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Benjamin Weaver #4
The Day of Atonement
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LIBRARY JOURNAL • Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.
The bestselling author of such novels as A Conspiracy of Paper and The Whiskey Rebels continues his masterly run of “atmospheric” (The Washington Post), “page-turning” (The Baltimore Sun), “tremendously smart” (Newsweek) historical thrillers. In The Day of Atonement, David Liss blends meticulous period detail with crackling adventure in the tale of one man’s quest for justice—and retribution.
Sebastião Raposa is only thirteen when his parents are unjustly imprisoned, never to be seen again, and he is forced to flee Portugal lest he too fall victim to the Inquisition. But ten years in exile only serve to whet his appetite for vengeance. Returning at last to Lisbon, in the guise of English businessman Sebastian Foxx, he is no longer a frightened boy but a dangerous man tormented by violent impulses. Haunted by the specter of all he has lost—including his exquisite first love—Foxx is determined to right old wrongs by punishing an unforgivable enemy with unrelenting fury.
Well schooled by his benefactor, the notorious bounty hunter Benjamin Weaver, in the use of wits, fists, and a variety of weapons, Foxx stalks the ruthless Inquisitor priest Pedro Azinheiro. But in a city ruled by terror and treachery, where money and information can buy power and trump any law, no enemy should be underestimated and no ally can be trusted. Having risked everything, and once again under the watchful eye of the Inquisition, Foxx finds his plans unraveling as he becomes drawn into the struggles of old friends—and new enemies—none of whom, like Lisbon itself, are what they seem.
Compelled to play a game of deception and greed, Sebastian Foxx will find himself befriended, betrayed, tempted by desire, and tormented by personal turmoil. And when a twist of fate turns his carefully laid plans to chaos, he will be forced to choose between surrendering to bloodlust or serving the cause of mercy.
Praise for The Day of Atonement
“Enthralling . . . [a] sly, rich and swift novel of vengeance and rough justice.”—The Seattle Times
“One of the masters of the historical thriller, Liss is back with yet another highly entertaining novel. . . . [The Day of Atonement] paints a vivid picture of the waning days of the Inquisition, and of the truly evil religious leaders who led it. One of Liss’s best books.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune
“Foxx is reminiscent of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher: a man with his own moral code who takes on multiple adversaries simultaneously. . . . Liss has the start of another solidly researched, action-packed historical series here.”—Booklist (starred review)
“[An] action-packed novel.”—The Wall Street Journal
“Snappy dialogue and convincing atmosphere . . . The plot moves swiftly to a shattering climax.”—The Washington Post
“Another intriguing thriller set against historical events for Liss, who has a knack for period detail, breakneck plots and characters we want to root for.”—San Antonio Express-News
“Fans of Liss know well his mix of dark arts and historical detail.”—New York Daily News
From the Trade Paperback edition.
The bestselling author of such novels as A Conspiracy of Paper and The Whiskey Rebels continues his masterly run of “atmospheric” (The Washington Post), “page-turning” (The Baltimore Sun), “tremendously smart” (Newsweek) historical thrillers. In The Day of Atonement, David Liss blends meticulous period detail with crackling adventure in the tale of one man’s quest for justice—and retribution.
Sebastião Raposa is only thirteen when his parents are unjustly imprisoned, never to be seen again, and he is forced to flee Portugal lest he too fall victim to the Inquisition. But ten years in exile only serve to whet his appetite for vengeance. Returning at last to Lisbon, in the guise of English businessman Sebastian Foxx, he is no longer a frightened boy but a dangerous man tormented by violent impulses. Haunted by the specter of all he has lost—including his exquisite first love—Foxx is determined to right old wrongs by punishing an unforgivable enemy with unrelenting fury.
Well schooled by his benefactor, the notorious bounty hunter Benjamin Weaver, in the use of wits, fists, and a variety of weapons, Foxx stalks the ruthless Inquisitor priest Pedro Azinheiro. But in a city ruled by terror and treachery, where money and information can buy power and trump any law, no enemy should be underestimated and no ally can be trusted. Having risked everything, and once again under the watchful eye of the Inquisition, Foxx finds his plans unraveling as he becomes drawn into the struggles of old friends—and new enemies—none of whom, like Lisbon itself, are what they seem.
Compelled to play a game of deception and greed, Sebastian Foxx will find himself befriended, betrayed, tempted by desire, and tormented by personal turmoil. And when a twist of fate turns his carefully laid plans to chaos, he will be forced to choose between surrendering to bloodlust or serving the cause of mercy.
Praise for The Day of Atonement
“Enthralling . . . [a] sly, rich and swift novel of vengeance and rough justice.”—The Seattle Times
“One of the masters of the historical thriller, Liss is back with yet another highly entertaining novel. . . . [The Day of Atonement] paints a vivid picture of the waning days of the Inquisition, and of the truly evil religious leaders who led it. One of Liss’s best books.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune
“Foxx is reminiscent of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher: a man with his own moral code who takes on multiple adversaries simultaneously. . . . Liss has the start of another solidly researched, action-packed historical series here.”—Booklist (starred review)
“[An] action-packed novel.”—The Wall Street Journal
“Snappy dialogue and convincing atmosphere . . . The plot moves swiftly to a shattering climax.”—The Washington Post
“Another intriguing thriller set against historical events for Liss, who has a knack for period detail, breakneck plots and characters we want to root for.”—San Antonio Express-News
“Fans of Liss know well his mix of dark arts and historical detail.”—New York Daily News
From the Trade Paperback edition.
