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Cathedral
by
Nelson DeMille (Goodreads Author)
St. Patrick's Day, New York City. Everyone is celebrating, but everyone is in for the shock of his life. Born into the heat and hatred of the Northern Ireland conflict, IRA man Brian Flynn has masterminded a brilliant terrorist act -- the seizure of Saint Patrick's Cathedral. Among his hostages: the woman Brian Flynn once loved, a former terrorist turned peace activist. Am...more
Paperback, 576 pages
Published
December 1st 1990
by Grand Central Publishing
(first published 1981)
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I read this book long time ago, so I don't remember the tidbits and details of it. What I can tell you is the impressions the book left for me. It was sort of violent and bloody, but not too much to scare the crap out of me, but there was some sort of physical struggle. Also, this book was one of my first encounters with violence, guns, people dying because they were shot, and guns. I thought it was pretty neat, fast-paced, and action oriented. I didn't understand very well the conflict with the...more
Cathedral was one of DeMille's early books. It was first published in 1981. As I read the book, I continued to note how different the story is, pre-9-11, from more current writings.
I also compared this book to The Marching Season by Daniel Silva, another story about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
A former member of the Provisional IRA, turned reformer and member of Amnesty International Maureen is in New York to speak upon the occasion of St. Patrick's Day. On the day itself, she is standing i...more
I also compared this book to The Marching Season by Daniel Silva, another story about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
A former member of the Provisional IRA, turned reformer and member of Amnesty International Maureen is in New York to speak upon the occasion of St. Patrick's Day. On the day itself, she is standing i...more
One meg·a·lo·ma·ni·ac after another on both sides of the law. Unreasonable conviction of one's own extreme greatness, goodness, or power.
1. A psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.
2. An obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions.
a mental disorder characterized by delusions of grandeur, power, etc.
a passion for, or for doing, big things
a tendency to exaggerate
Bruidian House was a Celtic place of sanctuarty. A fugitiv...more
1. A psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.
2. An obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions.
a mental disorder characterized by delusions of grandeur, power, etc.
a passion for, or for doing, big things
a tendency to exaggerate
Bruidian House was a Celtic place of sanctuarty. A fugitiv...more
DeMille, as always, writes a thrilling story with some careful plotting, twists and turns. In this novel, I.R.A. Terrorists (or Freedom Fighters I guess, depending on your point of view) take control of St. Patrick's Cathedral on St. Patricks day. With military weapons and explosives we pretty much have "Die Hard" in a large church.
However, there is so much political wrangling and double wrangling. Are things really as they seem? Are these particular terrorists really backed by the I.R.A. or are...more
However, there is so much political wrangling and double wrangling. Are things really as they seem? Are these particular terrorists really backed by the I.R.A. or are...more
In the days before I came to know of the Stockholm Syndrome, I used to think that the most romantic of all jobs is that of a operative who rescues hostages. What more could a petrified, down in the dumps hostage ask for ? To add fuel to the fires of imagination, there was the cult classic from John Mc Tiernan : 'Die Hard'.In the boy's childhood game of let's-pretend, most of us ran around with little toy guns rescuing poor hostages. This is my first book by DeMille and I find this to be a readab...more
I wanted to like this book -- because DeMille is my leading guilty pleasure these days.
But I couldn't finish it. The droning, consistently overwrought roll in the hay he has with being Irish and the Irish mentality ... I never want to read about the color green again.
Take your leprechauns, your "Saint Paddy's" day, and your IRA with guns ... and go home.
It was also very difficult to take to bed because the names all wash together in a great potato and beer sea of Irishness.
Jean O'Sullivan, Padd...more
But I couldn't finish it. The droning, consistently overwrought roll in the hay he has with being Irish and the Irish mentality ... I never want to read about the color green again.
Take your leprechauns, your "Saint Paddy's" day, and your IRA with guns ... and go home.
It was also very difficult to take to bed because the names all wash together in a great potato and beer sea of Irishness.
Jean O'Sullivan, Padd...more
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This is actually the first DeMille book I've read and I really enjoyed it. Color me incredibly surprised when I saw that it was published in 1981. More on why in a second.....
Brian Flynn and his lover, Maureen Malone are soldiers with the IRA in Ireland. "Once in, Never Out". I would call them more like terrorists but that's just me. Malone gets out of the biz (as much as she can) and tries to get peace between Ireland and Britain. She ends up in America on Saint Patrick's Day working for her ca...more
Brian Flynn and his lover, Maureen Malone are soldiers with the IRA in Ireland. "Once in, Never Out". I would call them more like terrorists but that's just me. Malone gets out of the biz (as much as she can) and tries to get peace between Ireland and Britain. She ends up in America on Saint Patrick's Day working for her ca...more
WOW what an amazing story and LOOOOONG. DeMille does a beautiful job depicting the thought process and the extremisum of the Irish Republic Army. He clearly visualize how true to their cause they are and to what leghths they will go through for their people. Using NYC's St. Patty's cathedral on St Pat's day, he draws in a large political arena of not only the US but all other countries and agencies that can possibly be involved or help with the cause. There's so much action you'll be unable to p...more
Some early DeMille, I'm working my way through his work sort of at random. This was a good page-turner, you can see the early seeds of some of his later protagonists. Cops, a bit burned out, very dry humor, sarcastic. This one was about the IRA, well, a splinter group -- didn't know he had knowledge of this subject as I've not seen in in any of his other books.
* Couldn't finish
** I had nothing else to do
*** Passed the time, would be **** for genre / author fans
**** Everyone could enjoy this book...more
* Couldn't finish
** I had nothing else to do
*** Passed the time, would be **** for genre / author fans
**** Everyone could enjoy this book...more
The first book I tried from this author was OK. So I tried another with a bad result. This was one more try. This supposedly "thriller" novel is very very long and very tedious. It starts with an implausible premise and then gets worse. About half way through I had to give up.
The author puts highly unprofessional dialog in the mouths of high level NYC police officals along with highly onprofessional motivations. I suppose this is why the preface contains a lot of weasel words about none of the c...more
The author puts highly unprofessional dialog in the mouths of high level NYC police officals along with highly onprofessional motivations. I suppose this is why the preface contains a lot of weasel words about none of the c...more
This is an older Nelson DeMille book that I had missed reading. It dates from 1981 and I enjoyed reading the names of places that I used to know during that era that are long since gone. Marine Midland Bank Building is now called the HSBC Bank Building. Trader Vic's at the Plaza. Lots of Irish bars. History has dated this book. No longer is the proposed destruction of a NYC landmark novel. Terrorism has changed over the past few decades. For me the book bogged down about 60% - 75% through and co...more
Every book I read by this author is entertaining enough to allow me to finish the book and stay moderately interested, but never do they exceed that. I am not gripped by his plots or character development and I am generally annoyed by his characterization and most other aspects of his books.
In the case of this book, it's an interesting idea for a plot, having an IRA splinter group take over St. Patricks Cathedral in NY on March 17th, but he drags it out and instead of providing details that wou...more
In the case of this book, it's an interesting idea for a plot, having an IRA splinter group take over St. Patricks Cathedral in NY on March 17th, but he drags it out and instead of providing details that wou...more
Not as good as By the Rivers of Babylon (it's one of those compilation books). Actually Cathedral is not very good at all. It's a story that you know how it's going to end, but you think the ride there is going to be full of fun and Irish bullshit and typical DeMille biting wit. And it's just not. Wow, this man gets so much better as he gets older, thank God. I have a whole shelf of DeMilles to attest that.
Nobody writes male/female back-and-forth better than DeMille...later in his career. But I...more
Nobody writes male/female back-and-forth better than DeMille...later in his career. But I...more
Not on par with the author's more recent books, but still good. It reads like a prototype for his Detective Corey series, with a streetwise & practical police detective having to navigate the treacherous waters of PR, image, and international intrigue when dealing with a group of Irish terrorists who have "hijacked" the oldest cathedral in the US. The characters are excellent and the complex plot will keep you entertained, but it does drag a bit in the middle and isn't paced as well as his l...more
I've read and loved all of DeMille's John Corey and John Sutter books. Absolutely awesome reads. So, I thought I'd give an older novel a try. The Cathedral was a hard one for me to follow. I found I couldn't picture the scenes DeMille would describe (probably to no fault of his, but rather my lack of understanding the architecture of a cathedral) and I often had trouble following the plot and intent of the characters. I still think DeMille is amazing even if this particular book wasn't my favori...more
Gripping. Very interesting to learn about the inner structure of the church which did not sound like fiction. Having just been hired to manage a church building, I know there is a whole other building people don't even dream about. Demille researches well. Would read until 3 AM - I was glued to the book. I read it when it was on the best sellers list, whenever that was.
Jul 30, 2011
Matt Frye
added it
This book was written in 1981 and things have certainly changed since then, but this book revolves around an IRA splinter group known as the Fenians who hold St. Patrick's Cathedral hostage. This is a very well written and very entertaining book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys humorous dialogue with a lot of action then this book is straight up your alley.
The "Troubles" in Northern Ireland comes alive inside one of New York City's iconic landmarks: St. Patrick's Cathedral.
For those hardcore NYC history fans, you'll learn more about St. Patrick's Cathedral, and its impact on New York.
The official "line of march," and traditions of the New York St. Patrick's Day Parade is fascinating, colorful, and steeped in history.
For those hardcore NYC history fans, you'll learn more about St. Patrick's Cathedral, and its impact on New York.
The official "line of march," and traditions of the New York St. Patrick's Day Parade is fascinating, colorful, and steeped in history.
Oh God, I was quite disappointed with this book. My lack of interest in IRA must have been the real cause of it, because I really love Nelson's books. Unfortunately I found this one slow & boring and had to put it down after 300 or so pages.:( Which of course doesn't mean it's a bad book at all ... I would recommend it to someone who likes IRA stories.
For me there was a brief hesitation to buy into the story, but once DeMille hooked me, I was really in. For those who remember the days when the IRA was feared in Britain and given weary respect abroad, this tale will mean a bit more, but it is a solid story regardless. My only criticism is that I think he could have wrapped it up about 75 pages quicker. An abridged version of Cathedral wouldn't be a bad thing.
Even a mediocre DeMille is still a good read. These characters are expertly developed, a signature trait of all ND books. Cathedral tells of the seizure of St. Patrick's Cathedral on St. Patrick's Day by an IRA faction. While you don't like what happening, you get to know all the characters and the whys of all of them.
This book was certainly in the action-packed thriller category. The setting in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York and the involvement of some off-shoot of the IRA added to making this an interesting book. I also liked the discussion of the difference between an patriotic freedom-fighter and a criminal terrorist and the personalities attracted to such organizations.
Second book written by DeMille. It was hard for me to get into it at the beginning then once the action began, I was hooked. I always enjoy his character development. He puts together quite a puzzle.
I enjoyed this more than some of his later books which seemed to lack some of the depth.
I enjoyed this more than some of his later books which seemed to lack some of the depth.
I read this book when it first came out and found it gripping. I got such a vivid picture of the scene that when I went to NYC I made a point to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral and sat there amazed by how closely my mental picture (as painted by DeMille) matched the reality.
Dec 14, 2012
Jina Howell-Forbes
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Those who like hostage dramas with lots of complex characters
Recommended to Jina by:
Amazon
Riveting book about a hypothetical Irish hostage siege in St. Patrick's Cathedral. The characters were complex and well drawn with heroes that are typical of DeMille's style. My only disappointment was the loose ends left at the end. Other people tend to like that better than me, so many would not even mind that.
Never expected to rate a DeMille novel quite this low but had a difficult time finishing this one. I found it slow going and mostly filled with characters I never grew to care about. It was hard to follow, the many plot twists a jumbled mess, not up to his usual terrific storytelling at all. This one was a dissapointment overall.
A dissapointment for me as far as Nelson Demille. I have loved all of Nelson Demille's books until this one. Too detailed and drawn out. It was informative as far as understanding the problems in Ireland and the IRA, but it had too drawn out to keep my interest.
Returned to this book after a number of years, having a distance memory of enjoying it.
I'm left short changed. Characters that I cannot believe it, a scenario equally contrived.
Memory is a fickle beast, not one of DeMille's best.
Fast paced but no depth.
I'm left short changed. Characters that I cannot believe it, a scenario equally contrived.
Memory is a fickle beast, not one of DeMille's best.
Fast paced but no depth.
Kinda long, but very well written. DeMille really immerses you into the IRA conflict, the idea of terrorists, the political world of NYC. You feel like you know the characters very well. I loved it as my first novel by him.
I really enjoyed this book and can't believe this was written over 30 years ago. With all of the unrest in the Middle East we forget about the unrest in Ireland. The IRA has disappeared from the news. The characters in this book were well defined and the action was intense. There were twists and turns throughout the book and I was riveted.
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Nelson Richard DeMille was born in New York City on August 23, 1943 to Huron and Antonia (Panzera) DeMille. He moved as a child with his family to Long Island. In high school, he played football and ran track.
DeMille spent three years at Hofstra University, then joined the Army and attended Officer Candidate School. He was a First Lieutenant in the United States Army (1966-69) and saw action as an...more
More about Nelson DeMille...
DeMille spent three years at Hofstra University, then joined the Army and attended Officer Candidate School. He was a First Lieutenant in the United States Army (1966-69) and saw action as an...more
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