What do you think?
Rate this book
The Last Scroll
A chance meeting with an old classmate leads Ryan Laughlin, a dedicated young physician, to an ancient Roman spa in a medieval village of Italy where researchers are studying two remarkable events that could change the course of history—a new technology that claims to measure the essence of life itself, the human spirit, and the final Dead Sea Scroll which was recently discovered in the West Bank. The Last Scroll reveals universal truths about the nature of life through Seven Blessing but warns of Seven Plagues of the Beast that are emerging this century causing alarm and protests around the world. While visiting the spa to learn these secrets and enjoy the food, wine, and culture of Italy, Ryan finds himself the target of a killer who claims the project is heresy and will do anything to stop it. In a deadly race through ancient Italy, he is desperately trying to save the only woman he has loved since the death of his wife. What insight and power lies within the fragmented pieces of the Last Scroll?
ebook
First published February 14, 2013
About the author
James Fricton
4 books3 followersJames Fricton is an author, researcher, and professor. He applies the principals from this book in his clinical practice for patients with chronic pain
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 4, 2014
Scraps of interesting knowledge stirred into a giant cesspit of utter rubbish.
When I first picked up the paperback book, I was comforted by it's sturdiness and design. Reading about it and on the Coursera.org course the 'author' (if you can call him that) teaches in gave me confidence that this book was not only going to be an interesting story, but that it would contain information my friends, family and myself could integrate into our daily life to make it more positive and healthy. Unfortunately, despite what this book talked about, all it did was lower my energies! For over two weeks I struggled to get through it, and it just got worse and worse.
The main points to be aware of:
> Terrible narrative. It is written in present tense, which I think was a bad idea. There was no decent flow to the story, it was choppy, cliche and uninteresting. Often there would be passages of digression, where in the middle of an important event we would suddenly hear about a character's entire back story. Pointless references to brands are made that make the text seem shallow and childish- not to mention the story would be told from Ryan's point of view then randomly switch to other characters just to get some useless information in about them.
> I could not care LESS about the characters. They are so badly written. One character, Vanessa, is so stroppy and frankly rather rude at times; you wouldn't think she worked at a place that promotes sensible, balanced, harmless behavior. I'd not take advice from her anywhere, let alone at a scientific research centre. They are not convincing at all and I developed no emotional relationship with anyone in the book, which made it very hard to keep reading.
> Oh my goodness, the spelling errors and typos. Unbelievable. It absolutely shocks me that this person claims to not only be an author (is a baby whacking it's fists against a typewriter an author?), but also a professor. Someone with this bad a knowledge of basic spelling and grammar really should not be teaching, let alone publishing novels.
I think my favourite sentence in this book had to be "What mask will you where?" (p.251). It gave me a good laugh but I also felt a deep sense of pity. There is a plethora of other examples of how this book has clearly not been proof- read or edited. There is NO excuse for this. Especially from a professor.
> This book is very ill- researched. This is another thing Fricton claims to be; a researcher. Yet despite the knowledge he gives about healthy lifestyles, basic Italian and designer brands of clothing and cars (guh), he clearly does not know the basic ins and outs of normal life. For instance,
(START OF SPOILERS)
does he really think that if someone's life is threatened in Italy they wouldn't be put under some sort of protection? Vanessa and Ryan end up wandering around Italy by themselves with a murderer on the loose! Not only that, but a policeman actually gives Ryan a gun, which they even state breaks the law! Would this really happen? I think not.
(END OF SPOILERS)
There are many examples of passages of completely unbelievable text (including Vanessa's quite frankly disturbing mood swings that cannot simply be passed off as an 'Italian woman' attitude) that made me want to throw this book in a fire. Okay, it is fiction and a bit of artistic licencing is perfectly allowed, but with all the other problems with this book it just ends up looking like a few evening's rushed ramblings sent to the publisher without a second glance.
Please note that I am not generally a writer of negative reviews- furthermore I am an average reader that expects very little from the books that I read- but unfortunately, this novel had nothing to offer me and despite all the praise given to it inside the book, I do not see how reading this can improve your life or help you in any way.
If you are not bothered about frequent typos, a cliche story line and frustratingly digressive and patchy narrative, as well as dreadful characters whom you can build no emotional attachment to, feel free to read this book. Otherwise, for the love of ALL of your energy realms, stay away from it.
When I first picked up the paperback book, I was comforted by it's sturdiness and design. Reading about it and on the Coursera.org course the 'author' (if you can call him that) teaches in gave me confidence that this book was not only going to be an interesting story, but that it would contain information my friends, family and myself could integrate into our daily life to make it more positive and healthy. Unfortunately, despite what this book talked about, all it did was lower my energies! For over two weeks I struggled to get through it, and it just got worse and worse.
The main points to be aware of:
> Terrible narrative. It is written in present tense, which I think was a bad idea. There was no decent flow to the story, it was choppy, cliche and uninteresting. Often there would be passages of digression, where in the middle of an important event we would suddenly hear about a character's entire back story. Pointless references to brands are made that make the text seem shallow and childish- not to mention the story would be told from Ryan's point of view then randomly switch to other characters just to get some useless information in about them.
> I could not care LESS about the characters. They are so badly written. One character, Vanessa, is so stroppy and frankly rather rude at times; you wouldn't think she worked at a place that promotes sensible, balanced, harmless behavior. I'd not take advice from her anywhere, let alone at a scientific research centre. They are not convincing at all and I developed no emotional relationship with anyone in the book, which made it very hard to keep reading.
> Oh my goodness, the spelling errors and typos. Unbelievable. It absolutely shocks me that this person claims to not only be an author (is a baby whacking it's fists against a typewriter an author?), but also a professor. Someone with this bad a knowledge of basic spelling and grammar really should not be teaching, let alone publishing novels.
I think my favourite sentence in this book had to be "What mask will you where?" (p.251). It gave me a good laugh but I also felt a deep sense of pity. There is a plethora of other examples of how this book has clearly not been proof- read or edited. There is NO excuse for this. Especially from a professor.
> This book is very ill- researched. This is another thing Fricton claims to be; a researcher. Yet despite the knowledge he gives about healthy lifestyles, basic Italian and designer brands of clothing and cars (guh), he clearly does not know the basic ins and outs of normal life. For instance,
(START OF SPOILERS)
does he really think that if someone's life is threatened in Italy they wouldn't be put under some sort of protection? Vanessa and Ryan end up wandering around Italy by themselves with a murderer on the loose! Not only that, but a policeman actually gives Ryan a gun, which they even state breaks the law! Would this really happen? I think not.
(END OF SPOILERS)
There are many examples of passages of completely unbelievable text (including Vanessa's quite frankly disturbing mood swings that cannot simply be passed off as an 'Italian woman' attitude) that made me want to throw this book in a fire. Okay, it is fiction and a bit of artistic licencing is perfectly allowed, but with all the other problems with this book it just ends up looking like a few evening's rushed ramblings sent to the publisher without a second glance.
Please note that I am not generally a writer of negative reviews- furthermore I am an average reader that expects very little from the books that I read- but unfortunately, this novel had nothing to offer me and despite all the praise given to it inside the book, I do not see how reading this can improve your life or help you in any way.
If you are not bothered about frequent typos, a cliche story line and frustratingly digressive and patchy narrative, as well as dreadful characters whom you can build no emotional attachment to, feel free to read this book. Otherwise, for the love of ALL of your energy realms, stay away from it.
September 14, 2014
Abandoned after 40 pages.
I bet the author is a very nice person. I bet he has worked hard to deal with personal issues and better himself. I bet he tries to encourage other people to do the same. But his writing is awful.
The premise of the book is beyond silly.
The dialogue is horrible.
The narration smacks of propaganda towards the author’s business.
It is terribly predictable. I could see the death of Killian coming as soon as the stranger gets him coffee.
I immediately thought of Star Wars Episode 1 and mitochondria. Apparently the author did too because he rushes to deny the comparison.
Ugg. I maybe have finished worse books in the past. Maybe. But I can’t make myself suffer through 400 pages of this. My first abandon of a book in years and years.
I bet the author is a very nice person. I bet he has worked hard to deal with personal issues and better himself. I bet he tries to encourage other people to do the same. But his writing is awful.
The premise of the book is beyond silly.
The dialogue is horrible.
The narration smacks of propaganda towards the author’s business.
It is terribly predictable. I could see the death of Killian coming as soon as the stranger gets him coffee.
I immediately thought of Star Wars Episode 1 and mitochondria. Apparently the author did too because he rushes to deny the comparison.
Ugg. I maybe have finished worse books in the past. Maybe. But I can’t make myself suffer through 400 pages of this. My first abandon of a book in years and years.
Read
December 1, 2014I gave up after page 73 - abysmal! parts of it read like a bad translation, peppered with spelling and grammar mistakes, the writing style was so simple that I could scarcely believe the author is a professor
September 17, 2019
I read this book as part of an online course on preventing chronic pain. The author set out to educate readers on the 7 realms as relating to chronic pain conditions using fiction, rather than the typical self help format. The idea is interesting, but I found it long, repetitive, and poorly edited.
June 15, 2013
What readers say about “The Last Scroll”
“A book for the ages. Wisdom for a lifetime. A must read. It will change your life.” Dr. Joseph Barber, Author, Clinical Psychologist, University of Washington, Seattle
“This book had me totally enthralled from the first pages. Beautifully written, I could see the story unfold in my mind. The beauty of the country, people, and culture of Italy combined with romance and suspense of this thrilling book was inspiring to read.” David Wagner, Best selling author of "LIfe as a Daymaker"
"Beginning with murder, this book will surprise and excite you as it touches the boundaries of suspense, spirituality, love, science, and reality. It's an eye-opening opportunity to view and ponder the depth and breadth of our lives and the world we live in. Grab this book, it's well worth the ride!" Dr. Jeffrey Crandall, Vermont
“Look out Da Vinci Code. This book grabs you from the first chapter and holds you to the last page. The message of the book will force the readers to take a hard look at their own life and refocus on what life is really all about. Our world would be a better place if, in fact, we could live by the Last Scroll. Great read!” Dr. Corey Jensen on Amazon Reviews
"Escape into a world where angels and demons collide with scientific reality that is deftly layered with romance, humor, insight, history, and adrenaline.” Connie Brothers, University of Iowa
“This book had it all, romance a suspenseful fast paced thriller and a good message on how to live a healthy, happy and energetic life. I could hardly put it down. It is one of those rare books that you can't stop reading, but you don't want it to end.” Susie Rove on Amazon Reviews
“Remarkable book giving power to the powerless of the world.” Steven Mullenix, Chicago
“A rare breed of a book that blends fiction and non-fiction with seamless transition. A masterpiece.” Thomas Doyle, Teacher and Author, Boulder, Colorado
“This book had it all, romance a suspenseful fast paced thriller and a good message on how to live a healthy, happy and energetic life. I could hardly put it down. A rare book that you can't stop reading, but you don't want it to end. I highly recommend it.” Susie Rove on Amazon Reviews
“A great book with intelligence, science, spirituality, and a sensitivity that is rarely found together in one author. I loved this book.” LeeAnna Kalscheur, Edina, Minnesota
“Intelligent and Powerful—Didn’t want to put it down! I love the energy of it.” Lana Wickberg, Edina Minnesota
“One of those rare books that you sacrifice sleep for, just to get through one more chapter. I couldn’t put it down.” Kathryn Tagg, St. Paul
“This book was so much more than I ever thought it would be. I have read it 4 times from cover to cover, and each time get something new out of it! Are you sure this is fiction?!?!!!” Lorrie Oberlander, Rockford, Minnesota
“Fascinating story that kept me filled with anticipation. I couldn't put it down as it keeps the pace moving quickly. The details are thought provoking and intriguing. I absolutely recommend to one and all...you will not be disappointed!” Kitty Couto on Amazon Review.
