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570 of 581 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Imaginative, Transporting Novel from James BeauSeigneur, March 26, 2001
Whenever a novel can capture your imagination and draw you completely into the world that exists between it's covers, it is an exhilarating experience. With "In His Image," the first book of "The Christ Clone" trilogy, author James BeauSeigneur has done just that. A highly imaginative and extremely well written novel of epic proportions, it covers a span of over forty years, during which time the reader is transported from the world as we know it today, to the very dawning of the "New Age." The story unfolds with a ring of authenticity that makes it a compelling read, with a scope reminiscent of Asimov's classic, "Foundation." The story begins in 1978, as journalist Decker Hawthorne attaches himself to a large contingent of American scientists who are off to Italy to conduct tests on the Shroud of Turin, long believed to be the burial cloth of Christ, in an effort to establish it's authenticity. The first two chapters are a dramatization of that expedition, and BeauSeigneur draws upon the published reports of the actual scientists involved, seamlessly weaving fact and fiction together to create a riveting narrative, much as Michael Crichton did with "Eaters of the Dead." He uses footnotes to reference factual information, which gives the reader the best of both worlds-- documentation of an important historical event, but delivered within the context, and with the flow, of a well written novel-- rather than in the dry, academic tone of a text book. The third chapter jumps ahead ten years-- the first of many transitions that encompass months or years, a technique effectively employed throughout the book by BeauSeigneur-- and here the story begins in earnest. During the `78 expedition to Turin, due to time constraints the scientists were limited as to the number and types of tests they were able to conduct; now, Harry Goodman, a member of the `78 team, has reexamined some of the samples taken from the shroud and has uncovered what he believes is the most important discovery since Columbus discovered the New World. A phone call later, Decker Hawthorne is with his old colleague Goodman, who promises Decker exclusive rights to what will be an evolving story, if he will agree to provide Goodman with confidentiality, and publish his report only when-- according to Goodman-- the time is right. And it's only the beginning of an extraordinary story that will sweep you along without pause to the very end. BeauSeigneur brings his characters vividly to life, and with a depth that along the way offers some real insight into human nature. Those who populate his world are very real, and there are those with whom you will readily identify, for he presents a far-ranging and diverse cross section of humanity that reflects a number of attitudes and perspectives. There are, indeed, heroes and villains, but BeauSeigneur makes them believable and avoids any cliches or stereotypes, which gives them the necessary credibility. You'll recognize some of these people; they're friends and co-workers, neighbors and acquaintances, and some of celebrity. All of those who make up the very real world in which we live. BeauSeigneur facilitates entry into this world and makes suspension of disbelief easy, by grounding even the most extreme episodes in reality. He does this through the occasional use of footnotes, which elucidate facts, or supply the reader with context through specific passages from the Bible. His most effective means, however, is by establishing a frame of reference for the reader, in which actual places and events become an integral part of the story. The U.N., for example, is central to the story, as is the Wailing Wall in Israel. The conflicts and cataclysms that ensue, as well as the politics and parties involved, are all realistically rendered, and BeauSeigneur keeps it all flowing steadily forward with a brisk pace and impeccable transitions, through which suspense builds so rapidly that at times you will not be able to turn the pages quickly enough. There is one section involving strategic issues that gets a bit technical, a la Tom Clancy, but it affords the reader a basis of understanding that later becomes invaluable in appreciating the full impact of certain incidents that come to pass, and BeauSeigneur's approach is similar to what Melville did with "Moby Dick." By the time the whale breaches, you know the importance of the harpooner, as well as that of the rest of the sailors in the longboat. In the final analysis, "In His Image" is a stirring, thought-provoking novel that will no doubt induce you to take pause and reflect upon the state of the world around you. Thoroughly entertaining and at times profound, it will literally take you to another place and another time.
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258 of 262 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Stephen King-esque Look at the End of the Age, October 2, 2002
THE STAND was the first Stephen King novel I read. The similarities to biblical prophecy in that marvelous story are hard to miss for even the novice student of the book of Revelation. That fact played a large role in my interest in The Stand. The book is so enthralling that even when I became aware that King had veered a long way from the scriptural story, I didn't really care. And after all, no other writer had managed to figure out what all those seals, and trumpets, and vials of the Apocalypse were either. Continuing my interest in the subject, I have read a number of other books in the same general vein. Or perhaps I should say that I started to read several. The problem is that every writer that tries to stick with the original concept of end-times prophecy is also out to force a load of preaching down your throat. Their stories are less coherent that comic books and they seem to think their relationship with God makes up for the fact that they can't write. I have very recently found an exception to this rule and I wanted to recommend it. It's THE CHRIST CLONE TRILOGY by James BeauSeigneur. BeauSeigneur does an incredible job of story telling while sticking very exactly to biblical prophecy. He even blends in prophecies from several other religions! An interesting difference is that in THE CHRIST CLONE TRILOGY the antichrist/Flagg character plays his role and tell his lies so well that you can't help but sorta be pulling for him even though you know he's the bad guy. Or is he?
