Forgotten Books: The Quest -- Nelson DeMille

I suspect that not many people have read Nelson DeMille's original version of The Quest.  I have, and I still have the copy I bought back in 1975.  It's a Manor book, and I don't think it got great distribution when it was published.  As far as I can tell, there are no copies available for sale on the Internet.

 So I don't blame DeMille for deciding to cash in on it by rewriting it.  I've linked to a PW article about the new version, and you might want to read the whole thing.  I found it very interesting to read bout what DeMille decided to change in the revision, aside from doubling its length.  I haven't read that one, and I probably won't.  All I can say is that the older book was a lot better than the cop books DeMille was writing at the time.   I might read it again one of these days.

DeMille’s Newest Quest a Success: In 1975, when Nelson DeMille was in his early 30s, he published his first full-length novel, The Quest, with Manor Books. The book hinges on one of history’s most enduring secrets: the location of Christ’s cup from the Last Supper, the Holy Grail. 

The search for the Holy Grail “has universal appeal in Western culture,” said DeMille. The continuing fascination with the Holy Grail was proven once again when DeMille’s revamping of the novel, released on September 17, debuted at #5 on PW’s adult hardcover fiction list and last week was in the seventh spot, with total sales of just under 42,000 copies at outlets that report to Nielsen BookScan. Yet, DeMille was motivated to dust off a book he wrote nearly 40 years ago by more than the evergreen allure of the Holy Grail.