The Emperor Code

What if All You’ve Ever Known about Christianity Is a Lie?


On his deathbed, Constantine the Great, Emperor of Rome and patron of the Church, was baptized into Christianity—and a confession was heard. 


But what did he say, and who did he say it to? No one has known.


Until now.


Fresh off a mission saving the Bible, the Order of Thaddeus, ancient defender of the Church, makes a startling discovery at an archaeological site that threatens the heart of Christian belief: the divinity of Jesus. It also throws into confusion the historical record surrounding Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nicaea.


And when a cryptic message on the dark web challenging the Church’s central code surfaces from a new rival—Silas Grey and his agents are once again thrown back into the fray to unravel a puzzle mystery involving the Nicene Creed and Constantine’s confession.


Spanning the seedbed of Christianity from Libya to Turkey, SEPIO scrambles to make sense of a maelstrom of menaces sweeping against both the Order and the Church in its most urgent and harrowing mission yet. All with a ticking-clock countdown to explosive revelations suggesting all the world has ever known about Christianity has been a lie—built by an emperor, embedded in a creed, suggested by a heretic, and pushed by a doctrine at the heart of the world’s largest religion.


Will SEPIO get to the bottom of the ancient confession and code at the heart of Christianity before enemies new and old leverage it to destroy the faith?


Combining fact, faith, and fiction like few religious writers, J. A. Bouma weaves a propulsive, page-turning archaeological treasure hunt fans of Clive Cussler, James Rollins, and Steve Berry will devour—with the best elements from bestselling action-adventure, religious conspiracy, and historical thrillers to set the pace.


Join the archaeological adventure with this 9th book in the series fans say “is a must read [that] will not only excite and thrill you but give you something to think about and inspire you!”