Average customer rating:
- Relic
- This will be a classic thriller.
- Quite different than the movie
- A long out-of-print delight
- Fantastic
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Relic
Douglas Preston , and
Lincoln Child
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Child, Lincoln
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Preston, Douglas
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General
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Reliquary (Pendergast, Book 2)
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The Cabinet of Curiosities
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Still Life With Crows
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Brimstone
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Thunderhead
ASIN: 0765354942 |
Amazon.com
A series of bizarre and brutal murders is taking place in the halls of the New York Museum of Natural History, only days before a massive exhibition is set to open. Margo Green knows that the killer is something not human, something that's not even supposed to exist. Where did it come from, how did it get into the museum, and how can it be stopped?
Book Description
Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum's dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human.... But the museum's directors plan to go ahead with a big bash to celebrate the new exhibition, in spite of the murders. Museum researcher Margo Green must find out who-or what-is doing the killing. But can she do it in time to stop the massacre?
Customer Reviews:
Relic.......2007-09-09
This book is the first in the cases of FBI Agent Aloysius Pendergast, and is the really terrifying one. A very disturbing book in many ways, mostly because it reflects a human as an involuntary monster, whose sad human eyes perceive other humans as victims and as necessity to keep the monster alive. And it all takes place in a museum, one place one would never expect such events to happen.
Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston are very talented authors and it is always terrific to read their books. (Separately or togther)
Linda Sheean
This will be a classic thriller. .......2007-07-15
You gotta love a book who's premise is that every million years or so a quirk of evolution emerges to weed out the weaker (once dominant)species. You also have to love FBI Agent Pendergast, a genuinely different character, full of secrets as dark as those he endeavors to reveal during his gruesome assignments. He's a quirky James Bond, only cooler. Lots of tension in this book--among characters, among twists in the plot line, and in homo sapiens' place in the world.
Heart pounding action....blood and gore...a great cast of characters, an original "monster", and dark scary places....what else could you want?
Quite different than the movie.......2007-07-14
OK, this here's the beginning of the Pendergast series, and was the basis of a movie by the same name in the 90s. I wanted to check out this series but had seen the movie a couple of times, and was tempted to start with the sequel. I'm glad I started here. The books is much different than the film. Pendergast doesn't appear in the movie. A very enjoyable read, and the sequel, Reliquary is even louder, more exciting and more threatening than the first.
A long out-of-print delight.......2007-05-13
Until March 2007 it was impossible to find Relic in audiobook format. This unabridged recording makes available once again the first novel written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. It's the first book to feature Special Agent Pendergast (there are seven total), and it's a terrific novel. And the audio recording, while not the highest sound quality, is a great performance by David Colacci. The only downside to this book is that the sequel, Reliquary, is only available in printed format (not audiobook). I hope that changes soon!
Fantastic.......2007-04-10
Doug Preston & Lincoln Child are fantastic writers.
I own and have read all of their books.
Exceptional mystery and suspense with high tech information thrown in.
I recomend all of their books.
Book Description
Clive Cussler debuted his new series, The Oregon Files, with the incredible adventure of Golden Buddha. Now he follows that triumph with Sacred Stone, a rollicking new tale featuring the enigmatic captain of The Oregon, Juan Cabrillo.
In the remote wastes of Greenland, an ancient artifact possessing catastrophic radioactive power is unearthed. But the astounding find puts the world at risk.
Caught between two militant factions bent on wholesale slaughter, Juan Cabrillo and his network of spies known as The Corporation must fight to protect the stone-and prevent the outbreak of World War III.
Customer Reviews:
Barely gets 1 star.......2007-10-10
I have read every Cussler novel before and after this. This is the only one that's taken me more than two days to read. Every new book, I look forward to sitting down on a quiet weekend and reading my way through the book. It was horrible. In fact, it gave horrible a bad name. I was crushed. Thank goodness this novel was an anomoly.
Another Juan Cabrillo Novel.......2007-07-04
Clive Cussler was born in 1931 and grew up in Alhambra, California. He attended Pasadena City College before joining the Air Force. He went on to a successful advertising career, winning many national honours for his copywriting. He has also explored the deserts of the American Southwest in search of lost gold mines, dived in isolated lakes in the Rocky Mountains looking for lost aircraft and hunted under the sea for shipwrecks of historic significance, discovering and identifying more than sixty. He is married with three children, and divides his time between Colorado and Arizona. His credentials as a best selling author cannot be doubted and he has a large `stable' of best selling adventure novels.
Clive Cussler began his series The Oregon Files, with the adventure of the Golden Buddha featuring the captain of the Oregon, Juan Cabrillo. Now he follows on the series with the Sacred Stone a new adventure featuring Juan Cabrillo.
The whole world is put at risk when an ancient artifact that possesses enormous radioactive power in unearthed in a remote part of Greenland. Caught between two militant powers that are bent on using that power to commit wholesale slaughter, Juan Cabrillo and his network of spies known as The Corporation must do everything in their power to protect the stone from all the factions that are doing their utmost to obtain the artifact. Only in this way will World War III be averted.
Did Clive Cussler even READ this book??.......2007-04-11
Mr. Cussler, please don't lend your revered name to such poorly written stuff as "The Oregon File" series. Your name on the cover, and your pic on the back may sell books to your loyal fans, but will quickly destroy our faith.
Too many characters and plots.......2007-03-29
Ok, I bought the audio edition of this to listen to on my drive to work and back. This story almost made me fall asleep at the wheel. Too many characters or similar depths made it difficult to keep track -- in fact, I still dont know who half the characters were. Did Cussler write this book? Save your money and your sanity and get a different cussler book.
A great adventure, as expected from a Cussler book!.......2007-02-03
There has been much criticism surrounding the factual details within this book. Sure, the book clearly shows how the authors have likely never studied a map of the UK, and perhaps some British people might get annoyed at the inaccuracies of train station announcements or a barman being called a bartender, but these are just small details and can be forgiven seeing as this is not real life, but a work of fiction! (I wonder how many British authors get American places and expressions correct.). So what if the book puts Edinburgh west of Glasgow; it's not a geography book, but an adventure novel set in a make-believe world. Perhaps the writer was holding the map upside down? Either way, it would be nice if facts could be researched, but I feel that many publishers put such stringent deadlines on these mass paperback authors that they simply don't have the time to fact check the smaller things. It's also likely that most of this book was written by Craig Dirgo, but seeing as Clive Cussler invented the characters in a Dirk Pitt novel he owns the copyright and therefore the co-writer writes the book under his guidance. The style is very different from his Pitt and Austen novels, and it does tend to jump about and is sometimes hard to keep up. And it's true that there are far too many characters involved. However, all this aside, the book is a refreshing change from the standard Pitt and Austen adventures (Kurt Austen is in fact pretty much just another Pitt with a different name and some different hobbies (Instead of collecting antique cars he collects antique pistols)). The Oregon files introduces us to a completely different hero, the ever-inventive leader of a band of mercenaries with a conscience, who only go into battle for what they believe in and feel will have a positive effect on mankind (Sounds like another leader I know!). Sacred Stone is a compelling read and it did keep me wanting to turn the pages to see what happens next, which is always the mark of a good author. I put another unfinished book down to read this Cussler book, and did not regret it. This just goes to show that Cussler's books are still a cut above the rest.
