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The Blood Gospel: The Order of the Sanguines Series
By James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell
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In his first-ever collaboration, New York Times bestselling author James Rollins combines his skill for cutting-edge science and historical mystery with award-winning novelist Rebecca Cantrell’s talent for haunting suspense and sensual atmosphere in a gothic tale about an ancient order and the hunt for a miraculous book known only as . . . The Blood Gospel
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The Blood Gospel: The Order of the Sanguines Series
By James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell
Description
In his first-ever collaboration, New York Times bestselling author James Rollins combines his skill for cutting-edge science and historical mystery with award-winning novelist Rebecca Cantrell’s talent for haunting suspense and sensual atmosphere in a gothic tale about an ancient order and the hunt for a miraculous book known only as . . . The Blood Gospel
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A fast-paced, action packed read with an absolutely ridiculous storyline. However, still entertaining if not taken seriously.
Rating: 3A very enjoyable and quite an interesting read. Vampires meet religion meet Indiana Jones meet Nazis meet famous historical characters. This book really has a bit of everything for people, it is not a horror book, much more in the mystery and suspense genre. However I do like how some biblical and historical characters have been cleverly weaved into the story. If you enjoy James Rollins books I think you will enjoy this. I certainly look to continue in the series as I need to know what happens next!
Rating: 5Very interesting story. Keeps you hooked all the way through. A nice mix of Dan Brown and Clive Cussler. Add to that a good story that includes vampires and it is the description of a good book. Will definitely want to read the follow up in this serie.
Rating: 5With undead assasins, a sect of warrior catholic priests and a secret gospel reputedly written by Christ himself, this is a fast paced good versus evil (with some on the side of good carrying a fairly dark past) adventure - one that is hard to put down.
Rating: 4Great story....not so great writing. My suspicions are that Rollins provided the story and Cantrell did 98% of the writing, so what could have been a great book merely was something to pass the time. What worked: a quest to find a book written by Christ himself, the antagonists being a sect around for two thousand years bent on world destruction. What did not work: stale, plodding writing that turned potentially good characters and plot lines into almost a textbook. I will read the next one, but with much trepidation.
Rating: 3James Rollins is one of my all time faves so I was really excited about this one but... it is a cross between his first Sigma Force novel and Twilight. We have so many creepy things happening that I wanted him to pull back just a bit and let me catch my breath. There are so many aspects of this book that made it a horror novel instead of a historical/biblical thriller and much of it works so well that I should not be complaining. Beautiful archeologist digging in a Middle Eastern desert gets word that a horrible accident has happened at the site of the Masada. She arrives only to have more disaster befall her and her crew as well as a priest and soldier. The three begin a journey to find a missing book that has been hidden for centuries. This all sounds pretty familiar right? Add into the mix vampires, grimwolves and Rasputin himself and the wild ride begins. A page burner to the bloody end!
Rating: 4New series, new collaborator, new genre for the New Year!It’s no secret to readers of my reviews that I’m a huge fan of James Rollins’ novels, and have been ever since Subterranean was first published. In the years since, in addition to penning the wildly popular Sigma Force series and several excellent stand alone thrillers, he has written seven fantasy novels under the name James Clemens as well as two young adult adventures. I love that he isn’t content to write the same type of story over and over. Not only has he expanded his own literary horizons, he’s very much expanded my own. The Blood Gospel is yet another new direction for Mr. Rollins. Well, two new directions, actually. For the first time, he’s sharing authoring responsibilities with Rebecca Cantrell, a writer well-respected for her own historic mystery series. And while The Blood Gospel is as much a fast-paced thriller as anything Mr. Rollins has written to date, it also falls firmly in the territory of a new genre: horror.The novel opens with a brief prologue set in the past—AD 73 in Masada, Israel—where readers are witness to events leading to the tragedy for which the historic site is known. However, we are also witness to a far more inexplicable drama… After just a few pages, the action shifts to present-day Israel, at the dig of American archaeologist Erin Granger. Her own promising work is interrupted by an earthquake—and is further interrupted when Israeli and American