HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

The Thirteenth Apostle by Michel Benoît
Loading...

The Thirteenth Apostle (original 2006; edition 2008)

by Michel Benoît, Andrew Brown

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
23911111,521 (2.92)2
When his friend Andrei is mysteriously killed on a train on his way back from Rome, Father Nil, a Benedictine who teaches the Gospel of St John to novices, decides to conduct his own investigation. The dead priest possessed proof of the existence of a thirteenth apostle and an epistle stating that Jesus was nothing more than an inspired prophet, not the Son of God - two things that would spell great danger for the Church. Father Nil then discovers a previously unpublished account of the origins of Christianity. It tells of the Nazoreans - a community excluded from the official Church by Peter and Paul - who appear to have thrived until the 7th century, playing an important role in the birth of Islam. While he pushes ahead with his investigation, the Pope's advisors, rival factions and secret societies are trying, by any means, to lay their hands on the priest's findings. From the Mossad to Fatah, everyone seems to have a very good reason to keep the thirteenth apostle asecret...… (more)
Member:draca22
Title:The Thirteenth Apostle
Authors:Michel Benoît
Other authors:Andrew Brown
Info:[Surrey, UK] : Alma Books 2008.
Collections:Novels, Your library (inactive)
Rating:*
Tags:Kindle Edition

Work Information

The Thirteenth Apostle by Michel Benoit (2006)

None
Loading...

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 2 mentions

English (8)  Spanish (3)  All languages (11)
Showing 1-5 of 8 (next | show all)
The basic concept of this book - challenging the very basis of the three main religions - is one that greatly appeals to me as an atheist. The idea that somewhere there may be proof that Jesus was just a charismatic guy, whose body was removed and buried, and not some God who 'rose from the dead' is more than plausible; from that perspective, then, I enjoyed reading this book.

However, the book overall does disappoint. The writing can be clunky in places, and, though at 360 pages, it seems quite a long book, it is also quite slow-moving at times. I liked the process of investigation and deciphering that the lead character goes through, but it all seems a little too quick and easy at times. Meanwhile, the ending seems a little drawn out, I would have preferred more on the process of investigation. It feels like the author got bored and just wanted to wrap up the book as quickly as possible. ( )
  TheEllieMo | Jan 18, 2020 |
Yet another contender in the now very tired Da Vinci Code genre, AKA "The Catholic church brutally suppresses terrible secret that could destroy it." While the basic premise isn't the worst I've ever seen, it's rather poorly executed, and the prose is clunky. We could perhaps blame some of this on the translation into English, but I suspect not much. The plot is weak and the characters are two-dimensional. It does pick up a little in the second half, but by then it's too little, too late, and the weak climax is somewhat anticlimactic. ( )
  adam.currey | Aug 11, 2019 |
I liked this book - some things were a little hard to keep track of and I would have liked a little more background info on Opus Dei and the Templars.
It was interesting and gives religion some reality. ( )
  jenngv | Jun 25, 2015 |
Desde el Siglo I al XX, de Judea a una Abadía del norte de Francia al Vaticano, una vorágine de muertes, mentiras y manipulaciones han perseguido a los que han intentado desvelar el enigma del decimotercer apóstol. No deben vivir para contarlo. ¿Sabia algo que había que acallar a cualquier precio? ¿por qué su testimonio sigue siendo tan peligroso en la actualidad?. Michel Benoit ex benedictino y especialista en los orígenes del cristianismo, desvela la existencia de un apóstol que misteriosamente fue silenciado en los textos sagrados y borrado de la memoria de Occidente.
El padre Andrei estaba a punto de descubrir un secreto que la Iglesia se había afanado en ocultar desde su fundación. Un secreto que tuvo tiempo de confiar a su amigo, el padre Nil, antes de ser asesinado en el tren Roma-París. Nil, sin embargo está dispuesto a continuar su investigación: sigue la pista de una epístola y de un compañero de Jesús cuya existencia se tuvo oculta a lo largo de los siglos. Roma, por su parte hará lo imposible para impedírselo; Jerusalén y La Meca también: lo que está en juego es el orden del mundo según lo conciben las grandes religiones reveladas.
Michel Benoit, basándose en documentación y un conocimiento profundo de los Evangelios y la historia religiosa, nos arrastra a las brumas de los orígenes de nuestra civilización. ( )
  joanra21 | Oct 20, 2012 |
Apparently based on the author's lifetime research. He's also written a memoir about his time as an unordained monk for 22 years. I have a feeling he has modelled the character Nil on himself. I read it in 2 sittings. Fast paced and absorbing. Also a great overview of the origns of the 3 monotheistic religions and how their beliefs intertwine. Recommended.
  Peggy72 | Aug 5, 2009 |
Showing 1-5 of 8 (next | show all)

» Add other authors

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Michel Benoitprimary authorall editionscalculated
Lanterna, PaolaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

Belongs to Publisher Series

You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Canonical title
Information from the Italian Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Information from the Italian Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
Dedication
Information from the French Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
A David, le fils que j'aurais aimé avoir.
First words
Information from the French Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
Tracé à flanc de montagne, l'étroit chemin surplombait une vallée.
Quotations
Last words
Information from the French Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

When his friend Andrei is mysteriously killed on a train on his way back from Rome, Father Nil, a Benedictine who teaches the Gospel of St John to novices, decides to conduct his own investigation. The dead priest possessed proof of the existence of a thirteenth apostle and an epistle stating that Jesus was nothing more than an inspired prophet, not the Son of God - two things that would spell great danger for the Church. Father Nil then discovers a previously unpublished account of the origins of Christianity. It tells of the Nazoreans - a community excluded from the official Church by Peter and Paul - who appear to have thrived until the 7th century, playing an important role in the birth of Islam. While he pushes ahead with his investigation, the Pope's advisors, rival factions and secret societies are trying, by any means, to lay their hands on the priest's findings. From the Mossad to Fatah, everyone seems to have a very good reason to keep the thirteenth apostle asecret...

No library descriptions found.

Book description
Haiku summary

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (2.92)
0.5 3
1 2
1.5 1
2 4
2.5 6
3 14
3.5
4 9
4.5 1
5 3

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 203,204,614 books! | Top bar: Always visible