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Obsessed
Stephen Friedman is making a good living in good times. He's just an ordinary guy. Or so he thinks.
But one day an extraordinary piece of information tells him differently. It's a clue from the grave of a Holocaust survivor. A clue that makes him heir to an incredible fortune... a clue that only he and one other man can possibly understand.
That man is Roth Braun, a serial killer who has been waiting for Stephen for thirty years. Roth was stopped once before. This time nothing will get in his way.
Known worldwide for page-turning, adrenaline-laced thrillers, Dekker raises the stakes in this story of passion, revenge, and an all-consuming obsession for the ultimate treasure.
But one day an extraordinary piece of information tells him differently. It's a clue from the grave of a Holocaust survivor. A clue that makes him heir to an incredible fortune... a clue that only he and one other man can possibly understand.
That man is Roth Braun, a serial killer who has been waiting for Stephen for thirty years. Roth was stopped once before. This time nothing will get in his way.
Known worldwide for page-turning, adrenaline-laced thrillers, Dekker raises the stakes in this story of passion, revenge, and an all-consuming obsession for the ultimate treasure.
508 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2004
393 people are currently reading
4760 people want to read
About the author
Ted Dekker
192 books9,955 followersTed Dekker is known for novels that combine adrenaline-laced stories with unexpected plot twists, unforgettable characters, and incredible confrontations between good and evil. Ted lives in Austin with his wife LeeAnn and their four children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
October 18, 2017
When Obsessed was published in 2005, I don't know if Ted Dekker was a household name. He certainly hadn't gained the loyal fan base that he knows today. It is a cult-like following, in that his fans can be quite devisive at times, and they let their opinions of him and his work be known. It is a fan base I'm proud to be a part of, and I'm not afraid of express myself.
I don't mention these things as filler or because they might or might not interest the reader (though I'd like to think I'm not alone in finding them modestly interesting.) Rather, I say them to stress a distinct point, which I believe should be considered throughout the course of this review.
On the cusp of adrenaline-laced books like Heaven's Wager and the second installment in The Heaven Trilogy,, When Heaven Weeps (also known as The Martyr's Song trilogy,) as well as Thr3e and Blink, Dekker's eleventh novel offers something that others do not. It's a departure from his supernatural or mythology stories, although it is just as theological as his other work. I also suspect that while he had written historical fiction before (namely the coveted Circle Series, those are more speculative and biblically-based.
In Obsessed, we possess something different. It's a quality which Dekker has honed over the last seventeen years, to the point of near perfection. He is constantly keeping things fresh, reinventing himself. Essentially, Obsessed is historical fiction, through and through. Its preternatural elements are minimal. Doing so allowed him to shift the focus away from plot, in an attempt to develop character. Sadly, I found most lacking. Where there should have been a fullness and love, compassion and empathy, there's a wretched flatness that I'd never associated with Dekker before.
To be clear, I'm not being overly critical. I prefer the term "constructive criticism." I think that he wrote one heck of a novel that's fast-paced, deeply profound in a myriad of ways-even touching at times-- and, for the most part, very well-written. In fact, of the ten Dekker books under my belt, Obsessed falls short only of the Circle series and Adam. That's saying a lot, too, seeing as those five books are near and dear to me. They're beyond compare, personally.
More to the point, I believe that most of the flaws in Obsessed stem from relative inexperience. He was also experimenting, the end result being historical fiction verging on insanity—well, almost— which oozes fringe. Dekker's all about the fringe.
It’s always risky to balance two sides of the same story by two or more perspectives (all of which should invariably be distinctive,) and that’s exactly what Dekker does here. But typical of this Indonesian, he takes it steps further. The chapters in question aren’t merely contrasting points-of-view; they show the experiences of two women imprisoned in Torun, an infamous concentration camp in Poland, circa 1944-45. Ruth and Martha’s chapter’s are shown in the utmost detail, often gut-wrenching and moving. There's a lot of heart and soul there, too. What makes this so risky is that the reader could potentially enjoy one half more than its counterpart. This is a bold move which pays off in spades, despite (or perhaps because of) its precarious nature.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toru%C5%84
It's a risk that works, even though I did enjoyed them more than the present storyline, set in 1973, Los Angeles. Those set in Torun satisfied and astounded me. They fascinated me infinitely. They gutted me unlike anything I’ve read in a long time. I wanted more, much more. I still do. Dekker could write a whole book, chronicling the lives and unique experiences of Martha and Ruth, and I would not complain. As a matter of fact, I would be honored to read their stories.
There is immense purpose to the juxtapositions, too. It isn’t as though one doesn’t serve the other in some way or another. Dekker certainly didn't included them as filler. There are connections throughout, some being thematic while others are concerned with character, four of which make an enormous impact on the present. There's no future without the past, and vise versa. It all makes sense in the end.
There’s a significant amount of supernatural talk, of power obtained through it. Overall though, that’s all it amounts to: talk. In utter seriousness, I’m not sold on the concept that the novel’s main villain, Roth Braun, is some supernatural entity. If he is, Dekker does not define it. There is, however, mention of psychic energy. Roth believes that the phenomenon is vastly misunderstood by humanity. He gloates:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_...
Despite my reservations, I did not struggle to picture Roth. I know his likes as well as the subjects of his loathing. Whenever a personal trait was mentioned, I was not taken aback. Everything felt genuine. The same goes for Roth’s father, Gerhard Braun. Clearly, Dekker knew the duo intimately, as well as the research necessary to render the historical aspects as accurately as possible.
Not that I sympathize or have empathy for Roth, but I understand him. He’s a cruel monster, and yet, there’s a part of me that pities him. His childhood was, in a lot of ways, forced upon him, resulting in a terrible upbringing (I'd challenge anyone not to be scarred by it.) Even through he chose to embrace a murderous lifestyle later on, that status was basically inevitable. (That isn’t a spoiler, by the way, as the synopsis tells you that he’s a serial killer, which makes way for my next point.)
The killings didn’t feel real, and maybe that’s because we see it happen only one time, early on. And I hate to say it, but I can’t help feeling that Dekker incorporated said trope as a way of attempting to sensationalize his tale. Perhaps he was obligated, and felt afraid of losing readers if he didn't deliver another killer, like Slater from Thr3e. His reasoning could be any number of things. I just wish I knew why.
At any rate, it did not work for me. There was zero tension, suspense or fear.
Still, I should have felt something. If nothing else, the reader should feel the sting of death, especially that of the innocent. And there’s so much innocence here.
I’m even willing to concede the possibility that this was intentional; that Dekker placed less empathsis on the killings in exhange for a more intense, personal narrative revolving primarily around Stephen, Roth, and their respective obsessions.
These present-day Nazi’s aren’t alone, either. Roth’s henchman are outwardly simpleton. They’re mindless, with subverviance bordering on naivete. His entourage is flat, which makes Stephen Friedman's impressive and transparent by comparison. I know nothing about them, save their blind loyalty to “the cause,” and their ethnicity. I wanted to get to know them (still do, in fact,) in the vain hope that maybe there's more to them. Maybe they’re decent and strong and kind. Maybe.
But we’ll never know, unless Ted rewrites the book someday.
At least with Stephen, we have a fairly decent sense of who he is, but I yearn for more, always.
In between Ester and Stephen is there’s an unorthodox love. Or, at any rate, an intense chemistry. I think it blossomed too quickly, and as a result, it felt contrived. Nevertheless, their adoration for each other grew on me. They’re adorable in ways which aren’t gross or heavily romanticized.
His conversion to Christianity also felt forced. I wanted badly to believe in his implicit salvation--I really did--but it kind of felt almost fake. He and his Rabbi friend, Chaim Leveler, and the ever spiritual, Gerrik, seemingly served as the author’s mouthpiece. It’s classic Dekker didacticism. But from a Christian perspective, he couldn’t have written it any other way. He did what was expected of him. That is a move I admire, as a person of faith as well as a reader, writer, and creative individual. No one should be afraid of expressing themselves about anything, particularly hot topic issues like religion or politics. Note: politics isn't an issue here. I used that as an example.
I’ve given this a lot of thought, too, and he does use his characters as mouthpieces, and there’s more to them than the surface allows us to glimpse, but that's not my point. I respect what he did. However, I think he went about the process the wrong way. The flaws are in the execution. He could have conveyed the same things without coming off as didactic. With restraint often comes strength. Less is almost always more.
