This is absolutely one of the most boring, ham-handed, pretentious books I've ever read. While some praise the authors' attention to detail, I call it a fascination with trivia. Yes, this is written by TWO people. When was the last time you read a great novel by TWO people? …more It reads like it was written by a committee.....of robots. If you want a real historical thriller, check out Name of the Rose or anything by David Liss. These guys make Dan Brown's work read like Proust. (less)

This is yet another example of a book that was hyped beyond all reasonable measure in the media. While the writing is certainly competent, apparently no one had the guts to tell her, "Hey, this might be a good read if it WERE HALF AS LONG!" Seriously, I just read John …more Irving's "Until I find You," and, at 827-pages, it seemed like a short story compared to this bloated imitation of an Ann Rice novel. (less)