The Last Cato

De tiempo a tiempo se obtiene un libro con la misión de tener algo que leer durante un fín de semana de vacaciones. Nunca había leido ni sobre la autora o ninguna de sus obras. Me llamó la atención el título, ya que el nombre Catón hacia tiempo que no escuchaba. Fue un fín de semana el cual no solté el libro y me mantuvo pegado a sus lineas. Las investigaciones que la autora realizó son muy exactas e interesantes. El arte y prosa que utiliza es cautivante, haciendo que el lector quiera seguir para no perder la siguiente escena. Creo que muchos autores tanto de habla hispana como de habla inglesa tienen que aprender de ella o dejar de escribir novelas. La recomiendo altamente para tener una lectura entretenida e instructiva.

Being swarmed with a bunch of religious thrillers...i was a little apprehensive about reading this, but iam glad to have picked up this book. It is really well written and "DaVinci Code" pales in comparison. Asensi has a real ability to lead you through a lengthy and yet engrossing tale with ease and expertise. A must read! I haven't enjoyed a book this much in the recent past.

For a thousand years, the True Cross was at the center of Christian thought. Discovered by St. Helena, recovered by the Byzantines from the Persians, lost to the Arabs but recovered by the Crusaders, the Cross abruptly vanished from history. Still, pieces of it remain. Deep in the crypts under Catholic and Orthodox churches, small slivers from the True Cross still evoke reverence and awe. But now someone is stealing them. Vatican researcher and nun Dr. Octavia Salina, is called by the Vatican secretary of state to undertake a mission. A man, his body ritually scarred with Greek letters and occult symbols has been found dead. In itself, that would not be a concern for the Catholic Church, but this particular man had with him stolen bits of the True Cross. This man might be dead, but pieces of the Cross continue to vanish. Together with Swiss Guard Captain Glauser-Roist, and eventually Egyptian researcher Farag Boswell, Octavia gradually unveils the meaning of the ritual scars. But her discoveries only point to another challenge. Dante's Divine Comedy is not just a story of religious allegory. It's also a roadmap to the "earthly paradise" where the defenders of the Cross, long thought vanished from Earth have hidden. It is they whom Octavia and the others must confront, but they can confront them only by taking the seven step challenge outlined by Dante--the stages of his road through Purgatory. Author Matilde Asensi creates interesting characters in Octavia, Glauser-Roist, and Farag, but the real interest in this religious-themed thriller is the mystery of the Cross and that band of holy soldiers who preserved it over the centuries--and who were eventually scorned and excomunicated by the Crusading knights. The use of The Divine Comedy as a roadmap to earthly tests is clever and Asensi handles it convincingly. The evolving relationship between Octavia, Glauser-Roist, and Farag is a bit obvious, but considering Octavia's status as a nun, introduces additional conflict. I suspect that the Catholic Church wouldn't really send its researchers out with as little equipment and supervision as these three got, but exposing them to the power and danger of Purgatory with nothing but their wits, bravery, and a couple of sandwiches between them and destruction adds to the suspense. THE LAST CATO was originally written in Spanish but the English translation is highly readable. If you're looking for a superior religious thriller, THE LAST CATO is a good one to try.

I have read all of the books that are out now in the DaVinci Code genre (including the DaVinci Code!), and this was by far the best. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. I found myself completely wrapped up in the character's lives, and eagerly anticipating what was going to happen. I highly recommend! I also found a great website about the book, www.thelastcato.com

It's the kind of book that can takes you from laugh to tears in one page, it's an amazing book, very well elaborated, rich in history and amazing facts. Don't miss it!!