Pagan by Tom Pewthers

About the book

This book is about conflict. The hate emanating out of the Middle East today was preceded by three thousand years of lies and distortions by the religions that have been formed there.

Muslim extremists have declared war on the world. The fact that the world doesn't want this war makes no difference to them. They have started conflict with every religious group on earth with which they have a common border.

There are two antagonists in this book. The first group is the Muslim Brotherhood. This organization was founded in Egypt in 1928. The founders were Nazi sympathizers, and may have been directly involved with them. The Muslim Brotherhood created Al Qaeda. They also started most of the Jihadic groups that are prosecuting this war in the Middle East. Yasser Arafat's father was a Nazi, and was probably connected to this brotherhood.

The Catholic antagonist is Opus Dei. Opus Dei was founded by a Spanish Cleric named Escheveria in the same year -- 1928. Opus Dei is essentially a continuation of the inquisition. In their own way, they are as extreme as the Brotherhood.

Sophie Warren and Blake Stuart are both knowledgeable historians. The documents they discover, along with recent discoveries made at Nag Hammadi and Qumran, indicate that neither the accepted history of Christianity nor the history of Islam is valid. In addition to the conflict between religious dogma and recent discoveries, there is the slow recognition of a mystery that goes back twelve thousand years.

Many ancient structures throughout the world are linked together. From the Pyramids, to the Temple of David, to the Medieval Cathedrals of Europe to the Temples at Angkor Wat, there is a mathematical continuity that indicates some sort of purposeful control.

The conflict between the two religious groups and the two historians eventually assumes a wider significance. This final conflict is between rational objectivity as symbolized by Blake and Sophie and the unquestioning beliefs of religious fanaticism symbolized by the antagonists.

As Blake and Sophie are drawn into this struggle, they become more and more reliant on each other. They form a resilient team. They become totally committed lovers early in the book. It becomes evident that the gestalt of a man and a woman together is more powerful than mere fanaticism.

After half a dozen confrontations with the religious organizations that want to destroy the old documents, we discover that Sophie is pregnant. The two young lovers decide to drop out of the game and go back out on the ocean where it's safe.

They haven't given up on the quest, they have changed the venue.

About the author

Tom Pewthers is a retired Airline Pilot with over twenty five thousand flying hours, much of it over international routes. He has a B.S. from Washington State University and is presently working on his second novel. He grew up in Washington State but has lived in Florida most of his life. He and his family enjoy sailing and diving in the clear waters of Florida and the Bahamas. He presently lives in Tampa with his wife of thirty-eight years. He has two daughters and four grandchildren.