Reviewed by Ian Middleton: Travel Writer & Photographer, author of four books, including Mysterious World: Ireland.
Amazon.com
Ian Wilson's well-written and intelligent book gives a balanced view of evidence for and against the Shroud of Turin's authenticity (including new finds such as the presence of human blood and DNA on the Shroud), and along the way, provides a fascinating discussion of subjects ranging from capital punishment in first-century Palestine to the chemistry of radiocarbon dating. For Wilson, the Shroud's ultimate significance resides in the very fact of Christians' fascination with it. The Shroud represents the possibility that the Resurrection actually happened; if there's any chance the Shroud is authentic, and if that chance excites you, then historical facts are a crucial aspect of your faith. Given that, the Shroud of Turin becomes much more than a curiosity for cranks and crazies. It's a valuable incitement to introspection for all believers. --Michael Joseph Gross
Book Description
The Shroud of Turin remains one of the enduring mysteries of our age. No convincing explanation has yet been given for the "negative" image of a crucified man transferred to a length of cloth and preserved in Turin for the last four centuries. Although radiocarbon dating of the fabric in 1988 indicated it to be medieval, synchronous with the Shroud's first recorded appearance in the 1350s, there is still no satisfactory explanation for the image itself. Was it painted? If so, by whom? How could the artist have understood perspective before this technique was "discovered" in the Renaissance? How could he have painted an image in negative with no means to see and check it?
With so many questions about the Shroud as inexplicably unresolved as ever; with the radiocarbon dating findings only deepening the riddle, not solving it; and with the Shroud about to be shown again, in 1998 and 2000; an overview and an up-to-date consideration of the evidence is overdue. Here, Ian Wilson returns to the subject of his international bestseller, The Shroud of Turin, to reveal such startling findings as the discovery of human blood and DNA on the Shroud; the uncovering of historical evidence that something very like the Shroud existed at the time Jesus lived; the discovery of a "bioplastic coating" of living microorganisms which, if it had been carbondated in 1988, would have indicated that the Shroud was some one thousand years older than it was thought to be; and the new analysis of the photographic-negative-like image on the Shroud.
Wilson's landmark book on this subject, The Shroud of Turin, was published in 1978. In the intervening twenty years, in addition to the radiocarbon dating, much additional research has been done on the Shroud, and the dating process itself scrutinized. Ian Wilson's pursuit of every discipline related to the Shroud, including art history, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, photography, and archaeology, has equipped him to give the most authoritative answer yet to the question: Did the Shroud wrap the body of Christ? His enthralling text, with its objective but persuasive answers, tells us as much as it is currently possible to know. It also makes it possible for us to believe.
Customer Reviews:
Christ is Alive, and Near Us;Always. .......2006-02-10
As a Christian who is trying to always pray daily, as well as following the light; i must say that i have felt in my soul that the shroud of Turin is legitimate. It is the burial cloth of Jesus Christ(the True God and Savior of this World, Universe, and anything that exists into the void far into deep space-infinite). Get these books on the shroud, and read them all, but at the same time also read the Bible ESV. The Bible ESV (english standard version is the word of Christ Himself). Reading the word as well as praying to Christ will fill you with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will tell you that the Shroud is indeed the burial cloth of the God who roamed this planet back in the day. The skeptics are nothing but atheists. So how can an atheist say that the burial cloth is a fake if they don't believe in the supernatural. One must believe in Christ even though one has not seen him. One can get a picture of him by the burial cloth and by His Living Word that He has left behind in this earth Planet: THE HOLY BIBLE. Get the Holy Bible ESV, Everything is in English and you will encounter the truth of why we are here. Christ is everything and He created everything. Don't get into the complex, he is real. The Shroud topic is interesting, but what is more important is not the shroud but the creator who was wrapped in it. That really is true message of the Shroud, about Our Lord being here with us on earth back in the day, but who is in the Heavens. If you need to believe that Our Lord existed, then get this book, and be persuaded 100 percent. Where is Christ right now? He is with His Father in Heaven.
Comprehensive!!.......2005-12-02
For all readers, like myself, who have read books both favoring or attacking the Shroud's authenticity...
You'll note that those books which seek to "debunk" the Turin Shroud are rather narrow... they emphasize random particle evidence analysed through a microscope, one historic letter from a skeptical bishop and the far fetched idea that some medieval forger invented photography and sat on the discovery.
Contrast these books to THIS one... a comprehensive, analytical discussion including MULTIPLE scientific disciplines. Including multiple historic illustrations, references and comparable relics. Including textile experts and artist observations.
The "official" review of this book makes a off hand comment that the "evidences" are compelling to Ian Wilson. PLEASE. They are compelling to all with an open mind.
Jeff Messenger, author of the novel "The Shroud of Torrington."
Convincing read.......2005-06-10
The Blood and the Shroud is an even-handed, scholarly treatment of the Shroud of Turin debate. While clearly a 'true-believer', Wilson treats his skeptics and critics with the utmost respect... even those whose sinister ulterior motives can scarcely be denied. The evidence offered in this book is compelling and thought-provoking. The now infamous 1988 Carbon-14 dating is laid bare for what it was: a poorly orchestrated effort on potentially contaminated samples of the Shroud which were snipped from an ill-conceived location.
I especially appreciated Wilson's attempt to reconstruct a provenance for the Shroud, using art history and ancient legends to connect it to the mysterious Mandylion of Edessa--an image of the face of Christ which was supposedly discovered hidden in the walls of the city of Edessa in the 6th century AD. His research is well and thoroughly done and I, for one, think there may be something to it.
In short, Wilson's work is at the very least, a masterful summary of the current state of research on the most famous religious relic in the world. Shroud enthusiasts and skeptics alike will be provided with much food for thought.
