The Second Messiah
by
Glenn Meade
A Review
This thriller is an exciting story as the heroes move from Qumran to Jerusalem to Jordan to Rome. Jack Cane, both the son of a respected archaeologist and an archaeologist in his own right, discovers a scroll in Qumran that could destroy three religions if revealed. Yet, before its contents are fully known, it is stolen and Cane’s mentor is murdered.
The missing scroll declares the presence of a second man claiming to be the Messiah - a man whose story may have become confused with that of Jesus Christ as found in the Scriptures. If true, the missing scroll would impact not only the Christian world, but also those who practice Judaism and Islam.
To recover the missing scroll, Cane must work with security forces from three very different cultures. Some wish to destroy the scroll, some want to see that it is published - both are willing to kill to reach their goal. To make matters worse, two women seem to be trying to get Cane’s attention - but why?
Rooted in the tensions that define much of the 21st century, the story holds the reader’s attention from start to finish. The author has included hints of history, geography, and archaeology - that provide a backdrop as his story develops. The evidence of a second messiah is not as damaging as one might think, as the newly elected Pope states in a very public forum toward the end of the book, “... this scroll, by revealing the existence of a false messiah, also confirms the reality of the true Jesus. We who walk in His footsteps need no such confirmation. We have willingly given our lives to the work of delivering His message.”
One highlight of the book was the “Author’s Note” found at the very end of the book. Here the author places the fiction that is The Second Messiah into perspective with the history of Qumran and the Catholic Church. The note leaves room for speculation and fantasy - could this story ever be true? The answer to that question lies firmly in the future.
This review is based on
a free copy of the book supplied
by the publisher for the purpose
of completing this review.
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