I tried to read this book once before, and just couldn't get into it. I put it down, didn't try to review it, didn't comment, I just hadn't gotten into it. BUT, I have friend to whom this is an important book, so I set out to read it again. My take on it is that it could have been a much better book than it is.

Throughout this book I'd say that my estimation of it's rating moved from 2 to 4 stars. It took me FOREVER to care about the characters. I know I should have. I know I was meant to...but it just rambled on. the set up on the 2 worlds within which the action takes place just seemed to stumble along and worse, at times was silly.

In the end there were parts that really started to catch my interest and draw me in. They were a sort of come and go affair and I wish the book had been done better, still, I plan to find Red and follow the series. In the end I split the difference between very good and poor and went with 3 stars. be aware that it does start (in my opinion) slowly.

Okay below there will be a couple of minor spoilers, so if you don't want to find out anything don't read beyond the line. I don't plan to spill a lot, but to discuss why I rate the book as I do I need to reference a couple of things in the book.


(view spoiler)[The set-up for this book has to do with Thomas "flitting" back and forth between 2 worlds that are apparently the present and "a" future or maybe "a possible" future. This seems to happen in dreams as when he's asleep in one place he's awake in the other. The time he sleeps apparently doesn't have any effect on how long he actually stays one place or the other. One of the "key movers" in the story has to do with Thomas finding that "The Histories" in the "future world" tell of a plague that springs from the work of a pharmaceutical company" in the present and wiping out the vast majority of humanity. He decides he's supposed to stop it. So....

In the future world, Tom was met by a "race of giant bats". The evil ones are in a burned forest and the good ones (far fewer in number) live across a river. The dark bats are not allowed to or cannot cross this river across which the humans, who are descendants (apparently) of the few humans who survived live in a beautiful "colorful land (more than just green, vegetation of all colors abounds). The "good" giant white fuzzy bats, explain to Tom about the histories and the plague.

So...what does Thomas do? Does he call the CDC and claim to be a whistle blower from the pharmaceutical company and warm them that the new "air born" vaccine will mutate into a world girdling plague? Does he claim to be a whistle blower and just warn the CDC that there is a problem with the vaccine and it's dangerous and should be looked at? Does he do any of a dozen things that might get the attention of the CDC or a government or the medical community?

No...he goes to the CDC. I mean walks into the office...at 4:30 when the offices are closing, pretends to be chocking and makes a scene so "he will get their attention" and get to talk to someone. Then he informs the CDC that a giant fuzzy white talking bat warned him in a dream about the vaccine.

Right.

It doesn't even work for me within the story...he'd have been carted off when he started his chocking scene. Any half sane person would have had an inkling that talking about dream revelations from giant talking bats (fuzzy or not) wouldn't exactly bring anyone on line to help. The interaction with the man he's talking to is painted as far more civil than I think it could have been

The book is thick with this kind of thing. It didn't draw me in till it was maybe two thirds of the way through and even then the way Dekker wrote personal interaction would almost lose me. (hide spoiler)]

I am by the way a Christian and I know this is a much loved book among many Christians. I have great concerns with it, and wish it could have been better. I hope the series gets better.