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Donavan Adventure Series #3
Secret of the Thorns
Historians have believed for eighteen hundred years that Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine, found the True Cross and Crown of Thorns in 323 A.D. The experts are wrong. Ancient manuscripts unearthed in a Warsaw museum might skew the beliefs on which many of the world's leading religions are founded. A discovery in Poland sparks a quest to find a supposedly mythical and secret Gospel, an ancient Koran text and two of the most sacred relics in Christendom believed hidden centuries ago. Two young scholars follow a path forged by King John of Poland and later by Ponce de Leon to America. There are those who wish them dead. Repeated attempts to kill the young scholars occur. If successful, these young scholars could ultimately change two of the world major religions. There are those who will do anything to stop them.
309 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
117 people are currently reading
528 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
August 13, 2013
This is a suspenseful novel centered on the discovery of ancient documents that are thought to be the lost gospel of Peter and the Original documents of the Holy Koran. Scott and Bridget Donavan are propelled in to a world of cat and mouse being pursued by individuals who would like to obtain these documents for their own personal glorification. Along the way they are protected by a guardian angel Jonathan McGregor, who seems to always be at the right place at the right time to save them from an untimely demise. The documents later reveal that Peter may have taken the crown of thorns from the burial place of Jesus and placed them in safe keeping. If the crown of thorns were to be discovered this could bring many to accept the saving grace offered by Jesus’ death on the cross. It is also stated “that to put the true crown of thorns on one’s head, the gift of true prophesy or future sight is given”.
To really experience the mystery unfold you must read this novel. It keeps pace with enough drama, and suspense that you really want to know if they find these sough after relics or not.
To really experience the mystery unfold you must read this novel. It keeps pace with enough drama, and suspense that you really want to know if they find these sough after relics or not.
March 23, 2019
A Dan Brown type book. Interesting in that it’s beginning and end are a segue to a new adventure.
December 30, 2013
***MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***
Secret of the Thorns gets an A for concept and a D for execution. The idea of discovering an ancient secret that is then sought by conflicting factions is good. The specific ancient secret is excellent. The smattering of historical fact blended with fiction is enticing enough. However, the characters are horrible. Their actions are not believable; the dialog is worse (do Islamic jihadists really refer to themselves as terrorists?? I think not); and the plot contrivances are borderline ridiculous (if spotting someone at an international airport were as easy in real life as it is in this book law enforcement would have a field day!); and the character motivations are downright inane (really? Just having killed two people and on the run with a treasure map in her possession, she wants to go to a disco? Really?).
The writing style is in need of some maturation as well. It feels like it was written by someone who took a "How to Write a Novel in 30 Days" seminar. The right ideas are there, but poorly executed.
Mr Haase may have a future as an author, but he needs more practice (and a very good editor).
Overall, I give it an uneven C.
Secret of the Thorns gets an A for concept and a D for execution. The idea of discovering an ancient secret that is then sought by conflicting factions is good. The specific ancient secret is excellent. The smattering of historical fact blended with fiction is enticing enough. However, the characters are horrible. Their actions are not believable; the dialog is worse (do Islamic jihadists really refer to themselves as terrorists?? I think not); and the plot contrivances are borderline ridiculous (if spotting someone at an international airport were as easy in real life as it is in this book law enforcement would have a field day!); and the character motivations are downright inane (really? Just having killed two people and on the run with a treasure map in her possession, she wants to go to a disco? Really?).
The writing style is in need of some maturation as well. It feels like it was written by someone who took a "How to Write a Novel in 30 Days" seminar. The right ideas are there, but poorly executed.
Mr Haase may have a future as an author, but he needs more practice (and a very good editor).
Overall, I give it an uneven C.
November 22, 2019
I really wanted to give this book more stars. I mostly really liked it but the spelling and grammar errors were too much. Esp the character spelling of Jabril to Jibril and back throughout the first half, ugh, annoying. How was that missed so much in editing?
The conversation between brother and sister was really weird. I understand the author was trying to give the reader historical information but it just didn’t flow, in my opinion. The end was a bit of a let down as well. It wrapped up to nicely and too quickly. It’s was barely a chapter, just a few pages and then done. I wish it had been fleshed out a bit more.
The conversation between brother and sister was really weird. I understand the author was trying to give the reader historical information but it just didn’t flow, in my opinion. The end was a bit of a let down as well. It wrapped up to nicely and too quickly. It’s was barely a chapter, just a few pages and then done. I wish it had been fleshed out a bit more.
December 3, 2022
Oh, a Gnostic gospel thriller? We’ve had one or two of those in the last few years, haven’t we?
Yes.
Is this one done better than those? Were the ones that this is copying good in the first place?
No.
The delivery of the exposition through the first phone conversation was inept. The narrator said “probably.” Everything felt stilted, like some AI wrote this.
These make the book unenjoyable to read, much less finish.
Yes.
Is this one done better than those? Were the ones that this is copying good in the first place?
No.
The delivery of the exposition through the first phone conversation was inept. The narrator said “probably.” Everything felt stilted, like some AI wrote this.
