The Prophecy

Payne & Jones #5

by Chris Kuzneski

The legendary Nostradamus predicted numerous world-changing events. But his most important prophecies remained hidden. After discovering a message written in a series of codes and ancient languages a young woman is prompted to seek out former Special Forces Operatives Jonathan Payne and David Jones for help. Unfortunately, their meeting is interrupted by an assassin whose only mission is to kill all who know of the secret message. Pursued across two continents, Payne and Jones must locate this sacred text from the past that could change the future.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Action, Crime

496 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Chris Kuzneski is the #1 international bestselling & New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels and one novella. His thrillers have been translated into more than twenty languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. One of his books (THE HUNTERS) is currently being made into a major motion picture, and another (THE PRISONER’S GOLD) won an ITW Thriller Award for Book of the Year.

Armed with witty prose, a unique narrative voice, and a penchant for blackmail, Kuzneski has garnered praise from many of the top authors in the world: James Patterson, Nelson DeMille, Lee Child, Vince Flynn, James Rollins, Tess Gerritsen, Douglas Preston, Lisa Gardner, Steve Berry, Scott Mariani, Allison Brennan, W.E.B. Griffin, Graham Brown, Boyd Morrison, John Gilstrap, Raymond Khoury, David Morrell, Andrew Gross, Joseph Finder, Jeremy Robinson, and his writing idol, Clive Cussler.

Simply put, his books are awesome.

A former football player at the University of Pittsburgh, Kuzneski worked as a journalist until he realized it was easier to make stuff up in the comfort of his own home. He has been writing fiction and sleeping in ever since. The only thing that has slowed him down is his obvious need for a pen name, since most people don't know how to spell or pronounce 'Kuzneski'. [Hint: Seven of the letters are silent.]

Reviews

[Emmie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series just keeps on getting better! I am as always amazed by the level of research that goes into one of these books.

[Holly Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like this was the guy's version of chick lit. Most typical 'guy' topics were covered and it was SO literal - there was no alluding to the characters thoughts, etc. Everything was just stated like a screenplay. Probably a good book for some but it just wasn't for me.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it's difficult not to associate any novel of this genre to The Da Vinci Code (there is even a joke made about The Da Vinci Code in this book), the most notable thing about this one that sets itself apart from The Da Vinci Code is the fact that it's not about religion. So that was refreshing without deviating from the genre too much.

My main complaint is that the character development isn't great. I consider limited character development to be expected in a fast-paced novel - it's not really about the characters so I don't expect them to be very complex. But all the characters in this are constantly wise-cracking and joking around which starts to get a bit old and makes it difficult to distinguish characters from one another. The author attempts to set the characters apart by using black and white opposites (sometimes literally): Payne is a restless sleeper, Jones is a heavy sleeper; Payne is white, Jones is black. But ultimately, when one of them speaks, it could be either one of them speaking and I frequently had to double check which one of them it was. To a certain degree, this can be applied to practically every other character in the book too, especially when someone is wise-cracking. I think the author thinks he's very clever and witty with all the wise-cracks and while it's mildly amusing and keeps the mood light, it's not quite as hilarious as it's seemingly meant to be.

The author is very descriptive with all subjects, regardless of how small or large a role they play in the plot (buildings, guns, even Philly cheesesteaks) which suggests his research is thorough (but that doesn't mean you should take all his info about Nostradamus as fact). Pittsburgh and Philadelphia fans will probably love all the city descriptions and references. I was particularly pleased to see Willow Grove Airbase mentioned, as I myself am from around that area.

There are enough mentions of sports and guns (and usage of guns) to satisfy the more masculine side of a reader but also a budding romance to please your more feminine side.

The plot is very interesting so overall, it's an entertaining, action-packed, easy-reading page turner (enough adjectives for you?). I definitely kept wanting to find out what happens next and couldn't wait to find out what happens at the end. Though I was a little frustrated by the ending (I won't say more than that, don't want to add spoilers), I liked it enough that I'm interested in reading his previous novels.

