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Scriptum (Templar #1)

by Raymond Khoury (Author), Susanne Goga-Klinkenberg (Translator), Anja Schünemann (Translator), Ulrike Thiesmeyer (Translator)

3.47 of 5 stars 3.47 · rating details · 17,928 ratings · 1,023 reviews

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. What follows is an investigation that will draw an archaeologist and FBI agent into the dark, hidden history of the crusading Knights-and...more

Published (first published 2005)

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Jun 23, 2008 Nick rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who are dumb

Recommended to Nick by: the internet

Are you tired of reading books that you have to think too much about? Do you like obvious details being overtly and continuously pounded into your head? If you answered yes to these question then I recommend The Last Templar.

Raymond Khoury thrusts the plot of this book upon the reader in much the same way the creepy guy on the crowded subway car thrusts his junk against your ass every time the car shakes.
You're not positive that he's doing it on purpose but you still feel violated and used.

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Jan 02, 2009 Scot rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ultimately, I didn't like this book, but I hate failing any work with just one star, and parts of the plot were exciting, so I'll be magnaminous and give this two stars. I do enjoy historical studies, and have long been interested in the Knights Templar. When the opening few pages of this book were described to me by someone who had just started it, I mistakenly thought the book would involve time travel, and that intriguing overlay led me to eventually check it out for myself.

Those opening few...more Ultimately, I didn't like this book, but I hate failing any work with just one star, and parts of the plot were exciting, so I'll be magnaminous and give this two stars. I do enjoy historical studies, and have long been interested in the Knights Templar. When the opening few pages of this book were described to me by someone who had just started it, I mistakenly thought the book would involve time travel, and that intriguing overlay led me to eventually check it out for myself.

Those opening few pages were exciting, indeed. However, I also quickly noticed that the writing style was sketchy, the chapters short and not so sweet, and rather than offering the reader well chosen details and telling facts as evidence to arrive at conclusions about what characters were feeling or thinking, the author simply summarized, and the exposition was worked into dialogues in a very amateur manner. I thought I was reading a screenplay rather than a novel, only I lacked the benefit of an actor's depth giving any nuance or ambiguity to cliche behaviors and descriptions.

The obvious target audience is Da Vinci Code fans. This is a major rip-off of that novel in overall plot construction and flow, and it lacks even the less than stellar level of sophistication and adventure in the Dan Brown bestseller. (It does, however, take into account how post 9/11 security measures would affect conspiracy investigations, and it also pays homage to the popularity of "Finding Nemo.") The romantic thread between the hero and the heroine is sometimes hard to believe, as they both seem willing to change their entire code of behavior/belief system/worldview from time to time, rather abruptly, and illogically, because of the power of their mutual attraction.

Most of "the Last Templar" turns on a debate over whether Christianity (as it is understood and practiced today) is a charade knowingly propagated by the Vatican. If you are interested in a literary work (beyond the Dan Brown books) that explores such a possibility in a more compelling, thoughtful, and aesthetically pleasing way, don't read this, look to the Golden Compass series by Pullman.

The book lectures about Gnosticism as if no one ever heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls before, and explains overlays in the three Abrahamic religions as if connections between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were a breaking news alert. Sure some of the adventure/action sequences in exotic locations kept me reading, but I think this story would definitely work better on the screen (and at that, probably as a TV movie on the Lifetime network).

Do I plan to seek out more books by this author? No. But am I still open to the possibility of other novels addressing this topic area or these themes in a more engaging literary and philosophical fashion? Yes. (less)

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Mar 04, 2009 Matt rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I hardly ever buy a book and not finish it. But put this book in that category.

It never got rolling. The characters were hard for me to keep straight... not a good sign. The idea is good but I don't think I got deep enough into it (only about 65 pages) to appreciate it.

I can't recommend this book... okay I can... to someone on a long plane or train ride. It will get you from sitting there mindlessly reading and turn it into a peaceful slumber.

Sorry--- but does anyone want to buy it from me? pap...more

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Nov 18, 2010 Charly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone

I found this to be a most interesting read. As a well written suspense piece should, it contains twists right to the very end. Khoury does a very nice job with this and the entire Templar speculation. I enjoyed this quite a bit. to say any more might require a spoiler notation.

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Aug 19, 2010 Zeek rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: suspense-thriller, fiction

Initially, I found The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury to be surprisingly engaging, despite the less than stellar reviews on Amazon. By the time I turned the last page I understood why it doesn’t quite work for many people.

