The Secret Scroll by Ronald Cutler

Not good, not bad

Some have reviewed The Secret Scroll very harshly. I am unwilling to do this, despite my opinion that this is not really a good book. I give it 3 Stars. As I told someone else, it is neither drek nor a Pulitzer Prize winner. It's kinda like watching an episode of Matlock - it beats watching nothing but it sure isn't To Kill A Mockingbird, despite being set in the south and having a courtroom drama.

Positives:

-The plot moves along at a quick pace.

-Lots of action.

-Truly bad "bad guys."

-a love story.

-I was interested in seeing where Cutler was going with his depictions of Jesus and Paul.

-The short (2-5 pages) chapter style makes it an easy book to put down and pick up again.

Negatives:

-It is set around a scroll that is discovered by an American archaeologist that is supposedly written by Jesus of Nazereth. Cutler makes the text of such a scroll accessible to readers who are unfamiliar with ancient texts by totally ignoring their normal style and making these writings of Jesus sound like those of a blogging early twenty-something.

-Most Christians are bound to be frustrated with this book as its characterization of both Jesus and Paul run counter to the understanding of most Christians.

A guide for book club groups is included at the end.

I rate this book 3 stars out of 5.

This book can be found at Amazon.com here: The Secret Scroll.

Reviewed on March 7, 2008.