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The Book of Lies

by Brad Meltzer (Goodreads Author)

3.36 · rating details · 3,052 ratings · 648 reviews

"In Chapter Four of the Bible, Cain kills Abel. It is the world's most famous murder. But the Bible is silent about one key detail: the weapon Cain used to kill his brother. That weapon is still lost to history." "In 1932, Mitchell Siegel was killed by three gunshots to his chest. While mourning, his son dreamed of a bulletproof man and created the world's g...more

Mass Market Paperback, 464 pages

Published June 1st 2009 by Grand Central Publishing (first published January 1st 2008)

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Oct 08, 2008

Michael rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2008

Give Brad Metlzer props for his ambition. Some writers would be content to merely create a conspiracy laden story about the first murder in history, that of Abel by his brother Cain. Others would be intrigued to explore the alleged murder of Mitchell Seigel and how that lead to the creation of the most-recognized superhero in the world, Superman.

"The Book of Lies" focues on the mysteries surrounding both deaths and the impact they have on the life of our hero, Cal Harpe...more

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Oct 01, 2008

Christopher rated it

· review of another edition

Joss Whedon led me astry when he was in a commercial for this. Juvenile plot with two dimensional characters that somehow seem to bust conspiracies with the power of Google and Wkipaedia. The characters just run into answers without showing any skill in acquiring them. I didn't hate this book but I didn't enjoy it either. It does leave me wondering why its popular though.

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Sep 29, 2008

Maddie rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone, especially thrill seekers!

Recommended to Maddie by: Miriam

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

In Chapter Four of the Bible, Cain kills Abel. It is the world's most famous murder. But the Bible is silent about one key detail: the weapon Cain used to kill his brother. That weapon is still lost to history. In 1932, Mitchell Siegel was killed by three gunshots to his chest. While mourning, his son dreamed of a bulletproof man and created the world's greatest hero: Superman. And like Cain's murder weapon, the gun used in this unsolved murder has never been found. Until now.
...more

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Sep 04, 2008

Meg rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Meg by: Joss Whedon

Shelves: 52booksin52weeks-07-08

Oh man, I wanted so very much to like this book. Honestly, it's in a no man's land between 2 stars (It was OK) and 3 (I liked it). I liked parts. I love/adore the concept. But the execution does NOT match the level of expectation I have.

It's not that Meltzer is a bad writer. The closest and easiest (also laziest) comparison that you could make to this book would be Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons - take something ingrained in the public consciousness and give it a...more

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Apr 26, 2011

Cheryl rated it

· review of another edition

I LOVE Decoded, a History Channel special. I had never heard of this author before the TV show. Saw this book at Borders for a great price, cheaper than on Amazon/Kindle, and wanted to try out this author. First book I have ever read from this author so I'll let you know what I think of it!

Great book! Liked it very much... I like the archelogist/mystery type books so this was right up my alley! Like that though this was fiction, a little, (just a little), of actual history may ...more

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Sep 11, 2008

Bailey rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: nerds, people who like commercial fiction

Recommended to Bailey by: NPR

This book was interesting. It attempts to draw a connection between the story of Cain and Abel and the murder of Mitchell Siegel (father of Jerry Siegel, creator of Superman). I realized about halfway through that little chapters bother me a lot, and this book is full of little chapters. It was then that I realized that there are two kinds of fiction: commercial (which this is), and literary. I prefer literary. It only took me a few hours to finish. It was a good book, kind of hard to follow at ...more

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Oct 21, 2008

Michael rated it

· review of another edition

I chose to read this book because of Meltzer's research into the events behind the creation of Superman. This research would have made a very interesting nonfiction book, but the author chose to surround it with a thriller.

I've determined that I really hate thrillers, because they seem to be universally terrible, and not written for people like me. Somebody can come along and write a thriller about everything I love in the world, and I will refuse to read it. I have a closet stuffed ...more

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Mar 10, 2009

Jonathan rated it

· review of another edition

Having some familiarity with Meltzer's name from his work at DC Comics, I decided to bust my chops on his novel after hearing him talk about 'Lies on NPR. I was immediately pulled in by the high concept story - the mythology he weaves surrounding the unsolved murder of the father of the man who created Superman.

The book itself is the equivelent of a summer blockbuster. Faced paced, light reading with each chapter but a few pages in length, always begging you to read just a little mor...more

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Jan 19, 2012

Themistokeles rated it

· review of another edition

Inhalt: Cal hat vor Jahren den Tod seiner Mutter beobachten müssen, an dem sein Vater Schuld war. Für diese Tat kam sein Vater ins Gefängnis und Cal sah seinen Vater 19 Jahre nicht wieder. Seitdem er beim ICE unehrenhaft entlassen wurde, arbeitet Cal in Fort Lauderdale Sozialhelfer, der Obdachlose von der Straße aufliest und in spezielle Wohnungen bringt. Bei einem Einsatz trifft er plötzlich seinen Vater wieder, der angeschossen in einem Park liegt. Während sein Vater in einem Krankenhaus behan...moreInhalt: Cal hat vor Jahren den Tod seiner Mutter beobachten müssen, an dem sein Vater Schuld war. Für diese Tat kam sein Vater ins Gefängnis und Cal sah seinen Vater 19 Jahre nicht wieder. Seitdem er beim ICE unehrenhaft entlassen wurde, arbeitet Cal in Fort Lauderdale Sozialhelfer, der Obdachlose von der Straße aufliest und in spezielle Wohnungen bringt. Bei einem Einsatz trifft er plötzlich seinen Vater wieder, der angeschossen in einem Park liegt. Während sein Vater in einem Krankenhaus behandelt wird, stellt Cal fest, dass er Fahrer für Gefahrguttransporte ist und seine aktuelle Lieferung vom Zoll aufgehalten wurde. Als sein Vater von einer jungen Frau abgeholt wird, die sehr um die Lieferung besorgt sein, wird Cals Neugier geweckt und er versucht herauszufinden was die Lieferung beinhaltet. Nach einger Zeit wird ihnen klar, dass es etwas mit Jerry Siegel, dem Erfinder von Superman und seinem Vater Mitchell Siegel zu tun hat, denn die Pistole mit der Cals Vater angeschossen wurde, ist identisch mit jener welche Mitchell Siegel 1932 den Tod brachte.
Ein unbekannter attackiert Cal und seinen Vater und die beiden müssen sich auf ein Abenteuer einlassen, bei dem sie von ihm verfolgt werden. Das auffälligste an ihm ist das Zeichen, das er trägt: das Kainsmal.

Meinung: Was mich an dem Roman am meisten wundert, ist das Cover, denn ich finde einfach, dass es einen vollkommen falchen Eindruck bei dem buch vermittelt. Durch das Cover sieht das Buch sehr danach aus, als würde es sich um einen horrorlastigen Thriller handeln, der auch irgendwie etwas mit dem Teufel zu tun hat. Mit einer Gschichte um den Mord am Vater des Superman-Erfinders Jerry Siegel rechnet man zunächst gar nicht. Auch was das Buch der Lügen wohl sein soll, fragt man sich von Anfang an, obwohl des öfteren Andeutungen gemacht werden, um was es sich zu handeln scheint. Cal ist auf jeden Fall ein ziemlich sympathischer Charakter und was mir echt gut gefällt ist, dass man einfach nicht wissen kann, welcher der anderen Charaktere wirklich zu den Bösen gehört und wer wirklich zu den Guten zählt, denn jedem ist beides zuzutrauen, außer Ellis, bei dem sofort klar ist, in welches Lager er gehört.
An dem Charakter Ellis finde ich es besonders gut gemacht, dass man in dem Verhalten zu seinem Hund erkennen kann, dass er definitiv kein reiner Unmensch ist, denn diesem gegenüber verhält sich Ellis gradzu sorgsam und liebevoll. Auch alle anderen Charaktere zeigen gute und schlechte Seiten, was ihnen eindeutig einen Anteil an Tiefe gibt, der bei vielen Büchern nicht vorhanden ist.
Die Auflösung des Buches hat mir sogar richtig gut gefallen, besonders, da man mit einigen Dingen eindeutig nicht gerechnet hätte, andere Sachen waren hingegen zwar etwas leichter zu durchschauen, was das Ende und das Buch aer auf jeden Fall keinen Deut schlechter gemacht hat.
Was mir nebenbei ehrlich gut gefallen hat, waren die in den Roman eingestreuten Zeichnungen, die sich auf Suprman oder andere wichtige Kleinigkeiten beziehen.(less)

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Oct 27, 2011

Angela rated it

· review of another edition

I watch Decoded on TV and find the show intriguing. Since Brad Meltzer is a University of Michigan alum, I hear about him from time to time. I decided to pick up this book and see what his writing style is like.

