Eyes Wide Open (The Outlaw Chronicles) Paperback – January 21, 2014

First of all, if you're a Ted Dekker fan, you definitely want to pick this one up. If you've never heard of Ted Dekker, think of Stephen King and you get the picture. In this unique series Ted Dekker launched the first part of this four part book to those who had electronic readers for Free until the rest in the series launched. Now priced for a very limited time for $5.99 for all four, you won't lose out wait for the next part of the book to be released. That's when I jumped on board. I've been a fan of Ted Dekker's for quite some time and just reading the premise of the book was enough to make me want to pick this one up. See for yourself."Who am I?My name is Christy Snow. I'm seventeen and I'm about to die.I'm buried in a coffin under tons of concrete. No one knows where I am. My heart sounds like a monster with clobber feet, running straight toward me. I'm lying on my back, soaked with sweat from the hair on my head to the soles of my feet. My hands and feet won't stop shaking.Some will say that I m not really here. Some will say I'm delusional. Some will say that I don t even exist. But who are they? I'm the one buried in a grave. \My name is Christy Snow. I'm seventeen. I'm about to die.So who are you? " (Excerpt from back cover).When Christy Snow loses her silver locket in a storage shed behind St. Matthews Hospital, she discovers by accident a trap door in the floor that drops her into a concrete room with apparently no way out. When she located a shelf used for the transportation of alcohol during the prohibition era, she wedges herself inside to try the wood panel at the end. All she manages to do, it lock herself inside a coffin size area. Unable to call for help since her cell phone is dead, she panics and forces the wood panel to come lose.She realizes she has probably found her way into the hospital basement and hopes she can find her way out. What she discovers is that she is now in the mental hospital wing and no matter how hard she tries to convince the doctors there she isn't a patient, with no identification on her, they believe she is suffering from a delusion and she isn't who she is claiming to be. Her only hope is the message she left for her friend Austin before her phone died. But when Austin shows up, he too is unable to convince the hospital staff he came for Christy and now they have both wound up lost beneath the hospital. Unfortunately when patient head counts come up two short, Austin and Christy soon begin to wonder if they aren't really crazy after all.I won't spoil the remainder of the book, but trust me, you'll question what is the truth and what is merely an illusion in this latest book by Ted Dekker. Each book is divided into the mini books, Identity, Mirrors, Unseen and Seer, that you can purchase one at a time, but trust me, pick up the whole thing so you don't lose momentum in the storyline. True to Dekker's writing style, you will wind up in a different place then where you were headed and soon begin to feel as if you are part of the story itself. Great storyline but the ending for me, fell short from what I was anticipating. It's like it reached it's climax and then all the air was let out of the balloon, This does introduce the reader into a new series from Ted Dekker called the Outlaw Chronicles, with the first book Water Walker coming out soon. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and would have rated it a 5 out of 5 but like I stated earlier the ending just fell flat for me. However the message behind the story is reason enough to pick this one up. For those of you with questions about your own self esteem, this is a must read novel for you! You might want to pick up Showdown before reading this one to see the connection at the end.

As a big fan of Ted's I knew I was in for a good book and he came through as usual. I originally picked up the first volume then found out it was not a pilot as described but part one of a four part novel. Since I enjoyed it so much I had to go directly to this version that has all four "books" in one. The writing was good and the story-telling was excellent. Ted made a simple plot very gripping and thought provoking. What starts as a simple tale turns into something I did not expect (typical of a Dekker book). Unbelievers will not be offended most of the book and Christian's will be challenged and encouraged. The scene in the school is typical secular humanism which makes for a sad yet informative scene. The overall storyline was surreal but as Ted would do, became grounded in reality towards the end. The Eyes Wide Open series is a bit of a scam by the publishing company. As I said the first book is not really a pilot but the first book in a four book series. All four books together are the length of an average novel. They offer the first book for free knowing 99% of us will have to get the rest. Talk about baiting the reader. Not sure I agree with the ethics of this one. Hope Ted had nothing to do with this decision. I did have some theological problems with the book although the overall point of the novel was good. Scripture did not have to be twisted to get this point across but apparently Ted deemed in necessary. Here are three quotes from the book. Location 4377 "His voice came like honey to her tongue. "You are perfect even as your Father is perfect. Made whole and blameless a long time ago." Location 4380 "Beautiful. As you are, without a single change to the real you. Atoned. Made right. No condemnation possible, no further correction needed." Location 4438 "Be perfect, don't try to become perfect. You already are, you just don't know it yet. Be still and know." - Now I can not explain these statements in their context without giving away some of the plot so I won't. However if you are Biblically knowledgeable you can see right off that these statements are not correct. Please keep this in mind when reading the book.1 Star = Pathetic2 Stars = Fair3 Stars = Good4 Stars = Excellent5 Stars = Life changingFor those who give me a negative vote on my review please comment and let me know why. I'd like to improve my reviews so they can be helpful to those who read them. Please understand I choose not to give a synopsis of the book because it's already given at the top of the home page. I find in doing so too many reviewers give away too much of the plot. Thank you.

It's so true that God will bring something to reach and touch us in a tangible way when we need Him most. This book was one of those times. In great Dekker style I was hooked from the first page and able to empathise more and more with the turn of each page. Not only is this novel excellent on a suspense level but also a bit of an eyes wide open moment too - pun intended. It's helped me focus again on what really matters. Definitely a recommended read.

This held such promise...and then the last chapters swept though to a conclusion like a project running out of funding. I keep wondering if I finished the book...and then realising - no, that was the ending...

Gripping

I found this book very moving and a wonderful reminder of how important it is to know exactly who we are.

A gripping, can't put it down experience with a deeper truth that will leave you inspired and profoundly moved. If you loved The Shack you should definitely read this. If you've never read The Shack, read this anyway.