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The Sanctuary
by
Ted Dekker (Goodreads Author)
THE SANCTUARY is the gripping story of vigilante priest, Danny Hansen, who is now serving a fifty year prison term in California for the murder of two abusive men. Filled with remorse, Danny is determined to live out his days by a code of non-violence and maneuvers deftly within a ruthless prison system.
But when Renee Gilmore, the woman he loves, receives a box containing...more
But when Renee Gilmore, the woman he loves, receives a box containing...more
ebook
Published
October 30th 2012
by Center Street
(first published 2012)
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Told in alternately the first-person singular and third-person limited point of view, Ted Dekker's episodic new novel is disturbingly chilling as it investigates the inside of America's prison system. Basal, a fictitious experimental prison, is not all that it appears to be, as former priest and vigilante Danny Hansen discovers upon being transferred there. Furthermore, his girlfriend Renee Gilmore soon finds herself drawn into a nefarious scheme that jeopardizes not only her own life but Danny'...more
I have not read The Priest's Graveyard yet, which as I understand, starts the story of Danny Hanson. But you can bet that I will after reading The Sanctuary. And I can tell you that it's not necessary to read the former to enjoy the latter.
The Sanctuary is about Danny Hanson, a ex-vigilante priest who has taken a vow of non-violence. The story is told from the point of view of his "wife", Renee, who he had saved from a life of drugs, abusive men, and (mild?)OCD. And Danny is serving a 50 year se
...more
There are just a few things I think everyone must know. This book is more than just a story. It's a message. If you've read and didn't understand what so many were talking about, you've missed out on one of the most important parts of this book. You may have read every word and looked at every inch of the cover and you still might be blind and confused, because it's much like looking at a human body. Touching and feeling with your hands and taking every inch of the person in with your eyes, yet...more
Overall, this was really good. The characters were likable and it was very suspenseful. However, I was not thrilled with the ending. It seemed like the female main character fell apart too easily, and there were other things about it that seemed unlikely. this is another case of the blurbs on the back or the summary giving something away about the book- I would have enjoyed it more had I not read them. It turned out to be less enjoyable knowing that something was coming that eventually happened...more
I didn't realize until getting on Goodreads to write a review that this/the author is for the Christian market. I just picked it up based on my libraries' blurb. Since one of the main characters is an ex-priest, I guess it fits, but it really didn't strike that chord at all as I read it.
This is a dark story of an ex-priest and the love he's gone to prison to protect. But it all goes awry when he's transferred to an experimental prison where the despot warden has a God complex and conducts atroc...more
This is a dark story of an ex-priest and the love he's gone to prison to protect. But it all goes awry when he's transferred to an experimental prison where the despot warden has a God complex and conducts atroc...more
It is a bit gruesome and as is typical for Ted Dekker the story has a lot of holes in it that make it pretty weak, but still very entertaining, suspenseful and also thought provoking regarding punishment and grace, violence and love. Near the end I couldn't put it down and I was not disappointed in the ending.
From “The Sanctuary” by Ted Dekker
“In truth we all exist in our own sanctuaries-but I don’t mean cathedrals or prisons. I’m talking about out hearts and minds, which imprison us in anxiety...more
From “The Sanctuary” by Ted Dekker
“In truth we all exist in our own sanctuaries-but I don’t mean cathedrals or prisons. I’m talking about out hearts and minds, which imprison us in anxiety...more
Danny Hanson’s childhood and adolescent years were lived out in the midst of war, rape and murder, some of which was deeply personal. When he finished his war tour, he became a Catholic priest. He’s wasn’t just an ordinary priest–but a vigilante-priest who allegedly murdered two abusive men. Filled with remorse, he leaves the priesthood and lives out his life under a self-imposed code of non-violence. Is remorse enough? What about repentance? To Whom does vengeance belong to?
Renee Gilmore had he...more
Renee Gilmore had he...more
This is a story about Danny Hansen who grew up in Bosnia during
the war years. When he was 15 his whole life changed forever.
He had to watch some Orthodox Christians rape and kill his
mother and sisters. Danny found a gun and hid behind the stove
and killed the men who killed his family. During the next four
years he threw himself into the war and became one of the best
known assassins. When the war ended he came to the U.S. and
became a priest in honor of his mother.Danny had a desire to help
brutali...more
the war years. When he was 15 his whole life changed forever.
He had to watch some Orthodox Christians rape and kill his
mother and sisters. Danny found a gun and hid behind the stove
and killed the men who killed his family. During the next four
years he threw himself into the war and became one of the best
known assassins. When the war ended he came to the U.S. and
became a priest in honor of his mother.Danny had a desire to help
brutali...more
Nov 06, 2012
Banana
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
All Ted Dekker fans
Shelves:
christian-fiction,
supense
This book was incredible.
It was typical Ted Dekker with some scenes that made me cringe a little, but it was the fact that I felt like I was a character in the book that made me love it. I felt Danny's pain. I experienced Renee's longing. Everything felt so real, especially page 309. I read this at night, and I (view spoiler)
The writing was just truly excellent.
The only problem I had with this book...more
It was typical Ted Dekker with some scenes that made me cringe a little, but it was the fact that I felt like I was a character in the book that made me love it. I felt Danny's pain. I experienced Renee's longing. Everything felt so real, especially page 309. I read this at night, and I (view spoiler)
The writing was just truly excellent.
The only problem I had with this book...more
Ted Dekker is at the top of his game with "The Sanctuary", delivering a masterfully written read that unfolds at a breakneck pace. I was immediately drawn back into the world of Danny and Renee, the characters first introduced in "The Priest's Graveyard", and Dekker cleverly interchanges between the points of view of Danny and Renee, while hurtling the reader towards the exciting conclusion. As with the prior book involving these characters, I am again blown away by Dekker's ability to take two...more
The Sanctuary
by Ted Dekker
The Sanctuary is a follow-up to Dekker's The Priest's Graveyard. The Sanctuary is in true Dekker style - taking a deeper look at the human heart and the necessity of truly knowing one's own self.
Warden Marshall Pape is in-charge of The Sanctuary an experiment of the California Correctional System, properly known as The Basal Institute of Corrections and Rehabilitation. It is into this environment that Danny Hansen has been transferred into. Just 3 years into his 50 year...more
by Ted Dekker
The Sanctuary is a follow-up to Dekker's The Priest's Graveyard. The Sanctuary is in true Dekker style - taking a deeper look at the human heart and the necessity of truly knowing one's own self.
Warden Marshall Pape is in-charge of The Sanctuary an experiment of the California Correctional System, properly known as The Basal Institute of Corrections and Rehabilitation. It is into this environment that Danny Hansen has been transferred into. Just 3 years into his 50 year...more
Don't read this book if you want to go on believing that justice always prevails. Don't read this book if you prefer your heroes perfect and sinless. Don't read this book if you want to guess the ending before you are halfway through. But if you are looking for suspense, thrills, and a story that draws you so far in that you're afraid to even jaywalk, this won't disappoint.
I did not read The Priest's Graveyard, the story of a vigilante priest who exacts justice on criminals who've slipped throu...more
I did not read The Priest's Graveyard, the story of a vigilante priest who exacts justice on criminals who've slipped throu...more
Danny Hansen has a long prison term ahead of him after murdering two abusive men. Facing a life sentence, he is determined to live the best life he can. However, his real struggles begin outside of prison when his girlfriend, Renee Gilmore, is threatened. Feeling helpless, he desperately seeks a way to protect her.
Ted Dekker’s “The Sanctuary” is a fast paced thriller that pulls you into the story immediately with two parallel storylines. There are some great messages woven in such as the referen...more
Ted Dekker’s “The Sanctuary” is a fast paced thriller that pulls you into the story immediately with two parallel storylines. There are some great messages woven in such as the referen...more
Title: THE SANTUARY
Author: Ted Dekker
Publisher: Center Street
Publication date: October 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59995-335-9
Genre: Fiction
THE SANTUARY continues where The Priest’s Graveyard left off. The ex-vigilante priest, Danny Hanson, is serving a 50-year prison term in California for the two men he was convicted of murdering. But by being a priest and determined to live a life of non-violence for the rest of his days, he is forced to endure many of the prisons hardships more so then others.
In the mea...more
Author: Ted Dekker
Publisher: Center Street
Publication date: October 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59995-335-9
Genre: Fiction
THE SANTUARY continues where The Priest’s Graveyard left off. The ex-vigilante priest, Danny Hanson, is serving a 50-year prison term in California for the two men he was convicted of murdering. But by being a priest and determined to live a life of non-violence for the rest of his days, he is forced to endure many of the prisons hardships more so then others.
In the mea...more
Ted Dekker did it again. Another wonderful story that is like a parable, it is told in a way that gives us a whole new understanding of love and what a person would or should do for love. Danny is a former priest who is doing hard time for crimes commited by his wife Renee. Danny has his own crimes but the time he is serving is in place of his wife. The twist in the story takes place when he is transfered to a whole new kind of prison called Basil also known as The Sanctuary. In this prison the...more
This may be THE book that gets me into Dekker's work. I have many friends that love his work but I have just had trouble getting into it. Maybe not anymore! It was great, I was on the edge of my seat for the entire book. His books are very fast paced, as I understand, and this certainly did not disappoint. The bad guy "Sicko" was NOT who I expected, I was totally surprised, and I LOVE that. My only complaint (and thus the 4-star rating) is that it seemed to all wrap very nicely and quickly. I do...more
This book is a sequel to The Priest's Graveyard, and it is really boring, and I can't recommend it. Danny Hansen is a man haunted by the rape and murder of his sister and mother. He fights in the Bosnian war, and then, as a man, became a priest who killed the worst of the worst criminals. Renee Gilmore is a woman trapped by her own pain and addiction. They meet, fight their own battles, and fall in love.
Then, THE SANCTUARY begins. Danny has just been transferred to Basal, a new type of prison wh...more
Then, THE SANCTUARY begins. Danny has just been transferred to Basal, a new type of prison wh...more
The Sanctuary was a bit too dark for my liking. There was a lot of suffering, psychological analysis, torture, etc. and very little grace or redemption. The only other Dekker books I've read were the Circle series, which were much more allegorical and a joy to read. Halfway through this book I found little suspense; instead there was the chore of plowing through chapter after chapter of psychobabble, self-loathing and anguish.
I really wanted to like this book- really, I did- but I just didn't ge...more
I really wanted to like this book- really, I did- but I just didn't ge...more
Both MH and I have enjoyed all of Ted Dekker's books and this latest is no exception. It shows the cruelty that some people tend to inflict on each other, especially those living in jails. Danny is a young ex-priest who has murdered several people, thinking he was doing what was best because they were bad people. After his girlfriend murders two men in self defense, he admits to the crime so she doesn't have to go to prison. Renee is a character you can both like but also find irritating because...more
The Sanctuary is a story about the Prison in America. This is the continuing story of Danny and Rennee, which was started in The Priests Graveyard. Danny is in prison and is transfered to Basal, a private penitentiary. The warden is a religious man who wants to "break" Danny. Rennee is sent a box containing a finger and a note threatening Danny's life. Rennee takes it into her own hands to try and save Danny. This like other Dekker books is a page turner. It's full of adrenaline, and keeps you g...more
Admittedly, I’ve not read Ted Dekker before this book. If his other books are even half as good as “The Sanctuary,” I fear I’ve missed some wonderful yarns.
Once a priest in cloth and always a priest in heart, Danny Hansen is now behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. He ‘confessed,’ not to save his soul but to protect Renee Gilmore, his one true love. I say ‘not to save his soul’ because although he may not have committed the murders he was convicted for, he did kill to protect the innocent....more
Once a priest in cloth and always a priest in heart, Danny Hansen is now behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. He ‘confessed,’ not to save his soul but to protect Renee Gilmore, his one true love. I say ‘not to save his soul’ because although he may not have committed the murders he was convicted for, he did kill to protect the innocent....more
On the heels of Priests Graveyard, The Sanctuary is a follow up after Danny Hansen took the fall for Renee Gilmore. This is a story about love, redemption, and sacrifice that only Ted Dekker can do so well. This is a must for any Ted Dekker fan.
