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The Third Hour
"An amazing read. What a debut." Heather Graham, New York Times Bestselling Author.
The Third Hour is an original spin on the religious-thriller genre, incorporating elements of science fiction combined with an interesting take on real historical figures, who are made a part of the experiment at the heart of the novel, and the fast pace that builds to an OMG didn't see that coming ending.
Once a devout catholic, Dominic Renzi finds himself at a crossroad in his life and his faith. A dying priest's last words, whispered to Dominic, pull him back to the church in a way he never expected. And a conspiracy begins to unravel as he becomes the center of a complicated maze of the world's biggest mysteries: Roswell, the Bermuda Triangle and time travel. With help from inside the U.S. Senate and the Vatican, Dominic struggles to find the truth and save his life. Can he uncover the secrets from the past before he is stopped once and for all? Perhaps all the answers he seeks can be found at The Third Hour.
The Third Hour is an original spin on the religious-thriller genre, incorporating elements of science fiction combined with an interesting take on real historical figures, who are made a part of the experiment at the heart of the novel, and the fast pace that builds to an OMG didn't see that coming ending.
Once a devout catholic, Dominic Renzi finds himself at a crossroad in his life and his faith. A dying priest's last words, whispered to Dominic, pull him back to the church in a way he never expected. And a conspiracy begins to unravel as he becomes the center of a complicated maze of the world's biggest mysteries: Roswell, the Bermuda Triangle and time travel. With help from inside the U.S. Senate and the Vatican, Dominic struggles to find the truth and save his life. Can he uncover the secrets from the past before he is stopped once and for all? Perhaps all the answers he seeks can be found at The Third Hour.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2014
25 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Richard Devin
17 books10 followersAbout Richard Devin
Praise for books by Richard Devin:
For Ripper-A Love Story:
"[A] beguiling combination of romance and murder. Is the Crown Prince of England really Jack the Ripper? His wife would certainly like to know....and so will you."
Diana Gabaldon, New York Times Bestselling Author
"Skillful blend of romance and terror. Don't miss this."
F. Paul Wilson, New York Times Bestselling Author and creator of Repairman Jack.
For The Third Hour:
"A plot with all kinds of twists and turns. A keeper!"
Heather Graham, New York Times Bestselling Author
USA Best Book award Thriller.
The Third Hour is currently in development for a feature film.
Devin's stories are included in the Never Fear anthology series and the Romantic Times: Vegas and Hunted West anthologies. Other works include: Ripper - A Love Story, Uncharted Worlds, Tales from the Casting Couch and Glory - A Nation Mourns.
Non-Fiction titles: Actors' Resumes: The Definitive Guidebook, Do You Want To Be An Actor? and Stop Saying Yes - Negotiate! the current "go to" guide for major companies and their negotiating teams.
He was a contributing columnist to Southern Nevada Equestrian Magazine and Envy Man magazine.
Devin received the Foundation for the Vital Arts Award for his plays: Deceptive Peace and My Mother's Coming.
A Champion Equestrian, he competes in Dressage with his Oldenburg partner Immerjoy (Emmy).
Find more at www.RichardDevin.com
Praise for books by Richard Devin:
For Ripper-A Love Story:
"[A] beguiling combination of romance and murder. Is the Crown Prince of England really Jack the Ripper? His wife would certainly like to know....and so will you."
Diana Gabaldon, New York Times Bestselling Author
"Skillful blend of romance and terror. Don't miss this."
F. Paul Wilson, New York Times Bestselling Author and creator of Repairman Jack.
For The Third Hour:
"A plot with all kinds of twists and turns. A keeper!"
Heather Graham, New York Times Bestselling Author
USA Best Book award Thriller.
The Third Hour is currently in development for a feature film.
Devin's stories are included in the Never Fear anthology series and the Romantic Times: Vegas and Hunted West anthologies. Other works include: Ripper - A Love Story, Uncharted Worlds, Tales from the Casting Couch and Glory - A Nation Mourns.
Non-Fiction titles: Actors' Resumes: The Definitive Guidebook, Do You Want To Be An Actor? and Stop Saying Yes - Negotiate! the current "go to" guide for major companies and their negotiating teams.
He was a contributing columnist to Southern Nevada Equestrian Magazine and Envy Man magazine.
