Synopsis:
“The pope is not infallible.” When the newly elected Pope Francis
utters this bold and unprecedented statement, he captures the attention of the
world’s population. His reforms leave no corner untouched as he strips away the
mask so long held before the face of the papacy. Bringing with him and open-minded
candor rarely seen by public figures – he’s an inspiration to his followers –
and a threat to those who oppose him.
“When I penned this novel about a fictitious Pope Francis fourteen
years ago, I never envisioned that a future pope would select the name, Pope
Francis I. This novel’s Pope Francis is a bold and courageous pope whose
sweeping reforms reversing ancient Vatican edicts place his life in grave
danger. The world can only hope and pray that today’s Pope Francis, as bold as
he is, will be fruitful in his endeavors and have a lengthy and healthy
reign,” said WR.PARK.
Book Excerpt:
NEARLY A WEEK HAD PASSED since
Symon's discovery, and he had read the translated manuscripts numerous
times. He consumed the written words as
a dying man gasps for breath. The mystery
surrounding the ancient narrative fueled his imagination and stimulated his
craving to know more. While he sat by
the opening of the cave, the sun warmed his body, and meditation purified his
soul. What could have been Assuri's last
words on earth, and the narrative of his days at the Library of Alexandria
bewitched him beyond belief.
“Somewhere,”
he thought. “Somewhere between the
lines, somewhere hidden within Assuri's journal could be a clue to a far
greater treasure. A treasure that
has eluded humankind for thousands of
years. A treasure that could help answer
the question: what was the history of the world prior to the mass destruction
in Alexandria of recorded chronicles?”
Once again, Symon read the rendering of the second journal-manuscript.
“I, Assuri, a trusted slave of Babylon, journeyed by the
great river to the northwest (Symon's note: Euphrates River), disembarking at a predetermined site before reaching the town of Carrhae.
Then west by land over the mountain range to the sea and Tarsus. My beloved master had a relative who lived in
Tarsus and who arranged passage by boat to Alexandria. In all, I witnessed ten suns rise and set,
and paid homage to the gods for my safety, which was in peril as I will
relate.” (Symon's note: Estimating a distance of some 2,000 kilometers.)
“My thoughtful master, knowing all well that
I have never ventured far from the city, dispatched two mercenaries to
accompany, guide and protect this humble servant on the trek to Alexandria with
our most cherished volumes in tow. When
the request from Hypatia (Symon's note:
A most highly respected female mathematician and astronomer.) of Alexandria arrived, my master immediately routed a message to
inform his dear friend that he would certainly comply. It was an honor to have the writings of our
late high priest Berossus' three volumes of
the world dating from Creation to the Great Flood copied and preserved in
the Great Library at Alexandria.” (Symon's note: About
all that is presently known about the volumes is that Berossus estimated the
time between the two events to be 400,000 years—a hundred times longer than Old
Testament chronology.)
“I was excited beyond belief. The
journey would be tedious and
dangerous, but my master's description of Alexandria and the library, and
Hypatia's beauty filled my being with joy.
His entrusting the volumes greatly humbled this person. My love for him grew like a raging river as
he told me of rooms upon rooms filled with writings gathered for hundreds of
years and valued more than gold.”
(Symon's note: There were an estimated 500,000 scroll-books
from Greece, Persia, Israel, India,
Africa, and many other countries, all comprising the knowledge and history of
the world to date. Alexandria was a
community of scholars studying and teaching: physics, literature, astronomy,
philosophy, music, medicine, biology, mathematics and engineering. The world's first research institute. In the early 300's BC King Ptolemy I
wrote: ‘To all the sovereigns and
governors on earth. I implore you to immediately send me works by authors of
every kind: poets, rhetoricians and sophists, doctors and soothsayers,
historians, and all others, too.’ Thus
began the Library of Alexandria, and for hundreds of years the known writings,
including history, were duplicated and stored.
The line of Ptolemys, ending with the death of Cleopatra, set out to not
only collect every book in the world, but to translate them all into Greek.)
“With Berossus' works slung over my neck, close to my person
in a large leather sheep-lined pouch, and my guides aboard, we set sail
northwest. The night's encampments were
uncommonly dark. On the fourth night,
berthed on the bank where the great river sprang streams to both the north and
south, I overheard the two men plotting to kill the
servant and nip the valued prize. On the fifth night, playing the fool and
obedient servant, and after grinding a powder from a known venomous plant, I
sprinkled an amount sufficient enough into the
wine jug to render them in a death-like state for at least two days. If they survived. They fell for my offering, and drank with
gluttonous passion. At first light I
left them in slumber, and pushed on, knowing full well they would not follow
once they realized I was two days ahead of them.
Praise for The Franciscan:
New York Times bestselling author James Rollins commented on WR.PARK’s
thirteenth novel: “I’ve been a fan of WR.PARK’s work for years.”
“The Franciscan featuring the first Pope Francis is about murder,
suicide, extortion, assassins, devilish plots with a narrative with more twists
and turns than a ride through purgatory.” – Publisher’s Auxiliary
“Unexpectedly thrust upon the throne of St. Peter by dark forces
within the Vatican, this pope is trying to institute a radical agenda of change
while contending with assassination attempts and political intrigue… and then
things get really exciting.” – The Leaven Catholic Newspaper
“The Franciscan is a fascinating tale and has great general appeal.
Readers who like intrigue and mystery in a colorful historical setting will
enjoy [WR.PARK’s] effort and will certainly look forward to his subsequent
offering.” – The Sun Newspaper
“Every now and then a book I’m asked to read and write about
pleasantly surprises me. The Franciscan is a case point. It’s an intriguing
read – weaving together two fascinating tales. It kept me interested up to
and including the end.” – Northwest Florida Daily News
About the Author:
Author, columnist, teacher, lecturer, past president of three
advertising agencies, William R. Park, Sr. is nationally known and respected in
the advertising and literary worlds—and a Member of International Thriller
Writers, Inc. His past works include: The Talking Stones, Overlay, Fatal
Incision, plus ten others, each backed by glowing praise from numerous
bestselling authors.
WR.PARK currently resides in the Kansas City area with his wife Genie.
To learn more, and read what bestselling authors said about his body of work,
visit: http://www.wrparkpublishinggroup.com/
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