I preread this book for my son. It is a great adventure. Poopoo to all the nitpickers. I got behind the characters and enjoyed the adventures.

I have read Black, Red and White, so after that I had to continue reading the lost books. Infidel was a great treat, I love how it combines the first books. I have started reading Renegade yesterday, it just keep getting better and better. Ted Dekker is a brillant author, I love how are this books are tying together. I read all the Left Behind books, and they were great, and I would place this series right up there at the top. If you start reading one, you will want to read them all, believe me.

In this second installment of Ted Dekker's action-fantasy series, The Lost Books, all four main characters --- Johnis, Silvie, Billos and Darsal --- are immediately thrust back into active combat after their celebratory evening. Johnis can't get his mind off the fact that the recovered ring signifies that his mother is still alive. But just how is she living? As a slave? Is she a Horde now? Under what conditions will he find her? Obsessed by this newfound knowledge, Johnis and Silvie sneak out of the city, taking their lives into their own hands and following Johnis's heart instead of his head.

Clearly, Johnis wants to rescue his mother, but there is opposition from both inside his ranks and outside. And complications. The power of the book is also another mystery and a compelling one; when someone touches the book after spilling his blood, something otherworldly and intense takes place. But where does this power come from? Is it a tool of Elyon or of Teelah?

After battling their way into the enemy city with the help of a small Horde girl, Johnis and Silvie do find his mother, but they also become victim to a bigger plot and are trapped. Johnis is given an ultimatum --- either agree to help the Horde find and abduct Thomas Hunter, or they will kill both his mother and Silvie. Johnis's heart is wrenched in two as he tries to wriggle his way out of this no-win situation.

Martyn, the Horde general, outlines the entire scheme to Johnis right down to the lies he would tell to lure Thomas into the trap. With more bravado than he feels, Johnis approaches Thomas and sets the ambush. A forest guard warrior turned traitor, Justin of Southern, with whom the Horde knows Thomas cannot resist meeting, is the bait. Johnis spins a story that Thomas is to meet with Justin in Red Valley as soon as possible. The Horde knows Thomas's interest will be piqued and they're right; plying him with lie after lie, Johnis lures the commander into the desert before abandoning him without horse or water. Riding away, convicted and ashamed, Johnis tries to convince himself that he had just acted on behalf of his mother and Silvie. But thoughts of a stunned Thomas stranded without aid won't leave his mind.

Thankfully, despite his many and frequent mistakes, others step in and assist Johnis, offering both real help and needed mercy before the final stage is set. As the "chosen" one, Johnis learns a great deal about following his heart, using his head, and listening to the counsel of his fellow warriors and friends. With lightning speed action, Ted Dekker delivers another energizing tale that will have readers of this series impatient for its next compelling segment. But as they wait, the multi-leveled plot and theological repercussions will keep fans mulling the storyline over and over.

--- Reviewed by Michele Howe

A great read, and quick. Get the whole series, it's that good. You don't have to read prequels first (The Circle Trilogy), and I appreciate that!
But, hey! you will probably want to read them after you're done, (Ted Dekker makes you curious enough) to enhance your understanding of one character, Thomas' prior history. We did! :)

Once again, the plot is fast and intoxicating as Johnis rushes to save those he loves, following his heart against all odds into the very centers of darkness, being forced to trust in the light of Elyon to prevail.

the mission for the books is on in this second book but we finally start to get a more personal and real look at our hero, giving some much needed character development after the first series.
the plot is again exciting and leaves you desperate to get to the end, to know how it ends.
However, there are a few times that it seems circumstances/situations are too easily resolved and though a great, quick read, by the end, I was hoping for something a little more.

I would give it a three for lack of detail in the world and a more complex execution of the plot, but it is tagged for young adult AND i can't deny I raced through the book, enjoying every minute....

This is an awesome series. I have read the first two books and my 13 and 15 year old son and daughter have read them too. Buy'm soon

This is an amazing book. I love how Ted Dekker ties this story into the Circle trilogy. This is a wonderful follow-up story to CHOSEN. If you've read BLACK, RED and WHITE, you need to read this!!

I am not disappointed at all. I love this.... and this book has ministered, inspired and entertained. Love it!

He's done it before, and boy does it stir the pot! But it gets the hopes up even more. That's Ted Dekker for you. He did it with "Black" and left us all wondering. And now he's done it with "Infidel." Doggone it! I love this guy, he never makes anything a dull moment! Are you ready? I'll tell you this, Johnis, Silvie, Billos and Darsal are more than ready. If they are ready, perhaps we should be as well!

Does Ted Dekker make this easy? HA! It wouldn't be Ted Dekker if it were simple. He makes this highly complicated, and the stakes are higher, and the consequences much more immense. Johnis is on a personal mission when he learns that his mother may still be alive. But is this mission for the good of the Forest Guard, or for the selfish desires of Johnis alone? Has the Horde played this correctly? Get geared up for a fight, and don't hesitate to swing first! So much to learn, so little time, so much at stake.

But then, when Dekker draws that final line with that final word in that final sentence...WHAT NEXT?!!? Now what? Poor us, poor readers. It was really starting to heat up.

It isn't fair, it just isn't fair! I'm ready for "Renegade," and I'm ready for it now!! And Ted Dekker does it with such skill, there is no way to ignore his genius. So, we just have to wait until then. And until then, you ain't findin' nothin' else out! I can wait until then. And I'll treasure it like a precious book wrapped in red twine, and carefully read accordingly.

It still isn't fair. I can't wait!!!

Warning, if you haven't read the first book in this series, Chosen (The Lost Books, Book 1) (The Books of History Chronicles), then don't read this review as it may spoil the first book for you.

Ted Dekker doesn't seem to understand that just because these new books are marketed for a teenage audience, that doesn't mean he has to dumb down his books. Although I very much enjoyed this book, it still lacks the allegory, the wonder, the vastness and heart of his original Black/Red/White (The Circle Trilogy 1-3). It's almost as if he doesn't trust this younger audience to be able to comprehend the complexity of the originals so he strips them down to their bare bones and voids any and all subtleties to create this new series. These books are good entertainment, but after the initial fun they are ultimately lacking in depth. The original series, as well as Dekkers older books such as Showdown (Paradise Series, Book 1) (The Books of History Chronicles) and Thr3e were not only great fun, but were also quite deep. The new Circle series by comparison seems shallow and heartless. Note to Dekker, most of your readers were teenagers to begin with. Just because we are younger does not mean we are incapable of understanding deeper works of fiction. "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" - Timothy 4:12. Ted Dekker simply doesn't understand how teenagers think. Sure, we'd like to be heroes who follow our hearts without fear of consequences, but in reality most teenagers simply want to get by. That, from the start of this series, has been Dekker's major weakness. He doesn't know how we think, how we talk, how we love and fear. You can't write from the POV of teenagers unless you have a firm grasps of how the teenage mind works, and unfortunately Dekker doesn't seem to have that. He takes a major step towards understanding in this book, but he's still not there, and won't be until he's willing to throw out the pre-conceived notions most adults have about teenagers and learn how we really think. Here's to hoping he manages to do it some day.

Infidel is the second chapter in Ted Dekker's new series "The Lost Books" and picks up exactly where Chosen leaves off. Johnis, Silvie, Darsal and Billos are basking in the glow of their new found glory. They are the talk of the entire Seven Forests after turning back an entire Hord army and saving the forests from almost certain destruction. Darsal and Billos thrive in the spotlight, while Silvie and Johnis don't quite know what to do with their new fame and the endless stream of well wishers. the bond between the four heroes, and their devotion to the quest to recover the lost seven Books of History has never been stronger then it is right now, but that all changes when Johnis learns that his mother, thought to have been killed by the Hord while searching for medicine for Johnis, may still me alive and living as a slave in the Hord city of Thrall. Now Johnis must chose; does he leave the forests in a desperate and suicidal attempt to rescue his mother, or does he continue his quest to find the five remaining lost books at the expense of his mother?

After the incredible ending that Dekker wrote for Chosen, I fully expected him to write a great story right off the bat; unfortunately though he fails miserably to deliver. The beginning of this book, and by that I mean the first 70 pages or so, are simply horrible. Johnis terns from a semi annoying character to the most arrogant self righteous prick I have ever seen in my entire life, and the rest of the main characters tern into completely incompetent fools who follow his will no matter how crazy he may be despite knowing he's wrong because he shames them into it. Every time they raise logical questions about his mindless plans, he says "wasn't I right about the water? Wasn't I right about the books? Wasn't I right about his, or about that, and didn't we almost die because you didn't listen?" and then they do what he wants. For the first 70 pages of this book i not only didn't like Johnis, but actually wished for bodily harm to be done to him for his arrogance and his air of superiority. He's the chosen one darn it, and no one had better question him. He may no longer be a stereotype, no, but at least for the first part of this book he was nothing but an SOB. In the course of a day he managed to kill 130 Forest Guards because he was "thinking with his heart" and not his brain. Mesa thinks this thinking with your heart thing may be a bit overrated. After the first 70 pages I was nearly ready to put the book down and declare Dekker a has been and move on to another writer.

Another problem I found annoying was the books predictability. Almost every plot twist, almost every turn was easy to see coming. Although I don't necessarily think the book is bad for that, I think it could have been a whole lot better if it were a little harder to see what was coming next.

That all changed, however, when Johnis, Silvie, and a minor character from the first book Jackov, travel to the Hord city. There, a completely awful and stupid story terns into one of Dekkers finest. for the first time in the entire series Dekker attempts to bring back the wonder and excitement of the original series, and although he doesn't quite manage to recreate it perfectly, his attempt was well appreciated and made this book a million times better then what it could have been. Dekker has already written about Hord cities in White (The Circle Trilogy, Book 3) (The Lost History Chronicles) but the detail he was able top cram into the 240 large print pages of this book was nothing short of incredible.

The greatest strength of this book I think is that fact that instead of de-humanizing the Hord as he had in the first book and in Red (The Circle Trilogy, Book 2) (The Books of History Chronicles) he brings to light the fact that these Scabs, the very people who the Forest Guard have sworn to destroy, are just like the Forest Dwellers. Except for the skin disease that covers their bodies, the Hord is almost exactly like those who bath in Elyons lakes. They have their own culture, their own way of livening. They love, they hate, they dance with joy and cry in sorrow. They know fear and suffering as well as any man who lives in the Forests, and are beautiful in their own way. these "infidels" as the religious leaders in the forests like to call them, are loved and cherished by Elyon every bit as much as the Forest Dwellers, and that's what makes this story so touching. Where the first book lacked heart and the beginning of this book lacked understanding, the second part of this book brings these crucial elements back in full force.

Probably the most brilliant plot twist Dekker has ever made was the introduction of a little Scab girl, Karas, into this story. It may not be as big a shock as the ending for Thr3e or Skin, and may not be as exiting as anything found in House and Obsessed, but in one page Dekker puts heart into his story. The sub plot with Johnis slowly starting to love this incredibly adorable little nine year old girl as if she were his own sister is the most touching thing I've ever read in a Dekker book. Dekker has always managed to throw love into his books, but it was always the love of a man for a woman, but never the love of an older sibling to a youngster. As a teenager and older brother I've never loved a girl so much to die for her, but I do love my little brothers and my older sister enough to do so for them. The relationship between Johnis and Karas struck a very special cord with me. She was so darn adorable, so young and innocent, that my heart ached for her whenever she was in pain and leapt for joy when she experienced happiness. She is, far and away, the best thing to enter Dekkers mind since the worm sludge in Showdown. She not only humanizes the Hord but also turns Johnis from the most arrogant character on the face of the planet to a caring, even likeable guy.