I don’t say these things to be pompous, but because there are a lot of writers expressing similar themes in subtle ways. I’m also not saying that every beautiful or powerful quote such as Chaim’s and Gerrik’s advice should’ve been omitted. Clearly, they serve a purpose. That’s what I’m saying.
Again and again, I kept coming back to Roth Braun and his apparent preternatural abilities. If Dekker had taken a little more time developing that part of his character, the results could have been amazing. Instead, we’re given suggestions:
The plot itself is terrific, I couldn't put it down. From start to finish, each sentence flowed smoothly into the next, catapulting itself (and the reader) further and further. Before I knew it, the chapter would end on a cliffhanger, and you know I had to keep going to see what happens next.
Ted Dekker writes about good versus evil, forgiveness and ultimately, hope. Love. Light. There is no love stronger or more important than the love of Jesus. Pursue it, chase it. Obsess.
It’s only fitting that Center Street(a division of Hachette Publishing,) paired the former with an excerpt of Dekker’s most historically based fiction to date, entitled, A.D. 30, and it's unlike anything I’ve ever read, period. Years ago, Dekker said that he was born to write the Circle books, but in hindsight, I disagree. I believe he was destined to write the former, and its follow-up, A.D. 33. The quality of his writing has matured immeasurably. His prose blew me away anyway, despite having come to expect it. And it's not just the writing, either. For me, it's the way he depicted the Arabian sands and the numerous tribes and political intrigue. In those sixteen pages, I beheld very impressive character development, far surpassing anything I’ve read in very long time. It was all just...mesmerizing. Breathtaking. Highly addictive. I need it.
I really, really cannot wait to get a hold of this one, and A.D. 33
I don't mention these things as filler or because they might or might not interest the reader (though I'd like to think I'm not alone in finding them modestly interesting.) Rather, I say them to stress a distinct point, which I believe should be considered throughout the course of this review.
On the cusp of adrenaline-laced books like Heaven's Wager and the second installment in The Heaven Trilogy,, When Heaven Weeps (also known as The Martyr's Song trilogy,) as well as Thr3e and Blink, Dekker's eleventh novel offers something that others do not. It's a departure from his supernatural or mythology stories, although it is just as theological as his other work. I also suspect that while he had written historical fiction before (namely the coveted Circle Series, those are more speculative and biblically-based.
In Obsessed, we possess something different. It's a quality which Dekker has honed over the last seventeen years, to the point of near perfection. He is constantly keeping things fresh, reinventing himself. Essentially, Obsessed is historical fiction, through and through. Its preternatural elements are minimal. Doing so allowed him to shift the focus away from plot, in an attempt to develop character. Sadly, I found most lacking. Where there should have been a fullness and love, compassion and empathy, there's a wretched flatness that I'd never associated with Dekker before.
To be clear, I'm not being overly critical. I prefer the term "constructive criticism." I think that he wrote one heck of a novel that's fast-paced, deeply profound in a myriad of ways-even touching at times-- and, for the most part, very well-written. In fact, of the ten Dekker books under my belt, Obsessed falls short only of the Circle series and Adam. That's saying a lot, too, seeing as those five books are near and dear to me. They're beyond compare, personally.
More to the point, I believe that most of the flaws in Obsessed stem from relative inexperience. He was also experimenting, the end result being historical fiction verging on insanity—well, almost— which oozes fringe. Dekker's all about the fringe.
It’s always risky to balance two sides of the same story by two or more perspectives (all of which should invariably be distinctive,) and that’s exactly what Dekker does here. But typical of this Indonesian, he takes it steps further. The chapters in question aren’t merely contrasting points-of-view; they show the experiences of two women imprisoned in Torun, an infamous concentration camp in Poland, circa 1944-45. Ruth and Martha’s chapter’s are shown in the utmost detail, often gut-wrenching and moving. There's a lot of heart and soul there, too. What makes this so risky is that the reader could potentially enjoy one half more than its counterpart. This is a bold move which pays off in spades, despite (or perhaps because of) its precarious nature.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toru%C5%84
It's a risk that works, even though I did enjoyed them more than the present storyline, set in 1973, Los Angeles. Those set in Torun satisfied and astounded me. They fascinated me infinitely. They gutted me unlike anything I’ve read in a long time. I wanted more, much more. I still do. Dekker could write a whole book, chronicling the lives and unique experiences of Martha and Ruth, and I would not complain. As a matter of fact, I would be honored to read their stories.
There is immense purpose to the juxtapositions, too. It isn’t as though one doesn’t serve the other in some way or another. Dekker certainly didn't included them as filler. There are connections throughout, some being thematic while others are concerned with character, four of which make an enormous impact on the present. There's no future without the past, and vise versa. It all makes sense in the end.
”I sell ideas. Actually, if you think about it, everything is really no more than an idea. The past is nothing more than a memory, which is one kind of idea. The future is still a hope, another kind of idea. The present is fleeting and becomes a memory before you can put your hands on it. All ideas, I sell ideas.”
There’s a significant amount of supernatural talk, of power obtained through it. Overall though, that’s all it amounts to: talk. In utter seriousness, I’m not sold on the concept that the novel’s main villain, Roth Braun, is some supernatural entity. If he is, Dekker does not define it. There is, however, mention of psychic energy. Roth believes that the phenomenon is vastly misunderstood by humanity. He gloates:
He hated America, but he loved the purity of nature, and despite the smell of exhaust, the wind held some of the power that came with that purity. Even those who thought they understood the psychic energy in nature rarely rarely really understood its true unspoiled power.
It was the energy of a million nuclear detonations.
It was the force of a billion babies crying out at once.
It was the substance of creation—raw, staggering. A plea to reverse the chaos suffered at the hands of ruined humanity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_...
Despite my reservations, I did not struggle to picture Roth. I know his likes as well as the subjects of his loathing. Whenever a personal trait was mentioned, I was not taken aback. Everything felt genuine. The same goes for Roth’s father, Gerhard Braun. Clearly, Dekker knew the duo intimately, as well as the research necessary to render the historical aspects as accurately as possible.
Not that I sympathize or have empathy for Roth, but I understand him. He’s a cruel monster, and yet, there’s a part of me that pities him. His childhood was, in a lot of ways, forced upon him, resulting in a terrible upbringing (I'd challenge anyone not to be scarred by it.) Even through he chose to embrace a murderous lifestyle later on, that status was basically inevitable. (That isn’t a spoiler, by the way, as the synopsis tells you that he’s a serial killer, which makes way for my next point.)
The killings didn’t feel real, and maybe that’s because we see it happen only one time, early on. And I hate to say it, but I can’t help feeling that Dekker incorporated said trope as a way of attempting to sensationalize his tale. Perhaps he was obligated, and felt afraid of losing readers if he didn't deliver another killer, like Slater from Thr3e. His reasoning could be any number of things. I just wish I knew why.
At any rate, it did not work for me. There was zero tension, suspense or fear.
Still, I should have felt something. If nothing else, the reader should feel the sting of death, especially that of the innocent. And there’s so much innocence here.
I’m even willing to concede the possibility that this was intentional; that Dekker placed less empathsis on the killings in exhange for a more intense, personal narrative revolving primarily around Stephen, Roth, and their respective obsessions.
These present-day Nazi’s aren’t alone, either. Roth’s henchman are outwardly simpleton. They’re mindless, with subverviance bordering on naivete. His entourage is flat, which makes Stephen Friedman's impressive and transparent by comparison. I know nothing about them, save their blind loyalty to “the cause,” and their ethnicity. I wanted to get to know them (still do, in fact,) in the vain hope that maybe there's more to them. Maybe they’re decent and strong and kind. Maybe.
But we’ll never know, unless Ted rewrites the book someday.
At least with Stephen, we have a fairly decent sense of who he is, but I yearn for more, always.
In between Ester and Stephen is there’s an unorthodox love. Or, at any rate, an intense chemistry. I think it blossomed too quickly, and as a result, it felt contrived. Nevertheless, their adoration for each other grew on me. They’re adorable in ways which aren’t gross or heavily romanticized.
His conversion to Christianity also felt forced. I wanted badly to believe in his implicit salvation--I really did--but it kind of felt almost fake. He and his Rabbi friend, Chaim Leveler, and the ever spiritual, Gerrik, seemingly served as the author’s mouthpiece. It’s classic Dekker didacticism. But from a Christian perspective, he couldn’t have written it any other way. He did what was expected of him. That is a move I admire, as a person of faith as well as a reader, writer, and creative individual. No one should be afraid of expressing themselves about anything, particularly hot topic issues like religion or politics. Note: politics isn't an issue here. I used that as an example.
