The Columbus Affair

May 02, 2012 Jacqui rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller-mystery

I like historic fiction and thrillers, so Steve Berry's The Columbus Affair (Ballantine Books 2012) seemed perfect. Not only did it cover a segment of history I've spent virtually no time at all thinking (much less reading) about, I'm always looking for new authors (I read 1-3 books a week) and Berry has thirteen out. Thirteen! That would get me through over a month!--if Columbus Affair worked out.

This is the story of a damaged Pulitzer Prize winning journalist moments from commiting suicide whe...more I like historic fiction and thrillers, so Steve Berry's The Columbus Affair (Ballantine Books 2012) seemed perfect. Not only did it cover a segment of history I've spent virtually no time at all thinking (much less reading) about, I'm always looking for new authors (I read 1-3 books a week) and Berry has thirteen out. Thirteen! That would get me through over a month!--if Columbus Affair worked out.

This is the story of a damaged Pulitzer Prize winning journalist moments from commiting suicide when he gets the chance to end his life on a high note: Save his estranged daughter from unspeakable horror. This would give meaning to what had become a worthless existence, and he agrees to postpone ending his life long enough to rescue his child. From that moment, he enters a world of religious zealots, long-buried historic events surrounding Christopher Columbus, international criminals, CIA operatives, and a twisted plot that it would take an award-winning investigator (like himself) to unravel.

This is a promising start, but not without its literary problems. For example, the author provides much backstory to share the mysteries surrounding Christopher Columbus. It's interesting in its own right, but knocks the heck out of the plot's momentum. Every time, the story gets moving, it falls into a backstory black hole, like a literary stutter. As if this weren't enough, the pace is also hobbled by the constant scene shifts. They are quick--a couple of pages--but each time, I must re-orient myself before I can enjoy that lovely thriller feeling of being enveloped in another world.

Having said that, the writer is a good storyteller. The characters are nicely constructed and the plot is complex enough to keep the cleverest reader involved. And even by the diverse paradigm of the genre, this one is unusual. Where it abides by the conscripts of a thriller (main character working ever-more-frantically to stop something dramatic from happening), the heroes are not the typical thriller good guys--bigger-than-life, damaged-but-dominant. For the first half the book, it's hard to find a good guy. Each main character has so many flaws in both morals and motivation, its hard to root for them. Zacharias is charismatic and amoral. Alle has let hate for her father corrupt her soul. And Ben--WYSIWYG--a violent strong man with core beliefs he's lived by his entire life. Him, readers can respect if not like.

Overall, Berry is a solid writer with a well-researched plot. I think many people will love this book, as much for the fascinating historic details about Columbus as the tightly woven character-driven plot. Just make sure you pay attention.(less)

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May 17, 2012 Andrew Shuping rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

ARC provided by Goodreads Giveaway

Former Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter Tom Sagan is ready to end his life. He’s been called a fraud, his career has ended, his daughter won’t speak to him...what’s left for him? And then...a stranger shows up on his doorstep saying that if Tom doesn’t help him, his daughter will be killed. And Tom is pulled into a whirlwind adventure to solve a mystery dating back to Christopher Columbus and a lost treasure that has been missing for over 2,000 year...more ARC provided by Goodreads Giveaway

Former Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter Tom Sagan is ready to end his life. He’s been called a fraud, his career has ended, his daughter won’t speak to him...what’s left for him? And then...a stranger shows up on his doorstep saying that if Tom doesn’t help him, his daughter will be killed. And Tom is pulled into a whirlwind adventure to solve a mystery dating back to Christopher Columbus and a lost treasure that has been missing for over 2,000 years. This journey will lead Tom, his daughter, and the stranger on a journey from Florida, to Europe, and to Jamaica where the mystery will finally be solved....and everything that we know about Christopher Columbus is changed.

I’ve just recently discovered Steve Barry’s novels and was excited to be able to have a chance to read the ARC of his next book, The Columbus Affair. This book follows the similar pattern of his other works, being based in part on historical fact and incredibly well researched, with elements of fiction mixed in. But unlike his other books I’ve read this one just didn’t grab me the same way. In part, because I had trouble relating to the characters. While Tom was a some sympathetic character, his daughter and Simon (the stranger) just seemed completely devoid of any trace of reality. In fact any time the daughter opened her mouth and spoke I wanted to slap her because she came off as so shallow and stupid. I also thought the book was a bit too long. Halfway through the book I was convinced that we were almost done because it seemed like we had solved the mystery and the book had reached its climatic point and then it kept going on.

But...even with these two faults the mystery created about the lost treasure, a different type of story about Christopher Columbus, and the history mixed in created an entertaining and interesting story that was worth the read in the end. Barry does an excellent job of research and weaving historical elements into the story. Overall I’d give the book 4 out 5 stars.(less)

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May 30, 2012 Pamela rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, conspiracy-theory, intrigues, readin2012, thrillers, fun, eh

More like 2.5 stars, but I'm feeling generous tonight, so this one gets rounded up.

Berry is best known for his Cotton Malone/Magellan Billet novels (I think all of his previous ones except The Amber Room are part of this series), and while The Columbus Affair does have some familiar names in it, it's really a stand-alone novel. Which is nice, actually. There are only so many secrets super-agent Cotton Malone can uncover.

I must say that Berry is very good at hooking the reader and creating a nar...more More like 2.5 stars, but I'm feeling generous tonight, so this one gets rounded up.

Berry is best known for his Cotton Malone/Magellan Billet novels (I think all of his previous ones except The Amber Room are part of this series), and while The Columbus Affair does have some familiar names in it, it's really a stand-alone novel. Which is nice, actually. There are only so many secrets super-agent Cotton Malone can uncover.

I must say that Berry is very good at hooking the reader and creating a narrative that is fun to follow and that makes you want to read more. I also like that he includes a little note at the end of his books to explain the difference between fact and fiction, and where he got the theories behind the stories in the book (unlike some authors of certain bestsellers *cough* Dan Brown *cough cough*). Minor spoilers to follow, but nothing that isn't revealed quite early on in the book.