Devin received the Foundation for the Vital Arts Award for his plays: Deceptive Peace and My Mother's Coming.
A Champion Equestrian, he competes in Dressage with his Oldenburg partner Immerjoy (Emmy).
Find more at www.RichardDevin.com
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 4, 2014
I won this in a goodreads giveaway.
What do Roswell, the Bermuda Triangle, Einstein and a Roman Catholic cardinal have in common? through time travel and faith, Devin answers this question. Through the back-and-forth between the present (2006) and the past (1940s), the reader (and some characters) learn that perception is clouded by understanding. It's quite intriguing, and of the same vein of Dan Brown's novels.
I think that Devin should add a disclaimer, like Brown does, about what is definitely fact. Like did the rumors of the Bermuda triangle really occur in the 1940s, and there's nothing before that? Was the Vatican helping fund space programs? Was Einstein truly looking for ways to time travel? I like it when pure fact is separated by possible fiction from the start.
In 2006, Dominic is a former Roman Catholic priest who finds a body in his flat. He calls his friend Tonita to help him, working through a chain reaction that has already begun. Brother Salvatore has been talking to "the Jesuit" about some plan they think God put on them, but really they're zealots with a dangerous passion. On the other hand...how do Dominic and his friends know God is with them? really though, the others do some quite perverse things in the name of religion and God, when they're actually working against those teachings.
Celent is a Cardinal who is willing to sacrifice others, but has a good heart. He let's Dominic know that the mayhem around his current life is because of his importance. He is the Key.
A person's instincts run deeper than surface thought. We can be hearing the voice of the Spirit.
I loved learning of why Celent became a priest! Devin did a great job of showing just how normal crucifixions were.
I MUST LOOK UP FLEXAGON I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THAT.
Devin's writing is really great. I was quickly drawn in. Issues I had though:
-Sometimes, when the time frame changes within a chapter, it's a bit difficult to determine where the break is (like at the end of chapter 6).
- on page 100, there should be a quote before "and is that why this monk was trying to kill you?"
- on page 326, it says 'write' instead of 'right'
- on page 327 it says 'other's' instead of others
Also...just what IS the third hour?
What do Roswell, the Bermuda Triangle, Einstein and a Roman Catholic cardinal have in common? through time travel and faith, Devin answers this question. Through the back-and-forth between the present (2006) and the past (1940s), the reader (and some characters) learn that perception is clouded by understanding. It's quite intriguing, and of the same vein of Dan Brown's novels.
I think that Devin should add a disclaimer, like Brown does, about what is definitely fact. Like did the rumors of the Bermuda triangle really occur in the 1940s, and there's nothing before that? Was the Vatican helping fund space programs? Was Einstein truly looking for ways to time travel? I like it when pure fact is separated by possible fiction from the start.
In 2006, Dominic is a former Roman Catholic priest who finds a body in his flat. He calls his friend Tonita to help him, working through a chain reaction that has already begun. Brother Salvatore has been talking to "the Jesuit" about some plan they think God put on them, but really they're zealots with a dangerous passion. On the other hand...how do Dominic and his friends know God is with them? really though, the others do some quite perverse things in the name of religion and God, when they're actually working against those teachings.
Celent is a Cardinal who is willing to sacrifice others, but has a good heart. He let's Dominic know that the mayhem around his current life is because of his importance. He is the Key.
A person's instincts run deeper than surface thought. We can be hearing the voice of the Spirit.
I loved learning of why Celent became a priest! Devin did a great job of showing just how normal crucifixions were.
I MUST LOOK UP FLEXAGON I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THAT.
Devin's writing is really great. I was quickly drawn in. Issues I had though:
-Sometimes, when the time frame changes within a chapter, it's a bit difficult to determine where the break is (like at the end of chapter 6).
- on page 100, there should be a quote before "and is that why this monk was trying to kill you?"
- on page 326, it says 'write' instead of 'right'
- on page 327 it says 'other's' instead of others
Also...just what IS the third hour?
June 10, 2014
I love political - religious thrillers. Well to be honest, I really love all types of thrillers, but I get a little board with the same plot lines of someone gets murdered - someone solves it. This book caught my attention when a friend told me about it. A book that has Roswell, the Bermuda Triangle and Time Travel all wrapped around a government/Vatican conspiracy ... well that books for me ... and I think for you too!
