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
In a language that is both precise and easy to understand, Dr. Zugibe presents his discoveries culled from years of exhaustive research. Documented with 95 illustrations that explore the impact of crucifixion on the body, he demonstrates the realities behind the crucifixion on the body, providing a virtual autopsy on Christ from across the centuries.
Customer Reviews:
Incomparable.......2007-09-01
I'll try to be brief. This is surely the most balanced point-and-counterpoint book to date, about forensic archaeology and the Shroud of Turin. Scientifically, nothing else I have seen comes close.
Moving.......2007-01-09
Dr. Zugibe has done a spectacular job of research over the years. Although this book is difficult to read (emotionally), it is one that should be read. I always knew that Christ suffered greatly, but never to the extent that He really did. This account has opened my eyes and has changed my life. Since I read his book, I have not been able to think of anything except what love Jesus has for us all. Everyone should know what He truly endured for each one of us. The book is life changing.
5 Stars for one reason only..........2006-06-25
I agree with the other reviewer here that the book is rather disorganized, but its one unimpeachable value is the author's brief explanation at the beginning about his attempt to help Mel Gibson get it right, and his logical and commonsense dismissal of the outrageous and exaggerated unrealism of the Gibson portrayal. Too bad Gibson didn't listen.
Interestingly, Pierre Barbet makes an observation in his book on the medical aspects of the Passion that would have also served to rein in Gibson's blood lust and helped him, perhaps, produce a film far truer and more powerful than what has been claimed for it: Speaking of visual art of the Passion, Barbet writes:
"Actually, those pictures which are meant to be the most realistic are the ones which contain the most blatant physiological errors...When a crucifix is designed to stir our emotions by displaying to us the atrocious nature of the torment, so much the further is it from the truth. I know I shall be attacked for this, but still, it has to be said; if from the artistic standpoint I am able to appreciate the pictorial values of a Grunewald [he is here referring, I surmise, to the Isenheim altarpiece, one of the most gruesome potraits of the Crucifixion ever produced], the contorted way in which he paints the Crucified seems to me to be purely grotesque. I can assure you that the Passion was both more simple and infinitely more tragic than that," (page 28, 1963 Image paperback edition of "A Doctor at Calvary").
For all their disagreement with each other, we can assume that Zugibe and Barbet would be completely one in critcizing Mel Gibson's allegedly "most realistic" presentation of the Passion as grotesque nonsense, and I'm glad Zugibe could go on the record as a medical expert and say so.
Fascinating, passionate but (bloody) disorganized.......2006-05-10
First the bad news: Frederick Zugibe's book on the crucifixion of Christ is much like the Shroud of Turin. It is a chaotic jumble of stains, burns and patches. And from the point of view of organization, it is a bloody mess. The book meanders, argues in circles, mixes brilliant insight with wacky speculation and repeats itself to an embarrassing degree.
But the good news is that, like the Shroud, viewed from the proper distance, it is a clear lens into an often murky and confused topic.
The product of over 5 decades of thought and work about the forensics of crucifixion, "The Crucifixion of Jesus" clarifies the often muddy thinking of previous Shroud authors. Zugibe -- Chief Medical Examiner of Rockland, New York for over 30 years -- outdoes many previous authors by performing experiments to test various theories of how Jesus died. He pretty much scotches the asphyxiation theories -- by which the crucified had to lift himself up to breathe. By suspending volunteers from crosses, he determined that a person crucified in the standard way (with arms nailed out to the sides) would have little trouble breathing. Zugibe also demolishes the "nailed through the wrists" hypothesis that has been accepted as gospel truth, Based on a single experiment by Dr. Pierre Barbet using an amputated (and possibly gangrenous) forearm, this hypothesis has been repeated so often that it is hardly even questioned anymore.
Zugibe applies devastating logic to address other crucifixion mysteries, such as the "broken heart" hypothesis and the swoon theories. His analysis of theories surrounding the Shroud of Turin is also pretty impressive. It's hard to walk away from the book without being more convinced than ever of the Shroud's authenticity. Zugibe also uses this expanded edition to take a few swipes at Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" for its glaring historical inaccuracies, mostly for the brutal scourging that would have killed Jesus at the pillar.
As mentioned earlier, the book suffers from horrific organization. Before even introducing the reader to the Shroud, Zugibe uses it to "prove" facts about 1st century Roman crucifixion methods. Before discussing the Shroud, it would have been better to build up a case for what we know about crucifixion from accepted historical, archeological, artistic and/or experimental evidence. This would allow history to authenticate the Shroud rather than the other way around. Finally, though Zugibe excoriates writers who write outside their field of expertise, he often does just that. Early on, for instance, he places the writing Luke's gospel to 61 CE - twenty-four years earlier than the scholarly estimate of 85 CE. And he is selective about his use of the New Testament, cherry-picking Luke (in which Christ sweats blood) and John (the flow of blood and water from Christ's pierced side) to piece together a composite passion narrative.
Zugibe also lets his speculation run rampant. He proposes that after nailing Jesus's hands, his Roman executioners walked him backward up a set of steps in order to get the crosspiece onto the upright. While this is an interesting hypothesis, and fits in with ancient descriptions of crucifixion as "ascending the cross," the stairway is utterly without historical attestation. Also, his reconstruction of the way the Romans immobilized Jesus for crucifixion (by lying atop him as his hands were being nailed) is not impossible, but is Zugibe's own invention.
Zugibe also falls prey to the "Mel Gibson" syndrome -- the impulse to portray Christ's passion as the most horrible death experienced by a human being. From the bloody trauma of the Agony to the beating at the home of the high priest, to the scourging, nailing and crowning with thorns, Christ's passion is milked for every insult to every nerve-ending in the human body.
For all its faults and excesses, there is no other book that brings together so much information about the history of crucifixion, on its likely effects on the human body, and on how the Shroud of Turin reflects those facts. As a "newcomer" to the subject (I have been reading and thinking about crucifixion and the Shroud for only 40 years!) I found "The Crucifixion of Jesus" to be an impressive and persuasive achievement.
A masterwork.......2005-08-23
If you read and were deeply moved by Dr. Pierre Barbet's book on the crucifixion you absoulutley will want to read Dr. Zugibe's masterful work. He very gently but firmly shows some of the mistakes Barbet made but doesn't hesitate to give him credit for the things he was right about.
Zugibe is a curious man and he investigated and discects every possible theory about Christ's death on the cross. The book is not for the faint of heart, as the earlier reivewer notes but it is an amazing scientific and yet mystical look into the horrifying suffering that a crucified man would have suffered. The chapters on the scourging and the crowing with thorns are particularly moving. I actually cried and there were times when I had to put the book down becuase it is incredibly touching. I expected the book to be cold and dry but Zugibe is a pretty good writer. He's produced a masterwork. There is not a finer book on the physical aspects of the crucifixion in print.
