Looks like we're got a new pope, and a conversative one, too. Hmm, if I were an American Catholic, I'd be frustrated.
Anyway, all the talk about the conclave and secret voting brought back strong memories of the reborn Catholic church depicted in Dan Simmon's Endymion series - the depiction of rituals, power, secrecy, and all that was just perfect. What a great series that was too, even better than the Hyperion series, to which it was a sequel.
My sister tells me to try the Sparrow series by Mary Doria Russell, which is about Jesuits and aliens - sounds good! I've put it on reserve at the NYPL.