soldiers arrive to escort her to Masada. The quake has unearthed something and her expertise is required. Along on the journey is a mysterious figure. “He was no soldier. He was a priest. He wore black pants, overhung by an ankle-length hooded cassock, along with black leather gloves, dark sunglasses, and the familiar white collar of the Roman Catholic clergy.” You’ve just been introduced to Father Rhun Korza. He’s not the first priest to appear in Rollins’ fiction, but I’m telling you right now that he’s the most interesting.At Masada, this is what Erin finds:“A macabre sculpture hung on the wall, like a blasphemous crucifixion. She moved past the corner of the sarcophagus. With each step, a growing horror rose in her.It wasn’t a sculpture.On the wall hung the desiccated corpse of a small girl, maybe eight years old, dressed in a tattered, stained robe. A handful of blackened arrows pinned her in place, a good yard off the floor. They pierced her chest, neck, shoulder, and thigh.”What can I say? These authors can paint a tableau, and sometimes the details are haunting. I don’t know if it was Mr. Rollins or Ms. Cantrell who supplied the detail of the doll, but that is the beauty of collaboration. It’s hard to say who did what (I couldn’t tell), but hopefully the work is stronger when two talents bring their a-game.I’m not going into any detail about the plot of this novel. What I can tell you is that the third primary character is an American soldier named Jordan Stone. The novel is the first of the new “Order of the Sanguines” series. These three diverse characters find themselves on an urgent quest for an artifact called the Blood Gospel. “It is the Gospel. Written by Christ’s own hand. In his own blood.”So, let’s talk about religion. You may have heard, it’s a hot-button topic for some. I’ll be VERY curious to see the popular response to this novel. Me, I’m a secular Jew. I’m not going to lie. This got kind of New Testament for me. BUT this is not—emphatically— Christian fiction. I wouldn’t call it excessive, but there’s foul language within the text. Even more noteworthy, there’s some fairly steamy erotic content. (Well done, too!) So, this is NOT Christian fiction, but it has a fair amount of religion, some of which might be considered blasphemous by certain segments. Rollins tries to look at faith from different angles. At one point, Erin asks, “Why me?” and is told:“I have followed your work, Dr. Granger. You are skeptical of religion, but steeped in biblical knowledge. As a result, you see things that nonreligious scholars could miss. Likewise, you question things that religious scholars might not. It was that rare combination that made you perfectly suited to bring the Gospel back to the world.” Suffice it to say, there is significant opposition to our heroes’ quest. Some of it is worldly and some of it is otherworldly. There’s a big word that I’m not saying, but it won’t take you long to discover the supernatural elements to the tale. Readers have seen a lot of this in recent years, but James Rollins is putting his own twist on the familiar.Mr. Rollins and Ms. Cantrell are off to a strong start with this series. This book introduces some truly intriguing characters with complex backgrounds and motivations. And it features a plot that surprised me at every turn. More importantly, there’s a complete story arc to Book One, with a conclusion. That’s not to say that there aren’t bigger picture questions left unanswered for future books—and one flat-out jaw-dropper in the final chapter. (Seriously, DO NOT PEEK.) You’ve gotta love the jaw-dropper! Um, when is Book Two out?
Rating: 5I'm not the greatest fan of vampire stories. Although Rollins and Cantrell do their very best to try and make the reader forget that it's a vampire novel. Never calling them vampires but Sanguines and Strigoi. But, this was a good take on the vampire angle.It's the story of three main people. Jordan, a member of the American military, Erin, and archaeologist and Rhun, a Catholic priest. They all come together in Masada Israel, and their lives change forever. It's a thriller more than a mystery and there's a lot of running around, not to mention quite a bit of blood and some serious horror in the book for sure. But there are also some funny sections of the book and some heartwarming ones. And there is some mystery within the thriller too. Clues to put together. Where is the Blood Gospel, how do they really open it if they manage to find it, etc. etc.There's also the all encompassing bad guy organization, the Belial, and the guy in Russia who's kinda an ally.It's definitely a James Rollins novel. It starts all over the place in regards to the story and slowly weaves itself together. And although the names are different, the bad guys vs. good guys seem created in the same mold as some of his other books, just the details are different.I did like the other subplot with the boy too, and I was surprised that I didn't mind that it was a bit of a cliffhanger.One thing that did vex me though was that there were just too many Hims (with the capital H). Some referred to God/Jesus and others to some other Him that we didn't know the name of, and sometimes it just was very confusing to me.
Rating: 3I thought this was a very interesting story....definitely included an unexpected element. I was not, and am still not, a fan of the female lead, Erin. She often comes off as too "girlie" in her reactions (to her potential love interest, to the injury of one of her students, etc) but then comes through with a "tough as nails" response when needed...it seems a bit inconsistent but maybe I'll come to appreciate that about her as I read the rest of this series. I like the two main male characters, Rhun and Jordan, a lot.
Rating: 5Another great read by Rollins. This is not your average vampire novel. The Blood Gospel takes on a life of its own and draws the reader in so that you cannot put it down. It's a great combination of bloodbath and history.
Rating: 5When Masada collapses in an earthquake, archeologist Erin Granger, American soldier Jordan Stone, and priest Father Rhun Korza are called in to explore the tomb uncovered in the wreckage. They become part of a prophecy, a team to open the Blood Gospel which was written in the blood of Jesus. I've read and usually enjoy some books of James Rollins. They are good airport/beach reading, well-written and fast-paced. However, this one was a mix of Dan Brown and Twilight, and not in a good way. I almost gave up on it a few times, usually when a new type of vampiric creature appeared in the nick of time to create some drama. If I had realized this was the start of a series, I definitely would have given up; I don't like cliffhanger endings, especially as the pretext for another adventure. An author can wrap up all the loose ends in one story and still tell another adventure story with the same characters for the next book in the series. The entire Tommy subplot was just frustrating and ultimately unsatisfying.Anyway, vampire priests who can be either good or bad depending on a nebulous definition of the rules of transubstantiation and other contrivances made what might have been an interesting story into a series of artificial scenes loosely tied together. This is definitely not a series for me.
Rating: 2Wow! This book has it all. A romance, an archaeological dig, ancient history, miracles, murders,curses, legends, vampires, things that are close to werewolves, what more could you ask for? The book grips you from the beginning and sinks it's teeth in so you just can't let go. A word of warning - a great deal of literary licence was taken with this writing. Those that are very religious may be offended by some of it. However, I really enjoyed this offering.
Rating: 5I should have known better coming from James Rollins, but I did not this book was the first of a series. My mind obviously chose to ignore the subtitle that reads “The Order of the Sanguines Series”. So I blindly dove right in, expecting an action packed conspiracy-theory thriller, which was just what I wanted to read. Well, I got what I was expecting but with an interesting twist thrown in … just a little dash added from the paranormal/legend/horror genre.
Dr. Erin Granger is unexpectedly ordered to leave her own archeological site to investigate a tomb in Masada uncovered by a recent earthquake. Her unwanted side trip sends her on a week long journey where she uncovers not only an unknown gospel written in the hand of Jesus, but the secret guardians of the book; namely the Sanguinists, as well as a few members of the undead including Elizabeth Bathory and Rasputin who of course come with their special guardians the hellhounds and werewolves. Flitting from Israel to Germany and on to Russia, just as Dr. Granger and her entourage discover the secret of the gospel, the book comes to a mysterious (yet intriguing) end.
Ms. Cantrell’s paranormal has an obvious influence on Mr. Rollins usual “tough guy” action and I managed to suspend judgment long enough to be completely drawn into the story and the characters. This was definitely a book that was fun to read, just wondering what surprise was going to be on the next page.
Rating: 3Dr. Erin Granger is unexpectedly ordered to leave her own archeological site to investigate a tomb in Masada uncovered by a recent earthquake. Her unwanted side trip sends her on a week long journey where she uncovers not only an unknown gospel written in the hand of Jesus, but the secret guardians of the book; namely the Sanguinists, as well as a few members of the undead including Elizabeth Bathory and Rasputin who of course come with their special guardians the hellhounds and werewolves. Flitting from Israel to Germany and on to Russia, just as Dr. Granger and her entourage discover the secret of the gospel, the book comes to a mysterious (yet intriguing) end.
