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The Sword, The Book, and The Bone
This tale of adventure begins in the Middle East in 1920 and ends in 1990 in a mountain top monastery in Soviet Armenia. Tripp Shepard is grandson of a Middle Eastern scholar and former O.S.S. agent who leaves him three antiquities of enormous historical and spiritual importance. Among the three is a book telling the provenance of the sword and its role in history from the time of Caesar to the present. Among the episodes described is the sword's brief tenure in the hands of Ambrosius Aurelianus, the real King Arthur of fifth century Britain. Tripp must discover and ultimately deliver these treasures to their rightful home, a monastery in the mountains of Soviet Armenia in the tumultous last days of the Soviet Union.
Themes of freedom, humility and courage provide the philosophical and spiritual message of this short, exciting and intellectually vast debut novel from scholar priest Greg Jones.
Themes of freedom, humility and courage provide the philosophical and spiritual message of this short, exciting and intellectually vast debut novel from scholar priest Greg Jones.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 25, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 22, 2011
This short book is a rollicking adventure story that takes the reader on a journey all over the world and throughout history. Not only, that, you learn a thing or two, which for me is always a plus. The book begins on a mysterious note, as a young college student finds himself in possession of three artifacts that have a connection to his family and a long history.
The protagonist is a geeky student who rings true to the reader. I kept thinking of Holden Caufield in "A Catcher in the Rye" as the main character, Tripp, described his life and his concerns, which mainly have to with fitting in, getting a girl and being popular. When he gets possession of the sword for the first time, what does he do? He whacks something with it! Great touch. Thta's what I would have done when I was a geeky college student.
The author, Greg Jones, has a nice writing style. One thing I liked a lot is that he is not afraid to use fragments, such as: "It was a sword. And I loved it." There is a lot of humor scattered throughout the book and some nice descriptions of people and events. The character of Shep gets the book off to a great start and Tripp's friend, Chick, is interesting, too.
As the plot unfolds, and there is a very dense plot in the book, a great deal of history and legend unfolds. It adds to the mysteriousness of the artifacts, and keeps the reader engaged. For those who like a little learning with their fun, this book shows a good combination of the two. It all builds to a violent climax, followed by a serene and righteous denouement.
My only complaint was that I felt that the book needed to be longer. There is a dense, complex plot in the book, and it unfolds somewhat relentlessly. At the same time, it is obvious that Jones has a talent for observation and humor that could provide some space in between the twists and turns. I wanted to spend more time with Shep, hear a bit more about the funeral and the sights and sounds of the journey.
On the whole, though, the book is a lot of fun, and hey, you might even learn something!
The protagonist is a geeky student who rings true to the reader. I kept thinking of Holden Caufield in "A Catcher in the Rye" as the main character, Tripp, described his life and his concerns, which mainly have to with fitting in, getting a girl and being popular. When he gets possession of the sword for the first time, what does he do? He whacks something with it! Great touch. Thta's what I would have done when I was a geeky college student.
The author, Greg Jones, has a nice writing style. One thing I liked a lot is that he is not afraid to use fragments, such as: "It was a sword. And I loved it." There is a lot of humor scattered throughout the book and some nice descriptions of people and events. The character of Shep gets the book off to a great start and Tripp's friend, Chick, is interesting, too.
As the plot unfolds, and there is a very dense plot in the book, a great deal of history and legend unfolds. It adds to the mysteriousness of the artifacts, and keeps the reader engaged. For those who like a little learning with their fun, this book shows a good combination of the two. It all builds to a violent climax, followed by a serene and righteous denouement.
My only complaint was that I felt that the book needed to be longer. There is a dense, complex plot in the book, and it unfolds somewhat relentlessly. At the same time, it is obvious that Jones has a talent for observation and humor that could provide some space in between the twists and turns. I wanted to spend more time with Shep, hear a bit more about the funeral and the sights and sounds of the journey.
On the whole, though, the book is a lot of fun, and hey, you might even learn something!
November 23, 2011
Greg manages to combine historical accuracy and a fair bit of action in a highly enjoyable, fast-paced adventure.
A couple of chapters felt a little cramped and if a little longer would have been perfect but in no way detracts from a great read.
A couple of chapters felt a little cramped and if a little longer would have been perfect but in no way detracts from a great read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews