kiltedcraftsman
Member
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2004
- Messages
- 933
The Last Templar, Raymond Khoury
Cost=$14.99 at Costco
Appearance:New
Size: Hardback w/ dust jacket, approx 12"x7"x1.5", 406 pages.
Appearance Notes:
At first glance this looked extremely entertaining. Being a huge fan of Dan Brown and especially Angels & Demons, and Da Vinci Code I had high hopes. The cover has the crimson red cross of The Knights Templar lore with a silouette of a cityscape inset horizontally. In the center, what appears to be a ancient coin or medallian of sorts with Latin writing.
Construction: Good/New
Construction Notes:
Binding entact. Idiots at Costco have once again plastered their price sticker to the jacket preventing it from ever coming off completely. :angry: Pages all unbent and clean. No grimy "thumb through the book section while my wife runs all over the store" prints that I could spot.
Burn: I suppose if it sucked, it's an option.
Problems: Character developement of Sean Reilly, FBI. I felt he was reduced to more of a "supporting acter" role rather than co-star. Main character Tess Chaykin was great and well developed-pun intended.
Story line was interesting, and I would say overall good. Set in present day, Chaykin and Reilly, at times with and at times against eachother, attempt to find a Templar secret involving the story of Jesus Christ and it's validity. The book opens with 4 men, dressed as Templars invade the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC during a showing of treasures from The Vatican. During the raid, a code machine of Templar origin is stolen and appears to be what they were after to begin with. The mystery unfolds from there with Reilly and Chaykin attempting to find the clues before the villan and the Vatican. A paradox of sorts arrises during the chase. Chaykin is a scientist and feels the world deserves the truth, whatever it may be and thus sympathizes with the villan in the story. Reilly, her unlikely partner is of the Catholic faith and while he wants to know the truth, feels that is is potentially world altering and could affect millions of people, consequently siding with the church he suddenly doubts.
Ash Color: unknown, since I like it.
Ash Structure: N/A
Draw: Cover art was good. No other illustrations.
Aroma: Poor. Was never partial to new paper smell
Read To: The end
Strength: Medium. Action was intense but could have been better.
Recommended: Yes
Scale: 1-10, Score:7
Class: Fiction, hard back.
Taste Notes:
I really couldn't notice much difference from start to finish. I licked the cover on the front and back before starting. Nothing noteworthy. This took me about 4 days to smok...er..read. About half way in I licked the page, again, nothing noteworthy. I wasn't too disapointed since my taste expectations were low to begin with.
Overall Notes:
In whole, this was a good read. I think I enjoy Dan Brown's writing style a bit more, but Khourey did well in his first effort. I think the plot could have used a bit more development, but still very intriguing. I did not however like the ending. I felt it was too easy.
The Manufacturer Said:
In a hail of fire and flashing sword, as the burning city of Acre falls from the hands of the West in 1291, The Last Templar opens with a young Templar Knight, his mentor, and a handful of others escaping to the sea carrying a mysterious chest entrusted to them by the Order's dying Grand Master. The ship vanishes without a trace.
in present-day Manhattan, four masked horseman dressed as Templar Knights emerge from Central Park and ride up the 5th Ave steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the black-tie opening of the Treasures of the Vatican exhibit. Storming throught the crowds, the horsemen brutally attack anyone standing between them and their prize. Attending the gala, archaeologist Tess Chaykin watches in silent terror as the leader of the horsemen hones in on one piece in particular, a strange geared device. He utters a few cryptic Latin words as he takes hold of it with reverence before leading the horsemen out and disappearing into the night.
In the aftermath, an FBI investigation is led by anti-terrorist specialist Sean Reilly. Soon he and Tess are drawn into the dark, hidden history of the crusading Knights, plunging then into a deadly game of cat and mouse with ruthless killers as the race across three continents to recover the lost secret of the Templars.
Cost=$14.99 at Costco
Appearance:New
Size: Hardback w/ dust jacket, approx 12"x7"x1.5", 406 pages.
Appearance Notes:
At first glance this looked extremely entertaining. Being a huge fan of Dan Brown and especially Angels & Demons, and Da Vinci Code I had high hopes. The cover has the crimson red cross of The Knights Templar lore with a silouette of a cityscape inset horizontally. In the center, what appears to be a ancient coin or medallian of sorts with Latin writing.
Construction: Good/New
Construction Notes:
Binding entact. Idiots at Costco have once again plastered their price sticker to the jacket preventing it from ever coming off completely. :angry: Pages all unbent and clean. No grimy "thumb through the book section while my wife runs all over the store" prints that I could spot.
Burn: I suppose if it sucked, it's an option.
Problems: Character developement of Sean Reilly, FBI. I felt he was reduced to more of a "supporting acter" role rather than co-star. Main character Tess Chaykin was great and well developed-pun intended.
Story line was interesting, and I would say overall good. Set in present day, Chaykin and Reilly, at times with and at times against eachother, attempt to find a Templar secret involving the story of Jesus Christ and it's validity. The book opens with 4 men, dressed as Templars invade the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC during a showing of treasures from The Vatican. During the raid, a code machine of Templar origin is stolen and appears to be what they were after to begin with. The mystery unfolds from there with Reilly and Chaykin attempting to find the clues before the villan and the Vatican. A paradox of sorts arrises during the chase. Chaykin is a scientist and feels the world deserves the truth, whatever it may be and thus sympathizes with the villan in the story. Reilly, her unlikely partner is of the Catholic faith and while he wants to know the truth, feels that is is potentially world altering and could affect millions of people, consequently siding with the church he suddenly doubts.
Ash Color: unknown, since I like it.
Ash Structure: N/A
Draw: Cover art was good. No other illustrations.
Aroma: Poor. Was never partial to new paper smell
Read To: The end
Strength: Medium. Action was intense but could have been better.
Recommended: Yes
Scale: 1-10, Score:7
Class: Fiction, hard back.
Taste Notes:
I really couldn't notice much difference from start to finish. I licked the cover on the front and back before starting. Nothing noteworthy. This took me about 4 days to smok...er..read. About half way in I licked the page, again, nothing noteworthy. I wasn't too disapointed since my taste expectations were low to begin with.
Overall Notes:
In whole, this was a good read. I think I enjoy Dan Brown's writing style a bit more, but Khourey did well in his first effort. I think the plot could have used a bit more development, but still very intriguing. I did not however like the ending. I felt it was too easy.
The Manufacturer Said:
In a hail of fire and flashing sword, as the burning city of Acre falls from the hands of the West in 1291, The Last Templar opens with a young Templar Knight, his mentor, and a handful of others escaping to the sea carrying a mysterious chest entrusted to them by the Order's dying Grand Master. The ship vanishes without a trace.
in present-day Manhattan, four masked horseman dressed as Templar Knights emerge from Central Park and ride up the 5th Ave steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the black-tie opening of the Treasures of the Vatican exhibit. Storming throught the crowds, the horsemen brutally attack anyone standing between them and their prize. Attending the gala, archaeologist Tess Chaykin watches in silent terror as the leader of the horsemen hones in on one piece in particular, a strange geared device. He utters a few cryptic Latin words as he takes hold of it with reverence before leading the horsemen out and disappearing into the night.
In the aftermath, an FBI investigation is led by anti-terrorist specialist Sean Reilly. Soon he and Tess are drawn into the dark, hidden history of the crusading Knights, plunging then into a deadly game of cat and mouse with ruthless killers as the race across three continents to recover the lost secret of the Templars.
