Offworld

Christopher Burke and his crew are on their way back from the first ever mission to Mars, sometime in the year 2030. The only aspect of the mission that went wrong was a period of time in which Burke had disappeared on Mars and somehow reappearing, this being just as much as a mystery as the initial incident. Then, they suddenly can not contact NASA, their radio going silent. In fact, there is no radio communication from Earth. After a intense crash landing, the crew finds that there is in fact no one on Earth...at all.
Until they meet Mae. Who is some sort of street kid who is incredibly strange. They meet her on their way to investigate an intense light somewhere in Texas. Soon, they find that Mae is not the only one left behind (so to speak). Their is a rogue battalion that is trying to get in the groups way. Not to mention all the antics mother nature is offering the crew.
Thus we are thrown into Offworld. Too many questions, and for those who come to read this book, you will find that the answers will not come until the last hundred pages, most of which come in the last thirty.

In this way, the book is incredibly interesting and is quite the adrenaline rush from the crash forward. I found at times it was too much, so many events happening right on the heals of one another. Even the characters make this observation. Later, though, this is explained as well. Which was probably one of the better parts of the book. Parrish, and his editors, realized how much Robin was putting the reader through and laced it into the story. I enjoyed this aspect immensely.

Parrish, is labeled Christian, which is evident in his writing. He has noted in a blog that some people think his books are too spiritual, and others think its not enough. I say it is very much in between. The tension between fact and faith is evident and it is up the reader to believe in the faith aspect of this story, or not. Yet, the greatest part of this story comes with the sacrificial lamb, which you realize a good thirty pages before it happens.

Jesus, was always an alien to this world. He didn't fully belong, yet his adaption to the people's need has been incomparable to any who came before or have followed. He knew his time had come, and he accepted it even though he had no desire to endure it. Yet he did. And humanity was saved. So also, does a character in this book do the same. Good job Robin.

All in all, I give this book a B. I think there were too many instances where I was reminded of the Dominion Trilogy, specifically the first novel when the main hero is learning about the greater plot he has become the main character in. I was also reminded of Parrish's first trilogy in the shock factor of much of what was going on. In pushing the parameters, Parrish crosses over to the unknown, much of which was hard to understand until you were told. Overall though, this is a very strong peace of sci/fi fiction that is a page turner. Parrish is a young author, and I look forward to what he writes next.

Kiss

Well, its been a while since I actually finished a book. And, as you all might be thinking, it is another Ted Dekker one. And, as I am thinking, I wish it had not been.

I have to be honest, which I have gotten good at being, but in being honest I have come to find that the book descriptions of both Sinner and now Kiss have sounded like a great idea. The bad news is, the books, just havent been. Here is the problem.

Kiss, on the back of the book, tells us that it is about a woman who looses her memory, but finds out that she can steal memories through her kiss. Pretty cool, if you ask me. Until it literally takes the entire novel for her to figure this out, and then I am not sure she knows the extent of the ability. The more annoying part of all this is that the book constantly rehearses what the main character thinks is happening. I seriously was about ready to put the book down. If Ted Dekker wasnt who I know he can be in is writing, I probably would have.

With that being said, the strengths of the books come with the development and interaction between the main character and her father. This is a strong emotional driven story that gets the best of us involved in the interaction. The second strength comes in the last 50-75 pages of climax where all the gray areas are really revealed and a lot is found. It is also when the main character finds just how potent her ability really can be. But even then, she really doesn't understand.

All in all, once again I am disappointed. All in all, I am going to read something else then Ted Dekker. But, then Boneman's Daughter is out, and Lunatic, and Elyon, then Green, so on and so forth until another book comes out co-written with Erin Healy. I may very well go crazy. When I think it is the end, its not the end, and when Ted even tells us its the end, it really isn't. So, we keep reading. So, I keep telling myself I won't give in until I hear more about the next book. Then I go out and fork up the money...

Overall: C

Sinner

So maybe you have read Showdown. Maybe you have read Saint. Now, we must read Sinner. Or so that is what I said. Much like the 300 hundred, the 3000 are going to stand up for our right to exclusive religion. Unfortunately, it simply isnt as exciting; even if Ted hoped it would be. It is further unfortunate that this book is part of a greater series and so if you plan on keeping up to date, you probably should read it. In the same breathe the book becomes a filler and needed; thus, much like the young adult books, this book was overall disappointing.

Because I think that people ought to do more reading, I am not going to do any sort of plot spoiling. Instead, I am going to go on a bit of a rant.

Ted Dekker, although he may be enjoying the stuff he is writing, is slowly being affected by outside voices. Through out his career, especially since Three, Dekker has been known for his adrenaline laced novels that do not always line up to the traditional Christian expectation. To the people who have cried out that Ted needs to keep Christ at the center of his books: I want to rip your heads off. Ted Dekker is best when he writes in parables. The message is something that is not meant to be seen at first glance because he is not meaning to write to the people who are comfortable in the pews. The Church goers need to read these books and use their minds to see exactly what Ted is doing. What Dekker did in Skin, a little bit House, The Circle series(Black, Red, and White), and Adam blew my mind away. He leaves the reader to decide what to take from these books and they are written well enough that the reader is then challenged to think about spiritual things. With so many being incresingly frustrated with the Church and institutionalized Christianity, we need a new message. In the books I mentioned, Ted is it. Then came Sinner. I enjoyed the read, but every out right mention of Jesus being the light of the world is a blatant response to the cries of those who want Christ at the center. Good job, you got what you want.
Now shutup and let Dekker write what he is good at. There is a time for the gospel, and then their is a time to plant seeds that may very well lead to the person hearing the gospel. Let the spirit write, and Ted Dekker, please set your standards as high and as good as Adam and Three.

Dominion Trilogy

Collin Boyd looks out the windows of the bus transit taking him to work to see Collin Boyd. Collin Boyd follows his replica until he finds himself standing in front of a glass building seeing himself in the mirror. Only this is not Collin Boyd, it is Grant Borrows.

And so the Dominion Trilogy begins. Within the first 100 pages Collin finds out he has shifted to become a much more agile and strong Grant Borrows with the power to control objects and sense other people. He, as well as 299 others, are given rings that make each individual super humans. Each ring giving power to the user extending from their minds to control their bodies. The powers range anywhere from telekinesis, to ultra fast reactions, to a literal photographic memory.
What Grant will begin to learn is there is a greater plot going on. He finds out about the Secretum of Six, whose sole purpose is to use Grant, or the Bringer, to bring about something, but we will not know what that is until book three.
As Grant realizes his true power from his Grandpa, who has helped bring about this whole process and is now using Grant as his own tool of destruction. As book One comes to a close, we see Grant understand who he needs to become.
Enter Guardian, or Grant Borrows as superhero. Through out book two the company becomes super heroes and begins to help all those in need. As the world begins to break at the seems, Grant and his army try to do what they can to help. Once again though, the Secretum becomes involved and a new head master Devlin plays Grant and his sister. By the end of Book two, Grant has fallen into a whole, bringing about the stage for book three, and Oblivion.


So as not to give too much away, this is where I will leave you. This series was incredibly creative and takes a view at Biblical history as well as predestination and free will that is very unique. This was an awesome read, and I enjoyed the story immensely, finding myself flying through the first two books. I was simply glad I only had to wait a couple of weeks to read the third. I highly recommend these books.