Author's Style Makes This Book a Favorite.......2004-04-25
Though the Shroud of Turin is infinitely fascinating, the research available on it is finite: the pollen; the negativity of its image; the bloodstains; the theorized Mandylion connection; its accurate depiction of the anatomy of a man who died by crucifixion; the evidence of Roman-style execution, down to the images of the weights on the ends of the whip used to beat the victim; evidence of first century Jewish burial practices, etc.
All of this evidence adds up to two conclusions, neither of which can ever sit comfortably in the mind of an intelligent person. One conclusion is that the Shroud is a diabolical, intricate fake. It was designed by some Medieval forger who could predict how scholars, in a variety of fields, centuries hence, would seek authenticity, using features no Medieval audience would require or even accept - for example, Jesus' nudity and nail marks through the wrists, rather than the hands.
The other conclusion is that the Shroud is the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. *That* conclusion is so stunning, so truly terrifying in its implications, that the intelligent person, while intrigued and delighted by the Shroud's mysterious features, struggles to find conclusive evidence that the Shroud cannot possibly be what it very much appears to be.
In any case, the evidence to support either conclusion is finite. If you read this book, or Mark Antonacci's book, or any number of other publications on the Shroud, you will be going over similar intellectual terrain. You will read of neutron flux, the sacking of Constantinople, the Knights Templar, and the peculiarities of Jerusalem's flora. As an artist, Wilson pays more attention to artist Isabel Piczek's theories than other authors have -- and that is a very good thing -- but, otherwise, Shroud fans will have read about much of this material before.
What set Ian Wilson's book apart for me was the author's style. Amidst the hard evidence, Wilson was willing to give us his own subjective response to seeing the Shroud for the first time. Wilson was willing to quote others' astounded reactions as well. Wilson wrote of scholars whose theories he does not accept with wit and graciousness. He was also willing to share with those of us outside Shroud politics the ins and outs of the Shroud world's gossip and infighting.
For these reasons of style, humanity, humility, and humor, Wilson's is my favorite Shroud book so far. I like it that he doesn't allow the pressure to prove the Shroud's value via hard science to silence his humanity. Wilson strikes me as a wonderful chap; reading his book, I wished I could be discussing the Shroud with him in person in a pub somewhere in the soggy English countryside.
While an interesting book..........2002-09-02
...I found Mr Wilson's desperation for the shroud to be genuine to scream off the page...I enjoyed the section on Carbon Dating and the (possible) potential to mislead, though would have thought that in the 3 years since this book was written, such a stellar discovery (that all dated objects are potentially incorrect by as much as 1000 years) would mean that CD was pretty much discredited now. It doesn't seem to have been.
My other problems were with the "if" and "perhaps" statements used along the way (such as the assumption that the historical shroud of Essa is the same as the Turin shroud) become facts later - to paraphrase "I have now shown that there is mention of the shroud in literature before the Middle Ages" - Yes but only if your suppositions are correct.
Towards the end of the book, I began to get increasingly irritated by the continued assumption that the image was too perfect to have been painted by a forger, even a Leonardo. It's surprising what artisans can do, and this statement is too sweeping to remain unchallenged - look at the great Cathedrals of Europe to see what can be made by men with tools, skill and time. Mr Wilson is blinded by what he sees on the cloth.
All in all, though, most arguments get a good airing for both pro and con. Though the bias shines through there are many interesting parts in this book. I'd like to have known about other shrouds of the period, specifically whether they were common relics like Saints bones.
Book Description
Much more than just a ribbon of crumbling asphalt, Route 66 today appeals to the world for its nostalgia valuefor the promise that Steinbecks "Mother Road" once held and the places that stood alongside it. As the highway has declined into disuse, so too have the countless establishments that sprouted up from Illinois to California to cater to weary travelers and hopeful vacationers alike.Motor courts, cafes, main streets, filling stations, and greasy spoonsall are represented in this new book featuring dozens of lost-and-found sites not featured in photographer and author Russ Olsens first volume. As does its predecessor, this new installment presents 75 locations along the Mother Roads entire 2,297 miles, showing them both during their heydays as seen in black-and-white photographs taken for period postcards, and as they appear today from the same angle and also with black-and-white photographs. Each site featured is accompanied by a detailed capsule history tracing the locales rise and fall, as well as an exclusive map pointing out its location along Route 66.
Customer Reviews:
amazing book .......2007-08-06
this is a great book in my opinion i love it very informative nice pictures and comparisons from old-new of most photos of places .. i have been on bits of 66 over the years i may never drive the majority of it but reading this book made me feel like i did wonderful is all i can say
Lost and Found.......2007-07-24
Both volume one and two are very interesting and well researched books.
I traveled Route 66 a couple of years ago and reading the book was fascinating- now I know how many locations I went sailing past without a clue!
When I next get a chance to do a repeat journey, I shall certainly re-read the books very thoroughly and travel slower so as not to miss such historic scenes.
Lots of Memories.......2007-07-14
I love this volume and number two. As a child in the fifties whose father was an Air Force officer, I remember the thrills and excitement I had whenever my father would be posted to a new base. My sister and I would be in the back seat and we always drew an imaginary line on the seat which delineated our respective domains.
We would love the nighttimes because when we drove through the towns, there were all these brightly lit signs for drive-in movies. We would usually stop for gasoline and have lunch in some greasy spoon. It seemed like each restaurant booth had a box on the wall that would beckon one to play five songs for a quarter from the jukebox.
As an Army officer myself in the 60's and 70's, I traveled Route 66 with my own family. The thrill was still there up until the 70's when it became more expedient to use the interstates.
These aforementioned books continue to bring back very fond memories.
It is readily discernable that the author spent numerous hours researching his information for each of his photos. Where possible, it appears that he shot the modern versions of the subjects from the same angle as that shown in the archival photos.
I hope there will be a volume III and volume IV.
Interesting book, room for improvement.......2007-05-19
First I have to admit being a bit envious of anyone who hast the time and lifestyle that lets them drive around seeking out these old ruins. I bought this book because I already had the other volume and enjoyed it. I think it would be improved if the 'now' photos were really sized and shot to compare more readily with the 'then' photos; some of them are hard to visualize that it's the same place due to changes in perspective between the photos. Also I would really like to see a few interior shots of the ones which are still standing, abandoned or not, vs. possibly anything available of what was taken long ago if any such pictures exist. I did enjoy the book however; there are lesser efforts out there.
