The Last Templar

First of all, I enjoy books that are long, and this one was. Since it has a historical attachment (as per the title) you know that there has to a be a good deal of detail from the past leading to the present. You won't be disappointed. I like the way the author takes you back in history with the characters who lived the past, and who were leaving clues to the present. The two main characters, Elizabeth and Reilley are well suited to each other once they settle into the plot. Their lives are very different and you know how that makes a relationship doubtful. That also comes into play.The other characters in the book I found to be so necessary to the story, since we are talking the Crusades the church has to become involved and I think you will enjoy the dilemma it places on the main characters. I like the author, this was my first reading by him. I liked his style and his humor when it was necessary, Won't be the last of his books I will read.

A huge gala at the museum in NYC showing treasures from the Vatican and who shows up but 4 horsemen dressed as Templar knights. They march up the steps on horseback and pause before the doors. Before they can proceed, a security guard approaches to stop them and has his head cut off for his trouble. Then the horsemen ransack the treasures, stuffing sacks full of jeweled crosses and other fantastic items. Except one of the riders goes to one display only and grabs a weird looking box with gears and levers but no jewels or other pretties to make it valuable. Our heroine is close enough to hear him utter a Latin phrase when he has it in his grasp. She (Tess) watches him signal the others and they take off, leaving the museum and heading to Central Park. By the time police show up all they can find are the horses. So what was that box that was stolen? Tess heard what was said and she tells the FBI everything. Agent Reilly is on the case, young but experienced. He and Tess find they are drawn to one another. And the chase is on! Pretty good story full of mystery, historical references, strange places and of course, murder and mayhem. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I am in the process of reading all four Templar series books... I am amazed at the attention to detail, development of characters, dialog, and pace- truly a living tapestry on paper... Mr. Khoury is a master storyteller, with few equals. One does not often find such depth, today. Half way through book number two, The Templar Salvation, I find myself bleary-eyed, yet unable to stop... Yes, his works are mesmeric, compelling, and a visual delight... He writes as if ink and paper, were 4K Super HD, and no detail is overlooked... His work is proof, that a book is still superior to movies, for no movie could equal such work...God Bless Mr. Khoury and his family, for bringing such reading joy and satisfaction to eager, hungry, readers of superb fiction... Thank-You, Sir!Five out of Five Stars- only because they won't allow me Six Stars, or more! And yes, with poor grammar intended, I do heartily recommend Mr. Khoury's fine works...

The beginning held promise.Then it started to read like a cheap romance novel - worse than what you'd see on Hallmark.And finally it morphed into a clumsy attempt to debunk Christianity. And he intentionally misrepresents the factual history of the biblical Gospels.Boo on you.

A gifted communicator Khoury uses his talent to cause his readers to doubt their faith in Christ. If he is wrong and I am convinced he is he has everything to loose and nothing to gain. I give this book one star.

Parts of this book are very interesting, parts are exciting, and some parts require an almost superhuman suspension of reality. In some ways it's a poor man's DaVinci Code, although I found the historical parts interesting. The romance is somewhat tedious. Various people's actions and reactions are simply plot devices to keep the story moving forward. And, I found the ending to be quite a letdown. I gave this book 3 stars because of the well-written historical facet.

This book is really like a roller coaster, very fun and exciting in the begginning, then it goes down hill to the slow flat story.The story was very interesting in the beginning, I cannot put it down! The mystery of the past was tempting me to keep reading and also I wanna know how this will end up. However, as the book get to close to the end, it got very slow and so many thing doesn't make sense. It's like it got cut to the end.I was kind of disappointed with the last part. The story was so good, then meh.

Exciting story! Considering all the current interest in History Channel 's Curse of Oak Island, the book is timely! As I read the book I investigated many of the historical references and found that the book is based on historical fact!

The Last TemplarThe first in Raymond Khoury’s series of books featuring Sean Reilly and Tess Chaykin. Reilly is a FBI agent married to the job and Chaykin is an archaeologist who is deeply frustrated because she is unable to work in the field owing to family commitments.Initially set during the fall of Acre in the thirteenth century when the Crusades were drawing to an ignominious end and the Templars were attempting to get their treasures out of the Holy Land. Two Templar Knights are assigned the task.In the modern day an exhibition is being held in New York featuring treasures from the Vatican. Four individuals dressed as Templar Knights gatecrash the opening ceremony and escape with many of the valuable items. Initially it’s thought to be a robbery but Chaykin who is a guest at the event is not so sure.Reilly is the FBI agent in charge of the investigation and initially he sees little value in Chaykin’s theory. However his attitude gradually changes as the perpetrators of the crime start to turn up dead and the Vatican seems to take a keen interest in one particular missing artefact. It becomes a race to see who can solve the mysteries that threaten to undermine religion as civilisation knows it.In a mixture of historical fact and interpretative fiction Khoury creates a story that raises a number of questions about religions and their basis in modern life. Ranging across a number of settings it is an enjoyable tale even if you discount the religious settings. Well worth a look.

I thoroughly enjoyed this romp through myth, religion and history. The legend of the Templar Knights is always a draw for me and there were enough twists and turns in this novel to make it a real page-turner. 4-stars

The Templars seem to have an undiminished appeal for a wide range of people, and rightly so; they have a fascinating history, some mysterious, some quite clear. They probably have the legitimate claim to be the first bankers in the world.On Friday, October 13, 1307, Philip IV of France ordered their simultaneous arrest with the words: "Dieu n'est pas content, nous avons des ennemis de la foi dans le Royaume" ["God is not pleased. We have enemies of the faith in the kingdom"."The Last Templar" is an exciting insight into those times.Although I did not find it a completely gripping page-turner as some reviewers did, it was a good read, it is fiction and I recommend it for anyone interested in that period of history.

Khoury's book is a very decent read indeed. You learn a few bits and pieces about the Order of the Templar Knights. You also have some comparisons drawn between 3 of the core religions in the World (Christianity, Judaism, Islam), and you get a decent plot, what I classify as a religious thriller in the same vein as the Da Vinci Code. The start of the story is gripping. The pace of the story pretty good. If you take this book for what it is: a fiction, a thriller based over a now classic theme ("an alternative" to the teaching of Catholicism), and if you let yourself guided by this story, you will have (in my humble opinion) a good time reading this book.I put 4 stars because of the ending that I would have liked to be a little bit better. But all in all, a good effort, and a very pleasant read indeed.

Couldn't put it down from start to finish. If you like a good adventure, a splash of romance and a great dollop of Templar conspiracy, this is the book for you. Well written, well researched, an instant hit.

This is a strange book. First, it is nowhere near as badly written as some reviewers say - it is ok on that front. Second, the plot is really gripping ... then he just gives some critical piece of information around the middle of the book, which for me killed the whole suspense. It was a drag to finish it and he managed to create a huge anti-climax in a few pages at the end, amazing. A real waste, this could have been a major thriller, the premise being quite good. So yes it gave me a good time hence the three stars but not full satisfaction.

Arrived in time and well packaged etc and was what I ordered so also what I expected. Bought this on the recommendation of a friend, as I have never read Khoury before. He works a good yarn around well established facts and traditions in a well populated field and it is an enjoyable mix of police procedural and Templar myth/legend/conspiracy, with good local colour and a fine feisty heroine. Quiet thought provoking, so a lot more than a beach read, and streets ahead of Dan Brown although I realise that its a bit of damning with faint praise. A well crafted, well written example of the genre.

The book had been recommended to me. I found the whole storyline completely farfetched and unbelievable. A disappointing read. Much prefer the novels of Dan Brown.

Generally a very good read, got a bit far fetched in some respects.

Great read, plenty of action with enough characters, twists and turns to keep you reading.

Not a bad read to pass the time did get a bit too heavy part way through though.

Interesting book

Thrilling story, great plot and characterisation, and an enjoyable read. Loved it!

Easy read but found it far too predictable

The book sounded so interesting from the blurb. It turned out to be a disappointment and a bit more like a B movie script than a great thriller. I found the characters to be rather formulaic and although the action was pacy it all seemed to be a bit far fetched. For me it has the feel of being written without any real sense of where it was going. Maybe I was just more interested in the Templars than the present day search for their secret. Ok, but not as good as it could have been.