What are the Tocharian Gospels?

I’ve posted several updates on the writing of my next book titled the Slaying of the Bull. I’ve also mentioned that this work will be part of a series called the Tocharian Gospels, but I realized I haven’t gone into much detail of what this series’ story arc will entail. If you’ve checked out the links I’ve posted in the past (also linked above), you will see four potential book covers with a brief description and a sample chapter. It will be immediately apparent that the Slaying of the Bull takes place in a completely different timeline than the next two books, and the fourth book transcends into a different realm. You may be thinking, what is this crazy journey? Well, it is not as insane as it looks. Below, I will offer a quick summary (without spoilers) of what this tale will be about.

First, who are the Tocharians? You’ve likely never heard of this group of people as we don’t know much about them. You can find a more in breadth definition here, but in sum, they were an Indo-European culture that lived in a series of great oasis cities within the Tarim Basin in modern-day Xinjiang Province, China. They thrived before China’s first emperor, so it gives you a sense of the timescale and how ancient they were. The term Indo-European is essential as they were a bridging people that appeared in the desert oasis somewhere around 2000 BC. The mummified remains found in their ruins show that they were Caucasian with light-colored hair, but intermingled with the Asian nomads of the Steppe and the first tendrils of Buddhism in India. The inhabitants of the desert oasis fizzled out before the birth of Christ through a mixture of desertification and conquest, and their great cities were swallowed up by the desert and locked in time. The remains of this civilization were only re-discovered in an expedition by the famed Swedish explorer Sven Hedin in 1899-1902.

In the Slaying of the Bull, we learn that in ancient times a mysterious oasis appeared after an enormous explosion of light. When the cultures of the area sent people into the desert to investigate, they found a series of stone tablets carved with their language. In time, the keepers of these tablets, the Tocharians, realized their civilization, and therefore the tablets, were in danger, so they transcribed their words into a more moveable group of texts. Being at a hub of the Silk Road, the worlds of God were easily scattered into the wide world, their bits and pieces forming the basis of the world’s great religions. Hence, the Tocharian Gospels were born. The key take away from these texts? In very simplified terms, the gates of heaven are closed and these books explain how to open them through the consolidation and magnification of human will called Vril.

The Slaying of the Bull kicks off the series. It tells a story about the struggle between the forces of light and dark to possess these books. They also introduce the series’ only binding main character, Isa, a young boy entrusted with uniting the words of God and continuing their great mission. Brother Humbert, a Dominican monk and King Bela IV of Hungary (among others) helps him on this quest. The Slaying of the Bull sets the stage by showing one of history’s great struggles over these books and what is at stake if the words of God should fall into the wrong hands. The Bull is very close to being finished.

The second book in the series, called Vril, will explain some of the actual physical power that the Gospels contain. Taking place 750 years after the events in the Bull, it will enlighten us on what happened to Isa and how his mission continues. This story is about 70% done.

The third book, the Great Lucado, focuses on a particular tenet of religion and what gives it its power- namely faith. It follows a quest to turn an unfaithful man into a tool of God and thereby becoming the key that may finally open the gates of heaven. This story is about 25% done.

Lastly, the Land In-Between answers the questions, if the gates of heaven are closed, where do people go when they die? Isa’s great mission will finally come to a head in an epic battle between light and dark and all will wait in anticipation to see if the great pearly gates open. This story is about 80% done.

As I’ve mentioned, it is an ambitious tale, but I hope from the explanation above, you will see that I am well on my way to completing the story. Lastly, don’t forget my currently published work Island of Stone (comment below or send feedback here or on Facebook)!

Cheers!