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The Antiquities Dealer
A twice-divorced antiquities dealer is drawn by his long-lost love into a conspiracy by an ancient Israeli society to clone the great minds of history—beginning with Jesus Christ.
When Miriam Solomon, the love of David Greenberg’s life, phones him at his antiquities gallery in St. Louis, the black hole at the center of his heart shudders. Twenty years earlier, Miriam had inexplicably run off to Israel with his best friend, Solly, a brilliant but nerdy young scientist. Now she tells David that Solly has committed suicide and she needs his aid on a secret research project Solly left unfinished: to acquire the one remaining nail from the crucifixion of Jesus. Is she telling the truth? And why does that nail have such significance?
300 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2018
8 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Ed Protzel
5 books43 followersEd Protzel is the author of four novels, all published by Open Road Media: the Southern historical DARKHORSE TRILOGY, centering on the friendship between an abolitionist hustler and a group of escaped slaves between 1859 and 1865 (THE LIES THAT BIND, HONOR AMONG OUTCASTS, SOMETHING IN MADNESS); and THE ANTIQUITIES DEALER suspense thriller. Ed is a graduate of the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in English literature/creative writing.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 3, 2020
A kosher “The Da Vinci Code” from the heartland! This novel has all the elements of a great read, global hunt for biblical treasures, bubbling romantic sub plot, cultish cabals, murderous fiends, spooky hitmen and rickety roach motel hideouts. As an added bonus the city of St Louis makes a stunning backdrop for much of this book. Fun quick and easy read!
January 31, 2021
A heart-stopping thriller that has it all
If you’re a fan of thrillers interwoven with history, religion and science, all revolving around the nucleus of supremely high
stakes, you will love Ed Protzel’s The Antiquities Dealer.
Protzel sets the table on page one and then takes the reader on a whirlwind
adventure from St. Louis to Israel to Paris and back to the Midwest in this incredibly
well-researched page-turner filled with intense action, puzzles and humor, all leading
up to an intense climax. The engaging characters are sympathetic and funny.
Even the bad guys have their sense of humor and humanistic motivations for
their evil plots.
But it’s the phenomenal writing that really shines, with lines like this: “In my sleepy state, I became fascinated with the reverend’s prominent teeth, like
some gleaming machine tearing and chewing and grinding as he pitchforked in
hearty blocks of carbs, sugar, nitrates, fat, and salt, drowning them with OJ
and black caffeine.”
How The Antiquities Dealer is not a best-seller is beyond
me.
If you’re a fan of thrillers interwoven with history, religion and science, all revolving around the nucleus of supremely high
stakes, you will love Ed Protzel’s The Antiquities Dealer.
Protzel sets the table on page one and then takes the reader on a whirlwind
adventure from St. Louis to Israel to Paris and back to the Midwest in this incredibly
well-researched page-turner filled with intense action, puzzles and humor, all leading
up to an intense climax. The engaging characters are sympathetic and funny.
Even the bad guys have their sense of humor and humanistic motivations for
their evil plots.
But it’s the phenomenal writing that really shines, with lines like this: “In my sleepy state, I became fascinated with the reverend’s prominent teeth, like
some gleaming machine tearing and chewing and grinding as he pitchforked in
hearty blocks of carbs, sugar, nitrates, fat, and salt, drowning them with OJ
and black caffeine.”
How The Antiquities Dealer is not a best-seller is beyond
me.
January 2, 2019
Sophisticated Thriller
This book has everything needed for an exciting page turner. The plot had unexpected twists and turns, quirky characters who weren't always what they appeared, and enough description to describe the setting without distracting from its storyline. A surprising bonus was a fascinating look at the implications of cloning as it applies to various religions. A smart and stunning read.
This book has everything needed for an exciting page turner. The plot had unexpected twists and turns, quirky characters who weren't always what they appeared, and enough description to describe the setting without distracting from its storyline. A surprising bonus was a fascinating look at the implications of cloning as it applies to various religions. A smart and stunning read.
December 20, 2020
Perfectly balanced in Sci-Fi meets reality, the plot is by far a 5 out of 5. The premise is that a scientist is working on a cloning program and he needs the crucifixion nail to create another Jesus, but as you can imagine, it's not easy to obtain. The person who had it was murdered and they must decipher a code to locate where he hid it. This book has action, adventure, suspense, mystery, and a little bit of romance. It's fantastic! It's like Indiana Jones meets The Da Vinci Code.
If the plot was the only thing I was reviewing, I would stop here and give this a 5 star review. However, I would be remiss to ignore the editing. I would love for the author to sit with a good editor and work out some of the kinks in the book. This book is really good, but with the help of a good editor, it could be really great! It could even turn into the next big Indiana Jones type series. I could see it now - David Greenberg and The Holy Nail.
