The Book of Fate

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More About This Book

Overview

Six minutes from now, one of us would be dead. None of us knew it was coming. So says Wes Holloway, a young presidential aide, about the day he put Ron Boyle, the chief executive's oldest friend, into the presidents limousine. By the trips end, a crazed assassin would permanently disfigure Wes a kill Boyle. Now, eight years later, Boyle has been spotted alive. Trying to figure out what really happened takes Wes back into disturbing secrets buried in Freemason history, a decade-old presidential crossword puzzle, and a two-hundred-year old code invented by Thomas Jefferson that conceals secrets worth dying for.

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
Eight years ago, presidential aide Wes Holloway survived the attack of a crazed assassin that killed the chief executive's oldest friend, Ron Boyle. Now permanently disfigured, Holloway receives a report that sounds impossible: Half a world away, Boyle has been spotted alive and well. Not surprisingly, Wes becomes almost unnaturally obsessed with the truth behind the sighting. Before his quest ends, it will lead him deep into Washington cover-ups, Masonic secrets, and an intricate code invented by Thomas Jefferson. Deciphering mysteries at a high-adrenaline pace.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
"Meltzer is so good."
More Reviews (7) Fewer Reviews
MIAMI HERALD
"Meet the next John Grisham."
PEOPLE
"Meltzer has earned the right to belly up to the bar with John Grisham, Scott Turow, and David Baldacci."
Maureen Corrigan
Readers don't turn to Brad Meltzer's suspense stories for psychological insight or brooding atmosphere. Insider knowledge of everyday life in politics, rock-'em sock-'em action and conspiracy tales that begin tamely enough and vault into the realm of breathless improbability are Meltzer's signature strengths. Squarely in this tradition, his latest outing, The Book of Fate, is sure to please those readers who like to store up stockpiles of cynicism about the private lives of their elected officials.
— The Washington Post
Publishers Weekly
Set against a backdrop of Oval Office corruption, bestseller Meltzer's overblown thriller opens with a frantic assassination attempt on President Leland Manning, who manages to elude the gunfire. Manning's deputy chief of staff, Ron Boyle, is killed, and his top aide, the cocky, ambitious Wes Holloway, is left facially disfigured. Eight years later, his motivation and confidence drained by his handicap, Holloway still toils away for the out-of-office Manning, fetching refreshments and handling the daily social calendar. On a goodwill junket to Malaysia, however, Holloway spots Boyle, surgically altered, but unmistakably the same man who was supposed to be dead and gone. From this turning point, Meltzer (The Zero Game) follows Holloway step by excruciatingly slow step as he tries to find out what really happened eight years earlier. Authentic details about Washington politics and historical mysteries enliven the predictable path. While readers looking for efficient plotting may be disappointed, Meltzer's many fans will enjoy this substantial meal of a book. 15-city author tour. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Forbes Magazine
The hero, Wes Holloway, is a haunted former presidential aide scarred by an assassination attempt on his boss years before that left the President's deputy chief of staff and valued friend dead and Holloway's face horribly disfigured. Holloway is guilt-ridden because a mistake of his is what ultimately put his colleague in the line of fire. The attempt took place in the midst of a tough election campaign and, as fate would have it, a photo taken that day made the President appear cowardly instead of heroic. That image cost him the election. (8 Jan 2007)
—Steve Forbes
Library Journal
Presidential aide Wes Holloway has what he considers the perfect life until the fateful day that an assassin strikes. His friend Ron Boyle dies, and a ricocheting bullet hits Wes in the face. Eight years later, with a bullet scar on his cheek and limited use of his facial muscles, he continues to relive the painful memories of that day. Still aide to the now former president, Wes stumbles into a terrifying conspiracy when he discovers that Ron is still alive. Somehow, the fate of Wes and everyone he knows ties in to the secret history of the Freemasons. With rich characters, a puzzling mystery, and a compelling narrative, Meltzer (The Zero Game) has written his best thriller yet. Though the jacket flap is somewhat misleading in describing how much freemasonry history is uncovered, that is a minor quibble in the grand scheme. Don't let this book of fate pass you by. [See Q&A with Meltzer, p. 74.-Ed.]-Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Trying his hand at a star-spangled version of The Da Vinci Code, Meltzer produces his biggest, dumbest book. Former presidential aide Wes Holloway still rues the day eight years ago when he allowed deputy chief of staff Ron Boyle to ride in President Leland Manning's limo to a NASCAR race. On their arrival at the track, crazy Nico Hadrian, presumably shooting at Manning, killed Boyle and left the right side of Wes's face paralyzed. Now Wes, still attached to ex-President Manning's much-diminished entourage, spots a man who's unmistakably Boyle and unmistakably alive at a conference in Malaysia. Stung by the likelihood that's he's been castigating himself in vain all these years, Wes determines to dig up the story behind Boyle's resurrection. The trail of revelations will pit him, his roommate Rogo, his predecessor Gavin "Dreidel" Jeffer and bulldog Palm Beach Post gossip columnist Lisbeth Dodson against a Masonic conspiracy stretching from the founding of the Republic to a nefarious contemporary plot involving a venal anti-terrorist tipster dubbed The Roman, a power-mad cabal calling themselves The Three and a possible Number Four of even more dastardly hue. Assiduously following the Dan Brown playbook, Meltzer (The Zero Game, 2004, etc.) salts his potboiler with secret codes, research in underground archives, cliffhanger endings, paranoid historical fantasies, cackling megalomaniacs and gunmen willing to shoot anything that moves, as several of them demonstrate in a kitchen-sink finale. Every ingredient is perfect except for clear plotting, credible threats and characters (and a conspiracy) worth caring about. How successful will Meltzer's fumbling knockoff be? If the Masons sell half aswell as Mary Magdalene and Opus Dei, expect follow-ups starring the ACLU, the Rotarians and the Mickey Mouse Club.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781455508167
  • Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
  • Publication date: 10/1/2011
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Pages: 608
  • Sales rank: 61,391
  • Product dimensions: 4.20 (w) x 7.40 (h) x 1.40 (d)