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201 of 205 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fundamentalist View of the Apocalyspe, June 22, 2002
The back cover of this book tells us that the author, James BeauSeigneur, was a former intelligence analyst for the National Security Agency, a newspaper publisher, a political science professor, a contender for a seat in Congress in 1980 (he ran against Al Gore), and a writer of numerous speeches, manuals, and articles. What this description doesn't tell us is that BeauSeigneur is a fundamentalist Christian as well. This is important to note because this series of books, of which "In His Image" is the first, is a fundamentalist Christian view of the end of the world. Some people will have a problem with a fundamentalist based view of the apocalypse. They shouldn't worry, however, because these books are exciting and about as "unputdownable" as you can possibly imagine. "In His Image" introduces us to the main character of the trilogy, Decker Hawthorne. Decker is a publisher and writer for a small paper in Tennessee when he gets a call from one of his buddies, Tom Donafin, about a scientific expedition that is planned to examine the Shroud of Turin. One of the scientists involved in the trip, Harry Goodman, was Decker's mentor years before when Decker was a pre-med student. Decker ingratiates himself with Goodman and manages to involve himself in the expedition. By going on the trip, Decker starts a voyage that will place him at center stage in the battle of good versus evil. Scientific tests on the shroud captures some dermal cells from Jesus, and Goodman clones them and places them in a woman's womb (a Mexican servant named Maria, of course). The result is Christopher Goodman, an exact replica of Jesus Christ. His birth sets off a series of events that are taken right out of the New Testament. BeauSeigneur spices up the biblical story with the adventures of Decker. Decker is hired by a big name publisher and sent to Israel with Tom Donafin, where the two witness the destruction of the Wailing Wall and suffer through three years of captivity in Lebanon. Shortly after their release (through an unusual involvement with Christopher), Decker's family, along with 1/5 of the world's population, dies in the "Disaster," and the story starts to zoom. I am not really giving anything away with the above story description. Most of it appears on the back cover of the book. Needless to say, there are tons of other characters and events that interact and help set up the story in ways that reappear later in the series. What is impressive about this series, and what makes it stand out from other books with similar themes is the artful way BeauSeigneur weaves religion, science, history, and politics into a realistic and coherent pattern. At the beginning of the book, BeauSeigneur acknowledges many scientists and theologians for help in creating his tale. Some of the characters in the book, at least during the Shroud of Turin trip, are real people. This emphasis on real events, people, and religious and scientific themes gives the book certain credibility. When Harry Goodman discusses cloning techniques, BeauSeigneur brings in the theories of Nobel Prize winner Francis Crick to provide an explanation for the origin of Jesus. I found the religious aspects of the story fascinating, even though I am not a Christian. BeauSeigneur has one of his characters, Joshua Rosen, explain a theory about the Ark of the Covenant that is absolutely mesmerizing. Rosen brings in biblical passages, conspiracy theories about the Knights Templar, and obscure writings from apocryphal texts to create a theory that makes you nod your head in agreement, even though it is highly unlikely. New Age religions are presented as the wave of the future, through the characters of Bob Milner and Alice Bernley. These New Age elements work through the United Nations to bring about a global system of government. I guess my only concern with the trilogy is the lack of character development. It may be successfully argued that the main character of the book is the apocalypse, but there is no reason to ignore the other characters. BeauSeigneur rarely provides adequate descriptions of his characters beyond their words and actions. It is an uneven process; Decker's internal thoughts are described, but others are completely ignored. It is also difficult to sympathize with characters when you have no idea what they look like. Get out there and pick these three books up as quickly as you can. I originally bought "In His Image" without getting the others. I finally picked up the other two when I realized they might go out of print before I read the first one. I am glad I did this because I wanted to start reading the next book right after I finished the previous one. These books are so engrossing that the pages fly by at lightening speed. I think I finished the whole trilogy in about three days. Get going!
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