January 2010

2010-01-01T00:05:00-05:00

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

This month, THE GOD MACHINE is featured at thrillerwriters.org. Check out the Author Interview, and see what prompted me to write THE GOD MACHINE and GOSPEL TRUTHS.

Happy New Year!

Looking for something to read while you're sitting down with that turkey sandwich? Daunted by the new decade? Run down to your local Costco, Duane Reade or RiteAid.

Back for a 3^rd printing, THE GOD MACHINE has arrived!

I am now, officially, a drugstore novelist, one aisle over from Convenience Foods!

Spread the good news. Email a friend. Click here for THE GOD MACHINE postcards.

The Church insisted it didn't exist.

They lied.

They said it was just a Masonic legend.

It wasn't.

A two thousand year old secret...

Revealed.

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 Franklin's puzzle together, he discovers something even more startling, and infinitely more deadly.

Now, along with beautiful Indian electrical 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 the learn, the same key that unlocks the doorway to Heaven...could open the portals of Hell.

For this month's excerpt from THE GOD MACHINE, click here.

To purchase your copy of THE GOD MACHINE, click here.

MOST RECENT REVIEWS

THE GOD MACHINE -- Latest Editorial Reviews

Historical Novels 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!"

R&B
"A fast-paced thriller of a ride which kept this reader on her toes. Side by side search and chase more than two centuries apart, the pace and mystery do not waver. A tremendous amount of research must have gone into this book, and into the hands of an author who knew what to do with it...Exhilarating, penetrating, even while switching between centuries as far back as A.D.33, does not lose its focus...I recommend this book to readers of action, historical fiction, historical religion, and fans of thrillers."

Books By Mail (BBM)
"I learned a valuable lesson this weekend. Don't start a J.G. Sandom book at 11:00 at night with the intention of reading a few chapters before bed. When I finally finished the book it was 2:34 in the morning and I had to get up in 4 hours. It was definitely worth the loss of sleep. The book is a non-stop suspense ride that takes the reader from past to present...on a journey that is filled with excitement, love, danger, and murder. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for thrilling read and a thought-provoking story."

bookpage.com
"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."

bookideas.com
"The author of Gospel Truths, J.G. Sandom has already shown he intends to give Dan Brown some competition. Fortunately, he has the talent to make this a serious challenge. Brown would be well advised to check his rear view mirror because there's someone closing fast and about to overtake the famous author of The Da Vinci Code!"

ArmchairInterviews
Armchair Interviews says: A 5-star thriller
"J.G. Sandom creates a thriller that compares in suspense to Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code."

Book Passage
"A thrilling tale of secret societies, ancient cover-ups, intellectual puzzles, and nonstop action...Original."

GOSPEL TRUTHS -- Latest Editorial Reviews

Crystal Reviews
"J. G. Sandom, like Dan Brown and other writers covering similar conflicts, offers each reader a thrilling adventure ride but also some fascinating knowledge about Masons, the Founding Fathers of America, architecture, cathedrals, and so much more...Gospel Truths is a dynamic, exciting, intelligent read that will thrill every reader and, for true seekers, may even send you searching for the real 'gospel truth.' A notable novel that will gain fresh attention and interest of new readers! Move over, Dan Brown!"

To purchase your copy of GOSPEL TRUTHS, click here.

THE GOD MACHINE -- Latest Reader Reviews

Caroline Thompson (author of Edward Scissorhands) @ Small & Creepy Films
"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."

Traveler @ Amazon.com
"I have loved Sandom's books in the past but, with this novel, he really hit it out of the ballpark. The history is rich, the characters real, and the clip irrestible. You won't want the story to end. Perhaps most memorable for me was Sandom's portrayal of Ben Franklin. I have long been fascinated with Franklin and I feel like Sandom personalized him for me in an unforgettable way. You will savor this book long after you finish. Enjoy!"

abdoggett @ Up in the Air and BN.com
"I really enjoyed this book! It is a cross between the DaVinci Code and National Treasure. It really should be made into a movie. I am looking forward to reading THE GOSPEL TRUTHS. If you are a fan of historical thrillers such as The Lost Symbol, you should definitely read The God Machine. It is a fast-paced, page-turner that keeps you hooked right up until the last page. A GREAT read!"

R.S. Beck @ bn.com
"The God Machine is perfect for night-time reading. The characters are accessible and the thrilling plot moves fluidly. Even if you think you know what is going to happen at the end, you keep reading to find out the conclusion. What Dan Brown has on Mr. Sandom, I do not understand. This book should be made into a movie."

