Great Start

What did you love best about Black?

the story is engaging and exciting, the two worlds intersecting through this one man is a great idea that i hope gets explained in more detail in the other books.

What did you like best about this story?

i found myself getting enticed by the wonder of the "other world" the beauty and simplicity of this place where good and evil were as distinct as black and white. yet for me the magic didn't carry over into the current world. while in those parts i found myself longing for the next time the story moved back to the magical world.

What about Rob Lamont’s performance did you like?

the performance was solid. Rob's pace seemed to be spot on and the timing didn't seem at all forced. the only knock i would say if that some of the voices he uses for the characters are inconsistent at parts.

Any additional comments?

the fact that this book ends on a cliff hanger is somewhat annoying it is obvious that it is meant to be read as a series but some resolution would be nice at the end of the first act. overall I recommend giving it a listen. there are clear religious allegories. Dekker has obviously been inspired by the likes of Lewis in this respect but it is done well.

10 people found this helpful

Just the prelude ...

I understood that this was the first book in a trilogy from get-go, so I got all three. I'm about 1/4 of the way through the last one and it's amazing. I can't wait to listen to Dekker's "Slumber of Christianity", because this trilogy pretty much seems to be about just that.

The first book gets off to a strange start, and the narrator doesn't help much. By the time we get to the second book, the voice of the main character has changed from somewhat-boyish to a deep growling, and I didn't care for that too much.

Basically the trilogy is about two worlds, one in which faith is understood as a series of metaphors and one in which those same metaphors are physical realities. The metaphor-faith world I see as our world as it is now; the physical-faith world is what I think Dekker proposes our faith SHOULD be. Hence, the reason why I want to listen to "Slumber" ...

This series is less about the plot, but the message. I got beyond the poor narration and some of the character shallowness to the fact that most of us experience faith in a very vague way, but that there is another way - a way of hope and expectation. I want to hear more about this ...

14 people found this helpful

Narrator speaks at double speed without pauses…

Would you try another book from Ted Dekker and/or Rob Lamont?

Uncertain.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Black?

Still trying to get through the story.

Would you be willing to try another one of Rob Lamont’s performances?

Doubtful. The narrator read clearly enough, but did not pause at all between sentences with various characters talking. Conversations sound like one big run--on-sentance that is difficult to tell who is talking. This is so frustrating, that I find it hard to believe the book was produced this way at all.

This is perhaps the 30th or so audio book I have listened to from Audible, and I never imagined this style of reading was out there. I will have to listen to the previews for every book now just to make sure I don't get another poor reader like this again.

31 people found this helpful

Definitely the First in a Trilogy

This was a pleasant listen. The ending was very open-ended and did little to resolve much of the build-up which I presume occurs in the other two books of the trilogy. Very much comparable to the first Lord of the Rings movie. Story was good not great. That and the open-ending left this book just Two-Stars short of a full Five.

You can't just go to a bookstore or library and tear a book into thirds and then pay full price... well I guess you could, but who would want to. As well, this book was not alone enough to rush me into necessantly obtaining the other two books in the trilogy, although I will likely return to them when it is under convenient circumstances. So... 3-stars it is.

Narrator did a fine job and I found him enjoyable.

9 people found this helpful

Should be Section One, not Book One

I'm a sucker for a sequel to a good story, that's probably why I picked this one. The Book One subtitle infers that if I like this one, I can try the next.
Totally misleading. This title just stops, with a contrived cliff-hanger. Not a complete Book, One or otherwise.
On the plus side, the story is engaging and actually very original, which only contributes to the frustration at the end.
I have to admit, I'm intrigued, not only to find out what happens next, but to find out how this can be only one-third of the story, it seems so close to completion...
Some other reviews have mentioned the veiled Christian dogma, but unless it is coming in later volumes, so far so good. Or should I say, Good and Evil?

8 people found this helpful

Fabulous!

This was my first Ted Dekker audio book,It has made me want to listen to more. The story is compelling and engaging. The narrator is excellent. Highly recommended

14 people found this helpful

Black is a wonderful, inspiring read

I have read "Black" and the sequel "Red". Wonderful, inspiring books. I am now getting the audio version of "Black" and look forward to "Red" & "White". These books are hard to put down, Ted Dekker is a very talented, unique story teller. I would highly recommend his work. This is a great analogy of good versus evil.

16 people found this helpful

Have you read Thomas Covenant?

Black is the first installment in the Circle Trilogy, and introduces Thomas Hunter, a character that shows up or influences many other Dekker novels. If you saw my review for RED, I got the books out of sequence. Still, they remind me of the Thomas Covenant Chronicles by Steven Donaldson. A mixture of Fantasy and reality, leaving you to decide which is which. A gret read whether you are religious or not.

5 people found this helpful

What a Great Book!!!

I have downloaded and listened to close to 80 audio books from Audible, and this book is right at the top as one of my favorites. Rob Lamont is one of the best narrators I've heard, second only to Frank Muller. This book is well written, well read, and has a riveting story line. Ted Dekker has a way of describing things and handling dialog that really puts you IN the story; and helps you SEE the surroundings. The way Ted Dekker describes Elyon's "Colored Forest" world; well... I just want to be there and stay there. This is one of those books you just cannot stop listening to. "Red" is equally good; I cannot wait for White!

5 people found this helpful

Relaxing well-written

I work many hours under very stress filled conditions. This book allowed me the time to think about life in a new and respectful manner. Each day I would go to and from work thinking about Mr. Hunter and the current world events. A well-written book in one the reader is able to identify and enjoy. The plot continues in Red and I have been enjoying this type of trilogy. Well written and well read. Thanks for a great story.

4 people found this helpful