Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The Sacred Cipher by Terry Brennan - REVIEWED and GIVE AWAY!


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Sacred Cipher

Kregel Publications (July 31, 2009)

by

Terry Brennan




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Over the past 35 years, Terry Brennan has accumulated a broad range of experience in both the profit and non-profit business sectors.

His 22-year, award winning journalism career included:
• Seven years as a sportswriter and editor with The Philadelphia Bulletin, at the time the largest-circulation afternoon newspaper in the nation;
• Leading The Mercury of Pottstown (PA), as its editor, to a Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing;
• Serving as Executive Editor of a multi-national newspaper firm – Ingersoll Publications – with papers in the USA, England and Ireland.

In 1996 Brennan transferred his successful management career to the non-profit sector and served for 12 years as Vice President of Operations for the Christian Herald Association, Inc., the parent organization of four New York City ministries, including The Bowery Mission.

Now Chief Operating Officer of the National Organization on Disability, Brennan also won the Valley Forge Award for editorial writing from the Freedoms Foundation. His two adult sons and their families live in Pennsylvania. Terry, his wife Andrea and their two adult children live in New York City. The Sacred Cipher is his first novel.



ABOUT THE BOOK

History's greatest secret could be tomorrow's greatest threat More historically and biblically accurate than The DaVinci Code and just as adventurous as an Indiana Jones movie, The Sacred Cipher combines action and mystery to draw readers into a world of ancient secrets and international escapades.

When an ancient scroll appears in a secret room of the Bowery Mission in New York City, Tom Bohannon is both stunned and intrigued. The enigma of the scroll's contents will send Bohannon and his team ricocheting around the world, drawing the heat of both Jewish and Muslim militaries, and bringing the Middle East to the brink of nuclear war in this heart-pounding adventure of historical proportions. The Sacred Cipher is a riveting, fact-based tale of mystery and suspense.


If you want to read the Prologue of The Sacred Cipher, go HERE


MY THOUGHTS:

“There is no excuse, only responsibility.” (p. 288)



Tom Bohannon’s life is already filled with a great deal of responsibility as he manages one of New York’s oldest and largest shelters for the homeless and hurting. When a hidden office is discovered behind the walls of the Bowery Mission, and an ancient scroll is discovered among the many artifacts hidden within its walls, Tom Bohannon is suddenly faced with the gravest responsibility of all…obeying God’s direction in his life. Knowing that his life, the lives of his family and many of his closest friends will be forever altered by his decision, Tom decides to obey God and follow the path of the ancient scroll wherever it may lead.



As soon and Tom and his very eclectic group of academic buddies begin their journey of discovery, it becomes blatantly obvious that there are many who will kill to keep the secret of the scroll invisible to the world at large. The closer the group gets to the scroll’s origins the greater the danger becomes and the greater the challenge becomes to remain hidden from the many eyes who are closely watching the group’s progress. Tom Bohannan and his unlikely group of explorers find themselves in the bowels of one of the earth’s most profound secrets – a secret that has the power to usher the world into its final hours. The price of obedience at this point will cost everything. Is it a price they are willing to pay?



I’ve never read a book quite like The Sacred Cipher. This book is one I’d classify as an intellectual treasure hunt, part mystery, part suspense, and a LOT of historical exploration. I’d be less than honest if I failed to confess that I got a bit bogged down in some of the academic discussions along the way. However, the value of the information tucked away in the minds of this eclectic group of characters reminded me of my own responsibility to live more aware of the significance that Israel and the Middle East play in ushering in the end of time here on earth. Terry Brennan does a masterful job of teaching the reader a great deal about the significance of the Temple Mount throughout all of history, and he ties his knowledge seamlessly to a very intriguing story line.


I was astounded by the closing scene of this novel. What an amazing and uncomfortable place to be deposited after such an intense journey! The Sacred Cipher made an impact on me at a deeper level than mere entertainment. I came away challenged to learn more about the significance of Middle Eastern events, to watch more closely as events in my own country unfold, and to keep an eye on the Eastern Sky, because the Bible speaks great truth about the days ahead, and the return of Christ is nearer than ever before.



Terry Brennan has created a story that is both intellectually challenging and highly entertaining. If you want to discover a new way of thinking about the world around you, if you enjoy a good mystery built around a plausible theory, then I highly recommend The Sacred Cipher.

If you want to read The Sacred Cipher, please leave a comment and your contact information to be entered for a drawing for this book!

2 comments:

twg said...

I would enjoy reading this one. Thanks Becky (twgoochatgmaildotcom)

Kim said...

CONGRATULATIONS! The Sacred Cipher is all yours! Please be watching for my email!