The Third Day

I have read many great authors on here but as far as Speculative Christian fiction goes you are now one of my all time favorite writers! :) I will most definitely be adding this to the must read list on my book blog. I'll let you know when I've got it up.
Blessings and best wishes,
Laura :)

Mark. I will be honest here. I would normally run a mile with a book like this but I decided to give it a go. I am glad I did. What a brilliant read this is. I am so impressed and excited for you as I think this could be a well published book in the near future. My only suggestion to you is that you get on here and push it like mad. it deserves it. Good luck and brilliant.
Sean Connolly. British Army on the Rampage. (B.A.O.R) please consider me for a read or watch list wont you?? Many thanks. Sean

Oh, Mark....What an amazing book this must be to read in full. I'm so captivated by the premise...so drawn in. I would love to be transported to that time. I'm so curious about what Mariam witnessed and found to be true. Six stars and an ache for more.
Linda
Daniel Simmons Journey
and
Children Walking with Jesus

Speculaqtive history, with a strong sense of reality. I like it, especially the time bending aspect, way cool. I'm not sure why the focus on learning Aramaic, though. Out of over 23,000 verses in the Bible, only about 250 were written in Aramaic. Good stuff, Peter B.
"The Bible I Thought I Knew"

Very nice, can't wait to read more. I found that you've already published this on amazon, congrats!

C. G. Spaulding

What an interesting idea! I loved the first descriptions of the car lights lighting various parts of the room. I'll put you on my watch list and read more when I have more time. Good job!
Andrea

Hello,

I read all the chapters of this fine story and found it to be quite captivating. I liked the research you put into it and the concept of finding a script written by Mariam two thousand years ago, and being discovered now by archaeologists. The writing flowed and kept my interest through all the chapters. The characters were well described, with Mariam's mourning her dead husband, and Ford wanting to get ahead in academia. Each one was not quite satisfied with their lives.

Suggestions/Nitpicks:
1) When Mariam meets Edelberg and Ford, and they walked for awhile, she began to feel uneasy, wondering what Edelberg had planned for her. Was this part of the story necessary? Maybe you added it to describe her character a little more?
2) Also, was it necessary to spend so much time for them to walk and Edelberg holding back the information that could have eased Mariam's mind? Why not get to that scene quicker?
3) I don't understand how Ford and Miriam got together for this time travel incident two thousand years ago. They didn't even know one another. Unless the discovery by Edelberg was supposed to throw them together?
4) What was the purpose of them going back in time? Was it to verify that the document really happened?

Overall, I am curious as to what happens next. I hope you post more chapters. Well done and deserves six stars! Will back soon.

Best,
Patty
The Greek Maiden and the English Lord

Mark, What a great idea to write on. Many times my friends or husband and I like to think about what person in the Bible we would like to step back in time to visit or experience. This is captivating! You are an amazing writer, see you one the shelf! Hope you will read my little books for children in Scribe-Lings and "I Am" Through the Ages for young adults, Blessings ROz

"Speculative Christian Fiction" is probably one of my favourite genres despite the fact that I had never heard of it prior to reading one of your reviews! A great idea but very hard to execute well - based on what you wrote, I think you've done a good job and I want to read more!

MP Jones
They Shoot Birds, Don't They?

Nice read.

fascinating concept!

I have read many great authors on here but as far as Speculative Christian fiction goes you are now one of my all time favorite writers! :) I will most definitely be adding this to the must read list on my book blog. I'll let you know when I've got it up.
Blessings and best wishes,
Laura :)

Hiya Mark.

Great story, Backed

Hi Mark, I read chapter 4. I was knocked over by this book, what a great concept. I found the story very well written, the characters were very well crafted and believeable. It felt more like a documentary rather than a piece of fiction, I hope you haven't been there and kept it a secret. The subject mattter is curious, I can see this being very popular as another one of the conspiricy theory volumes. People will look for what you find believing it is the truth much like the Davinci code investigators. I am excited what you can do with the story and will probably return to read some more. Good Luck.

Kind Regards and Best Wishes
Lenny Banks - Tide and Time: At The Rock
Would you consider giving me a return read, I would appreciate any help possible. Thanks

Dear Mark,
You created enough suspense in the five chapters you uploaded, to keep me watching your future uploads closely. It's a subject close to my heart, and what a wonderful concept! I can't wait, really, your wonderful imagination is sure to produce a most inspiring story.
I bet this is going to be a popular book on Authonomy. It already got six stars from me, and a place on my shelf as soon as i can possibly get it there.
If you have a spare moment, please take a look at my work and kindly let me know how you think i can improve it.
Maria xox
The Path to Survival

Hi, Mark—one of the reasons I so enjoy visiting all of our newest members is that I get to be one of the first to see all the wonderful new books being posted.

How could any Christian resist your pitch? Time travelers at the crucifixion? Wow.

As you have already published this, I’m not sure what feedback you are interested in and will step carefully.

Your first chapter does a lovely job giving us the vital information on Mariam and ending with a bit of a cliffhanger: what on earth will happen during her visit to Penn?

I am immediately a fan of Ford’s. I want him to show up that annoying Calloway in the worst way! Chapter 2 builds up all kinds of curiosity and interest, and I’m definitely interested in turning to Chapter 3.

So I was wondering how you could possibly give me another cliff-hanger as interesting as the ones in the first two chapters. Let’s just say you pulled it off. Goodness.

I love how you’ve created this non-believer who can ask all the questions of a skeptic and an academic believer who knows the factual answers. It somehow makes the answers all the more believable. I also like that you take the time to show us the concerns they have about misrepresenting what they see. Saw. Whatever.

I read four chapters and am very impressed. This is a polished and interesting manuscript on a topic I enjoy. Well done!!

Please visit the forums and look for our two Christian crit groups. In one group, members all read the same book each fortnight and post their reviews to the thread. You’ll find it at http://www.authonomy.com/forums/threads/90961/christian-lit-forum/ In the other forum, members choose a book from the membership list to review with a goal of reading one per month. It’s at http://www.authonomy.com/forums/threads/84425/christian-critique-and-review-group/.

Best wishes to you here on Authonomy!!
~AudreyB
Forgiveness Fits

the book is published and available on amazon already.

Oh, Mark, this authonomy site is having problems and I was only able to upload your first chapter, but I was impressed with it and was captivated even by that short reading. In fact, I'm really frustrated with authonomy for not allowing the remaining chapters to be read as I'm eager to know what professor Edelberg has to show Mariam!

In so far as I've been able to upload and read, you have a good story going here! and you write very well. I like the dark mood you set for Mariam, a former Muslim, who is mourning the loss of her Christian husband. Your imagery and early plot pull the reader immediately into your story and your dialogue, so far, is very natural, authentic, and appropriate to your plot. Your plot picks up quickly, even in just the first chapter, and promises to proceed at a nice clip.

Ah, I was just able to pull up and read Chapter 2. The suspense continues and I can't wait to find out what Logion 13 contains! But I do have a bit of a suggestion for this chapter. As a reader, I found it a little long and was wondering if you needed to include the imagery about Calloway? As a former college professor, I was impressed by how true to the academic world your portrayal of the infighting among colleagues was, but I'm not sure the average reader will appreciate this portrayal and might get a bit restless with the story unless Calloway is to return in later chapters as a crucial character.

Ah, now I was able to pull up and read the rest of your chapters. Fasincating! I love the fact that the parchment Edelberg discovered in the cave, Gamal, was written in Mariam's handwriting. Again,as a reader, I'm wondering if you could shorten your chapters just a bit as their length tends to slow down the pace of the plot...not much because you don't want to leave out important details, but just a few, not entirely relevant details perhaps?

Even if you don't shorten the chapters any, continued reading has verified that this is an outstanding piece of writing and a very unique, singular approach to the story of the Christ. Once published, I imagine your book will quickly become a popular one.

I also like the hint of romantic attraction between Ford and Mariam as the reader feels sad about Miriam's loss and this would make a satisfying resolution for her. I liked, too, the description of the time spent teaching Miriam Aramaic, but I was a bit disappointed that Edelberg would not be accompanying Ford and Mariam to the parchment site.

This reader thinks you have an excellent book here and will be the first to purchase a copy when it's published. Best wishes for your success in finding a publisher soon. This is a fascinating story! Sincerely, Pat