Doesn’t work for men- Because the writer attempted to throw in a romance between the FBI agent called in to solve the case of the mystery horseman dressed as Templar knights who raided NY Met committing gruesome murder along the way and the archeologist Tess, who just happened...more

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May 28, 2008 Marc rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The Last Templar" was a pretty good book - standard adventure/suspense fare. It was pretty well written, although the second half of the book wasn't as enjoyable as the first. The crime drama part in the beginning was relatively exciting and enjoyable, but once the story leaves New York for Turkey, it loses some of its suspense, and doesn't have as many twists and turns as one would wish. It also has several chapters of boring historical/religious background (right in the middle of the second h...more

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Jun 26, 2007 Wicaksono Wicaksono rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Bukan main, dalam buku setebal 668 halaman ini, Raymond berhasil menyajikan ramuan yang padu antara sejarah, logika, dan tentu saja imajinasi yang kreatif untuk mempertanyakan kebenaran sebuah kitab suci, yaitu Injil.
Buku ini juga menambah panjang guncangan polemik kepercayaan yang terjadi saat ini. Pengungkapan akan adanya Injil Kristus yang merupakan tulisan tangan asli Yesus dan isi yang sangat berbeda dari Injil yang sekarang, melengkapi polemik teori kontroversial Dan Brown serta perdebata...more Bukan main, dalam buku setebal 668 halaman ini, Raymond berhasil menyajikan ramuan yang padu antara sejarah, logika, dan tentu saja imajinasi yang kreatif untuk mempertanyakan kebenaran sebuah kitab suci, yaitu Injil.
Buku ini juga menambah panjang guncangan polemik kepercayaan yang terjadi saat ini. Pengungkapan akan adanya Injil Kristus yang merupakan tulisan tangan asli Yesus dan isi yang sangat berbeda dari Injil yang sekarang, melengkapi polemik teori kontroversial Dan Brown serta perdebatan mengenai Injil Gospel dan Injil Eskariot yang tak kunjung usai.
Fakta sejarah ataukah imajinasi fiktif semata? Inilah pertanyaan yang mungkin muncul dibenak kita. Secara runut, argumentative, dan menyakinkan, “Messiah Conspiracy” membawa kita pada petualangan di wilayah abu-abu antara sejarah yang nyata dan dunia imajinatif yang fiktif.
Dibuka latar sejarah jatuhnya Jerusalem ditangan pasukan Sultan Qalawun, cerita Raymond mengalir berbumbu sadisnya perang Salib sampai pada keputusan para ksatria Templar untuk melarikan diri dengan kapal “The Falcon Temple” guna menyelamatkan sebuah rahasia besar yang telah terpendam selama ribuan tahun.
Bersama raibnya kapal di samudra, ksatria Templar menghilang dan setting cerita melesat ke masa kini. Tiba-tiba saja empat penunggang kuda mirip ksatria Templar muncul di keramaian kota Manhattan. Mereka merangsek masuk Metropolitan Museum of Art dan mengambil rotor pembuat sandi peninggalan abad ke-16.
Tess Chaykin, seorang arkeolog yang terjebak pada peristiwa itu, justru terlarut dalam gairah keingintahuan yang membara. Akhirnya bersama dengan Sean Reilly, agen anti teroris dari FBI, mereka melakukan penyelidikan. Kolaborasi metode penelitian arkeolog dan teknik penyelidikan detektif, membawa kita pada petualangan langka yang mencekam. Mereka menemukan satu persatu penunggang kuda mati serta indikasi bahwa rotor yang dicuri berhubungan dengan kunci rahasia besar para Ksatria Templar yaitu Injil yang ditulis langsung oleh Yesus sendiri.
Karena diprediksi bahwa Injil Kristus ini memiliki isi yang bertolak belakang dengan keyakinan masyarakat sekarang, maka banyak pihak mati-matian untuk mengenyahkannya. Mereka pun terperosok dalam pertempuran kekuatan-kekuatan politik warisan abad pertengahan yang mematikan. Sebuah konspirasi dunia yang rumit dan tak terduga mengancam nyawa mereka.
Meski nyaris gagal, akhirnya Tess benar-benar mendapatkan Injil Kristus dan mempelajarinya. Lembar-lembar perkamen tulisan asli Yesus ini, isinya benar-benar sensitif dan berbeda dengan injil yang ada sekarang.
Tess pun dihadapkan pada pilihan yang sulit. Mengumumkan penemuan tersebut dan didaulat sebagai arkeolog dengan penemuan paling fenomenal sejak penemuan Piramid di Mesir, ataukah menjadi pengkhianat profesi arkeolog dengan diam-diam justru menghancurkan penemuannya yang notabene isinya bakal mengguncang agama-agama mapan di dunia, mengubah peta kekuatan dunia, serta mempertaruhkan peradaban modern masyarakat sekarang ini.
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Feb 28, 2010 Daniella rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who actually liked The Da Vinci Code.