Meet the Author

Brad Meltzer
Brad Meltzer

Brad Meltzer is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. He lives in Miami with his wife and three children.

Biography

Brad Meltzer didn't hope all his life to become a novelist. He came to it by chance, after a job at Games magazine didn't pan out. "I had no idea what to do," he says. "So I did what all of us would do in that situation. I said, 'I'm gonna write a novel.'" After one false start, a book called Fraternity that 24 publishers rejected, Meltzer hit his stride. In 1997, The Tenth Justice (which earned him extra credit as a student at Columbia Law School) was picked up by Morrow and hit The New York Times bestseller list. A year later, he repeated the performance with Dead Even. He's been writing bestselling legal thrillers ever since.

Critics like Meltzer's fast pace and nifty plots (Kirkus called The Tenth Justice "a mean, paranoid fantasy that'll have you turning pages in a frenzy," and USA Today said it "reads fast, rings true, and refreshingly breaks the mold of legal thrillers"), but it's the details that distinguish his novels from most legal fiction. The key, he says, is "Research, research, research," a task that can consume two to six months of his year-long writing schedule.

In addition to his thrillers, Meltzer is a bestselling author of critically acclaimed comic book series like Identity Crisis, Green Arrow, and Justice League. He has also written short stories, television scripts and nonfiction articles, including reviews of The Sopranos, the multiple Emmy Award-winning TV show.

Good To Know

Meltzer played himself as an extra in Woody Allen's Celebrity.

He lives in Florida with his wife, a high-school sweetheart to whom he devotes a lengthy essay on his web site.

With his friend Steve Cohen, Meltzer conceived Jack and Bobby, a critically acclaimed television program about two young brothers (not the Kennedys), one of whom grows up to be President of the United States. Cohen and Meltzer wrote all 22 episodes of the show, which was cancelled after one season. Widely considered a premier example of intelligent, high-quality TV, the series has since become a cult favorite.