George Smith @ Amazon.com
"This is the best religious thriller I've ever read...Part historical fiction, I loved the way it brought Benjamin Franklin to life...The God Machine is perfect summer reading, a beach book that will shake you like a rag doll while you sizzle...The book is also a keen exploration of the relationship between science and religion, proof and faith, and how our culture has turned technology into a kind of 21st century deity...As well-researched and historically fascinating as Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, as relentless and fast-paced as James Rollins's Doomsday Key, and as well-written as Paul Sussman's The Last Secret of the Temple, The God Machine has it all!"

David Lincoln Ross @ Amazon.com
"Sandom is a born story-teller...(THE GOD MACHINE) is a well-oiled and humming mystery, whose pages fly by in a flurry of action and suspense."

James Wynbrandt @ Amazon.com
"An illuminating, intelligent and gripping thriller...as relentless in its pace as it is rigorous in its plotting and satisfying in its payoff...Propelled by a gallery of unforgettable supporting characters drawn not so much from imagination as from a twisted parallel universe...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."

Mandi @ Entertainment Weekly (under The Lost Symbol review)
"Just finished reading another book The God Machine by JG Sandom that also has the masons. That one was good too."

E.M.S. Cohen @ jgsandom.com
"Just read you for the first time. Thrilled! Enjoyed it."

A.G. (Gavin) Williams @ Amazon.co.uk
"The cross that anyone writing a book such as The God Machine must bear is the horrendous oversaturation of the thriller genre at the moment with Da Vinci Code similarities. (Note: Da Vinci Code was not the first of this type of book, but was the one most easily recognised.) So, it was with a lot of caution I started reading this book, and was fully prepared to go into "airport-lounge-rapid-page-flick" mode. I surprised myself by actually enjoying this. Good job by J.G. Sandom to keep some elements fresh. If you like that type of genre, it's a good book to buy."

Bonnie Brooks @ Amazon.com
"This gripping historic adventure mystery weaves through the past to the present and will keep you turning the pages."

Ted Gramkow @ Amazon.com
"The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons were made possible by Mr Sandom's genre-breaking novel Gospel Truths published in 1992. Now with The God Machine, he has set the bar even higher for future religious thrillers...In The God Machine the reader gets it all: crafty intrigue, implausable situations, historical references all tightly woven and masterfully written...Before you head to the movies this summer and spend $12 for a ticket to see another lackluster Hollywood summer bummer like Angels and Demons, order The God Machine, pull out the beach chair, pop open the umbrella, dig your toes in the sand and have fun with this well-crafted thriller. It's well worth the time."

Douglas W. Randall @ Amazon.com
"One thing I liked about The God Machine is its historical detail. I spent hours looking up enlightening things from the book. It's a good read and a great story."

Ladybug @ Amazon.com
"I loved this book! It's not a difficult read, (and) you don't have to get too bogged down in any special knowledge; the author gives you what you need. The characters are likeable and believable...A fun read for vacation, when you don't want to overinvest!"

Karen Elley @ The Book Case
Re Nikola Tesla's recent 115th Birthday, Karen writes: "Tesla is in good company—Edison, da Vinci, and Ben Franklin—in J.G. Sandom’s page-turning thriller, The God Machine, released in paperback in May 2009."

Marcia Zand @ jgsandom.com
"The perfect balance of history, intrigue and action to leave the veteran reader sated."

Jeff Einstein @ Amazon.com
"J. Sandom just keeps getting better. Who else can write in such delicious detail about religion, microchip architecture, Ben Franklin, the Freemasons and the Enlightenment -- all under one cover? And who else can dress it all up in the habit of a disarmingly gorgeous but sociopathic killer nun? The God Machine is terrific fun, and a great read. Buy it."

gracie412 @ Amazon.com
"I loved this book...fast-paced, easy to read, and kept me on my toes until the last page...If you like books with action, adventure and really smart plots, this is the novel for you!"

seagull49 @ BN.com
"One of the best books I have ever read. Right there with the great Dan Brown...Do your shelf a favor and buy it."

Muriel Falvey @ jgsandom.com
"I love history, I love religious thrillers, and 'The God Machine' is one of the best I've read...Who needs Dan Brown when you have J. G. Sandom?"

Adam Bierman @ jgsandom.com
"Highly entertaining, and yet you don't leave your brain at the front cover!"

John Moore @ jgsandom.com
"As good as any Dan Brown has written...I could not put it down."

Travis Deputy @ Amazon.com
"This novel can definitely stand on its own two feet amongst the crowded religious thriller genre; and not only does it stand, it shines among some of the best in the field. This one's got wheels, not feet! Definitely the best religious thriller I've read in a while...Better than The Da Vinci Code...I give it 5 stars out of 5, or 10 out of 10! It's a rarity in the world of fiction, especially amongst those of this ilk. Buy it now and prepare to be up for an allnighter!!!"

Amos Lassen @ Amazon.com
"This is quite a book--so much so that I read this in one sitting. It is full of adventure and paced so that, for me, it was impossible to put down...The God Machine pulled me in and kept me hooked."

To purchase your copy of THE GOD MACHINE, click here.

READERS' POLL

Check out the latest Readers' Poll, in the left margin, and test your knowledge of THE GOD MACHINE (HINT: For excerpts from THE GOD MACHINE, click here.)

For those of you who took last month's Readers' Poll, the question was, "What was Pastor Michael Rose doing when he was practicing his sermon about the End-Times?" 80% of you got this one right. Great job. The correct answer was, "Copulating with a whore while snorting crystal meth." Clearly, you were paying attention to this part of the book!

For the results of previous polls, click here.

PUZZLES & e-POSTCARDS

For those of you who like puzzles and games, click here...just for fun! Challenge yourself to THE GOD MACHINE crossword or jigsaw puzzle.

Click here to view and download some e-Postcards/Wallpapers based on THE GOD MACHINE.

READINGS & SIGNINGS

Do you have ten members in your Reader's Circle or Book Club? Want to have a Skype Reading and Book Conference about THE GOD MACHINE? Click here to learn how you can bring J.G. Sandom into your home via a free Skype online video call. All you need is broadband Web access and a PC.

The author appreciates your feedback. If you'd like to say something about a reading, click here.

IN OTHER NEWS

Did you enjoy THE GOD MACHINE? Read the prequel: GOSPEL TRUTHS
Before The Da Vinci Code and The Lost Symbol...before The Last Templar...before The Secret...and before THE GOD MACHINE -- there was GOSPEL TRUTHS! Re-released after more than a decade, it's time to read the book that started it all.

J.G. Sandom is featured under One to Watch at BookReporter.com. Check out the in-depth author interview.

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."

When City of London Police Inspector Nigel Lyman is assigned to investigate the death of a notorious Italian Banker found hanging under Blackfriars Bridge in London, the inquiry leads him to the Amiens and Chartres cathedrals in France in pursuit of a shadowy arch criminal -- leader of a corrupt Masonic lodge, the I Four -- intent on acquiring an ancient Gnostic Gospel whose discovery would undermine the very foundations of Christianity.

For an excerpt from GOSPEL TRUTHS, click here.

To challenge yourself with a GOSPEL TRUTHS puzzle, click here.

To purchase your copy of GOSPEL TRUTHS, click here.

THE WAVE
THE WAVE is still selling briskly @ lulu.com and through most major booksellers and online bookstores.

If you liked GOSPEL TRUTHS or THE HUNTING CLUB, if you enjoyed THE UNRESOLVED or RESURRECTION MEN, if you're loving THE GOD MACHINE, check out THE WAVE - A JOHN DECKER THRILLER.

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."

When Cryptanalyst John Decker of the FBI is assigned to the Joint Terrorist Task Force in New York, he has no idea he is about to be thrust into a deadly plot of eco-terrorism masterminded by El Aqrab, the Scorpion, a diabolical killer recently arrested in Tel Aviv.

Following the theft of 8 kilos of Highly Enriched Uranium, an ultimatum is issued to the West: Release El Aqrab or a nuclear bomb will be detonated. But, at the last moment, El Aqrab escapes...and the authorities never get the bomb.

While Homeland Security is convinced it's headed for New York, only Agent Decker -- assisted by brilliant and beautiful oceanographer Emily Swenson -- believes the bomb’s true destination is La Palma, in the remote Canary Island chain.

Now, Decker and Swenson have less than six hours to prove their theory, defuse the bomb, and prevent a mega-tsunami from annihilating the Eastern Seaboard.

J.G. Sandom's most recent TV interview on "Breezin' with Bierman" is available at YouTube. See the author read from THE WAVE, and chat about his other recent publications.

For an excerpt from THE WAVE, click here.

To purchase your copy of THE WAVE, click here.

Meantime, my work as a young adult novelist is not going unnoticed. Here is a post at School Librarian 2.0 about my recent Skype reading of RESURRECTION MEN:

"Video chat, such as Skype, is very useful in education because it is usually free, easy to use, and done in real time. In J.G. Sandom's article (actually, a letter to the Editor of School Library Journal), "Skype Hype," I learned how librarians, and teachers for that matter, can use video chat for conferences and collaboration, as well as to show students different people and places they cannot meet or travel to themselves. For example, a teacher had her students read a book by a particular author, and then they were able to hold an interview/conference session with him! The students were so excited to interview the author and actually put a face with a name. In addition, the author was pleased to get closer with his readers.

Considering what I have learned in Chapter 4 of Hendron's book and in Sandom's article, if a classroom has internet connection and a webcam, educators can create meaningful learning opportunities for their students and for themselves!"

RESURRECTION MEN
RESURRECTION MEN is J.G. Sandom's third Young Adult (YA) novel, published under the pen name T.K. Welsh.

RESURRECTION MEN was recently featured in Curriculum Connections ("Murder and Mayhem Under Grey skies" by Joyce Adams Burner), a joint venture publication between School Library Journal and TeachingBooks.net that reaches more than 60,000 educators and librarians around the country every month. Click here to hear the author speak about the name T.K. Welsh through the TeachingBooks.net "Name Pronounciation Guide".

Check out the latest in-depth author interview at Wordswimmer. See what inspires T.K. Welsh to write, and learn about the author's writing process.

RESURRECTION MEN was previously named a Junior Library Guild selection.

Publishers Weekly called RESURRECTION MEN, “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...T.K. Welsh 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." Kirkus Reviews called RESURRECTION MEN perfect for, “audiences that relish historical fiction." TeensReadToo termed it, “an intense, dark work of historical fiction...I highly recommend this book.” 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...The ending is utterly satisfying and consistent. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction." The Miss Rumphius Effect said, “T.K. Welsh, where have you been? I loved this book...Pick it up and you'll find it hard to put down.” 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.”

Inspired by the 1831 "Italian Boy trial" of body snatchers in London, England, RESURRECTION MEN is a spine-tingling murder mystery that pits a beggar boy named Victor against a nefarious group of Resurrection Men. In this tumultuous dark underworld, where a fresh subject can fetch as much as nine guineas -- the yearly salary of a working man -- Victor must risk his life to uncover the identity of the murderer who is at the heart of London's furtive trade in human corpses.

For a sample chapter of RESURRECTION MEN, click here.

If you already own a copy, click here to access a secret section of the site...just for you. [NOTE: Make sure to enter the name Secret (S-e-c-r-e-t) and the correct Password, printed at the rear of the book.]

To purchase your copy of RESURRECTION MEN, click here!

THE UNRESOLVED
THE UNRESOLVED is J.G. Sandom's second Young Adult (YA) novel, published under the pen name T.K. Welsh. The novel was recently added to Horn Book's list of Recommended American Historical Fiction.

Ranked one of the Top Ten Children's Books of 2006 by the Washington Post, THE UNRESOLVED was nominated for a Young Adult Library Services Association -- YALSA 2007 Teens' Top Ten, the only book award recommended and awarded solely by teens. The novel was previously named a 2007 Association of Jewish Libraries Notable Book for Teens by the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, which recognized only six works in Jewish teen literature that year. THE UNRESOLVED was also nominated for the 2006 Cybils literary awards, and for the 2007 Best Books for Young Adults (BBYA) by the American Library Association. The novel was featured as one of the Best Teen Books of the Year 2006 at BarnesAndNoble.com.

The Washington Post said, "Welsh writes with a precision and delicacy unusual for YA fiction." School Library Journal said, "THE UNRESOLVED tells a remarkable story in a remarkable way." Horn Book Magazine called THE UNRESOLVED, "A decidedly unconventional ghost story ... (and) a tightly wound novel." Kirkus Reviews termed it, "A remarkable account." Romantic Times said, "THE UNRESOLVED is a book you shouldn't pass up." All About the Book said, "THE UNRESOLVED is a great one. Mallory is the most well-developed ghostly character I've seen in a long, long time." Midwest Book Review called THE UNRESOLVED, "a wonderfully different kind of ghost story." And Bookslut.com said, "THE UNRESOLVED scores on several levels, most notably as a drama that blows apart all preconceived notions of how history can be retold."

Inspired by the tragic events of 9/11, THE UNRESOLVED reaches back into history to explore what was, until recently, the greatest disaster in New York City history. Based on the sinking of the General Slocum steamship -- which caught fire in the East River, New York, in 1904, resulting in the death of over 1,000 mostly German immigrants on a church outing -- THE UNRESOLVED is at once a ghost story, a courtroom drama, an examination of immigrant life, and a tale of love, redemption and revenge. The novel dramatizes how a single life -- and death -- can have a powerful influence on history.

For a sample chapter of THE UNRESOLVED, click here.

To purchase your copy of THE UNRESOLVED, click here!

Official J.G. Sandom Author Blog & Website

January 2010