The God Machine [Kindle Edition]

J.G. Sandom (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"History galore, violence, and intrigue fill the pages of this tightly plotted, twisting and turning adventure story, reminding one of a multilayered Russian matryoshka doll. The reader will also learn a great deal about da Vinci, Ben Franklin, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and many more historical geniuses…Those who love numbers, physics, and a truly unpredictable, suspenseful mystery will relish the facts and ponderings replete in this well-written, mysterious spin-off of The Da Vinci Code. The God Machine is a very impressive historical thriller!"  —Historical Novels Reviews


From the Paperback edition.

Product Description

A secret so explosive, the church always insisted it was just a legend. Now it'll stop at nothing to prevent its discovery...

The coded journal of Benjamin Franklin. A hidden map. A legendary gospel. These are the first pieces to an ancient puzzle so powerful, it could destroy the very foundation of Christianity.

Once before, Joseph Koster unearthed one of the church’s most deeply buried secrets . . . and it almost cost him his life. But some treasures are too hard to resist. And as Koster puts the pieces of the puzzle together, he discovers something even more startling … and infinitely more deadly.

Now, along with a beautiful engineer, Savita Sajan, Koster must race to decode Franklin’s journal before it falls into the hands of those who would do anything, kill anyone, to suppress it. But in a world of secret societies, ancient conspiracies, and Masonic puzzles, locating the prize is one thing … staying alive, another.

For as Koster and Sajan are about to learn, the same key that unlocks the doorway to Heaven … could open the portals of Hell.


From the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 687 KB
• Print Length: 482 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0553589970
• Publisher: Bantam; 1st edition (April 28, 2009)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0026OR1U0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #179,590 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

J. G. Sandom, often referred to as the "Father of Interactive (Internet) Advertising," co-founded the world's first interactive advertising agency, Einstein and Sandom Interactive (EASI), in 1984, before launching an award-winning writing career. He is the author of nine works of fiction, including THE GOD MACHINE; GOSPEL TRUTHS; THE WALL STREET MURDER CLUB; THE WAVE; KISS ME, I'M DEAD; and CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BODY SNATCHER.

Born in Chicago (December 19th, 1956), raised in Europe, and a graduate of Amherst College (where he won the Academy of American Poets Prize), Sandom moved to New York City in 1979 where, for the next five years, he worked as a freelance copy writer, public relations and advertising executive, and corporate spokesperson trainer for such companies as Hill & Knowlton and Ketchum Inc.

INTERNET PIONEER
In 1984, Sandom co-founded Einstein and Sandom Interactive (EASI), the nation's first interactive advertising agency. It grew to become the largest digital marketing services firm when it was purchased by D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles in 1994. Sandom continued to manage EASI on behalf of DMB&B through 1996. EASI clients included: Procter & Gamble, General Motors and Mars Incorporated/Uncle Ben's Rice, among others; plus several non-DMB&B clients such as Citibank, Compaq, McDonnell Douglas, and Merck & Co.

From January 1997 through October 1999, Sandom served as Director of Interactive at OgilvyOne Worldwide, a division of Ogilvy & Mather, where he grew the company from a loss of $2 million to an estimated $100 million in revenues in 30 months, and from 12 "permalancers" to 650 digital marketing specialists worldwide. In 1998, OgilvyInteractive was named "Best Interactive Ad Agency" of the year by Adweek, and won two premier Cyber Lions awards at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. OgilvyInteractive's clients included: IBM, GTE, Ameritrade, and Ford Motor Company.

From November 1999 through October 2003, Sandom served as President and CEO, and then Vice Chairman of RappDigital Worldwide, the interactive arm of direct marketing/direct response agency giant Rapp Collins Worldwide, an Omnicom Company. Within a year of inception, RappDigital became one of the nation's "Top Twenty" interactive ad agencies, according to Adweek. Sandom was responsible for executive management of the company, and its growth to more than $40MM in revenues in the U.S., with 300+ employees worldwide, and offices throughout North America, Europe and Latin America - at a time of industry contraction. RappDigital Network clients included SBC Communications, Mercedes-Benz, Philips Consumer Electronics, Pfizer, and Reuters, among others.

AUTHOR
Following the release of THE SEED OF ICARUS (1975) and THE BLUE MEN (1981), GOSPEL TRUTHS was published by Bantam/Doubleday/Dell in 1992 (and re-issued in 2007). Since then, Sandom has written six other novels, including THE WALL STREET MURDER CLUB (Doubleday/Bantam/Dell), THE WAVE (Cornucopia Press) and THE GOD MACHINE (Random House/Bantam).

Booklist called GOSPEL TRUTHS, "a splendid, tautly woven thriller...(and) an intelligent mystery of tremendous spiritual and literary depth." Library Journal said, "A masterful first novel, based on a true incident, which spins a complicated web of corruption, greed and deception." And Mostly Murder characterized it, "A fascinating mystery ... captivating and engrossing."

Scott Turow, author of Presumed Innocent and Ordinary Heroes, called THE WALL STREET MURDER CLUB, "A gripping story, well-told...not only a tale of murder and betrayal, but an intelligent exploration of issues of male identity." Kirkus Reviews termed the book, "A Big Apple Deliverance, endowing New York culture with all the corrosively dehumanizing power of Dickey's wild nature...Slickly entertaining right down to the last, inevitable twist. (Film rights to Warner Brothers -- and there's no mystery why.)" And Booklist said, "(Sandom) writes with stunning elegance and nearly poetic beauty...A sure hit with any suspense reader."

THE WALL STREET MURDER CLUB was optioned for Warner Bros. by Lee Rich for theatrical development; screenplay by Ronald Bass, with Joel Schumacher scheduled to direct.

While known mostly as a writer of thrillers and mysteries, Sandom is also the author of several award-winning Young Adult (YA) novels, originally released under pen name T.K. Welsh, including KISS ME, I'M DEAD (formerly titled THE UNRESOLVED - August 2006) and CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BODY SNATCHER (formerly titled RESURRECTION MEN - Spring 2007), both from Penguin/Dutton. New editions of both books have recently been released in softcover and eBook form under the author's birth name, and in a new collection titled TWO TEEN TERRORS, from Fangless Fables Press.

Publishers Weekly called CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BODY SNATCHER, "A haunting tour of London's underclass during the 1830s...Teens will likely be both captivated by Victor's harrowing story as well as his ability to prevail in the face of harsh injustices." BIG A, little a called the novel, "A moody, evocative tale...(J.G. Sandom) is fast becoming one of my favorite writers. His work transcends genre and audience classification." VOYA said, "Teen readers will thoroughly enjoy the hair-raising suspense in this historical thriller." TeensReadToo termed it, "an intense, dark work...I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction." KLIATT said, "Like M.T. Anderson's The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, this look at sinister events in history makes the era come alive and lingers in the memory." Jen Robinson's Book Page called the novel, "Gripping and fast-paced, filled with intriguing historical details...Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction." The Miss Rumphius Effect said, "(J.G. Sandom), where have you been? I loved this book!" And School Library Journal said, "Part historical fiction and part adventure story, the novel brings excitement to Victorian England...Readers will be on the edge of their seats."

CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BODY SNATCHER has been named a Junior Library Guild selection.

Ranked one of the Top Ten Children's Books of the year by the Washington Post, KISS ME, I'M DEAD was named a Notable Book for Teens by the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, a Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Teen's Top Ten, and nominated for a Cybils literary award, a Best Books for Young Adults (BBYA) by the American Library Association (ALA), and recently added to Horn Book's list of Recommended American Historical Fiction.

The Washington Post said, "(J.G. Sandom) writes with a precision and delicacy unusual for YA fiction," and called the novel, "a subtle gem." School Library Journal said, "KISS ME, I'M DEAD tells a remarkable story in a remarkable way." Horn Book Magazine called the work, "A decidedly unconventional ghost story . . . (and) a tightly wound novel." Kirkus Reviews termed it, "A remarkable account." Romantic Times said, "KISS ME, I'M DEAD is a book you shouldn't pass up." Midwest Book Review called the novel, "a wonderfully different kind of ghost story." And Bookslut.com said, "KISS ME, I'M DEAD scores on several levels, most notably as a drama that blows apart all preconceived notions of how history can be retold."

