El último Papa

by Malachi Martin

Año 1963. Satanás es entronizado en la capilla paulina del Vaticano en una terrible ceremonia secreta en la que participan varios cardenales y obispos. Treinta años después, una conspiración de eclesiásticos, políticos y empresarios, unidos por su pertenencia a la masonería, su delirio globalista y su sumisión al diablo, trata de implantar un gobierno mundial, en el que la Iglesia Católica abandone su papel de Esposa de Cristo para servir al poder global.
A punto de lograr su objetivo, los integrantes de este complot tratan de vencer un último obstáculo: ‘el Papa eslavo’, un hombre profundamente espiritual en la cátedra de San Pedro. Sitiado dentro de la propia estructura del Vaticano y presionado por sus enemigos para presentar su dimisión, el Papa confía en un joven sacerdote estadounidense para jugar una partida definitiva en la guerra contra el Mal.
“Es una novela, pero en un 85% se basa en hechos reales, y muchos de los personajes que aparecen en ella son reales aunque les haya dado nombres de ficción”
Malachi Martin, 1999.

Genres: Fiction, Religion, Thriller, Horror, Catholic, Christianity, Historical Fiction

837 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Marisa Alvarez Pasos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astonishingly similar to events that took place after the book was written.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read other Malachi Martin books and am astounded how spot on they have been. This book was published in 1996 and the premise of the whole book couldn’t be more current...There is a list online that suggests the actual people behind the names in the story. It is considered faction, although the author has expressed that the vast majority of the story is true, and we have lived it for decades, so unfortunately, this is not hard to believe...so much was known and so little was done...why? We live in a time when a Pope HAS stepped down...we have a current Pope who seems like he prefers more to be called the Bishop of Rome than Pope, he seems interested in decentralizing the Church, we continue to see a lack of passion and zeal to investigate and expose networks within the Church that seem to wield an awful lot of power in issues contrary to the Faith...while we concomitantly see a shift in priorities to political worldly issues over the highest priority of getting souls to Heaven...I was reading Blessed Anne Emmerich’s The Life of Jesus Christ vol 3 and two quotes seemed applicable: pg 445 “The clamoring of the Israelites after a king by whom, like the heathen nations, they wanted to be ruled, and their rejection of Judges, signified, Jesus said, their perverse expectation of a worldly kingdom, of a king and a Messiah surrounded by magnificence, with whom they could pass their lives in splendor and enjoyment; a Messiah who, instead of expiating their sins and disorders by His own labors, sufferings, penance, and satisfaction, would envelop them together with their filth and vices in his own rich mantle of royalty, and even reward them for their crimes.” Hmmm...it seems in place of the Israelites, we have many, many Catholics in the pews pushing for a paradigm shift of the Church to a very worldly kingdom that includes abortion, homosexual ‘marriage’, personal choice re: gender, female priests, etc. etc., and even sadder, these lines seem to accurately describe many actual priests/Bishops/Cardinals etc. We see an ecumenism towards equating all religions and faiths at the expense of loss of zeal for conversion, we see those in the Church holding orthodox views being demonized, while those -> confusion about the Faith being lauded.... There appears to be an almost complete compromise by the Church with the world at this point. Confusion reigns...one last quote seems pertinent as well, pg 444, here Jesus is speaking to Peter, “He spoke to him as if he were the master of the house, the overseer of the servants. He extolled the good householder, and at the same time condemned severely the negligent one that fulfilled not his duty.” May God bless all the Catholics trying hard to understand and stay true.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a novel, this is a dreary trudge that should be 300 pages shorter. But it is not merely a novel. Martin seems to have written this as a thinly-veiled history and desperate plea to John-Paul II to end his misguided passivity and purge the filth from the Church. What he reveals is so horrific that it seems to be the rantings of a madman: Satan himself ritually enthroned in the Vatican by a cabal of demonic clergy, who protect and promote each other as they slowly strangle the Church from within, deliberately encouraging and implementing a web of sexual abuse and its cover-up while eroding, corrupting or excising the supernatural foundations of the Faith. But Martin clearly believed it was really happening, and said in interviews that 85% of his book is true. Most disturbing of all is the satanic "enthronement" of the prologue which involves the ritual gang-rape of an 11-year-old girl by the future Cardinal of Centurycity (in reality, Cardinal Beradin of Chicago, the primary figure of the American Church through the 70s and 80s). Too horrible and bizarre to be true, surely? But just a couple of years ago, documents surfaced of the victim, now a married woman, accusing Bernadin of doing exactly what the book described (https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/a...). If that most fantastic element of this terrifying book really happened, then the implications for the rest is truly terrifying. The book is at the very least prophetic, accurately predicting the scandal soon to engulf the Church, especially in America. Martin was apparently at work on a non-fiction version when he died suddenly and mysteriously, which adds another dark twist to this chilling tale.

