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The Guardian
Evil is raging on the 20th Floor of an apartment building on the West Side. In an open window, a hideous blind nun perpetually gazing...watching. A body, burned beyond recognition. Then two more murders...strangely connected. And the discoverer, a beautiful young woman, raped. Her innocent child exposed to horror. Her husband, furious, relentlessly set on revenge. A cool, calculating, laughing priest intent on saving more lives from the destruction. And so it begins...powerful, satanic, terrifying...a time you will never forget
293 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
75 people are currently reading
726 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Konvitz
6 books67 followersJeffrey Konvitz was born in New York City, but after graduating from Cornell University and Columbia Law School, he headed to Los Angeles, where he lives and works as an entertainment finance attorney, producer (The Sentinel and Spy Hard, among others) and novelist. His first published novel (Simon and Schuster and Ballantine) was The Sentinel, which rose to Number 2 on the New York Times Mass Market Best Seller List. The Sentinel sequel, The Guardian, was also a bestseller along with his next book, Monster. He is now at work on the third book in The Sentinel Trilogy, currently untitled, while The Sentinel and The Guardian are being mounted for e-book sales.
This year, his newly-written historical novel, The Circus of Satan, will be published. It is a story of murder and revenge, set during the rise of organized crime in America from 1900 to 1912 when the Irish Mob ruled all major American cities, only to be taken down by its own hubris and the rise of the Jewish and Italian Mobs into labor racketeering and, then, bootlegging. Filled with real events and real heroes and villains, who rampaged from New York's Bowery through to Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City and Boston, it is the story of epic, transformative times and two violent men, who meet on a descent into blood and Hell.
This year, his newly-written historical novel, The Circus of Satan, will be published. It is a story of murder and revenge, set during the rise of organized crime in America from 1900 to 1912 when the Irish Mob ruled all major American cities, only to be taken down by its own hubris and the rise of the Jewish and Italian Mobs into labor racketeering and, then, bootlegging. Filled with real events and real heroes and villains, who rampaged from New York's Bowery through to Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City and Boston, it is the story of epic, transformative times and two violent men, who meet on a descent into blood and Hell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
November 1, 2020
Good vs Evil in round 2. I really enjoyed the follow up. The nun sitting in the window of the brownstone, mysterious murders, Ben and Faye, the priest, the incredible twist with the identities of the main couple and their son Joey, the 20th floor in the building, Charlie Chazen aka Satan coming back... the book started slow but after a few chapters it turned into an absolute page turner. Loved the eerie and occult atmosphere of 70s New York. Credible characters. I'm also looking forward to a third book in this series. Absolute cult horror. The second novel referred to many details of The Sentinel. I liked The Guardian even more. It was easier to follow and also very uncanny at some parts. Highly recommended. Both books are classics!
February 15, 2017
At the end of Konvitz's The Sentinel the creepy old brownstone with a creepy nun nougat center is replaced by a shiny, high rise condominium. It's a funny joke, but really just a one-liner. This entire book takes place in that condo and revolves around whether one female character is hiding her secret penis.
January 11, 2021
No diré sobre su trama porque está en la descripción del libro.
Comienza como lento, de hecho lo quería dejar de leer porque me aburrió. Pero pasado el 50% la cosa aceleró y tomó un ritmo increíble. No podía dejar de leer, lo termine en un día el resto del 50% del libro!!!
El final sorprende y es excelente para los amantes del Terror como su servidor.
Saludos
Ricardo
Comienza como lento, de hecho lo quería dejar de leer porque me aburrió. Pero pasado el 50% la cosa aceleró y tomó un ritmo increíble. No podía dejar de leer, lo termine en un día el resto del 50% del libro!!!
El final sorprende y es excelente para los amantes del Terror como su servidor.
Saludos
Ricardo
September 15, 2015
One of my favorite horror films is The Sentinel and the book though flawed was also an enjoyable read for me. The Guardian, the sequel falls short of the first book in a number of ways.
