Rating: 
Summary: Whodunit? - Who Cares?
Review: Nothing irks the mystery reader more than noodling through a somewhat logically-derived story, only to be served a ridiculous ending like that offered by Reverte in The Seville Communion. Frankly (and I'm about to give the mystery away here, so be warned), the ending - the whodunit - made more sense before the last page, which served only to insult the reader. Yes, I know, the priest was playing the martyr. The point is, Vespers made more sense as Methusela than the young nun. I can't possibly be the only one who thinks this, am I? I concur heartily with other reviewers who found the writing tediuous, the characters linear and wholly noncompelling, and the plot/story absurd. In addition, I found Methusela to be a half-baked version of Walker Percy's Father Smith, though Reverte's Smith wasn't nearly as compelling or intelligent as Percy's. In my estimation, Reverte has yet to write anything quite worth investing time or money into reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Smart, suspenseful thriller that is more than mind candy
Review: Generally speaking, readers are forced to choose between intelligent, character-driven, quality literature and dumbed-down, mindless, plot-driven fiction.
Arturo Perez-Reverte is one of the few writers who finds a happy medium between the two. Yes, his books center around an exciting plot, move at a healthy pace, and leave little time for the reader to think about character development or artistic merit. And yet, his books are more than just mind candy. They are smart, suspenseful thrillers that will leave you feeling at least satisfied if not wholesomely enriched. The Seville Communion is no exception.Set in modern-day Seville, this is the story of Father Lorenzo Quart, sent by the investigative arm of the Vatican's foreign affairs ministry to investigate two mysterious deaths in an old, neglected church that local banking executives want abolished, so the land can be used for more lucrative development purposes. A feisty old priest and a local aristocratic woman lead the efforts to keep the church alive. And an anonymous computer hacker is breaking into the Pope's personal computer system to deposit messages warning the Holy See that this old church will do what it must to protect itself and ensure its survival. Perez-Reverte creates a cast of colorful characters - Quart, the ruggedly attractive priest whose vow of chastity never seems to be his top priority, Macarena, the elegant aristocrat who always seems to be seducing him, and many more. Set against the backdrop of Seville, a city filled with old world charm and beauty, this novel has the feel of a period piece even though it is set in modern day, complete with cell phones and computer hackers. Though The Fencing Master, in my opinion, is his best work, The Seville Communion is an excellent read, an exciting whodunit for intelligent readers.
Rating:
Summary: The Seville Communion
Review: I hate to say it, since I absolutely loved Perez-Reverte's first two novels, but this book was a big disappointment. The Club Dumas and The Flanders Panel both had excellent plots and intriguing characters, so I expected the same from The Seville Communion. However, I found the characters flat and the plot slow with no element of suspense. I barely even wanted to finish this book, since halfway through I stopped caring what was going to happen. In my opinion, his other novels are "must-reads" but pass on this one.
Rating: 
Summary: A lack of communion
Review: Having read and tremendously enjoyed both The Club Dumas and The Flanders Panel by Reverte, I looked forward to another labrythine and intellectual tale. I was highly disappointed. The plot, or lack of one, is bad enough. Then, I could not decide if Reverte wanted to present a philosophical treatise or a mildly comic novel (clearly, he missed both points, if he was even aiming at them!). I will now approach his books with far more caution than I would have previously. If you enjoyed the two I mentioned above, save your time and money on this one.
Rating: 
Summary: When it seems like a story you would have written...
Review: It seems like for all of my life, there has been a particular book that has influenced me and truly reflected who I was at the time. Beginning last year as I started college, and continuing this year as well, that book has been The Seville Communion. This story is enjoyable enough being read superficially, as a mystery novel. However, the struggles of the characters, particularly Father Quart and Macarena, are what bring me back to the book again and again. For anyone who has felt that they are "bailing water out of the Lord's boat," completed acts of "faith" out of pride, and has recognized that they are indeed part of a dying world, this book is for you. We are not alone....and some of Don Priamo Ferro's solace goes out to us as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Graceful story about a strong priest, small plot holes.
Review: The writing, even in translation is graceful. The central character is a priest, a strong "good soldier" who serves the Vatican as a combination hatchet man/private detective. The mystery is initially intriguing -- who is sending the Pope e-mails that are mysterious and of deadly import? This is an enjoyable book to read... but the central character, the priest, is so strongly written that when he falls for the woman, and fails in his mission, this is mildly unbelievable. His crisis of faith and strength is a bit too precipitous. And the solution to the mystery is not adequately foreshadowed, which makes a decent solution appear arbitrary. But this is in general a very good read by an author who is erudite, writes well, and captures some of the enchantment of Seville. Makes me want to order tapas and watch the slow Guadalquivir!
Rating:
Summary: Yuck
Review: A real letdown. Club Dumas was somewhat interesting, so I picked this up. In Seville Communion, the writing is lame and incredibly flawed, there's little feel for Seville (except that it smells like oranges, ok, I get it already), the characters are cardboard, and the plot is thin and obvious, except when it gets to the end, where it's just ridiculous. A total waste of time. This is the sort of thing Dean Koontz would've tossed off 20 years ago. I guess I was expecting more from a Spanish writer.
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Summary: Strange Doings in Seville
Review: A mysterious computer hacker named Vespers has broken into the Vatican computers to send an appeal to the Pope to defend an old church against the corporate and ecclesiastical powers who seek to destroy it. Father Lorenzo Quart is sent by the papal curia to Seville to investigate this strange church, which apparently kills to defend itself. Two men have died, and there is more death to come. Father Quart soon finds himself in a quagmire of religious fervour, financial skulduggery, blackmail, kidnapping, murder and yes - temptation in the person of a beautiful young duchess. All is resolved rather hastily in the end, but if the plot leaves something to be desired the journey turns out to be worth the effort. The author's tongue-in-cheek tone makes it clear that you're not meant to take anything too seriously, and his loving evocation of Seville, city of Carmen and manzanilla, is quite impressive. Although this is not one of Mr. Perez-Reverte's strongest efforts, "The Seville Communion" is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
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Summary: Vespers Strikes the Vatican
Review: The Seville Communion starts with a fascinating premise - Vespers, a computer hacker, has somehow gotten past the Vatican defenses and into the pope's private computer. The hacker leaves a message that leaves the Curia suspicious - that a church in Seville is killing to defend itself. The church heirarchy puts Father Quart, a member of the IEA, on the case, and lands him in Seville. Father Quart, or, as he calls himself, the Knight Templar, finds Seville somehow different from the other places he has been sent to put out fires by the Vatican. Something in the history of the city, and the characters he meets, makes this a difficult place for the priest to maintain the discipline and objectivity which have made him so successful. Yet, in the face of a beautiful woman, an uncommunicative priest, and an unusual nun, he still attempts to do his duty. While the plot was fascinating, and the characters well-drawn, I still didn't enjoy this title as much as others I have read by Perez-Reverte. Parts of the plot seemed choppy, and it was difficult to understand where the plot was going. Despite this, I still recommend the book. For nothing else, read it for its wonderfully evocative sense of Seville and this ancient Spanish city.
Rating:
Summary: Location, Location, Location!
Review: Location, Location, Location! Seville is so critical to this storyline that it takes on the status of a character itself. Senor Perez-Reverte crafts some great characters. He draws them out through their histories, their physical descriptions, and finally, their activities here. The good guys and the bad are all masterfully, albeit slowly, drawn. Their actions are completely consistent with their personalities, but in an unpredictable way. So, as their stories unfold, layer after layer, the novel grips you and does not let you go until the author ties up the last detail in the very last sentence (No Peeking!) This story has it all; Vatican spies, Spanish lovers, parish priests, thieving bankers, and a group of street villains Charles Dickens would be proud to claim. This novel is a great read. Per favor, Senor Perez-Reverte, a Sequel?!
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