369 pages, Hardcover
First published September 23, 2014
226 people are currently reading
1662 people want to read
About the author
David Liss
145 books1,259 followersI am the author of thirteen novels, most recently The Peculiarities, a historical fantasy out in September 2021. I've also written numerous novellas and short stories. My previous books include A Conspiracy of Paper which was named a New York Times Notable Book and won the 2001 Barry, MacAvity and Edgar awards for Best First novel. The Coffee Trader was also named a New York Times Notable Book and was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the year’s 25 Books to Remember. Several of these books are currently being developed for television or film. I have also worked on numerous comics projects, including Black Panther and Mystery Men for Marvel, The Spider and Green Hornet for Dynamite, and Angelica Tomorrow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 316 reviews
January 21, 2020
Being that I've read a -lot- of historical novels over the decades, there are very few times that I get surprised anymore. David Liss is one of those authors that I will buy sight unseen. And this one kept me up til the early hours reading as I did not want to stop finding out the story of Sebastian Foxx -- a New Christian returning to Portugal to find the betrayer of his family and a girl that he loved and lost. Now he's hot for revenge and he has a name of a Jesuit Inquisitor that took everything from him. This was one of those novels that kept me reading and turning pages as I simply had to find out what happens next. For those of you who love a good mystery with the history done right, this is for you. And don't think the ending is too over the top -- it really did happen. Four solid stars from me, and a hearty recommendation.
For the longer review. please go here:
http://personapaper.com/article/19898...
For the longer review. please go here:
http://personapaper.com/article/19898...
August 12, 2014
“Because for sins of one man against another, the Day of Atonement does not atone until they have made peace with one another.”
****************************************************************************************************************
The story opens in the year 1745 when 13 year Sebastiaio is sent from Lisbon to London to be saved from the Inquisition. His parents are New Christians, Jews who converted over the generations to save their family and manage a livelihood. Fast forward 10 years later - he returns to Lisbon as Sebastian Fox seeking revenge with plans to kill the priest that was responsible for his parents' arrest and subsequent deaths.
Sebastian becomes involved in more than he was planning and before he can get his revenge, he has decided to help the man who saved his life. In order to do this, he devises a somewhat complicated scheme. About half way through I just wanted it to get moving. Instead of the scheming, I wanted things to happen and then suddenly I just couldn't put it down and I was intrigued every step of the way.
In spite of his intent to kill, you discover that he is still a good man whose anger is fueled by his profound losses of family, friends, a beautiful young girl and his home. He cares about those he believes are his friends and it is touching to see that he feels he has become a father to the orphan street boy, Eneas, who has become his loyal servant. He naively thinks he can help and save everyone. He's smart and clever and knows the art of deception, trying to manipulate his enemies and so he can retaliate and right some wrongs for the people he cares about. However not everyone is as they seem and others are well schooled in the art of deception as well. This makes for a thrilling journey through the streets of Lisbon and this period of time.
Through Sebastian's story we see how the Inquisition impacted the lives of people by taking family and friends away from them, stealing their money and controlling their lives, and attempting to control their religious beliefs. We see what it did to one man and how he makes his peace.
Thank you to Random House and Net Galley.
****************************************************************************************************************
The story opens in the year 1745 when 13 year Sebastiaio is sent from Lisbon to London to be saved from the Inquisition. His parents are New Christians, Jews who converted over the generations to save their family and manage a livelihood. Fast forward 10 years later - he returns to Lisbon as Sebastian Fox seeking revenge with plans to kill the priest that was responsible for his parents' arrest and subsequent deaths.
Sebastian becomes involved in more than he was planning and before he can get his revenge, he has decided to help the man who saved his life. In order to do this, he devises a somewhat complicated scheme. About half way through I just wanted it to get moving. Instead of the scheming, I wanted things to happen and then suddenly I just couldn't put it down and I was intrigued every step of the way.
In spite of his intent to kill, you discover that he is still a good man whose anger is fueled by his profound losses of family, friends, a beautiful young girl and his home. He cares about those he believes are his friends and it is touching to see that he feels he has become a father to the orphan street boy, Eneas, who has become his loyal servant. He naively thinks he can help and save everyone. He's smart and clever and knows the art of deception, trying to manipulate his enemies and so he can retaliate and right some wrongs for the people he cares about. However not everyone is as they seem and others are well schooled in the art of deception as well. This makes for a thrilling journey through the streets of Lisbon and this period of time.
Through Sebastian's story we see how the Inquisition impacted the lives of people by taking family and friends away from them, stealing their money and controlling their lives, and attempting to control their religious beliefs. We see what it did to one man and how he makes his peace.
Thank you to Random House and Net Galley.
November 30, 2014
This is an interesting historical novel about the Portuguese Inquisition. We briefly encounter Benjamin Weaver hero of other Liss works. It is 1745 and Weaver, now middle-aged, is still catching thieves. He takes under his wing a thirteen year old Portuguese boy, Sebastiao Raposa, who has been smuggled to London from Lisbon, where the Portuguese Inquisition has imprisoned and executed his parents.
Sebastiao anglicizes himself into Sebastian Foxx. Our protagonist is Jewish, although his family is “new Christians”-Jews who, generations before, were forced to convert to Christianity but who are nonetheless subject to the special attention of the Inquisition.
The story jumps ten years and Weaver has taught Sebastian how to pummel thieves and practices the subtler art of deception. Foxx is unhappy and angry he decides to return to Lisbon to seek revenge for the death of his family. Our protagonist returns to Lisbon as Sebastian Foxx in the guise of a young Englishman bent on making a shipping fortune.
The story is packed with action, suspense, vengeance, thorny moral problems. The author works the famous earthquake of 1756 into the story. The plot moves swiftly to a shattering climax that throws notions of vengeance and atonement into sharp relief. I read this as an audio book downloaded from Audible. Samuel Roukin narrated the book.
Sebastiao anglicizes himself into Sebastian Foxx. Our protagonist is Jewish, although his family is “new Christians”-Jews who, generations before, were forced to convert to Christianity but who are nonetheless subject to the special attention of the Inquisition.
The story jumps ten years and Weaver has taught Sebastian how to pummel thieves and practices the subtler art of deception. Foxx is unhappy and angry he decides to return to Lisbon to seek revenge for the death of his family. Our protagonist returns to Lisbon as Sebastian Foxx in the guise of a young Englishman bent on making a shipping fortune.
