Customer Reviews

Lunatic (The Lost Books)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

So I loved the first 4 books in this series. Very entertaining and very fast paced. This one seemed to drag a little for me though. Our heroes seem to be bouncing back and forth all over the place and at times, it is difficult to keep up with what exactly they are running into. But when you catch up, it's usually with a smile.

Follow along with the titles here in the CIRCLE books and see if you caught the play in titles or am I just out of my mind...C(hosen) I(nfidel) R(enegade) C(haos) L(unatic) E(????) That's right! The first letter of each title is going to spell CIRCLE! So perhaps the final book will be Elyon. Who knows, I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Dekker continues to sizzle with the 5th book in the Lost Books series. In this book, the young hero trio return to their world to find that the Horde have taken over the forests and are on a mission to exterminate all of the forrest dwellers.

It had been a while since I'd read the last book in this series, so I had a little trouble reconnecting with the story line and following all the new Horde characters. Otherwise, I found the story just as engaging and entertaining as the rest of this great series. If your just jumping into this series, as the author says you can do, I would not recommend it with this book.

I have read all of the previous books in this series with great interest - Dekker is an amazing writer. However, once I started reading this book, it became obvious that Dekker is not the primary author, but Kaci Hill, whoever that is. The writing style is totally different, the characters flat, the descriptions boring, etc. I have lost all interest in finishing the last two books of the series (Lunatic and Elyon) and simply stopped reading after about two chapters.

My entire family has followed Ted Dekker's Circle Trilogy and subsequent books--they are really amazing and the trilogy itself can be repeated again and again--you never get enough. However--while this book is good, and definitely was an easy read that entertained, I couldn't help but think "Hey, Ted, move on." Mr. Dekker is a very talented author with an amazing mind--and I'd love to see him branch out into new storylines and ideas. If you are an avid fan of the Trilogy, then go for it--but if you're looking for something fresh, look elsewhere...

My daughter read it and said the same thing...and she's the biggest die-hard Dekker fan you'd ever meet.

I bought all the books in this series at one time. I ripped through the first four, but when I got to Lunatic I was a little disappointed. I noticed that Ted Dekker had written it with Kaci Hill, so I wondered if it was as good as Dekker writing by himself. But the plot was difficult to follow, and seemed slightly repetitive at times. The story switches between the Horde generals and Sucrow the priest, and Darsal, Silvie, and Johnis. The Horde generals kept discussing plans about the Desecration, and I kept wondering when they would stat putting the plans into action. It also seemed like Silvie and Johnis would never meet Shaeda. The climax of the story was interesting compared to the rest of the book, but it ended quite suddenly. I hope Elyon will be better...

*Please note that this book is the fifth in a series and may contain spoilers for earlier books.*

Johnis, Sylvie, and Darsal have returned home to their world after finding all seven Books of History. It's the end, right? Wrong! Things have gone disastrously astray in their own world as five years have passed and the Horde has overtaken the forests. Worse yet, the lakes they need to cleanse in daily have turned red. How will Johnis, Sylvie, and Darsal avoid turning into Scabs? Meanwhile, Johnis is seeing a vision of a woman pleading for help. What does the mysterious Shaeda want from Johnis?

I have mixed feelings about LUNATIC. I thoroughly enjoyed the first four books in this series but LUNATIC seems a bit different in its overall tone. We see things from the perspective of the villains in this tale as the Horde leaders play key roles in events unfolding. Marak emerges as a major character as Ted Dekker and Kaci Hill weave in a magnificent Christian theme to his story. Initially, I was frustrated with Sylvie's diminished role but on further reflection suspect that there may be deeper themes emerging in regards to her and Johnis as well.

My biggest disappointment with LUNATIC, however, is the writing style. The story seems somewhat choppier than the previous books and the plethora of characters is a bit confusing. This is not a story you could jump into the middle of the series and easily comprehend. The cliffhanger ending is also a different twist as we had at least some sense of resolution in prior books.

On the positive side, LUNATIC is fast paced and keeps the reader turning the pages. I already like Johnis, Sylvie, and Darsal as characters so I want to know what is in store for them and therefore will read ELYON to see just what happens next. Marak is also endearing despite his Horde mindset as we can see his inner struggles unfolding before us. LUNATIC isn't the best book in the series, but my love of the characters makes it worth reading. Ultimately, future events in the following book, ELYON, will determine whether LUNATIC remains a keeper on my shelves or not.

