Sanctus

A Novel

By: Simon Toyne

Narrated by: Simon Vance

One man’s sacrifice shocks the world....

One woman’s courage threatens a conspiracy as old as humankind.

And some will do anything—anything—to keep their secrets in the dark.

A man climbs a cliff face in the oldest inhabited place on earth, a mountain known as the Citadel, a Vatican-like city-state that towers above the city of Ruin in modern-day Turkey. But this is no ordinary ascent. It is a dangerous, symbolic act. And thanks to the media, it is an event witnessed by the entire world.

Few people understand its consequence. But for foundation worker Kathryn Mann and a handful of others, it’s evidence that a revolution is at hand. For the Sancti, the cowled and secretive monks who live inside the Citadel, it could mean the end of everything they have built. They will stop at nothing to keep what is theirs, and they will break every law in every country and even kill to hold it fast. For American reporter Liv Adamsen, it spurs the memory of the beloved brother she lost years before, setting her on a journey across the world and into the heart of her own identity.

There, she will make a discovery so shocking that it will change everything.

©2011 Simon Toyne (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

Good them, but lost in the conflict

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

The theme of the book was great; really interesting perspective. Unfortunately it was lost with all the different factions competing for control; names were confusing, it was so hard to tell who was who and it severly detracted from the story. I nearly abandoned the book midway through for this reason

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Eliminate or at least cut down from the shoot em up parts.

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Have not listened

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Possibly

Sanctus, not so much...

Uneven read at best. At the end I found myself indifferent. There are better options to indulge in.

Interesting slow at first but picks up

What did you love best about Sanctus?

The story line was unusal for me, liked the characters The historic background was very informative for me I had never heard of Ruin

Who was your favorite character and why?

Of course the girl but I liked Gab as a strong silent type Liked all of them

What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?

I must admit he has a talent and it shows, I would gladly listen to him again

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Maybe not extreme, but I was not surpised that man could be so cruel,women have always been a problem if they are powerful, man really doesn't cope well in this case it was extreme results

Any additional comments?

Great story and I am listening to the Key now.

One of My Favorites

I've read this series so many times and still adore it. I've never heard the audiobook version before, and boy, Simon Vance sure did a fantastic job! I'll definitely be listening to this multiple times. I highly recommend this book and the series as a whole.

Great writing & narration!

The writing is so beautifully descriptive. It draws you in and captures your imagination. I look forward to listening to more by this author and narrator.

A complex and fascinating read!

From beginning to end Sanctus weaves a complex tapestry of mystery and intrigue. Each time we entered a subset of characters, there was a new twist and by the end of the last chapter I was still left with questions to consider.

I loved this book and will be checking back for more by the author and narrator!

Disappointing

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, I wouldn't recommend the book but I'll bet that it would make an exciting movie.

Would you ever listen to anything by Simon Toyne again?

No, the research was sloppy and the story didn't warrant the time spent listening. Several facts about Turkey, where the majority of the action takes place were downright wrong. Mr. Toyne should have gone to Turkey and spent some time in there before writing about it.

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He is a great narrator. He is able to play several characters very convincingly. As a matter of fact, at one point I checked the website to see if there were more than one narrator.

Could you see Sanctus being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes, it would be a successful movie.

Better than I expected

This one sat for awhile after I bought it. Once I started it, I was caught up in the story. I enjoyed it quite a bit but there were some parts that left me wondering how the author would deal with wrapping things up. Apparently, that is for the rest of the series. I've read reviews of the next installments and I'm not sure if I will pursue them or not - but there are loose ends that I'd like to explore so I might. That is not intended to detract from this 1st installment at all - it was a good ride.

Interesting twist

Would you consider the audio edition of Sanctus to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print version.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the mystery of the story and the characters.

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I adore Simon Vance's voice and picked the book for this reason.

If you liked The Divinci Code...

give Sanctus a try. The story revolves around the secret of the sacrament, protected by monks living high in the citadel. It is a good mystery told at a good pace with excellent narration.