What if you were told that the whole world was blind? Not in the literal sense of the word, meaning that you cannot tell the difference between colours, people, scenery, and such. But in a way that many talk about in regards to feelings (love is blind; love blinds those from seeing the truth). The world you lived in, while many can see, cannot see past their own fear, and as such, they are blind as to what they can accomplish.

What if the worlds’ sight depended solely on Rachelle Matthews, a 16-year-old girl who has been blind, in the literal sense, since she was born, and that the world you live in is not the only one. That there is a world very few can enter and only when the conscious has escaped to a reality of involuntary images; dreaming.

Ted Dekker’s ‘The 49th Mystic’ deals with those exact ‘what if’s, while having something for everyone to enjoy. Follow Rachelle as she tries to save her home from the hands of a man who is willing to do anything to get what he wants, leaving chaos and death wherever he goes, while also trying to save the other world from a full-on war that can be caused by the very same man if he finds a way to get there. Don’t forget the personal journey she must travel in order to find the Five Seals of Truth that she has to find before the world ends in six days.

The New York Times say that his writing should be a genre of itself and I whole heartedly agree. To say his book fits into one category would be untruthful, as it contains adventure, science, fantasy, religion, and history. Those who are in to science will be taken away with conspiracy theories like MEP, DARPA, and CRISPR, and how each fills the world with endless possibilities. Fantasy will be found in the creatures of darkness and light, in the ability to travel through realms by dreaming, and fruit that heals wounds. Religion is evident in the name of the town, Eden, and the leader of said town, Simon Moses, as well as the teachings that Rachelle’s companion has to offer.

Dekker directs the perfect movie in your mind as you read each and every sentence, hungrily devouring the words off the page as suspense fills your body, only to be left on a cliff hanger when the point of view shifts to different characters as a new chapter begins. While the book may be confusing at first to comprehend, it clears up very quickly as the characters explain teachings, laws, and how all the science and fantasy aspects work in easier terms, so the reader isn’t left in the dust. The plot is very well written, leaving no holes or ‘but I thought...’ moments.

While stated in the author’s note in the beginning, ‘All neuroscience and psychology herein is firmly established,’ Dekker left me shocked with the knowledge and research that went into some of the dialogue. Not only was I interested in how the dream-traveling worked, but I was also hooked to the simple facts of the mind and what would really happen if a procedure was created that could heal anything or destroy everything. While I am a fantasy lover at heart, every part of ‘The 49th Mystic’ mystified me beyond my expectations. I loved every part of it and cannot wait to read the second book.

In summary, I highly recommend looking into Ted Dekker’s work, ‘The 49th Mystic’, you won’t be left disappointed. There are books out there that have the ability to make you pause, to make you feel and think differently than when you first opened the book. There are books that have the power to change the way you look at the world around you and how you see yourself. This book, without a doubt, falls into that area of novels perfectly.