History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Captivating
Very compelling
Good beginning, didn't hold my interest
Two Lives connected over the centuries
Good start, but not as good as Pearl Earring...

The Virgin Blue
Tracy Chevalier
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Falling Angels
The Lady and the Unicorn
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Burning Bright
Girl in Hyacinth Blue

ASIN: 0452284449
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Book Description

Meet Ella Turner and Isabelle du Moulin - two women born centuries apart, yet bound by a fateful family legacy. When Ella and her husband move to a small town in France, Ella hopes to brush up on her French, qualify to practice as a midwife, and start a family of her own. Village life turns out to be less idyllic than she expected, however, and a peculiar dream of the color blue propels her on a quest to uncover her family's French ancestry. As the novel unfolds - alternating between Ella's story and that of Isabelle du Moulin four hundred years earlier - a common thread emerges that unexpectedly links the two women. Part detective story, part historical fiction, The Virgin Blue is a novel of passion and intrigue that compels readers to the very last page.

Customer Reviews:

Captivating.......2007-08-18

France - the mid 1500's during the Protestant Reformation. A story of a girl called Isabelle who is nicknamed La Rousse after the Virgin Mary. Her nickname soon loses it's affection when a Calvinistic preacher arrives in the village a few years later, to preach 'The Truth'.

France - the present day. American Ella Turner is trying to fit into the village her and her husband have moved to with his job. Whilst her husband is busy working, Ella goes in search of her ancestors the Tourniers.

The author alternates between the two story lines although it is clear that they are inextricably linked. The writing style is very fluent, written in both the first and third person, slipping easily between them both.

A book that draws you in further with every page. Although I had already guessed the outcome, I found myself almost racing to get to the end such is the tension evoked as the book comes to it's conclusion. Chevalier manages this not only with the characters, especially Isabella, but by replacing the alternating chapters with alternating paragraphs, forcing a quickening pace.

Very compelling.......2007-07-28

I found this book rather slow at the start. I kept putting it down and reading something else and then picking it up again. Once the story gets going, it's hard to put down the book. There are two separate stories which are told separately at first, but then intermingle at the end. The chapters separate the different stories, but at the end of the book, it's merely paragraphs.

I enjoyed the mystery involved and the characters were well developed. I have to agree with other reviewers, the affair seemed an unnecessary addition to the story line.

Good beginning, didn't hold my interest.......2007-07-18

I picked up this book to read on an airplaine flight. I decided to try it because I heard the book, the Girl With The Pearl Earring was really good. I wish that I had read that book instead. At first, I was really interested in this book. The woman who is in the past, who is called "La Rousse" is followed as she deals with a difficult marriage as well as religious strife and war in France. In the present time, a woman called Ella, who lives in France, is tracing her family history. I must say, it was fun learning a little French history this way. Also, it was fun using what little French I know reading the book and deciphering some of the parts of the book which used the language. However, I became very disenchanted with the book, and stopped reading it when Ella Truner (Tournier's) character becomes more and more involved with the Librarian and unfaithful to her husband. Her husband is depicted as such a nice fellow and so the unfaithfulness really turned me off. There was just no reason for it and it didn't add to the story. It made the story tedious to read as a matter of fact for me.

Maybe I will try the other book, the Girl With The Pearl Earring. From the comments I have read, it is better.

Two Lives connected over the centuries.......2007-07-10

This book tells the story of two women born 400 years apart, but are connected in an unexpected way.

The story starts off in the mid 1500's in France with Isabelle and her family. Her sister dies in birth, her mom dies of rabies after getting bit by a wolf, her two brothers go off to war and it is just her and her father. Shortly after this she gets pregnant by her boyfriend and while his parents dont like it Isabelle and Etoinne get married anyway. They live in the same small villiage in France for a while and raise two sons and a daughter, but after a Duke gets killed they have to move to Switzerland where Isabelle has trouble agusting to her new life.

400 years later comes Isabelles descendant Elle Turner who moved to France with her husband. She knows she has French roots and while there starts looking into them. There is only one thing that is the matter. She keeps having these nightmeres about blue. With the help of the local librarian as well as a distent cousin living in Switzerland Elle pieces together her family history and finds out what happened to Isabelle and her family while they lived in Switzerland

Good start, but not as good as Pearl Earring..........2007-07-02

After enjoying Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring, I was anxious to read something else by her. So I picked up The Virgin Blue. After Pearl Earring, I must admit that I was a bit disappointed with The Virgin Blue, Chevalier's first book.