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!
Average customer rating:
- Another Great Whodunit
- Aren't Hospitals Unpleasant Enough?
- A cunningly written novel
- The Best of James, The Worst of James
- Chilling Read
|
Shroud for a Nightingale
P.D. James
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| Classics
| Contemporary
| General
| Historical
| Humor
| Letters & Correspondence
| Middle
| Old
| Poetry
| Renaissance
| Shakespeare
| Short Stories
General
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Series
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Police Procedurals
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
James, P.D.
| ( J )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Black Tower
-
A Mind to Murder
-
Unnatural Causes
-
Cover Her Face
-
Death of an Expert Witness (Adam Dalgliesh Mysteries)
ASIN: 0743219600
Release Date: 2001-09-04 |
Book Description
The young women of Nightingale House are there to learn to nurse and comfort the suffering. But when one of the students plays patient in a demonstration of nursing skills, she is horribly, brutally killed. Another student dies equally mysteriously, and it is up to Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard to unmask a killer who has decided to prescribe murder as the cure for all ills.
The New York Times called Shroud for a Nightingale "mystery at its best."
Customer Reviews:
Another Great Whodunit.......2007-09-25
Once again PD James proves why she's one of the reigning queens of the classic mystery novel. They're fiercely intelligent, witty, and intricately plotted,not like so many of today's recent entries which mostly involve serial killers with a vendetta. Here, Dangliesh is called to a hospital where two nurses have been murdered,or was it suicide?
Aren't Hospitals Unpleasant Enough?.......2007-01-04
I discovered Ms. James with "A Certain Justice" and have set my task to reading her entire oeuvre. In Shroud she first exhibits her wonderful gift for portraying big egos, a gift that made "A Certain Justice" such a fun read. In this case, the egos are embodied in a surgeon and supervising nurses. Apparently the British nursing profession in the day had a very strict hierarchy--strange to this American reviewer who is used to encountering nurses dressed in pyjamas who are the very soul of casual. Dalgliesh has a healthy ego himself, deservedly so, and is often at war with himself to control it, which makes for excellent interactions that are handled with the skill that make these mysteries so enjoyable.
In short, nurses start ending up dead and Inspector Dalgliesh must come and sort out the mess. The resolution is appropriately cerebral and satisfying. As murder is effectively the work of a person willing to let their own ego control the lives of others, the device of writing big egos into the story makes an excellent background for such a mystery. It takes smarts to commit a crime worthy of Dalgliesh--a fact that is surprisingly lost on many crime authors who run their characters through disappointingly banal events.
This fourth book in the series represents a big leap forward--easily as good as the first and much better than the second and third. It is representative work from author now confident of her superior abilities and who is willing to exercise the effort to craft an intelligent and intricate mystery.
A cunningly written novel.......2005-03-26
This novel from the first writing era of James is a masterpiece itself. It starts quite straightforward with two deaths and continues with unceasing suspense. The writer places Dalgliesh very well among the numerous characters of the story, trying to reveal all of their secrets. Interesting substories are being uncoiled as the reader moves forward. The pages whisk fast. You can never be sure about the killer or the motives underneath. Until the very end, the killer is being skillfully hidden by James. One could say that finishing the book lets the reader think about how far human relationships can go.
The Best of James, The Worst of James.......2004-08-16
Shroud for a Nightingale is a fair book. If you take into account that it was written early in James' career, you might judge it less harshly as it seems she has learned from her mistakes.
What mistakes? James relies too much in giving her suspects prescience in anticipating Chief Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh's next question. All too frequently his interrogations are punctuated with lines like "as if reading Dalgliesh's mind, Nurse Dakers said..." or "Sister Rolfe said ... as if Dalgliesh had spoken his thoughts aloud." Once or twice would be one thing, or at least allowing Dalgliesh to keep mum to prompt the suspect to fill the awkward silence with an unintended comment, but the frequency of the "psychic" segue makes it feel like sloppy writing. Another thing James does several times is have Dalgliesh run an unspecified deduction by his sergeant to which the sergeant graciously allows that "it might've happened that way." Again, it's sloppy and perhaps even out and out cheating.
Despite these rather appalling weaknesses, James' writing at times is as strong as in her more recent masterpieces. Sergeant Masterson's interrogation a la sadistic tango is wonderful, as is Dalgliesh's attempt to interrogate the housekeeper, Martha Collins. Her pacing is spot on in both cases and in the latter case, her ear for dialect - and ability to transcribe it intelligibly - is amazing. The spooky setting and overall mood of Nightingale house, while perhaps clichéd at times (the wandering ghost, the eerie happenings in the conservatory), is nevertheless effective. James provides perhaps too many suspects, but their varied motives and concomitant red herrings give the book a rich and robust texture.
As much as I appreciated having Dalgliesh avoid the potentially trite and clichéd path at the end of the book, I'm really not satisfied with the way James wrapped up the mystery. Without spoiling the ending, let me say that while it certainly "could" have happened that way, I would have liked to see Dalgliesh find some way to resolve things differently.
Despite some significant flaws, Shroud for a Nightingale, remains a well plotted and decently constructed mystery. As a piece of fiction that presents its hero as a work in progress, the book is highly enjoyable, though not entirely satisfying.
Chilling Read.......2003-03-10
I was not able to put "Shroud for a Nightingale" down. I have ready many of PD James' books. This one tops my list. Her character portraits are superb and so is the action. The cast of characters are diverse. The setting sinister. I'd call this a must read!
Average customer rating:
- Why?
- Must Have Basic Knowledge
- International Mystery and Centuries-Old Crime
- A Murder and Mayhem Bookclub review
- The "shroud" comes close, but not quite
|
The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud
Julia Navarro
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Short Stories
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Alexandria Link: A Novel
-
The Book of Names: A Novel
-
The Machiavelli Covenant
-
The Wheel of Darkness
-
Deep Storm: A Novel
ASIN: 0385339623
Release Date: 2006-12-26 |
Book Description
The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud is the explosive international bestseller that mixes fact and fiction to tell the riveting story of one of the world’s most controversial relics—the Holy Shroud of Turin—and the desperate race to save it from those who will stop at nothing to possess its legendary power....
A fire at the Turin cathedral and the discovery of a mutilated corpse are the latest in a disturbing series of events surrounding the mysterious cloth millions believe to be the authentic burial shroud of Jesus Christ. Those who dare to investigate will be caught in the cross fire of an ancient conflict forged by mortal sacrifice, assassination, and secret societies tied to the shadowy Knights Templar.
Spanning centuries and continents, from the storm-rent skies over Calvary, through the intrigue and treachery of Byzantium and the Crusades, to the modern-day citadels of Istanbul, New York, London, Paris, and Rome,
The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud races to a chilling climax in the labyrinths beneath Turin, where astounding truths will be exposed: about the history of a faith, the passions of man, and proof of the most powerful miracle of all….
Customer Reviews:
Why?.......2007-10-08
This book can be recommended to those who:
1. seek witness of personal Faith
2. have insomnia and are bored (not annoyed) by sectarian propaganda.
Otherwise you can skip it.
Must Have Basic Knowledge.......2007-08-21
Somewhat disappointed in the novel but perhaps I had different expectations. I was hoping to learn something about the Shroud of Turin from a historical fiction perspective but was unable to finish the book.
In order to fully appreciate the novel, I think the reader must have some basic working knowledge or framework of the history of the Shroud. Unfortunately I didn't which caused the problem. There was not enough of an explanation or history which made the book difficult to follow. Once I got beyond the first possession of the Shroud, I was totally lost regarding who had it next, how they came into possession, who got it next etc.,
I also found the past/present transition very difficult to follow. To me, the book was very disjointed and not a very smooth read. I also found that up until the point that I stopped reading (about a little over mid-way) I just couldn't figure out how the whole story tied together.
Once again, I feel as if the reader must have some knowledge of history in this area in order to enjoy the book.
International Mystery and Centuries-Old Crime.......2007-07-02
Since the release of "The DaVinci Code" a few years back, novels revolving around ancient artifacts - both religious and secular - have flown off the shelves. Julia Navarro's "The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud" is one such book, jumping on the bandwagon of uniting historical fiction with international mystery and centuries-old crime.
"The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud" focuses on the Shroud of Turin, a relic dating back to the thirteenth century that is believed by many to be the shroud of Christ. After a series of "incidents" in the Turin's Cathedral, the Italian Art Crimes Department, lead by Marco Valloni, investigate whether these accidents are linked. Ana Jiminez, a Spanish reporter and friend of Valloni's, is working in parallel with the investigation, looking at it from a more historical point of view.
What the two groups find is more than they expected. The Shroud is a highly controversial part of history, and much blood has been shed over possessing it. As Ana, Marco, and his team get further into the investigation, they learn of miracles in ancient Edessa, bankrupcy in Constantinople, torture in Paris, and journeys that are captivating to the imagination. But when Ana begins to get too close to the truth, involving the secrets of the Knights Templar, things get deadly for all wrapped in the mystery.
While I wouldn't say that Navarro's novel is the best among this growing genre of fiction, it isn't bad, either. Like many of these books do, it repeatedly jumps between past and present, but the ideas are solid and the dialogue is sharp. Overall, "The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud" is worth a read.
A Murder and Mayhem Bookclub review.......2007-04-28
It has been said that the Turin Shroud is more than just a lasting image of Jesus Christ after His death. Many believe it also possesses legendary powers of healing, which can take away all physical ills of those who lay their hands upon it. Through history it fell into many hands, and many thought that it was the Knights Templar who came to be the final guardians of the Church's most holy relic, the true shroud of Christ.
It falls to the special Art Crimes Department to investigate when the Cathedral of Turin is once again set ablaze, not for the first time in its long history. Department Chief Marco Valoni does not believe that such desecration was merely an opportunity to vandalize such a treasured structure, however. More to do with what the public believes the Cathedral to contain. At ceremonial times the Cathedral does in fact house what is known now in modern times as the Shroud of Turin, or the Holy Shroud. In reality, the relic is more often responsibly housed and hidden away in a bank vault. Valoni is more than puzzled that the Italian church and police hierarchy seem resistant to the idea that an attempted theft of the shroud is behind the repeated break-ins. The church is usually wise to its enemies, and in the present day they still number as many.
Debut author Julia Navarro has taken on an incredibly difficult task with writing such a complex novel, divided as it is between past and present action and littered with factual references to holy relics, religious history and the like. You have to applaud what Navarro has achieved with THE BROTERHOOD OF THE HOLY SHROUD for the massive undertaking it must have been. This novel was a number one best seller in Navarro's home country of Spain, and has achieved impressive rankings on lists elsewhere.
Putting all the bandwagon comments firmly to one side, Navarro has spun a very intricate tale around the shroud that was believed, and is still believed by some, to bear the likeness of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. Some may even find the blend of fact and fiction quite satisfying in that it all sounds very plausible and to some extent may provide a possible explanation of the importance others have placed on the holy shroud in the past. This is also why some may dislike this novel, and that can't be helped - it is, to be remembered, after all, a work of fiction and no lines are drawn between what is generally established as fact and what is the whimsy of the writer.
As always, what may have been lost or interpreted inaccurately in translation is a question mark. TBOTHS certainly has a very dry narrative, with some very bizarre stances taken by its highly skilled and educated characters. Not one has been fleshed out in a realistic fashion and this is a weak point of the novel. As we are dealing with a thriller, the involved monologues are not expected or required but as it will always be the characters, not events, that drive even an action plot, they need to be believable.
The dual timeline is managed extremely well with the appropriate pauses in action balanced between past and present. The past is given that glorious, melodramatic spin that we are used to seeing in old movies set about the same time as the events in this novel, with the present here being more sparsely depicted and at a greater sense of pace.
The "shroud" comes close, but not quite.......2007-04-28
The book, Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud, is a historical fiction novel. As a whole, I would say it was fairly well written. It takes the known facts of the Shroud of Turin (the burial cloth of Jesus) and weaves an interesting fictional story of secrecy and mystery around it. For me, there were some "threads" of the story, not the least of which involves the Knights Templar, which gave it a Da Vinci Code feel. This is not to say this story doesn't stand on its own merit but in my mind there are distinct similarities. However, Ms. Navarro offers up very real and compelling characters and does a nice job with dialog throughout. She also presents an interesting scenario of how the shroud came to be which drew me into the story and even offers up an interesting theory of how the shroud can be "real" yet only date to the 13th century. However, midway through the book the journey of the shroud became more and more of a grind as it was passed from one person to the next and which is completely fictional. Yes, it establishes a trail but I feel it didn't really add much to the story. The concept of a secret society protecting the shroud that cuts out their tongues is indeed curious, and done to prevent the keepers of the shroud from spilling its whereabouts under torture. But on retrospect one has to wonder why if they decided to tell all they couldn't simply write it down on a piece of paper. And you have to suspend believe even further to believe that this practice is continued today. Also, this book seems to plod along with great detail of the journey of the shroud but very little action is thrown in leaving the plot a bit flat. The construct of the book is engaging as the author continually switches from the present day mystery to times of old and the journey of the shroud, sort of like historical flashbacks. All in all a good book but not a great book, one that should be read by anyone with an interest in biblical history or artifacts.
Book Description
For almost seven and a half centuries, a piece of cloth was venerated because it bore the image of the crucified Christ. However, but results of carbon dating have shown that the fabric could not have predated 1260. Now new evidence conclusively proves that it is not a face...yet neither is it the image of Jesus Christ.
