Who was Jesus? It is a question that has been asked and answered many times and in many ways throughout history. But in order to even begin addressing this question, the person of Jesus must be placed in historical and mythical context. Once this is done, some truly shocking answers emerge. Here was a man intent upon establishing the kingdom of God on earth in his own lifetime, a revolutionary leader with training in the mystical traditions of Egypt who would settle for nothing less than following in the footsteps of King Solomon, the pharaohs and the gods themselves. Messiah in the Making and its preceding companion work, Forged in Ancient Fires form the two-volume set known as The Phoenix Principle. Together, they survey Western traditions based on their origins in mythology and the cultural and political climate in which they developed. The lives of the pharaohs, Mesopotamian gods, Celtic traditions, and apocryphal biblical texts are just some of the puzzle pieces that come together to create a new and cohesive picture of where and how our sacred traditions arose. Readers of Graham Hancock will find new fascination in these works, which survey figures ranging from Moses and Jesus to King Arthur and King David, from Robin Hood to the Queen of Sheba. Here you will find a comprehensive look at a ritual tradition that spanned oceans and continents, centuries and millennia. Classical myths, historical accounts and faerie tales are mined to reveal the universal theme behind them: the principle of regeneration and resurrection. The Phoenix Principle was nothing less than the tradition that supported ancient kings in their kingdoms, preserved bloodlines through the ages and gave birth to modern Western religion. It linked monarchs to their land and guided the epic struggle between the king and his chosen successor - between wizard and knight, between sun and shadow. Explore it now.