Alice Ringwald is an orphan without a memory... and now a stranger kidnaps her and claims he's taking her to her mother. Alice's abduction is going to force her to look deep inside herself and reexamine everything she knows. Will Alice choose forgiveness or anger when her world is abruptly ripped apart? And just what happened in all of her missing years?

WATER WALKER is the second book in The Outlaw Chronicles but can be easily read as a standalone tale. We saw glimpses of Alice in the first book, Eyes Wide Open, but the references are only minimal and won't lessen the storyline of WATER WALKER if one is jumping into the series with the second book.

WATER WALKER is not a lighthearted tale for the faint of heart. Ted Dekker tackles the issue of forgiveness without flinching. Alice's story is both horrific and intense. There are a couple of scenes that had me recoiling despite my background as a social worker and former foster care worker. Ted Dekker doesn't sugar coat anything but instead hits the reader hard, evoking some very strong reactions from the reader. I love that Ted Dekker doesn't shy away from such sensitive subjects as he brings the reader from anger and horror at such maltreatment back to the Christian theme of forgiveness.

WATER WALKER is a Christian-themed story in which the power of forgiveness is starkly shown. I love how Ted Dekker portrays Alice's relationship with her younger brother, Bobby, and I like that he tackles the dangers of looking to a human for salvation. WATER WALKER is intense and the story continues to haunt me, even days after finishing it. WATER WALKER is one of those unforgettable stories that makes you think and reexamine what true forgiveness really looks like.