Some of the editing issues are little. I would suggest adding the POV person with the chapter titles, because it's not always clear who is talking. I know with some authors they do this by design for parts where we are meant to be guessing, but if it's not done by design, there needs to be better acknowledgement of who is talking to us in the other chapters. Otherwise readers become frustrated with turning pages to determine who the main character is when it's constantly switching.
Other items are larger. I really struggled with what year it was and what age the characters were. Maybe I missed it early in the book, but I knew it was supposed to be newer, because there were cell phones and other technology that's newer. Also, David was divorced twice and had graduated college, but Miriam wanted to have another child, so I would assume they were younger than 40. Perhaps they were around 35? That seems awfully young to be divorced twice, but not impossible.
Another reason I struggled with the year was because a lot of the dialogue felt older. It was like dialogue I would be reading from a book that's a few decades ago. Especially among David and his friends. David's friends...I was totally confused every time Finkel and Daddy were involved. Their dialogue often left me scratching my head and led to the majority of the confusion about which decade it was. They seemed like they were relics themselves.
Finally, David...oh David. You had a lot of monologues. I'm okay with monologues if it helps us explore the character and what they're feeling. I thought somewhere in the book it was mentioned that David is an atheist. I believe he was Jewish by blood, but didn't share those beliefs. I don't know too many atheists, which is fine, but I question how many atheists monologue about ancient gods. There were quite a few references to different mythologies, which seemed odd of an atheist. That could be a bad perception on my part, but it seemed odd.
Then there was the romance. It's been a long time since I reviewed a fade to black book. So, if you're looking for hard core sex scenes, this isn't the right book for you. If you're looking for a few mildly romantic moments overshadowed by a lot of action, adventure, and mystery, then read this one!
Overall, I would have given this book 3.5 stars if that was possible. In cases where I want to give half stars, I round up for the author's benefit. I hope the author works with an editor to clean up some of the book that could shine more with some help. If he does, then this has a strong chance of being picked up and mainstreamed. It has a really solid base with a lot of potential!
**I was provided a copy of this book by the author to review**
If the plot was the only thing I was reviewing, I would stop here and give this a 5 star review. However, I would be remiss to ignore the editing. I would love for the author to sit with a good editor and work out some of the kinks in the book. This book is really good, but with the help of a good editor, it could be really great! It could even turn into the next big Indiana Jones type series. I could see it now - David Greenberg and The Holy Nail.
Some of the editing issues are little. I would suggest adding the POV person with the chapter titles, because it's not always clear who is talking. I know with some authors they do this by design for parts where we are meant to be guessing, but if it's not done by design, there needs to be better acknowledgement of who is talking to us in the other chapters. Otherwise readers become frustrated with turning pages to determine who the main character is when it's constantly switching.
Other items are larger. I really struggled with what year it was and what age the characters were. Maybe I missed it early in the book, but I knew it was supposed to be newer, because there were cell phones and other technology that's newer. Also, David was divorced twice and had graduated college, but Miriam wanted to have another child, so I would assume they were younger than 40. Perhaps they were around 35? That seems awfully young to be divorced twice, but not impossible.
Another reason I struggled with the year was because a lot of the dialogue felt older. It was like dialogue I would be reading from a book that's a few decades ago. Especially among David and his friends. David's friends...I was totally confused every time Finkel and Daddy were involved. Their dialogue often left me scratching my head and led to the majority of the confusion about which decade it was. They seemed like they were relics themselves.
Finally, David...oh David. You had a lot of monologues. I'm okay with monologues if it helps us explore the character and what they're feeling. I thought somewhere in the book it was mentioned that David is an atheist. I believe he was Jewish by blood, but didn't share those beliefs. I don't know too many atheists, which is fine, but I question how many atheists monologue about ancient gods. There were quite a few references to different mythologies, which seemed odd of an atheist. That could be a bad perception on my part, but it seemed odd.
Then there was the romance. It's been a long time since I reviewed a fade to black book. So, if you're looking for hard core sex scenes, this isn't the right book for you. If you're looking for a few mildly romantic moments overshadowed by a lot of action, adventure, and mystery, then read this one!
Overall, I would have given this book 3.5 stars if that was possible. In cases where I want to give half stars, I round up for the author's benefit. I hope the author works with an editor to clean up some of the book that could shine more with some help. If he does, then this has a strong chance of being picked up and mainstreamed. It has a really solid base with a lot of potential!
**I was provided a copy of this book by the author to review**
August 29, 2018
Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
The Antiquities Dealer by Ed Protzel is a mixture of religious fanaticism and science fiction. Twenty years ago, Miriam Solomon was David Greenberg’s only love. She repaid him by running away to Israel, taking Solly, his best friend, with her. Solly was one of the world's best scientists and now Miriam is phoning to tell David that Solly killed himself. Miriam needs David’s help. Solly was working on a research project that needs to be finished; a secret project to get hold of the last of the crucifixion nails. David can’t be sure that Miriam is telling him the whole truth. What is so significant about that nail? Every person has an agenda in this book and not everyone can survive the consequences.
The Antiquities Dealer by Ed Protzel is an interestingly deep story of religion, evolution, and sci-fi. There is no gentle lead-in, we dive straight into the story at the start and we’re off and running on a journey to find what seems to be impossible. There is plenty of depth to the characters, plenty of action in the story, and a very surprising end. Shades of Dan Brown’s books spring to mind with the code breaking and, at the end of the book, we have a neat explanation of the way the code is broken. I enjoyed this story; it was very detailed, with excellent characters that will resonate with most of us. If you enjoy Dan Brown's books, then I guarantee you will enjoy this.
The Antiquities Dealer by Ed Protzel is a mixture of religious fanaticism and science fiction. Twenty years ago, Miriam Solomon was David Greenberg’s only love. She repaid him by running away to Israel, taking Solly, his best friend, with her. Solly was one of the world's best scientists and now Miriam is phoning to tell David that Solly killed himself. Miriam needs David’s help. Solly was working on a research project that needs to be finished; a secret project to get hold of the last of the crucifixion nails. David can’t be sure that Miriam is telling him the whole truth. What is so significant about that nail? Every person has an agenda in this book and not everyone can survive the consequences.
The Antiquities Dealer by Ed Protzel is an interestingly deep story of religion, evolution, and sci-fi. There is no gentle lead-in, we dive straight into the story at the start and we’re off and running on a journey to find what seems to be impossible. There is plenty of depth to the characters, plenty of action in the story, and a very surprising end. Shades of Dan Brown’s books spring to mind with the code breaking and, at the end of the book, we have a neat explanation of the way the code is broken. I enjoyed this story; it was very detailed, with excellent characters that will resonate with most of us. If you enjoy Dan Brown's books, then I guarantee you will enjoy this.
August 2, 2019
If you are looking for a new type of detective mystery, this is a good one. The main character is, as suggested by the title, an Antiquities Dealer. David Greenberg goes through this murder mystery that takes on several major religious groups and organizations and several professional killers. Just for a little added surprise, there is also some chess. We have the usual characters, the romantic interest, the old friend, the current friends, the new players, and some bigger than life characters. It makes for a very interesting read from start to finish. There were some very special characters and very interesting discussions regarding modern science and religion. I won’t spoil anything for you, but I recommend this as a good read!
October 7, 2018
I received an Early Reviewers copy of this book in Kindle edition.
Overall I would not recommend this book.
The plot and story development have potential, and the information from the Bible and Jewish history are interesting. The characters are not fully developed however, and the writing is overly descriptive and filled with cliches. The use of italics was inconsistent and distracting, and the constant unnecessary habit the narrator had of talking to himself became irritating. I thought the book needed better editing, and a more direct style of writing.
Overall I would not recommend this book.
The plot and story development have potential, and the information from the Bible and Jewish history are interesting. The characters are not fully developed however, and the writing is overly descriptive and filled with cliches. The use of italics was inconsistent and distracting, and the constant unnecessary habit the narrator had of talking to himself became irritating. I thought the book needed better editing, and a more direct style of writing.
November 7, 2018
Ed Protzel grabs you by the collar and pulls you into the story of David, Miriam, and Solly from page one, then immerses you in a tale of intrigue and mystery involving the cross on which Jesus was crucified and what happened to the three nails used. Every single page has you guessing and analyzing but never quite hitting the mark until the very end. Protzel is a pro at prose and thrilling rides. I highly recommend this as a read and a re-read. Clues are dropped throughout that you will have to piece together, too. Five Star all the way for The Antiquities Dealer!
— CJ Loiacono
— CJ Loiacono
July 14, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was well written and avoided most of the worn-out tropes that seem to clutter most other books. I learned some things about Israel, chess and St Louis - where I live. Learning something new is always a plus. I would recommend this for anyone that enjoys ancient artifact hunting stories. There is some science fiction science going on but it is kept to a minimum and doesn't impact the story enough for the reader to need to understand it at all. A banging good story!!
September 24, 2021
History, science and mystery-lovers alike will devour Ed Protzel's The Antiquities Dealer. It's a globetrotting thrill ride with a unique cast of characters who navigate intense action sequences, confounding puzzles and supremely high stakes.
The Antiquities Dealer is fantastic! Besides the phenomenal writing, I love how the author interwove present-day characters, action and current events with history, religion and science, all revolving around the nucleus of a high-stakes thriller. I hope he writes more David Greenberg books!
The Antiquities Dealer is fantastic! Besides the phenomenal writing, I love how the author interwove present-day characters, action and current events with history, religion and science, all revolving around the nucleus of a high-stakes thriller. I hope he writes more David Greenberg books!
January 23, 2022
I had big expectations on what I thought would be a type of Dan Brown contender. I was disappointed. The story is full of cliches and even with that it is plain boring. Struggled to finish it as never got gripped. The writing style is amateur.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews