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24th out of 74 books
—
49 voters
The Medusa Amulet
by
Robert Masello (Goodreads Author)
In this new spine-tingling thriller by Robert Masello, the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of Blood and Ice, a brilliant but skeptical young scholar named David Franco embarks on a quest to recover a legendary artifact: a beautifully carved amulet that was created by Benvenuto Cellini, the master artisan of Renaissance Italy.
What begins as a simple investigatio...more
What begins as a simple investigatio...more
Hardcover, 464 pages
Published
April 26th 2011
by Bantam
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I would not have purchased Robert Masello’s The Medusa Amulet based on the title or even the jacket blurb. The jacket blurb sounded interesting, but as my epublishing editor says, “So many books, so little time.” I probably would have passed on it except that I had read the author’s Blood and Ice about a year ago and thought that it was brilliant—somehow making a mix of vampires, cryogenics, and Antarctic explorers entirely believable with a thrilling, scary plot. So I bought his latest book bas...more
I won a copy of this from the First Reads section and I have to say, I was really excited about it! Thanks GoodReads!
I loved all the travel, art, architecture and art history that was a major part of this book. I enjoyed the 2 intertwining stories of present day vs. Renaissance and how they were brought together in the end. I'm not a literary critic by any means; I just know a good story when I read one and this is it. My husband started reading it as I was about half way through and we had to f...more
I loved all the travel, art, architecture and art history that was a major part of this book. I enjoyed the 2 intertwining stories of present day vs. Renaissance and how they were brought together in the end. I'm not a literary critic by any means; I just know a good story when I read one and this is it. My husband started reading it as I was about half way through and we had to f...more
I won this first-reads copy so a big thanks to Goodreads for that!
I took a while to read this book because there was so much information to absorb and I didn't want to miss out on anything, hence my review being so late.
To start, I will say that I loved the history in this book. The historical references to Rome and Florance simply fascinated me as does anything pertaining to Italy. The fact that there was a medieval, renaissance undercurrent kept me reading! I also liked the settings in France...more
I took a while to read this book because there was so much information to absorb and I didn't want to miss out on anything, hence my review being so late.
To start, I will say that I loved the history in this book. The historical references to Rome and Florance simply fascinated me as does anything pertaining to Italy. The fact that there was a medieval, renaissance undercurrent kept me reading! I also liked the settings in France...more
I Love Kirkus Reviews. They're generally the bad guy of the review world so if they like something, odds are it'll be good. They loved this and I only thought it was okay.
A librarian at the prestigious Newberry Library in Chicago is asked by a wealthy patron to locate an item created by an idol of his, Benvenuto Cellini, an Italian Renaissance artist and sculpter. In return, she will pay his expenses to Italy and assist him in prolonging his sick (with cancer) sister's life.
Here begins his whi...more
A librarian at the prestigious Newberry Library in Chicago is asked by a wealthy patron to locate an item created by an idol of his, Benvenuto Cellini, an Italian Renaissance artist and sculpter. In return, she will pay his expenses to Italy and assist him in prolonging his sick (with cancer) sister's life.
Here begins his whi...more
First, I won this as a First-Reads giveaway and appreciated the opportunity to get an early look! Reading makes up about 90% of my job, but every script or novel I pick up is still exciting; books that arrive in the mail at random are an extra delight.
There is a tremendous idea in this book, and the core of the story itself is clever and interesting. Truly, an excellent beginning.
That said, the writing leaves something to be desired. So much of the book is dependent the reader investing in the m...more
There is a tremendous idea in this book, and the core of the story itself is clever and interesting. Truly, an excellent beginning.
That said, the writing leaves something to be desired. So much of the book is dependent the reader investing in the m...more
The Medusa Amulet is of the archaeological-thriller genre of novel, with a magical/mystical bent (think Raiders of the Lost Ark). It is about the search for La Medusa: an amulet, created in renaissance Italy by artist Cellini. Cellini was a student of the dark arts and the amulet is said to have the power of immortality. Wealthy Kathryn Van Owen believes so, and she hires idealistic scholar David Franco to find it. The bad guys have also sent men after it. And David, meanwhile, has a personal mo...more
It was a nice and fast read. I enjoyed it most for Cellini and Caterina, yeah even more for them as for David and Olivia.