Although Ted Dekker still hasn't recaptured the magic of his pre Saint (Paradise Series, Book 2) (The Books of History Chronicles) days, he took a major step closer to returning to where he once was. The rest of the series has amazing potential and could really be Dekkers crowning achievement if he sticks to a few simple rules.
1) Avoid stereotypes. Continue to develop the main characters into rich 3 dimensional characters.
2) Don't dumb it down. Bring back the allegory and depth of the original series.
3) Make the characters likeable. Don't make me want to hurt teh main characters.
3) Don't turn your back on Karas; make her an active part of the story.
4) And finally, write from the heart.
You can be sure that I will be at the book store in May when the two follow up novels, Renegade (The Lost Books, Book 3) (The Books of History Chronicles) and Chaos (The Lost Books, Book 4) (The Books of History Chronicles) are released. Also, look for Dekkers next book Adam coming out in April.

Re-read value; low.

Warning, if you haven't read the first book in this series, Chosen (The Lost Books, Book 1) (The Books of History Chronicles), then don't read this review as it may spoil the first book for you.

Ted Dekker doesn't seem to understand that just because these new books are marketed for a teenage audience, that doesn't mean he has to dumb down his books. Although I very much enjoyed this book, it still lacks the allegory, the wonder, the vastness and heart of his original Black/Red/White (The Circle Trilogy 1-3). It's almost as if he doesn't trust this younger audience to be able to comprehend the complexity of the originals so he strips them down to their bare bones and voids any and all subtleties to create this new series. These books are good entertainment, but after the initial fun they are ultimately lacking in depth. The original series, as well as Dekkers older books such as Showdown (Paradise Series, Book 1) (The Books of History Chronicles) and Thr3e were not only great fun, but were also quite deep. The new Circle series by comparison seems shallow and heartless. Note to Dekker, most of your readers were teenagers to begin with. Just because we are younger does not mean we are incapable of understanding deeper works of fiction. "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" - Timothy 4:12. Ted Dekker simply doesn't understand how teenagers think. Sure, we'd like to be heroes who follow our hearts without fear of consequences, but in reality most teenagers simply want to get by. That, from the start of this series, has been Dekker's major weakness. He doesn't know how we think, how we talk, how we love and fear. You can't write from the POV of teenagers unless you have a firm grasps of how the teenage mind works, and unfortunately Dekker doesn't seem to have that. He takes a major step towards understanding in this book, but he's still not there, and won't be until he's willing to throw out the pre-conceived notions most adults have about teenagers and learn how we really think. Here's to hoping he manages to do it some day.

Infidel is the second chapter in Ted Dekker's new series "The Lost Books" and picks up exactly where Chosen leaves off. Johnis, Silvie, Darsal and Billos are basking in the glow of their new found glory. They are the talk of the entire Seven Forests after turning back an entire Hord army and saving the forests from almost certain destruction. Darsal and Billos thrive in the spotlight, while Silvie and Johnis don't quite know what to do with their new fame and the endless stream of well wishers. the bond between the four heroes, and their devotion to the quest to recover the lost seven Books of History has never been stronger then it is right now, but that all changes when Johnis learns that his mother, thought to have been killed by the Hord while searching for medicine for Johnis, may still me alive and living as a slave in the Hord city of Thrall. Now Johnis must chose; does he leave the forests in a desperate and suicidal attempt to rescue his mother, or does he continue his quest to find the five remaining lost books at the expense of his mother?

After the incredible ending that Dekker wrote for Chosen, I fully expected him to write a great story right off the bat; unfortunately though he fails miserably to deliver. The beginning of this book, and by that I mean the first 70 pages or so, are simply horrible. Johnis terns from a semi annoying character to the most arrogant self righteous prick I have ever seen in my entire life, and the rest of the main characters tern into completely incompetent fools who follow his will no matter how crazy he may be despite knowing he's wrong because he shames them into it. Every time they raise logical questions about his mindless plans, he says "wasn't I right about the water? Wasn't I right about the books? Wasn't I right about his, or about that, and didn't we almost die because you didn't listen?" and then they do what he wants. For the first 70 pages of this book i not only didn't like Johnis, but actually wished for bodily harm to be done to him for his arrogance and his air of superiority. He's the chosen one darn it, and no one had better question him. He may no longer be a stereotype, no, but at least for the first part of this book he was nothing but an SOB. In the course of a day he managed to kill 130 Forest Guards because he was "thinking with his heart" and not his brain. Mesa thinks this thinking with your heart thing may be a bit overrated. After the first 70 pages I was nearly ready to put the book down and declare Dekker a has been and move on to another writer.

Another problem I found annoying was the books predictability. Almost every plot twist, almost every turn was easy to see coming. Although I don't necessarily think the book is bad for that, I think it could have been a whole lot better if it were a little harder to see what was coming next.

That all changed, however, when Johnis, Silvie, and a minor character from the first book Jackov, travel to the Hord city. There, a completely awful and stupid story terns into one of Dekkers finest. for the first time in the entire series Dekker attempts to bring back the wonder and excitement of the original series, and although he doesn't quite manage to recreate it perfectly, his attempt was well appreciated and made this book a million times better then what it could have been. Dekker has already written about Hord cities in White (The Circle Trilogy, Book 3) (The Lost History Chronicles) but the detail he was able top cram into the 240 large print pages of this book was nothing short of incredible.

The greatest strength of this book I think is that fact that instead of de-humanizing the Hord as he had in the first book and in Red (The Circle Trilogy, Book 2) (The Books of History Chronicles) he brings to light the fact that these Scabs, the very people who the Forest Guard have sworn to destroy, are just like the Forest Dwellers. Except for the skin disease that covers their bodies, the Hord is almost exactly like those who bath in Elyons lakes. They have their own culture, their own way of livening. They love, they hate, they dance with joy and cry in sorrow. They know fear and suffering as well as any man who lives in the Forests, and are beautiful in their own way. these "infidels" as the religious leaders in the forests like to call them, are loved and cherished by Elyon every bit as much as the Forest Dwellers, and that's what makes this story so touching. Where the first book lacked heart and the beginning of this book lacked understanding, the second part of this book brings these crucial elements back in full force.

Probably the most brilliant plot twist Dekker has ever made was the introduction of a little Scab girl, Karas, into this story. It may not be as big a shock as the ending for Thr3e or Skin, and may not be as exiting as anything found in House and Obsessed, but in one page Dekker puts heart into his story. The sub plot with Johnis slowly starting to love this incredibly adorable little nine year old girl as if she were his own sister is the most touching thing I've ever read in a Dekker book. Dekker has always managed to throw love into his books, but it was always the love of a man for a woman, but never the love of an older sibling to a youngster. As a teenager and older brother I've never loved a girl so much to die for her, but I do love my little brothers and my older sister enough to do so for them. The relationship between Johnis and Karas struck a very special cord with me. She was so darn adorable, so young and innocent, that my heart ached for her whenever she was in pain and leapt for joy when she experienced happiness. She is, far and away, the best thing to enter Dekkers mind since the worm sludge in Showdown. She not only humanizes the Hord but also turns Johnis from the most arrogant character on the face of the planet to a caring, even likeable guy.

Although Ted Dekker still hasn't recaptured the magic of his pre Saint (Paradise Series, Book 2) (The Books of History Chronicles) days, he took a major step closer to returning to where he once was. The rest of the series has amazing potential and could really be Dekkers crowning achievement if he sticks to a few simple rules.
1) Avoid stereotypes. Continue to develop the main characters into rich 3 dimensional characters.
2) Don't dumb it down. Bring back the allegory and depth of the original series.
3) Make the characters likeable. Don't make me want to hurt teh main characters.
3) Don't turn your back on Karas; make her an active part of the story.
4) And finally, write from the heart.
You can be sure that I will be at the book store in May when the two follow up novels, Renegade (The Lost Books, Book 3) (The Books of History Chronicles) and Chaos (The Lost Books, Book 4) (The Books of History Chronicles) are released. Also, look for Dekkers next book Adam coming out in April.

Warning, if you haven't read the first book in this series, Chosen (The Lost Books, Book 1) (The Books of History Chronicles), then don't read this review as it may spoil the first book for you.

Ted Dekker doesn't seem to understand that just because these new books are marketed for a teenage audience, that doesn't mean he has to dumb down his books. Although I very much enjoyed this book, it still lacks the allegory, the wonder, the vastness and heart of his original Black/Red/White (The Circle Trilogy 1-3). It's almost as if he doesn't trust this younger audience to be able to comprehend the complexity of the originals so he strips them down to their bare bones and voids any and all subtleties to create this new series. These books are good entertainment, but after the initial fun they are ultimately lacking in depth. The original series, as well as Dekkers older books such as Showdown (Paradise Series, Book 1) (The Books of History Chronicles) and Thr3e were not only great fun, but were also quite deep. The new Circle series by comparison seems shallow and heartless. Note to Dekker, most of your readers were teenagers to begin with. Just because we are younger does not mean we are incapable of understanding deeper works of fiction. "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" - Timothy 4:12. Ted Dekker simply doesn't understand how teenagers think. Sure, we'd like to be heroes who follow our hearts without fear of consequences, but in reality most teenagers simply want to get by. That, from the start of this series, has been Dekker's major weakness. He doesn't know how we think, how we talk, how we love and fear. You can't write from the POV of teenagers unless you have a firm grasps of how the teenage mind works, and unfortunately Dekker doesn't seem to have that. He takes a major step towards understanding in this book, but he's still not there, and won't be until he's willing to throw out the pre-conceived notions most adults have about teenagers and learn how we really think. Here's to hoping he manages to do it some day.

Infidel is the second chapter in Ted Dekker's new series "The Lost Books" and picks up exactly where Chosen leaves off. Johnis, Silvie, Darsal and Billos are basking in the glow of their new found glory. They are the talk of the entire Seven Forests after turning back an entire Hord army and saving the forests from almost certain destruction. Darsal and Billos thrive in the spotlight, while Silvie and Johnis don't quite know what to do with their new fame and the endless stream of well wishers. the bond between the four heroes, and their devotion to the quest to recover the lost seven Books of History has never been stronger then it is right now, but that all changes when Johnis learns that his mother, thought to have been killed by the Hord while searching for medicine for Johnis, may still me alive and living as a slave in the Hord city of Thrall. Now Johnis must chose; does he leave the forests in a desperate and suicidal attempt to rescue his mother, or does he continue his quest to find the five remaining lost books at the expense of his mother?

After the incredible ending that Dekker wrote for Chosen, I fully expected him to write a great story right off the bat; unfortunately though he fails miserably to deliver. The beginning of this book, and by that I mean the first 70 pages or so, are simply horrible. Johnis terns from a semi annoying character to the most arrogant self righteous prick I have ever seen in my entire life, and the rest of the main characters tern into completely incompetent fools who follow his will no matter how crazy he may be despite knowing he's wrong because he shames them into it. Every time they raise logical questions about his mindless plans, he says "wasn't I right about the water? Wasn't I right about the books? Wasn't I right about his, or about that, and didn't we almost die because you didn't listen?" and then they do what he wants. For the first 70 pages of this book i not only didn't like Johnis, but actually wished for bodily harm to be done to him for his arrogance and his air of superiority. He's the chosen one darn it, and no one had better question him. He may no longer be a stereotype, no, but at least for the first part of this book he was nothing but an SOB. In the course of a day he managed to kill 130 Forest Guards because he was "thinking with his heart" and not his brain. Mesa thinks this thinking with your heart thing may be a bit overrated. After the first 70 pages I was nearly ready to put the book down and declare Dekker a has been and move on to another writer.

Another problem I found annoying was the books predictability. Almost every plot twist, almost every turn was easy to see coming. Although I don't necessarily think the book is bad for that, I think it could have been a whole lot better if it were a little harder to see what was coming next.

That all changed, however, when Johnis, Silvie, and a minor character from the first book Jackov, travel to the Hord city. There, a completely awful and stupid story terns into one of Dekkers finest. for the first time in the entire series Dekker attempts to bring back the wonder and excitement of the original series, and although he doesn't quite manage to recreate it perfectly, his attempt was well appreciated and made this book a million times better then what it could have been. Dekker has already written about Hord cities in White (The Circle Trilogy, Book 3) (The Lost History Chronicles) but the detail he was able top cram into the 240 large print pages of this book was nothing short of incredible.

The greatest strength of this book I think is that fact that instead of de-humanizing the Hord as he had in the first book and in Red (The Circle Trilogy, Book 2) (The Books of History Chronicles) he brings to light the fact that these Scabs, the very people who the Forest Guard have sworn to destroy, are just like the Forest Dwellers. Except for the skin disease that covers their bodies, the Hord is almost exactly like those who bath in Elyons lakes. They have their own culture, their own way of livening. They love, they hate, they dance with joy and cry in sorrow. They know fear and suffering as well as any man who lives in the Forests, and are beautiful in their own way. these "infidels" as the religious leaders in the forests like to call them, are loved and cherished by Elyon every bit as much as the Forest Dwellers, and that's what makes this story so touching. Where the first book lacked heart and the beginning of this book lacked understanding, the second part of this book brings these crucial elements back in full force.

Probably the most brilliant plot twist Dekker has ever made was the introduction of a little Scab girl, Karas, into this story. It may not be as big a shock as the ending for Thr3e or Skin, and may not be as exiting as anything found in House and Obsessed, but in one page Dekker puts heart into his story. The sub plot with Johnis slowly starting to love this incredibly adorable little nine year old girl as if she were his own sister is the most touching thing I've ever read in a Dekker book. Dekker has always managed to throw love into his books, but it was always the love of a man for a woman, but never the love of an older sibling to a youngster. As a teenager and older brother I've never loved a girl so much to die for her, but I do love my little brothers and my older sister enough to do so for them. The relationship between Johnis and Karas struck a very special cord with me. She was so darn adorable, so young and innocent, that my heart ached for her whenever she was in pain and leapt for joy when she experienced happiness. She is, far and away, the best thing to enter Dekkers mind since the worm sludge in Showdown. She not only humanizes the Hord but also turns Johnis from the most arrogant character on the face of the planet to a caring, even likeable guy.

Of course, with any new Dekker book we expect to have some sort of tie ins with previews novels. Although it doesn't have the incredible tie ins that the privies entry had (to Showdown and Skin) this one tied in almost perfectly with Red, the second book in the original trilogy. It explains how Thomas Hunter was stranded in the dessert and met the Hord princes Chelsea. Part of a chapter is cut and pasted from Red (which I am in the process of re-reading right now). If you've read Red, you'll recognize it almost at once.

Although Ted Dekker still hasn't recaptured the magic of his pre Saint (Paradise Series, Book 2) (The Books of History Chronicles) days, he took a major step closer to returning to where he once was. The rest of the series has amazing potential and could really be Dekkers crowning achievement if he sticks to a few simple rules.
1) Avoid stereotypes.
2) Don't dumb it down.
3) Make the characters likeable.
3) Don't turn your back on Karas; make her an active part of the story.
4) And finally, write from the heart.
You can be sure that I will be at the book store in May when the two follow up novels, Renegade (The Lost Books, Book 3) (The Books of History Chronicles) and Chaos (The Lost Books, Book 4) (The Books of History Chronicles) are released. Also, look for Dekkers next book Adam coming out in April.

After reading Chosen, I dove directly into Infidel. Ted Dekker show's his brilliance by changing up the story, moving the character's to higher levels and taking a more indepth look at the time that Thomas Hunter almost became Horde himself. I'm deeply impressed and can't wait for the release of the final two books.

Dekker's sense of pacing is never clearer than in the Lost Books. He has taken the Other World that was explored in the Circle Trilogy and turned it into the setting for continued cataclysmic conflicts between good and evil, between the Forest Guard and the Horde.

"Chosen" left us with a solid ending and a defined objective for the main characters. "Infidel" picks up right where the other left off, but Dekker leaves us little time for catching our breath. Johnis, the central character of the first book, is once again on a mission--an ill-advised trek that will land him in a heap of trouble. Followed by Silvie, he endangers lives and loses all that he has obtained in a quest to rescue his mother, whom he believes to be alive.

Despite the meager map details on the book's inside cover, "Infidel" leads us into a world that is well thought out and that parallels our own. Dekker has imbued these settings with detail and symbolic depth, and he challenges us to love even those we find abhorrent. Johnis is a rich character, with believable conflicts and transformations. The book's message of Christ-like love is clear, while never being preachy.

One or two of the scenes near the end seemed a bit convenient, but overall the pace and action never flags, and I look forward to continuing this great series. The book ends with a perfect jumping off point into further adventures, raising the stakes, the conflict, and the possibilities.

Excellent follow up to the Circle Trilogy. The development of these new
characters is what I have come to expect from Ted Dekker. Excellent thriller.

The new series is very well thought out. It incorporates not only the forest but the showdown series. Very good story telling.

After reading about fifty pages of Chosen, I returned to Amazon and ordered the rest of the Lost Books, Project Showdown, and the Circle Trilogy. I love his stuff! Infidel, like Chosen, does not disappoint. I can't put it down!

DEKkER writes the most excellent Christian fiction, and I hope to someday be as good of a writer as he. Dekker and Perretti inspired me to write STAND, the first book in my Chronicles of Trinian Trilogy, and I will have the prequel to STAND out soon.

STAND

Keep up the great work Ted, your imaginative stories, and creative writing continue to be a blessing and inspiration to us all! Keep the stories coming. We can't get enough!

I am a big Dekker fan so it should be no surprise that I loved this very easy to read book. It is a "youth fiction" but is a good companion to the Circle Trilogy.

I read this in a day, even though this book annoyed me more than the first(Chosen). I won't say why except that a certain character was annoying me. But in the end, you understand why Dekker did what he did with the character. If you like Dekker's books, or fast paced adventure/fantasy books, you'll love these.

For me, it was good, but not as good as the first. Read Black, Red, White, and Chosen before this.

I received both Infidel and Chosen (bk. 1 of the series) in the mail at noon. I finished reading them (yeah, both) at 6:00. I couldn't put them down. This series is the tie that binds the Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White) to Dekker's other works. Ted is a master at cliffhangers and totally unexpected twists and now he's taken it to a whole new level by interweaving storylines over multiple books. It's absolutely awesome. If Dekker keeps up this pace throughout the Books of History Chronicles, it will be on par with C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia and J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

Johnis, Silvie, Darsal, and Billos continue on their quest in this second installment of Ted Dekker's Circle Series. Having just helped the Forest Guard thwart a major Horde attack, they now find themselves settling into their new leadership roles. Johnis soon learns that his missing mother might be living as a prisoner among the Horde. Despite his promise to seek out the hidden Books of History, Johnis decides to follow his heart back into danger and find a way to save his mother. Soon Johnis and Silvie embark on a dangerous mission that may just put the future of Elyon's followers in jeopardy.

Ted Dekker has crafted another remarkable story full of heart, suspense, and action. Infidel takes us deeper inside the veiled world of the Horde, and what Johnis and company discover about their enemies is surprising and eye-opening. At its core, this is a story about compassion, acceptance, and honor. The insights into humanity that Johnis experiences are compelling and his inner battle of duty vs. compassion is incredibly captivating.

Dekker is known for plots full of unexpected twists and turns, and his hard core fans will not be disappointed. Infidel is full of fascinating characters, beautiful and vivid landscapes, and gut wrenching battles. However, Dekker's major strength is clearly found in his ability to persistently entertain on a high level while causing readers to think and question. This new young adult series is a fresh and exciting addition to the world of Ted Dekker.