According to the blurb on the back of the book, Louis de Wohl considered The Spear his "magnum opus." Having read an enjoyed several of his Catholic historical novels, I can see why he thought that.
It is a great book. The characters come to life. The plot is well crafted, and it moves along briskly and logically. He incorporates Biblical elements smoothly.
As I was reading, I wondered why no one has made a movie of this book. Proud arrogant Roman falls in love with the wrong woman, then loses that love. Gladiator fights. Battles. Political and religious intrigue. A believable true romance. Jesus and his followers. All the elements for a Biblical epic. Are you listening Mel?
The protagonist, Cassius Longinus, reminded me of the centurion Clavius from the movie Risen; though the stories are very different, still, I wondered if Longinus served as a model for Clavius.
If you have never read de Wohl, I highly recommend this book as the one with which to start.
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