Outlaw - Ted Dekker

If you've read any of my reviews of Ted Dekker novels in the past, you'll know that he is my favorite author.  There isn't much that he's written that I didn't enjoy and after reading the four sections to Eyes Wide Open, (Identity, Mirrors, Unseen and Seer) I was looking forward to the next part of The Outlaw Chronicles.

Outlaw begins int he 1960's with a violent storm.  Julian and her infant son are fighting for their lives on board a sailboat until the ship breaks apart.  After the captain dies and the boat sinks, men in a small boat approach Julian and take her out of the water, but it's not necessarily to save her.  Without her child and alone in a world that she can't relate to, she does her best to stay alive.

The things she has to do cause her to doubt God and rail against Him.  As times goes on, she learns that the events of the day of the shipwreck are not exactly the way she believes them to be.  She is made aware of a fact that will turn her life upside down once again, leaving her without bearable options.  Once her eyes are opened, she becomes part of a greater story than she imagined.  I won't go into detail about the second half of the book - I don't want to add spoilers!

The amazing thing about Ted Dekker's books is that there are so many levels to them. You have the story itself, which is always a window to another world, be it real or imagined.  There's also the deeper meanings that Dekker seamlessly adds to his books that can cause the reader to rethink the way they look at the world.  After I finished this book, I went back and read the end of Seer, the end of Eyes Wide Open, and refreshed my memory in regards to Outlaw.

The reason I love Ted Dekker's books so much is that it doesn't matter what the topic is, he has such a great style that he can make it interesting.  I would never dream of picking up a book about a tribe in New Guinea had it been written by any other writer.  He’s just that good.  This book is related to Eyes Wide Open, another great book, but it isn’t necessary to read them in order.  I recommend them both without hesitation.  Great Book!

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.