Heart stopping, emotional and powerful ending to this epic trilogy. The apple definitely didn't fall far from the tree and Rachelle Dekker has the amazing gift of storytelling with a purpose as does her father.

I raved over book one, book two was amazing, but book three. Book three is my absolute favorite.

One thing I find interesting about this series is the time difference that takes place between each book—there is twenty years between book one and book three. It’s not something you see very often in series—YA series especially—and I found this a fun aspect. And because of this, if you had to read as a standalone it could work—Rachelle does a fabulous job of catching readers up on the history of what has happened. But trust me, you don’t want thread just this book alone. You’ll want to read all three. As with book one, because of the allegorical and faith elements, this doesn’t seem like your typical dystopian novel. And that in and of itself is so very refreshing.

I have been an avid reader of Ted Dekker, so I looked forward to reading the work by Rachelle. I was a bit disappointed in the storyline. I could never get into this enough to read it through entirely. Too much romantic drama with a flare of dystopian fiction. It is an alright read, but not as captivating as I would have expected.

This book is a great first time book by new author Rachel Dekker, you might know her dad Ted Dekker. It is also the first in her new trilogy. Loved it from page one. The female lead is very well written and I look forward to seeing how the story will evolve

This was such an awesome book! This book reminded me of the book/movie "The Giver" with a Christian twist. In this book, people are given what is called the "Genesis Serum", which wipes out all feelings and emotions so that the Authority could more easily manipulate their people. The serum was given to Elise, but it did not work. Something is very special about her and it is revealed that she has the special ability to bring the light to people in the city.

This book is an allegory of God's love for us. Such great messages in the book...forgiveness, loving our enemies, the fact that we can all accept Jesus and have "the light", and no matter what we've done or how far we turn away, we can always return to God.

The characters were all so real. I can feel the pain especially of Carrington, struggling with the loss of Elise when she was a baby and the guilt associated that, and then giving up Kennedy to "The Seven". I loved the letters that she wrote to Elise throughout the years.

The story was very suspenseful and kept me riveted to the very end, wondering what was going to happen next. The story flowed nicely and was very easy to read.

Rachelle Dekker reminds me so much of her dad in her writings (Ted Dekker), but with her own unique wring style. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Rating: 5 out of 5

This book was given to me for free from Tyndale Publishing and Netgalley.

Post link: https://godsgirl4life2.wordpress.com/2017/05/26/the-returning-by-rachelle-dekker/

Love this series...thanks for sharing it w/ me. I have shared it w/ all of my reading friends.

The Returning by Rachelle Dekker is the third book in her futuristic YA Seer series. It comes off well as a stand alone novel but reading the first two books in the series will provide a better background for the storyline of The Returning. I liked the book as the action was relatively fast paced and there were some actual 'no that did not just happen' scenes that kept the pages turning! A prominent theme of good and evil, i.e., light and darkness, is evident throughout the book and the battle between the two brings a lot of satisfactory and interesting tension to the book. The characters are strong and evocative, calling up a variety of emotions as the reader follows them on the journey on which we all embark...the search for ourselves. There are certainly Christian principles throughout the book (knowing who you are as a child of God and as such we are called to be a light to a dark world, practicing true forgiveness and choosing faith over fear--principles that encourage and guide) and yet one must remember this is a fictional story and not a theology book, not a book on which to base one's spiritual beliefs. All in all, The Returning was a compelling completion to a rather amazing debut series for this author.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. A favorable review was not required and opinions are my own.

This is a well plotted out book. It is encouraging and uplifting. Although the ending felt rushed a bit. I like how the characters were interesting and how they picked up years later from the same family. Faith is carried throughout the years.

I came into this book not having had read the first 2. After reading this book I really do not have a desire to go back and read them. I had a really hard time continuing to read this book. There are some major theological flaws present. I tried to read it as just a work of fiction but the spiritual undertones were too strong to not pay attention to them. I had no problem with the intense focus on our identity: Who we are in Christ. What I couldn't get passed was this idea that everyone has the light and just needs to remember they have it. That God is in all of us from the beginning and we just forgot. That is simply not true. We are born sinners. Apart from God. We are full of darkness from the beginning. We aren't full of light. God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. So he can't be in us when we are in darkness. It isn't until God opens our eyes that we can see our sin and need of a savior. Then through acceptance of what Jesus did on the cross we can be freed from our darkness and saved. Then we are in the light. Then we can shine out the love of Christ to a lost dark world. I couldn't get over this as it played out throughout the entire story. Also, I didn't like the way the author quoted scripture as the characters words and didn't give reference to where it came from in the Bible. Not even a notation. I felt uneasy in my spirit reading this story. It felt new agey too. The story line wasn't developed very thoroughly (I do understand that it may have been more clear had I read the other 2 books. So I didn't let this affect me too much.). I did not care for this book at all. If you're going to have that much spiritual emphasis in a book make sure it's done in a way that is theologically accurate.

