Review of Ted Dekker's Adam

Title: Adam
Author: Ted Dekker
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, Nashville
Copyright: 2008
Pages: 383
ISBN: 978-1-59554-007-2
Genre: Christian suspense

Daniel Clark is no dummy. As a 35-year-old, he earns his doctorate. After five years of tours and lectures and two books behind him, he requests a reassignment from the FBI. The FBI puts him on the case of a serial killer that they refer to as "Eve." Daniel is no dummy, and he knows it. Eve's no dummy, either. Daniel knows it must come down to a battle between the two of them, for if anyone can catch Eve, Daniel believes it will be himself. Adam chronicles Daniel's chase, as he proves he is willing to do anything to stop this killer. But Daniel has no idea what he's up against.

Like two bookends, the quotes from John 10:10 hold together everything that lies between. The opening quote of Adam reads, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy . . . ." The ending quote reads, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life . . . ." Through his story, Dekker plumbs the depths of these twin concepts with a clarity that readers often find absent in popular Christian literature today.

I have little else to say without giving the story away. But I will say this: The author has researched his book thoroughly. As he's demonstrated before, he's not afraid to include detailed descriptions of evil. A serial killer known as Eve doesn't present any exceptions. While I wouldn't necessarily discourage readers from tackling Adam, I do recognize that for some readers, this novel could make for a troubling read.

But Dekker certainly does not present evil or violence merely for its own sake. In his non-fiction book The Slumber of Christianity, Dekker writes, "I have been criticized on occasion for depicting violence and death in some of my novels. But unless we, as Christians, haul this toothless monster out of his corner and thrust him into the bright light, he will sow fear as he always has." Dekker further explains that the "he" is Satan, who aims to deceive the world. Dekker asserts that he "must paint evil with the blackest of brushes, not to sow fear, but to call out the monsters to be scattered by our light" (86).

In the end, that's exactly what Dekker does. And as usual, he does it skillfully in Adam.