The basic premise of this one is Christopher Columbus and a lost treasure. This seems to be a general formula: famous person + treasure + world religion/religious figure/mythical figure = book. He's already thoroughly done Christianity with Cotton Malone, so hey, why not Judaism? Since Indiana Jones already found the Ark of the Covenant (currently being studied by "top men," as we all know), what can we toss in here? How about the menorah, the table of showbread, and silver trumpets looted from the sack of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E.? Sounds great! Okay, now for our hero and villain (and heroic villain/villanous hero)!

Tom Sagan used to be a respected journalist with a Pulizter, but someone set him up on a story and he's now known as a fraud and liar. Even his own daughter, Alle, wants nothing to do with him. Sagan, likewise, wants nothing to do with his family's religion, Judaisim, while his daughter converted back to Judaism after being baptized Methodist. Alle's fallen in with a nasty guy, one Zacariah Simon, who's a fanatic masquerading as a Reform Jew in order to get at Alle and her father. Why we need Tom ... I never quite got that part. I mean, technically, as the villain, Simon didn't need Sagan for a much. But that's suspension of our belief/disbelief (as you have it). Much globetrotting action ensues after Sagan reclaims something of his father's ... something that Simon wants very much.

Meanwhile, Bène Rowe, a Maroon of Jamaica (don't know what that is? Don't fret--Berry goes into it in the novel. Onward!), is living well on his estate, managing his various business ventures. Although he strays into crime, he always does so indirectly, and ensures that his people are well cared for. He's managed to fall in cahoots with Simon as well, although he doesn't trust him.

Rowe, despite being a murderer, a liar, and a kingpin, is also the most likeable and (dare I say it?) principled character in the book. His rules, while a bit twisted, make a strange sort of sense. He has honor, for a rogue. He cares for his people, although he may not always display that in the best way. He grows and changes over the course of the book. Bène has a bit of the Jack Sparrow about him--it's what came to mind as I read.

Tom Sagan and his daughter, on the other hand, are kind of eh. Alle, actually, is an insufferable and spoiled brat who is also an idiot and a thoroughly unprincipled little chicklet. Tom lost his backbone somewhere eight years ago and doesn't seem to mind oozing through life without it. I wanted to smack both of them. Hard. Multiple times.

It all makes for an interesting story, but I guess I just feel a bit uncomfortable with Berry's skipping around and using religion and cultural identity to sell books. It's hard to explain, and it's totally his right to write what he likes, but I think it's also good to write what you know. If anyone can articulate this vague unease better than me, please, do so. For the record, I am neither Jewish nor Maroon, so it's not like he's personally insulted me in any way. I could be overthinking it, as well. It happens on a daily basis.

All in all, it's a fast read, with some fun bits and action, but overall a bit too contrived and dependent on coincidence for me to really like and recommend it.(less)

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Sep 26, 2012 ConvincoDude rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thrillers, worst-literary-mistakes-of-my-life

Okay. Um, what the hell happened to a story with such great potential?

Steve Berry is normally a very good thriller writer, just like James Rollins and Clive Cussler. But some way, somehow, he really dropped the ball on this latest novel.

Basically, it's another kind of "historical conspiracy" story in which the life and times of a popular figure get toyed with and fictionally subverted. In this case, Christopher Columbus. In the present day, a controversial journalist, Tom Sagan, is swept into th...more Okay. Um, what the hell happened to a story with such great potential?

Steve Berry is normally a very good thriller writer, just like James Rollins and Clive Cussler. But some way, somehow, he really dropped the ball on this latest novel.

Basically, it's another kind of "historical conspiracy" story in which the life and times of a popular figure get toyed with and fictionally subverted. In this case, Christopher Columbus. In the present day, a controversial journalist, Tom Sagan, is swept into the quest of a zealot named Zachariah Simon who wants to discover evidence of this conspiracy. Yes, it's a stand-alone book, outside the long-established Cotton Malone series Berry has been publishing since 2006. To be honest, I wish he would keep going with those books. Perhaps he wanted to take a little time to come up with something worthy of topping The Jefferson Key.

But I really couldn't get more than 100 pages into this book, for three reasons. One, the fact that pretty much every other word is "Jew," because the main character is Jewish. It would have been just fine to say it once or twice and leave it at that. Two, the constant insertion of bizarre separate stories, written in italics, that really don't have anything to do with the story. This same flaw is present in Orson Scott Card's Pathfinder, which is one of my least-favorite books ever. And three, Berry pretty much gives away the whole plot twist way too early. Like, page 50 early.

I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed to have had something on hold at the library for over three months. Well, maybe for Mission: Impossible 2. I'm just glad I chose to read City of Lost Souls first.

Hopefully, Berry's next book will be an awesome continuation of the Cotton Malone series. And then this book will just become Berry's equivalent of Rollins' Altar of Eden, a stand-alone book that's pretty much just crappy filler until more real literature is produced. Edit: Berry has confirmed that he is writing the eighth Cotton Malone book, The King's Deception, which is set to come out next year. May it be a massive improvement over this turkey travesty. (less)

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Apr 30, 2012 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, favorites, history, fiction

Five stars? Absolutely. This book was amazing and without a doubt one of the best books I've read in a very long time. I have never read a book by Steve Berry prior to this one and I am thrilled I won this one through the GoodReads First Reads giveaways. I will definitely be purchasing more books by Mr. Berry.

I do not understand the criticisms of this book that other reviews have mentioned. I had absolutely no problem with the momentum of the plot. As far as I was concerned every character, ever...more Five stars? Absolutely. This book was amazing and without a doubt one of the best books I've read in a very long time. I have never read a book by Steve Berry prior to this one and I am thrilled I won this one through the GoodReads First Reads giveaways. I will definitely be purchasing more books by Mr. Berry.

I do not understand the criticisms of this book that other reviews have mentioned. I had absolutely no problem with the momentum of the plot. As far as I was concerned every character, every tale, every sentence was completely critical to the story. I fell in love with some of the characters, even the villainous characters, and I loved the complexity that Mr. Berry built in to each one. Tom Sagan, a disgraced former Pulitzer-Prize winning investigative reporter who lost his family and his career, Alle Sagan Becket who felt betrayed and abandoned by her disgraced father and who, seeking acceptance and validity, fell victim to an insane terrorist, Bene Rowe, a man seeking to clarify his own identity while struggling with who his ancestors were and the man he currently is, and Zachariah Simon the insane terrorist who will betray everyone and stop at nothing to incite a war to save his people. The story is fantastic and is woven so intricately that I could barely bring myself to ever put the book down.

I adored the writing style. I loved how the story was continually shifting character perspective. It keeps the story from becoming stale and created a deeper understanding of the story as a whole. It was not a tale of Tom Sagan, or Alle Becket, or Bene Rowe, or Zachariah Simon, it was a tale of all of these characters on different quests to different ends through the same treasure. I found it reminiscent of the character shifts in William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying." I also loved Mr. Berry's use of choppy shifting sentences. The choppy sentences, such as:

I didn't know if I could.
If I should.
Maybe.
I would have to try.
Some day.

(I made those up, they aren't in the story but that style is) was beautifully included in the context of the book. It broke up the fluid writing of the rest of the book and reflected the chaos of a moment, or a thought process, and it was brilliantly used.

I have no complaints with this book. It is definitely a new favorite of mine and if Mr. Berry's other books are as well-written as this one I may have found a new author to add to my list of favorites.(less)

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Jul 11, 2012 Pam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: berry-steve

Wow! Another fantastic book by Steve Berry (who is tied with James Rollins as my favorite author).

As you might gather from the title, the story of Christopher Columbus plays a large role in this book. But, as with all of Mr. Berry's novels, he has woven a tale comprised of equal parts true current events, historical fact, and some very convincing imagination on his part. The story begins Florida with a disgraced journalist, Tom Sagan, and his nonexistent relationship with his daughter. It then m...more

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May 10, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The cover of this book does it a disservice. It has that font often used for espionage books but it's not. More like The DaVinci Code with clues hidden internationally and little known historical facts uncovered and other historical facts refuted. Also like the DaVinci Code, our hero is not super heroic. More importantly to me, he's not an arrogant, slick, perfect sort of person with a tragic past nor is he a self-destructive alcoholic continually making stupid decisions and figuring out the mys...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Gina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another awesome book by Steve Berry. I love how Berry takes historical facts, suppositions, and theories and weaves them together with fiction to create stories that are hard to put down.

Based on Christopher Columbus' voyages to the new world, I learned so much that was never covered in grade school history class. Actually the only I remember from then was "In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue", as a way to remember dates for a test.

Who was Christopher Columbus really? What was his real nam...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Candace Salima rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Age 14 and Up

Recommended to Candace by: Steve Berry

Just who was Columbus? Do we really know? There is startling little information from the man himself, which is why he has become such a great mystery. Celebrated here in America as the discoverer of our nation, he is apparently not so popular in other nations. And this is where New York Times bestselling author, Steve Berry, picks up the story.

I feel like I need to own up to the fact that Steve Berry is one of my favorite authors. But each book, no matter who the author, must stand on its own me...more Just who was Columbus? Do we really know? There is startling little information from the man himself, which is why he has become such a great mystery. Celebrated here in America as the discoverer of our nation, he is apparently not so popular in other nations. And this is where New York Times bestselling author, Steve Berry, picks up the story.

I feel like I need to own up to the fact that Steve Berry is one of my favorite authors. But each book, no matter who the author, must stand on its own merits, and The Columbus Affair does just that very thing.

The backliner reads:

Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist Tom Sagan has written hard-hitting articles from hot spots around the world. But when a controversial report from a war-torn region is exposed as a fraud, his professional reputation crashes and burns. Now he lives in virtual exile—haunted by bad decisions and the shocking truth he can never prove: that his downfall was a deliberate act of sabotage by an unknown enemy. But before Sagan can end his torment with the squeeze of a trigger, fate intervenes in the form of an enigmatic stranger with a request that cannot be ignored.

Zachariah Simon has the look of a scholar, the soul of a scoundrel, and the zeal of a fanatic. He also has Tom Sagan’s estranged daughter at his mercy. Simon desperately wants something only Sagan can supply: the key to a 500-year-old mystery, a treasure with explosive political significance in the modern world. For both Simon and Sagan the stakes are high, the goal intensely personal, the consequences of opposing either man potentially catastrophic. On a perilous quest from Florida to Vienna to Prague and finally to the mountains of Jamaica, the two men square off in a dangerous game. Along the way, both of their lives will be altered—and everything we know about Christopher Columbus will change.

Filled with history, Berry skillfully weaves fiction through fact, ancient times through modern, and gives us a story filled with intrigue, betrayal, and discovery as we race through Europe, Eastern Europe and Jamaica. It is a page turner, an although I was working nearly 20 hours a day, I ended each evening with a few chapters until exhaustion caught up with me.

It’s another bestseller for Steve Berry, no question at all. So I recommend this book be added to your home library, right next to the rest of your Steve Berrys, James Rollins, Nora Roberts, Chris Stewart, and so many other great authors.

Purchase The Columbus Affair now. As of the writing of this book review, The Columbus Affair is ranked #232 on Amazon.com.(less)

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Feb 05, 2013 Victoria Adams rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, I took a weekend off just recently and read a novel. Something I haven’t managed in several months. It was a bit irresistible; I happen to really like Steve Berry even if I don’t always agree with his hypotheses. This one was quite an adventure; a different point of view on the motivations and goals of the celebrated and denigrated mariner, Christopher Columbus.

Just a little background is in order at least in part because those things we are most familiar with we often know the least about...more Well, I took a weekend off just recently and read a novel. Something I haven’t managed in several months. It was a bit irresistible; I happen to really like Steve Berry even if I don’t always agree with his hypotheses. This one was quite an adventure; a different point of view on the motivations and goals of the celebrated and denigrated mariner, Christopher Columbus.

Just a little background is in order at least in part because those things we are most familiar with we often know the least about. The first known observance of anything like a Columbus Day was in 1792 in New York City. Nothing much happened after that until the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ first voyage to the new world. In 1892 the president, Benjamin Harrison, called for a national observance. The holiday was used to teach ideals of patriotism including support for war, citizenship, boundaries and national loyalty: oh, and “progress.” Columbus Day was not established as an annual holiday until 1906 in the state of Colorado. It became a federal holiday in 1937.

During the time in our history when our shores were flooding with immigrants, there was a large Catholic contingent arriving from European countries. They were not well appreciated. In order to capitalize on the purported religion of Columbus, the Catholic immigrants formed the Knights of Columbus. The hope was to fight the prejudice they were facing in their new homeland. The use of his name for the organization caused consternation as the holiday gained traction.

Italians took up the banner and worked hard to bring about public notice of Columbus’ accomplishments and it was they who pressed the hardest to establish a commemorative holiday. It wasn’t until 1971 that the official date was set as the second Monday in October (which also happens to be the Canadian Thanksgiving).

Not everyone liked the idea. In fact, three states do not celebrate Columbus Day at all, one being Alaska. In Hawaii they use the day to recognize their Polynesian ancestors and the founding of the island nation. In South Dakota they observe a Native American Day. This trend is growing as opposing parties lean toward using the holiday to observe something to do with indigenous people. So, although the resistance to the holiday in the 19th century was mainly due to fear of giving Catholics too much influence, the trend today is much more oriented to the lost heritage of the peoples the Europeans unseated. In South America the celebrations are most definitely oriented to remembrance of the people who lost their freedom, their culture and their lives in the European onslaught that followed. To them Columbus only represents disease, slavery & exploitation. I fully admit that for years I have referred to the holiday as “Yellow Fever Day.”

Columbus was not the first to find the western hemisphere. Leif Ericson arrived in Canada in the 11th century. A recent book entitled 1421: The Year China Discovered America by Gavin Menzies has raised much controversy. Also, recent evidence indicates that the Polynesians may have been in South America as early as 1304-1424. It was a rather busy place. Why, then do we look to Columbus as the pivot of history? He is a very controversial figure. No other encounter caused as much death, destruction and loss of human dignity. Centuries of slavery and treatment as some sub-human race crushed the peoples of the South American continent and set the tone for attitudes toward indigenous peoples throughout the western hemisphere. What a loss of ancient wisdom. So we ask, why? What was the motivation behind the man that spearheaded this movement, this rape of a foreign land?

Wikipedia sticks to the mainstream tale. Columbus was born in Genoa of a merchant class family. Recently published writings indicate that he was a social climber par excellence and worked hard to get to the place where he could claim the aristocratic titles he so craved. Some interpretations say that he was a devote follower of the church and his primary mission was to bring Christ to the natives. Well, there is that thing about gold and such, too. Of course said natives, once converted, were to serve their masters without complaint. This was actually one of the projects that got the Jesuits in such a pickle. They actually learned the native languages and tried to teach the remaining population to become self-sufficient and contributors to the changing economy around them. Educated, literate people don’t particular care to be slaves. So, the Jesuits had to be sent home, and not in good graces.

Is there another story? Did Columbus have other goals in mind? We have a great deal of evidence that he did not hold the natives in high regard so we can’t really picture him as concerned about their well being, spiritual or otherwise. So what was he up to?

Steve Berry wraps a story of intrigue that takes you to Jamaica, Cuba, Austria, Prague and Florida in search of the real Columbus. As always his afterword sorts the fiction from the known, or suspected. This is an intriguing tale that follows the hints that history left which just might point to an alternative Columbus. One that was a devout Jew, forced to convert to survive. One in search of a safe haven for his own people. Here is an article from Huffington Post that provides more details on this interesting approach.

Hints left in history. Columbus had no problem thinking in terms of a “round” earth, no one really did. The Greeks had known for centuries that the earth was a globe and there had been expeditions to explore the western lands. It was just the size of the globe that Columbus miss judged. In fact he was following the navigation notes of another European who had already reached the Americas and returned. Though his purported goal was to spread the gospel, his initial voyage had no priest on board. He did, however, have a Hebrew interpreter. When his family, weary from court battles, finally settled for some small portion of what the crown had promised, they accepted Jamaica as their spoils. His family controlled Jamaica for 150 years. It was not Isabella’s jewels that financed the voyage; the Spanish crown didn’t have the funds to support a voyage across the Strait of Gibraltar. It was the Jewish court advisers that provisioned the ships.

So, there you have it. A real history mystery that many pooh pooh and others find worth the trouble to research. Check out Berry’s book and see what he has to say.

Tell me things you’d like to know – I’m always up for a good hunt!(less)

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Aug 27, 2012 Book Him Danno rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

This is a very good book, fast moving and the action never stops. Although, putting my prejudice of loving everything Steve writes aside, he weaves a story that could be entirely plausible. The book also draws upon the interplay between a daughter and her estranged father, that won’t resolve itself until near the end of the book.

The 1st chapter introduces us to Tom Sagan, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, now disgraced and accused of fabricating a story. We learn in the 1st chapter, that he tri...more This is a very good book, fast moving and the action never stops. Although, putting my prejudice of loving everything Steve writes aside, he weaves a story that could be entirely plausible. The book also draws upon the interplay between a daughter and her estranged father, that won’t resolve itself until near the end of the book.

The 1st chapter introduces us to Tom Sagan, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, now disgraced and accused of fabricating a story. We learn in the 1st chapter, that he tried to clear his name, but there was a cover up, protecting the people who brought him down, so he comforts himself with ghost writing, which pays well and keeps his name out of the news. But, then he decides life is not worth living, if he can’t be a reporter.

As the story opens, Tom is putting the gun to his head to end his life. Simon shows up at the door of Tom’s parent’s old house, where, he has gone to end his life. Simon shows Tom a video that so horrifies him, it causes him to give up his idea of suicide and go on a quest that will change his life and the life of his daughter forever.

In the next chapter we are introduced to Béne, who is a great man, at least in his own eyes. Life is cheap where he lives and cheap to him also. If someone crosses him, he simply turns them loose to get off his island as best they can, but a few minutes later he also turns loose his hunting dogs “and they never eat what they don’t kill themselves.” Through a series of circumstances, he also becomes involved in the hunt for the truth about Columbus, but the part he plays, given his character, is a surprise to us all.

“Zachariah Simon has the look of a scholar, the soul of a scoundrel and the zeal of a fanatic.” I don’t know that I agree with this description of him, it seems a bit too easy on him. I would describe him as a cruel user, a terrorist and one who thinks human life is not worth his “quest.”

Zachariah Simon is the impetus that causes Tom Sagan to go on a quest that his father wanted him on, many years ago. It is a dangerous game they play, especially Tom’s daughter, Allie.

While each of the characters are on the quest for a different reason, in the end, they all come together to discover the truth about who Christopher Columbus really was and what has been hidden for centuries, in the caves of Jamaica .

Excellent read! Eileen(less)

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Aug 19, 2012 VaultOfBooks rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

By Steve Berry. Grade A
Christopher Columbus went on three voyages and hoped that they would give him recognition and financial aid for his next. But, false promises were made to him, and in the end he lost more than just money. He was threatened to be imprisoned, but Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand had other plans in mind for him. He was once again given funds to embark on a fourth journey to the New World. What happens during this journey, who suffered at the hand of his mighty sword and what...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Jeff rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Steve Berry rolls out another historical drama -- this one spanning the globe -- Florida, Jamaica, Prague, Vienna. Missing are Cotton Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt, and the Magellan Billett and Stephanie Nelle make only token appearances.

As usual, the historical intrigue is ever-present, and fact & fiction are deftly woven into a plausible tapestry. But while Berry's prior efforts are almost uniformly five-star material, this one falls a bit short.

Without his anchor characters, Berry seems to...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Love Steve Berry's books. Always comes up with some twist on some mystery.... Great read.

Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist Tom Sagan has written hard-hitting articles from hot spots around the world. But when a controversial report from a war-torn region is exposed as a fraud, his professional reputation crashes and burns. Now he lives in virtual exile—haunted by bad decisions and the shocking truth he can never prove: that his downfall was a deliberate act of sabotage by an unknow...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Anjit Sharma rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In recent time I found a sudden inclination towards historic and crime fictions and The-Vault holds all credit because I only started reading them after joining it. This time I got my hands on ‘The Columbus Affair’ by Steve Berry. Novel’s jacket is really simple which really does not create any curiosity, but the name is adequate that holds a lot of mysterious vibes with it.
Christopher Columbus went on three voyages and hoped that it would give him recognition and may help in getting financial...more In recent time I found a sudden inclination towards historic and crime fictions and The-Vault holds all credit because I only started reading them after joining it. This time I got my hands on ‘The Columbus Affair’ by Steve Berry. Novel’s jacket is really simple which really does not create any curiosity, but the name is adequate that holds a lot of mysterious vibes with it.
Christopher Columbus went on three voyages and hoped that it would give him recognition and may help in getting financial aid for his next voyage. But, circle of life does not really move in circular path, it take a lot of jagged ways, so did Columbus’s life took. Promises made to him were nothing but deceptions and in the end he lost more than just money. He was threatened to be imprisoned but Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand had other plans in mind for him when he was granted a reprieve and once again given funds to embark on a fourth journey to the New World. What happens during this journey, who suffered at the hand of his mighty sword and what he found that he hoped would stay buried forever as author Steve Berry reveals the facts and events of ‘The Columbus Affair’

Tom Sagan, a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter who wrote articles about many places most would no one ever want to visit, most dangerous most war-torn regions that made him an outstanding journalist with skills that many people started to fear. He wrote 1458 articles out of them 1457 had shaken the world, but his 1458th article changed his world and from “most outstanding journalist” he became a fraud, a cheat, an adulterer, to his family, to news world, to everyone. He made to believe that not everything that you see is real; sometimes it’s just an illusion.
Alle Becket, a young girl in her twenties, who is born Christian but adopted to her root religion i.e. Jewish. Her grandfather introduced her a new way towards learning the Jewish way of life and she found Zachariah Simon, a man who is dedicated towards saving the Jewish community. She learned things that attracted Simon and he influenced her to an extent that she decided to deceive her father.
Simon, the antagonist, is ready to do anything or everything to make it clear that no one is in his path towards accomplishing his dark agenda. He possess lot of money that accompanied by power and control to many places and a lot of high end connections that makes him invincible at any place of the world.
While Béne Rowe, is neither a hero nor a pure villain, but he is behind the trail of treasure that Simon wants to find. He works as a close link with Simon and is struggling with his own identity crisis.

Berry‘s work is known for historical facts and incredibly well researched fictional elements. ‘The Columbus Affair’ follows the legacy and took me to the voyage that led the way to a Lost Treasure of Christopher Columbus. Book is full of facts, part real part fiction that helped in creating the momentum of the story. But when you are dealing with five different prospective, you can’t afford to loosen the grip on readers mind even for a second and Berry successfully did that. I found no reason to stop my hand from flipping the next page. But making the story to sound more authentic, Berry end up with overwritten and extremely tedious adventure for a storyline that seems forcefully stretched way up to Eighty Chapters!
Every Fact mentioned in book is supported by a strong back-story, that not only helped in evaluation the situation but also helped in linking the mid-chapter, that are weaker as compared to few first and last chapters. Having a back-story to support a weak storyline is a smart way by Berry but it knocked me off many times because as soon as story starts to take a pace, a back-story appears and sends it to first gear and forced me to reorient towards story again so that I can enjoy the thrill of the words that enveloped me a chapter ago.
Berry’s writing style possess excessive use of short paragraphs, that usually crates a mysterious effect and makes reader to assume what they want but for me it’s nothing by little laziness that caused as loss in story’s strength. There are numerous pronouns that are really hard to understand for many readers. Another thing that irked me was use of italic paragraphs that signified reference to the past and since there are many past references, book is full of italic sections. But I assume it as an Editorial decision.
Even after these issues, I will still say Berry is an outstanding storyteller. He perfectly constructed each and every character that you don’t forget any of them till the end, though they are completely devoid of even a pinch of reality. He successfully created the mysterious tale of lost treasure by writing a perfect mix of history, well researched fictional facts and weaving a shocking fact about Columbus (Oh yes I’m not going to spoil the fun). ‘The Columbus Affair’ is not something that you want to read over and over again but still it's interesting plot and Berry’s narration can’t stop you from reading it twice.

PS: Don’t forget to read Writer’s note.
PSST: To get familiar with storyline, read “The Admiral’s Mark”, a short story by Steve Berry.

