Recent Reads {In Search of the Lost Mountains of Noah}

In Search of the Lost Mountains of Noah by Robert Cornuke and David Halbrook -  After watching the DVD about Cornuke's search for the real Mt Sinai, I also borrowed the books from my friend.  I am not reading them in the order they were written, but so far I don't think it matters much. 8-)  In this book, Cornuke outlines how he got interested in the search for remains of Noah's ark.  He heard the story of an elderly gentleman that claimed he had seen the ark around the end of WWII.  This man had been taken to the ark site by his Iranian friend and although he had very clear descriptions of the mountain he climbed and all that he saw, he didn't know where the mountain was.  Only the location of the village in northwestern Iran they had started from.  Cornuke and some others eventually became convinced that the Mount Ararat in Turkey could not be the resting place of Noah's ark - it simply doesn't fit with the details that we do know from the Bible - but that the ark must have come to rest somewhere in a mountain range in northern Iran.  Cornuke's adventures take him up the Turkish Mt Ararat a couple of times, and to explore the mountains in Iran as well.  Although they didn't find the ark, the case made for Mt Sabalon is extremely compelling, and the stories of their exploration are exciting and thought-provoking.

Related:  Mountain of Fire DVD

Recent Reads {Critique of Criminal Reason}

Critique of Criminal Reason by Michael Gregorio - This is a mystery novel set in 19th century Prussia.  A series of chilling and seemingly random murders terrorize a city, and a young magistrate from a small village is summoned and charged with the duty of solving the crimes and bringing the killer to justice.  The magistrate, Hanno Stiffeniis, finds very few details recorded in the official records, and must rely on his new assistant and on his former mentor, the elderly philosopher Immanuel Kant.  It seems that each time Hanno follows up on a lead, however slim, it leads to a dead end - or worse, another victim.  The setting is dark and oppressive, but the book certainly did keep my interest.  I found that some of Hanno's conclusions and logic made sense to me, while some did not.  I even had a suspect or two in mind before it was indicated that Hanno was considering those possibilities at all.  The solution to the crimes is chilling, and the novel's end somewhat enigmatic.  There are at least a couple of sequels to this book, but I haven't decided whether I will try to read them or not.

Recent Reads {Pride and Prejudice}

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - Yes, the original Pride and Prejudice, unabridged, and without any zombies or vampires. ;-) Truly, a story I never get tired of, and I don't know what I can say about it that's new or different! I love the wit of the narration, the ridiculous pomposity of Mr Collins and Lady Catherine, the giddy foolishness of Mrs Bennet and Lydia,  the dry comments from Mr Bennet, and of course the conversations and romance between Elizabeth and Darcy!   This time I am reading Austen's novels with Peter Leithart's Morals and Miniatures as my field guide. Leithart's insights into Austen's characters and style are fascinating and are deepening my appreciation of the quality of her work.

Recent Reads {The Scribe}

The Scribe by Francine Rivers - Spoiler alert: The fifth in the Sons of Encouragement series has a happy ending! Rivers focuses on the New Testament charcter of Silas for this final in the series. She builds her story around what we do know about Silas, and conjectures on the possibility that he was also the 'rich young ruler' and the companion of Cleopas on the road to Emmaus. Silas was scribe and traveling companion to the Paul and to Peter, and although he is usually overshadowed by these two great leaders, he was himself a respected teacher and prophet. Rivers even suggests that Silas could have been the author of the book of Hebrews, at Paul's urging. Her story weaves all this elements together beautifully and develops the character of this often overlooked hero of the early Church.

Recent Reads {The Frightened Man}

The Frightened Man by Kenneth Cameron - This mystery novel is set in turn of the century London, and the protagonist is an American author hoping to leave his past behind him.  Denton's storied past includes his time as a Civil War soldier, a Western sheriff, and a small farmer, as well as tragic memories from childhood and his marriage.  He is visited by a terrified man claiming to know the identity of Jack the Ripper, and he that he is now being pursued by the murderer.  At first Denton dismissed the man as a lunatic, but when a young prosititute is found murdered, Denton is drawn into the investigation.  The police seem inclined to close the case quickly with as little bother as possible, but Denton continues to follow up on the clues he has, and becomes the murderer's next intended victim.  The entire setting is dark and gloomy, but with enough wry humour in the dialogue to prevent it being depressing.  After all, the crime and poverty would have been dark indeed.  I did sometimes have a little trouble keeping some of the supporting characters sorted out, but other than that it was a good mystery read.  One of my favorite mystery novelists is Anne Perry, and The Frightened Man put me in mind of Perry's William Monk series, so I'd recommend it to others who enjoy that series.