*** german review ***
Inhalt: David Franco restauriert alte Manuskripte und ist ein Bewunderer des florentinischen Künstlers Cellini. Er bekommt von einer reichen Frau den Auftrag, ein Artefakt zu suchen, das angeblich von Cellini, der nicht nur Künstler, sondern auch bewandert in den dunklen Künsten war, geschaffen worden sein soll, um ewiges Leben zu schenken. David ist skept...more
*** german review ***
Inhalt: David Franco restauriert alte Manuskripte und ist ein Bewunderer des florentinischen Künstlers Cellini. Er bekommt von einer reichen Frau den Auftrag, ein Artefakt zu suchen, das angeblich von Cellini, der nicht nur Künstler, sondern auch bewandert in den dunklen Künsten war, geschaffen worden sein soll, um ewiges Leben zu schenken. David ist skept...more
I won this book through first reads, which was exciting!
I enjoyed this book, even though thrillers aren't my preferred genre, which is romance. My preferences in reading could have prejudiced this reading somewhat, so keep that in mind. I found the historical and international settings of Florence, Rome, and Paris truly fascinating. I also really appreciated the author's descriptions of archival research since I, too, am an academic.
However, I enjoyed the historical couple of Benvenuto Cellini...more
I enjoyed this book, even though thrillers aren't my preferred genre, which is romance. My preferences in reading could have prejudiced this reading somewhat, so keep that in mind. I found the historical and international settings of Florence, Rome, and Paris truly fascinating. I also really appreciated the author's descriptions of archival research since I, too, am an academic.
However, I enjoyed the historical couple of Benvenuto Cellini...more
Diciamo 2,5, dato che la trama nella seconda parte diventa meno melensa e un po' piu' accattivante. Ma e' inaccettabile che qualsiasi libro, di qualsiasi genere, tratti cosi' alla leggera l'uso delle citazioni di una lingua straniera, probabilmente con l'idea che tanto nessuno si rendera' conto che quelle citazioni non hanno alcun senso o sono completamente sgrammaticate.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
After finishing The Medusa Amulet: A Novel by Robert Masello I must say that I am a little disappointed. I really enjoyed the read, and even though the pace lulled at a few points, I found myself still enjoying the possible twist and turns yet to come.
(view spoiler)...more
(view spoiler)...more
I won this book so I would like to thank Goodreads for an advance copy. I am happy to say I enjoyed this book quite a bit, it had some interesting and unexpected surprises and it was really well written. In The Medusa Amulet, Robert Masello, who also wrote Blood and Ice, brings us a thriller with an unusual mix of the supernatural. David Franco, a bright young renaissance scholar at Chicago’s Newberry Library, is in search of an artifact that could help save his sister’s life and earn him a prom...more
The story charges between past and present, with the time periods cleverly connected through the mysterious amulet. Historical anecdotes and art history are smart background to a novel that moves forward at breakneck speed. The author has a light touch with supernatural elements, making them integral to the story without ever feeling forced. The novel is grounded in facts about the artist Cellini and the author's deep knowledge and intelligence shine through at every turn. The hero David Franco...more
How can a twenty-first century man meet a great renaissance master and battle one of the darkest historical figures of all time? That’s what you’ll find out in the Medusa Amulet.
Historical figures are given immortality in the books we read, but is it enough? For some, the guarantee of athanasia is something to be taken, achieved not in books and art or actions, but in purpose.
David, of Chicago’s Newberry library, is given the task of finding the Medusa Amulet, crafted by Renaissance artist Benv...more
Historical figures are given immortality in the books we read, but is it enough? For some, the guarantee of athanasia is something to be taken, achieved not in books and art or actions, but in purpose.
David, of Chicago’s Newberry library, is given the task of finding the Medusa Amulet, crafted by Renaissance artist Benv...more
I won this book through the Goodreads First Read Giveaway on 04/08/2011 and received it on 04/20/2011!
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time!!! I absolutely love how Masello wove fiction and history together to make this wonderfully mysterious and gripping story. Masello really grabs you by the collar and pulls you into the storyline quite quickly and then yanks you around a little. That sounds really horrible ... but it's amazing!! You really think that the story is going into...more
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time!!! I absolutely love how Masello wove fiction and history together to make this wonderfully mysterious and gripping story. Masello really grabs you by the collar and pulls you into the storyline quite quickly and then yanks you around a little. That sounds really horrible ... but it's amazing!! You really think that the story is going into...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
First, I must say that I won this book through First Reads and I'm glad that I did.
I actually enjoyed this book and it brought me back to a genre that I used to read voraciously, but haven't done so for a while. It did remind me of the Da Vinci Code in that it combined history, mystery, a connection to the present day, and action. But, this book did have its own personality and allure for me. In this book, David Franco, a renaissance scholar at the Newberry Library in Chicago was approached by...more
I actually enjoyed this book and it brought me back to a genre that I used to read voraciously, but haven't done so for a while. It did remind me of the Da Vinci Code in that it combined history, mystery, a connection to the present day, and action. But, this book did have its own personality and allure for me. In this book, David Franco, a renaissance scholar at the Newberry Library in Chicago was approached by...more
*I won this novel in a "first reads" giveaway. Thanks, Goodreads!
Entertaining read. Art history meets mythology and conspiracy theory. The novel jumps back and forth between present day scholar David Franco's search for an amulet carved with the head of Medusa believed to have powers to grant immortality, and the journey of the artist Cellini through the centuries who crafted the amulet.
Great premise, but with all the jumping around in time, the author doesn't dwell long enough in any one scene...more
Entertaining read. Art history meets mythology and conspiracy theory. The novel jumps back and forth between present day scholar David Franco's search for an amulet carved with the head of Medusa believed to have powers to grant immortality, and the journey of the artist Cellini through the centuries who crafted the amulet.
Great premise, but with all the jumping around in time, the author doesn't dwell long enough in any one scene...more
I won this book through first reads
This story is a historical mystery kind of along the lines of the DaVinci Code. The story goes back and forth between the present and the hunt for the Medusa Amulet and the past, shortly after the amulet was made.
The story follows a college professor/library curator's quest to find the Medusa Amulet for a very rich widow, Mrs. Van Owen, who promises him a lot of money as well as a cure for his dying sister. Of course there is another faction trying to find the...more
This story is a historical mystery kind of along the lines of the DaVinci Code. The story goes back and forth between the present and the hunt for the Medusa Amulet and the past, shortly after the amulet was made.
The story follows a college professor/library curator's quest to find the Medusa Amulet for a very rich widow, Mrs. Van Owen, who promises him a lot of money as well as a cure for his dying sister. Of course there is another faction trying to find the...more
2-1/2 stars. I randomly picked this book up at the library. The title intrigued me and then when I read the summary inside the book jacket it sounded like it could be a fun read. Generally I enjoy reading this genre where people are racing around the world on a quest to find an ancient artifact that has some supernatural power, but this one just didn't do it for me. I was ok with the amulet having the ability to give eternal life, but the invisibility crown just took it a bit to far. On the brig...more
I received an ARC of this novel through Goodreads.
This book was a fairly typical action-adventure story with a touch of the supernatural. The plot was interesting and the characters decently written, but there was nothing really special about it. The ending and the identity of the mysterious villain was very predictable but not unsatisfactory.
I rather liked the idea of the Medusa legend being used to give immortality. However, when you have all of the villains in history to choose from, why pick...more
This book was a fairly typical action-adventure story with a touch of the supernatural. The plot was interesting and the characters decently written, but there was nothing really special about it. The ending and the identity of the mysterious villain was very predictable but not unsatisfactory.
I rather liked the idea of the Medusa legend being used to give immortality. However, when you have all of the villains in history to choose from, why pick...more
I savored this book, with all of its historic and artistic references. I was exposed to fictitious facts that caused me to go back and research some historical figures and works of art. I like a work that makes me seek more knowledge.
The slow development of the story was very good for me. I dislike having too many elements and characters introduced all at once. By the time I reached the final part of the narrative, the resolution of the story fairly flew along with me hanging on in the tailwind!...more
The slow development of the story was very good for me. I dislike having too many elements and characters introduced all at once. By the time I reached the final part of the narrative, the resolution of the story fairly flew along with me hanging on in the tailwind!...more
I won this book on goodreads giveaways!
