Everything that's like Da Vinci

The Rozabal Line by Ashwin Sanghi

2009-02-09T13:09:00.001+05:30

Once upon a time there was a priest. His name was Vincent. Vincent was brought up a good Catholic, his only problem was that he frequently had visions of his past lives. Subjected to past life regression, Vincent realized that he had lived as Simon of Cyrene, the cross-bearer of Jesus, in a previous lifetime. During this previous lifetime, he saw that Jesus did not die and that he was healed by herbs and medicines and sprinted off to safety—to Kashmir. Fast forward to the twenty-first century, a group of Islamic terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Taiba are fighting a Jihad in Kashmir. They strangely resemble Christ and his thirteen apostles. Could this be the bloodline of Christ in India? Vincent and his aunt, Martha, arrive in India to investigate but their investigations are against the aims and objectives of the Opus Dei inspired Crux Decusata Permuta as well as the opposing forces of the Illuminati.

That’s the fictional part of the story. But that’s really not the relevant bit in this book of epic proportions—the real story lies in what’s not part of the fiction thriller plot. The book regularly takes excursions at every turn to explore something that is relevant to the fictional plot.
For example, the fiction bit talks about Vincent seeing Jesus being taken down from the cross alive. The relevant factual excursion talks about the healing properties of Myrrh and Aloe Vera, both of which were supposed to have been used to cure Jesus of his crucifixion wounds. The fictional part of the story talks of three wise men coming to meet the infant Jesus, whereas the related side-trip talks about how Buddhist monks travel the entire world to find the reincarnation of a Dalai Lama. The fictional part of the story talks of Jesus fleeing to escape Herod’s wrath to Egypt with his parents, whereas the factual side-excursion tells us how Emperor Ashoka sent Buddhist missionaries to Egypt and how these Buddhists influenced spiritual discourse in the Gnostic schools where Jesus studied.

The Rozabal Line is a magnificent tale—very complex to read because of the tiny little details tucked away inside it. It is NOT a desi Da Vinci Code… far from it. I doubt whether Da Vinci fans would like Rozabal at all. The historical detours, the theological discussions and the spiritual connections that Sanghi draws in this book make it a masterpiece entirely in its own genre. The idea that the star of David could be related to the Hindu trinity, that there could be a connection between Abraham and Brahma, that there could be a play of opposing forces between Vish and Shiv i.e. Vishnu and Shiva, that Mary Magdalene could have had a connection with King Ashoka’s Maghada, and hundred of tasty morsels of this wonderfully enticing riddle and answer game makes this one of the best books that I have read in a long long time.

The Judas Strain by James Rollins

2009-01-05T09:20:00.001+05:30

James Rollins does what many authors fail to do: He continues to get better. While I still believe 'Map of Bones' to be his best all-around novel, 'The Judas Strain' is certainly no light-weight follow-up. This is great storytelling, simply put. While you would be hard-pressed to find an action/adventure oriented novel by almost ANY author that doesn't stretch the limits of credibility to SOME extent, I like that no matter how difficult some of Rollins' stories seem to be, he manages to put enough believable science into the mix to make what would otherwise be hard to swallow right into the What If category.

I liked the premise from the first page, which is ALWAYS a good sign in my book. The voyage of Marco Polo from Asia back to Italy was beset by some kind of major tragedy which nearly wiped out all those who participated on the journey...a voyage which Marco never spoke about to seemingly anyone, even at his deathbed...or DID he? Yet another fantastic What If scenario begins as we jump to the modern day world where what seems to be a particularly nasty plague is infecting, and then altering the very DNA of those inflicted. It seems to be originating from the ocean, and after a very short time, scientists from Sigma Force kidnapped by the infamous Guild are working side-by-side attempting to stop what could very well be a planet-wide catastrophe. As always, those in the Guild may or may NOT be what they seem, and all the while we factor in the Vatican and surprisingly the possibility of an actual language of the Angels being translated which somehow seems to be all connected. But to what end? Never fear...Mr. Rollins has control, and he takes us on another thrilling roller-coaster ride that never fails to entertain as well as inform -- which always seem to be the best kind of books to read (IMHO).

