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Summary: A Real Conspiracy Theory
Review: HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL is a well-researched and detailed study into the secretive history of early France. If taken seriously, then this book should turn the church upside-down. The authors keep their perspective and sense of skepticism alive, explaining how they came to draw such conclusions. It should not be too great of a leap of faith to realize that the Jesus of history is not the same Christ we worship in the church today. Tradition far outweighs historical fact. This book gives one explanation, and that is that Jesus may not have died on the cross, but lived to marry and father children whose bloodline continues today. The authors' point here is not to compromise or to demean Jesus, but to offer another, more complete perspective of Jesus as God's incarnation in man. The power of this secret, which has been carefully guarded for hundreds of years, has sparked much controversy. This book is so revolutionary, so original, so convincing, that the most faithful Christians, including myself, are likely to be moved. This is the story of the Knights Templar, and a behind-the-scenes society called the Prieure de Sion, and its involvement in reinstating descendants of the Merovingian bloodline into political power. The way the story is intertwined into the royal houses of Europe, makes everything one has been taught about history and faith to come into question. This is a case of taking nothing at face value. Put all your conspiracy theories aside. We will likely never know if this is true, because too many people have too much to lose. As an aside, I found the book to be a terrific genealogical aid. In fact, that is why I initially purchased it.
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Summary: Who are they kidding?
Review: Many easily verifiable facts are not in agreement with authors statements. No Nazareth at the time of Christ, Christ may have been a Nazarite, etc. etc. etc.
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Summary: The problem is the implied anti-Christian bigotry.
Review: The one big problem here is at once a familiar, a simple and an age-old one: the writers' agenda. It's always about the agenda, isn't it? The militant secularists and those driven by whatever personal venoms against Christianity eat this stuff up. If Christ wasn't divine and the whole thing was just a scam, then all these Christians can be dismissed as (1) ignorant fools who will fall for anything, people so gullible that they can be dismissed or (2) the modern-day successors of long-ago conspirators who are using the world's biggest con game in order to loot and control, sinister people so wicked that they can be targetted. That's the real problem. If this is true, EVERY Christian can and will be divided into one of those two groups by those driving the agenda. But what if there's scant evidence to support such a thing? Not a problem when your target audience is so eager to believe that they will overlook any fallacies in reasoning that you want to perpetrate! Under those conditions, it's so easy to pick out random facts, arrange them into a seemingly coherent order and use them to "corroborate" a set of EXTREMELY selectively edited historical facts. And because the audience is so eager for verification, they fail to see that the exact same proccess can be used to prove virutally any cockamamie theory under the sun, as the more outlandish "Illuminati" and "Freemason" conspiracies have shown over the years (George Washington was secretly replaced by a German nobleman, indeed...). That's what happens when writers form a theory and then look for evidence to support it. Sorry, but it just doesn't work that way. Properly, they have to look at the evidence and THEN formulate the theory based upon it, not the other way around.
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Summary: Throw your copy of The Da Vinci Code in the trash...
Review: This book is the main source of inspiration for the semi literate "author" Dan Brown's overrated pile of crap novel. Many reviews say that there are some inaccuracies, and the authors were speculating quite a bit, and I agree. However, quite a bit of legitamite research did go into the writing of this book (unlike the Da Vinci Code), so it DOES make for an entertaining read at the very least. It reads like somewhat of an esoteric theology/ history lesson, as the reader is bombarded with a whole slew of names and dates, but the authors manage to hold your interest. So, possible inaccuracies and speculation aside, this is a quality read for sure.
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Summary: Interesting study
Review: When I first read this book, I had to step back a lot to digest it. Later when I read similar findings from different researchers using separate sources (Born in Blood, by Johnson), I re-read the book. Now with Goddess of the Gospels, the picture is becoming more complete. This book is a must-read for free thinkers and seekers. The Merovingians and the Cathars may just have been correct, had they not been put to the sword.
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Summary: NOT WELL SUPPORTED
Review: It is for sure that authors have made a good research but the results are only hard to prove hypotheses. I don't think that such a secret could stay as a secret for such a long time. Book is not a novel. Kind of documentary. Sometimes boring. Especially the first half of it that presents the early times of the "case". Hypotheses and the things authors say is only a small part of the book. I wish they had written a story like the book of Da Vinci Code of Dan Brown with all their knowledge on the information.
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Summary: Good Book, But...
Review: "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," by Michael Baigent, is a good book make no mistake about it, but I found the OVER editing in it a little annoying. I say, leave in some the the no no's you were told not to do in Engliah class and your reader will enjoy the story more ! At least I do! When the writer takes out too much of the orginal stuff he/she writes the books seem more bland and less interesting! (Just a thought!)
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Summary: A new Genre has taken the stage: alternative religio-history
Review: This is an incredible piece of fiction, which has inspired me to think in new ways. This is certainly a guideing light of sorts that will help many people look at reality and their own writting in a new direction. At the very least this book will give writers a new tool, the inspiration to use real organizations, philosphies, et cetera in developing alternative history fiction. Much like science-fiction and fantasy inspire people to think of new worlds or realms, this genre, alternative religio-history will make a formitable genre of writting. This genre can inspire a whole new generation of writers in unseen directions. Yet this is not a new genre what so ever. Alternative Religio-history has been around for nearly a hundred years and was almost lost. The first alternate religio-history novel was the "Protocol of the Elders of Zion".
Ironically all the books in this genre, tended to color the groups potrayed within the covers and inspired not only many writers to create worthy tales of fiction, but psuedo-intellectuals, bigots, and intolerant people often end up attacking the subjects of these books in "real" life. I actually look forward to reading the vitriolic spewings of many of these authors who are currently jumping on the bandwagon of anti-Christianity. Once they shed their coats, and emerge from the darkness to reveal their true intent, many people will not be surprised. The promotion of hate towards Christians, seems to be the true goal. Yet, I welcome all tales of fiction, even though I find those who blindly follow these authors alternative religio-history novels to simply be mindless and in need of an opiate.
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Summary: It's truly a mystery to me.....
Review: I have to say, it is truly a mystery to me how anyone can bite into many of the "facts" and specultions this book has to offer. I remember when I first went through it, I was expecting to read a work of integrity and sincere scholarship. Instead, what I read reminded me of the best of Hal Lindsey!As a matter of fact, I feel comfortable saying that these guys are cetainly, the secular version of Mr. Lindsey (but only in approach).
I have to admit, I used to love these type of books. Then, one day, I grew up! I realized what most of these guys are saying is "hey, modern Christianity is a myth made up of second or third generation (or more) hearsay and partisan history." So, what do they have to offer as an alternative? That's right boys and girls. They offer "evidences" based on second and third generation (or more) hearsay testimonies and partisan history!Yes, the authors conclusions must be correct because some old guy whispered something on his deathbed and the guy he said it to never smiled again!!!! How do we know this story is true? Because someone told us it was!!! Yet, there are going to be those who refuse to question the Theological and research ability of the authors and are going believe every word written. All I could ask is that you consider the fuel that drives "researchers" to produce these books, your ignorance. Think about it and ask yourself. Do you have the educational or scholastic background to seperate the wheat from the chaff? Do you believe every old Scotsman is telling the truth? Do you think just because a piece of architecture contains a secret code, that it gives an accurate potrayal of history? If you do, I know a gravestone that is dedicated to "a loving father" and the truth is, he wasn't, yet some archeologist will find it 300 years from now and will say he was!!!! Why is it that people who are skeptical of Christianity are seldom skeptical of the skeptics!!! Well, I'll never know, but I do know this. If you want to read a good book that is challenges many of the popular Christian beliefs, then read Gary Demar's "Last Days Madness". Even, the unbeleiver will marvel at the guts this guy has. For you see, he's an insider!!!!!! Nikki
Rating: 
Summary: Very Insightful
Review: I would have to disagree with the last two reviews. I believe that the book offered a plethora of plausible and intelligent scenarios with regard to the life and times of Jesus. While we will probably never know the exact truth(s) of the life of Jesus, I believe the authors have taken great care in offering their very intriguing, and quite plausible hypothesis. The aspect of the book that I felt made it plausible was the author's contention that what they were presenting was just a hypothesis, and that the reader would have to draw their own conclusions. I would like to ask one of the previous reviewers, Tim O'Neill who stated, "What Brown didn't tell his wide-eyed readers is that even the authors of HBHG are no longer convinced of the thesis they present in this book", where did you get your information with regard to this? On the whole a very thoughtful and entertaining read.
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