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The Last Ember
Jonathan Marcus, a young American lawyer and former doctoral student in classics, is summoned to Rome for a case and stumbles across a message hidden inside an ancient stone fragment. The discovery propels him and UN preservationist Dr. Emili Travia into a coldblooded modern plot to erase every remnant of Jewish and Christian presence from Jerusalem's Temple Mount, in the process redefining history itself.
444 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
45 people are currently reading
1364 people want to read
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Daniel Levin
1 book12 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
February 5, 2015
Fascinating!
When an author adds historical data to the story it can create a more captivating tale for the readers. It was incredible how much was written about ancient times along with significant detail on Rome’s Colosseum and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It was a fascinating book and recommended to those who are eager for an action packed crime thriller which comes with a bonus of immense historical detail of times long ago.
When an author adds historical data to the story it can create a more captivating tale for the readers. It was incredible how much was written about ancient times along with significant detail on Rome’s Colosseum and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It was a fascinating book and recommended to those who are eager for an action packed crime thriller which comes with a bonus of immense historical detail of times long ago.
October 24, 2023
Divi senās Romas vai konkrētāk senā vēsturnieka Josefa Flāvija entuziasti Romā šoreiz gan ierodas citu iemeslu dēļ. Džonatans Mārkuss pirms septiņiem gadiem pēc traģiska, šķietama nelaimes gadījuma, sabrūkot katakombām zaudēja ne tikai tuvu draugu un kolēģi, bet arīdzan karjeru izvēlētajā profesijā. Nu spiests darboties advokātu pasaulē un reizēm pat aizstāvēt nelegālus relikviju medniekus un kolekcionārus.
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https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...
January 7, 2015
“That, my friends, was Titus’s mistake”
Jonathan is an american lawyer who has a nice profile for case related to relics because he was once a doctoral student of classics at Rome. But when he is called back to Rome for a simple case related to an ancient stone piece, he finds a message encrypted in it. With help of a few friends from the past that he had left behind, he discovers a conspiracy so hidden and ancient that no one knows or believes it. But little does he know that the terrorists are also trying to destroy every trace of it which may cause an unrepairable damage in Jewish-Christian history. With a shoot-at-sight on his own head and terrorists at his heels, his only way to survive is to find it first.
This by far the most underrated novel I've ever read. Dan Brown, Steve Berry, Sam Bourne and numerous authors have made "Treasure hunting" a highly popular genre among today's books and as too many writer are writing, one starts to notice some clichés and to get bored with same formats and pitch-perfect characters where no one forgets anything they ever had read or done. And that is where Daniel Levin has entered with a a very very fresh take.
Daniel Levin himself is a lawyer and if read carefully, it can be felt who the hero Jonathan is a traced on. The writing is fluid and the book doesn't give headache with unnecessary infos(take that David Gibbins). But what I liked most about this book is that the characters are not perfect. Not as good or bad, I mean no one is a perfect professor(don't get me wrong, I like Robert Langdon but still sometime he feels like a computer) or assassin or collector and everyone has their shortcomings and lacking. Thus they feel very realistic and grounded. With some little poke in religions and a very nice threat hanging over head, Mr Levin has written a stupendous book.
Nothing feels forced or too much complex in the Last Ember and that simplicity is what makes this very enjoyable. As a début novel, this really strong and others really have to watch out if Daniel Levin develops more.
I highly recommend this book to any mystery, thriller, treasure loving readers.
Jonathan is an american lawyer who has a nice profile for case related to relics because he was once a doctoral student of classics at Rome. But when he is called back to Rome for a simple case related to an ancient stone piece, he finds a message encrypted in it. With help of a few friends from the past that he had left behind, he discovers a conspiracy so hidden and ancient that no one knows or believes it. But little does he know that the terrorists are also trying to destroy every trace of it which may cause an unrepairable damage in Jewish-Christian history. With a shoot-at-sight on his own head and terrorists at his heels, his only way to survive is to find it first.
This by far the most underrated novel I've ever read. Dan Brown, Steve Berry, Sam Bourne and numerous authors have made "Treasure hunting" a highly popular genre among today's books and as too many writer are writing, one starts to notice some clichés and to get bored with same formats and pitch-perfect characters where no one forgets anything they ever had read or done. And that is where Daniel Levin has entered with a a very very fresh take.
Daniel Levin himself is a lawyer and if read carefully, it can be felt who the hero Jonathan is a traced on. The writing is fluid and the book doesn't give headache with unnecessary infos(
Nothing feels forced or too much complex in the Last Ember and that simplicity is what makes this very enjoyable. As a début novel, this really strong and others really have to watch out if Daniel Levin develops more.
I highly recommend this book to any mystery, thriller, treasure loving readers.
January 15, 2011
If you hate it when an author thinks that they have to infuse their characters with constant blue streaks of swearing to sell a book, then you'll like this one.
Daniel Levin has created an engaging action adventure that develops characters, takes you to interesting places above and below the ground in Jerusalem and Rome, and spins a tale that you will enjoy through the last page of the book.
While I don't really care that much which expensive brand of shoe a particular character is wearing, I did appreciate the fact that Levin didn't fall into the somewhat tiresome cliche of having ex-special forces people being the lead characters. There is, of course, a pair of handsome and beautiful characters, and Levin will keep you guessing which of the many characters that come and go are protagonists and which are antagonists.
I thoroughly enjoyed the tale Levin tells. I was amazed at the description and action that takes place in ancient, underground Rome.
If you like readable, clean fiction that has all kinds of twists and turns, then you will enjoy this tale of archeological and religious intruige. This is a book that I feel good about recommending to all of my friends.
Daniel Levin has created an engaging action adventure that develops characters, takes you to interesting places above and below the ground in Jerusalem and Rome, and spins a tale that you will enjoy through the last page of the book.
While I don't really care that much which expensive brand of shoe a particular character is wearing, I did appreciate the fact that Levin didn't fall into the somewhat tiresome cliche of having ex-special forces people being the lead characters. There is, of course, a pair of handsome and beautiful characters, and Levin will keep you guessing which of the many characters that come and go are protagonists and which are antagonists.
I thoroughly enjoyed the tale Levin tells. I was amazed at the description and action that takes place in ancient, underground Rome.
If you like readable, clean fiction that has all kinds of twists and turns, then you will enjoy this tale of archeological and religious intruige. This is a book that I feel good about recommending to all of my friends.
July 20, 2010
...dan sepanjang film Gladiator, dia selalu mengerang setiap kali Russel Crowe menyebut stadion itu sebagai "the Colosseum," sebuah nama yang tidak terbayangkan sampai seratus tahun setelah jatuhnya Roma.(hal.122)
Sejarah selalu punya banyak sisi, saat diceritakan oleh pihak-pihak yang berbeda. Sesuatu yang menjadi keyakinan umum belum tentu menggambarkan kejadian sebenarnya, meski telah dikisahkan turun-temurun selama ratusan bahkan ribuan tahun. Sejarah juga kerap menjadi alat politik, karena pihak yang berkuasa tak jarang berusaha mengendalikan sejarah demi mengabadikan nama harum kekuasaan mereka.
Semangat 'mengoreksi' sejarah dalam kemasan budaya populer bisa dibilang mulai hidup sejak Dan Brown meluncurkan Da Vinci Code. Walaupun bukan yang pertama, namun karya Brown tak bisa dipungkiri adalah yang paling fenomenal hingga saat ini.
Semangat serupa jelas terbaca dalam karya perdana Daniel Levin, The Last Ember atau Bara Terakhir. Sebagai keturunan Yahudi, sejarah bangsanya tentu menjadi topik yang menarik bagi peraih gelar sarjana dalam bidang peradaban Romawi dan Yunani dari Universitas Michigan ini. Dan bagian sejarah yang dipilih Levin untuk diceritakan dalam buku ini adalah mengenai keberadaan Menorah, kandelabra bercabang tujuh dengan api abadi yang (menurut kepercayaan) menjadi saksi atas perjanjian bangsa Israel dengan Tuhan, simbol janji abadi bahwa keturunan Ibrahim akan sama banyaknya dengan jumlah bintang di langit dan pasir di tepi pantai.
Api abadi dengan kekuatan seperti itu tentu ditakuti oleh bangsa-bangsa lain di muka bumi. Tak heran jika sejak abad ke-7 SM, bangsa Assyria sudah berusaha memadamkannya namun gagal. Begitu pula ketika bangsa Babilonia melakukan upaya yang sama pada tahun 586 SM. Dan sejarah mencatat bahwa menorah ini baru berhasil dicuri oleh bangsa Romawi dibawah pemerintahan kaisar Titus pada abad ke-1 Masehi. Dan sejak itu terus berpindah tangan dari bangsa demi bangsa yang mengalahkan Romawi.
Itu yang tercatat dalam sejarah. Namun Levin menghadirkan 'koreksi' sejarah dalam buku ini. Berdasarkan penelitian Jonathan Marcus, pengacara muda mantan mahasiswa sejarah paling cemerlang di Akademi Amerika di Roma, menorah yang asli sebenarnya tidak pernah lepas dari tangan bangsa Yahudi. Flavius Yosefus, yang dalam sejarah disebut sebagai pengkhianat Yahudi karena bekerja untuk Kaisar Titus setelah kejatuhan Yerusalem, ternyata seorang mata-mata hebat yang dengan kerumitan rencana yang dia susun, berhasil menyelamatkan menorah dari tangkapan pasukan Romawi. Artinya, menorah yang selama ini selalu berpindah tangan mengikuti pihak yang berkuasa, adalah palsu belaka.
Dengan plot menegangkan dan penuh kejutan khas cerita thriller, dalam waktu 24 jam Jonathan Marcus, bersamai mantan kekasihnya Emili Travia yang bekerja di Pusat Konservasi Internasional PBB, menelusuri labirin penuh rahasia dan menguak misteri demi misteri yang terbentang antara Roma dan Yerusalem, guna menyingkap keberadaan menorah tersebut. Semua berawal ketika potongan Forma Urbis, peta kuno Roma dari batu muncul di sebuah pameran di Italia. Emili berupaya membuktikan bahwa kepemilikan forma urbis itu ilegal, sementara Jonathan ditugaskan oleh kantor pengacaranya untuk mementahkan tuntutan tersebut. Namun pesan rahasia berusia ribuan tahun di dalam forma urbis yang tanpa sengaja terungkap oleh Jonathan, membuatnya meninggalkan tugas dan kembali bertualang bersama Emili dalam dunia arkeologi yang menjadi cinta sejatinya.
Di luar kisah seru yang dihadirkan, tampak jelas bahwa Levin bemaksud mengangkat sebuah isu yang sebenarnya cukup 'panas,' yaitu mengenai Dewan Wakaf - sebuah yayasan perwalian rahasia Islam yang menangani Baitallah di Yerusalem sejak 1187 M. Levin menggugat otoritas yayasan tersebut yang sejak ratusan tahun lalu melarang pihak asing memasuki Baitallah. Akibatnya, kecurigaan Israel bahwa telah terjadi penggalian ilegal di bawah Baitallah tidak pernah dapat dibuktikan. Israel merasa berkepentingan karena penggalian tersebut diduga bermaksud menghancurkan peninggalan sejarah Yahudi-Kristen yang tak ternilai harganya. Levin secara tersirat juga menegaskan bahwa sudah saatnya bangsa Yahudi mendapatkan apa yang menjadi hak mereka, yang selama ribuan tahun (menurut sudut pandangnya) telah dirampas dari mereka.
Jika perdebatan 'diseriusi' sampai ke tataran politik dan agama, tentu tulisan Levin ini bisa menuai banyak diskusi, bahkan sanggahan dan protes. Sesuatu yang juga dialami Dan Brown setelah mengutarakan berbagai teorinya dalam Da Vinci Code.
Namun, seperti pernyataan Levin dalam wawancaranya dengan Steve Berry: "My primary goal was to entertain, so I hope readers have a great time with the story. I did writing it. Now if they happen to learn something they didn’t know, then that’s a great bonus," saya juga akan berhenti menilai karya Levin ini hanya sampai tataran hiburan. Sebuah hiburan yang cukup memperkaya pembaca dengan fakta-fakta sejarah serta dunia kuno Roma yang hingga saat ini masih terkubur di bawah kota Roma modern. Adalah kearifan pembaca sendiri yang akan memilah mana fakta dan mana fiksi dalam lembar-lembar halaman buku ini.
Sejarah selalu punya banyak sisi, saat diceritakan oleh pihak-pihak yang berbeda. Sesuatu yang menjadi keyakinan umum belum tentu menggambarkan kejadian sebenarnya, meski telah dikisahkan turun-temurun selama ratusan bahkan ribuan tahun. Sejarah juga kerap menjadi alat politik, karena pihak yang berkuasa tak jarang berusaha mengendalikan sejarah demi mengabadikan nama harum kekuasaan mereka.
Semangat 'mengoreksi' sejarah dalam kemasan budaya populer bisa dibilang mulai hidup sejak Dan Brown meluncurkan Da Vinci Code. Walaupun bukan yang pertama, namun karya Brown tak bisa dipungkiri adalah yang paling fenomenal hingga saat ini.
Semangat serupa jelas terbaca dalam karya perdana Daniel Levin, The Last Ember atau Bara Terakhir. Sebagai keturunan Yahudi, sejarah bangsanya tentu menjadi topik yang menarik bagi peraih gelar sarjana dalam bidang peradaban Romawi dan Yunani dari Universitas Michigan ini. Dan bagian sejarah yang dipilih Levin untuk diceritakan dalam buku ini adalah mengenai keberadaan Menorah, kandelabra bercabang tujuh dengan api abadi yang (menurut kepercayaan) menjadi saksi atas perjanjian bangsa Israel dengan Tuhan, simbol janji abadi bahwa keturunan Ibrahim akan sama banyaknya dengan jumlah bintang di langit dan pasir di tepi pantai.
