|
"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 Jerusalem 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 black-tie 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.
© Copyright 2008 by Signet, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA).
 Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.com.
Back to top.
Critical Praise
"THE LAST TEMPLAR is a fast-paced, highly cinematic romp through several continents in search of the infamous Knights Templar secret treasure... Enjoyable stuff... THE LAST TEMPLAR grips and is a perfect summer read for those for whom Dan Brown was the start but not the finish."
--- The Sunday Express (UK)
"...a magnificent cocktail of detective work, romance and religious-historical speculations in spectacular settings... "
"Raymond Khoury uses one of his few breaks in this fastpaced story to send an ironic greeting to THE DA VINCI CODE and all the esoteric, pseudo-historical controversy surrounding Dan Brown's novel, after which, to great effect and in an extraordinarily entertaining style, he manages to outdo Dan Brown with an even more magnificent parahistorical story. Based on the extensive and colorful mythology surrounding the Templars, Khoury unfolds a ingenious mystery with two parallel tracks... The result is a magnificent cocktail of detective work, romance and religious-historical speculations in spectacular settings from the sewers in New York to the Vatican and a flooded medieval village in Turkey. It is splendid, exciting, and compared to THE DA VINCI CODE, which it would be rather disingenuous not to mention here, Khoury's characters are, if not totally credible, then furnished with a lot more depth and humour than Dan Brown's. Their arguments about faith versus science are fascinating, and their debate about what to do with 'The Ultimate Truth,' if and when they find it, is of a profundity rarely found in popular fiction."
--- Politiken (Denmark)
"Entertaining, gripping, exciting and funny... A thoroughbred renaissance racer."
--- Sentura (Denmark)
"A thoroughbred renaissance racer.
"Not only is it extremely exciting, but the book also gives us solid, in-depth depictions of its lead characters, FBI Agent Sean Reilly and archaeologist Tess Chaykin... Khoury doesn't hold anything back when inviting us along their struggle to get hold of a lost testimony from the very early times of Christianity: murders, car chases and a nailbitingly exciting diving expedition, together with separate chapters depicting the titular last Templar's desperate struggle after leaving the Holy Land in 1291. The book's readers will be literally bolted to their chairs.
"Khoury's twist is that he mixes solid action and a touch of romance with a well-written, highly insightful debate on religion and faith, where Tess, schooled in reason and a scientific skeptic, has to confront the faith Reilly so strongly believes in. To what lengths is is it morally permissible to go in order to preserve an illusion, and does this illusion ultimately serve a greater purpose? Is it acceptable to deceive millions of people who have little more than faith to lean on in a world of poverty and suppression? Or is religion in itself suppressive? ... It's been a long time since I read a thriller with as much substance as in Raymond Khoury's THE LAST TEMPLAR. Other overrated bestsellers can take a hike - this is the real thing."
--- Weekendavisen (Denmark)
"An explosive pageturner... Raymond Khoury's answer to these meaty questions is the stuff that bestsellers are made of... The scene is set, literally, since Khoury's past as a screenwriter is undeniable. This novel is written in a powerful visual and filmic language, and it could easily be transferred into a Hollywood blockbuster with George Clooney in the lead role. Such a movie would be most welcome, without a doubt, as THE LAST TEMPLAR is entertainment at its very best, and highly informative."
--- Fyens Stiftstidende (Denmark)
"...entertainment at its very best, and highly informative.
"The greatest secret of all... Raymond Khoury makes a memorable debut with this frenetically paced, page-turning adventure. Fans of THE DA VINCI CODE will love this thrilling blend of conspiracy, action and mystery."
--- The Mystery and Thriller Club (UK)
"Unlike many recent novels in this genre, Khoury knows when to stop adding detail and let the plot flow. The hypothesis behind the novel - the 'secret' of the Templar treasure - is intriguing and original, and almost credible. And whatever you do, pay attention to the last page - that's where the plot is given a final twist by the author."
--- ABC Wide Bay Queensland (Australia)
"The book is full of unforgettable elements combining fascinating historical fact with vivid imagination. It gallops through the action at reckless speed, but it never loses the story or becomes too complicated."
--- M Plus (Pan European Business Journal)
Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.com.
Back to top.
|
