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The Amen Heresy
Ex-priest and dyslexic expert of ancient languages, Jack Fisher, agrees to assist an Israeli friend and expert of religious history; and is drawn into an unsolved mystery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. His discovery of the true meaning of the Copper Scroll threatens to expose the three religions of Abraham as the monotheistic legacy of an ancient, sun-worshipping pharaoh.. Jack joins forces with Agent Ariel Hadar of the Israeli Antiquities Authority and Sami Salaa, a Palestinian boy of the streets, in an epic struggle for possession of the scroll, and an explosive truth which will upend religious history and shatter the religious legacy of Jews, Christians and Muslims. There's an oddly engraved museum token to interpret, a missing Dead Sea Scroll to find, a cabal of murderous high clerics, an Egyptian madman, a nightmarish assassin, an important clue from a fourth century travel log and a long-forgotten proclamation of startling implication from The Prophet Muhammad. The race for possession of the Copper Scroll leads through the Old City of Jerusalem, onto the Judean Desert and to the Monastery of St. Catherine, at the foot of Moses' Mount Sinai, where the heresy of the long-dead Egyptian pharaoh rises to confront the very basis of faith for three and a half billion believers.
324 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 16, 2009
Jack Fisher is a dyslexic ancient languages expert. He used to be a priest and is now trying to help a friend solve the puzzle of the Dead Sea Scrolls. These scrolls may prove that three of Abraham's religions were a sham. Together with an agent and a young boy, they embark on the journey of a lifetime, determined to unravel a web of lies and set the truth free.
Astounding! This a brilliant read that will exercise your mind.
Astounding! This a brilliant read that will exercise your mind.
June 18, 2010
The Amen Heresy is a conspiracy thriller in the same vein as The Da Vinci Code and The Last Templar. Instead of an evil cabal within the Catholic Church, however, it's an evil cabal of individuals from all book based faiths (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). The head honcho from each faith in Jerusalem have united as "The One" to combat the imminent announcement of a Jewish scholar's research into the alleged true origins of all three faiths: An ancient Egyptian monotheistic worship of the sun under pharaoh Akhenaten. A faith, that even in it's own time was controversial among the polytheist Egyptians who quickly forced the cult out of power after the pharaoh's death. The research also alleges that there was no Abraham who fathered the Hebrews, only Egyptian priests of "Amen" (the sun) who inspired the Joseph and Moses characters of the Bible who led worshippers into Palestine.
The real threat is not the alternative history, but the fact that this "rediscovered" religion advocates a belief that there is no God but the "god" inside each of us, pointing the way to enlightenment, represented by the life-giving sun (well, maybe. It’s not entirely clear what is the book’s message). There's certainly no room for organized religion, which is a threat to “The One” who must stop the professor at all costs.
After eliminating the professor, they discover his key research is missing and assume it's with a recently arrived American colleague who had been assisting in some translations. They're partly right. As his enemies closed in, he mailed a clue to the American as to where to find the critical info.
From there the story is fairly formulaic of the genre. The hero of the story, a former Catholic priest, is a spiritually broken man in need of redemption. The love interest, a beautiful agent of the Israeli Antiquities Authority, assists him along with a scrappy Palestinian street urchin in the search for a hither unknown and missing piece of The Copper Scroll (a famous Dead Sea Scroll) which will prove to the world the professor's assertions.
William Muulenfeld is well read and has thoroughly researched his material (the historical references and theories are factual) but just as with other books of this ilk, one must take the premise with a grain of salt when considering that virtually any data can be presented in such a way as to arrive at any desired conclusion. Also, though Muhlenfeld is a capable and entertaining writer (excepting a few writing style idiosyncrasies), it seemed he was trying to one-up his predecessors (more graphic sex, villains with stranger characteristics and perversions).
If you liked The Da Vinci Code or any other book that bashes organized religion you'll probably enjoy The Amen Heresy. If you are purely looking for a thriller that uses historical clues for solving mysteries, you'll be mildly entertained. If you're easily offended by faith bashing, this probably isn't for you.
The real threat is not the alternative history, but the fact that this "rediscovered" religion advocates a belief that there is no God but the "god" inside each of us, pointing the way to enlightenment, represented by the life-giving sun (well, maybe. It’s not entirely clear what is the book’s message). There's certainly no room for organized religion, which is a threat to “The One” who must stop the professor at all costs.
After eliminating the professor, they discover his key research is missing and assume it's with a recently arrived American colleague who had been assisting in some translations. They're partly right. As his enemies closed in, he mailed a clue to the American as to where to find the critical info.
From there the story is fairly formulaic of the genre. The hero of the story, a former Catholic priest, is a spiritually broken man in need of redemption. The love interest, a beautiful agent of the Israeli Antiquities Authority, assists him along with a scrappy Palestinian street urchin in the search for a hither unknown and missing piece of The Copper Scroll (a famous Dead Sea Scroll) which will prove to the world the professor's assertions.
William Muulenfeld is well read and has thoroughly researched his material (the historical references and theories are factual) but just as with other books of this ilk, one must take the premise with a grain of salt when considering that virtually any data can be presented in such a way as to arrive at any desired conclusion. Also, though Muhlenfeld is a capable and entertaining writer (excepting a few writing style idiosyncrasies), it seemed he was trying to one-up his predecessors (more graphic sex, villains with stranger characteristics and perversions).
If you liked The Da Vinci Code or any other book that bashes organized religion you'll probably enjoy The Amen Heresy. If you are purely looking for a thriller that uses historical clues for solving mysteries, you'll be mildly entertained. If you're easily offended by faith bashing, this probably isn't for you.
May 28, 2016
A Dan Brown wannabe
The Amen Heresy has the feel of The DaVinci Code without its (limited) credibility. The conspiracies are even less probable than in Davinci, and the author seems obsessed with the idea that all religion (except sun worship!) Is corrupt and the source of all hate and violence. It's an interesting idea if you are in the market for oversimplifications and cheap shots. I'm not.
The Amen Heresy has the feel of The DaVinci Code without its (limited) credibility. The conspiracies are even less probable than in Davinci, and the author seems obsessed with the idea that all religion (except sun worship!) Is corrupt and the source of all hate and violence. It's an interesting idea if you are in the market for oversimplifications and cheap shots. I'm not.
May 26, 2015
Great topic origin of monotheism (a novel)
Looking forward to more of the same! Gives the reader much to ponder and question the possible backgrounds of the three great monotheistic religions
Looking forward to more of the same! Gives the reader much to ponder and question the possible backgrounds of the three great monotheistic religions
September 2, 2016
Not bad predictable ending
When u read the book you can almost predict one of three possible me endings, however its a good story.....I read to fill the co!mute to work and I like a book that keeps me interested. This one dsis and is pretty on target with its facta
When u read the book you can almost predict one of three possible me endings, however its a good story.....I read to fill the co!mute to work and I like a book that keeps me interested. This one dsis and is pretty on target with its facta
November 12, 2009
Reads like an 8th grader wrote it. Too poorly done to even finish it.
January 31, 2014
I'll only say that I couldn't put it down and am going for a sequel.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews