Demon Download (Dark Future)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Sharp Pulp Fiction
  • Great to see these books again
  • (RAW Rating: 3.5) - It can't happen here.
  • 4.5 Stars!
Demon Download (Dark Future)
Jack Yeovil
Manufacturer: Black Flame
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1844162362

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Sharp Pulp Fiction.......2007-05-29

I had to search for YEARS to find the Yeovil Demon Download-Krokodil Tears-Comeback Tour books from the UK. They were SO worth the endless, semi-obsessive effort. Jack Yeovil aka Kim Newman - check out THE MAN FROM THE DIOGENES CLUB for occult 007-style pop-cultural mayhem and wit - really knows how to pack in the coolness. It's great that the books are back in print and I've read AMERICAN MEAT by Stuart Moore, which is a new book set in the same "world." It's damned good book, but I'd love to see GHOST DANCERS back in print as well as, dare I even hope for it, another books from Newman/Yeovil!

5 out of 5 stars Great to see these books again.......2006-06-26

I loved this series when Games Workshop first published them in the late 80s and I'm very happy to see them updated and back in print.

Looking forward to the completion of the Route 666/Demon Download saga.

4 out of 5 stars (RAW Rating: 3.5) - It can't happen here........2006-01-04

It's the 21st Century and the multi-national corporations control America. The military is set up to protect those corporations from the roving gangs and religious sects that wander the desert that has become America. Fort Apache, Arizona, a military garrison that has been charged with keeping the Interstate highways open for the corporations, is under attack by an unknown enemy. First a cruiser driven by soldiers from Fort Apache, visits a gas station in the desert where a computer bug is inserted through the gas tank, kills all but one of the soldiers riding in it and then continues on its mission of murder, searching for a particular church and a Catholic priest, Father O'Pray. Inside the fort, the men and women turn on each other in a blood fest that leaves many dead and others racing for their lives. Only one person has the key to this mystery, Chantal Juillerat, a nun dispatched from the Vatican. Working with the lone cavalry soldier who escaped the carnage of the demon-possessed cruiser, Chantel searches for the root of the problem.

Jack Yeovil has woven a tale of the future in DEMON DOWNLOAD. America, since ignoring global warming and other environmental issues, is a huge desert where whiskey is cheaper and more plentiful than water. The Great Salt Lake and the Colorado River are both dried up. The wall separating church and state has been dismantled and warring religious factions brawl throughout the country. The state of Utah, a vast wasteland of sand that has been renamed Deseret, has been taken over with the permission of the government, by the Josephites, a religious cult. Gaschuggers, a biologically altered group who drink gas for pleasure and sustenance, roam the countryside, terrorizing the inhabitants.

It is an interesting story that can strike fear in your heart because of the similarities to what we are witnessing in America today even though it was originally written in 1993. While the religious infighting may have been a bit exaggerated, this nation should take notice of what can happen when the wall of separation of church and state is torn down. Your religion just may not be the main one and others may wish to prey upon you. I had trouble sometimes, keeping up with the plot, as many new factions came into the picture. The story got choppy in some places and I had to reread sections to find out how I got where I was. The entire plot got just a tad bit murky at points but overall it was fascinating as well as funny and frightening.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

5 out of 5 stars 4.5 Stars!.......2005-10-03

The story is set in America's future. Multi-national corporations control everything, including the media and the government. Even the altars in churches are computerized. Religious cults are growing fast. Elder Nguyen Seth is the titular head of the Josephite Church. His sinister cult is the worst. He is known by many names, such as Seth the Eternal & Seth the Summoner. He has lived several life times already. Now he has summoned a minor demon and turned it into the form of a sub-sentient computer virus.

Vatican hitwoman Chantal Juillerat is sent to Fort Apache in America to locate and destroy the demon. However, by the time she reaches Fort Apache, the demon is already inhabiting the central control and weapons system of a US Cavalry-issue road cruiser, equipped with multiple, state-of-the-art weaponry. And by the time Chantal and Trooper Nathan Stack catch up with the vehicle, the demon has taken over the altar of a Catholic Church. But that is all fore play. This living virus plans to take over Fort Apache itself, and then spread out.

