Sanctus: Part One

By Simon Toyne

This book has been serialized into 4 parts – this is PART 1 OF 4. TRY THIS BIG BESTSELLER AT A SPECIAL PRICE. ‘Plenty of action, plenty of intrigue and wonderfully imaginative. The sort of novel to devour in one sitting.' Kate Mosse on SANCTUS – the bestselling thriller debut of 2011.

Page Extent: 50 pages

THE SECRET THAT WILL SHAKE THE WORLD

Liv Adamsen is a New York crime reporter, Kathryn Mann a charity worker. They are very different people, but their fate is bound together by one man’s desperate act.

With the world’s media watching, a robed man has thrown himself from the top of the oldest inhabited place on earth, an ancient citadel in Turkey. For some it is a sign of great events to come. For Liv and Kathryn it is the start of a race into danger, darkness and the most remarkable secret in the history of humanity.

It is a secret that the fanatical monks in the citadel will kill, torture and break every law, human and divine, to keep hidden…

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Feb 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9780007521333

Simon Toyne

Simon Toyne is the author of the internationally bestselling Sanctus trilogy (Sanctus, The Key, and The Tower), The Searcher, The Boy Who Saw, Dark Objects and The Clearing and has worked in British television for more than twenty years. As a writer, director, and producer he’s made several award-winning shows, one of which won a BAFTA. He lives in England with his wife and family, where he is permanently at work on his next novel.

Book preview

I

A man is a god in ruins

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

1

A flash of light filled his skull as it struck the rock floor.

Then darkness.

He was dimly aware of the heavy oak door banging shut behind him and a thick batten sliding through iron hasps.

For a while he lay where he’d been thrown, listening to the pounding of his pulse and the mournful wind close by.

The blow to his head made him feel sick and dizzy, but there was no danger he was going to pass out; the agonizing cold would see to that. It was a still and ancient cold, immutable and unforgiving as the stone the cell was carved from. It pressed down and wrapped itself round him like a shroud, freezing the tears on his cheeks and beard, chilling the blood that trickled from the fresh cuts he himself had inflicted on his exposed upper body during the ceremony. Pictures tumbled through his mind, images of the awful scenes he had just witnessed and of the terrible secret he had learned.

It was the culmination of a lifetime of searching. The end of a journey he had hoped would lead to a sacred and ancient knowledge, to a divine understanding that would bring him closer to God. Now at long last he had gained that knowledge, but he had found no divinity in what he had seen, only unimaginable sorrow.

Where was God in this?

The tears stung fresh and the cold sank deeper into his body, tightening its grip on his bones. He heard something on the other side of the heavy door. A distant sound. One that had somehow managed to find its way up through the honeycomb of hand-carved tunnels which riddled the holy mountain.

They’ll come for me soon.

The ceremony will end. Then they will deal with me …

He knew the history of the order he had joined. He knew their savage rules – and now he knew their secret. They’d kill him for sure. Probably slowly, in front of his former brothers, a reminder of the seriousness of their collective, uncompromising vows: a warning of what would happen if you broke them.

No!

Not here. Not like this.

He pressed his head against the cold stone floor then pushed himself up on all fours. Slowly and painfully he dragged the rough green material of his cassock back over his shoulders, the coarse wool scouring the raw wounds on his arms and chest. He pulled the cowl over his head and collapsed once more, feeling his warm breath through his beard, drawing his knees tightly under his chin and lying clenched in the foetal position until the warmth began to return to the rest of his body.

More noises echoed from somewhere within the mountain.

He opened his eyes and began to focus. A faint glow of distant light shone through a narrow window just enough to pick out the principal features of his cell. It was unadorned, rough-hewn, functional. A pile of rubble lay strewn across one corner, showing it was one of the hundreds of rooms no longer regularly used or maintained in the Citadel.

He glanced back at the window; little more than a slit in the rock, a loophole carved countless generations earlier to give archers a vantage point over enemy armies approaching across the plains below. He rose stiffly to his feet and made his way towards it.

Dawn was still some way off. There was no moon, just distant stars. Nevertheless when he looked through the window the sudden glare was enough to make him squint. It came from the combined light of tens of thousands of street lamps, advertising hoardings and shop signs stretching out far below him towards the rim of distant mountains surrounding the plain on all sides. It was the fierce and constant

Reviews for Sanctus

[pdcread · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[jhullie-3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[alan1946 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[andrew1theqm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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!

[karenduff · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[olivermagnus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[joeydag · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting but wildly improbable thriller. First of three. I wonder if I will read on. 50/50 chance.

[imyknott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[autumnturner76 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[al9g · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[thelibraryhag · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[keywestnan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[carolinewilliams-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great read!!

