Renegade

The Lost Books #3

by Ted Dekker

One of the chosen has gone renegade.

Turning his back on all that he once believed, Billos does the forbidden and enters into a Book of History. He lands in a reality as foreign to him as water is to oil—a place called Paradise, Colorado. He has strange new powers given to him courtesy of a mysterious figure known as Marsuvees Black.

The chosen four have survived the desert, escaped the Black Forest, battled the Horde, and added a spirited refugee to their number. But nothing has prepared them for the showdown that Billos, the renegade, is luring them into.

Genres: Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Young Adult, Adventure, Audiobook

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2008

About the author

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.

Reviews

[R.F. Gammon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably my least favorite if the series so far, but I'm planning to continue. Hopefully now that they're on Earth (Las Vegas :D) the pace will pick up. XD

[Kailyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action, fantasy, AND romance?! Plus an awesome plot, I can't wait to read the rest of the books! Johnis and Silvie have such a promising future ❤️

[Mariya · Rating 2 out of 5]

These books are meant for middle school and below, for sure. I just can't get into them anymore. :(

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Dekker really got back into form with Renegade. It might be that incorporating Black, one of Dekker's best characters and the equivalent of Stephen King's "Randall Flagg" character or that he included various elements of Showdown and Skin into this tale that gave it the boost it needed.......or I suppose it could even just be that Ted really hit his stride here.... but, whatever the reason, this book really sings. While the first two books told interesting and even gripping tales, the YA slant present in the series thus far, had heretofore kept things a bit too simplistic and 1 dimensional and what we're left with an outstanding Dekker novel that definitely should be read by those who have delved into the Circle and/or Paradise series.

The work Dekker does in the first two books to establish the characters, back-stories and plot all pay off very nicely here where Dekker is able to capitalize on events set in motion in the first two books to create some very harrowing and touching moments. Any reservations I had about reading this series to fill in the gaps between Black and Red are now a distant memory and Ted's really written a fantastic tale that even at ~275 pages measures up quite nicely to many of his full blown efforts.

Definitely a must read, though this being part 3 in a serialized story, you definitely have to read the first two books in the series first.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was alright. Apparently the pattern is that each of the main characters get their own book in which they get to be a complete idiot and everyone else runs around trying to help them. This time it was Billos's turn and he sure did a bang up job of it. I continue to enjoy the new addition of Karas, who seems to be the only one of the group who possesses any amount of common sense. I'm crossing my fingers that she doesn't become infected with the stupidity that seems to afflict the rest of them. There was a brief moment of hope when a new character named Papa was introduced. For just a minute there I could imagine him being cured of the Hord disease and giving Darsal the opportunity of falling for a descent man. That hope was quickly shot down. All in all, this book was ok. I'm undecided about whether to continue reading on in the series.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So we found the chosen one (book 1) and identified the infidel (book 2), now we continue with the renegade (book 3).

This renegade is in search of the lost books of history, mostly because of the power the books can reveal. Marsuvees Black enters the picture and takes Billos to Paradise (the town from Book of Histories Chronicles).

It's a little confusing with what is real and what is not real, but hey, it's fantasy, right? So go with the flow. Black gives Billos superpowers and Billos is all over that!! So he goes and shoots up Paradise, but does he really?

Darsal chases after Billos, and Karas, a new addition to the team, tags along. She brings some extra love to the story when there is so much evil.

What surprises me is what Billos does at the end of this story. I really didn't like this kid but his sacrifice at the end gave me a lot of warm and fuzzy feels for him.

[Mason Soerens · Rating 4 out of 5]

PERSONAL RESPONSE

I enjoyed Renegade by Ted Dekker very much. There was a lot of heart-grabbing content. I was very interested throughout the entire book. Elyon and his background had a lot in common with the main teachings of Christianity. This book was more relatable to me through that.

PLOT

The book starts off with Billos in the forest by himself. He has the books of history with him and he plans on using them. He lays them out, slices his finger, and quickly presses his finger onto the book. Immediately, he is pulled into a different reality. Johnis, Silvie, and Darsal arrive just in time to see him vanish. They realize what he has done, and they feel betrayed. Darsal feels saddened by his actions, and Johnis and Silvie become angered. They head for the Village and tell Thomas that Billos has gone missing. Thomas instructs them to stay together and to not leave the village. Darsal, still saddened by Billos, is not going to obey. She tells the other two that she has to use the toilet and swiftly sneaks out the bathroom window. She finds her horse and heads back into the forest. She calls for a Roush to come down. As instructed, Hunter the Roush swoops down to greet Darsal. Darsal explains the situation to Hunter. She tells him that she needs another Book of History. He tells her that she can find one in the Black Forest. She snatches Hunter and kidnaps him to take along to the Black Forest. On her way there, Darsal realizes she is being followed. She comes to know that it is Karas who is following. They argue but in the end, go into the Black Forest together. They make a deal with Alucard in return for a book. The journey to save Billos begins.

SETTING

At the beginning of the book, it takes place in the Middle Forest where Johnis, Silvie, and Darsal find Billos. They see Billos vanish before their eyes. All of them are left in the forest and make their way to the village. Darsall escapes and heads for the Black Forest. The Black Forest is the home of Alucard and the rest of the Shataiki. It is a poor replica of the forests of Elyon. The trees are dead and black, the water is brown, and the whole forest reeks of sulfur and rotten eggs. When Billos is whisked away into the Book, he finds himself in a room. It is a quiet white room with one dark window, and a monster. It is almost like a spider, red eyes glowing, legs frantically spread everywhere. There is one problem-it never moves. It has the word ”DELL” on it. Billos soon realizes it is no monster, but he still isn’t out of the room. He sits in one of the chairs and finds he can open the door this way. He enters a room to find Marsuvees Black, who seems to be torturing Darsal. Black leads Billos out to a whole new world he calls, Paradise. Billos has never seen anything like it. Such as, buggies moving without horses, buildings made perfectly square, and so many things made from glass. It truly is a paradise for him.

CHARACTERIZATION

Darsal is constantly faced with hardships throughout this book. She feels like Billos betrayed her for going into books. She struggles through the desert and into the Black Forests in order to get another Book of History. She is going to go save Billos. She struggles with the question, “Is he alive or not?”. She battles with Alucard and makes a deal. He will give her his book. In return, she gives him the other three books that Billos has or her life. When she reaches Paradise, she faces Billos treating her very poorly, focusing more on his new found power. Darsal yearns for Billos’ love, but all he can see is the “suhupow” given to him by Black. She even stares death right in the face for Billos.
Billos is overcome by power from the start. He has the three Books of History and no one can stop him. He longs for the feeling he had when he had touched the book with his blood before. As soon as he enters the new reality, he loses that sense of confidence. He is trapped in a strange room with what seems to be a monster. He can’t find his way out. He tries everything he can to escape. He curses for the room to open and it does. He immediately gains every last bit off confidence he had lost before. Then he meets Marsuvees Black. He plays tricks with Billos’ mind and convinces him to follow him. Billos starts to listen to everything Black has to say. Black gives Billos the power to make anything he wants appear in his hands at a snap of his fingers. Once again, Billos feels his power, and is taken over by it. Billos uses his power often and gets himself into trouble.

RECOMMENDATIONS


I would recommend this book to fellow high schoolers and middle schoolers of this reading level. Both genders would enjoy this book as it does not emphasize that it is specific to a certain gender. Males would enjoy the action and fighting of Billos, and females would enjoy the romance of Darsal. This book is a great read. Those in the range of my recommendation should read this book.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Billos is nothing but trouble since he disobeyed the rules and used the books of history to enter Paradise, Colorado in today's world. Power is attractive to him and it goes to to his head. By turning renegade he causes trouble for Darsal, Johnis, and Silvie too.

[Josh Ginter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometime after the year 4000 AD, history appears to be repeating itself as Teeleh, enemy of Elyon, overruns the once lush green forests. Those who are faithful to Teeleh, the desert Horde, have multiplied in number, and those loyal to Elyon, the Forest Dwellers, must recruit a new army as theirs dwindles. Thomas of Hunter, the Forest Dweller commander, carefully selects 1,000 worthy young men and women to replenish his diminishing troops.

Heading up this unseasoned army are teenagers Johnis, Silvie, Billos and Darsal, who, unknown to Thomas, have been similarly handpicked by the white Roush (bat-like guardians of all that is good) for a larger mission than Thomas can imagine. The four are instructed to find the seven Books of History, which hold such supernatural power as to destroy all of mankind. With three in their possession, the foursome must search out their lands and that of the Horde to retrieve the other four...or so they think.

When Billos experiences a rush of power unlike anything he's ever known after touching the Book with his bleeding hand, he then schemes and steals the three books and escapes to the desert. Once alone, Billos repeats the process; a vortex opens to another reality and he steps into it. What he discovers is an alternate world where a mysterious stranger, Marsuvees Black, offers him unlimited power in exchange for the books. At his fingertips Billos receives what seems to be endless power to command weaponry to appear at will, and he ruthlessly uses it to kill off innocents in Paradise. Succumbing to the temptation despite inner misgivings, he turns traitor to Elyon and agrees to Black's plan.

Meanwhile, Billos's comrades discover him missing, search for him and the books, and must face Thomas with the truth. Thomas orders them to find Billos and stay out of trouble. Instead, more complications arise when Darsal sets off on her own to find Billos. Thinking herself alone, she is startled to see Karas, the former Horde girl, following her. Together they enter into enemy territory, and Darsal makes a deal with Alucard, the Shataiki, under command of Teeleh, to use his Book in order to rescue Billos. It works...sort of.

Johnis and Silvie, now in more trouble with Thomas for losing Darsal as well, search for her. Despite the danger and their separation, all four continue to play into destiny's hands as they brave their enemies and end up using the books to escape certain death. With one world and another colliding, each of the leaders discovers how Elyon is present with them throughout, using each decision, each circumstance, for a bigger purpose. Even so, not everyone in the group will survive.

This third installment in The Lost Books series is Ted Dekker's best by far. Fans will be eager for the final chapters where the battle for the seven Books of History will find their culmination. Fast-paced and multileveled, Dekker's prose shines in RENEGADE

[Sareh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was better than the last two. I enjoyed seeing the characters grow and learn the truth about their world. I especially love the Christian themes in these books.

One of the other things that I love/hate is when the author ties in stuff from other series and you have to read all the other books to get the full picture. And while you don't have to read the other books to understand these books, you can still read the other books to understand the whole thing.

The story seemed to be mainly about Billos who happens to come into this "in-between" reality and comes across this man who makes Billos do evil things and lies to him.

And the whole time I kept screaming in my head "don't listen to him!". But thankfully, in the end Billos sees the truth.

I wasn't sure how I felt about the end, but it was a good story. It's very interesting.

[Gigi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite in the series. Authors seem to have a hard time bringing sympathy to characters whose weakness is pride. I am not sure why but this book seems to get to caught up in trying to teach us that pride is wrong instead of developing the plot. But it is a short read.

[Flower · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like these books but the religious undertones are a bit odd. Not sure I like that part. Over all okay books.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

this series is getting weirder and weirder....I like the epic like story at first, and now I am on a mission just to see where on earth Dekker is taking this story....

[Michael Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

March 2009 - This series just keeps getting better and better!

[Katie Bodenmiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like I got lost in a couple places, but it was a good book overall. Glad to see some redemption for characters and excited to see where it goes next!

[Savannah Hiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love a good Ted Dekker book. It always amazes me how all of his books tie together in small ways.

[Hope Elias · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally got some clarity/answers as to what is the distinction between our Earth and the Circle earth (as i call it). Paradise was introduced… i dont want to give spoilers yet so i will try not to give specifics. But i have been curious how the Paradise trilogy fits in with the Circle universe and I can say this book shed some light on that question.
Billos and Darsal were the stars of this one. I appreciated getting to know the other half of the chosen four.
Overall i am still finding a hard time getting invested in the Lost Books. i probably shouldve finished Red and White… maybe even Green before reading this set but i feel rather committed now. I’m still going to try and finish the last three books of the Lost Book series before continuing onto Red but i am not as hooked as i was with Black.

🚨 Spoilers ahead 🚨

Fave Chapter:
Chapter 16
This is when Billos goes into the bar of Paradise for his first time. This whole scene had me laughing quite a bit. Billos being sus of the pool table players and “two singers” in the jukebox was hysterical.

Fave Character:
Papa
Michael and Thomas are still top for me for the series as a whole. However, again, both were hardly in this book at all! I’d say Johnis but he wasnt in this one much either tbh 🤣
I picked Papa because he took me by surprise twice. The first time when he ended up becoming an ally with Darsal and Karas. The second time when he freaking DIED!! I had grown to like his character! Being a horde helping forest dwellers in such an odd circumstance was really fun! And then Billos shot him! While i applaud the fact i didnt see it coming, im sad the dude is gone! Reminds me a lot of a character that died in the And They Found Dragons series Ted and Rachelle Dekker both wrote together. I wont spoil it but apparently possibly redeemable side-villains are NOT safe in the Dekkerverse.

Ship:
Darsal x Billos
They were the prominent ship in this book, no question.
I wasn’t really invested in their relationship anymore than the Lost Books themselves at this point so I don’t have much to say about them 😅

[Coleton James · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.6 stars.

