A merchant suffering from a terrible deformity and struggling to provide for his small family learns that success is not found in wealth, but in character and spirit.--

Constantinople 1204: the holy city is razed to the ground by Crusaders - the streets awash with blood. Modern day Istanbul: an elite group of archaeologists uncover the grave of Enrico Dandolo, once Doge of Venice, and leader of the bloodthirsty Fourth Crusade. They seek a legendary set of documents that reveal the truth behind Dandolo's rumoured secret links to the Templar knights. Days later the team vanishes without a trace. All that remains in the ransacked grave is a strange key inscribed with an ancient code. Special Interpol Operatives Jack and Laura are called in. They soon find themselves battling against an ancient enemy in a life or death race against time. The dark secret of the Templar knights is about to be revealed.

Dr. George M. Lamsa, translator of The Bible from Aramaic texts, authored a "Book of Wisdom" in the eastern style of writing like that of Kahlil Gibran. Set in what is believed to be the Ancient "Garden of Eden" referred to in the Bible, Dr. Lamsa writes beautifully and metaphorically about an ancient shrine called Korra-Jenney and the people who visited the shrine bringing their hopes and sorrows to God. He speaks about "Life" things; Love, sorrow and happiness, religion, prayer, and afterlife, to name a few. Written in the sixties, Dr. Lamsa shares great wisdom even for us today.

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in Qumran, Palestine, in 1947 was one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time. Written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, and hidden in caves by an ancient Jewish sect, these mysterious manuscripts revolutionized our understanding of the Bible, of Judaism and the early Christian world. Geza Vermes is the world's leading Dead Sea Scrolls scholar, whose English translations brought these extraordinary documents to thousands, and whose life has been inextricably interwoven with the scrolls for over sixty years. In this illuminating book he relates the controversial story of their discovery and publication around the world, revealing cover-ups, blunders and academic in-fighting, but also the passion and dedication of many of those involved. He shares what he has learned about the scrolls and, evaluating passages from them, gives his views on their true significance and what they can teach us, as well as those areas where scholarly consensus has not yet been reached. Few scholars have been as closely associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls as Vermes. Writing with candour and unique authority, he has created an ideal introduction to understanding these miraculous documents.

With vivid prose and compelling characters, The Mist of God offers a captivating glimpse into Biblical times. The destinies of Linus Flavian, Maria of Magdala, and their son, Marcus, play out in this dramatic first-century story that spans the extremities of the known world of that time, from Britannia to India. The Roman Empire is rising to its height while a fledging religious sect of Judaism reconciles itself with the mystery of its crucified leader, Joshua of Nazareth. Growing from a clash between nationalistic Judaism and a messianic universalism, followers from Saul of Tarsus to Simon Cephas take the fledgling faith out to the Gentile world on the trading routes of the House of Arimathea. Their witness, however, differs from the very personal understanding of divinity that Maria believes she learned from her lover, the crucified Lord. Nevertheless, she passes this legacy on to her son, Ben Joshua, the child Joshua never knew. Ben Joshus finds this message enchanced when he travels to India as a partner in the House of Arimatheabut his survival is anything but certain. The third in the dramatic series The Magdala Trilogy, The Mist of God provides a fascinating commentary on the origins of Christianity that is both challenging yet plausible, incorporating traditional beliefs, fictitious thoughts, and new controversial interpretations.