It's fast, well written and ties together sci-fi elements with Dan Brownish stories. And the end was really unexpected and cool. I'd recommend The Third Hour.
It's fast, well written and ties together sci-fi elements with Dan Brownish stories. And the end was really unexpected and cool. I'd recommend The Third Hour.
September 21, 2014
I won this book as part of a goodreads giveaway a couple of months ago.
I had wanted to rate it 3.5 stars, and was going to round it down to 3 because of the overall rating so far, but then I read the ending (especially regarding Tonita) and decided it was too good for just 3 stars, so I rounded it up instead.
First, I should start with the beginning. The prologue I thought was well written, with just enough mystery to suck you in, while still being descriptive enough that you know something of what is going on. I liked how most characters remained unnamed. I read a lot of tales where characters who don't matter reveal their names, and how much they want to get home to their wife and three kids. It's information we don't need to know for the story. Devin, in his prologue, only names the characters we need to know about, so we know they are going to be important later on. The use of a famous historical figure was a winner in my books, then there is no need to waste precious words on a description because we already know this person, words which if stretched out could allow teetering readers to get away. So the prologue was top notch.
Next we move onto the main part of the story, or at least, the introductory part of the main part, where we meet our major characters and find out their necessary backgrounds. I felt that this was a little haphazard, with major action sequences (such as Dominic finding his front door unlocked and subsequent events) interrupted with flashbacks that probably could have waited until a more appropriate time. The choice of omniscient narrator will always be a gamble, and true to its perils I found myself not caring for the characters as much as I perhaps should have, but given the way the story plays out, there really would not have been any other option, so it is perhaps unfair to nitpick on an essential choice.
The remainder of the story played out like a teenager bunnyhopping their manual car. We were constantly yanked around in space and time which to me disrupted the novel's flow. The parts that actually dealt with time travel were fine by me, I mostly mean the parts when we are trasported to Rasputin's experiments in Siberia or the part concerning the Bermuda Triangle. These parts would have, in my opinion, been better to have been told to us third person, perhaps by Cardinal Celent, as it would have brought us more in line with Dominic and Tonita's skepticism (can you trust the storyteller?), and would have eliminated unneccesary characters.
The ending was somehow both brilliant and disappointing. I thought that the final confrontation with the villain was a bit too short given how much we had been worked up for it. The rest of the ending though, and the revelation of links we hadn't realised before, as well as the alternate takes of what was meant by certain historical events and quotes was a great touch, I thought. Devin sews up the story neatly in the ending, which is preceisely what an ending is supposed to do, so I find little to be able to fault with it.
So now that I have revealed my thoughts of the actual story, let me now move on to the other aspect of novels, the editing and techniques.
In terms of character development, I found most characters a little bit lacklustre. I felt quite detached from the main characters. Dominic fluctuated between being a Mary Sue and a completely rude tool, which prevented my being connected to his plight. Tonita came off as a bit of a know-it-all to me, and when there was something that she didn't know, she became sarcastic and annoying. Bear in mind I mean development and backstory to be two completely different beasts here. The villain is a character we are all supposed to hate, but I found myself warming to him because he was so genuine about his cause (his methods though were completely villainous!). I felt like some kind of explanation as to why he is so pious and fanatical would have benefited his story, perhaps being severely beaten by non-Christian bullies at some point. My point is that good Christians are not murderous fanatics, and there ust have been something in this man that made him the way that he is. The only characters I actually really connected with were the lesser characters, particularly Inspector Carolla and Cardinal Celent. to me they were sufficiently developed to a depth appropriate for their character involvement.
Finally, to say that the editing was atrocious is perhaps not the right word. Probably nonexistent would be more apt. The entire story was riddled with spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. One notable example was early in the novel, with a church member giving a blessing as '...the Father, the Son and the Holy Sprit'. There were examples of words missing, incorrect words used (such as the instead of then) and extra words. There was even an example of a word being used where it was completely wrong, but spelt similarly to one that would have fit perfectly, evidently the result of a spelling mistake being automatically corrected to the wrong word, then not even being proof read to pick up on it. Richard Devin really likes his commas, the whole thing is full of them, many in areas where they should not have been, and at one point, a list began with a colon mid-sentence, a classic no-no for fictional prose. In fact, the entire thing read like a first draft to me. As though after the words and story were penned down, it went straight off to the publisher, with no proof reading or editing evident. It didn't change the story much, and still got the point across, but one does not pick up a Stephen King or Neil Gaiman to find it riddled with basic errors. It seemed more unproffesional to me than anything else.
But to give the review a bit of a summary, I would say that this novel is definitely an ejoyable tale. I wasn't hooked the entire way through, but I found it an acceptable addition to my reading for this year. And true to Devin's message signed in the front cover, it really did make me "rethink what you know". Thank you for the opportunity to read your story, Rich, and feel free to send me more at any time ;)
I had wanted to rate it 3.5 stars, and was going to round it down to 3 because of the overall rating so far, but then I read the ending (especially regarding Tonita) and decided it was too good for just 3 stars, so I rounded it up instead.
First, I should start with the beginning. The prologue I thought was well written, with just enough mystery to suck you in, while still being descriptive enough that you know something of what is going on. I liked how most characters remained unnamed. I read a lot of tales where characters who don't matter reveal their names, and how much they want to get home to their wife and three kids. It's information we don't need to know for the story. Devin, in his prologue, only names the characters we need to know about, so we know they are going to be important later on. The use of a famous historical figure was a winner in my books, then there is no need to waste precious words on a description because we already know this person, words which if stretched out could allow teetering readers to get away. So the prologue was top notch.
Next we move onto the main part of the story, or at least, the introductory part of the main part, where we meet our major characters and find out their necessary backgrounds. I felt that this was a little haphazard, with major action sequences (such as Dominic finding his front door unlocked and subsequent events) interrupted with flashbacks that probably could have waited until a more appropriate time. The choice of omniscient narrator will always be a gamble, and true to its perils I found myself not caring for the characters as much as I perhaps should have, but given the way the story plays out, there really would not have been any other option, so it is perhaps unfair to nitpick on an essential choice.
The remainder of the story played out like a teenager bunnyhopping their manual car. We were constantly yanked around in space and time which to me disrupted the novel's flow. The parts that actually dealt with time travel were fine by me, I mostly mean the parts when we are trasported to Rasputin's experiments in Siberia or the part concerning the Bermuda Triangle. These parts would have, in my opinion, been better to have been told to us third person, perhaps by Cardinal Celent, as it would have brought us more in line with Dominic and Tonita's skepticism (can you trust the storyteller?), and would have eliminated unneccesary characters.
The ending was somehow both brilliant and disappointing. I thought that the final confrontation with the villain was a bit too short given how much we had been worked up for it. The rest of the ending though, and the revelation of links we hadn't realised before, as well as the alternate takes of what was meant by certain historical events and quotes was a great touch, I thought. Devin sews up the story neatly in the ending, which is preceisely what an ending is supposed to do, so I find little to be able to fault with it.
So now that I have revealed my thoughts of the actual story, let me now move on to the other aspect of novels, the editing and techniques.
In terms of character development, I found most characters a little bit lacklustre. I felt quite detached from the main characters. Dominic fluctuated between being a Mary Sue and a completely rude tool, which prevented my being connected to his plight. Tonita came off as a bit of a know-it-all to me, and when there was something that she didn't know, she became sarcastic and annoying. Bear in mind I mean development and backstory to be two completely different beasts here. The villain is a character we are all supposed to hate, but I found myself warming to him because he was so genuine about his cause (his methods though were completely villainous!). I felt like some kind of explanation as to why he is so pious and fanatical would have benefited his story, perhaps being severely beaten by non-Christian bullies at some point. My point is that good Christians are not murderous fanatics, and there ust have been something in this man that made him the way that he is. The only characters I actually really connected with were the lesser characters, particularly Inspector Carolla and Cardinal Celent. to me they were sufficiently developed to a depth appropriate for their character involvement.
