The Blood Gospel audiobook

This is a book I had wanted to read for so long. Every ingredient in the synopsis whetted my taste buds - it is so my kind of book. Unfortunately, I spend the majority of my time in Norway and ordered it at my UK address. Okay, I accept I do stupid things on occasion. My embarrassment was compounded when one of the authors asked me if I had read it after I had told him/her (I won't say which one) that I couldn't wait. It was well worth waiting for anyway. I could read this book a dozen times.I won't bore any of you by repeating half of the synopsis as it's up there in black and white for your perusal. What I will do, is say what I loved about it. I have always loved Rollins' style and the kind of book he writes. To me, he is akin to Dan Brown, but with a keener edge. Where Brown takes a breather with lengthy descriptions of historical locations (which is okay for a history buff such as myself) Rollins just ploughs on with the story and never relents with his pace. Of course, this is a collaboration with Ms Cantrell and together I feel they are a formidable partnership.A cocktail of ancient mysteries, cults, vampires of both persuasions, secret societies, the Nazis, a host of historical greats, and the Catholic Church. What more could a reader want? I liked also the use of three main protagonists as opposed to the usual ritual of hero plus one(usually female). All three have their intricacies and complexities that keep them interesting, as well as their individual interactions with each other that bring us to identify with and care for them. I loved too the introduction of many great historical figures going back two thousand years. I don't give spoilers so you will have to read the story for yourselves, but they each add real substance to the book, leading up to the final excellent twist at the end.Blood Gospel is an action-packed, fast-paced, thrilling read that I would recommend to anyone. I'm going straight to Amazon now to order Innocent Blood. I know it will be money well spent. Five glowing stars from me.

WOW!! James Rollins really stepped outside of his comfort zone with 'Blood Gospel'! I didn't get caught up in the wave of 'Twilight' readers or movies. So, haven't really read many "vampire" books. Though.. one does NOT walk away thinking vampires when finished with 'Blood Gospel'!!I really like the terminology he introduced in the story. It separates out Rollins works.. into a genre of it's own! I truly TRULY enjoyed the read! Now, the HISTORY!! That's where he get me every time! From the siege at Masada to modern day Rome! I'm sorry I'm not very eloquent with words.. but.. in my own way.. I'm trying to tap out.. I LOVED THIS BOOK! WOW! I was lucky enough to get an advance copy to read! If you've not put this one on your wishlist.. do so now!! It's the MUST read novel for 2013!!

This is James Rollins & Rebecca Cantrell on the edge of blasphemy and I loved the book, devouring it in two sittings. Opening with a glimpse into the heart of Masada, Israel, a dark tomb is revealed. As it is destroyed in an earthquake, three survivors escape to face a demonic creature, before a priesthood come to spirit them away on a mission to save mankind. Packed full of fast-paced action, vampires and corrupted creatures, religious themes and emotional resonance, Blood Gospel will delight fans of Rollins. My only criticism is that it is only the first of a new series, and I hate waiting ...

Anyone who loves archaeology, combined with religious conspiracy, combined with vampire legend, will LOVE this novel...Can't wait to read the rest of the series!http://librarycrystal.wordpress.com/2...

Talk about an ending that makes you HAVE to read the next book! This book was a master of taking past biblical, historic, and the imaginary and weaving one wild tale.

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 [soldiers] 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.

Although I enjoyed The Blood Gospel, I’m going to be honest and say it’s not quite a full four-star rating. It was close enough for me to round up – after all, I was addicted throughout and happily devoured it – but it didn’t quite wow me in the way I had hoped. As much as I love a good paranormal novel that intertwines with history, I found this one dragged a little bit at some points. I wanted to see how everything came together, but certain parts felt a bit slower than I would have liked. Then there were other parts – such as the romance – that felt a bit forced. It certainly held my attention throughout, but it didn’t quite grip me as tight as I had hoped.I’ll certainly be reading the second Order of the Sanguines book, but I had been hoping for a wee bit more.

Like Dan Brown with vampires. While I like James Rollins' books, Rebecca Cantrell's co-authorship was a strong addition. A good read, and historical enough to be recommended for (sophisticated) high school history readers.

i vant to suck your vludp105: the grenade coughed behind him, a giant, barking wheeze that blew a dusty fireball across his back.p147: so far, nothing had stirred on the dark avenue, the shops remained shuttered, the lights dark.p193: he counted down to his death.one. two. three. four...p263: a crossbow bolt grazed his cheek, snapping him back to the present. the arrow winged off the edge of the tree and buried itself in dirt behind him.p402: without touching her throat, she knew that the black mark had returned.p422: the bullet had passed through bathory's body before it struck the wolf, carrying her blood with it.- and here i thought they were all fond of hollow pointsp444: "cover her," ordered the palatine.the palatine threw a soiled blanket across her bloodstained shoulders.

I've read quite a few James Rollins novels so far, and while I've enjoyed them, they have always seemed to fall just a little short of a top-tier read. It's like they were missing something that was always hard to put my finger on. But now that he's teamed up with Rebecca Cantrell for this first book in the "Order of the Sanguines" series, the result is, indeed, top-notch.There is something here for almost every reader. Whether you like conspiracy books, or ancient mystery books, or action-adventure books, or books with a complicated puzzle to solve, you'll find it here. The pace is generally pretty fast throughout, with occasional slowdowns for explanations and thought-provoking dialogue. Rollins' usual well-researched hisorical backstory is here still, but perhaps a little less heavy-handed than his norm. The plot includes ancient prophecies and biblical lore and the mystery that unfolds is absolutely intriguing. And yes, the supernatural element is very strong here, to include werewolves and vampires. But this is no Twilight or urban fantasy novel. It's a roller coaster of jaw-dropping action, sandwiched between layers of intellectual mystery and even titillating romance.Three main characters, a non-com military forensics expert, a Vatican priest, and a beautiful female archeologist are thrust together by an earthquake in Masada, Israel. The earthquake has revealed an ancient tomb deep inside the mountain which holds the crucified body of a mummified girl. Their journey will take them to Germany, Russia, and Rome in a race to recover a lost Gospel, rumored to have been authored by Christ himself and containing secrets of immortality.Wow, that sounds like a crazy plot of a B movie at best but here, these two authors have made it work. In spades. I really enjoyed reading this book and long for the release of the next in the series. I have not read a book by Rebecca Cantrell yet but I plan to rectify that pronto. I think her contribution to this writing duo has infused a strong plot writer like Rollins with a heart and soul and the resulting combination is fantastic. Highly recommended.

Authors James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell have joined forces to create a thriller infused with the unrelenting action he's known for and the horror that's her base. Rollins is a long time favorite and Cantrell is new to me. But based on THE BLOOD GOSPEL, she looks to become another writer I don't miss.The Blood Gospel of the title is the prize in the first book of The Order of The Sanguine series. The Sanguinists are a sect of Catholic priests that are a bit different. They are vampires, called the Strigoi, in the service of God, giving up human blood to survive on wine that is consecrated to be the blood of Jesus. They are immortal, but can die with silver. Because of their consumption of the blood of Christ, they can come out in the daylight, though it pains them, the reason priests are heavily garbed and hooded.The Blood Gospel has been hidden for a couple of thousand years. The prophecies say it is a gospel written by Christ, explaining how he suddenly began performing miracles. And it is written in his own blood.An earthquake in Masada opens a hidden tomb and kills hundreds of people. Dr. Erin Granger, a prominent archaeologist is pulled from a dig to look into it. On hand are both Israeli troops and American, led by Sergeant Jordan Stone, a military forensic expert. There's also a priest along, Father Rhun Korza, who's more than he seems.The trio end up a world wide hunt for the Blood Gospel. Whispers say they are the answer to an ancient prophecy: That a Woman of Learning, a Warrior of Man, and a Knight of Christ will come together, find the book, and figure out how to open it.Tere's also another group hunting the book. The Baliel, a group of Strigoi and humans, that want it for their own purposes.Whoever finds the Blood Gospel will change the world.A wonderful mix of horror,vampires, grimwolves(vampire wolves), and real vampire bats.Loved every bit of it and await the next volume. I think three are planned.