AUTHOR: Glen Craney
INFO: Paperback, Kindle, Fiction, 406 pages
PUBLISHED: 2014
SOURCE: Received from Author for review
FROM GOODREADS: While investigating the murder of an American missionary in Ethiopia, rookie State Department lawyer Jaqueline Quartermane becomes obsessed with a magical word square found in an underground church guarding the tomb of the biblical Adam.
Drawn into a web of esoteric intrigue, she and a roguish antiquities thief named Elymas must race an elusive and taunting mastermind to find the one relic needed to resurrect Solomon's Temple. A trail of cabalistic clues leads them to the catacombs of Rome, the crypt below Chartres Cathedral, a Masonic shaft in Nova Scotia, a Portuguese shipwreck off Sumatra, and the caverns under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Intertwined with this modern mystery-thriller, a parallel duel is waged:
The year is 1452. One of the most secretive societies in history, Portugal's Order of Christ, is led by a reclusive visionary, Prince Henry the Navigator. He and his medieval version of NASA merged with the CIA scheme to foil their archenemies, the Inquistor Torquemada and Queen Isabella of Castille, who plan to bring back Christ for the Last Judgement by ridding the world of Jews, heretics and unbelievers.
Separated by half a millennium, two conspiracies to usher in the Tribulations by the Book of Revelation dovetail in this fast-paced thriller to expose the world's most explosive secret: The true identity of Christopher Columbus and the explorer's connection to those now trying to spark the End of Days.
MY TAKE: The fact that this book was compared favorably by other readers to the writings of Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code) is what initially drew me to it. When the author asked if I'd be interested in reading it for myself, I jumped at the chance to see what the hype was about. I'm very glad I did. The best part is that while it is traipsing through history as the "Code" did, this story is a world unto itself. It doesn't need to be compared to another work, it is definitely its own entity.
Glen Craney has done a fantastic job of weaving the present with the past, the fact with the fiction and the good with the evil. I felt like I was on a wild ride (picture Disneyland's Indiana Jones) that I didn't want to get off of. It was very easy for me to get lost in this world of intrigue and wonder and forget everything that was going on around me. I stayed up all night to finish this great read and was left wanting more. That is always something I look for. More, more, more! (The great news is that there IS more from this talented man - see below)
I am an avid reader of historical fiction and intrigue, always on the look-out for my next obsession. This page-turner delivered as I became engrossed in finding out the next clue, the next tidbit of information. Many times I will figure stories out early on, but this book keeps you guessing. Mr. Craney is a master of holding back and building the suspense. Though this is a fast-paced romp through history and time, you are still holding your breath as you near the end. Even with the satisfying solution/resolution, I'm hoping for a sequel....
Overall I found this to be a very satisfying read and I highly recommend it.
Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:
You can find your own of
The Virgin of the Wind Rose
at Amazon
right now!
And here are a few more exciting offerings from Glen Craney that I will be looking forward to soon:
~~~~~ Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own. I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links. I may receive books in order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one. Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.
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