A review by coolhand773
The Order by Daniel Silva

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

For the first time in the 20-book series, my reaction to the latest Daniel Silva offering was: meh. I'm not exactly sure whether it was the subject matter or whether Silva's formulaic approach to each installment is finally starting to wear thin, but this book was a chore to finish. 

The backdrop for the latest installment is the Catholic Church. And granted, the history of the Catholic church is riddled with failures ranging from sexual scandal to dereliction of duty during the Holocaust, but Silva fills page after page with liberal (and controversial) biblical textual theory, doing his best to undermine the credibility of the Gospel accounts. That, coupled with a barely interesting plot with transparent twists, and I'm half-tempted to suggest a new title for the 2nd edition: The Boreder.

I've loved the series up until now. Not all of the books have been my favorites, but I've enjoyed nearly every one. The combination of biblical criticism (which felt shoe-horned into the plot), a shop-worn use of the "far Right" as the nefarious and far-reaching network of bogeymen, along with a paper-thin plot, made this a less-than-enjoyable read. Maybe it's time to let Gabriel retire?

Thanks for taking the time to read my review!