This was a much more interesting book than the last. I feel like I’m on track to loving the series again. Im starting to get more into the plot and character development.

Billos is impetuous and goes with his first instinct and first instinct only. After stealing the three lost books and using them to feel that mysterious power once more, he vanishes into a new world, a world he doesn’t understand but provides all the power he desires. Meanwhile, Darsal is having a fit back at Middle Forest– how dare Billos leave without her. Just as impetuous, Darsal leaves on an adventure to the Black Forest where Alucard’s lair is located to retrieve the final Lost Book in the hope to save Billos. Karas decides she’s going to string along and the three characters find themselves in deep trouble in a world with a different kind of evil. Billos must decide for himself; love or power? And he must determine the difference between the two using his own moral compass.

I thought this book was easy to follow along. The plot made sense and was straight to the point. I didn’t feel it lingered in one place for too long like the previous books did. I also loved the tension and internal monologues each character had. They felt more human in this book and less “the chosen heroes”. Often the character development doesn’t “develop” so much as it’s thrown at you. Another aspect I liked is the complete turn around of worlds. This added an entirely new dimension to this series, literally and figuratively. It was a great twist.

My biggest problem with this book is why they killed Papa off… I’m actually really sad about this and I thought we were getting to know a new character who would become a new hero. I think there was a lot of potential with this character, especially since Karas had recently changed sides. A sad, missed opportunity there, in my opinion.

The writing style was okay, as usual. I’ve read better writing, and often times the writing feels rushed and lazy. Plots and characters need time to develop and Dekker hasn’t quite found that perfect pace.

And lastly, I still don’t like how easily everyone falls in love… it just makes no sense and comes out of no where. This also needs more development.

4 stars for entertainment
3 stars for impact
3 stars for writing
4 stars for pace
4 stars recommendation
=3.6 stars.

[Kyla Sixkiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lost Books series continues to defy expectations, becoming increasingly unpredictable and captivating. What began as an epic adventure has evolved into a mind-bending exploration of power, morality, and the human condition.

Billos, impulsive and driven by his thirst for power, steals the three Lost Books and vanishes into a mysterious new world. Darsal, equally impetuous, follows him to retrieve the final Lost Book and save him. Karas, unable to resist the adventure, joins them, and the trio finds themselves entangled in a dangerous world with a unique kind of evil.

Billos faces a critical choice: love or power? He must navigate this moral dilemma using his own judgment and conscience. The plot is well-paced, avoiding the lingering issues of previous books. The characters' internal struggles and emotional depth add a layer of humanity, making them more relatable than the typical "chosen heroes." The shift to a new world introduces a fresh dimension to the series, adding excitement and intrigue.

While the series' strengths are evident, I was disappointed by the untimely demise of Papa. His character had great potential, especially considering Karas' recent change of allegiance. His death feels like a missed opportunity to develop a new hero and explore the complexities of their relationship.

[Emma McKee · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at around Chapter 9 (but I don't have my copy with me so that may be inaccurate). I understand this series is a companion series to another one of Dekker's, and that a lot of this book revolves around information learned in that other series, but I still think (since this is still a different series) that it should be readable without having read Dekker's other series. I felt like I had fallen asleep during a lecture and was given the test with no knowledge of anything on the subject, and I was completely lost throughout the book. I didn't enjoy the new world since I am primarily a fantasy reader and this book had us traveling into a modern-day parallel world of some sort, which is not what I was hoping to read when I started this series. Not to mention it seemed like the majority of the book followed Billos, who was at that time my least favorite character (I thought the main character was Johnis??). Overall I didn't enjoy most of the characters; it seems like Dekker sees teenagers as constantly bickering children who can never be friends without snarky comments and reckless rule-breaking, which I did not relate to at all. I won't be continuing this series due to several reasons, but the main one can be summed up as this: This series did not deliver on the promises it made at the beginning.

[Cari · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know who is the only character in The Lost Books series that I dislike even more than Billos? Johnis--our supposed hero and all around upstanding guy. I just don't like the sanctimonious *something that rhymes with kick*! To be honest, I don't even know if I really like much of anyone in this series (okay, besides Karas and Silvie), yet I'm still intrigued by it and ultimately won-over by the ease of the story's pace.

This series, especially this third installment, Renegade reminds me quite a bit of Stephen King's The Dark Tower. To clarify, I mean that it mostly reminds me of the film adaptation of The Dark Tower, with the whole good versus evil plot, existence of parallel universes, and all of the gun-slinging slung around. Interestingly, it looks like this series will be going to Las Vegas next, which should be interesting enough, and I plan to see it through to its end.

[Holly Craw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ted Dekker presents an interesting amalgamation of Christian Biblical concepts woven into a sci-fi parallel universe of the future which may also be the past. Sometimes going to extreme depictions of evil, the Lost Books series is a roller coaster ride between our world and the other world. The Lost Books of History appear sometimes in one world and sometimes in the other, and they change hands about as frequently as a basketball in a championship game.

Although I enjoy Dekker's fast-paced drama and dangerous exploits, I get frustrated with the supporting details that seem to change between this series and the Colors Trilogy (eye color of the Forest Guard, when Thomas Hunter first heard about the books and his interaction with them (vs. no recollection of this in later books).

Dekker does a good job of portraying the ongoing struggle between Elyon and the dark forces, as well as the human condition that falls into doubt about Elyon after a time.

[Drina Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

"because those 4 are needed to find the 3 books in the lesser reality (229)."

This novel has suspense, mystery, and wondering what is really in those lost books--historical information; past or present or future which gives it a sy-fy appeal as well as biblical/Christian fiction to show evil vs good, and last days.

I am truly trying to understand Billos in this one; has he lost his mind, mental health related issues, or allowed the Dark One to take over his perception and life as a whole. Darsal could still love her hero; seems like once he saved her, she feels she is obligated to him for life! Is that love? Karas and her Papa, unsure how they tied into all this mess.

Not much of Silvie or Johnnis, only when Darsal compares her love and saving Billos, as Johnnis took that risk in the last series to save his mom and Silvie with little rapport of developing a love for her at the time.

Ready to read Chaos

Work library read

[Meisha Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened in one day while getting my hair done. It6not my favorite series, but for some reason I can't get enough. This time Bilous and Darcel are the stars of the show. We also see the deception of the Enemy. He creates a simulated world to get the books. He uses his sly slippery tongue to trick our heros. One falls for it completely but the others are a bit less ambitious and can see through the tricks. The goal, get the books for History. Total 7, 4 with the heros and 8 on Earth. The next book takes these "other" world humans and puts them in our backyard. I wonder how that will turn out? I guess I'll use another Audible credit to find out.

[Emily Mulcahy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 of the “Circle” series by Ted Dekker ended on an easy cliff hanger. Meaning I could stop reading and not wonder too much but it has my interest enough to want to check out number 4.

“Renegade” showed new aspects of our characters and began the travel to “other worlds” that we’ve been hearing about. It also introduced new good and evil forces. For me this has some Stephen King “The Stand” vibes with the new characters and the location the characters travel to.

These books are definitely written for young adults which sometimes can make them boring or flat but overall the plot is good even if our characters don’t have very much depth.

[Walt Walkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had a slow and confusing start, which seemed to dampen the momentum from the second book in the series. But as you read, the book gets better and better. There is a particularly powerful moment for one of the characters toward the end that makes reading until you get there worth it. I also appreciated the cliffhanger ending of this book, setting everything up for the final book of the series.

[Marianne Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly love this series. This book seemed to be the slowest of the lot of them. Plus it features a character I don't hold a ton of love for, Billos. I can see where it fits in into the story line, as a whole. I just think it's not the best. I'll stop there at the risk of spoilers. Oh, if you're wondering why I gave four stars and say it's my least favorite volume, it's because I've given all the rest of them five stars.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books in a series are hard to talk about as one book but this book was one of my favorites in the series so far. It painted an especially vivid picture of how evil pulls you in and ruins your life, even damaging others’ lives around you, leaving you to deal with the knowledge of what you’ve done.

The book doesn’t end in hopelessness— it makes clear he message of Someone who can forgive you for the wrong you’ve done.

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 Book Nerd Your Way.... #27.
Did not fit an available category for the EBN Challenge.

Book #3 of The Lost Books series. One of the 4 betrays the other and splits off from the quad into a crazy adventure. Now they have to find each other by entering a new reality between worlds.

This one was crazy but so much fun to see the way our world is interpreted by someone who has never seen the technology.

[Stephen Walls · Rating 4 out of 5]

The adventure continues! Ted Dekker did will with this series within the series. These reads are quick and a TON of fun to work though. I like that I can read these books, and having read the others, there are some really cool cross-0vers. If you haven't, I think you will still enjoy this story. I will say, there was an added dimension to this story that I wasn't aware of. I'm happy to finish this book so I can quickly move onto the next! I want to know what happens!