[Ruci Tukana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I stopped at page 368. It is so slow and boring.

[Andrew Gillsmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forget about Dan Brown. He is a piker compared to the G.O.A.T., the original master of Vatican intrigue, Malachi Martin.

Martin, a laicized Jesuit exorcist, spent many years inside the innermost of "inner circles." He was a top advisor to Cardinal Augustin Bea during Vatican 2 and allegedly a member of the Vatican's secret service during the Cold War. Martin claims to have read the original text of the Third Secret of Fatima, which he considered to be the fulcrum point of modern sacramental history.

Windswept House was written as a roman a clef. There is supposedly a "key" out there on the Internet connecting his characters to the various real-life players they represent. Whether that is true or not, this is a brilliant, complex, and genuinely terrifying story. It certainly contains elements of the truth, evidenced by Martin's prophetic coverage of the sexual abuse scandal and the hijinks going on in many seminaries in the 1970's and 80's.

If you want a Vatican novel written by a towering intellect who actually participated in much of the history of the modern Church, this is the book for you. Be prepared to be shocked.

[Andrew Ziebro · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would rate it 4 stars for the premise and the historical content of the story, even though presented as fiction. Unfortunately the writing is cliched and it moves at a snail's pace which is how I could barely finish the book (it also involved flipping some pages to get through many over-blown descriptions and scenes). This book badly needed editing to shorten it and move the story along much better. Also, the characters didn't grip me at all...everyone was too typecast.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's only fair that I review a work this large and ambitious in several parts:

The writing style itself: Hit or miss. His character sketches are believable, and I think he most enjoys exploring a character's background for a few pages. The problem is that most of the characters sound the same - an enormous problem in a story with a billion characters. He doesn't fully explain motivations or reactions all the time, and he constantly repeats descriptors (the skeletal so and so, the scheming whoever). It's exhausting.

The overall story: Enraging. Infuriating. The story is intensely geopolitical, and while I admit disliking political stories anyway, this one is just particularly awful. At least a small percentage of the text is very clearly just the author grinding his own axes into dust. Characters of no consequence are introduced in the last 100 pages. He'll go into (what I saw as) tangents about the state of affairs in Yugoslavia and my brain immediately starts singing, "Call Me Maybe" on repeat until those paragraphs are done. Few answers are given, and (keeping this vague for spoilers) the ending was just downright insulting. I get it - it's so clever and true to life, I guess - but I don't put myself through tomes like this to find out what I already know, dude.

The arguments: viz., Satanism, pedophilia, and homosexuality in the Catholic Church; dogma and doctrine; corruption in the clergy - he's not wrong. This is the major strength of the book, because it gives a glimpse into why and how so many members of the Church were/are complicit. This book came out in 1996 so I'm sure he got major criticism for it, but everything he wrote on this count is, based on what I can see, completely correct. I think the abuse actually started well before the Second Vatican Council, but technically his story doesn't preclude that - he just focuses on the rise of homosexuality, etc., during and after the Council.

There were several scenes that brought me to tears, and the agony of the forgotten Catholics after the Council comes through loud and clear. However, if you're going to make me read 600+ pages of Vatican and secular geopolitics, with multiple, explicit descriptions of black Masses and child rape, you better give me a good story. And I feel ripped off.

[Eileen Iciek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel was published in 1996, which means, knowing the typical publishing timeframe, it was probably written (over 600 pages) in 1993, or 1994 at the latest. So almost 30 years before I read it. This is a horrifyingly prescient book, if not exactly right in particulars, at least in the direction of the Catholic Church and the world in general. It pulls back a lot of curtains. At this point I'm so red pilled, my skin should have turned pink.

[Victor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow book, patience is required.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

WARNING: SPOILER ALERTS

I was initially drawn to this book years ago because I am a student of conspiracy and heretical incursion into the church. Fr. Malachi Martin's 'factionalized' account of an embattled Slavic Pope bears a strikingly and familiar resemblance to Pope John Paul II (even down to a 1981 assassination attempt) and his battles against opponents/foes from within and outside the Vatican. His story is interwoven with dark and evil plan hatched at a dark ceremony that was held during the coronation of Pope Paul VI in 1963. The alleged ritual called “The Enthronement of the Fallen Archangel Lucifer” signaled the 'smoke of Satan" (invocation of Satan) had entered the Vatican. These false priests were preparing for the ascension of the prince, a heretical priest and antichrist. In the novel, the elderly then-Pope leaves a secret account of the situation on his desk for the future occupants of "the throne of Peter."

A thinly-disguised John Paul II known as the "Slavic Pope" comes to the “the throne of Peter” in the late-1970s. He is committed to exerting his papal authority and uniting the ‘universal’ church. In order to this he take son an outreach to religious factions, incorporating 'other' faiths, including Russia in the family, and working collaboratively with revived and united Europe. Meanwhile, groups varying from ‘ultratraditional’ Roman Catholics who question his legitimacy; Neo-Catholics who critical of his holding onto his Marian devotion; moderate Catholic (the majority) support him; and a group of heretical and apostate cardinals, bishops, and other clergy who have embraced Satan all fight for dominance. Playing the central role of a foe is the conniving retiring Secretariat of State, Cosimo Cardinal Maestroianni and his close associate, Leo Cardinal Pensabene who oppose the Pope and are connected to political powerful groups who embrace the New World Order (NWO). Through legal and doctrinal edicts and altering of Vatican law, they seek to undermine, weaken, defeat and replace the Slavic Pope.

Two brothers of the historically well-connected Gladstone family of Texas become integral players in this dramatic confrontation. Father Christian Gladstone is a devout conservative priest and supporter of the Pope and Paul Christian is an attorney with the powerful transnational law firm of Cyrus Benthoek, a secular globalist, a Mason and ally of Maestroianni. The lines are drawn when Fr. Christian Gladstone is tapped for a position at the Vatican while Paul is tapped for the position of Secretary General of the European Community (EC). As the two brothers rise in power and prominence, their roles in the dramatic conflict between the Pope and proponents of the New World Order (NWO) become clearer. At times, they are manipulated by various players in this religious drama.

As the drama develops, Cardinal Maestroianni attempts to use Father Gladstone as a pawn inside the Secretariat's office. Father Gladstone is insulated against this influence by his mentorship and guidance of Father Aldo Carnesecca, an unassuming, elderly and savvy priest & exorcist who adheres to conservative principles in his support of the pope. Eventually, he discovers the dark side’s manipulative strategy & maniacal plot and must fight for his integrity, faith, and life. Elevated to Monsignor, in the end, he takes astand against evil and makes a startegic stand and decision. Also aiding the young priest is the fiery Master General Damien Slattery who is a member of the inner circle of the Slavic Pope and Father Angelo Gutmacher, a priest loyal to the true faith and against the NWO. In addition to Cardinal Maestroianni must control a conniving young Cardinal Silvio Cardinal Aureatini, whose ambition knows no bounds. Leo Cardinal Grazianni, the incoming Secretary of State is another powerful ally of Maestroianni.