The personnel of Fort Apache find themselves trapped inside their desert outpost, commanded by an insane US Cavalry captain possessed by the malevolent virus. Time for Sister Chantal to get busy.

***** If you have ever read any comics in the "Magdalena" series (Top Cow Comics), you may very well see a resemblance. Chantal comes across as half Nun and half Valkyrie, but totally deadly. The author gives a brief look at Chantal's history, which makes the character a little more believable. If this series takes off, it could make for a great movie on the big screen someday. Terrific book! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
Comeback Tour (Demon Download Cycle)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Comeback Tour (Demon Download Cycle)
    Jack Yeovil
    Manufacturer: Black Flame
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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    ASIN: 1844164101

    Book Description

    The King isn't dead! Elvis Presley might not be a Colonel in the US Army anymore, but he's got a reputation as being one of the toughest independent Sanctioned Ops in the South. Yet, can he prevent the world being destroyed (further) while fighting off the KKK, swamp mutants and voodoo priests?

    Demon Download
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Demon Download
      Jack Yeovil
      Manufacturer: GW Books, Ltd.
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
      ASIN: B000IVFHU4
      Krokodil Tears (Dark Future: Demon Download Cycle)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Krokodil Tears (Dark Future: Demon Download Cycle)
        Jack Yeovil
        Manufacturer: Gw Books
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        ASIN: 187237218X
        Abiding Darkness: Book One of The Black or White Chronicles (Unabridged)
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Abiding Darkness: Book One of The Black or White Chronicles (Unabridged)
          John Aubrey Anderson
          Manufacturer: audible.com
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Audio Download
          ASIN: B000ICM1GG

          Product Description

          It is 1945 in Mississippi’s cotton country, and Missy Parker is seven years old, strong willed, and very precocious. Her best friend, Junior Washington, lives across Cat Lake from the Parker’s plantation. Missy, her big brother Bobby, and Junior are inseparable. However, the Parkers and the Washingtons are of differing faiths and different races.

          Against the background of the dynamic relationships between these rich characters, an enthralling struggle between good and evil emerges when a demon targets Missy and creates havoc throughout her family and community. This first book in The Black or White Chronicles relates the sweeping saga of a young girl’s battle with one of hell’s minions determined to destroy her and those closest to her.
          Absolutes & Other Stories (Unabridged)
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Absolutes & Other Stories (Unabridged)
            Robert Stanek
            Manufacturer: audible.com
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Audio Download
            ASIN: B000NA78JI
            Angeles y Demonios [Angels and Demons]
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              Angeles y Demonios [Angels and Demons]
              Dan Brown
              Manufacturer: audible.com
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Audio Download
              ASIN: B000UOABXW
              Angels and Demons
              Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
              • I like this better then Da Vinci Code
              • Entertaining Fiction
              • Spellbinding!
              • Angels & Demons & Bishops ... oh, my!
              • Stupid and Mass Marketed
              Angels and Demons
              Dan Brown
              Manufacturer: audible.com
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Audio Download
              Similar Items:
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              ASIN: B0000D1BXO

              Amazon.com

              It takes guts to write a novel that combines an ancient secret brotherhood, the Swiss Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, a papal conclave, mysterious ambigrams, a plot against the Vatican, a mad scientist in a wheelchair, particles of antimatter, jets that can travel 15,000 miles per hour, crafty assassins, a beautiful Italian physicist, and a Harvard professor of religious iconology. It takes talent to make that novel anything but ridiculous. Kudos to Dan Brown (Digital Fortress) for achieving the nearly impossible. Angels & Demons is a no-holds-barred, pull-out-all-the-stops, breathless tangle of a thriller--think Katherine Neville's The Eight (but cleverer) or Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum (but more accessible).

              Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is shocked to find proof that the legendary secret society, the Illuminati--dedicated since the time of Galileo to promoting the interests of science and condemning the blind faith of Catholicism--is alive, well, and murderously active. Brilliant physicist Leonardo Vetra has been murdered, his eyes plucked out, and the society's ancient symbol branded upon his chest. His final discovery, antimatter, the most powerful and dangerous energy source known to man, has disappeared--only to be hidden somewhere beneath Vatican City on the eve of the election of a new pope. Langdon and Vittoria, Vetra's daughter and colleague, embark on a frantic hunt through the streets, churches, and catacombs of Rome, following a 400-year-old trail to the lair of the Illuminati, to prevent the incineration of civilization.