THE GOD MACHINE was released in May, 2009. Caroline Thompson (author of Edward Scissorhands) said, "Move over, Dan Brown...All hail J.G. Sandom...(THE GOD MACHINE) is a thrilling and breathless, rapturously-written and mind-blowing read. It'll keep you up all night, turning pages as fast as your little fingers can manage." Bookpage.com said "Sandom has a knack for combining legendary gospels, ancient secrets, star-crossed lovers and Masonic puzzles to create a simmering stew of conspiracy, intrigue and danger that keeps the plot pot boiling until the very end." And the Historical Novels Review said, "History galore, violence, and intrigue fill the pages of this tightly plotted, twisting and turning adventure story, reminding one of a multilayered Russian matryoshka doll. The reader will also learn a great deal about da Vinci, Ben Franklin, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and many more historical geniuses...Those who love numbers, physics, and a truly unpredictable, suspenseful mystery will relish the facts and ponderings replete in this well-written, mysterious spin-off of The Da Vinci Code. THE GOD MACHINE is a very impressive historical thriller!"

Sandom's most recent novel, THE WAVE, was reissued in June 2010 by Cornucopia Press. Kirkus said, "Sandom's strength lies in the verve of his story, with writing that has both muscle . . . (and) brains . . . Races from improbable to crazywild, all in good fun, with Sandom always one step ahead . . . A story with enough manic energy to be worthy of a nuclear explosion."

Sandom continues to consult in the world of interactive advertising and digital marketing communications through his Cyber Branding Solutions consultancy, and is currently working on a new novel.

BOOKS
The Seed of Icarus - 1975
The Blue Men - 1981
Gospel Truths - 1992, 2007
The Wall Street Murder Club - 1993
The Wave - 2002, 2010
Kiss me, I'm dead - 2006, 2010
Confessions of a Teenage Body Snatcher - 2007, 2010
The God Machine - 2009
Two Teen Terrors - 2010

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An iluminating, intelligent, and gripping thriller!, June 20, 2009

By 

James Wynbrandt (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The God Machine (Mass Market Paperback)

J.G. Sandom's "The God Machine," a contemporary thriller that pinballs between the present and episodes in the lives of historical figures including Leonardo Da Vinci, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Edison, is as relentless in its pace as it is rigorous in its plotting and satisfying in its payoff.

J.G. Sandom has never been one to shy away from big themes or from flaunting his equally outsized ambitions. In "Gospel Truths" he created the template for the "theo-thriller" that Dan Brown would ride to success with the "Da Vinci Code" a decade later. In "The Hunting Club," the story of a bachelor party gone horribly awry, Sandom merged the whodunit with bad-boy lit to form a probing dark tale that tackled two mysteries: Who committed a heinous crime, and who is guilty for a generation's ennui and moral decrepitude? Now in "The God Machine" Sandom has reached up to the heavens and into the past to create a bold, even audacious adventure that takes off from where "Gospel Truths" left off. The mathematical whiz Joseph Koster is back, set on the trail of a fabled religious text last believed to be in the possession of Benjamin Franklin. But unknown to Koster, the object of his search holds secrets that are far more valuable than any religious screed.

Propelled by a gallery of unforgettable supporting characters drawn not so much from imagination as from a twisted parallel universe (a homicidal nun, drug-crazed televangelist and a ruthlessly amoral Vice President of the United States among them), in no time Sandom has set readers on a galloping trans-Atlantic quest. As clues to the secret of this long lost Gospel of Judas are revealed, Sandom also uses his considerable knowledge of theology, metaphysics, microchips and the lives of historical figures to solve a larger, true life mystery: What is the nature and source of the power of religious dogma, and why is organized religion so rattled by questions of the legitimacy of the metaphorical legends that form its foundations?

Yet these bigger themes aren't enough to stop the relentless pace as Koster and his newfound helpmate, a beautiful, Indian born high-tech mogul, draw closer to solving the many angles of the mystery as the powers that seek to stop them close in from all sides. Meanwhile, plot twists more tightly woven than a length of braided hemp keep readers off balance.

In lesser hands the God Machine of the novel's title might be little more than a McGuffin whose only function is to serve as the ignition system for a goose chase (albeit a golden goose). But Sandom has managed to make both the machine and his story as real, palpable, and alternately beautiful and terrifying as what we expect to find at the heart of the eternal battle between good and evil.

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping Action Mystery, July 1, 2009

By 

David L. Ross (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The God Machine (Mass Market Paperback)

J Sandom is a born story-teller. In THE GOD MACHINE, from page one, the reader is eager to further rev up and accelerate into a time-traveling thriller whose chapters criss-cross many centuries, each one conjuring up medieval and early modern European history, arcana of freemasonry, religious fanaticism and a bit of engineering magic -- all animated by great contemporary characters from a laconic, double-dealing Scotland Yard detective to grand historical figures such as Ben Franklin.

This is a well-oiled and humming mystery, whose pages fly by in a flurry of action and suspense.

David Lincoln Ross

Highly recommended.

David L. Ross

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MUCH BETTER THAN GOSPEL TRUTHS!!!, April 30, 2009

By 

Travis Deputy "TheInsatiableBookReader" (Padukee, Keentukee) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The God Machine (Mass Market Paperback)

I, personally, didn't care much for Sandom's first religious thriller novel, Gospel Truths, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this one since it was written 15+ years after Gospel Truths. I kind of figured it would be better based solely on the belief that after 15 years and having written several more novels* Sandom's writing ability would have improved and his ideas for a story would be much fresher than then! Indeed, on both counts!

****UPDATE OF CLARIFICATION FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW: J.G. Sandom has written a couple of other novels under the pseudonym T.K. Welsh. One of them, The Resurrection Men, I've read, and it was quite good. He's also written 2 others, besides Gospel Truths, under the Sandom name. According to his website he has written 9 works of fiction total.****

This is not to say Gospel Truths was a bad book, it wasn't. It was really only average, though. But I read it only in the last year or so and had I read it when it was first published back in 1992 I would have thought it was the penultimate thriller. Fastforward to 2009 and we have The God Machine.

I had actually read The God Machine about a month ago as I purchased an Advanced Reader's Copy of it on eBay. The main difference I noticed between this book and Gospel Truths, other than different storylines, is that there seems to be much more intrigue and mystery and mayhem, which in turn makes it much more interesting. This book reminded somewhat of the movie National Treasure, not in storyline, but in the adventuresome spirit of it . Very thrilling! I read this in 2 sittings, which is rare for me with a book that weighs in at 466 pages.

There is an improvement in writing with The God Machine, but not so much it would be noticed like the difference between night and day. What makes it stand out is the presentation and storyline. This novel can definitely stand on it's own two feet amongst the crowded religious thriller genre and not ownly does it stand, it shines among some of the best in the field. This one's got wheels, not feet!

In The God Machine we have mathematician Joseph Koster returning from Gospel Truths for another outing. This time he's paired up with hottie Savita Sajan to find the coded journal of Ben Franklin that may reveal an earth-shattering secret and must race against the clock to decode it before it falls into the hands of religious zealots. This may sound like another ho hum storyline, but not the way Sandom presents. It is incredibly fast paced with many twists and turns. Again, I keep thinking of National Treasure when thinking of this novel. I won't tell you any more about the storyline because I don't want to let something slip and spoil this great read for you.

If you like religious thrillers with secret discoveries, religious nuts and secret societies, conspiracies, mystery and intrigue, well developed characters and a great storyline all presented to you in vivid form then you need to BUY THIS BOOK! Definitely the best religious thriller I've read in a while(years). As with most thrillers of this ilk it will be compared to Brown's Da Vinci Code, which I think is a disservice not just to DVC, but to TGM as well.

I do like this one better than The Da Vinci Code, but still think it's an excellent novel as well. Don't forget The Da Vinci Code, while still in the same genre, is an entirely different storyline than The God Machine. Thus comparisons really shouldn't be made unless they are specific(i.e. writing ability, development of characters, presentation etc.)

If you like or are a fan of the books of Sam Bourne, Scott Mariani, James Twining, James Rollins, Dan Brown, Douglas Weber, Chris Kuzneski, Gregg Loomis, David Gibbins, Raymond Khoury or David Wood you should definitely enjoy this book throughly and quickly devour it up.

I can't really think of a complaint I have with this book and whole heartedly give it my highest recommendation. I give it 5 stars out of 5 or a 10 out of 10! It's rarity among the word of fiction, especially those of this ilk. Buy it now and prepare to be up for an allnighter!!!