The Calling by Rachelle Dekker – book review

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Disclosure: I participated in the book tour for The Calling.  I was given a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review; opinions shared are mine.

The Calling by Rachelle Dekker - book review - savingsinseconds.com

The Calling, the second book of the Seer series, takes us into a whirlwind of excitement right away.   Since I hadn’t read book 1 (The Choosing), I felt more than a little bit lost.  I highly recommend reading the first book in the series to gain some background and perspective on the situation! As the story progressed, I began to sort things out. Still, I’m tempted to backtrack and read book 1 just to get my bearings.

In some reviews, the series has been compared to The Hunger Games.  However, I was reminded of the Left Behind series instead.  The characters had the desperation of fighting against a corrupt government while trying to maintain a sense of biblical faith. Additionally, the Moses effect trickled throughout the pages of The Calling.  From innocent details such as character names (Ramses and Aaron), to references that implied a break from established society, the story seems heavily influenced by the exodus story.

Remko was a worthy main character, but his constant second-guessing grew tiresome for me.  Although his mission seemed to be faith-based, I didn’t see his reliance on God throughout the ordeals he faced.  He had much inner turmoil against his earthly leader, Aaron, instead of focusing on his spiritual faith.  This was a struggle for me, because I really wanted to like him. Instead, his repetitive self-doubt just got on my nerves.  After reading the interview with Rachelle Dekker, though, I felt like that characterization was intentional.  Dekker meant to walk the reader through the fields of doubt with Remko.   See the excerpt from her Q&A below!

The Calling by Rachelle Dekker - book review - savingsinseconds.com

What do you hope readers will take away from the story?
I hope they take a moment to see themselves as children of the Father. I hope they see that true freedom and fearlessness rest in surrendering, and that when they stand with the Father than nothing can stand against them. There is incredible peace in that truth, and I hope, like I am beginning the experience, that readers feel that same peace.

In the book you talk a lot about surrendering to fear. What does this look like and how does this help us to not be afraid?
I think sometimes the natural reaction to fear is to hide from it, or try and push it away. It’s the idea that if we can’t see it then it must not be there, but we all know that unless dealt with the unseen things often come back to bite us. The only way to face fear is to walk through it; surrendering to Father God and letting Him reminder us of our true identity. Only then do we really see that the light within us is always greater than the fear we face.

What can readers expect in the final book of the series?
Characters they know and some new ones I hope they’ll love! More questions of identity, and fear, but the characters will also be looking at forgiveness and letting go. I’m really happy with the way the final book played out, and I’m hoping readers will be as well.

If you’re looking for a new world novel that has a decidedly dystopian feel, check out The Calling!

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