The Genesis Secret: A Novel

I detect a series

Great characters in this debut novel from Tom Knox(Sean Thomas). Perhaps a bit graphic for my tastes, but it seemed essential to the plot. An interesting idea based a meticulous facts. NOT another Da Vinci Code ripoff as I had feared, but a well thought out page turner that makes you glad you have the ability to read. I can't wait for the next book with these characters?

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Genesis Secret

WOW. What a page turner. I could hardly put it down. This is one of the most exciting first novels I may have ever read. It was extremely thought provoking as well. The book left me with a lot of research to do.
Thank you Mr Knox, I cannot wait for the next one.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is exciting and well written

British reporter Rob Luttrell was up front and too close as he eye witnessed a suicide bomber in Iraq executing a grisly mass murder. Rob survived and his London based editor sends him to Tel Aviv for a mental health breather. ------------

Ready to get back to work, he is sent to report on a safe assignment, an excavation in the Kurdish sector of Turkey led by German archeologist Franz Breitner. The dig at Gobekli Tepe has uncovered incredible evidence of edifices somewhere between ten and eleven millennium old; at least twice the age of the previous known oldest structure. However, the excavation is not without controversy as the local population is outraged by the outsiders' blasphemy; they curse those working there. Soon afterward, Breitner is killed when an accident left him pierced by a pole. Rob and biological anthropologist Christine Meyer investigate what each assumes is a mortal murder even as rumors spread that this locale is the Garden of Eden before they are deported back to England where trouble awaits them and his daughter for what they know about Gobekli Tepe.--------------

The premise of ancient secrets uncovered is as old as say ancient times, but Tom Knox refreshes the concept with an interesting amateur sleuth inquiry. The story line is fast-paced with the opening sequences when the reporter first arrives at the Turkish dig are excellent and brisk. The plot spins more to the usual thugs chasing the heroes about half way in although in fairness that is exciting and well written. Fans will enjoy THE GENESIS SECRET, but will also consider what if Mr. Knox stayed the initial course.------------

Harriet Klausner

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Genesis Secret

This book is a fairly easy read and becomes better as it moves along. Beware, however, there are a number of torturous scenes which will curl the hair of even the most prolific reader of historical tales re ancient history. The book builds a plausible case for understanding the beginnings of modern organized religion and societal mores.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

An interesting idea for a book, but not very believable.

I think this book is trying to ride the wave of the Da Vinci Code. While it was an interesting read, very full of action, the whole plot seemed a little more hard to believe than I would like. Characters have good chemistry, and I did learn a bit about the area of Kurdistan and about archeology. Good escapist reading, but not if you want to have a learning experience or anything too real.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Really good, except...

I really liked this book for several reasons. 1) It's actually pretty historical, and I LOVE that. 2) It's action-packed and keeps you on the tips of your toes. 3)The characters are pretty believable (though the scenarios are sometimes a little far-fetched--that's ok though)

If you're going to read this, here's what I say: prepare to be grossed out. Tom Knox has a real knack for describing these sacrificial rituals...with detail. So get ready...just saying.

The only real problem I had with this book was the grammar. I found a couple of misspellings and sometimes, when an author uses too many fragments and such, it sounds a little repetitive and kind of uneducated sounding. Maybe that's his approach to making the whole book sound like a story coming from a regular guy...like a dialog. Whatever the case may be, it irked me a little bit, and I'm not really OCD-ish. I'm not saying that this whole thing should keep you from reading the book, I'm just warning you that if you get annoyed by this sort of stuff, you should either skip this one or just get over it...I had to.

Overall, if you want a exciting book filled with interesting history, then go for it! I also recommend going to thegenesissecret.com after you read the book so you can separate fact from fiction, as is recommended by the author. It was pretty informative.

Happy Reading!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not for the Weak of Heart

The story and mystery are great, but once you get deeper into the story, it becomes bloody graphic! Be prepared!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good book

Some of it was a bit hokey but basically a good read that makes you think.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Disappointing

How unfortunate that editing is a lost art. Probably the best part about this Da Vinci Code wannbe was the book jacket. Unimaginative lines and the inevitable disappointing ending.

