read Red, White, and half of Green in the span of 2 days, while travelling from Malaysia to America. And then I was at a conference, and then I finished up the last half of Green over an afternoon or two, in between vacationing. So it's not really 4 months... but I probably did it an injustice by spreading out my reading over such a long time frame. Details get lost, and all that.
---
Honestly, if I had just bought Black: The Birth of Evil on its own, I probably wouldn't have continued to read the rest of the series. Maybe it had been overhyped a little (ha, apparently my friends are Dekker fans) but Black was seriously only an okay read.
Thomas Hunter is chased by some unknown men. He falls asleep and wakes up in an alternate reality--a forest--with no idea how he got there, where it is, or even who exactly he's supposed to be. Which world is real? And which is the dream? All he knows is that whatever he's dreaming of in his original world has already happened in this dream/future world.
The flipping back and forth between the realities got a little tiring after a while, especially when nothing much seemed to be happening. I know all that back story and confusion and vagueness was necessary, but I've been becoming an impatient reader lately so I wasn't in the best of mindsets to slog through it. I'd probably have given it a 3-star, noted a "maybe I'll continue the rest of the series" and then forgotten about it. BUT since I had the entire series, AND Dekker was keynoting at a conference I was attending, obviously I had to read the whole thing, right?
---
The meat of The Circle Series is really in the middle two books, Red and White. Which was why I finished them over the course of a 16-hour flight.
General Thomas of Hunter is now a renowned warrior, one of the leaders of the Forest People. They're the remnants who have remained clean, who still hold on to their belief in Elyon. Those who don't believe, the Horde, are infected with a skin disease and are followers of Teeleh and the Shataiki. In Bangkok, Thomas Hunter is still the unknown person who gains information from his dreams and is the only hope of saving the world from the Raison Strain.
It's here that Dekker's allegorical game becomes strong. It's the steadfast Christians against the rest of the world. It's the powers of darkness against the children of light. One of the major concepts of this world is that the hidden, spiritual battle in the 'past' world (i.e. our time) is now shown physically in this future world. Dekker plays with easily recognisable symbols: baptism/drowning, the Gospels/the History Books, sin/Scabs, and then, of course, the Jesus figure (I can't give you the parallel without it being a spoiler, but yes, there is one).
If the theme of Red: The Heroic Rescue was the redemption and salvation of the future earth, then White: The Great Pursuit focuses on the salvation of the past earth even whilst Elyon pursues his people in the future earth.
Past earth is still in dire straits: the antidote has yet to be found and time is running out. Oh, and nuclear weapons have been launched. Future earth seems to have it better--Elyon has revealed himself to them again and started them on a new path. Their healing is now permanent, not a temporary measure. But there's dissent brewing in the camp.
It feels a little like a commentary about theological disputes between churches, especially what it means to be in the world but not of the world. Do you continue to live in your little church/Christian bubbles? Or is it safe--or wise--to live amongst those who seek to kill you? (Well obviously in the real world, they wouldn't actually kill you, but as per the theme of the books, things the metaphysical of our world is physical/lived out in theirs.
---
And finally, you get to the controversial last book, Green: The Last Stand.
There's betrayal in this one, and desperate love. The believers, or albinos as they call themselves, are split. Most of the story is concentrated on the future earth--the main story arch for past earth has been completed in White, leaving only a few loose ends to be tied up (vaguely spoilerish? You decide).
The tension seems to drop a little here, but that could also be because I had to stop reading halfway and then was only able to take it up again a few days later, in a rather disjointed manner. Theme-wise, it's a story of the end-times, with the great deception, the antichrist, the mark of the beast, and the battle of Armegeddon.
BUT I will say this. Contrary to popular opinion (haha), the original ending for Green is probably the right one. It's not perfect. It's devastating, actually, tragic, but it's what really completes the circle. It what makes the beginning make sense.
It's like what I say about the end of The Hunger Games: I don't like what happened, but it is what it is. What it has to be.
(Well, the alternate ending is cool too, and you have closure, and feel happy. So there's that.)
In terms of actual reading time, I read Black over the course of April/May (I think, or whenever I posted the update) and then I read Red, White, and half of Green in the span of 2 days, while travelling from Malaysia to America. And then I was at a conference, and then I finished up the last half of Green over an afternoon or two, in between vacationing. So it's not really 4 months... but I probably did it an injustice by spreading out my reading over such a long time frame. Details get lost, and all that.
---
Honestly, if I had just bought Black: The Birth of Evil on its own, I probably wouldn't have continued to read the rest of the series. Maybe it had been overhyped a little (ha, apparently my friends are Dekker fans) but Black was seriously only an okay read.
Thomas Hunter is chased by some unknown men. He falls asleep and wakes up in an alternate reality--a forest--with no idea how he got there, where it is, or even who exactly he's supposed to be. Which world is real? And which is the dream? All he knows is that whatever he's dreaming of in his original world has already happened in this dream/future world.
The flipping back and forth between the realities got a little tiring after a while, especially when nothing much seemed to be happening. I know all that back story and confusion and vagueness was necessary, but I've been becoming an impatient reader lately so I wasn't in the best of mindsets to slog through it. I'd probably have given it a 3-star, noted a "maybe I'll continue the rest of the series" and then forgotten about it. BUT since I had the entire series, AND Dekker was keynoting at a conference I was attending, obviously I had to read the whole thing, right?
---
The meat of The Circle Series is really in the middle two books, Red and White. Which was why I finished them over the course of a 16-hour flight.