Ms. Cantrell’s paranormal has an obvious influence on Mr. Rollins usual “tough guy” action and I managed to suspend judgment long enough to be completely drawn into the story and the characters. This was definitely a book that was fun to read, just wondering what surprise was going to be on the next page.
I’ve long been a fan of James Rollins’ work, and his collaboration with Rebecca Cantrell on The Blood Gospel has produced one of his best books yet.Take a really interesting idea, add some great characters and a lot of action and you wind up with a very fun and entertaining book. This book has exoctic locales, from Israel to Italy and Germany to Russia, as well as events spanning from biblical times all the way to the present. I’ve enjoyed Rollins for his great action, which this book has, but the addition of the supernatural elements and greater depth of characterization here I have to attribute to Cantrell. It’s a collaboration that really seems to work. Rollins and Cantrell quickly boil the cast down to three central and engaging characters. Each has a backstory, parts of which are revealed as the novel progresses. Fascinating supporting characters are folded in throughout the story. There are a number of “whoa” moments as some of these characters and events are revealed.Part of the thrill of The Blood Gospel is the taking of events which most people are familiar with and putting a new interpretation on them which leads to chilling consequences if the heroes aren’t able to overcome them. The balancing act which is done so well here is to tell a thrilling story that keeps charging ahead, while also setting the stage for future books in the series with a world and characters that have so much left to explore. Rollins and Cantrell have created a huge world and reality to explore and I can’t wait to read more adventures in it. Highly recommended. I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book.
Rating: 5Blood Gospel was a reasonable read. It started strongly and then fell into the vampire theme that many authors are weaving into their books since the Twilight series was published. Frankly, I am a bit over the vampire novels a the moment. It was fast past...had to be to keep up with vampires and all other supernatural characters involved.
As for the ending, it could not have been more abrupt. Is the world ending? Do the hero and heroine get together, long term? Is there a sequel? I felt totally let down after I turned what was to become the last page. Love the subject ,tater. Tired of vampires and all things supernatural - vampires.
Rating: 3As for the ending, it could not have been more abrupt. Is the world ending? Do the hero and heroine get together, long term? Is there a sequel? I felt totally let down after I turned what was to become the last page. Love the subject ,tater. Tired of vampires and all things supernatural - vampires.
The Blood Gospel is the first in a new collaborative series called The Order of the Sanguines. The story begins when an earthquake in Masada reveals a tomb buried deep into the mountain. The three main characters: Father Rhun Korza, a Vatican priest; Sergeant Jordan Stone, a military forensic expert; and Dr. Erin Granger, a brilliant archaeologist are asked to investigate a newfound discovery, the crucified body of a mummified girl. They soon find themselves racing to find a book, The Blood Gospel, rumored to have been written by Jesus Christ’s own hand, before it falls into the hands of an evil and bloodthirsty enemy. The three of them together may fulfill an ancient prophecy requiring a Woman of Learning, a Warrior of Man, and a Knight of Christ.
This novel uses a lot of different settings and historical situations. The characters travel to Jerusalem, Germany, Russia, and Vatican City after finding clues from Nazi war plans, Masada’s history, and even Rasputin. I didn't know anything about the book prior to reading it so was unaware that there's a strong supernatural element throughout the story. While that isn't my favorite genre, I did really enjoy the action-adventure theme of this book and felt like the authors did a great job of making all the plots weave together in a cohesive story.
This is an exceptionally creative book and will appeal to the right audience. I didn't expect to like it very much but I will definitely read the next one of the series.