Even Nostradamus skeptics should be able to enjoy this as fiction. I myself don't particularly have any kind of support for Nostradamus's "prophecies". But the author himself says this book was not written to change anyone's mind about Nostradamus and his "only goal was to entertain". Approach this book from that point of view and you should enjoy it!

[Anne Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prophecy by Chris Kuzneski

I loved this book and all the Payne - Jones books I gave it a 5 out of stars.

Chris Kuzneski has a knack of leaving you wanting more when you read his books, he creates an exciting story of action and suspense.

A party is interrupted by a beautiful woman who stands out in jeans - when everyone else is in evening dress. Jon and Dave out two hero's go after her and find her near her car- she says she made a mistake coming to the party and will talk to them tomorrow, but for her tomorrow never arrives, after talking to our tow hero's for a while about her visit and show's them a copy of a letter she has been send, they move off to get her car and as they leave shelter she is shot dead.

Jon Payne and Dave Jones are started on and new adventure. And of course there is a woman that needs saving and clues that need solving.

There is drive across Switzerland and France, with shoot outs and attempted murder.

The book moves from one action to another with speed and efficiency. The is no boring chapters no area you skip. Its Good honest adventure and I love these books.

[Ariadne Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, totally blown away by this one! I fell in love with the two main characters Payne and DJ a few books ago. This is just the latest in their adventures...and it held true to form.

The banter between the two main characters is hilarious and keeps the story from weighing down. You actually feel as if your standing between two buddies.

Payne and DJ cross paths with a woman with a mysterious letter who is killed before she tells them anything. They backtrack her path and end up with a mystery surrounding Nostradamus.

Re-occuring characters are there, Petr the curator of a massive historical book collection, Dial, the Interpol director.

Overall, I could not put the book down (like his others), and sat up until the wee hours of the morning finishing it. I do have to say, the last line of the book threw me..it was not a conclusion but rather a teaser that there was more to come of it.

I sat there stunned going, "did I miss something"? Even with that, this is a "hard cover keeper". One for the shelves to savor again and again.

[Stevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, witty and a real page turner. Even though it is part 5 of a series, it didn't feel like it.
I laughed out loud several times while reading it - the banter between DJ and Jon is fantastically written.
The only thing that irked me was the info dumps every now and again. I realize they were necessary to understand the story at times, but at some points less would have been more.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Chris Kuzneski read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the topics and the issues he tackles while he entertains us through words. Well written and well done. Dick Hill as narrator is as usual at his best. 9 of 10 stars

[Peggy Karas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very difficult to read. For a thriller/mystery it was slow.

[Ken B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 STARS

[Scott Rhee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Imagine Tom Clancy's military techno-thriller pyrotechnics blended with Dan Brown's conspiracy theory suspense, throw in a little Indiana Jones for good measure, and you pretty much have Chris Kuzneski's "The Prophecy", which is part of a series (that I have not read) involving his protagonists Jonathon Payne and David Jones, ex-military operatives-turned-private investigators/archaeologists. I was really hoping to like this book a lot, because as full of shit as I think Dan Brown is, I loved the "Da Vinci Code" and "Angels and Demons", which is pretty much the formula that Kusneski is trying to emulate. For the most part, "The Prophecy" is entertaining. Unfortunately, there is an awful lot to find fault with in the book, not the least of which is that it doesn't end. I'm sure Kuzneski probably has a sequel in mind, but the cliffhanger-like ending is simply annoying. There is also little to no character development. Granted, this is (I think) the fourth or fifth book in the Payne-Jones series, so they are previously-established characters. Still, Kuzneski's idea of "well-developed", apparently, is having Jones's comedic one-liners and snappy repartee (Jones is African-American by the way) bounce off Payne's straight-man Cary Grant-like charismatic seriousness. I thought racial stereotypes like this were a bit passe in genre fiction, but I guess Kuzneski thought otherwise. Oh, and there is an awful lot of expository fluff that is simply unnecessary. Kuzneski's descriptions of historical landmarks and European cities seem to be straight from a Fodor's travel guide. Perhaps this is not the best book in Kuzneski's series, which is why I'm willing to read another one to determine whether my assessment of him is correct. I wouldn't really recommend this to anyone, unless, of course, one can't get a hold of a Dan Brown or Tom Clancy novel. In that case, it's an okay substitute.

[Sridhar Babu · Rating 2 out of 5]

AUTHOR: CHRIS KUZNEAKI

CHARACTERS :Jonathon Payne, David Jones ((DJ)), Petr Ulster,Megan Moore, Francois Dubois
and others.

Locations :Pittsburgh-Pennsylvania ;Philadelphia ((USA)), Geneva,&Lausanne (SWITZERLAND) Ostend -Belgium.

Genre : Thriller.

Total pages:548.

SYNOPSIS :
When the prophetic writings of 16th century visionary NOSTRADAMUS were brought to Jonathon Payne and David Jones, by a Philadelphia based brunette Ashley, who actually bumped into them during a charity event, both were amused and puzzled. Ashley met them with a copy of the original letter at a charity show in Cathedral of Learning , at University of Pittsburgh.She introduced herself as a teacher, single female, living in Philadelphia.

According to Ashley, the letter was written in calligraphy in a parchment and in a mixer of varied languages , such as Medivel French, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Provencal, and Italian.

After the meeting with Payne and Jones, Ashley was brutally shot dead before Payne and David at the front doors of the Heniz Church, by an professional sniper. After this terrible incident, Payne and David Jones find themselves in the midst of a life and death race with a new breed of criminal operating across the world.

After Ashley's murder, Payne was targeted by an unknown assassin, who followed him for the copy of the letter, the one Ashley had given him, just in front of Payne Industries in broad daylight . Payne miraculously escaped from the attempt by killing the assassin.


Payne and David are two ex-soldiers, once the leaders of elite Special Forces units called- MANIACs, composed of top soldiers from Marines, Army, Navy, Intelligence, Air force and Coast Guard. Even though they had retired a few years before, the duo was still deadly.They were known for their successful missions and undercover operations, based on archeology and History, particularly in European and middle east countries.

While dusting for prints from Ashley's bag, David was lucky to get two thumb impressions, and they were run through an Automated Finger Identification System. a national fingerprint and criminal-history database maintained by the FBI. From the fingerprint data, Payne and Jones came to know that Ashley is actually a criminal, and had been in and out of juvenile homes until eighteen. Actually Ashley was not the teacher but a petty criminal who came with a purpose to meet them, either for money or conning them for her personal benefit.

Petr Ulster, is the director of Ulster Archives, the finest private collection of documents and antiquities in the world.It is located at kusendorf, switzerland, 82 miles south east of Bern. Petr had befriended Payne and Jones a few years ago when they had sought Petr's expertise during one of their missions. Since that time their friendship had evolved into a mutually beneficial partnership.

With the expertise of Ulster, the mysterious parchment letter with varied languages was translated as follows:

"From the city of brothers.....
A lover from the lost line...
A mare with no mother...
Chosen for her place in time."

After getting the translation from Ulster via e-mail, Payne decodes the poem and finds out that the poem is about someone in Philadelphia. Since the nickname of Philadelphia is "the city of brotherly love" and substitution for the word "mare" is "FILLY" and this also froms the abbreviated word for Philadelphia as "PHILLY".The mysterious woman Ashley , who brought the letter ,was shot dead in cold blood, was also from Philadelphia.

None of it made any sense to Payne, David and Ulster. None of them understood what was going on, why Ashley was targeted or what to make of the puzzling poem. They agreed upon two things, the best way to solve the mystery was to charge forward and if the situation called for it, shoot with prejudice. So both Payne and David decided to travel to Philadelphia and to search Ashley's apartment for answers is the need of the situation.

Ashley's apartment in Philadelphia was in a wrecked condition. Cabinets had been emptied, shower curtain had been ripped down. Everything had been pulled off from the shelves and a knife had been taken to all the cushions.While searching Ashley's apartment, Payne and Jones found a photograph of themselves, taken from the newspaper " Philadelphia Inquirer"hanging from the refrigerator door. It seemed someone had searched the apartment in advance, definitely for the parchment letter.

While the search continued, Payne and Jones accidently met Ashley's neighbor Megan Moore, a gorgeous brunette in the middle of the hallway. She was caught off guard by the unexpected presence of a stranger in Ashley's apartment.

Megan Moore, was the type of woman who attracted attention without even trying. She and Ashley were neighbors,they kept an eye on each other's apartment, when one of them went out of town. Megan had Ashley's spare key in case she got locked out. Megan was told about Ashley's brutal death, everything about her double life as a criminal when Payne interrogated her along with David.

Megan told Payne, that Ashley had kept the original parchment letter in a safe deposit vault at the basement of the apartment. While Jones and Megan went to the basement to retrieve the original, they were attacked again by gunmen from the roadside. After successfully escaping the unidentified gunmen, Payne, Jones and Megan stayed in the hotel for safety reasons expecting another attack from the hitmen.

Looking at the original parchment letter, Payne was surprised to see, that the letter was actually addressed to Megan Moore, but not to Ashley as mentioned by her . The letter was posted to Megan in a cream colored envelope, with several foreign stamps, with Asian Postmark.

Megan also showed them a strange text message she received from her phone. Unlike the mysterious parchment letter the entire text was written in English:

"Your fortune waits you...protect it with your life...Death shall visit those untrue...Blood of his first wife.."

With the expertise of Ulster, the words in the mysterious parchment letter, and the text message received by Megan were decoded as...

"Amore from the lost line...Blood of his first wife.."

"A moore is actually Megan Moore..."

with the help of Ulster, guided from his archives Payne, David and Megan discover, the letter in the mysterious parchment was actually written by 16 century prophet-seer, Nostradamus to his blood line relative Megan moore. It was about his prophecies and predictions he secretly kept hidden in a puzzle box for future generations to know about his prophecies .Payne and David successfully recover those Nostradamus prophecies from Capital Savings bank, Geneva ., from falling into wrong hands.

MY COMMENTS :

This novel falls under the genre of "No logic only magic" category, the author was completely confused towards the climax, and it turned out to be a climax without proper ending.

This book portrays that a, sixteenth century visionary Nostradamus, wrote a letter to his 20th century blood line kin Megan Moore, is hard to believe even though it is fictional and imaginary.

The author had not explained, who sent Megan the mysterious parchment letter to her address and the text message to her phone till the end of the book.

my rating 1.5 // 5.

My favorite quote from the book:

"A man who can't be fought or brought is a rare man indeed"...page -512.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a very good review, but:

Way too much testosterone in this novel. Far too much.

Far too much enjoyment of the military and violence, far too much obsession with wealth as a good thing, and the most annoying use of the description of a woman as "a gorgeous brunette," because apparently "gorgeous" means the same thing to everyone. (yes, that is her major characteristic).

However, it is entertaining in some respects and it was helpful during a long plane ride because in some ways, thankfully, it doesn't take itself tooo seriously.

[Nitish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really good. The book ending up in my book shelf was a coincidence and I was lucky it did. Surprisingly this book started, moved and ended so quickly and by the end I was really surprised by how fun the book went. This is the first book that I am reading from this author and now I am thinking into reading more from him. The story was truly Dan Brown +Fredrick Forsyth. Good job Chris. Let's see more like these coming from you.

[Anirudh Pai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modern_action_thriller_suspence.
Loved the book. Though no goosebumps were felt, but the story was truly thrilling. There is a lot of action and humour. Nothing to bore the reader.

