Cathedral

Rating:
Summary: A suspenseful read -- get a map.
Review: A great read, "Cathedral" is a very suspenseful account of how St. Patrick's Cathedral is taken over by terrorists. I sure could have used a map of the building to sort through the many scenes set throughout the Cathedral. After this and "Charm School," I'm encouraged to read more of DeMille's work.

Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: Although somewhat dated in the new millenium, the descriptive detail and compelling characters are first rate.

Rating:
Summary: A must-read for any fan of the Irish
Review: As someone who follows the troubles in Northern Ireland, and an addict of Irish legend and history, I found Cathedral truly mesmerizing. Demille captures the essence of Irish nationalism by drawing upon Ireland's unique history. In doing so, he not only brings the characters of Cathedral to life, but Finn Mac Cumail, the Fenians, and the Easter rising of 1916 as well. The book is a fast-paced, heart stopping read. A definate must!

Rating:
Summary: Great Suspenseful Novel
Review: Besides this book, I've read "The Charm School," "Word of Honor," "The General's Daughter," and "The Gold Coast."

They are all excellent books.

Throughout reading this exciting story, I could definitely visualize all of the details. And I found myself saying, "What if ..." several times.

Reading this book also opened my mind to being curious about the architecture of churches.

And when you read this book your heart will race as you become drawn into the drama that you just have to be part of.

Rating:
Summary: DeMille is one of tour he best contemporary fiction writers.
Review: Cathedral is a fascinating look at the mind of the terrorist. This book also describes in minute detail, the history and structure of one of America's most famous buildings, St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. The characters are real and the story is high drama. You won't want to put the book down. A great read!

Rating:
Summary: Riveting, but with flaws
Review: Cathedral is a great read. The characters are interesting, not mere paper dolls. While the end of the book is predictable, getting there was all the fun. The aged IRA terrorist was particularly well drawn. A few quibbles, however. The portrayal of the federal government representatives did not ring true. Washington would never have walked away from this one. Believe me, the State Department would have sent more than a supercillious security type to the scene. As a former Foreign Service Officer, I know the type of task force that would have been assembled for the takeover of such a prominent landmark as St. Pat's. Also, the takedown would not have been left to the City of New York. Well trained professionals, such as those in Delta or Seal Team 6 would have been involved. But as I said, these are quibbles. The plot moves along at a good clip, and the reader is eager to see it through to the end.

Rating:
Summary: Another must-read by DeMille
Review: Cathedral is absolutely one of the top ten best books that I have ever read. DeMille gives the reader a great history lesson on the struggles of Northern Ireland, an indepth look into the psyche of the people who know no other world than one of violence begetting violence, and a glimpse at what our government officials will do to further their own careers no matter the cost.

This is my fourth Nelson DeMille novel, and I find it interesting, having read some of is later works first,how his style has evolved over the years. I found that Cathedral read much like The Charm School as far as the writing syle went, and possibly Burke's character in Cathedral laid the groundwork for John Corey in DeMille's later works, Plum Island and The Lion's Game.

With each novel I have a greater appreciation for DeMille. He may not pump out books every 6 months like some of constituents, but the time in between each novel is obviously spent doing painstaking research. He leaves no stone unturned.

Keep 'em coming Mr. Demille

Rating:
Summary: Another DeMille winner.
Review: Cathedral is as good as "Word of Honor," which is as good as it gets.

Rating:
Summary: What Not To Do On St. Patrick's Day
Review: Don't even think of what a grand revolutionary gesture it would be to blow up St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City! This is the premise of Nelson DeMille's hefty (575 pages) ambitious thriller.

A group of 12 fiery Irish revolutionaries led by charismatic Brian Flynn have minutely planned to take four carefully chosen hostages, seize and mine the cathedral and threaten to blow it up at dawn the following day unless their demands are met to free political prisoners jailed in Northern Ireland by the British. The hostages are the Archbishop of New York, the British Counsel General, a parish priest, and Maureen Malone, a former terrorist with close ties to Brian Flynn, but now a peace activist.

Mr. DeMille pulls it off. He drives the breath-taking pace by fast cuts from Belfast, to the cathedral, to the desperate workings of the police and government to foil the attempt. The military precision of the takeover is meticulously described (thank goodness for the map of St. Patrick's!) in fascinating detail. Precisely drawn vignettes of the supporting cast as well as the major characters inspire the reader's care and interest in the outcome on large and small levels. The author is wickedly adept at portraying politics at its worst when revealing the tangled motives of the Mayor, the New York Police Dept., the Governor of New York, the British and Irish Consulates, the CIA and FBI. The revolutionaries are a complex lot, some with fire and vision, others stone killers, and some innocents that break your heart.

In one way it reminded me of "Apollo 13" in that you knew the astronauts would be rescued (historical fact), but you got so wrapped up in the story you feared for their very lives. I know St. Patrick's is still standing in all its glory, but while reading "Cathedral" I so suspended belief that I gave 3-1 odds that it wouldn't be standing by mid-morning the next day!

The author does a better job of delineating men then women. The women were not one-dimensional, but enigmatic as to their motives and reactions. The men were marvelous mixtures of good and bad, bravery and cowardice, humor and madness---until you could see them standing before you. I did find myself wondering throughout: where did this rag tag group get the money to mount such a complicated offensive? This aspect could have been clarified.

"Cathedral" is a satisfying read. Call it escapism or just plain good ole story telling, I felt as if I was there every moment and had a total investment in the outcome.

Rating:
Summary: DeMille Does It in Third Person!
Review: Finally! I knew he could do it. DeMille wrote a great read in the third person! I am picky, and this book fulfilled most of my lofty expectations.

I gave only four stars for a preference of mine. I like the occasional shot of humor in books. I know that so serious a story as this (IRA bombings and hostages are not subjects of the lighthearted) are known more for their suspense than their tickles, but the occasional moment of levity wouldn't necessarily distract from the impact and value of the story; indeed, it might serve to break the tension so that the reader obtains a well-deserved break in between shootings and bombings.

There are a lot of characters in this story, but deMille quite easily jockys them into positions of most important and trivial, so they don't serve to confuse the issues unnecessarily. I would recommend this book. Chances are you'll enjoy it. It's not The General's Daughter, but it's not bad at all.