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Jun 21, 2012 Suspense Magazine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When Steve Berry announced last year that his popular character Cotton Malone would be taking some time off, fans were worried. What they didn’t take into account was that Steve was still going to write, just use another character. What was the outcome; One of Steve’s best books to date, “The Columbus Affair,” with new character Tom Sagan.
Tom is a man that has hit bottom. Winning awards for his writing while working at the Los Angeles Times and now working as a ghostwriter, where many of his bo...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Angela Risner rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I know, I know, a lot of you gave me heck for my last couple of reviews of the Cotton Malone books. Well, I am happy to announce that I have found out why those books were less than worthy: Cotton Malone.

I am sure that Steve Berry loves the character of Cotton Malone; he's the character that put his writing on the map. But I submit that Cotton's stories are becoming more difficult to write as it's harder to make them fresh.

In any case, this book is back to the standards set by Berry's earlier no...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Tom Tischler added it · review of another edition

Just about every time you read a Steve Berry novel
you get 2 for 1, a history lesson and a mystery. This
book is no exception and involves Christopher Columbus.
When he leaves for the new world he smuggles out a
Jewish treasure so that it will not be destroyed or stolen.
His ship makes it to Jamaica where he stays for a year
making repairs and he gets a few of the local natives to
help him hide the treasure in a cave. Now to the present
we come to Tom Sagan who is an investigative reporter who
has wri...more

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May 19, 2012 Richard Gazala rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

On the second Monday of every October since it became an official federal holiday in 1937, Americans celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus' first arrival in the Americas in 1492. Similar official holidays commemorate the event in Latin and South America, and in Spain. Unofficial remembrances of Columbus' feat predate by hundreds of years the official holidays. But as Steve Berry amply demonstrates in his engaging new thriller, "The Columbus Affair," no one really knows much about the...more On the second Monday of every October since it became an official federal holiday in 1937, Americans celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus' first arrival in the Americas in 1492. Similar official holidays commemorate the event in Latin and South America, and in Spain. Unofficial remembrances of Columbus' feat predate by hundreds of years the official holidays. But as Steve Berry amply demonstrates in his engaging new thriller, "The Columbus Affair," no one really knows much about the man they've been honoring in scads of Octobers dating back centuries -- perhaps because that is exactly the way Columbus wanted it.

Among scant facts known surely is the date of Columbus' departure from Spain to find a new seaway to India. Columbus sailed from the Spanish port of Palos de la Frontera late on the evening of August 2, 1492, bare hours before Ferdinand and Isabella's royal deadline for all Jews to be gone from Spain by August 3. Combining these and the handful of other verifiable facts about Columbus with a myriad of mysteries surrounding everything about the storied explorer from his real name, to his actual birthplace and upbringing, to his physical appearance, to his true religion, Berry weaves an enthralling tale of dangerous modern-day treasure hunting spanning locales from Florida to Jamaica via Vienna, Prague and Cuba. The reluctant hunter at the novel's center is a bitter, broken man named Tom Sagan. Stripped of his family and profession for reasons both just and unjust, the disgraced former journalist finds his imminent suicide interrupted by a forced quest to discover the real Columbus and a legendary treasure, with Sagan's life and the life of his estranged daughter hanging on every perilous step he takes.

Berry tells Sagan's captivating story with breakneck pacing, and the plot never slows down. Alone, those make the book a worthwhile read. The addition of a section at the novel's end titled "Writer's Note," where Berry shares the fruits and dead ends of his research into the real Columbus, makes the book even more engrossing.(less)

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May 15, 2012 Fran rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Columbus Affair
Author: Steve Berry

The circle of life does not always follow the round path that we hoped it would. At times the circumference might bear some jagged rips and turns leading us in many different directions and veering on an entirely different course. Christopher Columbus took three journeys and hoped that each would bring him the riches and recognition promised him by those paying his way. But, falsehoods, deceits and lies were told and the end result was Columbus lost more th...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Seeley James rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My wife loves Steve Berry and the historical tidbits that litter his thrillers. She asked me to review it. Normally I subscribe to the ‘if you can’t say anything nice…’ policy. I am and I am not a fan of Steve Berry. I like his stories, his settings, and many of his historical elements. I find his writing annoying. Really annoying. Maybe Ballantine is paying by the word, but in my estimation, Mr. Berry is in dire need of an editor.

More on that later. First, let me state the positives. There are...more

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May 31, 2012 Karen Brooks rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I usually love Steve Berry books. I grab them off the shelves and read them quickly because they're genuine page-turners and damn interesting. The Columbus Affair, however, wasn't quite either of these. I turned the pages more to get to the end and it was only interesting in parts.
Basically (without spoiling the story) this novel follows the adventures of a journalist, Tom Sagan, who as the book opens is about to commit suicide. He discovers he’s “the Levite” a keeper of a special Jewish treasu...more I usually love Steve Berry books. I grab them off the shelves and read them quickly because they're genuine page-turners and damn interesting. The Columbus Affair, however, wasn't quite either of these. I turned the pages more to get to the end and it was only interesting in parts.
Basically (without spoiling the story) this novel follows the adventures of a journalist, Tom Sagan, who as the book opens is about to commit suicide. He discovers he’s “the Levite” a keeper of a special Jewish treasure that has ties back to the days of Columbus and his voyages to the Americas. This knowledge sets off a chain of events and dangerous adventures that puts lives on the line (of course!). Spanning Europe, America, Jamaica and South America, the book is, in typical Berry fashion, wide in temporal and geographical scope. It also features the Magellan Billet, though no Cotton Malone.
Overall, however, I felt this book wasn't up to the standard of his others - it was too didactic. Berry was determined to show off his research and the knowledge he gained and subsequently played with (the way he sometimes does this is very clever), but I felt the narrative suffered as a consequence. There was too much telling. Another reason I didn't feel this book was as good as his previous ones was the decision to make a suicidal journalist his main protagonist. I didn’t mind the fact there was no Malone, as much as I like him. No, what made this character so problematic was for reasons the novel makes clear, this guy is basically despised by former colleagues (he’s stripped of his Pulitzer and his once fine reputation is in tatters) and completely alienated from his family. In other words, loathed by everyone. Therefore, it’s hard for the reader to like him as well. He had so few redeeming qualities. Likewise, his daughter, Alle, was a complete pain in the arse. I also found her stupid – and considering she was doing her PhD, some of the decisions she made and conclusions she leapt to, the people she put her faith in, didn’t ring true to me. The main villain, Zacariah, was so bad, a child would have run screaming from him – but not Alle. No, she gave him more chances than a casino. In the end, she came across as more of a convenient and sloppy narrative device that didn’t add any depth or richness to the tale.
I am sure many people will like this book and, really, I give it two and half stars. There are some good moments, some interesting ideas, but it was a bit too black and white and preachy for me. Nonetheless, this hasn’t deterred me. I will look forward to the next Berry book and continue to enjoy reading his back catalogue.
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May 21, 2012 Jaime Boler rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry (Ballantine Books; 448 pages; $27).

"In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue." The simplicity of this rhyme belies the true nature of a man and a myth. You think you know Christopher Columbus, but you know so little of the story. Even after 520 years, much about him remains a mystery. And that makes him good literary cannon fodder for Steve Berry.

Novelist Berry is best known for his books featuring the heroic protagonist Cotton Malone. Whatever the...more

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May 18, 2012 Paul Pessolano rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“The Columbus Affair” by Steve Berry, published by Ballantine Books.

Category – Mystery/Thriller

Steve Berry is one of the best writers today that incorporate historical fact and fiction so well that it is very difficult to tell the difference between the two. This is largely due to how well Barry has researched the subject of his book.

In “The Columbus Affair”, there are certain aspects of what we have all been taught about Christopher Columbus that are questioned.
Was Christopher Columbus Catholic...more

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Apr 12, 2013 matteo rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history_fic

Steve Berry is that relationship you had midway through college. Really exciting for the first couple of months. You are totally in love. Like, totally. You are with each other for every waking moment. Being 20 is awesome! But after awhile, everything is just "fine," but not great. Little things bug you, and the two of you watch a lot of television. But you are really comfortable together! One of you starts doing other things a little more frequently, but you have all the same friends, and when...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Jerome Statema rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, adventure, historical-fiction, nook, owned, suspense, thriller

I'm not sure why the author decided to write a stand-alone at this time, but as far as what I've come to expect from a Steve Berry book, this one basically held up its end of the bargain. I'll echo what I read in a couple of other reviews, in that the protagonist and his daughter spent most of the book just annoying me with petulant and self-doubting attitudes, even though it was pretty well assumed that both would be making it through to the end, anyway. I liked that it did have a couple of tie...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Kristiana Alex rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: have-in-bookcase, read-2012

Absolutně úžasná kniha ... jen musím vstřebat všechny pocity jak z ní, tak z osobního setkání. :) Pak bude i recenze.

Zatím poslední román od Steva Berryho začíná v roce 1504 kdy se Kryštof Kolumbus zdržuje na ostrově zvaném Jamajka. Se svou posádkou zde ukrývá tři truhly a odplouvá zpět do Španělska. Jaké tajemství ukryl v nevyzpytatelné džungli? Takové tajemství, pro které je Zachariáš Simon schopný všeho, ochotný vraždit, předstírat. Cokoliv bude potřeba aby odkryl to, po čem dlouhé roky touží...more Absolutně úžasná kniha ... jen musím vstřebat všechny pocity jak z ní, tak z osobního setkání. :) Pak bude i recenze.

Zatím poslední román od Steva Berryho začíná v roce 1504 kdy se Kryštof Kolumbus zdržuje na ostrově zvaném Jamajka. Se svou posádkou zde ukrývá tři truhly a odplouvá zpět do Španělska. Jaké tajemství ukryl v nevyzpytatelné džungli? Takové tajemství, pro které je Zachariáš Simon schopný všeho, ochotný vraždit, předstírat. Cokoliv bude potřeba aby odkryl to, po čem dlouhé roky touží jeho rodina. To už jsme v současnosti, kdy se Tom Sagan v domě po svých rodičích chystá udělat zásadní krok - zastřelit se. Bohužel, a nebo bohudík mu to právě Zachariáš překazí svým příchodem a vydíráním. Má jeho dceru a pokud mu podepíše papíry k exhumaci jeho otce pustí ji. Sagan sice nevěří, že by jeho dceru, kterou už osm let neviděl měl, ale video přenos ho přesvědčí. Jenže, co může skrývat hrob starého pána, když podle židovské tradice má být tělo pohřbeno bez hmotných statků?

To, co je na první pohled jasné vlastně takové být nemusí. Sagan, který kvůli své manželce konvertoval ke křesťanství nemá sebemenší chuť pouštět se do pátrání po tajemství, které mu zanechal jeho otec. Muž, který ho podle všeho nenáviděl za to, že se zřekl svého dědictví, svého původu, své víry. Jenže pokud má zachránit svou dceru, nezbývá mu nic jiného, než to zkusit. I když se ukáže že Alle není až tak úplně objetí Zachariáše Simona, jak z videa bylo patrné. Cesty je všechny zavedou nejprve do Vídně a následně do Prahy, a to přímo do Židovské obce. Zároveň se děj odehrává na Jamajce, kde Béne Rowe, místní milionář, plantážník a příslušník maronů hledá zlatý důl.

Kniha je plna historických faktů,které ve čtenáři probouzejí touhu zjistit víc. Kdo byl Kryštof Kolumbus a je opravdu možné, že byl Žid? Některá fakta tomu opravdu nahrávají. Především to, že na palubě lodi měl hebrejského tlumočníka de Torrese. Hlavní hrdinové přesto nehledají jen tisíce let ztracený poklad, důležité symboly židovské víry, ale především sami sebe. Ač se to tak nemusí hned jevit, je jasné, že cesta za záhadou postavám v mnohém otevře oči, dovolí jim nahlédnou do svého nitra i vidět se očima těch druhých. I proto je to tak poutavý příběh, který čtenáře přitáhne a nepustí.

Steve Berry si na všech svých knihách dává velice záležet, což zahrnuje několika měsíční výzkum, cestování a zjišťování faktů. (Co všechno práce na románu obnáší si můžete přečíst ZDE - http://booksinashes.blogspot.cz/2012/... ) Na této knize je to obzvlášť znát, protože prostředí, ve kterém se Tom Sagan pohybuje je pro českého čtenáře, především pro ty, kteří měli možnost vidět Židovskou obec, do posledního slova věrohodné. Samozřejmě je doplněno o fiktivní postavy a příběhy, nicméně popis synagogy a hřbitova je tak silný, že ve mě vzňal touhu se znovu těmito prostorami projít. A nejen to, protože o Židech u nás toho vlastně moc nevím a to je ostuda.

