The strapline on the cover of my edition of this novel proclaims it as "The stunning novel of suspense." Review quotes elsewhere on the cover and in the first couple of pages repeat that it's a thriller, talk of its "page-turning pace," describe the novel as noir and Pérez-Reverte as "the thinking man's Robert Ludlum."

However, this must have disappointed many readers who instead discovered a book that uses a lightly done whodunnit backdrop to offer a novel of ideas rather than just a thrilling plot. The ideas in question relate to Catholicism, ethics, astronomy, and more.

Instead of the vaunted "page-turning pace," the narrative moves at a very measured pace, even meandering on occasion. But this is precisely what makes it so engrossing. I was completely involved in the tale and its characters. Once I finished it, my wife laughed when I told her how annoyed I was that there was no more to read.

The setup is as follows: A hacker breaks into the Vatican network to alert the Pope's personal computer about some dirty business regarding an ancient small church in Seville. The Vatican dispatches a priestly James Bond, Lorenzo Quart, to investigate and identify the hacker. Quart arrives to find corrupt businessmen, with the complicity of the mayor and the archbishop, trying to buy the land the church is on and make a huge profit by selling it for development. Opposing them are the church's curmudgeonly old priest, his inexperienced assistant, an ageing architect/nun managing the renovations, and an aristocratic mother and daughter. To complicate matters, the daughter is married to the ringleader of the corrupt businessmen, and Quart finds her irresistibly attractive despite his vows.

This novel is not only a novel of ideas but also, in many aspects, a comedy. The antics of a trio of incompetent crooks hired by the bad guys to deal with the old priest are as funny as those in a Carl Hiaasen or Donald Westlake crime comedy.

Of the Pérez-Reverte novels I've read, this is the least flamboyant. Its events won't change the world, and there's no exciting swordplay. It's just a quiet novel with so many good qualities that it's hard to list them all. If you expect a "stunning novel of suspense" with a "page-turning pace," you might find The Seville Communion a bit dull. But for me, it was impossible to put down at night and it influenced my days. What more could one ask for?

There are things, places, and people that leave their mark on you...

"The Seville Episode" is a very beautiful and interesting novel! I couldn't rank it among my favorite works of Reverte, but overall I liked it. The author has sweetly told the story of an old church and the complex struggle to save it. It turns out that although it mainly deals with religious themes, the plot is presented in a rather influential way, and the Sevillian atmosphere is terribly charming...

Spain, the South, the ancient history of Mediterranean Europe, could only be felt in such places. In Seville, different cultures were mixed and superimposed - grains of sand from the hourglass, time gathered, the blood and prayers of different languages under the blue sky and the wise sun, for which the centuries merged into one.

An interesting and enjoyable setting for fiction indeed!

It presents a wonderful combination of the old world and the new.

The contrast between the two creates a captivating atmosphere that draws the reader in.

Here, the old world with its traditions, mysteries, and perhaps a touch of superstition, mingles with the modern elements, adding a layer of新鲜感.

It's a place where the past and the present collide, giving rise to unique stories and characters.

And it's important to note that I wasn't looking for a realistic depiction of the church.

After all, it's fiction, and in the realm of fiction, anything is possible.

We can let our imaginations run wild and create a world that is both enchanting and extraordinary.

This setting offers endless possibilities for writers to explore and for readers to lose themselves in.

Whether it's a story of love, adventure, or mystery, this combination of the old and the new provides the perfect backdrop.

So, let's embrace this fictional world and see where it takes us.

Read in 2005. 8.5/10.

It's not a full five stars. In fact, it's 8.5/10. However, the author's excellent writing, the complex story involving the Church, an old corsair, and Sevilla all together, and the addictive read that prevented me from putting it down, elevate it to that last little star.

It's an addictive thriller by Reverte, here we go (another one).

The story is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The characters are well-developed and the setting is vividly described, making it easy to imagine oneself in Sevilla during that time period.

Reverte has a talent for creating suspense and keeping the reader engaged from beginning to end. This book is no exception and is definitely worth a read for fans of thrillers and historical fiction.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an exciting and engaging read.

The star of this show was Seville, that enchanting Andalusian city with centuries of history, draped in the robes of every kind of pageantry that Europe's history had to offer. Pérez-Reverte skillfully employs the complexity of the setting, its layers of contrasts and contradictions, to underpin the same aspects of its clerics. There is the stubborn old priest Don Priamo and the handsome, disciplined Lorenzo Quart.

The story, which is ostensibly a thriller, is set in motion when a hacker manages to access the pope's personal computer and leaves a message regarding a beleaguered church in Seville that will go to great lengths to save itself. The church dispatches Quart, its version of James Bond in a clerical collar, to uncover what is happening in Seville. Quart discovers that Seville is awash in romance and beauty. The Andalusian sun radiates off the skin of the handsome aristocrats, and the orange blossoms sparkle in its rays. However, there are disturbing accidental deaths at Our Lady of Tears, a baroque church in the heart of Santa Cruz. The crumbling church is located in the middle of a real estate gold mine. Its small congregation and priests are attempting to fend off the vultures - a scheming bank executive and the archbishop.

The characters are reasonably well-developed, although only a few truly stand out, while most are just slightly better than clichés. Gris Marsala, the nun and architecture expert, is interesting. On the other hand, Macarena Bruner is not. The author clearly wants us to find Quart mysteriously fascinating, but again, he is not. There is a great deal of contemplation about the limits of his faith. Far too much emphasis is placed on his manliness and stunning beauty, which becomes a bit overbearing. There is also a clownish trio hired to interfere with the priest, and they are tedious.

Overall, the story is interesting enough, and the characters are interesting enough. The pace is slow for a thriller, but it still managed to hold my attention.

4 1/2 stars.

This mystery novel offers a truly satisfying plot that is filled with complex and multi-faceted characters.

It has everything one could hope for in a great story. There is faith, which adds a layer of depth and moral exploration. Friendship blossoms and endures through the trials and tribulations of the characters' lives. Romance simmers beneath the surface, adding a touch of passion and longing.

But it's not all sunshine and roses. Deceit lurks around every corner, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat and guessing until the very end.

What really sets this novel apart, however, is its strong sense of place. The author has masterfully brought the city of Seville, Spain to life, with its vibrant culture, narrow streets, and beautiful architecture.

Overall, this is a must-read for fans of mystery novels who are looking for something more than just a simple whodunit. It's a rich and engaging story that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

A hacker infiltrates the computer network of the Vatican and leaves a message on the Pope's personal PC: in Seville, a church abandoned by the ecclesiastical and secular powers is forced to fight and kill to survive.

The Holy See entrusts the investigations to a priest, an agent of the Vatican Secret Service, Lorenzo Quart. Arriving in the Andalusian capital, he struggles to decipher the truth, as both those who want to demolish the Church for the economic advantages that would result and those who want to save it seem to be hiding secrets.

It is a great book that, after a rather slow start, as the chapters pass, becomes increasingly passionate and engaging. Also, due to the detailed description of Seville, its neighborhoods, and its narrow and sunny streets, it immerses the reader in the warm atmosphere of the city.

This story combines mystery, religion, and the exploration of a beautiful city, making it a captivating read that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end.

A fascinating detective novel about the investigation by Vatican priest-detective Quart into mysterious deaths in one of the churches in Seville.

Someone wants to demolish the church, which is seemingly in a state of disrepair, and take possession of the valuable land.

The story unfolds with Quart delving deep into the secrets and intrigues surrounding the church and the deaths.

As he gets closer to the truth, he discovers a web of lies and corruption that reaches far beyond what he initially expected.

The novel keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with its twists and turns, as Quart races against time to solve the mystery and prevent further tragedies.

With its vivid descriptions of the setting and the complex characters, this detective novel is a must-read for fans of the genre.

Years back, I purchased this book on sale.

I started to read it but failed to complete it. At that time, it simply couldn't capture my interest.

Now, over ten years later, I finally decided to give it another try and, indeed, finished it.

However, it wasn't a pleasurable read. The same reasons that prevented me from finishing it the first time were still present during this second attempt.

The author seemed to get lost in描绘 churches、街道、塞维利亚市，唤起那些与故事毫无关联的回忆、情境和细节。

A lot of unnecessary content could have been cut from the story to make the progress smoother and more enjoyable to read.

Now, I had to skip some sections because they were filled with unnecessary jargon that only made me fall asleep and lose the last bits of my interest in the story.

Mostly, I felt only sad for the characters, especially Lorenzo and Macarena, who seemed so lost in their lives and alone.

They could have found something together, but they didn't allow it to happen, and in the end, they just went their separate ways, both miserable and alone.

Also, I found some side characters, like the gang of three, mostly stupid. Even though I guess they were meant to be comical, they ended up being just absurd.

They were too stereotypical to be realistic or even believable.

In summary, the idea of the story had a lot of potential to be great. Sadly, it failed to be anything more than okay at its best.

It took me some time to get into the story, but once I did, I couldn't get out of it. What I can state is that Reverte is a wonderful storyteller. And although the theme of religiosity is not among my favorites, Reverte managed to charm me and hold my interest until the end. The story is a web of intrigues with an exciting finale. Reverte surprised me with his choice of a hacker and with his charming and romantic nature, which I discovered in the atmosphere, the descriptions, and the individual scenes.

The dynamism in the book grows gradually, and the plot is like a musical composition with a certain rhythm. Each chapter builds upon the previous one, leading the reader deeper into the mystery. The characters are well-developed and complex, adding depth and authenticity to the story. Reverte's writing style is engaging and easy to follow, making it a pleasure to read. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a touch of romance.

I started reading this book with great interest. However, around the middle, it began to bore me. The story became too drawn out for my taste. I liked the description of Seville, the rules and ceremonies of the Vatican, Catholics and priests, and the ending surprised me, although I had some expectations. Quart is from the secret Vatican services and is sent to investigate why a church is being prepared for destruction. It turns out that businessmen and mafiosi will stop at nothing to destroy such ancient and valuable buildings for money. From then on, the story stretched out too much for my liking.

The book provokes thoughts about God, religion, and faith. Quart experiences a transformation and manages to protect the truth in the end. It makes one wonder about the power of belief and the lengths people will go to in the name of their convictions. While the pacing in the middle could have been better, the overall message and some of the vivid descriptions make this book worth reading.

Una intensa exploración al sistema de jerarquías y el baile del poder entre ellas es como abrir una puerta a un mundo lleno de complejidades y tensiones.

Es un relato que expone crudamente la diferencia entre el deber ser y el ser.

En este mundo, las jerarquías determinan quién tiene el poder y cómo se distribuye.

El baile del poder es un juego complejo donde los actores luchan por posicionarse y defender sus intereses.

Este relato muestra cómo la realidad a menudo se aparta del ideal, y cómo la diferencia entre lo que debería ser y lo que es puede ser sorprendentemente grande.

Es una crítica a la sociedad y una invitación a reflexionar sobre nuestras propias vidas y las jerarquías que conforman nuestro mundo.