Ted Dekker (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Fun] >> Books



Message

Palyxandra -> Ted Dekker (6/11/2009 1:02:41 PM)

Hey I was wondering how everyone felt about the author Ted Dekker? He is a Christian fiction writer and I think his books are most interesting to read. He has a few stand-alone books but most of them are related. You can read the related books in different orders and it provides different excitement levels.



Tinkerbell_ -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/11/2009 1:11:32 PM)

I've started both the Circle series and the Lost series. They are really good and I can't wait to read the graphic novels of the Circle series. [:)]



JHerr -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/12/2009 12:11:45 PM)

I am reading ...Red? It's the second book in that series. I find it absolutely wonderful. Captivating, couldn't put down the first one (ok, i haven't started Red yet, I am finishing another book first [;)])



uncabeeil -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/12/2009 12:43:39 PM)

The Circle Trilogy was great reading. But in his other novels I noticed he borrows a lot from Stephen King. For instance, the basic plot of Thr3e was lifted from King's "The Dark half". Don't know if it was intentional, but if you've read them both you know what I mean.



Sammy_S -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/13/2009 1:55:07 PM)

I just started reading a book called "Black",written by Him.I've heard good things about him though.



jonfortean6 -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/13/2009 2:57:12 PM)

I love Ted Dekker's books. I started the Circle Trilogy, which is pretty good. I've finished Black and I'm up to Red. I've read House(coauthored with Peretti, another great author), Three, Skin, and another one that the title escapes my brain right now.

I think he's an awesome writer. Sometimes it seems like he dwells on the dark side too much, but I don't think it's for the wrong reasons.

Skin was terrible.



E_Lin -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/14/2009 2:50:52 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: jonfortean6

Skin was terrible.


I couldn't disagree with you more. Skin was not 'terrible", it was anti-climatic and a general waste of time. That only slots it in the catagory of being "woeful"... [;)]



ManimalX -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/14/2009 3:02:48 AM)

I found Black, Red, and White to be a phenomenal Christian allegory. Some compare him to Stephen King as if it is a bad thing, but the thing about King (and Dekker) is that they are excellent storytellers.

I also read Showdown which was suspenseful and well done, and I loved how Dekker tied it in to The Circle trilogy.

I recently read The BoneMan's Daughters. You can search the threads here for my review, but in summary I liked the story but thought that it lacked a good conclusion or any memorable moral message, except perhaps that a father's love is strong.

Honestly all of his books are on my "to read" list, but I just don't get the time to read everything on that list.

Overall, I love Dekker's writing style, and the stories I have read have been completely memorable and enjoyable. I don't regret the money or time spent reading any of his works thus far.



uncabeeil -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/14/2009 2:39:22 PM)

quote:

Some compare him to Stephen King as if it is a bad thing, but the thing about King (and Dekker) is that they are excellent storytellers.
I agree, Stephen King has kept me up way past bedtime a number of times. Maybe it's just me, but I find too many similarities between King's stories and Dekker's for it to be coincidental. I'm not saying he plagiarizes. Maybe "heavily influenced" is a better term.



jonfortean6 -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/14/2009 8:30:52 PM)

I never heard of Stephen King. Is he a Christian author?



ManimalX -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/15/2009 2:05:34 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: jonfortean6

I never heard of Stephen King. Is he a Christian author?


Are you joking? Or serious?

Stephen King is probably one of the world's most well-known authors of horror, suspense, and a little sci-fi and fantasy. He is famous for his "freewriting" or "seed" style writing, having no idea what his stories are going to be until he begins writing, letting stories develop from a kernel of an idea as he tells them. He wrote stories such as Carrie, Cujo, Salem's Lot, Pet Cemetery, The Stand, It, The Gunslinger (part of the Dark Tower series)... among dozens and dozens of others. Some literary snobs like to poo-poo him, for various reasons, but I find him to be an extraordinary author who writes dialogue better than almost anyone alive. You might not like his genre, but he is undeniably a very successful and skilled author.



jonfortean6 -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/15/2009 1:53:34 PM)

Wow. I really never heard of him. And I never heard of any of those book titles either. But I'll check him out.



uncabeeil -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/15/2009 3:53:49 PM)

Start with the uncut version of The Stand. It was his first and for my money scariest. I also highly recommend his short story collections. The man knows how to write a short story. "Word Processor of the Gods" is a classic.



Palyxandra -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/15/2009 4:05:55 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: uncabeeil

The Circle Trilogy was great reading. But in his other novels I noticed he borrows a lot from Stephen King. For instance, the basic plot of Thr3e was lifted from King's "The Dark half". Don't know if it was intentional, but if you've read them both you know what I mean.


Oh very interesting! I haven't read any Stephen King novels yet. I might look into that. I wonder if it was coincidental or purposeful? Hmm..



