The Merovingian Mythos and the Mystery of Rennes-le-Chateau (ISBN 097617040X)

These Weren't The Days My Friend...:
I think it may be possible that the proto-French were busily hatching paranoid plots and forming esoteric secret societies as far back as when they discovered it was possible to paint on cave walls. Certainly the area of the Languedoc and Rennes-le-Chateau have been hotbeds of the occult for nearly two millennia. If you name a European legend, it either came from there or dropped in for a long visit. And, as books like The Da Vinci Code prove, we are fascinated with all that strangeness. The best part is that at least part of all these events is true. The Merovingians were real and narrowly missed ruling Europe several times. The Languedoc was accessible from the Middle East from as far back as the Christ's time - it is perfectly possible that Mary Magdalene and Joseph of Arimathea did turn up there. And Jesus' crucifixion could have been staged. And don't forget the Cathars and the Templars. Or the good Abbe Sauniere. There are just enough facts and tempting theories to delight and entertain us for years. Thanks to Holy Blood, Holy Grail everyone thinks that the Priory of Sion is the modern endpoint of a series of secret societies that believed that Jesus survived to flee to Europe and that, over the centuries sacred objects have been collected in some secret cache, clues to which were found by Abbe Sauniere. And for all we know part or all of this is true. The Priory certainly exists, and they have made no secret of their plans to establish a pan-European monarchy. I find all this fascinating because the themes and ideas that play here are part history and part insight into the real narratives of the west. The grail, King Arthur, and many other themes blend together into myth and magic. And myth and magic have a lot to do with how our thinking got to where it is. And so I picked up The Merovingian Mythos with the hope that I would find out more about the real Merovingians, and why they play such a central role in all this occult and esoteric cosmology. Tracy Twyman starts out well. The first three chapters are a reprise of the Languedoc history and the constituents of the Priory of Sion. They don't add a lot to Holy Blood, Holy Grail, but they are a good summary for those who skipped the original. And then something horrible happens. Twyman shifts gears and starts trying to make connections between the Merovingians and the stories of Atlantis. We are treated to a frenetic dissertation that sets a new high for distorted etymology as Twyman tried to tie every single bit of mythology, be it Norse, Middle Eastern, European, or South American into one chaotic mélange which she claims is the true history of Atlantic. And this is just the beginning. Next come Satanism and the Book of Enoch. The only thing missing are aliens from outer space. To me this book is a deep disappointment. Admittedly esotericism offers plenty of opportunity for extreme fantasy. But the Merovingians and their legacy have played a long and interesting part in the development of European culture. Antediluvian excesses ring totally false in this context. If you have already read Holy Blood, Holy Grail then avoid this book and acquire a good history of early Europe instead.

The myths of a myth:
It's a myth, actually, or a series of myths. There are very few facts and a lot of (often-extravagant) theories. The continuous reference to "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" is disturbing. But, wait, there is a good point: This book is a very good collection of all information surrounding the "Merovingian Mythos", so it is a quite interesting start for the beginner.

Well written and interesting.:
In the midst of all The Da Vinci Code hype and hoopla, one can be forgiven for forgetting that there are more than just two books that discuss Mary Magadalene and Rennes-le-Chateau. Tracy Twyman has been an occult and esoteric author for over a decade; her interest was tweaked initially, as with mine, by the (in)famous book The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail*, and its follow-up. Twyman has produced a very interesting book on the mystery that surrounds this area of Southern France and those who have resided therein. As with all such, the Templars, the Inquisition, Jesus heirs and the Priory of Sion feature. The chapters at times read like individual articles for a magazine, and I believe some were, but that only adds to the readability of this work. Unlike some works on these subjects, Twyman avoids trying to look overly academic by being turgid and impenetrable. That is not to say that this book is not a useful addition to the body of work on the origins of the Christian Church, its main players, and its path through history. It takes a certain skill to make such complicated and twisting a subject read well. Whether or not you agree with her hypothesis -- that the bloodline of the Merovingians stems not only from Christ and Mary Magdalene, but goes back far further, and that the Holy Grail" is hidden under the French town -- this is a cracking read. There is a lot of interesting stuff in here for believer, sceptic or heretic. Considering the first review of the Da Vinci Code movie, I suspect that spending your time reading the Tracy's book would be time far better spent. An open mind is useful for enjoyment; but not essential. She has sourced her information for those wishing to engage the subject further. I am looking forward to reading the book's followup, Solomon's Treasure, which sits on my desk, next for review. *Editor's note: The story of The Da Vinci Code, The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail and the court case has been told on Blogcritics.

Should've been put in the fiction section:
Appalling and apoplectic. This is just another book touting the fantasies of the Priory of Sion. Glad it was loaned to me.

merovingian mythos is just that, and LESS:
Tracy Twyman is a Priory of Sion fanatic. When the book talks about the origins of European monarchy, it is informative and interesting. When she takes the reader to Atlantis, and discusses the Greek gods as if they were beings-in-fact, I feel as if I am reading a fantasy novel. Stick to geneologies, Tracy, and leave myth-making to the bicameral civilizations that first thought them up. As for the book, buy it only as the next-to-last item in your collection of Priory-Rennes-Magdalene-fish stories.