I'm pretty sure everyone has heard the story of Cain and Abel - the first murder performed by man. However, the question remains, what did Cain really kill Abel with?

The story follows Cal, from when he's quite young and witnesses another's death until the present, ...more

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Feb 19, 2011

Iris rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, suspense, fiction

This book was selected by the neighboring town for the whole town to read. I was curious about what story would be chosen for an entire town to read. Now, after having read the book, I don't imagine everyone will be pleased with the choice.

The Book of Lies is a well written suspense story. The hero and villain are clearly set out, but an unidentified person is manipulating the situation and putting the hero in harm's way. The author works one through suspecting most everyone before...moreThis book was selected by the neighboring town for the whole town to read. I was curious about what story would be chosen for an entire town to read. Now, after having read the book, I don't imagine everyone will be pleased with the choice.

The Book of Lies is a well written suspense story. The hero and villain are clearly set out, but an unidentified person is manipulating the situation and putting the hero in harm's way. The author works one through suspecting most everyone before revealing manipulator's identity. In addition, the story is built around an unsolved murder from the 1930's and the search for an ancient artifact.

The general appeal of the story is hurt by the author's presentation of this ancient artifact: an item given to Cain of Cain-murdered-Abel fame. Throughout the story the artifact is not clearly defined: some character's view it as Cain's murder weapon, some as something that Adam passed down to his oldest son, and some as the mark that God gave Cain. The harm comes from the theory the author spends the most time developing: Cain is not the bad guy in the Bible's story because God forgave him; people make Cain out to be bad because people want bad guys. Later in the story he says that "everyone thinks we need monsters, but we don't. We need forgiveness." What the author is overlooking is that Cain is not the first "bad guy" in the Bible - Adam's wife, Eve, is. The point behind these Biblical stories is that we are all "bad guys" in need of forgiveness and that forgiveness comes, in the Old Testament, in repentence and looking forward to God's promised Savior. Cain is a "bad guy" because he doesn't repent; reading the rest of the Bible's story shows Cain leaving God. In presenting forgiveness as available without repentence or a savior, the author is denying the sinfulness of mankind, and this hurts his story. It is a well-told story that lacks a foundation of truth. So, while I enjoyed the book, it is not one I would recommend others to read.(less)

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Feb 01, 2011

Katie rated it

· review of another edition

People actually pay money for this drivel??? I've read better writing from 8th graders! Meltzer displays just about every amateur writing trait that I can think of: he's really heavy on exposition; he withholds information that the point-of-view character knows, just to artificially create false tension; his dialog sounds like it comes straight from a soap opera; he relies on melodrama instead of actual drama; his characters are one dimensional stock fare that do not act or talk like real peop...more

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Jan 15, 2011

Shelley R rated it

· review of another edition

Summary: In Chapter Four of the Bible, Cain kills Abel. It is the world's most famous murder. But the Bible is silent about one key detail: the weapon Cain used to kill his brother. That weapon is still lost to history.

In 1932, Mitchell Siegel was killed by three gunshots to his chest. While mourning, his son dreamed of a bulletproof man and created the world's greatest hero: Superman. And like Cain's murder weapon, the gun used in this unsolved murder has never been found.

...more

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Dec 18, 2010

Juli rated it

· review of another edition

This is the first book I’ve ever read by Brad Meltzer. When reading a “Thriller”, or “Suspense” or” Action” novel, I expect a lot of motion (i.e. main characters running from one location to another), lots of intrigue (i.e. several different plot lines going at the same time) and lots of details that are all nicely solved at their appropriate time.

Meltzer did something that many authors don’t do, he added dimension to the primary characters by making them Father and Son with a history ...more