So this is how i think this book was written. The author was just sitting around one day and wanted to write something but couldn't figure out what so he wrote a bunch of historical terms on slips of paper then pulled three at random out of a hat and wound up with: 15th century Florence, black magic and the Nazis. I say this because those are 3 pretty disparate themes that he managed to tie together in this book. I'm trying not to say this like its a bad th...more
So this is how i think this book was written. The author was just sitting around one day and wanted to write something but couldn't figure out what so he wrote a bunch of historical terms on slips of paper then pulled three at random out of a hat and wound up with: 15th century Florence, black magic and the Nazis. I say this because those are 3 pretty disparate themes that he managed to tie together in this book. I'm trying not to say this like its a bad th...more
First of all I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway so Thank You Goodreads!!
3.5 stars...the last 100 pages might get 4 stars! It was good and I really enjoyed it. The blend of art, history, mythology, love, and the supernatural made for an interesting read. It was not a super fast read for me. There was a lot of history aspects and art that although I enjoyed made the story slow going in many parts. I wanted more ACTION!! The story felt like it was missing something most of the time and there were a...more
3.5 stars...the last 100 pages might get 4 stars! It was good and I really enjoyed it. The blend of art, history, mythology, love, and the supernatural made for an interesting read. It was not a super fast read for me. There was a lot of history aspects and art that although I enjoyed made the story slow going in many parts. I wanted more ACTION!! The story felt like it was missing something most of the time and there were a...more
This author outdoes Dan Brown as the story goes from implausible to totally impossible pretty fast. Having said that, if you like the crazy Dan Brown kind of action, you will probably like this one. At least the main characters are likable people, and I did like the way it ended, if not the events leading up to the end. Masello has certainly researched his art history, which I also found enjoyable.
Warning: It's too violent for my taste, so expect that if you decide to read it.
Warning: It's too violent for my taste, so expect that if you decide to read it.
This is a very well written suspense novel. I seldom give 4 stars to a book, but this one rates it. If you liked Kostova's The Historian, or Dale Brown's Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons, you will enjoy this novel. Benvenuto Cellini is a main character in the story. This is one of those books with several stories that help tell the story. Action, love interest, and evil villains. See if you can guess who the top villain is before it is revealed in the tale.
This book has a fantastic story line. Keeps you going and guessing,I would highly rate it and recmomend it though, like with any book some of the characters and scenarios really got on my nerves. I felt David was just a wet fish and even though he grew a back bone towards the end of the book I still couldnt take to him. Oliva just got on my nerves ! We had a brief restbite from her towards the end of the book but then I actually groaned out loud when I realised she was about to make another appe...more
I thought it started out kinda slow, but a third of the way in and I was hooked. I liked how the story went back in time and then back to the present. The book reminded me a lot of Dan Brown's story with mystery wrapped up in Catholic symbolism, but this story wasn't about Catholic's and the relic was a Medusa's amulet and the hero and heroine were scholar's interested in unraveling history for their own ends. Maybe, this too will be made into a movie...
Una historia muy bien planteada, llena de elementos que llaman a leer el libro: investigación, magia negra, artistas de renombre, épocas clave de la historia europea y mundial... El trabajo de documentación que ha hecho el autor es meritorio. Para aquel que le haya gustado un libro como The Last Cato, le recomiendo que le eche un vistazo. Además la manera en la que plantea el desarrollo del libro, alternando el protagonismo de los capítulos entre los distintos personajes, hace que se haga muy ll...more
Another good read from Masello. Not up to Bestiary, but good. Standard Da Vinci Code plot, but without all the details. This one centered on Cellini, and had some nice occult turns, which you were supposed to believe in - not for the skeptical. Nice hero - he could use him again. Can't say much or too many spoilers. BUt if you like this type of thriller, like Italian art, and some supernatural thrown in, then this is for you.
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Robert Masello is an award-winning journalist, TV writer, and the bestselling author of many novels and nonfiction books. His most recent thrillers include BLOOD AND ICE, THE MEDUSA AMULET, and THE ROMANOV CROSS, all published by Bantam/Random House.
He is also the author of two popular studies of the Occult -- FALLEN ANGELS AND SPIRITS OF THE DARK and RAISING HELL: A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE BLAC...more
More about Robert Masello...
He is also the author of two popular studies of the Occult -- FALLEN ANGELS AND SPIRITS OF THE DARK and RAISING HELL: A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE BLAC...more
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“If these self-anointed leaders did not keep the people aroused with calls to preserve the Revolution, or to defend it from one imaginary foe after another, then the people might shake themselves awake from the trance they were in and begin to question the very men who had drenched their streets in blood and make France pariah among the civilized nations of the world.”
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May 08, 2012 05:21pm