Amazon.com: Sinner (Paradise Series, Book 3) (The Books of History Chronicles): Ted Dekker, Adam Verner: Books

Product Description

It has been predicted that Christians will one day be hated even in the land of the free. Now that day has arrived with the help of Marsuvees Black. When a string of racially motivated lynchings threatens to tear the country apart, two stunningly gifted orators, Darcy Lange and Billy Rediger, sweep into Washington and demand that the Constitution be modified to allow for a law that will end the widespread violence. Racial and religious speech that undermines others' beliefs must be classified as hate speech and must be severely punished. But out of the desert comes one man, Johnny Drake, who refuses to deny his faith in Christ through silence. Now the whole world watches as Christianity faces a showdown not seen since the times of the early church.

From AudioFile
Adam Verner's powerful characterization of evil Marsuvees Black is chilling. Verner makes believable Black's efforts to eliminate religious freedom in the United States. When Billy and Darcy's unexplained supernatural powers manifest, Verner captures their anxiety and fear with an understated portrayal, and then credibly depicts their inexplicable change in attitude. Verner's energetic performance of the final stand against evil at Paradise amid three thousand people is also gripping. However, Verner's excellent narration and characterizations can't make up for the flaws in Dekker's story, which is the conclusion of the series. Although similar to the books in the Left Behind series, Sinner is pedantic, predictable, and not at all typical of this author. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Product Details

Audio CD
Publisher: Oasis Audio (November 4, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1598595202
ISBN-13: 978-1598595208
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (34 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #788,465 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

34 Reviews

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4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
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4.0 out of 5 stars (34 customer reviews)

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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I Expected More From Dekker, September 7, 2008

By	S. Stevenson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Sinner: A Paradise Novel (The Books of History Chronicles) (Hardcover)

I finished reading SINNER after a day-long sit-down and read. And now I really don't know what to make of the book. Yes, this was definitely a Dekker book, there is no doubt about that stylistically. I think I just expected a lot more from someone like Ted Dekker. And especially from a Paradise Novel.

I know this review will probably generate a lot of "non-helpful" votes, but before you say that it wasn't helpful just because you love Dekker, give me a moment to explain my feelings on SINNER.

First off, I have read this plot in other books. The LEFT BEHIND books has a similar idea (religious freedom being banned), as well as THE MIND SIEGE PROJECT and a couple of different Frank Peretti novels deal with similar subjects (PIERCING THE DARKNESS and NIGHTMARE ACADEMY for example). So I guess some of the plot just seemed like old news and ideas. Even with what Dekker decides to do with the characters ended up feeling rote.

Second, I didn't feel the danger as much. Normally, in a Dekker book, I am on the edge of my seat just gasping out loud because I don't know what on earth is going to happen or if the characters will even make it out alive. There is always such a sense of danger -- and I love that. In SINNER though, there were a few really great initial scenes that had me just not able to wait for what happened next. But then I got to the middle, and things just starting fizzling out. And by the last third of the book, I saw the ending coming miles ahead of time. I kept pushing on through the book, hoping and praying that Dekker would give me that great twist that he always does near the end, and when I got there, I just thought, "That's it?"

I think a third thing that kind of brought down my enjoyment was the characters. Billy and Darcy are along for the read the majority of the book, and they aren't likeable. They aren't supposed to be in the plot, but I don't like it when I don't like the characters. And they just didn't endear themselves to me. Not even Johnny seemed that exciting this time around. He felt like a cardboard cut-out being shoved around for story's sake. And the new character, Kat, just made me ask, "Why?"

And lastly, this is the preachiest Dekker book ever. One thing that I have always enjoyed about his books is the fact that the message isn't always right on the surface. You have to dig a little to see it, and when you do, it's always amazing. But this time around, the message was right in my face -- no doubt about what he wanted to get across. And that left me a little annoyed. I know Dekker is better than having to make his characters dump the entire idea in dialogue to me, because he's done it before with BLACK, RED, & WHITE.

One thing I will say however, that I wasn't ever bored reading SINNER. And on one level, I did enjoy reading it. A new Dekker book, a day to read it, it's just not my favorite -- by a long shot. There are definitely some great scenes along the way for sure, just like any Dekker book, but on a whole, it just all felt a little flat to me. Here's to praying that maybe Dekker will slow down his output just a bit so that he can take a little more time on his books.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sinner is a Teaser! , October 13, 2008

By	Wolfe Moffat (Franklinville, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Sinner: A Paradise Novel (The Books of History Chronicles) (Hardcover)

Once again Dekker's work is hyped up to his maximum potential. We all know what he is capable of. Those of us who have read his best, know that when at his best, Dekker can't be matched! Not in a million years. Before you even get to the title part, Dekker has a "Dear Friends" page. And Ted Dekker dares us to possibly compare this by giving us "Old and new all at once." In other words, while this is totally "Circle," you may find it ringing a familiar tune with "Heaven's Wager" or "Blessed Child" coming to mind. Well, not in my mind. And this really isn't what I consider Dekker's best either! I consider this to be Dekker's tease. And ladies and gentlemen, I HATE BEING TEASED!! But I'm also a committen fan of Ted Dekker, and he isn't yet so bad that he's out of his element.

Ted Dekker did his best bringing us Darcy, Billy and Johnny. I believe that. Darcy and Billy are determined to get people to listen to what they have to say. And they have ways of making you listen. And you also have Johnny, simply a natural leader, who's been there, done that, and isn't fazed so easily, not even by something that reaks of Black! Oh yeah, you have Marsuvees Black, and he's as evil as his name. Plans are the name of this game, and something will go through. Leaders will be followed, and there will be a price to pay.

And it sounds pretty exciting, doesn't it? The problem is that Dekker doesn't make it exciting. This was pretty easy for me to put down, and when I read Ted Dekker, that's a first! I've never felt the urge to just put down a Dekker book to go do something else. Reading this, there was always something else to do!

My wife and I are always in competition when a Dekker book comes in the mail. Simply put, one of us gets to read it first, while the other waits in agony for that last page to turn. With my wife, that last page never did turn, and she was disappointed. Another person told me that he finished it only in hopes that it would get better. That doesn't sound like the Dekker I've been reading all these years. But it gives me hope when I hear rumors like that start to form. It means that hopefully we've still got the best of Ted Dekker to come about in the future!! Hey, I know, because I've read his best. And I can't WAIT for those to get on my bookshelf.

But as for the usual, when fans might say, "The latest is the greatest!!" Nope. I'm not saying that this time. I'm saying that SINNER is a TEASER, and I can't stand to be teased!! Don't do it again, Ted. I'm waiting for more of your best. The best of the best!!

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11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Another disappointment from Ted Dekker, October 10, 2008

By	Matt Rose - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sinner: A Paradise Novel (The Books of History Chronicles) (Hardcover)

I think I've just read my last Ted Dekker novel for a while.

I got interested in Dekker's stuff after reading House, his co-written effort with Peretti. I became an immediate fan and got a lot of enjoyment out of the Circle Trilogy, Obsessed, Blink, Thr3e and Showdown. Since reading Skin and Saint I started becoming disappointed with Dekker's stuff. It seemed like his stories would start really well then ultimately end poorly. Sinner is another example of this except that the first chapter or two is of the only interest and the rest goes downhill from there.

Contrary to what is written in the introduction to this book, there really is no point reading Sinner unless you have read Showdown and Saint in that order. But even if you have you will find this story dull. The course of events that take place in the storyline seem ridiculous to me. At one point we have Billy and Darcy being pursued by evil dudes to destroy them because of their supernatural powers which have suddenly manifested. The next we know, they've used those powers to help enact a federal law that effectively limits religious freedom, and Johnny thinks the best way to protest the law is to hole up in Paradise with 3000 others. Really it's all a bit implausible, even for supernatural fiction.

The storyline just doesn't flow at all, the four main characters are developed poorly, and not much really happens. Parts of the story made me wonder whether Ted Dekker actually wrote it all. Two thirds of the way through it was a real struggle for me to be bothered continuing.

My fear is that Ted Dekker has become pre-occupied with cranking out as many books as possible in the same hyper-marketing vein as the Left Behind series: endless sequels that don't finish and in which not much really happens.

For those who rate this as a 5 star book, all I can say is they mustn't read much fiction, or perhaps are only reading "Christian fiction". Even so, there's much better Christian fiction available than this.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Ending to the Paradise Novels
In my opinion, this book is very good. For those who say that Dekker has written better, perhaps he has. Read more

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Imagine an America, much like today's America. An America where not only can a child refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance in school because of the phrase One Nation Under God,... Read more

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1.0 out of 5 stars Done with Dekker
This book was very disappointing. I read 3/4 of it and stopped. I really enjoyed Showdown but Sinner fell flat. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Book Lover

5.0 out of 5 stars Of the Best
Sinner by Ted Dekker is one of Dekker's best novels, but it isn't the best. I highly recommend it only if you've already read Showdown and Saint, but don't read it first even... Read more

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Having loved "The Circle Trilogy," "Showdown," "Skin" and "Saint" I had extremely high expectations for this book... They were met. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Media Lover

4.0 out of 5 stars Challenging and Thought-Provoking
I usually enjoy Ted Dekker books, the Circle Trilogy is a favorite, and Sinner was no exception. Another in the Books of Histories series, Sinner takes place in the year 2033. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Lori

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong Message
Sinner is a bit different from Ted Dekker's other books in that it doesn't rattle your brain to the point of explosion. Read more

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I received Sinner has a Christmas present and was excited to read it during my winter break. The first half of the book flew by in Dekker's typical style, but right around the... Read more

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