Week 4 Review: The Blood Gospel

From Goodreads:
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.

My Review:
I enjoyed this book so much! I didn't expect too, too much, because while James Rollins is a really great author, and I now know Rebecca Cantrell is one, too, in writing, two brains might not be better than one because then they might argue or something. But this book was just awesome!

This world, it's very detailed, dark and lush! I enjoyed being in so much, and I'm so glad that it's a series, because yeah, there were a lot of things that I just want to know more about! And we're going to get the chance, so yeah!

These characters, from Erin, the archaeologist who's dad was a religious fanatic, Jordan Stone, the soldier who is an investigator and keeps the group together, and Rhun Korza the Catholic priest-who is actually an Sanguine.

Just the idea of the Order of the Sanguines being buried in the Catholic Church, well, mostly, is the fact that it could have happened. And that a lot of their rites are kinda weird, and when looked through this lens, could have a double purpose!

I just loved that cliffhanger at the end, and now I really just want to read more, a lot happened in that ending!

Authors: James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell
Series: The Order of the Sanguines #1
Read: January 24th, 2013
Source: Bought
Reason Why: I love anything by James Rollins! And it's a Reward Challenge Book!
Publisher: William-Morrow
Published: January 8th 2013

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars