The Lucifer Gospel

For fans of Dan Brown-esque fare -- this suits the bill AND has a female protagonist! This is part of a series so it's helpful (but NOT completely necessary) if you've read Michaelangelo's Ghost first. Still, great beach read -- fast paced, page turner that will pass the time quickly (don't forget to turn over!) Enjoy!

Paul Christopher is a pseudonym of Christopher Hyde, wbo has had a varied career working as a researcher, editor, TV interviewer specialising in stories on technology, intelligence and the enviroment. He has written a number of books under the name of Hyde. He is a new author to me whether he be writing under the name of Christopher or Hyde. This book could be classed under many different titles, adventure story, thriller and archaeological mystery. It has a little bit of everything and although the format is similar to many other books on the market qt the moment it is none the worse for that. I can think of several books that follow a very similar storyline, but this one is as well written as any of them and I found it both interesting and exciting. The plot of the book revolves around an archaeological dig in Egypt. Finn Ryan is on the way to participate in the dig. She is to be the cartographer and illustrator for the team of archaeologists. On the plane she happens to meets Hilts, a pilot and photographer who is also heading for the site. Over dinner he gives Finn some background information about the expedition. Part of the detail is that the last team to occupy the site was an Italian team. They were looking for the tomb of a monk believed to be the Apostle Thomas. The expedition disappeared in a sandstorm and nothing was ever heard of them again . . . I personally enjoyed the book, particularly as I have a long standing interest in archaeology in general and Egypt in particular, but for some reader's the storyline (race against time to find a hidden relic and save the world from the bad boy's) is a much used one, particularly recently and may be wearing a bit thin by now. On the plus side the book is action packed and grabs the attention from virtually the first page. The author manages in the main to keep the story believable and does not stray too much into the realms of fantasy.

If you're a Dan Brown fan and are looking for more revelations, mysteries and puzzles, be warned that this isn't the book for you. Sure, the cover says "The Lucifer Gospel" and the blurb says "an earthshaking truth", but in fact this is more an Indiana Jones-type archaeological adventure with the requisite bad guys, secret passages and creepy crawlies, except that some of them are underwater. The star, Finn Ryan, is female (which is great) with a multi-purpose macho sidekick to do the rough stuff, but she quickly proves that she's not going to hide in his shadow at crunch time. Starting with an archaeological expedition in the Sahara, Finn and Virgil (the macho sidekick) find a lot more than they originally bargained for, and when they uncover an ancient medallion with an inscription about a secret gospel, their adventure takes them across continents to an under-whelming finale. Author Paul Christopher won't win any kudos from the tourism boards of Egypt and the Bahamas, and although this is a fast paced action/adventure, if you're buying this based on the blurbs, you'll find it a devilish deception. Rated: 3.5 stars Amanda Richards, August 29, 2006

I usually rate books on three factors. Writing, Story, and Everything else. Writing 1 out of 2 Stars: I gave it only one star because it seemed to me like the entire book was written in a rush and he really didn't enjoy what he was writing. If anything it seemed like he was writing to capitalize on the success that Dan Brown had with the Da Vinci Code and just wanted to get it out there. Story: 2 out of 2 stars: The story was great more so because I was already interested in fictional religious history books. It doesn't stay in one place too long and moves around briskly so it kept my attention the whole time. It wasn't overwhelming and but maybe a tad bit underwhelming. So otherwise it may be a tad bit on the shallow side. Everything else .5 Star: Comparatively if your looking for the same masterful story along the same lines as the Da Vinci Code you're not going to find it in this book. However if you're an addict after reading the Da Vinci Code like I was then this helps satisfy your craving.

Paul Christopher draws the reader in with a good hook in the beginning, an intricate code triggered by a mysterious ancient Roman medallion, and a lost text worthy of an Indiana Jones-like pursuit. Similar, although not nearly as well developed or as cohesive as "The Da Vinci Code," this book still is a good page-turner and inexpensive. Rev. Dennis J. Mercieri