A well written horror novel jumps into the plot either by setting the creepy tone or with some actual horrific event. The Guardian instead has a lengthy prologue spanning about fifteen years with characters whose relationship to the remainder of the novel doesn't become obvious until the book is almost over. This sort of exposition works best cinematically and perhaps coming off the production of The Sentinel Konvitz had that in mind. Unfortunately his opening scenes are confusing. In my notes I have a complaint about the many "false starts" to the novel.
Horror series and their box office franchise cousins often rely on reworking a set of motifs and plot devices to link all the books or films together into a larger oeuvre. Fans of a series especially will expect certain key elements in any novel or film claiming to be part of the series. The Guardian goes beyond the peppering of familiar elements and tries instead to retell the entire story but with the genders reversed. Apparently the sentinel switches from nun to priest everything there's a hand-off.
Next there's the Vatican. Dan Brown isn't the first by any means to drag the Vatican into the plot. I suppose if there's a gate that's keeping Hell shut they'd be interested but frankly the lengthy scenes of the brave priests felt tacked on. Their scenes are clearly there to raise the feeling of terror but they just didn't work for me.
The ultimate sour note for me though is the truth behind Faye and Ben Burdett's identities. The Sentinel of course has the two randy lesbians who try to corrupt the innocent (and frigid! Alison) so that she can't become the next guardian of the gate. So homophobia isn't anything new to the series but here it is taken too far. A husband and wife and their adopted son become the target of Chazen and his legions from Hell just because the wife is transgendered.
So the moral of the story is: if there is a scary priest or nun who is blind, deaf and paralyzed living on the top floor of the apartment building you plan to rent and you are either a) the opposite sex of said priest or nun or b) gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, then run for the hills and find a better apartment somewhere else! Also avoid apartment buildings owned the the local diocese as these might be poorly disguised hell mouths.
A well written horror novel jumps into the plot either by setting the creepy tone or with some actual horrific event. The Guardian instead has a lengthy prologue spanning about fifteen years with characters whose relationship to the remainder of the novel doesn't become obvious until the book is almost over. This sort of exposition works best cinematically and perhaps coming off the production of The Sentinel Konvitz had that in mind. Unfortunately his opening scenes are confusing. In my notes I have a complaint about the many "false starts" to the novel.
Horror series and their box office franchise cousins often rely on reworking a set of motifs and plot devices to link all the books or films together into a larger oeuvre. Fans of a series especially will expect certain key elements in any novel or film claiming to be part of the series. The Guardian goes beyond the peppering of familiar elements and tries instead to retell the entire story but with the genders reversed. Apparently the sentinel switches from nun to priest everything there's a hand-off.
Next there's the Vatican. Dan Brown isn't the first by any means to drag the Vatican into the plot. I suppose if there's a gate that's keeping Hell shut they'd be interested but frankly the lengthy scenes of the brave priests felt tacked on. Their scenes are clearly there to raise the feeling of terror but they just didn't work for me.
The ultimate sour note for me though is the truth behind Faye and Ben Burdett's identities. The Sentinel of course has the two randy lesbians who try to corrupt the innocent (and frigid! Alison) so that she can't become the next guardian of the gate. So homophobia isn't anything new to the series but here it is taken too far. A husband and wife and their adopted son become the target of Chazen and his legions from Hell just because the wife is transgendered.
So the moral of the story is: if there is a scary priest or nun who is blind, deaf and paralyzed living on the top floor of the apartment building you plan to rent and you are either a) the opposite sex of said priest or nun or b) gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, then run for the hills and find a better apartment somewhere else! Also avoid apartment buildings owned the the local diocese as these might be poorly disguised hell mouths.
July 4, 2018
Un libro de terror impresionante, impecable, muy bien escrito, la historia básicamente es la guerra entre el bien y el mal, donde una monja ciega, sorda, muda, esta sentada en una silla de ruedas, en una ventana que da a la calle, que solo se le ve con una cruz, y su rostro demacrado por el pasar de los años, esta monja es la guardiana en la tierra, para que ni los demonios, ni el propio satanás, puedan corromper la humanidad, pero no todo sale como la iglesia quiere, pues satanás esta deambulando en ese edificio, y matando a placer.
