The ancient order of the Knights Templar possessed untold wealth and absolute power over kings and popes . . . until the Inquisition, when they wer...
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Feb 12, 2008
Nancy
rated it: 
Okay. Here's the deal. If you go to Amazon.com, you're going to see this book picked apart by people who judge it because it doesn't conform to their ideas about Christianity, and because it offers a new way to look at the Catholic Church, etc., etc., etc. So my advice: if you're a devout Christian and you can't pick up a book that puts forth ideas you can't agree with, don't pick this one up because you'll hate it. On the other hand, if you can get past that, and realize that the author is writ
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(17 people liked it)
Oct 15, 2007
Heather
rated it: 
once again i'm longing for half stars (2 vs. 3). i'm settling on this just being ok/2 stars, though, because:
- the dialogue is not afraid to spell things out. as in, explaining the obvious, in a predictable, simplistic manner
- the actual storyline meanders a little too much, at least for my taste in historical thrillers. i'd like these books to be, i don't know, thrilling.
- there were a couple of spelling/grammar errors. true, it could happen to anyone. true, it's an enor More...
- the dialogue is not afraid to spell things out. as in, explaining the obvious, in a predictable, simplistic manner
- the actual storyline meanders a little too much, at least for my taste in historical thrillers. i'd like these books to be, i don't know, thrilling.
- there were a couple of spelling/grammar errors. true, it could happen to anyone. true, it's an enor More...
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(3 people liked it)
Jul 21, 2008
Todd
rated it: 
Steve Berry is the thinking man's Dan Brown. I was immediately impressed after reading The Romanov Prophecy, and The Third Secret. The Templar Legacy does not disappoint. If you enjoyed The DaVinci Code you will appreciate this novel all the more.
Berry mixes a decent understanding of folkore and history in this fast paced quest for the real Templar Treasure." He even takes a decent pot shot at all the conspiratroialists and others who have made fortunes off a well-documented hoa More...
Berry mixes a decent understanding of folkore and history in this fast paced quest for the real Templar Treasure." He even takes a decent pot shot at all the conspiratroialists and others who have made fortunes off a well-documented hoa More...
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(8 people liked it)
Jul 15, 2008
Jen
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Feb 29, 2008
Maurean
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I enjoyed this tale; I have just recently 'discovered' Berry (I read "The Third Secret" in August), but the mister has been enjoying him for some time now..
In a sort of Cliff Janeway–meets–The DaVinci Code story (although, much better told, in my opinion), we follow “Cotton” Malone, one-time federal agent with an eidetic memory and now a Copenhagen-based bookseller, as he becomes unwittingly involved in a search for the Great Devise, an ancient Templar archive that supposed More...
In a sort of Cliff Janeway–meets–The DaVinci Code story (although, much better told, in my opinion), we follow “Cotton” Malone, one-time federal agent with an eidetic memory and now a Copenhagen-based bookseller, as he becomes unwittingly involved in a search for the Great Devise, an ancient Templar archive that supposed More...
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(3 people liked it)
Sep 12, 2007
Jenny
rated it: 
It has served us well, this myth of Christ. — POPE LEO X
The above appears on the back dust jacket of The Last Templar and as an epigraph for The Templar Legacy. Fascinating, isn't it? My initial reaction upon seeing it for the second time, having just brought home The Templar Legacy, was, oh no, it's the SAME BOOK! Really, though, aside from both dealing with lost Templar treasure and the possible non-divinity of Christ, they're quiet different novels. (I may have even enjoyed this o More...
The above appears on the back dust jacket of The Last Templar and as an epigraph for The Templar Legacy. Fascinating, isn't it? My initial reaction upon seeing it for the second time, having just brought home The Templar Legacy, was, oh no, it's the SAME BOOK! Really, though, aside from both dealing with lost Templar treasure and the possible non-divinity of Christ, they're quiet different novels. (I may have even enjoyed this o More...
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Mar 08, 2009
Aislin
rated it:
I liked it until almost the end. The beginning was great, most of the middle was ok... the end good. But the couple chapters before it ended were... well pretty fantastical. Not at all like his usual well researched and thought out plots. Not as bad as his Third Secret mind you (which was all around just a badly researched and written book all around)
I won't say more for fear of spoiling it. But I do hope that Cotton's other adventures (Alexandria Link, Venetian Betrayal and The Char More...
