The Lake of Learning

Cassiopeia Vitt Adventure #3

by Steve Berry, M.J. Rose

For over a decade Cassiopeia Vitt has been building an authentic French castle, using only materials and techniques from the 13th century. But when a treasure is unearthed at the construction site—an ancient Book of Hours—a multitude of questions are raised, all pointing to an ancient and forgotten religious sect.

Once the Cathars existed all across southern France, challenging Rome and attracting the faithful by the tens of thousands. Eventually, in 1208, the Pope declared them heretics and ordered a crusade—the first where Christians killed Christians—and thousands were slaughtered, the Cathars all but exterminated. Now a piece of that past has re-emerged, one that holds the key to the hiding place of the most precious object the Cathars possessed. And when more than one person becomes interested in that secret, in particular a thief and a billionaire, the race is on.

From the medieval walled city of Carcassonne, to the crest of mysterious Montségur, to a forgotten cavern beneath the Pyrenees, Cassiopeia is drawn deeper and deeper into a civil war between two people obsessed with revenge and murder.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Adventure

143 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2019

About the author

 

Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of twenty-two novels, which include: The Last Kingdom , The Omega Factor , The Kaiser's Web, The Warsaw Protocol, The Malta Exchange, The Bishop’s Pawn, The Lost Order, The 14th Colony, The Patriot Threat, The Lincoln Myth, The King's Deception, The Columbus Affair, The Jefferson Key, The Emperor's Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room. Steve has also co-written a novel with Grant Blackwood,  The 9th Man  (a Luke Daniels Adventure), and four novellas with M. J. Rose:  The End of Forever,   The House of Long Ago,   The Lake of Learning,  and  The Museum of Mysteries,  all Cassiopeia Vitt tales. His books have been translated into 41 languages with over 25,000,000 copies in 52 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists. Somewhere in the world, every thirty seconds, one of his novels is sold.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Berry and M.J. Rose return with another novella in which Cassiopeia Vitt is able to take centre stage. Exploring some of the older aspects of European based religions, the reader will learn much and be dazzled by the intricate detail. While excavating for her ongoing castle project, Cassiopeia Vitt and her team uncover an old book whose contents make it not only rare, but extremely valuable. When she is visited by an interested party, Cassiopeia gets a bad feeling about Roland Beláncourt, who insists that he needs this book. While Cassiopeia is able to dismiss him, Beláncourt persists, telling her all about the history of Catharism, something about which Vitt is familiar. It would seem this book not only speaks of the Cathars, but also speaks of an ancient relic and location that could be key to enlightened discoveries. As Vitt seeks some outside assistance to find this ‘Lake of Learning’, she continues to encounter trouble from Beláncourt, who will stop at nothing to ensure he gets his hands on the book. Vitt does not have Cotton Malone to help her, but she will need to find some way of staying ahead of the the trouble that awaits her. Berry and Rose have come up with an interesting tale here, mixing history with a female protagonist. Recommended to those who have long enjoyed Berry’s work (which includes Cassiopeia) and likely readers who are familiar with Rose’s style of writing.

I have long been a fan of Steve Berry’s writing, which has included minor roles for Cassiopeia Vitt. When I noticed that Berry had teamed up with M.J. Rose, I was interested to see how they would elevate this most interesting character without losing some of the intriguing history that is woven throughout each tale. This novella touches on an era that I suspect Rose uses regularly, which meshes well with some of what we know about Cassiopeia. This female protagonist does well guiding the story along. While she is away from the love of her life—Cotton Malone—she does well to keep the reader interested in her medieval building project, which spills into talk of the Cathars. She is by no means a damsel, but also does not seek conflict where she can help it. There are a few other characters whose presence add depth to the story, including the gritty Roland Beláncourt, whose determination helps fuel some clashes surrounding the possession of the book. The story gathers momentum in the early chapters and never loses its speed. I am happy to see an ongoing ability to mix history with action in yet another piece by these two authors. I can only hope that they continues an annual tradition of working together to develop some wonderful stories.

