Hats off to Giacometti and Ravenne on this brilliant book! I was hooked from the first chapter!
Set in World War II, this thriller managed to add a mystical and occult dimension to the historical period I was never really interested in and make me feel like I was on a quest similar to the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The story follows the Nazis in their pursuit of the ancient swastika relics they believe to have an unparalleled supernatural power that could ensure their victory, and the allies who are trying to stop them.
Giacometti and Ravenne marvelously alternate the narratives between several protagonists and locations always keeping you at the edge of your seat. The heroes and antiheroes are so well written that at times I didn't know whether to root for the Nazis or the allies.
I cannot wait to read parts 2 and 3!
Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

From the second I opened this book, I could not put it down. It's an interesting story-line and if you're a fan of holocaust literature, definitely gives you a perspective of the time in history. and some of the goings on behind the scenes of the 3rd Reich. Well researched, there's a lot of good history in this story as well as a good storyline. I'm waiting with baited breath for the next in the series.

Whilst there is an interesting theme to this book, with the Nazis and Hitler and the occult, this one was just a little bit slow and possibly lost in translation for me. Thanks to Hodder for the invite to read but not for me.

Well this was good! I was hooked right from the start, and the Nazi/occult topic combined with relic hunting makes for a really good read.
Super fast paced and a great story line, plus intriguing characters kept me interested right to the end. Perfect for fans of Dan Brown. I’ll certainly be recommending this.

If one liked Dan Brown’s series of books then one may gravitate to “The Four Symbols” authored by Giacometti & Ravenna. The story is chock full of Nazis, the occult, conspiracies, stolen artwork, and page-after-page of dangerous situations. Despite all that “downer” stuff I appreciated the light read while suffering through the worldwide pandemic. The novel is set during the Second World War and focuses on the occult as the driving force for victory and domination by the Nazis. This is the first book of a trinity entitled “Black Sun Trilogy.” Raise your seat back to the full-and-upright position, fasten your seat belt and enjoy this wild ride!
Thanks NetGalley for this book.

[Thanks to @netgalley and @HodderBooka for the ARC!]

#TheFourSymbols is an exciting historical thriller set during the early years of the Third Reich. It is focused on the Ahnenerbe, the Nazi cultural division of the SS which was dedicated to fashioning the myth of the Aryan exceptionalism, and the Allies trying to stop its sinister plan of conquering the world.

Giacometti and Ravenne weave a complex tale with rich characters. A lot of the characters are Nazis and it's morbidly fascinating reading from their perspective. However, they are never venerated. Instead, the perspective of characters outside the Nazi cause constantly point out the cruelty and madness that they bring wherever they go throughout Europe.

The thrill of the story comes from the suspense around the sacred ancient swastikas that the Reich is searching for because its officials believe that their power will help them win the war, but also from the fate of one of the main characters the Frenchman, Tristan. He has many brushes with death and a lot of unlikely allies and enemies. Nothing is black and white for him and the others keeping him company on these pages, but that's exactly what makes this book so engrossing.

The Ahnenerbe was a real organization and I found it interesting to read more about it as I first came into contact with it in one of Steve Berry's books. He recommends the book "The Master Plan: Himmler's Scholars and the Holocaust" by #HeatherPringle as a nonfiction resource on this organization dedicated to creating a mythology by way of science and mysticism.

In an age when such beliefs are making an unwelcome comeback, books like "The Four Symbols" are important because they confront us with the untypical forms fascism and nazism can take.

I love any conspiracy based thrillers and have a particular interest in historical thrillers set during WW1 and WW2 so this was the perfect choice for me. It was dark, full of action and quite intense at times. As the book is the first in a trilogy, there were some aspects left open which I would have liked to explore but I am more than happy to wait to read book two to find out more.

Takes a bit to get into it, but fascinating blend of fact and fiction.
Anyone interested in World War Two should be hooked.
Were there really magical centuries old swastikas? Only two of the four found in this novel, so you know there’s more to come.
I’ll be ready.

A fascinating book about the history of the Nazis, and their interest in the occult, by some party members. Tristan is definitely the lead character, and unless a sequel is planned, I would like to have known more, and had the story go on for a little longer. However, it was a good book, and I definitely recommend it to all who like a good thriller e.g. in the second world war, and concerning the occult.

It's the Second World War and SS soldier and Ahnenerbe head Weistort is convinced that there are 4 occult symbols scattered across the world. These symbols, when brought together, will help Germany win the war and eventually rule the world.
He's an absolute fanatic and with the encouragement of Himmler, he sets of on an absolutely thrilling journey to retrieve the symbols. He is ruthless and clever, a devastating mixture of traits.
On the other hand, Churchill is sceptical of his Secret Service man, Malorley's assertions that the Germans are after these occult symbols. However, having no other choice than explore, he grants Malorley permission to go after the clues. Malorley, in his quest, comes across some amazing adventures.

Who is Tristan? Will the Germans get their hands on the symbols? Read the book to know more!

I've been reading WW2 literature since quite some days and this book came at the right time. I enjoyed reading it, though it is a bit on the longer side (it took me around a week to complete).
All in all, a good book, if you're looking for WW2 historical fiction that involves conspiracies and a bit of everything - humour, romance, adventure, and the occult.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me an ARC for an unbiased review. I'll look forward to reading the next parts as well.

I read a lot of WWII fiction but this was unlike any of the books I've read before! If you enjoy a good puzzle with a mix of mysticism and war-torn Europe, this book is for you.

I picked this up knowing that it was a trilogy so I wasn't surprised that this first book involved a lot of stage setting and character introducing. The first half of the book fell a little flat with all of this background information sharing but once the second part of the book started, the story really took off.

At the start there were so many characters and locations that I felt like I was getting whiplash jumping between story lines. It wasn't until the last few chapters that I really understood who the main characters really were and who I should be getting invested in.

I have a feeling book 2 will be far more enjoyable now that the story has been set so I'm giving this book 3.5 stars with the caveat that I'm fully intending to read the next book!

This story takes us across the globe: an abandoned Spanish monastery, a Himalayan cave guarded by monks, London, and Germany. Hitler, Churchill, Himmler, Goering, and others appear. There are conspiracies and stolen artwork and danger at every turn.

The historical background and the occult story are interwoven impeccably until it’s hard to separate fact and fiction. Giacometti and Ravenne orchestrate a huge cast of characters, some known to us from history and others springing from their imaginations. Then they tell an epic story that spans continents and touches all types of people. It’s fitting: an epic-sized story to fit this epic-sized world war that devastated countries and killed millions.

There’s plenty of action. And violence. And intriguing conspiracies and plots and mysteries. It has all the makings of being a thrilling thriller.

And yet I wasn’t thrilled.

For me, the book fell flat. I finished the book. But I didn’t feel engaged with the story until three-quarters of the way through. Honestly, I felt only twinges of emotional engagement with the story.

If I had to pinpoint what went wrong in my reading of The Four Symbols, it would be the characters. The characterizations felt cinematic. I’m not sure if that’s an accurate term for it or not. But it felt like a movie where the director relies on the lead actor’s charisma to make up for the script’s shallow character development. Somehow that’s how many of the characters–particularly the historical ones–came across to me.

The fictional characters fared better. I could’ve become more attached to Tristan and Laure. (They were the two whom I “bonded” with the most.) But there’s so much time spent with Hitler & company (whom I’d prefer not to spend time with, thank you) that there’s not as much time for the fictional characters to fulfill their potential.

In Giacometti and Ravenne’s defense, though, there’s not much time to develop any one particular character at all. The novel cuts from place to place, character to character, so often and so quickly. There’s barely time to breathe. I jumped from exciting scene to exciting scene, one point of view to another, globe-hopping, sometimes within the same chapter.

Sometimes there is a page of historical background between actual scenes. While I know the historical background in necessary, the summaries jarred me.

I also became weary of the violence. After a while, all the various horrible methods of torture and execution weren’t horrifying anymore.

This is a particular type of thriller, of course, and it’s obviously not my favorite type of thriller. Some reviewers have compared it to Dan Brown’s books. Having not read his work, I don’t know if the comparison is accurate. Maybe that’s an indicator that I’m not the target demographic for this book!

For me, characters and emotional engagement are the most important things in a novel. Not everyone agrees, of course. Those who like lots of action and epic-sized conflicts and conspiracy thrillers might feel differently about this book. (There are plenty of 4 and 5 star reviews!)

I do admire the ambitious nature of the book. It’s undoubtedly daunting to write historical thrillers with so many well-known characters and various historical facts to juggle. Giacometti and Ravenne know how to create an exciting plot within these parameters.