Esperen muy pronto la reseña mas completa de este libro en mi canal de YouTube, Juancho Juanchito Books.
Esperen muy pronto la reseña mas completa de este libro en mi canal de YouTube, Juancho Juanchito Books.
August 28, 2021
Remember the iconic old Priest that watched out over the harbor of New York guarding the entrance to Hell in Jeffrey Konvitz' "The Sentinel" and how scared you were when you were revealed what the hell was going on? Well, the sequel "The Guardian" now takes you right back to the window with Sister Therese and her protecting us, and this one 'Out devils' that first book by 5 golden crucifixes!!
Get ready to be shocked!!
WARNING: Do NOT read this review if you have NOT read 'The Sentinel' it will spoil alot of what you do not want to know!!!
With that being said, let's go on. With the first book being published in 1975, this was released 4 years later in 1979.....and get ready because the battle between good and evil is raging on the 20th floor of a new building in a new small town on the west side of New York! Charles 'Satan himself' Chazen is back with a vengeance.....and he does not care who he wipes out VERY violently in a book that out devils the first!!
This time the story picks up right directly after Sister Therese aka Alison Parker takes the throne to watch over the entrance to hell to protect the human race from satan and all the minions of Hell, but will she succeed?
Ben and his wife Faye Burdett and their young infant son; Joey are the newest residents in the 20 storey apartment, and they love their new life but miss home.
When a horribly burned beyond recognition body is found by Faye she is traumatized and tells Ben maybe it was not a good idea moving to New York, what she does not know that this is just the 'sugar for the sweet' to lure her and her family into Hell. This book is more violent, and terrifying in what is going on than the first book, and I loved it! Konvitz creates new characters that are not story driven and slow police procedural backgrounds are pushed aside and you are taken on the fastest taxi ride through the West Side as you battle the forces of Hell and Satan.....and as the car speeds up, so does the Horror in this pefectly written and very shocking with many twists that I did not remember in over 40 years since first reading this, disturbing and often times very thought provoking short but oh so scary ride of demonic horror, suicide, and very graphic but oh so 70's New York schlock! Loved it!!
5 👹👹👹👹👹
Get ready to be shocked!!
WARNING: Do NOT read this review if you have NOT read 'The Sentinel' it will spoil alot of what you do not want to know!!!
With that being said, let's go on. With the first book being published in 1975, this was released 4 years later in 1979.....and get ready because the battle between good and evil is raging on the 20th floor of a new building in a new small town on the west side of New York! Charles 'Satan himself' Chazen is back with a vengeance.....and he does not care who he wipes out VERY violently in a book that out devils the first!!
This time the story picks up right directly after Sister Therese aka Alison Parker takes the throne to watch over the entrance to hell to protect the human race from satan and all the minions of Hell, but will she succeed?
Ben and his wife Faye Burdett and their young infant son; Joey are the newest residents in the 20 storey apartment, and they love their new life but miss home.
When a horribly burned beyond recognition body is found by Faye she is traumatized and tells Ben maybe it was not a good idea moving to New York, what she does not know that this is just the 'sugar for the sweet' to lure her and her family into Hell. This book is more violent, and terrifying in what is going on than the first book, and I loved it! Konvitz creates new characters that are not story driven and slow police procedural backgrounds are pushed aside and you are taken on the fastest taxi ride through the West Side as you battle the forces of Hell and Satan.....and as the car speeds up, so does the Horror in this pefectly written and very shocking with many twists that I did not remember in over 40 years since first reading this, disturbing and often times very thought provoking short but oh so scary ride of demonic horror, suicide, and very graphic but oh so 70's New York schlock! Loved it!!
5 👹👹👹👹👹
July 21, 2025
Buena secuela
Tiene varios giros de tuerca que si te dejan así de, ¿y de dónde?