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Oct 19, 2010

Yassin Chandran rated it

· review of another edition

I was looking around in Borders for an interesting book to do this English project on and I found The Book of Lies By Brad Meltzer and I have to say after reading the side flaps I was not impressed and was extremely tempted to put it down and continue my search. What did catch my eye though is the biblical reference and I have to say I am a pretty big fan of Mr. Christ’s work so I decided to open the book and peruse it. I happened to stumble upon a page that talked about a society of Nazi’s. As...moreI was looking around in Borders for an interesting book to do this English project on and I found The Book of Lies By Brad Meltzer and I have to say after reading the side flaps I was not impressed and was extremely tempted to put it down and continue my search. What did catch my eye though is the biblical reference and I have to say I am a pretty big fan of Mr. Christ’s work so I decided to open the book and peruse it. I happened to stumble upon a page that talked about a society of Nazi’s. As soon as I saw the word Nazi I immediately decided on this book. I love Nazi’s. So I have to admit that if there were no Nazi’s I would not have picked up this book because even though I love Jesus and Superman and all, the side flaps and cover made the story seem a lot more boring than it really was because it seems like a book about some biblical conspiracy but in truth it is a story about the relationship between a man and his father and the importance of tell your story.
It basically follows the adventures of a man named Cal and he works in a van driving around picking up homeless people. Then he finds his dad after not seeing him for eighteen years and gets caught up in the adventure of a life time in search for the world’s first murder weapon and the real reason for the creation of Superman.
I actually enjoyed the plot of the story but the ending seemed a bit cliché. I like how the author included some pictures in a few places which made the book a lot easier to understand, otherwise the visualizations would have been near impossible. But all in all I was disappointed because the author did not execute his ideas as well as I would have hoped for. I feel that this idea was in the hand of a different author than this could have been an amazing read. It is not that the Brad Meltzer is not good writer, because he is, it is just that his writing style was not necessarily meant for a piece of this level of complexity. I feel that he gave the characters to little credit and not enough depth. For instance he could have made Cal a lot more meaningful or he could have conveyed the true feelings of Ellis and why he was doing what he was but instead he made most of the characters plain and two dimensional and I really could not connect with any of them.
The book had very few good points and all in all Brad Meltzer should have tried a simpler concept. I feel that he tried to jam the theme into your skull for he continually repeated it and after a while it got tiresome. Basically it was just the cliche of staying immortal by passing down your story.
I have to give Brad props for the beginning though, it was nicely done and did not have me falling asleep. I feel if he kept that up with the rest of the story it too could have been nicely done.
All in all I did not really like the book that much but I did not dislike it either it was more of an in-between, I would definitely not recommend it to a friend though.
(less)

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Aug 26, 2010

Caity rated it

Recommends it for: those looking for a quick read

I read this book out of sheer curiosity based on the description. It was after a long and trying summer, so I needed something that I could start reading and finish quickly, the exact opposite of how that summer had been. It definitely fulfilled both of those wishes.

The three stars are each well-earned stars, I believe, for the writing was respectable, the story and plot were interesting, and the characters showed at least some depth. I might even give it an extra half star if I could....more

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May 07, 2010

Monique rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: what-it-is-whats-up-mystery-novel

This book went by fast which was a good thing, it was a fast mystery read with of all things the unlikely combination of the bible and Superman..So it all begins outlining the dysfunctional relationship of a father and son, then flips to a mentally unstable killer, a single mom cop looking for revenge and a pursuit that just keeps going and going..all while allowing you to learn a little more about the story of Cain and Abel, the origins of the invinicible Superman and be entertained in the proc...more

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Oct 12, 2009

Mocha Girl rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-suspense-thriller

The Book of Lies by bestselling author Brad Meltzer is a fantastical tale that combines a DaVinci Code-like mystery with an Indiana Jones-like adventure. The author blends the age old Biblical mystery surrounding Cain's curse and/or his "mark" and the first murder weapon (all of which are unnamed in the Bible) with a modern myth surrounding the unsolved murder of Jerry Siegel's father (the creator of Superman).

At the heart of the story is a son whose life is interrupted at a...more

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Sep 06, 2009

Chris rated it

Thinking that I already have a copy of this book, I barely took notice of it in the shelves of the bookstores that I frequent. But, this mornoing, as I browsed through titles with extra care, because of the sale season in this bookstore, I noticed that this book was different from Brad Meltzer's "Book of Fate."

And when I read the brief description behind the book and learned it had something to do with Superman's creators Jerry Siegle, I immediately picked it up. I must say...moreThinking that I already have a copy of this book, I barely took notice of it in the shelves of the bookstores that I frequent. But, this mornoing, as I browsed through titles with extra care, because of the sale season in this bookstore, I noticed that this book was different from Brad Meltzer's "Book of Fate."

And when I read the brief description behind the book and learned it had something to do with Superman's creators Jerry Siegle, I immediately picked it up. I must say, I was not the least disappointed.

The book was very meticulous in its research, mixing fiction with facts -- and not so well-known facts at that -- making the tale more interesting than ever.

Did you know that Jerry's dad was thought to have been killed by a buller from a robber's gun? And that he ended up creating a hero, who initially couldn't fly, had no x-ray vision, but was bullet-proof?

Add to that some interesting theories on Cain's murder of Abel and the whole underground movement that involved this Biblical story.

Over-all, the book was about how the idea of Good (Superman) ultimately trumps the concept of Evil (Cain), and how forgiveness and punishment come into play.

But more than that, it was a story about fathers and sons...and the secret of immortality. Although I thought about the potential direction that the novel could take -- about being immortal, not by PHYSICALLY living forever, but by LIVING THROUGH ONE'S STORIES (this is how Jerry has become immortal), the final few pages got to me becuase it spoke of an image of a dad whispering to his son. It was the image of a father telling stories to his son, and by doing so, becoming immortal in the process.

My eyes welled up during this part because it reminded me of my dad's stories to me before I went to bed. Until now, years after his passing, I still remember his tales of wonder and fantasy.

And in my feeble attempts to be a good writer (which I have forsaken for so long), I remember the desire to tell my stories... not really as a way to live forever, but as a mean to be reminded that I am not alone, that I am alive.

So, for this tale of suspense and wonder, I give kudos to Brad. I've read his myspace messages (yes, he is in my friends list) and I am sure that he is a great, kind man. I am a fan.(less)

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Jun 15, 2009

Sandy Lender rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: mystery/thriller readers

For The Book of Lies, Brad Meltzer creates a clever story idea when he weaves the creation of the Superman comic with finding the weapon that killed Abel. Yes, that Abel…from Genesis. Calvin Harper is a former (read: not-so-honorably discharged) ICE agent who has taken on the job of driving around picking up drunk and disorderly/homeless clients for a local shelter where he also befriends and helps troubled youth. He’s the good guy. On the other side of the plot is Ellis (Edward Belasco) with wh...moreFor The Book of Lies, Brad Meltzer creates a clever story idea when he weaves the creation of the Superman comic with finding the weapon that killed Abel. Yes, that Abel…from Genesis. Calvin Harper is a former (read: not-so-honorably discharged) ICE agent who has taken on the job of driving around picking up drunk and disorderly/homeless clients for a local shelter where he also befriends and helps troubled youth. He’s the good guy. On the other side of the plot is Ellis (Edward Belasco) with what he thinks is a God-given right to have/take/steal/kill for the artifact that Cal Harper is sort of stumbling into finding. And Cal’s stumbling into finding this artifact because his long-lost father has stumbled back into his life with a bang.

Meltzer’s style switches from first person when Cal’s narrating to third person POV when we’re seeing events through anyone else’s eyes. This might throw some readers at first, but it offers an intriguing way to keep a few secrets from the reader. Once you get the hang of the switching POV (which is truly easy to do with Meltzer’s professional hand), the pages start flying by. Meltzer throws in a twist after a surprise after a sinister foreshadowing after another twist…it’s a fast-paced race to unravel lies and find answers that lead the good guys to the treasure before the bad guys can get there. I found myself disappointed in the characters themselves. I should have adored Cal, but I just couldn’t do it. Despite his compassion for the clients he “saves,” he doesn’t have the right compassion for his father. When he “steals” his dad’s lady friend, who I don’t have a lot of patience with anyway, I get a sour taste in my mouth. Of course, his dad is not exactly a saint, either. Even the detective chasing Cal to solve her partner’s murder from early in the novel (one of those twists that propels the plot into fast forward) doesn’t feel real or sympathetic to me. Luckily, Meltzer feels like such an incredible writer and can paint such vivid, recognizable scenes in The Book of Lies that I didn’t need to fall head over heels for any of the characters to enjoy the story and tear through the pages to see how the story was going to end.

I highly recommend The Book of Lies for thriller/mystery and action-adventure readers. It’s a great story with a fulfilling ending.

From Fantasy Author Sandy Lender(less)

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Jun 15, 2009

Ebostdorff rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: YES -- but only if you like a good thriller

Shelves: 2009-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING!!!!!

I picked it up at wal-mart in Montana on Friday afternoon, read the first 5 pages, then didn't really pick it up again until 10 am on Sunday -- by reading off and on (and also watching some movies, moving between gates at the airport, geting home) I finished the book at 3 am Monday Morning. So all in all about 6 hours of reading I think -- 460 pages in 6 hours -- pretty quick read.

