Igor Bergler's latest novel, Michelangelo's Lie, has sold more than 100,000 copies in less than three months since publication, thus setting a new record on the Romanian book market, Litera Publishing House announced on Thursday .
The Romanian author's new thriller focuses on Professor Charles Baker who must unravel a new world conspiracy, this time even more complex than in the previous books, "the greatest conspiracy in history - the invention and imposition of Christianity."
The narrative interweaves real history with fictional elements so exquisitely that it is almost impossible to separate truth from the author's imagination, Litera says. "Bergler goes so far as to integrate into the fabric of the novel two of the most important opponents in the dispute between the history- and myth-centered positions regarding the existence of Jesus Christ. Thus, the famous Professor Bart Ehrman, probably the most important specialist in biblical criticism, and Richard Carrier, the top supporter of the mythical Jesus theory, become Hermano Bartolo and Ricardo Carrera in the book - priests, but also biological brothers. Their debates transfer the real and very hot dispute that is being waged in America on this topic into Romanian controversy, which becomes the pretext for the action in 'Michelangelo's Lie'," Litera Publishing House states.
Igor Bergler's translator Jean Harris notes that "if you haven't read 'Michelangelo's Lie' you haven't read anything."
Director, screenwriter and film critic, doctor in management and professor of narratology, Igor Bergler, exclusive author of Litera Publishing House since 2021, is the best-selling Romanian author of the last 30 years and the only one whose books have been published in over 30 countries, by the world's largest publishing groups - from Penguin Random House to Grupo Planeta.
His first novel, The Lost Bible, which appeared in 2015, set a record with 250,000 copies sold. The second volume - The Testament of Abraham, published in 2017 outdid this performance and currently holds the record in the readers' preferences, with over 300,000 copies sold only in Romania. Both novels received the public's vote as The Most Coveted Book at the most important Romanian publishing event - the Gaudeamus International Fair - in 2015 and 2017.
"Michelangelo's Lie - The Cathedral on Fire" is the third novel in the Charles Baker series and will be followed in 2022 by 'Michelangelo's Lie - Prophets and Sibyls'.
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