Meanwhile, Paul Christian is quickly indoctrinated into the Masonic Lodge to which Benthoek and his compatriot, Professor Channing, a well-known author belong. As he is pulled into an international society of plotters, he must keep his wife, Yuasi and his son, Declan safe from those trying to manipulate him. Once his family is threatened and his family matriarch, Cesi Gladstone reveal insight into the political power games being played, Paul takes a stand of faith and integrity.
There are other characters who play integral roles in this drama. Gibson Appleyard, a U.S. State Department agent (and a Mason) is serving as an international trouble shooter for the President of the United States. He is assigned to ‘study’ the EC's plan for Greater European Market impact on US interests. He also is critical of the Pope's connection and support of economic leniency with a changing Russia. The two sides are at opposite ends on this playing field. Added to this, the Pope and his advisors also come to battle Appleyard & his government and the UN on their stand on birth control and abortion. A wildcard in the person of Cesi Gladstone, the two men's grandmother has a mysterious relationship with Rodolfo Salvi, head of the Banco Finanziario of Turin which deals heavily with the Vatican Bank. She also has access to documents that predict and give light to what is now happening in the Vatican. As Vatican Security Chief Giustino Lucadamo is charged with keeping the Pope safe and controlling the security of the Vatican. As the plots thicken and more threats and upheaval become evident, he must stride the line between ensuring justice, addressing paranoia, dealing with doubt and suspicion while keeping the Slavic Pope alive and safe. The author, Fr. Malachi Martin introduces numerous secondary characters like Cardinal Leonardine, a priest who participated in the satanic ritual in 1963; Michael Cardinal Coutinho who may represent threats and hope for the future; Father Taco Manuguerra, a loyal priest and researcher; and Monsignor Daniel Sadowski, successor to Father Carnesecca and who becomes a close confidant near the end. Each one has a history and a role to play in this Vatican thriller.

The author spends most (55%) of the novel establishing characters, setting, and presenting lesser conflicts in a build-up to the latter part of the novel. The novel takes off on a faster pace after there is a break-in at the Vatican and the murder of an exorcist. Unable to identify the perpetrators, Lucadamo is also dealing with supposed Mafia threats the Vatican, and a financial dealings at the Vatican Bank. The ever-present and growing danger from a group of heretics and apostates in league with Satan is uncovered by Slattery and Chris Gladstone. When a satanic-style murder of a young man is discovered, rampant growth of homosexuality among priests is noted, more evidence of Satanic worship is reported, and an embracing of feminist ideology all threaten the Slavic Pope’s term, the Pope is diagnosed with a potential fatal disease. As the growth of internal opposition to the Slavic Pope's policies increases, the Slavic Pope announces a pilgrimage to Russia and Poland for the purpose of approving of the change in leadership in Russia, to re-connect with his homeland, and to pay homage to Mary of Czestochowa.

This well-constructed riveting drama and thriller is extremely well-written and intelligent. At play are two economic-political powerful groups: One group is the European Community (EC) and the other is Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). The inclusion of a dark and sinister group of men who embrace the occult and secret societies added to the intrigue and added a nightmarish quality. The many groups and organizations, and ideologies mentioned in the novel can seem a bit tedious and overwhelming, at times but the slow-moving novel had enough momentum and plausibility to build to a strong ending. The author also has two climactic events in the last few chapters which would seem counterproductive and diffusive. The first conveys one attitude and message but it is quickly overshadowed by the second event. I was taken aback thinking the novel was going to end in a whimper. This was a bit unnerving but it worked out well. In the end, the author pulls it together in a neat thriller that mirrors today. He gives us a moral and spiritual victory that always has a stronger legacy. There is also a hint that the real battle has just begun but God's side has already won. In the end, it is a cautionary tale of the fragility of the Church and faith and the necessity to rely on God.

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is poorly written no doubt.

However it reads fast. It keeps the reader interested. The subject matter is the stuff of best-seller caliber.

I suppose Martin is really the Vatican insider that he is often thought of to be which tempts the curiosity of his novels concerning the actual facts.

For whatever strange reason I have a lingering affection for the old world plus modernity plus American Catholicism that Martin represents. The Fulton Sheen kind of Catholicism that believes that the Sheen predicted Stalin's death on American television.

This book is about a pair of brothers from an old Catholic family in Texas with ties to the Vatican (their grandfather having made an important donation of millions of dollars to keep the pope out of debt). One is a priest. The other is an international lawyer.

A favorite character is the Dominican Friar Slattery who is really does resemble one of my favorite professors (a Dominican) in graduate school. Slattery captures that old-line Dominican "dogs of god" thing gluttonous gusto.

The novel opens with a occult ritual during Vatican II where "the weakling" is sacrificed on an alter of evil intentions by minions of a secret society.

This group of nefarious witches seek to corrupt the council from afar with voodoo hocus pocus. I don't know. That might actually be true. Martin seems to think it is. He uses the scene to good effect nevertheless.

One is reminded here of Martin's New Times Bestseller Hostage to the Devil (loosely based on facts). The girl in the first chapter who is possessed as a result of reading too much William James while attending a liberal arts college is particularly intriguing.

The story progresses quickly into a great caper that involves a lost envelope left by the passing Pope of Vatican II to the Polish Pope who ascends the chair of St. Peter amidst great turmoil. Seems uncannily close to John Paul II to have any doubts about who Martin means.

The priest brother (Christian) is then recruited by Slattery over a delicious breakfast of eggs and bacon in Rome to solve the case.

Christian travels to America where he takes on the evil cult of conspirators who doing the devil's bidding by undermining the Pope while advocating the corrupt doctrines of Vatican II.

An important aspect of the story is the interplay of interests between Christian, his family, in addition to his secular brother.

The secular brother is punished by God near the end of the novel for defending Gaudium et spes. Martin has his son mortally trapped in a cave to drive home the point of the wickedness that is transpiring.

This is used to great dramatic effect to cause the bad brother to repent of progressive politics which then coincides with the rescue of his son from sudden doom. One can almost feel Malachi taking delight writing this subplot.

Crafty churchmen from shifty bishops to secret societies who have it in for the pope.

American freemasons who diplomatically debate the finer points of the Virgin Mary's intercession in international politics with the Polish Pontiff. *The chief freemason is aptly given the name Channing.

Defrocked rebellious priests living in obscurity who have been quietly sanctioned for knowing too much.

Break-ins at the Vatican archives.

Threats from the Vatican bank.

Martin throws everything but the kitchen sink at the reader.

An interesting novel that is a good page-turner. Worth the time to offset the fluff that is in this genre.

[Maurisa Mayerle · Rating 2 out of 5]

As far as apocalyptic works go, I’ll stick with Michael D. O’Brien. This was a tedious read and I did not enjoy it at all. Supposedly it is a “faction” (fiction based on some facts) and many of the characters, places, and events allegedly line up with real people, places, and events. Unfortunately, Malachi Martin was not a trustworthy man and so I don’t know if he wrote this in the manner he did in order to peak people’s curiosity with half truths or if he wrote it to truly expose deeply corrupt and evil prelates and vast Masonic and Satanic conspiracies within the Catholic Church.

[Roger Buck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chilling … Martin claimed this novel was 80 per cent true. Sorting out the fact from the fiction isn't easy - but there is still very much to be gained from this "novel". I have more about this book in my review here:

http://corjesusacratissimum.org/2009/...

[Paul Creasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Shocking in its detail and the fact that it appears to be based on true events. At the end of the book there is a chart detailing which fictionally named characters correspond to real persons. It all checks out! There is great trouble in the church and this book, for one, at least explains why. I highly recommend.

[Terri Rashleger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously, this was book one of a series that Malachi Martin did not finish because of his death.
It will be frustrating to readers who are left hanging at the ending. This is a very long book that foresees how the Catholic church is heading.

[Isaac Juan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todavía no tengo claro si me ha gustado bastante, o si no tanto.
Le doy 3 y media.

Leerlo me ha generado mucho interés, sobre el papado de JPII, sobre la jerarquia eclesiástica, los cardenales a los que hace referencia el libro, los misterios de Fátima, la masonería en la Iglesia...

No acabo de conectar con la postura tradicionalista que percibo del autor, aunque sí comparto la claridad y rectitud en la doctrina católica. Pero el libro es escabroso, con tintes de conspiración (aunque entiendo que refleja la realidad), y la información que he leído sobre el autor me ha generado cierto rechazo o desconfianza.

Me parece que termina el libro de una manera criminal. Entiendo que el objetivo era continuar; pero dejarlo así, después de 800 páginas, es casi una bofetada al lector. Esto me dejó con cara de idiota cuando lo acabé, y con sentimientos encontrados. Me sentí realmente insultado como lector después de 2 meses de compromiso.

Tiene partes largas que son pura geopolítica. Interesante si te gusta el tema, pero a ratos la lectura es pesada. También hay una cantidad ingente de personajes. Reconozco que al principio me perdía con algunos.

A pesar de todas las pegas, me encantan las intrigas vaticanas, y en esto no defrauda.

Además de dejar una lección de fe ante tanta destrucción, ante tanta decadencia:
No olvidemos que la muerte está vencida. Tan solo estamos transitando el "mientras tanto".

[Roberto Rosas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was amazed at Malachi Martin's descriptions of the deplorable corruption in the Vatican. I am well aware of these problems in the Catholic Church nowadays; however, he published this book in 1996! I guess it was harder to believe that his characters and situations were very much based on real life back then. I recommend you read Dr. Taylor Marshall's Infiltration (The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within) published in 2019 for affirmation on Martin's "faction" novel. Back on the book, this is a highly interesting subject to me, so I found myself reading it for hours until the end. Very well written and documented. The first Martin's book I read was "Hostage to the Devil"; therefore, I knew what to expect as far as writing style. I enjoyed this, his last published book, and recommend it to any reader of complex plot stories based on reality.

[Jared · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just finished the most poorly written, unsatisfying work of fiction I've ever read. It doesn't even have a conclusion -- after 646 loooooong and long-winded pages and only a little action, the book just . . . stops. Kind of with a cliffhanger, sort of. The plot is never wrapped up. A huge climax is set up, only to never arrive -- bad guys commit horrible deeds, and none of them pays for what they've done. No pay-off for the reader, no conclusion, no tying up of loose ends.

Oh, and how come all of the characters use the adjective "capital" ("important")? It's as if most of them aren't fully-fleshed out characters, more sock-puppets for the author to engage in innumerable discourses on geopolitics and ecclesiastical politics.

If you're thinking of buying this book, please don't. If you're thinking of reading it, just don't -- you'll never get those weeks of your life back.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just could not finish this book, which rarely happens. There were too many levels of intrigue, too many names, the charachters were superficial in the extremity of their beliefs (liberal/evil; superconservative/good). The author said in an interview that 85% of this book was true. If that is the case, the Catholic Church has been infested with either evil or well-intentioned enemies. Set in the pontificate of JPII and knowing where the Church is today, the premise of the book that Satanists were trying to take over the Church did not appeal to me. Obviously they did not. I stopped at 350 pages because I just did NOT want to give this book anymore time.

[Robert Glover · Rating 4 out of 5]

No wonder Holy Mother Church is in such dire straits: the enthronement of the evil one in Rome and South Carolina and several generations of faithless bishops. I know this is faction, but I have no problem believing the events described actually took place with the names changed.

Former Jesuit priest Malachi Martin writes well and maintains the suspense. Did the Slavic Pope, John Paul II, ever find out what went on? Who knows? He didn't do anything about it if he did (real life, not faction). As western culture collapses, thanks to the collapse of Holy Mother Church, it is not surprising to read this backstory of events.

[George · Rating 2 out of 5]

I forced myself to make it through the book. I agree with others that it was in dire need of editing. The introduction is exciting and then it doesn't pick up again till about page 300. On the positive side it has everything from devil worshipers, masons, to murder. The end leaves you hanging but there was suppose to be a sequel; since Fr.Martin died prior to finishing the sequel well never know the popes decision. In a nutshell the book is about a small group of evil priest, bishops, and cardinals that are trying to overthrow JPII and lead catholics astray.

[Arthur Lammers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read, and definitely not difficult or slow as some of the other reviews suggest. The fact that this was written prior to 1996 (publish date) puts Church historical events of the 2000s in a very interesting light, and certainly suggests that there were people within the Church that knew of things going on for decades prior. I would definitely recommend, with the caveat that the early chapter concerning a satanic ritual might not be something everybody could or will want to fully read, however it certainly is not just inserted for sensationalism.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly.... I gave up. It is rare that I quit reading a book without at least skimming to the end. This book had such a strong start, but the storyline ended up getting lost in an overly detailed explanation of eeeeverythingggg. It was incredibly hard to follow and nothing was happening. After about ten chapters I called it quits. Martin knows how to describe a scene. Maybe some of his other books are better. This one left me wanting though.

[Jakob Hauge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely worth reading, and I am going to read more by the same author.

If people read in order to reach the end quickly, this is not the book. It takes a while to read.

For me the scenes, characters, plot were very vivid. But I'm also one if those sympathetic to the whole premise of the novel. I.e. that the corruption in the Church is indeed due to satanic infiltration. The youtube interviews with the author are recommended to those who seek a deeper understanding of that and more...

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a quick read for those who have time. The story was intriguing and sort of prophetic in my opinion. The author was very descriptive which, although necessary, caused me to lose interest during different areas of the book. It is certainly a book worth reading.

[Andrew Dobney · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book although fiction is quite close to how modern day events have unfolded since mid 1990's at the time it was written. Martin a Jesuit priest tells a story how the Satan has tekn over the Vatican

[April Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this novel, the Vatican is under the control of an international cabal (think World Economic Forum), which is controlled by evil forces.

A rebuke of the second Vatican council and its aftermath.

[Avalina Kreska · Rating 3 out of 5]

A long-winded read but the gist of the story is compelling. Fr.Malachi Martin died not long after threatening to reveal the high ranking cardinals involved in satanic worship...

[Miguel · Rating 3 out of 5]

(5,5/10) No es fácil reseñar este libro. Es evidente que trata cuestiones muy atractivas, polémicas y muy dolorosas para un católico: problemas en la jerarquía eclesiástica, intrigas y luchas de poder en el Vaticano, homosexualidad dentro de la Iglesia, redes de pedofilia, masonería, satanismo, los misterios de Fátima… Todo esto, por su rabiosa actualidad, lógicamente consigue atrapar al lector, a pesar de hacerlo con un muy pobre estilo narrativo.

El acercamiento de Malachi Martin a los problemas actuales de la Iglesia evocando factores reales sobrenaturales malignos y demoniacos es muy interesante, y poco común. Un punto a su favor. Suele huirse de ese tipo de análisis como si el demonio no existiera, pero la verdad es que, aunque no se quiera mirar, está ahí. Otro punto a favor es la defensa de la claridad en la doctrina católica, evitando ambigüedades y vaguedades que dan espacio a interpretaciones problemáticas.

Martin pormenoriza muchísimo, quizá excesivamente, las motivaciones geopolíticas de los personajes y sus estrategias. Tanto que puede resultar aburrido en algunas ocasiones. Es especialmente cargante cuando se repite innecesariamente al reintroducir personajes en distintos momentos de la novela, imagino que con el fin de que quede claro. Otro punto en el que es muy incisivo, y este no es en absoluto aburrido, es el de las prácticas masónicas y los rituales satánicos. Aquí hay escenas escabrosas y muy duras, que uno no se imaginaría nunca, pero que probablemente -y lamentablemente- existan. Paradójicamente, a pesar de ese detallismo casi obsesivo, hay personajes cuyas motivaciones no se exploran: ¿por qué hacen lo que hacen? ¿Ambición, negligencia, ingenuidad…? En muchos casos, no hay respuesta.

El final es criminal. Posiblemente Martin quería hacer una segunda parte que nunca llegó (porque falleció), pero después de 800 páginas el lector se queda colgando. Frustrante.

Es imposible, para terminar y con la esperanza de que le llegue a alguien que pueda solucionarlo, no comentar que esta edición (6ª, Homo Legens) tiene demasiados errores graves: saltos en párrafos que no terminan, ausencia de separación clara entre párrafos en cambios de escenas… cosas raras que no deberían pasar y que destrozan la experiencia lectora.

En conclusión, la novela sirve para mostrar la fragilidad de la Iglesia y sus ministros en una batalla entre el Bien y el mal que viene luchándose desde siempre pero que, aunque Dios ya la ha ganado para el fin de los tiempos, es especialmente sangrante en nuestros días. La moraleja del autor es, a grandes rasgos, que el católico con fe debe confiar en la oración, en la Virgen María y ser fiel a la Tradición de la Iglesia.

[Christine in BoMass, USA · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoiler Alert: This is a fascinating yet frustrating book. It has a lot of names and places and institutions...laying the groundwork for something terrible and really believable. Then it ends with a cliffhanger. I guess there were supposed to be more books.

Was really disappointed.