From Publishers WeeklyThe war between the Catholic Church and the Gnostic insurgency drags on in this ponderous Da Vinci Code knockoff. The latest skirmish erupts when horsemen dressed as knights raid New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, lopping off heads and firing Uzis as they go. Their trail leads FBI agent Sean Ryan and fetching archeologist Tess Chaykin to the medieval crusading order of the Knights Templars. Anachronistic Gnostic champions of feminism and tolerance against Roman hierarchy and obscurantism, the Templars, they learn, discovered proof that Catholic dogma is a "hoax" and were planning to use it to unite all religions under a rationalist creed that would usher in world peace. Screenwriter and first-time novelist Khoury spices up the doctrinal revisionism with Da Vincistyle thriller flourishes, including secret codes, gratuitous but workmanlike action scenes and a priesthit man sent out by the Vatican to kill anyone who knows anything. The narrative pauses periodically for believers-vs.-agnostics debates and tutorials on everything from the Gospel of Thomas to alchemy. Though long-winded and sophomoric, these seminars are a relief from Tess and Sean's tedious romance, which proceeds from awkward flirtations as they listen to Sean's mix CD to hackneyed intimacies about childhood traumas. The novel's religious history is as dubious as its conspiracy plot, but anti-clericalistsand Catholics taking a break from the church's real headachescould unwind with it. (Feb.) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.From BooklistThe Knights Templar, a small monastic military order formed in the early 1100s to protect travelers to the Holy Land, eventually grew and became wealthy beyond imagination. In 1307, the French king, feeling jealous and greedy, killed off the Templars, and by 1311, the last master, Jacques de Molay, was burned at the stake. The whereabouts of the Templars' treasure--and their secrets--have been the subject of legend ever since. Now, a new thriller tries to follow in the steps of The Da Vinci Code.There's no doubt that Khoury's Last Templar has one of the most gripping opening scenes among recent thrillers. Four horsemen, dressed as Templars, ride their steeds up the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, crashing into a show of Vatican artifacts and stealing a coding device that can unlock the Templars' secrets about the early days of Christianity. Archaeologist Tess Chaykin is a witness to the theft, and her professional juices kick in, prompting her to join forces with FBI investigator Sean Reilly. The action moves back and forth in time between the Templars' last battle and the present-day search for the missing device and the message it will decode. Khoury is a screenwriter, and his story is nothing if not cinematic, as it skips across three continents and climaxes with a storm at sea of biblical proportions. A nice twist at the end spins the Christian history everyone's been chasing. Ilene CooperCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved One of the most gripping opening scenes among recent thrillers. -- Booklist what is a best selling book The Last Templar
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. stuffing sacks full of jeweled crosses and other fantastic items. Except one of the riders goes to ...By Julie W.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!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Loving history helps:By GFDFirst 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.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Oustanding speculative writtingBy R. Dean SeverAs a Knight Templar I found this book one that was hard to put down after I started reading it. Although Khoury is not a Knight Templar, his speculation coupled with research of the historical founding and ideals behind the Knight Templar and Masonry in general protrayedl many or close to the principles of the Brotherhood. It lead to a great Movie that was not as well done as the book since it did not entirely follow the book but will wet the appetite for those with interest in the Brotherhood. "To be one Ask one"