Customer Reviews

Leonardo's Chair

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Fact or fiction? "Leonardo's Chair" is written with such conviction, insight and authority, the reader wonders if this chair truly exists. Is it a blessing or a curse?

Using art history as his backdrop, John DeSimone paints a masterful tale of mystery, suspense and romance. Characters come alive and almost walk off the pages.

The world DeSimone creates is filled with good and evil; suspense and mystery; tradegy and sorrow; love and despair.

DeSimone's masterpiece grips the reader from beginning to end and leaves the reader longing for a sequel.

Excellent!

Most thrillers are all thrill and no substance. "Leonardo's Chair" follows in the footsteps of "The Rule of Four" and "A Conspiracy of Paper," providing a fast-paced story full of historical mystery.

Paul LaBont is a man overshadowed by his father's artistic genius. When a fateful fire leads to tragedy for Paul's parents, he is sent halfway around the world in an effort to restore his family. A mystically empowered antique, a chair once owned and used by Leonardo Da Vinci, promises riches and glory--as well as omens of death. Paul finds himself wrestling with temptations within and without, finally facing the truth of Jesus' teaching via Leonardo's masterpiece, The Last Supper.

DeSimone draws interesting characters and visually sumptuous settings. I enjoyed the journeys of Paul and his mother, in particular. Paul's father, Vincent, (mysteriously referred to as "Victor" on the back cover) was less well defined. My only real complaint, though, was the lack of surprise in the climactic scenes. Nevertheless, DeSimone leaves plenty of room for a great sequel. This is a series worth latching onto.

Brilliant presentation of not only the art world and the use of the English language, but also full of mystery, romance and thought provoking issues. The author grabbed my attention from the beginning pages and I found that I did not want to put the book down!!! I found the "study questions" at the end of the book a unique concept which provided additional insight into what the author was attempting to portray.

Although a complete story in itself, the ending of the book easily lends itself to another sequel. Can hardly wait to read more from this author.

For an entertianing foray into the art world, DeSimone's novel provides a visual, even cinematic literary palette. A chair, reportedly built by Leonardo Da Vinci, is the center of this tale of international intrigue. Well-defined characters grapple with greed, pride, and the difference between artistic integrity and commercial success. DeSimone's portrait of Italy colors the plot as you answer the question posed by the chair's presence. Is it an icon that inspires genius or is it the seat of a curse passed through generations?

I had to force myself to finish the book. The premise was interesting, but the character development was weak and the plot line predictable once the action started. There was little depth in the exploration of the differences between a good, professional artist and the products of the old masters (like Leonardo). The evil characters were one dimensional and the romantic connection in the book was awkwardly portrayed. There was little suspense, and no surprises. At the end, a decision is made that could easily lead to a sequel, but I will be sure to not order it. For a fascinating art mystery read Michael Gruber's "The Forgery of Venus". It is complex with lots of revelations about the art world and insights into what makes some paintings (and painters) exceptional. The prose is a joy to read and the story is never predictable.

Paul LaBont's artistic skills are eclipsed by his father's genius. When their home catches fire, Vincent LaBont is severely burned and a mystically empowered relic, a chair once created and owned by Leonardo Da Vinci, is stolen. Distraught that his creative abilities no longer exist without the chair, Vincent LaBont sends his son halfway around the world to Italy in order to restore the priceless antique.

Paul sets out for Italy, skeptical that the chair possesses any powers yet hopeful that the return of the chair will aid in his father's recovery. En route to Italy, Paul is in an accident and is taken to the nearby castle of a duke. Accepting the duke's hospitality, Paul learns that Leonardo's chair is confined within the castle. The duke is desperate to find a way to end the chair's evil curse. Paul meets Isabella, herself a painter, who is the duke's daughter and confronts the evil-minded Stein.

I emailed John DeSimone wanting to know how he had managed to write such a suspenseful book, one rich in its tones of Old World Italy set against fast-paced Laguna Beach, California. He shared that, while Italy remains a destination he desires to travel to, the textured detail found in Leonardo's Chair came from thorough research and a vivid imagination. I felt the dust of the ancient country and the chill of the great halls Paul LaBont walks in his search for Leonardo's chair.

John DeSimone succeeds in crafting a novel that pulls the reader in and holds him. You will imagine yourself in Savoy along with Paul, viewing masterpieces, tasting temptation, and confronting evil. Leonardo's Chair will definitely keep you up at night.

(...)

With deft strokes, DeSimone paints us a portrait of not just a greatly-coveted chair, but of those who crave it--almost above life itself. Was this compelling piece of furniture really formed by the hands of the great master, DaVinci? And is it both a blessing to those who use it--helping them produce their own masterpieces; and a curse--condemning its users to die violent, often fiery, deaths? Is there an otherworldly secret to this simple concoction of wood and cloth? Or is it all a horrific coincidence?

Growing up with the chair in his Laguna Beach, CA, home, young Paul LaMont is at first just curious about it. But then his famous portrait artist father almost dies trying to rescue it from their burning mansion--only to discover it has been stolen. Suddenly Paul is ordered to find it and bring it home to save his father's life. Tracking down the chair takes Paul to Italy, to love, to high achievement, to terror, and to the greatest decision of his life.

A page-turner, a breath-taker, and a sit-up-all-nighter. Plus an awesome read!

Leonardo's Chair

A splendidly plotted and suspenseful tale of good and evil, blessings and cursings, propelled by the premise that the chair of the title, created by Leonardo DaVinci, bestows the master's consummate skills upon the artist who sits in it.

The story carries us to well-defined locales from Southern California to Savoy. A compelling cast of characters generates intrigue, romance, temptation, betrayal, peril and spiritual truth.

A terrific read, enhanced by the addition of a reader's guide with questions ideal for a book club or small group discussion.

Beyond a provocative, page-turning story, as others have here noted, DeSimone skillfully employs deliberate, well-chosen words to create a masterpiece of his own. Leonardo's Chair is a delightful first novel with an ending that cleverly leaves the door cracked open for a potential sequel.

After finishing Leonardo's Chair, my only question is-whose chair has John DeSimone been sitting in? To the author: Well done!

An excellent read. Intrigue, mystery, romance and an insight into the art world and the supposed power of a chair belonging to Leonardo da Vinci. This book is a must read for anyone who feels the da Vinci Code holds all the answers. Non-stop reading with a powerful ending suitable for a sequel. Anxious to see more from this author.