I also love Brad Meltzer. I saw him at the National Book F...moreTHIS BOOK WAS AMAZING!!!!!

I picked it up at wal-mart in Montana on Friday afternoon, read the first 5 pages, then didn't really pick it up again until 10 am on Sunday -- by reading off and on (and also watching some movies, moving between gates at the airport, geting home) I finished the book at 3 am Monday Morning. So all in all about 6 hours of reading I think -- 460 pages in 6 hours -- pretty quick read.

I also love Brad Meltzer. I saw him at the National Book Fest last year talking about this book and he was entertaining and fun and keep us laughing the whole time with stories and antedotes. He discussed how in part this was the first book he started to write -- well before anything else -- but he didn't think it would sell so he worte the Grisham styled crime novels and got his name that way and then was able to write books like Book of Lies and Book of Fate (which I now have to pick up).

** SPOILERS ** (or at least plot give aways)

So I know that this is a work of fiction, but still how he interwove the plots of Cain and Able, the Sieglers (superman) and Cal and Lloyd -- AMAZING!!! I actually believed that this was all plausable. And I know that there is a bunch of myth behind the murder of Able and Jerry Siegler's dad -- but to make it all connect in a way that I was gripped and didn't want to put it down (even when I saw that it was 2 am and I had been travelling and was EXHAUSTED -- nope didn't want to put it down!

However, here was my interesting though on the plot. . . . Cal and Lloyd have ICE chasing after them and catching them and being around them and yet Naomi keeps letting them go. I think she didn't believe that Cal and Lloyd really killed her partner (name is escaping me right now) -- otherwise the first time she saw them she would have never let them go. Once she met Ellis and what he was capable of and how he operated and dug into the story more (pretty much starting at when she ran his badge and found out that he was a bad bad former cop) I think she let Cal and Lloyd off the hook (or at least Cal) and just kept up the premise that she was chasing them so she could get to the bottom of the prohet and Ellis.

The prophet twist surprised me -- although in the chapter leading up to it I was geared up for it. When he walked into the room I was like -- of course it was XXX (come on I won't be that bad and ruin it all). He would have been the one to have the knowledge to get it done. But I still don't see how he was tied to the overall group -- or if he was tied to the overall group.

And the moral of the story -- classic. I could see it coming down to that moral and that story and if you think about it that kind of is the premise of the whole bible . . . but you have to read it to find out what I am talking about.

If you like a good thriller novel that keeps you locked in and guessing -- READ THIS BOOK!

(less)

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May 06, 2009

Ashley rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: mystery fans

I liked this book a lot better than The Book of Fate. This is paritally because the story was much more intriguing/entertaining, and it was partially because the story actually made some sense (the Book of Lies which is in the titled is actually explained in the book, and it makes sense why the book is called The Book of Lies, where as The Book of Fate never really explained what the book of fate was and it didn't really have a strong connection to the plot). All the events were connected, and...more

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Jul 18, 2011

Jibran rated it

· review of another edition

Disclaimer: I once picked up this book when I was only 16. Didn't get a single bit of it at all. I tried reading it again, about three years later. I loved it.

I'm a stickler for superheroes and fantasy, but in this book everything was sort of touched upon around the centerpiece of religious thriller. It was good. Nuff said.

Ratings:

Plot: (4/5) - I loved the plot, just some parts of it seemed off. The surprise towards the end was pretty wicked. But some things just se...more

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Oct 18, 2010

Luke Martin rated it

· review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. ‘The Book of Lies’ by Brad Meltzer is a stunning action novel that takes you on a faced paced journey. The story is based around 28 year old Calvin Harper, who is dragged into a long series of events that relates to the Book of Creation, Superman, and the Nazis. This book sits heavy in your mind, but it’s one that you can’t put down once you pick it up.
As a nine year old boy, Cal witnessed the death of his bipolar mother, caused when Lloyd, Cal’s father, pushes her out of rage. Cal is sep...more‘The Book of Lies’ by Brad Meltzer is a stunning action novel that takes you on a faced paced journey. The story is based around 28 year old Calvin Harper, who is dragged into a long series of events that relates to the Book of Creation, Superman, and the Nazis. This book sits heavy in your mind, but it’s one that you can’t put down once you pick it up.
As a nine year old boy, Cal witnessed the death of his bipolar mother, caused when Lloyd, Cal’s father, pushes her out of rage. Cal is separated from him for nineteen years and doesn’t know what to think. His life had been turned upside down.
In this book, Meltzer hints at the background of Cal’s life, and though he never goes to deep into it, you can deduce that Cal was a disgraced ICE agent, and now he finds pay by helping pick up the homeless. He describes a beautiful inciting incident when Cal finds that one of the homeless people he is picking up is his father.
After this, Cal is stuck with his father for the rest of the book, which not only takes them on a journey all the way across the states, but also takes Cal on a spiritual journey, an awakening, where Cal learns to forgive his father and change his outlook of life.
There are several characters in this book used as foils. Some are obvious from the start; while Meltzer does a great job at having other characters deceive us. He also does a great job personifying relationships in the story. While most of the story’s emotions range somewhere from rage to disrespect to helplessness, Brad Meltzer still does a great job at throwing in a dash of romance: an element needed for any successful story of this genre, which he nailed on the head.
Also, this story finely exemplifies the lengths of which a true believer in religion will go for what he believes in. There is more than one character that this relates to, mainly Ellis and Roosevelt. Having knowledge on the subject, I think Meltzer did a great job with this view, though he may have approached it too harshly.
On the flip side, Meltzer could have been slightly more rugged when conceiving the emotions for human traits, such as when Naomi finds Ellis at her home with the tracker. The way Naomi reacted seemed pretty realistic, but many moms would have absolutely flipped a biscuit. Also, many would have reacted stronger if they saw Timothy get shot.
This was probably one of the only downsides in the book. The plotline was intricately weaved, founded upon a mystery unwritten. The main scheme was that Ellis was conspiring with the Judge and the unknown Prophet to find the ‘Book of Lies’, supposedly an object God gave Cain as a Mark, or a remembrance, which better fit its description when Cal revealed it was really the ‘Book of Truth’. Roosevelt infers by the title that the ‘Book of Truth’ holds the secret to Cain’s immortality. In reality, Roosevelt, secretly the Prophet, only wants to seize the Book to show verisimilitude in a religion that so many people doubt. It was a noble cause but the actions behind it turned him into a demon,
In the end, no one really gets what they want, until Cal visits the Siegel residence in California. He finds here the secret to Cain’s immortality: The simple telling of your story. Cal realizes how many men had given their lives for that fact, and it changes him.
Truly, many lessons can be learned from this. This book contains lessons of forgiveness, of remembrance, and of hope. But the true lesson in the book is to tell your story, for you will always live on, because the only stories forgotten are the ones unsaid.
I give this book a four out of five because it touches close with emotions and values. Though it’s not perfect, the plot drives these lessons home. I would recommend this book to anyone for a great read, because Brad Meltzer drives his story so close to home.
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Jul 12, 2009

Robin rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: meltzer-brad

Basically the book was about Cain and Able (the murder) and if there was any link to the death of Jerry Siegel's dad. Jerry Siegel is the creator of Superman. I know it sounds like a long shot - and believe me it is. Mr. Meltzer tries to weave a mysterious story connecting Ables death by Cain to the Senior Mr. Siegel. Because of the way Mr. Siegel came to America and how he lived, a lot of questions have been raised. Then we also have the story of Jerry writing his Superman comics in an effo...more

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Dec 02, 2011

Erin Forson rated it

· review of another edition

The Book of Lies
by Brad Meltzer
I’m a forensics junkie…it’s true. When true crime shows or history’s mysteries, or when any conspiracy theory show comes on—I am compelled to watch it. That’s why, when Brad Meltzer started his new show Decoded, I had to grab a box of tissues to wipe away the drool that was running down my chin. Once I was drool free, I had to grab the first Meltzer novel I could find. Having read it, I have decided that I will be reading more Meltzer novels! And while ...more

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Nov 27, 2011

Ryan rated it

· review of another edition

Hardy Boys for adults.

As a time-killer over a 4 ½ hour drive up to Michigan and another 4 ½ back, it wasn’t completely terrible. I didn’t really want anything too complex, anything that I couldn’t follow as an audio book, which I’ve never listened to before, being such a visual person and rereading sentences, paragraphs, flipping back to recheck names, key points over again like I do with a real book. But I have a feeling if I was reading this in my hands I would have quit due to ma...more

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Feb 06, 2009

Thomas Rohde rated it

· review of another edition

I was intrigued by the concept of this book as well as how popular it was. I was pretty disappointed. It seems more like a fleshed out screenplay, waiting for actors to add dimension to the characters in the book. The plot trucked along at a pretty decent pace, but the unveiling of the mystery and the backgrounds of the characters was pretty clumsy. Events seemed to happen in this book only because the plot demanded them and not at all because they were a natural destination based on charact...more

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Sep 15, 2011

Gina rated it

· review of another edition

I kind of want to give this book 2 stars because of the outrageous plot elements, but I did go through the book in just a few days for curiosity's sake, so I can't write it off totally. SOMEthing drew me in...

The book felt like the result of some creative writing game where the author gets a handful of plot elements and has to work them together into a story. Or maybe a skit on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" or another improv sketch. Anyway, the author somehow combines the murder...more

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Jul 30, 2011

Jim rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: comic-books-superheroes-novels

I remember when my wife brought home The Book of Lies from the library. I had heard about this because part of the story featured the family of one of the creators of Superman (Jerry Siegel). I asked Krista if she liked Meltzer. She said she'd read all his books.

"No you haven't," I replied.

Taken aback, "Yes, I have," she argued.

"Have you read Identity Crisis?" Ha!

"Well, I haven't read his comics." Color me impr...more

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About Brad Meltzer

Brad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Inner Circle, as well as the bestsellers The Tenth Justice, Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, The Zero Game, The Book of Fate and The Book of Lies.

He is also one of the co-creators of the TV show, Jack & Bobby—and is the Eisner Award-winning author of the critically acclaimed comic book, Justice League of Ame...moreBrad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Inner Circle, as well as the bestsellers The Tenth Justice, Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, The Zero Game, The Book of Fate and The Book of Lies.

He is also one of the co-creators of the TV show, Jack & Bobby—and is the Eisner Award-winning author of the critically acclaimed comic book, Justice League of America.

His first non-fiction book, Heroes For My Son, is a collection of heroes – from Jim Henson to Rosa Parks -- that he’s been working on since the day his son was born and is on sale now. He is the host of Brad Meltzer's Decoded on the History Channel. And his newest thriller, The Inner Circle, is in bookstores now.

Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all eight of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President's daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who steal money and go on the run. The Zero Game is about two Congressional staffers who are - literally - gambling on Congress. The Book of Fate, is about a young presidential aide, a crazed assassin, and the 200 year-old code created by Thomas Jefferson that ties them together. For authenticity, The Book of Fate was researched with the help of former Presidents Clinton and Bush. The The Book of Lies , is about the missing murder weapon that Cain used to kill Abel, as well as the unsolved murder of Superman creator Jerry Siegel's father. Brad is one of the only people to interview Jerry Siegel's family about the murder and, with his charitable site www.OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com, has been the driving force behind the movement to repair the house where Superman was created. His newest book, The Inner Circle, is based the idea that George Washington's personal spy ring still exists today. A young archivist in the National Archives finds out the spy ring is still around. He doesn't know who they work for -- but the greatest secret of the Presidency is about to be revealed. While researching the book, former President George HW Bush also gave Brad, for the very first time, the secret letter he left for Bill Clinton in the Oval Office desk. Oh, and yes, Brad was recruited by the Department of Homeland Security to brainstorm different ways that terrorists might attack the US.

His books have spent over eleven months on the bestseller lists, and have been translated into over 25 languages, from Hebrew to Bulgarian. In The Tenth Justice, the opening lines are: "Ben Addison was sweating. Like a pig." In the Hebrew translation, it became: "Ben Addison was sweating. Like a horse." We're not sure if it's a kosher thing or what!

Brad has played himself as an extra in Woody Allen's Celebrity, co-wrote the swearing in oath for AmeriCorps, the national service program, and earned credit from Columbia Law School for writing his first book, which became The Tenth Justice. Before all of that, he got 24 rejection letters for his true first novel, which still sits on his shelf, published by Kinko's.

Brad currently lives in Florida with his wife, who's also an attorney.
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Quotes from The Book of Lies

“There's the life you live and the life you leave behind. but what you share with someone else - especially someone you love - that's not just how you bury your past. It's how you write you future.” — 15 people liked it

“I understand pain. I've lived with pain my entire life. But pain is nothing compared to betrayal. And betrayal is nothing compared to knowing that the javelin in your back was rammed there by the one person in your life you actually trusted.” — 5 people liked it

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