in many ways it reminded me of the [DaVinci Code], there are gruesome murders, a mystery and a love affair. The ending was a bit of a disappointment though. All the tension and all the adventure building up and then... we're just done. One thing that I did find interesting was that one of the FBI Special Agents, Alicia Wagner, tries to characterize all that's happened to herself and her superior and what she came up with sums it up with a big red bow..."the stuff of bad movies." You would never ever in a million years want this stuff to leave the world of the big screen or the written word and step into your life. This book may not be for everyone. It does question some of the conservative Christian beliefs and the murders are gruesome beyond belief. ( )

I hate giving any arduous work of fiction anything less than 4 stars, which is not to discredit my review. Knowing the painstaking process of creation, let alone the stamina it takes to complete a full length piece of work, I'm hesitant to judge so freely.

That being said... I felt this novel could have improved greatly from heavier editing. Although the title lived up to its name, I had to think about it. It was deceiving in the fact that it really isn't as scary or creepy as it lead me to believe. It's more of an FBI thriller, which it did state. But again, deceiving..

As to the editing, I felt the vision of descriptions was lost completely in overt finite detail. At least one hundred pages could have been cut to levitate the reading, which at time made me want to pull my chin hairs out. Character development was solid, just a little forced. Plot solid.. Yet the ending lacked the punch or as I like to call it the ah-ha factor. Denouement solid and justly tied..

Overall, Robert Liparulo's writing is imaginative, liquid and top-notch for lack of a better word. This books style (as I suspect his intent) was far far from his Y/A series, which I devoured with great pleasure. Please don't hold it to a testament of my reviews.. Just personal taste.

I would read another Robert Liparulo adult novel and suggest you do as well. ( )

An Italian named Luco comes up with the perfect plan to gain both power and wealth. It’s simple: he’ll just have to convince everyone that he’s Antichrist. But first, he must convince a group known as the Watchers of his alleged identity. Luco will allow nothing to interfere with his scheme as he becomes more and more engrossed in his role. On the other side of the Atlantic, FBI agents are desperately tracking a ruthless killer who beheads his victims. Could he possibly be linked to events occurring in Europe?

Written in a similar style as The DaVinci Code, though more religiously conservative, Liparulo’s novel is filled with both grand schemes as well as everyday struggles. I appreciated that the author took the time to develop his characters on a more personal level rather than allowing them to become faceless pawns. For example, Liparulo includes the FBI agent who struggles with the grief of losing his wife, the son who is terrified of losing his father, the ruthless killer who is also the compassionate father/husband, and the little boy who has a narrow brush with death but doesn’t know it. These snatches of the commonplace help bring the story to life for the reader. On the more negative side, the book contains many gruesome scenes. I think the author went a little far with some of his unnecessarily coarse descriptions. The plot goes back and forth between the FBI agents in the United States and the machinations of the supposed Antichrist in Europe until both, rather predictably, converge. Full of mystery and intrigue including an evil cult, a Cardinal with dubious loyalties, and a trek through an underground labyrinth, the author nevertheless includes some humor to keep the novel from being too dark. Overall, Comes a Horseman is a good option for those who enjoy intrigue, action, suspense, and aren’t overly squeamish. ( )

I will never read another book by this author for as long as I live. It amazes me that I withstood the torture that is this book and actually finished it. I found it so incredibly boring.
As far as Christian fiction is concered, I am sticking with Ted Dekker.
Update: I have checked other reviews of this book on various sites and it appears that I am the ONLY exception to this book. Everyone else positively loves it. I'm pregnant, maybe that's my problem. :-) ( )

One of the best in this genre I've ever read. Two FBI agents investigating a serial killer become hunted themselves. Tracing the killer leads them to a secret society plotting to usher the antichrist into the world. Liparulo knows how to keep a reader on the edge of his seat for hundreds of pages. ( )