1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

could be good, poorly written, characters lack substance

I like the Idea behind the story but could not get past my inturnal editor. It is simply a poorly written book.

1 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Tom Knox fails and editors fail with him.

The premiss of the story sounded interesting and when Googled the facts were there for the aerchological site, however this was the most poorly written and edited book I have ever read. Was this book written for educated adults or lingo speak adolecents? The profile of the charictures does not meet the vocabulary, sentence structure, grammer or depth found lacking in this story. Would any real person, let alone a writer say "Hey, come on guys, lets look over here"? The man's daughter is kidnapped by a sociopath...come on guy's let's have some editing.

1 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

thoroughly disappointing

I left this book feeling cheated. The style was promising and the characters were believable at first but failed along with the plot in the end.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Doesn't measure up

Great premise, just not particularly well written. Something is off with the flow of the book and the shallowness of the characters. I did stick with it and was mildly entertained.

Poor on all fronts

Weak characters whose relationship is forced and very unromantic. They don't live up to the things he was saying about them in the story; for instance in one place, Isobel tells him Christine needs someone who is protective of her, and it seems she has found him. There is nothing protective about him. She is much more intelligent than he is and yet, she too falls short of likability. He is a self-aggrandizing alcoholic "journalist" who uses his editor to praise his writing ability to the point of my feeling it was his way of getting the praise he has never REALLY gotten as Tom Knox the journalist. Most of the information surrounding the plot he took straight off Wikipedia, sometimes word-for-word, and his obsession with describing the details of "human-sacrifice" border on sexually deviant. Even his villain was over the top, jabbering maniacally with no real point or motive - no, not madness either... just a failed attempt to sound maniacal - over-the-top. It wasn't scary, it was disgusting. The whole "genes" made me do it explanation at the end was stupid. He crammed so many archeological mysteries into one story that I got the feeling he was just Googling, NOT researching. I started to put it down many times but try very hard not to do that to any book, so I plugged along... so glad it was over.

would not recommend

I have never regretted buying a book until this one. The titel is very deceiving. This book is dark and gruesome. If you want nightmares and images of bodies being mutilated in details....this book is for you.

Ok

It was pretty good until you get to the ending. The ending was a disappointment.

Dissapointing plot with lackluster writing.

This book seemed to have a great teaser on the cover. The plot however was quite unbelievable and shallow. I kept waiting for it to get good, but it just kept getting increasingly and unnecessarily cruel and gory. The characters were robotic and not believable.

The author attempted to compensate for the dry, mechanical writing by sprinking the "F" word throughout the book. Also utilized for this purpose are words that were obviously pulled out of the dictionary for their length and complexity, but did not fit the circumstances or characters.

Usually, in a thriller of this type, facts and statistics are used to lend legitimacy to the plot, however, in this case it was obvious that they were fabricated, adding more doubt to a weak plot.

I followed the book to the end, against my better judgement, hoping to have an incredible plot twist or other shocking ending, but was ultimately dissapointed. The only realization was that the author's intent was to debunk the bible by creating an unlikely alternative to an obscure passage in Genesis.

At least the cover and back copy is interesting

So, I noticed this book sitting on the shelf and thought the cover art was catchy. The copy on the back is intriguing. The title itself is what lured me in completley...I had to read this book. That is what I thought until I started reading the book itself. Knox, pen name for English journalist Sean Thomas, definately has a thing for intense, macabre, and slightly sickening details. However, the idea behind the book is what I find intriguing. If you can put aside the fact that the main character is so blatantly obvious as Knox's own alter ego let loose; or the fact that you realize that he ends up with the beautiful and brilliant female side kick the second he meets her, you may get to the focus plot itself. There is a lot of jumping around and some chapters leave you scratching your head because things that should be explained are not and things that need minor explaination take paragraphs. There really is nothing about the book I would whole heartedly recommend. You are pulled in by the title however, the book fails to deliver.

Gory Detail

After reading the previous reviews, I still thought the gory details couldn't be THAT bad. Boy was I wrong! Gory is an understatement. I will not read another one of his books. It is just TOO gross. I understand that historically these human sacrifices took place. But you don't need to hear about SO MANY of them IN ONE PLACE at ONE TIME!!!!! Anyone want to buy a gently used copy?

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