Thr3e
Summary
Thr3e is considered to be one of the masterpieces of acclaimed Christian thriller and fantasy writer Ted Dekker. In this narratively complex story, a man named Kevin Parsons is stalked by his past as he wrestles with humanity’s innate evil and given good.
Assessment
Thr3e is a tightly-written and intellectually stimulating psychological thriller placed on a rich, theological backdrop. While the story takes the audience on a rollercoaster of stalking, kidnapping, and bombing, the message takes a long look at the ideas behind man’s inner struggle between good and evil through a Biblical lens. Both the story and the message are expertly woven together by Dekker.
The theological message of the story is present without coming across as preachy or shallow. It fits into the story with perfect construction; enhancing the drama and trauma of the plot without distracting from it or feeling unwieldy. It also leaves the message’s primary question more on the open-ended side, providing the audience space to have their own conversations about the nature of man.
In terms of cleanliness, the story definitely carries some intense themes that will be unsuitable for most children and younger teens. It is not graphic or gory by any means, but there is plenty of peril and no small amount of psychological torment for the characters. There is no sex and minimal to no cussing.
Light-o-Meter
Overall — 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Story: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Prose: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Quality: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Theological Message: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Age Appropriateness — Appropriate for adults and older teens.
Talk
Okay, this is my first time dipping my toes into the realm of Christian thriller/horror, so while I can’t speak much about how this story holds up in the genre as a whole, I really, really enjoyed Thr3e. The writing style and plot were both tight and leaving no unintentional loose ends, the theology was deep and perfectly woven into the story, and the characters were intriguing and in a lot of ways relatable. Kevin feels like both the most astonishing man in the world and like every single Christian wrestling with the nature of humanity.
Now, I have to confess that I did have this story spoiled for me by a friend (it was intentional because never thought I’d read it…gah, how could you do this to me, Past Ang!), so I didn’t quite have the same tension while listening to the audiobook as someone who doesn’t know how it ends. However, even knowing the ending, Dekker’s ability to write brings the characters to life and creates a wonderful sense of suspense. The story is masterfully assembled and written, which I greatly appreciated, regardless of spoilers.
It’s not necessarily a book I’d recommend to everyone. It is a psychological thriller and deals with some pretty heavy topics and there is some pretty sick behavior by the villain of the story. For those that either love the thriller/psychological horror genre or are looking for a more intense — in a good way — read, then this might be the story for you!
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