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El secreto de Cristo
Josh Cohan, un arqueólogo americano, tiene un sueño recurrente acerca de un gran secreto. A resultas de un desengaño profesional, su instinto le lleva hasta el desierto de Judea, donde lleva a cabo un fantástico descubrimiento: un antiguo manuscrito que, según parece, fue escrito por Jesús. Pero los Guardianes, un culto antiguo y violento, has estado esperando una oportunidad para desatar su maléfica visión sobre el mundo y no se detendrán ante nada para apoderarse del manuscrito.
¿Podrá Josh averiguar el secreto de los Guardianes y proteger a la mujer que ama sin renunciar al descubrimiento más importante que jamás haya hecho la humanidad?
¿Podrá Josh averiguar el secreto de los Guardianes y proteger a la mujer que ama sin renunciar al descubrimiento más importante que jamás haya hecho la humanidad?
344 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2008
6 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Ronald Cutler
8 books4 followersRonald Cutler, called the “Steven Spielberg of Radio,” was the first FM disc jockey in America to play contemporary music. In addition to owning his own station, he wrote, created, and produced twenty-two hit national radio shows, and created six nationally syndicated comedy networks. Cutler’s research for this book included reading more than seventy-five books on Biblical Archaeology.
The Secret Scroll is his first novel.
The Secret Scroll is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 22, 2010
PROTAGONIST: Josh Cohan, archaeoologist, university professor, linguist, mystery solver and stud muffin
SETTING: Jerusalem
SERIES: Debut
RATING: 1.5
The astonishing success of The DaVinci Code created a new market for books containing a historical mystery with religious significance. I believe that The Secret Scroll is following the DVC pattern with a present day mystery that has at its roots ancient sacred secrets. However, it only partially succeeds in its efforts to build a credible and believable scenario.
Josh Cohan is a university professor and archaeologist who is taking a sabbatical in Jerusalem, feeling quite dissatisfied after an older professor takes credit for one of Josh's finds. He has a vision which leads him to a cave near the Dead Sea where he uncovers a jar containing a scroll written in Aramic. As he begins to translate the scroll, he realizes that it may have been written by Jesus Christ. If so, his discovery could make a significant contribution to understanding the history of the time; in fact, it would be one of the most important historic findings ever. As much as he'd like to keep the information to himself, he knows that he needs to share it with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), who will validate the finding.
Word of the scroll soon gets out. A fringe group of religious zealots called The Guardians under the leadership of the "Master" demands that the scroll be turned over to them. Although the Master supposedly wants to know the truth of the materials, he is actually determined to destroy the scroll so that the Guardian's version of reality will be perpetrated. They go to great lengths to obtain the scroll, including taking people hostage and assassinating them when they resist. One of their targets is the daughter of one of the IAA members, with whom Josh has fallen in love. Although Danielle is supposed to be independent and outspoken, she serves more as a voluptuous damsel in distress than anything else. She seems to be constantly facing men who want to rape her.
The Secret Scroll is Cutler's first book. I had issues with many aspects of the book, with the romance element being one of the most egregiously disturbing. None of the characters came to life for me; they all just seemed to be planted to serve a specific role rather than being developed to engage the reader's interest or sympathy. Several things that happened in the narrative were silly to me. For example, Danielle is taken hostage and placed in a small alcove. She decides that she would like to take a shower, and is allowed to do so. Is that a privilege usually given to a hostage? And of course, continuing with the sexual undercurrent, there are about a dozen Guardians salivating as they watch her bathing.
The one part of the book that was well done was the translation of the secret scroll. It presented a plausible picture of Jesus Christ that would actually have altered the way that he is viewed today.
The historical speculation was interesting, but the soap opera-ish tone of the narrative and the religious ramblings of the various sects made it impossible for me to enjoy the book. The fact that the protagonist had mystic visions, the ability to lay hands on people and heal them, translate ancient Aramic in hours, meanwhile acting as a kind of private investigator, had my eyes rolling more than once. It was all too much to believe.
SETTING: Jerusalem
SERIES: Debut
RATING: 1.5
The astonishing success of The DaVinci Code created a new market for books containing a historical mystery with religious significance. I believe that The Secret Scroll is following the DVC pattern with a present day mystery that has at its roots ancient sacred secrets. However, it only partially succeeds in its efforts to build a credible and believable scenario.
