The Prophet Paradox

by Danny Tuttle

Biblical scholar Anne Hart is lost. Again. In a rural Egyptian village, she tries to save a woman from a public lashing ordered by a local sharia tribunal of elders. The police chief orders Anne to be abandoned in the Qattara Depression, the worst hell hole in the Sahara Desert. With no food or water and weeks of desert in every direction, Anne makes a discovery that can change the world. But will she survive?

Physicist Max Moore detects a burst of elementary particles and makes a startling prediction. Now he can't escape his fate.

Is anyone free? Or do we see only what we want to see? And than how can love be stronger than destiny?

Ancient secret manuscripts. Supernovas. Lost monasteries. Terrorists. Shark attacks. Proton decay experiments. Media moguls who manipulate the masses. Magical people who can save the world and don't care. Action. Adventure. Contemporary Fantasy. Science fiction. Romance.

Sound predictable? Then you won't like the ending.

535 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2021

About the author

Danny Tuttle, author of The Prophet Paradox, is a retired chemical engineer and college physics teacher, an enthusiastic amateur researcher of ancient manuscripts, and an Air Force and Coast Guard veteran.
He lives with his wife and daughter in Los Angeles, California, works from his home, occasionally wears pants, and travels daily, via the internet machine, to such places as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas in Mogao, the Antarctic Icecube Neutrino Observatory, Hobbiton village in New Zealand, and the distant galaxies of the Hubble Deep Field.
Email your thoughts on The Prophet Paradox to danny.tuttle@aol.com

Reviews

[Stuart Aken · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is this remarkable book about? The clue is very much in the title. But it is about much more than that. The author has researched extensively into numerous subjects to bring alive this extraordinary and complex tale dealing with humanity’s inability to deal with truth.
We encounter a lost monastery filled with an ancient order of monks neither meek nor mild, a biblical scholar whose merciful intervention in an unjust Islamic punishment gets her into serious trouble and nearly costs her life, and an astronomer/astrophysicist whose mistaken attempt to simply prophesise a supernova gets him into the trouble that lies at the heart of the story. But we also come across figures from history who should be no longer extant but somehow manage to be around.
There is evidence of real scholarship in the details of the lives presented, the facts surrounding the physics of the crucial event, the relationships among the various religious sects involved, the behaviour of radical religious extremists, the actions of the FBI, the attitudes of the mega rich, and the misguided power of the mob.
The action is fascinating. The characters are beguiling, funny, idiosyncratic, glamorous, strange, incredibly credible, and so, so human!
I have only one small criticism and that’s something personal; I found some of the passages of dialect difficult to comprehend, but managed to get the ‘feel’ for the meaning nevertheless. I suspect those with a more attuned ear will find these passages easier to understand.
I won’t precis the storyline; you can find that for yourself in the blurb. I found the story absorbing, fantastical, amazing, surprising, and weirdly engaging. Much that happens seems unlikely until the reader understands that there is also much metaphor here; rather appropriate since the novel takes a book from the Bible as its core story mover, and we all know that scholars excuse much of the rank idiocy of the Bible as metaphor.
The author introduces us to scholars in various fields, scientists unworldly outside their specific fields, tarot card readers, religious fanatics, government agents, far seers, corrupt businessmen, figures from history who should be dead, a gifted child, lovers, media moguls, and many other characters. In all the relationships we are able to empathise with the individuals, even if we cannot agree with their attitudes or behaviour, because they are painted with such care and honesty.
The ending is, regardless of personal preference, inevitable: this book could only end truly in the way it does. After the story, the author produces information about his research and various descriptions of the real people involved, which also makes fascinating reading.
I don’t know what else I can say, except that this book deals with a multitude of themes and incorporates these into the story in such a way the reader absorbs them along with the action and comes away thoroughly satisfied with the experience.

[Ellie Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

~About

When Anne Heart uncovers an ancient manuscript (part of the New Testament of the Christian Bible) in a mysterious monastery, she realizes its value and steals it, fleeing back to America, where she and her colleagues discover a new verse.

Meanwhile, physicist Maxwell Moore discovers a supernova in the constellation of Betelgeuse, which will shortly appear as a glistening red star in the sky. However, his early prediction of the star’s appearance leads to chaos, with many branding Max as a prophet. Coincidentally, this is the same star mentioned in the newly discovered verse of the manuscript Anne stole.

As ancient secrets are revealed, Anne and Max’s lives will become hopelessly intertwined.


~Characters

There were many characters present in The Prophet Paradox, each playing either a large or small part in developing the story and moving the plot along. However, I’d like to focus on four individuals in particular.

Firstly, let’s look at Dr Anne Heart. Anne was a courageous woman who stood up for what she believed in. As an orphan, she always felt lost and struggled to trust others. Additionally, as an archaeology scholar, she proved to be highly intelligent and curious by nature. However, it was this burning curiosity which had the tendency to get her into trouble. Overall, I found her to be a likable and admirable character, mostly because she dared to do dangerous things in the name of what she thought was right, and never gave up.

Secondly, I turn to Maxwell Moore (Max), a dedicated physicist. Max was a bit harder to pin down personality-wise. He seemed respectable and gentle in nature, driven by his life-long passion for science. He was always using logic to reason things out and seemed to have a good heart, despite his multiple casual relationships. I disliked the fact that he bedded a woman and then seemed outraged at her jealousy when he immediately slept with another. At this point, he seemed a bit childish in comparison to the more serious man of science I came to know over the course of the story.

Thirdly, let’s discuss The Abbot, head monk at the ancient monastery where Anne found the manuscript. The Abbot was a curious character right from the off. He initially appeared soft-spoken and somewhat detached, preoccupied by whispers from ‘beings of higher consciousness’ which are referred to as his spiritual masters. There is talk about him mastering ancient mysteries, but not really an explanation as to what they are or how he is mastering them. His manner of speaking quickly became tedious to read, talking in circles that made little sense. As the story continued, a darkness arose about him, corrupting him. While at first, I thought him to be a decent holy man, he soon became a dark and mysterious foe in Anne Heart’s life.

Finally, we come to Adam, a deeply religious man who often calls himself Michael. I’ll be perfectly honest, I did not like Adam, not at any point in the story. His narrow perception of the world as coloured by obsessive religious views led him to see most people as somehow beneath him. He professed often to being a good Christian, however, his actions are nothing alike the peace and grace of the Christ figure he so believes in. For the most part, he came across as creepy and obsessive (especially over Anne) and always seemed on edge, playing with two copper balls he kept on his person at all times. At best, Adam seemed deluded: I wasn’t sure if he was supposed to have a split personality or something. The end of the book certainly implied it, however, it was something which wasn’t explored well, leaving me uncertain.


~Positive Elements

The Prophet Paradox was an interesting book, which was richly imagined. Below are a few of the positive aspects I identified.

-The author has researched certain aspects of his story well and has an insight into many interesting topics, such as ancient history and religion.

-The sensory descriptions of places, especially the Monastery of Saint Hypatia, really brought the settings to life.

-The characters were interesting and each had a distinct presence and sense of individuality.


~Negative Elements

While there were some positives and I enjoyed the story overall, there were also a few negatives which I feel let the story down.

-The second chapter acts as an enormous information dump, which has a lot of detail all at once and veers away from the story completely. I feel a shorter passage (for additional context) may have been useful here as I almost stopped reading altogether.

-Some of the character’s conversations were very long-winded. I found myself struggling to keep reading.

-The overly exaggerated accents of some characters were hard to read and understand.

-The idea of Anne as a reincarnation of Sobekneferu was interesting and I found myself excited to learn more about this. However, despite a few brief flashbacks at the start of the book, this idea is barely explored and is simply left to be forgotten, which was disappointing.

-The author seemed a bit too ambitious with all of their ideas, but didn’t execute or explore them each in depth. As such, a lot of the sub-plots made little sense and didn’t connect well with the overall story.

-The ending felt rushed and resulted in a disappointing climax, with no resolution to a lot of issues. I was left with far more questions than I had answers and felt cheated after reading so much.

Overall, I found a lot more negatives than positives to the story.


~Memorable Quotes

Despite the number of negatives I identified, the story did have many interesting and profound quotes peppered throughout. So far, I have managed to whittle my list of favourite quotes down to the following four.

1) ‘The truth should never be comfortable.’
2) ‘It takes a brave person to face their own fears.’

3) ‘The truth will take from you every comforting illusion- Once you learn the truth, you can’t unlearn it.’

4) ‘We all see what we want to see, and we all know what we want to know, and we all believe what we want to believe.’


~Overview

Overall, The Prophet Paradox was a strange and mystical adventure, which explored religion, science, and unusual magic. The characters were unique and interesting and each had their own agenda, and pursued it relentlessly. However, I feel that the author was a little too ambitious with his ideas and so some parts of the story were lacking.

My Rating: 3 stars.
Recommended to: Those looking for an unusual read which blends sci-fi, religion, and mysticism.

[Lynelle Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Legends can be mysterious and very interesting, but when you are mistaken for a woman that lived a thousand eight hundred years ago, the word legend gets a new meaning.

Anne Hart was beautiful, adventurous, with a love for old manuscripts. With many coincidences, she ends up in a monastery in Egypt. No one knows about and this is where her life became interesting and the plot thickens.
Back in Los Angeles, her discovery let to more secrets and soon she found herself running for her life. With people dying to protect this ancient secret, they had to learn its truths quickly to save themselves and those involved.

Physicist Maxwell Moore discovered a supernova in the constellation of Betelgeuse, which would appear as a glistening red star in the sky. However, his early prediction of the star’s appearance leads to chaos. Many branded Max as a prophet. Coincidentally, this was the same star mentioned in the newly discovered verse of the manuscript Anne stole in the monastery.

The author's writing style was sloppy with too much repeats to make this an easy read. Too much back story also killed the flow for me and by the middle of the book I was done.
Though the book was divided into five sections, I had trouble following the story.

The characters were unemotional and distant, and I struggled to connect with them.

I must complement the author's knowledge. It was clear that he took a lot of time in researching the topic and I found that part fascinating. It helped to carry the plotline and give it more credibility.

Overall, The Prophet Paradox was a strange and mystical adventure, which explored religion, science, and unusual magic. The characters had their own agenda, and they pursued it relentlessly. I found some parts of the story lacking with holes that left me either confused or wondering.

[Jerry Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danny Tuttle’s The Prophet Paradox is a fun read for anyone who enjoyed books like Angels and Demon or DaVinci Code. It also reminded me a lot of National Treasure and Romancing the Stone. That is a testimony to Tuttle’s character development throughout the novel as well as the plot that moves the reader along a great storyline. It is clear that Tuttle brings his experience as a chemical engineer, military, and enthusiasts of ancient things to his writing.

The Prophet Paradox opens with Bible scholar Anne Hart lost in Egypt. Soon, after cussing out a monk for staring at her, Anne sees what others see: she looks like the woman in Sobekneferu’s mural… the daughter of Isis. From there we embark on a fun journey of texts including a missing verse, crumbling catholic churches, a rescue by the Hajj, storms conjured, Scripture verses, dreams, and a supernova explosion.

There is a cast of other characters as the story progresses. I particularly liked Talin and Adam. One of the most enjoyable parts of the book was how characters were not just plot placeholders. They each were given time and attention to become their own personality. But in the end, we are drawn back to Anne. We are comforted that there are scientific explanations and explanations of reason behind everything. However, we are also warned as readers that, “There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

One Sentence Summary: Biblical scholar Anne discovers a new line to Revelation and physicist Max predicts a supernova thanks to a fancy underground experiment, causing the world to believe Anne is evil for adding to the Bible and Max is the Prophet of the People.

My thoughts:

The Prophet Paradox seems simple enough: Anne discovers a new line to the Bible that appears to foretell Max, who predicts a supernova, and they must then deal with the ramifications of being thrust into the limelight. It also felt like this was all about how people go nuts when it comes to religion. There was a great deal of complexity and number of characters who were introduced, but it ultimately made the story feel overly burdened with too much thrown in, which made it difficult for me to figure out the focus of this book.

I liked the first part, which was devoted to Anne discovering some old papyrus and how she managed to get away from a hidden monastery. It drew me in, though I was not a fan of how Anne used her feminine wiles as it made her feel like there wasn’t much more to her than the fact that she’s female. After that, though, I felt like I was being constantly bombarded by elements from several other genres. There were also so many new characters that I had a hard time keeping them straight, much less figuring out how they related to Anne and then to Max. Max, though, I really liked. He just wants to do science, but does so with questionable funding. He’s an ordinary man the world made extraordinary, so I liked how he just really stayed true to himself. It also didn’t hurt that much of the second half, when things really got going and stories finally started converging, was devoted to his story whereas the first half of the book was devoted to Anne.

The Prophet Paradox mixes science, religion, magic, survival, romance, obsession, man hunts, action, adventure, and even some elements of a legal thriller. Ultimately, it felt like a bit too much to me. All of it, fortunately, was tied to religion and the discoveries made by Anne and Max, but there was just so much and so many characters that the story felt burdened and I’m not even sure if all the story lines and character arcs were wrapped up, though it’s completely possible I just missed them.

For me, The Prophet Paradox was about Anne and Max, as Anne was the focus for the first half and Max was given the second half, though both are present throughout the novel. Anne’s story was interesting as she’s suddenly on the run because adding to the Bible is a huge thing and not everyone can handle it, but then it seems to wrap up quickly and she’s left following various other characters for the rest of the book, making her feel like she didn’t actually have a ton of agency. Coupled with how she’s treated by some of the male characters, she made me want to like her, but there was just no real complexity to her, contributing to my intense dislike of how some of the female characters were treated. Max’s story was much more interesting, but even he felt jerked around quite a bit. It was fascinating to see how people were so willing to see him as a prophet, and to know it was all thanks to science and a need to make his discovery known that started it all. I just wish his story had kicked off a little earlier and he and Anne were given a more equal amount of time in both halves. Then there’s a third major character. Adam came off as a complete religious nut who was obsessed with Anne and would do anything to either believe in or take down Max. His craziness was interesting, but I hated how he was always quoting the Bible and the way he thought of Anne.

The fun part of this book, though, was getting to travel the world. From Egypt to India to even the Dominican Republic, this book spanned much of the world. I couldn’t speak to any accuracy, but it was fun to glimpse all these exotic locales. It was even interesting when a group of characters were lost at sea, though I also felt that part took a little too long and only seemed to add more fuel to the belief that Max was, indeed, a prophet. The one thing, though, that bothered me was how the various accents were written in. They were difficult to follow and figure out what the characters were talking about, but they were such key characters talking about such key things that it was impossible to skip over them. Overall, they were just difficult to read and puzzle out, and the authenticity just fell flat for me.

Overall, The Prophet Paradox had some good pieces, but there were a lot of things that just didn’t work for me. There was too much in this book, from things going on to the number of characters. Everything that was thrown into the story just muddled things for me and made me wonder where the focus was. It was interesting to see the impact religion has on people, but, personally, as an atheist, this kind of story playing out in the world would just be eye roll inducing to me, so I definitely don’t think I’m the right audience for this. I also took issue with how some of the female characters were treated, as they tended to feel more objectified than given complexity. But this also felt like an interesting commentary on religion and likely has a lot of good things and food for thought for the right audience.


Thank you to Danny Tuttle for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Robin Ginther-Venneri]

The plot is interesting and complex. The characters are well-written, fully imagined, and relatable. The author does a fantastic job of exploring the world through their eyes.
Anne Hart was banished to the Middle Eastern desert by the police. Just when she is about to give up 2 strangers save her. Soon after, Anne realizes that she looks just like the woman on the Sobekneferu mural, who turns out to be the daughter of Isis. The trouble then begins for Anne, who makes a world-changing discovery. Now people are after her and want to silence her. We go on a fast-paced and mysterious adventure to far-off places and through texts that touch on topics like a missing poem, old churches, a pilgrimage gone wrong, Bible verses, dreams, and a supernova.

It was my pleasure to receive a free copy of this book but that does not in any way affect my opinions in this review of this entertaining story.

[John Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found The Prophet Paradox to be an engaging novel that combines religion, contemporary fantasy, and science into an action packed, intellectually stimulating story. I highly recommend it. Anne Hart, a globe-trotting archaeologist, begins the story in a small town in Egypt. From there trouble begins, and Anne ultimately makes a startling discovery that could change the world. The action and adventure then takes you to many places around the world and the plot twists were always surprising. The author has a good level of scientific, religious and historic knowledge, which lends the book a great deal of realism.