General Thomas of Hunter is now a renowned warrior, one of the leaders of the Forest People. They're the remnants who have remained clean, who still hold on to their belief in Elyon. Those who don't believe, the Horde, are infected with a skin disease and are followers of Teeleh and the Shataiki. In Bangkok, Thomas Hunter is still the unknown person who gains information from his dreams and is the only hope of saving the world from the Raison Strain.
It's here that Dekker's allegorical game becomes strong. It's the steadfast Christians against the rest of the world. It's the powers of darkness against the children of light. One of the major concepts of this world is that the hidden, spiritual battle in the 'past' world (i.e. our time) is now shown physically in this future world. Dekker plays with easily recognisable symbols: baptism/drowning, the Gospels/the History Books, sin/Scabs, and then, of course, the Jesus figure (I can't give you the parallel without it being a spoiler, but yes, there is one).
If the theme of Red: The Heroic Rescue was the redemption and salvation of the future earth, then White: The Great Pursuit focuses on the salvation of the past earth even whilst Elyon pursues his people in the future earth.
Past earth is still in dire straits: the antidote has yet to be found and time is running out. Oh, and nuclear weapons have been launched. Future earth seems to have it better--Elyon has revealed himself to them again and started them on a new path. Their healing is now permanent, not a temporary measure. But there's dissent brewing in the camp.
It feels a little like a commentary about theological disputes between churches, especially what it means to be in the world but not of the world. Do you continue to live in your little church/Christian bubbles? Or is it safe--or wise--to live amongst those who seek to kill you? (Well obviously in the real world, they wouldn't actually kill you, but as per the theme of the books, things the metaphysical of our world is physical/lived out in theirs.
---
And finally, you get to the controversial last book, Green: The Last Stand.
There's betrayal in this one, and desperate love. The believers, or albinos as they call themselves, are split. Most of the story is concentrated on the future earth--the main story arch for past earth has been completed in White, leaving only a few loose ends to be tied up (vaguely spoilerish? You decide).
The tension seems to drop a little here, but that could also be because I had to stop reading halfway and then was only able to take it up again a few days later, in a rather disjointed manner. Theme-wise, it's a story of the end-times, with the great deception, the antichrist, the mark of the beast, and the battle of Armegeddon.
BUT I will say this. Contrary to popular opinion (haha), the original ending for Green is probably the right one. It's not perfect. It's devastating, actually, tragic, but it's what really completes the circle. It what makes the beginning make sense.
It's like what I say about the end of The Hunger Games: I don't like what happened, but it is what it is. What it has to be.
(Well, the alternate ending is cool too, and you have closure, and feel happy. So there's that.)
April 14, 2012
This series changed my life!! Ted Dekker is a poet, he writes with such conviction that you can't help but take every word to heart! This is and will forever be my favorite series! The characters are phenomenal! I love that story takes the creation of mankind and intermingles it with the end of times! The way he weaves the two realities together is flawless!! I also love that this series plays a part in so many of his other books! Like The Lost Books, The Paradise novels, House, Immanuels Veins, and now The Mortal Series. It all has to do with the blood! He makes the villains so vile and evil, they scare the socks off you! He is master of his Craft!! Read a Dekker book and you will be a fan no doubt!!!
August 21, 2022
BLACK
Black starts the Circle series off strong with extremely likable characters that the reader can empathize with easily. The protagonist, Thomas Hunter, gets caught between two worlds, one much more fantastical than the other, and he faces a crisis in each. In the modern world world, a deadly virus and a man evil enough to use it linger on the horizon; meanwhile, in a completely different environment where good and evil take on physical forms, Thomas must handle the potential collapse of community as evil pushes forward temptations (and he must learn to pursue love at the same time).
Whenever Thomas falls asleep in one world, he wakes up in the other.
Dekker manages to introduce and play out this concept of two simultaneous worlds near flawlessly. Thomas is the focus in each Earth's narrative, so the overall story might have felt drawn out if not written well, but due to how each environment affects the other with Thomas as the bridge, the concept never becomes old.
I will say though that I always found the fantasy world much more interesting, even when the tension in the realistic world was at its highest. The modern world's story in Black was also the weakest of the four books because of the time spent with Thomas second guessing what world is real and the time spent with Thomas pulling off stunts that leave me with enough secondhand embarrassment that if converted to electricity would power a city with a population of 700,000.
Also, while the fantasy world was more interesting, the fish-out-of-water aspect of this first novel was, as one would expect, rather awkward at times. Particularly, the love story with Rachel had a few moments that required some embarrassment recovery.
I loved the climax. The dramatic change in tone within the fantasy world emphasized the severity of their mistakes and the price they would have to pay. The Biblical analogies, both in Black and the rest of the series, are always painfully obvious, but the actual story beats are still great.
Also I love Michael and Gabil I want stuffed animal versions right now gimme.
RED
Red was a step up from Black thanks to its increased emotional tension, its pressure on characters to make tough choices, and its narrative consistency that kept me wrapped in the story.
Continuing the Biblical analogies, this novel has the arc of redemption. The corruption of man in the fantasy world is represented through a skin disease that can be held back by bathing in the waters of Elyon each day (Elyon being their word for God). Those who embrace evil and the skin disease become known as scabs, members of the Horde people. Although the Forest people have been fighting off the Horde for many years, led by Thomas, another man named Justin is proposing a way of peace that seems to go against what the Forest people believe in.
I was hooked from start to finish for this part of the story. It was emotional and personal while still feeling grand, and Rachel (Thomas's wife) grew to be a much better character. I was worried at the end of Black and at the beginning of Red that she would annoy me, but her attitude quickly changed, allowing her to play a vital role in not only her world, but the modern world as well.