I’ve given this a lot of thought, too, and he does use his characters as mouthpieces, and there’s more to them than the surface allows us to glimpse, but that's not my point. I respect what he did. However, I think he went about the process the wrong way. The flaws are in the execution. He could have conveyed the same things without coming off as didactic. With restraint often comes strength. Less is almost always more.
I don’t say these things to be pompous, but because there are a lot of writers expressing similar themes in subtle ways. I’m also not saying that every beautiful or powerful quote such as Chaim’s and Gerrik’s advice should’ve been omitted. Clearly, they serve a purpose. That’s what I’m saying.
”With his creation. With humans. With the love of humans. You thing he created with nonchalance? Let’s throw some mud against the sky and see if any of it sticks? Not a chance. We are created for love, for obsession. So we do indeed obsess, through usually not over the right idea.”
Again and again, I kept coming back to Roth Braun and his apparent preternatural abilities. If Dekker had taken a little more time developing that part of his character, the results could have been amazing. Instead, we’re given suggestions:
…but it would take too long to explain how the powers of the air work;
Torun, Roth’s spiritual birthing place. Where his faith had shown him how to harvest souls.
Torun, where his father had lost all of his power through one asinine decision.
Torun, where Roth would finally become a god.
The plot itself is terrific, I couldn't put it down. From start to finish, each sentence flowed smoothly into the next, catapulting itself (and the reader) further and further. Before I knew it, the chapter would end on a cliffhanger, and you know I had to keep going to see what happens next.
Ted Dekker writes about good versus evil, forgiveness and ultimately, hope. Love. Light. There is no love stronger or more important than the love of Jesus. Pursue it, chase it. Obsess.
Bonus: An Excerpt
It’s only fitting that Center Street(a division of Hachette Publishing,) paired the former with an excerpt of Dekker’s most historically based fiction to date, entitled, A.D. 30, and it's unlike anything I’ve ever read, period. Years ago, Dekker said that he was born to write the Circle books, but in hindsight, I disagree. I believe he was destined to write the former, and its follow-up, A.D. 33. The quality of his writing has matured immeasurably. His prose blew me away anyway, despite having come to expect it. And it's not just the writing, either. For me, it's the way he depicted the Arabian sands and the numerous tribes and political intrigue. In those sixteen pages, I beheld very impressive character development, far surpassing anything I’ve read in very long time. It was all just...mesmerizing. Breathtaking. Highly addictive. I need it.
A sweeping epic set in the harsh deserts of Arabia and ancient Palestine.
A war that rages between kingdoms on the earth and in the heart.
The harrowing journey of the woman at the center of it all.
Step back in time to the year of our Lord...A.D. 30.
The outcast daughter of one of the most powerful Bedouin sheikhs in Arabia, Maviah is called on to protect the very people who rejected her. When their enemies launch a sudden attack with devastating consequences, Maviah escapes with the help of two of her father's warriors--Saba who speaks more with his sword than his voice and Judah, a Jew who comes from a tribe that can read the stars. Their journey will be fraught with terrible danger. If they can survive the vast forbidding sands of a desert that is deadly to most, they will reach a brutal world subjugated by kings and emperors. There Maviah must secure an unlikely alliance with King Herod of the Jews.
But Maviah's path leads her unexpectedly to another man. An enigmatic teacher who speaks of a way in this life which offers greater power than any kingdom. His name is Yeshua, and his words turn everything known on its head. Though following him may present even greater danger, his may be the only way for Maviah to save her people--and herself.
I really, really cannot wait to get a hold of this one, and A.D. 33
April 3, 2011
From the beginning, I am very much curious about this book. So I really searched first its author and found out that Ted Dekker—the author—is known for his book entitled Three. However, since the copy I only saw from Dekker is just this book, I searched first for readers’ feedbacks. Honestly, I’ve been picking books up safely these days because eventually, I don’t want to go bashing and ranting some poor books just because they hadn’t made my taste. I’m glad that the feedbacks I’ve read were all so far positive that it got me pursue to read this book.
Stephen Friedman is normally living as a realtor. He inherited a big amount of money from his foster parents to make it way enough for his living. When the rich old woman Rachel Spitzer died and reveals a note that she’s searching for her son while she was alive, Stephen’s life changed. No matter how he denies that he’s the son of the old rich Rachel, gravity as though pulls him towards the house of his late mother. In just a single visit, he didn’t think that he would discover a safe in the house’s basement nor does he know how much it will change his life forever and turn him as obsessed as he never could imagine.
Roth Braun is living as a serial killer. Knowing a Rachel Spitzer died in a newspaper, he is soon requested by his father, Gerhard Braun, who’s also a killer to search for the relics which Rachel had stolen from them. Roth did follow his father’s request, but the main reason he goes for it isn’t for the relics that stolen, but for Stephen whom he has waited for a long time.
Let’s have this straight, I don’t know if I’m just being generous on giving stars these past few weeks since I hadn’t encountered again a book worth bashing. Probably, my safety picking of books has indeed worked. I liked this very much if that’s again you want to hear from me as what I said from my other book reviews.
I rarely read a suspense fiction books and if I do, I’m really much into praying that I’ll be able to read the book through all the way. At first, I thought this was a horror kind of book or a fantasy one. As I make it halfway through, it was impossible for this book to make up for either fantasy or horror and obviously, I still continued reading. Many suspense books had tried me, but they aren’t worthy as putting in a suspense genre. However, when it comes to this book, I assure you one-hundred percent that this will terrify you to the bones; oh-uh not because there are some ghosts in it, but this book has a super strong factor of suspense. There was one time that this book (Obsessed) really made me laugh to the point that my mom asked me if I’d gone nuts and while in the motion of laughing, I immediately closed this book and stopped reading because I’m very much terrified of what might happen next.
Books nowadays have apparently nice titles. But my question is: do the titles of those books make sense to its story? Obsessed is a catching title and fortunately it really gives so much justice to the story. If obsession is what you’re looking for in this story, this book will give you what you’re looking for. I really liked how this book offers different kinds of obsession, how this book gives a connection between fear and hope and how this has been influenced by bible.
Dekker tells different story from different time. And the both stories are really interesting that I kept waiting when the story of either time will be continued. The main thing that got me interested between these stories is how the both stories will cross and make sense after all the turns and confusions it has given me.
This book offers a different kind of love story; a different meaning of destiny. I can’t really imagine how a man finds his destined-to-be out of his obsession. I really enjoyed Dekker’s concept of this book, purely matured but definitely suits to any kind of age. This book has a very impressive writing style—won’t let you bored (as for me). One thing to complete my list, for my whole life of reading, this is one of the books I’ve read that indeed stunned me with its unpredictable twist. I never really see the twist coming that it really amazed me to the point that I’d never almost finished my lunch just because I reached the point of the twist and that made me ponder how it’s gotten there under my nose.
I’m totally not obsessed of this book but I promise to look for Dekker’s other books.
Stephen Friedman is normally living as a realtor. He inherited a big amount of money from his foster parents to make it way enough for his living. When the rich old woman Rachel Spitzer died and reveals a note that she’s searching for her son while she was alive, Stephen’s life changed. No matter how he denies that he’s the son of the old rich Rachel, gravity as though pulls him towards the house of his late mother. In just a single visit, he didn’t think that he would discover a safe in the house’s basement nor does he know how much it will change his life forever and turn him as obsessed as he never could imagine.
Roth Braun is living as a serial killer. Knowing a Rachel Spitzer died in a newspaper, he is soon requested by his father, Gerhard Braun, who’s also a killer to search for the relics which Rachel had stolen from them. Roth did follow his father’s request, but the main reason he goes for it isn’t for the relics that stolen, but for Stephen whom he has waited for a long time.
Let’s have this straight, I don’t know if I’m just being generous on giving stars these past few weeks since I hadn’t encountered again a book worth bashing. Probably, my safety picking of books has indeed worked. I liked this very much if that’s again you want to hear from me as what I said from my other book reviews.
