Vessel

By: John Bowen

Narrated by: Craig Beck

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

Forget all you know. History's biggest secret was hidden behind legends and lies...

An International Amazon #1 Bestseller in Kindle Thriller and Mystery.

Running for her life, carrying a secret with the potential to change what it means to be human, Holly Reilly calls the only person she knows with the skills to keep her alive: her estranged husband Gabriel.

Caught between two deadly adversaries, Holly and Gabe are drawn into a centuries-old conflict, one poised to spill into the modern world, threatening chaos and bloodshed.

A breathless blend of action and mystery, faith and fanaticism, Vessel exposes an unwritten history stretching back to the Crusades, medieval Europe and feudal Japan as it races to its final explosive conclusion.

What people are saying:

- Heart stopping, thrilling & utterly fantastic. - This author is quickly becoming one of my favourites. He is a master at story crafting, reeling in readers, and plot twists. - Lots of history in this book that made me review my knowledge of past ages. Killer ending! - Plenty of action, suspense, and lots of thrills. - In a word - Brilliant! - Action packed adventure! Like a blockbuster action movie in paperback.

©2014 John Bowen (P)2015 John Bowen

Really enjoyed the story but hated the F bomb

I would have rated this book higher, hoping I could recommend it. Fbomb ruined it.

a fantastic story

I absolutely loved this book. It combined historical drama with a touch of science fiction. The tale was expertly woven and I hated for the book to finally reach it's conclusion.

"Wow!" Literally my first word at the end

"Wow!" Literally my first word at the end of the audiobook. What an amazingly fresh take on some very tired old "standards". Templars. Ninjas. Special forces. And the Holy Grail. Marvelous job! Well done, Author. The ending was perfect. I could not have imagined it better. Out of a few mostly predictable possible endings, you manage to surprise us with a slick little finesse at the last moment. The imagined outcome of the end was certainly one of those possibilities. But the way you set that up... All I could say was, "Wow!". And the way you handled the questions and philosophies of creation and existence. Lip service to one point of view; A hint of the other. "There is a God." Is there a God?" "There absolutley is not a God!" "...or is there?" You leave it open without preaching or pushing a point of view.

Sequel? Prequel? The possibilities! One could only hope. Or, leave it at near "perfection". "Know when to put the pen down" and all. I say, It's been five years. Take a chance.

The story is good – But the performance…

I really enjoyed the story, I very much I’ve been to the whole grail kind of conversation. But the performer and his inability to speak in a female voice was cringy at best. I just couldn’t take it.

Buyer beware...

My only issue was with narration. His 'feminine voice' was as good as any (better than many) and I almost prefer a minimal Aussie accent to one overdone or just plain bad, but ending every sentence with a rise as if it were a question became unbearable.
I might actually have to READ a book. I'm addicted to Audible now and I'm 62 so, I've read a couple... I can usually tell a good author from a hack within a chapter or two; sometimes just a few paragraphs. This one seems worth my time.

Absolutely absorbing story!

This was an incredible story, absorbing, intricate, and chock full of mystery and intrigue both old and new. The sheer breadth of this story is incredible and the narrator is on point, perfectly expressing the emotions, characters and accents. Thank you for a spectacular read!

A brilliant story, wonderfully read.

What did you like most about Vessel?

The plot - it's both intricate and fast-paced, with a clever back-story that feeds the main narrative at just the right point.

What other book might you compare Vessel to, and why?

If I had to, I'd compare it to Dan Brown's novels, only much, much more enjoyable. It's well-written, for a start.

Have you listened to any of Craig Beck’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No but I might do now.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Well, yes, but I don't like spoilers. The original approach to Jerusalem. And the ending.

Any additional comments?

I'd thoroughly recommend this book, genuinely exciting, engaging characters, a fast-paced and witty narrative style, great twists, ably delivered in Audible.

