Finding God's Glory in the Scariest Places

My mom and I were driving in the car the other day. Out of the blue she feels the need to note, “You know, I’m not sure how I feel about raising possibly the next big name in Horror Fiction.” I thought for a second then asked, “Because of the ‘next big name’ part or the Horror part?” She promptly assured me she meant the fact that I was interested in Horror Fiction. Apparently it kind of “weirded” her out.

It’s not that she’s doesn’t support me; she’s definitely one of the most supportive mothers I’ve ever met.

But that question still lingers in the back of everybody’s mind…Can you uphold your faith, keeping right in the eyes of God, and find enjoyment from the eerie world of Horror?

Personally, I find no conviction when I read through a good scary novel. I do struggle sometimes with the idea of it being wrong to enjoy Horror as a Christian. But I still don’t feel a strong conviction when I read my favorite genre. So recently, when my mom Facebook messaged me an article by Jared Moore titled, “How to Watch a Scary Movie Unto the Glory of God” I was pretty psyched.

The article discusses how movies and novels exploring the more edgy side of things can be appreciated without the fear of losing the Lord’s love. Moore explains ways to “enjoy the Lord” while watching Horror movies or TV shows. He gives a list of things such as admiring the gift of the authors, directors, and actors; finding joy in the fact that most show the good guys winning over the sources of evil; and recognizing that yes, some shows do contradict the Lord, and we have to remember that God is meant to be our security, hope, trust, and life.

Moore also goes into how, as Christians, we DO need to be careful when watching stuff like this. He presents five things that Christians must keep in mind.

“How to Watch a Scary Movie Unto the Glory of God” encourages me. Reminds me to continue doing what I love, but not just because I love it, but because in everything I do, there is a way to honor Jesus Christ. Even if it involves a movie or novel which may or may not give me nightmares. It also serves as a good reminder to keep my eyes where they should be and to keep my heart in line. While it is okay to find enjoyment in a good scare, it is equally important to remember that I am human and apt to sin.

No matter my love for Horror Fiction, Jesus Christ and His truth should still be the center of my focus. If I do stumble upon something that’s going to encourage me or tempt me to sin, as a Christian, I need to be aware of the fact and stay away from it.

So for those of you who also gather a few odd looks from suspicious bystanders, I encourage you to read the article. As for me, my mom may still be a bit "weirded" out by my peculiar pull to this side of fiction, but I see a world of scares and thrills, good over evil, and a place to show the glory of God in drastic and radical ways. 

The choice to participate in this strange genre remains a personal choice that is not so black and white. But the article just might help in figuring things out.

To read this article you can follow the link below: http://jaredmoore.exaltchrist.com/2011/03/09/how-to-watch-a-scary-movie-unto-the-glory-of-god/.

Why Dekker Remains A Comfort Author

As avid readers, do you have any favorite authors? We could call them “Comfort Authors,” sort of like comfort foods. When you’ve had a long day, or long week, and you just need a break and a different world to escape to, what’s one of the first authors you reach for?

Hopefully, as Horror readers you won’t think I’m crazy when I answer Ted Dekker.

(Trust me, there are plenty of other reasons to think I’m crazy.)

Book after book, the more I lean towards his shelves at the bookstore. The more I read, the faster my fingers type his name in the search bar of Amazon.com.

Don’t worry, the obsession hasn’t reached a creepy status, it’s just that I’m a lover of good writing and a thrilling story. The next book I’ve chosen to review by Dekker is an older one…well older as in 2008. I remember reading this book a few years ago. My family and I were on our way to Washington D.C. for a weekend vacation. I believe I started it either the day before we left, or the day of.

What did I do in the airport? Read Adam.

What did I do on the plane? Read Adam.

What did I do in D.C.? Read Adam.

What did I do on the plane ride home? Finished reading Adam.

I couldn’t have put it down even if I had wanted to. Even the design, the way it feels, it’s just addicting.

Adam is about a Special Agent named Daniel Clark. He’s an obsessive agent who searches after serial killers. Clark claims that his obsessive behavior helps get him in the mindset of the killers. Simultaneously, however, it also causes his divorce with his wife Heather. Clark is a talented agent, but of course, Dekker has created a killer who seems to be just that much better. The killer, known as Eve, has taken the lives a 16 women and is still on the move.