Josh Cohan is a university professor and archaeologist who is taking a sabbatical in Jerusalem, feeling quite dissatisfied after an older professor takes credit for one of Josh's finds. He has a vision which leads him to a cave near the Dead Sea where he uncovers a jar containing a scroll written in Aramic. As he begins to translate the scroll, he realizes that it may have been written by Jesus Christ. If so, his discovery could make a significant contribution to understanding the history of the time; in fact, it would be one of the most important historic findings ever. As much as he'd like to keep the information to himself, he knows that he needs to share it with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), who will validate the finding.
Word of the scroll soon gets out. A fringe group of religious zealots called The Guardians under the leadership of the "Master" demands that the scroll be turned over to them. Although the Master supposedly wants to know the truth of the materials, he is actually determined to destroy the scroll so that the Guardian's version of reality will be perpetrated. They go to great lengths to obtain the scroll, including taking people hostage and assassinating them when they resist. One of their targets is the daughter of one of the IAA members, with whom Josh has fallen in love. Although Danielle is supposed to be independent and outspoken, she serves more as a voluptuous damsel in distress than anything else. She seems to be constantly facing men who want to rape her.
The Secret Scroll is Cutler's first book. I had issues with many aspects of the book, with the romance element being one of the most egregiously disturbing. None of the characters came to life for me; they all just seemed to be planted to serve a specific role rather than being developed to engage the reader's interest or sympathy. Several things that happened in the narrative were silly to me. For example, Danielle is taken hostage and placed in a small alcove. She decides that she would like to take a shower, and is allowed to do so. Is that a privilege usually given to a hostage? And of course, continuing with the sexual undercurrent, there are about a dozen Guardians salivating as they watch her bathing.
The one part of the book that was well done was the translation of the secret scroll. It presented a plausible picture of Jesus Christ that would actually have altered the way that he is viewed today.
The historical speculation was interesting, but the soap opera-ish tone of the narrative and the religious ramblings of the various sects made it impossible for me to enjoy the book. The fact that the protagonist had mystic visions, the ability to lay hands on people and heal them, translate ancient Aramic in hours, meanwhile acting as a kind of private investigator, had my eyes rolling more than once. It was all too much to believe.
January 13, 2014
Una din cele mai proaste carti citite de mine in ultima vreme. Scrisul este de amator iar subiectul este un talmes balmes , un ghiveci in care se amesteca crestinismul, new age si iudaismul ortodox, toate aruncate asa,la gramada,in aceeasi oala.
Protagonistul este Josh Cohan, arheolog si profesor universitar si lingvist, care isi ia un an sabatic pentru a-l petrece in Israel. In urma unei viziuni,descopera un document care se presupune ca este scris de catre insusi Isus. Dupa ce contacteaza directia muzeului istoric din Ierusalim si se incep testarile pentru a vedea daca documentul este autentic, o secta secreta religioasa afla de existenta acestuia si doreste sa-l obtina cu orice pret.
In timp ce speculatia istorica poate fi interesanta ( oare ce s-ar intimpla in lumea crestina si nu numai, daca chiar s-ar gasi ceva scris de insusi Isus? ) , tonul de telenovela a romanului si amestecul dezlânat al diferitelor religii, este de-a dreptul enervant. Faptul ca protagonistul isi pune miinile peste orice bolnav si il vindeca (desi spune ca este mai mult agnostic decit un adevarat crestin credincios) , ca imediat ce are o problema face meditatii pentru a se uni cu universul si a gasi solutia pe loc, traduce un document din aramaica in citeva ore numai, face si pe detectivul privat, m-a cam facut sa-mi dau ochii peste cap, facind romanul foarte putin credibil.
MI-a fost greu sa termin cartea asta,cred ca mi-a luat aproximativ o luna, ceea ce este enorm pentru mine, mai ales ca nu este foarte groasa. Cu alte cuvinte, nu o recomand nimanui.
Protagonistul este Josh Cohan, arheolog si profesor universitar si lingvist, care isi ia un an sabatic pentru a-l petrece in Israel. In urma unei viziuni,descopera un document care se presupune ca este scris de catre insusi Isus. Dupa ce contacteaza directia muzeului istoric din Ierusalim si se incep testarile pentru a vedea daca documentul este autentic, o secta secreta religioasa afla de existenta acestuia si doreste sa-l obtina cu orice pret.
In timp ce speculatia istorica poate fi interesanta ( oare ce s-ar intimpla in lumea crestina si nu numai, daca chiar s-ar gasi ceva scris de insusi Isus? ) , tonul de telenovela a romanului si amestecul dezlânat al diferitelor religii, este de-a dreptul enervant. Faptul ca protagonistul isi pune miinile peste orice bolnav si il vindeca (desi spune ca este mai mult agnostic decit un adevarat crestin credincios) , ca imediat ce are o problema face meditatii pentru a se uni cu universul si a gasi solutia pe loc, traduce un document din aramaica in citeva ore numai, face si pe detectivul privat, m-a cam facut sa-mi dau ochii peste cap, facind romanul foarte putin credibil.
MI-a fost greu sa termin cartea asta,cred ca mi-a luat aproximativ o luna, ceea ce este enorm pentru mine, mai ales ca nu este foarte groasa. Cu alte cuvinte, nu o recomand nimanui.
March 7, 2018
*sigh* I really wanted to like this book. It has everything I should love! But, well, quite frankly, I was bored. And annoyed.
To start with, I found the writing to be...unpolished. You know how sometimes you read a book and the author just makes it feel so...easy? Well, this was the opposite. Everything about the writing felt forced. Now, this is common for a first novel, so it's nothing against the author, but, still, it made the book hard to read.
Second, the characters were so clichéd that it hurt. I'm not a critical reader, but even I couldn't care.
Third, it started out feeling like a good, solidly-researched historical adventure piece, and then it devolved into some kind of weird mystical thing. Now if it had started out that way, I could have adapted. But these elements kept just showing up at random, seemingly as a way for the author to get his characters magically to the right place at the right time and with the right abilities. Really? if you're going to give people mystical magical poweres, you either need to make that seem normal or you need to give me a better why that I got here.
Finally, the book was flat-out blasphemous. Sorry, folks, but it is what it is. I don't lower the rating because of this fact, but it means I can't ever recommend it.
To start with, I found the writing to be...unpolished. You know how sometimes you read a book and the author just makes it feel so...easy? Well, this was the opposite. Everything about the writing felt forced. Now, this is common for a first novel, so it's nothing against the author, but, still, it made the book hard to read.
Second, the characters were so clichéd that it hurt. I'm not a critical reader, but even I couldn't care.
Third, it started out feeling like a good, solidly-researched historical adventure piece, and then it devolved into some kind of weird mystical thing. Now if it had started out that way, I could have adapted. But these elements kept just showing up at random, seemingly as a way for the author to get his characters magically to the right place at the right time and with the right abilities. Really? if you're going to give people mystical magical poweres, you either need to make that seem normal or you need to give me a better why that I got here.
Finally, the book was flat-out blasphemous. Sorry, folks, but it is what it is. I don't lower the rating because of this fact, but it means I can't ever recommend it.
June 5, 2019
One star only for the idea. Horrible writing.
March 23, 2008
Josh Cohan, an American Archaeologist, is on sabbatical in Israel after suffering professional disappointment. Following his instincts about a recurring dream, he discovers an antique scroll. Not willing to trust anyone he photographs it and then belatedly submits it to the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA). Josh believes the scroll to be written by Jesus Christ.
The Guardians, a violent Christian hate group thousands of years old, are anxious to obtain the scroll at any cost. The Guardians wish to dominate the world with their brand of evil. Who on the IAA is feeding the Guardians with information?
Josh joins with the IAA and their brilliant team of theologians and archaeologists to uncover the secrets of the scroll. While doing so, he falls in love with the beautiful daughter of one of the team members. This places her squarely in the face of all the danger. Will he be able to 'keep the girl' and the scroll?
Not only is there the mystery and intrigue, there is also a spiritual level to this book. One is led to think about Jesus as an individual and wonder about 'What If'. What if Jesus never ascended? What if the historical place is really not that spot? This book is one of the most well researched books I have ever read
The Guardians, a violent Christian hate group thousands of years old, are anxious to obtain the scroll at any cost. The Guardians wish to dominate the world with their brand of evil. Who on the IAA is feeding the Guardians with information?
Josh joins with the IAA and their brilliant team of theologians and archaeologists to uncover the secrets of the scroll. While doing so, he falls in love with the beautiful daughter of one of the team members. This places her squarely in the face of all the danger. Will he be able to 'keep the girl' and the scroll?
