The Last Cato: A Novel

I bought this book because I love historical novels. The beginning of the book was intriguing and it captured my attention. The discription of history and locations and beliefs was facinating. Then at about the middle of the story it began to get silly in spots. But still I was captivated. The challenges and physical tests the three main characters have to endure is punishing, but they continue to push forward. Then comes a total disconnet when Ottavia runs into a childhood "friend" who tells her the truth about her family. This exchange does nothing to further the story and seems completely out of place. Finally, the story climaxes with the final challenge and then paradise. As soon as the main characters hit paradise it's as if the author ran out of creativity and instead relied on gimicky, sappy nonsense. The ending takes the book from a 4 star to a 2 star. I would tell people to read the book, but stop after the last challenge.

I suspect this book is actually beautifully written...in its original language. The translation is very poor. The language is at best odd and at worst, incomprehensible. The translator's voice is very evident and the novel suffers. The translation is so annoying that I can't honestly give it what I think it probably deserves as a rating. Where was the editor? Nevertheless, it's intelligent and intriguing. I just wish I could read it in the original.

I've read reviews comparing it to Da Vinci Code, but come on... That is really unfair for Dan Brown. The Last Cato is so boring and badly-researched (or lazy). Are you seriously saying that in this day and age, a renowned person in academia and won *awards* is computer illiterate? I find it hard for "Dr" Ottavia Salina to have a doctorate without conducting any research via the internet (or intranet) or collaborating with other intellectuals "online". Also, the whole IT department used a whole days of team resources to code for string search??

I particularly disliked the way romance was suddenly introduced sudden and abruptly in the middle of the adventure/book out of nowhere. No character depth and suddenly this 40 year old nun is in "love"? Because what? the thrill and rush of the test and possibly dying? #YOLO? And how she denies it at first but over 2 weeks of feeling this "love" thing, dropped out of being a nun at the drop of a hat. Really a lifetime of being a nun, faith and devotion to God, and one day a man touches you and you're wet and ready to put out?

A lot of cultural errors and superficial stereotyping during the epic journeying from country to country makes me cringe with 2nd hand embarrassment for the author. The name "Farag" means vagina in Arabic. Being a Christian Coptic in Egypt aside, how the HELL did this guy survive growing up and living in Alexandria with the name Vagina??!?!! OHMY.

Overall glad I didn't pay a penny to read this book.

At times this book dragged and was repetitive. She certainly is no Dan Brown. Several times I was tempted to put it down but I did finish it.

Not a Da Vinci code but a very fast and good read. Asensi makes a small plot look very nice

The Last Cato is and always will be my favorite book. If you liked The DaVinci Code and books like that, THIS is the mother of them all. Asensi wrote this way before the other writers followed suit and THIS remains the best of them all. Stunning action that moves forward, romance, intrigue, deciphering code and a fabulous whodunnit.

JUST WISH THIS WERE AVAILABLE ON KINDLE OR FOR AUDIO DOWNLOAD!

Way too long and not very good. Anyone comparing this to a Dan Brown novel is really off the mark. Don't waste your time.