Speaking of the modern world, that side of the narrative also improved, but the villains weren't very compelling. I appreciated the further developed relationship between Thomas, his sister Kara, and the scientist Monique, and their efforts to combat the virus with help from the government held much more weight and carried much more suspense. However, the stakes lacked a personal investment that prevented the modern world from winning my preference. Every time a chapter took place in that world, I couldn't help but feel more excited to go back to the fantasy world despite my consistent enjoyment of the modern world story.
That being said, the modern world story was still good, and the fantasy world was great, pushing Red beyond Black in my eyes.
WHITE
White may be my favorite of the series. It's definitely a close call between White and Red, but the romance in White pulled at my heartstrings.
After the redemption of the Forest people in Red, the conditions for keeping away the skin disease change, and the balance between the Forest people and the Horde also shifts. The Horde outnumber the Forest people (now called the Circle among themselves or albinos by the Horde) more than ever before, and the Horde is sparing no expense in hunting them down.
However, Elyon loves the Horde and wants them to choose to rid themselves of the skin disease in order for them to join him. The differences and mixed feelings between the Circle and Horde, and the differing ideologies beginning to sprout within the Circle causes trouble as what they perceive as a forbidden romance grows.
I honestly just loved it. I was giddy at some moments and scared to look at the page during others. My emotions were being expertly manipulated by this frankly simple, traditional plot. The simplicity worked in its favor.
In the modern/real world, the pandemic is reaching its climax with political tension higher than ever. I'm on the verge of saying this part of the story is better than the modern world story in Red just because people are no longer gawking at Thomas for saying he's living another life in his dreams, but that behavior was to be expected in Red.
In any case, the conclusion of the virus crisis felt emotionally satisfying, which is all I can ask for. Well done.
GREEN
Honestly, Green was not nearly as weird as I heard it was going to be. It leans further into portraying evil in a horrific way, like how the end of Black felt but prolonged for the entire novel, but otherwise it follows the exact same structure as the previous novels. In other words, I still liked it a lot!
Without a doubt, however, Green is the black sheep of the series. The modern world story takes place 30 years after the previous book with barely any narrative tissue connecting it to the previous virus story. Thankfully, the fantasy world still follows a logical continuation of its past events which helps connect it to the series. Essentially Green tells the story of the end times in terms of the Biblical analogies.
As opposed to the previous books, the two worlds share a much tighter story. They aren't simply interacting with each other, but completely share certain plot beats.
This novel is definitely darker than the previous books, and it feels the most like a theological battle. The different opinions and doubt that began to appear in White now come in full stride, slowly breaking up the Circle, even splitting apart father and son, Thomas and Samuel.
There's treachery, suspense, hope, horror, and love all wrapped into one.
Some elements of the story did feel a little lackluster or unexplored. Particularly the Lost Books. I remember reading the majority of Dekker's young adult series in this universe that expands upon the Lost Books more, but if you went into The Circle not reading that series, the Lost Books seem to come out of nowhere in a very expository way.
Finally, regarding the two endings, both were underwhelming in different ways, haha. The new ending, which was the official ending of this edition, felt cut short, and Bill's conclusion went nowhere for no reason. The old ending was longer and fleshed out what happens to Bill in a more satisfying way, but still doesn't address what becomes of other characters and makes Thomas' ending extremely less satisfying. Also, Thomas's conversation with Elyon at the end before Thomas is sent away doesn't make sense. I don't believe that's how either Thomas or Elyon would have behaved in that situation.
But! I don't want to downplay that I still enjoyed the novel and immensely enjoyed the series as a whole. I highly recommend this series to those who are up for a fantasy and political thriller combination and who enjoy religious themes.
Also, this review may have typos, but I don't care enough to proof read.
Black starts the Circle series off strong with extremely likable characters that the reader can empathize with easily. The protagonist, Thomas Hunter, gets caught between two worlds, one much more fantastical than the other, and he faces a crisis in each. In the modern world world, a deadly virus and a man evil enough to use it linger on the horizon; meanwhile, in a completely different environment where good and evil take on physical forms, Thomas must handle the potential collapse of community as evil pushes forward temptations (and he must learn to pursue love at the same time).
Whenever Thomas falls asleep in one world, he wakes up in the other.
Dekker manages to introduce and play out this concept of two simultaneous worlds near flawlessly. Thomas is the focus in each Earth's narrative, so the overall story might have felt drawn out if not written well, but due to how each environment affects the other with Thomas as the bridge, the concept never becomes old.
I will say though that I always found the fantasy world much more interesting, even when the tension in the realistic world was at its highest. The modern world's story in Black was also the weakest of the four books because of the time spent with Thomas second guessing what world is real and the time spent with Thomas pulling off stunts that leave me with enough secondhand embarrassment that if converted to electricity would power a city with a population of 700,000.
Also, while the fantasy world was more interesting, the fish-out-of-water aspect of this first novel was, as one would expect, rather awkward at times. Particularly, the love story with Rachel had a few moments that required some embarrassment recovery.
I loved the climax. The dramatic change in tone within the fantasy world emphasized the severity of their mistakes and the price they would have to pay. The Biblical analogies, both in Black and the rest of the series, are always painfully obvious, but the actual story beats are still great.
Also I love Michael and Gabil I want stuffed animal versions right now gimme.
RED
Red was a step up from Black thanks to its increased emotional tension, its pressure on characters to make tough choices, and its narrative consistency that kept me wrapped in the story.