Api abadi dengan kekuatan seperti itu tentu ditakuti oleh bangsa-bangsa lain di muka bumi. Tak heran jika sejak abad ke-7 SM, bangsa Assyria sudah berusaha memadamkannya namun gagal. Begitu pula ketika bangsa Babilonia melakukan upaya yang sama pada tahun 586 SM. Dan sejarah mencatat bahwa menorah ini baru berhasil dicuri oleh bangsa Romawi dibawah pemerintahan kaisar Titus pada abad ke-1 Masehi. Dan sejak itu terus berpindah tangan dari bangsa demi bangsa yang mengalahkan Romawi.
Itu yang tercatat dalam sejarah. Namun Levin menghadirkan 'koreksi' sejarah dalam buku ini. Berdasarkan penelitian Jonathan Marcus, pengacara muda mantan mahasiswa sejarah paling cemerlang di Akademi Amerika di Roma, menorah yang asli sebenarnya tidak pernah lepas dari tangan bangsa Yahudi. Flavius Yosefus, yang dalam sejarah disebut sebagai pengkhianat Yahudi karena bekerja untuk Kaisar Titus setelah kejatuhan Yerusalem, ternyata seorang mata-mata hebat yang dengan kerumitan rencana yang dia susun, berhasil menyelamatkan menorah dari tangkapan pasukan Romawi. Artinya, menorah yang selama ini selalu berpindah tangan mengikuti pihak yang berkuasa, adalah palsu belaka.
Dengan plot menegangkan dan penuh kejutan khas cerita thriller, dalam waktu 24 jam Jonathan Marcus, bersamai mantan kekasihnya Emili Travia yang bekerja di Pusat Konservasi Internasional PBB, menelusuri labirin penuh rahasia dan menguak misteri demi misteri yang terbentang antara Roma dan Yerusalem, guna menyingkap keberadaan menorah tersebut. Semua berawal ketika potongan Forma Urbis, peta kuno Roma dari batu muncul di sebuah pameran di Italia. Emili berupaya membuktikan bahwa kepemilikan forma urbis itu ilegal, sementara Jonathan ditugaskan oleh kantor pengacaranya untuk mementahkan tuntutan tersebut. Namun pesan rahasia berusia ribuan tahun di dalam forma urbis yang tanpa sengaja terungkap oleh Jonathan, membuatnya meninggalkan tugas dan kembali bertualang bersama Emili dalam dunia arkeologi yang menjadi cinta sejatinya.
Di luar kisah seru yang dihadirkan, tampak jelas bahwa Levin bemaksud mengangkat sebuah isu yang sebenarnya cukup 'panas,' yaitu mengenai Dewan Wakaf - sebuah yayasan perwalian rahasia Islam yang menangani Baitallah di Yerusalem sejak 1187 M. Levin menggugat otoritas yayasan tersebut yang sejak ratusan tahun lalu melarang pihak asing memasuki Baitallah. Akibatnya, kecurigaan Israel bahwa telah terjadi penggalian ilegal di bawah Baitallah tidak pernah dapat dibuktikan. Israel merasa berkepentingan karena penggalian tersebut diduga bermaksud menghancurkan peninggalan sejarah Yahudi-Kristen yang tak ternilai harganya. Levin secara tersirat juga menegaskan bahwa sudah saatnya bangsa Yahudi mendapatkan apa yang menjadi hak mereka, yang selama ribuan tahun (menurut sudut pandangnya) telah dirampas dari mereka.
Jika perdebatan 'diseriusi' sampai ke tataran politik dan agama, tentu tulisan Levin ini bisa menuai banyak diskusi, bahkan sanggahan dan protes. Sesuatu yang juga dialami Dan Brown setelah mengutarakan berbagai teorinya dalam Da Vinci Code.
Namun, seperti pernyataan Levin dalam wawancaranya dengan Steve Berry: "My primary goal was to entertain, so I hope readers have a great time with the story. I did writing it. Now if they happen to learn something they didn’t know, then that’s a great bonus," saya juga akan berhenti menilai karya Levin ini hanya sampai tataran hiburan. Sebuah hiburan yang cukup memperkaya pembaca dengan fakta-fakta sejarah serta dunia kuno Roma yang hingga saat ini masih terkubur di bawah kota Roma modern. Adalah kearifan pembaca sendiri yang akan memilah mana fakta dan mana fiksi dalam lembar-lembar halaman buku ini.
November 18, 2009
I'm going to stray a bit from the normal book review form and ad lib this one. Since you can read the book synopsis on the book's homepage here or the dust jacket, I'm assuming you are reading this review because you want to know how well this novel stacks up to its hype. Get ready for an amazing adventure - you will not be disappointed! I thought the plot sounded intriguing when I first picked up this book, and I was more than thrilled to be treated to a novel that rivals the likes of Steve Berry. Yes, you read that right, rivals Steve Berry. If you are a fan of historical fiction and if you have any knowledge, even a tiny bit, about ancient Jewish history, you are in for the ride of your life!
Daniel Levin not only wrote a compelling mystery-thriller, he did it with the skill of a veteran novelist's prose. There are no hiccups in the plot line, no weird dialogue, and no shortage of twists and turns. His characters are fully believable and their interactions are not forced or akward. In short, this was a brilliantly written novel!
My biggest complaint about historical mysteries are their endings. Levin did an amazing job tying the loose ends together. He didn't leave you hanging, wondering what happened to all the players, but he did leave you wanting another novel to follow immediately on its heels. I for one cannot wait until the next book comes out. My only suggestion is to make this a series. I want to know more about the ancient world through the adventures of Jonathan Marcus!
Here are my updates while reading:
I'm loving this book! I read half of it in one sitting, only stopping because I needed enough sleep to function at work. Now here I am, sitting at work, wishing I was racing through underground Rome with the protagonist. This book makes me want to learn Latin.....
OK - I'm finished! I just couldn't put this book down! Daniel Levin may be my new favorite author!
Daniel Levin not only wrote a compelling mystery-thriller, he did it with the skill of a veteran novelist's prose. There are no hiccups in the plot line, no weird dialogue, and no shortage of twists and turns. His characters are fully believable and their interactions are not forced or akward. In short, this was a brilliantly written novel!
My biggest complaint about historical mysteries are their endings. Levin did an amazing job tying the loose ends together. He didn't leave you hanging, wondering what happened to all the players, but he did leave you wanting another novel to follow immediately on its heels. I for one cannot wait until the next book comes out. My only suggestion is to make this a series. I want to know more about the ancient world through the adventures of Jonathan Marcus!
