Bloodgood Messiah is a thrilling work of Christian dramatic fiction penned by author duo Michael Herman and Jacqueline Santangelo. Employing the science fiction plot technique of time travel, the novel progresses through the biblical history of Jerusalem in the first century in a deadly race to enable Mary to fulfill her holy mission to God. Moon, a Zuni Indian time traveling agent, presents an interesting culture clash, becoming our hero as he travels to seek out Mary but finds himself at the mercy of Pontius Pilate’s court. When Moon’s life lies on the line, Mary finds herself making an impossible choice to try to save him. What effect this might have on the future world is anyone’s guess.

I’m not well versed in the Bible, but the beauty of this work was that you didn’t have to be Christian to enjoy it because it comes to life more as a work of historical fiction than as a series of Bible stories. Author team Michael Herman and Jacqueline Santangelo do a marvelous job of selecting and adapting moments from the Christian tales and intertwining them with the everyday historical lives of the Romans and the Jewish people of the first century to flesh out their exciting time travelling epic. Moon was a fascinating character with a unique perspective on Christianity from both the future and the present moment, which made for a comforting companion to take readers through the story. Overall, I would highly recommend Bloodgood Messiah as a thrilling start to a superb historical adventure series.

Bloodgood Messiah by Michael Herman and Jacqueline Santangelo is a fascinating Christian thriller with a compelling historical setting against the backdrop of first century Jerusalem, a riveting first book in a series. This story blends religious and political themes and melds different genres so skillfully together. A time traveling Reader of the Mythical Ark of the Covenant kidnaps Mary and brings her into first century Jerusalem and a time traveler is ordered to locate and save her. It's a risky mission that will involve Pilate's court, narrow escapes, acts of bravery, and an intersection between the past and the present.

Michael Herman and Jacqueline Santangelo's novel thrusts readers into a world filled with mystery and intrigue, with characters that are elaborately developed and a plot filled with twists. While the plot is rich and filled with surprises and the characters are compelling, what had me utterly gripped is the skill with which the authors weave historical elements into the narrative. Historical personages like Pilate give the narrative a sense of history and sacredness that is both eerie and real. The writing is gorgeous and filled with vivid descriptions. The conflict is strong and readers want to know what happens next in the story and to the characters. There is a lot of drama that keeps it real and intriguing. Overall, I found this novel to be rich and transporting, suspenseful and interesting, a story that will keep readers entertained. It's a real page-turner and a great treat for fans of well-crafted historical and time travel tales.