The Dream Traveler’s Quest, Book 2

My kids were excited to dive right into the second book in this Ted and Kara Dekker series that offers an adventure for kids into Dekker’s own “Circle” universe. The dream world is back, and while the main character, Theo, also returns, he’s tasked with bringing another student with him into the book of light: a student who just happens to be Annelee, the prettiest girl in school whose beauty fills Theo with a “crush”ing fear.

The opening of the book was a bit weird, in that Theo’s friendly Roush (little white bats from the other world whom no one else in the school can see) convince him to take this girl up to the secret library, and make sure she bleeds into the magical book of light so she can enter the Dream World. Sounds like the premise to a pretty demented psycho-thriller and not kids’ book! But hey, it is Ted Dekker after all.

Once in this other world, the children’s search for the Second Seal is all dependent on Annelee, who must learn to love the one she hates most. They get battered and beaten throughout the book, attacked by the Shataiki and hunted by the Shadowman, and through it all, Annelee actually gets more and more angry with Theo rather than trusting. Yet her bitterness stems not from her hatred of him but of herself (as we eventually learn).

Theo and Annelee are eventually attacked by “Hordes,” a new type of other-world people who seem to live in a black-and-white society with their grey, scaley skin and who exude the stench of death. The Horde infect the children with the same disease, dragging them both into their depressing world of living death. A Horde girl they befriend, however, Maya, believes in Elyon (God) and hasn’t given up hope, despite her condition. When Theo admits to Maya that he’s lost in this world, she comforts him with words that become a theme for the book:

“You will see soon,” Maya said. “The skin they gave you can be taken as soon as Annelee learns her truth. But she must learn the truth in the costume she wears now.”

“Costume?”

“It’s what Talya calls our bodies. They’re like costumes we wear while we’re here, in this world. But our bodies aren’t who we are. They’re only what we are for a short time.” (85)

The Elyon (God) character later repeats this same concept:

“I made you like me, in my likeness. Light. Your body is just a temporary costume, an earthen vessel.” (107)

Of course, Elyon then shows them what he really looks like, pure radiant light (and if he were actually God, these children couldn’t have survived the experience). The children are awed by the vision of Elyon’s power and presence:

“There was no darkness, no fear, no judgment. There was just love—a love that burned up all the darkness and fear of the universe in the blink of an eye.” (108)

It’s a story, ultimately, of recognizing who we all truly are on the inside, creatures made in the image of God and loved by our Creator—and therefore intended to love all our enemies, including ourselves (reminds me Andrew Peterson‘s “Be Kind To Yourself”). The fact that this book occurs within the context of a Christian school is perhaps the Dekkers’ excuse for not including the Gospel of Jesus Christ in these stories (i.e. the kids are already believers…and so probably, too, are their young readers), but it still would have been wise for them to include this type of direction in an appendix or an afterward or something. Just leaving it feel like “We’re all God’s children, no matter who we are or what we believe” skirts on some dangerous ground. So parents and teachers, perhaps bear that in mind when your kids read these books.

I was happy to gain some clarification on an issue I took in my review of Book 1, where Theo says:

Nothing! Nothing can threaten me, because you are all powerful. You are the light without darkness. You are infinite. Nothing can threaten you, so nothing can threaten me. (Into the Book of Light, 115)

In his discussion with Annelee about this very thing, Theo offers some clarification (through his own confusion, no less!) on this statement that I thought was worth sharing. He says:

“If I’m Elyon’s son, you’re his daughter. So then nothing can harm you either.”

“I’m already harmed,” she mumbled. “You’ve seen my skin, right?”

“I mean, maybe your body can be, but…” But then he didn’t know what to say, because she was right. Maybe they could be harmed.” (99)

This dilemma reminds me of what Jesus says in relation to physical persecution that his followers will experience in this life. After describing such persecution in Matthew 10:22-27, Jesus says in v.28: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” That is, “Fear the Lord.” What Theo perhaps meant with his statement in Book 1, that “Nothing can threaten you, so nothing can threaten me,” is that, because of his relationship with Elyon, he’s eternally secure, indestructible, strong—even if he’s damaged and broken and killed in this life (in this “costume”). At least that’s what I hope he means, because it’s biblical and it makes sense.

I’m enjoying these books right along with my kids. We’ve got a guess about who’s going to be Theo’s “guest” to the Other World in Book 3. I wonder if we’re right. Can’t wait to find out!

©2023 E.T.

Read More from Ted Dekker:

• The Promise (2005)
• Adam (2008)
• Into the Book of Light (2018)
• The Curse of Shadowman (2018)
• The Garden and the Serpent (2018)
• The Final Judgment (2018)