Showdown
Praise for
Ted Dekker's Novels
“Dekker delivers his signature exploration of good and evil in the context of a genuine thriller that could further enlarge his already sizable audience.”
â Publishers Weekly
“[Showdown] strips the veneer of civilization to the darkness of the soul, revealing the motivations and intents of the heart. This is a difficult book to read and definitely not for the squeamish. It brings home the horror of sin and the depth of sacrifice in a way another book would notâcould not.”
â Author's Choice Reviews
“Calling [Showdown] unique is an understatement. Ted Dekker has successfully laced a contemporary thriller with searing spiritual principles.”
â In the Library Reviews
“Toss away all your expectations, because
Showdown
is one of the most original, most thoughtful, and most gripping reads I've been through in ages . . . Breaking all established story patterns or plot formulas, you'll find yourself repeatedly feeling that there's no way of predicting what will happen next . . . The pacing is dead-on, the flow is tight, and the epic story is downright sneaky in how it unfolds. Dekker excels at crafting stories that are hard to put down, and
Showdown
is the hardest yet.”
â infuzemag.com
“The prose is smooth and tight, the message on target, and the ideas daring. This is one showdown you won't want to miss.”
â ERIC WILSON,
focusonfiction.net
“Showdown is a well-written and suspenseful novel that can and will give Stephen King and Dean Koontz a run for their money.”
â
www.1340mag.com
“[In
Obsessed
] an inventive plot and fast-paced action put Dekker at the top of his game.”
â
Library Journal
“[In
Obsessed
] Ted Dekker brilliantly weaves two yearsâ1994 and 1973âand two locationsâthe United States and Germanyâinto an exhilarating thriller of passion and hope.”
â
Christian Retailing
“With the release of
White,
and the culmination of the Circle Trilogy, Dekker has placed himself at the fore of Christian fiction. His tale is absolutely riveting, and the redemptive value at the heart of the series only makes it all the more remarkable.”
â MICHAEL JANKE,
CM Central
“One of the highlights of the year in religious fiction has been Ted Dekker's striking color-coded spiritual trilogy. Exciting, well written, and resonant with meaning,
Black, Red,
and now
White
have won over both critics and genre readers . . . An epic journey completed with grace.”
â Editors, BARNES AND NOBLE
“Dekker is a master of suspense and even makes room for romance.”
â
Library Journal
“Full of heroic action, deep meaning, and suspense so palpable your fingers will dig grooves into the book's outer cover,
Red
magnifies the story of
Black
times ten, raising the stakes to epic proportions. But Ted Dekker's biggest ace in the hole is that he understands what so many others never realize: substance and meaning
can
go hand-in-hand with exciting, cinematic storytelling.
Red
is a thrilling, daring work of fiction that not only entertainsâit inspires. Why aren't there more stories like this?”
â ROBIN PARRISH, editor,
Fuse Magazine, www.FuseMagazine.net
“
Black
has to be the read of the year! A powerful, thought-provoking, edge-of- your-seat thriller of epic proportions that offers great depth and insight into the forces around us.”
â JOE GOODMAN, film producer,
Namesake Entertainment
“Ted Dekker's novels deliver big with mind-blowing, plot-twisting page turners. Fair warningâthis trilogy will draw you in at a breakneck pace and never let up. Cancel all plans before you start because you won't be able to stop once you enter
Black
.”
â RALPH WINTER,
Producerâ
X-Men, X2:
X-Men United, Planet of the Apes,
Executive Producerâ
StarTrek V: Final
Frontier
“Put simply: it's a brilliant, dangerous idea.And we need more dangerous ideas . . . Dekker's trilogy is a mythical epic, with a vast, predetermined plot and a scope of staggering proportions . . .
Black
is one of those books that will make you thankful that you know how to read. If you love a good story, and don't mind suspending a little healthy disbelief,
Black
will keep you utterly enthralled from beginning to . . . well, cliffhanger.
Red
can't get here fast enough.”
â
FuseMagazine.net
“Just when I think I have Ted Dekker figured out, he hits me with the unexpected. With teasing wit, ever-lurking surprises, and adventurous new concepts, this guy could become a real vanguard in fiction.”