Now, this is beginning to sound like every other serial killer story, isn’t it?

Would I have named Dekker as a “Comfort Author” if ordinary and typical was all he gave us?

Adam does contain the classic serial killer concept, however, combined with Dekker’s ability to confuse, entertain, surprise, and amaze his readers, it’s brought up to a whole new level. The graphics for one thing. If you like being scared, but can’t necessarily take a graphic, semi-gory mental image, this may be a book to weary away from. HOWEVER, the detailed illustrations just add an absolutely needed layer of the story. While it’s not everyone’s favorite aspect, the images Dekker uses are not thrown around willy-nilly. 

These descriptions are thoughtfully placed to not disgust the reader, but to enhance the story.

That is just what they do.

So for those of you with hearts for horror and queasy stomachs, I think you’ll be able to handle this one.

Another layer worth mentioning is how Dekker uses Christian beliefs in this story. The references made are blunt and easy to catch. Yet, the meaning he implies is not so clear. The words Adam and Eve give most people a solid idea of the story. In Adam, the reason Dekker uses them isn’t as easy to grasp at first as we would think.

Since I’m discussing the above-ordinary writing in Adam, the backstory for the killer is also done in an appreciative manner.

The killer is the first character we’re introduced to. Through newspaper clippings we are given the killer, his name, and what has gotten him to the mental state he possesses. Personally, I love when authors can let me know who the killer is and then are still able to create enough mystery to keep me reading.

Adam is truly one book that I will continue to marvel at, even as my list of “Comfort Authors” grows.

MORTAL FREE GIVEAWAY!

For those of you who are Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee fans…BIG NEWS!

They are doing another giveaway TODAY! If you go to Dekker’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/teddekker) LIKE his post about the giveaway then SHARE the video.

That’s all you’ve gotta do!

The winners will be announced by 5:00pm ET TODAY! So if you want in, get going!

Here’s the video to share and to watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcpNwJeFnqk&feature=youtu.be

More News on Mortal!

So Dekker and Lee are setting off soon for their book tour. (One week according to Dekker's Facebook page.) Too see where they're headed, follow the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/teddekker/events

If that doesn't work, visit Dekker's Facebook page, he's got the link posted there. Now, if only they were coming closer to me...

Don't forget you can still pre-order Mortal on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Mortal-The-Books-Mortals-Dekker/dp/1599953587/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1338332244&sr=8-4

For more info visit 
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/mortal/

Pre-Order Mortal Now!

So I’m back!

Sorry for the break, but I return bearing good news of great joy!

Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee have released their newest addition to The Books of Mortals series. Mortal is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/Mortal-Books-Mortals-Ted-Dekker/dp/1599953587/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337967271&sr=1-1

Now, if you want it at the cheaper price get it soon. According to Amazon.com the title will officially be released June 5.

I haven’t finished the first book, Forbidden, but from what I’ve read, this is a series you won’t want to miss.

Book Trailers...A New Thing??

If you didn’t already know, someone (who, I wish I knew) came up with the brilliant idea of advertising a book with a video.

Yea...It didn’t make sense to me at first either.

I kept wondering how in the world it was possible? Apparently it is. Book trailers seem to be a growing trend.

Why not, right?

So if you’re interested, here a few featured on my wish-to-read list, advertised through the fascinating world of visual entertainment.

Under The Dome by Stephen King

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox7esxXlyIk

Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yXgkNP889E&feature=youtu.be

Demon by Tosca Lee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXr_TrkMLrE&feature=youtu.be

Jumping The Bandwagon

Disheartened at first, when I read the words “Carpathian Mountains.” I immediately knew Ted Dekker has done it. The almost unspeakable.

Dekker jumped the bandwagon.

I bought Immanuel’s Veins on my Kindle, hoping, wishing, dreaming, and desperately wanting Dekker to have taken the obsession with vampires to a new level. These days the blood-sucking living dead aren’t much more than a Romeo putting his cannibalistic past behind him to save his one true love from other savage, mythical Casanovas. All the while, I’m thinking, “It’s Ted Dekker, Ted Dekker isn’t going to give this new sugared down, romanticized version of vampires any glory. Ted Dekker HAS to have something better in mind.”

Of course, he did.

To be honest, it’s actually a bit difficult to pick out the vampires, which of course, may be the best thing about them.

In Immanuel’s Veins Dekker didn’t use the “Edward Cullen” type of vampire we’ve become accustomed to. You know the kind, sparkly in the sun light, “vegetarian” diet of no human blood, and can manage to resist the blood of the beautiful girl because of the good nature lying underneath the blood-sucking stereotypes.

Dekker created a monster in our minds. These vampires weren’t going to struggle with whether or not they wanted to drink their chosen companion or not, they were just going to do it, ruthlessly. There wasn’t any ethical reasoning behind why they shouldn’t, Dekker’s creations were the beastly truth of what vampires are. These weren’t random creatures roaming the world looking for lost souls to feed on; they had history, they were as powerful (even more so) than Toma (the hero of the story) himself, they had a spiritual background, and well I don’t want to give away too much.The Cullen’s were simply no match in my mind.

Toma Nicolescu is the hero and narrator of the novel. Toma is a fierce, undefeated warrior and servant of Catherine the Great. He is sent to Moldavia to watch over the Cantemir family. Along with Toma is sent his best man Alek Cardei. Toma notes that wherever you find Alek you’ll find Toma, however, it’s important to realize the differences between them. Alek is a lover and noticeably the weaker of the two.

Immanuel's Veins is not the typical “scary” novel; it has a certain elegance to it. There aren’t screams and gasps at every turn, but there’s a depth of rich fear matched by few Horror books. The characters and setting also add to this elegance. The time period, the castles, the balls, the wealthy families, it all works together to bring the reader into another lifetime. Dekker does not use mystical ideals and fascinations to scare; in this book he uses the truth and history behind vampires to terrify his readers.

If you’re still hesitating about the vampires, I assure you, this book is worth it! Dekker revamped the vampire image by bringing it back to what it should be: A beast.

If you want a different outlook, watch Immanuel’s Veins trailer (yes a book trailer!). Definitely a new and cool experience.

It's Not Just The Thrill That Counts

An all-time favorite author of mine for this genre is Ted Dekker. His books extend the spectrum from Horror to Thriller to Speculative. Choose any one of them, however, and your craving will be satisfied while at the same time leaving you aching for more.

One of my favorite Dekker books is The Bride Collector, published in 2010. On Wikipedia.com the book has been listed under the category of Thriller. But The Bride Collector is much more than a few unsuspected jolts and a climax. The story follows the work of a detective as he pursues a serial killer responsible for four deaths already, with more anticipated. Mixing in a love-triangle, odious executions, and some comical entertainment, Dekker goes far beyond the confines for a novel simply dubbed Thriller.

Dekker writes different parts of the story through various characters, the majority of it though, is from the standpoints of Brad Rains and Quinton Gauld. (For those of you hesitating to read any further, don’t worry. I’m not letting out anymore than Dekker blatantly shares.) Brad is a troubled FBI agent focused on catching a man nicknamed “The Bride Collector.” The killer, Quinton Gauld, is confident (nearing arrogance) as he calmly goes about his life without fear of being found. Besides the physical pursuit, there is a supernatural, spiritual chase. The characters struggle through past demons to finding out how to love and be loved by God. Okay, I promise I won’t tell you anymore about the characters or plot details.

Ted Dekker is a brilliant author. His books continue to engage and amaze me. The Bride Collector is no exception. One aspect that kept me peeling back pages was the force that drove this story past being just a thriller. The complete neglect of the typical rhythm of books. You know the classic pattern: Conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and then resolution. I’m pretty sure The Bride Collector went somewhere along the lines of: Beginning, conflict, rising action, climax, conflict, climax, conflict, climax, climax, and resolution. I kept gasping and thinking “This is it! This is the end!” Until I remembered I still had basically half of the book left to read.

Dekker knows how to keep you on your terrified toes.

For those who want more dread and dismay (and don’t mind a little elaborate bloodshed) in your daily dose of Horror Fiction, Dekker concocts a serious stimulant with The Bride Collector.

To find out more about Ted Dekker and his books, check out his website (http://www.teddekker.com/) or even like his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/teddekker)!