If there were still more novels with Padre Lorenzo Quart, I would gladly read them. Padre Lorenzo Quart is such an interesting and complex character. His story has captured my imagination and made me eager to know more about his adventures and experiences. I am intrigued by his beliefs, his actions, and the way he interacts with the other characters in the novels. Each novel seems to offer a new perspective on his character and a new set of challenges for him to face. I can't get enough of his story and would love to see how it continues to unfold. I hope that the author will write more novels featuring Padre Lorenzo Quart, so that I can continue to follow his journey and learn more about this fascinating character.

Okay, so I purchased this book under the impression that it was part of the author's Captain Alatriste series. However, when I realized it was a technological thriller set in 1995-vintage Seville, with a Vatican priest as the main character, I almost returned it.

Fortunately, I decided to keep it. And I'm extremely glad I did.

For me, it wasn't so much a thriller (although the mysteries are indeed captivating), but rather an in-depth character study of a very unique man. Lorenzo Quart, the priest and protagonist, describes himself as "the last Knight Templar," obedient and loyal to an institution that seldom has his best interests in mind. He's not just a character who happens to be a priest; rather, he's a priest who finds himself involved in a series of relatively small events that transform him in precious ways.

The backdrop of the story is Seville, Spain - a city that I now have a strong desire to visit. The supporting characters, I firmly believe, are as representative of that city as any of Damon Runyon's or Dashell Hammett's characters were of their respective settings, and just as dignified and memorable.

I read this novel in a translation by Sonia Soto, who skillfully rendered Perez-Reverte's prose into simple yet elegant English.

I really had high expectations, but it has disappointed me quite a bit.

The narration seems rather tedious and dense to me, with a great many descriptions that, in my opinion, were irrelevant.

The three characters of Ibrahim, the girl with the knives, and the colt also seemed rather irrelevant to me. Their roles could have been filled perfectly otherwise. I can't see them as complete figures as characters.

I have to admit that the book does improve a little from 60% onwards, but still leaves a lot to be desired.

It didn't make me feel anything at all, and it's a book that I've had a hard time reading.

Maybe it's the book, maybe it's me, or maybe it's the moment when I read it, but this book has made me doubt whether to give the author a second chance. Probably in a few years, I'll try another novel of his, but right now I'm not very sure.

The Seville Communion is, without a doubt, one of Perez Reverte's most outstanding works.

The story unfolds around a small chapel in Sevilla. The mayor has grand plans and eager investors for the land on which the church stands, and thus it is slated for demolition. However, there is a major snag: the church seems to be exacting a deadly toll on the very workers attempting to tear it down.

The enraged city government has no choice but to turn to a higher authority - the Vatican - seeking their intervention and a resolution to this perplexing problem. Their desperate plea reaches all the way to the Pope, who dispatches a warrior priest (yes, such beings exist) to Sevilla.

In a web of political maneuvering and an attempt to shirk responsibility, the warrior priest, who has an exemplary record of dedication to the Vatican, finds himself in a precarious situation. Successfully resolving the problem will safeguard his current standing, while a failure could condemn him to a remote church in South America.

This book is truly unique. I was completely engrossed and could not bring myself to put it down. In my entire life of reading, this is one of those rare books that will forever hold a special place in my heart.

A book that starts off being promising and gradually deflates until it ends up being completely disappointing. A lot of noise and few nuts, just like a great part of Pérez Reverte's work, in my opinion.

It seems that Pérez Reverte has a knack for creating initial excitement with his stories. The premises are often engaging and draw the reader in. However, as the narrative progresses, it fails to deliver on its initial promise.

There is a lot of build-up and anticipation, but in the end, it feels like there is not much substance. The story may be filled with action and adventure, but it lacks depth and meaningful development.

It's as if the author is more concerned with creating a spectacle than telling a truly great story. This leaves the reader feeling let down and unsatisfied.

Overall, while Pérez Reverte's work may have its moments, it often falls short of expectations. It's a case of style over substance, and it's a pity because there is so much potential that is left untapped.

First, there is Lorenzo Quart, the priest sent from Rome to find out what is happening around the Church of Our Lady of Tears.

There are also two other priests, Priamo Ferro, the old priest who defends himself with blows of bad temper, passionate about astronomy, and his young acolyte, Oscar Lobato, who is going to be transferred as a punishment. And Gris Marsala, the American nun, architect of the scaffolds.

There is Macarena Bruner, the young duchess with honey-colored eyes, who keeps the lighter on the strap of her bra. And Maria Cruz, the old duchess, her mother, who drinks Coca-Cola from a bottle, not from a can as she doesn't know the same thing, not even the straws are the same.

There are the bankers. Machuco, also known as Don Octavio, who spends his days dealing on the esplanade. Pencho Gavira, young and ambitious, whose Vice-Presidency is under fire. And as every servant wants his own little servant, there is Celestino Peregil, his right-hand man, always adjusting his cap.

There are three others who walk around the city as if they were stone angels. Don Ibrahim, my favorite of all, a Cuban exile, an undocumented lawyer, always in white, with a wide-brimmed hat and the ember of a Montecristo burning on his lips. The lighter was a gift from Garcia Marquez, the watch he won from Hemingway in a poker night, and El Che taught him how to make Molotov cocktails. He is accompanied by Piña Puñales, a worn-out singer of boleros and sevillanas, with a snail drawn on her forehead and a crochet hook stuck in her wallet, and the Potro del Mantelete, a former bullfighter and former boxer, a man of action, tough and impassive.

There are still Carlota and Manuel Xaloc, a crazy duchess and a Caribbean pirate, ghosts who seek each other ("My letter, which is happy, because it is going to look for you").

There is a hacker, Vésperas, who leaves messages on the personal computer of the Holy Father.

And there is Seville, full of light and sun, full of night and taverns, full of churches, squares and patios, perfumed with oranges. "Like no other, that city preserved on the street corners, in the colors and in the light, the rumor of time that slowly fades away, or better, of ourselves fading away with those things of time to which life and memory cling."

Alucinante! Muy entretenido. La prosa de Pérez-Reverte es realmente exquisita.

Es una obra que se recomienda con mucha ganas.

En 2022 se realizó una adaptación cinematográfica. Me alegro de haber leído la obra ya que se publicó en 1995. Es lógico que la película tenga sus más que justificadas variaciones en la historia. Pero esta es la esencia y me ha encantado.

Los personajes están tan bien construidos que parece que estás leyendo sobre personas reales que conoces. Me ha gustado mucho más que "La reina del Sur". Sin duda alguna, merece 5 estrellas.

Es una lectura que te sumerge en un mundo lleno de intriga y emociones, y que te hace reflexionar sobre muchas cosas. Recomiendo encarecidamente esta obra a todos aquellos que les guste la buena literatura.

I may have a penchant for Arturo-Perez Reverte when he pens his historical adventures starring Captain Alatriste. However, his contemporary thrillers are not without their own allure.

"The Seville Communion" is the second one I've delved into, following "The Club Dumas". While I had a few niggles with it, overall it was a rather unforgettable journey that I'm eager to relive by visiting the actual location in the near future.

As a thriller set within the clerical world and dealing with mysterious murders, church politics, high finance, and crises of faith, the book brought to mind Umberto Eco rather than Dan Brown. It focuses more on cultural heritage, spiritual identity, and careful characterization, rather than striving to be provocative, speculative, and fast-paced. In fact, one of my main concerns was the pacing. At times, I felt the plot was taking a leisurely siesta under the scorching Andaluzian sun, waiting for the night and the narrow, winding alleys of the old Santa Cruz district to make some headway. There's a significant amount of time spent in small cafes, savoring tapas, sipping Manzanilla, and listening to flamenco music, engaging in lofty conversations about astronomy and faith, history and modernism, celibacy, obedience, and redemption.

The main story revolves around a small, dilapidated baroque church in the old town of Seville and the conflict between its priest and powerful real estate developers over the site. Two deaths of individuals directly involved in the church's affairs have been ruled accidental, but an anonymous hacker alerts the Pope in Rome that foul play might be afoot. Rome dispatches a troubleshooter to assess the situation and report back. From this basic premise, Perez-Reverte weaves an intricate web of misdirection and mystery, introducing a colorful cast of characters:

- Father Lorenzo Quart - the "Swiss Army Knife" agent of the Institute of External Affairs in Rome. He is disciplined and impartial, valuing control and submission to the Church rules above all. He views himself as a modern crusader, fighting the battles of the faith without questioning his commanders or the morality of his actions. The Nazarene certainly had had guts. Nobody need feel ashamed to carry His Cross like a flag. Quart often regretted not having another kind of faith. Men black with dust beneath their chain mail had once shouted the name of God as they charged into battle, to win eternal life and a place in heaven with their slashing swords. Living and dying had been so much simpler then.

- Don Priamo Ferro - the impoverished priest of a small Spanish village, now in charge of the doomed Church of Our Lady of the Tears. Fiery, rebellious, and uncompromising in his religious fervor, he has no respect for his superiors and would do anything to defend his parish.

- Gris Marsala - an attractive and unconventional older woman, an American expat with studies in the architecture and culture of Seville. She is in charge of the renovation work at the church.

- Macarena Bruner - a hot-blooded brunette Andaluzian beauty, the heiress of an ancient Spanish Grandee family, a mysterious femme fatale involved with both the church and the bank that is trying to evict the premises. (I didn't really care for her name, blaming it on Rio, Los del Rio)

- Cruz Bruner - her elderly mother, the duchess of El Nuevo Extremo and a holder of a plethora of other titles with sonorous names but little income, living in the faded splendor of Casa del Postigo, her sumptuous family palace in the center of Seville.

- Pencho Gavira - a youngish, ruthless, and ambitious vice-president of the Cartujano Bank, the husband of Macarena.

- Perengil - his right-hand man, a venal private investigator with a gambling addiction.

- Don Ibrahim, El Potro del Mantelete, and La Nina Punales - a trio of small-time crooks and losers: a confidence trickster, an ex-matador/boxer, and a flamenco singer. They provide some comic relief and a wealth of local color and trivia. The author showcases his book geek credentials here by making puns in Latin: ODERINT DUM PROBENT (which can be translated either as "smell before you taste" or "Let them hate me, as long as they respect me")

There are more players in the game that I haven't mentioned here - they are also crucial to the plot and well-developed - but I'm trying to be concise and let the readers enjoy meeting each of them. It's quite a large cast of characters for a thriller, and my only complaint is that they are a bit theatrical - like actors following a script - especially the villains who prove rather inept and predictable in the end.

Another minor gripe is about the portrayal of computers. The book was written when 486 PC's were all the rage and a significant portion of the general population was still hazy about how they functioned. This is perhaps why the author was unconvincing in his depiction of hackers, with a romantic view of secretive Robin Hoods attacking the establishment with pretty animated tools, reminiscent of 1980's Hollywood movies: As he switches phone networks, he leaves behind a kind of explosive charge that erases any trace of his route. This hacker certainly knows what he's doing.

Seville serves as an excellent setting for the action, much like the Middle Age monastery from "The Name of the Rose", offering a tumultuous history, a passionate people, and a vibrant modern life intertwined with a traditionalist older generation. I got a melancholic sense of the passing of an era, a changing of the guard, the old soldiers fading away, and the new ones more concerned with instant gratification and winning by any means. The Catholic Church once held all the power in Spain, and its struggle for significance in the modern world was ultimately the main draw of the book for me, the question of what is worthy of preservation and what belongs in the dustbin of history. This is beautifully articulated by Gris Marsala: I'm convinced that every ancient building, picture, or book that's lost or destroyed, leaves us bereft. Impoverished.

To illustrate this point, the Church of Our Lady of the Tears is more than just an old pile of masonry; it is indelibly linked to one of the most romantic stories of doomed lovers in the tradition of Tristan and Isolde, Romeo and Juliet. They are Captain Xaloc and Carlotta Bruner, who met in Seville at the end of the XIX century - separated by social conventions and intransigent families, with one leaving to make his fortune by sailing to the Caribbean and the other waiting and watching from the tallest tower in town for a returning sail.

The ending was a bit too tidy and clear-cut for my liking, but the romantic charm of Seville and its histories, I believe, will endure.

This seems like a kind of Da Vinci Code rip off.

It's as if someone took the basic premise of the highly popular and mysterious novel, The Da Vinci Code, and tried to create something similar.

Maybe they thought that by following a similar formula of hidden codes, ancient mysteries, and a race against time, they could capture the same level of excitement and intrigue.

However, it often feels like a pale imitation. The original had a unique charm and depth that is hard to replicate.

The rip off might lack the authenticity, the well-researched historical details, and the engaging characters that made The Da Vinci Code such a phenomenon.

It's like trying to copy a masterpiece but only getting a fraction of its essence.

Instead of being a fresh and original work, it comes across as derivative and unoriginal.

It makes one wonder if the creators would have been better off coming up with their own unique ideas rather than trying to ride the coattails of a successful franchise.

I had rather high expectations of this book.

To be sure, there were some elements that I liked. The Vatican politics added an air of mystery and intrigue. The use of the Templar as a metaphor for the hero was an interesting touch. The description of Seville was vivid and brought the city to life. And the setup of the plot had the potential to be a thrilling ride.

However, I was quite disappointed. I found the book to be a bit rambling, especially for a mystery/thriller. The investigator didn't seem to live up to his reputation. He failed to solve either of the mysteries at hand. The identity of the hacker was only discovered "after the fact" when it was revealed to him, not because he had figured it out on his own. And the murder mystery remained unsolved.

In effect, this story seemed to be more about the intellectual and spiritual challenges facing Catholic clergy and the declining remnants of the old aristocracy in a modern age than about a Vatican investigator sent out to uncover the truth about some mysterious events.

I don't think I would have minded the long digressions into philosophy if the main "thriller" plot had been stronger. As it was, the book left me feeling a bit let down.

I love Don Reverte.

I will write more detailed later.

Don Reverte is a very special person to me. His presence always brings a certain charm and warmth.

Maybe it's his kind smile, or maybe it's his unique personality.

Every time I see him, my heart skips a beat.

I can't wait to spend more time with him and get to know him better.

There are so many things I want to share with him and learn from him.

I believe that our relationship will continue to grow and become even stronger in the future.

For now, I just hold onto this feeling of love and look forward to the next time I see him.

Excelente narrativa y completo dominio del diálogo entre personajes hacen casi imposible soltar este libro.

The character of Macarena Brunner is one of the sexiest that I have read, and her flirting relationship with Father Quart makes you forget the main theme of this novel.

Another well-written and entertaining novel by my favorite writer, recommended.

This book truly stands out for its outstanding narrative and the author's complete mastery of the dialogue between the characters. The story sucks you in from the very beginning and keeps you engaged until the end.

Macarena Brunner is a captivating character, and her allure adds an extra layer of excitement to the plot. Her interactions with Father Quart are both charming and steamy, making it difficult to focus on anything else.

Overall, this is a must-read novel for anyone who enjoys a good story with complex characters and a touch of romance. It's yet another great work from my favorite writer, and I highly recommend it.