The Lies of Our Fathers (The Barnabas Trilogy 2) by Jonathan Mark – Review

• Title: The Lies of Our Fathers
• Author: Jonathan Mark
• Publisher: Independently Published on August 25, 2020
• Genre: Thriller
• Pages: 240
• Format: Paperback & Digital
• Rating: 3/5

Many thanks to Emma at Damppebbles Blog Tours and Jonathan Mark for providing me with a digital copy of The Lies of Our Fathers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warnings: Murder, Gun Violence, Violence, Religion

Order Now: Amazon US (Affiliate Link) | Amazon UK

The Lies of Our Fathers Book Blurb

Antioch 1098. A Crusader knight saves the lives of a Muslim family.

A city under siege by the army of the First Crusade. Sickened by the slaughter of Muslims, an English knight rescues a family and helps them escape. In the midst of battle he discovers a holy secret. When the tide is turned and the Crusaders find themselves besieged within the walls of Antioch, the same Muslim family must risk their lives to save the English knight.

Ankara 2000. An ancient bible is discovered.

An original version of the Gospel of Barnabas, supporting the Islamic view of Jesus and suppressed by the Christian church for centuries, is discovered by Turkish police in an anti- smuggling operation.

Iran 2005. A son hunts his terrorist father.

Richard Helford, MI6 agent, is searching for his father, a wanted terrorist. A search for the truth will take him from the Greek islands to the deserts of Iran, via Turkish occupied Cyprus. Embroiled in the bloody rivalries of Iranian politics, could his father be guilty of a murder that hurts Richard to the core of who he is? Richard must find the secret of the Crusader knight and the proof that the Gospel of Barnabas is not a forgery. Or will the assassination squads from the CIA and Mossad get there first?

What are The Lies of Our Fathers?

The second novel in the Barnabas trilogy.

Provided by Jonathan Mark

My Review

The Lies of Our Fathers provides an interesting look into Middle Eastern culture. The telling of the religious battles that waged between Christianity and Islam is fascinating. Jonathan Mark puts his vast research to work in this novel.

The introduction to this tale of daring sword fighting had me swept up in an all-out battle in the name of God. Robert de Valogne is the most interesting character I’ve read in some time. I would have loved to have lived his tale throughout the book. 

But, Robert is in flashback alone, and we have a cast of characters that have very few redeeming qualities. The sheer volume of characters was hard to track. Especially considering that the reader believes one thing and then four pages later find out it was a lie. The characters and their motives confused me. There are no good explanations for any of the plotlines.

Another big problem I had with the novel was that the author refers to the 1100s as the 11th century. I assumed that I was missing something vital. But nowhere else in the book is there a reference to anything happening in the 1000’s. Thus, the confusion mounted.

However, the religious references were a great story all on their own. I wish I knew more about it, and I will be taking up the author’s suggestions for books to read to learn more. I am ignorant of the  Middle Eastern ways of life. Most of my knowledge comes from what I learned as an American and is not positive. Though, I am intelligent enough to know how skewed my view is. Thus my wish is to learn more so I can improve my understanding.

I also adored the action sequences. I love a book with a lot of action, and The Lies of Our Fathers was never short on action. While the reasons for the violence are not always clear. The explosions and gunfire were entertaining.

I award The Lies of Our Fathers 3 out of 5 stars. If you love learning about cultures different from your own and enjoy ancient religions, I recommend this book.

About the Author – Jonathan Mark

Jonathan Mark worked for nearly forty years in the City of London financial district, he retired early to pursue his long held ambition to write novels.  He shares his time between Essex and Cornwall and travels around the world to research material for his books.

To kick start his writing career he completed an MA in Crime and Thriller writing at City University London. At the time, this course was the only creative writing MA in the country which focused on commercial crime fiction. The Last Messenger was the novel submitted to complete the MA.

Social Media: Twitter | Facebook | Website | Instagram | Amazon Author Page