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The Last Emir

(Knights Templar #2)

S.J.A. Turney (Goodreads Author)

4.06 · Rating details · 509 ratings · 21 reviews

Risk everything; fight to the last: a taut and intense historical thriller from master author S.J.A. Turney

The relics of Christendom have been plundered during the long Moorish conquest of the Iberian peninsula. Newly minted Templar Sergeant Arnau de Vallbona must recover one of the most elusive to save his priory at Rourell in Spain.

Travelling to Majorca on a stealth

...more

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Kindle Edition, 308 pages

Published November 22nd 2018 by Canelo Adventure

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Mar 06, 2019 Simon Binning rated it liked it

The first book in this series - Daughter of War - introduced us to Arnau de Vallbona, a Spanish knight who ended up as a sergeant in the Knights Templar. By the end of that volume, Rourell, the priory he has joined is in a sorry state. It's lands and buildings damaged, it's income much diminished.
One of the remaining Brothers - Balthazar - believes he has a way to improve the situation. Relics are a lucrative business; religious sites who possess them can attract pilgrims; and their money. So Ar The first book in this series - Daughter of War - introduced us to Arnau de Vallbona, a Spanish knight who ended up as a sergeant in the Knights Templar. By the end of that volume, Rourell, the priory he has joined is in a sorry state. It's lands and buildings damaged, it's income much diminished.
One of the remaining Brothers - Balthazar - believes he has a way to improve the situation. Relics are a lucrative business; religious sites who possess them can attract pilgrims; and their money. So Arnau sets out with Brother Balthazar to recover a relic of St Stephen last heard of many years ago on Majorca.
Travelling in disguise, they reach the island. The Almohads who control all of Moorish Spain have not yet reached this last independent Emirate, but they are keen to take it over. Almost as soon as they reach their destination they discover that a small group of Almohad warriors are already there, led by a man called Abd al-Aziz. He and Balthazar have a long history, but the brother is initially reluctant to reveal it.
It soon emerges that the whereabouts of the bones will not be easy to ascertain, and wherever they go, the seem to find al-Aziz or his soldiers. The search becomes more and more difficult, and when they meet the current Emir, he offers his help in return for their helping him. The island has been relatively tolerant of different peoples, be they Christian, Muslim or Jewish, but that time appears to be coming to an end.
Arnau continues to learn his craft. Although he had been a competent knight before joining the Templars, he has had to re-learn everything, and now he finds himself surrounded by the unknown and with potential enemies everywhere. He has to learn from the elderly Balthazar that fighting is not the only option. Brains are needed as well as brawn.
The search for the relic is tortuous and difficult, and the twists and turns are well-plotted and make you think. Balthazar is an interesting character, and as we gradually learn more about him, his history is fascinating as well. Al-Aziz is also a well drawn opponent; a zealot, but here also with vengeance on his mind.
However, this volume was not for me quite as convincing as the first. There were rather too many miraculous escapes and questionable events allowing the two heroes to move on in their quest. The story moved at a good pace, and I did want to know the outcome, but it didn't hold my attention as strongly as many of the author's other books. It will be interesting to see how the story continues in the next book. I will definitely read it, but hope for a little more realism. ...more

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Nov 21, 2018 Joyce rated it really liked it

4 stars

It is the year of 1199 in Spain.

The Priory of Rourell is in trouble. They don’t have a good reputation, even among other Templar strongholds. They are recently unable to attract many recruits which puts the order in trouble of disbanding or even disappearing altogether.

Sergeant Arnau de Vallbona and his trusty, but elderly, sidekick Balthesar are sent on a secret mission to Majorca to retrieve a holy relic – the bones of St. Stephen. However, the island at present is being held by the e ...more

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Jan 06, 2019 Derek rated it it was ok

Maybe I missed something or it was the lack of reading the First book in the series, but I just couldn’t get into this book at all. I felt no enjoyment or interest at all throughout this book. I just didn’t connect with the characters and I felt that the story was very bland. While a lot seemed to happen, I felt like nothing really happened.

Thanks to SJA Turney and Canelo Adventure for providing me with an advanced reading copy.

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May 19, 2019 Paul Bennett rated it it was amazing

BLURB

Risk everything; fight to the last: a taut and intense historical thriller from master author S.J.A. Turney

The relics of Christendom have been plundered during the long Moorish conquest of the Iberian peninsula. Newly minted Templar Sergeant Arnau de Vallbona must recover one of the most elusive to save his priory at Rourell in Spain.

Travelling to Majorca on a stealth mission to retrieve the bones of St Stephen, Arnau soon discovers the raid is more complex than it first appears: the mighty BLURB

Risk everything; fight to the last: a taut and intense historical thriller from master author S.J.A. Turney

The relics of Christendom have been plundered during the long Moorish conquest of the Iberian peninsula. Newly minted Templar Sergeant Arnau de Vallbona must recover one of the most elusive to save his priory at Rourell in Spain.

Travelling to Majorca on a stealth mission to retrieve the bones of St Stephen, Arnau soon discovers the raid is more complex than it first appears: the mighty Almohad dynasty has laid claim to the island, and will fight them every step of the way.

Along with his companion, the aged warrior Balthesar, Arnau is in desperate straits. Surrounded on all sides by hostile forces, it will take all their cunning and strength to escape with their prize – and their lives....

A thrilling and unexplored account of the Knights Templar, grounded in extraordinary research, The Last Emir is perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, K.M. Ashman and C.F. Iggulden.

REVIEW

Arnau is not a very complex man...steadfast, loyal, unerring in his devotion to the Order and to God. However, in The Last Emir, complexities are the name of the game, and Arnau will either adapt or he will die. While the story line revolves around the search for a long lost relic, the plot soon encompasses the fight of good versus evil, the age old story of revenge, and the irony of one's faith being tested and used in a much broader understanding of God and men. The author has given the reader a heart pounding tale with his usual flair for drama making it hard to put the book down. Meticulously researched, the reader is drawn into a time and place of religious turmoil, and the seeking of power and dominion over heathens and infidels. The story, entertaining as it is, also has the quality to make one think about how things in the world could be without the religious intolerance we have been subjected to for millennia. As a reader, The Last Emir, is a pleasure to enjoy. As a member of the human race, The Last Emir, is a hopeful glance at how Christian, Muslim, and Jew can coexist. 5 Stars ...more

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Jul 15, 2020 Joanna Arman rated it liked it

The Last Emir was a very enjoyable read, continuing the adventures of our hero, Arnau of Valbona, a sometime Spanish knight who joins a small Templar Preceptory (run by a woman!) That was in the last book, in this one he and Brother Balthesar go to Majorca in search of a relic lost nearly a century before.

As more details about his companion's past come to light, Arnau and Baltesar get caught up the the vicissitudes of politics and war during a fascinating period in the history of the Mediterran ...more

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Jan 18, 2019 Jim rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019

In the aftermath of a hard defeat at the hands of the Moorish caliphate in Spain, Templar Sargent Arnau de Vallbona is sent on a secret mission alongside the aging warrior and now priest Balthesar to recover the bones of the first Christian martyr St Stephen to island of Majorca off the east coast of Spain. Thinking it to be a fool's errand, de Vallbona soon finds himself, and his aging colleague, in a battle of wits and fights, against a powerful enemy who seeks to end their quest and their liv In the aftermath of a hard defeat at the hands of the Moorish caliphate in Spain, Templar Sargent Arnau de Vallbona is sent on a secret mission alongside the aging warrior and now priest Balthesar to recover the bones of the first Christian martyr St Stephen to island of Majorca off the east coast of Spain. Thinking it to be a fool's errand, de Vallbona soon finds himself, and his aging colleague, in a battle of wits and fights, against a powerful enemy who seeks to end their quest and their lives.

SJA Turney's The Last Emir is a wonderful piece of historical fiction which takes the reader back to the time when southwestern Europe is under attack from the Moors of North Africa. Rich in texture and underscored by the author's afterward on the historical roots of the novel, The Last Emir is a fast paced piece in which the reader is taken on a journey filled with disbelief, skepticism, faith, hope, and a fatefully passionate belief in one's cause.

The tension and the contrast between the two main characters is part of the charm of this novel. There is Balthesar (and I am reminded of the Biblical character of the same name) who is guided by a deep, single-minded pursuit of bringing back the remains of St Stephen with the hope that it will restore the glory of the embattled Christians. And then there is de Vallbona, who is skeptical of the journey in the first place as well as the ability of Balthesar to survive the physical demands and dangers of the journey and questions his faith.

I liked this novel as it gives a historical backed view of the time when Christianity and Islam were locked in a deep struggle to gain the upper hand on the Iberian peninsula and beyond. The shadows of shifting loyalties, even between the two sides, and the reminder of the intensity (and dangers) of a militarized faith add to this novel.

I gave this novel four stars on Goodreads.

Note: I received a copy of this book as an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review. ...more

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Jan 20, 2019 Lel Budge rated it really liked it

MY REVIEW

Set the year 1199 in Spain.

The Priory of Rourell has a poor reputation, which is something what compared to other Templar establishments. Due to this they are unable to get new ‘recruits’ and may disappear into obscurity.

So, Vallbona and his companion, Balthesar are sent on a mission to collect/steal a holy relic from the Island of Majorca, which is currently held by some Almohad, the enemy.

This is an exciting, life or death, will they won’t they drama with plenty of action and the au ...more

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Dec 29, 2018 Oro Plata Myta rated it it was amazing

It was an absolute thrilling read from start to finish, starting with the quest to find St. Stephen's rumored saintly relic to the fight against the Almohad's prized warrior, the Lion of Alarcos. Left me at the edge of my seat towards the end of the book. Simon Turney is a master of telling the story, especially in The Last Emir, of the Templar knights, giving us an overview of the tumultuous time filled with blood, gore and greed. In the end, the author leaves us with an important lesson: wicke ...more

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Jul 26, 2020 Jaybour rated it it was amazing

Unanswered Questions

I really am enjoying this series and find that I flew through the first two books. However, two niggling occurrences gave me pause.

First, what exactly was the object Arnau found on the site of Lucas's church ruins, and why did he not mention his discovery to his fellow knight?

Second, exactly what "thought occurred" to Arnau after the Lion of Alarcos's demise?

Finally, why did Arnau scramble to the parapet from which The Lion fell when the Emir appeared?

Very irritating omissio ...more

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Mar 27, 2019 Robin Quine rated it liked it

A fast moving story following the adventures of two knights in their efforts to rescue an ancient relic and to restore the fortunes of the priory at Rourrel. The tension on the island between the knights, the Almohads and the supporters of the Emir is palpable. Descriptions of landscapes are evocative. Details of fights and conflicts are full of exhaustive detail, evidence of the detailed research carried out by the author. Tension comes to an inevitable climax at the end. A narrative full of co ...more

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Dec 13, 2020 James Gault rated it it was ok

For Enthusiasts Only

A mixed bag in this tale, the spice of action mixing poorly with the tedium of overmuch historical travelogue. A propensity for biblical quotes also overdone and I found that more distracting than engaging. Overall a disjointed string of historical facts loosely strung together in a tale which starts from nothing and ends nowhere.

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Apr 20, 2019 M L Evans rated it really liked it

A great follow up

A great follow on tale about the young novice templar knight who, as in book 1, continues his journey of education from another side old master. An intriguing insight in Moorish held Iberia and the islands of spain.

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Oct 11, 2019 Sacha Dekker rated it really liked it

Great second book in de Knights Templar series that gives yet more insight in the crusades. I love how the writer has taken a different angle, rather than just continuing where the first book left off.

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Jun 08, 2020 Douglas Lambell rated it really liked it

Warming up to this series

I enjoyed the first book of this series, and very much appreciated the in-depth look at Balthazar with his more complex history. Vallbona remains an immature character, but a necessary figure. I will be jumping into the third instalment shortly

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Mar 28, 2019 Thomas rated it liked it

Religious accommodation with moral purpose in ascent

Interesting moment in the “Dark Ages” supported by historically reasonably accurate interpretations. The author in the afterword gives a sense of perspective useful even in modern society. Worthwhile read.

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Jul 30, 2020 Jan Locher added it

Fun bog good til regnvejrs dage.

Good book to sit I. You Sommer house when raining and wind is making outside troublesome. Help me to a nice holliday

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Oct 13, 2020 David Bonnen rated it really liked it

I preferred the 1st book in the series but its still a very good read and insightful into the islands and the Moors.

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Jun 12, 2020 Guy Lawfull rated it really liked it

Really stirring historical fiction.

A great clash of cultures with sword-yielding adventure to match.

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Jun 29, 2019 Mrs Angela Furnival rated it it was amazing

The Last Emir

The struggles go on in the search for the truth. A page turner that has a twist around every turn

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Jan 26, 2020 Kathleen Freeman rated it liked it

Shelves: spain, historical-fiction, before-1900

The value for me in this book was the peek into life in the 12th century in Spain, the Christians, Moors, Jews, and how they interacted and the descriptions of buildings and life at that time.

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Apr 19, 2019 Christine rated it really liked it

I enjoyed the story , although found it to be quite predictable. Historical details are lacking for me or I would have rated it higher. All in all it was a good read

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About S.J.A. Turney

S.J.A. Turney

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Simon lives with his wife and children and a menagerie of animals in rural North Yorkshire, where he sits in an office, wired on coffee and digestive biscuits, and attempts to spin engrossing tales out of strands of imagination while his children drive toys across his desk and two dogs howl as they try to share a brain cell.

A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architect ...more