I won't say more for fear of spoiling it. But I do hope that Cotton's other adventures (Alexandria Link, Venetian Betrayal and The Char More...
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(1 person liked it)
Mar 03, 2008
Karen
rated it: 
This is another author riding on the back of the success of the Da Vinci Code, and not very well in my opinion.
It took me ages to get through this book. More than once I considered abandoning it but I don't like doing that however bad it is. I was still over three quarters of the way through the book before I felt I was getting into it.
Right from the beginning I felt like I'd missed something somewhere along the way. I kept coming across a character or a situation and More...
It took me ages to get through this book. More than once I considered abandoning it but I don't like doing that however bad it is. I was still over three quarters of the way through the book before I felt I was getting into it.
Right from the beginning I felt like I'd missed something somewhere along the way. I kept coming across a character or a situation and More...
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(1 person liked it)
Mar 19, 2008
Siobhan
rated it:
US ex-spy searches for the key to the Templar's power through the centuries. Da Vinci Code-y but actually a chapter book and with more fully fleshed out characters. Another series of puzzle-like hoops for the characters to jump through in place of an actual plot.
<<spoiler>>
About halfway through we find that Jesus never rose from the dead. I liked the ulitmate conclusion of the novel; how it handles the issue of faith, and what faith is for.
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<<spoiler>>
About halfway through we find that Jesus never rose from the dead. I liked the ulitmate conclusion of the novel; how it handles the issue of faith, and what faith is for.
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(1 person liked it)
Jun 26, 2007
Pamela
rated it:
I'm kind of relieved I finished this book because now I can have my life back. The trouble with these historical thrillers is that I CAN'T PUT THEM DOWN. And at the same time I'M HORRIBLY EMBARRASSED to be reading them. So it can be tricky to always be reading a book you want to keep secret.
The Templar Legacy taps into the legend of the Knights of Templars' lost treasure. It's a good premise (I mean, hello, lost treasure), but the puzzles were kind of lame, and the background cha More...
The Templar Legacy taps into the legend of the Knights of Templars' lost treasure. It's a good premise (I mean, hello, lost treasure), but the puzzles were kind of lame, and the background cha More...
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(2 people liked it)
Jan 02, 2009
Lidia
rated it:
I took this from my dad hoping for a mindless read. Instead I somehow forced myself to finish the book. The entire point of which could be distilled into one paragraph.
Oh man, the characters were lame the narrative was all over the place (seriously, do we get to read everyone's mind?). The religious and historical information was TOO much for mass market fiction. If I wanted a true history of the Templars I wouldn't be reading fiction pal. You're either history or Indiana Jones, you More...
Oh man, the characters were lame the narrative was all over the place (seriously, do we get to read everyone's mind?). The religious and historical information was TOO much for mass market fiction. If I wanted a true history of the Templars I wouldn't be reading fiction pal. You're either history or Indiana Jones, you More...
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(1 person liked it)
Jan 19, 2012
Mark
rated it:
This is the first book starring Cotton Malone and Steve Berry kicks off with Malone getting tangled up with the Knights Templar, long thought dead in their skirmishes with Kings and other enemies, but are actually alive, well and very wealthy in Europe. Their master has just died and they have just elected a new master, who is much more aggressive, more assertive and who wants to claim back the Templars' heritage from those he believes stole it from them. The stage is set for a violent showd
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Dec 21, 2008
Angela
rated it:
Last night we watched the original 1950's version of The Blob. I mention this on the grounds that the way the Blob oozed around the film rather does remind me of the pacing of Steve Berry's The Templar Legacy: turgid, shapeless, and prone to swallow hapless characters until they melt into indistinguishable piles of boneless goo.
And I mean, really. I don't expect much out of books I get on impulse at the supermarket--all I ask is an entertaining read. I ain't lookin' for high literatu More...
And I mean, really. I don't expect much out of books I get on impulse at the supermarket--all I ask is an entertaining read. I ain't lookin' for high literatu More...
Jan 04, 2012
Alvi
rated it:
Copenhagen, Cotton Malone observes "Red Jacket" knock down and steal the purse of his former boss at the U.S. Justice Department Stephanie Nelle. Red Jacket races up the Kobmagergade but to avoid capture he jumps off the tower slicing his throat on the way down. Stephanie is shook up because she realizes this was no ordinary thief; he somehow knew her business involving her work as head of the DOJ's Magellan Billet. Cotton goes back to talk with Stephanie, but she leaves.
A More...
A More...
Dec 07, 2011
Edy
rated it:
Buku ini berisi kisah tentang tokoh Cotton Malone yang merupakan mantan agen lapangan Departemen Kehakiman USA. Malone setelah pensiun sebagai agen lapangan, berwiraswasta membuka toko buku antik di Kopenhagen. Malone terpaksa meninggalkan kehidupannya yang tenang ketika mantan bosnya (Stephanie Nelle) datang ke Kopenhagen untuk mengikuti lelang buku antik dan dirampok. Setelah diselidiki, ternyata buku tersebut merupakan salah satu petunjuk menuju harta karun Ordo Templar yang tersembunyi bera
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Sep 14, 2011
Harmonybites
rated it:
This reads like a The Da Vinci Code rip-off, although I actually have to rate Berry's novel higher, because, unlike the case with Brown's book, the writing isn't eye-bleeding and the history isn't obviously sloppy in ways I can't miss. This seems well-researched and much better grounded in history than The Da Vinci Code. However, this is still far too close a clone. The three-word title. A man (former American "operative" Cotton Malone) and woman (the bland Stephanie Nelle) teaming up
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Aug 06, 2011
Karen
rated it:
I usually really enjoy Berry's adventures featuring former CIA operative and lawyer, the wonderfully named Cotton Malone, who is now a bibliophile living in Europe, however, this one about the Templars just didn't do it for me in quite the same way. It had the usual ingredients that make Berry's books so readable - great characters, wonderful premise (the Templars fighting between themselves and searching for an object that to them is invaluable), and a quest that if successful can change the na
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Jul 28, 2011
Shortly after the first Crusades in the 11th century the Christian wrested control of Israel/ Palestine from Muslim control and set up a Christian Kingdom. The Muslims were not too happy with this and many continued to maraud Christian pilgrims on the road. Hugh De Payan. The order originally consisted of 9 knights who took vows of discipline and poverty. Each new Knight had to provide his own weapons and horse. After a time they were officially sanctioned by the pope. They were housed in Solomo
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Jun 28, 2011
Dan
rated it:
I was in the market for a new author and relative let me borrow this book. I started it knowing nothing about the author or what the story was going to be about; just going at it blind, which is an odd way to read a book, but I digress. The first few chapters are very hectic, with a great deal of confusion about what is actually going on, but in a good way. We feel for the main charater (Cotton), who was also just thrown into this mess. We then learn along with Cotton about a deadly treasure hun
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Mar 28, 2011
Mjohnson
rated it:
This one took FOREVER AND A DAY to get through. I was obligated to read it (originally proposed for bookclub, which I rescinded after reading) and can only say I'm glad I spared my friends an awful read. I don't mind the absurd theology--I'm convinced of my beliefs enough it doesn't move me. But where Berry's books are usually well researched, all references to Christ felt like obvious fourth- no, fifth-hand information. Even as I was reading I was thinking "how in the heck did he come to t
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Dec 16, 2010
Linda
rated it:
An engaging and good read for fans of Da Vinci Code-type stories. Cotton Malone, a former Justice Department employee, has retired to Copenhagen to become a rare book seller. Unfortunately, his quiet life is interrupted when his former boss, Stephanie Nelle, gets herself involved in a situation needing his help. Nelle's deceased husband had been researching and writing a book looking for the lost treasure of the Templar Knights. Stephanie thought he was a lunatic for pursuing such a wild story,
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Dec 14, 2010
Lady
rated it:
http://antredeslivres.hautetfort.com/arc...
J’ai beaucoup aimé ce roman. Bien qu’un peu gore, mais seulement dans les premières pages, il est très intéressant ! L’auteur prend des faits réels et imagine toute une énigme autour. Il prend des lieux actuellement entourés de mystères et « brode » son histoire là dessus. Et j'ai trouvé que c’était très bien écrit !
Pour ne rien gâcher, les personnages sont attachants, il y a aussi beaucoup de suspense. Et puis l’histoire en elle-mêm More...
J’ai beaucoup aimé ce roman. Bien qu’un peu gore, mais seulement dans les premières pages, il est très intéressant ! L’auteur prend des faits réels et imagine toute une énigme autour. Il prend des lieux actuellement entourés de mystères et « brode » son histoire là dessus. Et j'ai trouvé que c’était très bien écrit !
Pour ne rien gâcher, les personnages sont attachants, il y a aussi beaucoup de suspense. Et puis l’histoire en elle-mêm More...
Jul 18, 2010
Grey
rated it:
A good, if too quick, read, like the rest of Berry's books. Lots of action, lots of historical fact, all wrapped around an outrageous premise. In The Alexandria Link, the premise was that the land promised by God to the Jews was in fact in the Aesir, on the west coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Wow! In The Venetian Link, he postulated that Alexander the Great found a cure for all viruses, including AIDS, and that a woman who had united most of the former Soviet Central Asian states into one count
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Apr 13, 2010
Kasi
rated it:
A scholar's version of the DaVinci Code. Perfect for the intellectual who likes to hear discertations from PhD's on their knowledge of medievil history and theology. But for those who like action and the characters to just GET ON WITH IT, this is a bit much to digest!
It's sort of like this, Steve Berry is like the Cardinal. He's educated and has advanced knowledge of his subject matter and his command of the "craft"...but he gives long, boring sermons that basically put More...
It's sort of like this, Steve Berry is like the Cardinal. He's educated and has advanced knowledge of his subject matter and his command of the "craft"...but he gives long, boring sermons that basically put More...
Mar 26, 2010
Jeff
rated it:
Wow! What can I say? If you read this book, please don't say I recommended it. I've read another of his books The Amber Room and enjoyed it. Because of the subject I thought I would enjoy this one as well. I had a few issues with this book and I would like to mention those so if you decide to read it, you can compare your thoughts to mine.
First, there are so, so many times throughout the book that I felt like he was simply trying to impress us with all of the research he did. I More...
First, there are so, so many times throughout the book that I felt like he was simply trying to impress us with all of the research he did. I More...
Feb 06, 2010
Chris
rated it:
A wonderful and fast moving book filled with twists and turns from beginning to end. The characters developed are complex and all hold secrets just waiting to be discovered. The massive amount of history is impressive and the story line reminds me of a "National Treasure" movie.
Now, with that being said, I did not give it a 5 star rating due to the fact that the author sometimes went off on tangents, using large words that you would need a Phd to understand. There also are w More...
Now, with that being said, I did not give it a 5 star rating due to the fact that the author sometimes went off on tangents, using large words that you would need a Phd to understand. There also are w More...
Jan 31, 2010
Cym
rated it:
This wonderful thriller is a combination of many elements, all of which are combined in a combustible crucible to make an engrossing read.
Its background is the legacy of the Templars, a religious order formed in Acre, Palestine during the Crusades largely by Frenchmen. What became of their treasure when they were eradicated by the French king in 1307? What about their discovery of the apparent story of the resurrection of Jesus, as well as elements of the Gnostic Gospels? These ar More...
Its background is the legacy of the Templars, a religious order formed in Acre, Palestine during the Crusades largely by Frenchmen. What became of their treasure when they were eradicated by the French king in 1307? What about their discovery of the apparent story of the resurrection of Jesus, as well as elements of the Gnostic Gospels? These ar More...
Jan 15, 2010
Jeremy
rated it:
First off, I want to point out that I like mysteries, and ancient mysteries are great. There are few organizations in history that have taken the imagination of the world like the Templars, a 200 year old fighting brotherhood that rose quickly, and declined almost as fast. Fascinated with where the story would go, I kept reading.
The writing was great in a lot of areas, but a little, um, forced in others. jumps in logic needed to be made, and sometimes obvious decisions were ho-h More...
The writing was great in a lot of areas, but a little, um, forced in others. jumps in logic needed to be made, and sometimes obvious decisions were ho-h More...
Nov 29, 2009
kislam
rated it:
I picked up this book for my Kindle as it was free in the Kindle store. While it's true you get what you pay for, this wasn't a bad story.
TL;DR: 3/5 stars, decent book, would consider reading more by this author. Keep in mind it’s a novel and meant to sell, so don’t take anything too terribly serious, mmkay?
Overall the book was decent and fairly intriguing. It brought up some interesting points of debate of the validity of Christianity and the notion of the infallibility More...
TL;DR: 3/5 stars, decent book, would consider reading more by this author. Keep in mind it’s a novel and meant to sell, so don’t take anything too terribly serious, mmkay?
Overall the book was decent and fairly intriguing. It brought up some interesting points of debate of the validity of Christianity and the notion of the infallibility More...
Jun 12, 2009
Natalie
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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