Review of VEIL OF THE GODDESS by Rob Preece

Review of VEIL OF THE GODDESS by Rob Preece (see his website)

BooksForABuck.com, April, 2006

Veil of the Goddess cover Iraq is dangerous enough with insurgents firing, anger over US bombing of local mosques, and the general lawlessness there, but fellow Americans are supposed to be on your side. Life gets a lot more dangerous for US National Guard Sergeant Ivy Newland when the secretive spy-type she's guarding decides that she's seen too much and tries to kill her. What she's seen is the True Cross--hidden in what is now Iraq for hundreds of years since it was captured from crusaders by Saladin. The Foundation, a secretive US organization, has big plans for the Cross--but considering they tried to kill her, Ivy isn't at all certain she wants to help move those plans forward. What if, as the agent claims, the Cross is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction?

Ivy, accompanied by US Army Captain Zack Herrera are chased by the Foundation, by CIA drones and CIA-sponsored pesh merga, by insurgents, and by the US Navy as they flee across Iraq, Turkey, Greece, and finally Italy. Guided by a mysterios vision, or possibly a dream, Ivy knows she must seak something first in Istanbul, then in Venice. But getting there is more than half the problem--as the power of the Cross ensures that the Foundation is never far between. Their journey lets Ivy and Zack explore a growing attraction, puts them in contact with a number of unlikely allies and enemies, and explores both the history, faiths, and people of this crucial section of the world.

Fans of The Da Vinci Code (see our review) or of the Indiana Jones series will definitely want to get their hands on this fast-paced thriller. Author Rob Preece (see more BooksForABuck.com reviews of novels by Preece) has done his research on both history and geography, making the story come to life. He handles both the Cross and the mysterious Veil of Mary in ways that both Christians and non-Christians will find intriguing--possibly sharing an enhanced understanding of the nature of the divine.

Four Stars

Approximately 112,000 words.

Reviewed 4/17/06

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VEIL OF THE GODDESS is available in the following formats directly from BooksForABuck.com: (HTML, Adobe Acrobat PDF, eReader/Palm Reader, Mobipocket, Microsoft Reader, Sony Reader LRF, and ePub formats).

VEIL OF THE GODDESS is available in additional formats from Fictionwise.com. Check it out here.

Mobipocket readers may also buy it directly from Mobipocket, here

Reviews are already coming in. Author/Publisher Kristina O'Donnelly says about VEIL OF THE GODDESS "Dizzying Fast-pace... Highly recommended read. (See the complete review).

Author Cathy Richard Dodson says about VEIL: "Veil takes you on the adventure of a lifetime.... Veil of the Goddess is a MUST read!" (See the complete review).

Robin Lee at Romance Reviews Today says: "VEIL OF THE GODDESS has the speed of a military jet, and a bomb drops in every scene. Ivy and Zach are powerful and resourceful individuals, and the bond between them sizzles through the danger surrounding them. An assortment of well-honed secondary characters never lets the reader distinguish friend from enemy. Mr. Preece culls historical fact from the Cradle of Civilization and the birthplace of many religions to weave a rich tapestry with his imaginative, often fantastical, page-burning story." (See complete review)

Reviewer Richard Jones at NovelSpot.com calls VEIL "a fun book that raised some interesting questions while setting the stage for sequels to come." What do you think? Sequels??? See the full review.

Debbie at CK's Kwips and Kritiques said "The author’s sheer creativity and ingenuity is demonstrated in this reviewer’s favorite scene involving the effects of the evil, sickly yellow temple on the sheep in the area. Power can be used for good or evil and Rob Preece does a fabulous job of demonstrating this concept. VEIL OF THE GODDESS is not a quick read but it is one guaranteed to provide both enjoyment and food for thought." 4.5 Shamrocks. Here's the complete review.

Annie at The Romance Studio says VEIL is "a suspenseful tale that I recommend to any reader," and gave it the cherished 5 Heart review. Here's the full review.

Check out the Trade Paperback version here:

Still not sure? Read the first chapter absolutely FREE.

If you're interested in the Great Goddess, you might also find THE WHITE GODDESS by Robert Graves interesting.

What do you think? Too generous? Too stingy? Or did I miss the entire point? Send your comments to publisher@booksforabuck.com. Give me the okay to use your name and I'll publish all the comments that fit (and don't use unprintable language).

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