[c.h.lowe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[libgirl69 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Speed read it. Started off good but just never kept my attention.

[katyas_26 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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!

[jan0fleming · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.....

[roobee1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[erincathryn · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[cedargrove_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[debs4jc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[moosenoose · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[ameise1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[thejohnsmith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An entertaining, fast-paced thriller with secret sects, an order of monks not quite what they seem and plenty of action.

[jason0goodwin · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A breezy thriller with a neat twist at the end. Otherwise, pure airplane tosh.

[marcush_42 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This review is originally posted on LuxuryReading.com:Only a chosen few within a secretive monastic order, sequestered in a large mountain are allowed to know the identity of the Sacrament they protect.As one of the chosen few, the Sacrament is revealed to Samuel who instantly rejects his religious education and rebels against the religious sect he has dedicated his adult life too. From the top of the mountain, Samuel jumps to his doom, landing within the Ruin city jurisdiction to provide clues for his long estranged sister, Liv, about the terrible secret hidden within the mountain.As Liv begins to uncover the mystery surrounding her brother’s suicide and the Sanctus monks, the leaders within the mountain become aware of the relationship between Samuel, Liv, and an ancient prophecy that foretells the revelation of the Sacrament to the world. Sanctus consists of short chapters (about three to five pages) that switch between the perspectives of the protagonists and antagonists throughout the story. This style creates a plot that moves at an intense pace that helps distract the reader from Simon Toyne’s re-envisioning of an unnamed, yet widely popular religious belief structure.Overall, this thriller should entertain you enough to place the subsequent sequels on your library waiting list.

[lyncos · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An intense, high tension thriller with many plots. An exciting roller coaster of a read! This book keeps the reader's rapt attention with it's fast-paced action and riveting chatacters. Reminiscent of a Dan Brown thriller but more tightly and better written..I recommend this one to any thriller lover!

[m1e1_anders · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

What worked for me:The Gripping opening - was immediately pulled into storyPremise/High ConceptSamuel - great characterShort Chapters - like a bag of potato chips...just want to keep reading/eatingFabulous writing skills - action words, fast-moving description, well-writtenWhat Did not work for me:Middle of book was saggySkimmed over last 1/3 of book - Just wanted the book to be overToo long - could have benefitted from some plot tighteningA few darlings needed to be killedAuthor did not deliver on what I felt was promised to the reader at the beginningDeus Ex Machina Ending - Resolutions came from outside the protagonist, not any character change in LivLingering plot threadsEnding was more fantasy/supernatural than I expectedHorribly disappointed by the ending - felt like the author took the "easy way out" by using supernatural elements to "explain everything"A few too many characters for me to keep track of - could not connect with any of them on a deeper level - felt superficialClimax of the book was too predictable for me - no real twists - just weirdRepetitive information - rehashing the same info

[sandylee_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Liv Adamsen is a reporter still mourning the loss of her brother eight years ago. He had survivor’s guilt after an accident that took the life of his father and set off to find himself. In a city in Turkey a monk stands on top of a mountain retreat called the Citadel. He jumps to his death, careful to land on the boundary line that would ensure his death is investigated by the authorities rather than claimed by the monks. Strange things are taking place in the Citadel which is not accessible to the public, as well as secrets that are kept at all costs. When Liv realizes the monk who jumped to his death was her twin brother, she flies to Turkey. Kathryn Mann is also aware of the Citadel and the significance of the monk’s last symbol before he jumped. There are forces of good and evil at work and the plot reminds me a little of a book I read called Magdalena and another one whose name escapes me but it was about uneducated monks who write volumes of books which are names and dates of everyone’s death. Kathryn’s son, Gabriel, and her father are also part of the “Mala” sect who are trying to correct history, as well as save Liv from the Citadel monks who believe she is the secret to their power. Although the book is fast-paced and entertaining, I was confused by the ending. I’m not sure I understood where the girl in the Citadel came from, nor how Liz figured into it. The reader, or at least this one, was kept in the dark as to the translation of the words Liz heard. This is the first in a trilogy so perhaps more will be explained in future installments. As far as this installment, I would give it five stars for thrilling but two stars for clarity.

[jbd1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Simon Toyne's first novel, Sanctus is a fast-paced religious thriller featuring many of the genre's tropes: a mysterious sect hiding a long-held secret, unsuspecting civilians drawn into the struggle between the sect and its age-old enemies, &c. Combine those with a few nasty assassin-types, an ancient library filled with the works of ages, and you've got all the ingredients for a good morning's reading. While the book is almost 500 pages long, I read it in a single sitting; it's good enough to keep the pages turning quickly, and I'll certainly be watching for the next installment.