"Book Info: Genre: Historical fiction/Supernatural ThrillerReading Level: AdultRecommended for: Folks who enjoy treasure-hunt type stories, stories that intertwine history with fantasy, fast-paced thrillersTrigger Warnings: murder, torture, child abuse (implied), child murder (historical)My Thoughts: Come on, who can resist a book that combines ancient religious conspiracies with vampires? I know I can't!The story is fast-paced and that helps prevent the reader worrying too much about details. However, some things stood out to me. For instance, as far as I'm aware (and if so, it's only recently), Stetson does not make a straw cowboy hat. Stetson is the gold-standard for cowboy hats and makes high-quality felt hats. Also, at one point Rhun bloodies his palm “where the nails had been driven into the palms of Christ.” However, research has shown there is absolutely no way that anyone was crucified by driving nails through his hands; the small bones would not support the weight of the body and would rip free. Likely the nails would have been driven through the wrist, between the major bones of the arm.Jordan is really funny. Every time I laughed, it was at something Jordan said. For instance:“We [solders] just bang on it [mass spectrometer] with rocks, Doc, but it seems to work.”Or this conversation with Erin:[Erin:] “What do you think they want with us?”[Jordan:] ... “Don't know. Maybe to debrief us. Swear us to secrecy. Maybe give us a million dollars.”[Erin:] “Why a million dollars?”He shrugged. “Why not? I'm just saying... let's be optimistic.”I felt really badly about Magor and Bathory. Yeah, Magor was a vicious, bloodthirsty killing machine, but he was so devoted to Bathory. The scene made me cry. There were a lot of “Oh!” moments in the story, like when they revealed who the Vitandus was, who Aloysha was, and who the head of the Belial was. These were sprinkled through the story, providing one surprise after another. It kept things interesting!In the end, I really enjoyed the story. I'm not well-enough versed in Church history to know how much of the dogma and history used in the story is accurate, but it is provided in such a way as to keep the reader interested and focused on the story. The pace is fast and furious, and it definitely keeps you reading. If you like these sort of stories, don't hesitate. It's a good 'un.Disclosure: I received an ARC paperback from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.Synopsis: An earthquake in Masada, Israel, kills hundreds and reveals a tomb buried in the heart of the mountain. A trio of investigators—Sergeant Jordan Stone, a military forensic expert; Father Rhun Korza, a Vatican priest; and Dr. Erin Granger, a brilliant but disillusioned archaeologist—are sent to explore the macabre discovery, a subterranean temple holding the crucified body of a mummified girl.But a brutal attack at the site sets the three on the run, thrusting them into a race to recover what was once preserved in the tomb’s sarcophagus: a book rumored to have been written by Christ’s own hand, a tome that is said to hold the secrets to His divinity. But the enemy who hounds them is like no other, a force of ancient evil directed by a leader of impossible ambitions and incalculable cunning.From crumbling tombs to splendorous churches, Erin and her two companions must confront a past that traces back thousands of years, to a time when ungodly beasts hunted the dark spaces of the world, to a moment in history when Christ made a miraculous offer, a pact of salvation for those who were damned for eternity.Here is a novel that is explosive in its revelation of a secret history. Why do Catholic priests wear pectoral crosses? Why are they sworn to celibacy? Why do the monks hide their countenances under hoods? And why does Catholicism insist that the consecration of wine during Mass results in its transformation to Christ’s own blood? The answers to all go back to a secret sect within the Vatican, one whispered as rumor but whose very existence was painted for all to see by Rembrandt himself, a shadowy order known simply as the Sanguines.In the end, be warned: some books should never be found, never opened—until now.
Rating: 5Book DescriptionNew York Times bestselling authors James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell combine their talents in a gothic tale about an ancient order and the hunt for a miraculous book known only as . . . The Blood Gospel.An earthquake in Masada, Israel, kills hundreds and reveals a tomb buried in the heart of the mountain. A trio of investigators--Sergeant Jordan Stone, a military forensic expert; Father Rhun Korza, a Vatican priest; and Dr. Erin Granger, a brilliant but disillusioned archaeologist--are sent to explore the macabre discovery, a subterranean temple holding the crucified body of a mummified girl.But a brutal attack at the site sets the three on the run, thrusting them into a race to recover what was once preserved in the tomb's sarcophagus: a book rumored to have been written by Christ's own hand, a tome that is said to hold the secrets to His divinity. The enemy who hounds them is like no other, a force of ancient evil directed by a leader of impossible ambitions and incalculable cunning.From crumbling tombs to splendorous churches, Erin and her two companions must confront a past that traces back thousands of years, to a time when ungodly beasts hunted the dark spaces of the world, to a moment in history when Christ made a miraculous offer, a pact of salvation for those who were damned for eternity.Here is a novel that is explosive in its revelation of a secret history. Why do Catholic priests wear pectoral crosses? Why are they sworn to celibacy? Why do the monks hide their countenances under hoods? And why does Catholicism insist that the consecration of wine during Mass results in its transformation to Christ's own blood? The answers to all go back to a secret sect within the Vatican, one whispered as rumor but whose very existence was painted for all to see by Rembrandt himself, a shadowy order known simply as the Sanguines.In the end, be warned: some books should never be found, never opened--until now.My ReviewI have only read one James Rollins book before but I have read all of Rebecca Cantrell's Hannah Vogel series. It seems to me that their writing collaboration is really working well. This first book in The Order of The Sanguines series is a real page-turner. There is something for everyone in this book; historical fiction, mystery, thriller, archaeological digs, romance, vampires, religion and much more. At first, I was a little taken back by the vampire segments but it really works well with the religious aspect and I soon found myself engrossed and fascinated by the story. The characters are well developed and as you approach the end of the book, you are left with a feeling of wanting to follow them around for a little longer. I will definitely continue with this series and I anxiously await the second installment.
