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    Sanctus
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    Sanctus
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    Sanctus
    Audiobook12 hours

    Sanctus

    Written by Simon Toyne

    Narrated by Jonathan Keeble

    3.5/5

    ()

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    About this audiobook

    The bestselling thriller debut of 2011 – the apocalyptic conspiracy thriller that has set the world alight…

    REVELATION OR DEVASTATION?

    The certainties of the modern world are about to be blown apart by a three thousand year-old conspiracy nurtured by blood and lies …

    A man throws himself to his death from the oldest inhabited place on the face of the earth, a mountainous citadel in the historic Turkish city of Ruin. This is no ordinary suicide but a symbolic act. And thanks to the media, it is witnessed by the entire world.

    But few understand it. For charity worker Kathryn Mann and a handful of others in the know, it is what they have been waiting for. The cowled and secretive fanatics that live in the Citadel suspect it could mean the end of everything they have built – and they will kill, torture and break every law to stop that. For Liv Adamsen, New York crime reporter, it begins the next stage of a journey into the heart of her own identity.

    And at that journey's end lies a discovery that will change EVERYTHING …

    SANCTUS is an apocalyptic conspiracy thriller like no other – it re-sets the bar for excitement and fascination, and marks the debut of a major talent in Simon Toyne.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateApr 14, 2011
    ISBN9780007421367
    Unavailable
    Sanctus
    Author

    Simon Toyne

    Simon Toyne is the bestselling author of the Sanctus trilogy: Sanctus, The Key and The Tower. He wrote Sanctus after quitting his job as a TV executive to focus on writing. It was the biggest-selling debut thriller of 2011 in the UK and an international bestseller. His books have been translated into 27 languages and published in over 50 countries. Solomon Creed is the first book in a new series. Simon lives with his family in Brighton and the South of France.

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    Reviews for Sanctus

    3.5/5

    276 ratings64 reviews

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    • 4/5
      A monk climbs up the mountainside of the Citadel of Ruin, site of the beginnings of the Christian church. Inside the holy mountain is a holy secret, a Sacrament that the monks protect at all costs. Kathryn Mann has an ancient prophecy, which predicts the fall of the monk, the rise of the monk to unlock the Sacrament, and bring forth a new age. So when the monk falls from the top of the mountain there are a great many people interested in why other than the Inspector Davud Arkadian. Their interests and exactly what it means when the abbot says “all costs” weaves a grand mystery. If you like mystery, this is a wonderful book to read. From the beginning this book held my attention. It doesn’t have the factual background like Brown’s Da Vinci Code, but it certainly has the punch that will have you questioning what you have always been taught about the church. It also made me want to visit the area of Ruin. It made a great travel book. Thanks to the publisher for making an advance reader copy available to me.
    • 5/5
      Wonderfully entertaining. Imaginative mix of old and new cimbined in an engaging thriller. Looking forward to book 2!
    • 5/5
      Sanctus is one of the best thrillers I have read in many years. Simon Toyne's first novel is a revelation of talent and theme. It is a story about two religious groups continuing an ancient struggle over possession of a sanctus, a holy relic that is a powerful source of healing and spiritual well-being. The possessors of the sanctus can enjoy long lives just by being close to the relic. The group currently holding the sanctus is a secret brotherhood of monks living in an ancient Citadel, a huge mountain temple in Ruin, Turkey that is closed to the outside world. These monks have a selfish and sinister motive for keeping outsiders from access to the holy source. An opposing brotherhood believes the sanctus was taken from them in the past and that they were prevented from experiencing God's gift. For many generations, the Mala have attempted unsuccessfully to get the relic back. Their positive motive for possessing it is to share its healing and spiritual power with people all over the world. The epic struggle to free the sanctus is an exciting action packed story well-told by Simon Toyne. The style of the novel is flawless in its consistency and simplicity. The structure is balanced with many short chapters embedded with a few longer chapters. The pace is fast and character development is interesting and insightful. The reader can put the novel down at any point in the story and look forward to beginning again. There are no dead stops in the narrative. If you like action and adventure with a mystery that is maintained until the end of a lengthy novel, you will enjoy Sanctus. I am looking forward to more fiction by Simon Toyne.
    • 4/5
      A good thriller that has a secret religious society and the fate of humanity in it's hands.
    • 4/5
      What a great first book. A thriller that keeps on thrilling and made me keep on reading. The book flap states this is book one of a trilogy, but I do not know what more he could do with this story and yet I can not wait to see.
    • 5/5
      This was a great read. Packed full with history, mystery, intriguing characters and an exciting plot. It was a fast-paced read that kept me interested until the final page. I am now looking forward to the 2nd book of the trilogy and hoping to gain more information involving the secrets of the Sancti. This trilogy would make an excellent movie. If you enjoy reading Steve Berry or James Rollins books, I'm sure you will enjoy Simon Toyne's books too.
    • 5/5
      Fascinating tale of a religious mystery that is being guarded. The monks of the Citadel will kill to keep their secret. This is a thrilling mystery where the story is so fantastically convoluted. The twists and turns keep the story moving at a fast pace. You may have to leave your believes at the door because this tale will challenge them.
    • 3/5
      The ancient abbey at Ruin hold many secrets, but when a robed many climbs to the top of the mountain he draws the attention of the world media. He is standing holding the pose of the Tau, an ancient symbol

      And then he jumps.

      For Liv Adams this is the first time that she has seen her brother in eight years, having thought that he was already dead. She drops everything to rush to the city to find out what happened. For Kathryn Mann this moment may indicate that the promised prophecy scratched onto ancients pieces of slate my be coming true. But both do not realise the mortal danger that they are putting themselves in as the fanatical monks seek to get the body back, and stop their secret being revealed.

      Overall this wasn't bad. It is written in a snappy fast paced style, as the story is told from various characters perspectives. There are not as many twists as I thought there might be, but it was being set up for the sequel.
      It has echoes of the Da Vinci code, but it is a better written. 2.5 Stars.
    • 5/5
      Wow, what a fantastic ending. To be honest I originally bought this book because I had won the sequel 'The Key' in a publishers competition. It sat on my bookshelf for months before I finally picked it up and began reading it. It consumed my every waking moment from the first page and I quickly ordered the third book 'The Tower'.
      It is well written, totally enthralling and an interesting concept. The ending was a complete surprise and I cannot wait to get started on 'The Key' for the story to continue.
    • 4/5
      Simon Toyne has created quite a mystery with this book. Although it ends in a satisfactory manner, there are obvious lead on issues pointing towards the rest of the trilogy. Looking forward to reading them.
    • 5/5
      4.5 stars. An excellent read that has left me wanting to read the next book in the trilogy. A superior book within this sub-genre. Well worth a read for anyone that hasn't read it!
    • 3/5
      A quick entertaining read although it would be nice if they could have had someone other than the church be the bad guys and I say that as an atheist.
    • 5/5
      A man throws himself to his death from the oldest inhabited place on the face of the earth, a mountainous citadel in the historic Turkish city of Ruin. This is no ordinary suicide but a symbolic act. And thanks to the media, it is witnessed by the entire world. This symbolic suicide sets off a series of events that uncover a three thousand year-old conspiracy nurtured by blood and lies.

      The story does also take quite some time to really build momentum and it wasn't until 100 or so pages in that I really got hooked with the thriller style action. The ending may feel unfinished but it's important to remember that this is the first book in a trilogy. I like that the book mixes an ensemble cast, women and men, and that the viewpoints are constantly shifting. It gives the reader a great perspective of the story from all sides.

      Many reviews are going to compare Sanctus with any of Dan Brown’s Vatican thrillers. To me, this is doing both Simon Toyne and the novel itself a disservice. Whereas Dan Brown takes real-life elements and uses hypothetical situations, Toyne takes his ideas one step further by creating his Church and its enemies, as well as a completely new conspiracy, one that borders on the supernatural. What sets Sanctus apart is the supernatural elements. Add to that, a satisfactory conclusion with plenty of unanswered elements to maintain interest for the next installment, and the result is an intriguing thriller that is perfect for someone who wants something slightly different.
    • 3/5
      Interesting but wildly improbable thriller. First of three. I wonder if I will read on. 50/50 chance.
    • 5/5
      In this electrifying, nonstop adventure, a young newspaper reporter, driven by the memory of her lost brother, uncovers a dark secret nurtured for 3,000 years by blood and lies by adherents of an ancient, unknown religion in a Vatican-like citadel hidden away for millennia from unwelcomed prying eyes. I read all of three books in sequence and thoroughly enjoyed the whole trilogy in fact I would suggest it is one of the best stories I have ever read.
    • 4/5
      Great book! Intriguing and better than the Da Vinci Code! Will start the second in this trilogy as soon as I finish up a couple other on my currently reading list.
    • 5/5
      Excellent read! A religious group that pre-dates Christianity (but looks a lot like the Catholic Church) is guarding a Sacrament in the ancient fortress of the Citadel. Or are they really keeping a ghastly secret? Liv Adamson, whose brother has sacrificed himself to draw attention to the Citadel and its religion, is not sure which is true or who to trust. Should she trust the group who guards the Sacrament and abides in the Citadel or should she trust their adversaries who claim that the Sancti are deceiving humanity and keeping from them the greatest secret of the universe. In addition, she is told that she is the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, or the one to destroy the greatest Sacrament of all time. The book is a real page turner, though the character names are a bit unimaginative, the plot and the character development make up for that shortcoming. The plot is imaginative, if not original, and the fast paced action keeps the story moving, overcoming other shortcomings, which are what keep the book from getting a full five stars. Still, I will definitely read the second book in the series to see where he takes this.
    • 4/5
      I can't resist a religious conspiracy. This one is better than most. It took me a while to get used to the change of perspective that is used in the book but it really moves the book along and I really enjoyed it after I got used to it. It had been a while since I had read a book structured like this one. There is plenty of action but the characters are still developed really well. I won't go into the plot because I don't want to give anything away, but it is fascinating.
    • 4/5
      I'm always looking for a good read in this category -- the thriller with a religious secret -- or sometimes a secret book -- at its core. This one definitely was worth the time and I'll be reading the next two installments. After hearing from the unexpectedly erudite Lee Child at the recent Key West Literary Seminar, I'm thinking that British TV is an excellent training ground for writers who deliver what audiences want -- but do it with writing that does NOT make you want to hurl the book across the room (like certain American thriller writers). The story of the brother and sister's relationship does strain plausibility ... but suspending disbelief is one of the things you agree to as a reader of this kind of book. Within the fictional world of conspiracies that have lasted thousands of years and their devoted opponents, this book and its characters made sense.
    • 4/5
      Great read!!
    • 4/5
      Dan Brown this is not. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and as a thriller it certainly had me holding on to the edge of my seat or rather bathtub. I think the lack of progressive clues, during the middle, really stood out for me, and was a downside but the constant action, spurred me onto the finish.