Finally, to say that the editing was atrocious is perhaps not the right word. Probably nonexistent would be more apt. The entire story was riddled with spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. One notable example was early in the novel, with a church member giving a blessing as '...the Father, the Son and the Holy Sprit'. There were examples of words missing, incorrect words used (such as the instead of then) and extra words. There was even an example of a word being used where it was completely wrong, but spelt similarly to one that would have fit perfectly, evidently the result of a spelling mistake being automatically corrected to the wrong word, then not even being proof read to pick up on it. Richard Devin really likes his commas, the whole thing is full of them, many in areas where they should not have been, and at one point, a list began with a colon mid-sentence, a classic no-no for fictional prose. In fact, the entire thing read like a first draft to me. As though after the words and story were penned down, it went straight off to the publisher, with no proof reading or editing evident. It didn't change the story much, and still got the point across, but one does not pick up a Stephen King or Neil Gaiman to find it riddled with basic errors. It seemed more unproffesional to me than anything else.
But to give the review a bit of a summary, I would say that this novel is definitely an ejoyable tale. I wasn't hooked the entire way through, but I found it an acceptable addition to my reading for this year. And true to Devin's message signed in the front cover, it really did make me "rethink what you know". Thank you for the opportunity to read your story, Rich, and feel free to send me more at any time ;)
July 5, 2019
Hard to put down.
This book kept my attention, I couldn't put it down. Interesting characters with a bit of a twist in the plot at the end.
This book kept my attention, I couldn't put it down. Interesting characters with a bit of a twist in the plot at the end.
September 14, 2014
"The Third Hour" offers up an interesting question: How can one merge both science and religion into the same book in a credible way and without doing a disservice to either one? Then consider how one would fold together the Tunguska meteor, the Bermuda Triangle, and the myths and facts surrounding Roswell, New Mexico into a single story plot that also involves the Catholic church. This novel accomplishes all that and makes you believe it could have happened.
This book is not a light read. It has a lot going on, and it requires that you pay attention to the intricate plotting. The characters are well drawn and interesting (and Albert Einstein is one of them). "The Third Hour" has plenty of action and intrigue to keep you reading.
I very much enjoy a novel that steps outside the box with an innovative plot concept. In that regard the book is brilliant. The only problem I had with this novel had to do with the flow of events. Because so many plot pieces must come together, the story jumps back and forth in time and that made it feel a bit fragmented in places. However, I must agree with another reviewer who commented on this issue that I don't see an easy solution. As long as pay close attention and don't skim or skip chapters, you'll be fine.
The other minor flaw, for me, was the ending. For some reason is seemed less powerful than I was expecting, but again, I'm not sure what I expected from it. Overall, this novel surprised me in many ways, perhaps not the least of which is that the Church--for once--wasn't painted as the bad guy.
Four solid stars for an excellent, well-conceived novel.
This book is not a light read. It has a lot going on, and it requires that you pay attention to the intricate plotting. The characters are well drawn and interesting (and Albert Einstein is one of them). "The Third Hour" has plenty of action and intrigue to keep you reading.
I very much enjoy a novel that steps outside the box with an innovative plot concept. In that regard the book is brilliant. The only problem I had with this novel had to do with the flow of events. Because so many plot pieces must come together, the story jumps back and forth in time and that made it feel a bit fragmented in places. However, I must agree with another reviewer who commented on this issue that I don't see an easy solution. As long as pay close attention and don't skim or skip chapters, you'll be fine.
The other minor flaw, for me, was the ending. For some reason is seemed less powerful than I was expecting, but again, I'm not sure what I expected from it. Overall, this novel surprised me in many ways, perhaps not the least of which is that the Church--for once--wasn't painted as the bad guy.
Four solid stars for an excellent, well-conceived novel.
October 4, 2014
I never did take to this story, which borders between science fiction and religious speculation. I can't really recommend this book to anyone--it more or less offended me in its treatment of Christianity and organized religion. (There were also way too many obvious proofreading errors in the copy I had, so I'm not sure whether there is a later edition that has been corrected.)
August 8, 2014
I struggled with this book, the chapters at the start are very short and didn't give me enough time to get to know the characters without it jumping to another chapter with another group of characters and back and forth. I was nearly half way through before I settled in and started to enjoy the story. I think it's a great story line but I never managed to entered the authors' world with this one.
October 7, 2014
I won this in a goodreads giveaway. My aunt liked it.
May 28, 2016
Great thriller. Always keeps you guessing what is next. All the religious and scientific input is spot on.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews