Circle Trilogy
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The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker is a set of Christian novels about a man named Thomas Hunter who, after a head injury, wakes up in an alternate reality every time he goes to sleep. The stakes are raised when he realizes that a deadly virus is about to be unleashed on our world, and that the 'Other Earth' is also being threatened with catastrophe. The pace quickens as links and parallels between the two worlds are revealed, and clock begins to run down for both worlds.
The books describe a fantasy world and, much like The Chronicles of Narnia, are designed to teach religious lessons.[citation needed] Ted Dekker is also released the trilogy as graphic novels in 2007. The graphic novels were written by Matthew Hansen and Bob Strachan.
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[edit] Black
In Black: The Birth of Evil, the first novel of the trilogy, Hunter discovers the alternate world of the colored forest which is gradually revealed to be a world in which the Fall of Man never occurred: Tanis, the "firstborn," and his wife have populated a world of unfallen people who experience no pain, want for nothing, are overseen by angelic figures—white bat-like creatures called Roush—and desire only the thrill of worshipping God, called "Elyon" in this world[1] who appears sometimes as a boy. While Hunter experiences his own redemption for a sinful life in the real world, he learns about Teeleh, a batlike Satan-figure in the world of the black forest who wants nothing other than to rule over the people and world of the colored forest. Teeleh plants seeds of deception into Thomas' mind, claiming that he is not actually a part of this world and that he landed in a spaceship with his pilot Bill. Even going as far as to cause deceptive hallucinations in Thomas' mind, making images of Bill appear to emerge from the black forest only to be torn back in by the Shataiki. These seeds of doubt grow in Thomas' as tries to reclaim his lost memory. Thinking that the only answers he can find are with Teeleh, he ventures into the black forest once more and upon his gruesome return he is witnessed by Tanis (just as Teeleh hoped) from the colored forest's side of the bridge. At this point when Thomas crosses over Tanis' attention turns to him and he tends his wounds. But the knowledge of what he's seen is like a splinter in his mind that he must see to. After he's sure that Thomas is sought after he returns to the bridge, when Thomas is informed of this by Michal the Roush, he rushes to Tanis' aid knowing full well what Teeleh's motives are. However when he arrives he is too late, as Tanis is in the process of eating some of Teeleh's poisonous fruit that plants deception into his mind. In a climactic moment, Teeleh offers Tanis a waterskin with his water inside to wash the fruit down, saying that the knowledge he desires, the knowledge of The Histories, is within (akin to Satan's offer of knowledge through the forbidden fruit to Eve). Teeleh succeeds in tempting Tanis to accept his water, frees their bonds to the black forest and allows himself and the millions of Shataiki under him to spread forth and destroy. As the wall of Shataiki emerges forward from the black forest the colored forest begins to wilt and dissolve into ash beneath their shadow. Thomas flees for his village in an attempt to warn everybody, but he cuts it too close and only has enough time to lead Rachelle and Johan into the Thrall (a colorful temple-like structure in the center of their village) for sanctuary. Witnessing the chaos outside, Thomas sees that the Shataiki exercised no restraint and destroyed everyone and everything in their path. The world is physically different, the once beautiful colored wood is no more. Thomas, Rachelle and Johan try to wait it out through the night and upon their awakening they hear nothing. When Thomas cracks the door a rush of putrid air enters the Thrall and immediately the beautiful colored wood loses its glow and the once emerald green floor diminishes to simple wood. Thomas is shocked to see that Rachelle and Johans eyes have changed from their beautiful green to a dull gray and knows that the same has happened to him.
Meanwhile, a Left Behind-like premillennialism scenario is playing out in the world of Earth (called "Ancient Earth" in the world of the colored forest, which also sees itself as Earth). Each time Hunter sleeps in one world he awakens in the other. In "Ancient Earth," a terrorist group (led by French mastermind Armand Fortier, Swiss bio-warfare expert Valborg Svensson, and Mediterranean Israeli-hating hitman Carlos Missirian) is attempting to create a biological plague through mutation of an airborne vaccine, called the Raison Strain. The group's plan is to offer the cure for the plague to the world at the cost of the nuclear arsenals of the world's nations. The inhabitants of the world of the colored forest have knowledge of Ancient Earth's complete history, including events which have not happened yet. They refer to this time as the "Great Deception." The books strongly imply this event was the beginning of the great apostasy and the reign of Antichrist. In the last book of the trilogy, White, the Great Deception is now referred to as Teeleh's seduction of Tanis (since the Great Deception on "Ancient Earth" is prevented).