Recommended to Daniella by: Angela

Shelves: did-not-finish, mystery-and-suspense, boring, 2009

Blah, blah, whatever. This seems like The Da Vinci Code all over again, except the writing is marginally better. That's not saying much, though, considering just how hard that book sucked. The Last Templar doesn't quite meet DVC levels of suckery; it had potential, I thought, but the writing turned out to be too technical, for lack of a better way to put it. Basically, Khoury seems to labor under the notion that his readers won't be able to understand the story unless his writing is absolutely,...more

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Dec 21, 2007 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book started off really strong and fast. I was really interested in the concept that Jesus wrote a book in the Bible stating that he was human not Son of God and the Vatican wanted to destroy it. However, the book in the middle somehow got lost. It got bogged down in some very farfetched plot devices that won't even make sense in a movie. This book was written first as a screenplay then turned into a book when the author decided it would be better to market the book that way. I didn't like t...more

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Dec 08, 2008 Patrick Gibson rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: testosterone

It seems like most reviewers here picked up this book out of desperation at an airport. Haven’t we all done that? In my case, the book was left behind at the house by a friend (who didn’t warn me). I was in the mood for a ‘DaVinci Code’ clone—so why not? I’ll tell you why not: it’s crap. I would give it to a thrift shop, but then I’d be afraid someone might pick it up for a quarter and read it. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone (well, maybe one person I have in mind), so I will use the pages for pa...more

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Mar 17, 2009 Geoff rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 20, 2012 Kara Jorges rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tess Chaykin is an archaeologist who never got her King Tut career-making find, and is now working an office job, having to content herself with memories of former digs. Her job at least allows her to be on hand for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s opening of the Vatican exhibit, showing treasures long hidden from the public. She is there with her mother and young daughter, but wishes she had left them at home when the opening festivities are interrupted by four horsemen dressed as medieval knig...more Tess Chaykin is an archaeologist who never got her King Tut career-making find, and is now working an office job, having to content herself with memories of former digs. Her job at least allows her to be on hand for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s opening of the Vatican exhibit, showing treasures long hidden from the public. She is there with her mother and young daughter, but wishes she had left them at home when the opening festivities are interrupted by four horsemen dressed as medieval knights. Three of the four horsemen gleefully ride through the museum, smashing cases and stealing valuable treasures, but the fourth is only interested in an old contraption that doesn’t appear to have much value, and Tess overhears him muttering in Latin as he reverently steals the Vatican’s rotary encoder before riding off into the night.

The FBI immediately puts agent Sean Reilly on the METRAID case, as they dub it. With almost no leads to follow, Agent Reilly finds himself interested in Tess Chaykin’s theory that the thieves may somehow be throwbacks to the Templar knights. The more research Tess does, the more she’s certain she’s right. Agent Reilly is of two minds about including Tess in his search for the museum’s raiders, however, when three of the four horsemen wind up dead. Both he and Tess find themselves in over their heads in secrets more than a millennium old that people are willing to kill for while they travel around the world, and the most dangerous player in the game is not necessarily the thieving fourth horseman.

This is a pretty decent historical adventure thriller, if not incredibly unique. Bookshelves these days are teeming with such stories, but this is one of the better offerings I’ve found. I was disappointed in finding this novel’s treatment of Biblical “history” followed suit with all the others, however, casting more than doubt on its veracity. This theme in fiction is far from fresh or innovative and by this time has moved well beyond tired. I was hoping for a nice twist at the end, but was disappointed, though the book did end well despite such treatment. Perhaps sacrilegious storylines are a prerequisite these days if one wants their book published. That aside, this is a pretty decent book. Though Tess’s character had some unpleasant flaws like forgetting she had a daughter most of the time, Sean Reilly was a warm character who came across as much more human than most fictional FBI agents, and the villains were not overdrawn caricatures.
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Dec 14, 2012 Florence Lyon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is one of those examples where cover design is instrumental in grabbing a potential reader's attention. I found this gem in the book rack at a local grocery store. I think the combination of the design, the title and my thirst for more Templar fiction were enough to draw me in and pay the $13.50 (!) on top of my grocery bill.

Well written, suspenseful, intriguing and good character interaction. One of the main dilemmas or conflicts is what to do with the lost secret once recovered. One...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Billy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Great Book! Don't believe the naysayers...,

This book was excellent and enthralling. The plot twists and characters were laid out wonderfully and I finished the book in just under a week because I could not put it down. Would have read it quicker if I hadn't gone to work each day.

Khoury has offered a piece of historical fiction (acurate up to the destruction of the Knights by Phillip the Fair of France) revolving around the mystery of the last days of the Knights Templar and the final resting pla...more Great Book! Don't believe the naysayers...,

This book was excellent and enthralling. The plot twists and characters were laid out wonderfully and I finished the book in just under a week because I could not put it down. Would have read it quicker if I hadn't gone to work each day.

Khoury has offered a piece of historical fiction (acurate up to the destruction of the Knights by Phillip the Fair of France) revolving around the mystery of the last days of the Knights Templar and the final resting place of the Holy Grail.

Apparently, suspense comes naturally to Khoury and he has the reader guessing until the final chapter. He uses the premise of an escaped Templar and a letter that he has left behind which points to the fate of the Templars and the decisions made during their final days. Present day finds the search renewed based on this letter. The result is a work of historical fiction which will thrill any Templar lover. Despite many claims that this is a "Da Vinci Code" knock-off, Khoury had this concept long before Dan Brown and his story is more historically based and plausible than the far-fetched "Da Vinci Code".

The characters are believable, flawed but valiant, and the villains are underworld types who thrive on carnage, destruction and the accumulation of wealth. Very well done. Khoury should continue writing, and should he do so, his future works should be eagerly anticipated by thriller, mystery and historical fiction lovers.

Some people out there are claiming that this book is too much like the work of Dan Brown; I disagree. I enjoyed all 4 of Dan Brown's books, but they are not nearly as well written as this book. Dan Brown uses the story to carry the book where Khoury uses the book to lay out a rich, layered and complex story of historical, epic proportions.

Don't be misled by people who write this off too easily. Just consider what they have written, how they have written it and how intelligently they make their argument. I'm not sure why the book has generated such negative reviews, but they are largely undeserved. This book is well worth the read and is a surprisingly fluid novel for a first time novelist.

The story is of historical value, so people that claim that it is poorly written or cliche are not true historical fiction afficianados. This is a difficult genre and people are apparently misunderstanding what Khoury has done with this tale. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and of Templar history and this is by far the best Knights Templar fiction that I have read. Steve Berry's The Templar Legacy: A Novel is a good contribution, but this is the best.

So, if you want good historically based fiction, this is it. If you want outrageous, impossible or improbable stories based on one or two facts from history, you may want to look elsewhere. I thought this book was excellent and eagerly anticipate Khoury's next offering.(less)

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Apr 13, 2012 Mary M. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Last Templar was an exciting read, melding an ancient organization (The Templers) into the new world. Much like The Da Vinci Code, this story takes you on an adventure to recover the lost secret of the Templars.
Tess Chaykin, a female archaeologist, is at the museum the evening a group of men, dressed as Templar Knights and riding horses, invades and steals one of the Vatican artifacts. Her eyes connect with those of the thief, for but a brief moment. Outside the museum, Sean Reilly, an FBI a...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Ahmad added it · review of another edition

Judul : Messiah Conspiracy
Penulis : Raymond Khoury
Penerbit : Dastan Books
Tebal : 668 halaman
Ketika jagad sastra dunia sedang bergetar oleh dentuman Da Vinci Code (DVC), bermunculanlah puluhan novel sejenis dengan tema yang kurang lebih sama : Vatikan, Ksatria Templar, dan rahasia harta pusaka Templar dari Kuil Yerusalem. Nampaknya pengarang novel di Amrik tidak terlepas dari ‘aji mumpung’. Semua ingin memanfaatkan momentum tersebut, momentum yang telah mengantarkan Dan Brown, si penulis DVC, seb...more Judul : Messiah Conspiracy
Penulis : Raymond Khoury
Penerbit : Dastan Books
Tebal : 668 halaman
Ketika jagad sastra dunia sedang bergetar oleh dentuman Da Vinci Code (DVC), bermunculanlah puluhan novel sejenis dengan tema yang kurang lebih sama : Vatikan, Ksatria Templar, dan rahasia harta pusaka Templar dari Kuil Yerusalem. Nampaknya pengarang novel di Amrik tidak terlepas dari ‘aji mumpung’. Semua ingin memanfaatkan momentum tersebut, momentum yang telah mengantarkan Dan Brown, si penulis DVC, sebagai milyuner dan namanya disebut-sebut di seluruh dunia. Tidak terkecuali novel ini.

