The Shroud

By Jacqueline Druga-Marchetti
Published by Dead End Street
Deadendstreet.com
ISBN# 1-929429-79-7
373 pgs. $15.95

 

The Second Coming of Jesus is a hot topic in the media, the success of the Left Behind series of books is testament to that-with no pun intended by the way. From coverage running the gambit of the major news magazines to supermarket tabloids, a plethora of experts, theologians, and psychics are all telling us that ‘the end is nigh’ and all the signs predicted in the book of Revelation are happening. They say how any second now, the clouds will part, and Christ will appear surrounded by Angels and in all of his Heavenly Glory. Or maybe not. Maybe (if you believe in all of this), as theorized in the incredible novel The Shroud by Jacqueline Druga-Marchetti, the Second Coming will take place in a laboratory and the only Angels will be scientists in lab coats.

It seems that the Vatican, in trying to help their recent image problems, have allowed a few DNA samples to be taken from the Shroud of Turin. After numerous attempts to fertilize the cells fail, one batch begins to grow at an alarming rate, and suspended in artificial embryonic fluid, a clone of Jesus reaches adulthood in just weeks. With the ‘birth’, Christ once again walks the Earth, claiming He is the one they think He is. He performs miracles, and as word of His Return reaches out to the populace, many flock to Him, to follow the reborn Christ. But is he the Son of God? Revelation claims that before the return of Jesus, first is the rise of the Anti-Christ. Who was it really born in the watery lab experiment, and what has truly been released upon the world?

This is a powerful book, written by a master of storytelling. The characters that inhabit the world created by Ms. Druga-Marchetti are as real as anyone I actually know is. Her pacing makes for a true page-turner of the highest level, making this a book that is next to impossible to set down. I like that she doesn’t just tell a story, but brings you into her world, making you think, regardless of your religious viewpoints. Could this happen? I think so; we have, or are close to having, the technology. Should this happen might be a better question, and one I have my own personal opinion on the matter, and I am going to keep it that way. This is the kind of subject matter that readers need to make for themselves; far be it for me to even attempt to sway a viewpoint-not on this topic.

From the eye-catching cover all the way to the last period on the last page, this book held me captive as few have ever had-and believe me, that is no easy feat. When I found out this was the first in what is going to be an on- going series, I was left clamoring for part 2, 3, however many more there are going to be-I will be there for each and every one hopefully. This has, in my opinion, the potential to be every bit as big as the Left Behind series, and if there is any justice in the book buying community, it will be. This is a story that you can’t just read, it won’t let you-it makes you feel and think, and how much more can you ask for? Buy this book, it’s that simple.