“I really enjoyed this book…It not only has a good message but a good story line as well. It has a James bond vibe to it. I highly recommend it!” Jessica Herbold on Amazon Reviews
“A book for the ages. Wisdom for a lifetime. A must read. It will change your life.” Dr. Joseph Barber, Author, Clinical Psychologist, University of Washington, Seattle
“This book had me totally enthralled from the first pages. Beautifully written, I could see the story unfold in my mind. The beauty of the country, people, and culture of Italy combined with romance and suspense of this thrilling book was inspiring to read.” David Wagner, Best selling author of "LIfe as a Daymaker"
"Beginning with murder, this book will surprise and excite you as it touches the boundaries of suspense, spirituality, love, science, and reality. It's an eye-opening opportunity to view and ponder the depth and breadth of our lives and the world we live in. Grab this book, it's well worth the ride!" Dr. Jeffrey Crandall, Vermont
“Look out Da Vinci Code. This book grabs you from the first chapter and holds you to the last page. The message of the book will force the readers to take a hard look at their own life and refocus on what life is really all about. Our world would be a better place if, in fact, we could live by the Last Scroll. Great read!” Dr. Corey Jensen on Amazon Reviews
"Escape into a world where angels and demons collide with scientific reality that is deftly layered with romance, humor, insight, history, and adrenaline.” Connie Brothers, University of Iowa
“This book had it all, romance a suspenseful fast paced thriller and a good message on how to live a healthy, happy and energetic life. I could hardly put it down. It is one of those rare books that you can't stop reading, but you don't want it to end.” Susie Rove on Amazon Reviews
“Remarkable book giving power to the powerless of the world.” Steven Mullenix, Chicago
“A rare breed of a book that blends fiction and non-fiction with seamless transition. A masterpiece.” Thomas Doyle, Teacher and Author, Boulder, Colorado
“This book had it all, romance a suspenseful fast paced thriller and a good message on how to live a healthy, happy and energetic life. I could hardly put it down. A rare book that you can't stop reading, but you don't want it to end. I highly recommend it.” Susie Rove on Amazon Reviews
“A great book with intelligence, science, spirituality, and a sensitivity that is rarely found together in one author. I loved this book.” LeeAnna Kalscheur, Edina, Minnesota
“Intelligent and Powerful—Didn’t want to put it down! I love the energy of it.” Lana Wickberg, Edina Minnesota
“One of those rare books that you sacrifice sleep for, just to get through one more chapter. I couldn’t put it down.” Kathryn Tagg, St. Paul
“This book was so much more than I ever thought it would be. I have read it 4 times from cover to cover, and each time get something new out of it! Are you sure this is fiction?!?!!!” Lorrie Oberlander, Rockford, Minnesota
“Fascinating story that kept me filled with anticipation. I couldn't put it down as it keeps the pace moving quickly. The details are thought provoking and intriguing. I absolutely recommend to one and all...you will not be disappointed!” Kitty Couto on Amazon Review.
“I really enjoyed this book…It not only has a good message but a good story line as well. It has a James bond vibe to it. I highly recommend it!” Jessica Herbold on Amazon Reviews
August 28, 2016
This book is wonderful because of the author's intentions and purpose of the book. James Fricton, you may not be the best author on earth, but I enjoyed this book wholeheartedly because the point of it was to try and help people with chronic pain and that the revenue was all dedicated to that. I know that most of your work is about medicine, so delving into literature must have been sort of difficult to figure out, don't worry, you made a great book for the purpose. I hope more people get the chance to read.
August 7, 2014
Good premise. Never made it through the whole book due to time constraints. Hope to make it through some other time. Will definitely finish this one.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews