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Das Buch Der Lügen

by Brad Meltzer (Goodreads Author), Susanne Goga-Klinkenberg (Übersetzer), Ulrike Thiesmeyer (Übersetzer)

3.49 of 5 stars 3.49 · rating details · 5,296 ratings · 839 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 greatest hero: S...more

Paperback, 441 pages

Published October 2009 by Rowohlt (first published January 1st 2008)

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Oct 08, 2008 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · 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 Harper. Years ago, Cal's mothe...more

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Oct 01, 2008 Christopher rated it 1 of 5 stars · 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 5 of 5 stars · 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.

Today in Fort Laud...more

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Sep 04, 2008 Meg rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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 an elaborate back...more

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Apr 26, 2011 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars · 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 have been thrown i...more

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Sep 11, 2008 Bailey rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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 2 of 5 stars · 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 with better...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Ricki Treleaven rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Brad Meltzer's The Book of Lies is a unique and quick read (I could not put it down). The illustrations are wonderful and add a fun dimension to the reading experience. I must admit that it is also the first book of Meltzer's I have ever read, and I would like some suggestions from some of his readers as to what I should read next.

The Book of Lies tells the story of history's most notorious murder: the murder of Abel by his brother, Cain. The Bible story depicted in Genesis Chapter 4 gives motiv...more Brad Meltzer's The Book of Lies is a unique and quick read (I could not put it down). The illustrations are wonderful and add a fun dimension to the reading experience. I must admit that it is also the first book of Meltzer's I have ever read, and I would like some suggestions from some of his readers as to what I should read next.

The Book of Lies tells the story of history's most notorious murder: the murder of Abel by his brother, Cain. The Bible story depicted in Genesis Chapter 4 gives motive for the murder, but it leaves out one very important detail: the murder weapon. Fast forward a few thousand years to Cleveland, Ohio. In 1932, Mitchell Siegel was shot during a robbery. During the aftermath of the murder, young Jerry Siegel invents the world's best known superhero: Superman! Superman is bulletproof, and, as Meltzer points out in the book, Jerry Siegel never once mentioned his father's murder in interviews. So you may be asking yourself: what do these two murders have in common? The answer: The Book of Lies. The Book of Lies is a history book God asked Adam to write because he knew that the great flood was imminent. What if this book was a true birthright, a blessing bestowed rather than a curse imposed on Cain?

In present day South Florida, Calvin Harper must relive a childhood tragedy as he finds his long-lost father shot in a park. As father and son search for The Book of Lies, they become stalked by Ellis, a ruthless zealot who has the Mark of Cain tattoo on his hand. The mystery leads the characters to Jerry Siegel's Cleveland, Ohio childhood home where he invented Superman. The story is fascinating from start to finish, and I loved the "secret" revealed at the end of the book. I think it would be difficult for any parent not to be touched by it.

I must admit that right now I am a bit frustrated because according to the book jacket, Brad Meltzer's website has all kinds of fun stuff on it, like a companion soundtrack to The Book of Lies. He also states in his Author's Note that he has some other information to complement the book found only on his website. So why am I frustrated? Because his website is currently unavailable! I have been able to look at some of the features, like the video about how some writers (like one of my favorites, Neil Gaiman) and ordinary citizens are working together to restore Jerry Siegel's childhood home. But I want to read about the secret Aryan society, the Thule Society (mentioned in the book), and read about Ellis's dog Benoni as well as read Ellis's diary. Maybe the website will be available later during the holidays, because I would really like to hear the soundtrack and play with the other features. From what I saw of it, it looks like tons of fun.

Although I grew-up a Marvel girl rather than a DC girl, I highly recommend The Book of Lies.
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Apr 10, 2012 Beth Cato rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: in, 2011, suspense, no-longer-own

This New York Times Bestseller offers a compelling premise--a close tie between the creation of Superman and Cain's murder of his brother Abel--that in the end suffered due to a predictable ending and strained tension.[return][return]In modern day Fort Lauderdale, Cal Harper is forced to confront his past when he finds his estranged father bleeding out in a park. The former ICE agent is curious that his father holds a shipping manifest, and seems all too tight-lipped about the past decade of his...more

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Mar 10, 2009 Jonathan rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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 more in one sit...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Don rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Whatever the novelty of the plot line, most thrillers I have read seem to follow one of a handful of formulae. The observation is not intended as a criticism. Familiarity makes for comfortable recreational reading, and in better works the fun is in experiencing twists in the pattern that sidetrack our expectations. This novel seemed to offer an entirely novel premise, built around Cain and Abel and the origination of Superman. Nothing formulaic about that. However, the author fallls short in the...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Katharina Renn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Nicht jeder Mord wird restlos aufgeklärt und so schweigt auch die Bibel über die Mordwaffe, mit der Kain seinen bruder Abel tötete. Schon im Prolog wird vom zweiten mord berichtet: Der 5- jährige Cal Harper muss mitansehen, wie sein Vater seine geisteskranke Mutter etwas zu heftig stößt. Diese rutscht auf einem kaputten Mayonnaiseglas aus und bricht sich das genick. Cals Vater wird verhaftet und Cal sieht ihn erst 19 Jahre später wieder.er mit seinem Freund Roosevelt unterwegs ist, Obdachlosen z...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Jimmy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think that this Book was full of suspense, and it was a very entertaining to read for almost all of the book. The reason why I am not giving this book a better rating was because there were parts in the book when nothing was really happening, but when the book got slow you still had to pay attention because that was when you got a lot of the important information. I would not know where to classify this book because there was a little bit of everything, Action, Thriller, ect. This made the who...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Van rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Van Tingley
English
January 5, 2013
Book Review of The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer
The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer is a fast paced mystery-thriller with a complex plot full of twists and turns. The Book of Lies is the story of how the biblical myth of the murder of Able, and the death of the father of the man who created Superman, are connected. The Book of Lies is one of the few modern set, realistic fiction, books that I have ever read. Usually when I read a modern realistic fiction story, all...more Van Tingley
English
January 5, 2013
Book Review of The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer
The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer is a fast paced mystery-thriller with a complex plot full of twists and turns. The Book of Lies is the story of how the biblical myth of the murder of Able, and the death of the father of the man who created Superman, are connected. The Book of Lies is one of the few modern set, realistic fiction, books that I have ever read. Usually when I read a modern realistic fiction story, all I can think is "why would I ever want to read something that could happen to me, or I could see on the news?". The Book of Lies, on the other hand, has such a complex and compelling plot that I barely thought that at all. The plot is interesting because it is based on the connection of two little known events, which to the average person seem to have absolutely nothing to do with each other. The story is made even better by Meltzer's additions of real places and groups of people. Though The Book of Lies has a great plot, I have several problems with the story overall. First, there is something intangible about many of Meltzer's characters that I find slightly annoying. I cannot put my finger on what aspect of Meltzer's characters bothers me, but i just find them annoying. The characters are not bothersome enough to ruin the book for me, but they do detract from the amazing story. Second, I find Meltzer's style of writing too simple for such a complex story. That being said, Meltzer is certainly not a bad writer and his style of writing is more than adequate in getting across his complex story. My third and biggest issue with The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer is the ending. I found it boring, disappointing, and I felt that Meltzer was taking the easy way out of his story. I felt that the story was so complex and well crafted, that it deserved a better ending. For my taste, the ending of the book was was too Disney and could have been more edgy. It was just a little too politically correct. Even though it is not perfect, The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer is an intriguing story that is most certainly worth reading. (less)

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Dec 15, 2012 Phyllis Sommers rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A rather unusual work for Brad Meltzer, as his novels are usually tied in to politics or the law. This novel develops around a myth attached to the writing of the Superman stories and to the creation of both the Clark Kent and Superman characters. Apparently, although I previously had no awareness of this, there truly are myths attached to Superman, its creator, Jerry Siegel, and his father, Mitchell. It's thought that Jerry created the "bulletproof" man in response to witnessing his father's de...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Ithlilian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

Ever since I read The Inner Circle last month, I've been on a Meltzer spree. I've enjoyed every book I've read of his, and for the same reason-the emphasis on characters. The Cain and Abel plot definitely takes a back seat to the character building, and everything we discover relating to that is told to us through a character. It has worked the same way in all of Meltzer's books I've read. The characters are not uncovering shocking new ideas about masons and founding fathers from some ancient te...more Ever since I read The Inner Circle last month, I've been on a Meltzer spree. I've enjoyed every book I've read of his, and for the same reason-the emphasis on characters. The Cain and Abel plot definitely takes a back seat to the character building, and everything we discover relating to that is told to us through a character. It has worked the same way in all of Meltzer's books I've read. The characters are not uncovering shocking new ideas about masons and founding fathers from some ancient temple, they are told them by another character as background for the story. There are investigations and clues that lead the characters from place to place, but they aren't focused on some historical anomaly, they are actually believable and realistic. I enjoy that aspect much more than I enjoy non stop action running from monastery to monastery analyzing alternate meanings and such. Maybe I am just trying to force this to be different from Dan Brown, because I really see them as different, but it's tough to explain. Moving on.

This is a three star book for me because I didn't fall in love with the characters. The main character supposedly has ideals that do not allow him to take money to extract the homeless from restaurants. He feels the need to help everyone, without ever helping himself, and yet again we have a main character that is somewhat weak that comes into his own. That has been the case with every Meltzer book I read, and while it is a bit stale, I appreciate character development. I just don't care about what becomes of these characters. The father is extremely unlikable, and though he is probably meant to be, I just don't enjoying reading about him in any way. The female sidekick/love interest that is present in every book is a little crazy, and not in a lovable way. So just a meh on the characters here.

The plot about Cain and Abel should be in the back of your mind, because that's not what this is really about. Sure I guess it is about the hunt for The Book of Lies, but it is more about the origin of Superman than it is about religion. It all ties together in a way that makes sense, but I have to say I cared more about the Superman aspect than the religious aspect, and was not hanging on my seat waiting to see if the characters would find the weapon or the book. There is something to these books that just keeps you turning pages though. In this book it's not any one thing, but a combination of what will happen next, who will betray who, will the irritating father ever get what he deserves, who is going to get shot next, and why is Superman even in this at all, that makes this worth reading.

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Jul 17, 2012 Daniel Solen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sometimes when authors create the thriller novel, they spend the whole book chasing around after various unrelated clues. In the end, they all-too-often arrive at some random treasure or conclusion that seems trite in comparison to the level of intensity the chase entailed. Often, they jump so quickly from clue to clue, that the chain of events doesn't even seem to make sense, and pretty soon the book just becomes one car chase after another (imagine the movies where the hero is being chased by...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Johnny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, thriller

I’m used to being wrong, but not infuriatingly so. The Book of Lies is appropriately named. In fact, there are times when you aren’t quite sure whether you’re alongside the protagonist (a disgraced Homeland Security agent who now works with the homeless) in search of the eponymous book or a “Book of Truth.” In many ways, this novel is both.

Whether you call The Book of Lies a thriller or a mystery, it may be as unfair as some classic Agatha Christie novels. There is a shadow figure orchestrating...more I’m used to being wrong, but not infuriatingly so. The Book of Lies is appropriately named. In fact, there are times when you aren’t quite sure whether you’re alongside the protagonist (a disgraced Homeland Security agent who now works with the homeless) in search of the eponymous book or a “Book of Truth.” In many ways, this novel is both.

Whether you call The Book of Lies a thriller or a mystery, it may be as unfair as some classic Agatha Christie novels. There is a shadow figure orchestrating events in this game and, while there is some foreshadowing to prepare one for the eventual revelation, there seem to be more than one occasion where the puppet master couldn’t have known what the plot required him to know (Warning: I haven’t gone back to count this. I could be wrong, but this is my perception.). Yes, I fell for the red herrings and I feel cheated.

In fact, the only reason I don’t blurt out (or whatever the blog equivalent would be) a total spoiler here is that the rest of the book is so entertaining. There are intriguing puzzles, especially involving the discovery of some hidden art, and there is more than one fascinating midrash on kabbalistic and other mystical interpretations of the Bible. The book is a kaleidoscopic landscape of comic history, sociological commentary, psychological (Meltzer calls it “fanboy psychology) speculation, occult intrigue, conspiracy threads, and cinematic surprises. Yes, I’ll read another of Meltzer’s thrillers. Outside of his impressive graphic novel, Identity Crisis (a D.C. Universe mystery that involves almost the entire cast of characters from the D.C. archives at one point or another and illuminates family issues such that I thought this was where The Book of Lies was going), this is the first Meltzer that I’ve read but it won’t be the last.

Don’t read this book if you’re a “red herring” hater. If you like being tricked by the author from a number of different directions though, The Book of Lies is like fishing for said red herrings with dynamite. They’re all there for the taking; you just may not like they way they fry.
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Mar 27, 2012 Robert bahara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer to be was one of the most intriguing books I ever read in a long time. The way the author was able to connect historical events from the bible to the events of superman kept the book even more intriguing. This book is well constructed for the story to fit around the story in the bible and superman and the way the story has so much detail helps you picture what was happening during the whole book.

The story in the bible of Cain and Abel and having these characters...more The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer to be was one of the most intriguing books I ever read in a long time. The way the author was able to connect historical events from the bible to the events of superman kept the book even more intriguing. This book is well constructed for the story to fit around the story in the bible and superman and the way the story has so much detail helps you picture what was happening during the whole book.

The story in the bible of Cain and Abel and having these characters in the Book of Lies finding what really happened and finding how superman was connected to this unknown mystery to me is really cool and makes the story so much more interesting. In the start of the book it was really interesting how they introduce the characters and how you know they are looking for something about the Cain and Abel story but as you read on the book starts to give you why and the big idea of what really happened in the bible. Which I thought was really deep on how people think that Cain was marked from god as a punishment but at the end he was not punished but reworded. But what made the book suspenseful and was how the clues they were given lead the characters to Jerry Siegel's house and to find the old comic books to reveal his past. Then when the characters found out his past they found out the connection between the two stories which blew my mind on how they were connected and how Brad Meltzer came up with the idea. What also made the ending great was how the murder weapon was found and knowing how it got there. In the book the characters find this code that they find lead to a book that was donated from Jerry Siegel's dad which was then located in a prison. When they get to the prison they find out the murder weapon was a horn and the book of lies was not there. To me having the characters in the book chaining all the events together was well thought out and made the book so much better. Also what helped was the way the book described what was going on. Like when Cal found his father shot in the tree I could picture how the event clearly happened or when they found the old sketches of Jerry Siegel's first comic book on the back of his wall paper I got a great sense of what was going on. Another time that I thought that gave me a perfect picture of what was happening was when they found the weapon in the prison and they described how it had marking on it and it inside the horn it was carved out.

Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer was a intriguing book that I found was unpredictable. The book really impressed me on how well it was able to describe the events and how well it was able to pull the characters into the two stories to make them connected. The descriptive language in this book is like no other if I had the choice read a book similar about how detailed and planned this book was I will choice to read it in a heartbeat. Brad Meltzer is definitely now one author I’m going to keep up in his books and become a fan.(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Conor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book with its action and suspense mixed with religion makes an epic story.
The world’s first murder described in the Bible with Cain and Abel creates a world-wide chase for the book of lies and the weapon that Cain killed Abel with by a former Nazi Germany group called the Thules for the book of lies which also has the secret to immortality. Somehow Cal Harper and his father meet up after 19 years of being separated because Cal’s father killed Cal’s mother with manslaughter charges. They get...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Winston rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book of Lies by Brad meltzer is a very interesting book the pulls you in using its plot twists and mysteries. The entire book in a sense is like a puzzle. Throughout the book in almost every chapter the author gives you a small piece of information. In the middle of the book you have a vague outline of what going to happen but what's going to happen is still unclear. Then at the end of the book everything comes together and all the questions that you had earlier are answered. This is the mai...more The book of Lies by Brad meltzer is a very interesting book the pulls you in using its plot twists and mysteries. The entire book in a sense is like a puzzle. Throughout the book in almost every chapter the author gives you a small piece of information. In the middle of the book you have a vague outline of what going to happen but what's going to happen is still unclear. Then at the end of the book everything comes together and all the questions that you had earlier are answered. This is the main part of what makes the book good and the author does this by using different elements such as the books cast of characters which are funny at times as well as serious. The author also uses suspense to make the book good and always keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. These two things make the book very interesting to read.

The books character really are interesting in the book and they are ranged. You have the funny and laid back Roosevelt at the beginning to the vengeful and angry Ellis throughout the book. Each character also has a good backstory like how Cal’s mom died when he was a child or how Naomi stole cars and vehicles and sold them until she adopted her son and became a cop. The characters also change throughout the book like how Naomi used to be hell bent on stopping Cal and in the end when she finds out the truth she lets Cal go and is seemingly nicer to him. The author is good at using characters in his books to improve his writing and he is also good at using suspense and mystery.

The author uses suspense and mystery to make his writing like a puzzle. At the beginning of the story we are introduced to the whole cast of characters or most of them at least and after the chapter with Ellis killing that man in Asia it makes us wonder what's going on and starts to give us a extremely vague understanding of what is going on. After this we encounter Cal’s shot father and that makes us wonder what's going on even more. Then Cal starts to learn what his father is doing and what he is shipping. In the middle of the
book we are given enough information to know that the characters are looking for the book of lies found by Jerry Siegel but we still don’t know enough information. Then at the end of the book the author pieces everything together and all of the confusing parts throughout the story make sense. This is how the author use his suspense and mystery to make the book great.

The Book of Lies uses a great cast of characters and a mysterious and suspenseful writing style to make the book a great book. Overall I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to someone. (less)

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Mar 22, 2012 Mary Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Book Of Lies by Brad Meltzer is a page turning book that connects the story of Cain and Abel from the Bible to the creation of Superman. Through unexpected surprises and the point of view changing every chapter cause huge cliffhangers which making this book impossible to put down.

Through the book it brings up questions like what was the weapon Cain used to kill Abel and who was the Prophet. These questions keep you involved and are not answered till the very end, causing the suspense to cont...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Jacob added it · review of another edition

Brad Meltzer creates an intense and thrilling book based off of the story of Cain and Able which teaches a lesson that can still be used today. No one knows of the murder weapon used to kill Able and this is the topic that Brad Meltzer uses to write the Book of Lies.

The Book of Lies is an intense and thrilling story. The book is a true page turner keeping the reader on the edge of his seat and wondering what will happen next. The reader will never be able to willingly put the book down. There ar...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Sean Flynn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Book Of Lies by Brad Meltzer is a book that combines two of the world’s most famous mysteries into an exciting, breath taking, want to keep reading kind of book.

Genesis 4: 1-16 in the bible is the first murder of all time. Cain took his brother Able into a field and killed him because Able was getting more attention than him. But what the bible doesn’t say is what the murder weapon is. And as of now it is lost in history.

In 1932, Mitchell Siegel was shot to death in his store during a rob...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Themistokeles rated it 3 of 5 stars

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...more 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 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 4 of 5 stars · 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, where he is helping thos...more

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Feb 19, 2011 Iris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 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 revealing man...more 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 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 1 of 5 stars · 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 people...more

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Jan 15, 2011 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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.

Until now.

Today in For...more

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Dec 18, 2010 Juli rated it 4 of 5 stars · 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 of domesti...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 America.

His...more 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 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.” — 19 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.” — 10 people liked it

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