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Betrayed #1
30 Pieces of Silver
The Eiffel Tower is attacked… by a Christian suicide bomber. Within the twisted wreckage a cache of bones is found. Bones that are inscribed with ancient Greek, letters that identify the remains as those of John the Baptist ― along with a promise to guide the seeker to the tomb of the Savior himself. Tasked with untangling this millennia-old mystery, Dr. Rebecca Monroe, a paleoarchaeologist, and Special Forces sergeant Vincent Brandt are hounded across three continents as they attempt to piece together the bones’ clues. But their quest will not be an easy one. Born at the foot of the Cross, a secret society known only as the Knot has guarded the Savior’s bones, and its members will do anything ― even commit genocide ― to protect the dark and controversial truth of Christ’s final days.
516 pages, Paperback
First published December 11, 2010
About the author
Carolyn McCray
136 books337 followersThis is a pen name of Goodreads author Cristyn West.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 649 reviews
November 20, 2012
Wow, I gave a book only one star- yet I read the whole book! I didn't like the book, but it had nothing to do with the advertised controversial view on biblical history. I didn't like the book because it was not believable in the actions taking place. The action was so outrageous it was not believable. Not even for an author to take some literary license, yet this one took out the licensing bureau!
I was in the military and I have lived overseas. There are gun battles with this book, explosions, car chases, airplane crashes, killings, underground explosions causing cave-ins at tourist sites, and the desecration of holy sites - all motivated to get to the next archeological fact first!
All through these crazy acts, no government or city authorities seem to register this group at all. They cause all these explosions, firefights, and chases - and the rest of the world didn't impact this story. It was like the author put all these characters in a vacuum and said, "have at it" and don't worry about the rest of the world interfering on your trek, I will keep them out of it! It was just TOO much to take the book seriously, even remotely.
Lastly, here are some great scientist, archeological buffs, and religious zealots who have NO problem destroying any sacred historical place or object. REALLY, people who work their whole life preserving history destroy items, markers, and relics for no other reason than to get to the object first!!!
Like I said, it was just TOO much and pushed it too far for me to like this book.
I was in the military and I have lived overseas. There are gun battles with this book, explosions, car chases, airplane crashes, killings, underground explosions causing cave-ins at tourist sites, and the desecration of holy sites - all motivated to get to the next archeological fact first!
All through these crazy acts, no government or city authorities seem to register this group at all. They cause all these explosions, firefights, and chases - and the rest of the world didn't impact this story. It was like the author put all these characters in a vacuum and said, "have at it" and don't worry about the rest of the world interfering on your trek, I will keep them out of it! It was just TOO much to take the book seriously, even remotely.
Lastly, here are some great scientist, archeological buffs, and religious zealots who have NO problem destroying any sacred historical place or object. REALLY, people who work their whole life preserving history destroy items, markers, and relics for no other reason than to get to the object first!!!
Like I said, it was just TOO much and pushed it too far for me to like this book.
June 8, 2016
This work of fiction had everything that keeps a book exciting. I kept following the characters every step of the way. The archaeologists were getting deeper and deeper into the mystery of the bones. With a betrayer in the midst, you begin to suspect everyone. I was right with Rebecca but I had total understanding of Brandt's objections, but I stayed curious to see where the story would lead. It was such a fever pitch story. The premise was unique and really made me think. I loved the caves, temples, globe trotting and the religious secrets.
I really enjoyed this book. I found no spelling errors, so whatever the first reader found have been corrected. There was enough story to keep me focused on their search that I found nothing distracting in the presentation.
It had that Dan Brown feel, but there was this chemistry between Brandt and Rebecca that made me enjoy that side of the story too. I would recommend reading this if you like adventures that have a biblical foundation
I really enjoyed this book. I found no spelling errors, so whatever the first reader found have been corrected. There was enough story to keep me focused on their search that I found nothing distracting in the presentation.
It had that Dan Brown feel, but there was this chemistry between Brandt and Rebecca that made me enjoy that side of the story too. I would recommend reading this if you like adventures that have a biblical foundation
August 18, 2013
Ridiculous. Someone has devised a plot sillier than Dan Brown's and told it in comic book fashion but with no credibility at all.
Verisimilitude. That's what makes stories work. Whether science fiction, romance, thriller or western, there is an unwritten contract between author and reader that, at some level, the story makes sense. This one does not. I can't believe I read the whole thing.
I noted two pages of errors. Some of which are: A squad of American special ops goes off radar for four days, leaving a trail of bodies, cash withdrawals (from where?) and stolen (and usually wrecked) vehicles, and nobody asks why? (During which they are all wounded, burned, one electrocuted, and get little sleep.) Why would "the brass" care about Lochum and his research to start with? The Vikings were a "great civilization"? There's a difference between genetic variation and mutation, which a PH.D. in biology would recognize. (Why does she has three Ph.D.s? To impress the reader?) If the French aren't welcoming military aircraft, how did they get into French air space? Confusing RPGs with SAMs. "A legion of centurions"? A legion stationed in Bethany? (So many New testament misquotes that I suspect McCray has never read it.) The fish predated the cross symbol for Christians by "a millennium"? No, about a century. A seat belt fails during a crash, but the woman has e better grip? Ten plus twenty plus thirty equals fifty? (p. 225) Dome in the Greek Pantheon? No, that would be the Roman Pantheon. A woman jumps from a boat going 100 mph and survives the resulting impact? Paul was one of the twelve disciples? A 200 mph speed boat that cruises from Istanbul to Rome overnight. (How big were the gas tanks?) "Kyle" as a first century Judean name? A man is crucified, freed, then runs around chasing others? The scent of "burial herbs" after two thousand years?
Not to mention the bad writing. "Ignoring the corporal, the doors burst…" How could the door ignore anybody? "bisected in half" Is there another way? (I stopped noting them after a while.)
Even ignoring the sacrilegious plot twist (which is pretty much old hat these days), this was a waste of time.
Verisimilitude. That's what makes stories work. Whether science fiction, romance, thriller or western, there is an unwritten contract between author and reader that, at some level, the story makes sense. This one does not. I can't believe I read the whole thing.
I noted two pages of errors. Some of which are: A squad of American special ops goes off radar for four days, leaving a trail of bodies, cash withdrawals (from where?) and stolen (and usually wrecked) vehicles, and nobody asks why? (During which they are all wounded, burned, one electrocuted, and get little sleep.) Why would "the brass" care about Lochum and his research to start with? The Vikings were a "great civilization"? There's a difference between genetic variation and mutation, which a PH.D. in biology would recognize. (Why does she has three Ph.D.s? To impress the reader?) If the French aren't welcoming military aircraft, how did they get into French air space? Confusing RPGs with SAMs. "A legion of centurions"? A legion stationed in Bethany? (So many New testament misquotes that I suspect McCray has never read it.) The fish predated the cross symbol for Christians by "a millennium"? No, about a century. A seat belt fails during a crash, but the woman has e better grip? Ten plus twenty plus thirty equals fifty? (p. 225) Dome in the Greek Pantheon? No, that would be the Roman Pantheon. A woman jumps from a boat going 100 mph and survives the resulting impact? Paul was one of the twelve disciples? A 200 mph speed boat that cruises from Istanbul to Rome overnight. (How big were the gas tanks?) "Kyle" as a first century Judean name? A man is crucified, freed, then runs around chasing others? The scent of "burial herbs" after two thousand years?
Not to mention the bad writing. "Ignoring the corporal, the doors burst…" How could the door ignore anybody? "bisected in half" Is there another way? (I stopped noting them after a while.)
Even ignoring the sacrilegious plot twist (which is pretty much old hat these days), this was a waste of time.
November 7, 2012
I recently purchased this book as I was intriged by the plot. I found a comment:
"From the opening explosion at the base of the Eiffel Tower uncovering a trove of skeletons to the final scenes throughout Italy, the story involves a search for the remains of Jesus. Rebecca Monroe is "saved" from the clutches of a snake by Sgt. Brandt and his special ops team deep in the Ecuadorian jungle... This begins a roller coaster ride ....
I started the book hoping to enjoy it as much as I did Dan Brown's novels but only 13% into the book I found that the author was writing this for a screen play. Helicopter crashes, guns, fighting, buildings blowing up and people attempting and succeeding at feats that no mortal could possibly live through. Sorry, that was enough for me. The author barely introduces you to the story (and it is quite confusing in the first few chapters) when she decides we must go through total mayhem.
