"Enthralling . . . Fans of Dan Brown will have fun, and some may even prefer Berry's action-oriented hero to Brown's cerebral Robert Langdon." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Berry has the lock on making history zing with breathless suspense and galloping action. Malta and the Vatican are superb settings for this ecclesiastical extravaganza." -- Library Journal, starred review

"The intrigue is intense . . . . Thriller fans will have their violence fix, but the real fun is in learning about the inner workings of the church, its history dating all the way back to Constantine, and the troubled past of Malta . . . . This one will appeal to Dan Brown fans and anyone else in the mood for a page-turning yarn." --Kirkus Reviews

"[Berry] really is very good at the historical-conspiracy thriller; he's a skilled writer--much more so than Dan Brown, to whom he's often compared--and a more dexterous plotter than many of his contemporaries. Fans of the Malone series will give this one an enthusiastic thumbs-up." -- Booklist

"Cotton Malone has slowed down just slightly--though he still joins the action when it's fully engaged--but Berry hasn't lost a step. This one has all the elements--nothing magical, but much that's mysterious and secretly held, and plenty that has to be settled by military combat if civilization is to survive." -- Sullivan County Democrat

"Berry again produces a novel that at once entertains and also raises deep and disturbing questions." -- Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

"Steve Berry has mastered the art of page-turning." -- Booktrib