Scott Couey

Sinner concludes the Paradise novels.

Ted Dekker’s Sinner is the third and final book in the Paradise novel series. This story picks up 13 years after Showdown with Darcy and Billy (two of the children who lived in the monastery during the first book). Billy is now a lawyer and Darcy works at an assembly plant. The two are brought back together by the government as someone has discovered their special abilities (Darcy can persuade people to do things with her words and Billy can read a person’s mind) and wants them dead. They are brought to Washington, DC for “safe keeping” but numerous lynchings begin to happen and Darcy and Billy are asked to help solve the mystery behind the occurrences.

The duo convinces the government that the lynchings are racially driven and that it is the work of religious fanatics. Darcy motivates congress to create “The Tolerance Act” which deems anything spoken against another person based on race or religion a federal offense. They begin to hear rumblings from Paradise and discover that Johnny is back in the city preaching the truth of Jesus Christ and how he is the only way to heaven. Under the new act, Johnny’s actions are considered intolerant as by saying Jesus it the only way he is by default saying that other ways are wrong. Darcy and Billy agree to meet with Johnny in hopes of making him see things their way. Three thousand people end up coming to Paradise as a result of Johnny’s message and the government is faced with decision of how to punish Johnny and the others for breaking the new law.

Unlike Saint, Sinner was an enjoyable and intriguing read from start to finish. The book deals with topics like power (asking “When you have the ultimate power, will you let it go to your head and use it for personal gain?”) and being able to forgive yourself for sins of the past. Dekker has done a great job with the Paradise novels and I look forward to reading more of his books in the future.

Photo Credit: By http://www.teddekker.com