Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F ROS
Series
Collection
Publication
Mira (2007), Edition: Reprint, 506 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Thriller. HTML: Book one of The Reincarnationist series. A bomb in Rome, a flash of bluish-white, and photojournalist Josh Ryder's world explodes. As Josh recovers, thoughts that have the emotion, the intensity, the intimacy of memories invade him. But they are not his. They are ancient...and violent with an urgency he cannot ignore�??pulling him to save Sabina...and the treasures she protects. But who is Sabina? Desperate for answers, Josh turns to the Phoenix Foundation�??a research facility that scientifically documents past-life experiences. He is led to an archaeological dig and to Professor Gabriella Chase, who has discovered an ancient, powerful secret that threatens to merge the past with the present. Here, the dead call out to the living, and murders of the past become murders of the present. Previously published… (more)
Original publication date
2007
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User reviews
LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Josh Ryder is a photojournalist on assignment in Rome, when a suicide bomb knocks him unconscious. He recovers, but the incident triggers flashes of hallucinatory clarity, visions of himself in ancient Rome, memories of dire events that Josh never lived through... or did he? He finds his
Review: Color me underwhelmed. I'd heard so many good things about this book, and I was really looking forward to reading it, so I'm disappointed to say that it didn't live up to expectations. The premise as well seemed incredibly promising, and the fact that it featured one of my favorite story devices - interweaving past and present timelines - was in its favor. And, in truth, as I read I did find the plot interesting and involving, but I was underwhelmed by the pacing, the writing, and the characterization.
My main problem was that things just seemed to happen arbitrarily, with scenes often coming completely out of left field, and key explanations of what was going on either severely abbreviated or missing altogether. (For example, about 3/4 of the way through the book, the as-yet-unnamed bad guy is revealed to not only be a master of disguise and a criminal mastermind, but also a skilled hacker as well? What?) Most of the various pieces come together satisfactorily in the end, but for the bulk of the book, things just seem to be cobbled together in no particular order, and the rhythm and flow of the storytelling just felt off. There was also too much going on for any one piece of it to be fully developed. Too many characters for even the leads to have more than one dimension, too many past lives and plotlines for any one story or relationship to be particularly involving (the Percy/Esme flashbacks in particular I found to be overkill). In general, I was spending so much energy trying to make sense of the haphazard arrangement of the plot that I didn't have much left with which to care about the characters.
I'm giving this book the benefit of my good mood, though, because I really did find the story to be fascinating, even if I wasn't particularly enamored of the structure in which it was told. 3 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Eh. Some people seem to love it, so it may just be an idiosyncratic case of me not getting along with Rose's prose style. But as novels about reincarnation go, I enjoyed Daniel Quinn's After Dachau much more.
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way to the Phoenix Foundation, an institute that specializes in past-life experiences. When his involvement with the foundation lead him to an archeological dig outside of Rome - the possible tomb of one of the last Vestal Virgins - Josh becomes increasingly convinced that this site - and the woman buried alive inside of it - are of special significance to him personally. On his first visit to the tomb, however, Josh witnesses the murder of the site's lead archaeologist, and the theft of an ancient treasure of great power. It then becomes a race against time, for Josh must not only recover the treasure, but also deal with the increasing sense of urgency generated by his flashes: to somehow find and save the woman that he failed so desperately in a previous life.Review: Color me underwhelmed. I'd heard so many good things about this book, and I was really looking forward to reading it, so I'm disappointed to say that it didn't live up to expectations. The premise as well seemed incredibly promising, and the fact that it featured one of my favorite story devices - interweaving past and present timelines - was in its favor. And, in truth, as I read I did find the plot interesting and involving, but I was underwhelmed by the pacing, the writing, and the characterization.
My main problem was that things just seemed to happen arbitrarily, with scenes often coming completely out of left field, and key explanations of what was going on either severely abbreviated or missing altogether. (For example, about 3/4 of the way through the book, the as-yet-unnamed bad guy is revealed to not only be a master of disguise and a criminal mastermind, but also a skilled hacker as well? What?) Most of the various pieces come together satisfactorily in the end, but for the bulk of the book, things just seem to be cobbled together in no particular order, and the rhythm and flow of the storytelling just felt off. There was also too much going on for any one piece of it to be fully developed. Too many characters for even the leads to have more than one dimension, too many past lives and plotlines for any one story or relationship to be particularly involving (the Percy/Esme flashbacks in particular I found to be overkill). In general, I was spending so much energy trying to make sense of the haphazard arrangement of the plot that I didn't have much left with which to care about the characters.
I'm giving this book the benefit of my good mood, though, because I really did find the story to be fascinating, even if I wasn't particularly enamored of the structure in which it was told. 3 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Eh. Some people seem to love it, so it may just be an idiosyncratic case of me not getting along with Rose's prose style. But as novels about reincarnation go, I enjoyed Daniel Quinn's After Dachau much more.
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LibraryThing member Iralell
I enjoyed this. Fast moving and interesting. I love books with a sense of destiny, even as I disdain the idea of fatalism in real life.
LibraryThing member leahsimone
I enjoyed the premise of this book. I really liked the idea of a protagonist using past life episodes to solve a modern day intrigue. The biggest question for him is why is this happening to him and who is he supposed help? I was a bit surprised at the answer. Nonetheless, the weaving of past and
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present draws you in (albeit a bit slowly at first). It did take me awhile to get used to the choppy shift between times, but by about page 300 I was fully invested and couldn't wait for the resolution. The suspense really kicks up around page 400 as more of the puzzle is put together. The ending was a bit abrupt and not all the questions raised throughout the novel get answered. In that respect, I was left unsatisfied. Still, it was a good read. Show Less
LibraryThing member lookingforpenguins
Photojournalist Josh Ryder has survived a terrorist bombing in Rome. While his physical injuries have healed, his mind has not. Why is he remembering a life that isn't his? Why is he remembering a life that happened in Ancient Rome?
As Josh tries desperately to get to the bottom of his own crisis,
First and foremost, although this novel is frequently billed as historical fiction, I wouldn't exactly categorize it as such. Rather, it is a thriller with historical elements. Flashbacks of previous lives is what provides the historical context in this novel and while the flashbacks are a large part of the novel and provide a storyline of their own, it is the present day thriller that makes up the bulk of The Reincarnationist.
M.J. Rose is particularly adept at weaving past and present together. Her research into different theories of reincarnation is impeccable and it shows.
That said, The Reincarnationist suffers from what I like to call character overpopulation. The abundance of characters leads to occassional confusion and also prevents any one character from becoming completely developed.
All 9f that, though, is easily forgiven for those who enjoy a well-researched novel with a unique premise and The Reincarnationist certainly fits that bill.
As Josh tries desperately to get to the bottom of his own crisis,
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he becomes embroiled in a search for ancient artifacts that could be the key to understanding the mysteries of his own mind. Unfotunately, he's not the only one interested in these artifacts and the race is on.First and foremost, although this novel is frequently billed as historical fiction, I wouldn't exactly categorize it as such. Rather, it is a thriller with historical elements. Flashbacks of previous lives is what provides the historical context in this novel and while the flashbacks are a large part of the novel and provide a storyline of their own, it is the present day thriller that makes up the bulk of The Reincarnationist.
M.J. Rose is particularly adept at weaving past and present together. Her research into different theories of reincarnation is impeccable and it shows.
That said, The Reincarnationist suffers from what I like to call character overpopulation. The abundance of characters leads to occassional confusion and also prevents any one character from becoming completely developed.
All 9f that, though, is easily forgiven for those who enjoy a well-researched novel with a unique premise and The Reincarnationist certainly fits that bill.
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LibraryThing member RogueBelle
I really enjoyed the premise of this book, and as an entertaining light read, a quick-fix suspense thriller, it fulfilled its purpose. The trouble is, I don't think that was meant to be its purpose. This book wanted to be something greater, more meaningful and epic, but just never quite got there.
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The threads of story from different eras were all interesting, but never woven together quite as expertly as I had hoped. This novel tried to push to a higher level, but fell short of its ultimate goal. I would still recommend this for people with an interest in historical fiction and/or reincarnation, though -- anyone who hasn't made a study of reincarnation will, I think, be drawn in and intrigued by the concepts, which are presented with great clarity. (Those who are already avid students, though, will find little to surprise them). Show Less
LibraryThing member mckait
Photographer Josh Ryder nearly dies when a bomb explodes nearby. He is in fact, taking photographs when it happens. After waking in a hospital, he finds himself experiencing what he calls lurches back in time. Most of these lurches take him back to ancient Rome, his life as a priest, and the his
Once he is recovered from the bomb blast, the lurches continue. He finds his way to The Phoenix Foundation, a renowned place of research into the past lives of children. Because of certain memories from a more recent lifetime, and due to the intense interest of the owners of the foundation, they make something of an exception for Josh. They do not take him on as a client, but he finds himself working with the foundation to prove the existence of past lives, including those that haunt him.
A trip to Rome triggers more and very intense lurches. He finds himself involved in murder and intrigue, just when it seems that the answers to his own questions lay in front of him. What follows is an intriguing look into the connections past lives have to current lifetimes, and people who have reincarnated within the same families to perhaps right karmic wrongs?
I liked this one a lot. Recommended.
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love for the Vestal Virgin whom he loves. Once he is recovered from the bomb blast, the lurches continue. He finds his way to The Phoenix Foundation, a renowned place of research into the past lives of children. Because of certain memories from a more recent lifetime, and due to the intense interest of the owners of the foundation, they make something of an exception for Josh. They do not take him on as a client, but he finds himself working with the foundation to prove the existence of past lives, including those that haunt him.
A trip to Rome triggers more and very intense lurches. He finds himself involved in murder and intrigue, just when it seems that the answers to his own questions lay in front of him. What follows is an intriguing look into the connections past lives have to current lifetimes, and people who have reincarnated within the same families to perhaps right karmic wrongs?
I liked this one a lot. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member SoapBoxinMyMind
The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose is a fast paced suspense about many lives that intertwine over centuries. Josh Ryder is a photojournalist who is caught in the blast of a bomb. Since his accident, he has been experiencing something he refers to as "lurches" in time. He is often taken back to early
Professor Chase discovers an ancient Roman tomb believed to be the final resting place of a Vestal Virgin. From here everything gets turned upside down. Murder, kidnapping, and betrayal, and the mixing of several lives in various times keeps the main characters running in a race against the clock; both ancient and modern.
This was a very interesting book. It explored the possibility of past lives and history repeating itself, while showing the interconnectedness of the characters. Are the villains always villains or can there be redemption for wrongs righted? And are the seemingly good really good?
The easy prose and style of this writer made the story easy to read, and the character development was done fairly well. There were a couple of holes that I would have preferred to have filled in, but having more background wasn't integral to the story. Overall, I really liked this book.
On a scale of 1-4, I give this book a 3, because of my desire to have more back story on a couple of characters, and because I would have preferred a more concrete ending.
This book was published by Mira Books.
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2420-1
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Christian Rome and a man named Julius. Is this man Julius really a past incarnation of the modern day Josh Ryder, or is Josh just losing his mind to hallucinations? On his journey to figure out what is going on with his sanity, Josh finds himself back in modern day Rome where he meets Professor Gabriella Chase. Professor Chase discovers an ancient Roman tomb believed to be the final resting place of a Vestal Virgin. From here everything gets turned upside down. Murder, kidnapping, and betrayal, and the mixing of several lives in various times keeps the main characters running in a race against the clock; both ancient and modern.
This was a very interesting book. It explored the possibility of past lives and history repeating itself, while showing the interconnectedness of the characters. Are the villains always villains or can there be redemption for wrongs righted? And are the seemingly good really good?
The easy prose and style of this writer made the story easy to read, and the character development was done fairly well. There were a couple of holes that I would have preferred to have filled in, but having more background wasn't integral to the story. Overall, I really liked this book.
On a scale of 1-4, I give this book a 3, because of my desire to have more back story on a couple of characters, and because I would have preferred a more concrete ending.
This book was published by Mira Books.
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2420-1
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LibraryThing member dbree007
Feeling a pull to someone, not based on present day experience, but from another time
LibraryThing member reannon
Poor pacing, not enough interesting characters, too much proseletyzing.
LibraryThing member ilurvebooks
A great adventure thriller with a very good story line could not put this book down it certainly makes you think about our past and history and whether when we experience deja vu its actually our mind recollecting memories...
LibraryThing member janegca
Basic idea was good but found the plot to be muddled; the bad guy obvious and the ending left me wondering why I bothered.
LibraryThing member heathersblue
Ultimately I enjoyed this novel. However, it required a lot of work and a bit of re-reading to keep all the characters straight as well as everyone's past lives.
LibraryThing member MayaP
Good reviews and a subject close to my heart - I was really looking forward to reading the Reincarnationist and there is a story hidden here, but it’s so hard to see the wood for all the trees. The story jumps about in what I’m sure, was meant to be an exciting way but only serves to puncture
At the same time, the characterisation is awful, there is no atmosphere to any of the locations past or present, and a terrible lack of vision about the central concept. The characters of the past are exactly the same as the characters they have become in our time – the women are all still women, men are all still men, the wicked, the thieves, the good, bad and ugly are all just as they were. If we’d just had one sex change from one regeneration to another, it would have been something.
The writing is appallingly pedestrian. There was never a point at which the story, the people, the places came off the page so that I felt I was in that world, in that man, that woman’s head. I was always aware I was reading words on a page.
Stolid, unimaginative prose, over-larded with laboured, clichéd metaphor; utterly lacking in vivacity, a tedious plot and two dimensional characters made this over-long novel very hard going for me.
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what little momentum and atmosphere had been built by the preceding chapter. It seems to me that there's an awful lot of plot but not enough skill to make it come alive.At the same time, the characterisation is awful, there is no atmosphere to any of the locations past or present, and a terrible lack of vision about the central concept. The characters of the past are exactly the same as the characters they have become in our time – the women are all still women, men are all still men, the wicked, the thieves, the good, bad and ugly are all just as they were. If we’d just had one sex change from one regeneration to another, it would have been something.
The writing is appallingly pedestrian. There was never a point at which the story, the people, the places came off the page so that I felt I was in that world, in that man, that woman’s head. I was always aware I was reading words on a page.
Stolid, unimaginative prose, over-larded with laboured, clichéd metaphor; utterly lacking in vivacity, a tedious plot and two dimensional characters made this over-long novel very hard going for me.
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LibraryThing member FiberBabble
This book had so much potential. It could have been written to provide more tension, more mystery, more meat. Reincarnated persons crossing and re-crossing each others' paths could be so much more interesting and rewarding.
While it kept my interest enough for me to finish it, I'm disappointed (that
Yes, it had a very UN-satisfying ending.
I will admit that I didn't see "the big twist" until about the time I was meant to see it, but it wasn't all that surprising. The plotting and character interactions were sloppy and fairly mechanical.
This is the author's 9th book. If this is what she's done after 8 previous attempts, I'm glad I didn't start at the beginning.
I will, however, look for other novels addressing the subject. Now that I've considered the potential for the story line, I'm interested in finding something more satisfying.
While it kept my interest enough for me to finish it, I'm disappointed (that
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I finished it). I literally didn't realize that the book was over until I turned the page and found the Author's Note. What?Yes, it had a very UN-satisfying ending.
I will admit that I didn't see "the big twist" until about the time I was meant to see it, but it wasn't all that surprising. The plotting and character interactions were sloppy and fairly mechanical.
This is the author's 9th book. If this is what she's done after 8 previous attempts, I'm glad I didn't start at the beginning.
I will, however, look for other novels addressing the subject. Now that I've considered the potential for the story line, I'm interested in finding something more satisfying.
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LibraryThing member SheilaRuth
After a near death experience, Josh Ryder begins having flashes where he seems to be remembering being a pagan priest in ancient Rome, trying to save the woman he loves and the sacred treasures that they both revere from the onslaught of Christianity. Seeking answers brings Josh to the Phoenix
In modern day Rome, while visiting an archaeological dig that he thinks may have answers about his past lives, Josh witnesses a murder. Now, Josh's life is in danger as he races to solve a mystery whose answers may lie in the past.
The Reincarnationist is an exciting and suspenseful story that spans across time. Although Josh meets people from his past in the present time, author M.J. Rose manages to avoid the expected cliches and provide some unexpected and entertaining twists. It's a book that holds your interest from beginning to end!
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Foundation, a group that helps children who experience past life memories. The Phoenix Foundation doesn't work with adults, but Josh takes a job with them in exchange for the opportunity to learn more about reincarnation.In modern day Rome, while visiting an archaeological dig that he thinks may have answers about his past lives, Josh witnesses a murder. Now, Josh's life is in danger as he races to solve a mystery whose answers may lie in the past.
The Reincarnationist is an exciting and suspenseful story that spans across time. Although Josh meets people from his past in the present time, author M.J. Rose manages to avoid the expected cliches and provide some unexpected and entertaining twists. It's a book that holds your interest from beginning to end!
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LibraryThing member SpiritedTruthSeeker
i rather enjoyed reading this... a bit different than the norm... written nicely... kept me interested
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
After a suicide bombing, Josh Ryder walks away with strange visions that catch him unexpectedly, when he returns to Rome this time his flashbacks to another himself is vivid and an excavation is catching his attention, an excavation that may be part of his past. When the archaeologist in charge of
Interesting but it just didn't quite catch me. Reminded me a little of the Da Vinci Code but for me a better read.
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the dig is injured, and some mysterious stones get stolen, Josh gets caught up in a race to find out the truth and what his past has to do with it.Interesting but it just didn't quite catch me. Reminded me a little of the Da Vinci Code but for me a better read.
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LibraryThing member mlake
This was an interesting book, sort of like the Da Vinci Code with fact and myth all woven together. I am going to read the next in the series to see if it is as good.
LibraryThing member Shannon29
The book started out great. Lots of mystery and history (sorry fot the rhyme). But all of that got lost as the book continued. There were too many characters to follow. The ending was terrible and anti-climactic.
LibraryThing member Bookmarque
Ahoy the good ship Spoiler!
Of the three in the series, The Reincarnationist spends more time on that exact subject; reincarnation, its history in various religious cultures, its ridicule in Western culture and how the Phoenix Foundation was formed and became devoted to proving it. At the center of
The writing is ok, and I think the later novels suffered less from some imprecise language, concepts, and anachronisms. For example she writes that a gun went off. Guns don’t just go off. Someone has to squeeze the trigger. It’s this kind of imprecision that drives me nuts. Another was a person observing a big swath of trees and thinking it seemed to be a forest. Seemed to be? What else would it have been, a circus tent? Also, I don’t think that the concepts of running early or running late would have been around in 391 AD since timekeeping clocks didn’t exist yet. Then there was Josh’s former self Julius remarking that he was looking at the barrel of a gun. What? Maybe he’d have perceived a gun as a weapon, but there’s no way he’d have called the business end a barrel.
At about the ¾ mark I started skimming in earnest. Details were unimportant and uninteresting and I just wanted to get it over. The end is a mere whimper when before there had been a bit of shouting. There are also some loose ends that having read the other books I know don’t get knotted up and so that was frustrating.
Of the three in the series, The Reincarnationist spends more time on that exact subject; reincarnation, its history in various religious cultures, its ridicule in Western culture and how the Phoenix Foundation was formed and became devoted to proving it. At the center of
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the story is Josh Ryder, a photographer who had his past life memories jarred loose by an explosion while in Rome. Unfortunately we spend a lot of time in the past with his former selves. Others get into the act and we have those past lives to deal with as well. It got a bit much and the story bogged down quite a bit whenever one of the folks in the present “lurched” into the past. And the stories didn’t have a satisfactory enough payoff since all along we’re told that there are no coincidences; instead the universe or god or someone was orchestrating these souls to come together over and over and over. For what purpose, who can tell? The memories themselves are harmful and coming to grips with them doesn’t relieve any suffering or help anything. It’s kind of stupid, and like I said, if I’d read this one first I wouldn’t have read any others. The writing is ok, and I think the later novels suffered less from some imprecise language, concepts, and anachronisms. For example she writes that a gun went off. Guns don’t just go off. Someone has to squeeze the trigger. It’s this kind of imprecision that drives me nuts. Another was a person observing a big swath of trees and thinking it seemed to be a forest. Seemed to be? What else would it have been, a circus tent? Also, I don’t think that the concepts of running early or running late would have been around in 391 AD since timekeeping clocks didn’t exist yet. Then there was Josh’s former self Julius remarking that he was looking at the barrel of a gun. What? Maybe he’d have perceived a gun as a weapon, but there’s no way he’d have called the business end a barrel.
At about the ¾ mark I started skimming in earnest. Details were unimportant and uninteresting and I just wanted to get it over. The end is a mere whimper when before there had been a bit of shouting. There are also some loose ends that having read the other books I know don’t get knotted up and so that was frustrating.
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LibraryThing member memccauley6
I really, really tried to read this book - but finally had to admit I could not force myself to finish. While there is nothing technically wrong with the writing…there is nothing special about it, either.
The characters are flat and uninteresting, and it is very easy to make comparisons to the
The characters are flat and uninteresting, and it is very easy to make comparisons to the
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zillions of action novels/movies from the 80s. I read a lot of other reviews (hoping for reasons to continue), and saw many comparisons to The Da Vinci Code. I think it is more like Labryinth by Kate Moss. Show Less
LibraryThing member DaveFragments
It was recommended by Miss Snark on her blog.
LibraryThing member MJWebb
Brilliant premise but the book did not live up to it for my liking I'm afraid. I found the story slow in places and it was too easy to put down. Shame.
Pages
506