Kudos, Mr. Berry and Madam Rose, for an interesting piece that kept me curious throughout. This is a collaboration that is growing on me.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Skip · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cassiopeia Vitt is excavating in her castle, when she finds a relic which holds a religious book. Roland Betancourt, who owns a huge aerospace concern, wants the book for himself, and seems willing to do anything to get it. Cassiopeia goes off to find an expert on the book, and finds herself speaking to Betancourt's ex-wife.

I like Steve Berry' Cotton Malone series very much, but thought the religious history of the Cathars in France and how the Catholics persecuted the Cathars into extinction to be overbearing in this novella. Personally, I think that Berry and MJ Rose need to bring Cotton into one of these adventures.

[Sahitya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve loved Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone series for years now, but have always been fascinated by Cassiopeia as a character, always wishing that she play major roles in Malone’s stories. So, it’s been wonderful to see the author give her a series of her own.

While The Museum of Mysteries (my last encounter with Cassiopeia) was an okay read, I still wanted more adventures with her and this book didn’t disappoint. I’m always interested to know which historical aspect Berry would decide to dive into, so I was not surprised to be immersed into a new religion, the Cathars, which I knew nothing about. While it’s not possible for a newbie reader like me to discern fact from fiction in the story, I’m amazed by how seamless the incorporation of historical elements was in this book. And I was definitely intrigued by this religion which believed in duality (which is also the basis for the Dvaita school of thought in Hindu philosophy though a bit different) because it feels like such an antithesis to the beliefs of Christianity. Reading about the crusades is always painful, but getting to know that people of the same religion fought and slaughtered because of differences in the way they practiced it was even more horrifying. And as informative as the whole thing was, I also thought it worked wonderfully as the backdrop for this novel, and was exactly what I would usually expect from a full length Malone book.

I think the medieval religious historical find worked perfectly for Cassiopeia as well because of her intense respect for historical preservation. This was an adventure that I completely believed she would embark on and I enjoyed following her. She is also a very cool thinker and doesn’t go headlong into confrontations, unlike the heroes we read about in similar spy thrillers. She kept her wits about in every situation and acted at the right moment, only doing what was necessary. I also really liked seeing her as the owner of her family enterprise and how she handles the business, because that’s not a side of her we usually get to see when she is hanging out with Malone. I was also pretty amused by her thoughts about him, remembering his words when finding herself in a bit of a trouble, because he hardly seems to follow those words himself.

In the end, this is a short novella which thoroughly entertained me and I didn’t want it to be over. It also had a pretty abrupt ending and could have done with an epilogue or another chapter. If you have enjoyed the Cotton Malone series by Berry and always wanted to know more about Cassiopeia, then this series is perfect for you. It’s also perfect for fans of books which utilize the trope of archeological/historical mysteries being solved in contemporary settings. It is also possible to be read as a standalone, but I don’t know if the emotional connect will be the same as those of us who have known these characters for many books now. Now my only wish is that the author duo decide to make the next book a bit longer.

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very concise and typical Steve Berry book. I love his typical truth and facts with how he came up with the book. Interesting the way a writer’s mind can make things work.

[Deepu Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story was good, but narration was boring specially the male voice one.

[JoyReaderGirl1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seeking The Truth of the Cathars

When excavations at her French chateau uncover a mysterious bejeweled gold box containing a centuries-old illuminated manuscript of uncertain origins, Cassiopeia Vitt is immediately besieged by thieves and billionaires wanting to take it off her hands. What do they know that she doesn't?

[Lulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much better than the first adventure written by MJ Rose, but I’m still not a fan.

[Alexia MyBookVision · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’avais hâte d’enfin découvrir les aventures de Cassiopée Vitt et je ne suis pas déçu !
On retrouve tous les ingrédients de la série des Cotton Malone : aventure, action, histoire, quête au trésor…
La période historique autour d’un mystère cathare est une de mes périodes favorites et d’ailleurs qui me manque cruellement avec Cotton Malone qui depuis plusieurs tome traite des l’histoire américaine et s’est éloigné des mystères plus anciens !

Le seul regret que j’ai par rapport à cette nouvelle série, c’est la longueur du récit, trop court pour pouvoir vraiment apprécier cette intrigue. J’aurais souhaité un développement plus riche autour de ce manuscrit ancien, une intrigue plus étoffée, des énigmes a élucider, des pistes à explorer, une vrai chasse au trésor quoi 😅
Mais outre ce petit bémol, je suis bien entendu convaincue par cette nouvelle série et je lirais les prochains romans avec plaisir. Malheureusement, il faut attendre novembre 2022 pour avoir la suite !

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I was eager to finally discover the adventures of Cassiopeia Vitt and I’m not disappointed!
We find all the ingredients of the Cotton Malone series: adventure, action, history, treasure quest...
The historical period around a Cathar mystery is one of my favourite periods and I sorely miss it with Cotton Malone which has been dealing with American history for several volumes and has moved away from the older mysteries!

The only regret I have about this new series is the length of the story, too short to really appreciate the plot. I would have liked a richer development around this ancient manuscript, a more fleshed out plot, enigmas to solve, tracks to explore, a real treasure hunt 😅
But apart from this little drawback, I’m of course convinced by this new series and I would read the next books with pleasure.

[Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella, and "The Museum of Mysteries," represent everything a good novella should provide for readers: strong characters, mysterious stories based on heavily researched history, conflicts that are not easy to resolve, and a compelling storyline that leaves the reader wishing the book went another 500 pages farther than it did.

This story focusses on the Cathar religion, a system of beliefs that the Catholic church considered heretical and then killed the adherents in a crusade launched in 1209 and later during the inquisition. However, Cathars still exist today, and it's about them--and the discoveries of an old Cathar book of hours--that's the focus of this story.

An old book is found on a construction site, and suddenly opposing Papist and Cathar individuals insert themselves into the story, creating a dangerous game for the protagonist Cassiopeia Vitt. Old conflicts die hard, it seems, as those who believe and those who don't believe put Vitt's life, wealth, and company in danger.

Books like this not only have compelling stories but teach readers a lot about the subject matter. In this case, the authors' note at the end of the book what separates fact from fiction so that readers can see what's true, what's imaginary (but possible), and where to follow the historical record for themselves.

The characters in this novel (both the ones you like the and the ones you don't like) not only have great depth to them, but they're experts in their fields and savvy about everything that surrounds their areas of interest. If you have an interest in the Cathars, you will enjoy this novella. But even if you don't, the fascination of a well-told tale will keep you reading.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cassiopeia Vitt uncovers a sacred book that many long for.

[Penny Cipolone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick fun read. Great for traveling and waiting rooms. I love Casiopeia Vitt.

[Cara Putman · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting bit of history.

[Ray LaManna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not his best work...the story ended with a number of loose ends.

[Lawrence A. Beer · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a very welcomed interlude in the Cotton Malone series, it kind of satisfies the hunger for more stories featuring this heroes ring of supporting characters, I felt the quick predictable ending - SPOILER ALERT - involving a personal vendetta was disappointing. However, the staging of the Cathars in Spain as the story’s launch pad was intriguing and interesting, well researched and presented. Realize this was a novella and hence a condensed book but still longed for a conclusion epitaph that tied all back to the Cathar issue to some greater degree. Cotton’s girlfriend Vitt makes for good heroin but seems a bit silly to inject a simple text from him into the story, telling her to be careful. Either get him involved or not. Just letting her say she mises him and that their relationship is complicated just panders to the overall series. It adds nothing to the storyline in this book. As a pleasant afternoon of reading, I would still recommend it especially for fans of the series.

[Jo Van Horn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy these kind of historical related stories. Some truths some fabrications make a good read. This one was short and fast which is also a treat after reading a 1200 page historical fiction.