The story is packed with action, suspense, vengeance, thorny moral problems. The author works the famous earthquake of 1756 into the story. The plot moves swiftly to a shattering climax that throws notions of vengeance and atonement into sharp relief. I read this as an audio book downloaded from Audible. Samuel Roukin narrated the book.
January 29, 2014
To be published by Random House on 9/23/2014
Fans of Benjamin Weaver, ex-boxer, thief taker, and all-around badass of 18th Century London, will be happy to know that in old age The Lion of Judea has found an apprentice. Sebastian fox (nee Sebastiao Raposa) has fled the Portuguese Inquisition. His parents were killed, their friends destroyed, and his burgeoning love for a Lisbon beauty is kaput. Ten years later, trained by Weaver, he comes back for vengeance. Liss has a way of teaching you huge swathes of history in the guise of a ripping yarn. The Inquisitionists may all be villains, but Liss does some great shading of his conflicted characters. Papists may be shocked but Jews will cheer. Not since the Golem have anti-Semites faced such a daunting foe.
Fans of Benjamin Weaver, ex-boxer, thief taker, and all-around badass of 18th Century London, will be happy to know that in old age The Lion of Judea has found an apprentice. Sebastian fox (nee Sebastiao Raposa) has fled the Portuguese Inquisition. His parents were killed, their friends destroyed, and his burgeoning love for a Lisbon beauty is kaput. Ten years later, trained by Weaver, he comes back for vengeance. Liss has a way of teaching you huge swathes of history in the guise of a ripping yarn. The Inquisitionists may all be villains, but Liss does some great shading of his conflicted characters. Papists may be shocked but Jews will cheer. Not since the Golem have anti-Semites faced such a daunting foe.
October 6, 2014
The Portuguese Inquisition,1755, the Catholic Church and its Inquisition priests had unlimited power. Many good people found themselves in the clutches of this powerful and deadly entity. So it was for a young thirteen yr. old who when his father is taken by the inquisition and his mother knows he is next,sent their young son away. In London, he would be trained by Benjamin Weaver, as a thief taker. It was good to hear a bit about about Benjamin Weaver, just love the books where he is featured. In this one has a very small part.
Ten years pass and Sebastian Fox returns, new name attached, and his vow is to kill the priest who took and caused the deaths of his parents.
As usual Liss combines historical fiction packed with adventure. Interesting and complex characters, a very dangerous period of history is told in a fast moving manner. Good read for adventure and historical fiction overs alike.
ARC from NetGalley.
Ten years pass and Sebastian Fox returns, new name attached, and his vow is to kill the priest who took and caused the deaths of his parents.
As usual Liss combines historical fiction packed with adventure. Interesting and complex characters, a very dangerous period of history is told in a fast moving manner. Good read for adventure and historical fiction overs alike.
ARC from NetGalley.
May 17, 2016
Fantastic book with unexpected twists.
December 12, 2014
In David Liss’ new book, The Day of Atonement we meet Sebastiao Raposa, a thirteen year old boy who is forced by his mother to flee Lisbon because of the actions of the Inquisition. In the mid 18th century Portugal is in the midst of a virulent Inquisition that targets any one and anything for what it perceives to be a violation of the Catholic churches precepts. Sebastiao’s father has been seized by the Inquisition and his mother knows that she and her son will be next. She convinces a former business associate of her husband, Charles Settwell to smuggle Sebastiao on a ship that was sailing for Falmouth, England. The young man will make his way to London where he will remain for ten years before returning to Lisbon in 1755. He assumes the identity of a business man named Sebastiao Foxx to seek revenge against Pedro Azinhiero, the Inquisitor who had destroyed his family and forced him to forsake a young girl, Gabriela, who he believed would someday become his wife. Unhappy as to what he had become in London he chose to return to Lisbon to gain the satisfaction of destroying the Inquisition and restoring his self worth.
While in London Sebastiao came under the tutelage of Benjamin Weaver, a character that Liss had developed in previous novels; A Conspiracy of Paper, A Spectacle of Corruption, and more recently, The Devil’s Company. Weaver is a former Jewish boxer, now a “thief taker” (“a person paid to find people and other things” (42) who Liss employs to explore the corruption, economic panic and anti-Semitism among other ills of society. In his new novel Liss has Weaver teach Sebastiao the art of deception and the skills needed to catch and punish thieves. Sebastiao’s family was among many Jewish families that had been forced to convert to Christianity generations ago. They were called “New Christians” but many maintained their religion in secret. Though raised a Catholic, while in London Sebastiao was circumcised and renewed his commitment to Judaism. Once in Lisbon he meets a number of characters who play an important role in his trying to achieve his goals, however the more people he meets the more difficult it becomes to maintain his new identity and carry out his wishes.
Sebastiao meets with Charles Settwell, who has fallen on hard times, when he learns that his father may have been betrayed to the Inquisition, as Settwell states, “I fear he was the victim of a plot to take his wealth and throw him to the dogs that he might expose the crime.” (65) Further, the Inquisition is still angry that his father’s wealth was not recovered. This and further information make Sebastiao aware that his task had become more complex.
At first Liss seems to describe a plot of simple revenge by a child grown into manhood against a corrupt priest. The goal of revenge quickly grows in proportion to include; ensuring the safety of a number of individuals, and paying a few past debts relating to his father and his childhood. This is the dilemma that Liss’ protagonist must confront as he is faced with a contest of wills with Pedro Azenhiero, the man he set out to kill, but also is the man who threatens all those he loves from his past. As the story unfolds Sebastiao falls deeper and deeper into the abyss of human deception. One after another of his beliefs and relationships seem to fall by the wayside. Liss weaves an engrossing tale full of foul characters, deceit, and a yearning for love and stability. What emerges is that Sebastiao comes to the realization that his inability to judge others has allowed him to fall into a trap that he must figure a way out of. Sebastiao’s actions become clouded in moral judgment as he must make decisions that will alter the lives of all around him. He is confronted with his inability to murder the Inquisitor when Lisbon falls victim to a major earthquake.
