Mortal

The Books of Mortals, Book 2

By: Ted Dekker, Tosca Lee

Narrated by: Henry Leyva

Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Centuries have passed since civilization's brush with apocalypse. The world's greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace...and fear. A terrible secret was closely guarded for centuries: every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity.

Nine years have gone by since an unlikely hero named Rom Sebastian first discovered a secret and consumed an ancient potion of blood to bring himself back to life in Forbidden. Surviving against impossible odds, Rom has gathered a secret faction of followers who have also taken the blood - the first Mortals in a world that is dead.

On the heels of Forbidden comes Mortal, the second novel in The Books of Mortals saga penned by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee. Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of dark desires and staggering stakes peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare take the journey.

The Books of Mortals are three novels, each of which stands on its own, yet all are seamlessly woven into one epic thriller.

©2012 Ted Dekker, Tosca Lee (P)2012 Hachette Audio

Excellent!

Love this storyline. This is book 2 of 3. Thoroughly enjoying it. Surprising twists - does not disappoint.

Mortal

Great book
Great story
Great ending
Great acts
Great biblical reference
I love the story behind the store

Best Read in a Year!

Where does Mortal rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Among the top 10

What did you like best about this story?

That it had a rang of truth about it and how cold the world has become.

Which character – as performed by Henry Leyva – was your favorite?

Avra because she represented a strength and devotion young women lack today.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Avra's death was moving

Any additional comments?

The first book (Forbidden) as well as this one are well written and draws one into the tale. I felt I was a part of the story not just reading it.

Not as engaging as Forbiden but it makes up for it

Where does Mortal rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Mortal had a lot of storyline setup in it which made the first half of the book seem a little drawn out, however it was well worth the patience as we got to the latter half of the book and things come to a boil. I am definitely impatient for the 3rd book in the series now!

What other book might you compare Mortal to and why?

This book is similar in storytelling, character development, and progression to Red from Ted Dekker's Circle series.

What does Henry Leyva bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The voice acting in this book does a good job of differentiating the characters, their personalities, and attitude throughout the story. Henry keeps things going at a smooth natural pace.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I'll try to address this without actualy ruining the story. In the final conflict in this book, Jonathan shows a side of himself that is contradictory to what most readers will expect him to. Considering that he's an anology of the messiah, this shows a side that we often choose to ignore or forget. Seeing how Jonathan responds to those in the conflict realy opens your eyes to the power and authority he actualy has.

Any additional comments?

Not as good as the first, but definitly worth the listen. I'm excited about where this series is going!

Surprisingly good sequel to Forbidden.

Although this sequel takes place nine years after Forbidden, Dekker & Lee write a smooth transition with well-placed reminders. They introduce several new characters that interact with the old ones and further develop the ideas in the the first book. The story is somewhat of an allegory of the gospel but doesn't parallel it. It reminds me of the Circle Trilogy. If you enjoyed those books, you'll probably enjoy these as well.

The Thinkers

Looked forward to what was going to happen in each twist and turning chapter.

Inspiring!!!

This three book series was wonderfully written and masterfully performed to create a striking parallel to the struggle of Christ and the Christian Life. As Rom and his three friends struggled to understand the destiny that have been dropped in their laps, an amazing journey unfolds before them. It not only affects them but will come to influence every living being on the face of the Earth. As they search for truth and meaning, one figure stands at the center; young boy named Jonathan. As he grows into his destiny, protected by those that believe, many struggles come to play. A dark and unflinching evil threatens to destroy everything they have sacrificed so much for. It is Jonathan and the unfailing true belief of those closest to him that prevail, even though they themselves struggle to hold on, doubtful, wondering if there really is a reason for all that has happened. The resulting climax is so poignant and meaningful that , whether you believe or not, you will know that there is so much more to this life then we can see with just our eyes. We must simply know it in our hearts and Love Unconditionally.

Powerful !

What did you love best about Mortal?

The story and analogy and spiritual implication. I pray I never forget this revelation of our maker.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ram. - because I related to him.

Have you listened to any of Henry Leyva’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

yes, absolutely fantastic.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When ram drank jonathans blood after he died.

greatly written

2nd chapter in series, love the way that the authors tell the story and how descriptive and imaginative they are, would recommend to all to start thus series and try to stop

Another Solid Hit for Dekker & Lee

Obviously, this is a continuation in the BoM series. If you liked the first one, you'll like this one. Ted sticks with his tried-and-true blood/life-corpse/death formula (goes back to his original trilogy) and it still works for me. On the critical side, I felt the writing was just a bit sloppy in places (although they were little things I would have expected an editor to pick up on, rather than the author). And I find Henry Leyva a bit of a disappointment as a narrator. He's both overly-precise and a bit mushy, if that's possible. And there were a number of noticeable mispronunciations (for example, the word "inauguration" is used extensively in both books and he just never gets it right). I prefer my narrators to either be a big plus (George Guidall, Will Patton or in the case of someone who has done several of Ted's other books...Tim Gregory), but I find Leyva to be a bit of a distraction. Still, enjoyed it tremendously, and will certainly be listening to the third in the series when it's available.