The Virgin Blue alternates between the stories of two women. The first, Isabelle du Moulin lived in 16th Century France. As a girl, the suns rays reflected off a newly finished painting of the Virgin Mary and her hair immediately turned red. "From that day she was called La Rousse after the Virgin Mary." But being affiliated with the Virgin Mary lost its popularity when Calvinism became the dominant religion in that part of France. The second woman is Ella Turner, an American who relocates to France when her husband is transferred. Turner's ancestors are originally from France (the surname was really Tournier) and Turner starts having unsettling dreams upon her arrival. The dreams lead her on a quest to discover more about the history of her ancestors--especially the terrible secret of Isabelle du Moulin.

One problem that I had with The Virgin Blue is that I didn't feel that Ella Turner was all that likable. I also thought that Turner's dreams were very far-fetched (as well as other things I can't divulge without giving away some of the plot). But I did enjoy the historical aspects of the plot including the rise of Calvinism in France, and the battles between Roman Catholics and French Huguenots. It was also interesting to read about life in the small towns of the French countryside.

Overall, The Virgin Blue isn't a bad book and it's a good start for Chevalier. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I had read this book before Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Average customer rating:

Fastastic Voyage
tougher critic
Funny, Inspiring, Thrillseeker's Dream
Magical prose reflecting on excellent adventures
Sail away! Sail away! Sail away!

Adrift on a Sea of Blue Light

Manufacturer: Afro-Indies Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Gambia & Senegal | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books
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Gone to Come Back

ASIN: 0976139707

Product Description

Peter Muilenburg has lived in the Virgin Islands for almost 40 years, building boats and sailing his gaff-rigged ketch throughout the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and along the African coast. Here are his true tales, many previously published in magazines such as Islands, SAIL and Reader's Digest. Peter's passion for the sea, the stars, his family, his boat and the islands themselves is mirrored in his sensuous prose, his ear for dialogue, and his talent for transporting the reader to the place and time of his Caribbean imagination, and to his wondrous insights into island (and everyday) life. * * "DELIGHTFUL . . Muilenburg has the enviable ability to write as if he were talking with a friend . . immerse yourself in the world beyond, and a life lived simply but full of riches." SAIL, 12/05 * "SEAWORTHY . . During their adventures, Muilenburg and his wife, Dorothy, find themselves building boats, raising two sons . . and narrowly escaping would-be disasters . . Many of the 32 stories are full of intriguing encounters . . With his self-deprecating humor and zest for life, Muilenburg's collection is an entertaining read that will make you want to set sail." ISLANDS, 06/05 * "I don't know when I have enjoyed a book of stories more than 'Adrift' . . The tales revealed are warm, human, poignant and hysterically funny . . The accompanying black and white photos . . lend a dreamy and exquisite aura to the pages . .This book is a wonderful way to get away from it all and I cannot praise it enough." ALL AT SEA, 07/05 (see below). * "The author . . has the generous outlook of a seasoned world traveler . . [A] book I would heartily recommend to all cruisers and armchair sailors . ." CARIBBEAN COMPASS, 10/05 * "[This] incredible book . . is probably one the best books to come out of St. John, ever." St. John Sun Times, 5/20/05. * "Read this book . . Muilenburg deserves an A+." Paul Leary, The Daily News (St. Thomas), 3/22/05.

Customer Reviews:

Fastastic Voyage.......2007-03-06

While the stories captivated me and Muilenberg's pacing kept me turning page after page to find out what happens next, the passages that gripped me the most were his descriptions of the natural beauty of the Caribbean. His astonishment at the colors and awesomeness and the astounding beauty of the natural world resonated with my own experience, although I could not have described it as poetically as he has. I read this book in St. John and so could observe directly some of the sights he describes; reading his stories deepened my own pleasure in being in that special part of the world. A superbly enjoyable read.

tougher critic.......2007-02-02

I found Peter's writing wonderful, and enjoyed his sailing stories. My reason for three stars is that more than half the stories center around his dog, saving his dog, his dog's bark, etc. etc.