Liss presents wonderful word pictures through his prose. The scenes he paints of 18th century Lisbon are effective and accurate. His description of Lisbon during the earthquake reflects the intense preparation that Liss engages in once he sits down to prepare a story. He produces marvelous character sketches and allows the reader to enter the phenomenological world of each individual and watch their own emotions rise and fall depending on how a given scene evolves. Liss confronts what is the dichotomy of life, the quandary of human emotion. The issues of greed, revenge, temptation, love, kindness, sincerity are all explored. Is atonement and redemption possible? I guess what it comes down to is that people are nothing more than a mixture of flaws and virtues. All of which are explored in Liss’ wonderful novel.
While in London Sebastiao came under the tutelage of Benjamin Weaver, a character that Liss had developed in previous novels; A Conspiracy of Paper, A Spectacle of Corruption, and more recently, The Devil’s Company. Weaver is a former Jewish boxer, now a “thief taker” (“a person paid to find people and other things” (42) who Liss employs to explore the corruption, economic panic and anti-Semitism among other ills of society. In his new novel Liss has Weaver teach Sebastiao the art of deception and the skills needed to catch and punish thieves. Sebastiao’s family was among many Jewish families that had been forced to convert to Christianity generations ago. They were called “New Christians” but many maintained their religion in secret. Though raised a Catholic, while in London Sebastiao was circumcised and renewed his commitment to Judaism. Once in Lisbon he meets a number of characters who play an important role in his trying to achieve his goals, however the more people he meets the more difficult it becomes to maintain his new identity and carry out his wishes.
Sebastiao meets with Charles Settwell, who has fallen on hard times, when he learns that his father may have been betrayed to the Inquisition, as Settwell states, “I fear he was the victim of a plot to take his wealth and throw him to the dogs that he might expose the crime.” (65) Further, the Inquisition is still angry that his father’s wealth was not recovered. This and further information make Sebastiao aware that his task had become more complex.
At first Liss seems to describe a plot of simple revenge by a child grown into manhood against a corrupt priest. The goal of revenge quickly grows in proportion to include; ensuring the safety of a number of individuals, and paying a few past debts relating to his father and his childhood. This is the dilemma that Liss’ protagonist must confront as he is faced with a contest of wills with Pedro Azenhiero, the man he set out to kill, but also is the man who threatens all those he loves from his past. As the story unfolds Sebastiao falls deeper and deeper into the abyss of human deception. One after another of his beliefs and relationships seem to fall by the wayside. Liss weaves an engrossing tale full of foul characters, deceit, and a yearning for love and stability. What emerges is that Sebastiao comes to the realization that his inability to judge others has allowed him to fall into a trap that he must figure a way out of. Sebastiao’s actions become clouded in moral judgment as he must make decisions that will alter the lives of all around him. He is confronted with his inability to murder the Inquisitor when Lisbon falls victim to a major earthquake.
Liss presents wonderful word pictures through his prose. The scenes he paints of 18th century Lisbon are effective and accurate. His description of Lisbon during the earthquake reflects the intense preparation that Liss engages in once he sits down to prepare a story. He produces marvelous character sketches and allows the reader to enter the phenomenological world of each individual and watch their own emotions rise and fall depending on how a given scene evolves. Liss confronts what is the dichotomy of life, the quandary of human emotion. The issues of greed, revenge, temptation, love, kindness, sincerity are all explored. Is atonement and redemption possible? I guess what it comes down to is that people are nothing more than a mixture of flaws and virtues. All of which are explored in Liss’ wonderful novel.
May 15, 2015
When I first started this book, it annoyed me because the main character, Sebastian Foxx, was really dumb in some critical ways. He revealed too much to too many people, was overwhelmed with his cleverness, and trusted people who would obviously betray him before long. But it takes place in Lisbon (a place I know little about) under the thumb of the Inquisition (about which I know very little) so I kept with it.
After a while, I realized that the stupid behavior of the main character was not due to authorial ineptitude, but rather the author expertly depicting an impulsive man in his early twenties with plenty of strength and determination but not a lot of wisdom. What starts out as a simple revenge plot turns into a twisted joyride as Foxx gets involved with plots to help (but not help) the inquisition, help (but not look like he's helping) Settwell, and pretend to help (but not help) the Carvers, by getting the help of some Jewish moneylenders who are not really Jewish anymore, but "New Christians" of Jewish ancestry. Oh, and also, Foxx is a Jew pretending to be a Protestant pretending to be a Roman Catholic. He's also Portuguese, pretending to be English, in Portugal. Got it?
As everyone knows, high ambition and low impulse control in a main character make for great plots. Sebastian Foxx has both a burning desire for revenge and an almost pathological inability to worry about the effects of his actions. You may expect him to careen through the city like an avenging angel on crystal meth, and he does, but along the way he gets crossed and double crossed and triple crossed by all the people he meets. Foxx is strong and brave and ferocious, but not terribly bright. Never has a man wreaked so much havoc by trying to do right and save people. But he's likeable, even when he's being duped, because he just never gives up trying to do the right thing.
I liked this book so much, I'm going to look for other work by the same author.
After a while, I realized that the stupid behavior of the main character was not due to authorial ineptitude, but rather the author expertly depicting an impulsive man in his early twenties with plenty of strength and determination but not a lot of wisdom. What starts out as a simple revenge plot turns into a twisted joyride as Foxx gets involved with plots to help (but not help) the inquisition, help (but not look like he's helping) Settwell, and pretend to help (but not help) the Carvers, by getting the help of some Jewish moneylenders who are not really Jewish anymore, but "New Christians" of Jewish ancestry. Oh, and also, Foxx is a Jew pretending to be a Protestant pretending to be a Roman Catholic. He's also Portuguese, pretending to be English, in Portugal. Got it?
As everyone knows, high ambition and low impulse control in a main character make for great plots. Sebastian Foxx has both a burning desire for revenge and an almost pathological inability to worry about the effects of his actions. You may expect him to careen through the city like an avenging angel on crystal meth, and he does, but along the way he gets crossed and double crossed and triple crossed by all the people he meets. Foxx is strong and brave and ferocious, but not terribly bright. Never has a man wreaked so much havoc by trying to do right and save people. But he's likeable, even when he's being duped, because he just never gives up trying to do the right thing.
I liked this book so much, I'm going to look for other work by the same author.
February 21, 2015
A pure adventure and romance novel with little character development. It is fast paced with some interesting twist. The theme is revenge and atonement ,but the process through witch these ends are achieved is an excessive amount of violence and the threat of violence.( for which the protagonist regrets but after all these are despicable characters and deserve what they get)This unfortunately puts it on the level of a Walker Texas Ranger tv show - violence is bad but isn't great to see it meted out. As with Liss's previous novel the Twelfth Enchantment it was far below the quality of his earlier works.
March 31, 2024
An excellent book, whether in the series or as a stand alone, especially if you are travelling or familiar with the city of Lisbon. I appreciate how it covers the little discussed but long-lasting and devastating effects of the Inquisition in Portugal. I was looking for books with a Portugal setting in a rush, and hadn't read any others in the series and up until the end didn't feel that I needed to (and still didn't except to understand and relate the Benjamin Weaver character). I look forward to reading the earlier books in the series, which is uncharacteristic of my usual reading habits, although so is reading a book mid-series. Look at what an adventurous reader I'm becoming!??!
January 16, 2018
Set in eighteenth century Lisbon, Portugal, THE DAY OF ATONEMENT is a thrilling novel about justice, revenge, and ultimately, mercy. The story's protagonist, Sebastiao Raposa, seeks refuge in England to avoid the fate his parents unjustly suffered at the hands of the Catholic Church's infamous Inquisition. For ten years, he's fueled by hatred and hope of one day returning to the city of his childhood to seek justice against those who were responsible for the deaths of his parents, but once arrived in the country of his birth, he finds that the course of revenge is neither as simple or straightforward as he had always envisioned. Complications ensue that make Sebastiao question the merit of his mission as well as the necessity for revenge. As his plan unravels, he's faced with dilemmas that force him to question his own actions in addition to those he once thought had treated him and his family so unjustly.
Despite the typical, expected curve balls that are often a part of the thriller genre that has characters never appearing to be what they are, I found the THE DAY OF ATONEMENT to be a fast-paced, interesting, worthwhile read.
Despite the typical, expected curve balls that are often a part of the thriller genre that has characters never appearing to be what they are, I found the THE DAY OF ATONEMENT to be a fast-paced, interesting, worthwhile read.
March 3, 2018
Exciting revenge novel, set in 1700s Portugal, where a "New Christian" [in actuality a Jew] seeks to kill a priest of the Inquisition and the man who had betrayed his father to the Inquisition. Nothing is as it seems in this novel and Mr. Liss filled it with unexpected twists and turns. The Earthquake of 1755 sets the book on its final course. The novel explores the nature of revenge and that of mercy.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
December 15, 2017
It's 1755 and a distinguished looking gentleman emerges from the bowels of a
ship in Lisbon arriving from London. His name is Sebastiao Raposa and he is here
for a purpose. His parents were abducted by the Inquisition when he was 13. He is
now fully grown and trained in all of the martial arts. His purpose for being here is
revenge. He is here to repay old debts and to find and kill the man who had his parents
abducted. Anyone who might have revenge on their minds would do well to read this
novel. I found it to be an interesting story but once again I didn't care for the ending.
I gave it a 3.5.
ship in Lisbon arriving from London. His name is Sebastiao Raposa and he is here
for a purpose. His parents were abducted by the Inquisition when he was 13. He is
now fully grown and trained in all of the martial arts. His purpose for being here is
revenge. He is here to repay old debts and to find and kill the man who had his parents
abducted. Anyone who might have revenge on their minds would do well to read this
novel. I found it to be an interesting story but once again I didn't care for the ending.
I gave it a 3.5.
August 6, 2017
In 1745, Lisbon is still in the firm grip of the Inquisition. (The Portuguese Inquisition was not officially disbanded until 1821.) Families that have been converted for generations are still persecuted as "Judaizers." Of course, most people are arrested by the Inquisition for other reasons: denouncers getting revenge or seeking profit, victims of torture giving up names to escape further punishment, or people arrested to get leverage on other people. Lisbon is a pit of vipers. Arrest could happen any moment, but it still comes as a shock to Sebastião Raposa when his father is taken by the Inquisition. His mother calls in a last favor to get Sebastião on a packet boat to England. He never sees them again. David Liss's The Day of Atonement is Sebastião's tale of revenge against the people who destroyed his family...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss for review consideration.
December 14, 2017
I have read and very much enjoyed almost all of David Liss' novels. In my view, this was not his best work but, nonetheless, it had very interesting characters and was well plotted and well written. One character ties it to Liss's previous books about Benjamin Weaver, the thief taker but it isn't necessary to have read the previous Weaver books to enjoy this one.
The majority of The Day of Atonement is set in sixteenth century Lisbon and deals with the life of a young man who was originally from that city. When his parents feared that they would be taken by the Inquisition, he was sent to London in the care and training of the aforementioned Benjamin Weaver. The primary objective of his return to Lisbon is to track down and execute those responsible for the imprisonment and death of his parents. Mayhem ensues.
The End
The majority of The Day of Atonement is set in sixteenth century Lisbon and deals with the life of a young man who was originally from that city. When his parents feared that they would be taken by the Inquisition, he was sent to London in the care and training of the aforementioned Benjamin Weaver. The primary objective of his return to Lisbon is to track down and execute those responsible for the imprisonment and death of his parents. Mayhem ensues.
The End
October 27, 2015
9 de 10*
Tenho e li há já muitos anos três livros de David Liss. Com o passar do tempo, as histórias foram-se esfumando da minha cabeça, mas não a certeza de que gostei muito de as ler. Por isso mesmo, assim que vi que o Clube do Autor tinha lançado um novo livro do autor, quis muito ler esta nova história.
Este livro veio confirmar que, de facto, David Liss escreve muito bem e tem a particularidade de centrar a trama em Lisboa, o que a torna ainda mais especial.
Comentário completo em:
http://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.pt/...
Tenho e li há já muitos anos três livros de David Liss. Com o passar do tempo, as histórias foram-se esfumando da minha cabeça, mas não a certeza de que gostei muito de as ler. Por isso mesmo, assim que vi que o Clube do Autor tinha lançado um novo livro do autor, quis muito ler esta nova história.
Este livro veio confirmar que, de facto, David Liss escreve muito bem e tem a particularidade de centrar a trama em Lisboa, o que a torna ainda mais especial.
Comentário completo em:
http://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.pt/...
May 5, 2015
I love historical fiction and have all of this author's books.
Mr. Liss has never let me down, although admittedly, some of his works are better than others. In terms of historical accuracy, The Day of Atonement is good, but not perfect. However, the story moves along nicely and the reader gets to re-acquaint themselves with a character introduced in The Devil's Company.
Even though not his best, definitely still a good read and highly recommended.
Mr. Liss has never let me down, although admittedly, some of his works are better than others. In terms of historical accuracy, The Day of Atonement is good, but not perfect. However, the story moves along nicely and the reader gets to re-acquaint themselves with a character introduced in The Devil's Company.
Even though not his best, definitely still a good read and highly recommended.
April 18, 2016
Revenge, murder, love, lust, betrayal, atonement . . . what an intriguing, fascinating read set in Lisbon before and during the earthquake of 1755. It's on my "short list" for book club next year.
August 3, 2017
Eighteenth century Jack Reacher
November 2, 2018
Ao contrário do que refiro no vídeo de opinião, este é o quinto (e não quarto) livro que leio do autor e confesso que não tinha reparo que esta história estava também relacionada com Benjamin Weaver, o protagonista de A Conspiração de Papel, O Grande Cosnpirador e A Companhia do Diabo.
Desta vez, o nosso protagonista é Sebastian Foxx (ou Sebastião Raposo), um cristão-novo português, que quando tinha 13 anos teve que fugir para Inglaterra, onde foi acolhido por Weaver. Sebastian decide regressar a Lisboa, 10 anos depois, para se vingar de quem traiu o seu pai e do padre responsável pela sua prisão.
Mais uma vez, David Liss não me desiludiu e criou uma narrativa histórica cheia que me cativou, com uma fantástica caracterização da cidade de Lisboa do século XVIII, misturando os dilemas pessoais do nosso protagonista. Temos ainda o relato, em primeira mão, do terramoto de 1755.
Para quem gosta de romances históricos, os livros de David Liss são uma boa aposta!
Vejam também a minha opinião em vídeo, AQUI.
Desta vez, o nosso protagonista é Sebastian Foxx (ou Sebastião Raposo), um cristão-novo português, que quando tinha 13 anos teve que fugir para Inglaterra, onde foi acolhido por Weaver. Sebastian decide regressar a Lisboa, 10 anos depois, para se vingar de quem traiu o seu pai e do padre responsável pela sua prisão.
Mais uma vez, David Liss não me desiludiu e criou uma narrativa histórica cheia que me cativou, com uma fantástica caracterização da cidade de Lisboa do século XVIII, misturando os dilemas pessoais do nosso protagonista. Temos ainda o relato, em primeira mão, do terramoto de 1755.
Para quem gosta de romances históricos, os livros de David Liss são uma boa aposta!
Vejam também a minha opinião em vídeo, AQUI.
July 31, 2018
Not as great as the Benjamin Weaver novels but still very enjoyable. The plot is most suspenseful, though the revenge line is a little implausible at times. What I loved most was reading about the history of Portuguese inquisition and the famous Lisbon earthquake - it was simply fascinating. I felt deeply for people who had to live in constant mortal fear under such a totalitarian and cruel regime. Waiting for the next one by Liss.
August 27, 2020
The year is 1755 and Sebastião Raposa has revenge on his mind. Returning to his native Lisbon after a decade of exile in London, he seeks to avenge the betrayal and murder of his parents at the hands of the Portuguese Inquisition. Traveling in the guise of an English merchant seeking his fortune, the 23-year old Raposa—who operates under the cover of his anglicized name of Sebastian Foxx—wants only at first to kill the Inquisitor he holds responsible for his parents’ deaths. However, his plans quickly become far more complicated as past relationships from his youth cloud his mission and present challenges to both his judgment and his sense of honor. How can Foxx accomplish his goal of killing the guilty priest—an act which he has tied to the ability to reclaim his own life—while still meeting the obligations he feels to the friends he left behind?
Those familiar with David Liss’ work will recognize the combination of atmospheric historical fiction, moral and spiritual conflict, and outright mayhem that forms the essential plot of The Day of Atonement. In fact, Liss has integrated Benjamin Weaver, the compelling protagonist from some of his earlier novels (A Conspiracy of Paper, A Spectacle of Corruption, The Devil’s Company), into the story in a supporting role as young Foxx’s guardian and mentor. Unquestionably, though, Sebastian Foxx is the main focus of this tale, along with the city of Lisbon itself, in all its sordid and miserable glory. In fact, that town is portrayed as being so depraved and corrupt that the earthquake which destroys it toward the end of the novel is seen as cleansing and liberating force.
I enjoyed reading The Day of Atonement, but I did not think it ranked among the best of the author’s work. By far, the most interesting part of the book was the highly developed sense of time and place that Liss manages to create out of an insular society in the grips of an extended period of religious persecution. What did not work nearly as well for me were the myriad details of the story itself. In particular, Foxx is portrayed as a man with super-human physical prowess—almost comically unbelievable, actually—but with constantly shifting loyalties and an unerring tendency to trust the wrong people for the wrong reasons. I am not a squeamish reader by any means, but I also found the level of violence and malice in the novel to be excessive, bordering on being well over the top. Finally, I found the resolution to the tale to be disappointingly vague, with some of the main characters forgotten altogether at the end. So, for me, this book was really more of a near-miss than the hit I was hoping for.
Those familiar with David Liss’ work will recognize the combination of atmospheric historical fiction, moral and spiritual conflict, and outright mayhem that forms the essential plot of The Day of Atonement. In fact, Liss has integrated Benjamin Weaver, the compelling protagonist from some of his earlier novels (A Conspiracy of Paper, A Spectacle of Corruption, The Devil’s Company), into the story in a supporting role as young Foxx’s guardian and mentor. Unquestionably, though, Sebastian Foxx is the main focus of this tale, along with the city of Lisbon itself, in all its sordid and miserable glory. In fact, that town is portrayed as being so depraved and corrupt that the earthquake which destroys it toward the end of the novel is seen as cleansing and liberating force.
I enjoyed reading The Day of Atonement, but I did not think it ranked among the best of the author’s work. By far, the most interesting part of the book was the highly developed sense of time and place that Liss manages to create out of an insular society in the grips of an extended period of religious persecution. What did not work nearly as well for me were the myriad details of the story itself. In particular, Foxx is portrayed as a man with super-human physical prowess—almost comically unbelievable, actually—but with constantly shifting loyalties and an unerring tendency to trust the wrong people for the wrong reasons. I am not a squeamish reader by any means, but I also found the level of violence and malice in the novel to be excessive, bordering on being well over the top. Finally, I found the resolution to the tale to be disappointingly vague, with some of the main characters forgotten altogether at the end. So, for me, this book was really more of a near-miss than the hit I was hoping for.
June 13, 2017
This is ostensibly the fourth book in Liss's Benjamin Weaver series of historical novels, but Weaver is an incredibly minor character in this story.
Instead, we follow Sebastian Foxx on his quest for revenge and atonement. Foxx was originally Sebastiao Raposa, a New Christian boy living in 18th Century Lisbon. Portugal at the time was firmly under the heel of the Inquisition and Sebastiao's family were some of their victims. Sebastiao escaped to London, but has never been able to let go of the anger and loss caused by the death of his family.
At first, Sebastian returned to Lisbon merely to kill the priest responsible for his parents' deaths, but he almost immediately uncovers an entire den of plotters and victims that must be dealt with first. Unsurprisingly, because this is a Liss novel, banking and trade play a huge part of the plot.
I was disappointed with Sebastian as a protagonist, especially compared to Benjamin Weaver. He's just not as smart as his mentor; he is violent and filled with rage and he is not particularly good at thinking ahead of his enemies. Where Weaver analyzes a situation and learns all he can from it, Sebastian just barrels in, knives out.
It's a little unfair to compare the two protagonists, since they're obviously very different characters dealing with a wildly different set of circumstances, but when the book is billed as part of an ongoing series, I expect the flavor of the series to remain intact.
The ending is also a weird, wild, deus ex machina disappointment.
I'll continue automatically buying Liss's books as he writes them, but I'm hoping he returns to the original protagonist and feel of the series.
Instead, we follow Sebastian Foxx on his quest for revenge and atonement. Foxx was originally Sebastiao Raposa, a New Christian boy living in 18th Century Lisbon. Portugal at the time was firmly under the heel of the Inquisition and Sebastiao's family were some of their victims. Sebastiao escaped to London, but has never been able to let go of the anger and loss caused by the death of his family.
At first, Sebastian returned to Lisbon merely to kill the priest responsible for his parents' deaths, but he almost immediately uncovers an entire den of plotters and victims that must be dealt with first. Unsurprisingly, because this is a Liss novel, banking and trade play a huge part of the plot.
I was disappointed with Sebastian as a protagonist, especially compared to Benjamin Weaver. He's just not as smart as his mentor; he is violent and filled with rage and he is not particularly good at thinking ahead of his enemies. Where Weaver analyzes a situation and learns all he can from it, Sebastian just barrels in, knives out.
It's a little unfair to compare the two protagonists, since they're obviously very different characters dealing with a wildly different set of circumstances, but when the book is billed as part of an ongoing series, I expect the flavor of the series to remain intact.
The ending is also a weird, wild, deus ex machina disappointment.
I'll continue automatically buying Liss's books as he writes them, but I'm hoping he returns to the original protagonist and feel of the series.
December 16, 2019
If you are looking for a Benjamin Weaver novel in the technical sense – i.e. one in which Weaver actually appears for more than a dozen pages – you will be sorely disappointed by The Day of Atonement. The protagonist is actually Sebastian Foxx, Weaver’s young protegee. Also, where the previous Weaver novels are set in the early 18th Century in London, this book is set decades later and 90% of it occurs in Lisbon, Portugal. Foxx is, on the surface, a similar character to Weaver, who he considers a foster father and who trained him as a thief taker; also, like Weaver, he is Jewish and therefore considered a second class citizen (socially if not legally) in 1750’s England. However, Foxx is a much more emotional (mostly rage) person than Weaver due to his background; unlike his mentor, who lived his entire life in England, Foxx was a New Christian (“converso”) who was smuggled out of Portugal one step ahead on the Inquisition (who imprisoned and essentially killed the rest of his family). At the beginning of the story, Foxx is basically a ticking bomb. His desire for revenge causes him to leave London and return to Portugal under an assumed identity, there to track down and kill the Inquisitor responsible for his parents’ deaths. Things immediately become less simple (This is a Liss story – you knew it would.) , and he becomes involved in multiple interlocking plots, with intrigue, treachery, and conflicting loyalties. Overall an excellent tale. Like the earlier Weaver novels, the history is well done, and the characters motivations are true to the period but totally relatable. 4 Stars. While the introduction of a new protagonist seems to indicate an end to the "real" Benjamin Weaver novels, it's possible that there may be more - since books 1-3 are written as memoirs from an older and successful Weaver, nothing in #4 is really a spoiler.
