The Reincarnationist

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soapboxinmymind, August 21, 2010 (view all comments by soapboxinmymind)
The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose is a fast paced suspense about many lives that intertwine over centuries. Josh Ryder is a photojournalist who is caught in the blast of a bomb. Since his accident, he has been experiencing something he refers to as "lurches" in time. He is often taken back to early Christian Rome and a man named Julius. Is this man Julius really a past incarnation of the modern day Josh Ryder, or is Josh just losing his mind to hallucinations? On his journey to figure out what is going on with his sanity, Josh finds himself back in modern day Rome where he meets Professor Gabriella Chase.

Professor Chase discovers an ancient Roman tomb believed to be the final resting place of a Vestal Virgin. From here everything gets turned upside down. Murder, kidnapping, and betrayal, and the mixing of several lives in various times keeps the main characters running in a race against the clock; both ancient and modern.


This was a very interesting book. It explored the possibility of past lives and history repeating itself, while showing the interconnectedness of the characters. Are the villains always villains or can there be redemption for wrongs righted? And are the seemingly good really good?


The easy prose and style of this writer made the story easy to read, and the character development was done fairly well. There were a couple of holes that I would have preferred to have filled in, but having more background wasn't integral to the story. Overall, I really liked this book.


On a scale of 1-4, I give this book a 3, because of my desire to have more back story on a couple of characters, and because I would have preferred a more concrete ending.


This book was published by Mira Books.
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2420-1

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readersrespite, February 8, 2009 (view all comments by readersrespite)
Photojournalist Josh Ryder has survived a terrorist bombing in Rome. While his physical injuries have healed, his mind has not. Why is he remembering a life that isn't his? Why is he remembering a life that happened in Ancient Rome?

As Josh tries desperately to get to the bottom of his own crisis, he becomes embroiled in a search for ancient artifacts that could be the key to understanding the mysteries of his own mind. Unfotunately, he's not the only one interested in these artifacts and the race is on.

First and foremost, although this novel is frequently billed as historical fiction, I wouldn't exactly categorize it as such. Rather, it is a thriller with historical elements. Flashbacks of previous lives is what provides the historical context in this novel and while the flashbacks are a large part of the novel and provide a storyline of their own, it is the present day thriller that makes up the bulk of The Reincarnationist.

M.J. Rose is particularly adept at weaving past and present together. Her research into different theories of reincarnation is impeccable and it shows.

That said, The Reincarnationist suffers from what I like to call character overpopulation. The abundance of characters leads to occassional confusion and also prevents any one character from becoming completely developed.

All 9f that, though, is easily forgiven for those who enjoy a well-researched novel with a unique premise and The Reincarnationist certainly fits that bill.

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Product Details

ISBN:

9780778325765

Author:

Rose, M J

Publisher:

Mira

Author:

Rose, M. J.

Subject:

General Fiction

Subject:

Suspense

Subject:

Thrillers

Subject:

Excavations (archaeology)

Subject:

Murder

Subject:

Suspense fiction

Copyright:

2008

Edition Description:

Mass market paperback

Publication Date:

20081001

Binding:

Paperback

Grade Level:

General/trade

Language:

English

Pages:

464

Dimensions:

6.63 x 4.19 in