Cerita dimulai pada saat kejatuhan Kuil Templar di Yerusalem Timur, 1291 yang berarti kekalahan telak pasukan Salib melawan Sultan Salahuddin. Dua orang ksatria Templar dengan restu dari Guru Besar Templar (Grandmaster) dan Pengawal Utama (Marshall) telah menyelinap dari belakang kuil Templar dan bergegas menyelamatkan ‘sesuatu’ yang merupakan ‘harta karun Templar’ yang paling berharga. Mereka berlayar menaiki kapal The Falcon Temple, kapal terakhir milik Templar yang tersisa. Namun perjalanan mereka tidak pernah sampai ke Eropa, dan harus kandas di tengah laut membawa rahasia ‘harta karun’ tersebut ke dasar laut.

Di masa kini. Museum Seni Metropolitan, New York, tengah menggelar pameran bertema HARTA KARUN VATIKAN, saat perampokan terjadi di suatu malam yang ramai pengunjung, dilakukan oleh empat orang penunggang kuda yang memakai konstum Templar, lengkap dengan baju zirah dan pedang. Diantara semua benda yang hilang, hanya satu yang dianggap koleksi paling berharga yakni rotor pembuat sandi multi-roda gigi.

Inilah kontroversi pertama. Tess Chaykin, seorang arkeolog yang kebetulan bersembunyi dekat dengan benda itu telah memeriksa di internet dan menemukan informasi yang tidak masuk akal. Rotor pembuat sandi-roda gigi diklaim sebagai temuan Amerika tahun 1940-an yang merupakan mesin sandi yang paling canggih saat itu, namun benda tersebut ada dalam katalog pameran dan diberi keterangan sebagai pusaka Vatikan dari abad ke-16.

Di suatu tempat, kardinal Brugnone telah memeriksa arsip dan terkejut saat memahami bahwa alat tersebut lebih berharga dari yang diduganya. Di tempat lain, seorang detektif FBI, Sean Reilly bertugas menangani kasus perampokan dan pembunuhan di Museum, dengan data dan fakta yang membingungkannya, sehingga ia harus mencari sang pelaku secara membabi-buta. Reilly harus bersusah payah mengungkap misteri ini, karena tuntutan Vatikan dan masyarakat kota New York yang menghendaki agar kasus luar biasa ini segera terselesaikan.

Dari sudut-sudut jalanan New York, detektif Reilly mengendus jaringan narkoba dan komunitas extrim lain yang dicurigai, termasuk kelompok muslim dan sempalan gereja anti kemapanan. Akhirnya, dengan bantuan Tess, Reilly memperoleh informasi yang bisa mengarahkan penyelidikannya.

Dalam penelusurannya, Reilly dan Tess melintasi tiga benua dan menelusuri lokasi-lokasi terpencil di tempat-tempat yang tidak terbayangkan sebelumnya, demi mengungkap rahasia penyerangan The Met , menghindari kejaran oraganisasi rahasia yang ingin memiliki rahasia ini sendiri, serta harus berhadapan seorang arkeolog ambigu seperti Vance, peneliti Templar ambisius yang terobsesi membuka rahasia yang disembunyikan selama ratusan tahun.

Pada akhirnya, setelah melewati pergulatan seru dan hampir merengut nyawa, Reilly dan Tess terdampar di sebuah pulau terpencil di wilayah Yunani. Dan disanalah mereka menemukan harta karun Templar yang hilang.

Kisah yang ditawarkan memang memikat dan novel ini menawarkan pemikiran yang berbeda.Penulis sangat bagus dalam cara penuturan yang zig zag, mengupas berbagai data dan catatan sejarah, penokohan yang bagus, petualangan yang berani, karakter yang konsisten dengan alur yang cerdas. Tidak salah jika sebagai sebuah novel, Messiah Conspiracy direkomendasikan untuk dibaca.

Kekuarangan novel ini hanya terletak pada setting percetakan. Ruang kertas terlalu lebar, huruf tebal tipis agak melelahkan dan desain sampul yang kurang menarik.(less)

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Aug 27, 2011 Sumando Libros rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Comencemos!!!

Primero debo decir que me he llevado una GRAN sorpresa y qué sorpresa!!!

Este libro lo leí hace unos meses pero recién (hoy) he podido reseñarlo... recuerdo que decidí leerlo porque en aquel entonces busque comentarios de personas "x", personas anónimas, que algunas veces dejan su opinión en alguna pagina de compra Online. Lamentablemente no pude encontrar la pagina pero sí el comentario en dos paginas jejeje…

"... aunque había visto esta novela varias veces en la biblioteca, me resi...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Christian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Last Templar was an alright book. It was very intruiging and action-packed, but I thought it lacked certain wrting techniques that really attaches a reader to a book. Had it not been so action-packed, I would have rated this book 1 star. To me, Raymond Khoury seems like an author that knows how to write an action book, but when it comes to writing about relationships and feelings and emotions of characters, he just doesn't get the job done. In The Last Templar, Agent O'Reilly has to deal wit...more

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Mar 25, 2011 Elaine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Started out great but got a lot too preachy at the end.

Archivio Segreto Vaticano- the Vatican's secret archive Opened to visiting scholars in 1998. Includes Henry VIII's request for annulment from catherine of Aragon and account of Galileo's trial.
Red ribbons bind the official documents (just under a million) . Thought to be the origin of the term "red tape"

Veritas vos liberabit---The Truth Will Set You Free

1118- First Crusade is over.Baldwin IIis king of Jerusalem.Knights went back home Pilgri...more

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Oct 09, 2010 Malcolm rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Raymond Khoury's "The Last Templar" (2006) is part of a deluge of novels and nonfiction to step outside mainstream history to explore the real, prospective and imagined secrets about alchemy, the Knights Templar, and the origins of Christianity.

One cannot help but think of Katherine Neville's "The Eight" (1997) which focused on present-day people fighting over and/or guarding the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone and Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" (2003) which speculated about the true meaning...more Raymond Khoury's "The Last Templar" (2006) is part of a deluge of novels and nonfiction to step outside mainstream history to explore the real, prospective and imagined secrets about alchemy, the Knights Templar, and the origins of Christianity.

One cannot help but think of Katherine Neville's "The Eight" (1997) which focused on present-day people fighting over and/or guarding the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone and Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" (2003) which speculated about the true meaning of the Holy Grail and the bloodline of Christ. Many of Neville's, Brown's and Khoury's fans were also attracted to such nonfiction as "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" (Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln, 1982) and Lynn Picknett's "The Templar Revelation" (1997).

It is difficult to read, much less discuss, Neville, Brown and Khoury without acknowledging the fact that fact that they are part of a rather unique genre of spiritual conspiracy fiction that seemed to fill a need in the public psyche for truths thought to be missing from the tenets of Catholic and Protestant theology.

Neville's "The Eight" was, perhaps, the first to popularize this "genre's" style and focus: hidden wisdom, long-time conspiracies, compelling present-day mystery/thriller action, and numerous (and lengthy) history lessons. Since her focus was alchemy, Neville's "The Eight" didn't ignite the kind of controversy generated by Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" which, some might say, hit us where we lived if not where we worshipped.

Like Neville, Khoury tells his story with a modern-day and a historical timeline. "The Last Templar" begins with what Booklist called "one of the most gripping opening scenes among recent thrillers." Four horsemen dressed in Knights Templar regalia steal artifacts from a Metropolitan Museum of Art show of Vatican treasures, including a "decoder." The other story line focuses on the last days of the Knights Templar as the Holy Land is "lost" with the fall of Acre in 1291 and the subsequent pilgrimage of a few surviving knights to safeguard the Templars' treasure.

Publisher's Weekly was less kind than Booklist, saying that in the "war between the Catholic Church and the Gnostic insurgency drags on in this ponderous 'Da Vinci Code' knockoff." Many readers criticized Dan Brown in "The Da Vinci Code" for constantly stopping the otherwise full-speed action of the book while one character filled in another character about the secrets of Mary Magdalene, the Grail, the actions of the Catholic Church, and Jesus' bloodline.

In my view, "The Last Templar" carries such backstory diversions to an extreme. Picture, if you will, whether it's plausible that FBI operatives investigating the raid on the museum, the stolen treasurers, and the continuing deaths would spend hours discussing Templar history in great detail.

The greatest fault with "The Eight," "The Da Vinci Code," and "The Last Templar," is the fact that some characters must provide other characters with long-winded and unrealistic diversions into history, philosophy and theology because general readers are not likely to know the facts and the latest theories involved. The authors have felt that without these history lessons, the plots wouldn't make sense.

I liked "The Last Templar" better than Publisher's Weekly, but not as much as Booklist. The history was interesting, though I'd seen it all before. The plot was imaginative and included some page-turner action scenes involving the church, the thieves, the FBI and protagonist Tess Chaykin, an archeologist who witnesses the raid. The ending, while not wholly unreasonable was, I think, unsatisfactory, especially for those readers who not only want to know what the Templars' secret but are angry that a real or a fictionalized church would deem it necessary to suppress the truth at all costs.

The romantic feelings beweeen Tess and the head FBI agent add a variety of complications to the story, some of which lead into exciting action scenes even though the relationship within the book is rather forced and tedious.

For readers who have enjoyed the fiction and nonfiction in this wave of spiritual conspiracy books, "The Last Templar" is interesting escapist reading even though those who have seen it all before may speed-read through some of the Templar history. (less)

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Oct 07, 2010 Michelle rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, just-plain-awful

I read this book a few years ago. I suppose it was close on the heels of Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. Everyone was jumping on the relics/mysterious ancient social orders bandwagon. And I'm sort of a sucker for thrillers that deal with the aforementioned. I know, I know...cliche. Whatever. I like escapist lit once in a while. So sue me.

I think I might have really enjoyed this one (i.e., given in three stars because let's be honest, most thrillers are guilty pleasures, not destined for...more

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Sep 21, 2010 Dlora rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure-action, political-thriller

This is another one of those Da Vinci Code type books were the good guys are racing to beat the bad guys, solving clue after clue, to find a centuries-old treasure that will change the world. I actually liked the book better than I thought I would. Greg had read it and was disgusted with the author's stance that religion is manipulative and fake. I thought the author was more balanced than that. Of the two main characters, one is an archeologist who feels much of religion is based on myth with n...more

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Aug 15, 2010 Ron rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Even though it caters to (and is derived from) the niche "Da Vinci Code" market, including elements of Vatican conspiracy, medieval monks and astounding/confounding secrets impacting what/how people worship/believe, I found this thriller enjoyable and fast-paced. I appreciate the arcana that can be gleaned from this genre, including, here, bits about particular crusades campaigns, a particular monastery in southern france and certain geographical details about turkey. On the down side, i couldn'...more

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Jul 26, 2010 Randy Cashner rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For the first few pages, I enjoyed the book. A bold robbery of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art was refreshing new plot line. However that new plot line soon turned into a tired anti Christian dialogue. According to the author the lost treasure of the Templars as well as the Holy Grail were simply the knowledge that Christ was just an ordinary person, who sired a mulitude of children, many of which were later to join the Templars and that the Bible was written solely for political means all...more

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Mar 13, 2010 Richard Gazala rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book very much. The story is well-paced, the plot twists and turns engagingly, and the characters are sufficiently motivated to propel the action to its conclusion. I appreciated how Khoury allowed the two principal characters to examine their religious and spiritual beliefs during the course of the story, questioning and scrutinizing their respective belief structures. That the belief system in question in "The Last Templar" is Christianity generally, and Roman Catholicism specif...more

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Feb 03, 2010 Valeria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the wake of Dan Brown’s mega-blockbuster “The Da Vinci Code” there were more than a dozen knock-off books on the Templar Knights, or a variety of related subjects, published at a feverish pace, but don’t be fooled. While Khuory’s book alludes to a similar underlying “Jesus was just a man” theory (sort of), his mode of getting to that point had nothing to do with bloodlines, living descendants, or Mary Magdalene.

We start off with a young Templar Knight fleeing the decimation of battle in the a...more In the wake of Dan Brown’s mega-blockbuster “The Da Vinci Code” there were more than a dozen knock-off books on the Templar Knights, or a variety of related subjects, published at a feverish pace, but don’t be fooled. While Khuory’s book alludes to a similar underlying “Jesus was just a man” theory (sort of), his mode of getting to that point had nothing to do with bloodlines, living descendants, or Mary Magdalene.