In the follow-up to their groundbreaking first book,
The Hiram Key, Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas continue their research into the mysteries of Freemasonry and the true historical Jesus, and uncover the precise time and place of the shroud's creation.
The answer to the great mystery of the Shroud of Turin will surprise and astonish as the authors unlock the secrets of abandoned Freemason rituals and the man who would be called the Second Messiah.
Customer Reviews:
Exceeded my expectations. A Scholarly work. .......2007-04-09
I was skeptical at first that this was going to be just another "DaVinci Code" fiction. I was wrong.
The authors have provided a body of research that cannot be easily ignored or dismissed, except by those who have beliefs that are unmoveable and uninfluenced by sound research and scientific evidence.
For those people to whom knowledge is an enemy there can be no evidence.
Why the Templars? Why their destruction by the RC Church? What is the original genisis and purpose of the Freemasons? What is a plausible and scientific explanation for the Shroud of Turin? The info is compeling and largely supported by evidence.
While some unknowns / gaps are filled in with speculation, the logic and plausability is reasonable, and does not diminish the scholarly findings.
An exciting and educational book.
Intriguing historical thesis.......2007-01-09
Very interesting book -- it just draws you along and you cannot put it down. Exciting, fascinating, worth reading. And I bet you'll buy his others, too, as I did and am glad.
Second Messiah: Templars, th Turin Shroud and the Great Secret of Freemasonry.......2006-03-15
He gets caught in his own trap!! A lot of truth is discussed, but much of it does not understand the role of the Masonic Order. The Masonic Order and Temmplars kept the family safe. In 1832, this role was changed, as the book acknowledges. But the author is not able to give answers as to why or how it changed. Today this is not a challenge for the Masonic Order, klor the Templars. Completion of the a special Grail objective allowed the need for protection to be stopped. Now no one knows how to either get permission to unwrap the mystery!!!!!!
Gateway Drug To Gnosticism.......2006-01-28
I picked this up when it was on sale at B&N, and at least 3 months prior to my picking up The DaVinci Code. As a matter of fact, as I was rotating the book between my fingers, reading the jacket, I overheard a Barnes & Noble employee giving glowing recommendation to The DaVinci Code, a book I had only just heard about. I can pinpoint my reinvigorated exploration of Christianity to this very book, on that very day. Not that I buy it lock, stock and barrel, mind you. At times, it seems the Knight and Lomas stretch marginal evidence to bridge 700 years from the Knights Templar to the present. However, we come away with more than a kernel of enlightened perspective on the European adoption of Christianity.
I also feel that because of this book, I am a more solid critic of the blind-faith believers in the Shroud of Turin as THE holy relic. There are an awful lot of steps and connections missing between then and the first provenance of the shroud in France, 1357, although the "Edessa Cloth" refered to at least as far back as 944 CE by Gregory Referendarius, archdeacon of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, could possibly have been the same artifact.
The defacto Shroud of Turin official web site discussion board is replete with such outrageous blind faith-based propositions, which, in summary, say that the image was created in the cloth as Jesus' godly spirit passed through the cloth on its ascent to heaven. Well, if you believe that Jesus was god (which Free Masons Knight and Lomas do not believe), then there is nothing to discuss or study, and civilization may as well stop in its tracks, because there is nothing more to know about Life, The Universe, and Everything. It is simply 42, er, I mean, Jesus.
Knight and Lomas do a fantastic job in presenting the hitherto unfamiliar Roslin Chapel of Scotland. Wow, it is a pilgrimage I must make. Judging by the pictorials and the film documentaries I have seen, Roslin Chapel was NOT designed with orthodox Christian themes in mind.
Even though I have the sense to read The Second Messiah with a grain of salt, still, the authors know how to plant the seed of doubt about the origins and meaning of The Messiah, and YeHeShoVah. When you take the next step (rather, a next step, as there are many divergent avenues after this book) by delving into the Dead Sea Scrolls, one arrives at quite a bit of corroborative evidence that Jesus was not only just a man, and not a god, but that he may not even have been the Messiah. Again, there are those who "back" their criticism with typical papal bull (pun intended) and King James interpretations of the Bible, which is a bit like treating Fitzgerald's Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam as the authentic version; i.e., falacious.
I called my heading "Gateway Drug To Gnosticism" because I would not have given Christianity a second chance had it not been for this book. Another reviewer of another title observed that traditional Christianity is basically a closed system. But, that is only how it has been patented since Christianity hit the shores of Rome. The ontogeny of Christianity in its native Judea is far more opaque than the Catholic corporate committee understands. Kudos to Knight and Lomas for sparking a new age of inquisitiveness as replacement to the obsolete age of inquisition.
Good Read - As historically accurate as the Bible?.......2005-12-08
I actually picked this book up off the bargain table at my local reseller, and found it was certainly a quick and entertaining read. Throuhgout, I was reminded of the creation vs. evolution debate. Since there was not a camera to photograph the beginning of man, you need to look at all of the facts and theories that are available, and then decide for yourself. Same with this book. Never did I feel as if the authors were presenting their ideas as FACT, just some theories, based on evidence they have researched, and then they leave you to decide what you believe on your own. I'm honestly amused at all of the people who have posted reviews here and say, "well, this theory is just wrong because it goes against the facts presented in Matthew book/verse". The Bible is also an interesting read (and I've read it a couple of times), but should not be presented as FACT either. Look at the evidence you can find, ponder possible theories...and then THINK FOR YOURSELF! If you can find this book...enjoy it.
Average customer rating:
- Vatican lies
- Great book. AWESOME!!!!
- A Mystical Review
- Hiding from the Vatican or from the critics?
- Hiding from the Vatican or from the critics?
|
Shroud of Secrecy: The Story of Corruption Within the Vatican
The Millenari , and
Luigi Marinello
Manufacturer: Key Porter Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Vatican
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Catholicism
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1552631427 |
Book Description
Centuries have passed and secularism seems to have a stronghold on our world view, but the Vatican still rules the practices and doctrines of more than a third of the earth's people with arguably the same iron fist it always has. After all this time, the all-powerful Vatican remains a complete mystery to all those outside its walls. Until now. A small group of Vatican prelates felt they could not participate in the code of silence that has allowed corruption and hypocrisy to flourish within the seat of power of one of the world's biggest, most influential religions. This group, which has referred to itself as the Millenarians, has preferred anonymity for fear of repercussions from the publication of this book. One of the group, Luigi Marinelli, was compelled to step forward, and his livelihood and life have been threatened in the balance. "The book was an act of love for the Church," Marinelli has been quoted as saying. He and his fellow Millenarians strongly believe that the Church they love cannot survive if the ruling powers are mired in bureaucracy, rampant careerism, corruption and lack of accountability. The anecdotal evidence they provide is shocking, at the very least.