Funny, Inspiring, Thrillseeker's Dream.......2006-11-29

WOW! I only wished I had boarded Breath on my recent visit to St. John. I am speechless. Your stories, your life, your finishing of your mast, even your skipperkee. Smelling the Lignum Vitae and sensing it smelling of wood but responding/sounding like stone. I am now another devoted and enlisted friend. Remarkable, how you have come to tell the story, brilliant story-teller, by the way. Loved your writing style. Funny, inspiring, authentic and thrilling all in one.

The stories..I loved each and everyone of these. Of course the story of Denton Bridge and survival and your dog Santos had to be the most amazing of all. Also of Dorothy's commitment as a partner, spouse, mother, teacher who allowed you to live out your dream and to keep you grounded and supported, albeit, not always to her liking.

This is real life on the seas. Thanks for sharing and caring.

Magical prose reflecting on excellent adventures.......2006-10-13

The first time I picked up Peter's excellent work I flipped open to the middle and began reading about guerillas in Venezuelan mountains, and thought to myself, "This isn't something I want to read about." I laid it back down. Shame on me! I almost missed a real treat. Recently, I was given a copy as a going away present before moving back stateside from the Virgin Islands, and from the time I opened it on the ferry ride from St. Thomas to St. John I scarcely laid it down, save to sleep. I found myself totally mesmerized by Peter's magically descriptive prose that indelibly imprinted on my mind's eye scenes of the excellent adventures he shares here. His unique perspectives on life aboard his homebuilt sailing vessel, Breath, sailing around the Caribbean and beyond,from the miraculous recovery of his boat dog, Santos, after losing him at sea, to raising his sons on a boat had me alternately laughing out loud and then in tears. The lively manner with which he shares his stories, as if talking to a close friend, captivated me, and his anecdotes re-conjured for me the essence of the sea faring life that I have so loved. Thank you, Peter, for sharing your sojurn with us all.

Sail away! Sail away! Sail away!.......2006-07-15

I thoroughly enjoyed ADRIFT ON A SEA OF BLUE LIGHT. Peter Muilenburg's writing style, and the very words themselves drew me into the boat and onto the sea with Peter and his family. Sometimes I would read the chapters to my husband, prefaced with "Listen to how eloquently he words this!" or "Listen to this story!". My husband jumped on board, reading the book himself, enjoying it equally. We had our own Book Club!

We have ourselves enjoyed a few visits to St John (camping at Cinnamon Bay, Maho, and Concordia) and were therefore able to picture some of the scenes about which Peter wrote.

For those of us land locked souls, the book takes us to sea, and alas, I was sad when the last page was read and our voyage with Peter and his family came to an end.

The Virgin Encyclopedia of the Blues (Virgin Encyclopedias of Popular Music)

Average customer rating:

Interesting and yet disappointing format for reference book
"Blues" encyclopedia for pop/rock lovers
Horrible Blues Reference Book

The Virgin Encyclopedia of the Blues (Virgin Encyclopedias of Popular Music)

Manufacturer: Virgin Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Music | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0753502267

Customer Reviews:

Interesting and yet disappointing format for reference book.......1999-08-19

I was given this tome by a friend for Christmas and was thrilled to have such useful book(or so I thought at the time) but was dismayed at the star ratings dished out at the end of each entry to the various discs,albums etc.. I dislike gurus of taste, fashion, music ,politics and this is no exeption. (Brown may be the 'new' black but it still looks dreadful on me.) and so many others reading this book may have the same thoughts about this degrading format used by the author / editor. Music like other art forms is all a matter of individual taste and when two or more like and enjoy the same or similar genre,artist(s) sound ,production then that is good for the music /art form and business but when some one stands up or even writes what is good or not so good - even bad then that is only his opinion and should remain so. Not wishing to remain on the negative side of this book I have to say it has been excellent as a reference book on numerous occassions - especially competition time in the Blues mags I take and when friends not into the blues as much as myself require info on someone. A few months further down the road from receiving the book I now have other excellent even superior reference books to hand and advanced to the odd biography or two on blues men and women. It was a useful 'starter' book for my interest in books on the blues.

