The Constantine Codex (Skeleton Series) [Kindle Edition]

Paul L. Maier (Author)

Book Description

Harvard Professor Jonathan Weber is finally enjoying a season of peace when a shocking discovery thrusts him into the national spotlight once again. While touring monasteries in Greece, Jon and his wife Shannon—a seasoned archaeologist—uncover an ancient biblical manuscript containing the lost ending of Mark and an additional book of the Bible. If proven authentic, the codex could forever change the way the world views the holy Word of God. As Jon and Shannon work to validate their find, it soon becomes clear that there are powerful forces who don’t want the codex to go public. When it’s stolen en route to America, Jon and Shannon are swept into a deadly race to find the manuscript and confirm its authenticity before it’s lost forever.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Just a few pages into it I was hooked. Maier is that rare combination of masterful storyteller and historian. A brilliant use of the power of story to excite and educate. Bravo!” 
-Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast

About the Author

Dr. Paul L. Meier is the professor of ancient history at Western Michigan University and a much-published author. His novels include the bestselling thriller A Skeleton in God’s Closet and its sequel, More Than a Skeleton. Over five million copies of Dr. Maier’s books are now in print in twenty languages, as well as over 250 scholarly articles and reviews in professional journals.

Product Details

• File Size: 883 KB
• Print Length: 411 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1414337736
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (May 18, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0051CC7HG
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,583 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific read! June 4, 2011

By rkazoo

Format:Hardcover

Dr. Maier has developed a gripping plot, with terrific characters! The "secondary" plot...a debate with an Islamic expert comparing Christianity with Islam...is one of Maier's outstanding writings. The twists and turns of the main plot are captivating and the people are fascinating. One can "see" the locations through his terrific descriptions. I may have read nearly everything Dr. Maier has written, but this is my favorite of his fictional works! OUTSTANDING.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Cutting edge Christian fiction June 23, 2011

By M Rieker

Format:Hardcover

As a reader I'm so glad to see Christian writers thinking on the cutting edge at long last and taking a risk. It's been a wonderful 12 months for that. With The Constantine Codex Paul Maier has officially joined the ranks of other writers whose books are poised to expand the Christian fiction category to a level that must be reckoned with!

Out of the books from the last 12 months, I'd call some other Christian writers pioneers in this way. Definitely check these out--
Nike Chillemi's "Burning Hearts" is fascinating: Sanctuary Point Book One: Burning Hearts
John Herrick's "From the Dead" is suspense and a gorgeous heart tugger: From The Dead

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good concept, but needed a co-author (possible spoilers included) December 9, 2011

By Independence Dave

Format:Hardcover

Okay, let me start off by saying that I admire Paul Maier's gifts as a scholar and translator - his versions of Josephus and Eusebius are invaluable. His knowledge of the biblical world also eminently qualifies him to tell stories set at those times - his documentary novel "Pontius Pilate" can easily be set on the shelf next to works like "Ben-Hur" and "Quo Vadis". But brilliant men can't be experts in everything - in Maier's case, works of fiction set in the modern day. "The Constantine Codex" is worth reading for its premise alone, but it suffers from some of the weaknesses that have characterized the author's other novels.

Pros:
* A thought-provoking concept - the discovery of missing manuscripts which may revolutionize the study of the New Testament
* The content of the Islam vs. Christianity debate - not exhaustive by any means, but a good introduction
* Giving venerable scholars like Daniel Wallace and Edwin Yamauchi a chance to be action heroes.
* Fast-paced reading; makes scholarly concepts accessible to the general reader

Cons:
* The author seems enamored of Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and high-church Protestantism, and rather disdainful of evangelicalism, which hardly seems to have a place at the table.
* Too-quick acceptance of the additions to Mark and Acts into the canon of Scripture. Though they might rightly have a place, little discussion takes place about signs of divine inspiration - the true test for Scripture. The writers of the New Testament probably wrote many other letters and books, which God has not chosen to preserve with His other inspired writings, and apostolic authorship alone does not make something inspired Scripture. If we found Paul's grocery list, it would be a great archeological find, but not necessarily a document meant for the church to use.
* Inadequate conflict, resulting in a low degree of suspense. Even with all the shuffling of documents, the text is still safely preserved in photographs. And since the text complements Scripture, its revelation is not seen as a challenge. The one antagonist is very suddenly revealed, then fizzles.
* Many of the same flaws as "A Skeleton in God's Closet" - bad dialogue, awkward romance, and unbelievable scenarios. My suggestion to Paul Maier is, that if he intends to keep writing novels set in the present, he form a writing partnership with a co-author more comfortable with characters outside of the ancient world.

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.