Not only is there the mystery and intrigue, there is also a spiritual level to this book. One is led to think about Jesus as an individual and wonder about 'What If'. What if Jesus never ascended? What if the historical place is really not that spot? This book is one of the most well researched books I have ever read
May 23, 2012
Not Great but not a Bad Read or Effort for a First Novel
This is definitely, in my opinion, a spin-off attempt to piggy back on the DaVinci Code and it has a flavor to it that smacks of Indiana Jones. The book probably struck me a little different than some because I have some background in Biblical Literature and so I was interested to see how well the research was done.
The research behind the story line is actually not too bad. I recognized the Infancy Narrative of Thomas and some of the Gnostic influences referenced in the text. The History was plausible even if it was somewhat biased in a direction that I don't particularly agree with or respect, but this is fiction afterall.
The writing is mature and I found it actually fairly easy to read. All in all, it's certainly not the most gripping or expertly handled historical novel I've ever read, but it was a worthy read and I respect the author's attempt at a genre in which there is some pretty stiff competition and high standards to aspire too.
All in all, not a great read, but by no means a terrible one. I hope the author continues and I wouldn't be adverse to reading another work and hope the good platform achieved here would move him forward.
3 Stars.
Bart Breen
This is definitely, in my opinion, a spin-off attempt to piggy back on the DaVinci Code and it has a flavor to it that smacks of Indiana Jones. The book probably struck me a little different than some because I have some background in Biblical Literature and so I was interested to see how well the research was done.
The research behind the story line is actually not too bad. I recognized the Infancy Narrative of Thomas and some of the Gnostic influences referenced in the text. The History was plausible even if it was somewhat biased in a direction that I don't particularly agree with or respect, but this is fiction afterall.
The writing is mature and I found it actually fairly easy to read. All in all, it's certainly not the most gripping or expertly handled historical novel I've ever read, but it was a worthy read and I respect the author's attempt at a genre in which there is some pretty stiff competition and high standards to aspire too.
All in all, not a great read, but by no means a terrible one. I hope the author continues and I wouldn't be adverse to reading another work and hope the good platform achieved here would move him forward.
3 Stars.
Bart Breen
April 12, 2008
Too little plot, too much suspense.
While I enjoy a high octane, action packed read as much as the next person, comparing this book to a well written action title would be rather like comparing one of the worst Bond movies (for the sake of diplomacy, you can insert your own title here) to the Bourne Supremacy.
There's conspiracy, danger, death, torture, crazy "love" (it reads an awful lot more like extreme lust), shootings, kidnappings, bombings, foreign governments, traitors, scholars caught in the middle, and some artifact of unspeakable value for some less than well defined reason (and fairly obviously the author has read Dan Brown). There is no cohesive chain connecting them all (though there is a tenuous thread), the "mystery" cannot be solved by the reader (or at least couldn't be solved by me), and the final chapters felt rushed. Thank goodness the author pounds us over the head with the emotions we should be feeling, or we might forget to be engaged.
Unless you read every action/adventure title out there just to say you've done it, don't waste your time with this one.
While I enjoy a high octane, action packed read as much as the next person, comparing this book to a well written action title would be rather like comparing one of the worst Bond movies (for the sake of diplomacy, you can insert your own title here) to the Bourne Supremacy.
There's conspiracy, danger, death, torture, crazy "love" (it reads an awful lot more like extreme lust), shootings, kidnappings, bombings, foreign governments, traitors, scholars caught in the middle, and some artifact of unspeakable value for some less than well defined reason (and fairly obviously the author has read Dan Brown). There is no cohesive chain connecting them all (though there is a tenuous thread), the "mystery" cannot be solved by the reader (or at least couldn't be solved by me), and the final chapters felt rushed. Thank goodness the author pounds us over the head with the emotions we should be feeling, or we might forget to be engaged.
Unless you read every action/adventure title out there just to say you've done it, don't waste your time with this one.
December 31, 2014
This was the author's first book. I have not checked to see if he had written anymore after this.
Lots of spelling and grammatical errors.
I was attracted to the story because it was an anthropological fiction, which is right up my alley. I enjoyed the historical fact that the story was based upon.
There was an element of almost supernatural ability with the main protagonist, which I thought was a little too outlandish for the story, but it wasn't the main plot of the story so it didn't bother me that much.
Read this one in 24 hours. Not a bad read. I enjoyed my trip to the religious sites of Israel.
Lots of spelling and grammatical errors.
I was attracted to the story because it was an anthropological fiction, which is right up my alley. I enjoyed the historical fact that the story was based upon.