Customer Reviews:
Vatican lies.......2005-08-07
This book effectively discloses the lack of integrity in the Church.. Well writen and presented. Yet, it leaves one with the feeling that one has only exposed the tip of the iceberg. For other books that expose Vatican lies on a much broader scale try "Murder in the Vatican" by Lucien Gregoire and "In God's Name" by David Yallop.
Great book. AWESOME!!!!.......2005-01-01
This is a great book. It blows the cover on the hypocrites in the Vatican.
The latest example of the lies and hypocrisy of the Vatican can be found with this week's tsunami.
The official newspaper of the Vatican had a spurious and misleading report that falsely claimed the Israeli government had denied emergency relief for tsunami victims in Sri Lanka.
The official Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano singled out Israeli leaders for declining the country's request for emergency help, when in fact the Israeli government's offer to provide a team of medical and security personnel was rejected by the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry. However, Israel is providing an airlift of food and medical supplies to Sri Lanka.
Can you believe that? The Vatican defends priest who are child molesters yet has the gall to falsely criticize Israel.
Luigi Marinelli should get the Novel prize for writing Shroud of Secrecy.
A Mystical Review.......2004-04-07
I read the "Shroud of Secrecy" in March of 200l. When I attempted to contact Monsignor Marinelli, I was told by the publisher that the monsignor had apparently suddenly died several months ago. This what commonly happens to any one who dares to "Blow the Whistle".
This was the risk Monsignor Millenari expected and knew he was taking when "The Shroud of Secrecy" was published under his name. Eleven of the prelates were anonymous and Monsignor Millenari's death explains why the must remain anonymous.
What does anyone quite realize what would have happened if what was written was more specific? Any more specific discussion of any incidents would have lead to the identification of the other eleven anonymous prelates.
The highest priority of morality and of law is first, above else, "preserve life by any means necessary. There are no errors in sacred scripture and what appear to be errors tell the most important truths of all.
One example is "Two Blind Men" and "Two Demoniacs" and the wrong location in the Gospel of Mathew. Mark wrote latter and stated "One Blind Man, Bartimaeus and One Demonic with the correct location and Luke then wrote after Mark and confirmed.
The reason why Matthew wrote two blind men and two demoniacs with the wrong location is the fate of Lazarus. The reason was that that in order to kill the living witness, both would have to be killed and one did not exist in both cases. What looks like an error was not an error but to protect the living witnesses that were walking among them until the time when the gospel of Mark was written.
The apparent errors tell the truth; "First above all else, "preserve life by any means necessary", protect the living witnesses to the Gospel and the error confirms that both miracles actually did happen.
Simply put, Matthew was there with the rest of the twelve when both miracles happened. They all certain knew if it was one or if it was two and where the events actually happened. Matthew would have been corrected if his "errors" were indeed "errors."
This book was His Holiness Pope John Paul's second "Hail Mary" since the first,"Hail Mary" which was "To Kill a Pope" was published a year before.
This book revealed the truth regarding the 1981 failed attempt to assassinate Pope John Paul the Second by the Society of Pope Pius the Tenth. The society's attempts continued from 1981 onward and were finally extinguished and extinguished permanently in August of 2000.
Please note, the excommunication of the Society of Pope Pius the Tenth was then lifted a few months latter and reconciliation discussion were begun.
The most important message in "The Shroud of Secrecy" was the discussion in the introduction.
I will say no more until the time is right and the Church confirms.
Hiding from the Vatican or from the critics?.......2003-01-04
The message that there is [illegal activity] in the Curia is hardly news, but these prelates endlessly repeat the allegation, claiming that power and honors go to the treacherous, incompetent and cooperative, while those sincerely devoted to truth, justice and service are humiliated and ostracized. I have no doubt that nepotism and avarice dominate Vatican politics but these Milinari sound like the guys whose candidate didn't win, whining about how unfair the process is. On one hand, they chronically point out that clerical office is not about careers and all should be done in service to the poor and disadvantaged, but then they refer to numerous cases of "deserving" prelates who were overlooked or shut out of higher office. Do they actually point fingers? Well, sometimes. But it's hard to tell when they're being serious, when they're speculating, or when they're just being cute.
The editor explains that this book's authors are native Italian speakers with a strong Latin streak and that a "faithful translation would have been unreadable". The significance of this warning soon becomes apparent. Their tedious diatribe is constantly interrupted by "stories", which begin abruptly and end ambiguously. Some are sophomoric jokes, some are allegories and some are actually presented as true events, occasionally including actual names, more often just vague hints. In at least one story, they get mixed up, confusing Pius XII with Paul VI. All the stories are artless and are usually followed up by a threatening Bible verse from Jeremiah, Malachi or Jesus, usually railing against the priests and Pharisees. The verses are rendered in bizaarely stilted English ("Why smitest thou me?") and, with perhaps [traditional] Catholic style, are devoid of chapter and verse references. The Milinari's use of quotes, puns and metaphors is grating, self-impressed and not quite on target, ironically like the very monsters they are battling.
The editor pretends to help by supplying marginal glossary entries for the uninitiated, explaining such difficult concepts as "gospel", "Decalogue" and "Marcus Aurelius", but ignoring the likes of "Telepeace", "loggia", and "Sertillanges". And sometimes he gets it wrong. ("The Beatitudes are the nine blessings spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark.")
The signs that Satan is at work in St. Peters are the dogged reluctance of the Curia to embrace the likes of mystics like Padre Pio or to validate the latter apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There's more: the loss of Gregorian chant and "eligiac" Latin has reduced the Mass "from ritual to theatre". Homosexuality is yet another plague in the ministry. (Yet oddly though, the authors think that priestly celibacy is an idea whose time has finally gone. It's hard to keep one's traditions properly sorted.)
The cause of the Vatican's woes, you see, are a couple of powerful feuding Italian families who control all the appointments in an uneasy and constantly shifting standoff. No, actually it's because they're all Freemasons, which are the real diabolical threat, along with their junior organizations, Rotary and the Lions Club. (They actually say this.) Well, some of them are Communists or Satanists, and maybe the Magyars are involved too. (At least they stopped short of "perfidious Jews".) The Pope is not at fault however, because the Curia is always sending him out of town on meaningless pilgrimages and showy jamborees. (And the notorious Cardinal Ratzinger is apparently innocent as well.)
The Milinari aften point to popes and theologians of the past as models of proper behavior, bet these aren't the guys I would pick. Innocent III? Julius II? Pius XI? Not exactly sterling examples, but that may be a matter of whose hagiography you read.
When they aren't dishing rumors and gossip, the authors do reveal some decent ecclesiology, emphasizing the need to include the laity in the decision processes, as well as the actual Holy Spirit, not just a verbal simulation. But they are inconsistent, such as when they bemoan the recent process of letting dioceses nominate their own bishops.
These guys have their heart in the right place, but their attitude is naive, sentimental and puerile. I'd hate to leave the great clerical cleanup in their hands. If you want a thoughtful analysis of just what's wrong with the Church hierarchy, read Gary Wills' "Papal Sins".
Hiding from the Vatican or from the critics?.......2003-01-04
The message that there is corruption in the Curia is hardly news, but these prelates endlessly repeat the allegation, claiming that power and honors go to the treacherous, incompetent and cooperative, while those sincerely devoted to truth, justice and service are humiliated and ostracized. I have no doubt that nepotism and avarice dominate Vatican politics but these Milinari sound like the guys whose candidate didn't win, whining about how unfair the process is. On one hand, they chronically point out that clerical office is not about careers and all should be done in service to the poor and disadvantaged, but then they refer to numerous cases of "deserving" prelates who were overlooked or shut out of higher office. Do they actually point fingers? Well, sometimes. But it's hard to tell when they're being serious, when they're speculating, or when they're just being cute.
The editor explains that this book's authors are native Italian speakers with a strong Latin streak and that a "faithful translation would have been unreadable". The significance of this warning soon becomes apparent. Their tedious diatribe is constantly interrupted by "stories", which begin abruptly and end ambiguously. Some are sophomoric jokes, some are allegories and some are actually presented as true events, occasionally including actual names, more often just vague hints. In at least one story, they get mixed up, confusing Pius XII with Paul VI. All the stories are artless and are usually followed up by a threatening Bible verse from Jeremiah, Malachi or Jesus, usually railing against the priests and Pharisees. The verses are rendered in bizaarely stilted English ("Why smitest thou me?") and, with perhaps stereotypically Catholic style, are devoid of chapter and verse references. The Milinari's use of quotes, puns and metaphors is grating, self-impressed and not quite on target, ironically like the very monsters they are battling.
The editor pretends to help by supplying marginal glossary entries for the uninitiated, explaining such difficult concepts as "gospel", "Decalogue" and "Marcus Aurelius", but ignoring the likes of "Telepeace", "loggia", and "Sertillanges". And sometimes he gets it wrong. ("The Beatitudes are the nine blessings spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark.")
The signs that Satan is at work in St. Peters are the dogged reluctance of the Curia to embrace the likes of mystics like Padre Pio or to validate the latter apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There's more: the loss of Gregorian chant and "eligiac" Latin has reduced the Mass "from ritual to theatre". Homosexuality is yet another plague in the ministry. (Yet oddly though, the authors think that priestly celibacy is an idea whose time has finally gone. It's hard to keep one's traditions properly sorted.)
The cause of the Vatican's woes, you see, are a couple of powerful feuding Italian families who control all the appointments in an uneasy and constantly shifting standoff. No, actually it's because they're all Freemasons, which are the real diabolical threat, along with their junior organizations, Rotary and the Lions Club. (They actually say this.) Well, some of them are Communists or Satanists, and maybe the Magyars are involved too. (At least they stopped short of "perfidious Jews".) The Pope is not at fault however, because the Curia is always sending him out of town on meaningless pilgrimages and showy jamborees. (And the notorious Cardinal Ratzinger is apparently innocent as well.)
The Milinari aften point to popes and theologians of the past as models of proper behavior, bet these aren't the guys I would pick. Innocent III? Julius II? Pius XI? Not exactly sterling examples, but that may be a matter of whose hagiography you read.
When they aren't dishing rumors and gossip, the authors do reveal some decent ecclesiology, emphasizing the need to include the laity in the decision processes, as well as the actual Holy Spirit, not just a verbal simulation. But they are inconsistent, such as when they bemoan the recent process of letting dioceses nominate their own bishops.
These guys have their heart in the right place, but their attitude is naive, sentimental and puerile. I'd hate to leave the great clerical cleanup in their hands. If you want a thoughtful analysis of just what's wrong with the Church hierarchy, read Gary Wills' "Papal Sins".
Average customer rating:
- Great Alone, Not so great trilogy
- BeauSeigneur's Books Are a New Twist
- Continued logical but at points too detailed
- Excellent!
- This definitely explains a fair amount of book 1...
|
Birth of an Age: Book Two of the Christ Clone Trilogy
James Beauseigneur
Manufacturer: FaithWords
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Mystery
| Fiction
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Fiction
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Fiction
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Literature & Fiction
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Mystery
| Literature & Fiction
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Fiction
| Religion & Spirituality
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Mystery
| Fiction
| Religion & Spirituality
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Acts of God: The Christ Clone Trilogy, Book Three (Christ Clone Trilogy)
-
In His Image (Book One of The Christ Clone Trilogy)
-
The Last Gentile (The Last Gentile Trilogy, Book 1)
-
Deacon's Horn (The Last Gentile Trilogy, Book 2)
-
The Final Witness (The Last Gentile Trilogy, Book 3)
ASIN: 0446613282 |
Amazon.com
In Birth of an Age, book two of the Christ Clone Trilogy, the promised catastrophes in the biblical book of Revelation are poured out. Asteroids are on a crash course toward earth, locust-like insects inflict terrible pain on mankind, and a generalized madness infects the world's population, spawning horrific violence. In the midst of these turbulent events, Christopher announces he is the [Messiah], and promises that a new era is about to be ushered in. --Cindy Crosby
Book Description
In Birth of an Age, book two of the Christ Clone Trilogy, the promised catastrophes in the biblical book of Revelation are poured out.Asteroids are on a crash course toward earth, locust-like insects inflict terrible pain on mankind, and a generalized madness infects the world's population, spawning horrific violence. In the midst of these turbulent events, Christopher announces he is the [Messiah], and promises that a new era is about to be ushered in. --Cindy Crosby
Customer Reviews:
Great Alone, Not so great trilogy.......2007-09-01
After reading the first two books I was very happy with my purchase. The story was great, the imagery was good, and it was deffinately controversial. The author doesn't hold back with the devistations that plague the earth wich makes it completely believable. I'd say worth reading except for the fact that I don't want to promote the third.
BeauSeigneur's Books Are a New Twist.......2006-07-28
I have read a lot of end-time books over the years, and I find Christ Clone Trilogy to be the best I have read. There are twists and new ways of seeing things all through his books. I have just finished the 3rd book of the trilogy after reading the other two and have found them more interesting and scarier than the Left Behind Series which I thought was a bit predictable and became somewhat boring. Not so these books! These books will make you think in a different way.
Continued logical but at points too detailed.......2006-06-15
The characters in the second book of the Christ Clone trilogy continued to develop well and in interesting ways. There is also a slight narrowing down of their numbers. The political possibilities are also flow logically. But the science starts to be too detailed and not cited especially with the first asteroid. We are still left wondering who is good and who is evil though those familar with the New Testament and Old Testament will figure it out faster.