At the conclusion of Black, the few survivors are directed by Elyon to seven forests on the other side of the world. After fleeing the Thrall and finding the once bottomless green lake where they once had their nightly gatherings emptied, Thomas decides to lead the others out into the desert, which was suggested by a forlorne Michal. After a seemingly endless journey that would nearly kill them, they are confronted by a young boy whom Thomas recognizes to be the same from the upper lake where he met Elyon face-to-face. The boy leads them quickly to a lush and beautiful forest, complete with a lake. There they are to bathe once daily in lakes provided by Elyon which cleanse them of a leprosy-like disease that has spread over the whole world. They are given a total of seven rules to follow, including the commandment that they must never allow blood to come in contact with the lakes.
The title "Black" refers to the color of the Shataiki and their forest, which in contrast to the luminescent colored forest is composed entirely of black trees; after Tanis accepts the water of Teeleh and the Shataiki invade, the colored forest turns black as well.
[edit] Red
In Red: The Heroic Rescue, Thomas has spent fifteen years in the "dream world," having been persuaded by his new wife Rachelle to eat the "Rhambutan" fruit which will prevent him from dreaming. Only eight hours have passed in the world of Earth, but the plague has been released in several gateway cities across the world (including Bangkok where Thomas and Kara are currently staying) and the terrorists are making their demands.
Thomas is in a world torn by conflict. Followers of Elyon live in the seven forests and continue to bathe daily, as instructed. However, the deserts outside of the forests are home to the Horde, with a much larger population than the forests. Members of the Horde (individually referred to as "Scabs") are subject to the degenerative skin disease of the fallen world and are constantly trying to conquer and destroy the inhabitants of the forest. Moreover, they actually worship Teeleh, carrying banners with images of the Shataiki. Thomas is now referred to as "Thomas of Hunter" and is commander of the Forest Guard, a legendary figure among the Forest Dwellers and the Horde alike. However as the story of Red unfolds, it is revealed that the Horde also have a legendary General emerging knowing as Martyn. One whose strategies are bolder and more clever, and have yet to be seen by the Forest Guard.
In the forests, the people keep Elyon's seven rules but have added to them, scrupulously trying to make it as difficult as possible to violate the actual rules. The people continue to celebrate the themes of their life in the colored forest, before the Great Deception. Interpretation of the rules is vested in a priest-like figure named Ciphus. Members of the Horde are allowed to come and bathe and become part of the forest dwellers, but this is actively discouraged as Ciphus has determined there is not enough water in the lakes to support a much larger population. This is generally not an issue, as the skin disease of the Horde makes any contact with water agonizingly painful, and the Horde view themselves as "normal" and the forest dwellers as "defective." Occasionally, however, a Horde member will be washed, as is the case with a wise village elder named Jeremiah. Also, forest dwellers who go too long without bathing in Elyon's water begin to develop the skin disease, eventually losing the ability to think rationally and becoming members of the Horde. The Forest Guard has developed extensive procedures for carrying bathing water with them while on patrol in order to try to prevent this.
A new figure in the book is Justin, a former member of the Forest Guard under Thomas. When Thomas offered him the rank of second in command, Justin declined and left the Forest Guard entirely, leading to the young woman Mikil becoming Thomas' second in command. Justin begins to anger the leadership of the forest dwellers, however, by his unorthodox attitudes. He actively seeks peace with the Horde. Interestingly, as the story progresses, it is revealed that Justin always seems to be clean of the disease even when he seems to have been unable to bathe.
