The History of Things to Come

The History of things to come is filled with mystery. A thriller that will keep you at it until finished. Thanks for the marvel of a free read. I helped in introducing me to the author and the fascinating mystery of Revelations.

Wow!
What a great book! I’m so glad I took the opportunity to try this author. Move over Dan Brown. I feel like I have just discovered a long lost hidden treasure.Thank you Duncan Simpson for sharing your talent with the rest of the world!

The History of Things to Come #1 – This is my first read by this author and I enjoyed the story immensely. The ultimate battle between Good and Evil, and the coming of the Tribulation. Mr. Simpson wrote a book worth reading, with his well thought out story lines; his well defined characters; and a large blend of history with fiction. The story is fast paced with plenty of suspense; some predictable episodes, but an entertaining, substantial book.

Unfortunately, he didn’t edit with a fine tooth comb, making mistakes that are noticeable but doesn’t stop the flow of the story. 4*

The Devil’s Architect #2 – Having read the first book, I was happy to find Devil’s was even better. Extremely intriguing, full of London’s history, ranging from the Druids to the Romans to the present, blended with stories from the Bible give the reader a substantial read that difficult to put down. Well written and thought out, the story lines are suspense filled with various events through time brought into play keeping the reader immersed in the pages. The characters are developed enough, and the main characters keep growing, to keep the reader’s interest; some are fascinating.

With owning the first book of the series, I contacted the author to review this book since the third book was available for review. He kindly shared this book with me and I was well entertained. Needs minor editing. Included are various bits of information used in the story; some repeated verbatim from the story, some additional; and all were interesting. 5*

The Logos Code #3 – A fabulous ending to an intriguing, mesmerizing trilogy. Well written and well thought with a wonderful blend of history, religion, science, fact and fiction. The story is difficult to put down and I relish having all three books to chain read. This is a substantial, interesting read and the research and preparation that the author did makes this series of books a must read.

The characters add to the adhesion of the elements composing the trilogy. The main set of characters have developed incrementally, while the supporting characters add depth and meaning along the story lines. The locations and artifacts are important characters, too, and the blending in of several religions add reinforcement to the story lines. The author’s vivid descriptions, along with the fast paced, action packed plot, and understandable, relaxed writing style reinforce the must read element. I received this after contacting the author to review his trilogy. 5*

I recently finished reading Duncan Simpson’s novel, A History of Things To Come (The Dark Horizon). I was so anxious to learn more about the characters in the book and the new challenges that they will face in the sequel, The Devil’s Architect, that I immediately bought the second book and began reading it as soon as it was delivered to my Kindle. That reaction is extremely rare for me, to forsake all the other unread books already in my reader to take up the sequel to the book I have just finished. But that is how much I enjoyed Mr. Simpson’s first book in the series which introduces the reader to Dr. Vincent Blake (presumably a PhD, not an MD).

Blake has a very unique occupation in that he is described as the leading authority on the recovery of stolen art works, using his knowledge of history, art, antiquities. to assist the rightful owners of high-value art and artifacts of previous cultures, and religions to recover their items from the thieves, crooked dealers, fences, et who inhabit the underworld of stolen art and c. Blake often works with his friend, Detective Chief Inspector Milton of the Metropolitan Police, and it is DCI Milton who enlists Blake’s aid in the investigation of an Eatern European hit man who is himself murdered by an unknown assassin. Clues from the hit man’s execution lead Blake and Milton into a plot to steal artifacts wich were originally owned by Sir Isaac Newton. The reason for the thefts is gradually revealed to be Newton’s interest in and involvement with the Christian Church which led Newtown into trying to dechipher the prophesies contained in the Bible, including those of the end times as forecast by the Book of Revealations. Newtown’s investigation convinced him that one of the most powerful relics mentioned in the Judeo-Christian Bible is located in London, and the race is on between the forces of good and light and the forces of darkness, personified by the mysterious villain called the Drakon. More murders ensue, there is a horrific accident involving Blake’s immediate family which sends him into a tailspin from which he just barely pulls himself out before crashing. He is saved from complete self-destruction by DCI Milton’s calling him back to the investigation of the theft of the Newton objects and the related crimes. There is a final showdown between Blake and the Drakon which Blake barely survives, and would not have survived wihout the intervention of the myterious homeless Mary and her dog.

Simpson’s story and his main character owe much to Dan Bown’s novels and their hero, Dr. Robert Langdon. Although Simpson may have chosen to work in the same fictional locales as Brown and although Vincent Blake is sort of an English Robert Langdon does not mean that A History of Things to Come is not well written and thoroughly entertaining. It is readable, well paced, has intresting characters, enough plot twists to keep the reader guessing at the final denouement at the end. As an added plus for me and any other history buffs, Simpson gives he reader an extensive lesson on the history of the Church, the significance of certain prophesies contained in the Bible, the role of the Templars and Knights Hospitallier in protecting the religious relics that came into their possession, and the roles of two of history’s great minds, Isaac Newton and Christopher Wrenn in the rebuilding of the city of London after the great fire.
As I mentioned earlier, I had become so wrapped up in the story and the fates of the main characers in A History of Things to Come, that I couldn’t go on to read anything except the sequel, Devil’s Architect. Most of the main characters are back fo ra second ride through the history of the churchs of London and the prophesy of the end times. So far, Mr. Simpson has not let me down.

This book has an exciting premise, but it is somehow still slow reading. It’s a Dan Brown wannabe. I was very unconvinced of the authenticity of the artifacts they were supposedly hunting. I don’t care enough about the characters to read a sequel.

Never connected with the characters

If you like a bit of history, religion and mystery you’ll like this book. Fair earning, it’s the first in a trilogy.

It was the best of this type book I have read. I tend to want to agrue with the author of these type books but not on this one. It seemed horribly believable. I will read the other two.