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madelyngreenebooks's review against another edition
4.0
If you are an Indiana Jones or Dan Brown fan The Four Symbols is for you. The novel is set at the start of WWII and it mixed real and fictional characters from the time period. The main plot was a race to find long lost occult powered artifacts that could shift the power of the war. I really enjoyed that parts of the book read like a quest and was really invested in Tristan and Malorley. I liked the different characters’ perspectives, but I don’t think it was necessary to have all of Hitler’s cronies perspectives as they slowed the pace down. I think pairing it down to Tristan, Malorley, Lore and Weistort with input from Himmler would have sufficed. But, this is the first book of The Black Sun Trilogy so the authors could be laying down the foundation for the following books. I’ll be interested in reading what happens next in this tale. 3.5 star read for me. *Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.*
beatricetheoxfordclerk's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
shelvesofstarlight's review against another edition
5.0
I always love a WW2 Historical Fiction and this one did not disappoint, especially because it included a type of magic treasure hunt.
The characters of this book were very well written and I did not expect the reveal about two of them at the end, which has me very intrigued about the next book and where they will end up going. I just found all of the characters so interesting and deep, they were all so complex and I just loved that about this book because it really had me very confused about who was going to do what next and why. My personal favourite was Tristan and I cannot wait to see what happens to him in the next book because he holds a whole load of promise, him and Erika because she is a strong female archaeologist who seems absolutely awesome.
The plot, as I said was based on a magical treasure hunt after four mystical objects (hence the name of the book) and I loved it. Of course, we had all the cool historical parts too with the SOE agents and the French resistance, and less nice we had the Nazis. However, I found that the parts to do with the Germans and the Nazis were super well written and very well handled which was something that I found super great about this book. Parts of it were more graphic than I anticipated but that didn't put me off the book in any way at all. I loved how we got to see so many different parts of the story at once as well because it allowed the reader to get a real sense of what was happening in several places at once.
The writing, as I've said was really good because not only was everything handled incredibly well but also the characters were created in such depth that they felt like real people. I cannot wait to read the next book, as I keep saying, because not only can I not wait to see what happens next but I also really want to keep reading these author's work.
I received a copy of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The characters of this book were very well written and I did not expect the reveal about two of them at the end, which has me very intrigued about the next book and where they will end up going. I just found all of the characters so interesting and deep, they were all so complex and I just loved that about this book because it really had me very confused about who was going to do what next and why. My personal favourite was Tristan and I cannot wait to see what happens to him in the next book because he holds a whole load of promise, him and Erika because she is a strong female archaeologist who seems absolutely awesome.
The plot, as I said was based on a magical treasure hunt after four mystical objects (hence the name of the book) and I loved it. Of course, we had all the cool historical parts too with the SOE agents and the French resistance, and less nice we had the Nazis. However, I found that the parts to do with the Germans and the Nazis were super well written and very well handled which was something that I found super great about this book. Parts of it were more graphic than I anticipated but that didn't put me off the book in any way at all. I loved how we got to see so many different parts of the story at once as well because it allowed the reader to get a real sense of what was happening in several places at once.
The writing, as I've said was really good because not only was everything handled incredibly well but also the characters were created in such depth that they felt like real people. I cannot wait to read the next book, as I keep saying, because not only can I not wait to see what happens next but I also really want to keep reading these author's work.
I received a copy of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
macaparket's review against another edition
4.0
[Thanks to @netgalley and @HodderBooka for the ARC!]
#TheFourSymbols is an exciting historical thriller set during the early years of the Third Reich. It is focused on the Ahnenerbe, the Nazi cultural division of the SS which was dedicated to fashioning the myth of the Aryan exceptionalism, and the Allies trying to stop its sinister plan of conquering the world.
Giacometti and Ravenne weave a complex tale with rich characters. A lot of the characters are Nazis and it's morbidly fascinating reading from their perspective. However, they are never venerated. Instead, the perspective of characters outside the Nazi cause constantly point out the cruelty and madness that they bring wherever they go throughout Europe.
The thrill of the story comes from the suspense around the sacred ancient swastikas that the Reich is searching for because its officials believe that their power will help them win the war, but also from the fate of one of the main characters the Frenchman, Tristan. He has many brushes with death and a lot of unlikely allies and enemies. Nothing is black and white for him and the others keeping him company on these pages, but that's exactly what makes this book so engrossing.
The Ahnenerbe was a real organization and I found it interesting to read more about it as I first came into contact with it in one of Steve Berry's books. He recommends the book "The Master Plan: Himmler's Scholars and the Holocaust" by #HeatherPringle as a nonfiction resource on this organization dedicated to creating a mythology by way of science and mysticism.
In an age when such beliefs are making an unwelcome comeback, books like "The Four Symbols" are important because they confront us with the untypical forms fascism and nazism can take.
#TheFourSymbols is an exciting historical thriller set during the early years of the Third Reich. It is focused on the Ahnenerbe, the Nazi cultural division of the SS which was dedicated to fashioning the myth of the Aryan exceptionalism, and the Allies trying to stop its sinister plan of conquering the world.
Giacometti and Ravenne weave a complex tale with rich characters. A lot of the characters are Nazis and it's morbidly fascinating reading from their perspective. However, they are never venerated. Instead, the perspective of characters outside the Nazi cause constantly point out the cruelty and madness that they bring wherever they go throughout Europe.
The thrill of the story comes from the suspense around the sacred ancient swastikas that the Reich is searching for because its officials believe that their power will help them win the war, but also from the fate of one of the main characters the Frenchman, Tristan. He has many brushes with death and a lot of unlikely allies and enemies. Nothing is black and white for him and the others keeping him company on these pages, but that's exactly what makes this book so engrossing.
The Ahnenerbe was a real organization and I found it interesting to read more about it as I first came into contact with it in one of Steve Berry's books. He recommends the book "The Master Plan: Himmler's Scholars and the Holocaust" by #HeatherPringle as a nonfiction resource on this organization dedicated to creating a mythology by way of science and mysticism.
In an age when such beliefs are making an unwelcome comeback, books like "The Four Symbols" are important because they confront us with the untypical forms fascism and nazism can take.
kjellouise's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
openmypages's review against another edition
3.0
This book was not quite what I expected. I had been thinking it'd be along the lines of a Clive Cussler or Dan Brown-like re-telling of WWII with some insight on the Nazi organization. There were some intriguing elements, the focus on the occult was really fascinating. It was an element of WWII that I wasn't as familiar with.
There were entirely too many characters, locations and timelines to keep track of. I think this story needs some streamlining for the sequels, it has a fascinating premise but the execution was not quite right for my taste. I think it's also a risk having large chunks of the book told from the viewpoint of the Nazi torturers, for a person like me who wants characters to relate to, I found myself wanting to rush through those sections and get back to characters I could relate to.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
There were entirely too many characters, locations and timelines to keep track of. I think this story needs some streamlining for the sequels, it has a fascinating premise but the execution was not quite right for my taste. I think it's also a risk having large chunks of the book told from the viewpoint of the Nazi torturers, for a person like me who wants characters to relate to, I found myself wanting to rush through those sections and get back to characters I could relate to.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
charlottejmor's review against another edition
3.0
I read a lot of WWII fiction but this was unlike any of the books I've read before! If you enjoy a good puzzle with a mix of mysticism and war-torn Europe, this book is for you.
I picked this up knowing that it was a trilogy so I wasn't surprised that this first book involved a lot of stage setting and character introducing. The first half of the book fell a little flat with all of this background information sharing but once the second part of the book started, the story really took off.
At the start there were so many characters and locations that I felt like I was getting whiplash jumping between story lines. It wasn't until the last few chapters that I really understood who the main characters really were and who I should be getting invested in.
I have a feeling book 2 will be far more enjoyable now that the story has been set so I'm giving this book 3.5 stars with the caveat that I'm fully intending to read the next book!
I picked this up knowing that it was a trilogy so I wasn't surprised that this first book involved a lot of stage setting and character introducing. The first half of the book fell a little flat with all of this background information sharing but once the second part of the book started, the story really took off.
At the start there were so many characters and locations that I felt like I was getting whiplash jumping between story lines. It wasn't until the last few chapters that I really understood who the main characters really were and who I should be getting invested in.
I have a feeling book 2 will be far more enjoyable now that the story has been set so I'm giving this book 3.5 stars with the caveat that I'm fully intending to read the next book!
rachel_reads_by_night's review against another edition
3.0
Well this was good! I was hooked right from the start, and the Nazi/occult topic combined with relic hunting makes for a really good read.
Super fast paced and a great story line, plus intriguing characters kept me interested right to the end. Perfect for fans of Dan Brown. I’ll certainly be recommending this.
Super fast paced and a great story line, plus intriguing characters kept me interested right to the end. Perfect for fans of Dan Brown. I’ll certainly be recommending this.
clarowe's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
The Four Symbols is a thrilling, captivating work of historical fiction that also pulls you into the world of the occult. In The Four Symbols, Ravenne does an incredible job of providing an accurate, historical backdrop for this story to take place. You feel like you have truly been dropped into Europe in the middle of WWII where Nazi Germany seems to be utterly unstoppable. As you read you get hints as to what might be behind Hitler's meteoric rise to power and dominance over all of Europe.
The race is on between Hitler's Nazi artifact hunters and archaeologists and what remains of the unconquered people of Europe to find what might be the only hope to stop the Nazi forces from rolling through the rest of Europe, and the world.
The Four Symbols is a thrilling, captivating work of historical fiction that also pulls you into the world of the occult. In The Four Symbols, Ravenne does an incredible job of providing an accurate, historical backdrop for this story to take place. You feel like you have truly been dropped into Europe in the middle of WWII where Nazi Germany seems to be utterly unstoppable. As you read you get hints as to what might be behind Hitler's meteoric rise to power and dominance over all of Europe.
The race is on between Hitler's Nazi artifact hunters and archaeologists and what remains of the unconquered people of Europe to find what might be the only hope to stop the Nazi forces from rolling through the rest of Europe, and the world.
ellie_bell's review against another edition
3.0
While the story was very good I didn't feel any excitement or tension or that "ooh, what is going to happen next!?" which I usually feel when reading books in this genre. I never wanted to stop reading, but at the same time I didn't feel any drive to pick the book up again when I wasn't reading. I did like the mix of mysticism and realism and the way that was handled. I think it was the writing rather than the story that didn't gel with me and perhaps this is down to translation, as I have struck this with other translated works. I will read the next book in the series as I am interested to know where the story goes.