The author says that the Christian patriarchs had an ax to grind and maybe so. I give Martin credit for the research he has done into the Gnostics and their various beliefs, but I think that maybe he also has an ax to grind concerning Christianity. ( )

This gives an excellent basic account of gnosticism in the context of early christianity and the various heresies that share some of its ideas.

It deals with the historical background, gives a brief explanation of gnostic beliefs and the various religious movement that held them, together with some of their main teachers.

One of the most interesting chapters is the summary of the various gnostic texts with selected quotations that give a feeling for what they are about.

The final chapter covers later developments incu=luding links to the Cathars, William Blake and Jung, with a stop off at Philip K Dick andThe Matrix.

An excellent introduction to the topic and a must read if you're studying Blake. ( )