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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
{3.5 stars}
The Order is a story that imagines an underground Catholic network who are trying to sway the election of a new pope. I like stories like this, ones that take just a slight tweak of real life and show you just how things could be. I really liked the main characters and the complexity of the ethics that drove their decisions. I liked the deeper delve into the politics between Catholics and Jews and how a few little words could change everything.
I was hoping for a Dan Brown-like story with this one, it had all the knowledge and intrigue… But it just lacked the pacing for me. There were sections that were overly long with detail about things I felt were not necessary to move the story forward. Generally a book like this I can read quite quickly… But I sort of had to force myself to read so many pages a day to keep it moving. I really enjoyed the first third and the second third but the middle was a bit of a slog for me. The ending was really great and even as a devout Catholic I could enjoy this book for its entertainment value and wholly appreciated the author’s note to that effect.
Thanks to Harper Collins for a copy of this novel. All opinions above are my own.
The Order is a story that imagines an underground Catholic network who are trying to sway the election of a new pope. I like stories like this, ones that take just a slight tweak of real life and show you just how things could be. I really liked the main characters and the complexity of the ethics that drove their decisions. I liked the deeper delve into the politics between Catholics and Jews and how a few little words could change everything.
I was hoping for a Dan Brown-like story with this one, it had all the knowledge and intrigue… But it just lacked the pacing for me. There were sections that were overly long with detail about things I felt were not necessary to move the story forward. Generally a book like this I can read quite quickly… But I sort of had to force myself to read so many pages a day to keep it moving. I really enjoyed the first third and the second third but the middle was a bit of a slog for me. The ending was really great and even as a devout Catholic I could enjoy this book for its entertainment value and wholly appreciated the author’s note to that effect.
Thanks to Harper Collins for a copy of this novel. All opinions above are my own.
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
This is my second Gabriel Allon book and I don't find it interesting. I know I liked The Black Widow (#16), but this one felt different and slow. Returning this book.
You don't KNOW how difficult it is to give a Silva book a 1-star.
The initial basis of the book is that the Pope is murdered. ........ intriguing ..... But this is also the third book based on the Vatican. I think Silva has overdone this setting for his books.
And maybe two hours of the audiobook were about a non-existent book of Pontius Pilate that is found, hidden because he didn't want it to become the fifth gospel of the Bible. He admits that he was the sole person who killed Jesus, which is contrary to the four gospels, and the book asserts that its absence is the main reason that led to Anti-Semitism.
There is a big anti-Catholic vibe in the book as well. The Order is a group of nationalists that want one of their members to become Pope and damage the Catholic religion.
Where's the intrigue? Where is the group of Israeli specialists that work with Gabriel Allon (they made a brief appearance for several pages, then disappeared).
And where's the real Gabriel Allon??? All he did was sit there while the Cardinals told all their secret society stories.
It's not a *bad* book, if it was written by any other author, and if you like your intrigue to be only of a religious nature.
Silva, you made your name on international spy novels. Go back to that and stay away from this stuff.
The initial basis of the book is that the Pope is murdered. ........ intriguing ..... But this is also the third book based on the Vatican. I think Silva has overdone this setting for his books.
And maybe two hours of the audiobook were about a non-existent book of Pontius Pilate that is found, hidden because he didn't want it to become the fifth gospel of the Bible. He admits that he was the sole person who killed Jesus, which is contrary to the four gospels, and the book asserts that its absence is the main reason that led to Anti-Semitism.
There is a big anti-Catholic vibe in the book as well. The Order is a group of nationalists that want one of their members to become Pope and damage the Catholic religion.
Where's the intrigue? Where is the group of Israeli specialists that work with Gabriel Allon (they made a brief appearance for several pages, then disappeared).
And where's the real Gabriel Allon??? All he did was sit there while the Cardinals told all their secret society stories.
It's not a *bad* book, if it was written by any other author, and if you like your intrigue to be only of a religious nature.
Silva, you made your name on international spy novels. Go back to that and stay away from this stuff.
Daniel Silva continues the beauty and magic of Gabrial's adventures, this time focusing on the catholic church. Perhaps a tad less intense suspense and tension in the plot, yet still all the elements I so loved in the previous books.
3.5 but I rounded up.
I picked this book up to fulfill a reading challenge category not knowing it was BOOK TWENTY in a series. Luckily you do not need to have read the others to get the story. It references things in past books but those things are not critical to this tale.
This falls in the 'Pope dies by mysterious circumstances and things need to be solved before the next one is elected" genre of crime/mystery.
Book was good. Probably would have dragged my feet if I physically read it but listening kept me engaged.
I picked this book up to fulfill a reading challenge category not knowing it was BOOK TWENTY in a series. Luckily you do not need to have read the others to get the story. It references things in past books but those things are not critical to this tale.
This falls in the 'Pope dies by mysterious circumstances and things need to be solved before the next one is elected" genre of crime/mystery.
Book was good. Probably would have dragged my feet if I physically read it but listening kept me engaged.
The Pope has been murdered. His right hand man, Luigi Donati, calls on Gabriel Allon to investigate. Everything comes down to an ultra orthodox group in the church who want to destroy an ancient book found by the Pope in the Vatican's secret archives, the gospel of Pontius Pilate. This gospel negates Matthew 27:25 which has been used as the basis for anti-semitism for 2000 years. I think the most interesting piece was that it was Jesus himself who gave the book to the Pope and Gabriel.
Not the usual Gabriel Allon style but still very interesting.
We all know what Pius XII did, or rather did not do during WWII. He was a disgrace. In the author's notes he says something that really struck me. He says "If only a prelate like Francis had been wearing the Ring of the Fisherman in 1939. The history of the Jews, and the Roman Catholic Church, might well have been written differently."
Not the usual Gabriel Allon style but still very interesting.
We all know what Pius XII did, or rather did not do during WWII. He was a disgrace. In the author's notes he says something that really struck me. He says "If only a prelate like Francis had been wearing the Ring of the Fisherman in 1939. The history of the Jews, and the Roman Catholic Church, might well have been written differently."
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated