The Blood Gospel
by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell
Publisher/Publication Date: William Morrow, Jan 8, 2013
Publisher/Publication Date: William Morrow, Jan 8, 2013
THE BLOOD GOSPEL (Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, on sale 1/8/2013, ISBN: 9780061991042, $27.99) is the most innovative treatment of vampires since Anne Rice’s seminal novel, Interview with the Vampire. 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.
THE BLOOD GOSPEL is a bold gothic story about an ancient cryptic order and the hunt for a miraculous and forbidden book— a book rumored to have been written by Christ’s own hand, in His own blood, a tome that is said to hold the secrets to Christ’s divinity and miracles.
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: THE BLOOD GOSPEL. 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. Hidden within the Vatican is a secret sect, 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.
THE BLOOD GOSPEL is a bold gothic story about an ancient cryptic order and the hunt for a miraculous and forbidden book— a book rumored to have been written by Christ’s own hand, in His own blood, a tome that is said to hold the secrets to Christ’s divinity and miracles.
Rollins explains, “Vampires have been around for ages, and the mythology is often tweaked to match the times. After viewing Rembrandt’s painting of “The Raising of Lazarus” in a museum in Los Angeles, it struck me strange how scared everyone looked, and this started me down a road of reflection about early Catholicism, vampirism, and a story began to unfold, a story that examines the line between faith and science. I knew this could be a huge, ground-breaking new mythology, a story so epic in scope that I knew I didn’t want to tackle this alone.”
Cantrell adds, “The church has a long and well-known history of revering blood, from the mythology of Christ’s blood being created during mass, through using the blood-drenched marble of the Coliseum to face the columns surrounding St. Peter’s Square to building the holiest church in Rome on ground soaked with the blood of Christian martyrs. But what if that blood draws its power and strength from a group equally mingled with blood—vampires, hidden within the power structure of the Church, shaping its destiny from its founding?”
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: THE BLOOD GOSPEL. 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. Hidden within the Vatican is a secret sect, 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.
“Irresistible…The Da Vinci Code meets vampires.”—Booklist
“Pure genius.”—Suspense magazine
“Fans of the authors will not be disappointed, and those who lapped up The Da Vinci Code will be clamoring for more in this series.”—Library Journal, starred review
“Good escapist reading in the Dan Brown vein. And these writers can write.”—Kirkus Review
“Fast-paced action, an intriguing plot and compelling characters make this novel tough to put down. In their collaborative efforts Rollins and Cantrell have created a novel that brings out the best in their individual storytelling talents. Their story seamlessly blends modem-day technology with historical intrigue and other worldly phenomena. The highly original plot combines gripping world-could-end drama with characters who are complex, fascinating and personable.”—Romantic Times Book Review
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