Pero pues pegan bien con la historia
y si muy buena secuela.
3.8 stars
Popsugar 2025 - 37 Two books with the same title (1)
Tiene varios giros de tuerca que si te dejan así de, ¿y de dónde?
Pero pues pegan bien con la historia
y si muy buena secuela.
3.8 stars
Popsugar 2025 - 37 Two books with the same title (1)
April 14, 2014
The very gates of Hell are about to open on the twentieth floor of an apartment building on the West Side. Evil is flourishing and soon no innocent will be safe. Through a window without curtains, an ancient blind nun sits perpetually gazing...keeping watch against the evil.
A body is found, burned beyond recognition. Then there are two more murders...strangely connected. And the discoverer of one of the bodies, a beautiful young woman, is brutally raped. Her innocent young child is exposed to horror. Her furious husband sets out on a relentless path of revenge.
In the final hour of evil, paralyzing terror is unleashed. One step beyond the very boundaries of belief is a cool, calculating, laughing priest intent on saving more lives from destruction. And so it begins...powerful, satanic, terrifying...a time you will never forget. The battle has already begun.
I must say that I wasn't all that sure what grade to give this book after I finished reading it. The story was certainly very scary, but I found that the horror was almost overwhelming. In my opinion, the frightening elements began to overshadow the actual story so much that this book confused me. This book is actually the second in a trilogy, so my feelings might be somewhat influenced by not having read the first book - The Sentinel - but I had to give this book a B+!
A body is found, burned beyond recognition. Then there are two more murders...strangely connected. And the discoverer of one of the bodies, a beautiful young woman, is brutally raped. Her innocent young child is exposed to horror. Her furious husband sets out on a relentless path of revenge.
In the final hour of evil, paralyzing terror is unleashed. One step beyond the very boundaries of belief is a cool, calculating, laughing priest intent on saving more lives from destruction. And so it begins...powerful, satanic, terrifying...a time you will never forget. The battle has already begun.
I must say that I wasn't all that sure what grade to give this book after I finished reading it. The story was certainly very scary, but I found that the horror was almost overwhelming. In my opinion, the frightening elements began to overshadow the actual story so much that this book confused me. This book is actually the second in a trilogy, so my feelings might be somewhat influenced by not having read the first book - The Sentinel - but I had to give this book a B+!
November 12, 2020
With a new Sentinel guarding the human race, Charles Chazen returns for revenge. The Guardian is much like a 290 page epilogue to The Sentinel - an extended ending. It picks up where the other left off, in a different town, a different building, but soon starts dragging in characters from the first novel, as Ben Burdett tries his best to unravel the conspiracy around him. This novel is more violent, and there are more forces at work - Satanic and of the Church - and the action moves at a much faster pace. That being said, this was turning out to be a hell of a horror mystery, until about the last 25 pages, where everything twistable twisted, identities changed, and to be honest, it got so twisty that I didnt quite feel the full brunt of what was going on. Its like getting thrown from a good ride right before it's over. I do give this book credit for its ending however. Dark. Always respect a story that chooses to evade the stereotypical "Hollywood ending". A good read, slight stumble on the landing. Highly recommended to people who enjoyed The Sentinel (add a star). Pick it up.
April 15, 2017
One would have thought that the author would have gotten better at his craft in four years. Sadly, that’s not the case. This sequel is as filled with as many clichéd characters and inexplicable actions as its predecessor. It’s actually slightly worse, as it sets up a surprise twist, but does it in such a way that I spent most of the book wondering why those two characters were introduced, and what the heck the author was going to do with them. Did he forget about them? Unfortunately, not.
April 15, 2020
I have a soft spot for these Good V Evil, end-of-days stories & I first read this decades ago. Despite remembering one major twist, I enjoyed it probably just as much this time round.
In short, the story involves replacing the Sentinel, the living guardian of the gates of hell. A new guardian has been found & needs putting in place before the powers of evil prevent it, thus enabling them to unleash a long awaited reign of evil over the world...ooh er…
Most of the action takes place in an apartment block & mainly centres around a young couple, Ben & Faye & their neighbours, one of whom may just be the devil himself. There's some good twists along the way (including the one that has stuck in my memory for the last 30 odd years) But I do have a quibble in that things did seem to lose their momentum a bit as the transition of the Guardians approached - just where I'd have expected tension to really be building! However, I found depiction of the "disaster" scenes at this point a bit muddling so maybe that toned it down for me.
Overall, classic horror & an entertaining read that's stood the test of time well.
In short, the story involves replacing the Sentinel, the living guardian of the gates of hell. A new guardian has been found & needs putting in place before the powers of evil prevent it, thus enabling them to unleash a long awaited reign of evil over the world...ooh er…
Most of the action takes place in an apartment block & mainly centres around a young couple, Ben & Faye & their neighbours, one of whom may just be the devil himself. There's some good twists along the way (including the one that has stuck in my memory for the last 30 odd years) But I do have a quibble in that things did seem to lose their momentum a bit as the transition of the Guardians approached - just where I'd have expected tension to really be building! However, I found depiction of the "disaster" scenes at this point a bit muddling so maybe that toned it down for me.
Overall, classic horror & an entertaining read that's stood the test of time well.
June 15, 2015
Though still of its era and with obvious echoes of the omen and Rosemary's baby this remained an entertaining read. I initially read it 25 years ago and it must have made a significant impression as I still remembered a lot of the plot twists. Some of the plotting is a tad risible but it definitely keeps your interest. A definite improvement over the sentinel in its attitude to homosexuality.
November 27, 2016
This was a sequel to the Sentinel, and it was excellent. It is time for a new Sentinel, and preparations are underway. Good characters, great plot, excellent ending, and wonderfully spooky. Well done.
July 29, 2018
Buena trama considerando el año que fue escrita y la cantidad de películas que se hicieron sobre el tema ( bien contra el mal) si bien me confundieron un poco la cantidad de personajes tambien no se me hizp muy pesado , esta bien escrita y no defrauda y un giro que no me esperaba.
August 23, 2020
Un libro entretenido con todos los tintes de una película de terror, que te invita a leerla con ese toque de misterio al inicio con acontecimientos al parecer sin conexión con la trama, pero que al ir descubriendo la historia hacen que "las vueltas de tuerca" sean interesantes, pues los giros están justo donde deben estar, a pesar de ser una continuación del libro El Guardián, se lee perfectamente en lo individual.
Siento que los eventos de terror pudieron ser aún más desarrollados con una descripción aún más terrorífica, pues se nota en la pluma del autor que podía hacerlo, pues da buenos notas descriptivas de lo que pasa con la víctimas, pero sin llegar a lograrlo del todo.
Novela con ingenio, que si bien trata de enlazar los temas del bien y del mal y la religión en una trama, no profundiza en el tema y pone en tela de duda la función de la iglesia en estos temas, pues invita a hacer creer, incluso deja entre ver, el poderío económico, de relaciones políticas y públicas de la iglesia, como una especie de ambiente conspiracional en toda la novela, lo que se le agradece al autor, pues es un ingrediente que le da forma a la historia y la hace digerible al leerla, sin que yo afirme que efectivamente eso suceda en realidad, pues solo trato de prender en contexto la obra del autor.
Siento que los eventos de terror pudieron ser aún más desarrollados con una descripción aún más terrorífica, pues se nota en la pluma del autor que podía hacerlo, pues da buenos notas descriptivas de lo que pasa con la víctimas, pero sin llegar a lograrlo del todo.
Novela con ingenio, que si bien trata de enlazar los temas del bien y del mal y la religión en una trama, no profundiza en el tema y pone en tela de duda la función de la iglesia en estos temas, pues invita a hacer creer, incluso deja entre ver, el poderío económico, de relaciones políticas y públicas de la iglesia, como una especie de ambiente conspiracional en toda la novela, lo que se le agradece al autor, pues es un ingrediente que le da forma a la historia y la hace digerible al leerla, sin que yo afirme que efectivamente eso suceda en realidad, pues solo trato de prender en contexto la obra del autor.
