Within each generation, there are thirty-six righteous souls. Their lives hold the key to the fate of the world. Now someone wants them dead.
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reviews
Sep 19, 2009
Irisheyz77
rated it: 
http://tickettoanywhere.blogspot.com
The premise of this book is simple, into every generation there are 36 pure souls (lamed koviks) that are born who through their existence keep the earth together. If any of these souls die then bad things start to happen - war, famine, earthquakes, etc. Way back when in Biblical times Adam, bright boy that he was wrote down the names of every living creature including who all the lamed koviks in all the coming generations.
As you can gu More...
The premise of this book is simple, into every generation there are 36 pure souls (lamed koviks) that are born who through their existence keep the earth together. If any of these souls die then bad things start to happen - war, famine, earthquakes, etc. Way back when in Biblical times Adam, bright boy that he was wrote down the names of every living creature including who all the lamed koviks in all the coming generations.
As you can gu More...
May 31, 2011
Waven
rated it: 
Synopsis: Protagonists David Shepard and Yael Harpaz are on a mission to save the world - and David's step-daughter - from a secretive group called the Gnoseos. Of ancient origin, the group wants nothing less than Earth's destruction, which they believe will occur if all thirty-six of the world's purest souls are killed. With their numbers quickly dwindling and disasters increasing exponentially, David and Yael find themselves enmeshed in a sinister battle against the Gnoseos and their lethal
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Jul 29, 2010
Heather
rated it: 
When David Shepherd was a teenager, he died after falling from a third storey roof. He was brought back with no memory of his near death experience. For the next decade and a half, David is plagued with headaches and impulses to write down lists of names. Names of people he doesn’t know.
Fifteen years later, a secret religious sect known as the Gnoseos are systematically killing the Hidden Ones, the thirty-six pure souls in a generation. As each Hidden One dies, another tragedy st More...
Fifteen years later, a secret religious sect known as the Gnoseos are systematically killing the Hidden Ones, the thirty-six pure souls in a generation. As each Hidden One dies, another tragedy st More...
Nov 09, 2010
Linda
rated it:
The plot: University Professor David Shepherd, raised in the Jewish faith but for years a nonparticipant, becomes a key player in thwarting an evil plot to destroy the world. Following a childhood accident, David somehow became a channel for a higher power, and for years he's been recording names that come to his awareness in strange ways. Come to find out, they are the names of the 36 "pure souls" that have lived in every generation, without whom life on earth would end. The conspirat
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May 30, 2010
AdultFiction
rated it:
Teton County Library Call No: F GREGORY
Susannah Broyle's Rating: 3 Stars
The perfect read-a-like for The DaVinci Code…except instead of delving deep into Christianity’s roots it goes into Judaism’s history. It takes an obscure Kabbalah belief that there are 36 pure, godlike people in every generation. If there are any less, bad things begin to happen. It has all the classic ingredients for a religious themed mystery: an unlikely, unbelieving protagonist who needs to save the wor More...
Susannah Broyle's Rating: 3 Stars
The perfect read-a-like for The DaVinci Code…except instead of delving deep into Christianity’s roots it goes into Judaism’s history. It takes an obscure Kabbalah belief that there are 36 pure, godlike people in every generation. If there are any less, bad things begin to happen. It has all the classic ingredients for a religious themed mystery: an unlikely, unbelieving protagonist who needs to save the wor More...
Dec 28, 2009
Previous
rated it:
The perfect read-a-like for The DaVinci Code…except instead of delving deep into Christianity’s roots it goes into Judaism’s history. It takes an obscure Kabbalah belief that there are 36 pure, godlike people in every generation. If there are any less, bad things begin to happen. It has all the classic ingredients for a religious themed mystery: an unlikely, unbelieving protagonist who needs to save the world, a beautiful, intelligent sidekick, religious symbolism, evil sects, and the apocalypse
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Nov 13, 2009
Tania
rated it: 
A fictional story of Jewish and Kabala beliefs. David Shepherd, a college professor, has suffered an odd phenomenon since an accident when he was 13 years old. Names pop into his head without warning and without apparent meaning. But when he is drawn into the mystery of some unexplained deaths and very important stones, one of which is in hs possession, this mostly secular man is forced to face his Jewish roots and beliefs and come to terms with them in order to believe the circumstances he f
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Jul 03, 2011
Ty
rated it:
Not terrible, but fairly pedestrian suspense novel that never quite lived up to the intriguing premise on which it is based.
The main characters are familiar and relatable, but not exactly memorable. I was curious what would happen to them, but didn't feel as though I was concerned for them. I was not deeply invested, in other words.
As with just about any suspense novel that centers around a cult or group of bad guys, the final few chapters were a hastily thrown together flurr More...
The main characters are familiar and relatable, but not exactly memorable. I was curious what would happen to them, but didn't feel as though I was concerned for them. I was not deeply invested, in other words.
As with just about any suspense novel that centers around a cult or group of bad guys, the final few chapters were a hastily thrown together flurr More...
Oct 16, 2010
Susan
rated it:
The idea behind this book was very intriguing. It stems from the belief that Adam had written a book that contained all of the names of the "Blessed Righteous People." The world must have at least 36 of these at any given time. Without them, catastrophies begin to happen. Enter the Nosios, a religious group that thinks it knows better than God and tries to kill them all. The theory is that the minute the last "Hidden One" dies, the world will end, and they will move to a
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Aug 24, 2011
Burouj
rated it:
I liked the mystical aspect of this book, it was a very enlightening look into Jewish mysticism, which mirrors Islamic mysticism in so many ways, but has it's own unique stories and myths. It was an AMAZING idea, but the authors' writing styles was very annoying. The main character runs around the world, and struggles with every trip, yet as soon as he makes it one place, he realizes he has to be in another. It was quite annoying, and not very well written, which is a shame, because the idea was
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Jul 07, 2010
Maria
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Most must-save-the-world-by-means-of-rudimentary-mystic-religious-education-on-the-go novels are grounded in Roman Catholicism and the secrecy of the Church's "protectors." This one, however, focuses on the Kabbalist view of the world and spirituality. The book made me curious about the deeper focus of this Judaic religion, but not hungry to read more about the protagonist David Shepherd (could there be a more obvious name choice for the Jewish hero about to save the world?) Good, q
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Jun 17, 2009
Maria
rated it:
I was an instant fan of Dan Brown and read all 3 of his books with wide yes and my hands gripping the pages trying to read as fast as I could! It was somewhat like that with this one. Not quite as fantastic, but a pretty darn close comparison. I just love the origins of religion and people's beliefs and how they can be so different but the one constant is that there is a God and He had a son that came to Earth. All the other stuff is just details and with secret societies and hidden books and
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Jul 22, 2011
Amanda
rated it:
The premise drew me in – I’m always fascinated by this sort of topic. I won’t say I wasn’t disappointed, but I won’t lay my disappointment on the book itself. I’ll lay it instead on modern fiction in general. The book is well written, easy to read, and fast (I picked it up this morning and finished it by this evening, I didn’t want to put it down). It certainly kept me going. It’s in the same class of fiction as Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (of The Da Vinci Code fame), drawing on elements of r
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Jul 29, 2011
Curtis
rated it: 
I was very disappointed with this book. The author criticizes the trivialization of kabbalah by celebrities. This "spiritual thriller" is follows a very similar formula to The Da Vinci Code. The plot throws in various kabbalah facts and terminology and stirs it all together to serve up a superficial and meaningless kabbalah stew. You won't find the true mystical spirit of kabbalah in this novel. If you want to read a novel with a serious treatment of kabbalah, I would recommend Be
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Jul 18, 2010
Megan
rated it:
I listened to this this spring on several trips to and from my parents' house. While it's not exactly great literature, it was interesting and fast-paced, ideal for an audiobook. The premise of this book is based in Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah (sp?) and at times I had difficulty keeping up with some of these theories. In spite of this, it's a good action story, a bit atypical, and satisfying to listen to.
Mar 15, 2010
Steven
rated it:
This is a fast-paced thriller involving a Kabalistic interpretation of the Book of Names. This ancient document, ostensibly written by Adam, contains an encoded text listing the names of 36 individuals of each generation whose righteousness preserves the earth and its inhabitants.
David Shepherd, a poli-sci professor at Georgetown U, has been prompted with names out of the blue since he was about 15 years old and he has been recording them in a notebook. He has no idea that the names More...
David Shepherd, a poli-sci professor at Georgetown U, has been prompted with names out of the blue since he was about 15 years old and he has been recording them in a notebook. He has no idea that the names More...
Mar 24, 2009
Jessica
rated it:
I literally could not put this book down! I have never read so much in one sitting in my life, I finished it in about 12 hours. There are so many twists and you keep thinking you know what's going on and then....nope you were wrong! If you're looking for a book that will put you on the edge of your seat and keep you guessing then you for sure need to pick up "The Book of Names".
Feb 23, 2010
Paul
rated it:
This is kind of the Jewish version of the Davinci Code. Basically Adam wrote the names of 32 people from each generation that keep goodness in the world. If that number goes down wars and natural disasters are let loose throughout the world. The bad guys are trying to kill them off in order to destroy the world and free themselves from God. The hero spends the time tring to find his step daughter that is last surviving member of the 32. If the bad guys kill her, the world ends. Good story but wi
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Nov 01, 2009
Debra
rated it:
I really enjoyed the Jewish mysticism that was the main storyline behind the main storyline of a last days book. I learned meanings behind phrases I had heard or read the last few years with more and more celebrities getting into Kabalah. I thought to use a feminine voice with a main male character was a bit to much. They can't pull off Nicholas Sparks in that way. It is a good read.
Jan 09, 2009
Kathy
rated it:
I listened to this on CD so it took me awhile (I live 4 minutes from work), but you were always on the edge of your seat. There is so much Jewish material involved that I wondered, if you were Jewish, how much would sound familiar, or if much of it was fabricated. Regardless, it was a well put-together story that I enjoyed very much.
Nov 05, 2010
Angie
rated it:
I really liked this book too. I was somewhat DaVinci Code-esque, but different at the same time. It is the ultimate battle between good and evil, but I thought the variety of the plot was refreshing. The first part of the book was slow, but then it really picked up and there were so many twist and turns, it was fun to read.
Aug 16, 2010
Krissxkross
rated it:
I'm almost at the third quarter of this book. But goodness gracious, it just can't get me entertained. Idk why. The plot is good, it's on my sphere of interest, the characters were well-built, but I just can't feel the spark I always feel when I read. It's ok, maybe it would work with other readers, but not just for me.
Apr 20, 2010
Julie
rated it:
This book was full of suspense and I found it hard to put down. It wove together Kabbalicism, Judaism, tarot cards, forces of good and evil. As the world sees more & more acts of destruction it is bound to be the end of the world OR can it be stopped. This was a thriller that had a fast paced plot! Would make a great movie!
Aug 04, 2009
Codex
rated it:
I expected more from this book. Although the plot is good, overall the storyline suffers from being overly rushed, apparently to “create” suspense: it brings to mind low-budget all-action-no-story movies. It felt like reading only one paragraph from each chapter of a fully developed story. Most chapters are no longer than two pages . . . which does little more than emphasise the shortcoming. (Possibly the short chapters may have resulted from coercing the text to fit exactly into sixty-three ch
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Apr 30, 2010
Karin
rated it:
Loved it. Very fast paced and exciting to read. The author didn't waste any words. Every page had meaning that got you to the end of the story. They didn't drag it out with repeating things. Very DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, just faster. Even some surprises at the end. Quick and easy read.
Aug 02, 2011
Jody
rated it:
Some people might call this book far fetched, but then, what's fiction for, anyway? This was a well-written thriller that was just was intelligent enough to keep me invested, but not so complicated that I got lost. In short it was an excellent balance. I highly recommend it.
Feb 04, 2012
Teri
rated it:
It was a little cheesy, but it was a fast and fun vacation read. The story was just compelling enough. It's sort of Dan-Brown-esque, both in style and factual basis (which is to say: not much). I enjoyed it, though.
Apr 14, 2011
Lauren
rated it:
A pretty entertaining read. I felt like it was trying to be like "The Da Vinci Code" but it was still an enjoyable read in and of itself. I picked it up on a whim at the library. It sounded interesting. And it was.
Jan 08, 2011
Gregory
rated it:
I listened to this book. The direction of the book... i.e. when he was talking to himself it sounded like they put his head in a bucket... and some other directorial decisions detracted from my enjoyment of this book.
Aug 15, 2010
Heather
rated it:
I picked this up at a book clearance outlet center for $3.00 and I was mildly suprised. The book was fast paced and very well written. Action was there as was a little romance. Fast paced thriller.
