What do you think?
Rate this book
Pravda Messenger: A Novel
In 1825, Czar Alexander I of Russia was buried—but many did not believe that the body in the coffin was that of the czar. Rather, they believed that he had slipped away in disguise and was walking the roads of Russia as a humble monk.
In 1975, a Russian named Yuri and his adolescent daughter Tanya approach a Soviet-era monastery in Leningrad, where an ancient tomb is opened—inside is the ancient, dessicated body of a monk—and a golden snuff box is removed and given to them. Tanya has a special gift—the she can always recognize when someone is telling her the truth. But Soviet soldiers arrive, and Yuri is wounded and captured. Tanya flees.
Seven years later, Tanya is living in Colorado on a goat farm, but her ability as an investigator—aided by her Pravda gift—has already proven useful to the local sheriff. Then the Bible of the Bell Messenger comes into her life, and all of the mysteries and dangers of her past life erupt the golden snuff box, the identity of the monk in the coffin, the location and welfare of her father—and Tanya embarks on a world tour, partly fleeing, partly kidnapped, partly in an effort to solve the mysteries herself. Will Tanya, now in her late teens, be able to discern which of the new people who enter her life at his point can be trusted? Will she fulfill her destiny as the girl with the gift? And how will the Messenger’s Bible help her?
In 1975, a Russian named Yuri and his adolescent daughter Tanya approach a Soviet-era monastery in Leningrad, where an ancient tomb is opened—inside is the ancient, dessicated body of a monk—and a golden snuff box is removed and given to them. Tanya has a special gift—the she can always recognize when someone is telling her the truth. But Soviet soldiers arrive, and Yuri is wounded and captured. Tanya flees.
Seven years later, Tanya is living in Colorado on a goat farm, but her ability as an investigator—aided by her Pravda gift—has already proven useful to the local sheriff. Then the Bible of the Bell Messenger comes into her life, and all of the mysteries and dangers of her past life erupt the golden snuff box, the identity of the monk in the coffin, the location and welfare of her father—and Tanya embarks on a world tour, partly fleeing, partly kidnapped, partly in an effort to solve the mysteries herself. Will Tanya, now in her late teens, be able to discern which of the new people who enter her life at his point can be trusted? Will she fulfill her destiny as the girl with the gift? And how will the Messenger’s Bible help her?
272 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2009
56 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 7, 2017
Absolutely loved this book but make sure you read the first book first, which is called 'The Bell Messenger'. These books are a historical fiction talking about a Civil War Bible that makes it's way through many generations and helps those it comes in contact with. The story telling is superb.
October 1, 2024
Love Alton Gansky and this book is no exception, intrigue and interesting ending. Recommend
August 7, 2011
Tanya nació con un don, el don de la Pravda. Según la leyenda, ella deberá conocer el mensaje que un monje “Fedor Kuzmich” le ha dejado, en una caja de rapé que se llevó a la tumba. El día que Tanya llega al monasterio con su padre, en busca del mensaje; el KGB los hace seguir caminos separados y ella se queda sin saber lo que el monje tenía para decirle. 7 años después, un misterioso accidente aéreo la obliga a ser la que busque una biblia de incalculable valor, que era trasladada en el avión privado. Tanya debe devolver al biblia al dueño. Pero la biblia ya ha encontrado al mensajero y no se irá con nadie que no sea Tanya. En medio de amigos codiciosos, un guapo anticuario, una abogada con un caso pro-bono; y la URSS, Cuba y Estados Unidos metidos en el lío, Tanya deberá descubrir el mensaje que la biblia y el monje, tienen para ella. Pero, ¿quién sabe la verdad?
El Mensajero de la Verdad me ha gustado mucho. Desde el inicio, los pasajes que describen algunos lugares de Rusia son tan bonitos; que por un momento, es como si estuvieras en la fría URSS, viendo los altos pinos, los montones de nieve, las viejas construcciones…
Los personajes son muy interesantes, están bien pensados y se ganan tu simpatía desde el comienzo.
Sufrí con Yuri, el padre de Tanya; al leer todo lo que le tocó vivir encerrado en esa cárcel, en medio de la nada; en donde lo mejor que te podía pasar era morirte. Me encantó ver su fortaleza, aún sabiendo que tal vez nunca saldría de ese lugar.
Tanya se ganó mi simpatía de inmediato. Era muy pequeña cuando perdió a su madre a causa de una misteriosa enfermedad; y de inmediato es separada de su padre y enviada a un país desconocido. Es muy duro para una niña, me daba mucha tristeza pensar en ella.
El ritmo de la novela es bueno; sin embargo, hacia el final del libro, se hace un poco pesado y por ende, un tanto aburrido. Algo que sin duda me preocupó mucho, por la manera en que la novela se venía desarrollando. En cambio, los últimos capítulos se suceden de un modo muy rápido. Yo tuve que releer algunas veces por que no podía entender lo que sucedía. Y el final… me dejó muy confundida. Sinceramente, sigo sin entender qué significa esos últimos diálogos. Así que si alguien lee la novela o ya la leyó, no duden en iluminarme un poco J Esto último es lo que hace que le reste puntos a la novela. ¡Por lo demás, muy buena!