Excellent!.......2006-06-10
Unlike the Left Behind series, Beauseigneur's depiction of the end times is presented in a way that is wholly plausable. Evil is shown as it truly is; subtle, bait & switch. His scientific explanations of the disasters as described in the Book of Revelation remove the mystery and show that yes, this can happen just as the Apostle John said it would. I recommend all three books in the series.
This definitely explains a fair amount of book 1..........2006-05-24
Since I was stressed out about some work stuff last night (and didn't end up getting any sleep), I plowed through the second book in the Christ Clone trilogy... Birth Of An Age by James Beauseigneur. I can definitely say it's better than the first one, and the story is starting to come together...
This volume picks up with the last chapter of the first book. Christopher Goodman, the person cloned from the cells found on the Shroud of Turin, has just finished his 40 days of solitude in the wilderness, and he's now ready to go back to the UN and start making changes. But on their way back to New York, a nuclear war erupts between India and Pakistan (and involves part of China), and many millions die. But that's just the start of the deaths. John the Apostle and Rabbi Cohen are prophesying major catastrophes (the ones normally associated with the Book of Revelations), and they start coming true. We have meteors devastating the planet, locusts, wide-spread madness, and poisoned water. Goodman sees these two individuals as necessary evil for mankind to advance to a new age of enlightenment, and he increasingly finds himself pitted against them. Right as he's poised to take over leadership of the UN, an assassin guns him down. But through miraculous events, he's resurrected and heads to Jerusalem to have a final confrontations with the prophets. Goodman declares himself the "anti-Christ" at that point, and has an interesting twist on the whole God/Satan conflict...
This book was somewhat shorter than the first one, and a lot of time is spent describing the natural disasters in fine detail. In fact, you go for long stretches with no mention whatsoever of Decker and Goodman. I was starting to wonder quite a bit about the theology of this series until the end of this book. Now things are more clear, and I'm following the general storyline. While still not the best End Times book/series I've ever read, it's starting to redeem itself...
Book Description
The second book in the first-ever Irish medievalmystery series features Celtic nun Sister Fidelma assigned to investigate the horrible death of Wighard, Archbishop Designate of Canterbury. In the autumn of A.D. 664, the Archbishop is found dead, garrotted in his chambers, and a monk has been arrested fleeing the scene of the crime. Convinced of his innocence, Sister Fidelma joins Brother Eadulf of the Roman Church to find the truth, but instead they find too few clues, too many motives, and a trail strewn with bodies....
* Shroud For The Archbishop is the second book in this unique Irish medieval mystery series * In the tradition of Ellis Peters's bestselling medieval mysteries * Shroud For The Archbishop has already been sold to England and Germany * Peter Tremayne is a pseudonym for a noted Celtic scholar, giving Shroud For The Archbishopmuch authenticity
Customer Reviews:
The Fighting Irish.......2007-02-18
As someone who enjoyed immensely Ellis Peters' (aka Edith Pargeter's) elegant, sensitive, and moving Brother Cadfael mysteries, and who is fascinated with the interaction of Irish and Anglo-Saxon cultures in early medieval England, I finally decided to give Sister Fidelma a try. After reading Absolution by Murder, I ordered Shroud for the Archbishop. Reluctantly, I'm forced to conclude that these books deserve no more than a "2." On the positive side, the author is a historian, and it shows--but too much. As other reviewers have noted, he can't resist cramming every bit of his knowledge into the plot, at the expense of both plot and character. There are three other big problems. One is the main character herself. Unless you're really fond of people who are absolutely convinced of their own moral superiority and of their culture's superiority to all others, and who can't stop lecturing everyone in sight about their inferiority, you may find Fidelma a bit offputting. Maybe over the long haul of the series her humanity eventually shows through, but not in books 1 and 2. The second problem is that the author is as biased as his heroine, and seldom acknowledges anything positive in the motives, actions, or culture of the Anglo-Saxons or Romans. He exaggerates every point of cultural difference as well as the conflict between the Irish and Anglo-Saxons over 8th-century Christian practices, conveniently forgetting that both peoples were originally evangelized by Rome, looked to Rome for guidance, and resolved their disagreements peacefully. He also ignores the considerable cultural interplay that produced treasures such as the Lindisfarne Gospels, which are neither "Celtic" nor "Anglo-Saxon," but something new: Hiberno-Saxon. The only character other than Fidelma whom he presents sympathetically is Brother Eadulf, an Anglo-Saxon, whose chief virtues seem to be that he studied a long time in Ireland and is willing to put up with Fidelma. Finally, the writing needs a good, strong editorial hand. The most annoying example to me is the author's use of "shrug" and "grimace" on every other page. My favorite is "grimaced indifferently" (a sort of grimace-shrug?). I'm afraid "grimace" and "shrug" pretty much sum up my reaction to these books.
Second Book in the Sister Fidelma Mysteries.......2007-01-27
he author Peter Tremayne obviously has a great knowledge of Ireland in the 7th century and also on the Irish Law of the period. His Sister Fidelma book are attracting what can only be described as a cult following, but they are of interest to anyone who likes historical novels or mysteries. This series of books are set in Ireland in the 7th century, a time when there was total equality for women. The lead character is the beguiling Sister Fidelma. She is a brilliant scholar, a leading authority on Irish law and the sister of a king. This is also a period in history when celibacy was not yet a part of religious life.
The Irish, unlike the English have always shown a much greater respect and admiration for their womenfolk and this is why, even in an age when most countries treated women with little or no regard, other than for breeding an heir, that Sister Fidelma has risen to the position that she now holds. Although she is the sister of a king, this has little or no bearing on her ability to command respect.
The year is AD 64 and the Archbishop is found garrotted in his own rooms. A monk has been arrested running away from the scene of the crime, but Sister Fidelma is convinced that he is an innocent party. Fidelma joins with Brother Eadulf to find out the truth. But this is no simple crime, they find very little in the way of clues or evidence, but there seem to be a great deal of people who have a motive for committing the crime.
Interesting Plot Mixes Early Christianity, Politics, and Murder.......2006-08-21
"Shroud for the Archbishop", the second installment of the Sister Fidelma mystery series, is set in Rome in the year 664 A.D. Set immediately after the debut story in this series, this tale finds the Irish Sister Fidelma and her Saxon monk sidekick Brother Eadulf both visiting the Holy City, and both for different reasons. Fidelma is there to receive a blessing for her new abbey, while Eadulf is there as secretary to the Saxon nominee for the position of Archbishop of Canterbury. The Saxon bishop Wighard is slated to be ordained as Canterbury's archbishop. For those tumultuous times in theChristian church, ordaining a Saxon to this position was quite a controversial move. But when Wighard is found garroted in his cubicle, and the treasures which he had brought to Rome are stolen, the Roman magistrate charges Fidelma to find his murderer. An Irish monk named Ronan is almost immediately arrested for the murder, but, fearing that finding an Irish monk guilty of the Saxon bishop's murder could lead to a civil war, the Romans ask the Irish?Saxon team of Fidelman and Eadulf to look into the murder in order to bring about justice. The story probably contains a lot more information on church politics than most readers care to digest; however, the story also contains much information on contemporary Roman life. I especially enjoyed the scenes set in the catacombs, which are crucial to the story.