For those familiar with the novels by Rollins, this is one of those No Brainer decisions: you simply MUST get this book, it really IS awesome...however, for those who may be new to these books, by all means, buy, read and then run to go purchase the complete works by Mr. Rollins. IF you have the chance, while you do not have to, I would buy and read his books in the order they were released. Entertainment written by a real master...and definitely worth the wait. Kudos again to James Rollins boundless imagination. Now the wait for the NEXT Sigma Force novel begins...

The Testament by Eric Van Lustbader

2008-12-11T02:18:00.001+05:30

Dexter Shaw dies in an explosion that injures his son Bravo and his daughter Emma. When Bravo awakens and recovers somewhat, Jenny visits him to inform him she is his Guardian assigned by his father to watch over him as he seeks a secret cache of documents. Bravo is shocked to learn that his dad lived a double life as a member of the ruling cabal, the Order of Gnostic Observatines, an organization that has influenced world events for centuries.

The group's enemy The Knights of St. Clement want that cache too because it contains something that will heal the dying Pope, enhancing their secret behind the scenes power in the shadows of the Vatican. Another item the group wants in the cache is the Testament of Jesus Christ that contains explosive information that could destroy Christianity if revealed. Bravo realizes a traitor amidst the order is providing information to the Knights. He trusts no one especially friends, family, or his guardian.

Readers who enjoyed the Da Vinci Code and the Brethren will defiantly want to read THE TESTAMENT, a highly sophisticated fresh religious conspiracy thriller whose fast-paced storyline will leave the audience breathless. The protagonist is an interesting person who does not quite grasp how or why his father was involved like he was or why he puts his life on the line to keep the cache out of the hands of the wrong people. Still like a true hero he does what he believes is right and if nothing else has the audience rooting for him.

The Secret Supper by Javier Sierra

2008-11-06T09:16:00.001+05:30

Javier Sierra originally published this book in Spain in 2004 as 'La Cena Secreta' and it rapidly became a best seller in Europe. At last it is translated into English by Alberto Manguel as THE SECRET SUPPER and the book is bound to find its way onto the bestseller list rapidly! It is a tightly woven, suspense driven, elegant story of a secret that lay hidden in the Leonardo Da Vinci's painting 'The Last Supper', that secret threatening to undo to status of the Catholic Church in the 15th century.

Sierra is a scholar as well as a fine novelist and his previous investigative works on the Templars, the mystical nun Maria Jesus of Agreda as well as his thought provoking book on the Inca king Arahualpa's missing treasure serve him well as background in writing a credible novel about a controversial subject. Yes, the world is still reeling from the scandal of 'The Da Vinci Code', and some readers my think that here is yet another round of data about Christianity that is slipping along the success d'estime of that work. But be aware that this novel is wholly different and for this reader is far superior in the final resolution of the intial premise.

The year is 1497 and Javier Sierra accompanies us back in time to an era when the wealthy leaders of the communities of Milan and Florence and Rome had an unimaginably huge impact on the course of the great Roman Catholic Church. In Milan the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is being renovated under the guidance of the Duke of Milan. But Pope Alexander VI is concerned that heretical elements favoring the threatening schism within the Church will be established in the politically important and highly visible sanctuary. Among the many intrigues surrounding Milan's new structure is the one concerning the popular painter Leonardo Da Vinci whose painting of The Last Supper is found to exclude the holy icons of the Grail and the Eucharistic Bread. The painting also is found to include known heretics as models for some of the disciples who look away from the Christ figure, one suggestive of Leonardo himself. How the Pope's investigators and the perpetrators address these issues and the places of secrecy revealed by the gradually unfolding discoveries serves as not only an informative survey of history, but also a fascinating, immensely readable suspense thriller that keeps us riveted to the book until the final page where the ultimate secret is revealed.

If Alberto Manguel's English translation is sound (and since it was sanctioned by author Sierra himself it must be), then we have every reason to believe that here is a very important writer entering the English-speaking marketplace with one fine novel! Whether the reader is looking for a book of historical fiction, a novel of 15th century intrigue, or simply a fresh view of Da Vinci and of a new author, THE SECRET SUPPER is bound to please. The book design by Atria Books is splendid and enhances the reading experience. Graciously for those whose historical background needs some refurbishing, the book includes a 'Cast of Characters', outlining in a very readable fashion all of the 'players' of the period (Botticelli, Lorenzo the Magnificent, Ludivico Sforza, Pope Alexander Vi, etc) and for many, reading this terse glossary would be a fine way to begin this novel's woven tapestry of history.

The Genesis Code by John Case

2008-10-26T23:14:00.001+05:30

Oh boy... Case really goes all out in his books to make you think, "Omigosh...what IF this really happened?" In "The Genesis Code," it's a real spellbinder in that it proposes just how far do we go with genetic engineering, or cloning? It opens in a small village in Italy where a priest practically has a stroke in hearing an old doctor's confession. What possibly could it have been? Then the priest is off to Rome to secure a meeting with a cardinal to relate this horrifying unimaginable sin.

Enter Joe Lassiter, a well to do private investigating enterpreneur, who gets involved with all this when his sister and her young son are savagely murdered and then burned to a crisp in their home. Lassiter's trail leads him all over the globe, ultimately to a fertility clinic (or is it?) in Italy. The book, like other Case novels, opens with this jarring prologue and then meticulously details lots of technical information, mysterious men, secrets, secrets and more secrets, and a look at a very unusual religious sect, determined to bring the Catholic church back to its days of Latin masses, and to completely ignore the Vatican II council.

It moves well, though, and I agree that Lassister takes a long time to figure out what's going on. However, by the end, it all makes sense and resolves with a disturbing scene with a young boy and a fish bowl. As in all of Case's works, however, the main flaw is that his climaxes seem to zoom in and then poof, it's over...but even so, my friends, it's a great read.

The Expected One by Kathleen McGowan

2008-09-21T08:11:00.001+05:30

This is a really well written novel. I'm looking to the sequel. I believe it will be the quest for the book of Love, written by Jesus Christ. This book follows a parapsychology trail of a woman destined to be the chosen of Mary Magdelene.

The story is filled with warring religious cults. Unlike the Da Vinci code, this book makes the Catholic Church the sancturary of previously unknown truth. The Catholic Church is the hero to save the day and reveal to the world the apostolic book of Mary.

Mary relates her version of Herod, Salome, Judas, Peter, and the life of Jesus, her husband and father of her children. Mary indicates the special connection of Jesus with God and his supernatural powers. Mary confirms the divinity of Jesus, the Passion, Crucifiction and Resurrection. Mary explains the power pulls of the Jewish Priests and Roman noble men to maintain control over the Jewish people. Mary explains the two warring cults during her time. There are the Nazarenes and the cult of the Baptist. The historical Jewish Royal blood is explained.

The story brings in bloody religious wars, cults, sects, and the need to maintain power and control. It shows how cults, religions, and sects will kill to protect their conceived power. The novel even brings in revelations of holocausts and/or Inquisitions. I tsk and tsk at the political power battles of religions. And they tell us it is for our salvation. Religions propagate fear instead of serenity. Why do religions give Jesus a bad name? Why is it so difficult to believe the Son of God as a Son of Man had a wife and children? I've never understood why that upsets so many fundamentalist Christians. Does it really matter? Why do religions try to keep woman out of clerical responsibilty when it is the woman that nutures and gives spiritual guidance to children? Read this book and get some new perspectives of thought based on a fictional book.

Daughter of God by Lewis Perdue

2008-08-07T08:08:00.001+05:30

Lewis Perdue's new novel, "Daughter of God", is a deftly written fast moving thriller. The tightly constructed plot and subplots carefully interwoven with dark historical secrets and them of power, greed and deception offer a vividly descriptive and stunningly good read.

The novel concerns an ancient document, which holds a secret capable of changing history and rocking the course of Western religion. The secret involves a proof of a female messiah, who lived during the reign of Constantine and who was murdered to preserve the religious image of God as male and protect the power of the Holy Roman Empire. It's the story of fine arts broker, Zoe Ridgeway, and her husband, Seth, a professor of philosophy and comparative religion, who find themselves caught in a web of terror and deception Their hair raising expeiences are filled with unexpected twists and turns right up to the shocking ending.

