For the first book in a trilogy, as it was when Dekker originally published it, this book was incredible. It was fast-paced, original, creative, and very, very intense. I can remember reading it several years ago when it came out; I was already a Dekker fan, and Black was slated to be something different from his normal fare of suspenseful thrillers as it delved into two different worlds. The result? I was instantly captivated.

Coming back years later to reread it, however, my perspective has changed, especially since I reread it after reading Green. The book was less than stellar following Green, even though I'd forgotten several details of Thomas Hunter's journey into a world where he was to become the man he was famed for being in Green. It's just too difficult for me to wrap my head around the trilogy becoming four books that can be read forwards or backwards almost. It doesn't make sense to me to be quite frank.

However, for what it's worth, Black, when read as the beginning of the trilogy, is an excellent read, full of intriguing plot devices and engaging characters. I spent most of the book when I originally read it and during my reread analyzing the characters' motivations, and I still find myself amazed at Dekker's ability to create Hunter's dream world, which is the world of the future or the histories, depending on how you read it. His world is rich and vibrant, and his depiction of God is one that still makes me smile and adds depth to my own understanding of God.

I would definitely recommend this book as one to be read, but I would caution that it should be read as the beginning of the series and not as the second, following Green. There's something lacking if you read it in that order that I can't quite explain. Even so, it's fast-paced enough that it can be read quickly, and it draws you in quickly, leaving you yearning for the end of the story. That is something Dekker has definitely mastered, and I must admit Black still intrigues me with the myriad implications it has not only for this world but for the forces we can't see. It's--at the very least--a fascinating idea.