The Circle Trilogy

The Circle Trilogy, by Ted Dekker

Although this is technically three books titled Black, Red, and White, the copy I read was bound in one hardcover volume. Additionally, the first two books end with cliffhangers, so the trilogy is properly named; it is indeed only one story. Or perhaps I should say two stories.

The story begins with a man in Denver who falls asleep and wakes up in another world. If he is asleep here, he is in the other world, and when he sleeps there, he wakes in this world. Additionally, the other world is actually still earth, but 2000 years in the future. This means that if he learns the history of events on earth, he can wake up here in 2010 and know what is going to happen in the future. Which is essentially what happens. He learns of a coming apocalypse and works to avert it. Additionally, crisis and chaos are about to break out in the other world as well. So, it is essentially two stories happening simultaneously to one character.

Although I admit the time line and storyline made my head spin at times, and occasionally made me feel as if I was watching the life of a man with multiple personality disorder, Ted Dekker has once again woven a captivating story which I found difficult to put down, even when I was frustrated with the time travel element (I really don't handle time travel that well). If this book were a movie it would be the Matrix, except that the world Neo crosses into would be fanciful Narnia with friendly animals and biblical metaphor. Cross that with any Asian action film utilizing "wire-fu," add a Tom Clancy-like politically-motivated apocalypse, and give it the time line from the Terminator movies, and you have the Circle Trilogy.

I would recommend this book to pretty much everyone. There is something in it for all age groups and walks of life, for people who want entertainment, and for people who have questions about life.