Description
Casey Kasem, the author’s radio companion throughout his troubled teenage years, summed up the approach to this book with his famous byline: “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.” The Rod of Iron brings the author’s gut-wrenching emotional, intellectual, and spiritual journey to a startling conclusion. Across this trilogy the author carefully, and in a hugely entertaining way, documents the unexpected twists and turns of an obsessive quest for coherence. “Truthy,” superficial answers would not do.
The global digging for satisfactory answers that began in The People of the Sign, at the 1981 City of David archaeological expedition continues unabated. The Tower of Bab-El story is a mysterious “X Marks the Spot” starting point in The Rod of Iron, which quickly becomes an elusive destination – located in our modern era. The search leads to the ruins of ancient temples at Göbekli Tepe and then stretches outward, towards the heavens, as the author finally connects the dots on earth to those indicated by distant stars. These ever-larger patterns ultimately unveil the solutions to riddle after puzzle after mystery in what one reviewer called a “relentless search for truth.”The author unpacks the Bible’s cryptic message: That which the citizens of Bab-El sought to attain is within the reach of a unified planet. The implications of that statement are among the astounding discoveries in this tightly written book.
Fans of The People of the Sign and The Hardness of the Heart are sure to find The Rod of Iron a fascinating, surprising and satisfying conclusion to Mr. Fransson’s opus, as the lyrical threads of the author’s life come together in a crescendo worth the considerable effort needed to digest the vast internal and external territory covered along the way. His outrageous hypotheses are thoroughly tested against historical events and modern science. The intricate nuances of science and philosophy are explained using verses from the Bible, articles from Scientific American, Indian Legends, official government websites, and the author’s personal life events. References to Beatles songs like The Long and Winding Road, Across the Universe and All You Need is Love form a fitting backdrop to this riveting story that is unlike any other.
About the Author
Wade Fransson´s diverse background includes writing, international public speaking, executive roles with various corporations, and three technology startups. He currently lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with his wife, two children, and a growing menagerie of pets.
JayTee –
This is the final book of Wade Fransson’s autobiographical trilogy which describes the amazing spiritual journey of his lifetime, from membership and ministry in a major evangelical community to the discovery and acceptance of a universal perspective that fulfilled his expectations of Biblical prophecy. Although the first two books provide fascinating insights on his background and details of the earlier part of his quest, this concluding book can also be read as a ‘stand alone’ book. It is certainly a ‘must’ for those who have read the first two.
The author’s story is a living embodiment of Jesus’ promise that if we sincerely ask, His guidance shall be given, if we seek the truth with heart, mind and soul, we shall find it, and if we earnestly knock, the door shall be opened (Matthew 7:7). Fransson’s devotion to seeking out the truth is demonstrated in his bold willingness to step away from careers and good-paying jobs, whether within the Worldwide Church of God or with erstwhile financial giants like Countrywide, when they conflict with spiritual realities which he has come to understand clearly. His search leads him to Biblical passages that have been ignored or glossed-over by others. He also finds new perspectives on old passages. And gradually, the truth of a claim of Good News, which had initially seemed totally preposterous, begins to emerge from behind the clouds of misunderstanding.
In ‘stepping off the gangplank’ as he calls it, and putting his trust in God, he has found a doorway to a much wider world of spiritual insights.
Along the way, we are treated to his insights in fields as divergent as quantum physics, musical lyrics, recent historical developments in the Middle East and interpretation of various Biblical passages from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation.
This book blazes a trail which many others of similar background would do well to study at least and, if they find his discoveries compelling, to follow.
E. Maddocks –
The first book, The People of the Sign, gave the background of Wade Fransson’s traumatic childhood, troubled adolescence, and fervent commitment to the closed-theology, cult-like beliefs, of Herbert W. Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God (WCG). Now with The Hardness of the Heart we join Wade in his early adult and midlife years as he struggles with a failing marriage, illness, corporate corruption, and his growing doubts that he and his fellow ministers and church associates were the chosen of God. Would Christian love trump theology? My eyes glazed over reading the ins and outs, the convoluted rationalities, of WCG theology, but it was fascinating. Wade brings brilliant thriller-type writing to his endeavors in India, and he draws the pearls out of his misfortunes there. He does Stephen King proud setting the scene and depicting all his plans and emotions leading to his proposal to his beloved. No spoiler alert here; read the book! I admit screaming inside at the verrrry long ten years it took for Wade to work through his spiritual beliefs, and wishing vehemently that he had had a “road to Damascus” experience and cut to the chase. However, every twist and turn in his spiritual journey is inspirational to anyone who has likewise been a spiritual seeker. And I’m looking forward to reading The Rod of Iron and to see if Wade did, indeed, swing from one end of the pendulum to the other, from a closed mind to an open mind, and how he committed his renewed life to service to God.
Bill Fairchild –
Easily the best of the three-volume trilogy sharing Wade Fransson’s adventures in life, love, growing maturity, establishing a successful career, and trying continually to become a better man, husband, father, and servant of God (and not exactly in that order). And, best of all, (spoiler alert) may the hero and his now truly happy family live happily ever after. And for the cosmologist wannabes among us, there is a mind-blowing section on quantum mechanics, fractals, and infinitesimally small packets of energy.