Continuing the Biblical analogies, this novel has the arc of redemption. The corruption of man in the fantasy world is represented through a skin disease that can be held back by bathing in the waters of Elyon each day (Elyon being their word for God). Those who embrace evil and the skin disease become known as scabs, members of the Horde people. Although the Forest people have been fighting off the Horde for many years, led by Thomas, another man named Justin is proposing a way of peace that seems to go against what the Forest people believe in.
I was hooked from start to finish for this part of the story. It was emotional and personal while still feeling grand, and Rachel (Thomas's wife) grew to be a much better character. I was worried at the end of Black and at the beginning of Red that she would annoy me, but her attitude quickly changed, allowing her to play a vital role in not only her world, but the modern world as well.
Speaking of the modern world, that side of the narrative also improved, but the villains weren't very compelling. I appreciated the further developed relationship between Thomas, his sister Kara, and the scientist Monique, and their efforts to combat the virus with help from the government held much more weight and carried much more suspense. However, the stakes lacked a personal investment that prevented the modern world from winning my preference. Every time a chapter took place in that world, I couldn't help but feel more excited to go back to the fantasy world despite my consistent enjoyment of the modern world story.
That being said, the modern world story was still good, and the fantasy world was great, pushing Red beyond Black in my eyes.
WHITE
White may be my favorite of the series. It's definitely a close call between White and Red, but the romance in White pulled at my heartstrings.
After the redemption of the Forest people in Red, the conditions for keeping away the skin disease change, and the balance between the Forest people and the Horde also shifts. The Horde outnumber the Forest people (now called the Circle among themselves or albinos by the Horde) more than ever before, and the Horde is sparing no expense in hunting them down.
However, Elyon loves the Horde and wants them to choose to rid themselves of the skin disease in order for them to join him. The differences and mixed feelings between the Circle and Horde, and the differing ideologies beginning to sprout within the Circle causes trouble as what they perceive as a forbidden romance grows.
I honestly just loved it. I was giddy at some moments and scared to look at the page during others. My emotions were being expertly manipulated by this frankly simple, traditional plot. The simplicity worked in its favor.
In the modern/real world, the pandemic is reaching its climax with political tension higher than ever. I'm on the verge of saying this part of the story is better than the modern world story in Red just because people are no longer gawking at Thomas for saying he's living another life in his dreams, but that behavior was to be expected in Red.
In any case, the conclusion of the virus crisis felt emotionally satisfying, which is all I can ask for. Well done.
GREEN
Honestly, Green was not nearly as weird as I heard it was going to be. It leans further into portraying evil in a horrific way, like how the end of Black felt but prolonged for the entire novel, but otherwise it follows the exact same structure as the previous novels. In other words, I still liked it a lot!
Without a doubt, however, Green is the black sheep of the series. The modern world story takes place 30 years after the previous book with barely any narrative tissue connecting it to the previous virus story. Thankfully, the fantasy world still follows a logical continuation of its past events which helps connect it to the series. Essentially Green tells the story of the end times in terms of the Biblical analogies.
As opposed to the previous books, the two worlds share a much tighter story. They aren't simply interacting with each other, but completely share certain plot beats.
This novel is definitely darker than the previous books, and it feels the most like a theological battle. The different opinions and doubt that began to appear in White now come in full stride, slowly breaking up the Circle, even splitting apart father and son, Thomas and Samuel.
There's treachery, suspense, hope, horror, and love all wrapped into one.
Some elements of the story did feel a little lackluster or unexplored. Particularly the Lost Books. I remember reading the majority of Dekker's young adult series in this universe that expands upon the Lost Books more, but if you went into The Circle not reading that series, the Lost Books seem to come out of nowhere in a very expository way.
Finally, regarding the two endings, both were underwhelming in different ways, haha. The new ending, which was the official ending of this edition, felt cut short, and Bill's conclusion went nowhere for no reason. The old ending was longer and fleshed out what happens to Bill in a more satisfying way, but still doesn't address what becomes of other characters and makes Thomas' ending extremely less satisfying. Also, Thomas's conversation with Elyon at the end before Thomas is sent away doesn't make sense. I don't believe that's how either Thomas or Elyon would have behaved in that situation.
But! I don't want to downplay that I still enjoyed the novel and immensely enjoyed the series as a whole. I highly recommend this series to those who are up for a fantasy and political thriller combination and who enjoy religious themes.
Also, this review may have typos, but I don't care enough to proof read.
August 18, 2011
Finished reading the first of the novels in this volume: Black. The story alternates between two realities with a great deal of action in each. Ted Dekker is a very skilled writer who captures and holds interest throughout. I am so glad I have all four books to read at once because waiting for them would be torture.
Finished reading the second of the novels in this volume: Red. The heroes in the story fight staggering odds to save both realities. Nothing is certain and there are many trials. I am anxious to continue reading.
Finished reading the third of the novels in this volume: White. This is a fantastic story. There is so much action, so much sacrifice, and so much love. I read this very quickly and am looking forward to the next volume.
Finished reading the final novel in this volume: Green. The story continued to a marvelous climax. There was much tragedy, but much beauty.
I found this book an amazing read. The battle of good and evil told in its pages is entrancing. I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is one to be treasured.
Finished reading the second of the novels in this volume: Red. The heroes in the story fight staggering odds to save both realities. Nothing is certain and there are many trials. I am anxious to continue reading.
Finished reading the third of the novels in this volume: White. This is a fantastic story. There is so much action, so much sacrifice, and so much love. I read this very quickly and am looking forward to the next volume.
Finished reading the final novel in this volume: Green. The story continued to a marvelous climax. There was much tragedy, but much beauty.
I found this book an amazing read. The battle of good and evil told in its pages is entrancing. I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is one to be treasured.
August 22, 2012
This book was major fantasy which I don't read. It reminded me of the Matrix movie. I loved how the author had a great grasp on the love of God. The "Great Romance" is what I have been studying and this was a confirmation for me. It was a nice distraction. Some may not like how the evil is portrayed but to me this is how the supernatural realm and the enemy really work.
April 16, 2024
Wow 🤯 is all I can say. So much realness in this book. So many relatable things in this book to the Covid incident. My mind is blown as we lived through a lot of this. I was definitely drawn in from the very first chapter. Ted Dekker is such a great writer. I plan to venture into more of his books. Highly recommend this series.
May 25, 2022
These were suggested to me by my youth pastor. They did not disappoint.
June 11, 2025
The Circle is a great example of amazing concepts and I really want a video game adaptation... but terrible execution! Let me explain:
Our hero, Thomas, gets shot in the head, then wakes up in a fantasy world where the spiritual reality is physically visible and tangible (until it isn't). He then switches between the Green Forest and the "real" world whenever he sleeps. Really cool concept, especially as he has to be very careful about when he sleeps in one world because he could jump into some crazy mess in the other (especially if he just got knocked out). BUT, my boy who has a full life of memories in our world and 'amnesia' in the other thinks the Green Forest (where he doesn't have a sister who verifies all his real memories) is more real... BRUH!!
Luckily, there is his wonderful sister Kara, who is able to talk sense into him. Honestly, everyone in the entire book except her and the villains are stupid. Scratch that. The "our world" villains who want to take over the world (Carlos and Svensson) are smart. The spiritual baddies in the last book are also idiots who can't hide their deception to save their lives. Luckily, the heroes are so stupid they listen to them say, "I am the literal Devil, drink my blood and be my slave! Maniacal laugh!" to which the heroes reply, "Ok. Kiss me, ugly but hyper sexually written demon<3" BRUH! Luckily, Kara is there to slap sense into everyone and sometimes literally says, "bruh!" to the idiocy of everyone. I particularly love it when she keeps interrupting Thomas explain his profound revelation with, "Bro, you told us that, like, five times already. We know."
Thankfully, Red was actually good for [spoiler] reasons. I really liked how Thomas got his butt handed to him regularly, but kept going. Love me a hero who gets beat, stands, gets beat, then stands up again. I also liked how a lot of the plot points from the first book really paid off. Kara and Carlos got a lot more page time and it was great, especially when Kara [spoilers]. Then in White it gets crazy when Carlos [spoilers] too! And somehow my enjoyment of the worlds was flipped from the norm. Normally I desperately want to get back in the fantasy world and find the modern day Earth story boring. Somehow it was the opposite here. I loved the spy-thriller stuff and hated the blatantly allegorical Green Forest.
But alas, now I must discuss the Roush in the room. This is 100% an unapologetic Christian novel with unapologetic Christian themes. Some were great, but terribly handled (looking at you Green and the way you handled temptation and evil). Some were nice ideas, but horribly broke the character work with how much Dekker forced the theme down our throats (the Great Romance). Black was forgivable as it actually ended pretty well and made me want to read the next book. Red was solid the whole way through... but the result of what happened in Red kinda ruined White as Dekker dove full into Elyon's lake of "Get it? These guys who are nothing like the early church in both character and setting are supposed to be the early church and do early church things, despite it going directly against their character and the world I have built." Then Green started off interesting, but undulated harder than Merphy Napier's distain for the word.
In short, I love the concept of the Circle. I loved the ending and the beginning. The world was actually interesting and unique too. But I hated most of the characters, questioned some of Dekker's theology, and very much wanted this to be consistent in its world building (quit changing the rules from book to book!). So... yeah. Great ideas. Terrible execution with a few redeeming moments that irked me to keep reading.
Our hero, Thomas, gets shot in the head, then wakes up in a fantasy world where the spiritual reality is physically visible and tangible (until it isn't). He then switches between the Green Forest and the "real" world whenever he sleeps. Really cool concept, especially as he has to be very careful about when he sleeps in one world because he could jump into some crazy mess in the other (especially if he just got knocked out). BUT, my boy who has a full life of memories in our world and 'amnesia' in the other thinks the Green Forest (where he doesn't have a sister who verifies all his real memories) is more real... BRUH!!
Luckily, there is his wonderful sister Kara, who is able to talk sense into him. Honestly, everyone in the entire book except her and the villains are stupid. Scratch that. The "our world" villains who want to take over the world (Carlos and Svensson) are smart. The spiritual baddies in the last book are also idiots who can't hide their deception to save their lives. Luckily, the heroes are so stupid they listen to them say, "I am the literal Devil, drink my blood and be my slave! Maniacal laugh!" to which the heroes reply, "Ok. Kiss me, ugly but hyper sexually written demon<3" BRUH! Luckily, Kara is there to slap sense into everyone and sometimes literally says, "bruh!" to the idiocy of everyone. I particularly love it when she keeps interrupting Thomas explain his profound revelation with, "Bro, you told us that, like, five times already. We know."
Thankfully, Red was actually good for [spoiler] reasons. I really liked how Thomas got his butt handed to him regularly, but kept going. Love me a hero who gets beat, stands, gets beat, then stands up again. I also liked how a lot of the plot points from the first book really paid off. Kara and Carlos got a lot more page time and it was great, especially when Kara [spoilers]. Then in White it gets crazy when Carlos [spoilers] too! And somehow my enjoyment of the worlds was flipped from the norm. Normally I desperately want to get back in the fantasy world and find the modern day Earth story boring. Somehow it was the opposite here. I loved the spy-thriller stuff and hated the blatantly allegorical Green Forest.