You won't get to meet the villain until the last 50 pages, which was well played trick, made it compelling.

This is fast paced, but I finished late, coz of holidays 😏.

[Rosalyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed some of the others better but this was good never the less would have liked a bit more on the end regarding what the prophecy exactly was

[Daniel Rudge · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great premise, solid writing and entertaining banter that flows through the first 300 pages is ruined by a rushed and disappointing ending. I gobbled up this book with much excitement and then turned the last page and asked myself, that's it? No explanations and an ambiguous close really hurt my rating. It is a shame since it is clear Mr. Kuzneski brought a lot of research into this book. I still gave it three stars, but I'd be hesitant to recommend it because of that darn ending!

Michel de Nostredame, the French apothecary commonly known as Nostradamus, has gained a cult-like following, a loyal band of enthusiasts who credit him with predicting numerous world events-the Great Fire of London, the rise of Napoleon and Hitler, and the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima. However, his most important collection of prophetic verses has remained hidden...until now. In the year 2009, a letter was mailed to a woman who does not understand why she has received the puzzling correspondence, written in a series of codes and ancient languages. She enlists the help of Jonathon Payne and David Jones. Relentlessly hunted by those determined to protect the secret, the duo has no choice but to fight back. In an adventure that spans two continents and several centuries, Payne and Jones must locate the sacred text that may change everything we know about the future.

[Jacquelyn Schingeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Chris and it was most enjoyable. The topic of the book which related to the prophecies of Nostradamus was not one that I have run across before in a novel. The relationship between the two major characters - Payne and Jones - was clearly one where best friends as well as past military comrades was understood and added some light notes to the story. Their new roles (past their military service) was that of private detective and partner where all of their military training played a major role. An earlier discovery the twosome made made them extremely wealthy so their detective work did not need to be their livelihood and therefore they could take on issues that paid them nothing for their services.
This book is actually one of those - it simply started with a young woman who came to them with a problem and even though the young woman was killed while they were still having their first meeting Payne and Jones felt the need to figure out who she was, why she was killed and by whom. Very entertaining reading.

[Jane Shand · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made a NY resolution to read some of those books that have sat on my shelves for years - this was one of them. Probably bought 8-10 years ago when I was really into adventure thriller. Problem is they are all quite similar, which is one reason this only got 3*. I did enjoy it, it was fast paced (mostly, some bits of unnecessary description slowed it down in places. Did we really need the rooms at Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning described in such detail?). There was lots of excitement and action, some of it quite brutal e.g. ‘blowing his brains through the top of his skull’ - there was lots of blood and limbs and brains! The characters were decent enough but felt a little one dimensional. Also the end annoyed me a little, they reveal the presence of something but don’t give any details, felt almost unfinished. I believe Kuzneski has written others but I don’t think I will be getting any. I have too many other books to read!

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept behind this novel is quite interesting, especially given the set-up readers receive at the beginning of the novel. However, I was rather disappointed by the lack of content regarding the prophecies and their purposes. Nor was it fully established as to why the novel's villain wanted the artifacts in question and was so willing to kill for them. Furthermore, I found the final battle to be very anti-climatic and epilogue to a huge letdown as far as cliffhangers go. Kuzneski spends most of the book focused on the initial battles and seems to have added to mystery and investigation as an afterthought. Final assessment: there are far more entertaining choices out there to read than this book.

[K.A. Nayampalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a student of archaeology, The Prophecy was right up my alley. Chris Kuzneski blends historical intrigue with fast-paced action, creating a thriller that keeps you hooked from start to finish. I love the mix of prophecy with ancient mysteries, lost knowledge, and real historical elements.

Payne and Jones bring their usual sharp wit and relentless drive as they uncover a secret tied to a cryptic manuscript. The historical details add authenticity, making the adventure feel like a real-life treasure hunt. The pacing is tight, the twists keep coming, and the mix of mystery, suspense, and humor makes for a great read.

If you enjoy history, archaeology, and high-stakes action, The Prophecy delivers. Highly recommend!

[Shona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars. I ended up giving it 4 because I absolutely flew through it and really enjoyed it overall. I love the relationship between Payne and Jones and find them very likeable. The book was very fast paced and action packed which I expected. My main issue with this book is the ending. It finished on a bit of a cliffhanger and left quite a few questions unanswered. I know this is part of a series so presumably some of the questions might be answered in a later book but I prefer books that tie everything together in the end whereas this ending felt anticlimactic after all the drama leading up to it.

[Geoff Battle · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Prophecy once again places ex-marines Payne and Jones in the middle of an historical puzzle. This time the plot is rather thin and although the story is peppered with action there is a lack of suspense. Once more Cuzneski uses the world's famous landmarks for the action and as the tale unfolds the pair find themselves globetrotting once more. The Prophecy offers suprisingly little closure, the banter between Payne and Jones wears a little thin and the lack of decent plot material ensures that this entry in the series is the weakest so far.

[Joseph Busa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plot was weak and not very believable.

The story didn't read like the 5th in a series, which I thought was good, and the added mystery of the Nostradamus-esq quatrians worked reasonably well. However, there were too many information dumps for my liking. More effort should have been made with the dialogue, rather than spelling things out just to move the story along.

The author seemed to go to great lengths to explain the 'banter' between the main characters - of which there is quite a lot. Having to explain what banter is, short of defeats the object of having it.

[Akila Perera · Rating 3 out of 5]

The action packed duo with their banter is again the best part of this story. Drop in the overweight Petr Ulster with his amazing historical knowledge its top notch in terms of characters.

The sorry revolves around the prophecies left by 16th century visionary Nostradamus, and a cold blooded killer nicknamed Frankie Death on the streets.

The ending to this is abit hurried and didn't give a proper wrap up to that intense build up. The actual prophecy that was chased after was never given ending the story on a big cliffhanger which I hope is given some closure in the following sequels!

[Pavan Reddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marvellous and Captivated.
You know I have never read a novel with such fun and even wanted it to never complete but good things ends soon. I would say its fucking good. It had mixture of humour, action, thrilling, suspense and what not. It had very different approach to the epilogue and I was intrigued due to the words he used. It also includes flirtiest sentence which I would definitely use if I had girl like Megan Moore.

[Hilary Mccarthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable. A good storyline but not always sure of the interplay between the two main characters.
Sometimes it detracts or distracts from the plot.
Well managed story that leads at a fast pace towards an end that slightly lets down.
It almost feels that the story ran away with itself .
Have read one other in this series and will probably read the next .

[Paul Bourke · Rating 4 out of 5]

More great Payne and Jones.

I love the Payne and Jones combination ... And the regulars like Petre and Dial. I'm not sure this story is as solid as the earlier adventures but it was still an excellent read. The formula works for me ticking boxes in antiquities and history and unstoppable action.

[Warren Thoms · Rating 3 out of 5]

It would be 3.5 stars except for the fact that the end of the book ends in a mystery and the next book does not seem to pick it up. It was a good premise but there was a good portion of the book with no Nostradamus even though it was about him an a last prophecy. I would have liked to see more about Nostradamus's life or about the group whose job it was to pass the box along.

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast moving adventure. Very descriptive in places. One or two wee gripes. Too many people 'smirked' for some reason. For a private eye, he killed more people than James Bond. And finally, he had these fantastic specialist contacts in Switzerland and the Pentagon and Interpol - don't know how Miss Marple ever managed on her own.

[Graeme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Chris Kuzneski has seamlessly integrated humour, adventure and mystery.
Payne and Jones are once again catapulted into a madcap journey full of bullets and riddles as they help two mystery women solve the riddle of a puzzling letter. With the expert help of Petr Ulster they save the day and defeat the villain. Long live Payne and Jones.