Cathedral
by Nelson DeMille
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Book Reviews of Cathedral
Book Review: Outstanding
Summary: 5 Stars
I've read a number of books by DeMille.I've fouind them to be intelligent, well-written and highly entertaining.
Cathedral, which describes an abortive attempt by some IRA defectors to blow up St Patrick's cathedral in New York, has deep resonance in view of the attack on the WTC.
The plot was engaging and gripping. Flynn, the Irish protagonist was the perfect anti-hero. Indeed, I found myself longing for him and his band of conspirators to win - odd, as I spent a number of years fighting against the IRA in Ulster.
Plots within plots, strings being pulled by unknown puppet-masters, the story drew me from page to page like a driven animal. I just had to find out what happened. The book was unputdownable!
One thing i noticed (being English) is that Demille uses English forms of verb past tenses rather than American. Wonderful!! At last an author whose characters 'shone a light' rather than 'shined a light', who 'lit a cigarette' rather than 'lighted a cigarette'.
I'd happily buy any book from this author.
Book Review: Not my favorite DeMille . . . but an entertaining ride . . .
Summary: 4 Stars
My knowledge of "the troubles" in Northern Ireland are limited. With that said, I found the story line in THE CATHEDRAL most interesting and it gave me a lot to think about.
Cliches abound in the story, but they are not so much a distraction as just simple cliches. The bad guys are pretty bad. The "redeemed ones" are tempted, but do not go back to their destructive ways. And, the good guys prevail, as you knew they would, dented and roughed up, but still the good guys.
I listened to the book on tape on a recent road trip and enjoyed Michael Murphy's reading. He gave each character a voice and a point of view sometimes lacking in books on tape.
DeMille is one of my favorite authors, but this was not one of my favorite DeMille's. Maybe he is of Irish ancestory and felt compelled to tell this story. If so, I'm glad he got it out of his system and has gone back to a more familiar genre.
Enjoy!
Book Review: DeMille Does It in Third Person!
Summary: 4 Stars
Finally! I knew he could do it. DeMille wrote a great read in the third person! I am picky, and this book fulfilled most of my lofty expectations.I gave only four stars for a preference of mine. I like the occasional shot of humor in books. I know that so serious a story as this (IRA bombings and hostages are not subjects of the lighthearted) are known more for their suspense than their tickles, but the occasional moment of levity wouldn't necessarily distract from the impact and value of the story; indeed, it might serve to break the tension so that the reader obtains a well-deserved break in between shootings and bombings.
There are a lot of characters in this story, but deMille quite easily jockys them into positions of most important and trivial, so they don't serve to confuse the issues unnecessarily. I would recommend this book. Chances are you'll enjoy it. It's not The General's Daughter, but it's not bad at all.
Book Review: This book shows DeMille's promise.
Summary: 3 Stars
A small faction of the IRA takes over St. Patrick's cathedral in NYC on St. Patrick's Day and threatens to blow it up along with the Cardinal and three other hostages. About halfway through the book, the major characters are finally fully limned and the setup is complete. The action takes place over about 12 hours. After the first few chapters setting up the characters and scenario, the buildup to the last five or ten minutes when the final confrontation takes place is detailed and suspenseful. Those final 5-10 minutes of the storyline, however, are total chaos, not just plotwise but narrativewise -- understandable in this kind of situation but something that cannot be forgiven by the reader. I had the choice of slowing down my reading pace so I could keep track of what was happening or maintaining the rhythm at the risk of losing detail. I'd say it's an above-average thriller, with DeMille still waiting to fulfill his potential.Book Review: Riveting, but with flaws
Summary: 4 Stars
Cathedral is a great read. The characters are interesting, not mere paper dolls. While the end of the book is predictable, getting there was all the fun. The aged IRA terrorist was particularly well drawn. A few quibbles, however. The portrayal of the federal government representatives did not ring true. Washington would never have walked away from this one. Believe me, the State Department would have sent more than a supercillious security type to the scene. As a former Foreign Service Officer, I know the type of task force that would have been assembled for the takeover of such a prominent landmark as St. Pat's. Also, the takedown would not have been left to the City of New York. Well trained professionals, such as those in Delta or Seal Team 6 would have been involved. But as I said, these are quibbles. The plot moves along at a good clip, and the reader is eager to see it through to the end.