Black (novel)
 | This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. (July 2008) |
| Author | Ted Dekker |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Circle trilogy |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Thomas Nelson |
Publication date | 2005 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | FICTION / Christian / suspense |
| Pages | 432 |
| ISBN | 1595540210 |
| OCLC | 53131188 |
| Followed by | Red: The Heroic Rescue
|
Black is a novel by Christian author Ted Dekker.
Plot summary
The book begins with a private meeting between an assassin, Carlos and his employer, a biological weapons mastermind called Valborg Svensson. Svensson tells Carlos that they have finally found the perfect virus, and that the involuntary source is a "dreamer" called Thomas Hunter.
Several days previously, while walking home from work, Thomas Hunter is assaulted by armed men, presumably as revenge for ripping off the Mob. While Thomas is able to temporarily escape with the aid of his rusty fighting skills, a bullet clips his temple, triggering unconsciousness.
When Thomas wakes up, it is to discover that he is in the middle of a vast black forest. He discovers his head wound, and assumes that his experience in Detroit was a dream triggered by his apparent fall. In the black forest, he finds another human, "Bill", who urges him to drink from the small pool of green water. Confused and disoriented, Thomas investigates the curiously addictive water, but is distracted by horrifying black bats hanging from the trees. Noticing a white bat that appears to lead the way out, he tries to escape the forest. Enduring attacks by the bats and a swarm of carnivorous flies, he manages to stumble across a bridge into a brightly colored forest before he passes out.
Thomas wakes to find that he has returned to Detroit, and makes his way back to his apartment. There, his sister, Kara, tends to his head wound, while he frantically explains his experiences. Skeptical, she demands proof that his dreams are an actual reality.
Meanwhile, Thomas wakes in the colored forest to find two of the white bats and a woman standing over him.
While Hunter experiences his own redemption for a sinful life in the real world, he learns about Teeleh, a batlike Satan-figure in the world of the black forest who wants to rule over the people and world of the colored forest. Teeleh plants seeds of deception into Thomas' mind, which grow in as he tries to reclaim his lost memory. Thinking that the only answers he can find are with Teeleh, he ventures into the black forest once more. He is tricked by Teeleh into relinquishing his sword (draining its power), and is taken captive. Teeleh offers him the choice of killing his "shipmate", Bill, and saving himself, but Thomas is able to escape with the aid of a previously concealed dagger.
Having escaped the black forest, Thomas is able to witness Teeleh decieving Tanis. In a climactic moment, Teeleh offers Tanis a waterskin with his water inside to wash the fruit down, saying that the knowledge he desires, the knowledge of The Histories, is within (akin to Satan's offer of knowledge through the forbidden fruit to Eve). Teeleh succeeds in tempting Tanis to accept his water, frees their bonds to the black forest and allows himself and the millions of Shataiki under him to spread forth and destroy. As the wall of Shataiki emerges forward from the black forest the colored forest begins to wilt and dissolve into ash beneath their shadow. The world is physically different, the once beautiful colored wood is no more.
Thomas, Rachelle and Johan try to wait it out through the night. When Thomas cracks the door, a rush of putrid air enters the Thrall and immediately the beautiful colored wood loses its glow and the once emerald green floor diminishes to simple wood. Thomas is shocked to see that Rachelle and Johans eyes have changed from green to a dull gray and knows that the same has happened to him.
Meanwhile, an apocalyptic scenario is playing out in our world ("Ancient Earth"). A terrorist group is attempting to create a biological plague through mutation of a vaccine. The group's plan is to offer the cure for the plague to the world at the cost of the sovereignty of the world's nations. The inhabitants of the world of the colored forest have knowledge of Ancient Earth's complete history, including events which have not happened yet. They refer to this time as the "Great Deception."
At the conclusion of Black, the few survivors are directed by the boylike form of Elyon to seven forests on the other side of the black forest. There they are to bathe once daily in lakes provided by Elyon, which cleanse them of the scabbing disease that has spread over the whole world. They are given seven rules to follow, including the commandment that they must never allow blood to come in contact with the lakes. Here in the oasis, Thomas, at the urging of both Kara and Rachelle, consumes "rhambutan fruit", which suppress dreams. For the next thirteen years, he lives with his growing family and community, never once returning to Ancient Earth.
Meanwhile, Carlos has infiltrated the hotel where Thomas is sleeping soundly. The book ends with Carlos holding a gun to the prone Thomas's head.
Symbolism
The title "Black" refers to the color of the black Shataiki and the burnt forest, in contrast to the luminescent colored forest.