I would have much preferred that some of the plot be exposed before we started in with the guns, bombs, etc. I have put it down and doubt I will pick it up again.
Guess I'm just tired of books that are being written in the hopes that someone will make a movie out of them based on the fire power of guns and bombs and car chases.
"From the opening explosion at the base of the Eiffel Tower uncovering a trove of skeletons to the final scenes throughout Italy, the story involves a search for the remains of Jesus. Rebecca Monroe is "saved" from the clutches of a snake by Sgt. Brandt and his special ops team deep in the Ecuadorian jungle... This begins a roller coaster ride ....
I started the book hoping to enjoy it as much as I did Dan Brown's novels but only 13% into the book I found that the author was writing this for a screen play. Helicopter crashes, guns, fighting, buildings blowing up and people attempting and succeeding at feats that no mortal could possibly live through. Sorry, that was enough for me. The author barely introduces you to the story (and it is quite confusing in the first few chapters) when she decides we must go through total mayhem.
I would have much preferred that some of the plot be exposed before we started in with the guns, bombs, etc. I have put it down and doubt I will pick it up again.
Guess I'm just tired of books that are being written in the hopes that someone will make a movie out of them based on the fire power of guns and bombs and car chases.
August 11, 2016
I didn't finish this book because it was awful. Not only did the authors editor screw her over by not sending the book back for a rewrite or fixing the horrendous grammatical and spelling erros, but the author also fails to bring anything to the table besides trite cliches and ignorance about many topics in the book. She fails to understand physics (and by that I mean the laws of nature as well as the way that bombs explode) and language (languages that include "clicks" are pretty much only Swahili and it's dialects). And that's only in the first two chapters. Don't even get me started on her Anglo-centric view of the world that comes very close to (or maybe even is) racism.
The book is no where near the (low) standards that even Dan Brown holds his books to. I don't know if the book is anything like The DaVinci Code or any other psuedo-biblical-historical novel that has had critical acclaim because I couldn't finish it. However, I do know that, contrary to "warnings" to readers, the controvertial content had nothing to do with the publishing status. The book was not published in hardback because it is poorly written.
I wish I could give this book 0 stars.
The book is no where near the (low) standards that even Dan Brown holds his books to. I don't know if the book is anything like The DaVinci Code or any other psuedo-biblical-historical novel that has had critical acclaim because I couldn't finish it. However, I do know that, contrary to "warnings" to readers, the controvertial content had nothing to do with the publishing status. The book was not published in hardback because it is poorly written.
I wish I could give this book 0 stars.
January 30, 2012
I picked 30 Pieces of Silver up because it's in my genre and the premise was intriguing. I start reading with the view that the book will be 5 star and then deduct a star or two or three as I read. By page ten of this book it had already dropped 1/2 of the first star due to a lack of verisimilitude.
In the jungle, surrounded by natives, the book's heroine, Dr. Rebecca Monroe, is tied to a stake with a thirty-two foot anaconda tightly wrapped around her from ankles to neck. She is saved by a group of special forces soldiers, led by hero Sergeant Brandt who, with the help of one of his men, pull the snake off of her. I find that hard to believe. They strained a bit, sure, but anything short of chopping or shooting the head off is not going to get a hungry and or agitated anaconda of that size off its prey. I also had trouble believing that an SF team of only four is led by a Sergeant (the lowest of Non-Commissioned Officer rank). A Special Forces "A Team" is 12, led by an officer with two senior NCO's (Master Sergeant or Sergeant Major) and the rest of the team are senior to mid-grade sergeants. Anyway...
Shortly thereafter, a long firefight between the SF soldiers, sent to rescue Dr. Monroe, and a group of cultists (The Knot) is so unbelievable that I almost put the book down. Ms. McCray may have consulted someone for the battle scenes; unfortunately, whomever it was (if there was a consultant at all) hasn't a clue. Even worse the entire book is chocked full of battle scenes, an airplane crash, bombs in underground caverns; each of which reeks of a lack of knowledge about weapons, bombs and chemical 'poison gas inhalants'. Naturally, the protagonists always survived... oh, and the antagonists, as well. At least until the end.
The end is, thank goodness, exactly as advertised... shocking, astounding, remarkable (pick the adjective). Still, I had to struggle to get there.
If you like "Indiana Jones" or "Mission: Impossible" scenarios and grand (unbelievable) escapes, you might like 30 Pieces of Silver.
Bottom line: Ms McCray is a very good storyteller when she's writing about something she knows; the geography, religious and general history, descriptions of churches, cathedrals and mosques all across eastern Europe and Southwest Asia. She could also use a better editor, but I didn't rate that part of the book.
In the jungle, surrounded by natives, the book's heroine, Dr. Rebecca Monroe, is tied to a stake with a thirty-two foot anaconda tightly wrapped around her from ankles to neck. She is saved by a group of special forces soldiers, led by hero Sergeant Brandt who, with the help of one of his men, pull the snake off of her. I find that hard to believe. They strained a bit, sure, but anything short of chopping or shooting the head off is not going to get a hungry and or agitated anaconda of that size off its prey. I also had trouble believing that an SF team of only four is led by a Sergeant (the lowest of Non-Commissioned Officer rank). A Special Forces "A Team" is 12, led by an officer with two senior NCO's (Master Sergeant or Sergeant Major) and the rest of the team are senior to mid-grade sergeants. Anyway...
Shortly thereafter, a long firefight between the SF soldiers, sent to rescue Dr. Monroe, and a group of cultists (The Knot) is so unbelievable that I almost put the book down. Ms. McCray may have consulted someone for the battle scenes; unfortunately, whomever it was (if there was a consultant at all) hasn't a clue. Even worse the entire book is chocked full of battle scenes, an airplane crash, bombs in underground caverns; each of which reeks of a lack of knowledge about weapons, bombs and chemical 'poison gas inhalants'. Naturally, the protagonists always survived... oh, and the antagonists, as well. At least until the end.
The end is, thank goodness, exactly as advertised... shocking, astounding, remarkable (pick the adjective). Still, I had to struggle to get there.
If you like "Indiana Jones" or "Mission: Impossible" scenarios and grand (unbelievable) escapes, you might like 30 Pieces of Silver.
Bottom line: Ms McCray is a very good storyteller when she's writing about something she knows; the geography, religious and general history, descriptions of churches, cathedrals and mosques all across eastern Europe and Southwest Asia. She could also use a better editor, but I didn't rate that part of the book.
September 18, 2014
For fairness of this review, I am a Christian.
This is another novel about the search for the bones of Christ (my all-time favorite is "A Skeleton in God's Closet". I enjoyed the action and the twists along the way, thus the reason for 4 stars.
Do I believe Jesus died and rose again? Yes, I do. That is the core of my faith as a Christian. Does reading this novel challenge my faith? Not at all. I know it's 100% fiction and I read it as such and enjoyed it as pure fiction should be.
I will not give away the main twist at the conclusion of this, but I did find it fascinating - pure bupkis, mind you - but still fascinating.
For the sake of avoiding further beliefs in this review, the novel is entertaining and has a neat method for following a trail, which I enjoy in novels of this genre.
This is another novel about the search for the bones of Christ (my all-time favorite is "A Skeleton in God's Closet". I enjoyed the action and the twists along the way, thus the reason for 4 stars.
Do I believe Jesus died and rose again? Yes, I do. That is the core of my faith as a Christian. Does reading this novel challenge my faith? Not at all. I know it's 100% fiction and I read it as such and enjoyed it as pure fiction should be.
I will not give away the main twist at the conclusion of this, but I did find it fascinating - pure bupkis, mind you - but still fascinating.
For the sake of avoiding further beliefs in this review, the novel is entertaining and has a neat method for following a trail, which I enjoy in novels of this genre.
Read
April 26, 2011Life is too short to read inane books.
I was interested in this book because in the review, this is compared to a Dan Brown novel. I thought this could be fun.
This is not Dan Brown! At least his plots, if not possible, at least they are plausible and clever.
