The Jericho Deception by Jeffrey Small

The Jericho Deception, Jeffrey Small.  Atlanta: Hundreds of Heads Books, 2013.  e-book, 413 pps.

The Jericho Deception is Jeffrey Small's second book.  It is again-- like The Breath of God-- a religious thriller and also fiction.  Like his first book, there is a beautiful woman and a hint of romance.  There is killing and research of the sort that may cause a bad international incident or may bring peace through nefarious means.

Dr. Ethan Lightman, following in the footsteps of his more spiritual mentor, is conducting research in a University lab when things begin to go haywire.  The research initially involves temporal lobe epilepsy which leads to profound feelings of an intertwining deity.  [Deviating somewhat from actual present-day neuro-theological research,] The Jericho Deception posits a relation between stimulation of the temporal lobe and intense conversion experiences, or sometimes experiences which remain within the realm of a person's own chosen religion.  There is a sort of prison in the book, some jet travel, killings, a complicated getaway, and nefarious American government agencies.  

sapphoq reviews says:  Although elements of The Jericho Deception were similar to those of Small's previous book, the plot and geography are different enough to render an entirely different story.  Less convincing are Small's arguments for the synchronicity of all religious beliefs [present in both books].  Also not convincing is the idea that temporal lobe epilepsy can explain all visions received by various pundits of various religions throughout the ages.  Even so, Small's gift for invoking a sense of place is very much present in this book and adds greatly to the execution of his storyline.  While the potential for insulting various religious groups remains, The Jericho Deception itself focuses more on the intensity of the chase.  Recommended for those who like thrillers and suspense, even the non-religious [like me] among us.  

The Breath of God by Jeffrey Small

The Breath of God: A Novel of Suspense, Jeffrey Small.  Atlanta: Hundreds of Heads Books, 2011.  e-book.  405 pps.

I tried to get through The Da Vinci Code but failed.  When I spied The Breath of God, I was initially hesitant.  I wasn't sure I would like a Dan Brown clone anymore than I like Dan Brown.  But the free sample and the predominantly positive reviews persuaded me.

The Breath of God is Jeffrey Small's first novel.  Small is personally well-qualified in theology to write this fictional work.  There have been various supposes about what Jesus was doing between the ages of twelve and thirty.  I had heard the idea that Jesus had traveled throughout India and Tibet before.  Small takes this idea, blends it with a bit of romance, and works the whole thing through to a satisfying conclusion.

There is a student by the name of Grant Matthews who books a kayak guide and coincidentally winds up at a monastery in Bhutan.  He meets an attractive American tourista and a lot of Buddhist monks.  There is some conflict, a few loonies from the states, and content which is sure to offend both traditional Christians and traditional Muslims.  [I suspect that the Buddhists and possibly the Hindus would be less offended].

sapphoq reviews says:  The thing is, The Breath of God is a novel.  It is not a historical novel, although bits of village legends involving a Saint Issa are included within its' pages.  It is a work of fiction.  Fiction by definition is fictional.  As such, I found Jeffrey Small's first novel to be full of intrigue.  I thought the characters were well-developed.  I found the uber-Christians to be quite believable.  So although I personally reject the evidence that supposes that Jesus traveled about the sub-continent, I really liked this book.  Folks who are fans of Dan Brown [judging from the negative reviews] may find The Breath of God to be too much of a clone of Dan Brown's style of writing.  I found it to be just what was required for a long night's reading material.  Highly recommended for the rest of us who have never read Dan Brown.

a few thoughts:

Jesus did not travel to India, Christians say no:  
http://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-India.html

Jesus did not travel to India, a Unitarian Universalist minister says no:  http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2008/03/was-jesus-buddhist.html 

Jesus did travel to India, Herbert Armstrong and a bunch of others say yes.
http://reluctant-messenger.com/issa.htm

Maybe he did and maybe he didn't, a Wikipedia summary of pro and con arguments:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_years_of_Jesus