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The Venice Conspiracy (Tom Shaman #1)
by
Sam Christer
Praised by critics and readers alike for his international bestseller The Stonehenge Legacy, Sam Christer continues to weave an irresistible plot of conspiracies and sudden death in one of the world's most mysterious ancient sites.
When ex-priest Tom Shaman, jaded from years in the Los Angeles ghetto, decides on a last-minute trip to Venice, he gets much more than he expect...more
When ex-priest Tom Shaman, jaded from years in the Los Angeles ghetto, decides on a last-minute trip to Venice, he gets much more than he expect...more
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
November 8th 2012
by Overlook Hardcover
(first published 2010)
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This book is quite a fun read. The storytelling is flowing, though the ex-priest's story for quitting priesthood isn't that convincing, jumping right into another a new (sexual) relationship, no less.
There are a lot - and I mean, a lot - of plots of historical backdrop of the Tablet of Atmanta that, while engrossing, leaves much to be desired. From the violent death of Teucer and Tetia in 666 BC, it jumps right to 18th century Venice with the violent death of another ex-priest. Although it's un...more
There are a lot - and I mean, a lot - of plots of historical backdrop of the Tablet of Atmanta that, while engrossing, leaves much to be desired. From the violent death of Teucer and Tetia in 666 BC, it jumps right to 18th century Venice with the violent death of another ex-priest. Although it's un...more
I am willing to suspend disbelief, but this was too much of a stretch. Tom Shaman, the ex-priest protagonist, leaves his vocation behind, leaves his whole mind-set and way of life, changes not like a snake shedding a skin but more like someone picking out a plaid shirt instead of stripes in the morning before leaving the house. The rapid flashbacks to the Etruscan's, and back to the present, were so quick that it was not possible for me to get involved in either situation. The Etruscan figures s...more
I was undecided whether to give this book two or three stars, then I went for two.
I can't say I really enjoyed the story although it's quite thrilling... at least until the point of that unlikely link between the Devil and the Etruscans.
What really spoils the book is the very poor usage of colloquial Italian... Italian words are scattered in the book but their usage made me think that the author does not actually have a reall grasp of the language so they sound quite ridiculous.
I don't know if...more
I can't say I really enjoyed the story although it's quite thrilling... at least until the point of that unlikely link between the Devil and the Etruscans.
What really spoils the book is the very poor usage of colloquial Italian... Italian words are scattered in the book but their usage made me think that the author does not actually have a reall grasp of the language so they sound quite ridiculous.
I don't know if...more
I got exactly what I was looking for in this book, which was an entertaining and rather mindless read to indulge in while sitting out in the sun. It suffers from the same issues as other thrillers I've read (though admittedly it's not a genre I read in very often): poor characterization, too many characters, cliched plot points and language, etc. I do give the author credit for working with three different time periods in the novel, though, one of which being the Etruscan civilization, about whi...more
I grabbed this at this year's BEA (Advance Reader copy). I was a little confused, when I went to add it on Goodreads it's apparently published with the same cover under a different author's name (and both are pseudonyms), but I digress.
So, the bad. There are many, many moments where I totally had to suspend logic reading this. It's a Dan Brown-type thriller, so some of this is to be expected. The toughest pill to swallow was the weird ability for everyone in the book to seem to understand Englis...more
So, the bad. There are many, many moments where I totally had to suspend logic reading this. It's a Dan Brown-type thriller, so some of this is to be expected. The toughest pill to swallow was the weird ability for everyone in the book to seem to understand Englis...more
I didn't know what to expect of this book as I had not read anything by Trace before and was in the mood for a light thriller/action novel. Despite some cliched descriptions at the beginning of the book, this is better than that. It's a rollicking tale of good and evil that segues between different time periods to tell of a Manichean battle that has gone on for centuries.
It was the Venice in the title that first attracted my attention and while the book is mainly set there, the title is mislead...more
It was the Venice in the title that first attracted my attention and while the book is mainly set there, the title is mislead...more
Ugh, this book was not what I thought it was going to be. The characters weren't that well developed (or that interesting) and the story was just plain weird. It flips back and forth from 666BC to 18th century Venice to present day Venice, which in itself isn't terrible -- but the stories of what was happening in the first two timelines were awful. Terrible, boring, disgusting. The present day was the only timeline I could actually follow, and even it wasn't great. It was just all a bit over the...more
This is a mystery that covers time from 600BC to present. Tom Shaman, an ex-priest of the present, is drawn into a world of demons and blood sacrifice with intent on bringing the downfall of the Catholic Church. He is an unwilling detective assisting the Italian police. The setting of Venice is nostalgic full of narrow dark allies, lapping canal waters, and church interior descriptions....ah, and memories of Venicia. A bit predictable: but different enough to finish the read easily.
In ‘The Venice Conspiracy’, the author has woven an ancient civilization, renaissance Italy, and modern day Venice seamlessly into a story of epic proportions. In modern day Venice, ex-priest Tom Shaman has stumbled upon the body of a young girl and gets drawn into an investigation which spans millennia. Three priceless artifacts made in ancient times has been the ‘unholy grail’ to many throughout the years who seek to harness the power within the united artifacts. Tom must uncover the connectio...more
This story was ok. About satanistic cult that spans from ancient Etruscan times to current. Taking place mostly in Venice, Italy but also staring out in L.A. California. Priest who kills two rapists while saving the victim, goes to Venice to start a new life outside of the Church gets pulled into a murder investigation that links the crime he was involved in with the cuurent murders in Venice and also the ancient satanistic cult. Intriguing, decent read but just OK; one of the many stories based...more
I really enjoyed the book. At first I was not sure about the 2 different timelines cause I don't enjoy books that miuch that flick back and forward in time. But somehow this really works and it keeps you entwined with the story. Good work had it read in 2days.
I thought this was going to be like a lot of other books out there, where something from the past impacts with events in the present. I was never more wrong, although it did have similarities to that genre, ie Dan Brown, David Gibbins, Steve Berry et al, where it deviated from those was in the historical content. With this book the scene from history wasn't simply the prologue this ran through the entire book. It was almost like reading two books at the same time and I found it slightly intrusiv...more
Excellent book, as you read you get drawn into the story more and more. I like how it qoutes the past to guide the story in the present day. Great Read
Not really a bad book but not a great book either. Good read if you are into thriller and like things with a bit of religious twist in it.
great book loved the switching in history and the mirroring, usually i find this type of book confusing but in this case it was riviting.
The author did a great job setting the scene and creating suspense building up to the finale. It had me completely hooked up until the raid on the isle. After all that, the rapid race toward the ending was quite a disappointment. I don't think the author knew how to finish what he has started. The remaining plot became too rushed and the character growths were not allowed to properly develop. Disappointing to say the least.
Good read, style reminds me of Michael Crichton/Dan Brown.
It was good, but the ending of it was quite frankly awful.
Good read..had me hooked all the way through.
I found this a bit heavy going in places but overall was enjoyable.
a good occult thriller with some historical background
Read my review this week on bookreporter.com .
Venice, conspiracy ... sounds like a 'Dan Brown' kind of story.
Of course a story situated in Venice gets my attention whatever.
This story was great, strong and great.
The first part of the story starts in the States with a priest.
Later the story goes over to Venice where the priest escapes the States.
He meets Tina but soon after so much ahppens, so much goes wrong and the whole time the author manages to keep the story strong, correct without losing the plot.
Of course a story situated in Venice gets my attention whatever.
This story was great, strong and great.
The first part of the story starts in the States with a priest.
Later the story goes over to Venice where the priest escapes the States.
He meets Tina but soon after so much ahppens, so much goes wrong and the whole time the author manages to keep the story strong, correct without losing the plot.
I will read this later
Not what I expected..
Could not put this down, brilliant read from beging to end..............
Aug 21, 2012
Heidi
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
thriller-mystery,
2012
This started off slow, and the use of present tense but in the third person took a little getting used to. But it was worth pushing through and I ended up enjoying it!
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A pseudonym used by Jon Trace
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