This was like reading a Rambo movie. I should have know it was going to be ridiculous when the book begins with the main character about to be squeezed to death by an anaconda in the jungle, only to learn that she was participating in some kind of tribal ceremony and is thoroughly irritated when she is saved by some militia to be part of a top secret mission.
Then she just happens to have infra-red scanning on her lap top to follow the bad guys. They just happen to find a helicopter to escape. They just happen to… I quit reading the book when she happens to be in the Paris airport going to London but foils the escape plan and happens to get the two remaining seats on a plane to Budapest and the plane she was to take to London just happens to be bombed by the bad guys and after all this turmoil of explosions and gun fighting and danger, her laptop still works, because she niftily but handily prints the tickets from her laptop.
The storyline chapters are interspersed with some subplot that takes place in 30AD, filled with pseudo-biblical language and dialog. I’m sure at some point it merges with the real plot. But, I just didn’t care to find out.
Maybe I missed it. Maybe she meant it as a Dan Brown spoof.
I was interested in this book because in the review, this is compared to a Dan Brown novel. I thought this could be fun.
This is not Dan Brown! At least his plots, if not possible, at least they are plausible and clever.
This was like reading a Rambo movie. I should have know it was going to be ridiculous when the book begins with the main character about to be squeezed to death by an anaconda in the jungle, only to learn that she was participating in some kind of tribal ceremony and is thoroughly irritated when she is saved by some militia to be part of a top secret mission.
Then she just happens to have infra-red scanning on her lap top to follow the bad guys. They just happen to find a helicopter to escape. They just happen to… I quit reading the book when she happens to be in the Paris airport going to London but foils the escape plan and happens to get the two remaining seats on a plane to Budapest and the plane she was to take to London just happens to be bombed by the bad guys and after all this turmoil of explosions and gun fighting and danger, her laptop still works, because she niftily but handily prints the tickets from her laptop.
The storyline chapters are interspersed with some subplot that takes place in 30AD, filled with pseudo-biblical language and dialog. I’m sure at some point it merges with the real plot. But, I just didn’t care to find out.
Maybe I missed it. Maybe she meant it as a Dan Brown spoof.
August 27, 2016
OK, to be fair as a piece of writing it was probably more a 2 star than 3, but the deliberately provocative idea appealed to me - brave or just seeking publicity, doesn't much matter as it is a great story to play with. Lovers of action stories and mysteries will enjoy the speed of this one - it lacks the long, boring exposition/explanation that Dan Brown uses excessively in The Da Vinci Code. The end is unexpected but in keeping with the story up to that point - nice touch.
There was obviously some research done into the gnostic gospels and the early beliefs about the roles of Judas and Mary Magdalene but some inaccuracies tended to damage the image of research. As far as I know, none of the Twelve was called Paul even as a secondary name (and the apostle Paul never met Jesus). Judas also refers to The Twelve as if he is not one of them which is a little weird. The odd use of the Scottish name Kyle for Judas' brother was strange too - I got the impression that this was in there as a gentle tribute to one of the author's own relatives. It's not a biblical name. There are other minor slip ups too - not serious but they do make the book less satisfactory as a read
The execution didn't quite work though. Other people here have mentioned the need for good proof-reading and editing so I won't dwell on that, but each of the episodes are a little too similar and the repetition of phrases and words can also get a bit distracting. I lost count of the number of times we heard about "upper body strength" - an ungraceful phrase at the best of times.
Monroe is an interesting character, Lochum too. Bryant was just too unbelievable for me - as a soldier and a Catholic he might have had a good education (and it is great to challenge stereotypes) but in some cases his knowledge of obscure biblical and historical facts was overdone
I hope McCray continues writing and gets the support she needs to become a major writer. This novel shows promise in many ways
There was obviously some research done into the gnostic gospels and the early beliefs about the roles of Judas and Mary Magdalene but some inaccuracies tended to damage the image of research. As far as I know, none of the Twelve was called Paul even as a secondary name (and the apostle Paul never met Jesus). Judas also refers to The Twelve as if he is not one of them which is a little weird. The odd use of the Scottish name Kyle for Judas' brother was strange too - I got the impression that this was in there as a gentle tribute to one of the author's own relatives. It's not a biblical name. There are other minor slip ups too - not serious but they do make the book less satisfactory as a read
The execution didn't quite work though. Other people here have mentioned the need for good proof-reading and editing so I won't dwell on that, but each of the episodes are a little too similar and the repetition of phrases and words can also get a bit distracting. I lost count of the number of times we heard about "upper body strength" - an ungraceful phrase at the best of times.
Monroe is an interesting character, Lochum too. Bryant was just too unbelievable for me - as a soldier and a Catholic he might have had a good education (and it is great to challenge stereotypes) but in some cases his knowledge of obscure biblical and historical facts was overdone
I hope McCray continues writing and gets the support she needs to become a major writer. This novel shows promise in many ways
July 30, 2011
I read this book under the assumption that anyone could knock off a Dan Brown book (c'mon, they're not THAT wonderful), so why not read the one that cost $3 on Kindle? It leaves a sour taste in my mouth to realize I was wrong. Regretfully, I must admit that Dan Brown has an x-factor that turns a book into a page-turner, and that McCray just couldn't duplicate it.
If a Dan Brown Novel Checklist existed, McCray would have had full page of marks: controversial religious theme and the chase for its ancient relics? check. Brainy, gorgeous (and one-sided) protagonist? check. Weird and unbelievable villain? check. Major plot twist that we saw coming 200 pages in advance? check. Nauseating romance scenes? check.
And yet, all those elements together did not create an enjoyable, fluffy concoction. It made a dense, disjointed read that sunk like a rock. The writing style was amateur and juvenile, and seemed to resort to slang or profanity in an attempt to cover that up. The editing errors in the book (there were seven to ten) were really distracting from the plot that was already hard to get into. With the exception of some of the supporting characters, the people were poorly described and portrayed.
I was hoping to find a success in this book, to give me a case for supporting more independently-published authors. But, it turns out that the editors of the world are doing their job; this book was not ready for mass consumption.
If a Dan Brown Novel Checklist existed, McCray would have had full page of marks: controversial religious theme and the chase for its ancient relics? check. Brainy, gorgeous (and one-sided) protagonist? check. Weird and unbelievable villain? check. Major plot twist that we saw coming 200 pages in advance? check. Nauseating romance scenes? check.
And yet, all those elements together did not create an enjoyable, fluffy concoction. It made a dense, disjointed read that sunk like a rock. The writing style was amateur and juvenile, and seemed to resort to slang or profanity in an attempt to cover that up. The editing errors in the book (there were seven to ten) were really distracting from the plot that was already hard to get into. With the exception of some of the supporting characters, the people were poorly described and portrayed.
I was hoping to find a success in this book, to give me a case for supporting more independently-published authors. But, it turns out that the editors of the world are doing their job; this book was not ready for mass consumption.
July 18, 2011
30 Pieces of Silver is a very controversial religious thriller. The style is a bit similar to the DaVinci code in that the characters are on the search for controversial religious relics, and a secret society does not want the relics found. That’s it for the similarities though. 30 Pieces of Silver is very much it’s own story. The premise in 30 Pieces of Silver is forensic archeology natured, and definitely unique. The novel blends a touch of romance, action adventure, and dangerous situations together.
30 Pieces of silver is a compelling, brave, controversial novel that will leave readers contemplating possibilities long after the story has been read.
This review is not an easy one to write, as the book is highly controversial, my thoughts are a bit mixed. As I said earlier, 30 Pieces of Silver is a religious thriller. The characters are all in search of a discovery that could drastically change modern Christianity. I myself was raised with a very conservative Christian upbringing, and, while still Christian, I am now more progressive and have a pretty open-mind (I loved DaVinci code and had no problem with the religious implications at all). However, the assertions in 30 Pieces of Silver are very shocking and so outrageous that my comfort level was tested and pushed. In the end, whether I just did not believe the assertions or they were just too much for me, my impressions of the book were affected.
I loved the thrilling action and the depth created between the characters and their motivations, but the controversial religious assertions were a bit too controversial for my personal tastes. Even so, I still find myself thinking over the book and the assertions, definitely a thought provoking story. I must commend the author for creating such a memorable, standout novel.
Who would like this book: Readers who enjoy controversial or religious thrillers will enjoy this novel. 30 Pieces of Silver is thought provoking and exciting, a good read.
