The story centres on Simon, a brother of Jesus, and his quest to save the blood line of the House of David. As Nero’s Rome burns, Simon meets Clodia, the daughter of Pontius Pilate. Their son, Joshua, is the genetic link to Jesus, an inheritance that marks him as a target for satanic forces, orchestrated at Nero’s court by a Greek magus and Satanist, who is determined to destroy the child.

As Rome is engulfed by fire, Jewish unrest in Palestine turns to rebellion against the occupying Romans. In the aftermath of the devastating fire, thousands of people are destitute. Rome itself is threatened by insurrection as its homeless citizens face starvation. The maintenance of law and order starts to break down as criminals take advantage of the situation and begin to loot the damaged city.

To pacify the desperate masses who are sleeping rough in the ruins, Nero orders that they are to receive a daily ration of bread, oil and wine, and promises them vengeance on the Jews and newly emergent Christians, whom he blames for starting the fire. Can Simon and Claudia protect their son and save the blood line of the House of David? A marvellously rich recreation of the world’s first Christians and Nero’s Rome.

Peter R. Hall is an author currently living and writing in the UK. ‘Guardians of the Jesus Gene’ is his first novel.

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