But alas, now I must discuss the Roush in the room. This is 100% an unapologetic Christian novel with unapologetic Christian themes. Some were great, but terribly handled (looking at you Green and the way you handled temptation and evil). Some were nice ideas, but horribly broke the character work with how much Dekker forced the theme down our throats (the Great Romance). Black was forgivable as it actually ended pretty well and made me want to read the next book. Red was solid the whole way through... but the result of what happened in Red kinda ruined White as Dekker dove full into Elyon's lake of "Get it? These guys who are nothing like the early church in both character and setting are supposed to be the early church and do early church things, despite it going directly against their character and the world I have built." Then Green started off interesting, but undulated harder than Merphy Napier's distain for the word.
In short, I love the concept of the Circle. I loved the ending and the beginning. The world was actually interesting and unique too. But I hated most of the characters, questioned some of Dekker's theology, and very much wanted this to be consistent in its world building (quit changing the rules from book to book!). So... yeah. Great ideas. Terrible execution with a few redeeming moments that irked me to keep reading.
September 12, 2020
Amazing pictures of God’s love, redemption and his pain as well as our human tendencies to forget how great is our salvation and allow rituals to replace relationship instead of enhancing it
I definitely recommend reading them in the sequence of Black first and Green last rather than starting with Green as some have done.
I definitely recommend reading them in the sequence of Black first and Green last rather than starting with Green as some have done.
January 26, 2021
Great story, but it’s no Narnia.
July 30, 2024
Ted Dekker's Circle Series ("Black," "Red," "White," and "Green") masterfully captivates readers with its thrilling tales between two worlds, as seen through the eyes of the protagonist, Thomas Hunter. Dekker's narrative prowess keeps you on the edge of your seat, turning page after page with eager anticipation.
The series explores a fascinating duality, seamlessly blending a dystopian future with an enchanting alternate reality. Thomas Hunter’s journey through these worlds is riveting, each twist and turn revealing deeper layers of intrigue and suspense. Dekker's ability to weave complex plots and develop rich, multi-dimensional characters is truly commendable.
What is particularly intriguing is Dekker's seemingly prophetic writing. Years before the actual global pandemic of COVID-19, Dekker’s vivid descriptions of plagues and societal upheaval strike a chord with our current reality. This foresight is a testament to Dekker's keen insight into human nature and societal dynamics, akin to literary giants like George Orwell and H.G. Wells, who also seemed to peer into the future to inspire their works.
In essence, good authors like Dekker are often found to be prophetic because they possess a keen insight into humanity that many do not see, enlightening the masses with their literary genius. The Circle Series is a brilliant example of this phenomenon, making it a must-read for anyone seeking thrilling, thought-provoking fiction.
The series explores a fascinating duality, seamlessly blending a dystopian future with an enchanting alternate reality. Thomas Hunter’s journey through these worlds is riveting, each twist and turn revealing deeper layers of intrigue and suspense. Dekker's ability to weave complex plots and develop rich, multi-dimensional characters is truly commendable.
What is particularly intriguing is Dekker's seemingly prophetic writing. Years before the actual global pandemic of COVID-19, Dekker’s vivid descriptions of plagues and societal upheaval strike a chord with our current reality. This foresight is a testament to Dekker's keen insight into human nature and societal dynamics, akin to literary giants like George Orwell and H.G. Wells, who also seemed to peer into the future to inspire their works.
In essence, good authors like Dekker are often found to be prophetic because they possess a keen insight into humanity that many do not see, enlightening the masses with their literary genius. The Circle Series is a brilliant example of this phenomenon, making it a must-read for anyone seeking thrilling, thought-provoking fiction.
August 7, 2013
I really wanted to like this series, and for the most part I did. I got through one book but partway through the second in the series I had to quit. I haven't any other series by Ted Dekker and checkout all four books in this series at once anticipating my enjoyment. This series relies heavily on previous books and on the reader's knowledge of those previous books, events and people. For someone new coming in to this series, I constantly felt lost, left out or this overwhelming feeling of missing out on something that I needed to catch-up on. These feelings really prevented me from enjoying the books and series in the way they were probably intended to. I'm guessing that if I had read other series with some of the same characters or connected characters by Dekker that I would have thoroughly enjoyed this series. It is eventful in action and character development. I liked the idea of crossing into far past and current history with characters that bleed into both and affect both, but the assumption of great background knowledge prevented me from finishing this series.
November 3, 2011
When an author strives to awaken our minds to ideas and passions that we already know, we find that many fall short. Not that they don't write good literature, but that one needs to walk away and say that their actually life's have been changed because of it. I have read these books a few times and find that with each reading, I am challenged to go back to my own beliefs and see if there is passion.
What I see as sometimes bleak and sad, is that I have allowed something so personally passionate to become routine and boring. In this trilogy of sorts, we are taken from not having a clue to understanding that in the end all that matters is love. Maybe I am just a romantic, but this group of books made me realize that I pale in comparison to the one who invented the great romance.
Very much worth the time and energy.
What I see as sometimes bleak and sad, is that I have allowed something so personally passionate to become routine and boring. In this trilogy of sorts, we are taken from not having a clue to understanding that in the end all that matters is love. Maybe I am just a romantic, but this group of books made me realize that I pale in comparison to the one who invented the great romance.
Very much worth the time and energy.