November 13, 2018
Even more ludicrous than its predecessor, but nowhere near as fun. There's shlocky 70s enjoyment to be had for the first half, but then soon you find yourself stubbing your toes on the racial stereotypes, homophobia and poorly drawn women characters. The fact that the central characters have a baby who gets passed from person to person as is plot convenient is also jarring. No family with an infant would so casually disregard the well-being of their offspring. The last twenty or so pages are thick with plot twists but my patience had run out before the revelations started flying. A shame, as The Sentinel is great fun. The Guardian feels quickly, and rather mindlessly, dashed off in the wake of the success of the first book.
January 28, 2023
A cheesy horror novel, filled with outdated and sexist tropes that were prevalent of the time. Although it's a sequel, you could technically read this as a stand alone. There are better horror books to be read. Skip this one.
June 22, 2025
The sequel to The Sentinel, not quite as good. Slightly convoluted plot but still enjoyable.
October 16, 2025
This a sequel to the 1974 horror novel The Sentinel, and unlike followups to other bestsellers, this version is superior to the original because the plot twists remained logically consistent.
The ones in the first book were ridiculous, although I was glad the characters who reappeared from the first edition were more sympathetic, especially Detective Gatz.
More than one Goodreads review claims this is the second in a trilogy, but never saw a third edition mentioned, and don't understand how you'd pick up after a demonic apocalypse.
The ones in the first book were ridiculous, although I was glad the characters who reappeared from the first edition were more sympathetic, especially Detective Gatz.
More than one Goodreads review claims this is the second in a trilogy, but never saw a third edition mentioned, and don't understand how you'd pick up after a demonic apocalypse.
April 3, 2025
El Guardián (#2 El Centinela).- Jeffrey Konvitz
“Había visto muchos cadáveres en su vida, pero jamás uno tan repugnante. El cuerpo había sido totalmente carbonizado y luego compactado como un paquete de basura. Sólo el brazo derecho, que quedó fuera de la cámara compactadora, había permanecido completamente intacto, pero las quemaduras lo hacían irreconocible. El cráneo se conservaba en una pieza, aunque también lo habían comprimido. El torso no era más que un muñón; las piernas estaban destrozadas y calcinadas.”
El horror parece no querer mudarse del edificio más maldito de Manhattan. La aparición de un cuerpo tan calcinado como irreconocible es el disparador de terribles acontecimientos que salpican a la política, a la policía y a la iglesia. Mientras tanto, la monja ciega parece observar todo desde su departamento, esperando una señal de que el Infierno asome a la superficie de Nueva York.
El Guardián (The Guardian) se publicó originalmente en el año 1979 y es la continuación de El Centinela, ambas novelas escritas por el autor, abogado y productor de cine norteamericano Jeffrey Konvitz (1944-).
Uno de los mejores libros de terror que leí el año pasado fue El Centinela, con una trama que se iba desarrollando de a poco hasta llegar a un final apoteósico. El Guardián es una digna secuela, que aunque puede llegar a leerse salteando el anterior libro, les aconsejo que no lo hagan para así tener una mejor experiencia de lectura.
Después de las primeras páginas que presentan personajes que parecen no tener relación con lo que viene después, empieza a desarrollarse esta historia de terror con buenas dosis de sangre y unas vueltas de tuercas hacia el final que cumplen su función de sorprender. Al igual que El Centinela, este es un libro que no aburre y mantiene al lector intrigado hasta el final. No queda más que agradecer que haya existido el Círculo De Lectores, que nos dejó este y otros libros que hoy día serían de nulo acceso para el público hispano parlante.