Meltzer spoke with former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush in order to accrue authentic details for his 2006 novel The Book of Fate, a thriller set in the world of White House politics.

A major plot element in The Book of Lies (2008) is the unsolved murder in 1932 of Mitchell Siegel, whose son Jerry created the iconic comic book hero Superman. Meltzer, himself a rabid comics fan, interviewed the Siegel family to research the murder.

    1. Hometown:
      Florida
    1. Date of Birth:
      1970
    2. Place of Birth:
      New York, New York
    1. Education:
      B.A., University of Michigan; J.D., Columbia University
    2. Website:
      http://www.bradmeltzer.com

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 3.5
( 127 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(31)

4 Star

(34)

3 Star

(28)

2 Star

(22)

1 Star

(12)

Your Rating:

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 127 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 4, 2006

    His best book yet

    I've read all but his first two and found this one the most entertaining. The characters are sympathetica and real and the plot gets more than complicated enough to keep me guessing for a long while. The book is being marketed with references to the Masons. The plot stands just fine without them so I figure the publisher's marketing department was searching for the next Da Vince Code which this novel, thank goodness, is not. Can't wait for the next one, Brad!

    5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 30, 2011

    Sleepless In Atlanta

    I couldn't put it down. Each chapter left me wanting more. Being a 32nd degree Mason, I was glad to see thay it wasn't another Masonic conspiracy novel. In contrast, it was a well written mystery which leaves a lot to your imagination when it comes to the actual workings of our national government. Now that I've completed The Book Of Fate, I can get a little sleep before I begin The Book Of Lies.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 27, 2006

    Brad Meltzer has penned a winner!

    This book is a suspenseful thrill ride and psychological character study all in one. If that's not enough, you'll also learn facts about the Freemasons and Washington, D.C. that weren't even revealed in 'National Treasure.'

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted December 3, 2011

    I Love, Love, Love this Author and Book!

    I am a new fan of this author, his books and now his show "Decoded".....and I very highly recommend his books....you won't be disappointed! : )

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 12, 2011

    CANT WAIT FOR MORE!

    I have been reading for years, books like James Patterson, Dan Brown, and these are THE BEST!! Cant believe I just found out about him. His website is great too!! I read the latest and now i am going to start with the first. CANT WAIT! These books make me want to visit Washington D.C.! And take this book along as my tour guide!!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted January 25, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Another okay read from Brad Meltzer

    This story was another okay read from Brad Meltzer. From the description on the cover I thought I was going to read a story about Masons, codes and the book would be a thrill to read. The Masonic plot never really developed and the ancient codes was a big let down. I suppose this book was marketed to perk up all the readers that enjoyed Dan Brown's "The DaVinci Code" and they would step up and buy this book. The marketing ploy worked on me, because I bought it. In summary, its not a terrible read, but with a little more time spent on developing the story by the author, the book could have been a great read.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 6, 2009

    Good read

    Overall a good book and quick read.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 24, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Too long and too many bad guys

    There is a conspiracy in Washington D.C.! What a new idea. The conspiracy is dragged on way too long. This book was about 200 pages too long. Also, the cover is very deceiving. There is hardly anything about the Masons in the storyline. It was one of those books that I finished, but I'm sure it will be forgettable. It was not what I expected.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 16, 2009

    The Book of Fate

    This was a nice read during a recent bout of the flu. It had some very slow sections but overall was a decent read.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 9, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Good Characters and a Twist!

    I enjoyed the characters in this book, but the plot was a little telling especially if you have read Brad Meltzer books in the past. The twist at the end was one I was anticipating, but did not put into place until later in the book. All in all, it was a great "read" and held my interest. Scott Brick did a very good job with the reading, as well.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 2, 2009

    Holds your interest until the end.