[Mike Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've liked Steve Berry's Cotton Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt adventures. Not only has he made them into a good team, they're good characters all on their own. Combined with Berry's solid scene descriptions and well-formed plots, they've been part of several solid stories that have been great escapist fiction for me over the past several years. His more recent work with MJ Rose has proven to be just as interesting and fun to read. The stories continue to develop the relation between Cotton and Cassiopeia as well as to build Cassiopeia up as her own woman with a deep and rich backstory.
This book, another of his collaborative works with MJ Rose, starts out promising the same excitement as the previous stories. The action opens with a fun discovery, a quick entry into intrigue fueled by an all-too-quick leak to the press and a couple of antagonists to move the plot along.
However, as the readers nears the climax of the story, the book begins to move a bit too quickly with the action occurring almost before you know it's happened. Without providing any spoilers, the ending comes as a jolt, feeling almost as if there was a page limit to the book rather than a natural conclusion to the plot. It's not that there are loose ends per se, it's just that that the tale ends without providing any of the wrap-up usually provided.
The read is still good and I hold out hope that the next Vitt adventures are more well-rounded in their telling of the story. Switching to a novella format - as opposed to longer novels - is fine (which I assume this is at 144 pages) as long as you serialize the action or make each a complete and balanced story within itself. I look forward to starting the fourth book in the series.

[Richard West · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second collaboration between Steve Berry and M. J. Rose and the difference between the two is as striking as the difference between night and day. At about 124 pages (not 190 as shown by Goodreads), it's one of those books you can read in one sitting with no problem. It's a stand-alone Cassiopeia Vitt adventure and should thus appeal to Berry fans immediately.

The first venture between Berry and Rose was a genuine, certified loser - most people who read it seemed to give it one star out of kindness - it was steeped in New Age philosophical meanderings and God knows what else which made it less a Berry story and more a Rose one. This one, on the other hand, is pure Berry - it grabs you at the beginning and doesn't let go. Sadly, it does cry out for one more chapter - even just a page - to kind of wrap things up since we're kind of left hanging at the end and wondering what is going to happen.

And, it fills the void for those of us who are waiting for the next Berry-written Cotton Mather adventure to come along, as well. It would be nice to see a collection of his ebook-only writings come out for those of us who prefer to read real books as opposed to dots on a screen. That could help fill the void even more!!

Meanwhile, grab this one and enjoy it - if you really stretch it, you can read it over two days which is what I did - no sense in reading it all in one day, although the temptation to do so is great!

[Lissa Notreallywolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, an audio book that I listened to once or twice because I kept getting lost. The central relic is a prayer book, found at Ms. Vitt's castle building site. It is desired by a wealthy man who makes himself odious to Vitt because of his persistence and his attack on her corporation. It is nearly stolen from the site by a woman, who continues to pursue it our of a religious fervor. It is the lost manuscript of the Cathar's faith, and she is a scholar of the Cathars, converted to their world view. Vitt contacts her as a scholar, but the reader suspects, long before she does, that the scholar is a true believer. We brush against the notion that Vitt doesn't see it because she has suffered a split from her deceased parents when they became latter in life Latter-Day Saints. And once she does see it she sees it with far more sympathy than the average person because accepting other people's religiousity is something she has had practice in. I felt Berry and his coauthor handled this very well, and that her delayed perception and greater empathy were correct. The book ends up making a real mess of an archeological site with beautiful cave paintings, and for that I was truely sorry. And for the dynamite skillfully employed to open it, in a National Park. I liked this one less that the second or the fourth of these novellas. I also like the fact that Cotton doesn't rescue her, doesn't butt in, but provides support.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting idea, some problems.
I really enjoyed the Cathar elements, and the historical points.
That said,there were some issues I had.
First, why would an academic who is one of 3 people who the main character would have been likely to consult on the book, have resorted to theft first, rather than reaching out and offering assistance, gaining access without committing criminal acts? It might be to show how desperate and out of touch with the reality she was,but if so,that wasn't built up sufficiently, imo.
This is the first Vitt story I've read, so I'm not sure what kind of character she's intended to be...
I say that because Vitt shoots Forte in cold blood. While she may have been correct, that Forte was enough of a zealot to be a future threat, she was not being threatened at the point she shot her. Logically, what Forte wanted was to publicize the found Cathar bible, which Vitt had no intention of blocking, so she wasn't a threat to Forte. Again, it may be that Forte was enough of a zealot that she might have killed Vitt preemptively, or due to paranoia brought in by the zealotry, but this was not really built sufficiently to work well.
It was interesting enough that I'll try the other books, but it falls short, either because the book was too short to build what was needed, or due to the writing not making the points as well as needed.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about the Cathars through this novella. The plot is simple. Cassiopeia Vitt has discovered a book on her property that gets undue attention through press release to make it seem a highly important treasure to a very rich and successful French neighbor. He offers to buy the book for any price but Ms. Vitt refuses to sell it to him. He warns her that he could become a formidable foe, and in the meantime, a religious fanatic has tried to steal it! Because of the book we learn the history of the Cathars and their sacrifice. Two main characters in the book, the successful businessman and the lady religious fanatic, drive the book’s plot forward. It finally is learned that the real story is about the pair who had been married to one another. The businessman’s hatred towards his ex wife, her religious zeal in becoming a perfect good person propel the story into a life and death situation. Vitt finds herself caught between the two, struggling to save her own life!