Perdue has well researched his theses and raise some disturbing questions which the reader will want to ponder. All in all, this book is great fun to read and a much bigger book than its 320 pages.

The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury

2008-07-08T03:05:00.001+05:30

I won't bother re-hashing the story line, as you can read the summary in the publishing reviews. This is Khoury's first novel, and it's a pretty good entry effort. You can see that he's an experienced storyteller (screenwriting) from the pacing, settings and well-described visuals.

His opening scene is gripping, and the interplay from modern times to the Crusader era is very well done. I really enjoyed the archeological aspects of this book, and thought their exposition was set forth in an interesting and engaging manner.

The comparisons to "The Da Vinci Code" are going to be inevitable, I think. I'll preface by saying I didn't like Brown's book and found his attacks on Christianity muddled, boring and implausible, as well as offensive.

That having been said, there's a point in this book (at about page 300 in the hard cover version) where you'll roll your eyes and think, "Oh, no, here we go again". I know I did. Well, don't. Give the book a chance. The last half page of the book clears things up well, at least in my estimation.

So, you ask, what's missing? Well, it was very subjective, and may not be an issue for some readers, but I found the book didn't really engage me on an emotional level. I found the protagonists (Tess and Reilly) to be simple (as opposed to complex and fully fleshed-out) characters, as were the two antagonists (whom I won't name in the interest of not revealing the plot line). The modern-day storyline (the majority of the book) was a fairly straightforward adventure story, and on that level works well. Surprisingly, the real treat of the book was the interwoven Crusader-era story, which I found to be better visualized than the rest of the book, with more fully realized characterization.

I don't think you'll be disappointed if you buy this book. I certainly am glad I read it, and look forward to more from Khoury as his skills develop.

The Six Sacred Stones by Matthew Reilly

2008-06-07T07:40:00.001+05:30

The commando team and very special little girl from The Seven Deadly Wonders are back to save the world from certain destruction yet again, and their enemies are just as bad as ever. Australian superman Jack West, Jr. leads the pack, this time to recover six sacred stones that need to be found in exotic locales around the world, cleansed by the Philosopher's Stone they also must find, and then put in their special places inside a tight timeframe to prevent the utter destruction of the world. Of course, not only are these six sacred stones hidden in booby-trapped, dangerous places, the other men who want them and the power they will gain by them are hot on the heels of Jack's team, and they aren't afraid to kill whoever gets in their way. Plus, they are led by Jack's arch enemy, his father.

As usual, Jack's team zips around the world in their 747, the Halicarnassus, getting shot at, captured, escaping, and committing dozens of other feats of derring-do while trying to save the world from certain destruction in the nick of time. His writing tends to be a bit juvenile and he scribbles outside the lines of realism quite a bit, but that's Reilly's way. Think of an excitable guy with an Australian accent who enacts embellished stories with lots of expansive arm gestures and a continually rising voice. It's not for everyone, but I must say that Reilly's books are a whole lot more entertaining than a great number of adventure thrillers on the shelves these days, and this book was an improvement over his last two. The action is still coming hot and fast, but this time out, Reilly chose to develop his characters a little bit, and the book really benefited from this effort.

Matt Reilly is not the author for anyone looking for a "realistic" historical thriller, but if you like lots of action coupled with impossible stunts, you like your characters slightly overblown and obsessed with nicknames, and you're a fan of last-minute rescues when everything seems lost, this book delivers. My biggest complaint is that I felt cheated at its abrupt ending, which was really no ending at all. I had a feeling that there would be a sequel when I was about 7/8 through the book and they hadn't even recovered the second stone yet, but I felt that readers should have been warned about this ahead of time. I was a bit disgusted when the book quite literally left us hanging, but not so much that I won't go out and buy the next one, even though I already know how it will end.

The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason

2008-05-20T01:00:00.001+05:30

I think that many people have found this book lacking for one simple reason: they expected it to be the DaVinci code. This book doesn't lead you through the mystery, but makes you work for it through tangential thought processes just like the human brain operates. So it takes work to get through, and in the mean time you learn the struggles of the characters through the inimitable point of view of Tom, the books/hero and secondary tragedy.

Why isn't it as well loved as it's contemporary? It's simple--it's not straight forward. Like a good LeCarre novel you've got to work through it, stick with it, and except that the authors are going to take you where they want you to go, before they send you where you want to go. In true literary fashion, the story mirrors the hypnoteromachia poliphili, (the search for love in a dream) which I think explains why so much of the story has a dreamlike quality to it. There are four people all simultaneously trying to be and grow together, and that creates turmoil--no matter what.

I hope that anyone who reads this book comes to it with an open mind instead of already writing it off as another fast-paced historical mystery thriller. It's not.

The Icon by Neil Olson

2008-04-30T11:57:00.001+05:30

Neil Olson's debut thriller, "The Icon," is another offshoot of the "Da Vinci Code" mania that has swept the world. An ancient and beautiful Greek icon, the Holy Mother of Katirini, is believed by some to have mystical healing powers. This object drives men to steal, lie, betray their friends, and even murder one another to possess it. The action shifts back and forth from Epiros, Greece, during World War II to New York City in the year 2000.

Matthew Spear, whose name is derived from the Greek Spyridis, is an assistant curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His grandfather, Andreas Spyridis and his godfather, Fotis Dragoumis, both fought in Epiros against the Germans and, for some reason, there is bad blood between these two former comrades. Andreas and Fotis have never told Matthew the whole truth about their sordid and shameful actions during the war.

Their lives are changed forever when the icon of the Holy Mother goes on the market after the death of its owner, an old man named Kessler. His lovely granddaughter, Ana Kessler, consults Matthew, wondering whether she should sell the icon to the Greek Church or to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Alas, her plans go awry when various individuals resort to subterfuge and violence to get their hands on the icon.

Olson does a workmanlike job of setting up the historical context of his story. The author provides interesting background information concerning the murky political situation in Greece during the German occupation. Communists, republicans, royalists, German collaborators, and black marketeers, among others, struggled to survive during those terrible times. Matthew's grandfather was among those who fought valiantly to protect their homeland, their families, and their way of life from the invaders.

When he shifts to the present day, however, Olson falters. He would have us believe that men in their late eighties and even their nineties, including a former Nazi, would have the strength and the desire to hatch and execute elaborate schemes in order to acquire the icon, no matter who gets hurt in the process. Matthew is dragged into the whole mess against his will. He is an intelligent and good-hearted character who falls under the spell of both the icon and Ana Kessler. By the time all of the smoke clears, and after much blood is shed, Olson wraps things up predictably. We learn once again that no work of art, however beautiful and meaningful, is worth the price of people's lives.

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

2008-03-23T06:55:00.001+05:30

Angels and Demons" blew me away. Not just as a standalone novel, but especially in light of Dan Brown's freshmen attempt, "Digital Fortress." Brown's writing skills and narrative surpassed anything I was expecting. The way Brown held me on the edge of my seat as if I were watching a movie makes this book one of the few that I almost wanted to read again. "Angels and Demons" went beyond just taking the reader through the highlights of ancient Rome. Instead, Brown took an active role in telling a tale that ensured suspense with every turn of the page. What made this novel more than just some standard action-adventure read was that it dived so well into the mysteries surrounding the Catholic church and the enemies it faced. This book didn't just follow the standard rock-paper-scissors of most novels, but kept drawing me further into the book, even in it's last few pages. Brilliantly told, with more twists and turns than I could have expected or reasoned.

The book isn't perfect however, if only from a few philosophical issues. The only marks against it that I have are the new age concepts that Brown seemed to promote, if only in little bits and pieces. It's one thing to have the antagonist in the novel make nonsensical remarks, but when the hero or heroin of the story declares (in this case Vittoria) that "God is in all of us" I find that very unfortunate. Just because this is fiction does not in any way make those references suddenly acceptable. It's almost as if Brown had an agenda to normalize God throughout the novel (another example being the explanation for how God answers prayer-it's othing more than concentrated brain waves, etc).