â FRANK PERETTI
“[With THR3E] Dekker delivers another page-turner . . . masterfully takes readers on a ride full of plot twists and turns . . . a compelling tale of cat and mouse . . . an almost perfect blend of suspense, mystery, and horror.”
â
Publishers Weekly
“Ted Dekker is clearly one of the most gripping storytellers alive today. He creates plots that keep your heart pounding and palms sweating even after you've finished his books.”
â JEREMY REYNALDS,
Syndicated Columnist
“Ted Dekker is the most exciting writer I've read in a very long time.
Blink
will expand his fan base tremendously. Wonderful reading . . . powerful insights. Bravo!”
â TED BAEHR, President,
MOVIEGUIDE
Magazine
“What an emotional and thrilling story within a story! Ted's approach allows you to see faith in a whole new light.”
â MAC POWELL,
Third Day
“Ted Dekker paints a picture that will create a longing in each of us to be with our heavenly father.”
â DEBBIE DIEDERICH, National Director,
30 Hour Famine,World Vision
“
The Martyr's Song
drives home the realities of standing for your faith in a world where it isn't always an easy decision.”
â MIKE YODER,
Director of Church Programs,
World Vision
“I can think of no better way to say it than: this is Deeper Magic. High praise indeed, for those who recognize the reference. For everyone else, I'll just say: Highly Recommended.”
â Christianfictionreview.com
“Everything a Book Could Hope to Achieve . . . a cross between Peretti and The Stand.”
â Religionexplorer.com
SHOWDOWN
Other Books by Ted Dekker
The Martyr's Song
Obsessed
Black
Red
White
Thr3e
Blink
Heaven's Wager
When Heaven Weeps
Thunder of Heaven
With Bill Bright:
Blessed Child
A Man Called Blessed
Nonfiction:
The Slumber of Christianity
SHOWDOWN
TED DEK
K
ER
Copyright © 2006 by Ted Dekker
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansâelectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherâexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, TN, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Thomas Nelson, Inc. titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email [email protected].
Publisher's Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Dekker, Ted, 1962â
   Showdown / Ted Dekker.
     p. cm.
   ISBN 13: 978-1-59554-005-8 (HC)
   ISBN 10: 1-59554-005-9 (HC)
   ISBN 13: 978-1-59554-081-2 (IE)
   ISBN 10: 1-59554-081-4 (IE)
   ISBN 13: 978-1-59554-222-9 (TP)
   ISBN 10: 1-59554-222-1 (TP)
   1. ColoradoâFiction. I. Title.
PS3554.E43S56 2006
813'.6âdc22
2005009708
Printed in the United States of America
07 08 09 10 11 RRD 11 10 9 8 7
CONTENTS
“HOW MANY children?” Marsuvees Black asked, examining his fingernails. Strange behavior for a man interviewing for such a lofty position.
“Thirty-seven,” David said. “And they may be only thirteen or fourteen years old, but I wouldn't call them children. They are students, yes, but most of them already have the intelligence of a postgraduate. Believe me, you've never met anyone like them.”
Black settled back in the tall leather chair and pressed his thumbs and fingers together to form a triangle. He sighed. The monk from the Nevada desert was a strange one, to be sure. But David Abraham, director of the monastery's project, had to admit that genius was often accompanied by eccentric behavior.
“Thirty-seven special children who could one day change humanity's understanding of the world,” Black said. “I think I could pull myself from my desert solitude for such a noble task. Wouldn't you agree? God knows I've been in solitude for three years now.”
“You'll have to take that up with God,”David said. “With or without you, our project will one day change the world. I can guarantee you that.”
“Then why do you need me? You're aware of my”âhe hesitatedâ“that I'm not exactly your typical monk.”
“Naturally. I would say you're hardly a monk at all. You've spent a few years atoning for rather gratuitous sins, and for that I think you possess a unique appreciation for our struggle with evil.”
“What makes you think I've beaten my demons?”
“Have you?”
“Do we ever?”
“Yes, we do,” David said.
“If any man has truly beaten his demons, I have. But the struggle isn't over. There are new battles every day. I don't know why you need a conflicted man like me.”