2008-07-22 46 reviews - already a telling story: a fast running and entertaining thriller with shallow language & many stereotypes

I picked this book up by change as I like this genre of thrillers. And it follows the expected pattern: a religious secret of the Catholic Church - why is it actually always the Catholic Church? - , short chapters, different guys following the same story from different angels. All is based on a short of feeling that the CC is not honest and that much of Christian believes are based on lies. Fiction and facts nicely mixed. I do not think that this was very original, but still it is what I expected and why I wanted to read it in the first place. So no need for disappointment. I am not at all bothered what is true or not as long as it makes a good story. This is a thriller and not a serious religious book. There were rather a few twists - especially at the end - which came as a surprise and are nice.

It is written with a great flow and indeed makes a gripping yarn, easy to read and not at all boring. The style is however very flat and the personalities are not very rounded. They are and remain stereotypes. It is a bit like a film script and one can see the space for the commercial breaks. Small wonder that in the Author's notes he mentions "if SOTC ever gets made into a movie". Kuznewski asks the question: Why did Americans have to make a joke out of everything? (page 55) - yes, why indeed and why Kuznewski too. The book is plastered with this kind of lines. This gives the whole book a very, very shallow touch and puts in terms of language on the level on 3rd rate detective stories. Maybe I am just to European for it.

All in all, it is a book which clearly entertains the reader, it is fast running thriller, but in terms of language and style and personality rather shallow. Ideal for a long distance flight as one will not be bored while reading it. But if one forgets it in the plane when getting off, one will not be too sorry.