I rarely read a suspense fiction books and if I do, I’m really much into praying that I’ll be able to read the book through all the way. At first, I thought this was a horror kind of book or a fantasy one. As I make it halfway through, it was impossible for this book to make up for either fantasy or horror and obviously, I still continued reading. Many suspense books had tried me, but they aren’t worthy as putting in a suspense genre. However, when it comes to this book, I assure you one-hundred percent that this will terrify you to the bones; oh-uh not because there are some ghosts in it, but this book has a super strong factor of suspense. There was one time that this book (Obsessed) really made me laugh to the point that my mom asked me if I’d gone nuts and while in the motion of laughing, I immediately closed this book and stopped reading because I’m very much terrified of what might happen next.
Books nowadays have apparently nice titles. But my question is: do the titles of those books make sense to its story? Obsessed is a catching title and fortunately it really gives so much justice to the story. If obsession is what you’re looking for in this story, this book will give you what you’re looking for. I really liked how this book offers different kinds of obsession, how this book gives a connection between fear and hope and how this has been influenced by bible.
Dekker tells different story from different time. And the both stories are really interesting that I kept waiting when the story of either time will be continued. The main thing that got me interested between these stories is how the both stories will cross and make sense after all the turns and confusions it has given me.
This book offers a different kind of love story; a different meaning of destiny. I can’t really imagine how a man finds his destined-to-be out of his obsession. I really enjoyed Dekker’s concept of this book, purely matured but definitely suits to any kind of age. This book has a very impressive writing style—won’t let you bored (as for me). One thing to complete my list, for my whole life of reading, this is one of the books I’ve read that indeed stunned me with its unpredictable twist. I never really see the twist coming that it really amazed me to the point that I’d never almost finished my lunch just because I reached the point of the twist and that made me ponder how it’s gotten there under my nose.
I’m totally not obsessed of this book but I promise to look for Dekker’s other books.
February 28, 2010
A good read from start to finish. The only reason I gave it an 8 was that some of the things Stephen Friedman does in this book just seem a little too far fetched. Almost like watching those old scary movies where the high school girls decide to stay in the house even though there's an ax wielding psycho out to get them. You know, the ones you kept screaming at to just get out of the house? Come on, you know what I'm talking about...
Publisher's Summary
Stephen Friedman is making a good living in good times. He's just an ordinary guy. Or so he thinks.
But one day an extraordinary piece of information tells him differently. It's a clue from the grave of a Holocaust survivor. A clue that makes him heir to an incredible fortune...a clue that only he and one other man can possibly understand.
That man is Roth Braun, a serial killer who has been waiting for Stephen for 30 years. Roth was stopped once before. This time nothing will get in his way.
Known worldwide for page-turning, adrenaline-raced thrillers, Dekker raises the stakes in this story of passion, revenge, and an all-consuming obsession for the ultimate treasure.
Publisher's Summary
Stephen Friedman is making a good living in good times. He's just an ordinary guy. Or so he thinks.
But one day an extraordinary piece of information tells him differently. It's a clue from the grave of a Holocaust survivor. A clue that makes him heir to an incredible fortune...a clue that only he and one other man can possibly understand.
That man is Roth Braun, a serial killer who has been waiting for Stephen for 30 years. Roth was stopped once before. This time nothing will get in his way.
Known worldwide for page-turning, adrenaline-raced thrillers, Dekker raises the stakes in this story of passion, revenge, and an all-consuming obsession for the ultimate treasure.
December 13, 2018
This is the first book I’ve read by Dekker. It was a serendipitous experience. He’s definitely talented in allegorical writing.
This book had me laughing, crying and frustrated. At one point I had to stop reading because my heart was pounding. If there ever was a book that I wanted to transport myself into a scene and grab the character to pull him away from a situation, it was this book. He just wouldn’t get out of the building fast enough. And even on further into the story, Stephen frustrated me to the extreme and he caused my heart to race. But his heart was in the right place in spite of the circumstances.
The storyline can come across a little far fetched so one needs to read it with understanding that it’s an allegorical story based on Biblical foundations....good vs evil and how we as humans obsess over one or the other.
I enjoyed the story vacillating from 1945 WW II concentration camp in Poland to 1973 Los Angeles. The story builds for about the first half of the book and then careens to the ending full of twists, turns, thrill and suspense. Stephen literally stops at nothing to fulfill his obsession...finding the girl for whom he was born. During this pursuit, lives were in danger and many others were hanging by a noose, literally.
For the sensitive reader be aware that there is mild gore (blood drinking, though not too detailed), concentration camp hangings, and psychological thrill elements. There is no vulgar language or sexual content.
From the story, the reader can recognize that we, humans, either obsess towards the Creator of hope that brings eternal joy or we obsess towards the creator of evil of false hope who diminishes any joy we could experience.
May we all obsess for the Creator so we may live that hope and joy will always defeat any evil that befalls us.
This book had me laughing, crying and frustrated. At one point I had to stop reading because my heart was pounding. If there ever was a book that I wanted to transport myself into a scene and grab the character to pull him away from a situation, it was this book. He just wouldn’t get out of the building fast enough. And even on further into the story, Stephen frustrated me to the extreme and he caused my heart to race. But his heart was in the right place in spite of the circumstances.
The storyline can come across a little far fetched so one needs to read it with understanding that it’s an allegorical story based on Biblical foundations....good vs evil and how we as humans obsess over one or the other.
I enjoyed the story vacillating from 1945 WW II concentration camp in Poland to 1973 Los Angeles. The story builds for about the first half of the book and then careens to the ending full of twists, turns, thrill and suspense. Stephen literally stops at nothing to fulfill his obsession...finding the girl for whom he was born. During this pursuit, lives were in danger and many others were hanging by a noose, literally.
For the sensitive reader be aware that there is mild gore (blood drinking, though not too detailed), concentration camp hangings, and psychological thrill elements. There is no vulgar language or sexual content.
From the story, the reader can recognize that we, humans, either obsess towards the Creator of hope that brings eternal joy or we obsess towards the creator of evil of false hope who diminishes any joy we could experience.
May we all obsess for the Creator so we may live that hope and joy will always defeat any evil that befalls us.
August 10, 2016
Half of this book is terrific, the story of Martha and Ruth and their lives in the concentration camp, and worth reading for that. It's gripping, suspenseful, heart wrenching, and worth a definite five stars. I suspect those who rated it high did so because of that portion.
Unfortunately, there's also Stephen's story that takes up the bulk of the novel and reverses the effect of all that beautiful storytelling with Martha/Ruth. Stephen's actions are quite illogical in many places, which made the majority of his story unbelievable for me. I couldn't like him because he made several downright stupid choices. I just kept saying to myself, "Really? I'm supposed to believe someone in his situation would actually do that?" Some of his actions are clichés, as is the character of Roth (the antagonist).
If I'd recommend it to anyone, I'd tell them to read the Martha and Ruth chapters and skip over all the others until they reached the last few chapters. I don't think they'd miss anything important, and they wouldn't be distracted by Stephen's illogical behavior.
Unfortunately, there's also Stephen's story that takes up the bulk of the novel and reverses the effect of all that beautiful storytelling with Martha/Ruth. Stephen's actions are quite illogical in many places, which made the majority of his story unbelievable for me. I couldn't like him because he made several downright stupid choices. I just kept saying to myself, "Really? I'm supposed to believe someone in his situation would actually do that?" Some of his actions are clichés, as is the character of Roth (the antagonist).
If I'd recommend it to anyone, I'd tell them to read the Martha and Ruth chapters and skip over all the others until they reached the last few chapters. I don't think they'd miss anything important, and they wouldn't be distracted by Stephen's illogical behavior.
March 4, 2022
Obsessed may be Ted Dekker’s most overlooked novel. Coming just a few months after the conclusion of the Circle Trilogy, Obsessed was a return to the “old Dekker,” suspense thrillers with a theme taken directly from Scripture. Specifically, Dekker’s theme was the same as two short parables told by Jesus”
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46)
Heaven’s Wager was a form of retelling the Job story. When Heaven Weeps is a Hosea story. Thr3e followed the conflict of the old and new natures as explained by Paul in Romans 7. Blink explored the nature of God’s knowledge and the power of prayer. Nearly every one of Dekker’s early novels focused on a theological theme or portion of Scripture and wrote out of that a novel that explored those general themes. After the success of the Circle Trilogy, sort of the ultimate example of this thematic style of writing, Dekker moved toward other thematic sources. So, in a way, Obsessed represents the end of Dekker’s early years and transitions into his prime “Christian Fiction” years.
Obsessed is the story of Stephen and his singular goal of finding the mother he never knew. It’s the story of Roth Braun and his desire to finish his father’s murderous work. It’s the story of Ruth and Martha’s quest to survive the Nazi concentration camp and give their babies a better life. It’s the story of Gerhard Braun and his lust for power and control. Every character in Obsessed has an obsession and Dekker plays the characters off each other—good and evil, father and son, mother and children—letting readers compare and contrast, drawing thematic parallels.
Historical fiction is relatively new to Dekker (though one might be able to categorize When Heaven Weeps in that genre). The story flips between the 1940s in the final days of World War 2 and the 1970s where a young Jewish Holocaust survivor discovers an unexpected link to his past. Holocaust stories are difficult to write. First, because they have been done so well. Second, because it is so important to frame those events correctly and not simply use them as a device to bring suspense and horror to the story.
Dekker navigates the historical aspect well, though his focus on the historical aspect is to set the context for his fictional narrative. That is, Dekker is not writing a Holocaust novel, but a novel in which the Holocaust serves as the setting and context. Wisely, Dekker avoids the more popularly known concentration camps, setting the story in Torun, Poland, at Stutthof. In history, this was the first camp set up outside of Germany and the last to be liberated by the Allies. As fiction, Dekker does not use any real-life individuals who controlled the camps and instead installs Gerhard Braun as the camp’s leader. Even the “present” storyline takes place about forty years before the book is written. Here, Dekker plays a little more loosely with the historical aspect. Other than some highly-stereotypical hippies, Obsessed never feels like it is set in the 1970s.
The story revolves around Stephen discovering a link to his past contained in a home that’s just been purchased by Roth Braun. Roth and Stephen are both looking for the same thing: The Stones of David. Allegedly, these five stones are the stones picked up by David in the killing of Goliath. Gerhard Braun possessed those stones, but had them taken by Stephen’s mother in her escape from the camp. This is almost an unnecessary storyline, as the stones play little to no role in the plot. Dekker simply needed some thing for both men to be obsessed over. And actually, the obsession—for Stephen—soon becomes the lost daughter of his mother’s best friend in the camp.
With so many passionate pursuits going on, Dekker unfortunately chooses to focus primarily on the most boring: getting into the basement of the house. Why is Braun not actively searching the house? Why does he have the most stereotypical flunkies ever guarding the house? I don’t know. The pacing picks up in the third act to focus on what it should have been focusing on the whole time.
Obsessed would have been a better novel if it had kept the main thing the main thing. Ruth and Martha’s story is written to perfection and how that story finds resolution in the “present” of the 1970s is deeply satisfying. Stephen’s storyline is a bit more haphazard. Too much time is spent on the boring parts (meaning “boring” as both uninteresting and “boring” as in drilling a hole) that ultimately go nowhere, which then forces the good parts to be too superficial and fast-paced to really draw out the depth it deserved.
That said, I think a lot of people have forgotten about Obsessed because it came out sandwiched between The Circle Trilogy and The Paradise Trilogy at a time when Dekker was publishing several novels a year. It did get picked up for rerelease in 2015 with Center Street and maybe a few people found it from that, but whenever I talk to people about Ted’s work, this tends to be one that got left off the radar.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46)
Heaven’s Wager was a form of retelling the Job story. When Heaven Weeps is a Hosea story. Thr3e followed the conflict of the old and new natures as explained by Paul in Romans 7. Blink explored the nature of God’s knowledge and the power of prayer. Nearly every one of Dekker’s early novels focused on a theological theme or portion of Scripture and wrote out of that a novel that explored those general themes. After the success of the Circle Trilogy, sort of the ultimate example of this thematic style of writing, Dekker moved toward other thematic sources. So, in a way, Obsessed represents the end of Dekker’s early years and transitions into his prime “Christian Fiction” years.
Obsessed is the story of Stephen and his singular goal of finding the mother he never knew. It’s the story of Roth Braun and his desire to finish his father’s murderous work. It’s the story of Ruth and Martha’s quest to survive the Nazi concentration camp and give their babies a better life. It’s the story of Gerhard Braun and his lust for power and control. Every character in Obsessed has an obsession and Dekker plays the characters off each other—good and evil, father and son, mother and children—letting readers compare and contrast, drawing thematic parallels.
Historical fiction is relatively new to Dekker (though one might be able to categorize When Heaven Weeps in that genre). The story flips between the 1940s in the final days of World War 2 and the 1970s where a young Jewish Holocaust survivor discovers an unexpected link to his past. Holocaust stories are difficult to write. First, because they have been done so well. Second, because it is so important to frame those events correctly and not simply use them as a device to bring suspense and horror to the story.
Dekker navigates the historical aspect well, though his focus on the historical aspect is to set the context for his fictional narrative. That is, Dekker is not writing a Holocaust novel, but a novel in which the Holocaust serves as the setting and context. Wisely, Dekker avoids the more popularly known concentration camps, setting the story in Torun, Poland, at Stutthof. In history, this was the first camp set up outside of Germany and the last to be liberated by the Allies. As fiction, Dekker does not use any real-life individuals who controlled the camps and instead installs Gerhard Braun as the camp’s leader. Even the “present” storyline takes place about forty years before the book is written. Here, Dekker plays a little more loosely with the historical aspect. Other than some highly-stereotypical hippies, Obsessed never feels like it is set in the 1970s.
The story revolves around Stephen discovering a link to his past contained in a home that’s just been purchased by Roth Braun. Roth and Stephen are both looking for the same thing: The Stones of David. Allegedly, these five stones are the stones picked up by David in the killing of Goliath. Gerhard Braun possessed those stones, but had them taken by Stephen’s mother in her escape from the camp. This is almost an unnecessary storyline, as the stones play little to no role in the plot. Dekker simply needed some thing for both men to be obsessed over. And actually, the obsession—for Stephen—soon becomes the lost daughter of his mother’s best friend in the camp.
With so many passionate pursuits going on, Dekker unfortunately chooses to focus primarily on the most boring: getting into the basement of the house. Why is Braun not actively searching the house? Why does he have the most stereotypical flunkies ever guarding the house? I don’t know. The pacing picks up in the third act to focus on what it should have been focusing on the whole time.
Obsessed would have been a better novel if it had kept the main thing the main thing. Ruth and Martha’s story is written to perfection and how that story finds resolution in the “present” of the 1970s is deeply satisfying. Stephen’s storyline is a bit more haphazard. Too much time is spent on the boring parts (meaning “boring” as both uninteresting and “boring” as in drilling a hole) that ultimately go nowhere, which then forces the good parts to be too superficial and fast-paced to really draw out the depth it deserved.
That said, I think a lot of people have forgotten about Obsessed because it came out sandwiched between The Circle Trilogy and The Paradise Trilogy at a time when Dekker was publishing several novels a year. It did get picked up for rerelease in 2015 with Center Street and maybe a few people found it from that, but whenever I talk to people about Ted’s work, this tends to be one that got left off the radar.
January 15, 2009
This is a take your breathe away suspense thriller. Dekker has outdone himself. Slowly you are taken from mere interest, to understandable fanaticism, then ultimately a page turning ending.
This is not a book for the squimism. Not a book for the faint hearted. At times, I was almost sickened. If I had not already known of the atrocities of the Holocaust, I may have put this book down somewhere in the middle. But, these sadistic scenes just mirrored history and added great depth to the redeeming theme of the book.
Wonderful read. Dekker fans WILL NOT be disappointed in this work.
This is not a book for the squimism. Not a book for the faint hearted. At times, I was almost sickened. If I had not already known of the atrocities of the Holocaust, I may have put this book down somewhere in the middle. But, these sadistic scenes just mirrored history and added great depth to the redeeming theme of the book.
Wonderful read. Dekker fans WILL NOT be disappointed in this work.
April 20, 2022
3⭐️
This was nothing close to what I was anticipating. This cover is misleading in my opinion as there really is no eerie vibe in this story at all.
This is a dual timeline WW2 Historical novel where we follow two young pregnant captives in Nazi concentration camps as they learn to survive their sadistic master. And in the current timeline, a young man is told some disturbing news about his parentage while murderous treasure hunters are after him.
Not my favourite Dekker book...
This was nothing close to what I was anticipating. This cover is misleading in my opinion as there really is no eerie vibe in this story at all.
This is a dual timeline WW2 Historical novel where we follow two young pregnant captives in Nazi concentration camps as they learn to survive their sadistic master. And in the current timeline, a young man is told some disturbing news about his parentage while murderous treasure hunters are after him.
Not my favourite Dekker book...
September 24, 2019
Excellent book!! Author really makes you feel what the characters are experiencing.
