The Judas Robe

Every time I read a historical thriller, it makes me wonder why I don't put more on my list. Thankfully authors like Larry Rodness are kind enough to choose me as a reviewer, and I get the opportunity to once again remember how much fun it is to be lost in a read that is outside of my norm. When I first read the synopsis, what intrigued me most was the idea of a single item having so much power. The power to throw an entire religion into absolute chaos. What would someone do with all of that power? I was eager to found out.

The beginning of this story is excellently crafted, in my opinion. It gives you all the relevant information surrounding the Judas Robe, and provides the footing necessary to weave your way through the rest of this twisty story. It was also much appreciated that, although there are historical reference points, the story doesn't ever feel bogged down. One of my biggest issue with historically based stories is that there tend to be big infodumps that feel forced into place. Rodness proves that you can share the key points, without making the reader lose traction. If anything, the intro made me more excited for what was to come.

Now here's where I had a bit of issue. From the first time I met Joel, I knew that I was going to like him. As a protagonist he is the kind of person who feels realistic and therefore relatable. Part of me knew that he was going to be thrown into danger, probably sooner rather than later. However I enjoyed getting to get to know him, and the intricacies of the relationships he had with the people around him. I have to give kudos where they are due, all of the characters that he comes into contact with also feel like real people, so it makes it easier to understand Joel's motivations later on. However, this is also the part of the story where I started to feel a little lost.

It is tough to explain fully without accidentally spoiling anything for potential readers, so I'll tread as lightly as I can. By the point that the reader is fully immersed in Joel's world, there are so many plot points flying out in all directions. It makes sense, since the underlying plot of this book is vast. There are so many different groups vying for this one item of power, all for their own reasons. The larger that the story grows, and the more characters that there are to follow on their own separate small quests, the harder that it gets to follow everyone.

At one point Joel's girlfriend was so angry at him that her personality completely changed, and I had to flip back a chapter to realize that I missed a key point where that change happened. I really wanted things to be a little tighter, so that I could more easily find myself immersed in this epic story. Instead I felt like I was grasping at all the threads and trying to keep them in one bundle. By the end I was caught up again, and the ending was extremely satisfying. Thus, the 3-star rating.

Overall I did enjoy this story immensely, and am looking for more from Larry Rodness! Like I said, this is generally not my genre of choice. So the fact that I enjoyed this so much makes me extra happy. I will be waiting for more!