A smart, intelligent thriller with something for everyone. This
new religious conspiracy genre created by Dan Brown has had many
knock-offs. None, however, have the depth and scope of Weber's novel. He
peels away the glossy finish you find in most spy thrillers, prying deeply
into his two major female character's motivations, flaws, and past.
The visceral action of Ludlum combined with the realism of John Le'Clare.

An ancient secret society. The Vatican. The lost tomb of Jesus--the King of Kings And an ancient scroll that unlocks the secret of the Goddess . CODIS-the FBI's Combined DNA Index System-has found a match. A link between the past and present. Between a royal bloodline and the world's foremost terrorist. On the anniversary of their downfall at the hands of the papacy, the Knights Templar vow revenge. The ultimate spies and the ultimate threat: Reunited lovers brought together by fate, Italian-born OSI agent Nick Rossi and beautiful Mossad agent, Josie Schulman, battle an al-Qaeda orchestrated wave of terrorist attacks directed against Rome, the Vatican, and the newly elected Pope. But the investigation means plunging into Rossi's own past and into the arms of Bast, the alluring stranger, who may be his downfall. The ultimate secret: Beneath the Dome of the Rock, in Solomon's Temple, an ancient scroll is found. It unlocks the Holy See's brutally suppressed truth concerning the divine feminine, Mary Magdalene's true identify and role-and the location of history's most important tomb. The ultimate deception: As world leaders converge on Rome for the Pope's funeral, Rossi and Josie race against time and follow a cryptic trail of symbols hidden within German Renaissance paintings: the keys to a mystery that points to a secret Masonic nexus of power, the secrets of the Widow's Son. What would you do for love? What would you do for honor and country? Two strong-willed women find themselves at opposing sides of a struggle for power. Josie a Mossad agent, who is battle weary and disillusioned, and the other-Bast a notorious al-Qaeda operative. But they share three things in common: they seek revenge for the murder of family members, and they both seek love and meaning in their lonesome existence. The third thing they share is the affection of the same man. The man is Nick Rossi intelligence operative stationed in Rome. Rossi seeks the advice of his uncle Professor Giovanni, a man versed in history and the schemes of secret societies. Together they must solve a riddle, clues left by a Masonic Nexus that has infiltrated the Vatican. Rossi knows that his uncle's and even the Pope's life depends upon his actions. And time is running out. Behind the veil of enigma lies the Eschatology Institute, a New Age pop culture Church, complete with Hollywood celebrity spokespersons, secret oaths, and dark agendas. Its leader is on a mad power trip and will kill anyone who stands in his way. And his sights are set on the Vatican.

The Vatican, movie star cult icons, secret cabals, spies and even a love
triangle all blend into a surprisingly tasty stew. More seasoned writers
might have cut back on the complex recipe of spy thriller and religious
history, offering less meat and more fluff.
But this writer gives you your monies worth, hoping you'll come back for
seconds.

I wanted to take you deeper into the mysteries of Secret
Societies, while at the same time, giving readers a fast-paced thriller,
hopefully made all the more credible by my real-life experiences as a
special agent.

Like every thing else, there's a good and bad side to Gnosticism just as
there is in the three major organized religions. Too many recent authors
have whitewashed the dark side of alternative history and religious
beliefs.

If you've ever wondered what the real esoteric meaning of those scenes in
the film Eyes Wide Shut meant; if you've ever wondered just what is the
big, dark secret that Freemasonry has hidden from all but their
highest-ranking members; if you've ever wondered if there truly are
sinister forces behind the largest New Age cult on the planet, then this
novel will give you the answers to these questions.

What would you do for love? What would you do for honor and
country? Two strong-willed women find themselves at opposing
sides of a struggle for power. Josie a Mossad agent, who is battle weary
and disillusioned, and Bast a notorious al-Qaeda operative. But they
share three things in common: they seek revenge for the murder of
family members, and they both seek love and meaning in their lonesome
existence. The third thing they share is the affection of the same man.
The man is Nick Rossi intelligence operative stationed in Rome. Rossi
seeks the advice of his uncle Professor Giovanni, a man versed in history
and the schemes of
secret societies. Together they must solve a riddle, clues left by a
Masonic Nexus that
has infiltrated the Vatican. Rossi knows that his uncle's and even the
Pope's life
depend upon his actions. And time is running out.
Behind the veil of enigma lies the Eschatology Institute, a New Age pop
culture
Church, complete with Hollywood celebrity spokespersons, secret oaths, and
dark
agendas. Its leader is on a mad power trip and will kill anyone who stands
in his way.
And his sights are set on the Vatican.
From its tense opening to its shattering climax, Solomon's Key is a
thriller that
will hold you in its grip for every twist, every shock, every revelation
... until it lets
you go, unmistakably changed.

R. Douglas Weber is a former Foreign Service Officer, Special
Agent In Charge of Dignitary Protection with the U.S. Department of State's
DSS Diplomatic Security Service. The unit responsible for the protection of
such notables as the late Diana Princess of Wales and her former spouse,
Prince Charles. His last position was as a Deputy Asst. Regional Director
with the Justice Dept.

2008-08-01 Disappointing

I picked this book thinking that it might be good. There plot, premise and plan seem OK. However, the character development, pagesetting and font usage and even the book size were very annoying.