These make the book unenjoyable to read, much less finish.
May 3, 2019
Action-packed thriller
It’s not Indiana Jones, but this book is certainly a page turner. The strange aspect is until the very end there appears to be no protagonist. It’s a pretty good read.
It’s not Indiana Jones, but this book is certainly a page turner. The strange aspect is until the very end there appears to be no protagonist. It’s a pretty good read.
August 17, 2020
Compelling story were they the last document from Peter and The Hoky Koran, makes a good adventure story with a good pair in the Donovan too search with danger and intrigue.
Given audio for my voluntary review. Thought the audio added to the story
Given audio for my voluntary review. Thought the audio added to the story
June 20, 2017
Good read
Good story. It needs more editing. There were several distracting mistakes, but the overall story was still a good one.
Good story. It needs more editing. There were several distracting mistakes, but the overall story was still a good one.
September 15, 2018
I couldn’t finish this book. It’s wholly predictable and clichéd.
January 16, 2014
Terrible. The author has clearly never been to Poland or studied their demographics or educational history. It may have been easier to pull off a secret jihadist terrorist cell in London, Paris or New York, but to have one in Warsaw is unbelievable, especially one comprised of Iranians, they would stick out like sore thumbs immediately. And why would the terrorists stick their cell in Warsaw of all places? What bone would Poland have in Middle Eastern conflicts? It would have been more believable if he made them medical students or Chechens, it might have worked. Poland does not currently have a large enough Islamic or Middle Eastern population for this to be believable. And no, just because Poland is a predominantly Catholic country does not mean everyone in the older generation is a Latin scholar. Poland was under Communism for 60 years, most of the older generation would have been required to take Russian in the public schools! And last of all, the author kept using non Polish names for the Polish characters or mispelling them as in the case of "Lek" Walesa.
And why be cheap? Agnus Die is clearly Opus Dei? If Dan Brown can use them as a premise in his book, then this author could also use their name, when that is clearly who it is suppose to be.
I did not bother to finish this. It was like reading a naïve, aspiring 8th grade writer.
And why be cheap? Agnus Die is clearly Opus Dei? If Dan Brown can use them as a premise in his book, then this author could also use their name, when that is clearly who it is suppose to be.
I did not bother to finish this. It was like reading a naïve, aspiring 8th grade writer.
January 22, 2014
The curator of the Warsaw museum found long hidden manuscripts in a secret room in the museum's basement--the manuscripts are in Greek, Latin and Arabic so he needs experts to help with the translation. Enter new PhD arabic scholar Scott Donavon who shares the find with his sister Bridget, an archeologist.
Before any in-depth study can be done the curator exaggerates the details of the find to his friend, a priest. The Donavons have several parts of the puzzle and the adventure is on-- a cardinal and the head of a secret society and the head iman in Iran both want the "prize" and are willing to do whatever it takes to possess it Bridget says it's like Harrison Ford in an Indiana Jones movie,
Personal greed and power are motivating factors as the Donavons look for the treasure and are chased by fanatic Islamic followers and members of the cardinal's circle.
This book is really good even though the ending is disappointing!
No sex
Violence: non graphic murders, kidnapping, bombing
Before any in-depth study can be done the curator exaggerates the details of the find to his friend, a priest. The Donavons have several parts of the puzzle and the adventure is on-- a cardinal and the head of a secret society and the head iman in Iran both want the "prize" and are willing to do whatever it takes to possess it Bridget says it's like Harrison Ford in an Indiana Jones movie,
Personal greed and power are motivating factors as the Donavons look for the treasure and are chased by fanatic Islamic followers and members of the cardinal's circle.
This book is really good even though the ending is disappointing!
No sex
Violence: non graphic murders, kidnapping, bombing
January 25, 2014
I think I liked this book although the brother and sister seemed remarkably innocent in their adventures even though she was supposed to have been a Ranger in a war..quite honestly she would have made a bad soldier as she didn't seem to know when she was being followed at all!
so here we have yet another conspiracy theory about the RC Church hiding stuff from the general populace. Although this time there were baddies within the church and people double-crossing each other madly.
The most frightening thing that came out was just how innocent the characters were about what can be done with computers and if you are trying to hide by paying cash, just why would you tell someone what you were doing?! Duh...
So the story-line didn't always work and then the proof reading was bad - just how you can spell someone's name differently in 2 sentences next to each other I don't know...
I shan't read more by this author.
so here we have yet another conspiracy theory about the RC Church hiding stuff from the general populace. Although this time there were baddies within the church and people double-crossing each other madly.
The most frightening thing that came out was just how innocent the characters were about what can be done with computers and if you are trying to hide by paying cash, just why would you tell someone what you were doing?! Duh...
So the story-line didn't always work and then the proof reading was bad - just how you can spell someone's name differently in 2 sentences next to each other I don't know...
I shan't read more by this author.