December 3, 2014
historical novel set in lisbon 1755. yes, you know what happened that year.
pretty good details of inquisition against new christians, saving their damned souls while also taking all their money and property.
english too in a trading colony circumscribed by the church, profit, and hypocrisy.
a bit heavy on the clive cussler-like swashbucklery, but great earthquake writing.
pretty good details of inquisition against new christians, saving their damned souls while also taking all their money and property.
english too in a trading colony circumscribed by the church, profit, and hypocrisy.
a bit heavy on the clive cussler-like swashbucklery, but great earthquake writing.
January 12, 2015
Every single book this man writes is simply fantastic...! Swoon. Again.
August 24, 2015
Learn a bit about the Inquisition in Portugal with a good adventure/redemption/revenge story. Not my favorite Liss.
April 11, 2016
Dear Mr. Liss - I've been hoping for many, many months to share the following message with you: After completing The Day of Atonement, I foregive you for The Twelfth enchantment. :-)
December 14, 2016
Liss always writes really gripping page turners. If you like well-researched historical fiction from a jewish perspective you could do a lot worse.
August 23, 2023
Over a decade ago, young Sebastião Fox was spirited away from Portugal, a freshly-minted orphan. His parents destroyed by the Inquisition, Sebastião came into the care of the now-aged Benjamin Weaver, London’s most accomplished thieftaker. After coming of age and absorbing Weaver’s skills, “Sebastian Fox” purposes to return to Portugal, find the inquisitorial priest who destroyed his father, and return the favor. He finds Lisbon as treacherous as ever, with a maze of personal and social snares to navigate around. Day of Atonement is essentially a Benjamin Weaver novel, with all the danger, mystery, and fascinating historical richness that entails, but with Weaver being literarily reincarnated.
I’ve been reading Liss for over twelve years now, and I don’t anticipate stopping anytime soon. Day of Atonement, like his previous Weaver novels, takes the reader into a setting un-explored by other historical fiction authors, tells the story with an authorial voice that conveys a little bit of that era’s distance from our own, and builds a complex mystery with memorable characters and intense emotional drama. Deep betrayals are part and parcel of a Weaver tale. When Fox returns to Portugal, he is a changed man from the relatively innocent child who was smuggled away, a man who knows and practices violence and regards himself as almost bestial for his rage and past actions — actions the reader does not directly witness His parents and he were “New Christians”, Jews forcefully converted to Catholicism years before but still legally and socially regarded as separate, second-class citizens — not allowed to marry “Old Christians”, for instance, and constantly held under suspicion. Sebastian’s father had dealings that were intended to let their entire family escape, along with Sebastian’s young love Gabriella and her father, but instead the inquisitorial reapers swept down and only Sebastian managed to escape alive — or so he thought. There’s a surprise or two in store, and not necessarily happy ones. Although Sebastian’s goal of finding and isolating the priest responsible for his parents’ death involves a fair bit of delicate maneuvering, Sebastian’s journey in Lisbon becomes increasingly more dangerous after he meets the man who rescued him — a man who himself needs rescuing, but for whom rescue involves generating alliances and funds among New Christians and Old Christian investors — and learns the identity of the man who betrayed his father to the inquisitors. Others spot him as a man of intelligence, talent, and drive, and try working him into their own conflicting schemes for gold and glory.
The Day of Atonement is as fascinating and absorbing as any Weaver tale, though the setting is darker and more inhumane than say, 18th century London, given the hateful social structure arrayed against Porutgal’s Jewry. Unfortunately, I think I’ve plumbed the last of Liss’s historical fiction proper, though he does have another one with fantasy elements.
I’ve been reading Liss for over twelve years now, and I don’t anticipate stopping anytime soon. Day of Atonement, like his previous Weaver novels, takes the reader into a setting un-explored by other historical fiction authors, tells the story with an authorial voice that conveys a little bit of that era’s distance from our own, and builds a complex mystery with memorable characters and intense emotional drama. Deep betrayals are part and parcel of a Weaver tale. When Fox returns to Portugal, he is a changed man from the relatively innocent child who was smuggled away, a man who knows and practices violence and regards himself as almost bestial for his rage and past actions — actions the reader does not directly witness His parents and he were “New Christians”, Jews forcefully converted to Catholicism years before but still legally and socially regarded as separate, second-class citizens — not allowed to marry “Old Christians”, for instance, and constantly held under suspicion. Sebastian’s father had dealings that were intended to let their entire family escape, along with Sebastian’s young love Gabriella and her father, but instead the inquisitorial reapers swept down and only Sebastian managed to escape alive — or so he thought. There’s a surprise or two in store, and not necessarily happy ones. Although Sebastian’s goal of finding and isolating the priest responsible for his parents’ death involves a fair bit of delicate maneuvering, Sebastian’s journey in Lisbon becomes increasingly more dangerous after he meets the man who rescued him — a man who himself needs rescuing, but for whom rescue involves generating alliances and funds among New Christians and Old Christian investors — and learns the identity of the man who betrayed his father to the inquisitors. Others spot him as a man of intelligence, talent, and drive, and try working him into their own conflicting schemes for gold and glory.
The Day of Atonement is as fascinating and absorbing as any Weaver tale, though the setting is darker and more inhumane than say, 18th century London, given the hateful social structure arrayed against Porutgal’s Jewry. Unfortunately, I think I’ve plumbed the last of Liss’s historical fiction proper, though he does have another one with fantasy elements.
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