The Tibetan Talisman by Rob Ingalls

"Shortly after his plane crashes near Chinese spy ships, US Air Force Captain Peter Forrest, a member of an elite team of airmen who fly into the center of typhoons, discovers his destiny. For reasons unknown to him, he has been chosen to return a unique talisman to its rightful owner. At the conclusion of a challenging journey, he is surprised and amazed to learn the identity of its owner.

Twelve thousand years ago, seven gold and silver talismans were created, each inscribed with cryptic symbols. Left in the custody of seven religious guardians throughout the world, each was linked with a different faith. For generations, these guardians have kept the talismans safe, while keeping their vital secret. However, when one of the talismans is stolen, the combined energies of numerous groups struggle to obtain possession. A powerful tool, the talisman could cause international chaos under the control of an evil influence.

Why are the CIA, the United States and Chinese governments, even the Tibetan's exiled government, desperate to gain possession of the talisman? How can Captain Forrest retrieve the talisman and return it to its rightful owner? Discover the commanding power and incredible journey of The Tibetan Talisman." from Amazon.co.uk

From the product description this book sounded like it ticked a lot of boxes for me, action, intrigue, political manoeuvring...and it delivered those elements. The author seems very knowledgeable about  a lot of the topics covered. This is a romp through a number of exotic locales as various factions try and influence the destiny of the Tibetan Talisman. Only Peter seems to be ignorant of what it is capable of, although he becomes very aware it has special powers. I particularly liked the descriptions of the work of the tyhoon hunters and enjoyed the dynamics of the team. The crew were the characters I was most able to empathise with, although I also liked the characterisation of the potential Chinese defector. 

While the switches of location were well handled I did reach a point where I was struggling to keep track of all the characters, particularly those within the CIA and US Government. Trying to keep who was ignorant about the Talisman and who was in on the secret straight was a bit of an effort. My other criticism would be that I put the book down feeling that I didn't really understand what the Talisman was actually capable of. As there is more to come from Peter Forrest I am sure readers will learn more as he does but I would like to have felt I understood the basics of how or why it worked and what could be done with it. Along with a few typos I couldn't say I really liked this book, although I would be interested to see how the series and the writing develops.

Format: Kindle, review copy

Publisher: iUniverse

My Rating: 3*

Book Review - The Dead See by Marcus Gibson

It may make book snobs shudder but I read the Da Vinci Code and I enjoyed it. The description of this book placed it squarely in the same category, a conspiracy thriller, but stood out having been 20 years in the researching and stemming from the author's theological studies. Reading the notes at the end Gibson certainly has the background and credentials to write this sort of book.                                                                       

Bob is a risk analyst whose successful career can be partly credited to his wealthy and influential father-in-law Matt. He is invited analyse risks relating to terrorism and his research soon starts to reveal some worrying truths. Working with a colleague, and old friend of Matt's, a plan is hatched that could end fundamentalist terrorist by tackling the causes at grass root level. The need for an end to murder and mayhem is underlined on Sept 11th 2012 when terrorists launch simultaneous attacks in the US, killing on an unseen scale and crippling cities. Bob realises there is a dark secret being protected when death and violence start to follow him around. He ends up on the run, travelling to Iraq to try and uncover the greatest conspiracy ever.

This book grabbed me at the start, beginning as it does with the attack on the New York subway. When I was then introduced to Bob and his family I was keen to find out how it was all going to fit together. The plot references the familiar grail legends and takes them that bit further, and provides some intriguing historical and religious information. The pacing was good, with the action interspersed with reflective moments. However the reason I didn't give the book a higher rating was that I never really connected with Bob. Despite everything he goes through I never really found myself empathising with him. Maybe it was because it felt a bit like he got everything he had on the back of Matt, and because he seems so judgmental of his sister-in-law who despite his distaste for her seems a strong and capable woman.


