Customer Reviews

eye of the god

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved this book!! Full of suspense, intrigue and history. I couldn't put it down. It brings so many elements together and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Very well written. The flashbacks flow seamlessly with the rest of the story. I learned so many things I never knew about the Hope Diamond and couldn't help but fall in love with the characters and their personal histories that play such an important part of the story.

I love how the author brought so many different elements to the book. Romance, mystery, suspense and the hurts that we all have experienced in life. If you enjoy a good suspenseful novel, then this is the one for you!

The art thief ring the Collectors wants the Dali painting hanging in a Rio de Janeiro museum. Smithsonian curator Dr Abigail Mitchell travels to Rio warns the museum's director Dr. Ana Santos about the possible thefts. While they meet, two masked men steal several paintings. They are brothers Alex and Isaac Weld who plan to steal the Hope Diamond from the Smithsonian.

Abby is in charge of the fund raising gala with the Hope Diamond as the centerpiece. Alex poses as a journalist and gets close enough to Abby to place a bug on her so that he and Isaac can listen in on discussions about security arrangements. As he gets closer to Abby, his emotions get entangled for the first time with a mark although he intends to go through with the theft. The theft will be easier because at the last moment it is decided Abby will be wearing the Hope Diamond. When she asks her father for help in recovering it, he dismisses her as he had all his life. She learns Alex betrayed her, but though hurt remains resolute to recover what belongs to the Smithsonian.

This is an exhilarating inspiring thriller starring a heroine who never received her father's affection as a child or an adult yet still covets it and reaches out to him knowing the rejection is coming. Alex gets passed her mental defense mechanisms playing on her need to be loved; his betrayal rips her heart as like her father he affirms men don't care though he feels remorse and regret. Filled with action on three continents, EYE OF THE GOD is a riveting fast-paced thriller, but it is Abby in spite of another let down by a man remains filled with hope who makes Ariel Allison's tale a super read.

Harriet Klausner

I received this book at the Public Library Association conference in Portland, Oregon as an advance copy.

I am very cynical about Christian fiction, rarely have I found them worth the time to read, they also have a tendency to become preachy or heavily reliant on throwing about the name of Jesus or stretching Christian symbolism beyond the breaking point to fit the plot. Eye of the god did none of these things. It was consistently honest in portraying the thoughts and emotions of the characters.
As hinted at the end of the book I am looking forward to the sequel(s).

The Hope Diamond, a dazzlingly blue and brilliant diamond of tremendous size and worth, is powerful both for its allure and its infamous curse. Fist time novelist, Ariel Allison spins an intricate web of international intrigue, high-tech crime and romance in "Eye of the God".

The diamond leaves a trail of ruined lives detailed in the historical flashbacks throughout the book. For Dr. Abigail Mitchell it becomes an obsession. From the setting of the Smithsonian Institute, the reader is taken on a journey to Brazil, South Africa and Paris, not to mention 17th century India and 18th century France.

While the book is part crime/detective story, part history lesson and part romance, interwoven throughout its pages is a tale of redemption. The main characters overcome personal failures, familial disappointments as they find hope in a new life. Oddly the dark reputation of the Hope Diamond works a breaking of the curse in their lives.

The pace of the book keeps one turning its pages, yet at times the historical flashbacks seem too disconnected from the plot to keep your interest. And while the book promises a Christian angle to the story coming from a Christian publisher and all, its Christian message is extremely subtle. In light of this, the list of discussion questions in the back seems out of place. Still the book delivers a well done plot that will certainly merit reflection and personal contemplation.

The book makes for a good read as long as one understands it won't be overly Christian. It's generally clean throughout, although some sexual innuendo is present. I recommend the book with these reservations.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Abingdon Press for review. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

What about this book was Christian? Was it that everyone was lying to each other or that history took a backseat to myth?

I could not read any more of the historic chapters after they had Marie Antoinette say "let them eat cake". After showing Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI setting together talking politic (something that would never have happen within a polical marriage) and repeating such a totally debunked story as "let them eat cake" I know that the writer had no knowledge whatsoever. I don't know the history of the Hope Diamond but after finding out that neither did the writer I stopped reading the historical chapter. If something is sold as historic fiction then find, but don't sell something was fact and then fill it with lies and myths.

The modern or "heist" chapters were ok but as another review already said it was ridiculous how stupid the Smithsonian security was. In fact everything after the "big event" was stupid. I was going to rate this book 3 stars but really after the ending it lost a star.

This book is absolutely FABULOUS!!!! It was a real page turner from the beginning all the way to the end. I am an avid reader and usually pretty good at anticipating and predicting novels. But this one had me guessing all the way through.

The author uses flashbacks to tell of the history and intrigue around the Hope Diamond. I could not read it fast enough! The characters are well developed and I felt as if I was living the adventures with them. My heart raced when there was danger and suspense. And my heart skipped a beat when the romance began to heat up. I could not have predicted the ending and could not have been more surprised and excited by the ending.

The whole book is like no other. It is the best read I have had in years. I highly recommend this book to all who love a good read with suspense, history, romance. I hope the author will keep writing more of these great novels. I'll stand in line for them.

I know that this novel is a work of fiction, but I began having trouble with the stupidity of 90% of the characters halfway through the book. Nobody becomes director of the Smithsonian by being so stupid. The carelessness of the staff at the Smithsonian in dealing with security was laughable; a pretty girl bats her eyes and gets to wear the hope diamond? I don't think so.

Unlike many other reviewers, I enjoyed the historical aspects of where the hope diamond came from and the tragedies that befell them. I wouldn't have minded more of it.

The romantic aspect of the book was horribly, horribly cheesy. The ending of the book seemed extremely rushed. The entire story was building up to this big event......and then it just sort of fell flat. I think this is the author's first novel, so I believe potential is there. This novel comes up just short of being very good.

"eye of the god" by Ariel Allison

I usually like to take a good novel with me on long trips, like flights to Europe, so I can escape into another world. It helps the time pass. My mistake was to start this book while at home..with things to do! Well, 48 hours later (I DID take time out to sleep) I feel like I have been on an dangerous, yet exciting, adventure. Not only a part of a fastinating story, but the parallel story transported me into another time, as well. Ariel Allison has woven together a story that offers everything; suspense, danger, heartache, romance, a lot of twists and turns and LOTS of surprises. (I actually had to stop reading at one point, or I would not have been able to sleep!) The intriguing history of the Hope Diamond, which I never knew before, causes me to long to see it in person. It will be hard to seperate fact from fiction. One day, in the future, if I visit the Smithsonian, I will fully expect to run into Abby Mitchell. How can she possibly NOT be real. Ms. Allison certainly breathed life into all of the characters in this outstanding work. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I fully expect to see this story on the big screen, in the future. This is a thriller that begs to be made into a movie!! Sue Cedrone

I've read 60% so far and I can't believe the lack of realism. Yes I realize this is fiction but please make it kinda believable. There are too many unrealistic happenings: 1) the top ranked security guard to not tell his boss that his investigation found the intruder took detailed pictures of the Smithsonian facility just prior to security breach, would never happen. The guard was against the Hope Diamond being worn in the first place so of course he would tell his boss about this. Well not in this book. 2) The boss, when seeking Board approval to let Abby wear the Hope Diamond during the fundraiser, neglects to mention to the Board that there wasa recent security breach. No competent or incompetent director would do this. They always protect themselves and their jobs in case something goes wrong. This book blatantly ignores all self-preservation issues. 3) Abby, fully aware that her new boyfriend has manipulated her, invites him to the fundraiser as her date. She then lets him witness the full security system of the Hope Diamond while they remove it from its secure display case. None of the security staff questions his presence, checks his credentials and security clearance, or asks him to wait elsewhere. These major flaws create a boring, unsatisfactory read.

Don't you just love the cover of this book? It's the reason I signed up to receive a review copy of it. The Hope diamond is featured on the front cover. The author talks about the diamonds history, its allure, the suspense and drama in getting ownership of it, and the legacy attached to this one of a kind blue diamond. Who knew there was that much to talk about? Who knew of all the misfortune associated with this diamond and its owners?

Ariel Allison begins this story in 1653, Golconda, India, where the blue diamond is discovered. I enjoyed the way this author weaves history into the pages of this book. After you learn how the diamond was found the story rolls into current time at the Smithsonian Institute's where curator Dr. Abigail Mitchell to setting up a celebration--fund raiser featuring the Hope Diamond. The fun begins as Abigail prepares and triple checks security measures to make sure the diamond doesn't get stolen on her watch.

She is an expert on the Hope Diamond even did her masters thesis on the subject, who better to be the master of ceremonies for that nights big event. I also liked how Ariel Allison would have Dr. Mitchell tell an interviewer about an event or a tragedy associated with the diamond, giving details of the event in history. Then the next chapter would be that story brought to life by the very characters that Abby had just explained in the previous chapter. I thought it was a very nice touch. It wasn't confusing but it actually brought you really up-close and personal with the curses, and drama the former owners of the Hope Diamond went through. Starting with Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette all the way through to Jackie Kennedy! Wow! This diamond has quite a reputation!

This story reminds me of a Mission Impossible, the movie. Dr. Abigail Mitchell suspects that the Collectors, underground art thieves, might attempt to steal the diamond the night of the big celebration. She had to do everything in her power to prevent that from happening.

This story is full of twists and turns and I enjoyed every minute of them. I can't wait to read another suspense story by this author.

Nora St. Laurent
ACFW Book Club Coordinator
Finding Hope Through Fiction
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