Justin attempts to broker a peace between the Horde and the forest dwellers, on one occasion speaking with Martyn in the middle of a battle to secure the safety of the Southern Forests Guard and their leader Jamous and to encourage good will between the two cultures. However, Justin is betrayed and sentenced to death by the leadership under Ciphus. Initially he is forced into a Gladiator-style face off against Thomas of Hunter (whom the crowd and leadership are sure will be victorious). Justin does exhibit equal if not superior skills in sword and hand-to-hand combat though he never actually harms Thomas and seems to view the contest almost in a comical sense. As Justin emerges the victor he leaves the arena and greets a waiting Martyn at the crest of the arena to a shocked audience including Thomas. As Thomas signals his guard to move in on Justin and Martyn Thomas himself confronts them face-to-face. When he draws his sword on Martyn he is horrified when Martyn reveals himself to actually be the once innocent Johan. Johan had once been part of the guard under Thomas' command and was assumed to have been killed in battle when in fact he becamse stranded and the disease took him. Eventually it is known that an overwhelming Horde Army is encroaching on the Forest, and demands the right to carry out the execution as they consider Justin to have betrayed them, too. Justin is sentenced to death with the Horde's most feared form of execution: drowning in water. He is first hung over the lake and beaten until his bones are broken and he is severely disfigured. Mysteriously, during his beating Justin's body begins to be covered with the Horde skin disease. Upon his death, Johan in a fit of rage attacks Justin and thrusts his sword into his abdomen, his blood pours into the lake, violating Elyon's prohibition about blood entering the water.
The next day, the water itself has turned to a blood red color and the forest dwellers are all completely infected with the skin disease. Yet Justin's dead body cannot be found in the depths of the lake. Thomas remembers a command he had once given Thomas to "follow me". First Thomas, and then others including both forest dwellers and members of the Horde, give up their lives in the red water, finding that they, too, are returned to life and completely cleansed of the skin disease. In fact, these new followers of Elyon through Justin discover that they need never be cleansed again: they are immune to the skin disease.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the former forest dwellers have been corrupted by the disease and merge the religions of Elyon and Teeleh, inviting the Horde to come dwell in the forest. The sacrifice of drowning in the red water is unthinkable to those infected with the disease, and they view the cleansed people as defective "albinos." The "albinos" flee for their lives into the desert. On the way, however, Thomas’s wife Rachelle is shot with three arrows and dies. There, Justin himself meets them and excitedly proclaims his happiness over them. He proclaims the new group to be his "Circle" (a symbol of marriage dating back to the days of the colored forest) and to be his "bride," and ecstatically thanks Elyon for what he calls his "beautiful bride," referring to Elyon as his "father." Justin reveals to the Circle that they will find more red pools hidden in the desert and that for the rest of their lives they will be his and will be charged with the mission of saving as many members of the Horde as possible by inviting them to drown in the pools. The title "Red" thus refers to the color of the blood shed by Justin to redeem his followers from the Fall, and to the blood-red pools in which his followers give up their lives in order to be reborn as Justin's people.