February 24, 2017
Another thrilling novel by Ted Dekker. The plot was exciting from the first to the last page. I enjoyed how Dekker flipped back and forth between the characters in 1973 and their parents during WWII to tell the entire story.
March 8, 2010
This has been an addictive page turner. It's kept me on pins and needles. There were times where I couldn't bear to turn the page because I just didn't want to know if the character was going to encounter an ugly end, or a great success. However I just had to keep going and read it because I really wanted to know what happened. The action and the plot were well written and it just keeps you on edge. It's been a very suspenseful plot and a very thrilling ride.
Stephen as a character is what makes the story funny and keeps the action going as he keeps on pressing towards his goal. I say it's funny because there were just things Stephen had to do which just made me laugh out loud. Roth on the other hand, makes the story very chilling and dark, he's your average villain, but add more evil (about 3 cups) and take away the soul and you get Roth. I have never read a villain such as this and he would most likely end up on my top ten villain list. He was just very real, and oozes evil (he even has the black ensemble to match it). Of all the characters mentioned though, I liked Ruth. Her strength, and her ability to see the good and be able to hold onto hope even when she was surrounded by death and hopelessness was very admirable.
Considering the author is known more for his Christian fiction, and he does make references to faith and God in his works, the book did not seem preachy at all. It did not get in the way of the plot. So those who aren't into Christian fiction like I am, the story really has nothing to do with God, or anything of any religious denomination. Just read it for the plot, and the spine chilling events. You'll be a satisfied reader like I was. Obsession does play a major theme in this book; both from Stephen's side, and from Roth's.
What frustrated me about the story is certain parts of the book where the characters decide to just stop and hesitate and think about what they're doing when they should be running out the door and running like hell. I don't get it. I felt like jumping in and kicking them towards the exit and to stop thinking and blubbering like idiots. It was extremely frustrating and annoying.
Overall though, an excellent page turner with all the right plot twists and thrilling moments at the right times. Give this a read if you want a great thrilling ride
Stephen as a character is what makes the story funny and keeps the action going as he keeps on pressing towards his goal. I say it's funny because there were just things Stephen had to do which just made me laugh out loud. Roth on the other hand, makes the story very chilling and dark, he's your average villain, but add more evil (about 3 cups) and take away the soul and you get Roth. I have never read a villain such as this and he would most likely end up on my top ten villain list. He was just very real, and oozes evil (he even has the black ensemble to match it). Of all the characters mentioned though, I liked Ruth. Her strength, and her ability to see the good and be able to hold onto hope even when she was surrounded by death and hopelessness was very admirable.
Considering the author is known more for his Christian fiction, and he does make references to faith and God in his works, the book did not seem preachy at all. It did not get in the way of the plot. So those who aren't into Christian fiction like I am, the story really has nothing to do with God, or anything of any religious denomination. Just read it for the plot, and the spine chilling events. You'll be a satisfied reader like I was. Obsession does play a major theme in this book; both from Stephen's side, and from Roth's.
What frustrated me about the story is certain parts of the book where the characters decide to just stop and hesitate and think about what they're doing when they should be running out the door and running like hell. I don't get it. I felt like jumping in and kicking them towards the exit and to stop thinking and blubbering like idiots. It was extremely frustrating and annoying.
Overall though, an excellent page turner with all the right plot twists and thrilling moments at the right times. Give this a read if you want a great thrilling ride
May 25, 2010
Whenever I read a Ted Dekker book, at some point I just sit back and shake my head! He is nothing if not creative, but sometimes it's over the top. People do things you never imagined people would do. On the other hand, especially in this book, without that extreme imagination, you would never grasp the complete idea, obsession. After all, God is obsessed with us and we need to be more obsessed with Him. So in light of that, I loved the book. As always there were surprises, suspense, and periods of joy and love. Constantly, you have the element of extreme goodness and extreme wickedness; always the struggle by Lucifer to obtain all. But in the end, the solution seems very plausible. It reminds us of our struggle with Satan and the lies he tells us. I loved the end of the epilogue....it brought tears to my eyes.
November 29, 2010
This seemed different to me than the other Dekker novels I have read. Interesting, a bit slower, but different. Maybe the topic of obsession just didn't connect with me or I just did not connect with characters as well as I have in the past but I had a hard time staying in sync with the choices made by almost all of the characters. It just didn't seem feasible.
That being said, this still ends up as an entertaining story...though you have to wait it out until the very end...and I do appreciate the point that he comes around to on how much God loves us. It doesn't take a long time to get through it, and if you like Dekker, then it is probably worth it. Otherwise, I might opt for something else.
That being said, this still ends up as an entertaining story...though you have to wait it out until the very end...and I do appreciate the point that he comes around to on how much God loves us. It doesn't take a long time to get through it, and if you like Dekker, then it is probably worth it. Otherwise, I might opt for something else.
October 21, 2015
Dear book, maybe it's me and not you but lately I'm looking for something really really fast. Unfortunately, your pace was quite slow and your romance was too much for me. But I always love the message of Ted's books, so I was quite delighted with yours.
August 12, 2018
This is my second...maybe third...book of Dekker's I have read. I read Blink which was really good! I think I read another of his that was recommended by the ladies at church but it didn't have much of an impression because I don't even remember if it was Dekker or not. Obsessed left me feeling empty. The history in the Nazi camp was good. The obsession by the protagonist, Stephen, left me exasperated and frustrated. Not because of his obsession but because his obsession was about money. He says it was for other reasons but, truly, it was about money. The characters in the Nazi camp were well done but the development between Stephen and Esther was very shallow. Didn't care for it.
This is the story of Stephen, a Jew who left his heritage and moved to America. He spends his life wondering what his true calling is while all the time making tons of money. He finds an obsession in some stones that were supposed to be the stones gathered by David when facing Goliath. Stephen will go to any lengths and spend his entire fortune in obtaining these stones. He will find more than he desired in both money and love.
If you enjoy stories of WWII, history, lost love, and Christianity...this book is for you!
This is the story of Stephen, a Jew who left his heritage and moved to America. He spends his life wondering what his true calling is while all the time making tons of money. He finds an obsession in some stones that were supposed to be the stones gathered by David when facing Goliath. Stephen will go to any lengths and spend his entire fortune in obtaining these stones. He will find more than he desired in both money and love.
If you enjoy stories of WWII, history, lost love, and Christianity...this book is for you!
January 20, 2025
I’ve read many Ted Dekker novels and every time his writing is phenomenal! The way he described each scene in this book allowed me to see everything and feel apart of the story. With that being said, this was the darkest book I’ve read by him and it was very emotionally heavy, especially with flashbacks from war. But it’s an excellent read! It was full of adventure and kept me guessing the entire time!
January 28, 2020
The book was interesting and different.
First, the title matches the plot and the action that takes place.
Second, the unusual plot is based on a parable on a bible.
Third, the plot was unique. It involves finding precious stones and an union that helps find the treasures (love and wealth).
I am giving this book a three star for this reason. The plot was too unrealistic and odd.
First, the title matches the plot and the action that takes place.
Second, the unusual plot is based on a parable on a bible.
Third, the plot was unique. It involves finding precious stones and an union that helps find the treasures (love and wealth).
I am giving this book a three star for this reason. The plot was too unrealistic and odd.
November 6, 2020
Ted Dekker has made it to my top author’s list however, this book was not one of my favorites. It was a very slow read for me and I had to keep pushing myself to continue on with this book until the end.
March 22, 2020
Nicely woven history with a creepy serial killer and modern mystery tied with a Biblical parable and lesson.
October 9, 2021
Really good story about a boy discovering his past and a woman's struggle through the holocaust. Enjoyed the flashbacks throughout story.
August 7, 2020
This is a good story that keeps your interest. It is not what I expected.
February 18, 2023
Master story teller weaves mystery through history. Leaves me with questions: How can evil be overcome by the truth. Great read, one the characters will live in my mind for a long time.
August 12, 2009
First off, I must say I found this novel by Ted much different than House or Skin. In fact, as I was initially reading it, I though I had a different author. I think it was because it started so slowly for me.
It starts with a ruthless Holocaust Commandant and his son, Roth, discussing the death of a rescued female camp survivor, Ruth (aka Martha at the camp), who died in the US and donated a Stone of David to a museum. All of them together were worth millions and they were obsessed in getting them back, as they assumed they were stolen by Martha.
Martha had befriended Ruth on the train that took them to the camp, where they found out that each was pregnant. Ruth gave birth to a girl (Esther) and Martha a boy (David). The women were beautiful, and the Commandant catered to their beauty by summoning them to his headquarters to serve him. However, one day Martha, who was still pregnant, was summoned to be hanged, like many others had been. Ruth, who had already given birth, took her place. Martha was left to care for Ruth's baby girl and her baby boy, although both were eventually taken from her because of the deception. Unbeknownst to the Commandant, Martha stole the Stones of David when the war was over, although Roth now thinks she's hidden them.
A cat and mouse game proceeds throughout the novel by Roth to draw out the son, David, of Martha, now know as Ruth, to find the remaining Stones. Part of the game revolves around the fact that David finds out that the woman who died was his mother, but only after her death. However, Roth has bought her house!
David feels the house should belong to him, and he is also obsessed in finding these Stones, and the game is on. Twists and turns keep you glued to your seat, right up to the very end, which ends in a way I didn't totally expect. The tricks and surprises each of the men play will keep you reading. I thought it was very well written.
It starts with a ruthless Holocaust Commandant and his son, Roth, discussing the death of a rescued female camp survivor, Ruth (aka Martha at the camp), who died in the US and donated a Stone of David to a museum. All of them together were worth millions and they were obsessed in getting them back, as they assumed they were stolen by Martha.
Martha had befriended Ruth on the train that took them to the camp, where they found out that each was pregnant. Ruth gave birth to a girl (Esther) and Martha a boy (David). The women were beautiful, and the Commandant catered to their beauty by summoning them to his headquarters to serve him. However, one day Martha, who was still pregnant, was summoned to be hanged, like many others had been. Ruth, who had already given birth, took her place. Martha was left to care for Ruth's baby girl and her baby boy, although both were eventually taken from her because of the deception. Unbeknownst to the Commandant, Martha stole the Stones of David when the war was over, although Roth now thinks she's hidden them.
A cat and mouse game proceeds throughout the novel by Roth to draw out the son, David, of Martha, now know as Ruth, to find the remaining Stones. Part of the game revolves around the fact that David finds out that the woman who died was his mother, but only after her death. However, Roth has bought her house!
David feels the house should belong to him, and he is also obsessed in finding these Stones, and the game is on. Twists and turns keep you glued to your seat, right up to the very end, which ends in a way I didn't totally expect. The tricks and surprises each of the men play will keep you reading. I thought it was very well written.
April 23, 2016
A thriller novel by a christian writer about WWII concentration camps, it sounded interesting and it was.......that part of the novel was. The story mainly follows 3 people ~ In 1973 we have our hero stephen friedman, a jewish war orphan that slowly uncovers his past. Roth braun, son of a nazi commandant of the concentration camp Torùn and then we also follow martha thats actually in the concentration camp in 1944-45. I really wanted to like this book more then i did, it was a bit of a mixed bag, i loved the parts following martha, it's really gripping, and i really felt for the characters and the terrible things they were going through and everytime the story went back to stephen in 1973 i kept wondering what happened to them and how it linked to the story being told in 1973, and it did and was good, which brings me to the other half half of the book which was pretty cheesy with men dressing up as women, for some reason a couple hippies (that disappeared from the story once they weren't needed anymore) and cliche bad guy things, not to mention that most of this part of story is just stephen trying stupid plan after stupid plan to get into a basement of a building. It kinda felt like this half of the story was padding and abit of relief because of the dark themes of Nazism. I would of rather had the story played straight without the stupid and cheesy parts that could of came outta of a bad dean koontz book. All in all, its a quick read, with some heartfelt moments that are bogged down with some of the other not so good parts.
December 7, 2019
OBSESSED [2006] By Ted Dekker
My Review 3.5 Stars (Rounded To 4 Stars)
I finished reading this novel last night (December 1st), and in the spirit of full disclosure I have been if not an ardent fan, at least a steady fan of Dekker's who had loved several of his books, including Adam (2008), Boneman's Daughters (2009), The Bride Collector (2010), The Priest's Graveyard (2011), and The Sanctuary (2012). Having said that, this earlier work OBSESSED (2006) was not in the same league. It did not meet my (admittedly high) expectations of this truly talented author who had repeatedly demonstrated his ability to write one outstanding psychological thriller after another beginning in the latter part of the first decade of the 2000's. I would have to say that being a Ted Dekker fan, I feel it was worth reading, but I would place it at the bottom of the list of his works that I have previously read (including a few (like Blink) that I didn't mention above because I really liked it but it was not on par with the others). If you are not already a Ted Dekker fan, I wouldn't recommend you read it. The main reason is because Ted Dekker really IS an amazing writer and I would not want any reader to base what this author is capable of creating based upon this particular book.
TED DEKKER was not a famous New York Times bestselling author at the time he wrote and published OBSESSED. I was fortunate enough to have discovered him fairly early on and loved his novels. Dekker's wheelhouse is thrillers that combine intriguing, riveting plots with incredible if not frightening and chilling confrontations between good and evil. Predictably I fully expected that this early novel would be consistent with his other works. Not so much.
First of all, OBSESSED is at its core pretty much pure historical fiction. There wasn't a spiritual plot to the novel that I could see, and similarly there was also the disappointing absence of the supernatural component that was suggested to be prominent in the story line as well. The protagonist in the novel is Stephen, a Jewish orphan who immigrated to the United States and achieved the American Dream by the time he was in his 30's. His closest friend is perhaps a man known by those close to him as "Rabbi", but he ascribes to the Christian faith. Stephen does not accept his Jewish heritage and in fact, strives to "put the past behind him" (i.e. the Holocaust) and move forward. His character is depicted as basically an optimist, impetuous, spontaneous, and enjoying his life in America as a secular capitalist. One day Stephen learns that his birth mother was a local affluent Jewish recluse (Rachel Spritzer) who has died and donated her possessions to the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles. He finds out through an interesting connection with a rare art and heirloom dealer that he may be the heir to the world famous, legendary "Stones of David", the collection worth a hundred million dollars.
Stephen visits the former home of his birth mother in his capacity as a realtor, and accidentally stumbles upon what is later revealed to be a floor safe concealed cleverly in the boiler room of the basement. He is able to find a photograph of Ruth, the mother of Esther, in his mother's belongings. He becomes "obsessed" with accessing the floor safe to retrieve what he thinks of as his treasure, but gradually Stephen is equally "obsessed" with the photograph of Ruth. The narrative follows the path of Stephen's obsession as he is pitted against the son of a Nazi commandant named Roth Braun (who purchases the house before Stephen can retrieve the contents of the floor safe).
Fortunately, this work of historical fiction seamlessly transitions from modern day Los Angeles circa 1973 to a Nazi concentration camp in 1944. The author's depiction of what life was like in a Nazi work camp for three young Jewish women in particular is both fascinating and heart-wrenching. These women (Ruth, Martha, and Rachel) and their experiences at the hands of a sadistic murderer (Roth's father Gerhard) form the foundation for the plot that unfolds nearly three decades later as Gerhard's son Roth and the son of a concentration camp survivor (Stephen) match wills to fulfill their own very different obsessions.
As a reader, I was simply unable to "connect" with Stephen, the hero of the tale. I didn't perceive him to be particularly sympathetic, although he did accept the love of his late mother's dog (albeit not immediately). I found it frankly incredible that his obsession for obtaining the untold riches of the Stones Of David (believed to be in the floor safe in the basement) would transform him into the nut case that he became as a result of the obsession. More incredible still, his fixation on the photo of Ruth was not plausible. It recalled the plight of Christopher Reeve's character in the film Somewhere In Time. Keep in mind that his "obsession(s)" did not stem from any religious beliefs on his part. Therefore we must accept that a successful realtor who is intelligent and responsible would well "wig out" as a result of the aforementioned revelations.
The despicable Nazi Roth Braun was driven by an evil obsession (a certain damning journal and the priceless "Stones of David" neither the main "prize"). He was far more believable as a caricature of evil incarnate. The occult angle of this novel was loosely based upon the reports that Hitler was prone to dabbling in the occult, as were members of his high command. Commandant Gerhard was a "believer" in the occult and the power to harvest souls. Hundreds of Jewish female prisoners died at his hands using what was referred to as the ritual of the red scarf. His 12-year old son Roth is converted wholly and enthusiastically to belief in the devil and what power could be obtained through the black arts. Although he is believable in the role of a ruthless narcissistic sociopath who was willing to do anything to deliver "the goods" to Satan, there was nothing "supernatural" about the shenanigans that I could see.
One could argue that there was spirituality displayed at the conclusion of the novel, but the triumph of good over evil felt more like an anticlimax or a sigh rather than a thunderous victory. Finally, on a positive note, the portions of the novel that were set in the horror of the concentration camp were riveting and powerful. Additionally I would have to give the author kudos for his ability to evoke such a wide range of emotions. I literally laughed out loud at the sheer comedic idiocy of Stephen's actions and his attempts to breach the security of the evil Germans to access the safe. Conversely, the scenes in the Nazi work camps made me shed tears on several occasions. I would give this book 3.5 Stars. It's a well written piece of historical fiction but is not on par with any of his other works that I have been privy to reading.
My Review 3.5 Stars (Rounded To 4 Stars)
I finished reading this novel last night (December 1st), and in the spirit of full disclosure I have been if not an ardent fan, at least a steady fan of Dekker's who had loved several of his books, including Adam (2008), Boneman's Daughters (2009), The Bride Collector (2010), The Priest's Graveyard (2011), and The Sanctuary (2012). Having said that, this earlier work OBSESSED (2006) was not in the same league. It did not meet my (admittedly high) expectations of this truly talented author who had repeatedly demonstrated his ability to write one outstanding psychological thriller after another beginning in the latter part of the first decade of the 2000's. I would have to say that being a Ted Dekker fan, I feel it was worth reading, but I would place it at the bottom of the list of his works that I have previously read (including a few (like Blink) that I didn't mention above because I really liked it but it was not on par with the others). If you are not already a Ted Dekker fan, I wouldn't recommend you read it. The main reason is because Ted Dekker really IS an amazing writer and I would not want any reader to base what this author is capable of creating based upon this particular book.
TED DEKKER was not a famous New York Times bestselling author at the time he wrote and published OBSESSED. I was fortunate enough to have discovered him fairly early on and loved his novels. Dekker's wheelhouse is thrillers that combine intriguing, riveting plots with incredible if not frightening and chilling confrontations between good and evil. Predictably I fully expected that this early novel would be consistent with his other works. Not so much.
First of all, OBSESSED is at its core pretty much pure historical fiction. There wasn't a spiritual plot to the novel that I could see, and similarly there was also the disappointing absence of the supernatural component that was suggested to be prominent in the story line as well. The protagonist in the novel is Stephen, a Jewish orphan who immigrated to the United States and achieved the American Dream by the time he was in his 30's. His closest friend is perhaps a man known by those close to him as "Rabbi", but he ascribes to the Christian faith. Stephen does not accept his Jewish heritage and in fact, strives to "put the past behind him" (i.e. the Holocaust) and move forward. His character is depicted as basically an optimist, impetuous, spontaneous, and enjoying his life in America as a secular capitalist. One day Stephen learns that his birth mother was a local affluent Jewish recluse (Rachel Spritzer) who has died and donated her possessions to the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles. He finds out through an interesting connection with a rare art and heirloom dealer that he may be the heir to the world famous, legendary "Stones of David", the collection worth a hundred million dollars.
Stephen visits the former home of his birth mother in his capacity as a realtor, and accidentally stumbles upon what is later revealed to be a floor safe concealed cleverly in the boiler room of the basement. He is able to find a photograph of Ruth, the mother of Esther, in his mother's belongings. He becomes "obsessed" with accessing the floor safe to retrieve what he thinks of as his treasure, but gradually Stephen is equally "obsessed" with the photograph of Ruth. The narrative follows the path of Stephen's obsession as he is pitted against the son of a Nazi commandant named Roth Braun (who purchases the house before Stephen can retrieve the contents of the floor safe).
Fortunately, this work of historical fiction seamlessly transitions from modern day Los Angeles circa 1973 to a Nazi concentration camp in 1944. The author's depiction of what life was like in a Nazi work camp for three young Jewish women in particular is both fascinating and heart-wrenching. These women (Ruth, Martha, and Rachel) and their experiences at the hands of a sadistic murderer (Roth's father Gerhard) form the foundation for the plot that unfolds nearly three decades later as Gerhard's son Roth and the son of a concentration camp survivor (Stephen) match wills to fulfill their own very different obsessions.
As a reader, I was simply unable to "connect" with Stephen, the hero of the tale. I didn't perceive him to be particularly sympathetic, although he did accept the love of his late mother's dog (albeit not immediately). I found it frankly incredible that his obsession for obtaining the untold riches of the Stones Of David (believed to be in the floor safe in the basement) would transform him into the nut case that he became as a result of the obsession. More incredible still, his fixation on the photo of Ruth was not plausible. It recalled the plight of Christopher Reeve's character in the film Somewhere In Time. Keep in mind that his "obsession(s)" did not stem from any religious beliefs on his part. Therefore we must accept that a successful realtor who is intelligent and responsible would well "wig out" as a result of the aforementioned revelations.
The despicable Nazi Roth Braun was driven by an evil obsession (a certain damning journal and the priceless "Stones of David" neither the main "prize"). He was far more believable as a caricature of evil incarnate. The occult angle of this novel was loosely based upon the reports that Hitler was prone to dabbling in the occult, as were members of his high command. Commandant Gerhard was a "believer" in the occult and the power to harvest souls. Hundreds of Jewish female prisoners died at his hands using what was referred to as the ritual of the red scarf. His 12-year old son Roth is converted wholly and enthusiastically to belief in the devil and what power could be obtained through the black arts. Although he is believable in the role of a ruthless narcissistic sociopath who was willing to do anything to deliver "the goods" to Satan, there was nothing "supernatural" about the shenanigans that I could see.
One could argue that there was spirituality displayed at the conclusion of the novel, but the triumph of good over evil felt more like an anticlimax or a sigh rather than a thunderous victory. Finally, on a positive note, the portions of the novel that were set in the horror of the concentration camp were riveting and powerful. Additionally I would have to give the author kudos for his ability to evoke such a wide range of emotions. I literally laughed out loud at the sheer comedic idiocy of Stephen's actions and his attempts to breach the security of the evil Germans to access the safe. Conversely, the scenes in the Nazi work camps made me shed tears on several occasions. I would give this book 3.5 Stars. It's a well written piece of historical fiction but is not on par with any of his other works that I have been privy to reading.
August 25, 2007
This is not the type of book that I normally read, which is why it probably got a three. Also, I didn't really get the main character. However, I did finish the book (amazing for me I know) because the plot was intriguing. There were times where I felt like I was watching a movie where you start to hear the leary music because the bad guy is coming and you know somehow the good guy is going to get himself out of the pickle he got himself into. I also liked that fact that this book was clean of language and verbal porn because it's by a Christian author. For a Christian novel, it was nice that Christianity was woven in to the book in a way that made you think and not feel like you were getting a sermon in novel format.
March 7, 2012
Sometimes Ted Dekker can move so quickly through his ideas that he loses me, but it never fails that I finally catch up to him in the end. Aside from his captivating and thought-provoking plot lines, such as this one, he has a style that grips me from start to finish. "Obsessed" was, in accordance with the theme of the book, very dark. The entire idea of Roth Braun literally chilled me, but I think that the point of the book, obsessing over something in order to reveal God's obsession, was made very clear at the end. One of Dekker's brilliant talents is that he somehow manages to unfold the real twists of the book in the same way that the reader's head would naturally conlude them. I enjoyed the book and read it straight through in one day.
July 20, 2014
This was a mildly entertaining read, and a fairly quick read. It didn't require a lot of thinking -- character development, plot complexity, etc were in short supply. Very predictable and typical of the genre. I have to say, the author was stretching the whole "suspension of disbelief" thing a bit too far with his use of obsession/love. Should have spent some time to fill out the characters better and put more into the discussion of the occult practices being pursued by the villain(s). This isn't literary art -- it's a quick, diverting read when you need something to fill some time.
November 2, 2010
This is my first Ted Dekker book, and I must say, wow. His writing style is excellent and there's always a turn or twist. Nothing that was really horrid or shameful or anything that I'd be embarrassed about if our teen daughter read it. Held my interest without a problem. Stephen, the protagonist, is a wee bit flaky, but he's lovable. I'm now officially a Dekker fan!
December 5, 2009
Another brilliant mind at work. But the story line on this one is very disturbing. I have to back away from it for awhile and then go at it again. Finally made it through this one. If you are prone to depression please do not read this book.
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