I wondered how I got started on this book. I found myself keeping on, despite having difficulty keeping names straight, largely because I have been in Jerusalem. I was there in the early '60's, when the City was divided. UN troops maintained the peace. I saw pilgrims of various faiths, with passion in their eyes, walking the streets. I saw the various groups competing for time at the holy places. So it was easy to understand Stone's description of religious zealots and cultist's, fighting one another over the holy city. The current passion for that ground is as alive as ever. Having some background in study of cults, his description of that mentality hit the mark.

I was interested in statements of faith—or non-faith—by various ones in the book. For instance:

 "Do you believe in God?", he [Lucas] asked her.
 "Jesus," she [Sonia] said, "what a question."
 "Well, I'm sorry," said Lucas. "We were talking religious enthusiasm."
 "This is what I think, Chris. Instead of nothing out there, there's something. It has a nature."
 "That's it?"
 "That's it. And more than enough."  (p. 103)

 "I used to be a Catholic," Lucas said. "I believed. I believed everything."
 "It's good, no?"
 "I don't know, Lucas said. "Do you think it's good? Believing?"
 "Well," said Zimmer, "I'm from Poland, where faiths come equipped with tanks and gallows, gas and truncheons. I'm particular about faiths."
 "Fair enough."