In an offshoot of his Circle series, Ted Dekker gives us the six-volume Lost Books series. This set of adventures takes place in the nearly 15 years between his Circle series books Black and Red. This is a time when the evil Horde, worshippers of Teeleh, led by Qurong, and the remnant of the forest people, worshippers of Elyon, led by Thomas Hunter, face off in an ever-spiraling conflict.
The second of the Lost Book series Infidel picks up immediately where Chosen left off. The dark priest of the Horde wants Johnis, chosen one of Elyon, to increase his power. Qurong couldn't care less about his priest's inane dark powers, but he too wants to capture the chosen one because it will lead him to vanquish Thomas Hunter, which will lead to the defeat of the forest people. In this sinister planning, the bait is Johnis's mother, Rosa, who everyone believed was killed by the Horde. However, we learn that she is a prisoner of the Horde. Johnis will do anything to rescue her, even if he has to betray Thomas.
A rescue plan is hatched by Johnis and the shady forest guard recruit Jackov. Thomas is left for capture by the Horde after Jackov reveals his traitorous allegiance to the Horde and Johnis betrays his leader in an attempt to save his mother. In a chance exchange, Thomas is saved by Chelise, the daughter of Qurong, who will become his partner in the Circle series. Meanwhile, in his bull-rush to save his mother, Johnis loses the two books of history that he had found to the dark priest and he costs the forest guard 150 of their army with his ill-fated ideas. Johnis is eventually captured, but not before saving his mother and his love interest Silvie. He could have escaped cleanly, but he ended up trading his life for Karas, the young daughter of the dark priest. This is a sign of growth for Johnis, as he sees through hatred, bigotry, and tradition and starts to embrace light.
Eventually Johnis is rescued by a clever plan devised by Silvie, Darsal, and Billos. Silvie acts on her love for Johnis, Darsal acts on her love for Billos, and Billos acts because of his growing dark love of the power associated with the books of history. Now, onto the third book in the series, Renegade.
