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Here are comments from our group of Advance Readers about Neil Olson's THE ICON.
BJew@aol.com
What other suspense/thriller authors do you usually read?
Here are some of the authors that are my favorite: Dan Brown, Nelson DeMille, Michael Crichton, John Grisham, David Baldacci, James Patterson and Anne Rice.
What did you think of THE ICON?
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was very well-written. I read the book in couple of evenings and it was an easy book to follow. I enjoyed all the characters and also the subject. I really liked the fact it was based in Greece --- one of the countries I greatly admire.
Would you ever read a future book by Neil Olson?
Yes, I would read a future book by Neil Olson.
cardlady4@optonline.net
What other suspense/thriller authors do you usually read?
Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, Edna Buchanan, Stuart Woods, Clive Cussler, Edna Buchanan, Perri O’Shaughnessy and Lisa Gardner, just to name a few.
What did you think of THE ICON?
I have just finished reading Neil Olson’s THE ICON and found it to have a well-written and intelligent plot. The novel spans from World War II to the present time and is full of rich history and locales. The plot is thick with manipulators, complicated families and takes many twists and turns. It is detailed and complex which depends more on words than action.
My first impression was that the story would be similar to THE DA VINCI CODE. This is an unfortunate comparison as this book is much different and should be read for its own merit and story.
Mr. Olson does a commendable job of setting the stage in the intricate plot. The main character is the Icon itself. It holds a secret which depending on your own beliefs, may or not explain why it has influenced events and people and inspires faith. Its history is full of stories of power, miracles, grief and secrets that span centuries and continents. All this from an inanimate object that obsessed people have killed, schemed and coveted for their own purposes. Is it evil or poison as one character describes it --- or does it carry the promise of Christ?
I found the many characters and the Greek names confusing at first so in the beginning I had difficulty following the story. Matthew Spear and Ana Kessler had no chemistry together which made their romance unbelievable. This may be due to the character of Ana Kessler as being undeveloped.
If you like a story touched with history and twists, you will enjoy this book.
Would you ever read a future book by Neil Olson?
Yes, especially if the story of Matthew Spear is continued. I would like to read further of his adventures with the art and museum world.
JQuick5342@aol.com
What did you think of THE ICON?
For the foreseeable future all novels of this type will be compared fairly or unfairly to THE DA VINCI CODE. The Holy Mother of Katarini is a Greek Orthodox religious icon that becomes the focus of international intrigue, deception and death because of its role in certain World War II events in Greece.
The book is well-written and fast paced as NY Metropolitan Museum employee Matthew Spear tries to stay alive and come to grips with the power of the icon. Spear is the grandson of one of the earlier protagonists who joins with the granddaughter of another when the icon surfaces in New York some 55 years after it was thought to have been burned up.
Olson does a good job of filling in details for those of us not familiar with the inner workings of the Greek Orthodox Church without over doing it. All in all a fascinating tale, well-written and thought provoking.
Are the characters intense?
"He would be almost ninety." "Well, so is Fotis." "Ah," Plastaris smiled, "but he is Greek. Germans don't live so long." "Some of these Nazis have." "Yes. Sin would appear to be an excellent preserver of life. In which case, I expect to live forever." They raised their glasses in a salute and finished the cognac.
There are at least four factions involved as the story evolves and the surprise ending reveals even more truths about the events that set the chain into motion.
How does it compare to THE DA VINCI CODE? Read both and judge for yourself.
RJER16@aol.com
What other suspense/thriller authors do you usually read?
I enjoy reading John Grisham, James Patterson, Mary Higgins Clark and Dean Koontz.
What did you think of THE ICON?
I liked it after an initial slow start. Then I couldn't put it down, so I did end up enjoying it.
Would you ever read a future book by Neil Olson?
Yes, I would.
screencrazy@verizon.net
What other suspense/thriller authors do you usually read?
There are many suspense/thriller authors that I read, but some favorites are Edna Buchanan, Tom Clancy and Michael Crichton.
What did you think of THE ICON?
I thought THE ICON was an average read --- nothing that kept me turning the pages, but mildly interesting.
Would you ever read a future book by Neil Olson?
Possibly.
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