The book contains a number of images throughout, some of which were very helpful, others I could hardly read the labels on so weren't helpful and yet others which I found a bit unnecessary and distracting. Those who are interested in codes and ciphers might be more pleased by the inclusion of a crossword puzzle that provides important information. This is also a good book for people who like to find hidden codes and meanings, with deeper layers beyond the text itself.


The Dead See is a smart conspiracy thriller which clearly benefits from a huge amount of research and I particularly enjoyed the final part of the book. It is the sort of book I may well go back and re-read in future to see what I missed on the first read.


Format: Kindle, review copy
My Rating: 3*

Book Review - The Saintmaker by Mary Carroll Patrick

I picked this book up admittedly a little unsure about what to expect from a Catholic genre mystery. However the description "When Janet Reed takes the job as pastoral assistant for a Catholic church after the death of her son, she hopes the job will bring her peace and healing. Instead she becomes a keeper of secrets, a murder suspect and a dead man’s last hope for making restitution for the sins of his past." sounded like an interesting proposition. 

Janet has come to the realisation that after the trauma of losing her son and fighting a lawsuit to bring those responsible to justice she needs to move on with her life. When a friend asks her to take on what is primarily an administrative job she doesn't expect to find herself embroiled in the maelstrom surrounding a suspicious death. Becoming the prime suspect drives her to find the true killer in order to clear her name. While trying to keep a pair of detectives off her back she also has to find time to put together a programme of work for an unexpected and tetchy visitor and deal with the ramifications of an apparent miracle occurring at the Church. 

For some people identifying this book as Catholic genre might be off-putting and I was concerned as someone who is not a Catholic about whether it would be overly religious in tone, or contain too much specific detail that I wouldn't understand. In the end neither was a problem. Instead it provides some interesting general points and thoughts, about the nature of faith among other things. I found Janet's atheist friend's battle to explain an event that didn't seem scientifically possible without accepting it was a miracle a good counterpoint to the many characters with a deep faith. While it did contain some details relating to the Catholic church that I wasn't familiar with there were brief explanations that meant I didn't feel completely in the dark.


In the main the book is written in the first person from Janet's perspective. I found her a complicated and slightly contradictory individual. Janet's determination to keep the dead man's counsel is a major cause of her problems. Has she revealed her conversation with him events would no doubt have unfolded in a very different way, but she is concerned about possibly unfairly tarnishing his reputation. She is effectively the author of her own misfortunes but is driven by her experience after the death of her son so it is somewhat understandable. I was occasionally surprised by outbursts of rather strong language from her, and by her apparent taste for eating takeaway food often, both feeling a bit out of character.


The start made quite an impact, detailing the death that initiates the events in the book, and from there the story moved at a good pace with more information gradually revealed until the pieces all came together at the end. The sub-plots added the picture of life in the parish and enhanced the overall tale. There were a few minor typos but generally I found this book an easy read.


Format: Kindle, review copy
My Rating: 3*

Book Review: The Millstone Prophecy by Jack Harney

A couple of weeks ago the High Court ruled that dioceses are responsible for the actions of their Priests, applying the concept of vicarious liability. This is a ruling which could make it much easier for victims of abuse to claim compensation from the Catholic Church, so unsurprisingly the ruling is to be appealed. With this in mind The Millstone Prophecy was a timely read.

When NYPD Detective Dax McGowan's beloved daughter Grace kills herself the subsequent  investigation soon reveals she and a friend were being abused by a Priest at their local church. Before Dax and colleague Janet have a chance to catch up with him the culprit is spirited away by a hierarchy keen to protect their own. Janet introduces Dax to Rebecca Bain, an abuse victim who now capably heads up a group, Clergy Abuse Survivors, who are secretly tracking priests and investigating cases of abuse. Dax is out for revenge, heading on an international manhunt that will put him in grave danger. 

This book, the author's debut novel, is clearly based around a lot of research and I found the piece on Jack's blog about the inspiration for the book very interesting. This is a serious subject that is treated sensitively, and while there is no doubt left about how awful the abuse is there are no graphic descriptions of it. In light of news coverage of the topic  over recent years the depiction of a cover-up starting with the Vatican seemed altogether too plausible. Some elements like the group of hitmen tasked with eliminating threats to the Church seemed more rooted in the realm of fiction (although who knows) and combining the two made for a good balance.

I warmed to Dax and found his methods of deduction partly amusing and partly very clever. I'd like to have seen more of no-nonsense Janet, but the romantic interest Rebecca represented also provided some relief from the serious matters covered in this book. I also found the ideas floated about a breakaway American Catholic Church made for food for thought.

For all the elements I liked I found the prose rather verbose and for me this didn't mesh well with the crime thriller unfolding. Some of the language used and the turns of phrase adopted didn't feel natural and I also felt the dialogue from some of the characters, Dax and Rebecca in particular, felt a bit stilted. 

On balance I liked this book which addresses a topical matter with a fictional flare and I'd be interested in seeing more from this author.

Format: Kindle, review copy
My Rating: 3*

Book Review: Trinity of the Sun by Darik Brooks

Describe a book like this - "Decorated with stunning and illustrative images, this novel is a must have for art and religious history enthusiasts, open-minded skeptics, and conspiracy theorists, alike. Inspired by a survey of modern scholarly works concerning the origins of Christianity, Trinity of the Sun skillfully assimilates many erudite facts within a crafty, seamless, two-fold tale of intrigue." and you've immediately caught my attention.

Former nun Carmen Leon has been privy to much information over the years and with others has pieced together information that suggests the role of Jesus was quite different to the one the Church tells us he played historically. She is one of a group that believes Renaissance artists knew of the real history of Jesus, John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene and used a secret code to reveal the truth in their paintings. She is now ready to impart what she has learnt to art student niece Sophie, and the two travel round Europe so Carmen can illustrate her point.

The book contains a number of images to help illustrate what Carmen explains, and this is one of the rare occasions when I wish the kindle was in colour as the images lost a lot in grey and white. However I felt they still showed enough to work, and sufficient information was included to allow the reader to look them up online if they were so inclined.

I quite liked The Da Vinci Code, enjoy art, and books with a religious bent and an element of historical fiction always go down well with me. I found I really enjoyed the story and the retelling of the lives of the three major figures in particular. Carmen presents an interesting figure and setting the story by having her explain her discoveries to her niece allowed the author to progress it step by step for the reader too. I didn't particularly feel a connection with either of them but this is so plot-driven it wasn't a concern to me.

There were a couple of negatives however. Firstly there were a few typos and in some places the author has used words that just didn't seem right, and I found myself slightly lost as to what he was trying to convey and wondering whether he really meant to use a similar word instead. Secondly, this is the first in a series, and while I would definitely love to read the second book I didn't like the way this ended. It finished on a cliffhanger but it didn't feel like the women had achieved a particular thing or had come to a significant point in their journey when that cliffhanger presented itself. It just lacked the sort of impact or sense of conclusion I'd expect. This is a criticism I have levelled at other books that have formed part of a series, and while I appreciate how hard it must be for an author to divide material and choose where to split from one book to the next I think they need to bear the reader's experience in mind and consider that each may well be read on its own too.

Despite the criticisms I really enjoyed this book and found it a stimulating read without being too heavy.

Format: Kindle, review copy
My Rating: 4*

Book Review: Coming Home (Dicky's Story) by Sarah Yoffa

When I was offered this book for review what first struck me was the description of genre as Jewish Inspiration Fiction/Romantic Comedy set in a post-apocalyptic world. It sounded like a really novel mix and I wanted to see how it would work.

Dicky is a Thief living in a post-apocalyptic underground colony. He has barely been above ground, only when the gamma levels are low enough to assist his thieving. He's most definitely a ladies man and surrounded by laid back family and friends. He's been brought up with a dislike of the Black Coats, similar to Chassidic Jews, who preach to the unconverted. However on his 32nd birthday he meets 6 year old Itzick and his family friend and companion Leah, Black Coats. Itzick seems to have a special connection with Dicky and when they are forced to spend some time together Dicky finds his pre-conceptions challenged and his lust needing to be controlled.

