What is The Sudarium of Oviedo? It is a bloodstained cloth kept in the Cathedral of San Salvador in Oviedo, Spain that, supposedly, covered the face of Jesus Christ.  The Sudarium is, also, the name of a fiction trilogy that blends religion and science into a very compelling series of books that were hard to put down.

The trilogy finds a group of fanatics using science on The Sudarium to try to bring about the Second Coming of Christ.  A woman, Hannah, looking for meaning found, herself, recruited as a surrogate.  Who did she give birth to? This is a question that is discussed and provides much food for thought.  Her son, Mano, years after his birth, finds, himself, drawn in with people trying to impose meaning onto him.  Amidst all of this, the outside world tries to make sense out of the events.

Written by Leonard Foglia, a theatre/opera director and librettist, along with David Richards, theater critic for publications including The Washington Post, The Washington Star and The New York Times. This trilogy that was very hard to put down.  I took these books on a recent road trip and the moments, when I had to put the books down, were agony.

Heavy on religious allusions, it helps to have some sort of background so that the little details are understood.  I have 12 years of Catholic schooling under my belt, which was tremendously helpful.  However, even people without a religious background, would still be able to enjoy this just as much as any other thriller.

I would give the trilogy 4 out of 5 stars.  The books were very well written and engaging.  Each part of the trilogy flowed into the next and formed a coherent tapestry.  It was easy to be drawn into the characters—to root for the heroes, while hoping for the villians’ destruction.  A little slow to develop, these books are a powerhouse.

To get more information on the trilogy, visit the books’ site at The Sudarium Trilogy or buy them at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.