Review - The Last Templar

  The Templar Knights are a fascinating rabbit hole and there exist a multitude of theories about what happened to all their wealth after they were sytematically hunted down and eliminated by the French king. There are as many theories about why this militant monastic order of the Catholic Church seemed to wield so much power/sway over the Vatican.  Most think they held something over the church as blackmail.  This book presents an idea I hadn't ever considered as to what the leverage they held could be.

  I read one prior book by Raymound Khoury featuring a character also in this book as well:

Rasputin's Shadow (click here)

  Find out what I thought of this book by bestselling author Raymound Khoury.

Author: Raymound Khoury

Copyright: Jan, 2006 (Berkley) 554 pgs

Series: 1st in Templar Thriller Series

Sensuality: Adult topics, some violence with slight detail, PG-13+

Mystery Sub-genre: Thriller

Main Character: Tess Chaykin, archaelogist 

Setting: Contemporary. New York and international

Obtained Through: Library

 Book Blurb:  "In 1291, a young Templar knight flees the fallen holy land in a hail of fire and flashing sword, setting out to sea with a mysterious chest entrusted to him by the Order's dying grand master. The ship vanishes without a trace.

In present day Manhattan, four masked horsemen dressed as Templar Knights stage a bloody raid on the Metropolitan Museum of Art during an exhibit of Vatican treasures. Emerging with a strange geared device, they disappear into the night.

The investigation that follows draws archaeologist Tess Chaykin and FBI agent Sean Reilly into the dark, hidden history of the crusading knights—and into a deadly game of cat and mouse with ruthless killers—as they race across three continents to recover the lost secret of the Templars."

MY Thoughts:  

This book has a unique idea as an answer to what the Templars had in their possession to use as leverage against the church and it's a creative idea I never would have considered, but is plausible.  Now this very premise will open the book up to criticism before it is even read because the concept that the christian church has had something to hide, and still does, for the sake of a "what if" story will enrage some.  I found it unusual and a great story idea.

The primary main character is archaeologist Tess Chaykin and she was at the Metropolitan Museum of Art when many jeweled and expensive artifacts were stolen and, although terrified, she is struck by one robber who was only there to steal one geared object: an ancient Templar decoder.  The secondary main character, FBI agent Sean Reilly, believes Tess maybe onto a key to the whole robbery.  A third character, the villain, is a Catholic Church agent and will stop at literally nothing to keep Tess and Agent Reilly from the truth.  Another key character is a mentor of Tess's who is obsessed with the Templars.   And thus begins this tale of secret codes and Templar vs Catholic Church intrigue brought into modern day.

Many chapters are from the point of view of "The Last Templar", a Knight held by the church for years, tortured and starved to find out where is the item held over the church's head. Those chapters are particularly gripping and bring the trajedy of the historic Templars vividly alive.

The climax occurs during a storm at sea of "biblical" proportions. Apparently the author is a screenwriter for Hollywood and it shows in this very scary and high stakes climax.  Excellent job-kudos.  My only complaint is I would have liked a little more resolution regarding Tess and Reilly, though.

This book is well written and the Templar plot just plausible enough to make a gripping tale.  Throw in a little attraction between Tess and Reilly for some added conflict.  It is fairly fast paced with some periods of less activity to build upon the story and characters.  I found it very entertaining and a thrill ride.

I'm contemplating reading the follow up book: The Templar Salvation

Rating:  Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list 

Thank you for reading this blog and please recommend to friends and family who will enjoy it.