Who would not like this book: Readers who hold and value traditional Christian beliefs, or conservative readers will most likely not enjoy this novel.
30 Pieces of silver is a compelling, brave, controversial novel that will leave readers contemplating possibilities long after the story has been read.
This review is not an easy one to write, as the book is highly controversial, my thoughts are a bit mixed. As I said earlier, 30 Pieces of Silver is a religious thriller. The characters are all in search of a discovery that could drastically change modern Christianity. I myself was raised with a very conservative Christian upbringing, and, while still Christian, I am now more progressive and have a pretty open-mind (I loved DaVinci code and had no problem with the religious implications at all). However, the assertions in 30 Pieces of Silver are very shocking and so outrageous that my comfort level was tested and pushed. In the end, whether I just did not believe the assertions or they were just too much for me, my impressions of the book were affected.
I loved the thrilling action and the depth created between the characters and their motivations, but the controversial religious assertions were a bit too controversial for my personal tastes. Even so, I still find myself thinking over the book and the assertions, definitely a thought provoking story. I must commend the author for creating such a memorable, standout novel.
Who would like this book: Readers who enjoy controversial or religious thrillers will enjoy this novel. 30 Pieces of Silver is thought provoking and exciting, a good read.
Who would not like this book: Readers who hold and value traditional Christian beliefs, or conservative readers will most likely not enjoy this novel.
May 26, 2012
There's something self-involved about a novel that bills itself as an "extremely controversial historical thriller." While Carolyn McCray's mediocre novel will probably appeal to fans of the genre, it also ends up as a lot less than what it aims for. Like Dan Brown's ubiquitous Di Vinci Code, 30 Pieces of Silver draws inspiration from the gnostic gospels (i.e. the Gospel of Judas) to present an alternative history of Christianity that undermines the central tenants and truth claims of the Church. In McCray's novel, Jesus Christ is not the divine Son of God, but rather a fully human messianic figure whose remains the heroes and villains race against each other to uncover.
I suppose all of this silliness is "controversial." But we've been this road so many times before, whether it's the controversies surrounding The Di Vinci Code or Jesus' divinity during Christianity's formative centuries. McCray's novel features the requisite one dimensional characters, exotic locations, freaky foreign villains, retrograde sexual politics, secret societies and an earth-shattering conspiracy that threatens to shake the religious establishment from its foundation. Since we've been here so many times before, 30 Pieces of Silver feels tired as it limps along, overshadowed by its cynical attempt to drum up interest by exploring the same territory that better writers have explored before.
Aside from its ho-hum narrative, 30 Pieces of Silver also suffers from the typical sins of self-publishing, such as several grammatical mistakes. At one point, McCray refers to the Emperor Constantine as 'Constantinople.' She also makes several references to a 'Paul' as one of the original twelve disciples, which is an error (does she mean Peter?), since the Apostle Paul doesn't show up in the New Testament until the book of Acts, long after Jesus has ascended into heaven. Since it appears that McCray did research for this novel, her mistake with Paul seems bizarre.
While 30 Pieces of Silver makes a half-decent escapist read, its fast-paced, high-stakes silliness doesn't really amount to much.
I suppose all of this silliness is "controversial." But we've been this road so many times before, whether it's the controversies surrounding The Di Vinci Code or Jesus' divinity during Christianity's formative centuries. McCray's novel features the requisite one dimensional characters, exotic locations, freaky foreign villains, retrograde sexual politics, secret societies and an earth-shattering conspiracy that threatens to shake the religious establishment from its foundation. Since we've been here so many times before, 30 Pieces of Silver feels tired as it limps along, overshadowed by its cynical attempt to drum up interest by exploring the same territory that better writers have explored before.
Aside from its ho-hum narrative, 30 Pieces of Silver also suffers from the typical sins of self-publishing, such as several grammatical mistakes. At one point, McCray refers to the Emperor Constantine as 'Constantinople.' She also makes several references to a 'Paul' as one of the original twelve disciples, which is an error (does she mean Peter?), since the Apostle Paul doesn't show up in the New Testament until the book of Acts, long after Jesus has ascended into heaven. Since it appears that McCray did research for this novel, her mistake with Paul seems bizarre.
While 30 Pieces of Silver makes a half-decent escapist read, its fast-paced, high-stakes silliness doesn't really amount to much.
June 13, 2013
30 Pieces of Silver was a lot of hype about nothing. It really went on and on in place. I have read more than my fair share of religious historical/ fiction/espionage, so I have a great deal to compare to this book.
As a former religion teacher, one of things that bothered me most is the lack of scriptural accuracy. Judas and Jesus did not grow up together. Judas was the only one of the original 12 that was not from Galilee.
Paul was not one of the original 12. Paul was part Roman and Hebrew. His conversion to the faith did not occur until after the death and resurrection of Christ. This conversion took place on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians. Paul was never fully trusted by the majority of the Apostles.
The Blessed Mother was made to appear deceitful and manipulative. This goes against all Scriptural accounts.
Jesus was present at the end as being a coward, dishonest and so week that he could not fulfill His mission. This is not the Christ in the Christian Scriptures. The Christ that died for our salvation.
I don't usually make comment on books that I don't like, but I can't let this one go. It is possible to write a religious /historical/fiction without totally changing the Scriptural content. I have read many, many of these books - but this was definitely not one.
The hours spent reading this was time wasted.
As a former religion teacher, one of things that bothered me most is the lack of scriptural accuracy. Judas and Jesus did not grow up together. Judas was the only one of the original 12 that was not from Galilee.
Paul was not one of the original 12. Paul was part Roman and Hebrew. His conversion to the faith did not occur until after the death and resurrection of Christ. This conversion took place on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians. Paul was never fully trusted by the majority of the Apostles.
The Blessed Mother was made to appear deceitful and manipulative. This goes against all Scriptural accounts.
Jesus was present at the end as being a coward, dishonest and so week that he could not fulfill His mission. This is not the Christ in the Christian Scriptures. The Christ that died for our salvation.
I don't usually make comment on books that I don't like, but I can't let this one go. It is possible to write a religious /historical/fiction without totally changing the Scriptural content. I have read many, many of these books - but this was definitely not one.
The hours spent reading this was time wasted.
February 8, 2012
I would have stopped reading this book before I reached half way had it not been for the reasonably intriguing premise that the bones of Jesus might be found. However, I hate stories involving improbable heroics and "lucky" escapes, and after the first couple, I had had enough. The idea that super-human military dudes will simply always prevail, and be able to buy or steal everything they need, and be able to travel at super speeds from one location to another, and be able to take on any disguise they like and fool anyone they like... it's just too much.
OK, so I don't like the genre. I would never manage to sit through a movie version.
There were also plenty of typos and other errors, but I see that as an occupational hazard of self-publishing and a hard thing to eliminate.
Good on you for a big writing and publishing effort, but this novel didn't measure up for me. I won't be looking for the sequel. Sorry.
OK, so I don't like the genre. I would never manage to sit through a movie version.
There were also plenty of typos and other errors, but I see that as an occupational hazard of self-publishing and a hard thing to eliminate.
Good on you for a big writing and publishing effort, but this novel didn't measure up for me. I won't be looking for the sequel. Sorry.
January 20, 2020
Carolyn McCray (who is apparently also known as Cristyn West) is the author of the agonizingly bad Plain Jane, a book I was suckered into "buying" for free, and now here's another in her inventory, 30 Pieces of Silver, for the same price. Honestly, I can't imagine how this lady makes a living from her writing if she continually gives her work away. What I have noticed about both her titles is the inordinate percentage of negative reviews for each. Anyway, if you have time to waste, then this author's for you. Personally, there's paint somewhere I would rather watch dry.
July 31, 2013
Mixed emotions about the book. The action scenes were a little too over-the-top, I suppose, but the story did move right along. The best part, to me, was the flashbacks to the story of Jesus and Judas told in modern language which read like a novel. I didn't find the book to be all that controversial, but the unorthodox ideas of what actually happened at (and after) the crucifixion of Jesus were fascinating.
gave-up
July 14, 2012There were issues that I couldn't get past. I didn't find the story to be "sacrilegious" as some extreme reviewers have mentioned (um, it IS fiction), but the desire to solve the mystery wasn't strong enough to overcome the other issues. Others have really liked it but it wasn't for me, unfortunately.
January 12, 2014
I like to refer to March 14, 2012 as my anniversary date with Ms. Carolyn McCray. On this particular day, I was going through www.bookbub.com page of free books. Low and behold a particular book caught my eye, “30 Pieces of Silver,” by Carolyn McCray. What caught my eye besides…FREE, was the sticker that was on the cover. Her book had the “Mark of Excellence” sticker pasted on the cover. So, in my mind, I’m thinking, “if she got a MOE sticker, then someone thinks this a good book….hmmm, I’ll get it.” Next thing you know, in a few magical moments, Amazon.com has now transferred the book to “My Precious” kindle.
As much as I would like to say that I jumped into that book instantly, I didn’t. Instead, the book sat patiently waiting for me until, November 29, 2012. At that point, I started the book. I didn’t resurface to reality until December 1, 2012. At that point, I knew Ms. McCray and I had something special going on. So let me tell you what it is:
“Jerusalem, dusk…Beneath the cypress tree, the man held silent vigil. He had forsaken all, even his name. But he knew others would call out “Betrayer” or “Slayer of the Innocent.” How could they not? His heavy heart had nearly kept him witnessing the crucifixion, but shame forced his feet to climb to this sheltered knoll.”
I have read the bible many times. I knew what I was reading when I saw the passage from her book. Ms. McCray is describing Judas watching Jesus being crucified on the cross. As the beginning of the book rolled out before my eyes, I was witnessing the most important event in history take place, through the eyes of the most hated man on earth.
As I sunk into the world of biblical times, I was then flashed back to reality to Paris, France. A bomb explodes at the Eifel tower. What is found at the Eifel tower causes concern and needs the help of Dr. Rebecca Monroe. Only problem is Dr. Monroe is in the rain forest, tied to a stake, a massive snake is wrapped around her.
The government dispatches the team of Sergeant Vincent Brandt to extract and deliver Dr. Monroe and her team back to Paris to help figure out what is going on. The team of Brandt consists of the most amazing individuals that the military could pair together. You have Davidson, the sniper that can shoot the wings off a fly. Lopez, the adrenaline junkie that takes every mission as an adventure to be “the first to do this.” Finally Svenguard, the medic of the crew.
Once Dr. Monroe is extracted and back on non-snake infested land, havoc breaks out and trouble begins. The Knot is willing to go to any extreme to prevent Dr. Monroe and the Sgt. Brandt from discovering a secret that would change the world. You are thrust into a high paced, survival of the fittest, action packed, shoot-em-up, blow-em-up, destroy all that is holy, must find the reason behind this all, adventure.
Not only is this a book of adventure, a love story starts to develop. Not just one love story, but two. The story also starts to show the betrayal of one that is thought of so highly. All I could do was gasp and throw a hand over my mouth to stifle a yell of “NO DAMN WAY!” I was flooded with emotions of my own betrayal of the character. I was so pissed; I couldn’t believe I was duped by this person! (I know, I’m weird, I let a book get me all worked up!)
I was so drawn up into the story that I honestly couldn’t put it down. What was so interesting to me was how Ms. McCray took a tale of Jesus and Judas and spun it into an alternate tale. I’m not one that likes to read Christianity stories. I’ve always felt that at the end of the story, I wasn’t worthy in the life I was living. So, when I saw that this book was labeled controversial, I couldn’t imagine why!
By the time I was finished with the book, I was talking to everyone. Some that I told of the story were my “religious” friends. They deemed the book blasphemy. They were appalled that someone would even think or write a tale about something so holy. Then there were my other “non-religious” friends, who deemed the book as blasphemy and OMG, that’s so awesome someone spun it into that tale.
I was so hooked with her book, that I had done something I had never done before. I wrote to her via goodreads. I proceeded to tell her about how I was just in awe of what she wrote. I think I even went so far as to apologize for not knowing who she was prior to reading her book. I guess you could say, I had a fan crush on an author over her book. Then the most remarkable thing happened…she responded back to me! My only reply to her was, “Is this really Carolyn McCray?” Out of 1300 reviewers and countless people who have read her book, she answered my message. Needless to say, I was impressed.
Since then, I have become a huge fan of Carolyn McCray. I have yet to meet the woman behind the story, but I do like to say, we are friends. I also like to consider myself honored to be a beta reader for her.
I have read almost every book by Ms. Carolyn McCray. She also has a co-author on many of her stories, Ben Hopkins. The two have produced such amazing and disgustingly horror stories I have read. But I love them all.
I would suggest “30 Pieces of Silver” to anyone that is interested in an amazing biblical story that will have you questioning what you have read!
As much as I would like to say that I jumped into that book instantly, I didn’t. Instead, the book sat patiently waiting for me until, November 29, 2012. At that point, I started the book. I didn’t resurface to reality until December 1, 2012. At that point, I knew Ms. McCray and I had something special going on. So let me tell you what it is:
“Jerusalem, dusk…Beneath the cypress tree, the man held silent vigil. He had forsaken all, even his name. But he knew others would call out “Betrayer” or “Slayer of the Innocent.” How could they not? His heavy heart had nearly kept him witnessing the crucifixion, but shame forced his feet to climb to this sheltered knoll.”
I have read the bible many times. I knew what I was reading when I saw the passage from her book. Ms. McCray is describing Judas watching Jesus being crucified on the cross. As the beginning of the book rolled out before my eyes, I was witnessing the most important event in history take place, through the eyes of the most hated man on earth.
As I sunk into the world of biblical times, I was then flashed back to reality to Paris, France. A bomb explodes at the Eifel tower. What is found at the Eifel tower causes concern and needs the help of Dr. Rebecca Monroe. Only problem is Dr. Monroe is in the rain forest, tied to a stake, a massive snake is wrapped around her.
The government dispatches the team of Sergeant Vincent Brandt to extract and deliver Dr. Monroe and her team back to Paris to help figure out what is going on. The team of Brandt consists of the most amazing individuals that the military could pair together. You have Davidson, the sniper that can shoot the wings off a fly. Lopez, the adrenaline junkie that takes every mission as an adventure to be “the first to do this.” Finally Svenguard, the medic of the crew.
Once Dr. Monroe is extracted and back on non-snake infested land, havoc breaks out and trouble begins. The Knot is willing to go to any extreme to prevent Dr. Monroe and the Sgt. Brandt from discovering a secret that would change the world. You are thrust into a high paced, survival of the fittest, action packed, shoot-em-up, blow-em-up, destroy all that is holy, must find the reason behind this all, adventure.
Not only is this a book of adventure, a love story starts to develop. Not just one love story, but two. The story also starts to show the betrayal of one that is thought of so highly. All I could do was gasp and throw a hand over my mouth to stifle a yell of “NO DAMN WAY!” I was flooded with emotions of my own betrayal of the character. I was so pissed; I couldn’t believe I was duped by this person! (I know, I’m weird, I let a book get me all worked up!)
I was so drawn up into the story that I honestly couldn’t put it down. What was so interesting to me was how Ms. McCray took a tale of Jesus and Judas and spun it into an alternate tale. I’m not one that likes to read Christianity stories. I’ve always felt that at the end of the story, I wasn’t worthy in the life I was living. So, when I saw that this book was labeled controversial, I couldn’t imagine why!
By the time I was finished with the book, I was talking to everyone. Some that I told of the story were my “religious” friends. They deemed the book blasphemy. They were appalled that someone would even think or write a tale about something so holy. Then there were my other “non-religious” friends, who deemed the book as blasphemy and OMG, that’s so awesome someone spun it into that tale.
I was so hooked with her book, that I had done something I had never done before. I wrote to her via goodreads. I proceeded to tell her about how I was just in awe of what she wrote. I think I even went so far as to apologize for not knowing who she was prior to reading her book. I guess you could say, I had a fan crush on an author over her book. Then the most remarkable thing happened…she responded back to me! My only reply to her was, “Is this really Carolyn McCray?” Out of 1300 reviewers and countless people who have read her book, she answered my message. Needless to say, I was impressed.
Since then, I have become a huge fan of Carolyn McCray. I have yet to meet the woman behind the story, but I do like to say, we are friends. I also like to consider myself honored to be a beta reader for her.
