Pure Vision: The Magdalene Revelation
~By~
Perri Birney
~Genres~
Adult Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Mythology
~My Copy~
~Kindle eCopy
~Published~
April 1st, 2010
~Pages~
586
~Synopsis (from Goodreads)~
"An ancient artifact is stolen . . . A long-lost document is found . . . A mysterious and dangerous journey unfolds . . .
New York Times reporter Maggie Seline writes an explosive book that offers a controversial solution to the Middle East crisis. When she uncovers a radical energy scheme that threatens the oil industry, Maggie suddenly vanishes. Her disappearance sets in motion a worldwide women's march toward Jerusalem that rattles the status quo and parallels a frantic race to possess ancient talismans.
An upcoming peace conference hides the true motivation of Giovanni Mabus, outgoing president of the European Commission. In league with the clandestine pseudo-Masonic group, Propaganda Due, he devises a plan aimed at furthering political and military chaos in the Middle East. Fascinated by Hitler’s occult obsessions, Mabus is determined to procure an ancient artifact once used by the infamous leader, believing it will be a powerful tool in accomplishing his goal.
Meanwhile, Maggie secretly teams up with Dead Sea Scrolls scholar Michael Sonada in a race to thwart the sinister plot -- a race that takes them into the forbidden regions of Nepal to make an earth-shattering discovery.
PURE VISION brings together ancient myths and contemporary challenges in a provocative and inspiring thrill ride. At every turn, Perri Birney's intriguing scenario encourages a closer look at the spiritual forces that infuse the world's political battles."
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~My Review~
Reading the synopsis of this book, my initial thoughts were pretty straight forward. I expected an adventure, lots of mystery surrounding ancient artifacts, and couldn't help but wonder how much it would end up reminding me of other books. It did have everything I was expecting, but it also had depth, a sense of reality and a seriousness I wasn't expecting.
As simple and cliche as the reference and comparison is, this book is very much like several of Dan Brown's works. The Da Vinci Code and The Lost Symbol come to mind specifically. Not focused specifically on one person, but a group of people intertwined by Fate, this book follows the paths of many people, who all influence the unfolding events and circumstances. Running on adrenaline and caffeine, several people around the world work separately toward a common goal- world peace. In the shadows, a few work seemingly effortlessly at a common goal- world domination and chaos. With hidden artifacts, secret groups pulling the strings behind closed doors, and governments riddled with corrupt, greedy politicians, this book is a treasure trove of mystery, adventure and danger.
Intertwining spiritual and political challenges, Perri Birney crafts a suspenseful scenario, pulling back a veil on today's world, and takes a “what if” look on the future. With adamant urges to end the fighting in the Middle East, and calling on feminism for peace, Birney creates a well written story that takes her readers on a personal and spiritual journey.
It's a curious thing, mixing fiction with so many well known conspiracy-theory ideas, myths, and legends. By putting words in the mouths of people who actually existed, the author gives credibility to fiction, while at the same time, blurring lines of reality. Because of those elements, my feelings on this book are very mixed. On a personal level, I disagree with several of the fundamental ideas that propel this story, and some of the assumptions made of historical figures. However, it was a thrilling story, and if I don't put my personal feelings into it, it was a good fiction book. I applaud Mrs. Birney for putting so much effort and research into writing this book, and raising questions and ideas on issues people generally just want to ignore.
Overall, this novel is definitely not a leisure read, and makes your brain work to keep up. It's apparent that a lot of time and research went into this book, but I think many of the references would be lost on most people. While I've studied the majority of the topics in this novel on my own, I don't personally know many people who would be able to keep up and understand everything. You certainly need to be familiar with world geography, world politics, world history, the major world religions and spirituality, diverse myths and legends, while still being open minded enough to appreciate the plot and story itself.
All that being said, I think this is a good novel, and if it looks interesting to you, it's well worth the read. I would recommend this book to any fan of conspiracy-theories, feminism, or Dan Brown.
*I was given an eCopy of this book, from the author, to read in exchange for an honest review.
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