Here are my updates while reading:
I'm loving this book! I read half of it in one sitting, only stopping because I needed enough sleep to function at work. Now here I am, sitting at work, wishing I was racing through underground Rome with the protagonist. This book makes me want to learn Latin.....
OK - I'm finished! I just couldn't put this book down! Daniel Levin may be my new favorite author!
June 21, 2021
Beli tahun 2011 dan baru dibaca 2021 wkwkwk. Novel ini vibe-nya Dan Brown banget jadi bacanya nggak sesemangat seperti pas heboh hebohnya Robert Langdon tahun 2008-10 padahal aneka benda purbakala dan sejaraj terkait bangsa Romawi, Sejarah Yahudi dan Yerusalem, serta peninggalan bangsa Arab di Baitul Maqdis sangat berlimpah di novel. Tapi begitu juga dengan adegan pembunuhannya. Menggunakan struktur pengisahan yang sangat Dan Brown banget, pembaca diajak untuk menjelajahi Coloseum Roma, ruang bawah tanah di bawah Roma dan Yerusalem, serta banyak tempat kuno yang menjadi tonggak peradaban manusia selama 2000 tahun terakhir.
March 13, 2018
I loved reading this book having been to Israel and reading about places in the Old City I’d seen and touched. There are so many twists and turns throughout the whole story. I really enjoyed it! It’s like an Indiana Jones, National Treasure, DaVinci Code hybrid of a story. Anyone with any interest in the Classics, European history, and archeology would love it
March 5, 2021
Too many historical facts. While interesting and informative, the volume of it was too much to carry the story. I didn’t care for the characters either.
July 7, 2012
Cliche, predictable, melodramatic and anti-climactic...,
It would appear that I disagree with the majority of the reviewers here. Perhaps this is a good thing as reviewers need opinions from both sides of the spectrum. There are several 3 star reviews that I agree with but I don't believe the book deserves three stars. I will state that I very rarely rate a book 1 star as I know how difficult it is to write a novel and the effort alone, unless there seems to have been none, deserves something.
This book had me rolling my eyes constantly, mainly at the 'one-liners'. I stopped counting at 10 times that I rolled my eyes within the first 50 pages. This book had me guessing far too easily who was going to end up being a "bad guy" (that is not a give away; all books of this sort have secret bad guys) and finding I was right. The book contradicts itself several times.
I thought, about 3/4 of the way through that the book was going to surprise me and take a sudden turn that would blow my mind. I thought I was going to be writing a 4 star review at that point, but that little change lasted 10 pages and my eyes rolled yet again.
The characters are cardboard cutouts of the genre. The story is a styrofoam attempt at the genre. I would not compare this to The Da Vinci Code as so many people do with any sort of religious/historical "thriller" (and, in honesty, I'm tired of those connections as the genre was around long before Dan Brown produced his mediocre DVC; Angels & Demons was much better anyway, in my humble opinion). The author's style of writing is not compelling and did not draw me in. So, what you are left with is another empty archaeological "thriller" (sorry for the quotation marks, but it wasn't thrilling to me) with a sacred and powerful treasure that must be found by following clues that were left centuries ago... Blah, blah, blah... Yada, yada, yada... More of the same...
I just did not think this was a good book. I thought it was boring (except for those 10 pages 3/4 of the way through). I thought it was trite and cliche and genre-dependant (I may have made up that word? It works as a descriptive term as used).
I guess this is a good diversion, judging from the glowing reviews, but I did not get it. I read it, I'm glad I'm done with it. I probably won't read anything else by this author.
Good luck...
p.s. If I were to recommend books in this genre, I would suggest, from my recent list of good reads, The Lost Throne or Gold of Kings. I enjoyed both of these books and gave each 4 stars (it takes a LOT for me to rate a book 5 stars).
It would appear that I disagree with the majority of the reviewers here. Perhaps this is a good thing as reviewers need opinions from both sides of the spectrum. There are several 3 star reviews that I agree with but I don't believe the book deserves three stars. I will state that I very rarely rate a book 1 star as I know how difficult it is to write a novel and the effort alone, unless there seems to have been none, deserves something.
This book had me rolling my eyes constantly, mainly at the 'one-liners'. I stopped counting at 10 times that I rolled my eyes within the first 50 pages. This book had me guessing far too easily who was going to end up being a "bad guy" (that is not a give away; all books of this sort have secret bad guys) and finding I was right. The book contradicts itself several times.
I thought, about 3/4 of the way through that the book was going to surprise me and take a sudden turn that would blow my mind. I thought I was going to be writing a 4 star review at that point, but that little change lasted 10 pages and my eyes rolled yet again.
The characters are cardboard cutouts of the genre. The story is a styrofoam attempt at the genre. I would not compare this to The Da Vinci Code as so many people do with any sort of religious/historical "thriller" (and, in honesty, I'm tired of those connections as the genre was around long before Dan Brown produced his mediocre DVC; Angels & Demons was much better anyway, in my humble opinion). The author's style of writing is not compelling and did not draw me in. So, what you are left with is another empty archaeological "thriller" (sorry for the quotation marks, but it wasn't thrilling to me) with a sacred and powerful treasure that must be found by following clues that were left centuries ago... Blah, blah, blah... Yada, yada, yada... More of the same...
I just did not think this was a good book. I thought it was boring (except for those 10 pages 3/4 of the way through). I thought it was trite and cliche and genre-dependant (I may have made up that word? It works as a descriptive term as used).
I guess this is a good diversion, judging from the glowing reviews, but I did not get it. I read it, I'm glad I'm done with it. I probably won't read anything else by this author.
Good luck...
p.s. If I were to recommend books in this genre, I would suggest, from my recent list of good reads, The Lost Throne or Gold of Kings. I enjoyed both of these books and gave each 4 stars (it takes a LOT for me to rate a book 5 stars).
November 19, 2010
The Last Ember by Daniel Levin (pp. 432)
The DaVinci Code set the bar for popular historical thriller genre in recent years. While Brown’s formula works some days and others can feel too light, convoluted or heavy handed, Daniel Levin’s first novel seemed to be a great next step.
Levin’s Jonathan Marcus is a disgraced Rome scholar and archeologist who takes his talents and passions and becomes a corporate lawyer who specializes in antiquities and provenance. When a case brings him back to Rome, he’s thrown into a weaving tale of murder and a political conspiracy to destroy ancient underground holy sites. Shadowy groups are chasing the long lost Tabernacle Menorah and Marcus is being set up to take the fall. He’s also one of the only men with the knowledge to unlock the hidden clues of history to find the prized relic.
At times the book has the feel of corporate Indiana Jones mixed with the National Treasure movies. Levin himself is both educated in ancient history and is a Harvard educated lawyer. His knowledge and background makes the historical facts provided indepth and interesting. Unfortunately, the love he has for his fields also makes the peppering of the historical nuggets feel like professorial lectures. The volume of detail comes at the expense of the pacing of the plot.
