THE ANATHEMAS: Testimonials
I am convinced THE ANATHEMAS should be on the shelves next to Dan Brown. The characters morphed into family members in my dreams at night and invaded my thoughts during the day. Now that’s a good book!
L.B., Oregon
I got engrossed in the book…and lost my weekend! I am assuming you imbedded the facts you found when researching into the story accurately. I mean to say, I can use it as a sort of history lesson? In that case, I learned quite a bit. Interesting and thought-provoking.
N.B., Florida
Your text is not only erudite but exceedingly engaging. I usually only have time to pleasure read in the evening before lights out and I must say you have made me resist sleep with your text.
S.B., Quebec, Canada
Vic Smith’s Anathemas is a historically rich and detailed romp into the ancient past that should give history buffs–especially those who have a penchant for ancient Roman and Byzantine history–much to chew on… an excellent and fast-moving story that should keep the reader turning the pages well into the night.
J. D., Colorado
Victor Smith’s novel, THE ANATHEMAS, tells a compelling tale of Emperor Justinian’s condemnation of Reincarnation in 543 AD. Against the backdrop of Constantinople in prelude to the collapse of its Western empire, this is indeed a scholarly work of historical fiction. Smith’s account of Emperor Justinian and his Empress, Theodora, parallels the pair’s reincarnated lives in post Civil War Pennsylvania near Gettysburg, where they are reinvented as journalist Richard Strawn and his daughter, Jennifer. As evidence of their shared, distant past emerges in scary complexity, father and daughter pursue redemption and restitution of what they now understand to have been a grave error. Pronouncing Reincarnation as heresy, as it happened, bore profound implications that changed the course of human destiny for the worse.
The story moves back and forth between sixth century Constantinople and nineteenth century America with skill. There are times when I felt a little lost in the transitions and ascription of dialogue, but these are minor issues in comparison to the epic structure and tone of this impressive novel. Smith’s skill and intelligence are evident throughout, and as I was reading it I was reminded of Ken Follett’s THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH with a bit more plot complexity.
Civil historians, Bible historians, scholars of all kinds, and lovers of Visionary Fiction will enjoy this story, I’m sure, and appreciate its revelatory intention.
Rea Martin 2/27/16 on Amazon
I rarely write book reviews (in fact, this is my first) but this book is so good, I had to spread the word. What a great mix of history and storytelling! The book retells the true story of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora – a most unlikely union – which so piqued my interest that I hit the internet to research more. The storytelling is fast paced and kept me riveted as it weaved a story about modern day characters who remember their past lives and the truly difficult dilemmas that remembering can cause in the here and now. The book taps into a lot of deep topics such as the irresistible pull between soulmates, soul groups, facing past mistakes even when the mistake is 1400+ years old, karma, facing one’s demons, and more. This book has a lot in it that is controversial and will get you thinking if you keep an open mind. I will miss the mornings I spent reading it but I found out there’s another book by the author – Channel of the Grail – which again mixes history and fiction so I’ll be able to get my fix!
Riptide 5/14 /16 on Amazon
t’s not often that a work of fiction inspires me to hit the Internet in an eager search for additional input about one of its characters, especially a Byzantine emperor I’d never heard of, who almost single-handedly banned the concept of reincarnation as heresy. In The Anathemas; A Novel About Reincarnation and Restitution, author Victor E. Smith introduces readers to the greed, corruption and destruction of the Justinian and Theodora era during the 6th century AD in Constantinople (now Istanbul), where Europe and Asia meet. But more than that, Smith envisions what it would be like for a powerful leader to reincarnate at a later time and remember… Yes, remember, and see the lasting effects of the decisions he made and actions he took during his long, hard-fought reign – the tributes, the building projects (Hagia Sophia, which for 1,000 years was the largest cathedral in the world), the persecutions, the war – and how he’d foisted the dark ages onto the world. Can he set things right now that he has experienced reincarnation first hand or is he destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over? This visionary work of historical fiction is not easily digested, which, in my case, meant a second read. A second read well worth my time.
Margaret Duarte 10/2/14 on Amazon
See more reviews on AMAZON: Amazon.com: Customer reviews: The Anathemas, A Novel of Reincarnation and Restitution