The Source: The bookshelf ( Swedish translation)

The Grade: C+

Jack Howard is about to discover a secret. Perhaps the greatest secret ever kept.

What if one of the Ancient World’s greatest libraries was buried in volcanic ash and then re-discovered two thousand years later? What if what was found there was a document that could shatter the very foundations of the Western World? What if you were the one who discovered this secret? And were then forced to confront terrifying enemies determined to destroy you to ensure it goes no further?

This is the story of one last Gospel, left behind in the age of the New Testament, in the greatest days of the Roman Empire, and of its extraordinary secret, one that has lain concealed for years. Follow Jack Howard as he discovers the secret and must prevent others from doing the same.(

I like David Gibbins books. They are action packed, well researched, and filled with intriguing plot twists.

This was not exception. I enjoyed following Jack and Costas search for the Last Gospel. From the first dive outside Sicily, to the end outside Nasaret. As they searched they dodged the mafia, corrupted churchmen, and cops. Most of all, there was a feeling of visiting all those places. Diving outside Sicily, cloak crawling in Rome, walking in a rainy London.

And I loved that mix action and historical sense.

That said, I had one big problem and a couple of minor ones, with this book: David Gibbins need to explain the historical aspects. Yes, I understand that he is an archeologist, and that he knows a lot of things, but I felt that it bogged down the pacing.

Also, I had trouble with how Jack sometimes just happened to have done exactly what they needed 20 years earlier. It felt like the author was taking the easiest way out. 

Note: Since I read the Swedish translation, I opted for the UK cover and title. In the US this book is called the Lost Tomb.