🤘🤘🤘🤘
“Había visto muchos cadáveres en su vida, pero jamás uno tan repugnante. El cuerpo había sido totalmente carbonizado y luego compactado como un paquete de basura. Sólo el brazo derecho, que quedó fuera de la cámara compactadora, había permanecido completamente intacto, pero las quemaduras lo hacían irreconocible. El cráneo se conservaba en una pieza, aunque también lo habían comprimido. El torso no era más que un muñón; las piernas estaban destrozadas y calcinadas.”
El horror parece no querer mudarse del edificio más maldito de Manhattan. La aparición de un cuerpo tan calcinado como irreconocible es el disparador de terribles acontecimientos que salpican a la política, a la policía y a la iglesia. Mientras tanto, la monja ciega parece observar todo desde su departamento, esperando una señal de que el Infierno asome a la superficie de Nueva York.
El Guardián (The Guardian) se publicó originalmente en el año 1979 y es la continuación de El Centinela, ambas novelas escritas por el autor, abogado y productor de cine norteamericano Jeffrey Konvitz (1944-).
Uno de los mejores libros de terror que leí el año pasado fue El Centinela, con una trama que se iba desarrollando de a poco hasta llegar a un final apoteósico. El Guardián es una digna secuela, que aunque puede llegar a leerse salteando el anterior libro, les aconsejo que no lo hagan para así tener una mejor experiencia de lectura.
Después de las primeras páginas que presentan personajes que parecen no tener relación con lo que viene después, empieza a desarrollarse esta historia de terror con buenas dosis de sangre y unas vueltas de tuercas hacia el final que cumplen su función de sorprender. Al igual que El Centinela, este es un libro que no aburre y mantiene al lector intrigado hasta el final. No queda más que agradecer que haya existido el Círculo De Lectores, que nos dejó este y otros libros que hoy día serían de nulo acceso para el público hispano parlante.
🤘🤘🤘🤘
January 13, 2019
Originally, I found this book at my local library sale and overall I love horror books so I grabbed it quickly. I was very excited to start reading it because I had heard of his work in the past with his novel The Sentinel but sadly it was in the middle for me. At some points, I really enjoyed the thriller aspect while as other times I felt as if it was dragging along and had to skip pages. I did not have any personal connections but I did feel for Ben at some points throughout the book. I enjoyed overall enjoyed the characterization but I felt as if the use of language was lacking, it felt almost forced at times but it was able to get through it with its good characters. I recommend more young adult or even adults read this book, its a good find and even if it did have its downs in some areas. I was able to redeem itself with its charm and thriller aspect. I expect more men to read this but I think anyone would like it.
December 9, 2011
I've always had a penchant for horror based on Catholicism, so when I picked up "The Apocalypse" at a BookCrossing meeting, I decided to get hold of a copy of "The Sentinel" as well and read them both. I did think I'd only read one of these books before, but I must have read both of them, since I remembered the weird neighbours from the first book, but all mixed up with the plot of the sequel.
Strangely enough, my previous read also featured a nun called Therese, although in that case it was her birth name rather than her religious name.
Sister Therese (formerly known as Allison Parker) is dying, and her successor must be manoeuvred into taking her place. But which of the inhabitants of the apartment block built on the site of the old brownstone has been chosen as the new sentinel, and which of them is actually a disguised Charles Chazen?
Strangely enough, my previous read also featured a nun called Therese, although in that case it was her birth name rather than her religious name.
Sister Therese (formerly known as Allison Parker) is dying, and her successor must be manoeuvred into taking her place. But which of the inhabitants of the apartment block built on the site of the old brownstone has been chosen as the new sentinel, and which of them is actually a disguised Charles Chazen?
August 30, 2024
A pesar de que pasaron muchos años que leí el Centinela, primera parte de todo este universo, sentí la historia intacta. Pasaron 15 años desde los sucesos del primer libro, comienza un poco lento pero a partir de cierto punto se desenvuelve la trama principal y un misterio dentro de la misma.
Los personajes estuvieron bastante bien, retoma algunos del primer libro y por supuesto hay personajes nuevos.
Están bien desarrollados, por un lado vemos todo desde el lado de Ben Burnett y por otro momento por el padre Franchino.
Me saco algunas dudas sobre ideas o escenas que no me habían quedado del todo claro en el centinela.
El bien y el mal enfrentandos, una lucha, una conspiración religiosa secreta. Esta novela continua con la esencia del primer libro y nos deja con un final abismal.
Simplemente me ha encantado.
Los personajes estuvieron bastante bien, retoma algunos del primer libro y por supuesto hay personajes nuevos.
Están bien desarrollados, por un lado vemos todo desde el lado de Ben Burnett y por otro momento por el padre Franchino.
Me saco algunas dudas sobre ideas o escenas que no me habían quedado del todo claro en el centinela.
El bien y el mal enfrentandos, una lucha, una conspiración religiosa secreta. Esta novela continua con la esencia del primer libro y nos deja con un final abismal.
Simplemente me ha encantado.
November 28, 2014
The Guardian is Jeffrey's Konvitz's sequel to The Sentinel. I liked the original, so I enjoyed seeing how the story continued. Unfortunately, the plot of the sequel is so boxed in by the events of the original novel that there isn't much opportunity to scare or surprise.
Although Konvitz does provide a summary of the earlier events for readers who did not start with the first book, I really wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who didn't start with The Sentinel. The recap is awkward and so confusing it made the original book seem more convoluted than it really was.
The Sentinel was engaging because I knew something evil was going to happen, but I didn't know what. By the second book I knew the game and all the rules, unfortunately a little too well.
Although Konvitz does provide a summary of the earlier events for readers who did not start with the first book, I really wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who didn't start with The Sentinel. The recap is awkward and so confusing it made the original book seem more convoluted than it really was.
The Sentinel was engaging because I knew something evil was going to happen, but I didn't know what. By the second book I knew the game and all the rules, unfortunately a little too well.
February 8, 2017
Having read The Sentinel, I of course had to read The Guardian. Not a lot of surprises here, mostly a retread of the events of the first book, but with new victims. TV shows wanting to extend the life of a show toss a kid into the mix, and Konvitz uses the same strategy here to eke a little more life out of a worn out idea.
This story has scenes packed with the sort of melodrama that sells The Exorcist - cackling demons, staunch priests, innocent people being dragged toward some grotesque destiny...it's not Great Literature, but it's not a bad way to spend a lazy day or a long airplane ride.
This story has scenes packed with the sort of melodrama that sells The Exorcist - cackling demons, staunch priests, innocent people being dragged toward some grotesque destiny...it's not Great Literature, but it's not a bad way to spend a lazy day or a long airplane ride.
August 27, 2010
This is the best book i have ever read. I picked it up and could not sit it down until i finished. It's like i was there, trapped in a dream unable to wake up. I actually read it about 11 years ago and remember it like it was yesterday. There should have been a movie made for this book. Very very intense!
September 28, 2010
Possibly the worst book I've ever read. Obviously, Konvitz was pleased with the success of The Sentinel and its movie adaptation--this book reads like one movie sequel set piece after another. Fortunately, no film sequel was ever made. I can draw you a map to the spot in the landfill where my copy of The Guardian's final resting place is.
September 4, 2012
An all-time favorite. It was a good guessing game of who and what the characters really are. And it's a chilling success to a twisted and unconventional end. A reader has nothing more to pray for than to not be able to predict some things up to the last page, considering we are all fed with good triumphs over evil idea.
January 2, 2021
So I have finally read The Guardian and I couldn't put it down! The story had it's confusing moments, but it wasn't so confusing that you won't understand what the story is about. It can be read as a stand alone, but I would still suggest reading The Sentinel first. A very good old fashioned horror story.
July 9, 2017
The suspense is good, but not as gripping as in the previous book, "The Sentinal." This was written in the 1970s, and it shows. While the female characters are not as damsel in distress as in "The Sentinal", I have a difficult time enjoying the book because of the premise that certain people are doomed to hell because of who they love.
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