The revelations about the Cathars is fascinating and illuminating while the cause of the drama and conflict between the husband and wife is quite thoughtful. The story does end abruptly. It is a bit far fetched in its ending!

But a fascinating read and journey into the past martyrdom of the Cathar Christians. Only 22 chapters but very well developed until the conclusion! No spoilers!

[Shaunda · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say about this novella, ummm quick read.

The Lake of Learning was interesting 🤔 to say the least.

But what I really liked was the history lesson on the Cathars.

I felt like a fellow believer. That's good when an author can do that. That makes them a great story teller, opp!!! I mean writer.

But as usual, Cassiopeia is off the chain.

She has been in the process of building this medieval French castle 🏰 from the 13th century using all labor & materials from that time.

While excavating, she finds a chest containing a beautiful ancient book 📖.

Known as the Book of Hours. Used by the Cathars in the 12th or 13th century. Before they became a threat to the Catholic Church ⛪ and Rome.

So here is where all mystery and intrigue come ALIVE!!! I mean literally.
.

This book 📖 is supposed to lead to a La Verite better known as The Truth.

Cassiopeia definitely has her work cut ✂️ out for her. Because not soon after the discovery, someone tries to steal the book.

This can't be good. So starts the adventure into finding the Lake of Learning.

Awesome read, I so loved ❤ the story.

So much so, that I got the 3rd novella. The House of Long Ago.

Can't wait to get started on this book, & of course I'll let you know what I think.

Happy Reading 📚!!!!

Ciao💋

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing that I enjoyed the most about THE LAKE OF LEARNING, the second collaboration between authors Steve Berry and M.J. Rose, is how much attention to historical detail went into the writing of this book. Yes, liberties were taken, but they were few, and what emerged is a book chock full of interesting facts about the Cathars, along with another mystery to be solved. Given both authors' love of and involvement in history preservation, this book met my expectations, and then some.

As with THE MUSEUM OF MYSTERIES (Book 2), there is plenty of intrigue, which makes for a more interesting read for me. I would love to see more of Cotton Malone actually solving the mysteries with Cassiopeia, but she's a pretty intrepid sleuth on her own, and does a fine job of getting to the bottom of things.

As this is a novella, it is shorter, so more like an amuse bouche, leaving me wanting more, more, more. I look forward to further adventures for Cotton and Cassiopeia, and to learning more about history in the process. In the meantime, this is a fine addition to the series, and one that fans of both Steve Barry and M.J. Rose will enjoy.

[Marti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lake of Learning by Steve Berry and MJ Rose is an offshoot of the Cotton Malone books. This book focuses on Cassiopeia Vitt who is presently building an authentic French castle using 13th century techniques. While she was having a test ditch dug, a golden box was found with an old copy of The Book of Hours. Obviously, the book is old and valuable, so it is put to the side until Cassiopeia finds out more about it. The next day is when the adventure starts, people showing up to buy the book and someone trying to steal it. Cassiopeia has to follow the clues to find the truth.

Once again, I found myself reading quickly in pace so I could know what is going to happen next. The information about the Cathars was fascinating to me. While reading, I found myself wondering where that line is between reality and fiction. It was blurred perfectly and I loved reading the story! I liked how this book was shorter than Steve Berry’s book usually are, so I could read it quickly. I liked how Cassiopeia searched for answers and I liked the bad guy being bad. Lake of Learning by Steve Berry and MJ Rose was a fun, hold on to your seats, read.

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, another collaboration between Mr. Berry and Ms. Rose. I will say, without any shadow of doubt, that this is way, way better than The Museum of Mysteries, the last collaboration I read between these two authors (and I still highly recommend not reading that one!).

