I don't know why I keep coming back to religious thrillers. I keep hoping that this time, just maybe, it will live up to the promise. The problem is that they're so anxious to pack in constant action scenes that they lose out on the story telling. And like most religious thrillers, the ending leaves so much to be desired. I found the twist in this one actually quite interesting - if they had continued with it and explored what it meant, rather than ending the book. It seems like such a revelation should have consequences or create some kind of impact, so it's incredibly disappointing when they act as though all the loose ends have been tied up and nothing has really been changed. Frankly, I feel cheated. I think if the ending of the book had actually been the premise at the beginning, and a completely different story had emerged, I would have liked it better.

That being said, this is only the first book in a trilogy. Perhaps this book was just the build up and the next will deliver something more. Not sure yet if I'm going to read it to find out. ( )

Sanctus. Simon Toyne. 2012. I almost put this book down because of the purple prose, but I persevered. Critics compared it to The Da Vinci Code and to books by Brad Meltzer. Seems there is a genre of conspiracy books with a semi religious theme, although I don’t know the name of the genre. The oldest inhabited place on earth is the mysterious Citadel situated on a mountain in the Turkish city of Ruin in which the mysterious sacrament is guarded. The entire world learned about the Citadel when a young man seen hanging on the wall of the Citadel, with his body shaped in the form of the Tau cross, jumps to his death. His sister comes from the US to see his body; a police detective is assigned to this case; a mysterious outside group is trying to breach the Citadel; and a swarm of mysterious monks is determined to protect the Last Sacrament. It is filled with lots of violence and action and quasi religious rituals. If you liked The Da Vinci Code, you’ll probably like this and the sequel. It was a fun read for a change. ( )

http://pro-libertate.net/20140310/231-read-sanctus ( )

A great page turner if a bit predictable as thriller action goes. The writing was good but I have to say it did not stir my emotions. I thought the ending was great and the setting both exotic and disturbing. If you like thrillers this is a fast and entertaining read. ( )

I liked the book. It was quite tense with lots of switching between short chapters. Some wishful thinking on the technology side was jarring, but apart from that it was an enjoyable and imaginative book. ( )