[edit] White
In White: The Great Pursuit, all those who follow Elyon through Justin's sacrifice have formed "The Circle", the roles have switched in the sense that the Horde has taken over the seven forests and The Circle now resides in the deserts, able to survive by the aid of Johan (formerly Martyn) who is familiar with life in the desert. They usually try to avoid the Horde but it is evident that in the 13 months since Justin gave his life The Circle has led roughly 1,000 Scabs to drown in the red pools and join The Circle. One night during a council meeting (composed of Thomas, Mikil, Jamous, William, Suzan, Johan and Justin's disciple Ronin) the new and more vicious commander of the Horde armies Woref orchestrates a massive invasion on Thomas' tribe, in an attempt to cover the tribes escape into the desert Thomas, Suzan, William and Cain ride out towards the approaching army, leading to Thomas and the others capture. Subsequently they are imprisoned in the newly constructed Horde village in an underground dungeon. Qurong, the Horde leader takes his prisoners before his wife Patricia and daughter Chelise, whom Thomas met some time earlier in the desert when the disease had nearly overcome him, calling himself then by the name Roland, claiming to be an assassin (takes place in Infidel). When Qurong is presenting his 'prize' he also announces that Chelise is to be wed to the beast of a general Woref whom was responsible for the capture of Thomas and the other "albinos". Soon after, Thomas appeals to Qurong and Chelise's desire to learn the Books of Histories, knowing that the Horde cannot read them but members of The Circle can. Chelise pleads for Thomas to be spared his execution and instead made her servant. He is imprisoned in the library where he has access to the Books of the Histories and for a few days after spends his time searching out the blank books of history while also reading some historical stories to Chelise that effect her in ways she's never experienced - because she's hearing the truth. Unbenknownst to Thomas, he begins to fall in love with her, having not had feelings for a woman since the death of his last wife Rachelle. The others in the Circle at first believe him to have gone mad but when they find out he truly does love this Scab, and Scab royalty at that, they're willing to risk themselves alongside Thomas to help. The problem is that she, being diseased, is completely forbidden from falling in love with an albino and is utterly terrified of the thought of drowning in the red pools. However, after willingly accompanying Thomas to the desert (though Woref and her family believe she's been kidnapped) she begins to see Thomas' heart and realizes how deeply he loves her. Finally she embraces the notion that she does too in fact love him and they embrace the passionate moment by the campfire. She still does not decide to follow Elyon, seeing herself as incapable.
Upon the groups return to their tribe, they're greeted by an angry William. Who informs them that the Horde has attacked killing 10 of their members, wounding some others and taking 24 prisoner back to the Horde village. Thomas in an attempt to free those 24, offers Qurong what he really wants: himself, Thomas of Hunter. Thomas returns to the forests with Mikil and subdue a border guard, instructing him to inform Qurong of their offer. He does and returns with a group of warriors who exchange the 24 albinos on horseback for Thomas. He is then imprisoned and beaten and ordered to renounce his love for Chelise to her face or she'll receive the same punishment that he will: death by drowning (traditional Horde execution). The thought is unbearable to Thomas, but the thought of Chelise dying before she has a chance to drown in the red pool is even more heart wrenching. He reluctantly goes through with it, utterly destroying himself in the process and nearly convincing Chelise when he knocks himself out to get away from the pain. When he reawakens he decides not to go through with it and rushes for Chelise professing his love for her as sure and true as it's ever been. At that moment as they're weeping together Woref bursts through the door (having been spying on the whole event) and in a fit of rage grabs Chelise throws her against the wall, violently striking her in the face at the very moment that Qurong walks through the door, led in by a captive Mikil. Woref, Chelise and Thomas are all sentenced to death by drowning unless Chelise tells her father she doesn't in fact love Thomas (which Thomas tries to get her to do) but she does not. Upon Mikil's release she meets with Johan and Suzan and they begin to trace a portion of the lake that was not emptied by Ciphus when it had turned red after Justin's drowning for it was in fact a spring. They dig and eventually reach the flowing waters which they fill into a bucket and pour into the larger lake just before Thomas, Chelise and Woref are sent to the depths. As they all sink Chelise pleads with Elyon to take her, suddenly realizing that the water is turning red she drowns in the red water and experiences Elyon's sacrifice and love for her. Eventually she rises, simultaneously as Thomas does (much in the same fashion as when Thomas and Rachelle drowned at the end</nowiki> of Red). Qurong appears to be somewhat stunned by the turn of events, but allows Chelise, Thomas and the other albinos safe passage out of the forests to the desert, though he will not drown himself. Thomas, Chelise and the others leave the forests to the desert where their tribe is waiting.