The plot is good, but never gets revved up to an adrenaline fuelled conclusion. It lacks of sense of urgency even though there is one. Making this even more obvious is that the near 500 pages cover a very condensed few days. The read feels like it’s in real-time. His timelines are plausible and there’s a lot of backstory and history, but 100 pages later you’re still in the same day just a few hours later.
The book had a lot of potential at the start but slogs to its conclusion. People needing an Indiana Jones-type modern fix or the need to get a great tour of the Roman Coliseum, Roman churches and the holy sites of Jerusalem will enjoy the book. But don’t expect to feel the triumphant satisfaction at the end of the book. For those disappointed by the lack of research and complete hyperbole of Dan Brown’s Lost Symbol, this a good way to go.
The DaVinci Code set the bar for popular historical thriller genre in recent years. While Brown’s formula works some days and others can feel too light, convoluted or heavy handed, Daniel Levin’s first novel seemed to be a great next step.
Levin’s Jonathan Marcus is a disgraced Rome scholar and archeologist who takes his talents and passions and becomes a corporate lawyer who specializes in antiquities and provenance. When a case brings him back to Rome, he’s thrown into a weaving tale of murder and a political conspiracy to destroy ancient underground holy sites. Shadowy groups are chasing the long lost Tabernacle Menorah and Marcus is being set up to take the fall. He’s also one of the only men with the knowledge to unlock the hidden clues of history to find the prized relic.
At times the book has the feel of corporate Indiana Jones mixed with the National Treasure movies. Levin himself is both educated in ancient history and is a Harvard educated lawyer. His knowledge and background makes the historical facts provided indepth and interesting. Unfortunately, the love he has for his fields also makes the peppering of the historical nuggets feel like professorial lectures. The volume of detail comes at the expense of the pacing of the plot.
The plot is good, but never gets revved up to an adrenaline fuelled conclusion. It lacks of sense of urgency even though there is one. Making this even more obvious is that the near 500 pages cover a very condensed few days. The read feels like it’s in real-time. His timelines are plausible and there’s a lot of backstory and history, but 100 pages later you’re still in the same day just a few hours later.
The book had a lot of potential at the start but slogs to its conclusion. People needing an Indiana Jones-type modern fix or the need to get a great tour of the Roman Coliseum, Roman churches and the holy sites of Jerusalem will enjoy the book. But don’t expect to feel the triumphant satisfaction at the end of the book. For those disappointed by the lack of research and complete hyperbole of Dan Brown’s Lost Symbol, this a good way to go.
August 27, 2009
Jonathan Marcus, an American lawyer is sent to Rome by his law firm to examine and authenticate a client's fragment of a stone map. He is a former disgraced doctorate candidate specializing in the biblical era. Upon examination he finds a hidden message carved inside the stone. He presents his findings in court against his former colleague and lover, a UN preservationist, Dr. Emili Travia.
After the case Emili and Jonathan start to dig deeper and deeper into the past. They are driven into a more and more perilous route, from a labyrinth under the Colosseum to the ancient tunnels of Jerusalem. They seek a 2,000 year old eight foot menorah. A terrorist group wanting to eradicate this symbol of freedom is close on their trails every step of the way. They get help from a old rabbi in Rome who explains the story of a possible Jewish double agent, Josephus Flavius who managed against all odds to possibly save the menorah when Jerusalem was razed by the Romans. This menorah according to legend has been kept lit throughout eternity. Jonathan's doctoral thesis was about Josephus Flavius.
Unfortunately I know little of the Roman and Biblical region of Jerusalem and found myself a little bogged down in trying to understand the geography, politics and religions of that era. But this is a wonderful thriller and full of information. I had no idea of the destruction going on under Temple Mount and the complexity of the jurisdiction of Temple Mount. I also loved the spy intrigue of Josephus Flavius.
Political intrigue, archaeology, religion and pulse-racing thriller is what awaits the reader. It is like a one stop book buffet.
After the case Emili and Jonathan start to dig deeper and deeper into the past. They are driven into a more and more perilous route, from a labyrinth under the Colosseum to the ancient tunnels of Jerusalem. They seek a 2,000 year old eight foot menorah. A terrorist group wanting to eradicate this symbol of freedom is close on their trails every step of the way. They get help from a old rabbi in Rome who explains the story of a possible Jewish double agent, Josephus Flavius who managed against all odds to possibly save the menorah when Jerusalem was razed by the Romans. This menorah according to legend has been kept lit throughout eternity. Jonathan's doctoral thesis was about Josephus Flavius.
Unfortunately I know little of the Roman and Biblical region of Jerusalem and found myself a little bogged down in trying to understand the geography, politics and religions of that era. But this is a wonderful thriller and full of information. I had no idea of the destruction going on under Temple Mount and the complexity of the jurisdiction of Temple Mount. I also loved the spy intrigue of Josephus Flavius.
Political intrigue, archaeology, religion and pulse-racing thriller is what awaits the reader. It is like a one stop book buffet.
January 15, 2010
This adventurous archeological Dan Brown wannabe is pretty good, but a long way from Angels and Demons or The DaVinci Code. People who put down Dan Brown focus on his language, but he was able to decipher obscure references in a way that the reader comprehended clearly. Here the sought after treasure is again revealed in a series of puzzles but I found the answers to each to be hard to understand. Finally, it seemed that practically every person was persuaded by greed to help out a terrorist, and I thought that was unlikely.
That being said, the novel is lively, the suspense as to the identity of the ultimate villian is real, and the sense of delving into the history of Italy and Josephus was palpable.
Jonathan Marcus has returned to Rome, where in the past he was a Rome Prize winner, as a lawyer to defend an unknown owner of some ancient tablets that Italy wants returned to Italy. While examining the tablets, he finds a clue to a puzzle about Josephus, a dynamic figure from the reign of Tiber who may have been either a hero to the Jews or a traitor. Jonathan who won the Rome prize because of his research on Josephus cannot pass up the chance to explore. Meanwhile Salah Din, a terrorist is also trying to solve the riddle and will stop at nothing to destroy the secret. Finally, Marcus, and Emili, an old girlfriend, who works for the UN are being hunted by Rufus, a corrupt Italian policeman.
As the two groups both hunt the ancient relic, the action shifts from Rome to Jerusaleum and back to Rome.
There are few dull moments and the historical references seemed original but I got bogged down in all of the information. Maybe others will not.
That being said, the novel is lively, the suspense as to the identity of the ultimate villian is real, and the sense of delving into the history of Italy and Josephus was palpable.
Jonathan Marcus has returned to Rome, where in the past he was a Rome Prize winner, as a lawyer to defend an unknown owner of some ancient tablets that Italy wants returned to Italy. While examining the tablets, he finds a clue to a puzzle about Josephus, a dynamic figure from the reign of Tiber who may have been either a hero to the Jews or a traitor. Jonathan who won the Rome prize because of his research on Josephus cannot pass up the chance to explore. Meanwhile Salah Din, a terrorist is also trying to solve the riddle and will stop at nothing to destroy the secret. Finally, Marcus, and Emili, an old girlfriend, who works for the UN are being hunted by Rufus, a corrupt Italian policeman.
As the two groups both hunt the ancient relic, the action shifts from Rome to Jerusaleum and back to Rome.
There are few dull moments and the historical references seemed original but I got bogged down in all of the information. Maybe others will not.
July 13, 2009
Daniel Levin's debut novel, "The Last Ember," is fast-paced, well-written and entertaining. The fact that he combines three of my interests (forensic science, antiquities and archaeology) is almost icing on this perfectly created cake.
Levin's protagonist, Jonathan Marcus, is an archaeologist turned lawyer who comes to Rome to prosecute a case. To his surprise, one of the defendants is a former colleague, Emili Travia, from his archaeology days ... and she is trying to present evidence that a particular artifact has been stolen. This artifact is rather familiar to Jonathan, as it is part of his set of studies concerning historian Flavius Josephus.
Throw in a corpse preserved inside a Corinthian column, international terrorism, smuggling and religious jurisdictional issues in the Middle East ... Levin has created a book with numerous layers and subplots that come together artfully at the end in a completely unexpected result.
I am delighted to recommend this to fans of the numerous genres represented in this review. Levin has created a sure-fire bestseller with this work.
(Review based on uncorrected advance proof.)
Levin's protagonist, Jonathan Marcus, is an archaeologist turned lawyer who comes to Rome to prosecute a case. To his surprise, one of the defendants is a former colleague, Emili Travia, from his archaeology days ... and she is trying to present evidence that a particular artifact has been stolen. This artifact is rather familiar to Jonathan, as it is part of his set of studies concerning historian Flavius Josephus.
Throw in a corpse preserved inside a Corinthian column, international terrorism, smuggling and religious jurisdictional issues in the Middle East ... Levin has created a book with numerous layers and subplots that come together artfully at the end in a completely unexpected result.
I am delighted to recommend this to fans of the numerous genres represented in this review. Levin has created a sure-fire bestseller with this work.
(Review based on uncorrected advance proof.)
June 27, 2011
A modern day Indiana Jones...
This is an archaeological adventure of Jonathan Marcus, an American lawyer who was once a Rome Prize scholar but lost his dream of pursuing his interest in archaeology due to an accident. He later was lured back to Rome as a lawyer but got embroiled in the search of the Menorah, the one which was supposedly secreted safely by Josephus Flavious. I had a crash course on antiquity terminologies and got lost in the underbelly of Rome and Temple Mount. I tried my best to refresh my memory of the tunnel under the Dome of the Rock when i visited Jerusalem. The book is an exciting and fast paced read, however, the location of the most coveted artifact almost went anti-climactic due to several layers of riddles piled one after the other, i was afraid it will end up buried underneath rubbles and will remain lost forever. I was glad Levin was able to pull it off and had an exciting ending. It was a good book debut, the research is quite good and it was wonderful to be transported back to the past with Levin's excellent historical background and trivia
This is an archaeological adventure of Jonathan Marcus, an American lawyer who was once a Rome Prize scholar but lost his dream of pursuing his interest in archaeology due to an accident. He later was lured back to Rome as a lawyer but got embroiled in the search of the Menorah, the one which was supposedly secreted safely by Josephus Flavious. I had a crash course on antiquity terminologies and got lost in the underbelly of Rome and Temple Mount. I tried my best to refresh my memory of the tunnel under the Dome of the Rock when i visited Jerusalem. The book is an exciting and fast paced read, however, the location of the most coveted artifact almost went anti-climactic due to several layers of riddles piled one after the other, i was afraid it will end up buried underneath rubbles and will remain lost forever. I was glad Levin was able to pull it off and had an exciting ending. It was a good book debut, the research is quite good and it was wonderful to be transported back to the past with Levin's excellent historical background and trivia
July 28, 2010
What ever happened to Indiana Jones? In recent years the Indiana franchise seems to have sparked a plethora of material about adventuresome archeologists but almost all of them take themselves much too seriously. It may be Dan Brown’s fault but add this one to the list. An effort to make this novel’s hero confused, self-pitying and guilt stricken about events from his past doesn’t save it, in fact, it makes it more pathetic. And the attempt to make the setting more cutting edge by framing the dramatic conflict within the politics of modern Israel not only falls flat but seem to me to be somewhat…shall I say anti-Muslim? Well, at least not a fair and balanced view of the complexity of middle-east politics.
September 24, 2015
Umberto Eco started the entire religious/conspiracy/thriller with "Foucalt's Pendulum" in 1988. He threw in everything, and since then we've been flooded with similar works from Dan Brown and many other authors such as Daniel Levin. Some of them have been good (Brown's Angels and Demons, for example) but many seem to get off to a good start and then at the end there is nothing. "The Last Ember" has a good setup but then, well... nothing, for me at least. If an author is saying to us, "Well, in reality, there is no conspiracy," then I have to agree with the author's point.
September 11, 2009
I saw this book reviewed in the newspaper and had to wait for our library system to get it in. So by the time it arrived, I had forgotten what I'd read about the book.
I actually quite enjoyed it. The book was a quick read, fairly predictable, but well researched and logically presented. I did wonder if it was intended to be the basis for a movie. I could actually picture it: something like the Indiana Jones series. Still, I liked it.
I actually quite enjoyed it. The book was a quick read, fairly predictable, but well researched and logically presented. I did wonder if it was intended to be the basis for a movie. I could actually picture it: something like the Indiana Jones series. Still, I liked it.
October 9, 2012
For readers who love Biblical subjects and are interested in archaelogy and ancient intrigue, this book lets you experience eye opening possibilities. The author seemed to be extremely knowledgeable about Rome's and Jerusalem's hidden and secret areas.Daniel Levin
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September 2, 2009Da VInci code like, but learned a lot about Josephus and the underground cities in Rome and Jerusalem. Good chase scenes.
August 26, 2012
full of surprises, adventures and history. worth reading
December 7, 2018
When I started this book I knew that it would probably follow the familiar formula set up by the Da Vinci Code. A male and female partnership with sexual tension searching for an earth shattering religious item that requires them to follow numerous clues, all of which are destroyed after they find them and all this while the authorities are following them for some misunderstanding about their pursuit of the clues. And this book did not fail to disappoint.
I'll give the author credit for his historical research. It was pretty much spot on from what I know (I have a Masters Degree in History and I have studied the early church etc quite a bit), and the parts that were made up seemed at least plausible. This made the plot a bit more believable.
