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Rating: 
Summary: Blacky to the recue!
Review: Blackie, with some electronic help and the assistance of a Black Roman Princesss, prevents some ultra right wing skulduggery in the election of a new Pope. It is a glorious tale by a uneaqualed Irish story teller. That he is a preist, a sociologist, and part of the "liberal wing" of the american church is obvious and may spoil the tale for some. But everything could happen. May God intervene where Blackie can not. In any case you will increase your understanding of Vatican politics and how they affect you, no matter where and how you worship.
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Summary: It Gets Even Better????
Review: I enjoyed most of the book, but would have appreciated it if Mr. Greeley's editor would have reworked the book a little. It really dragged on occasion and his all white or all black characters could have been nuanced for the readers sake. There are so few Catholic writers out there that I will buy and read anything he puts out I'm afraid, but I think there is a new star rising on the Catholic author podium. I recently finished "A Force of Habit" It has suspense, mystery, and characters who breathe. Spend more time on your next book, Mr. Greeley, but DO keep them coming!
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Summary: Aftermath of the Vatican II Council Fictionalised
Review: I write this as an Asian Catholic layperson.
Andrew Greeley uses a mystery genre to express his thoughts on some of the changes - and non-changes in the Catholic Church since end of the great Ecumenical Council, Vatican II. If we allow an author's licence for this genre, I'd say he expresses the view of an American priest pretty well while managing to entertain his readers in this genre.
I like the fact that he commented upon the fact that many of the hopes of the ordinary laity - and large sections of the clergy - for a more participatory Church have still to be realised several decades after the end of the great Ecumenical Council of the sixties; that John Paul II and the over-dominating Curia needs to find a more acceptable middle-ground than it has done since 1968. We find the centralised control from the Vatican very stifling.
Greeley has done a pretty good job - it seems to me - of illustrating and contrasting the conservative elements - typified by the shadowy 'Corpus Christi' - with liberal groups.
In typical light-hearted Greeley style, he brings out the differences between customary practices and true Catholic faith. Dogma with a light touch, I'd call it.
More power to your arm, Fr Greeley
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Summary: IMPOSSIBLE!
Review: It is fiction of course. It can not be otherwise for what it contends may happen is IMPOSSIBLE! Many reviewers are upset. Upset perhaps but they should not be worried. The Church is protected by Christ's promise that it will not err. Any person of faith sees this book as FICTION. It is a poor attempt to disguise Greely's left wing theology as fiction. The message to those liberals who find "hope" for their cause in this book: IT AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. Recommended reading: "Women Priests And Other Fantasies" Greely and his followers are delusional.
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Summary: I got to page 50
Review: It may be unfair of me to rate and review this book, since I didn't finish it. But the fact that I couldn't get past page 50 or so tells it all. I've liked some of Greeley's books in the past, but this one was so dull and preachy that I didn't know -- or care -- who was who or what was happening. The characters were pure stereotypes and the dialogue was as unbelievable as I've ever read. Who talks like that!!! Life's too short to waste on books you don't really like, so my advice is to pass this one by.
Rating:
Summary: A must read for Greeley fans.
Review: Politics, Vatican style, have much in common with Watergate when Bishop "Blackie" Ryan and Sean Cardinal Cronin travel to Rome to participate in the election of a new Pope. Intrigue, romance, and a look at the behind the scenes activities of the Roman Catholic hierarchy make this a fast paced read, one that you will have difficulty putting aside. This is a must read for all Andrew Greeley fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Could have been better
Review: This is one of those books that after you've read it, you can't tell if it was worth your time or not.
I learned a bit about the Papal election process, and I learned a LOT about what a particular part of the priesthood thinks about the current and previous Popes. That was interesting to me as a "small town Catholic boy".
However, as other reviewers have noted, the characterization is paper thin, the plotting is silly, the "bad guys" in the Roman curia are mainly faceless and without redemption, and the "good guys" are completely without fault. I'd go further to add that the bias shown by the supposedly objective reporters in the novel is so severe that the characters cease to be believable in their own right, and become "mouthpieces" for the author.
Now, for fans of Greeley, I'm sure this will be a satisfying read... For those neutral to his particular style, (and it can get really thick, particularly the dialogue) I suspect it might not be. Before I picked up "White Smoke", the last time I read a Greeley novel was over 12 years ago. I liked that book. I don't much care for this one.
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Summary: All Catholics Should Read, BUT...
Review: This is the first Greeley novel I have read, though they have all come recommended. As a storyteller he is definitely up there with the best romance writers--in fact I would argue he is better than most sappy romance authors. However, it did take me a good 40-50 pages to understand his jumping from one first-person narrative to the next depending on which character was telling the story, and why he was writing this way. Not a writing style that is widely used. This book is also a suspenseful mystery, though not as well written in this regard as the romantic. What Greeley does best is give you a good lesson in history, politics and present day sociological makeup up the present-day Catholic Church. Warts and all. Many conservitive Catholics would probably find this book offensive, though most persons and groups are fictitious (except for Opus Dei, the conservitive Catholic organization). I believe most active Catholics feel that any institution needs to be scrutinized and critiqued. All organizations are run by humans and all humans are fallible. Including the Pope and especially his bishops and cardinals. Bottom line for this book--it's a decent read, though readers unfamiliar with Greeley's style should be cautious, because it can seem like it is jumping around. It is not the best of mysteries, nor romances, nor even lessons on the Catholic religion--but it could be worse. It is only a point-of-view and not the only one in this universal church. It is a view of what "could" happen and may be close to what might happen during the next conclave. It's entertaining enough as a relaxing summer read, or a quick read on a long plane trip. Though don't ask it to be anything else.
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Summary: This book is awful
Review: This was the first Andrew Greeley novel I've read, and I found it more than a little disappointing. There are effectively two levels of characterization here: All the "bad" guys are cardboard caricatures and all the "good" guys are self-portraits. Not a single idea here that he didn't better develop in his non-fiction writing. If you're looking for good Pope fiction, I'd suggest any of the Morris West novels instead.
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