There was an element of almost supernatural ability with the main protagonist, which I thought was a little too outlandish for the story, but it wasn't the main plot of the story so it didn't bother me that much.
Read this one in 24 hours. Not a bad read. I enjoyed my trip to the religious sites of Israel.
February 26, 2012
Not good, not bad
Some have reviewed The Secret Scroll very harshly. I am unwilling to do this, despite my opinion that this is not really a good book. I give it 3 Stars. As I told someone else, it is neither drek nor a Pulitzer Prize winner. It's kinda like watching an episode of Matlock - it beats watching nothing but it sure isn't To Kill A Mockingbird, despite being set in the south and having a courtroom drama.
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
Some have reviewed The Secret Scroll very harshly. I am unwilling to do this, despite my opinion that this is not really a good book. I give it 3 Stars. As I told someone else, it is neither drek nor a Pulitzer Prize winner. It's kinda like watching an episode of Matlock - it beats watching nothing but it sure isn't To Kill A Mockingbird, despite being set in the south and having a courtroom drama.
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
April 12, 2013
A very unbelievable story of an archaeologist who, by physic thoughts, discovers a scroll buried in an Israeli desert.
I read half of this book. The writing was a little rough around the edges. The main character was too self-reflecting and pitifully emotional.
When the translated scroll, presumably written by Jesus, started talking about his mother was not supportive of his 'mission' and that his brother James was her favorite.....I decided to put this nonscensical book down.
Needless to say I would not recommend this book.
I read half of this book. The writing was a little rough around the edges. The main character was too self-reflecting and pitifully emotional.
When the translated scroll, presumably written by Jesus, started talking about his mother was not supportive of his 'mission' and that his brother James was her favorite.....I decided to put this nonscensical book down.
Needless to say I would not recommend this book.
March 20, 2008
Another Da Vinci Code-esque novel, in which an archaologist who has visions from God and mysterious healing powers finds a scroll written by Jesus himself. The ensuing plot entails a woman that he finds irresistable, kidnappers, murders, and the thrilling quest to find out if the scroll is authentic before a secret extremist religious organization called The Guardians can get their hands on it and destroy it.
June 17, 2008
Wow. This is a sign of how low my reading taste has fallen. Very hard to finish. I kept putting it down; picking it up; complaining about it. It's a first novel....I understand. I chose this at the public library because it is set in Israel. So many of the sites are ones I've visited. But, yikes. Too cliched. The love scenes. The descriptions of Josh's thinking as he heads off to save his lover. It's archaeology, history, travel, but still. Please don't read.
November 1, 2009
Set in Israel this story features an American archaelogist who discovers a jar filled with an ancient scroll. During the course of the novel, he is chased by members of a secret society who want to obtain the scrolls. He was led to the location by a dream. The weakness of this novel is the author's choice to tell so much instead of show. This weakens his characters, because the reader does not get as involved with them.
February 26, 2008
An archaeologist makes a fantastic discovery: an ancient scroll which seems to have been written by Jesus. The scroll is persued by an ancient violent cult who have been waiting for a chance to unleash their vision on the world.
September 5, 2008
This was similar to the DaVinci code, but not as clever. There wasn't much character development, and so many different people were introduced so briefly it was hard to remember who was who. It was an interesting idea for a story, I just didn't think it was well written.
June 29, 2015
Poor writing--lacking the subtle finesse that masters of the genre spin into every book. The only value of the book is historical fact and research techniques which adds a measure of interest where otherwise the book was without any redeeming characteristics.
June 1, 2008
Not bad for a first novel, but consistently trades suspense and excitement for history lessons.
November 24, 2008
A DaVinci Code knock-off. Best part were the descriptions of Israel's historic sites. Should have read Fodor's Israel instead and eliminated the characters.
July 7, 2009
Really well written, for the archeology/dead sea scroll history buff.
July 31, 2009
It was okay. In the middle of moving, not looking for anything intense. I have to admit though that in this genre I expected more action and fun.
June 2, 2012
Este libro se merece una adaptación cinematográfica.... concretamente a un telefilme de sobremesa de antena 3. Muy malo. Menos mal que era corto
July 9, 2013
Unfortunately it was not possible to become invested in the characters of this book. Not only were the characters failing to jump of the pages but the story line was flat too.
October 15, 2014
This book just did not flow for me. Everything seemed to happen really quickly without much explanation or buildup and I just never could really get in to the characters or the story.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews