Ted Dekker Brings Suspense to Christian Fiction

Christian fiction is one of those genres in which I really have a hard time finding novels that I can enjoy, mostly because many of its authors are more interested in their message than in storytelling.

They may mean well, but they wind up creating simplified, one-dimensional characters whose biggest flaw might be skipping church one Sunday morning. Their stories come off sounding stiff and preachy because they haven't focused a lot of time on plot or character development. They wind up preaching to the choir, but this is one choir member who doesn't always like being preached at.

However, within the last couple of years or so I have been able to find a few Christian fiction authors who have the ability to write captivating stories without being overly preachy.

Ted Dekker is one of those authors.

My first-ever Ted Dekker novel was "House" (co-written with Frank Peretti) followed by "Thr3e" - both of which went on to become feature films. While I didn't find either one mind-blowing or Earth-shattering, I did walk away wanting more, so when Ted Dekker released Adam a couple years ago, I had to give it a try, and for the first time in a long time I found myself reading a book I just couldn't put down.

The story centers around FBI behavioral psychologist Daniel Clark, who is pursuing serial killer who goes by the name of Eve. The killer has murdered 15 women so far, each during a new moon and it's up to Daniel to stop him before the murders hit too close to home.

Daniel is a man who isn't exactly as fan of faith and in chasing down the serial killer he is forced to deal with his prejudices against religion. It's a story that not only deals with good vs. evil, but tackles demon possession and the struggle that we all have with faith. The book didn't take me where I expected it to and become more creepy and chilling with each passing page.

As a writer of Christian suspense fiction, Dekker has been criticized by Christians for being too violent and too dark. But he defends his position in an interview with CBN.com:

"It's critical that we use a very dark brush to paint evil," Ted explains. "When you bring the light into that darkness as characterized in John 1, that light is very vivid. When it dispels the darkness, we see the brilliance that's there."

Dekker also explains:

"The greatest hero that exists today without a doubt is Jesus Christ. To characterize him as a hero, it's important to make his enemy a ferocious enemy. The one story that's most exciting to us and to Him is that story when He defeats evil."

Dekker has the ability to take his faith in Christ and intertwine it with real characters who have real struggles - the Christians aren't always near-perfect and the non-believers aren't always immoral heathens - then he tops it all off with heart pounding suspense and horror.

Some Christian authors seem to fear the portrayal of evil. It's as if they think it's wrong for Christians to portray anything other than the fruits of the spirit, but have they read the Bible lately? The Word of God is filled with intense situations of good and evil, and sometimes the best lessons come from the villains, not the good guys.

Will Dawn, Ted Dekker's House of Horrors, CBN.com