"Blues" encyclopedia for pop/rock lovers.......1999-08-03

If you're a "bluesnatic" and what to get mad by reading some unbelievable cd ratings (and if you don't know where to spend your money), buy this book now! Three examples (it would be too painful to quote more): Robert Nighthawk's "Live on Maxwell Street is rated 3/5; Paul Butterfield's Blues Band's "Original Lost Elektra Sessions" gets 2/5. The only John Lee Hooker album to get 5 stars is "The Healer", which would be appropriate in a "Pop" encyclopedia, but is almost offensive in a "Blues" encyclopedia. Just compare these ratings with the reviews on AMG Music Guide Online.

In many cases, poor discographies.

Horrible Blues Reference Book.......1998-11-02

Avoid this one at all costs. While the artist biographies are O.K. no information that may have been learned is added --especially on the obscure artists. Futhermore this book is full of offensive CD ratings and the editor is clearly enamored with British blues stars! In addition, it is formatted to save pages (money) so it is very hard to read. Also, many artists are not even mentioned.

In the beginning of the book they talk about the one "*" thru five "*****" star ratings and indicate that while a four star is an excellent CD and "highly recommended," a five star is "OUTSTANDING in every way" and therfore essential to any music collection.

Well frankly, the couple of examples below speak for themselves. I have all of these recordings in one form or another and strongly disagree with every last rating. Avoid this this one and pick up the AMG guide instead.

Examples:

Them - The World Of Them ***** Bobby "Blue" Bland - I Pity The Fool: The Duke Recordings Vol. 1 ***

Chicken Shack - Forty Blue Fingers Freshly Packed And Ready To Serve **** Lowell Fulson - San Francisco Blues ***

Groundhogs - Split **** Lightnin' Hopkins - Complete Aladin ****

John Mayall - Bare Wires ***** Johnny Littlejohn & The Chicago Blues Allstars *** Walter Horton - Mouth Harp Maestro *** Howlin' Wolf - Memphis Days Vol. 1 and 2 ***

Savoy Brown - Blue Matter **** Robert Nighthawk - Live On Maxwell Street *** Otis Rush - Cobra Recordings (not even mentioned) Tampa Red - Guitar Wizard ***

Cream - Disraeli Gears ***** Allman Brother Band - Live Filmore East ****

ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 16, number 2 - February Feb 1992: The Virgin and the Dinosaur; Sugar's Blues; Kingdoms of the Sky; Pickman's Modem; Overlays; Gate Crashing; The Heaven Tree; Freedom
Average customer rating:
ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 16, number 2 - February Feb 1992: The Virgin and the Dinosaur; Sugar's Blues; Kingdoms of the Sky; Pickman's Modem; Overlays; Gate Crashing; The Heaven Tree; Freedom
Gardner (editor) (R. Garcia y Robertson; Allen Steele; S. P. Somtow; Lawrence Watt-Evans; Joel Richards; Jennifer Evans; Jamil Nasir; Isaac Asimov) Dozois
Manufacturer: Davis Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LXJK9I

Chartres Guide of the Cathedral (English Edition)
Average customer rating:
Chartres Guide of the Cathedral (English Edition)

Manufacturer: Houvet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000EM3A5Q

Product Description

"Our Lady of Chartres is one of the finest churches raised to the glory of God and the virgin Mary. Its structure is solid without heaviness, its proportions perfect, its magnificent steeples like an invitation to prayer, and the severe beauty of its west facade seeming to scorn vain ornaments." - Etienne Houvet Many pictures are included in this guide.

Average customer rating:

UN LIBRO DIVINO...

El azul de la Virgen (The Virgin Blue)
Tracy Chevalier , and Jose Luis Lopez Munoz
Manufacturer: Alfaguara
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Author of Girl with a Pearl Earring

Ella Turner and Isabelle du Moulin - two women born centuries apart, yet bound by a fateful family legacy. Ella and her husband move to France, but Village life turns out to be less idyllic than she expected, however, a peculiar dream of the color blue propels her on a quest to uncover her family's French ancestry. As the novel unfolds - between the two women four hundred years apart - a common thread emerges that unexpectedly links them. This novel full of passion and intrigue compels readers to the very last page.

Description in Spanish: La historia de dos mujeres extraordinarias unidas a través del tiempo. La joven Isabelle du Moulin vive fascinada por el profundo color azul de la hornacina de la Virgen en la iglesia del pueblo. Son malos tiempos para admirar un icono católico: en la Francia del siglo XVI, el protestantismo libra una lucha feroz contra la vieja religión romana… Un día, mientras la observa extasiada, el reflejo del sol le vuelve súbitamente el cabello rojo. No puede saber entonces de qué modo esos dos colores, el rojo de su pelo y el azul de la Virgen, marcarán su vida. Cuatrocientos años más tarde, Ella Turner llega al mismo pueblo. Guiada por unos extraños sueños y con la ayuda del bibliotecario, buscará el rastro del pasado hasta desentrañar el secreto familiar que ha permanecido escondido durante siglos.

Customer Reviews:

UN LIBRO DIVINO..........2004-08-16

This is the Spanish text edition of a beautifully written debut novel. Exquisite in its imagery and clarity of language, the author tells two parallel tales. One takes place in sixteenth century France, during the Protestant reformation and religious persecution of the Huguenots (Protestants). The other takes place in present day France. There are historical ties that bind these two stories, as well as a haunting familial legacy that reaches out across time to makes itself felt in the present.

The sixteenth century tale is based around a young woman, Isabelle du Moulin, who marries a boorish lout named Etienne Tournier, the oldest son of one of the more prominent families in their provincial town in France. She is a young woman upon whom the Virgin Mary made a great impression, when she was but a girl. The Tourniers, however, are believers of the new, harsh, Calvinist faith, and so Isabelle must also fully subscribe to it, if she is to survive in her husbands family and in the town in which she lives. When the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre occurs, in which Huguenots are slain without mercy throughout all of France, Isabelle is forced to flee to safety with what remains of her husband's family. Unhappy in her marriage, she goes on to have an event occur in her life that is so tragic that her pain and sorrow is made palpable in the present, touching one of her ancestors, Ella Turner.

Of course, the parallel tale focuses around Ella Turner, a young, married American woman, who moves to France with her husband Rick, in order to advance his career. Ella agrees to the move, because it will take her to the region in France from which she knows her family originated. Once in France, Emma has some difficulty acclimating to life in the small provincial town to which they have moved, as well as to its denizens. Ella also finds herself having inexplicable nightmares and begins to feel herself somewhat alienated from her husband. To occupy her time, she begins a quest to discover more about her French ancestry. As Ella's story unfolds, alternating with the parallel story of Isabelle, commonalities between the past and present begin to emerge. These parallel stories then converge in a stunning denouement to resolve a tragedy of the past in the present.

The author combines historical fiction, suspense, romance, and touch of the supernatural all in one beautifully realized novel. The author writes with the heart of a poet and the soul of a great storyteller, one whose prose is delicately nuanced as she weaves gossamer threads of a tale well told. This is simply a superlative and stunning debut novel that will keep the reader turning its pages until the very last. Bravo!

Average customer rating:

Offensive at many levels!
Anti-Catholic
Lotsa Punches, Lotsa Missed Punches
Entertaining-needed fuller characterization, fewer bullets
Exciting, fast moving theme!

The Ephesus Fragment (Blue Roge Legacy)
Gary E. Parker
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Mystery | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (Burke Anderson Mystery Series #1)
Highland Grace (Blue Ridge Legacy, Book 3)

ASIN: 0764222562

Book Description

An Ancient Scroll Shakes the Church's Strong Foundation

The chase for a scroll that could change the world is on and you're invited along for the ride with author Gary Parker in his newest contemporary thriller. Taking you from the hallowed, inner sanctums of the Vatican to ancient caves in the Middle East, from the lush tropics of Costa Rica to swank parties among Washington's elite, The Ephesus Fragment is an edge-of-your-seat roller coaster that grabs your attention and refuses to let go.

When an archaeology team uncovers a parchment in Turkey that purports to be a message from Mary, the mother of Jesus, the fallout is guaranteed to by cataclysmic. Instantly, factions from the Vatican, the United States government, shadowy foreign parties, and even a dying media magnate begin a frantic and sometimes violent struggle to gain control of the scroll.

Father Michael del Rio and U.S. embassy aide Valerie Miller are two people caught in the middle of the maelstrom surrounding the search to uncover the secret of the parchment. But is the document even real and is what it reveals about the mother of our Lord actually the truth? And if it is, can the church survive the certain tremors sure to accompany its revelation?

More than just a taut story filled with international intrigue, The Ephesus Fragment is a careful examination of personal Christian faith. No single character can approach the scroll without having his own beliefs challenged, even shaken to the core. Nor can he go away without being forever changed. You'll be changed as well.

Customer Reviews:

Offensive at many levels!.......2001-04-07

All right, I will admit that I laughed out loud when Parker compared a human tongue to a cow's udder - what a word picture! But I can't imagine who wouldn't take offense at this book. High ranking Catholic cardinals are depicted as scheming power mongers, the one black person mentioned is murderous, all of the seemingly intelligent women are doomed to impossible relationships with men, the Germans are conscienceless mercenaries, and the only Muslim is a fanatic. And this is all in addition to the concern anyone might have about an author just making up an account of Jesus' childhood and his post-resurrection relationship with Mary. I kept thinking things had to get better but they never did.

Anti-Catholic.......2000-04-27

I took great offense at this book. The author obviously has a very negative view of the Catholic Church and tried to impart his outlook on the unfortunate readers of this book. What really gauls me is that I bought this in a Christian bookstore!

Lotsa Punches, Lotsa Missed Punches.......2000-03-28

Parker takes a worthy--though not unique--idea and tries to turn it into a Ludlum-type thriller with a spiritual twist. He makes a valiant effort. I appreciated that he avoided cliched sermons and diatribes in the middle of the story, and, at times, I was reminded of Morris West's sensitive handling of Catholic issues. Unfortunately, I kept tripping over Parker's forced similes and attempts at brisk narrative. He has the right idea, but a good editor could've cleaned this up, pared it into a lean thriller. Like MacAuley, the book's overweight archaelogist, the plot tries to rise to the occasion and deliver the knockout punch; instead, it trips over itself and its own excess baggage. With a fistful of antagonists to deal with, I found myself fearing none of them. Money seemed to be the primary motivator for all of them. Maybe deeper motivations for all involved would've increased my own interest in the story. I'll try another Parker book. Like his protagonist, Michael del Rio, he has the muscles; he just needs a skillful editor to show him how to land those punches.

Entertaining-needed fuller characterization, fewer bullets.......2000-01-06

Definitely a fast-paced read that would be appreciated by fans of Christian thrillers. The writer keeps the narrative going by quickly developing events. I can see this as an action flick, very visual.The main protagonists, a Roman Catholic priest and a Southern Baptist female diplomatic aide, are involved in the life-or-death search to recover a newly discovered ancient manuscript that purports to be a new gospel from the perspective of Mary, the mother of Jesus. It starts with a bumbling, misfit archeologist finding the amazing fragment in a cave in Ephesus and moves to the Vatican, to Cyprus, to Costa Rica, to parts of the U.S.---it's a high speed chase of the global kind. Some want the manuscript for financial reasons, others for religious, others for political, others for professional, others for medical.The major flaw is the final battle--it is over-the-top and illogical as a setting given what had come before in the novel. The author could have delved more deeply into the theological implications of ALL sides (not just the RC) and spent more time with characterization to bring out transformations more effectively. It seemed that the internal changes were INSTANTANEOUS, rather than logically progressive. Additionally, we have the old cliche of the bad guys being all bad and simplistic. A little detail into the Arab honcho and the Mercenary would have been most welcome. Good guys have flaws, so bad guys should have merits for well-roundedness, or, if not virtues, at least a more fully developed evil that slips out of stereotype mode.But, those quibbles aside, it's a diverting read. Fast and rather fun. : ) I'd recommend it on that basis, and would probably read another by the author if the premise were of interest to me.Mir***

Exciting, fast moving theme!.......1999-12-28

Easy and fun to read. Lots of action keeps the story line moving. Romance for women and action for men.

Average customer rating:

The Virgin Blue
Tracy Chevalier
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIPZVM

Average customer rating:

The Virgin Blue : A Novel
Tracy Chevalier
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NY66YW

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