If you are already a fan of this series, you will probably love this, the 5th installment. However, if you have not read the other four books, I would highly recommend that you start with book one and work your way to this one. The story arc is a little complicated, and you'll be rewarded with a much richer reading experience if you read them in order!

I know they say you should technically be able to pick up in the middle of any series, but this one you shouldn't. New readers will find this frustrating, but those who are already fans of the series will really appreciate this. (You know what I mean if you've read series where the author repeats everything over and over and over... But with this, you can just skip the little intro and get right back into the story without any of the annoying repetitions.)

Overall, a great read for young adults, especially young men. It's also a refreshing change of pace for those seeking a Christian fantasy series. I would certainly recommend it.

I thought that book four was the last of the series than all of a sudden here come 2 more new books. Lunatic is the 5th book in the Lost Books series. Almost all of Ted Dekkers books relate to each other in some way. These books are geared toward the YA crowd but are enjoyable for adults as well. These are closely related to Dekkers Circle trilogy. This adds a little more story to the characters of Billy, Silvie, and Darsal. Five years have passed since they left and the Horde have taken over Middle. A well written book that leaves us with more questions about the characters and what will happen to them. Cant Wait to read Book 6.

Ted Dekker returns to his popular YA fantasy series Lost with book number five -Lunatic. Even though it seemed that the story was over, Dekker delivers a satisfying, Empire-Strikes-Back-esque continuation of the series.

Three of the four young heroes -Johnis, Silvie and Darsal -return to their home after retrieving the legendary Books of History. They quickly find that their world is nothing like how they left it. Five years have gone by, the evil Horde have taken over Middle, the once-sacred pools of Elyon have gone red with blood and Thomas and the Circle are nowhere to be found.

Suddenly faced with a strange and powerful new enemy, as well as the unexpected new reality of their situation, Johnis, Silvie and Darsal set out to keep themselves from becoming Scabs and finding a way to bring peace back to Other Earth.

Lunatic gives the reader some extended time with the complex villains of the universe at a time where they are winning. While this approach does make it feel like the heroes are placed on the back burner, it really gives the villains strong character development and greater depth -but somewhat at the expense of the main characters.

This book is a wonderful follow-up to the Lost series and is packed with action, suspense and great thrills that are exactly what fans of the series have come to expect.

It's been five years since Elyon's lakes have turned red. Johnis, Silvie, and Darsal arrive back in Other Earth with the Books of History in tow, only to find out life has changed drastically. Thomas and The Circle are nowhere to be found and Middle has been taken over by The Horde. With their lives on the line these three warriors must find a way to thwart the Horde's evil plans, all the while trying to keep themselves from becoming Scabs. To make matters worse, Johnis comes face to face with a whole new evil that holds power beyond belief. The Chosen One must prevail or all hope is lost.

So you've written a best selling series that just happens to tie in to your most beloved work. While the masses are convinced this series is over, you decide to come back in style and deliver two more final installments that no one saw coming. What's the best way to come back with a bang? I'm not sure I know the answer, but I'm almost certain most authors would not bring on a debut novelist to collaborate with. Fortunately for us, Ted Dekker is not most authors. While this move might seem risky on the surface, I think bringing Kaci Hill on is the best move Dekker has made since he thought up The Lost Books.

Lunatic is a dark story to be sure, but a masterful tale nonetheless. We of course get to spend time with our favorite heroes and I especially loved the personal journey Darsal sets out on in this story. Johnis and Silvie are as engaging as ever as they struggle through a new battle that has the potential to destroy them both. The Horde are given more screen time in Lunatic as we get even more insight into Scab life. Dekker and Hill bring us their best work with the introduction of a new villain that is unlike anything we've seen in Other Earth.

In many ways Lunatic feels like The Empire Strikes Back of the series which only bodes well for the conclusion, Elyon. I love the way that Ted Dekker and Kaci Hill have taken a familiar story and upped the ante on all accounts with more action, more intrigue, and ultimately more emotion. Hill somehow manages the daunting task of bringing uniqueness to the story without taking away any of the Dekker feel we all love so much.

Risky? Maybe. A bold move? Sure. The right move? No doubt about it.