A great book that went into great detail it worried me about how much more could be discovered. However a quick internet search proves that much of what the book is based on is speculation. The Da Vinci code has similar information. It did make me read more into the crusades and the Knights Templar which is an amazing history. The book is a good read but now outdated and lacking in credibility if a quick internet search is to be trusted.
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I bought this book from a charity shop a few months ago because I have been reading books by Dan Brown and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Well, first impressions I could say is that the book itself, irrespective of whether the book is correct in its assertions or not, is quite readable and flows quite well. But, it does seem to be that they take a little 'evidence' and make huge statements from it!! By this I mean that they both come up with conclusions that they probably want to make, regardless of the lack of hard fact and evidence. Anyone can claim a thing after all, and if they believe hard enough then to them it might just be true. You can say that Elvis Presley and Adolf Hitler live on the moon and live quite happily as a married couple, and say it long and loud enough, and sooner or later some people might begin to believe it!! It doesn't make it true though.
That is my main criticism of the book really, that 'evidence', as sparse and obscure as it is, is stretched out to make any theory fit. And of course anyone at all could do the same, and make what seems wholly improbable seem plausible fact. Being a Christian as well, I don't believe Jesus was married or had children, and I don't believe obviously in a holy bloodline. There is no biblical evidence for it at all, or precedent either.
SO, you pays your money and you takes your choice!
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This book is nothing more than exhilarating!!!
This book really does give you an insight into Jesus the man who lived 2000 years ago, not the misinterpreted Jesus "Christ" we all know today!!!
Even though a hypothesis, it's a brilliantly researched one!... A historical view of what really might have happened, rather than what we are lead to believe today!!!
After reading some of the previous reviews which criticize this book saying there is not enough evidence!?!...
All I can say is wake up & smell the coffee?... There is no more evidence to suggest that Jesus rose from the dead, if not less, seeing as it was added to the bible 300 years after Jesus died!!!
If your interested in the origins of the biggest religion in the history of mankind?... This book is a must!!!
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There is obviously a major problem with 'The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail' now and that is the fact that many of the conclusions reached by the author's are based on the Priory Of Sion. It has since become apparant that this secret society was a fraud which was 'invented' by a right-wing French sect that claimed to be decendants of the Merovingian King. This fraud started in 1956 and created a false history dating back many centuries. So despite the astonishing research that the author's undertook it really is a great pity that most of their hard work is seemimgly worthless in retrospect.
It is also highly likely that the story of Berenger Sauniere and the village of Rennes-Le-Chateau, the starting point of this story, was also embellished by a local barkeeper in order to bring in custom to his struggling business. Saunierre and the village certainly existed but the mystery of his wealth was more than likely nothing more than being paid for private masses he used to conduct. I actually feel sorry for the writers of this book as it must have been a real blow when these facts came to light after the book was published. For all that though, there is still some reward from reading this and it can be very interesting and educational.
By far the most interesting section of the book is Part 3, Chapter 12 which is titled 'The priest-king who never ruled'. This tells of the history of Jesus and Palestine and also has chapters on the four gospels. It was compelling the way in which the author's showed the contradictions between the gospels and I found I learned quite a lot that I didn't already know so credit is due for excellent work. There are other interesting sections but ultimately it is a shame that so many of their conclusions are based on a fraud and this is a fatal flaw.
It would be easy to dismiss 'The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail' now as being worthless but that is unfair as there is still much to ponder about the things that are said and there is definitely a lot of stuff that should be digested and discussed. Without question, the impact of this book is seriously diminished but it is still of interest.
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First, the scholarship of this book is amazing and daunting. I only give 4 stars because the pathway of the story is so dense and sometimes I got lost. However, I always wanted to get found again.
Second, since I read THE WORD, by Irving Wallace in the 1970's, I have been enamoured of the idea that Jesus might have survived the cruxifiction, or even if he was crucified. Although Christians talk a lot about Jesus and the Trinity seems at the root of Christian faith, I don't think many people really get to know Jesus. I like him much better as a mortal with a geneology of strength, both morally and politically at his time.
Third, I can't frankly imagine why the CHURCH (Catholic or whomever) would "rail" against knowing and loving a more "real" Jesus...without all the veils of divinity. I know that the CHURCH is $, power, and a WAY for the "mass" of us to be held in check. But ,as the book illuminates so thoroughly, we are all children of God across the ages and world faiths. Jesus wanted to take us by the hand and lead us there. We are, to eachother, as Jesus possible as Jesus himself.
Whatever the "truth" or "masks", I just want to thank the authors for caring enough about mankind to share more information and tradition regarding the path of human faith than any church I have ever known. This book should be required reading for every college student, no matter what religion (or not) each relies on.
Marilyn Wilson
Director of the Learning Center
Mater Dei Catholic High School
Santa Ana, Ca. 92707
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