              Brown seems as much juggler as author--there are lots and lots of balls in the air in this novel, yet Brown manages to hurl the reader headlong into an almost surreal suspension of disbelief. While the reader might wish for a little more sardonic humor from Langdon, and a little less bombastic philosophizing on the eternal conflict between religion and science, these are less fatal flaws than niggling annoyances--readers should have no trouble skimming past them and immersing themselves in a heck of a good read. "Brain candy" it may be, but my! It's tasty. --Kelly Flynn

              Book Description


              From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Da Vinci Code comes the explosive thriller that started it all.

              An ancient secret brotherhood. A devastating new weapon of destruction. An unthinkable target. When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to his first assignment to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati...the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy -- the Catholic Church.

              Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.

              Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair...a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.

              Critics have praised the exhilarating blend of relentless adventure, scholarly intrigue, and cutting wit found in Brown's remarkable thrillers featuring Robert Langdon. An explosive international suspense, Angels & Demons marks this hero's first adventure as it careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war.

              Download Description

              From the acclaimed author of Digital Fortress comes an explosive international thriller that careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war.

              Customer Reviews:

              5 out of 5 stars I like this better then Da Vinci Code.......2007-10-10

              This is a fast pased prequil that you do not have to read any of the other books for. While Dan Brown got the Papal elections and some hisorical facts wrong, it was a great thriller and was well written. If you haven't done so, read this one.

              5 out of 5 stars Entertaining Fiction .......2007-10-08

              This book is good clean fun. I usually don't read fiction but this was too good to put down. There were glaring errors in quantum theory (the proton being the antimatter counterpart to the electron ...more like the positron, and how much energy there is per unit mass) But hey its a good warm up for a guy breaking his free fall with a hand held parachute... The book is so well put together I moved right past these sort of far-fetchers... But hey it is great action and the sidelights of history (fact or not) are the fascinating weave Brown is known for... Don't miss it.

              4 out of 5 stars Spellbinding! .......2007-10-07

              This is the only book I've read of Dan Brown's (I have The DaVinci Code, but haven't read it yet), but after reading Angels & Demons, I have ordered Deception Point. I had a hard time grasping Angels & Demons in the first chapter; however, it grabbed me after that and I couldn't put the book down!

              This book was written so well and so convincing that I was worried that some parts of it could be true. I'm not a Catholic, but it sure gave me the chills! I don't think you'll be disappointed in this book if you like mysteries. Enjoy!

              3 out of 5 stars Angels & Demons & Bishops ... oh, my!.......2007-10-03

              Let's get this out of the way right from the start: I picked up ANGELS & DEMONS at the behest of dozens of friends who -- on the tails of THE DAVINCI CODE movie -- spent the better part of several weeks arguing which book (DAVINCI or A&D) would make better fodder from cinema entertainment. Yes, most of them argued that ANGELS was far more 'filmable,' and, having not yet read DAVINCI, I'm in no position to debate that. Loved the subject matter (I've always been a bit of a conspiracy nut, and ANGELS provides more than ample proving ground for topics relating to the ever elusive Illuminate as well as fringe Catholicism and future science), loved the characters (Robert Langdon seems and sounds like a bona fide college professor / academic, and Vittoria Vetra made a pleasant sidekick / love interest), and loved the premise (I've always been a sucker for race-against-the-clock narratives, and ANGELS delivers pretty solidly on that count).

              However, the book tries way too often to vacillate between the philosophical arguments of religion versus science when author Dan Brown should've done like everyone suggests: pick a side, and run with it. Too much time is spent on the fence -- the middleground reserved for centrists or realists who prefer to pick-and-choose what to and what not to believe based on convenience -- when I wouldn't have faulted Brown for just deciding "'A' is going to be the truth for this novel, and I'll stick with it." It's easier to get past some of the lesser inconsistencies OR major incredulities when, at the very least, you've chosen a side and put your stake in the ground. At some points, Langdon believes ... and then he doesn't again. Sure, I think it's comfy; you avoid offending the audience by presenting a main character who's struggling with these moral dilemmas (just like you and me!) ... but, as I'm inclined to give the book a pass due to the delicate subject matter, I won't go on with that point.

