Who are you? 

What is your purpose?

What do you really believe?

Those three questions are central to what it means to be a human. They are the questions often explored in the best-loved quests of fiction. Ted Dekker’s 2018 two-book series of The 49th Mystic and The Rise of the Mystics is no exception. But don’t make the mistake of assuming this saga is predictable. The complexity of this tale will uncover new revelations from page one to the finish.

It’s All About Identity

The lead character is Rachelle, a typical teenager in most ways, except that she is blind. She also lives in a closed and strictly controlled community in Utah called Eden. 

As the story unfolds, Rachelle discovers she has another identity – the 49th Mystic. Her alternate identity lives in another dimension of time, but Rachelle and the 49th Mystic are one and the same. Experiences in both worlds affect her across the divide.

The 49th Mystic is on a quest to discover the five seals of truth. As with any quest for truth, there is a struggle between forces of good and evil. As the story unfolds, what Rachelle knows about her life in Eden (and what the reader thinks he knows) is peeled back and multiple layers of deception are exposed.

In the dimension of the Mystics, we are introduced to the tribal divisions of The Horde and the Albinos. Both of whom assume the coming of the 49th Mystic means they will be subjugated to the other if the prophecy about her is fulfilled.

Deep Spiritual Allegories

What sets this story apart are the allegorical metaphors that are so recognizable by those who are familiar with the Christian faith and the teachings of the New Testament. At the same time, the spiritual concepts are presented in such a way that even those who think they know what Christianity is all about can receive a new revelation of the beauty of “The Way.”  

I enjoyed every minute of my reading and was particularly taken with the internal struggle Rachelle encountered when she became “unlovely.” She had no trouble loving others who had a set of unpleasant physical issues, but when she was allowed to experience it for herself, accepting and loving herself was a much bigger challenge. I had to ponder whether I found this true of myself.

As Rachelle uncovers the truth of each seal, her level of spiritual understanding is challenged and expanded. The principles of surrender, trust, and unconditional love are central to the theme of this story.

I found the ultimate message of this fictional tale to be solidly based on the redemptive story of a God who is in his very essence, love itself. In the end, LOVE satisfies all desires, conquers all evil intentions, and restores all to the Creator’s beautiful design.

If you want to learn more about the inspiration behind The 49th Mystic, I strongly encourage you to watch the interview videos with Ted Dekker found on The 49th Mystic website.

This is the first time I have read Ted Dekker’s writing. But I may need to go back and read his series The Circle, since these two books are subtitled “Beyond the Circle” and tie in some of the same characters.