The problem comes in with the dialog and the individual situations. I can not see a very old Rabbi going out onto the ledge around a Coppola in the rain, dangling from the edge and kicking through stained glass and then getting down through that and escaping while the Carabinieri are entering the building on the same floor he is supposed to be sliding through said broken glass window.
The dialog was flat and pedestrian. I listened to this as an audio book so I think part of this was a poor performance by the voice artist and bad production. I listen to books often and a good performance goes a long way even with a less than stellar book.
Overall, I would not say that I regret reading this book, but I would not recommend it. It was entertaining and fast paced so it kept my attention but I would often groan when particularly bad dialog was used or unlikely scenarios like the one highlighted earlier would happen.
I have not decided if I will read anymore books by this author, but somehow I doubt I will. There are too many other authors that I know will be able to give me dialog and plot that will keep me engaged.
I'll give the author credit for his historical research. It was pretty much spot on from what I know (I have a Masters Degree in History and I have studied the early church etc quite a bit), and the parts that were made up seemed at least plausible. This made the plot a bit more believable.
The problem comes in with the dialog and the individual situations. I can not see a very old Rabbi going out onto the ledge around a Coppola in the rain, dangling from the edge and kicking through stained glass and then getting down through that and escaping while the Carabinieri are entering the building on the same floor he is supposed to be sliding through said broken glass window.
The dialog was flat and pedestrian. I listened to this as an audio book so I think part of this was a poor performance by the voice artist and bad production. I listen to books often and a good performance goes a long way even with a less than stellar book.
Overall, I would not say that I regret reading this book, but I would not recommend it. It was entertaining and fast paced so it kept my attention but I would often groan when particularly bad dialog was used or unlikely scenarios like the one highlighted earlier would happen.
I have not decided if I will read anymore books by this author, but somehow I doubt I will. There are too many other authors that I know will be able to give me dialog and plot that will keep me engaged.
June 17, 2024
Jonathan Marcus was forced seven years earlier to abandon academia for a lucrative legal career in Manhattan representing unscrupulous antiquities dealers. His law firm brought Marcus to Rome to defend an anonymous client's right to a fragment of a first-century stone map in court against the Italian Cultural Ministry. The other side of the issue is Dr. Emili Travia, Deputy Director of the International Center for Conservation in Rome (and Marcus' doctoral study partner and lover). However, with Dr. Travia (Marcus' doctoral study fellow), Marcus follows the secret messages left by Jewish enslaved people brought to Rome 2000 years ago when the Romans sacked Jerusalem. Meanwhile, illegal excavations were taking place beneath Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Behind the excavation and destruction is a shadow terrorist named Sheikh Salah ad-Din, who stays one step ahead of Jonathan and Emili with the sole purpose of finding Jerusalem's most precious artifact, The Tabernacle Menorah. In the middle, Profeta, an Italian Cultural Heritage Guard, is in the midst of an antiquity crime investigation, moving and preserving the remains of an ancient woman. The Last Ember weaves three separate storylines throughout its 105 well-crafted chapters until arriving at the end, where it is all tied together into one single tale. Through reading this novel, we will find heroes, villains, betrayers, and protectors on all sides. It is an excellent read full of history, suspense, mystery, adventure, betrayal, and political intrigue. The author includes other topics such as international law, religion, terrorism, greed, envy, hatred, integrity, courage, fanaticism, selflessness, and respect for the sacred. I give it five stars out of five.
April 11, 2024
Archaeology. Antiquities preservation. Rome. Jerusalem. A treasure hunt. A man with a disrupted past and a disrupted romance. Another man on a mission to destroy historical documents and artifacts; to destroy history and create new history.
This is not earth-shaking literature (well, hmmm, yes there is a lot of earth shaking) but it had ingredients and approaches I like very much. The Dan Brown-esque nature of the formula (tight time span, hopping from country to country with incredible luck and adventures creating a very compact time line, unbelievable survival situations, exactly the right documentation showing up when needed - it really was sort of laughable, and yet I kept reading, expecting a good outcome.
What kept me going - the premise that maybe not everything should be dug up. Artifacts and documents tend to be stored in museums -like Baghdad, like Timbuktu, where for a while they are carefully preserved, as best current technology may allow, and then a catastrophe - war, a greedy curator, soldiers looking for a quick buck - the artifacts are scattered, sold in dark markets, only surfacing now and again with dubious provenance. Early American first nation art faces the same conditions - and many suggest we NOT dig artifacts up, that they are best left where discovered.
The book moves fast. It helps to have a small map handy to follow the movement. The bad guys are, sadly, normal people creating chaos and great harm. The book is very visual; you can imagine the catacombs and the underground ruins easily. The time line is pretty impossible; things happen much more quickly than I believe possible. I enjoyed the ride.
This is not earth-shaking literature (well, hmmm, yes there is a lot of earth shaking) but it had ingredients and approaches I like very much. The Dan Brown-esque nature of the formula (tight time span, hopping from country to country with incredible luck and adventures creating a very compact time line, unbelievable survival situations, exactly the right documentation showing up when needed - it really was sort of laughable, and yet I kept reading, expecting a good outcome.
What kept me going - the premise that maybe not everything should be dug up. Artifacts and documents tend to be stored in museums -like Baghdad, like Timbuktu, where for a while they are carefully preserved, as best current technology may allow, and then a catastrophe - war, a greedy curator, soldiers looking for a quick buck - the artifacts are scattered, sold in dark markets, only surfacing now and again with dubious provenance. Early American first nation art faces the same conditions - and many suggest we NOT dig artifacts up, that they are best left where discovered.
The book moves fast. It helps to have a small map handy to follow the movement. The bad guys are, sadly, normal people creating chaos and great harm. The book is very visual; you can imagine the catacombs and the underground ruins easily. The time line is pretty impossible; things happen much more quickly than I believe possible. I enjoyed the ride.
September 27, 2022
Really enjoyed this book. Learned a lot about ancient Rome and Jerusalem both what the cities looked like and the history behind them. The story starts out with an American lawyer coming to Rome to work on a case involving some ancient pieces of stone and whether they had been stolen or not and quickly turns into a hunt for an ancient religious artifact. As the lawyer and his once girlfriend turned UN worker chase clues across two cities they travel thru some amazing areas. The author describes the underground tunnels, cities, etc really well and makes you feel like you are there. Never knew there was so much buried beneath the streets of Rome. He gets into some discussions about saving ancient sites and the differences in religions. He focuses on one man in particular, Josephus, and all the connections this man had to different people back in ancient times.
Lots of betrayals occur and the story switches back and forth between 3 different main characters, a police detective, the American lawyer, and the main bad guy. Interesting to see how they each are hunting things from a different angle. The police just want to stop the bad guys and figure out what is going on while the other two are looking for the relic. They bring in several other people to fill out the story and are good about describing how they fit in from the past. Good action, like how they have to search thru old books and ruins for clues.