However, small annoyancees aside, it was one of my favorite fiction books I've ever read. Great novel and a great storyline, but a flawed philosophy

The Messiah Code by Micahel Cordy

2008-02-09T20:52:00.001+05:30

It's probably not fair to review a book about genetics and religious mega-conspiracy so long after its original publication date -- too much water under the bridge with this genre. Even if the reader makes a firm commitment to avoid comparing it to "The Da Vinci Code," what about Lewis Perdue's "The Daughter of God" or James Rollins' "Map of Bones"? The list is huge.

This book was first published in 1997 as "The Miracle Strain," before many of the better-known religious conspiracy books.

Michael Cordy may have offered us an embarrassment of riches in combining the two main plot elements, religion and genetics. Neither element feels completely original, and there's a slight awkwardness in the way they fit together. To paraphrase Lewis Carroll, it's a bit like trying to believe six impossible things before breakfast. The travel's too easy, the geneticist's genius sidekick too naive, the science a little too shallowly portrayed, the ethical decision-making too facile. Oh, and the characters could have done with much more development

All that said, the book is an absorbing thriller and still a very good read. The plot manages to throw a few surprises at the reader, and even the predictable developments are reasonably well presented. I recommend this book for traveling or any time when your attention is partially committed elsewhere: you may not lose yourself entirely in it but you'll be able to pick it up and dive right back into it.

The Last Testament by Sam Bourne

2008-01-11T10:48:00.001+05:30

Sam Bourne is the pseudonym of the Guardian journalist Jonathan Freedland who in 2002 chaired the meetings between some prominent Israelis and Palestinians who eventually produced the 2003 Geneva Accord, which was repudiated by the Israeli government and by militant Palestinians. He therefore knows something about the skills needed by mediators and is thoroughly familiar with the complexities of the region. That experience has stood him in good stead. The central character is an American-appointed mediator Maggie Costello; and although the author rightly claims that his book is `entirely a work of fiction', the historical background of the events until shortly before his story starts is wholly accurate, (and I beg to doubt his other disclaimer, that any resemblance to `localities' is entirely coincidental. A small example among many: he has two characters meeting at the Restobar Café, which was known as the Moment Café before it was bombed in 2002. He shows that he knows his Israeli `localities'.)

The book begins with a superb account of the looting of Baghdad's National Museum of Antiquities (2003), into which the author has introduced one of his fictional characters; and antiquities are the theme that forms the backbone of the novel. In the context of the Arab-Israeli dispute, arguments between Arabs and Israelis about who were the earliest inhabitants of the land play an important part, and every archaeological discovery is therefore loaded with politics.

Against this credible background Bourne invents a fast-paced and intricately plotted story, of people who want the peace process to succeed and others who want it to fail, of double-dealings, of computer wizardry, and of murders, with the action spilling beyond the borders of Israel-Palestine - to the United States, Britain, Switzerland, Iraq, Jordan - all in the best tradition of thrillers: short chapters, almost all ending with something dramatic. One of these ancient artefacts in particular acts like a fatal curse on practically everyone - Arab or Israeli - who has, however remotely, had anything to do with it. Each murder brings the peace process closer to total break-down; so Maggie, charged with preventing this from happening, thinks she has to discover what has linked all these murders together. Needless to say, her role as detective puts her, more than once, in terrible danger, too.

The Third Secret by Steve Berry

2007-12-27T11:46:00.001+05:30

Steve Berry is known for his historic-based fiction thrillers, and The Third Secret follows his usual formula. While definitely entertaining, the plot defies belief.

Father Colin Michener is the papal secretary for Pope Clement XV. Clement is obsessed with the visitations of the Virgin Mary at La Salette, Lourdes, Fatima and Medjugorje. He is especially intent on discovering the third secret of Fatima. Clement sends Michener to Romania and Bosnia in his efforts to uncover the truth. But there is another powerful member of the Vatican Curia who has knowledge of the third secret. He is so fearful of it coming to light that he has resorted to wiretapping, blackmail and even murder.

