3.25.2016

The Calling ~ Review and Author Q&A

The Calling
A Seer Novel #2
By Rachelle Dekker

Fear is a powerful sedative for rebellion

A year and a half has passed since Carrington Hale and Remko Brandt left Authority City behind.  But the city is not so far removed that they are free from its reach.  And they have lost many friends to the new leadership - Damien Gold has started a new reign of fear against the Seers and anyone remotely connected to them.

But Remko has a secret - he is a prisoner to his fears and his anger.  Each loss of a Seer to Damien's ever increasing campaign against them brings a greater sense of failure to Remko.  As Remko's sense of inadequacy grows the tensions within his camp grow.  Just how far Remko can go before he breaks is of utmost importance to Damien.

Breaking the spirit of the rebels is Damien Gold's goal but sometimes a broken spirit is the key to healing and freedom.

In The Choosing we are introduced to Carrington and Renko.  We are taken on Carrington's journey to a life that Aaron and his Father have introduced her to.  The Calling is Renko's journey.  Before he was following the woman that he loved.  But is love enough to keep him with the Seers in the face of doubts and opposition?  Remko's path to faith will not be easy but it is one that needs to be taken.

The Calling is the second book in the Seer series.  Though told from several character's perspectives, the main perspective is Remko's followed by Carrington's, Damien's, and Jesse's.  Remko and Carrington have grown since the first book - they've married, become parents, and have become leaders within the Seers.  There are losses, joys, betrayals, and unexpected twists throughout the book. This is a book that you won't want to put down until you get to the last page.

But be warned this book will leave you wanting book 3.  This is most definitely a cliffhanger that will have you wondering what will come next.  Highly recommended reading not to be missed.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review and tour participation.

About the Book:

Remko Brant had never been so sure of anything as escaping the Authority City with Carrington Hale. But bravado comes easy when you have nothing to lose. Now a husband, father, and the tactical leader of the Seers, Remko has never had so much at risk.

As he and his team execute increasingly dangerous rescue missions inside the city, they face growing peril from a new enemy. Recently appointed Authority President Damien Gold claims to be guiding a city shaken by rebellion into a peaceful, harmonious future. But appearances can be deceiving. In order to achieve his dangerous ambitions, Gold knows he must do more than catch the rebels—he must destroy the hope their message represents . . . from the inside out.

With dissension in his own camp—and the City Watch soldiers closing in—Remko feels control slipping through his fingers. To protect those he loves, he must conquer his fears and defeat Gold . . . before one of them becomes his undoing.


About the Author:
The oldest daughter of New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker, Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through storytelling. The Choosing is her critically acclaimed debut novel. She graduated with a degree in communications and spent several years in marketing and corporate recruiting before making the transition to write full-time. She lives in Nashville with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat, Blair. Visit her online at rachelledekker.com.

Q and A with Rachelle Dekker

Remko struggles with his anger often throughout the book. Is this expression of anger connected to his fears? If so how?

Anger is just a natural reaction to the circumstances Remklo faces. Sometimes being afraid can stir up anger because it makes feel weak or out to control. This is definitely true for Remko in The Calling.


Carrington struggles with the pain that comes from watching Remko miss the Truth that was so clear to her. What encouragement would you give to others that have loved ones who do not yet share their faith? 

Everyone needs to take the journey. For some, truth comes more easily, and others have to struggle to see it. It can be incredibly hard to watch someone you love miss the truth right in front of them, but don’t forget that the Father is still God, and He holds them in His hand. So love those that struggle restlessly and trust that the Father is ever-present, even in the darkness. 


In the book you talk a lot about surrendering to fear. What does this look like and how does this help us not to be afraid?

I think sometimes the natural reaction to fear is to hide from it, or try and push it away. Its 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 reminds of our true identity. Only then do we really see that the light within us is always greater than the fear we face.

Do you relate to any of the characters in The Calling in terms of how you've faced and handled fear in your life? How so?

Of course, every character I write ends up having some reflection of things I've faced personally. You can only write what you know, as they say. I, very much like Remko, have the tendency to be in "in my head" too much when faced with fear, and I struggle to let go of the need for control and simply surrender. That's one of the main reasons I decided to write this story.

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.


About the Author:
The oldest daughter of New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker, Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through storytelling. The Choosing is her critically acclaimed debut novel. She graduated with a degree in communications and spent several years in marketing and corporate recruiting before making the transition to write full-time. She lives in Nashville with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat, Blair. Visit her online at rachelledekker.com.

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