Joseph Reyna has written a prequel to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, as an exciting action thriller that 20 years of research has made more truth than fiction.

This “clash of genres”—aspects of historical science fiction, with some contemporary fiction thrown in—begins with a controversial exorcism during a hurricane in the jungles of Central America. Joshua, a controversial priest, whose ideas about exorcism are not well accepted by authorities in the Catholic Church, finds himself caught up in way more drama than anticipated as the exorcism goes haywire.

Subsequently he is “rescued” by a group of people led by Teryk, an excommunicated priest and exorcist. Teryk has experienced drama of his own in missing time and vivid memories of a life as Judas Iscariot during the time of Jesus’ crucifixion. A host of characters in this “underground” high-tech society come together to analyze and set out to prove or disprove what Teryk reveals about that “trip in time.”

Many will question the 20 years of research that went into this book and many will be offended. However, the astute, open-minded reader will find much to ponder. What if the stories found in the Old Testament are actually a retelling of events that occurred much, much earlier? Perhaps, as far back as 12,000 years. The newly discovered pyramids and cities, covered by both earth and oceans, certainly seem to date back, at least, that far. So what if:

• —More than a dozen demi-gods had already been born of virgin mothers, on the night of the Winter Solstice before Jesus’ birth. All were said to work miracles, and they were all betrayed, crucified and entombed—only to resurrect days later!


• —Ancient Middle Eastern historians, recorded that during the Spring Equinox of 31 AD—the date of the Crucifixion—a solar eclipse occurred.


• —Then within hours there was a blood-red lunar eclipse.


• —Both eclipses were totally unexpected and accompanied by massive earthquakes.


• —Did Jesus have an identical twin brother?

Why shouldn’t truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.

— Mark Twain