Seeing the book for what it is - a good book that could lead someone to CHRIST. It is fantastic. It is the last book in a series of three - all leading up to one final battle of good versus evil - light versus dark. Carrington and Remko had a baby that they had to leave behind in the City but safe from enemy hands - her name is Elise - it has been 20 years - They have not stopped planning on going back and rescuing her from the man who lied to them - who also brought the city into a new era of peace and got a serum that got rid of all memories emotions and rebellion so they can rule over everyone - so you can see how there will be a showdown.....their journey is fierce and the fight is fiercer........what happens to Elise is unreal you have to read this book ya'll.

I have been excited to reach Rochelle Dekker’s books, as I have been a long-time fan of her father’s work. With that being said, I am a little upset with this novel. I noticed a few theological errors which is hard for me to look over. As a work of fiction it is a nice read, but there are some issues that a true believer cannot overlook.

Rachelle Dekker has a unique writing style but this just wasn't her best work. I would recommend this for those who have a strong faith base and can distinguish between truth and fiction.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Time has passed once you read this third and final entry in Rachelle Dekker's debut trilogy. Twenty years in fact. And this passage of time allows Dekker to explore new things so the books don't feel like they're simply rehashing the same themes.

A girl named Elise is being held captive in a community of humans who have been injected with a serum causing a robotic state of "peace". Those who oppose this way of life call themselves Seers and they have a plan to infiltrate the community and rescue those who have been injected as well as find Elise.

But it won't be easy.

You can tell this is a work done by a Dekker. As Rachelle is Ted Dekker's daughter (you've got to be tired of hearing stuff like that right? She's her own voice and author) there are similar themes to this trilogy and Dekker's Books of Mortals trilogy.

So many similarities, in fact, that at times it felt like Ted was giving his daughter pointers. You have the emotion-less state, the serum that causes this, the group who meets in the wilderness and has their celebratory gatherings. I mean this book in particular felt just like a young adult version of that other trilogy.

That isn't to say this book wasn't fun to read. The characters were enjoyable. I took a long time to catch up with them in each book because things had changed so much due to the time that has passed.

The themes are pretty blatant but I didn't feel like it was too heavy-handed.

I enjoyed this book and this trilogy and look forward to what Rachelle has for us next.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale House Publishing.

This is the third novel in this series that ties everything up. I've read all three mainly because I've read books by Ted Dekker and wanted to see what his daughter had to offer. She definitely writes in a different genre. Dystopian was not my usual type of book I read but I was quickly drawn in. If you don't read the first two you may find yourself lost when reading The Returning. This novel jumps ahead twenty years from the previous one. All are futuristic. Elise was taken from her parents when she was just an infant. She is now twenty years old. She's being held in the Authority City by its president, Jesse. They are injecting the city's residents with a chemical serum that makes them compliant, losing all their past memories. Elise's parents, Remko and Carrington, send out the chosen seven from their city of Trylin to try and rescue Elise. It's a dangerous mission for them, guards are everywhere in the city.
Aaron continues to appear at odd moments, giving them pep talks about the Light bringing with him a strong wind. They bring up The Father, which I'm sure is God. But it seems like the Holy Spirit is called the Light and is brought about after a strong wind surrounds everyone present. Not Biblical by any means, after all it's fiction, but I hope no one reading gets the idea that all are perfect, as is claimed, and all has the Light inside them, which is certainly not true. But overall as far as entertainment is concerned, it's a very good way to pass the time and has left me thinking about what I've read long after I've closed my Kindle.
I'm very interested to see what Rachelle Dekker writes next. Will she stay in the same genre or try another?
I received this ebook from Netgalley and was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise.