Rating: 5I completely enjoy Rollins' Sigma Force novels. His blend of adventure, suspense, doses of history, and science make for very interesting reading. While this has some historical foundation this novel quickly deteriorates into just another vampire "adventure". While they are all the rage these days I simply do not see the point unless it is just a feeble attempt to sell books by riding a wave of current popularity. Hopefully, Rollins will not continue this story line and grant these characters a peaceful exit.
Rating: 3This was an AWESOME read! This type of book (fact-based fiction) is my fave genre and James is paramount at it!
Grab it! Read it!
Rating: 5Grab it! Read it!
I've been reading James Rollins for a few years but confess I was getting a little tired of his Sigma Force series. I was intrigued when I found this new collaboration between Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell, and I was not disappointed. A blend of Rollins' signature save-the-world, mystical conspiracy adventure novels and the best of supernatural adventure, Blood Gospel is the first in a series based on the premise that Jesus composed a gospel written in his own blood that reveals the source of his divinity.
Archaeologist Erin Granger is drawn into a maelstrom when she is summoned to Masada from a dig where she has discovered physical evidence of Herod's Massacre of the Innocents. Masada has been split in half by a powerful earthquake that has led two warring factions to believe the Blood Gospel has finally been found. She joins forces with mysterious priest Rhun Korza and Army Ranger Jordan Stone in a frantic search that spans the globe, culminating in a startling climax deep beneath the Vatican (of course!). Along the way, we learn about a powerful race of vampires, the Strigoi, and their sworn enemies, the Sanguinists, also vampires but vampire priests sustained by the transubstantiated Blood of Christ, or consecrated wine. Throughout the fast-paced adventure, we meet Nazis, enormous vampire bats, werewolves, Rasputin, Elisabeth Bathory the Blood Countess of Hungary, St. Peter, Lazarus (the first Sanguinist) and Judas, the leader of the mysterious but powerful Belial, the evil organization in opposition to the Sanguinists.
This is Rollins at his best, with Cantrell adding a new dimension to his signature adventure novel. The characters are likable and original, and the story moves fast. I look forward to next in the series.
Rating: 5Archaeologist Erin Granger is drawn into a maelstrom when she is summoned to Masada from a dig where she has discovered physical evidence of Herod's Massacre of the Innocents. Masada has been split in half by a powerful earthquake that has led two warring factions to believe the Blood Gospel has finally been found. She joins forces with mysterious priest Rhun Korza and Army Ranger Jordan Stone in a frantic search that spans the globe, culminating in a startling climax deep beneath the Vatican (of course!). Along the way, we learn about a powerful race of vampires, the Strigoi, and their sworn enemies, the Sanguinists, also vampires but vampire priests sustained by the transubstantiated Blood of Christ, or consecrated wine. Throughout the fast-paced adventure, we meet Nazis, enormous vampire bats, werewolves, Rasputin, Elisabeth Bathory the Blood Countess of Hungary, St. Peter, Lazarus (the first Sanguinist) and Judas, the leader of the mysterious but powerful Belial, the evil organization in opposition to the Sanguinists.
This is Rollins at his best, with Cantrell adding a new dimension to his signature adventure novel. The characters are likable and original, and the story moves fast. I look forward to next in the series.