From 1964, not the best of Malachi Martin's writing but definitely indicative of the tone and style his later writing would take on, complete with astute and biting insight into the geopolitical landscapes that shape the workings of the Vatican and Roman Curia. The book is a bit disjointed in that he couldn't seem to decide what exactly was to be the focus of the book, especially when it comes to describing the day to day workings of the various ssessions of the Second Vatican Council (a much better and thorough treatment of the Council can be found in "The Rhine Flows into the Tiber", also contemporary to the time). Perhaps he was a bit naive in his sympathy and support for Cardinal Bea and Pope Paul VI (and he would never speak ill of them even later in life) because he did gradually move away from the progressiveness marked in this book and almost into the very ghetto-like mentality of "Traditional" Catholicism that he criticized as the reason for the need of the Council. ( )