John Zodrow

Through the story of a man’s journey to discover the truth behind the report of his brother’s “suicide,” the author offers a compelling alternative to the commonly accepted version of events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus and subsequent events. The main character has dimension and humanity and the suspense and action of the narrative capture and sustain the reader’s desire to follow the developing story. Both the plot and character development are reminiscent of a Dan Brown novel.… (mer)

NOTE: I won a free eBook copy of this book in MOBI format from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers (March 2021).

In many ways, "The Survivor" feels like a knock-off of "The Da Vinci Code." It clips along at a speedy pace and I enjoyed the Carmen Sandiego-esque twists and turns through the different geographic locations across three continents. The premise of relics related to the Jesus in India theory was also intriguing and made me eager to learn more about their historicity. However, I found the characters slightly stock. Lola Constantine was an acceptable proxy for Sophie Neveu, but Burt Powell did not measure up to Robert Langdon. I was put off by Burt's "dark side" as well as the implied incest between La Ombra and her brother and the inclusion of youth sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. Nevertheless, La Ombra proved to be a cunning villain who kept me in suspense for the entire novel.… (mer)

Review of eBook

When Father Bobby Powell uncovers an ancient document, he realizes it has the potential to change everything in the Church and he sets out to find the truth. He realizes the need to keep the Yuz Asaf safe, out of the hands of a radical right-wing group called the Hand of Christ, but it isn’t long before the priest is dead, his body hanging from a bridge, a suicide.

Or is it?

Bobby’s twin brother, Burt, a police lieutenant, is determined to prove the claim of suicide is false, especially since it was against everything taught by the Church and believed by Father Powell. It isn’t long before Burt, accompanied by Lola Constantine, a pupil from the university where Father Powell was a professor, finds himself fighting for his life, pursued by a charismatic assassin called the Shadow.

Will the assassins succeed? Will the Yuz Asaf remain hidden? What will happen if its secrets become common knowledge? And who is behind the assassinations?

Strong characters, non-stop action, and an intriguing premise all combine to keep the tension building and pages turning in this cat-and-mouse thriller. The suspense created by those near catastrophes and the barely-eked-out escapes keeps the pages turning. Unexpected revelations add to the suspense and a clever surprise near the end of the story is sure to make readers smile.

Although much is made of the “secret” in the long-concealed ancient document, the story does not hinge on the veracity of the Yuz Asaf. Nor is it particularly concerned with what might happen if someone revealed its contents. Rather, the true heart of the story is the lengths to which those in power will go to maintain that power.

Readers who enjoy the cat-and-mouse games between the protagonists and the antagonists will find much to appreciate here.

I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program… (mer)