This book is an amazing mixture. The author uses, and where necessary translates, Hebrew and Leah and Itzick expose Dicky to a lot of their religious practices. A lot of the Hebrew is not translated but this serves to let the reader get a sense of Dicky's exclusion from their conversations. Inevitably I feel that I have learnt something from the book, but without be preached at in the way Dicky and his friends have been.

The romance is very sweet and tender, although there is a lot of sexual tension and some sex scenes. It was definitely steamier than I was expecting for Jewish Inspirational Fiction. I loved Dicky who in the past has been a bit of a lothario but now find himself faced with straight-laced Leah. He grows so much during the book, discovering a completely different way of life.

The setting, after a Great War, with a massive underground colony only able to venture out in optimal conditions and very limited communications and trade is really interesting. It adds another dimension, especially towards the end of the book where it comes into sharper focus and of greater importance.

This is quite a long book but I had a hard time putting it down and it didn't feel lengthy. I thought the characters were great, Dicky is charming, Leah warm and sweet and Itzick precocious but cute. It was such a great read and so different, I'm so pleased Sarah asked me to review it otherwise it is the sort of gem I might have missed out on.

Format: E-book, review copy
My rating: 5*

Book Review: Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Life of Pi is one of those much vaunted books that I hear a massive amount about, then approach with trepidation wondering how much of the hype is merited. Checking the background to the book before writing this I was surprised to see it was 2002 when it won the Booker prize - I didn't realise it had taken me so long to get round to it!

The book starts with an author's note explaining that it seemed natural to write the book in the first person, presumably to better convey the experiences of Piscine Patel (better known as Pi, or 3.14, at school, rather than endure the mispronunciation of his full name) It also makes the lofty promise that the story will make you believe in God.

The first part introduces us to Pi's early life in Pondicherry, India. He is growing up living in a zoo, attending a Catholic school and trying to be a Muslim, Hindu and a Christian. This is to the bemusement, or perhaps amusement, of the rest of his family. Concerned by the political climate of the mid 70s Pi's parents decide to sell up and move to Canada. Many of the animals are sold to zoos in the USA, so arrangements are made for the family to travel with the animals by sea, leading us to the second part of the book.

At the start of part 2 the ship the family and menagerie are travelling on sinks. Somehow Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, save for the company of a zebra, a hyena, an orang-utan and a Bengal tiger. Not only does Pi have to survive 227 days afloat in the Pacific, with all the attendant problems being cast adrift presents, he also has to deal with his animal companions.

The final part takes place in a hospital in Mexico once Pi has finally found land once more. He is interviewed by investigators from the Japanese Ministry of Transport, who are investigating the disappearance of the ship Pi was travelling on.

The first part tells us about the sort of person Pi is, provides an interesting defence of zoos and covers quite some ground on religion. In fact I felt a little bogged down by the pages and pages on the basic beliefs that support the three religions Pi subscribes to. At this point I was starting to think it would be another of those books that failed to meet high expectations. While there are moments in the second part where Pi is hoping for divine intervention or marvelling at creation religion as a theme plays much less of a role than I was expecting.

Moving onto the story of his time at sea the book shifted gear. Details of the battles between the animals and how Pi manages to provide himself with the essentials of life while avoiding instant death by tiger was highly readable, although by now I was starting to question whether what had been set up as a true story was anything of the sort. This is something of a flight of fancy that I enjoyed despite some parts including butchery in the name of survival that made me cringe.

The final part sealed my affection for this book. In most books I read by the end I want to be clear about what has happened and generally quite like it if all the threads tie up. However here the end of the book throws everything I read in even greater doubt. For once instead of feeling miffed I find myself happy that I am mystified as to what actually happened. This is a rare occasion where I am pleased to say a much hyped book lived up to it's reputation, in my eyes at least, although I don't think it alone would make me believe in God.