The first half of the book really moved slowly for me, as it was quite bogged down in the political background revolving around the archbishops murder. As Fidelma and Eadulf begin to suspect that the Irish monk is not the guilty party, and as the dead bodies start to pile up, the story got a little more interesting. This was not as strong as the first book in the series, but was still an enjoyable historical mystery.
Stick to the story!.......2003-04-30
Mmm, no. I enjoy history-albeit mostly ancient history-and I enjoy murder mysteries. I even enjoy historic murder mysteries, but although I feel that the character of Sister Fidelma has much potential, I think the author has missed the mark by a wide margin. I had selected the Shroud for the Archbishop because it had been recommended to me by another murder mystery afficionado whose other suggestions had been dead on. This one was a disappointment.
Peter Tremayne is the nom de plume of the Celtic scholar and author Peter Berresford Ellis. He has a BA and MA in Celtic studies and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has primarily pursued a career as a journalist, becoming a full time writer in 1975 and producing popular works on Celtic literature and history and fictional works like the Sister Fidelma series.
Although Mr. Tremayne's characters flirt with the reader, they do not seem to entirely captivate. One has the definite sense that they could be so much more than they are, especially Fidelma. The settings really should be interesting-I've been to Rome, and I've studied Roman history-but somehow they become merely a catalogue of physical characteristics rather than an ambiance. At times I felt like a reluctant tourist being dragged on a walk about of Rome by the overly enthusiastic tour guide Brother Eadulf. The author spends so much time bogging this character down in historic recitations that the tale of the murdered archbishop designate, Wighard of Canterbury, becomes lost in the author's attempt to educate the reader. How much more smoothly, subtly and painlessly is this type of historical information introduced by Ellis Peters in her Brother Cadfael series or by Candace Robb in her Owen Archer mysteries. Even Timeline by Michael Crichton introduces historical data without losing the reader. In each of these cases, the STORY is the most critical facet of the book. Historical details are added to enhance and advance the story. While they definitely educate, their primary purpose is to create a setting in which the characters live and act.
Although I haven't yet read them, I think I'd probably prefer Mr. Tremayne's expository works, A Brief History of the Druids and Erin's Blood Royal: The Gaelic Noble Dynasties of Ireland. I will probably read both. I'll give another of his other Sister Fidelma stories a try, but if this is truly his preferred style of writing fiction, I don't think I'll enjoy a second mystery any more than I did the Shroud for the Archbishop.
Stick to the story Mr. Tremayne.
I have to say 2.......2002-08-20
I really tried to give this book three stars, but just couldn't do it. This is the second book in the Sister Fidelma series, and I have to say that I still don't really empathize with the good Sister. She is way too pedantic, and bossy, and although I'm not sure about a woman's place in her world in Celtic Ireland, I can't think that they would have acted the way this woman acts. This series is like Kinsey Mulhone without the frequent stops to McDonald's. Tremayne tries to make Fidelma a hard-bitten private eye, but it doesn't seem to work because of the historical setting. When I finished the book I felt unsatisfied. Actually the mystery isn't too bad in this book, but the form of writing and the history are woefully inadequate. I said that I'd read one more of the series after I read the first book, and then decide. I think the jury is still out, so I think I'll try one more before I decide to scrap the rest. If you're looking for a good medieval mystery with a wonderful story, and you've finished all of Ellis Peters' books, try Susanna Gregory. There are seven books in the Matthew Bartholomew series, although Amazon only lists about two or three. It's a wonderful series with a great sense of period.
Book Description
After seeing inspector Pascoe off for his honeymoon with a few ill-chosen words, Superintendent Andy Dalziel soon runs into trouble and water on his own solitary holiday. Rescued by a bunch of somewhat cheerful mourners, he accompanies them back to their rundown mansion to dry off.
The owner of Lake House, Bonnie Fielding, seems less troubled by her husbands tragic death than by the problem of finishing the half completed Banqueting Hall which is to save her family fortunes. Prompted not only by a professional curiosity - why for instance would anyone want to keep a dead rat in a freezer? - but also by a more personal interest in Mrs Fielding's ample charms, Dalziel stay on.
By the time Pascoe reappears, there have been several more deaths and it looks as if his normally hard-headed boss might have compromised himself beyond redemption.
Customer Reviews:
An offbeat story featuring fat Andy Dalziel........2006-09-12
This book is a little different than most in this series because it focuses on Andy Dalziel on his own. It also shows a side of Andy that we have never seen before. We see him at his most vulnerable - in the middle of a love affair with a widow. It is also a story set in an old crumbling country house (a la Agatha Christie). But there the similarity ends. This book has more twists in it than a small English country road. It is filled with wonderful eccentric characters and Dalziel knows that at least one of them is a murderer. He sets out to find out, hoping that his paramour is not the one. The book is also very funny. This is a must-read for any Dalziel and Pascoe fans. It gives the best picture of Andy Dalziel that you'll find in any of these books. Hill is a master storyteller, and he has used his considerable skills to pen a nice country manor mystery that isn't like any English country manor mystery that you'll find anywhere else.
The Genesis of Fat Andy.......2001-01-27
This is one of the earlier Dalziel/Pascoe books and is devoted largely to Andy Dalziel's exploits while he is "on holiday" at the same time Peter and Ellie Pascoe are on their honeymoon. Reginald Hill's series does an excellent job both in plotting and in character development, and if you are intrigued by Fat Andy, then you really need to read this to see a side of his character you may not have seen before.
Books:
- The Complete Pinball Book: Collecting the Game and Its History (Schiffer Book for Collectors) (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
- The Cornish Trilogy
- The Cutting Room
- The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable
- The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (Oprah's Book Club)
- The Heat of the Day
- The Hot Sauce Bible
- The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
- The Journey of Adulthood, Fifth Edition
- The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Communication Networks: A First Course
- Where Did I Come From
- Robert Half's Success Guide for Accountants
- The Film Factory: Russian and Soviet Cinema in Documents, 1896-1939
- Traditional Construction Patterns: Design and Detail Rules-of-Thumb
- Who's Counting
- Under a Cruel Star: A Life in Prague 1941-1968
- Capsulas De Ackoff
- The Essential Gunnar Myrdal
- Leopard in the Sun
Resurrection of the Shroud: New Scientific, Medical, and Archeological Evidence
The Turin Shroud Is Genuine: The Irrefutable Evidence Updated
Resurrected: Tangible Evidence That Jesus Rose from the Dead
Portrait of Jesus?: The Illustrated Story of the Shroud of Turin (Omega Books)
The Shroud Of Turin: An Adventure Of Discovery
