Green by Ted Dekker - My Review

The Circle Trilogy was my introduction to Ted Dekker’s work. I have since read almost all of his writing, and have even been afforded the privilege of meeting him at a book signing earlier this year. That said, Green was a book I greatly anticipated. I was immediately drawn in, and having read the other books, enjoyed the depth of spiritual exploration and the creative, fantastical analogies presented in the story. I often found myself nodding my head – a silent “amen” to the words I was reading.


Hoarde, Eramite and Albino armies meet at last upon the pages of Green. Evil seducers, Judas-like betrayals, and sacrificial offerings of life and love take the reader step by step to this moment. The present and future bleed into one another mirroring the good and evil of all mankind. The Dekker books all meld into one story. It’s rather an amazing feat. Then I reached the end of the story. While I understand the circular essence of the series and mankind’s propensity to repeat itself and its mistakes, the ending of this story seemed to rob me of the one thing the Circle meant to me – hope.


The spiritual and biblical analogies in Green mirror the Bible prophecies in many ways. Yet rather than the eternal end of the battle between good and evil there promised in God’s Word, the ending to Green hints at the idea that perhaps we humans must try and try yet again to get it right. On page 213 Dekker’s character states: “This was the essence of the Book of History: human free will. And it always seemed to lead to disaster.” It does, and always will without a redeemer. And a redeemer that is subject to the will of his creation isn’t much of a redeemer. This story and its ending leave grace on the sideline and place human free will and its certain failure at the crux of the story.


So, either Dekker’s series is a statement of the hopelessness of man when left with only his sinful free will to save himself. Or it is a new way to share the truth of God’s redeeming love with a world that has lost sight of truth and hope altogether. Given the author’s penchant for mystery, I will never know. I imagine he would just encourage me to dive deeper. I’m just glad that God’s Word promises deliverance and hope and that I’m NOT doomed to repeat the failure of sinful humanity for all eternity. That would be hell indeed.


Green is a good read. The Circle Trilogy is an amazing concept. I would have preferred a more hopeful ending. Decide for yourself. Visit Thomas Nelson’s website to learn how you can purchase your own copy of this never ending story.