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Spear Of Destiny
In 1942 Gerald Usherwood and his platoon discover a mysterious crypt and it becomes clear they've stumbled onto something extraordinary. Sixty years later, his nephew Ethan discovers his body, slumped over his desk, clutching a small, ancient relic.
439 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
11 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Easterman
49 books58 followersA pseudonym used by Denis M. MacEoin (aka Jonathan Aycliffe).
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 5, 2013
Spear of Destiny has a big, bold storyline, part Da Vinci Code, part Indiana Jones, and it cracks along at a rapid pace, however it is let down by awful characterisation, and some dreadful segues.
Two examples are the outrageously convenient chance meeting with Ilona and how she immediately turns from shy country girl into Lara Croft, and a comical description of Ethan's escape from a burning, smoke filled, locked room, emerging half dead and then carrying on as if nothing had happened without a hair out of place. It actually had me cringing and laughing, however I suspect Easterman is well aware of these nuances, how could he not be, no he just wants the story to move on any old how and get on with the next blockbuster, though for me it insults his intended readership. So from that perspective if you can accept the ludicrous aspects of the writing you may be able to plough through as I did as it's not a bad romp, and I'm not suggesting it can't be enjoyed as such, but in the end the shortcomings mean I would never pick up another Easterman book, one was quite enough.
Two examples are the outrageously convenient chance meeting with Ilona and how she immediately turns from shy country girl into Lara Croft, and a comical description of Ethan's escape from a burning, smoke filled, locked room, emerging half dead and then carrying on as if nothing had happened without a hair out of place. It actually had me cringing and laughing, however I suspect Easterman is well aware of these nuances, how could he not be, no he just wants the story to move on any old how and get on with the next blockbuster, though for me it insults his intended readership. So from that perspective if you can accept the ludicrous aspects of the writing you may be able to plough through as I did as it's not a bad romp, and I'm not suggesting it can't be enjoyed as such, but in the end the shortcomings mean I would never pick up another Easterman book, one was quite enough.
September 10, 2017
This was the sort of book you read because you find it on the bookshelf in a budget hotel in Thailand.
It hooked into the Indiana Jones / Holy Grail /Nazi / Archiologist stream without the main character being anything like as exciting as Indy, and without it really being much of a thriller. There was too much that was implausible.
It's also why I rarely read books written by men. Lack of character development, a woman who is a love interest, and someone to rescue, but who really adds nothing. Plenty of rape, gratuitous, just to make her damaged, so an actual sex scene can be mostly avoided, and he's just protecting, rescuing, and revenging.
I really can't believe Val McDermid wrote a blub for this.
He's a policeman. A senior detective chief inspector. His grandfather was a desert rat in WWII who found the tomb of Christ, and all his family, in Libya in 1942. His crew has the location of the lost tomb in the lost oasis, in the Sahara, and they found all the Jesus paraphanalia in the tomb, the spear, the nails, the crown of thorns, the grail, the headboard from the cross, and some other thing. The sixth thing is never very clear, and later, he says five. They take all the sacred things back to England, where the grandfather keeps it all. They figure the best thing to do with the most sacred relics are to stick them in a closet. And not tell anyone where the tomb is, in spite the fact that it is probably the most significant archaeological find in Christendom, and since they have the relics, they wouldn't lose anything at all by telling.
65 years later, the neo-Nazi occultists kill the grandfather brutally, just after the hero meets the heroine.Then they come back to rape the heroine, many times, and then with anything to hand. After they announce that, and before it happens, the hero takes them to the relics in the mausoleum. They take them, knock him our, lock him in, and leave to have their fun with the heroine, then whisk her away promising they'll let a whole troop of thugs rape her again and again. Whoopee.
The hero manages to get our of the mausoleum buy pulling out a coffin, smashing it up against the door, and setting it alight, to burn the door enough he can break it down before he dies of smoke inhalation. He manages, with only flesh wounds, then goes up to the house, where the police force he's worked with for years, who are investigating the gruesome murder of the previous night, don't notice he was in a tomb, and comes up through the snow in burn pyjamas and slippers, bleeding and reeking of smoke. They don't ask what happens, he doesn't say anything, he just has a bath and dresses. Then the police arrest him, with obvious suspicion, not only for murdering his grandfather and his friend, but for a string of rape-murders going back to his dead wife 10 years previously. No questions asked, he must be guilty.
He gets bailed out, skips the country thanks to the Albanian hacker punk girl he knows, who can get him passports, credit cards, and guns, coz with all the times he's arrested her, they've developed a friendship. She can hack the interpol and aviation records and finds the villian, and heroine, so the hero can start hunting a major Nazi occultist movement throughout Europe. Does he tell anyone? No. And so it goes, and that's just the beginning quarter or so.
It hooked into the Indiana Jones / Holy Grail /Nazi / Archiologist stream without the main character being anything like as exciting as Indy, and without it really being much of a thriller. There was too much that was implausible.
It's also why I rarely read books written by men. Lack of character development, a woman who is a love interest, and someone to rescue, but who really adds nothing. Plenty of rape, gratuitous, just to make her damaged, so an actual sex scene can be mostly avoided, and he's just protecting, rescuing, and revenging.
I really can't believe Val McDermid wrote a blub for this.
He's a policeman. A senior detective chief inspector. His grandfather was a desert rat in WWII who found the tomb of Christ, and all his family, in Libya in 1942. His crew has the location of the lost tomb in the lost oasis, in the Sahara, and they found all the Jesus paraphanalia in the tomb, the spear, the nails, the crown of thorns, the grail, the headboard from the cross, and some other thing. The sixth thing is never very clear, and later, he says five. They take all the sacred things back to England, where the grandfather keeps it all. They figure the best thing to do with the most sacred relics are to stick them in a closet. And not tell anyone where the tomb is, in spite the fact that it is probably the most significant archaeological find in Christendom, and since they have the relics, they wouldn't lose anything at all by telling.
65 years later, the neo-Nazi occultists kill the grandfather brutally, just after the hero meets the heroine.Then they come back to rape the heroine, many times, and then with anything to hand. After they announce that, and before it happens, the hero takes them to the relics in the mausoleum. They take them, knock him our, lock him in, and leave to have their fun with the heroine, then whisk her away promising they'll let a whole troop of thugs rape her again and again. Whoopee.
The hero manages to get our of the mausoleum buy pulling out a coffin, smashing it up against the door, and setting it alight, to burn the door enough he can break it down before he dies of smoke inhalation. He manages, with only flesh wounds, then goes up to the house, where the police force he's worked with for years, who are investigating the gruesome murder of the previous night, don't notice he was in a tomb, and comes up through the snow in burn pyjamas and slippers, bleeding and reeking of smoke. They don't ask what happens, he doesn't say anything, he just has a bath and dresses. Then the police arrest him, with obvious suspicion, not only for murdering his grandfather and his friend, but for a string of rape-murders going back to his dead wife 10 years previously. No questions asked, he must be guilty.
He gets bailed out, skips the country thanks to the Albanian hacker punk girl he knows, who can get him passports, credit cards, and guns, coz with all the times he's arrested her, they've developed a friendship. She can hack the interpol and aviation records and finds the villian, and heroine, so the hero can start hunting a major Nazi occultist movement throughout Europe. Does he tell anyone? No. And so it goes, and that's just the beginning quarter or so.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2023
Daniel Easterman is an old hand at writing this style of thriller, but this is not one of his better efforts. A certain amount of suspension of disbelief is required in reading most novels of this type and this is no exception - in fact, the plot armour is quite thick on the main characters at times, and not just on the heroes, the chief antagonist has his fair share as well.
It is a fast-paced story and Easterman has gone for an ambitious scope in this novel, and he is good at weaving biblical history into his tales. Although his plot surprise at the end was probably too far-fetched, and I'm glad it wasn't pursued.
A fun read if you don't think too deeply about it.
It is a fast-paced story and Easterman has gone for an ambitious scope in this novel, and he is good at weaving biblical history into his tales. Although his plot surprise at the end was probably too far-fetched, and I'm glad it wasn't pursued.
A fun read if you don't think too deeply about it.
August 9, 2018
I like the writings of Daniel Easterman, a lot. However, this book I would class as one of his weaker tales. It is true that there is plenty of action and sex involved but this reads like a DC comic where the male characters are able to achieve most things but the females are there to be ‘rescued ‘and offer a love interest. A reasonable holiday read perhaps but no more. Nevertheless as it moves at such a fast pace 3 stars for me.
June 18, 2021
This book was good in places, but only okay overall… not a recommended read…
March 21, 2023
A mistaken assumption lies at the heart of this book..... and it tries too hard.
June 9, 2023
Good adventure story.
December 1, 2023
Good story, good overcoming evil. Set in the Sahara mostly and a quest to find a hidden oasis containing remains which would set the world on fire.
March 2, 2015
I enjoyed this book. The 'Spear Of Destiny' refers to the spear used to stab Jesus by a Roman soldier at the site of the 'Cross'. This story starts in World War 2 1942, when a group of British soldiers in the desert of Libya, scouting for German forces, discover a tomb. There are many holy relics in the tomb of which the 'Spear of Destiny' is one. I will not reveal too much detail, other than to say 'the Spear' leads to many deaths and murders as it travels to 2008. Here the last of the British guardians of the 'Spear' are murdered by a group of German neo-nazis searching for the relic since the World War 2.
The story then opens out to kidnapping, theft, murders and the 'Good' chasing after the perpetrators across Europe and then back to the sands of Libya and the site of the tomb for the final confrontation. There is plenty action as you the reader quickly turn the pages. There are a number of twists and turns to keep the reader interested. Pure escapism and you certainly not get bored. There are a number of similar types of books in the 'relic/treasure' genre, this one compares well. Enjoy.
The story then opens out to kidnapping, theft, murders and the 'Good' chasing after the perpetrators across Europe and then back to the sands of Libya and the site of the tomb for the final confrontation. There is plenty action as you the reader quickly turn the pages. There are a number of twists and turns to keep the reader interested. Pure escapism and you certainly not get bored. There are a number of similar types of books in the 'relic/treasure' genre, this one compares well. Enjoy.
August 14, 2012
When old soldier Gerald Usherwood is brutally murdered, it seems his grandson Ethan will be framed for the killing, as well as the rape and murder of Sarah, his niece. But Sarah has actually been abducted and Ethan must follow the tracks of the kidnappers across Europe and into Africa. Can he save Sarah and reveal the mystery of the ancient desert city that hides a truth about Christianity that has remained hidden for thousands of years? I like Easterman's books and this satisfies as a religious themed thriller.
January 1, 2016
Bit of a Da Vinci Code rip-off, about a team of soldiers who find Christs tomb in the desert in WW2, retrieve the relics and keep it secret. Years later, the leader, now an old man, is murdered, and his grand-daughter kidnapped by some very evil neo-nazis, and it's up to his grand-son to save her and solve the mystery. It wasn't bad as a thriller but didn't feel original and the ending was a bit dumb.
March 7, 2011
I loved it!!!
It might be because it's been some time since I read a similar book, or due tot eh fact that the last couple of books I read were a bit disappointing. It was well written and fast paced enough for me never to get bored.Thinking back, there might be parts were the author could have elaborated more and made them even more epic but it's still awesome.
It might be because it's been some time since I read a similar book, or due tot eh fact that the last couple of books I read were a bit disappointing. It was well written and fast paced enough for me never to get bored.Thinking back, there might be parts were the author could have elaborated more and made them even more epic but it's still awesome.
September 2, 2010
Although I liked the book, I found it to be something like a made for TV movie. The story was ok but the characters felt shallow. I was hoping and expecting more.
Read
November 3, 2016i love history and mystery. this book took me through
the past to the present, through the desert to finding
a lost city in the desert, through the meanness of the Nazi's
to everlasting past.
the past to the present, through the desert to finding
a lost city in the desert, through the meanness of the Nazi's
to everlasting past.
February 17, 2012
Was good.. but a little difficult to follow sometimes
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews