The Blood Gospel

The Order of the Sanguines, Book 1

By: James Rollins, Rebecca Cantrell

Narrated by: Christian Baskous

Length: 17 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

An earthquake in Masada, Israel, kills hundreds and reveals a tomb buried in the heart of the mountain. A trio of investigators - Sergeant Jordan Stone, a military forensic expert; Father Rhun Korza, a Vatican priest; and Dr. Erin Granger, a brilliant but disillusioned archaeologist - are sent to explore the macabre discovery, a subterranean temple holding the crucified body of a mummified girl.

But a brutal attack at the site sets the three on the run, thrusting them into a race to recover what was once preserved in the tomb's sarcophagus: a book rumored to have been written by Christ's own hand, a tome that is said to hold the secrets to His divinity. The enemy who hounds them is like no other, a force of ancient evil directed by a leader of impossible ambitions and incalculable cunning.

©2013 James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers

Not Sigma Force...

What did you like best about The Blood Gospel? What did you like least?

The story itself is very interesting, it just didn't draw me in like the Sigma Force novels did, I found myself spacing out and not really paying attention to the story at time. I think the whole premise of the series is good, and I may come back and listen to the next one at a later time.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Maybe one of the reasons I wasn't drawn into the story was I felt a disconnect with the characters. I don't really have a favorite character to be honest.

What didn’t you like about Christian Baskous’s performance?

The narration was good, I don't think it added or took away from the story.

Was The Blood Gospel worth the listening time?

Eh... I won't be reading the second in the series, at least not for a while.

Any additional comments?

Overall not a bad book, maybe the second one will get me more interested!

action from start to finish. characters u can root

action from start to finish. characters u can root for. will read the remaining books in series

It's a Bloody Affair

Any additional comments?

I didn't really know what to expect from this, but I have enjoyed other James Rollins books. In all, it wasn't bad but if the series continued past the third book (as I read all three), I would not.

First, I should say that suspending disbelief is required for most James Rollins reading. It is absolute here for the entire Sanguines series.

Second, this is a warning to select readers: if you are offended by volumes of blood talk and imagery, then you will want to pass over this series. Read other Rollins' books instead. I don't know if a paragraph went by without some mention of blood. If you are deeply religious of most any faith, and you don't like new takes on Judeo-Christian biblical events, then you are better served not reading this series.

I've read varying reviews of Christian Baskous as the narrator but I find him to be pretty good. He has a challenge to voice a number of different accents (Hungarian among them) and genders so he does as well as can be expected.

On the whole, if you like Rollins AND fantasy novels, then you might enjoy this series. There is an adventurous historical romp to this and if you don't take it too seriously, it can be fun.

The DaVinci Code with Vampires...

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The first chapters of this book were exciting, and the book could've taken many interesting directions - but the vampire direction that the book took lost me. I finished the book because it was entertaining enough, but it was definitely a little "out there". I would have definitely kept the first 100 or so pages of this book and then taken the story in a completely different direction, far away from the vampire fad of this decade. I would quickly (and in an oversimplification) sum it up as The DaVinci Code with vampires.

Was The Blood Gospel worth the listening time?

It's entertaining enough, but not fantastic. Though, after you start it, you do want to know how it ends, even if the story is just mediocre.

It has it all!

Where does The Blood Gospel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Truly high, it travels through history has immortals of all kinds, and honors Christ.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rune

Which scene was your favorite?

Rune and Erin

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

NO

Surprisingly Different!

Great story and performance. My only dislike was some of the narrators whispering moments... with the addition of emulating a accent and whispering it was difficult to understand parts. Other than that it was fantastic.

Enjoyable!

Where does The Blood Gospel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the top %

What did you like best about this story?

Action and historical drama all rolled into 1

Have you listened to any of Christian Baskous’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

yes - very well done

Um, What Was This Book About Again?

Yeah, as a fan of Rollins' Sigma Force stories, as well as most of the stand alones, I was expecting a rip-roaring tale from "Blood Gospel." I don't know, either this was the driest vampire tale I've ever read or it was the driest vampire tale Baskous ever read, but this one tried to put me to sleep. Though, out of my respect and enjoyment of past Rollins tales I did make it through all 12+ hours!

Was it the reader, or was it the writing? It's hard to say. Perhaps a bit of both. The story has the classic 50's sci-fi movie set up with the ballsy, brash Hero, the intellectual and repressed Heroine and a Quest, but it's missing the fun! The interplay between the Hero and the Heroine is limited to exposition as dialog and action sequences. We learn about their growing mutual attraction through inner dialog. And then there are the vampire priests - zzzz

Guilty vampires are interesting if their guilt drives them to action (Blood Oath). Pious guilty vampires, turns out, are a lot less interesting.

Baskous' narration, with its white-noise pitch and cadence, didn't help. He wasn't feelin' it, or maybe there just wasn't much to feel.

Incredible

I'm a long-time fan of James Rollins and have been waiting for this book since he first mentioned it. The book is incredible. There is an intimacy about the book that brings the characters to life as we find out their background stories. It made me care for what at first might seem to be at least one unsympathetic character.

When I first heard that there might be the "v" word type of characters in the book I has hesitant to read it - but I have read everything by Rollins so couldn't let this one go by. I was not disappointed. Well, my only disappointment is that I have to wait a year for the second part of the trilogy.

My one problem (minor) is with the narrator. He does some incredible accents - but some of them are so heavy that I have a hard time understanding what the character is saying. I think when I relisten to the book (prior to the second part coming out) I may have a copy of the book to refer to so I know what is being said. But this is certainly not a reason not to listen to it.

I can't say enough good things about this book. Maybe I will just go ahead and re-listen to it. It was that good.

Great mix of religion and mystery!

I enjoyed the book very much!

I would recommend this to my friends. I love the play on myths, religion and mystery. Great plot and narrator