Do I recommend it? Somewhat. For those who like fast-paced stories and adore action and intrigue, you might want to check out The Four Symbols.

For the historical background and plot development, I give the book 4 stars. Character development is 2 1/2 to 3 stars. I'll give the overall book 3 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Note: this review will appear on my blog on September 3, 2020.

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very interesting look into Hilter and all his top officers and their quest into finding artifacts that support the Reich's ideal of the perfect world. The book is a good combination of mysticism, spy craft and action. Although I would love to see more of the archeology side of this story. I found the story to be addictive and had a hard time putting the book down. The author has managed to project a very evil sinister feeling with the German officers, especially Himmler and Weistort.
I will being keeping an eye out for the next installment of this series

It took me a while to find a point of reference in his novel.
There is no faint hearts in the authorship here they set their intriguing thriller against World War II.
This isn’t an alternative history. Rather, cleverly weaving historical aspects through the methods and motivations of the Nazi high command and the fictional acumen that comes from deep research and creative imaginations.

This is a book of the dark sciences and the occult; powers sought out by Himmler especially, to harness a supernatural advantage as Germany prepared to and exercised modern warfare to dominate and fulfil their destiny.

Learning of the existence of a book from the Middle Ages that is filled with esoterica and the clues to the location of special items. Himmler instructs his officers to find the book as ownership will bring success in battle, for those armed with these four symbols of ultimate power. Needless to say the SS obtain it; the Thule Borealis Kulten, and quickly they seek out and recover the first element which brings Germany their sweeping early victories across Europe as they Blitzkrieg their way into Paris and the domination of most of Western Europe.

I found this artefact extraction initially too much as the Germans head off to Tibet. Too much Indiana Jones and not enough character to build a story around.

This changes with the arrival of Tristan, a Frenchman apparently on the wrong side in the Spanish Civil War. Although he appears to be a character with limited life expectancy, he seems genuine, despite his past, who you want to do well. He may be a flawed individual but he has a casual charm and ready wit especially when contemplating his immediate future.

The book gets bogged down again initially where the British seek to counter this occult vision of supremely the Germans cash in on.

But once the SOE are deployed we have a familiar scenario of a wartime mission into occupied France to frustrate German objectives in obtaining the second “magical” element .
I found this storyline thrilling and refreshingly original. I also liked all the secrecy and Nazi focus on these symbols of power and Hitler potentially being a re-incarnated Frederick Barbarossa. Indeed this mix of religious intent, the Cathars, Crusaders and the Inquisition intermingled with the modern Third Reich seems quite compatible with the unfolding drama.
That Rudolf Hess was overindulgent with astrological charts and the possession of the second symbol could facilitate the opening up of the Eastern front most compelling and opens up a great story you want to read.
This mix of history in this type of fiction is always a challenge, especially to integrate it fully into the narrative. When it is super-imposed on such a grand backdrop like National Socialism and Germany’s path to war it is a tremendous achievement.

This makes for a fresh almost unique novel. Indeed, the subject matter being so vast It has by necessity led to a trilogy of books. If they maintain this high standard no-one will be complaining. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to read this first instalment and I will definitely read the other two.

Really enjoyed this book
Difficult to put down, it's fast paced and has plenty of twists and turns
with great characters and a good plot
I want to know what happens next so
Looking forward to reading the follow up
Good & Evil

Thank you netgalley, Giaconetti & Ravenne and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me to read and review this book

Brilliant and fascinating book that reveals Hitler’s belief in historical legends that could give him more power as he tries to take over Europe and beyond.
People put their lives at risk to stop the Nazis gaining possession of relics. This book left me wanting to know much more. Thank you.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Four Symbols’ by Eric Giacometti & Jacques Ravenne in exchange for an honest review. It was originally published in the French language in 2018 and translated into English by Maren Baudet-Lackner. It was published in an ebook edition in May with its audiobook coming out in July and the paperback edition following in early September.

“If the SS is a galaxy, then the Ahnenerbe is its black sun.”

This is the first in their Black Sun Trilogy of historical thrillers set during World War II. In 1938 officers of the Nazi organisation Ahnenerbe, the Ancestral Heritage Research and Teaching Society, get hold of a rare medieval text that tells of four ancient relics. So then under the directorship of Himmler they are off pillaging sacred sites across the world to find these hidden treasures in order to assist them in establishing the Third Reich. Shades of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark!

In London, Churchill is aware of this Nazi interest in the occult though is highly sceptical. Still, Commander Malorley of the SOE, the Special Operations Executive that deals in counterintelligence, is somewhat more open minded; mainly due to his friendship with the bookseller who had owned the text and was murdered for it. Other characters pop up including French art historian Tristan Marcus, who runs afoul of the SS baddies and gets caught up in the treasure hunt.

The authors pack in a lot of action and adventure as well as a fair amount of history linked to the SS. Years ago I did a lot of reading around the subject of the Third Reich and the occult so have some familiarity with the subject as well as how the occultists of Great Britain responded to this spiritual threat. The ending of Book 1 suggests this aspect will come into play in Book 2.

I did feel that some of the dialogue and interactions felt rather modern. However, this might be down to the translation.

I enjoy well written historical conspiracy thrillers though would have liked some kind of historical notes placing the story in context, though that material just may not have been available in the eARC.

Overall, I found this an intriguing start to the trilogy and will be on the lookout for Book 2: ‘Good & Evil’ currently listed as due out at the end of the year to see how the story develops.

Recently I joined the community of NetGalley users. I thank them for the advanced reading copy of THE FOUR SYMBOLS written by ERIC GIACOMETTI and JACQUES RAVENNE. This is my first NetGalley experience.
This is the first of three books in a series entitled “The Black Sun”. That is good news and bad news. The good news is that this is an excellent spy thriller with a WWII setting. The bad news is that I may have to wait for books 2 and 3.

The story opens in 1938 when Otto Neumann, a Jewish bookseller in Berlin and former university professor, is murdered in his bookshop by SS Colonel Karl Weistort. Weistort wants a book that Neumann has in his shop. The book is THULE BOREALIS KULTEN, a book supposedly containing occult secrets from the Middle Ages. Weistort is the head of Ahnenerbe, an SS unit looking for proof of the superiority of Aryans. In the THULE BOREALIS KULTEN four symbols are mentioned that if found together will give the owners unlimited power. The four symbols had been dispersed to locations around the world. Weistort needs to find them.

He first travels to Tibet where the first symbol, a Swastika, is hidden in a mountain cave. Unlike the Nazi symbol, this one is reversed and can actually be found in folklore all around the world, predating the corrupted Nazi version by hundreds if not thousands of years. True. Joining him is blond haired, blue-eyed Erika Von Essling an archaeologist of some repute. A prototype Aryan. After obtaining the symbol and killing a few guides, Weistort returns to Berlin. And Germany successfully launches WWII.

The story shifts to Spain where art historian Tristan Marcas is introduced. He is working during the Spanish Civil War. Through a series of unfortunate experiences, Tristan ends up being forced to join Weistort in his quest. From a painting Tristan finds in Montserrat Monastery near Barcelona, the hunt moves to Montsegur in southwestern France near Carcassonne. This mountaintop castle was the site of the last stand of the Cathars in the 13th century. The second symbol is found there. However, not without a fight.

Opposing the Nazis is SOE operative Malorley and his team. They are parachuted into Free France near Bordeaux and make their way to Montsegur with the help of the French Resistance. There they meet up with Jean d’Estillac the current owner of the Montsegur castle ruins and his feisty daughter Laure. They team up with the Brits to try to stop the German team led by Weistort, Tristan and Von Essling.

Although this is a novel, there are some real people and events in the story. For example, Rudolf Hess’ escape to England, the Cathars’ last stand and the division of France into Free and Occupied sections. There is plenty of action and some romantic undertones. This book really surprised me on how well it is written. In addition, there is a surprise ending I did not see coming. If you are a reader of WWII fiction or history, you will really enjoy this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

GO! BUY! READ!

What an excellent story this is, based around the understanding that some of the Nazi High Command believed that Esoteric artifacts could/would control how well they fared waging war on the rest of the world. This is a well built tale constructed around believable characters which kept up its pace until the last page and ended leaving me in high expectations for the second volume. If you like really good books that blend fact and fiction, this is most certainly a book for your reading list.

With so many great reviews, I thought I'd love this. However, I just couldn't get into it and I'm not sure why. I don't know whether it was the characterisation, but I couldn't warm to the plot and I didn't care enough about what was happening to care what happened next.

Not for me, although I'm sure the rest of the series will be great for those who enjoyed this.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.