Obsessed

Rating:
Summary: The Joy and Pain of being "Obsessed"
Review: WOW. A few minutes ago I finished reading Obsessed. My college roommate introduced me to Ted Dekker a few months ago. I first read Thr3e, which is still my favorite of his books. Fortunately for me, Obsessed can be placed in the same topical/stylistic category as Thr3e, unlike the Colors Trilogy (which I did enjoy, just not as much).
He's done it again. Even after reading several Dekker books and thinking I know what to expect, he still surprises me with his M. Night Shyamalan-style twists.
If you can handle glimpses into sadistic, obsessed Nazi minds, you will be rewarded with a vision of the strength of hope, love, and what is truly worth being obsessed over.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, but not Dekkers best
Review: I just finished reading Obsessed and let me begin by saying it was excellent. I love the cross overs between past and present until they combine perfectly into the same time, ending the novel in a way you never expected. I also love how Dekker has once again so beautifully touched on some major Christian themes while keep the story real and exciting enough to not beat people over the head with religion. An excellent read. However, having just finished Three and the Circle Trilogy, i do have to say that Obsessed isn't quite as captivating as its predecessors. Still, if this is one of Dekker's slower novels, I will be reading him for years to come.

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Summary: Unbelievable T3d, You've done it again!
Review: I loved it. The stories within Obsessed are amazing. Delicately woven within each other, I couldn't put it down. I was torn between emotions, from tears to joy to rage. The sensation that I was there, no matter the timeline, was awesomely, DeKker. Waiting on the next one...
Never Break the Circle...

Rating:
Summary: Ted Dekker, once again, does not disappoint his fans.
Review: Ted Dekker keeps you guessing with each new chapter. His ability to keep the story moving and turning will keep you reading until the end. If you like suspense novels, either secular or Christian, you will love Obsessed.

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Summary: What are you're obsessions?
Review: Ted Dekker once again communicates the Great Romance in this mystery thriller novel. A definite page turner. Once you read it you will ask yourself, "What do I obsess?"

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Summary: Thrill Ride
Review: There's nothing like a book that distracts me from all the things I'm supposed to be doing, be it taking notes in class, homework, chores, etc.

There's nothing like a book that has me on the edge of my eat from cover to cover, keeps me guessing, or tempts me to peek ahead in anticipation of what's to come.

There's nothing like a book that makes me read Scripture in a completely new light.

Obsessed was such a book.

Obsessed takes Jesus' parable of the pearl of great price and gives it flesh, so to speak. It's the story of a treasure hunt - not only of a man's obsessive hunt of proverbial pearl, but also his journey to discovering what that pearl is.

Like many Dekker books, Obsessed rings with the theme of God's desperate love for His children. Yet in this book, Dekker goes a step further, to man's proper response to God, to His love.

The question of Obsessed is one that few dare to ask: is God obsessed with us? And if so, the question proceeds, can we obsess over Him? If He is the pearl of greatest price, what is He worth to us? What are we willing to pay for Him and for His kingdom?

Obsessed is, in a word, thrilling. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

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Summary: Lock your doors, and settle in for a night of suspense...
Review: This brilliant piece of historical fiction revisits the horrors of the Holocaust with a new hope for the future. Obsessed is a story of the intense passion of God's love for mankind. In the end, can heaven's obsession over the souls of men triumph over the forces of evil?

Once again, Ted delivers big. A brilliant work of suspense and passion, Obsessed combines the thrills of THR3E with the intensity of the Trilogy. Obsessed will keep you looking over your shoulder and locking your doors.



Rating:
Summary: Amazing, as always
Review: This Ted Dekker book is write on pace with all of his others. How can he title a book Obsessed and not expect his readers to become obsessed after reading the first chapter? That's exactly where I found myself, hooked and I read it in 2 days! I highly recommend this book to anyone, especially existing Dekker fans! Buy it today and finish it tomorrow!

Rating:
Summary: I am Obsessed!
Review: What to say? T3d's done it again. I'm usually not much of a fan of modern works. Classical literature is my passion, and I'm often somewhat skeptical of contemporary author's ability to write well. And then, I read Black. My entire mindset underwent a paradigm shift so dramatic, so utterly complete, that I began to devour any and all books by Ted Dekker. Now, several months later, I have had the incredible privledge of reading his latest offering: Obsessed.

As has become his trademark, Dekker seamlessly weaves spiritual depth into a genuinely captivating tale. Gone are the days when a parable sounded like a parable and nothing more. In Obsessed, the imagination has been given full freedom to invent and create and illuminate in the tradition of the Inventor and Creator and Illuminator. Tolkien's idea of "subcreation" has rarely been capitalized upon so richly and rewardingly.

Others have already given a basic synopsis of the plot; I shall not bore you with recitation of the book's moving story. Rather, I seek to spark some thoughtful, reasoned consideration of the book's main premise - Obsession.

Ted makes a shrewd observation near the beginning of the book. A wise, kindly old antiques dealer tells Stephen - the protagonist - that man was created to obsess. Value is often not so much intrinsic as ascribed. For example, diamonds are shiny, compressed carbon. Yet, they are valued and sought after world-over. Why? Because people percieve value in them, and are willing to pay copious amounts of money to obtain them. The price a person is willing to pay determines the worth of the diamond. We know that people obsess over such petty things. Indeed, entire wars have been waged over less. And Ted Dekker has the audacity to posit that humans act in such manner because they were created to do so!!!

In fact, he goes so far as to say that our obsessive tendencies are a reflection of God's character, because He is obsessed with us. Moreover, and much more importantly He is obsessed with Himself. Due to His infinite worthiness, His obsession is not petty or narcissitic, but wise and proper. And in the midst of His obsession is one great and glorious goal, one end to which His obsession must lead: He longs to lavish the extravagance of His love upon His children - to the praise of the glory of His grace!

The problem is, mankind has collectively shifted focus from what should be the object of their affection and obsession - God Himself - onto worthless baubles and meaningless floccinaucinihilipilification. To combat this, Ted has carefully crafted a brilliant expose of our spiritual unfaithfulness and wrapped it in the guise of a fascinating, compelling, oft-disturbing novel. And for that I am thankful. By the end of my read, I finally understood - and longed for! - the need for obsession. My earnest prayer is for Christ to be my all. I desire to be obsessed with Him as He is obsessed with me. May you who read this become consumed with the same obsession.

Oh, and make sure to read Obsessed if you haven't already. For that matter, read all his books! I've enjoyed every one of them. Elyon's blessings!!!!!!!
~EvadingShadows

Rating:
Summary: DEKKER DOES IT AGAIN.
Review: Wow. Dekker is brilliant. His stuff is amazing. I own all of his books, and when a new one comes out, I grab it as soon as possible. Recently, I picked up Obsessed. A few days later, I had the day off so I read it. In 8 hours. I couldn't put it down, like most of his books.

Like other reviewers have said, he has it all...suspense, romance, mystery, twists, etc. But what Dekker does so well is engage the reader. When I finished the book, my thought was what I wanted to be like; how the story was true in my life; how in my own way, I am living out my obsessions. And my suspicion is that all who read this book will ask what are my obsessions? And who knows, you might be changed. A MUST READ!