July 14, 2012
I give the first three books of the circle series, "Black", "Red", and "White" 5 stars. I have not read 3 novels quite as hungrily...."Green" was so much more gory, and even though these 4 books are truly a circle series, I would highly recommend beginning with "Black." I was SO GLAD that I ended with "Green" even though the Kindle version started with it.
Overall, well written young-adult, Christian fiction. It is somewhere along the lines of Narnia meets the Lord of the Rings....a fantasy thriller with the salvation story interwoven. I look forward to the other two series, "The Lost Books" and "The Paradise" novels.
Overall, well written young-adult, Christian fiction. It is somewhere along the lines of Narnia meets the Lord of the Rings....a fantasy thriller with the salvation story interwoven. I look forward to the other two series, "The Lost Books" and "The Paradise" novels.
September 4, 2023
This series is phenomenal. I love the details of the symbolic colors of the forest and the dark forest. I couldn't help but visualize this series in cinema...it would be magnificent and i'm really hoping one day it will happen. These books will make some great movies if done right. Anyway, there's so much in this book, a fantasy world, politics, love, mystery. How everything connects throughout the story was really fun. Highly recommend this series for any fantasy/dark fantasy with clean content lovers out there.
July 27, 2012
Very good realization and imagery, bringing spiritual struggles into stark physical reality. Extremely creative and colorful writing. The books were written in a cyclical path, this particular collection starts with Black, but contains an alternate ending to Green if you wanted to start there. Overall, the series started off slowly, but the intensity ramps up continually until the ending/beginning. Overall, a great read, and a great twist on a timeless tale of redemption.
December 11, 2022
I started this series when I was fairly young, but even then I knew how good it was! Ted Dekker did something incredible when he wrote this series. What started as a trilogy became a 4 book circle when Green was released. It blows my mind how someone can come up with a story line this incredible and take it in a full circle!
May 10, 2012
All four books were excellent! This is a series that is fast paced, takes you to another world, and leaves you with a lot to think about. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit and will definitely be reading it again.
September 9, 2012
This series of books is a fight between good and evil. While C.S. Lewis had his Chronicles of Narnia, Dekker has the Circle series. There are similarities of man's fight between his thirst for God and the lures of evil. Truly a great read from beginning to end.
Read
November 12, 2012This series is Awesome... I highly recommend starting either with green, its tells more of the beginning I think. Or black works just as well, in all these books go into a circle, so wherever you start it will end in a circle. Pretty cool huh? I thought so...
December 15, 2010
goodness these were the best books i ever read, no exaggertaion!
August 6, 2011
I couln't read each page fast enouph! Wow what an author! I would love to see a movies made from this series.
March 16, 2012
Love this series. One of my favorites by Ted Dekker. I would definitely recommend, especially to someone who hasn't read anything by him yet. This is a good place to start.
Dive Deep.
Dive Deep.
May 25, 2012
I liked the Circle series a lot, they did have some very slow parts however. But neverless they were hard to put down and very addicting to read.
August 10, 2012
Very unusual but a compelling read. Makes you think! I read right through all four books.
May 1, 2013
These are my favorite books of all so far. I was romanced, mesmerized, and smitten. My heart forever belongs to this series.
September 23, 2024
This series will always live rent free in my head due to the interesting concepts it explores.
April 12, 2022
When I started this book nearly an entire month ago, I remember checking on GoodReads, and being surprised by how high the reviews were for a book I deemed so mediocre.
Then it occurred to me, about 500 pages in. The reviews were so high because anyone who was insane enough to finish this book was the kind of person to also give it five stars.
I'd be lying if I said my entire reason for picking up this book was because it was the longest thing in my high school's library. I remember joking to my friend that it was longer than the bible. If only I had realized how apt a comparison that really was.
I'll be upfront with the fact that I'm not a religious person, and if I had known what the undertones of this book would be, I never would have picked it up.
For one thing, none of the characters were particularly compelling. Starting with Thomas Hunter, he had no consistent characterization. When I got to the end, which was the beginning (I know, I know, tacky as fuck), I was shocked at how different he was then, and honestly, I wouldn't have entirely minded reading the book if he had remained like that through the entire series. But he didn't; he spent the whole 1600 pages calling the far more interesting story a dream and talking about how much he wanted to get back to Rachelle, and after she was killed off so he could have a flashy new, younger love interest, Chelise. He was immediately willing to discount his entire life and childhood and EVERYTHING in the real world, just to live in his dreamland.
Kara was another major character in the book, and one of the few I actually enjoyed throughout most of the series, not that she got very much page time. She said it herself, she played the role of the skeptic and the believer with Thomas' dreams depending on the segments. She gets brownie points just for being in the far more interesting world, not that she was all that realistic. She bet the majority of her savings on the horse who won the Kentucky (my state!) derby in her little brother's DREAM. She also accepted Thomas' little time skip in red like it was nothing, and her status as a devout atheist nearly instantly dissolved. In Green, her character was most atrocious, hardly doing anything for 40 years, except sitting in Bangcock with Monique and her vampire daughter- and then BEGGING Thomas to take her back to the dream world with him, after seeing him again for the first time in decades. We hardly see anything of her grief in White, just hear that it happened.
Next up is Monique. Monique is French, smart, hot, and doesn't let ANYONE boss her around. Until Thomas and Kara kidnap her. Until she starts the apocalypse. Until she falls in love out of nowhere. Monique was supposed to be Rachelle's counterpart, but honestly, she hardly did anything- especially in the last book. She was the one who found the cure and essentially signed Thomas' death warrant. How did that affect her? How did she spend the next 40 years? Outside of having Jaene, we don't know, and despite Thomas' words when he just kisses her out of nowhere, she doesn't really come back to have much relevance later on.
The last real, major, reoccurring character in the real world was Carlos. Carlos was by far the most interesting character at first. But then he blew up his bosses and disappeared. He bordered on a negative Muslim stereotype, he had some cool scenes that were all undercut by Thomas. (Think; "Aaaaa he's so strong, how did this happen, why isn't he dead, aaaaaaa" type shit.) honestly, I almost forgot to talk about him, because he was not mentioned ONCE in Green. He was Johan's other half, not that he had anything in common with him. To my knowledge, Carlos only dreams one(1) time, and we don't even read about it, just Thomas standing there watching him sleep.
Aside from a few minor characters in Red and White- The President, Metron Gains, Phil Grant, Mike- and Mike's girlfriend, whose name I don't remember, there was hardly anyone else of note on the Earth side of things.
Rachelle. Rachelle is romantic, cool, badass, and falls in love with Thomas. Literally at first sight, and the rest of Black is spent with awkward weird romance scenes between them. Then, in White, she dies, How does she die? She gets unceremoniously shot in the back while on a horse with Thomas. I had to read back to see that, not an experience I would recommend. After her untimely death, her husband remarries to a girl 10 years younger than them and only mentions her once.
Chelise, I felt awful for Chelise in White, she was constantly harrased by Thomas, and the others all pressured her into reciprocated, and then in Green, she's there, she's fridge, that's all. That's all. That's all she did.
Johan. Johan was in all three books, Johan's still alive, I guess.
I know there's more I could say about this book, the plot, for one thing, Justi-Jesus or Jaene the vampire, the intense homophobic or sexist undertones, but honestly, I'm ready to forget all this.
Then it occurred to me, about 500 pages in. The reviews were so high because anyone who was insane enough to finish this book was the kind of person to also give it five stars.
I'd be lying if I said my entire reason for picking up this book was because it was the longest thing in my high school's library. I remember joking to my friend that it was longer than the bible. If only I had realized how apt a comparison that really was.
I'll be upfront with the fact that I'm not a religious person, and if I had known what the undertones of this book would be, I never would have picked it up.
For one thing, none of the characters were particularly compelling. Starting with Thomas Hunter, he had no consistent characterization. When I got to the end, which was the beginning (I know, I know, tacky as fuck), I was shocked at how different he was then, and honestly, I wouldn't have entirely minded reading the book if he had remained like that through the entire series. But he didn't; he spent the whole 1600 pages calling the far more interesting story a dream and talking about how much he wanted to get back to Rachelle, and after she was killed off so he could have a flashy new, younger love interest, Chelise. He was immediately willing to discount his entire life and childhood and EVERYTHING in the real world, just to live in his dreamland.
Kara was another major character in the book, and one of the few I actually enjoyed throughout most of the series, not that she got very much page time. She said it herself, she played the role of the skeptic and the believer with Thomas' dreams depending on the segments. She gets brownie points just for being in the far more interesting world, not that she was all that realistic. She bet the majority of her savings on the horse who won the Kentucky (my state!) derby in her little brother's DREAM. She also accepted Thomas' little time skip in red like it was nothing, and her status as a devout atheist nearly instantly dissolved. In Green, her character was most atrocious, hardly doing anything for 40 years, except sitting in Bangcock with Monique and her vampire daughter- and then BEGGING Thomas to take her back to the dream world with him, after seeing him again for the first time in decades. We hardly see anything of her grief in White, just hear that it happened.
Next up is Monique. Monique is French, smart, hot, and doesn't let ANYONE boss her around. Until Thomas and Kara kidnap her. Until she starts the apocalypse. Until she falls in love out of nowhere. Monique was supposed to be Rachelle's counterpart, but honestly, she hardly did anything- especially in the last book. She was the one who found the cure and essentially signed Thomas' death warrant. How did that affect her? How did she spend the next 40 years? Outside of having Jaene, we don't know, and despite Thomas' words when he just kisses her out of nowhere, she doesn't really come back to have much relevance later on.
The last real, major, reoccurring character in the real world was Carlos. Carlos was by far the most interesting character at first. But then he blew up his bosses and disappeared. He bordered on a negative Muslim stereotype, he had some cool scenes that were all undercut by Thomas. (Think; "Aaaaa he's so strong, how did this happen, why isn't he dead, aaaaaaa" type shit.) honestly, I almost forgot to talk about him, because he was not mentioned ONCE in Green. He was Johan's other half, not that he had anything in common with him. To my knowledge, Carlos only dreams one(1) time, and we don't even read about it, just Thomas standing there watching him sleep.
Aside from a few minor characters in Red and White- The President, Metron Gains, Phil Grant, Mike- and Mike's girlfriend, whose name I don't remember, there was hardly anyone else of note on the Earth side of things.
Rachelle. Rachelle is romantic, cool, badass, and falls in love with Thomas. Literally at first sight, and the rest of Black is spent with awkward weird romance scenes between them. Then, in White, she dies, How does she die? She gets unceremoniously shot in the back while on a horse with Thomas. I had to read back to see that, not an experience I would recommend. After her untimely death, her husband remarries to a girl 10 years younger than them and only mentions her once.
Chelise, I felt awful for Chelise in White, she was constantly harrased by Thomas, and the others all pressured her into reciprocated, and then in Green, she's there, she's fridge, that's all. That's all. That's all she did.
Johan. Johan was in all three books, Johan's still alive, I guess.
I know there's more I could say about this book, the plot, for one thing, Justi-Jesus or Jaene the vampire, the intense homophobic or sexist undertones, but honestly, I'm ready to forget all this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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