I have read almost every book by Ms. Carolyn McCray. She also has a co-author on many of her stories, Ben Hopkins. The two have produced such amazing and disgustingly horror stories I have read. But I love them all.
I would suggest “30 Pieces of Silver” to anyone that is interested in an amazing biblical story that will have you questioning what you have read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2011
Full video review here: http://mysterythriller.tv/30-pieces-o...
As usual, I’m a sucker for any book with remotely religious connections so I couldn’t resist this bestselling Kindle thriller!
The book starts with a prologue in Jerusalem with the pain of the crucifixion and a witness who feels responsible, and then we jump to the present day straight into an explosion that rocks the Eiffel Tower in Paris and uncovers ancient bones.
The pace stays fast and furious as the action cuts to genetic anthropologist Dr Rebecca Monroe who is being strangled by an anaconda in the jungles of Ecuador. Rescued by a crack team of soldiers from the anti-terrorism, Rebecca is called to Paris to investigate the bones. So in the first few pages, we have religion, explosions, ancient bones and a kick-ass heroine with a military escort - you know it’s going to be fast-paced thriller!
Attacked and on the run as soon as they hit the ground in Paris, Rebecca soon learns that her old professor and lover, Lochum is investigating the ancient bones and they are actually etched with a story - perhaps a map to the bones of Jesus himself
The bad guys are The Knot, a group of people devoted to maintaining a religious secret, protecting it against any intruder. They are represented by Tok, a deformed deaf mute and his sidekick Petir who are hunting Monroe and Lochum in an attempt to stop them decoding the words on the bones and finding the secret. We see they are ruthless killers are they shoot first, blow up planes and generally cause havoc - archetypal bad guys!
The story flicks between the present and Judas in the past, the disciple of Jesus. McCray risks controversy by portraying the relationship between Judas and Jesus as friends and then as disciple and master. Don’t read this book if you are a committed Christian - but it is fiction and if you enjoy Christian ideas and stories, then you will find her take interesting. I can’t reveal too much as there are spoilers, but certainly it’s a new twist and Dan Brown would be proud!
What keeps you reading?
the mystery of what the significance of the bones is
some lessons on ancient church history interspersed with the story
what’s the climax to the Jesus / Judas story
the pace of the story, action and plot keeps you involved as well as the shift in scenes at cliffhanger points that keep you reading
great fight scenes of all kinds, lots of explosions
different locations in the search for the bones - Galilee & Jerusalem, Paris, Budapest, Istanbul
romantic tension between Rebecca, her old professor, also ex-lover and the highly educated solder Brandt
Highly recommended if you like action-adventure thrillers, searching for archaeological mysteries and religious themes.
As usual, I’m a sucker for any book with remotely religious connections so I couldn’t resist this bestselling Kindle thriller!
The book starts with a prologue in Jerusalem with the pain of the crucifixion and a witness who feels responsible, and then we jump to the present day straight into an explosion that rocks the Eiffel Tower in Paris and uncovers ancient bones.
The pace stays fast and furious as the action cuts to genetic anthropologist Dr Rebecca Monroe who is being strangled by an anaconda in the jungles of Ecuador. Rescued by a crack team of soldiers from the anti-terrorism, Rebecca is called to Paris to investigate the bones. So in the first few pages, we have religion, explosions, ancient bones and a kick-ass heroine with a military escort - you know it’s going to be fast-paced thriller!
Attacked and on the run as soon as they hit the ground in Paris, Rebecca soon learns that her old professor and lover, Lochum is investigating the ancient bones and they are actually etched with a story - perhaps a map to the bones of Jesus himself
The bad guys are The Knot, a group of people devoted to maintaining a religious secret, protecting it against any intruder. They are represented by Tok, a deformed deaf mute and his sidekick Petir who are hunting Monroe and Lochum in an attempt to stop them decoding the words on the bones and finding the secret. We see they are ruthless killers are they shoot first, blow up planes and generally cause havoc - archetypal bad guys!
The story flicks between the present and Judas in the past, the disciple of Jesus. McCray risks controversy by portraying the relationship between Judas and Jesus as friends and then as disciple and master. Don’t read this book if you are a committed Christian - but it is fiction and if you enjoy Christian ideas and stories, then you will find her take interesting. I can’t reveal too much as there are spoilers, but certainly it’s a new twist and Dan Brown would be proud!
What keeps you reading?
the mystery of what the significance of the bones is
some lessons on ancient church history interspersed with the story
what’s the climax to the Jesus / Judas story
the pace of the story, action and plot keeps you involved as well as the shift in scenes at cliffhanger points that keep you reading
great fight scenes of all kinds, lots of explosions
different locations in the search for the bones - Galilee & Jerusalem, Paris, Budapest, Istanbul
romantic tension between Rebecca, her old professor, also ex-lover and the highly educated solder Brandt
Highly recommended if you like action-adventure thrillers, searching for archaeological mysteries and religious themes.
March 10, 2014
This is the first book I have ever read that came with a warning.
***Warning*** Before you purchase this book please be aware that 30 Pieces of Silver is an extremely controversial religious/historical thriller. Too controversial to be published in hardback. Please do NOT purchase this book if you were at all disturbed by the DaVinci Code or The Passion of Christ's revelations.
I like both of the books mentioned in the warning so I read this too and really enjoyed it. Remember folks it's FICTION! The book is a cross between Dan Brown's DaVince Code and Indiana Jones with a touch of the old TV show Mission Impossible thrown in for added flavor. The characters race from the Ecuadorian rain forest to Paris to Budapest to Istanbul to Rome while being shot at by guns and RPGs. The story is set in modern day Europe and first century Judea. The most controversial thing to me was the inclusion of 'Paul' in a list of the Twelve who followed Jesus.
The use of the F-word was gratuitous.
No sex: although Rebecca Monroe and Sgt. Brandt come close several times
Violence: non graphic and appropriate to an adventure filled story.
***Warning*** Before you purchase this book please be aware that 30 Pieces of Silver is an extremely controversial religious/historical thriller. Too controversial to be published in hardback. Please do NOT purchase this book if you were at all disturbed by the DaVinci Code or The Passion of Christ's revelations.
I like both of the books mentioned in the warning so I read this too and really enjoyed it. Remember folks it's FICTION! The book is a cross between Dan Brown's DaVince Code and Indiana Jones with a touch of the old TV show Mission Impossible thrown in for added flavor. The characters race from the Ecuadorian rain forest to Paris to Budapest to Istanbul to Rome while being shot at by guns and RPGs. The story is set in modern day Europe and first century Judea. The most controversial thing to me was the inclusion of 'Paul' in a list of the Twelve who followed Jesus.
The use of the F-word was gratuitous.
No sex: although Rebecca Monroe and Sgt. Brandt come close several times
Violence: non graphic and appropriate to an adventure filled story.
January 2, 2012
This is very much a knock-off of The Da Vinci Code. It's fast-paced but there are so many plot inconsistencies and impossible coincidences and occurrences that it just became laughable. It had an interesting premise and it moved quickly enough to hold my interest just long enough to finish it but I won't be reading any more from this author.
December 31, 2018
It really wasn't that bad. It was full of action. A few reviews complained of it's action being "unrealistic." That never really bothers me... when I read these kinds of books, I usually just suspend my beliefs. Anyway, I did enjoy the dialog -sophomoric and juvenile at times, but still fun. The "controversy" was interesting, too, but didn't convert me from my Christian beliefs. All in all, a nice little book away from the Reading Challenges.
November 21, 2018
I started this book and was interrupted by some other demands. Had to start over and glad I did. This has so much of what fascinates me. Archeology, religious dogma, history, outrageous possibilities add a mole and terrorism what else could you ask for?
January 14, 2012
Have you ever had a book that made you angry? I mean, just totally pissed you off in the end? Well for me, this book did it.
And I had such high hopes. First off, it was recommended in the synopsis both here and on Amazon by James Rollins, an author whose books I really enjoy. And on Amazon, it states this book "is an extremely controversial religious/historical thriller. Too controversial to be published in hardback. Please do NOT purchase this book if you were at all disturbed by the DaVinci Code or The Passion of Christ's revelations." Well you know what, I liked The Da Vinci Code, and I own a DVD of The Passion of the Christ. I love historical thrillers, and I love religious fiction, so with all of this going for it, this book seemed to be right up my alley.