Berry weaves this tale around Roman Catholic history. In addition to the visitations, he also uses the predictions of St. Malachy of the 16th Century, Irish birthing centers in the 20th Century, and the procedures for papal succession. While the historic aspects were interesting, the plot was a stretch. Without giving away the plot, Fatima's third secret (as revealed in this book) is just totally unbelievable and would change almost all the core beliefs of the Roman Church. Most of the characters are also a bit over the top. Michener, an ordained priest and lawyer, is way too gullible. His former girlfriend, Katerina Lew, is totally self-centered and not very likable. Cardinal Alberto Valendrea is too Machiavellian, and his assistant, Paolo Ambrosi acts more like a Nazi SS officer than a priest.

While The Third Secret was a fast-paced thriller that kept my interest, it is not of the same caliber as other books of this genre including The DaVinci Code.

The 13th Apostle by Richard & Rachel Heller

2007-11-26T08:12:00.001+05:30

Richard and Rachael Hiller (2007), The 13th Apostle, New York: HarperCollins Publishers: "Among the most sacred of texts it is written: In each generation there are born thirty-six
righteous souls who by their very existence, assure the continuation of the world. According to Abraham's Covenant, once each millennium, God shall return to earth and count among the many, those who remain righteous. Were it not for these tzaddikim, the righteous ones,
who stand in God's judgment, mankind's fate would be grave and certain peril. These traddikim have no knowledge of each other, Neither have they an understanding of their own singular importance. As innocents, they remain unaware of the critical consequences of their thoughts, their faith, and their deeds, Save for one. To this tzaddik alone is granted knowledge of his position, for to him is trusted the most sacred of tasks."

I have always enjoyed reading conspiracy thrillers especially those involving religious antiquity. That is why I enjoyed the Da Vinci Code enormously and also the Indiana Jones movies and novels (yes, there are novels). This book promises two premises; one, the legend/tradition of the worthy tzaddikim, and two, the story of the thirteenth apostle. Unfortunately the authors were not able to bring these two interesting ideas into play effectively to hammer out a good religious conspiracy thriller. The story telling was choppy with too much detail given to the scroll. It also suffers by imitating the writing style of the Da Vinci Code. The character development was poorly done. For example Gil, the leading male character is at times very intelligent and at other times to be incredibly stupid. It was a fair attempt for a first novel.

On the Fifth Day by A. J. Hartley

2007-10-04T07:09:00.001+05:30

I stopped in the ship's gift shop while cruising the Maldives last week, looking for a book to spend the evenings with and avoid calorie build-up at yet another dessert bar. Bible Archaeology is still one of my favorite topics, in spite of DaVinci Code Glut in the book market. And let me tell, On the Fifth Day is an exception to those titles that may or may not try to capitalize on Dan Brown's trend and fall short. This is a first-class thriller with a wonderful cast and edgy dialogue that does not leave you wondering why these characters bothered to leave home. A.J.Hartley injects a wry sense of humor into his dialogue and keeps his protagonist, Thomas Knight, constantly in the real world...way too real. Knight is a driven man, propelled through a frenetic chase to find evidence that will both illuminate his brother's murder and lead him to evidence of the missing link between man and Charles Darwin's wildest dream. If you're a Bible-thumping pin-head, you'll love this story because it will send you on a self-rightious rant that will, yet again, purge your empty head of any wayward intelligence that might have mistakenly found its way in. On the other hand, if you're brain is still reasonably intact, you'll enjoy this book even more because it's sharp, fast-paced, and crackling with intelligent fun. I even skipped an evening of high-value bingo find out if that spidery, little creep survived to continue threatening Jack....and if Jack got back with his ex who is a fox and..... what was at the bottom of the their split, anyway?

The Lucifer Gospel by Paul Christopher

2007-09-22T07:06:00.001+05:30

Paul Christopher is a pseudonym of Christopher Hyde, wbo has had a varied career working as a researcher, editor, TV interviewer specialising in stories on technology, intelligence and the enviroment. He has written a number of books under the name of Hyde. He is a new author to me whether he be writing under the name of Christopher or Hyde.

This book could be classed under many different titles, adventure story, thriller and archaeological mystery. It has a little bit of everything and although the format is similar to many other books on the market qt the moment it is none the worse for that. I can think of several books that follow a very similar storyline, but this one is as well written as any of them and I found it both interesting and exciting.

The plot of the book revolves around an archaeological dig in Egypt. Finn Ryan is on the way to participate in the dig. She is to be the cartographer and illustrator for the team of archaeologists. On the plane she happens to meets Hilts, a pilot and photographer who is also heading for the site. Over dinner he gives Finn some background information about the expedition. Part of the detail is that the last team to occupy the site was an Italian team. They were looking for the tomb of a monk believed to be the Apostle Thomas. The expedition disappeared in a sandstorm and nothing was ever heard of them again . . .

I personally enjoyed the book but for some reader's the storyline (race against time to find a hidden relic and save the world from the bad boy's) is a much used one, particularly recently and may be wearing a bit thin by now. On the plus side the book is action packed and grabs the attention from virtually the first page. The author manages in the main to keep the story believable and does not stray too much into the realms of fantasy.

The Sinai Secret by Gregg Loomis

2007-08-11T06:54:00.001+05:30

The president of the United States is awakened in the middle of the night to meet with his top security advisors in the bunker because Iran fired nuclear missiles at Israel. However, as the missiles seemingly just vanish into thin air, the Israeli President calls his American counterpart to tell him not to worry and go back to sleep as he has no need to retaliate. The US president and his staff struggle with what happened.

Meanwhile Dutch scientist Dr. Yadish is visiting Bruges, Belgium when he is murdered just before another scientist Dr. Lewis is killed in Atlanta. The two have in common research into alternatives to fossil fuel funded by a foundation run by Lang Reilly. Trying to understand what is going on, Lang flies charter to Amsterdam, but is cleverly abducted at the airport. He escapes even as his kidnappers try to kill him. He continues to investigate with clues taking him to Tel Aviv as he finds another link involving a biblical era parchment that has people willing to kill to hide what has been unearthed.

The third Lang Reilly international thriller (see THE PEGASUS SECRET and THE JULIAN SECRET) is an action-packed tale that hooks readers from the moment the Americans realize the Israelis have some secret weapon that they imply comes from God. Although Reilly is too good at Houdini like escapes although they are exhilaratingly entertaining, readers will admire his dedication as he risks his life to uncover the truth and to prevent anymore of his grant scientists from being murdered. Thriller fans will appreciate Greg Loomis as it is no secret that he provides breathtaking novels.

Grail Conspiracy: A Cotten Stone Mystery by Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore

2007-07-02T06:49:00.001+05:30

Abandoned in the Iraqi desert while covering a story for SNN, reporter Cotton Stone trudges through the night to find a way to get the hell out of there.

Happening upon an excavation site, she witnesses a to-the-death fight. One man lay dead as a dying man hands her a box and speaks to her in a language known only to her and her dead twin sister.

Cotton enlists the aid of Father John Tyler, a biblical history scholar on leave from his duties as a priest--but not from his vows--to authenticate the contents of the wooden box she has smuggled out of Iraq.

Together they deliver what is believed to be the Holy Grail to the Vatican, as Cotton finds herself overshadowing her former lover and senior in the news business, with the biggest story to hit Christiandom since the crucifixion.

A transparent battle between the forces of good and evil rages for control of the Cup Jesus drank from at the Last Supper; the same Cup used to collect His blood the next day.

Cotton and Father Tyler run for their lives as those close to Cotton wind up dead, one after another. Only when the trail leads them to New Orleans after the Cup is stolen from the Vatican, do they begin to understand the forces of evil at work. Cotton's faith in her family, even in her deceased father, is shaken as pieces of truth come to light.

Until meeting Cotton, Father Tyler had been a man on a mission, wanting to serve God, without understanding what his mission was to be. He learns that everything in his life to this point has been to prepare him to avert a sacrilegious Second Coming of Christ.

Sholes and Moore have written a fast-paced thriller devoid of boring lectures and endless pages of backstory that crashes religion, politics, and science into one gigantic ball of fire. A multilayerd tale of suspense from beginning to end. Highly recommended!