Book Review: The Heretic by Joseph Nassise


I think this is the first thriller I have ever read. I chose to read this book because when I went to the iBook store my finger happened to hit upon this one. I know. I put so much thought into which book I read next. Regardless of my questionable ways of choosing novels, I did enjoy this book.

The Heretic by Joseph Nassise is the first book in an urban fantasy thriller featuring a group of Templar Knights who must protect a powerful holy relic from falling into the wrong hands. Wait…didn’t the Templar Knights die out, like, a really long time ago? In this book, apparently not. They just went underground and are hidden from society in order to keep them safe from the things that lurk in the dark. At the center of the story is Cade Williams, commander of Echo team, who has some unique abilities that gained him the nickname “Heretic.” Cade also has quite the dark past.

When the book starts it jumps into the action and sets the pace for the whole novel. There is lots of blood, and lots of fighting and it is definitely not a cozy romantic read by the fire. But it is good. Even though there is a lot of focus on fighting (which I suppose makes sense as it is a thriller) the characters are well developed and there are side stories. It’s not just a simple plotline where the good guys kill the bad guys (not saying if they do or not), but it’s deeper and has layers to it. Maybe not a ton of layers, but enough layers to make it worth the read.

The writing moves along pretty quickly and does a good job of keeping the reader engaged in the story. The descriptions are also lovingly horrific. There are also a number of twists that keep the reader guessing. If you’re looking for a high-action thriller, then you should definitely take a look at this novel. There is a fair bit of religion (mainly Catholic) but it’s sort of to be expected as they are Templar Knights. I don’t think it detracts from the story though and it isn’t the sole focus, but it is there. Mostly it’s just Cade’s thoughts about religion. Overall, I recommend this book if thrillers are your cup of tea.



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