Great book to compare what Rt 66 was to what it is today........2007-04-12
Basically my subject line says it all. This is a unique book on Rt.66 in which it pretty much gets down to details on the buisness establishments and attractions that exist(s)(ed)on the entire run of Rt.66.
The author compares each structure (or attraction) and shows a picture of what it looked like in it's heyday, and what it looks like now.
What is amazing is how many business's have not changed much or have been restored when the comparison is given.
The book is very well laid out and is hardcover, so it could be a nice reference book or even a coffee table book that could be put out to stir up conversations.
This book is NOT a guide on how to get to certain attractions on Rt. 66. Nor does it explain the full history pf the road.
If you are planning a Rt. 66 road trip, you can use this book to find out what you want to see, but then I recommened getting "Route 66 Adventure Handbook: Updated and Expanded Third Edition" by Drew Knowles.
If you want to read up more on the history of Rt. 66, then I would recommend "Route 66: The Mother Road" by legendary Rt 66 historian, Michael Wallis.
Between these three books, one could easily plan a trip on Rt. 66 and be very well informed of its past as well as current history.
NOTE: The only reason why I gave this book 4 and not 5 stars is that not all of the Rt.66 attractions are covered. In fact quite a few of the more well known attractions are not in this book. However, this book is a second volume and there is obviously a volume 1.
Amazon.com
A well-publicized 1994 Sotheby's auction listed, among other musical artifacts and ephemera on the block, a lock of Beethoven's hair. The high-bidders of the hair, two Beethoven enthusiasts, were easy enough to identify by their oddball names: one was a doctor named Che Guevara, the other a retired real estate developer named Ira Brilliant. But the real story, as author Russell Martin attempts to explain in this book, is how did the lock end up on the auction block? More important, can we learn anything from a 175-year-old snippet of hair? Somehow, author Russell Martin attempts to weave biographical information about Beethoven's life with scientific findings about his hair (the two buyers had the lock DNA-tested), as well as trace the path the hair took, from the great composer's head right into the present.
It's a tall order and one at which Martin partially succeeds. His facts about Beethoven and Ferdinand Hiller (the original keeper of the lock) are solid, but he hypothesizes at length about how the hair ended up in a small port town in Denmark during the Nazi occupation. Likewise, he spends nearly the entire second half of the book describing the lives of Guevara and Brilliant, occasionally sounding more like a press agent than a journalist. Subtitled "An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Musical Mystery Solved," Beethoven's Hair doesn't truly solve any musical mysteries, but it is a fascinating, original read for Beethoven-philes who want to learn a little bit more about their favorite composer. --Jason Verlinde
Book Description
Ludwig van Beethoven lay dying in 1827, a young musician named Ferdinand Hiller came to pay his respects to the great composer. In those days, it was customary to snip a lock of hair as a keepsake, and this Hiller did a day after Beethoven's death. By the time he was buried, Beethoven's head had been nearly shorn by the many people who similarly had wanted a lasting memento of the great man. Such was his powerful effect on all those who had heard his music.
For a century, the lock of hair was a treasured Hiller family relic, and perhaps was destined to end up sequestered in a bank vault, until it somehow found its way to the town of Gilleleje, in Nazi-occupied Denmark, during the darkest days of the Second World War. There, it was given to a local doctor, Kay Fremming, who was deeply involved in the effort to help save hundreds of hunted and frightened Jews. Who gave him the hair, and why? And what was the fate of those refugees, holed up in the attic of Gilleleje's church?
After Fremming's death, his daughter assumed ownership of the lock, and eventually consigned it for sale at Sotheby's, where two American Beethoven enthusiasts, Ira Brilliant and Che Guevara, purchased it in 1994. Subsequently, they and others instituted a series of complex forensic tests in the hope of finding the probable causes of the composer's chronically bad health, his deafness, and the final demise that Ferdinand Hiller had witnessed all those years ago. The results, revealed for the first time here, are startling, and are the most compelling explanation yet offered for why one of the foremost musicians the world has ever known was forced to spend much of his life in silence.
In Beethoven's Hair, Russell Martin has created a rich historical treasure hunt, an Indiana Jones-like tale of false leads, amazing breakthroughs, and incredible revelations. This unique and fascinating book is a moving testament to the power of music, the lure of relics, the heroism of the Resistance movement, and the brilliance of molecular science.
An astonishing tale of one lock of hair and its amazing travels--from nineteenth-century Vienna to twenty-first-century America.
Download Description
An adventure story starring a lock of Beethoven's hair, this irresistible true tale mixes history, music and science into a compelling narrative. Beginning in 1827, when 582 strands of the great composer's hair were cut from his scalp, the author traces the history of the lock right up to the present day.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Book.......2007-05-25
Purchased the book for my daughter, who is a music student. Loved the book, it is more interesting and accessible than expected.
The Real Story about Beethoven and his deafness.......2007-01-10
This book was fascinating from the start. A mixture of World War II intrigue and Classical Music history. The book was well written and kept me involved to the end. I have used what I learned from it to help with my teaching in Music Connections in Middle School.
Good Content, With One Stylistic Problem.......2006-10-25
Let me say first - and I say it with enthusiasm - that I enjoyed the content and - unlike some - the layout of the book. However, there was one - and only one as far as I can figure - drawback to the book. It seemed at times like it happened on almost every page - this drawback - that Martin used extremely long hypenated sentences - like these, which, after a while could cause you to lose track of what the sentence started out to say - that caused me to have to read them three times to make sense of them. Okay, the point is made. That problem aside, I found the content of the book very riveting and exciting. I thought it was a nice creative touch to alternate between the history of Beethoven's lock of hair and the modern-day events surrounding its acquisition and scientific evaluation. The book even suggests a possible cause of Beethoven's deafness based on the study. I recommend the book. And now that it is in paperback, the price is right, too.
A thrilling biography of a clump of hair..........2006-08-11
A lock of hair, not a famous composer, plays the lead role in this forensic thriller. The story of how this lock found its way from Beethoven's head to the city of Cologne, to the port city of Gilleleje, to Sotheby's in New York City, and finally to the Beethoven Center in California makes for a breathtaking and page turning tale. And, along the way, a very likely explanation for the ravaging illnesses that plagued Beethoven throughout his life emerges. Not only that, it even played a part in saving Jews from Nazi terror. Quite an accomplishment for a clump of hair.
This book demonstrates the facility with which science and history can synergize. A simple wooden and glass locket states in antiquated writing that the hair within came from Ludwig Van Beethoven. But did it? As the item was passed for over a century through numerous hands in Germany, many may have harbored suspicions of its authenticity. After all, how does one prove that the hairs once sprouted from one of western civilization's key figures? And the stories of numerous fradulent relics, notably those of Saints, rings loud in european history. But modern science can unravel such questions, and, as the purchasers of the hair realized, many other surprising things.
In 1827, the hair in question did make its way from the scalp of Beethoven into the hands of young Ferdinand Hiller, who then made quite a name for himself in Cologne. Amongst his friends he could count Felix Mendlessohn, Franz Liszt, and Frederick Chopin. And throughout his fascinating life he met other luminaries such as Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms, Hector Berlioz, and Goethe. He garnered a reputation as a composer and music critic, and achieved renown in his day. But his fame eventually faded, and he passed the locket on to his son, Paul, as a treasured family heirloom. The locket received some restoration work in 1911, and remained in the care of the Hiller family until the precarious era of Nazi Germany split apart families and cities. Somehow it ended up in the small city of Gilleleje in northern Denmark. The book explores various theories as to its arrival there. At the time the city was heroically transporting Jews to Sweden to keep them from the maw of the Nazis. A modest physician named Kay Fremming received the locket from one of the Jews hidden in the town church the very night the Gestapo stormed it and hauled away a hundred or so refugees. Fremming kept the locket in his office drawer for two decades. The Fremming's adopted daughter (she literally sat on their step one day and claimed them as her family when they arrived home) was shown the locket by Kay's wife, Marta. As time passed and Kay and his wife passed away, the locket came into the daughter's hands. Rough times later descended, and she decided to put the locket up for sale. Sotheby's showed an interest, and the some two hundred year old item appeared in the 1994 catalog. Ravenous Beethoven fans on the American continent bid on the piece, won it, and trasported it to the Beethoven Center in San Jose, California (where it remains). They had the idea to have some of the hair analyzed to help determine the cause of Beethoven's death, a wish that Beethoven had explicitly expressed in his letters. The analysis revealed the now old news that Beethoven had significant levels of lead in his body, and that lead poisoning likely hastened his death. That theory remains the accepted explanation. Then, to put the final piece in order, bone analysis linked the hair to Beethoven almost indubitably.
Weaving throughout the story of the locket is a cursory biography of Beethoven himself. Those familiar with his life will likely learn nothing new from these interposed sections. Regardless, they help elucidate Beethoven's health issues, and help point the book towards its ultimate goal. But the travails of the snipped hair remain the focus of the book.
A summary of the twisted plot leaves out the rich nuances and details that provide the book's real fascination. Not to mention the numerous people that came together to help solve the puzzle. This story has a curious parallel in the fictional movie "The Red Violin", in that the life of an object through phases of the human world receives elucidation. Fans of that movie will likely appreciate the intentions at work in "Beethoven's Hair". Perhaps the most astonishing fact is that a simple hair cutting led, two hundred years later, to the unveiling of a historical quandry. Which goes to show that very small human actions can lead inexorably to momentous consequences.
This book gave me goosebumps.......2006-04-13
I LOVE this book. I have been wanting to read it since it came out but was unable to until now, I am so glad I finally did. This book managed to be creative, informative, illustrative and emotive all at once.
This is not a straight up biography of (my favorite) composer, although there is biographical information given. It is more a history of his hair, specifically one lock of his hair. A reader has to take that into mind when reading this. Take any object in history and follow its path through the world, the people it was with and touch, how it affected their lives and how they in turn affected its future course in the world. That is what this book is about.
It is about how Beethoven's hair possibly traveled through historical moments of human strength and weakness, and how his music also reflects that same ripple effect on history always there as the hair travels forward in time, accompanying it somewhere else in the world. It is proof that Beethoven's passion lives on.
Not every page in this book is about Beethoven, which I could see dissapointing someone, but I wasn't. It gave me a lesson in history, they certainly didn't teach me about small Danish fishing villages in my general world history classes. They should have. The story of the village is amazing, and it makes me proud to be a member of the same species as those people. The book is a testament to the power of compassion.
I can't reccomend this book highly enough. I don't know if it helped me or not, having already read an extensive Beethoven biography, I don't think knowing gobs about his life is necessary to appreciate this book--though being able to feel the passion of his music certainly won't hurt.
Average customer rating:
- Are All Fallen Angels Damned?
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- Connolly at his Best
- silly!
- Worst novel I've ever read
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The Black Angel: A Thriller (Charlie Parker Mysteries)
John Connolly
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ASIN: 0743487877 |
Book Description
When a young woman disappears from the streets of New York City, ties of friendship and blood inevitably draw ingenious, tortured detective Charlie Parker into the search. Soon he discovers links to a church of bones in Eastern Europe, a 1944 slaughter at a French monastery, and to the myth of an object known as the Black Angel -- considered by evil men to be beyond priceless. But the Black Angel is not a legend. It is real. It lives. It dreams. And the mystery of its existence may contain the secret of Parker's own origins.
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" To those who have been forsaken, hell has no geography. The Black Angel begins with the disappearance of a young prostitute from one of New York City's seamiest neighborhoods. Like so many tormented souls before her, the girl's mother is inevitably drawn to Charlie Parker's doorstep desperate for redemption and revenge. Despite the danger that his chosen profession imposes on his wife and newborn daughter, Parker knows that the woman and her troubles cannot be ignored. As always, he is driven as much by the evil that simmers in the hidden honeycomb world as he is by the ties of friendship and blood. As Parker gets closer to the girl's captors, he discovers that her disappearance is linked to a church of bones in Eastern Europe, to the slaughter at a French monastery in 1944, and to the myth of an object known as the Black Angel -- an object considered by evil men to be beyond priceless. But the Black Angel is not a legend. It is real. It lives. It dreams. And the mystery of its existence may contain the secret of Parker's own origins. "
Customer Reviews:
Are All Fallen Angels Damned?.......2007-10-03
I thoroughly enjoyed BLACK ANGEL, John Connolly's fifth novel featuring the brooding private investigator Charlie Parker (EVERY DEAD THING, DARK HOLLOW, The KILLING KIND, The WHITE ROAD being the previous four).
BLACK ANGEL begins with Parker helping his friend--and sometime enforcer--Louis to find his missing cousin Alice, a drug addict and prostitute who worked the Bronx's notorious Hunt's Point. Parker and Louis' search for Alice amongst the junkies, hookers and pimps, leads them eventually to the more sophisticated and much more perverse occult circles of secret societies and demon worshippers. A world where Charlie Parker will learn much about himself and what compels him.
For BLACK ANGEL Connolly takes inspiration from a wide variety of religious and occult lore, further blending the genres of detective novel and supernatural thriller, which provides a fresh and enticing spin on familiar themes. Connolly's recently published The UNQUIET continues the Charlie Parker saga.
In Need of an Editor.......2006-10-08
I have read everything Connolly has writen and on the whole it has been very good, particularly the early stuff. This one, however, is sadly in need of a good editor who could have cut it down from around 600 pages to three.
Everything is described in great detail, over two pages devoted to telling us how a minor character became a pimp, (as if we cared), pages of historical data printed in italics, and endless psychobabble of Parker's emotional problems with himself, his family and the world at large.
The writing is good when it sticks to the action, but one part hard boiled detective (where it should have stayed),one part supernatural hokum, one part history and one part romance, equals a total mess.
Connolly at his Best.......2006-08-05
I've been a Fan of Colly's of Charlie Parker detective since EVERY DEAD THING, which showcased Parker's tragic burnout. You FEEL for this poor SOB. He's really been through it all, and the rage he must have inside is nicely filtered out by the author. Never too much at once...always the feeling that this guy is going to lose it one day. Or maybe eat his gun.
All that said, THE BLACK ANGEL is a breathtaking novel. It elevates Connolly's writing to the status of literature of that rare and special kind The Black Angel takes your breath away by the writing and by the premise that Parker is a member of a terribly select chosen few --guys like James Lee Burke and Peter Straub. Writers who can build a straight mystery around the seemingly unnatural.
silly!.......2006-06-16
I've read some silly books in my time, but this one takes the biscuit! It starts off as if it's going to be a "normal" thriller -- which is what lured me into buying it... -- but rapidly descends into the supernatural. I would give away the ending if I could, but it got so ridiculous I couldn't get more than halfway through it...
Worst novel I've ever read.......2006-06-15
I read up to the middle of the book and the story was going nowhere. I simply gave up...
There are much better novels to spend your time with.
Amazon.com
Saints are special kinds of heroes. They are of little interest as everyday people; their real significance lies in the way they exemplify universal values given by God. In Furta Sacra: Thefts of Relics in the Central Middle Ages, Patrick J. Geary devotes microscopic attention to the way medieval Christians and merchants raided tombs, plundered churches, and scoured the Roman catacombs in order to obtain sacred relics. Although Geary rejects the notion that cults of saints were "pure manifestations of religious devotions" devoid of cultural associations, he honors the religious impulses of some truly outrageous behavior. Geary's study is academic and a bit of a brain stretcher, but it's fairly short and worth close attention. In describing how hagiography mirrored the values of medieval society, he provides a helpful road map for alert readers interested in contemporary cults of saints. When Evangelicals honor C.S. Lewis, for instance, or South American Christians remember Eva Peron, or even when movie memorabilia collectors pay big bucks for Dorothy's ruby slippers, they relive a very old dream of bringing humanity's highest ideals down into earthly form. --Michael Joseph Gross
Customer Reviews:
Well written, but probably not for the uninitiated.......2007-06-09
I enjoyed this book in part because the stories of relic thefts, and the lives of the stolen Saints, sometimes seemed too improbable to be true, and yet one cannot deny the obvious impact those same stories had (whether true or not seems irrelevant to their legacy) on the communities that obtained them. I found is rather funny that monks would invent theft stories to imbue a Saints remains (obtained legally) with more pizazz, in the hopes of drawing more pilgrims and donors. I also laughed during the descriptions of the miraculous second body that often accompanied disputed claims to a Saint, who often, it seemed, was unknown to the world until calling out to a wandering monk or two.
I make light of several of the stories, but the book was fascinating, and Geary does a good job of putting the cult of relics and their thefts in cultural and historical perspective, which when seen with that eye, are perfectly normal and important to the spiritual and communal development of the time period. In context, the book and its stories become even more meaningful as we look at how certain things influence us. There is no denying the power relics had then (and now), but through 21st Century eyes, sometimes it's hard to believe.
This book is short, well written, but probably not for the casual reader. It is full of phrases in latin, is written for an intellectual audience, and assumes some familiarity with place and time. I really liked it despite likely being outside the target audience.
Before You Buy St. Nicholas' Thigh-Bone, Read This Book.......2004-11-30
"Furta Sacra" is a scholarly, yet easy to read, well-written and documented book on the peculiarly medieval phenomenon of relic thefts.
Maintaining that in medieval hagiography a successful theft of a relic indicated that a stolen saint actually WANTED to be "translated" elsewhere, Dr. Geary, citing dozens of actual medieval theft cases, examines how and why relics were stolen. The reasons range from abbeys and cathedrals, and even cities and towns, attempting to one-up each other with the impressive relics they could boast(and hence increase not only their prestige, but also their coffers from donations by pilgrims), to the desire to keep such sacred Christian objects out of the hands of non-Christians. Geary also examines the lucrative market in such relics.
All in all a wonderful and informative read. Cadfael fans should find this book particularly interesting, as the incident in the first book of the translation of St. Winifred's relics to Shrewsbury actually occurred as depicted by Peters. Now fans of the series can find out how the theology and politics behind such a translation actually worked.
Before you buy St. Nicholas' thigh-bone, just remember. . . it could be stolen!
Pax vobiscum.
things you didn't know you didn't know.......2004-06-30
Furta Sacra is a well-researched, respectfully written "expose" of the relic trade as it was conducted during the Middle Ages. When, 9 or 10 years back, I came across the Brother Cadfael story about the theft of the bones of St. Winifred in Wales, I didn't realize how commonplace this sort of chicanery and piracy actually was. Patrick Geary presents a readable, informative account of hagiography, the engineering of miracles, cults of the saints, financial considerations, and most intriguing, the travels, adventures, and translations of the corpses and body parts of many of Europe's best known holy personages.