      I really could not anticipate the ending which was fantastic, as was the setting. I will no doubt buy the rest.
    • 2/5
      Speed read it. Started off good but just never kept my attention.
    • 5/5
      Please note: I read and reviewed this book in July 2011 from a copy received from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review. I am about to read the 2nd book in the series, so formatting this review.My Synopsis: A man has climbed the sheer, 1000-foot mountain out of which the Citadel is made. When the tourists who have visited Ruin, Turkey to see this ancient religious fortress arrive, they are astounded to see what looks like a large “T” on top of it; only to discover that it is a man who stands at the edge of the cliff, his arms outstretched and his head lowered. Several hours later, in front of the eyes of the tourist – and the whole world (as the media has appeared) – he jumps. What, if anything, does it all mean?Liv Adamsen is an investigative journalist; she has just received word from the vital statistics department that her brother, missing for eight years, has been declared dead. Her world is crashing around her. How will she be able to accept the loss of her beloved brother? Then she receives a shocking phone call. What does she learn that sends her rushing to Turkey?Kathryn Mann, head of the charity Ortus, is among the current generation of members of an ancient, secret tribe, determined to see the world changed through secret knowledge, if only they can free it. What is their goal, and will they survive to see it through?The priests of the Citadel are afraid. The actions of the mysterious man threaten to undermine their very existence protecting a secret inside their mountain that could shake up the very foundation of organized religion. What is their secret, and why has it been hidden away all this time?My Thoughts: This is the basic premise of the astoundingly original book “Sanctus.” (And does anyone else hear the theme from Omen every time they see that name?) A fast-moving, multi-threaded story, “Sanctus” contains ideas so explosive that it is sure to cause a firestorm of unrest. I absolutely loved it. The mysterious location, the strange ideas and rituals of the monks in the Citadel, the beautifully-evoked descriptions – it all added up to a book that maintained my interest, kept me guessing (and occasionally yelling “What!??! What is it?? PLEASE TELL ME!!” out loud, which I am sure gave the neighbors a start) and finally wound its way to a satisfying conclusion. Anyone interested in historico-religious thrillers should find this an exciting and worthwhile read. Those who are hungry for, or at least interested in, an alternate view of prehistory will love this book, too. Whatever you think of the ideas contained herein, there should be no reason not to enjoy the mastery over language and description exhibited by this extraordinary author. Definitely check this one out!
    • 3/5
      I occasionally have the unexplainable urge to read quasi-religious hodgepodge
      conspiracy-theory, thrillers and Sanctus, first in a trilogy, falls into that genere.

      Set in the fictional city of Ruin, in modern day Turkey, the start of
      the novel was breathtaking, with its cinematic description of a monk
      standing arms outstretched on top of The Citadel then falling/jumping to his
      death beacause he cannot come to terms with the BIG secret

      Toyne writes well, and Sanctus is an enjoyable read but I like my
      'sects and violence' thrillers to have a foot in reality - I really
      don't like fictional cities (if that makes sense??). I was struggling a
      bit in the middle but the BIG secret drew me in, kept me guessing and reading on.

      The big reveal was jaw dropping, I never saw that coming at all.
      Da Vinci Code it is not and thank heavens for that!

      Toyne recently finished his second book, The Key, which will be
      published next year; he agrees that the second volume is the most
      important part in any trilogy.

      “Don’t think Matrix Reloaded,” he says. “Think Empire Strikes Back.”

      Oh ok.....
    • 3/5
      If you aren't of a mind to suspend disbelief as you trot through this religious thriller, don't start!
      Having done so, I found some irritants, well covered by other reviewers, but enjoyed it well enough as a ripping yarn. The ending was not particularly well done, in part because of the need to make us buy parts 2 and 3, I think! It worked well enough that I will read on, however, if only from a vague dissatisfaction with the ending so far.
    • 3/5
      See this and more reviews at: Written Permission

      Actual rating: 2.5 stars.

      I very likely wouldn't have picked up Sanctus if it weren't for the fact that I won The Key (book two of the series) in a Goodreads giveaway from HarperCollins. It just isn't the sort of book I am normally drawn to. Sure, I read The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, but religious conspiracy thrillers are not my thing.

      I wish I could say that Sanctus changed my opinion and I am now clamoring to get my hands on every religious conspiracy thriller I can find. But it didn't. And I am not.

      Technically speaking, the book was well written. But the prose lacked sparkle. There was never any point in time where I closed the book and exhaled, saying to myself "That was an exceptionally well written piece of prose!". It just didn't happen. It has happened before, and I hope it will happen again, but not with this book. The plot was fast paced and held a lot of suspense. In the same style of The DaVinci Code et al. the chapters are fairly short, so Sanctus reads pretty quickly.

      I like that the book mixes an ensemble cast, women and men, and that the viewpoints are constantly shifting. It gives the reader a great perspective of the story from all sides. There seemed to be a few filler characters (Bonnie, the coroner as a detailed character). There was one plot point that irked me, though, and that was the relationship between Liv and Gabriel. It was believable at first, and then it just kind of went south. Also, near the end things got a little... unbelievable overall.

      We aren't dealing with a corrupt Catholic church in Sanctus (thankfully) which is part of what sets it apart from other books in the genre. But I almost feel like it could have been written about the Vatican and Holy Grail originally, and the editors said "Nope, too similar to others." forcing Toyne to change it to Ruin and The Citadel and the Sacrament instead. It just isn't different enough.

      Bottom Line: A fast-paced, fairly easy read that follows the standard in religious conspiracy thrillers. I will be reading book two, as I have an obligation as a Goodreads winner. Without that obligation? It would still go on my to-read list, but as a very low priority.
    • 5/5
      Fast Paced Mystery Thriller With A Sting In the TailAfter a somewhat slow beginning, say the first chapter or two, I almost literally couldn't put this book down, and found myself honestly surprised by the reveal at the end. It is well constructed and far more engaging that Dan Brown's similar themed novels in which style it is firmly set. Toyne's writing is more down to earth, easy to access and enthralling while interweaving enough complex emotions and ideas to keep the reader well and truly hooked.Descriptions are clear and tight, and characters are well defined with clear motivations and even dark sides and human doubts. The addition of the romance element is natural and unobtrusive, and adds to the investment in the journey taken by the characters rather than taking away from it.The chapters are short and snappy, and the switches in viewpoint give the reader a very well rounded view of the entire novel-environment and the characters' places in it.Awesome book, can't wait to read books two and three of the trilogy.
    • 3/5
      The Citadel--an ancient church carved out a mountain--is the home to an ancient secret known as "The Sacrament". When one of the Monks finds out the truth behind the secret, he escapes with the intent to not let the secret remain a secret any longer. He dies--but not before performing a symbolic act that alerts the world to his escape. Now the guardians of the secret are after his sister-- reporter Liv Adamsen--who they fear may somehow know what he knew.Lots of suspense and intrigue, plenty of violence, and vivid writing with a fascinating premise make this thriller stand out. The details were enough to make me wonder if this was a real place. I recommend it for thriller fans, especially of religious thrillers, as long as they don't mind plenty of violence/gory scenes.
    • 4/5
      This book has all the prerequisites for an enjoyable fast-paced read: a monastery in Turkey hiding secrets that the monks will do anything to protect, historical details, interesting and strong willed characters and a mystery dying to be solved. Of course the story wouldn't be complete without the good looking mystery man who always manages to be there when things get rough!! No doubt the hinted love interest will develop into the next instalment of this story.
    • 4/5
      The plot is very similar to the Dan Brown's books. It is fast-paced and gripping and is also set into religious fiction thriller. It's a pity that the characters don't have rough edges, but rather are fictional personalities. I prefer more those characters, which one could meet in the flesh with tics and a own life next to the story, just someone I could identify with.