Lots of betrayals occur and the story switches back and forth between 3 different main characters, a police detective, the American lawyer, and the main bad guy. Interesting to see how they each are hunting things from a different angle. The police just want to stop the bad guys and figure out what is going on while the other two are looking for the relic. They bring in several other people to fill out the story and are good about describing how they fit in from the past. Good action, like how they have to search thru old books and ruins for clues.
August 12, 2021
You know when I first started reading this book I thought it was a blatant remake of the Da Vinci Code. While it definitely borrows structure and ideas from that Dan Brown series, it borrows the stuff that works well.
This is a fantastic airplane read, you don’t have to think too hard or pull out some awesome revelation about yourself. It’s just a deep cut into religious mythology and specifically the ancient Jewish- Roman stories. There are probably too many characters to keep track of or develop well. The main character is also probably not flawed enough for the reader to really identify with him and root for him ( accidentally having a colleague die while exploring an underground tomb never really seemed like the murderous act that the authors wanted it to be). There are a few forced things that pull you out of the book too, like you’re kidding me the main character is an amazing fencer? He FENCES? Then he just happens to stumble into a gladiator fight reenactment in the colosseum. So its pretty ridiculous at times but even though there are moments where you’re laughing at the book and not with it, you’re still going to have a good time.
Read it on the beach, or on a plane, or in a waiting room, or in a bar. It won’t be the most important book you read but it also won’t be the least fun book you read.
This is a fantastic airplane read, you don’t have to think too hard or pull out some awesome revelation about yourself. It’s just a deep cut into religious mythology and specifically the ancient Jewish- Roman stories. There are probably too many characters to keep track of or develop well. The main character is also probably not flawed enough for the reader to really identify with him and root for him ( accidentally having a colleague die while exploring an underground tomb never really seemed like the murderous act that the authors wanted it to be). There are a few forced things that pull you out of the book too, like you’re kidding me the main character is an amazing fencer? He FENCES? Then he just happens to stumble into a gladiator fight reenactment in the colosseum. So its pretty ridiculous at times but even though there are moments where you’re laughing at the book and not with it, you’re still going to have a good time.
Read it on the beach, or on a plane, or in a waiting room, or in a bar. It won’t be the most important book you read but it also won’t be the least fun book you read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2020
“The Last Ember” by Daniel Levin, published by Riverhead Books.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – August 06, 2009.
The uncertainty of the time and the fact that Bookstores are closed and Publishers are not sending out Advanced Copies has led me to dig into my “want to read” but don’t have time to” stash of books.
Fortunately for me there are some gems there and “The Last Ember” is one of them.
If the reader is looking for a fast paced story that is modern but has its roots in early Jewish /Roman history this is just the thing for you.
Jonathan Marcus and Emili Travia find themselves on a search for a relic, a gold Menorah that was fashioned from a single piece of gold, thus making it not only a holy relic but a very valuable piece of merchandise.
Jonathan and Emili begin a search that takes them through Rome and parts of the Coliseum and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
They are up against a radical, Salah ad-Din, who is trying to destroy all Christian and Jewish artifacts from the Temple Mount.
This is a good book for the times as it will keep the reader engrossed with both the story and action.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – August 06, 2009.
The uncertainty of the time and the fact that Bookstores are closed and Publishers are not sending out Advanced Copies has led me to dig into my “want to read” but don’t have time to” stash of books.
Fortunately for me there are some gems there and “The Last Ember” is one of them.
If the reader is looking for a fast paced story that is modern but has its roots in early Jewish /Roman history this is just the thing for you.
Jonathan Marcus and Emili Travia find themselves on a search for a relic, a gold Menorah that was fashioned from a single piece of gold, thus making it not only a holy relic but a very valuable piece of merchandise.
Jonathan and Emili begin a search that takes them through Rome and parts of the Coliseum and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
They are up against a radical, Salah ad-Din, who is trying to destroy all Christian and Jewish artifacts from the Temple Mount.
This is a good book for the times as it will keep the reader engrossed with both the story and action.
January 27, 2019
An interesting, if pretty predictable tale of a lost treasure and the hunt for clues that will lead to the treasure. The two main characters are former lovers eventually come back together and the big twist is not no big in the ending.
It starts with a court case over antiquities with Jonathan Marcus, a former archeology graduate student, now a lawyer, helping defend a mysterious client. One of the witnesses is a former fellow grad student, Emili Travia, who is arguing that the antiquities were stolen.
Sidenote: the stone fragments are connected to the graduate studies of Marcus, who is soon drawn into the 2,000-year-old mystery and what it means for humanity. There is international travel, plenty of destruction, deaths of innocents and betrayal.
Nevertheless, if you love this type of story with history, religion, national conflict and reconciliation, this is a good, solidly written and enjoyable story.
It starts with a court case over antiquities with Jonathan Marcus, a former archeology graduate student, now a lawyer, helping defend a mysterious client. One of the witnesses is a former fellow grad student, Emili Travia, who is arguing that the antiquities were stolen.
Sidenote: the stone fragments are connected to the graduate studies of Marcus, who is soon drawn into the 2,000-year-old mystery and what it means for humanity. There is international travel, plenty of destruction, deaths of innocents and betrayal.
Nevertheless, if you love this type of story with history, religion, national conflict and reconciliation, this is a good, solidly written and enjoyable story.
January 7, 2022
Basic plot and structure as the DaVinci code.
Protagonist not as strong as in Dan Brown's book but the supporting characters are well developed.
The villian's identity is shrouded in mystery and comes off as fairly completent, as does the chief carbonnieri officer. In fact he is the most interesting and could head line his own series.
The villian is always one step ahead, but when he meets the very amateur protagonist, he is very quickly overpowered. I'd say defeated but the author keeps him alive, probably for a sequel, which hasn't happened. That is a good thing, given the weak protaganist.
Still a fanscinating read especially with background info on Christ era acient Rome and Jerusalem.
A bias against muslims, though not on all of them, is evident, but I guess you need a bad guy.
Protagonist not as strong as in Dan Brown's book but the supporting characters are well developed.
The villian's identity is shrouded in mystery and comes off as fairly completent, as does the chief carbonnieri officer. In fact he is the most interesting and could head line his own series.
The villian is always one step ahead, but when he meets the very amateur protagonist, he is very quickly overpowered. I'd say defeated but the author keeps him alive, probably for a sequel, which hasn't happened. That is a good thing, given the weak protaganist.
Still a fanscinating read especially with background info on Christ era acient Rome and Jerusalem.
A bias against muslims, though not on all of them, is evident, but I guess you need a bad guy.
May 22, 2021
The Last Ember is a sweeping history of the sacred Jewish symbol the Menorah that holds the eternal flame since Mt Sinai. The character development is in-depth and beautiful. The action is fast paced. If you love ancient history, mystery and action then I recommend this book for you. I especially loved the ending. Instead of the easy romance conclusion, the author took the story to its very end leaving me contemplative and satisfied. I hope the author decides or is able to write another.
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