The Omega Factor

Steve Berry's latest thriller, The Omega Factor (#1,083) is set mainly in Ghent, Belgium and the Languedoc region of France.   In it, he introduces a new character, Nick Lee, who works for the UN in matters pertaining to culture.  But as the book opens, he's in Ghent strictly on personal business: to meet up with an old friend tasked with restoring one of the panels of the legendary Ghent Altarpiece, painted by Jan Van Eyck.  Kelsey Deal has found something interesting while working on the panel and is eager to share it with Nick.  But on his way to her studio, he sees flames.  Rushing in, he sees Kelsey being attacked.  Her intruder makes off with her computer with all the notes and images from Kelsey's work before Nick can stop her, but he follows her back to - a convent!

 The gist of the story consists of a secret guarded for centuries by a mysterious religious order - The Vultures.  Just what is it that they are guarding, and why is the Vatican so interested in finding this elusive society and destroying it and the secret they guard?

While I found this book interesting after four years of theological studies, I did think it was overly long. Many pages are devoted to explaining Roman Catholic actions (or inactions) over the centuries, and in particular their quests against the Cathar religion that flourished in the Languedoc region of France.  The Albigensian Crusades were instituted by Pope Innocent III to utterly wipe out the Cathars (and in the plot line of the book, The Vultures as well).  While most of what Mr. Berry presents in his Notes at the end of the book is correct, I have to strongly disagree with what he says in regard to Joan of Arc.  She was famously turned over to the English during the Hundred Years War, prosecuted and burned at the stake.  When the political winds blew in another direction, twenty-five years later, she was exonerated by the Church which played a major role in her conviction and elevated to sainthood.  As Berry puts it "...when it became more politically expedient to worship, rather than vilify, her."  Roman Catholic doctrine maintains that worship is reserved for God alone.  Joan might be venerated, but never, ever worshipped.  Not a minor quibble, that!

I found the descriptions of the areas of Toulouse and Carcassonne fascinating, since we will be visiting the area ourselves in the spring.  Now I'll know that what I see in all the tourist boutiques is actually the Occitan Cross, not the Cathar Cross.  You learn something new every day!