So what pissed me off, you ask? Let me see. Probably first and foremost was the total sacrilegious nature of the book. Oh yeah, and the blasphemy. For religious fiction, those are two big no-no's for me. If you are going to write a Christian historical thriller about Jesus, with John the Baptist, Mary, Mary Magdalene, the Twelve Disciples, the ministry of Jesus, the last supper, etc., you had better not become totally sacrilegious in the final few pages. This would be right up there with someone writing the book Lassie Come-Home, but as Lassie finally gets back to her loving home after her long journey, she crosses the highway and is smacked by an 18-wheeler, causing her to explode into a plume of gore and dog guts.
So what was so sacrilegious about this book? SPOILERS Let's see, mainly the author saying that Jesus was a total coward, a basic chicken shit, that he made up his ministry to fit the old testament scripture, that he planned to fake his death on the cross by having Mary Magdalene give him potions to drink to appear to die, but that in the end he was such a coward that he send his brave friend Judas to die on the cross in his place. Oh, and let's see, what else. After Judas dies on the cross in his place, Jesus is murdered by his angry brother James, which makes Jesus die happy, as he could now give his earthly concerns a rest. Oh, and as to a basic tenant of Christianity, the actual resurrection of Jesus? Apparently, the author could never fathom such a thing.
And how about some of these quotes from the book: "Was the sacrifice any less because Judas lay here instead of Jesus? For Christianity to be born someone had to sacrifice themselves onto that cross." WTF?!? Seriously, Ms. McCray?
Or how about this quote: "We blame not Jesus for balking, but praise Judas for not flinching".
Or Jesus talking to his brother James, as James stabs him in the stomach with a knife: "Teach them. Teach them better than I," Jesus begged as the world became nothing more than a white light"
So yes, this book pissed me off. I would not recommend it. Thankfully, Amazon had it listed as free on kindle for a couple days, so I snagged my copy for free. I would be even angrier if I had paid money for this trash.
In the end all I can think is that the author of this book must have some real issues with the Christian faith.
And I had such high hopes. First off, it was recommended in the synopsis both here and on Amazon by James Rollins, an author whose books I really enjoy. And on Amazon, it states this book "is an extremely controversial religious/historical thriller. Too controversial to be published in hardback. Please do NOT purchase this book if you were at all disturbed by the DaVinci Code or The Passion of Christ's revelations." Well you know what, I liked The Da Vinci Code, and I own a DVD of The Passion of the Christ. I love historical thrillers, and I love religious fiction, so with all of this going for it, this book seemed to be right up my alley.
So what pissed me off, you ask? Let me see. Probably first and foremost was the total sacrilegious nature of the book. Oh yeah, and the blasphemy. For religious fiction, those are two big no-no's for me. If you are going to write a Christian historical thriller about Jesus, with John the Baptist, Mary, Mary Magdalene, the Twelve Disciples, the ministry of Jesus, the last supper, etc., you had better not become totally sacrilegious in the final few pages. This would be right up there with someone writing the book Lassie Come-Home, but as Lassie finally gets back to her loving home after her long journey, she crosses the highway and is smacked by an 18-wheeler, causing her to explode into a plume of gore and dog guts.
So what was so sacrilegious about this book? SPOILERS Let's see, mainly the author saying that Jesus was a total coward, a basic chicken shit, that he made up his ministry to fit the old testament scripture, that he planned to fake his death on the cross by having Mary Magdalene give him potions to drink to appear to die, but that in the end he was such a coward that he send his brave friend Judas to die on the cross in his place. Oh, and let's see, what else. After Judas dies on the cross in his place, Jesus is murdered by his angry brother James, which makes Jesus die happy, as he could now give his earthly concerns a rest. Oh, and as to a basic tenant of Christianity, the actual resurrection of Jesus? Apparently, the author could never fathom such a thing.
And how about some of these quotes from the book: "Was the sacrifice any less because Judas lay here instead of Jesus? For Christianity to be born someone had to sacrifice themselves onto that cross." WTF?!? Seriously, Ms. McCray?
Or how about this quote: "We blame not Jesus for balking, but praise Judas for not flinching".
Or Jesus talking to his brother James, as James stabs him in the stomach with a knife: "Teach them. Teach them better than I," Jesus begged as the world became nothing more than a white light"
So yes, this book pissed me off. I would not recommend it. Thankfully, Amazon had it listed as free on kindle for a couple days, so I snagged my copy for free. I would be even angrier if I had paid money for this trash.
In the end all I can think is that the author of this book must have some real issues with the Christian faith.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2012
It was a great concept in a not so awesome book. The book started off bad and got better as it went along but it was never great.
Too many mission impossible scenes with absolutely unbelievable outcomes for a team of 4 and two nutty professors. I've read other thrillers with possibly more ridiculous action than this but that still sound believable. No one in the planet can have the luck these did, which was completely fine but boring and predictable. Once you read the first 5+ page fight scene you already knew exactly what was going to happen when you read the other 89 times they were ambushed.
The characters were semi-flat,.extremely cliche-y, super humans. It was impossible to fall in love with any of them because they spent the whole 400+ pages fighting, dressing up, stealing stuff, destroying archeological relics and living up to age old cliches that there was no time for character development.
The author also kept jumping from an "alpha male" (cliche), to an insecure super smart lady scientist (cliche), to her old professor and ex lover (cliche) without you even realizing it. I had to double back several times to make sure who it was that was "thinking." I will say when she switched to the time of Christ the transition was flawless and those were the best parts most times.
Then came the good, oh the good parts were very good. You are warned before you even purchase this book that the premise IS controversial so no surprises there. From the beginning you know you're in for a rollercoaster ride of a journey. There are many unexpected finds and plenty of religious controversies that can end 1001 different ways. I loved being transported through time and to so many amazing places with such vivid (and usually correct) descriptions.
The best and most shocking part came towards the end (duh). I didn't see it coming at all which was refreshing after all the silly ambushes. but let me warm you DON'T READ IF YOU'RE RELIGIOUS AND DON'T GET FICTION!!! Fiction isn't blasphemous is just fiction people!! But I might be biased because I think the Bible is one of the best FICTION books ever=)
McCray can definitely execute historical fiction well but I think she needs to leave the rpgs to someone else =) I highly believe with better research, a better editor and a rewrite this can be awesome
Too many mission impossible scenes with absolutely unbelievable outcomes for a team of 4 and two nutty professors. I've read other thrillers with possibly more ridiculous action than this but that still sound believable. No one in the planet can have the luck these did, which was completely fine but boring and predictable. Once you read the first 5+ page fight scene you already knew exactly what was going to happen when you read the other 89 times they were ambushed.
The characters were semi-flat,.extremely cliche-y, super humans. It was impossible to fall in love with any of them because they spent the whole 400+ pages fighting, dressing up, stealing stuff, destroying archeological relics and living up to age old cliches that there was no time for character development.
The author also kept jumping from an "alpha male" (cliche), to an insecure super smart lady scientist (cliche), to her old professor and ex lover (cliche) without you even realizing it. I had to double back several times to make sure who it was that was "thinking." I will say when she switched to the time of Christ the transition was flawless and those were the best parts most times.
Then came the good, oh the good parts were very good. You are warned before you even purchase this book that the premise IS controversial so no surprises there. From the beginning you know you're in for a rollercoaster ride of a journey. There are many unexpected finds and plenty of religious controversies that can end 1001 different ways. I loved being transported through time and to so many amazing places with such vivid (and usually correct) descriptions.
The best and most shocking part came towards the end (duh). I didn't see it coming at all which was refreshing after all the silly ambushes. but let me warm you DON'T READ IF YOU'RE RELIGIOUS AND DON'T GET FICTION!!! Fiction isn't blasphemous is just fiction people!! But I might be biased because I think the Bible is one of the best FICTION books ever=)
McCray can definitely execute historical fiction well but I think she needs to leave the rpgs to someone else =) I highly believe with better research, a better editor and a rewrite this can be awesome
January 28, 2013
This book belongs on the shelf next to Dan Brown’s the Da Vinci code and Angels and Demons. This involves the types of secrets that if revealed could destroy the foundations of faith for much of the world and secret societies that have worked for centuries (and sometime against each other) to keep the secrets hidden from the world.
The action starts (in our time) with a bombing at the Eiffel Tower, which turns out was to destroy some artifacts buried under the site of the tower centuries prior to the building of the Eiffel Tower and no-one but certain members of the various secret societies even know about this artifact. Then enter Dr. Rebecca Monroe, searching for the secrets in human genetics that allowed us to advance, culturally, by leaps and bounds at certain times and locations in human history. Add Vincent Brandt, a top level special ops soldier and his team, as well as a brilliant scientist, Professor Lochum, who has spent years in hiding because the secret societies have been trying to kill him off, due to his research.
We have adventure all around the world, budding romance, betrayal, cave surfing (yes, really) and many explosions and much gunplay. What this book is really about, is what would you do for love? Not romantic love, or the love of one’s child, but the true enduring love that one person can have for another, to the point where you would do, literally, anything for this person, even if it is to your detriment.
Carolyn McCray has several other books and short stories in this series ready for your reading pleasure after you finish this book.
My only issue was that the group trying to stop our hero’s was “The Knot”, and part way through the book, our hero’s suddenly seem to know the name of the group trying to kill them. Did I miss the big reveal on this?
The action starts (in our time) with a bombing at the Eiffel Tower, which turns out was to destroy some artifacts buried under the site of the tower centuries prior to the building of the Eiffel Tower and no-one but certain members of the various secret societies even know about this artifact. Then enter Dr. Rebecca Monroe, searching for the secrets in human genetics that allowed us to advance, culturally, by leaps and bounds at certain times and locations in human history. Add Vincent Brandt, a top level special ops soldier and his team, as well as a brilliant scientist, Professor Lochum, who has spent years in hiding because the secret societies have been trying to kill him off, due to his research.
We have adventure all around the world, budding romance, betrayal, cave surfing (yes, really) and many explosions and much gunplay. What this book is really about, is what would you do for love? Not romantic love, or the love of one’s child, but the true enduring love that one person can have for another, to the point where you would do, literally, anything for this person, even if it is to your detriment.
Carolyn McCray has several other books and short stories in this series ready for your reading pleasure after you finish this book.
My only issue was that the group trying to stop our hero’s was “The Knot”, and part way through the book, our hero’s suddenly seem to know the name of the group trying to kill them. Did I miss the big reveal on this?
November 18, 2012
There's a standing joke in our house that I only read book with pictures of a red cross on the front. Things like Secret of the Templars, The Templar Code etc. It's true, I do have a soft spot for religious conspiracy thrillers ever since I read the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.
30 Pieces of Silver is only like the Da Vinci Code in the broadest sense in that it deals with a religous conspiracy and a secret society determined to keep it secret at all costs, even if that means murder and mayhem. It's action-filled and even a little bit of romance in there too. The characters are well-drawn, even the bad guys, there are no cardboard cut-outs here.
I think the writing is very good and it's well-paced, but the modern day sections had a bit too many car chases and explosions for my taste, as if the author wanted to catch the eye of a film producer somewhere down the line.
My favourite parts were the historical sections dealing with Judas, a character who really came alive in this book. I don't think I've ever read a book dealing with Judas before and it was intriguing and fascinatiing. I started skimming the modern day parts wanting to get back to the historical bits!
The book is entertaining but I don't think it's as controversial as the cover makes out, but then again, no matter what's written in any book, someone somewhere is bound to find it objectinable, aren't they?
I liked it and I'll give some other books by this author a go.
30 Pieces of Silver is only like the Da Vinci Code in the broadest sense in that it deals with a religous conspiracy and a secret society determined to keep it secret at all costs, even if that means murder and mayhem. It's action-filled and even a little bit of romance in there too. The characters are well-drawn, even the bad guys, there are no cardboard cut-outs here.
I think the writing is very good and it's well-paced, but the modern day sections had a bit too many car chases and explosions for my taste, as if the author wanted to catch the eye of a film producer somewhere down the line.
My favourite parts were the historical sections dealing with Judas, a character who really came alive in this book. I don't think I've ever read a book dealing with Judas before and it was intriguing and fascinatiing. I started skimming the modern day parts wanting to get back to the historical bits!
The book is entertaining but I don't think it's as controversial as the cover makes out, but then again, no matter what's written in any book, someone somewhere is bound to find it objectinable, aren't they?
I liked it and I'll give some other books by this author a go.
March 23, 2014
"30 Pieces of Silver" by Carolyn McCray was a Kindle book I picked up because it was on sale at Amazon. Usually the freebies and low cost books are hit or miss and this one turned out to be a hit. Rebecca Monroe is a scientist with a goal. But her goal becomes secondary as she is drawn into the search to find the bones of the disciples of Jesus. Hoping the discovery will aid her in her mission to confirm what she calls the "smart gene" she reunites with an old mentor and lover. In the course of her adventure she is protected by a group of soldiers led by Brandt who gets her scientist blood boiling to a fever pitch. Among the soldiers there is a mole who is seemingly working with the mysterious "Knot" to prevent Rebecca from learning more about Jesus and the crucifixion. The Knot adversaries led by the strange Tok and Petir seem well organised; not surprising since the group has been around for a very long time. The characters are actually well developed considering there are a lot of them. Some of the action seems somewhat improbable but once I was drawn into the story I couldn't put it down. However if you are a staunch Christian you might find the surprise ending unsettling. It has a Dan Brown flavor so if you enjoyed any of his books you will probably like this. This is apparently a book in a series. I liked it well enough that I now reading the next one.
November 7, 2013
I liked this book...I'm not sure what I had been expecting, and I didn't buy into all the "controversial" smoke that the PR was blowing, but I figured it was free and sounded kinda interesting so hey why not. I liked the Robert Langdon novels and that type of mystery / thriller in general so I figured I give it go.
The plot was good, if a little over the top at times. It kept moving and just when you thought you figured out a number of things, a new twist appeared. A couple problems were that there were some unbelievable in a couple of places and the writing couple be a touch repetitive and cliched in spots. But this is a fiction book after all, and overall it kept me engaged and turning pages.
I would say that a good proofreading would be a nice thing for future versions of the book, there were a number of grammatical errors. I figure this is a result of self publishing, and can be forgiving of that. Considering this was a free book, it far exceeded expectation, and I will be following up with the rest of the books in the series because over all this was a very entertaining book. Far better that some that I have read from the paper publishers.
The plot was good, if a little over the top at times. It kept moving and just when you thought you figured out a number of things, a new twist appeared. A couple problems were that there were some unbelievable in a couple of places and the writing couple be a touch repetitive and cliched in spots. But this is a fiction book after all, and overall it kept me engaged and turning pages.
I would say that a good proofreading would be a nice thing for future versions of the book, there were a number of grammatical errors. I figure this is a result of self publishing, and can be forgiving of that. Considering this was a free book, it far exceeded expectation, and I will be following up with the rest of the books in the series because over all this was a very entertaining book. Far better that some that I have read from the paper publishers.
May 17, 2012
Despite the fact that the author can'decide if she wants this story to be Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, or Indiana Jones, I'm ok with the adventure part--barely. The characters are absolute cliches and mostly annoying (ding-dong Lochum's dead!). The romance implausable (Danielle Steele anyone?)...fall deeply in love in 24 hours, blah, blah. Oh, and in the middle of hot sex, she gets a clue to what they are looking for, and they just hsppily drop everything to continue "the mission." Hilarious.
No. What I really have a hard time with is the overall premise. While DaVinci Code gave us an aspect of Christs life to think about, this story completeley asks us to believe something entirely different happened than we believe. Ok for some. I get that. But get your facts straight around his life to begin with to make your far-fetched premise even remotely believable. One of which is Paul was NOT one of the twelve! That is just one. I might call this book controversial if it had its act together. Now it just seems like someone trying WAY too hard....
No. What I really have a hard time with is the overall premise. While DaVinci Code gave us an aspect of Christs life to think about, this story completeley asks us to believe something entirely different happened than we believe. Ok for some. I get that. But get your facts straight around his life to begin with to make your far-fetched premise even remotely believable. One of which is Paul was NOT one of the twelve! That is just one. I might call this book controversial if it had its act together. Now it just seems like someone trying WAY too hard....
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