November 11, 2014
...just a handful of Iranians and radical priests. This brother-sister adventure and series opener was okay but I almost didn't finish it and I do not plan on reading the sequels. After deciding to go ahead and endure the (unnecessary) language mines and lasciviousness of the heroine, I did manage to enjoy their adventure. Minor editing flaws did not bother me. This is not Christian Fiction, it portrays the Catholic church in a negative manner and the villains were less competent than they would be in a real situation. As the siblings searched for the alleged Gospel of Peter I felt there should of been more discussion of how this ancient relic would replace or update the recognized gospel of Peter a.k.a. the canonized Gospel of Mark. Additionally when the object which is the title of this tale is revealed, I thought I heard Harrison Ford whisper "Don't look at it"
July 24, 2016
This was an interesting book that would be great for fans of Dan Brown. I liked the blending of history, religion, mystery, and action. It was a little hard for me to stay focused during parts of it, but it was still very enjoyable. I listened to the Audible audio version narrated by John M. Perry. I was thrown off by some of his pronunciations of some words, but I can't recall any of them now. He also sounded slightly robotic somehow. I liked that he didn't use the high-pitched, frantic voice for his female characters, which seems to be so common for many male narrators doing female characters. Overall, an enjoyable book and I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book of the series.
February 6, 2014
The story was enjoyable and at least somewhat new. As some other reviewers have noted the editing was awful and detracted from the story. There were places where the dialogue felt forced or unnatural such as when one character asks the other to recount something they went through just hours before to help the reader understand how a problem was solved. It would have been more natural to write it as it happened in my opinion. Overall I enjoyed it and since I got it as a daily deal am ok with what I paid in spite of the flaws.
July 4, 2014
My perfect novel..... thriller, religious fiction, archaeology, secret societies in the Vatican, Terrorists, secret codes, lost religious treasure and murder.
Bridget and her brother, Scott, are both professors and archaeologists who have stumbled onto documents, that could be the original Koran and others that could be the Gospel of Peter. The Vatican and the Iranians are both willing to kill to obtain these.
Secret of the Thorns is an action packed thriller that never lets up. Tom Haase has just been added to my list of must read authors.
Bridget and her brother, Scott, are both professors and archaeologists who have stumbled onto documents, that could be the original Koran and others that could be the Gospel of Peter. The Vatican and the Iranians are both willing to kill to obtain these.
Secret of the Thorns is an action packed thriller that never lets up. Tom Haase has just been added to my list of must read authors.
April 5, 2014
I thought this book was horrible. The characters seemed wildly unrealistic with bizarre reactions to everything. The lead characters were difficult to get to know and I couldn't "like" them as much as I wanted to. I found the plot simple and hard to follow all at the same time. There didn't seem to be a lot of good connections in the story. In all honesty, I never truly finished it. Mostly because I couldn't find the emotion to CARE for the ending.
January 24, 2014
A follower of the Da Vinci Code story type. Lost gold, a few pages of the original Koran and a gospel according to Peter are found by a newly qualified archeologist. He and his sister are chased around the world in their search for this treasure by Islamists and representatives of the Pope. Not quite up to Da Vinci standards.
February 14, 2014
This was a very enjoyable read. Filled with action, This first installment follows the Donovans on a search for some of the most important artifacts in Christianity as well as Islam. Could what they find change the way we look at organized religion? Will they even live to find it. If you enjoyed the Da Vince Code, this might be a read for you.
February 1, 2014
Started this book thinking it sounded pretty good, and boy I was not disappointed. Great action, fantastic twists, and kept you on the edge of your seat. Can't say enough about it, can't wait to read the others in the series. Great read highly recommend it.
February 13, 2014
A Real Thriller
This is the first of Tom Haase's creations that I have found and read. It is fun and exciting. Bridget and Scott are intelligent and likeable characters. I will now go look for more of these.
This is the first of Tom Haase's creations that I have found and read. It is fun and exciting. Bridget and Scott are intelligent and likeable characters. I will now go look for more of these.
May 24, 2014
This was an exciting story. I enjoyed reading it. However a good proof reading of the manuscript should have been done. So many mistakes it was a distraction I would have enjoyed it much more if more care had been taken with the editing
May 29, 2014
A less complicated combination of The Davinci Code and Raiders of the Lost Ark, this is an entertaining read. There are minimal issues with word usage, grammar and punctuation, but nothing major enough to distract from the story.
August 2, 2015
What an exciting book!
This was my first book by the author. Just loved it. Was extremely hard to put down. From beginning to end the action was non stop. Great story line and characters. Read it you'll love it.
This was my first book by the author. Just loved it. Was extremely hard to put down. From beginning to end the action was non stop. Great story line and characters. Read it you'll love it.
June 26, 2013
Aside from the horrible editing that left this e-book replete with typos, the story itself was just bad, predictable and poorly structured. Kind of a poor-man's Da Vinci Code type of story.
February 9, 2014
I liked this book. It was an interesting read.
September 9, 2016
Enjoyable read, complex intruige. Love the way that things are linked together. Definitely looking forward to reading others in this series.
April 21, 2014
Fast paced adventure. Tom Haase keeps you guessing to the end. The race is on and who will get to the Donavans first?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews