Conclave
A novel
-
-
4.3 • 896 Ratings
-
-
- $10.99
Publisher Description
THE INSPIRATION FOR THE ACADEMY AWARD®-WINNING FILM STARRING RALPH FIENNES, STANLEY TUCCI, JOHN LITHGOW, AND ISABELLA ROSSELLINI
The page-turning thriller that “might be the ultimate locked-room mystery” (The Seattle Times), set in the Vatican’s secretive halls of power by the New York Times bestselling author of An Officer and a Spy and Munich
“Pulsates with intrigue. . . . Ambition, sex scandals, financial corruption and terrorism all rear their ugly heads. And Harris saves one whopper of a surprise for the final pages.” —USA Today
The pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will gather to cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election. They are holy men. But they are not immune to the human temptations of power and glory. And they are not above the tribalism and factionalism that consumes humanity. When all is said and done, one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on Earth.
In their cloistered debate they will uncover abuse and corruption at the very heart of the Church. It’s a scandal that could destroy all they hold dear, and they must act decisively to ensure that the next pope is worthy of the post.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Thriller Award winner Harris (Dictator) successfully dramatizes the selection of a new pope. In the near future, the pontiff dies suddenly of a heart attack, and the Vatican leadership works fast to ensure an orderly transition. The process is conveyed from the perspective of Cardinal Jacopo Lomeli, the dean of the College of Cardinals, a rational and sympathetic figure who a month earlier sought permission to retire to a religious order. As the cardinals gather from around the world to vote, factions quickly develop around the leading contenders, including Joshua Adeyemi of Nigeria, who's seeking to become the first black pope, and Lomeli's successor as the Vatican's secretary of state, Aldo Bellini. Bellini gives Lomeli a glimpse at the hidden turmoil at the Vatican when he reveals that on the day of the Holy Father's death, the dying pope confided to Bellini that he had lost faith in the church. As the maneuvering for command continues, Lomeli must try to steer a path toward consensus. This is another impressive outing from an extremely versatile author.
Customer Reviews
Excellent
Engaging from page one. Great characters, well researched, and a plot for the ages. I’m glad I read it. It’s the best novel I’ve read in a long time.
Fascinating and inspiring story!
What a surprise to find that a fictional but meticulously detailed story of the election of a new Pope could be so engrossing. And hearing it from the Cardinal-narrator’s point of view was perfect. It reads as a thriller but also as history and law. I loved it.
Inane banality
And the ending was anticlimactic.