The 49th Mystic

Rachelle Matthews is 16 years old. She lives in Eden, Utah, a small, self-sufficient community protected from the outside world. She's been blind since an early age due to sickle cell anemia, but she's learned to work around her lack of physical sight. Her father, David, has arranged with community leaders for Rachelle to undergo an experimental treatment that he believes will restore her sight. It goes right – and then everything goes horribly wrong.

For years, Rachelle has suffered with what she believed were horrible nightmares. After her treatment, we learn that when she is dreaming in Eden, Utah, she is alive in a future world, and vice versa. It is in this future world that she learns that she is the prophesied 49th Mystic, and that she must find five ancient seals before powerful enemies can stop her. If she succeeds in her quest, both worlds will be at peace, and the lion will lie down with the lamb. If she doesn't, both worlds will be in darkness. (Literal? Figurative? Read and find out.)

The story focuses on polarity – light versus darkness, good versus evil, fear versus love. In the world of Eden, Utah, everyone is bound by polarity. People take action based on this versus that, what will benefit me the most. In the future world (called “Other Earth”), Rachelle begins to learn of the power of love, which is free of the bonds found in polarity. She learns how to re-member who she is and from whence she comes. We see her fighting her earthly, physical nature, struggling against great adversity, and trying to help those in her community see past the physical to the eternal truth. The book is not smack-you-over-the-head-with-a-Bible, but it is clearly grounded in the Christian faith and offers some simple yet profound theological insights for those willing to dig into them. I enjoyed the book on both levels – the humdinger of a thrill ride level and the “wow, that is simple but deep, and it changes my faith outlook” level. If you aren't interested in the faith-based aspects, give it a read just because it's an engrossing book. I read it in two days, and I didn't finish it in one only because I had to sleep sometime.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book from Revell. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.

Ted Decker not only tells a good story, but he makes me think. The 49th Mystic lives up to that standard, once again.

The story has a similar feel to Black. It's intense, walking two worlds, but more thought provoking. Decker has said that he put to story ideas he has written about in The Forgotten Way. He does not hide the spiritual lessons or even make an allegory. He writes them quite plainly into the story. I imagine there are some who will not like the theology, and that will ruin the story for them.

This book encourages the idea that we are completely know and completely loved by God. Further, that the whole point of all of this is that God wants to be in relationship with us. The thing that most often keeps us from that relationship is our own selves. Our self judgment and our fears.

There is so much to this book, that I find myself wanting to read it again so it will be fresh when the next book comes out in October. It is already on pre-order!

Thank you, Ted Dekker, for writing stories that show a real relationship come to life and remind me that my light isn't little.