If you have a passion for stories about the lost treasure of the
Cathars and love mysteries surrounding the Templars and you enjoy
adventures linked to the Holy Grail and Church scandals, you will
probably love this novel. With "The Judas Apocalypse" Mr McNeil
puts an intriguing spin on these subjects.
Dr Gerhard Denniger an archaeologist is approached by the infamous
Grail hunter Otto Rhan, with a fantastic story about a long buried
manuscript, a key to finding the famous lost treasure of the
Cathars and needs his help to find it. If this was the entire
premise, it would have been an average mystery but Mr Mc Neil adds
more intriguing elements to the story: it takes place in the 40's
during WW11; Dr Denniger is working for the S.S. and a member of
Himmler's Ahnenerbe (the heritage bureau). Helping Otto Rhan will
put him in a delicate situation and in a dilemma with both Hitler
and Himmler who had dedicated much money to find the Holy Grail and
religious artefacts believing it would help them win the war.
After a short introduction you mistakenly think the story is going
to be on the drab side but things start to go wild and take many
twists and turns when Dr Denniger finds himself in the back alley
of Carlotta's (a period club), from then on there is non stop
action. The dialogs all through reflect the characters diversity as
the story unfolds but I wonder if the language in the 40's was as
colourfully spoken …(Occasionally a little overdone on the raw
side). Although the plots at times were far fetched and improbable
(soldiers fighting amongst themselves while the enemy is in their
proximity), just the same it made for a fantastic read.
I couldn't help imagining a Hollywood screen play with Harrison
Ford as the lead character :)….. Wishing Dr Denniger long life and
hoping to see him in a sequel someday …. Congratulations Mr McNeil
on a very entertaining first novel.