Red
Ted Dekker
Westbow, Jun 2004, $19.99
ISBN: 0849917913

Every time Thomas Hunter falls asleep, he switches realities to and from our world where he failed as an author and a forest realm where he serves as a great military leader to a tribe. He does not even keep the same body as in our reality Thomas is in his mid twenties while in the forest domain he is forty. The common threads between his two "orbs" besides Thomas is both dominions face total destruction with the countdowns running out and he is the last hope in each because information he gains on one side he needs for the other side.

On our earth, the hero faces terrorists ready to release a pandemic virus that will eradicate everyone who fails to obtain the antidote. On the forestry world, the desert dweller hordes threaten to overwhelm his people. Only he stands in the way of dual genocide.

RED, the second Birth of Evil tale (see BLACK), is an exciting science fiction thriller starring a delightful protagonist who has the ultimate split personality as he lives two distinct lives on differing yet similar realms. The action-packed story line moves rather quickly forward although there is plenty of political and religious overtones and symbols, some of the former not quite as subtle as the latter. The religious aspects make for intriguing speculation while the Francophobe seems a bit unfair overkill especially in light of recent events. Still fans of fast-paced, exhilarating similar to Piers Anthony's THE APPRENTICE ADEPT trilogy will want to read this colorful tale, its predecessor and look forward to what will surely be a fabulous multihued final.

Harriet Klausner