My only gripe is Renee Gilmore. I understand how Dekker made her so OCD, but my perception was that she was a whiney, clingy girl who owed her life to Danny for what he did. Though the intent is fine, her thought process through the book irritated me at t...more
My only gripe is Renee Gilmore. I understand how Dekker made her so OCD, but my perception was that she was a whiney, clingy girl who owed her life to Danny for what he did. Though the intent is fine, her thought process through the book irritated me at t...more
Very disappointing. Likely my least favorite book of Dekker's. For the longest time I've felt like much of his writing was watered down, like he'd signed a book deal and was writing simply to satisfy a contract. Perhaps the problem is that I could list at least twenty books of his that I've absolutely love, so when he writes something new I have such high expectations. This lacked the passion and wonder that peppers so much of his work. Whether a salvo on the American penal system, or a shadow...more
Ted Dekker asks a question with the book "Sanctuary". When is judgement of another your right if God says to love? Great Love is a mystery. In Ted's book the main character Danny is known for his use of violence to set straight the wrong inflicted upon the innocent. Danny takes a vow to never use violence again, but can he keep that vow when what he loves the most is in jeopardy? The story "Sanctuary" is the testing of that vow. The story has other facets to it too. We are all in some type of pr...more
This is probably my least favorite Dekker book. It's dark, crude, and gritty, but that wasn't what turned me away. I blamed first person point of view as the reason I wasn't keen on Priest's Graveyard, but after reading The Sanctuary, I think I have a better answer.
These two books (Priest's Graveyard and The Sanctuary) fall flat specifically in one area: likable characters. I'm a very character-oriented reader, so if I don't like the characters, it quickly ruins a story for me. Same thing goes f...more
These two books (Priest's Graveyard and The Sanctuary) fall flat specifically in one area: likable characters. I'm a very character-oriented reader, so if I don't like the characters, it quickly ruins a story for me. Same thing goes f...more
From almost the start of this book, a little voice inside my head was telling me to give up trying to read this book, that the story was not going to get any better. I ignored that voice because I like this author, who has written some great stories, and I knew he would not let me down. I continued to ignore the little voice in my head and finally came to the ending of the book. An ending that I had figured out near the start of the book. Sometimes even good writers toss out turkeys. I need to p...more
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I hate giving a Dekker book such a low rating. He is basically my favorite contemporary author (outside the realm of YA) and I wanted to like this, but it just didn't work for me. The alternating perspectives wasn't a problem so much as the fact that Renee's was in 1st person and Danny's was in 3rd. I just found that continually jarring. And as much as I wanted to like the two of them I just couldn't quite do it. It had that classic Dekker twist at the end that you never see coming, which was pr...more
The Sanctuary was a dark story. No doubt about that. In fact, I needed an occasional break from it; it was that dark. However, in typical Dekker style, redemptive themes made the payoff worth it. I really enjoyed The Priest's Graveyard, so this was a great sequel. There are twists in it that I didn't see coming. When it comes to the depravity of man, Dekker is a master at showing it. But he also shows how love is greater than all of the darkness. I love that about his stories. Anyway, I enjoyed...more
"The Sanctuary" is an evil, evil book. And by that I mean it's a terribly dark and intense read, perhaps Ted Dekker's most realistic and disturbing story to date. The book continues Renee Gilmore's and Danny Hansen's story as told in "The Priest's Graveyard" and is largely set in a State Corrections Facility. Heavy themes therein don't make for light or necessarily enjoyable reading (more than a few times I felt sick to the stomach and later, convicted) but they're important and the book is diff...more
Pretty brilliant. Mr. Dekker has quite a mind. I fricking love his work. He creates such a unique world/setting in this novel. The Sanctuary is no The Priest's Graveyard by any means, that book was brilliant. I was very excited to see that there was a sequel to Graveyard, I wanted the story to continue. The books shouldn't be compared they are two very unique stories. Loved them. Although in The Sanctuary I felt like something was missing, like the point Mr. Dekker was trying to prove didn't get...more
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Ted Dekker is known for novels that combine adrenaline-laced stories with unexpected plot twists, unforgettable characters, and incredible confrontations between good and evil. Ted lives in Austin with his wife LeeAnn and their four children.
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“It is. And yet so few really are free. Nearly all people live in prisons of their own making, regardless of their faith, creed, sex or race.”
—
1 person liked it
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Nov 28, 2012 08:53am
Thanks, Dean. I gave it two stars because I was disturbed by the barbarity of several scenes...more
Nov 29, 2012 06:12am