All while this is happening, events are still in motion in Ancient Earth. Thomas has successfully turned Carlos by allowing him to sleep while in contact with his blood, in which Carlos dreams of the other reality as Johan. He then believes and somewhat reluctantly decides to join up with Thomas in an effort to stop Svensson and Fortier from executing their full plans: Only releasing the antivirus to a small list of people they deemed worthy of it's reception. Upon hearing this America has already turned it's naval fleet, airforce and nuclear arsenal over to the French, as a last-ditch effort to resist Thomas along with high-ranking U.S., British and Israeli officials order the USS Nimitz to fire on the fleet sinking all of it. When Thomas returns to Washington D.C. he meets with President Blair, Monique and his sister Kara at Genetrix Labs to check on the progress of the antivirus. They inform him that the only feasible cure is through his blood. Somehow it instantly eradicates the virus, and Monique and Kara believe it to be because he swam in Elyon's lake and breathed the water in effectively making his blood immune. However, since the virus is so widespread they need all twelve pints of his blood. A transfusion is out of the question because of the risk they would run of "watering down his blood with ordinary blood". Thomas agrees knowing that it's the only hope they have left of defeating the pandemic, his blood is dubbed the "Thomas Strain" by Monique. His only request is that he is allowed to sleep before they begin the procedure. As he does he reawakens in the other reality, the book concludes with Thomas at the oasis where his tribe stays, waiting on the top of a dune with Mikil, Jamous, Suzan and Johan as his bride Chelise is preparing for their wedding. A loud rumble is soon heard throughout the desert and a mass of Roshuim (white lions that were at the high lake with Elyon) begin to swarm around their oasis, lead in by a rider on a white horse - Justin. He rides straight for Chelise and dismounts, approaching her and grasping her hands. He exclaims his satisfaction to his father, Elyon, saying "She's perfect, my Bride is perfect!". He then rides for Thomas where he lovingly embraces him and tells him "Well done, Thomas". He then mounts his horse and in the same fashion as when The Circle was first born, he rides around them with his sword in the sand symbolically carving a circle around them in the sand. He then proceeds to leave them, riding over the crest of the dune with the Roshuim in pursuit. It is stated in the few short days since Chelise drowned in the red water, some 5,000 Scabs followed in pursuit of Elyon's gift through Justin.
The title White refers to the purity and bliss of the "albinos" after drowning in the red pools and being cleansed by Justin's blood.
[edit] Examination Of Series As Allegory
Several similarities between the trilogy and the Bible include:
- Elyon - God
- Justin - Jesus
- Elyon's water - the Holy Spirit
- Roush/Roshuim - Angels
- Shataiki - Demons
- Tanis - Adam
- Patricia - Eve
- Teeleh - Satan
- Johan/Martyn - Judas
- Book(s) of Histories - The Bible
- Ciphus and followers - Pharisees of New Testament
- Bathing/Repenting - needing continual cleansing as in sacrifices of Old Testament
- Colored Forest - Garden of Eden
- Disease - Sin
- Ciphus' "Great Romance" - The Pharisees' Laws
- Drowning and coming back to life - Baptism: Spiritual rebirth / Dying to this life in favor of life with God.
- Great Deception - Fall of Man
- Makeup of Horde - Covering up of sin
- Justin's ride into the Central Forest - Jesus' entrance into Nazareth upon a donkey
- Justin's drowning- Jesus' crucifixion
- Thomas giving all his blood - Believers following in Jesus' footsteps
- Thomas loving a diseased Chelise - Jesus loving sinful humans
- Great Romance with Justin - Jesus and his "bride" (Christians)
[edit] References
- Black: The Birth of Evil Hardcover: ISBN 0-8499-1790-5, Softcover: ISBN 1-59554-021-0
- Red: The Heroic Rescue Hardcover: ISBN 0-8499-1791-3, Softcover: ISBN 1-59554-034-2
- White: The Great Pursuit Hardcover: ISBN 0-8499-1792-1, Softcover: ISBN 1-59554-035-0
[edit] Notes
- The Circle trilogy's name is similar to that of the prologue and epilogue ("The Circle Opens" and "The Circle Closes", respectively) to Stephen King's book, The Stand. The Stand is also similar to the Circle trilogy in that The Stand is composed of three 'parts', or books, as is the Circle trilogy. Both also make references to God, and deal with viruses that can destroy entire populations.
- The Circle trilogy ties in with many of Dekker's other books and series. In Saint, it is revealed that the villains Marsuvees Black, Englishman, and Barsidious White are products of the blank books that Circle trilogy protagonist Thomas Hunter took back to the real world with him. These books are also the focus of the Project Showdown trilogy and the Lost Books series.
=* White homepage (includes sample chapter one)
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