    While the characters were believable, they were not developed in depth to my satisfaction. I use these books to listen on my travels. This was a wonderful book to hold my attention while driving. I like reading heavier books- this is a great light read or listen and I would recommend it for a long car trip. It would appeal to most listeners.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 19, 2008

    Wasted money and time

    I bought this book out of curiosity and was highly disappointed. I was attracted to the book because of the Masonic Square and Compasses on the front. As a member of the Masons, I'm always on the lookout for books that use us as a plot vehicle. Seeing that the author lists his uncle as a Mason also, I thought I was in for a good ride, showing the Masons in a positive light. Boy was I disappointed!!! That symbol was placed on the cover for marketing only in my opinion. If the author actually talked to his uncle or did any research at all, it was minimal as far as the Masons are concerned. The plot was weak, characters cartoonish and just really slow to read overall. Wouldn't buy another book by this author and am shocked to see any of his titles have made anyone's best seller list, let alone the NY Times. Very disappointing.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 28, 2012

    Great book

    I loved this book and I loved the characters. I would recommend to my friends

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  • Posted January 15, 2012

    dont waste your money or time with this book

    this book is misleading and just a chore to read .

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 14, 2011

    Worst book ever

    This is hands down the worst book I've ever read. Ever. Really has nothing to do with the title, which taught me again...not to judge a book by one.

    Luckily, I borrowed this from a friend instead of paying for it - and she even warned me that it was terrible. But I didn't listen.

    Worst book ever.

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 11, 2009

    Just OK.

    I have liked other Meltzer books but this one was only ok. I found this book easy to put down. I finished it because I wanted to know how it ended but I won't re-read it. There's no point. --K--

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 6, 2009

    A big disappointment.

    I bought this book after I'd read the author's previous "Book of" story (the one about the Superman comic books) lent to me by a friend. That one had snappy diaglogue, humor and a main character who was appealing.

    This story had a main character I thought was a wimp. A whiner. A guy who always hesitated and second-guessed himself and others. I liked his best friend much better than him.

    I thought the plot could have been used to make something much better. This felt like the author needed to crank out a book to keep the checks coming and didn't work up to his ability.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 9, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Frustrating book

    The title and graphics seem designed to appeal to the Da Vinci Code reader. "Book of Fate" could be loosely grouped into the thriller niche dominated by Dan Brown's books due to the Freemason hook that seems to have been tacked on after the book was edited, but it's decidedly short on interesting historical factoids and straight-ahead action that Brown's readers may crave. The primary problem with "Book of Fate" is that the main character is a pathetic wimp and he, as well as half the other characters, are entirely too melodramatic - descriptions of shaky hands, gritted teeth, flowing tears, weak knees, fear and self loathing accompany almost every action and reaction. I've listened to other audiobooks read by Scott Brick and although he has a strong voice and can "act" the books quite well, his tendency toward over-the-top melodrama, on top of the author's, triggered angry outbursts from me - not the kind of reaction I normally (or ever!) have when reading or listening to a book. Combine the overwrought emotional tone with character motivations and plot elements that are even more preposterous than those typical of the genre, and they add up to reader/listener frustration. (The President of the U.S. rates his key aides as to their trustworthiness by making mysterious markings alongside their initials embedded in clues to crossword puzzles, on at least a couple of occasions - why? And a newspaper gossip columnist figures that out - come on!) It's too bad because Meltzer's writing reveals a core competence, but he should focus on driving the plot forward (and ideally having it make sense) and allowing readers' imaginations to fill in the characters' feelings. If I could have gone inside the book and slapped the characters a few times, I would have. I'm giving this audiobook two stars only because listening to it in my car was better than other elements of my daily commute - at least it provoked unusually strong reactions, which is something.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 23, 2009

    So - So

    If you read it - buy used not as good as his other books. Cover is awesome makes you think you will not be able to put it down. Very easy to put down and forget.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 25, 2008

    Boring

    Bought this book when it first came out. I reluctantly read the first few chapters and gave it up to a used book shop. May interest those who are into political fiction and freemasonry. Story is slow. Good thing I bought the autographed edition because I got my money back.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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