El Mensajero de la Verdad me ha gustado mucho. Desde el inicio, los pasajes que describen algunos lugares de Rusia son tan bonitos; que por un momento, es como si estuvieras en la fría URSS, viendo los altos pinos, los montones de nieve, las viejas construcciones…
Los personajes son muy interesantes, están bien pensados y se ganan tu simpatía desde el comienzo.
Sufrí con Yuri, el padre de Tanya; al leer todo lo que le tocó vivir encerrado en esa cárcel, en medio de la nada; en donde lo mejor que te podía pasar era morirte. Me encantó ver su fortaleza, aún sabiendo que tal vez nunca saldría de ese lugar.
Tanya se ganó mi simpatía de inmediato. Era muy pequeña cuando perdió a su madre a causa de una misteriosa enfermedad; y de inmediato es separada de su padre y enviada a un país desconocido. Es muy duro para una niña, me daba mucha tristeza pensar en ella.
El ritmo de la novela es bueno; sin embargo, hacia el final del libro, se hace un poco pesado y por ende, un tanto aburrido. Algo que sin duda me preocupó mucho, por la manera en que la novela se venía desarrollando. En cambio, los últimos capítulos se suceden de un modo muy rápido. Yo tuve que releer algunas veces por que no podía entender lo que sucedía. Y el final… me dejó muy confundida. Sinceramente, sigo sin entender qué significa esos últimos diálogos. Así que si alguien lee la novela o ya la leyó, no duden en iluminarme un poco J Esto último es lo que hace que le reste puntos a la novela. ¡Por lo demás, muy buena!
September 2, 2009
The story is of Tanya, a Russian girl blessed with the Pravda, or the ability to distinguish when people are telling truth or lies. Sadly, a blessing in the wrong hands is easily turned into a curse, so young Tanya finds trouble wherever she goes from those wanting to profit from her gift. She also finds some Christian friends who aid her through the morass of turmoil. The story takes some unexpected turns along the way, and intertwined throughout is an ancient Bible that links lives together in supernatural fashion.
This is definitely a page-turner of a book. If you're interested in the Christian suspense genre, then you'll be entertained.
I personally would classify this book as being rather fantastical fiction. And there were some ethical issues thrown in, such as cloning, that I don't think added to the story because there really wasn't time to debate the issues in depth.
What I did really enjoy was the international flavor and background of the book, and particularly the treatment of the legend of "the Emperor and the Hermit," or Tsar Alexander & Feodor Kuzmich. I had not heard of this legend before, and the book had me Googling to find out more.
Overall, The Pravda Messenger is an entertaining read with spiritual lessons ingrained throughout...
This is definitely a page-turner of a book. If you're interested in the Christian suspense genre, then you'll be entertained.
I personally would classify this book as being rather fantastical fiction. And there were some ethical issues thrown in, such as cloning, that I don't think added to the story because there really wasn't time to debate the issues in depth.
What I did really enjoy was the international flavor and background of the book, and particularly the treatment of the legend of "the Emperor and the Hermit," or Tsar Alexander & Feodor Kuzmich. I had not heard of this legend before, and the book had me Googling to find out more.
Overall, The Pravda Messenger is an entertaining read with spiritual lessons ingrained throughout...
May 31, 2011
Great story. This the second in a series. In a way, The Pravda Messenger picks up where The Bell Messenger leaves off. Tonya Novak—the girl with “the gift of the Pravda legend”— fled from the KGB in 1975, leaving her wounded father behind and a mystery inexplicably tied to the coffin of Feodor Huzmick sitting beneath a Russian monastery were her father lay wounded. Seven years later, the worn Bible reappears. Attorney Shannon Reed and an ailing billionaire’s personal secretary briefly retrieve this precious book, only to lose it when the secretary dies in plane crash while carrying it back to their benefactor. The Bible disappears once again. In Reed’s pursuit of it—still sought by the ailing billionaire—she links up with Novak as they encounter a number of odd characters who all have hidden agendas. The two seekers must learn whom they can trust and what is the meaning of a mysterious gift that set Novak apart since her birth in Russian.
April 21, 2014
The title of the book caused me to pick it up and the description of the story made me take it home. I was not disappointed and the story picked up speed as we went along with the main character in her leaving her country and going to another country which she lived undocumented. Her gift is what made her a target of many and most times it was greed that pushed their wanting to discover where she had disappeared. This new appoach and an inspirational book I feel would delight many readers and I truly recommend The Pravda Messenger.
August 31, 2009
Quick Thoughts...
Not as great as The Bell Messenger (the prequel to this) But still a good book. Worth checking out for someone who is wanting a suspense/mystery with some history thrown in!
Not as great as The Bell Messenger (the prequel to this) But still a good book. Worth checking out for someone who is wanting a suspense/mystery with some history thrown in!
September 5, 2013
veryy nice sequel. enjoyed the twisting plot and the ever present bible. enjoyable,a page turner.
March 9, 2014
Sequel to The Bell Messenger. Lots of history and suspense. With the previous novel two of the better 'Christian' fiction books I have read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews