Imagine having the power to write history. To be able to create your own version of reality, revising things you don’t like, and adding those that you do. The book Showdown, explores the effects of this power in the wrong hands.

   The author is named Ted Dekker, who writes a wide variety of genres from fantasy to thrillers. He has written many different books, including Three and House. This book is part of the Paradise trilogy, which is part of a larger series called the Books of History Chronicles. The other two books are Saint, and Sinner.

   “Live to discover, as long as discovery leads to a love that comes from the Creator... writing was the mirror to life.” The book begins with a group of kids in a secluded monastery in the mountains of Colorado. The characters involve the children in the monastery, two in particular; Billy and Samuel. They are foils of each other, and butt heads on a variety of subjects. They were raised there as part of an experiment to determine the effects of seclusion from society. In essence, they wanted to see if being brought up in a monastery, being taught right from wrong, would stop corruption from setting in.

   However, not all temptation was removed from their grasp. There was a door leading to the cellars that the children must never enter. It is here that the Books of history are hidden. Books that allow those who write in them to create history. It is here that one of the children utilizes this power to wreak havoc on a nearby town: Paradise. There is a boy in the town of Paradise, named Johnny Drake, who experiences the devastation of Billy’s creations, and struggles to figure out what is going on.

   I personally enjoyed this book very much and have added it to my favorites list. It explores the idea of innocence and the struggle between good and evil. It shows how our mistakes can eventually grow out of hand and take over our lives.

    Overall, this book is a must-read, with excellent characters, and surprising plot twists that will leave you pondering your own life and innocence.