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Book Summary InformationAuthor: Raymond Khoury Edition: Mass Market Paperback Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2006-11-28 ISBN: 0451219953 Number of pages: 544 Publisher: Signet Product features: - ISBN13: 9780451219954
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of The Last TemplarBook Review: About what one would expect with a debut novel Summary: 3 Stars
Raymond Khoury had the unenviable task of launching a debut novel in the wake of the wild success of "The DaVinci Code". Of course, making the story of said debut novel one that was in the same genre was bound to draw some fair - and unfair - criticisms. With that in mind, I read "The Last Templar" with as open a mind as possible.
After being non-plussed by "The DaVinci Code" - and, quite frankly, upset at the fiction being so vehemently asserted by the author as fact - I was very hesitant to read another book in the genre. However, I was continually intrigued by the premis of "The Last Templar" as the months passed between its debut in hardcover and release in paperback. It beckoned as a story that might be more a more palatable and intriguing one.
Mr. Khoury hooks the reader with an opening sequence that is at once far-fetched but utterly believable. I found myself thinking that nothing like this could ever happen, but then turning around and thinking that it was altogether possible to see such a robbery in these modern times. From those opening chapters, Mr. Khoury takes the reader on a relatively fast-paced global adventure filled with intrigue, double-dealing, and challenging the faith of both the characters and the reader.
A couple things drag "The Last Templar" down. First, it is a debut novel, and as many debuts are, the plot, pacing, and character development is erratic. Portions of the story are very clunky and long-winded. The characters are not completely fleshed out, and none seem to be developed to the point where the reader would honestly care about how things turn out for them.
Second, it is very evident that this novel was expanded from a screenplay. I was a bit annoyed in places with how "neatly" some of the dire circumstances, obstacles, and enigmas were resolved. It was very much as one would expect with a plot template that was written for television or a theatrical release; one problem is solved without much effort, which lets the story move on to the next problem. Contrast that approach with the Clive Cussler novels. Mr. Cussler's stories are always fast-paced and full of puzzles and preposterous circumstances, but for every one that gets resolved quickly, there are plot elements that are left as problematic throughout the story, but ultimately get resolved near the end.
Readers - many of whom have already submitted reviews here - who dismiss "The Last Templar" as a knock-off of "The DaVinci Code" are a bit off-target and unfair. Yes, the books do tackle the subjects of the gnostic gospels, and they are of the same elemental theme (a cover-up by the Catholic Church that could shake up Christianity as we know it), but that's about where the comparisons end. "The Last Templar" takes a much different tack by focusing on the history of the Templars and a challenge to modern Christianity beliefs.
Mr. Khoury does do a very good job of presenting this challenge to Christianity, and conveys that through the wrestling of faith that the Sean Reilly character fights. However, as indicated above, the fact that the characters are not fleshed out enough means that the question of faith isn't totally expanded upon either. So, the reader does feel the challenge, but it doesn't last long.
This challenge comes a bit too early in the story, so the last few chapters seem to be nothing more than unnecessary "fluff" - with the exception of the epilogue. It is there is the last few paragraphs where Mr. Khoury adds one last twist that makes the reader reconsider whether the wrestling with faith was really worth it. I think that many reviewers missed this final twist, though given the way the final chapters played out, I think many reviewers were probably turned off and didn't care.
All in all, "The Last Templar" was a fair debut for Mr. Khoury. There are elements in this novel that are entertaining, and show that - with more focus to the craft of fictional novels - might make for a solid career. However, there is much to improve on in his storytelling and some other elements. "The Last Templar" isn't great, but isn't terrible either; is a good middle-of-the-road novel that you could knock off in a few days and be entertained.
Summary of The Last Templar "The Last Templar" miniseries is now available on DVD! For more information, click here. "It has served us well, this myth of Christ." Pope Leo X, 16th Century In a hail of fire and flashing sword, as the burning city of Acre falls from the hands of the West in 1291, The Last Templar opens with a young Templar knight, his mentor, and a handful of others escaping to the sea carrying a mysterious chest entrusted to them by the Order's dying Grand Master. The ship vanishes without a trace. In present day Manhattan, four masked horsemen dressed as Templar Knights emerge from Central Park and ride up the Fifth Avenue steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the blacktie opening of a Treasures of the Vatican exhibit. Storming through the crowds, the horsemen brutally attack anyone standing between them and their prize. Attending the gala, archaeologist Tess Chaykin watches in silent terror as the leader of the horsemen hones in on one piece in particular, a strange geared device. He utters a few cryptic Latin words as he takes hold of it with reverence before leading the horsemen out and disappearing into the night. In the aftermath, an FBI investigation is led by anti-terrorist specialist Sean Reilly. Soon, he and Tess are drawn into the dark, hidden history of the crusading Knights, plunging them 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.
Action & Adventure Books
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