Palyxandra -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/15/2009 4:06:55 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: jonfortean6

Skin was terrible.


LOL Skin was DEFINITELY odd!!



Palyxandra -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/15/2009 4:09:21 PM)

Thanks for the tip on Boneman's! I haven't gotten to it yet and was wondering what it was like : )



ManimalX -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/15/2009 4:30:38 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Palyxandra

Thanks for the tip on Boneman's! I haven't gotten to it yet and was wondering what it was like : )


BoneMan's Daughters is definitely disturbing. Good storytelling, but disturbing. Spoiler: everything works out in the end, but it wasn't the greatest conclusion. Felt a bit rushed. I would have done it differently, but then, I'm not a best selling author...



ManimalX -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/15/2009 4:46:25 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: uncabeeil

Start with the uncut version of The Stand. It was his first and for my money scariest. I also highly recommend his short story collections. The man knows how to write a short story. "Word Processor of the Gods" is a classic.


I don't want to turn the thread into a Stephen King thread, but I have to second this suggestion. The Stand was the first King book I read, and immediately became a lifelong fan. If you like post-apocalyptic / survival stories with a supernatural twist, The Stand is one of the standards by which the genre could be judged. It takes place after a super-flu has killed most of the humans on Earth. Evil incarnate begins drawing survivors who are "evil" to amass in Las Vegas, while the "good" people who are left gather in Boulder, CO, all building to a battle between the two.

The Stand is a pretty heavy read, but if you want a much shorter excellent story along the same lines, The Gunslinger is an excellent read. It is the first of a series called The Dark Tower, which King has been writing on and off for decades, and finally finished not too long ago. If you are familiar with King's other work, the Dark Tower characters end up paying visits to many of the other books through mysterious doorways....

Anyhow, as a warning: King wasn't a Christian (though he may be now) when he wrote most of his books, and he can be quite gruesome, his characters do use profanity, and most of his stories have a supernatural side, usually dealing with monsters, demons, ghosts, etc. If gore, a fictional take on the supernatural, and a little foul language bother you, you definitely want to stay away.



Palyxandra -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/16/2009 10:39:59 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: ManimalX

quote:

ORIGINAL: uncabeeil

Start with the uncut version of The Stand. It was his first and for my money scariest. I also highly recommend his short story collections. The man knows how to write a short story. "Word Processor of the Gods" is a classic.


I don't want to turn the thread into a Stephen King thread, but I have to second this suggestion. The Stand was the first King book I read, and immediately became a lifelong fan. If you like post-apocalyptic / survival stories with a supernatural twist, The Stand is one of the standards by which the genre could be judged. It takes place after a super-flu has killed most of the humans on Earth. Evil incarnate begins drawing survivors who are "evil" to amass in Las Vegas, while the "good" people who are left gather in Boulder, CO, all building to a battle between the two.

The Stand is a pretty heavy read, but if you want a much shorter excellent story along the same lines, The Gunslinger is an excellent read. It is the first of a series called The Dark Tower, which King has been writing on and off for decades, and finally finished not too long ago. If you are familiar with King's other work, the Dark Tower characters end up paying visits to many of the other books through mysterious doorways....

Anyhow, as a warning: King wasn't a Christian (though he may be now) when he wrote most of his books, and he can be quite gruesome, his characters do use profanity, and most of his stories have a supernatural side, usually dealing with monsters, demons, ghosts, etc. If gore, a fictional take on the supernatural, and a little foul language bother you, you definitely want to stay away.



Thanks for the head's up! I may want to check out some of his books. I have seen the movie version of "Storm of the Century" and even though it is an insanely long film, I enjoyed the fresh storyline. Sometimes I feel like every movie and book have the same basic plot.



slushie -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/17/2009 11:20:54 AM)

I couldn't finish the Kiss by Ted Dekker...



jonfortean6 -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/17/2009 1:03:01 PM)

Thanks guys, I'm going to try to check out some of those books by King. I'll check the library first, but may have to buy them online.

quote:

I couldn't finish the Kiss by Ted Dekker...


Isn't that the newest one he wrote? When you say you couldn't finish it, do you mean it was boring, or just not very concise?



slushie -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/17/2009 2:49:23 PM)

It was... boring.



matthewjc -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/18/2009 10:39:48 AM)

oh man I just bought it



jonfortean6 -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/18/2009 3:07:43 PM)

[8D] oh boy.



ManimalX -> RE: Ted Dekker (6/18/2009 3:54:22 PM)

Has anyone read Dekker's book Adam? It sounds interesting, but I don't know anyone who has read it.


Of, and to continue the recommendations of good King books, Hearts in Atlantis was a great tale, imo, though the movie version is awful and barely even gets the first few chapters. Also, I highly enjoyed the UFO/alien thriller Dreamcatcher.



Page: [1] 2 3   next >   >>



Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.5 ANSI