After Left Behind

Jerry Jenkins

Jerry Jenkins is a name instantly recognizable to just about everyone. He is the co-author of the Left Behind series, a set of books that have been read by both Christian and non-Christian alike. Books like these are rare to be sure.

You may think that after the wild success of the Left Behind series that Jerry Jenkins and Tim Lehaye went on a long vacation, however nothing could be further from the truth. Both of these great authors have been busy writing together and independently.

Jenkins has written several more books, Luke's Story, Riven and Midnight Clear just to name a few. Of Riven Jerry Jenkins comments that this is a story that has been "rattling" around in his brain for nearly 40 years. He goes on to say that, though he gives his all to every work this and a few others have a special place in his heart.

 

Frank Peretti Fra

Frank Peretti

Anyone who has even a mild interest in Christian fiction has heard of Frank Peretti. He is the author of several New York Times bestsellers including Piercing the Darkness and the Oath. Like many writers, Frank Peretti came to his calling late in life.

During his early years, he played the banjo with a bluegrass group and moved to a pop band a few years later. In 1972, he married his wife and was soon ministering through song. Over the years, he has pastured with his father and worked construction to pay the bills, but it was not until he started writing part time that he truly found his passion.

This Present Darkness was the first book Frank Peretti penned and though it has now become a bestseller, it was at first rejected by publishers. Believe it or not, this novel rose to success through word of mouth, as people read it and passed it along to friends and family. This Present Darkness is a spiritual tale that begs the question what if we could see the forces of darkness at work all around us. The release of this book brought an increased interest in spiritual warfare.

After the success of these books, he moved on to tackle a couple of non-fiction books, No More Victims and No More Bullies were released in 2001 and 2003 respectively. You will find a hint of Frank Peretti himself in these books and his autobiographical story The Wounded Spirit.

Moving on to more recent books and projects; you will find a bit more horror in his collaborative effort with Ted Dekker. The two teamed up to write the thriller/horror House, which has subsequently been made into a movie. From a personal standpoint, I can tell you this book is so well written that neither author stands above the other. Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker's voices were so well woven that you almost feel like together they are another entity altogether. Excellent book and the movie promises to bring to life the graphic images that will haunt you long after the last page is read.

Frank Peretti has and will likely remain one of Christian fictions best writers. For the soul who likes a little excitement and a painted portrait of good and evil, you cannot go wrong with his books.

[More About Ted Dekker

When you set about to find a good Christian fiction to read, you might want to consider any of the works of Ted Dekker. While all of his books carry an undercurrent of Christianity it is not in the preachy manner some have been written in. In fact, when he first began submitting works books like Black were turned away as not Christian enough. Later of course they were accepted, became best sellers and some of the refused texts even won awards.

Ted Dekker Early Years

Ted Dekker grew up a child of missionaries; he has said publicly that a day in the life was throwing on a pair of shorts and running off into the jungle to explore. You can see an image of Ted Dekker in many of his books, Black, Thunder of Heaven and Heavens Wager, where the main character relives moments similar to his.

Writing

Ted Dekker has not always been a writer; it was his first love but not his first vocation. He spent years in the manufacturing field before chucking it all to move to the mountains and devote himself to creating the characters and stories we know and love.

Dark Images

Black, Showdown and Saint have painted evil with a very dark brush. From the black bats in the world of Thomas Hunter to the twisting dark caverns in Showdown evil has the veil torn away to show its slimy vicious nature. Nowhere was this graphic portrayal more real than in House, a novel he wrote with Frank Peretti.

You may be shocked at moments and terrorized at others but one thing is for sure when you read a Ted Dekker book you will know evil as it is and not as the often-portrayed "misunderstood" element that mainstream media sometimes hands us.

While you are viewing evil and thinking you would never fall for it rest assured you will be introduced to the fallacy of the human heart. In twists and turns, you will see how people are misguided and deceived by evil but then redeemed by the light. Ted Dekker books may not call that light Jesus or God but you have no doubt, who is calling these people to repentance and love!

Movies

Hopefully very soon you will be able to see many of Ted Dekker books available on the big screen. House has been released, however finding the movie in mainstream places like Blockbuster or Hastings is proving to be a trick. Thankfully, it is available on the Ted Dekker official website as well as through many Christian media outlets.

Save Money on Books

Did you know that you can save money on books by purchasing used copies? There are lots of great places both online and off where you can save money on books and other great products. The biggest hurdle you will have to overcome is patience. Many times you will need to wait a few months after a book releases to save money on it, and in some rare instances the book will not go down for quite some time or will actually increase in price. The key is to watch the trends and comparison shop.

A good example of a book suddenly becoming more expensive would be The Love Dare. A few months ago you could save money buying this book used on sites like eBay and Amazon, however once the movie Fireproof was released on DVD the price for the book went through the roof. In fact you can now purchase it cheaper at Wal-Mart than anyplace online.

The above example is rare but it does happen so always take the time to comparison shop. EBay is the first place that I go to comparison shop, especially if a book catches my fancy in the middle of the week. Midweek sales are always much slower on eBay than the weekend. I tend to watch two or three auctions on the desired title then move on to sites like Amazon or Overstock.

Once you have finished checking all online prices it never hurts to call your local book store or Wal-Mart for a price check. Hey it is all to save money, right? All these steps can be carried out from your computer in the comfort of your own home so why not? You could save half or more off the retail price for just a few moments of your time.

We all are looking for ways to save money, but die hard readers would be put out to forego their favorite past time and thankfully they wont have to.

Ted Dekker

If you are a book worm and a christian you will have no doubt heard of Ted Dekker. If you have not heard of him now is the time. Ted Dekker is an awesome christian fiction writer who writes what I think Stephen King would write if he were to go into the Christian genre.

I have read most of his books starting with the Circle Trilogy. In Black, Red and White Dekker weaves an impossible tale with vivid imagery and fantastic twists. This series was so good the I personally read them three times! Trust me that is very unusual for me. Join the Circle and follow Thomas as he tries to save both of the worlds he is caught up in. You will meet God in the pages of this fiction in a way you never imagined.

The latest book of Ted Dekker's to catch my attention was Chosen. This series is a spin off of the original Circle Trilogy and follows members of the Forest Guard as they search for the Lost Books of the Histories. From the first book it is apparent that this set will be much grittier than Ted Dekker's previous installments. Expect some mayhem and destruction as the young guard members faith is tested as well as their strength. The first book Chosen was a delight, I finished it quickly and am now waiting for the other books of the series to arrive.

Ted Dekker is a man after God's heart in his writing, the no nonsense approach plus the beautiful imagery are breathtaking. If you cannot tell I am a die hard fan, few of Ted Dekker's books have fallen below my expectations. If you have not discovered the talent of Ted Dekker yet head on over to Amazon and find one of his books. They are reasonably priced and well worth the wait.

The Greatest Book I Have Read Lately

When it comes to reading books anyone can tell you I love it! Books have been a means of escape from the perils of life for a very long time.

Books of all genres have been read on a lazy summer afternoon, or cozy in bed on a cold winter night. I have loved them all in my years of literary travels, but every once in awhile a book comes along that is so powerful you are speechless.

The Shack by William P Young is one of those books. It will take you to a place you are sure you know, ask you questions you have heard before and give you answers that will literally blow your circuits.

This story is about a man whose daughter had gone missing and is presumed dead. All the events led the charecters to a shack in the woods where their worst nightmare came true.

As the years after his little girls death go by the main character slips into what he calls The Great Sadness. Until the day a mysterious note appears in his mailbox.The note invites him back to the shack for a meeting with a mysterious Papa.

What will happen when he gets to the shack? Will the person that took his daughter be there? Is he heading for his own untimely demise? The answers will surprise you....And no I will not tell you!

Suffice it to say if you are not surprised and touched by what lies beneath the covers of this book, you are not human! Well okay maybe you are human but I challenge you not to have some ideas challenged by this seemingly simple book.

The Shack is the greatest book I have read in a long time, bar none! Get your copy today!