Customer Reviews

Protocol-17: A Conspiracy Thriller

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

 

 

This novel isn't for the faint of heart or those with a weak stomach. As it alternates from an occult thriller to a euro-thriller with a solid female heroine Mossad agent who teams up with a brooding detective, the body count rises and rises.
It takes some getting used to as it alternates between stylized gothic and lean and mean crime thriller writing, but the pacing holds you and it becomes an interesting balance. It reminded me more of Thomas Harris and Hannibal than Dan Brown, but it's crazy to compare writers, anyway.
If you like a unique origional story filled with a cross-section of Vatican conspiracy, ritual abuse, and even mind control ... give it a shot.

eBook Reviews Weekly Patricia Spork, April 8, 2003
Reviewer: A reader from Canada
Chicago Detectives, Michael Ryan and Samuel Goldstein investigate the murders of a Catholic archbishop and nun - victims of grisly mutilations and bloody atrocities. Fingerprints on a knife lead the detectives to twelve-year-old boy, Matt Mendecka.

Across the globe in Italy, The Black Rose Notebook is stolen from its private case in the Vatican Library and hand-delivered to Mossad Agent Josephine (Josey) Schulman. Josey has the ancient book special-delivered by diplomatic pouch to her father, a Professor of Theology at the Hebrew University in Israel on loan to the University of Chicago.

The forces of evil overwhelm the detectives and Mossad agent, as they are forced to accept and rely on paranormal powers and unbridle their long forgotten religious beliefs and faith to battle the Brotherhood. But can God favor telepathy, sheer determination, and love against satanic motivated PSYOPS (psychological warfare)? Can angels actually save Holy warriors from the depths of despair? Can der Golem, summoned by a Rabbi, help battle the spawn of Hell itself? Or will the world succumb to total mind control and adhere to The Brotherhood's protocols?

R. D. Weber takes the reader on a mind-boggling horror ride
in PROTOCOL-17. International intrigue and espionage, murder
investigations, occult and supernatural occurrences are blended
together in a compelling and frightening novel. Characters, human and supernatural, leap from the pages at times, via dialogue and description. Unforgettable villains and credible well-fleshed-out heroes add to this enjoyable thriller.
Readers of The DaVinci Code and cross genre King and Koontz novels will add Weber to their list of favorite suspense authors. His background as a former government agent lends realistic detail to his writing.

This book was so bad that I left it under the bed at a summer beach house.

The e-book I received was a partially edited piece with many of the editor's comments in parentheses and some lines in yellow over liner. There were many mispelled words and incorrectly used words. The work was the raving of a sophmore english major turned loose with a thersarus. I expected better of Amazon. Don't buy this piece of junk!!

I just wasted $16 on what I thought would be an interesting tale, a la Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons. This book was presented in such a form that it seemed to be written by a high school sophomore and edited by a junior-higher. Spelling and grammatical errors abound in this debacle. I should have known when I didn't recognize the publisher's name that this book was a farce. But I hoped with the interesting tagline and exciting plotlines that it would hook me. Unfortunately I can only make it through 120 pages. That said, I will now relegate this garbage as my new drink coaster. Wow, a $16 coaster, that's sad. Please, if you have any literacy at all, DROP THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY and buy something from Caleb Carr or Peter Straub.

, September 3, 2003
Reviewer: A reader from Canada

Nancy Kilpatrick author of "The Power of Blood Series" from St. Martin's Press
Weber's Protocol 17 is a hard-boiled stew laced with gritty cop-shop, a euro-thriller and demons. Weber dishes out this supernatural concoction offering readers a palatable yet powerful feast noir.
Look for his new anthology "The Black Spiral: Twisted Tales of Terror" to be released in Oct. 2003!! Featuring such talented authors as F.Paul Wilson, Ramsey Campbell, Mort Castle,Tim Lebbon, Robert Weinberg, Tina L. Jens, J. Knight and many more.

"Protocol-17" by Douglas Weber is the exact same book as "Dark Protocols" by Richard Weber!!!!!!!

I guess if you try to sell a really BAD, BORING, not even the author knows what he's trying to say kind book and it doesn't sell, just change the title, change the artwork, change the author's name and try again!!!!!!!Now THAT is a conspiracy!

Possibly the worse book I have ever read, and I do read a lot, 15 books in the last 6 months, including "The Da Vinci Code".

Whomever compared this author with Dan Brown, Koontz, King and Eco, must have read a different book or is a friend of the author or publisher.

Also notice the double entries of the reviewers! Again, friends of the author perhaps?

A hard-boild stew of horror,Euro-thriller, and suspense make for an enjoyable, face-paced thriller. Lock the doors, turn on the lights and be prepared to be taken to Hell and back.
This writer drew me in with the opening hook and kept me begging for more.
The rabid pacing and credible characters made this a suspense fans feast, a banquet of noir delight!

Reviewer: Angie Porter from N.Y.
This novel hooks you from the opening chapter and never lets go! The characters are well fleshed out and the suspension of disbelief takes hold of you by the end of the second chapter. I disagree wholeheartedly with one of the other reviewers. I found the plotting to be meticulous. In fact considering the shifting locales and complex subplots, it's a rather amazing and seamless weaving of the storyline. Perhaps some readers are not able to come to grips or maintain their attention span long enough for other than just the average potboiler.
Each chapter ended with a cliff hanger forcing this reader to continue on well into the wee hours of the morning.
The cross-genre feel: a subtle blending of Police Procedural, Euro-thriller, Sci-Fi, and Horror made this a very unique and refreshing take on the conspiracy genre.
Readers who enjoy a thinking man's novel--rich in prose but fast-paced are in for a treat!
If you enjoyed Angels and Demons, any Koontz thriller, or a Ludlum or Demille thriller, you'll love this novel!

If I had to compare writers here, I would say P-17 would be much closer to Dean Koontz than Dan Brown.
I spooled through the reveiws here to see what readers are saying. This novel has a similar religious thriller type plot line.
But why would anyone expect one writer to write just like another? Probably, because they don't actually know anything about writing? Would they expect every film to be the same, every director to fall into in a cookie cutter like formula.
Enough said ... about this brainless ...we'll he's not as good as so and so or I had to use a dictionary as I read it. God what a shame, perhaps you should go back to watching wrestling and monster truck shows, then. Or stick to pulp romance.

The story is the thing, do you like the world the writer takes you to or not.
I like this world of mystery and noir cross genre.
If you're hung up on your own ego, I suggest you try writing and not reviewng.
Whether or not Anne Rice for example posted by proxy that reply to the dolt reviewers at amason who whined, like they do with Koontz and Harris to name few ... oh, they changed their style;I'll never buy their books again--the thing is: If you have nothing better to do with your time than slice and dice writers at amazon, it's a pity.
The cold truth is no one, especially the authors, are paying attention to the ranting.
Now if you have some constructive crticism, read up on writing and address real issues like pacing, characterization etc. Otherwise go back to the barcolounger and stuff your face with junk food and order jewerly from the Home Shopping Network.
Come to thnk of it, why am I wasting my time here?