This story about the Cathars in France, pretty interesting, and how the Catholics persecuted them into extinction. Now one of their long lost artifacts is discovered at Cassiopeia's castle building site (coincidence alert!), and the race is on to discover the secrets and beat the bad guy to the treasure.

No complaint about the history, and even the story, other than it was extremely predictable. No surprises, not much of a puzzle, some cluess were kind of unnecessary (at one point they used the book to pick which of the four tunnels they should go down - why not just check each tunnel?). But better than the first one.

[dennis barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lake of Learning Steve Berry M.J. Rose

Cathars, a sect or religion practiced by thousands . The Pope viewed them as heretics. In 1208, he decides to eliminate them. Erase them from the face of the earth. His armies does just that. The Cathars cease to exist. In the present day they are very secretive and as in the past non violent. But, in the end their leader in France will resort to this, but in self defense. Cassiopeia Witt has discovered an ancient book of the Cathars while excavating on the grounds of her castle she is restoring. It is a extremely valuable form of an illustrative manuscript, the Cathars bible I will describe it as. Two people want it. One for revenge, the other a prominent member of Catharism. Non stop action from start to finish. Enjoyed immensely!!

[Maureen Lamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another short story in the life of Cassiopeia Vitt. I love her adventures, they keep me captivated.
In building her authentic French castle, using only materials and techniques from the 13th century, she unearths a treasure at the construction site—an ancient Book of Hours. Then, a multitude of questions are raised, all pointing to an ancient and forgotten religious sect, the Cathars.
Now a piece of that past has re-emerged, one that holds the key to the hiding place of the most precious object the Cathars possessed. And when more than one person becomes interested in that secret, in particular a thief and a billionaire, the race is on.
From the medieval walled city of Carcassonne, to the crest of mysterious Montségur, to a forgotten cavern beneath the Pyrenees, Cassiopeia is drawn deeper and deeper into a civil war between two people obsessed with revenge and murder.

[Brent Soderstrum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in the Cassiopeia Vitt series.

Cassiopeia is in the middle of constructing an authentic castle from the 13th century in south France when her workers find a gold box. The box contains a book from the 13th century written by the Cathars, a religious sect that was nearly wiped out by fellow Christians in 1208. The Pope had ordered a crusade to destroy the Cathars.

The book, which was found in the gold box, leads to a search by Cassiopeia for the treasure referred to in the book. Two competing rivals are after the book so they can find the treasure too. All three have differing reasons for wanting the treasure.

This is a treasure hunt that leads to everyone ending up at the same place at the same time. Search and then fight it out with the ending predictable.

[Kyle Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassopia Vitt is a great character in Steve Berry's Cotton Malone Universe. She is a strong female with a variety of talents and always seems to be an asset to the story. This was no different. I am glad that she is getting some attention in this novella, but I would have liked this story more if it were a full novel. The history, as always with Steve Berry, was intreguing and fun. A rare book find that leads to a "secret" society/religion being involved in finding their holy grail is a solid story that could have been fleshed out to fill several hundred more pages. I think that I might like this idea more than a few of Steve's other full-size books. All that being said, I liked it and I bet you will too if you give it a chance.

[Mary A. Muchowicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating story of the quest for the Cathar Book of Truth

The Cathars were a peaceful people ruled by the God of Good. Although their beliefs were different than the Catholicism Church, it is still hard to believe that Christian were ordered to exterminate other Christians. It seemed that the Cathars were completely wiped from existence, but a few existed and recruited more members who waited centuries to again find their book of truth and the clue to find it came when Casseopeia Vitter unearthed a very unique Book of Hours while working to rebuild an old castle in France.

[John M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novella, much more so than the previous entry in this series. The authors did a great job with the character development of the primary characters. Being a novella, they did not have any room to spare on the background secondary characters, and yet, I found that there were still some interesting secondary characters supporting the primaries. On top of that, the authors plucked an intriguing subject matter out of medieval times and built an intriguing plot around this concept. Liberally sprinkling historical references throughout this modern day tale, the authors give a fun story a brilliant light. Definitely a two thumbs up read!