The best Ted Dekker book to arrive in years: My review of "Outlaw"
about the book....
The story of how I, Julian Carter, and my precious two-year old son, Stephen, left Atlanta Georgia and found ourselves on a white sailboat, tossed about like a cork on a raging sea off of Australia's northern tip in 1963, is harrowing.
But it pales in comparison to what happened deep in the jungle where I was taken as a slave by a savage tribe unknown to the world. Some places dwell in darkness so deep that even God seems to stay away.
There, my mind was torn in two by the gods of the earth. There, one life ended so another could begin.
Some will say I was a fool for making the choices I made. But they would have done the same. They, too, would have embraced death if they knew what I knew, and saw through my eyes.
My name is Julian and this is my story. But more, it is the story of my son who was born to change the world.
But it pales in comparison to what happened deep in the jungle where I was taken as a slave by a savage tribe unknown to the world. Some places dwell in darkness so deep that even God seems to stay away.
There, my mind was torn in two by the gods of the earth. There, one life ended so another could begin.
Some will say I was a fool for making the choices I made. But they would have done the same. They, too, would have embraced death if they knew what I knew, and saw through my eyes.
My name is Julian and this is my story. But more, it is the story of my son who was born to change the world.
my review....
Ted Dekker has long fascinated me with his ability to stretch the imagination of his readers and do something that no one else has really done before. I have not loved all of his latest books, but I really loved "Outlaw", finding it to be a story unlike any other I've read. The story bursts with life and vivid descriptions, likely because Dekker has set the story deep in the heart of a jungle like the one where Dekker himself was born and raised. As I glimpsed into the heart of the tribe, unknown to the world and holding fast to a set of beliefs so different than my own, I could only imagine what it would be like to be Julian and be thrust into such a foreign setting! I found the story to move along swiftly, as I was caught up in Julian's story, one where her very life is continually threatened. The characters are well-rendered and believable, and I loved the complex nature of both Julian and her son, as well as the various tribal members they encounter.
As I closed the pages of the story, I reflected that more than any other Dekker book, I was challenged to consider my belief in God and whether I am living a life where faith is put into action. Am I living out the deep truths presented in God's word? The power of Dekker's story is that it challenges all of us to take our thoughts captive to the truth of what Jesus has done on the cross, to look at the world through God's eyes and not our own fear-filled ones. It is a challenge to love and forgive, in God's power, when we surely can't on our own. I found the past couple of chapters of the story so moving that I was battling tears.
I highly recommend this imaginative and thought-provoking read, and award it 5 out of 5 stars. I can only hope that we may meet these characters again!
Book has been provided courtesy of Center Street, a division of Hachette Book Group Canada, for the purposes of this unbiased review.
++ Caution: I will say that I have talked to other readers who were disturbed by the sensual nature of one of the scenes in the book. I have gone back and re-read that scene and while it does push the boundaries, in the context of the culture and with Julian struggling just to survive the scene really does fit well with the story. However, let it be a caution to readers that they should consider the age of the audience that they are recommending this story to. I do not think that an adult audience would be offended by the scene as such.
about the author....
Comments
Post a Comment