Absolutely and completely fabulous

I am berating myself for my tardiness in getting around to reading this book. Boy, have I lost out because it is SUPERB! There was a lovely, believable connection between Gabe and Holly, which demonstrates the exceptional quality of Mr Bowen's writing. I could feel the love and chemistry they have for each other. Nicholas and Jin were also fascinating and strangely convincing as men aged in their 100s! The back story threads wove together to make a tapestry full of delight and wonderment. The whole tale is an utter joy, keeping you on the edge of your seat, wide-eyed with amazement and heart full of love in turn. Craig Beck's narration was good, although there were times when his Australian accent sounded most peculiar. However, the audio book is such perfection that it in no way detracts from the pleasure and gratification gained from listening. Don't be an idiot like I was, get Vessel and listen to it today! Now! (You can thank me later)!

Fantastic!

Thank you again John for a fantastic listen
I love all the genre that you write.. And this one through the different histories was brilliant.
Great characters and twists on actual events.
I would love to hear more on the ongoing journey of Jin Gabe and Holly...? 😉
Highly recommended 👍😊

Excellent book

I love historical stories, especially ones with a sharp thriller element like this one has, I enjoy every incarnation of the holy grail story I hear but this one put a completely different twist on it that kept me interested from beginning to end.

This globetrotting and time trotting adventure takes you here, there and everywhere, I loved the history soaked tales of the Knights Templar onto Japan, the adrenaline spilling over each bit like an overflowing bucket (or chalice). The attention to detail was excellent, the way the story weaved effortlessly through the different time periods and back to current without missing a beat.

I found the relationship between Gabe and Holly sweet and believable even in mortal danger Gabe was both a gentleman and a hero and Holly to be feisty and more than capable of taking care of herself.

The device they call the grail was brilliantly imagined from its description to the explanation of what it does.

every character was superbly written, showing many different layers and that was another facet that kept my interest.

This fine story was told to us by Craig Beck, who did a first class job of narrating this non stop rollercoaster of historical goodness.

If you want a mix of history, action, revenge and great storytelling then this is one not to miss.

Excellent

First off not what I expected at all! John Bowen can mix a story so well. He’s got different books that just give a whole mix of his writing talents. Well worth reading or listening to.
Ok ! This book, it starts with gentle historic intro, then you get into the thriller side, then the links to them both just...no way to describe. Fab.
I actually rewound a couple of times to relisten to chapters as I wanted to get all the info again. It wasn’t complicated it was excellent.
It crosses modern day, visits into The Templar’s & links them so well, can’t recommend enough.
Narrator was very good too, kept the tone & mood so well

Rip-roaring Action-packed Adventure

I have read or listened to all of Mr Bowens other books and absolutely loved them all but I was a little reluctant to listen to this one because I wasn't sure if it was something I'd enjoy. Anyway I did start listening and to be honest I didn't enjoy the first 15 minutes or so. It just wasn't my cup of tea but I persevered and I am so glad I did because it turned into a rip-roaring action packed adventure story about the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail. The book is well written and the characters and their back story was fascinating.

Overall I'd say this isn't my favourite John Bowen book but I did enjoy it and am very pleased I listened.

A series in the making?

On reading the synopsis you might think that this is a someone trying to cash in on the Dan Brown phenomenon, you’d be wrong. Yes, the storyline involves similar themes but approached differently, not to shock but purely as a story line. A storyline which, as someone who is fairly well read in the different subject areas, is pretty well researched. The story is fast paced with some nice backstory moments that let you catch your breath but, considering it’s time frame, is not overdone. The only slight downside to a good story well narrated was the accent of the lead female character. It didn’t actually spoil it as I just pretended she was born in Australia but must have spent most of her life in South Africa. Problem solved. I could see a series of books coming from this as there is still a lot to be explained. I for one will be eagerly waiting.

Thrilling and authentic story - fabulous narration!

This was very different from my usual reading, but as anything by John Bowen utterly enjoyable!
The historical elements feel authentic and well-researched, the contemporary parts are thrilling and credible, the plot is as ever cleverly crafted and sharply executed, it’s got plenty of the author’s trademark humour and there’s plenty of fast-paced action, original ideas and some surprises along the way.
The fabulous narration by Craig Beck brought it all together.
Brilliant book, audio version highly recommended!

Really good

Wasn't sure the topic would be for me, but John has written another cracker. Great characters and storyline.

Intriguing Story

An intriguing story, thought provoking and action packed. Not my favourite from this author but still most enjoyable. Definitely worth a read.