Velice se mi líbí fakt, že ač se jedná o samostatný román, svět, do kterého Steve Berry zasadil všechny své postavy je jeden a tentýž. Stejný prezident, stejná šéfka oddělení Magellan Billet, stejná politická situace. Je to něco, co čtenáři pomáhá vytvořit si ten svět v hlavě. I díky tomu v něm příběhy a postavy ladně plynou. Všechno je tak reálné, že vztah Alle a Toma je čtenáři tak blízký, že doufá, že by si všechno mohli vyříkat. Především na jejich vztahu-nevztahu stojí příběh, který se odehrává po celém světě.

Přestože má kniha přes čtyři sta stránek, čte se jedním dechem. I proto, že postavy nejsou jen kladné nebo záporné. Jsou opravdové, se svými špatnými i dobrými vlastnostmi. I když musím smeknou imaginární klobouk, protože Zachariáš Simon je jedna z nejodpornějších postav, o jaké jsem kdy četla. Nejde o nějakou morbidnost, ale spíše o fanatičnost, o touhu změnit svět tak, jak chce aby vypadal. Myslím, že agent pana Berryho může být spokojen, jeho přání bylo vyslyšeno do posledního písmene. :-) I ostatní postavy jsou postavy se vším, co člověka utváří.

Kam až dovede hledání Toma Sagana, Alle, Simona a Béneho to si musíte přečíst. Nicméně všichni objeví něco, co jejich životy do značné míry změní.(less)

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Jun 30, 2012 Meg rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was a bit of a slow slow start for me on this one but as it got going I got into it. It is an easy summer read for historical fiction. It claims that Christopher Columbus was a converso and really a Jew who left for the New World searching for a place for the jews to worship freely. Thinking he was going to Asia, where word had it Jews were already living, he landed on Jamaica. Apparently the idea is possible and Columbus was stuck on Jamaica for over a year. He unloaded three chests onto the...more

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May 21, 2012 Monnie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From the start, this book reminded me of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, except instead of a renowned symbologist fighting off bad guys to find the secrets of the Holy Grail that could change the world for Christians everywhere, we have a disgraced Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter fighting off bad guys to find secrets of treasures that could change the world for Jews everywhere. And instead of secrets surrounding Mary Magdalene, the focus is on secrets of Christopher Columbus and his visits to the...more From the start, this book reminded me of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, except instead of a renowned symbologist fighting off bad guys to find the secrets of the Holy Grail that could change the world for Christians everywhere, we have a disgraced Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter fighting off bad guys to find secrets of treasures that could change the world for Jews everywhere. And instead of secrets surrounding Mary Magdalene, the focus is on secrets of Christopher Columbus and his visits to the New World (Jamaica in particular). The basic premise, which has been in the news on and off for many years, is that Columbus may have been a Jew whose search for the New World was in fact an attempt to find a safe haven for others of his real faith, which he kept hidden in order to avoid persecution.

One thing bothered me a bit at the outset. Several different factions are vying to get to the bottom of Columbus's secrets, although for different reasons that aren't totally clear to readers. That keeps things moving along and the reader wondering how it all will come together in the end, but almost every chapter jumps to a different perspective. In one way, that's good -- but it's also a bit frustrating because just as you're totally immersed in one perspective and chomping at the bit to see what happens next, you're plopped down in another.

At least that was my opinion for the first half (give or take a couple of percentage points) of the book. After that, though, the action got more intense as the bad guys were separated from good guys and the reasons behind what each was doing became more clear. At that point, jumping around is exactly what's needed to keep me on the edge of my easy chair the rest of the way.

Another plus with this book is that since it's a novel - but based on history (and/or speculated to have been history) - it's hard to know what's real and what isn't. Berry makes it easy, though, by including a section at the end that separates fact from fiction (complete with links to the chapter in which the references appear, for you Kindle readers). As with Dan Brown's book, the amount of research it must have taken for Berry to develop the plot here is quite impressive. How much truth is in either book remains a mystery to me even with the explanations at the end, but after all, isn't that half the fun? Well done!(less)

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Apr 06, 2012 Benjamin Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, advanced-reading-copy

Although I have long been a fan of the action/adventure/thriller genre, I've only recently come to read any of Steve Berry's novels, having read his first two published works and liking them quite a bit. This one, too, I liked, and there is nothing that I can point to that is "wrong" with it...it just didn't grab me the way my favorites in this genre have so I knocked it down 1 star.

In this novel, Berry follows his normal mode of researching the known facts of a particular person or historical s...more Although I have long been a fan of the action/adventure/thriller genre, I've only recently come to read any of Steve Berry's novels, having read his first two published works and liking them quite a bit. This one, too, I liked, and there is nothing that I can point to that is "wrong" with it...it just didn't grab me the way my favorites in this genre have so I knocked it down 1 star.

In this novel, Berry follows his normal mode of researching the known facts of a particular person or historical situation (in this case, Christopher Columbus obviously), and creates a plausible story around speculation that has grown over the years. In Columbus' case that's pretty easy due to so few actual facts known about him and his voyages, his early life and especially his later life. So the plot here is pretty cool, it definitely moves at a quick pace, and it's full of intrigue, action, etc. I also can appreciate the risks that Berry took with the controversial aspects of Columbus' effect on history and I really liked how he extrapolated historical rumors and what-if's to create a plausible story.

So why not 5 stars? I wish I could express it better but I think it comes down to the characters. I'm not one that insists a novel's characters have to be "likeable" but I do have to be sympathetic to them in some fashion. I need to care what happens to them. To some degree I do here in this novel, but not completely. Berry uses a technique that many other genre writers also use, that of providing short, quick scenes, one right after another with differing point-of-view characters. But Berry really does that a lot here, and some of the scene shifts are so quick, many just a few sentences long, so that I became plot-focused rather than character-focused. It's like watching a movie and appreciating the car chases, helicopter crashes, and missile explosions but not really caring who is getting blown up in the process.

I'm being picky here. This will be a best seller for the author and it is definitely worth the read. I suspect those who have read fewer novels in this genre will enjoy it very much and those who have read a lot of these sorts of books may be pickier, like me. (less)

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