We start off with a young Templar Knight fleeing the decimation of battle in the ancient city of Acre in 1291, on a mission to deliver an important item to the Templar Order in Paris, France. In an attempt to escape by sea, the knight and his companions are caught in a “perfect storm’ on the Mediterranean ocean and while the young knight survives, the ship goes down with the object still on board.

The book jumps forward at this point to the present day and a grand exhibition of artifacts on loan from the Vatican Archives to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, USA. It is a star studded event: celebrities and politicians congregating in their finest, TV crews broadcasting to the entire world, a true entertainment event that only gets more interesting when 4 men, dressed as Templar Knights, mounted on horses, arrive and work their way into the museum.

Thinking it is all part of the event, reporters, camera men and onlookers are spellbound by the site. Then everything changes. In a flash one of the “Templars” confronted by a security guard unsheathes his broadsword and cuts the man’s head off. Then everything takes a turn for the worse. The 4 horsemen continue into the museum, wrecking havoc and destruction on the priceless objects and unsuspecting guests, all except one: the 4th horseman. He seems drawn to one item in particular, an ancient mechanical encoder, developed by the Templar Knights to code and decode messages.

Enter the main players in the chase: Tess Chaykin, a retired archeologist, single mother and the heroine and witness in the taking of the encoder; Sean Reilly the FBI agent and Tess’s eventual love interest; Father De Angelis, Vatican liaison; Bill Vance, professor and old friend of Tess’s father and a variety of other lesser involved characters. From here we begin the long drawn out chase and search for the legendry treasure of the Templar Knights. I won’t say too much more, because I want you to read this book.

I say long, because even in the long paperback version I have, the book was 526 pages. Khoury has taken great pains to be as informative as possible about the details, both with the present day known information and his 13th century story building. The storytelling and weaving was impeccable for a first novel by a writer. I highly recommend this book.

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Nov 06, 2012 Mark Henrikson rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nope, didn’t do it for me.

This is one of those Da Vinci Code clones that had something go terribly wrong with the regeneration batter. The author is lucky to have penned the book while that craze was still going on otherwise it would languish on the back shelves gathering dust where it belongs.

Characters on either side of the good/bad spectrum were not interesting at all. Nothing surprising about the plot, and there were so, so many instances of ‘wow that sure was convenient.' Another flaw was t...more

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Jul 16, 2010 Sarah Nokleby rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was well-written and intriguing, for the most part. I felt like the ending was a big lead-up to not much, however, with a tinge of predictability.

I listened to the audio book, and unfortunately the language was raw. I am so used to my young adult fantasy books, that the first F-bomb shocked me! (My least favorite word in the English language) It was also very violent and graphic. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect is the fact that it is an all-out attack on Christianity, on the Cathol...more

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Sep 28, 2010 Trudy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think I read this book shortly after it was first published because the first 50 - 60 pages create quite an impression and they felt very familiar to me. I'm sure I picked up the book the first time because of the title, the second time as well. The Templars fascinate me, however, the book did not.

This was yet another book about some "secret" that could destroy the Catholic church, and the faith of more than 1 billion people around the world. If the rest of the book had lived up to the drama o...more

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Mar 06, 2009 Sarah added it · review of another edition

I was stuck on a small island reading this piece of junk. It's one of those historical church-conspiracy books. Will we find out that the church is evil and have lied for millennial about the mortality of jesus christ who married and had kids and died a natural death??? Yes we will but reader also gets to enjoy a bullshit discussion on faith and how faith helps us over come the endless violence and divisiveness of the church. WTF??

Not only is the story shite. The characters are characterless -...more

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About Raymond Khoury

Raymond moved to Rye, New York, from his native Lebanon at the outbreak of the civil war there in 1975. After graduating from Rye Country Day School, he returned to Lebanon to study architecture at the American University of Beirut. During his years there, in between repeated flare-ups of fighting, he illustrated several children's books for Oxford University Press's Middle East office. Raymond co...more

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“...you can't let something that'll probably never happen ruin your life. You're only helping to make it a self-fulfilling prophecy” — 11 people liked it

“...maybe we don't need a heavenly bribe or the fear of hell and damnation to make us behave decently. Maybe it would be healthier if people started believing in themselves instead.” — 8 people liked it

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