In the book The Returning, author Rachelle Dekker wraps up the Seer Trilogy, a journey into a future city that is controlled by the Authority President and the Scientist who wants to control the minds of everyone in the city. It has been over 20 years since the injections which control the minds of the people. The author now follows the children of the Seers who escaped the city and the mind controlling drugs to form their own community.
This is very good mystery, sci-fi series that keeps you guessing. I was disappointed at the final book, which was different from the rest. I did not care for the light being within us all. It felt more Oprah Winfrey theology than Biblical theology. While this is fiction, there are a number of ways this story could have stayed more true to Biblical Christianity. I would recommend this book series. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The final book in the Seer series brings it full circle, just like another Dekker.

It has been twenty years since Carrington and Remko Brant have seen their baby Elise, who was taken from them as they were forced to leave the Authority City. No matter how far they traveled, she has never been far from their hearts and minds. The man that took her is now the Authority City president trying to bring the city into a new era of peace. The Scientist Roth Reynard is still there providing his Genesis Serum that takes away all memory of emotion keeping rebellion from happening. The seers, with Aaron, have been tucked away until now and are ready to take their restoration to the rest of the world, starting with the Authority City. They have a chosen seven that are going to rescue Elise and be at the forefront of the battle that is sure to come. Elise is the key to the victory they hope to achieve as all they know will be tested.

As the third and final book in Dekker’s debut series, I can say she did a fine job wrapping it up. If you have read any of her father’s writing, it will be easy to see the similarities in his writing as well as hers. For this reason, I am going to say that this book will be best read by those that haven’t read anything by Dekker Sr. His work is great and is probably what will have turned most people on to Rachelle and her writing. If you take her as a separate entity, which you should but is still hard, it will be much more enjoyable. While the first and second book focused mostly on Carrington and Remko, they are not mentioned much here except for maybe a chapter or two. That was an interesting change of pace, I wish there would have been a little more focus on them instead of going straight into the grown up children. There was a lot to straighten out here and luckily all was wrapped up by the end. My nit-pick for the book would have to be Jesse, for some reason he just didn’t click with me. I can’t put anything specific down except for the times he was there never fully felt authentic. The chapters went back and forth between several different points of views making the story flow at a quicker pace in my opinion. As a reader, you get to see more of the action from more characters without fleshing out those characters as much as if only one or two were the main focus. Overall this was a very enjoyable read, probably the best of the series. I would recommend this for fans of dystopian series with a faith base.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

I received a free copy of this novel from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

The Returning is book three and the final book in The Seer series. This was an eagerly anticipated finale to a brilliantly written series by debut author Rachelle Dekker. Usually, by the time you've reached the final book in series, the story tends to slow down. But The Returning kept my interest right to the very end!

The story begins 20 years in the future, with a greatly anticipated good vs evil battle. I liked that they focused on Elise and we get to watch her grow from victim to victor. I loved the message that the story gives; that we as Christian are to always let our light shine to those around us.

Wow! What a gripping conclusion to this series! As much as I enjoyed the first two novels in this series, this is definitely the best of the three.

'The Returning' is set twenty years on from the end of the previous book ('The Calling'). Those who fled the Authority City with Remko and Carrington have been dwelling in Trylin City—a sanctuary protected by the mountain it sits against—and at the beginning of the novel, its citizens are preparing to send the chosen Seven into the Authority City to bring the truth to them. For Kennedy Brant, the younger daughter of Remko and Carrington, this journey is also her chance to find her sister, Elise—although they can only hope she is still alive, having heard no word of her since she was kidnapped as a baby.

While Remko and Carrington make occasional appearances throughout the story as the plot requires, the larger focus of this story is Elise, the chosen seven, and three pivotal men within the Authority City. The plot is riveting and well-paced, with a dash of romance in the mix, but what really grabbed me was the way in which Rachelle Dekker portrayed the experience of light vs dark. Throughout the novel Elise is constantly reminded ‘You are the light of the world’, and in true Dekker style, both ‘the light’ and ‘darkness’ manifest physically through the characters.

Of course, just as in our own world, being ‘the light of the world’ does not mean you will not face trials and hardship, and it is in those moments that our faith often wavers. Part of Elise’s journey is learning that ‘life truly was a cycle of remembering and forgetting, a constant returning to your true identity; and that all moments—the good and the bad—were just milestones on the road back to truth.’ At one point in the story, Elise is counselled to ‘See your fear...See your shame, or doubt, or anger, whatever you are facing...feel everything that you encounter, and then turn your eyes to the light and remember that it is greater than anything you will ever face.’ In the hands of Rachelle Dekker, this struggle was not only riveting; it was inspiring!

This was a fantastic conclusion to the series. May we always remember who we are in Him.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review.

Every once in a while I break away from my typical novel choices (Christian historical fiction) and try something new. I was intrigued by this title and Rachelle Dekker is a new author for me, so I was very excited to have the opportunity to review The Returning from Tyndale House Publishers.

Set in a futuristic world far removed from our current reality, The Returning explores what the world may look like in our society. Dekker has an easy style which makes her writing flow naturally and reminds me of Madeleine L'Engle. Her characters are engaging and believable in their roles and the story makes you really consider faith and its role in society as a whole.

There is an element of science-fiction and fantasy because of the futuristic setting and miraculous occurrences surrounding the characters although it is not intended to feel magical in anyway. As I read I could genuinely picture this as a potential future for our world, no matter how removed from current reality it actually is.

After receiving the title I realized this is the third and final book in The Seer Collection. I would highly recommend reading the first two novels in this series before getting to this one so you have more understanding about what is going on. I did enjoy this book, but because I have not yet read the first two it took some time to really understand what was going on.

If you are a fan of science fiction, this is an excellent title. This is also a great book to pick up if you are looking for something a little different in style. You will be entertained as well as challenged in your faith, which is a uniquely wonderful aspect of this novel. I am personally looking forward to going back and reading the first two in this series.

The Story

They say the Awakening is coming.
That she’s the key.
But can she find her identity in the light
Before she perishes in the dark?

Twenty years have passed since Carrington and Remko Brant’s baby, Elise, was kidnapped and they were forced to leave her captive in the Authority City. Though they fled with the Seers far from Authority reach, they’ve never given up hope of rescuing their daughter from the man who betrayed them. Now Authority President, he’s ushered the city into a new era of “peace”—one where the Scientist Roth Reynard’s Genesis Serum has eradicated all memory of emotion or rebellion.

But the mysterious Aaron and his Seers are once again on the move, threatening the illusion the Authority has worked so hard to build. As the Seers send seven chosen warriors to rescue Elise and bring restoration to the Authority City, the lines are drawn for a final battle between light and darkness. The key to ultimate victory may rest within the strangely powerful girl who has felt forgotten but was never abandoned—a truth she’ll need to wage war against the powerful forces of evil.

My Thoughts

I have to say that I hadn't read any of Rachelle Dekker's previous books but i was drawn to this one.

The story is very well written and although it is quite fast paced I didn't find it overwhelming or confusing to keep up with. I do wish I had read the previous two books first as I do feel that I may have understood a bit more about the background of the characters etc but that is my fault and nothing to do with the writer. For me it actually goes to show how great her writing is because I was still able to keep up with the story and understood it.

The Returning is not just a Good vs Evil it is also about Religion vs Science and people struggling to keep their faith. Now I am in now way a religious person so when I had initially read a few reviews about this and saw that religion did play a big part in the books I was a bit hesitant, but I am so glad I overcame that and decided to read it. I think the way religion is incorporated in to the book for the most part works, however there are times when it becomes repetitive. There are parts that are just so long and wordy I found myself skipping past them, which was a shame because i did enjoy the book.

I found myself, in parts on the edge of my seat, desperate to know what happened next. I could not put this book down. The chapters tended to end on little cliff hangers so me , being nosey and impatient by nature had to keep reading. I love when an author writes in a way that just allows you to be totally engrossed in the pages, feeling everything the characters feel.

I don't think I will be going back and reading the rest of the series but I was glad I read The Returning.

Overall I will give The Returning a 3 out of 5

*** Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Net Galley and Tyndale House Publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC. ***

Have you read The Returning? What did you think?

Dystopian Fantasy seems to be trending at the moment do you like this genre? Why?/Why Not?

This was an interesting conclusion to this series. It's not often a series will jump twenty years from one book to the next. But I liked the fact that this book focuses on Elise and I liked the development of her character. She goes from being a captive to being the key to setting the whole Authority City free. Although I enjoyed the positive message of not forgetting who you are and letting the light flow through you, it got a little repetitive because this was mentioned over and over and over. I enjoyed getting to see glimpses into the lives of the characters from the first two books and also getting to know the next generation. There is plenty of action to keep things hopping and a little romance to keep it sweet.

*Thanks to Tyndale Blog Network for a complimentary copy of this book. I was not paid or required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*