Tom Egeland
Encyclopedia
Tom Egeland is a Norwegian
author. His great-grandfather was Jon Flatabø from Kvam in Hardanger, one of the pioneer authors of popular literature in Norway. Egeland's novels are published in 21 languages. His most famous novel is Relic, which deals with several of the same topics as The Da Vinci Code
. Egeland's book was published in 2001, two years before The Da Vinci Code.
European readers and critics quickly noted some striking similarities between the Da Vinci Code and Relic. Like The Da Vinci Code, Relic involves an ancient mystery and a worldwide conspiracy, the discovery that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, and an albino as one of the central characters. In both novels, the main female character turns out to be the last living descendant of Christ and Mary Magdalene, and the daughter/granddaughter of the last grand master of a secret order.
Many European readers have speculated that Dan Brown
had plagiarized Tom Egeland's book. Since the Norwegian novel had not yet been translated into English when The Da Vinci Code came out, it is generally assumed today that the similarities between the two books, although striking, are coincidental.
The author himself, Tom Egeland, has in numerous interviews in European media dismissed the claim of Brown's novel plagiarizing his own novel, stating that the similarities just show that he and Brown more or less have done the same research and found the same sources.
Egeland's novel Guardians of the Covenant has been translated into 17 languages. Both Guardians of the Covenant and the 2001 bestseller Relic have been acquired by the British publishing house John Murray
.
The thriller Night of the Wolf (2005) - about Chechen terrorists taking control over a live television debate show - as also been made into a feature length movie and a TV mini-series. Egeland wrote the script himself.
In 2007 Tom Egeland published two books: The Girl in the Mirror (for young adults) and Guardians of the Covenant, a thriller with the same main character as Circle's End: The albino archaeologist Bjørn Beltø.
Egeland's thriller The Gospel of Lucifer was published in Norwegian in May 2009 and has been translated into 12 languages. The novel was awarded the Norwegian Riverton Prize
for best crime novel 2009.
According to IMDB, he was an extra in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
, portraying one of the rebel soldiers fighting in the Battle of Hoth.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
author. His great-grandfather was Jon Flatabø from Kvam in Hardanger, one of the pioneer authors of popular literature in Norway. Egeland's novels are published in 21 languages. His most famous novel is Relic, which deals with several of the same topics as The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery-detective novel written by Dan Brown. It follows symbologist Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu as they investigate a murder in Paris's Louvre Museum and discover a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus having been married to...
. Egeland's book was published in 2001, two years before The Da Vinci Code.
European readers and critics quickly noted some striking similarities between the Da Vinci Code and Relic. Like The Da Vinci Code, Relic involves an ancient mystery and a worldwide conspiracy, the discovery that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, and an albino as one of the central characters. In both novels, the main female character turns out to be the last living descendant of Christ and Mary Magdalene, and the daughter/granddaughter of the last grand master of a secret order.
Many European readers have speculated that Dan Brown
Dan Brown
Dan Brown is an American author of thriller fiction, best known for the 2003 bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code. Brown's novels, which are treasure hunts set in a 24-hour time period, feature the recurring themes of cryptography, keys, symbols, codes, and conspiracy theories...
had plagiarized Tom Egeland's book. Since the Norwegian novel had not yet been translated into English when The Da Vinci Code came out, it is generally assumed today that the similarities between the two books, although striking, are coincidental.
The author himself, Tom Egeland, has in numerous interviews in European media dismissed the claim of Brown's novel plagiarizing his own novel, stating that the similarities just show that he and Brown more or less have done the same research and found the same sources.
Egeland's novel Guardians of the Covenant has been translated into 17 languages. Both Guardians of the Covenant and the 2001 bestseller Relic have been acquired by the British publishing house John Murray
John Murray (publisher)
John Murray is an English publisher, renowned for the authors it has published in its history, including Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lord Byron, Charles Lyell, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Herman Melville, and Charles Darwin...
.
The thriller Night of the Wolf (2005) - about Chechen terrorists taking control over a live television debate show - as also been made into a feature length movie and a TV mini-series. Egeland wrote the script himself.
In 2007 Tom Egeland published two books: The Girl in the Mirror (for young adults) and Guardians of the Covenant, a thriller with the same main character as Circle's End: The albino archaeologist Bjørn Beltø.
Egeland's thriller The Gospel of Lucifer was published in Norwegian in May 2009 and has been translated into 12 languages. The novel was awarded the Norwegian Riverton Prize
Riverton Prize
The Riverton Prize is a literature award given annually to the best Norwegian crime story .- Winners :...
for best crime novel 2009.
According to IMDB, he was an extra in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
, portraying one of the rebel soldiers fighting in the Battle of Hoth.