              Also, Brown didn't quite handle the real-time element in the latter half of the novel. At the beginning, Robert Langdon is in the realm of science, so it's forgivable to have him jetting from one side of the world to the other in one hour, but racing throughout Rome in only a matter of minutes given the fact that there are, allegedly, hundreds of thousands of folks obviously cluttering the streets around the Vatican? Seems a bit of a stretch to me. Also, the hearty Langdon performs with such athletic prowess that a Navy Seal would blush. Langdon's last brush with death totally killed my ability to suspend disbelief ... and I'll leave that little moment for your own discovery.

              Incidentally, I've read somewheres that the folks behind Fox TV's stellar program "24" were interested in acquiring the rights to ANGELS & DEMONS at some point in the book's history, and I don't find that hard to believe in the slightest. Much of the book is told in the same kind of hectic frantic incredible pace of one of the better seasons of that program, so fans of Jack Bauer should take interest in exploring the book if for no other reason than to see what could have been.

              1 out of 5 stars Stupid and Mass Marketed.......2007-09-30

              Thank God there are others out there who appreciate the sheer stupidity of this book -- and Brown's other book, the Da Vinci Code. I bought both through a price club, sadly believing the buzz which surrounded them. I was expecting an interesting, engaging read, along the lines of best sellers I have read in England. I have to be honest -- I put the book down after reading a few pages. One reviewer posted the many, numerous factual errors. What is more astounding is the many reviewers who defended such factual errors. The first few pages of this book were inane, vacuous, and glib. Nothing intelligent, riveting, rigorous, compelling about them at all. I leafed through the rest of the book, looking for interesting parts -- and it was more or less the same. I did not see any interesting detours into philosophical, historical excavations or reflections....or depth any kind really. The back of the books shows a picture of David Brown, who looks as happy as if he had discovered the Happy Meal (at McDonalds) and is gleeful that million are buying his garbage and proclaiming it to be haute cusine.

              This is one stupid, ridiculous book marketed and hyped to the masses. Brown is not a gifted writer, though he can write. But genius, ground breaker he is not. THere is nothing remarkable or extraordinary or even remotely interesting about this book.

              The fact that so many in America love it reflects how dumbed down this country really is. The people who defend it dont realize how dumb they really are. Ignorance is bliss (and apparently quite profitable) in America!!
              Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony (Unabridged)
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony (Unabridged)
                Eoin Colfer
                Manufacturer: audible.com
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Audio Download
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                The Black Tattoo (Unabridged)
                Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                • Best book I've read so far this year!
                • Gladiator meets The Matrix
                • Very interesting read
                • Good story for kids. Much less for adults.
                • Sam Enthoven maintains his marvelous standards
                The Black Tattoo (Unabridged)
                Sam Enthoven
                Manufacturer: audible.com
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Audio Download
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                ASIN: B000JJ4OMC

                Book Description

                Jack's best mate, Charlie, has always been effortlessly cool. When Charlie wakes up one day and finds a mysterious, moving black tattoo on his back, it's a clear sign that he's even cooler than Jack thought. To top it off, Charlie is suddenly able to fight like a kung-fu master, fly, and control the minds of others. Yes, he's got super powers.

                Or does he?

                Jack soon learns the terrifying truth: Charlie's incredible powers come from an age-old demon called the Scourge, who is using Charlie to bring about its evil master plan. To stop the Scourge, Jack and Charlie join forces with Esme, a girl with super powers of her own, trained from birth to fight the demon. But time is running out, as Charlie falls deeper under the Scourge's dark spell.

                When the Scourge vanishes with Charlie, Jack and Esme follow their friend from the streets of London into Hell itself, where they face horrors that may well cost them their lives. Can they survive to outwit the Scourge, save Charlie, and stop an even greater evil?

                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars Best book I've read so far this year!.......2007-05-13

                This book is simply excellent. I had expected this book to be a good read, but not THAT good of a read. This book is filled with fantasy, magic, a wonderful plot, twists and turns, interesting characters that come alive, magic and more. Anybody that graded this three stars or lower...well? I don't know why. Hmm?

                This story starts with two normal teenage boys, Charlie and Jack. Even though they are both ENTIRELY different people they've still been best friends for as long as they can remember. They end up running into a man named Nick who is the leader for a small group of people called "The Brotherhood". The Brotherhood's job is to keep a demon called the Scourge from escaping and going back to Hell. They don't exactly KNOW his intentions but they do know that they are very bad. The Scourge has been let out and it's up to Jack, Charlie (?), and a butt-kicking woman from the Brotherhood, Esme to stop the caos and save the world from the forces of Hell. They'll be going on an adventure they'll NEVER forget.

                I hope that you all at least try this book and I hope that you enjoy as much as I did.

                HAPPY READING!

                4 out of 5 stars Gladiator meets The Matrix.......2007-03-08

                It took me weeks to read this book
                Much longer than it should
                It's long and sometimes rambles, though
                It's basically quite good

                For several thousand years or more
                Entrapped beneath a tree
                There lies the evil demon Scourge
                Who's yearning to get free

                He snares an unsuspecting host
                To help with his escape
                The Black Tattoo's his trademark
                And it's always changing shape

                A battle with the Brotherhood
                Soon puts them to the test
                Can Esme and the loyal Jack
                Derail the Scourge's quest?

                A tale of evil and of good
                With other stuff as well
                A floating shark, a bat and
                Gladiators down in hell

                The dialogue is sometimes weak
                The plot may be confusing
                But though this novel is quite dark
                You'll find some parts amusing

                For readers who are 9 and up
                And know what they're about
                It isn't Harry Potter
                But it's well worth checking out



                Amanda Richards, March 8, 2007

                4 out of 5 stars Very interesting read.......2007-01-25

                I got the book on tape out of the library and wasn't sure what to expect. Overall, I liked the storyline a lot though some did drag a bit. I agree with one of the other reviews, some of the dialogue was cliched, but I did find myself laughing out loud quite a few times...the chinge (spelling?) was one of the funniest to me. The descriptions of hell were pretty cool, and I like that most of the second half of the book took place there. Those parts were much more interesting.

                I recommend it to anyone that likes fantasy.

                3 out of 5 stars Good story for kids. Much less for adults........2007-01-18

                This book will appeal to kids who are fantasy fans but offers far less crossover appeal to adults than the classics of the genre (e.g. Harry Potter or A Wrinkle in Time). While there are many creative bits (Godfrey, for example) the writing is *very* straight-forward and plodding. This is not to say it is poor, but it offers little to keep an older mind engaged. Recommended for kids 9-16 or so, but if you are an adult fantasy fan or precocious child I'd recommend you give it a miss.

                5 out of 5 stars Sam Enthoven maintains his marvelous standards.......2007-01-18

                The Black Tattoo is a fantastic book that I would advise everyone to read. It is a story of friendship through hardship and of how true friends can conquer all. It is comedic at times, and the characters seem incredibly real. Leigh

                The Da Vinci Fraud: Why the Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction
                Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                • Superb work.
                • Engrossing.
                • So much the worse for the facts
                • The definitive rebuttal of Brown's unlearned guesses
                • So Much For That Happy And Unified Band Of Early Christians
                The Da Vinci Fraud: Why the Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction
                Robert M. Price
                Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

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                ASIN: 1591023483

                Book Description

                Was Leonardo Da Vinci a member of the "Priory of Sion," a secret society reaching all the way back to the Crusades? Does his famous painting, "The Last Supper," contain a hidden code about this society's most precious secret? Did Jesus father children by Mary Magdalene? What was the Holy Grail?

                The best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has stirred the popular imagination by cleverly interweaving theories about such questions with a fast-paced fictional narrative. Many readers have been so swept away by the drama of this murder mystery that they have accepted Brown's fictional reconstruction of Christian origins and medieval history as established fact.

                New Testament scholar Robert M. Price, a member of the Jesus Seminar, examines the creative uses of history in Brown's novel, showing that, however intriguing Brown's fictional speculations may be, the real facts behind the novel are even more fascinating. What does the best historical evidence say about the possibility that Jesus might have survived the crucifixion? How did the Gospels come to be accepted as the established accounts of Jesus' life and why were other Gnostic traditions suppressed? How did the Roman Emperor Constantine figure in the development of Christian dogma? What was Mary Magdalene's role in early Christianity and how was it adapted in later attempts to develop a "sacred feminine" element in Christianity? These are some of the important questions about Christianity that Dr. Price pursues in this engrossing discussion of Christian history. Price combines sophisticated historical analysis with completely accessible and witty prose in this enlightening, factually based sequel to Brown's speculative bestseller.

                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars Superb work........2007-04-09

                This is my first book I've read from Mr. Price and I considered this work to be one of the best in explaining to the basic layman on the roots of Christianity and the fraud behind the Da Vinci Code.

                Now we must really understand that the Da Vinci Code was written in 'fiction'; so I have nothing against Dan Brown at all. It's just that it has influenced millions of people to believe it is 'non-fiction', therefore Mr. Price's response was appropriate.

                Considerate, to the point, and realistic, this book is one of the more scholarly works in refuting The Da Vinci Code. Maybe he should write one about the Talpiot tomb/Lost Tomb of Jesus?

                5 out of 5 stars Engrossing........2007-01-07

                The best-seller novel THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown sold millions and stirred imagination and debate, weaving theories about Christian origins with a fictional murder mystery. New Testament scholar Robert Price, member of the Jesus Seminar, here examines the fallacies of Christian history and usage in THE DA VINCI CODE, drawing important connections between fantasy and real history and adding religious insights based on known facts about Jesus and his life, the Gospels, and historical figures. Readers who have followed THE DA VINCI CODE will find THE DA VINCI FRAUD: WHY THE TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION equally engrossing.

                Diane C. Donovan
                California Bookwatch

                1 out of 5 stars So much the worse for the facts.......2006-06-10

                According to the editor details in my copy of Tales of the Lovecraft Mythos:

                "Robert M. Price discovered the work of H.P. Lovecraft at the age of thirteen. At the age of thirty-seven [this book was published 14 years ago] he is still going strong. For a decade he has been the editor of Crypt of Cthulhu and a frequent contributor to Lovecraftian Studies and Studies in Weird Fiction."

                Is this the same Robert M. Price who wrote this book, or are there two people using the same name for their works of fiction? For in the final analysis this is surely what much of this book is.

                The members of the nineteenth century, Tubingen-based school of so-called higher criticism based their thinking on the ideas of German philosopher G.W.F. Hegel. This is not really so surprising since Hegel was so far out of touch with reality that, when a student pointed out that his analysis of certain historical events had completely misrepresented the facts, he complacently responded: "So much the worse for the facts."

                Despite all the media hype it has garnered, the self-styled "Jesus Seminar" is very much a fringe group (in academic circles), whose members seem to be attempting to resurrect higher criticism - and with the same carefree disregard for the facts.

                Despite the claims at the front of the book, The Da Vinci Code is, in reality, nothing more than a purely fictional thriller, written with questionable literary skill, based on a hoax perpetrated in the 1950s by French forger and anti-semite Pierre Plantard and his colleagues, funnelled through the poorly-argued (and, by the authors' own admission, totally speculative) Holy Blood, Holy Grail (which has been around since the early 1980's - yet with a noticeable lack of collapse on the part of Christianity in general or the Roman Catholic Church in particular).

                Presumably in an attempt to ride the wave of hysteria surrounding Dan Brown's novel, Price debunks one story whilst presenting us with an equally fictional account of what he and his colleagues in the "Seminar" claim are the origins of Christianity. It's the sort of trick frequently found in works on ID (intelligent design) - the author starts out addressing one subject, and then, when the reader is hooked, switches to the ID - or in this case the "Jesus Seminar" - propaganda.

                Unfortunately, as with the earlier acolytes of higher criticism, the reasoning of the members of the "Seminar" is somewhat similar to the US TV show "Jeopardy!", or to a process known in IT circles as "reverse engineering". First they decide what they believe - then they work backwards to find evidence that justifies to their beliefs. The ultimate flaw is that there is absolutely no chance that the evidence will ever be evaluated at face value. Instead it is assumed that all evidence which supports the "Jesus Seminar" beliefs MUST be true/accurate/etc., and by the same totally subjective yardstick, any evidence that points to a different conclusion is treated as though it is, by definition, inaccurate/false/etc. and therefore need not be considered.

                So, if you want a book which reflects this kind of religious bigotry to make its case against Christianity, then you may well find this very satisfying.

                For a far better analysis of the flaws in the current crop of anti-Christian fiction, especially The Da Vinci Code, Holy Blood, Holy Grail, The Templar Revelation, and The Woman with the Alabaster Jar, etc. then you may well find the recently released DVD The Real Da Vinci Code a far more credible and satisfying mixture of accurate, agnostic, investigative reporting and entertaining/irreverent presentation (without any hint of "dumbing down").

                5 out of 5 stars The definitive rebuttal of Brown's unlearned guesses.......2006-05-24

                Dan Brown is not a biblical scholar. When he read "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," and saw it as providing a historical setting for a mystery novel titled "The Da Vinci Code," he had no ability to distinguish those parts that constituted legitimate historical speculation from other parts that any competent scholar could have told him were indefensible.
                Bart Ehrman, who wrote "Truth and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code," is a theologian, and as such his ability to evaluate historical questions is severely curtailed by his preconditioning. Some of his corrections of Brown are as inaccurate as Brown's own speculations.
                Robert Price is a biblical scholar. While he has been known to reach conclusions with which other scholars disagree, he does not reach conclusions that are not at the very least consistent with the evidence. So when he spells out the mistakes, wild guesses and plain lies in Brown's novel, his findings have far greater credibility than those of an author brainwashed into believing that the Bible is essentially nonfiction. There is no possibility whatsoever that Ehrman's conclusions are the best that biblical scholarship has to offer. Price's conclusions may be exactly that.
                The reason so many books debunking "The Da Vinci Code" have been written is that no previous book said everything that needed to be said and corrected everything that needed to be corrected. Price has done so, and thereby made further books on the subject superfluous.
                (see my unabridged review in May/June 2006 "American Rationalist")

                4 out of 5 stars So Much For That Happy And Unified Band Of Early Christians.......2006-02-17

                THE DA VINCI FRAUD is an interesting book which not only refutes many of the misleading claims found in Dan Brown's DA VINCI CODE but also gives a broad overview of the origins of Christianity as well as the events leading up to the formation of the New Testament Canon.

                Price has an informal style which belies a wide knowledge of the history of early Christianity. He has a knack for mixing speculation with facts to increase the reader's interest.

                In disputing Brown's work, Price gives his own version of the truth about the Templar Knights, Constantine, the Holy Grail, Mary Magdalene and the Resurrection of Jesus. The most absorbing part of the book, however, is the author's discussion of Gnosticism and also the Gospels which were not included in the Bible.

                I enjoyed THE DA VINCI FRAUD particularly for its extensive treatment of the politics of forming the New Testament. I found it helpful to have already read Elaine Pagels' THE GNOSTIC GOSPELS and Karen L. King's THE GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALA.

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                1. Dervish Is Digital (Tea from an Empty Cup)
                2. Diagnosis Murder #4: The Waking Nightmare (Diagnosis Murder)
                3. Dissonance: The Turbulent Days Between Fort Sumter and Bull Run
                4. Dust and Chemistry in Astronomy (The Graduate Series in Astronomy)
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                6. Eight Doctors (Dr. Who Series)
                7. El Senor De Los Anillos : LA Comunidad Del Anillo / Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring: LA Comunidad Del Anillo (Lord of the Rings)
                8. Escape Velocity: Cyberculture at the End of the Century
                9. Eye of Terror (Warhammer 40,000 Novels)
                10. Falling in Love for All the Right Reasons : How to Find Your Soul Mate

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