A luminous interpretation of an obscure phenomena.......2000-07-10
A martyr's body is stolen by an army of monks; the story of the search of Saint Mark's the Evangelist corpse all over Europe, comissioned by different kings and prelates; the undeniable prestige that Italian relics had all over the Continent; the flux of money that a dead saint brought to a shrine, and how the survival of monasteries depended on their relics; the trade of the relic monger, like Felix, the Frankish monk that sold the bodies of Saint Severus, Saint Bartholomew, Saint Cecilia, Saint Emerita and Saint Eugenia, among others!!These fascinating and bizarre medieval phenomena, known as translatio ( always done with divine help or botched by supernatural dissent) are carefully studied by Geary in this brilliant study. How is it possible that a theft could be applauded by a whole community? That the body of Saint Magdalene had a cult in France? That kings collected relics like the art collectors of today? Explaining the context of these beliefs, it becomes clear that these strange behaviours are not that far from some of the conducts our societies hold dear. Miracles, mysteries, daring thefts, prestige, all are analyzed by Geary. Compassion, wit and first of all a clear understanding of the medieval mind, makes this book a wonderful, entertaining and not at all morbid read.
Average customer rating:
- par for Nickell
- Questionable approach
- Very exciting work
- A great book
- A valuable, well-researched study of questionable claims..
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Looking for a Miracle: Weeping Icons, Relics, Stigmata, Visions & Healing Cures
Joe Nickell
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
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ASIN: 0879758406 |
Customer Reviews:
par for Nickell.......2006-11-07
Nickell is a major-league dip. He doesn't research his facts fully, and--despite his claim that he's interested only in the scientific method and, above all, the truth--he is certain to prejudge everything as false and select only that "evidence" that supports this position. He reminds me of one of his younger fellows from CSICOP--Underhill or Underwood or something--whom you always see on TV. That fellow will go off about, oh, sasquatch or some such, dismissing eyewitness reports, films, and such with general comments about people having seen bears. Generalities are just fine, but they do not serve as an off-the-cuff, zero-thought-required refutation to any and every possibility that presents itself!
Questionable approach.......2005-09-12
This book is a tribute to the author's 'will to disbelief' rather than an objective assessment. Even the most hardened of sceptics has to concede that a substantial percentage of the claims made in the name of the supernatural - e.g. weeping icons, stigmata etc. cannot be 'explained away' by science or rational methodologies. They occupy a realm where rational, scientific method per se, is neither able to refute nor to confirm. The general drift of Joe Nickell's book is that, one way or another, most such things involve deception. However, that is is not necessarily the opinion of the scientific community. The spontaneous image which subsequently became known as 'Our Lady of Guadalupe' - remains unexplained. No paint pigments could be found in it. Scientists are equally unable to account for the multiplying number of 'weeping madonnas' etc. Signs of the stigmata have also been examined by scientists, and pronounced inexplicable, rather than denied. It is, in fact, irrational and unscientific - against mounting empirical evidence - to try and 'explain away' all such things.
Very exciting work.......2004-08-05
I have read this book several times from the library, and finally decided to just buy it. Another review mentioned how he seems to deny all miracles, but that is not the impression I got (which most of the other reviews also seemed to have a similar understanding) considering he is simply trying to show that most (in)famous miracles do not hold up well under a rigorous inspection. The area that I wish he had addressed was the life and miracles claimed of Jesus. I understand that to be an even more touchy- and to some, insensitive- subject but I have a lot of respect for Joe Nickell and his many-faceted career; I think he could treat the subject with the needed care.
The book is worth reading alone for the sections on commercial miracle workers and healers (Oral Roberts, e.g.) and how they abuse the faith of those who give them money. I'm sure this is not an original idea but these commercial tele-evangelists are basically bringing back indulgences from the ancient Catholic church. Most modern people, religous or not, are sickened of the idea of indulgences and use it as a primary example of past Catholic corruption, yet it is still happening today, with not nearly the outcry that one might expect. But I digress...
This book is well-done, and raises many important ideas that I cannot give the proper justice too. Highly recommended...
A great book.......2002-09-20
I am a Catholic, but I loved this book. I am so sick of hearing about Lourdes, Fatima, and other Catholic scams. This book shines the light of truth on these events and on many other odd things.
A valuable, well-researched study of questionable claims.........2002-07-24
Depending on what side of the religious fence you're on, you can find this book to be either annoying and even offensive, or a great reference book about gullibility, to teach us how to think better. I have to confess I'm in the latter category.
What's often befuddles many devout believers is why someone would even analyze miracles in the first place. After all, life without belief in miracles seems to be empty. What Nickell points out, simply, is that before we jump to conclusions, and impulsively accept a supernatural "explanation" for such phenomena, we should at least take a look at NATURAL reasons why they occur -- or look like they occur. He provides one or more natural, logical reason(s) for every "supernatural wonder" he describes. What he's telling the reader is "Examine and test extraordinary claims". Even religious ones, taught to us by people we admmire. If we don't do that, then we're liable to be suckered into swallowing whole any belief system. And in doing so, we can lose touch with reality.
I don't get the sense that the author is singling out the Catholic Church as an evil entity, or that he's coming down hard, personally, on individuals in that organization. However, he uses Catholic claims of miracles as an illustration of the way in which beliefs, once they're given official sanction by authorities, are easily accepted. He might have used Hinduism, Christian Science, or UFO-ology, for that matter, to serve his same purpose. But traditional Catholicism is familiar to many Americans. For that reader, Nickell gives a different slant on a lot of beliefs they would be already acquainted with. He also aids the non-Catholic believers, and the non-religious, to understand Catholic (and some Pentecostal) miracle claims, in scientific terms. In other words, he scrutinizes them, to see if the claims actually have any common-sense or logical basis, and if there's really any proof to back up the claims. It's up to the reader to decide whether he's made a case against belief. I believe he has, based on his thorough research of these cases. Of course, you disagree. But I would invite you to read what he has to say, and make up your own mind.
As Nickell implies, there might be deception in some of these astounding instances. But that's not always easy to prove. In my opinion, his research has uncovered cases of blant trickery. Other times, from what I can see, they're just deeply-held convictions, in spite of evidence which refute the claims.
His arguments may never sway the most loyal religious folks. That's understandable. Faith is definitely a strong force in an individual's life. One thing is certain: faith in miracles is at least a matter of great sincerity.
But one problem with that sincere exercise of faith, Nickell shows, is that it doesn't guarantee truth. Very well-intentioned believers retain ideas they've held since they were kids. But Nickell's point is that we have to be careful about what we continue to hold onto, and take things with a grain of salt, when we hear about things like weeping icons or healings.
I think that the value of "Looking For A Miracle" is the lesson that faith in supernational powers, and magical thinking, isn't necessary for wholeness and happiness. From his many examples, it's obvious that such faith can instill a feeling of security and love. But Nickell says that isn't enough. He offers a different, more accepting view of life's varied experiences. His outlook, from what I gather, is that one can live in and appreciate the natural world, even with all of our limitations, like gravity, sickness and mortality. So it's a great book for helping us view life as thinking, realistic adults.
If you read it with that thought in mind, with a desire to learn a different point of view, you should get a lot out of it. Highly recommended!
Book Description
Why do the Ark of the Covenant, Mary's reliquary box, and Jesus' Coffer all have the same imagery? .
Was the Ark the container of the Covenant, the Ten Commandments, or the Chalice?
Does the image of the Shroud of Turin contain a bioelectric field?
These questions and others will be explored in
The Ark, The Shroud, and Mary. Author Philip Gardiner recently won the acclaim of both scholars and the reading public with The Serpent Grail, which united three of the most mysterious objects known to man--the Grail, Elixir and Philosophers Stone. Now, in this unique and thought-provoking work Gardiner proves that the Ark of the Covenant, the Shroud of Turin, and Mary are united in ways never before imagined.
Travelling across the world, from Rome to India, Portugal to Egypt, Gardiner uncovers the trail of the Ark and finds that it does not lead to Ethiopia, as many believe, but instead in a direction that nobody could have imagined. The trail of the Ark takes Gardiner on a hunt into the very heart of an ancient secret society with clandestine meetings in far-off lands.
Uniting the myth, tradition, and language of the Ark with the Shroud of Turin, Gardiner then goes on to re-date it, reveal how it was made, and identify whose image it actually recreates. Through his new-found contacts in the world of secret societies, Gardiner then shows how this incredible secret was protected by a dual brotherhood throughout time and was the secret source of the enlightenment spoken of by numerous orders from the Sufis to the Knights Templar.
The Ark, The Shroud, and Mary outshines The Da Vinci Code for the simple reason that it is the factual story of one man's fight to uncover the truth.
Customer Reviews:
***** The Magnum Opus of Secret Society Wisdom *****.......2007-03-07
I was stunned that this writer can reveal these secrets and get them into the marktplace in the USA. Somebody is asleep at the switch of censorship and surely this magnum opus will not be overlooked for long. Once the word is out this book will be banned, burned, and/or buried in the vaults of the Vatican again! Read the most comprehensive manuscript on hidden knowledge since the Dead Sea Scrolls were released decades ago; yet sure to ignite a firestorm of controversy in orthodox circles, too, as well as a celebration of consciousness in unorthodox ones. This is such a marvelous time to be alive on planet earth when the truth is sweeping the lies clean as if it were a flood of biblical proportions!
Dr. John Jay Harper is author of Tranceformers: Shamans of the 21st Century
Phew.......2007-03-04
Been waiting for this ever since I heard about it and I'm glad I did. Gardiner unpicks the whole thing, from the Ark in Ethiopia to the making of the Shroud and then some. The twists and turns of this book reveal a mindset that just wouldn't give in and Gardiner thinks of alternatives that others simply have not thought of. The etymology of the words had me sitting back and wondering and then he goes on some crazy field trip and meets up with the brotherhood who land a real scorcher of a revelation that ought to be in a film - it so made sense.
Anybody who loves bloodline theories, intrigue and sacred secrets will be in awe at the simple truths in this book that have passed everybody by. His discoveries are tremendous and if you don't get a few shocks reading this excellent book then you have missed something IMO. Well researched, beautifully written and exhilerating. I'm gonna buy the DVD now!
Book Description
In 1100, an English knight named was entrusted with a precious religious relic—a piece of the True Cross, allegedly stained with the blood of Christ. The relic is said to curse anyone who touches with a gruesome end as soon as it leaves their possession. Several decades pass, and the Cross turns up in the possession of a dealer who is robbed and murdered en route to Glastonbury. Investigating the death, Bernard Knight’s protagonist, Crowner John, learns of the relic’s dark history. In 1269, the discovery of a decapitated monk leads Ian Morson’s academic sleuth William Falconer to uncover a link to the relic, and in 1323, Michael Jecks’ Sir Baldwin Furnshill has reason to suspect the relic’s involvement in at least five violent deaths. Finally, the relic is dispatched to London, where it falls into the hands of an unscrupulous book dealer—and where Philip Gooden’s Nick Revill will determine its ultimate fate.
Customer Reviews:
An Rough Read.......2007-08-09
This book is very uneven and at times almost painful to read. I would have appreciated the author's names being listed with each short story. If I am understanding the layout correctly, it would appear that Susanna Gregory is the author of Act Four - the story that I found most tedious. This is surprising since I generally like what she writes under her Simon Beauford pseudonym. I would not recommend to other than the most dedicated mystery medieval history fans.
Unique Work.......2007-03-20
This is the first work in historical murder mystery I have ever seen with multiple authors writing on the same theme. While not all the authors meet the level of Jecks or Knight, the work as a whole still deserves 5 stars. You may not like parts of this "meal" but you won't leave hungry for a treat in murder mystery. It starts in one time period and ends ... well buy it and read it. They don't pay me, I purchase their works when not reading academic works, etc. I am also disabled veteran who needs a break from the other materials mentioned. It was my good fortune to find Jecks and Knight and now these other friends of theirs. There are too many writing "murder mystery" and getting away with their writing and folks like these not getting the credit due them.
Good Idea, but............2006-01-29
This was a good idea, to have several writers get together and work on a common theme. It has been done before and most of the ideas came off quite well. This particular book did not quite make the grade.
The basic story is a good one. A piece of the true cross with a curse attached to it as it from hand-to-hand during different periods. A short story from each of the authors covers each period. Unfortunately, some of the authors were not that good and the story as a whole suffered because of that.
The Medieval Murderers .......2005-06-26
'The Tainted Relic' is collaboration between the 'Medieval Murderers' collective of murder mystery writers (namely Simon Beaufort, Michael Jecks, Susanna Gregory, Bernard Knight, Ian Morson, Philip Gooden). The relic in question is (allegedly) a piece of the true cross taken from Jerusalem after the Second Crusade took the city in July 1100. The Crusaders' victory is marked by indiscriminate slaughter of Jews and Moslems living in the city, and the Arab guardian of this relic curses it after finding that the Crusaders have butchered his family and are about to cut him down. The relic brings death to those who possess it, and travels through the medieval timeline in England, encountering the different characters and eras which have been used by the Medieval Murderers in their respective novels. What makes this novel particularly interesting -apart from the joint author aspect- is that you can read it as a sequence of murder mysteries, or you can read it as a horror novel. Or perhaps on a more esoteric level,as a comment on the nature of Medieval Christendom, forever corrupted by the brutality of July 1100.
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