Reader's Review: Better Than Da Vinci Code

Charlie Courtland "Bitsy Bling Books" (Seattle, WA)

The Eighth Scroll is an intelligent story that flows smoothly and reads quick without losing the value of its concept with weighty terms or overly academic hodgepodge. It mixes romance with adventure and explores the mysteries of religious history. It's not deeply reflective, but takes the reader on an alternative view and journey that leaves you wondering. It's a wonderful twist on the subject of the Dead Sea scrolls. Although this book has been grouped with the 'Da Vinci Code,' I believe it deserves much better company. First of all, the Eighth Scroll is superbly written and runs a course that is more easy to swallow than Dan Brown's 24-hour whirl wind of solving a historical mystery. If you didn't like the Da Vinci Code, you will love this book because it improves all the elements that the reader probably wished the other book contained. Now, if you liked the Da Vinci Code, you will love this book and realize this is how it should be done! It's a win, win, so pick it up and read it!

The beginning of the book is a touch too reminiscent of Indiana Jones, but since I'm a fan of those films, I went with it, and even enjoyed the comparison. However, I wish the author would have used a different name for the professor. "Tomes" was just too close to "Jones" and it felt kind of commercial and cheapened the richness of the plot. However, this was short-lived and after a few pages I was swept away and thoroughly involved in the story.