The Last Templar

Book Description

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 into a deadly game of cat and mouse with ruthless killers-as they race across three continents to recover the lost secret of the Templars.

Customer Reviews:

3 stars.......2007-10-10

The beginning was good. The middle was slow. The ending somewhat better than the middle.

I liked the way the author went back and forth in time.

The ending was somewhat unexpected and ok!

However, it is not in the league with the Da Vinci Code and comparing the two is overhyping this book and under appreciating the Da Vinci Code.

The Da Vinci Code Pt. 2.......2007-10-08

Initially I found this book interesting and a decent read at first, but as the book wore on, it became apparent that its not much beyond a cheap Da Vinci Code knockoff. The characters are weak, feel a littl forced, and the plot feels like a Choose Your Own Adventure fill in the blanks device. Its like having deja vu; I kept asking myself 'Haven't I read this before?' Additionally, the ending is a huge, lame disappointment that sacrifaces the search for truth for a willful delusion.

I can't wait to read his next one!.......2007-09-24

Wow! I just finished it. Great entertainment! I truly enjoyed this book - beginning - middle - ending. The plot may challenge a reader's well ingrained beliefs but it must be remembered that it is a work of fiction. What is real, what is not? Judge for yourself, but read it for the enjoyment. I have spoken with two others who read it and most thoroughly enjoyed it just as I enjoyed it.

Don't bother.......2007-09-15

I wish I could give negative stars to this dribble.I'm a crusade junkie so that's why I bought the book. I know it's fiction but at least get your facts straight before you write! Too may "truths" and "facts" are just the opposite and can be easily disproved by just a little investigation. The 4 gospels were false? PULEEEAZE! I'll not spoil it for the "Christian haters" but as far as I'm concerned, from my hand to the trashcan. Don't waste time or money on this claptrap.

The ending really makes me angry, I feel like I wasted my time........2007-09-13

The beginning and the body of the story are riveting, but the ending left me extremely disappointed. After investing the time to read the entire book I was really let down by the actions of the main characters. The only way that the end could have been more disrespectful to the readers was if Tess and Sean had sex on top of a pile of science books. I was honestly wishing that Tess had thrown herself off of the cliff instead of the journal. She was an annoying character throughout the book, but especially so at the very end. She didn't have to present the document to the world, but she should not have destroyed it. What is the author's fascination with the glorification of empowered women who make poor decisions anyhow?

Average customer rating:

A beautifully written, intelligent, and complex suspense novel
No secret here, Gospel Truths is a great read
Hard to believe it's Sandom's first novel

Gospel Truths
J.G. Sandom
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553589792
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Book Description

They have been drawn into a plot more insidious than anything they could have imagined—a battle to control one of religion’s greatest secrets. For English detective Nigel Lyman, it begins with the suspicious suicide of a corrupt Italian banker in London. For French-born Mariane Soury-Fontaine, it starts with the mysterious disappearance of her lover. And for American mathematician Joseph Koster, the search leads through France’s soaring cathedrals to the baffling labyrinths that masons once carefully inscribed in their floors.

These strangers are about to crack a code that dozens have died for, a puzzle whose power reaches back to the birth of the Christian faith, through the echoing halls of the Vatican, and to the dark, corrupt realms of organized crime. Now staying alive is the ultimate challenge. Because the next revelation is the most forbidden of all . . .

Customer Reviews:

A beautifully written, intelligent, and complex suspense novel.......2007-02-08

The year is 1991, and British police inspector Nigel Lyman has fallen from grace following a run as media darling after he solved a gruesome case involving a teacher who had dismembered several young students who attended a prestigious school. But then Lyman accidentally shot and killed another officer during a scuffle with some bad guys. Add to that the loss of his son in the Falklands war and the end of his marriage, and Lyman nearly reached his breaking point.

To top it off, he's been assigned to a seemingly insignificant but reopened case involving a powerful Vatican-connected Italian banker who presumably hanged himself off Blackfriars Bridge in London a year earlier. Like the labyrinths that will eventually provide pivotal clues, the path Lyman follows in solving the case will take turns that appear to lead directly to the center of the mystery, only to steer him in another direction entirely.

At the heart of the case is the legendary "Q" document, which is purported to be the gospel that the apostles Matthew, Mark and Luke used as source material for their own gospel accounts. It's believed to have been hidden away in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres in France. But before Lyman figures out the link to Q in Chartres, his investigation leads him to another French city, Amiens, and its cathedral --- plus a half-dozen or so people who play essential roles in the unraveling of a web of crime extending far beyond a London bridge.

It helps to get the characters straight right away: Guy Soury-Fontaine, tour guide at the Amiens Cathedral; Mariane, his sister, whose lover, Maurice Duval, mysteriously disappeared a year earlier; Joseph Koster, an American mathematician and architect who is smitten with Mariane; Archbishop Kazimierz Grabowski, Guy and Mariane's cousin who heads up the Vatican Bank; and Marco Scarcella, who has his hands in all manner of nefarious enterprises.

And then there's Countess Irene de Rochembaud, who is worthy of her own paragraph though she gets less ink in the book than the other main characters. But in this novel of superbly written scenes, the scene in which Koster meets the countess in a Paris park merits honorable mention. It provides a delightful respite from the gripping suspense that characterizes the novel as a whole.

All are in one way or another connected to the pursuit of Q, which is believed to contain passages that would undermine the foundations of Christianity. Some, of course, would love to find the document so they could threaten to expose its contents, while others want it in order to hide it all over again and protect the church. With so much at stake --- particularly the extraordinary sum of money that could fall into the hands of either camp should Q be found --- there is lots of opportunity for intrigue, corruption, murder, deception, mystery, greed and the like.

Based on a true incident, GOSPEL TRUTHS was first published in 1992 and is facing the prospect of a second successful run in light of the resurgence in popularity of religious thrillers. Sandom's novel, however, is no way typical of the current spate of Da Vinci wannabes; his is an outstanding accomplishment --- a beautifully written, intelligent, complex suspense novel. The plot and its various subplots hold together throughout, and the characters remain believable from start to finish --- a remarkable achievement considering the scope of Sandom's effort. Highly recommended.

No secret here, Gospel Truths is a great read.......2007-02-03

I'm a huge fan of thrillers of all types and Gospel Truths delivered a great read on every level. I was excited to read a thriller/mystery that was set in some of the great cathedrals I've visited in Europe and had a hero who was a mathematician! So often, great writing is sacrificed on the pillar of a good mystery but not in this case. Sandom writes beautifully and his language makes you realize that you didn't waste your time getting past secondary school.

The interplay between the two main detectives Lyman and Koster is reminiscent of the chemistry between Holmes and Watson. Both men have their demons and seeing them struggle with them makes the book all the more believable and intriguing. A great romance, exotic settings and more than a pinch of murder, global conspiracy and a lost gospel add up to a great story that keeps you guessing till the last page.

Written before DaVinci Code and rereleased, Gospel Truths is what the genre should be, smart, thrilling and suspenseful. I can't wait for the sequel!

Hard to believe it's Sandom's first novel.......2006-01-11

Captivating, erudite and masterfully plotted, Gospel Truths is the thinking man's Da Vinci Code. The novel is set primarily in the cathedral towns of France (Chartres and Amiens), features colorful characters, and explores a variety of issues from Medieval architecture and topology, to the early Gnostic Christians (considered Heretics by the established Church) and Free Masonry. Interestingly, both Sandom and Brown went to Amherst College. Wonder if Brown was influenced by his fellow alumni's novel. Sure seems that way. But Gospel Truths is actually far more interesting and complex, though clearly a more "difficult" and challenging read. A "must read" for any mystery lover. If you liked Da Vinci Code, you'll LOVE Gospel Truths. Stick with it and the book will deliver in spades.

The Last Templar (Knights Templar series)

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Only One Reason
This was appalling
Not what I hoped for.....
First Knights Templar Mystery!
Great attempt with some first-book flaws

The Last Templar (Knights Templar series)
Michael Jecks
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0060763442
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Book Description

The Knights Templar

They had all joined taking three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience…for they were monks: warrior monks, dedicated to theprotection of pilgrims in the Holy Land -- until stories spread by anavaricious king who wanted their wealth for his own destroyed the order.

There was one knight, however, who escaped the stake, vowing justiceas he watched his innocent brothers die.

In the Service of the Lord

Simon Puttock has not been bailiff of Lydford Castle long in this year of 1316, when he is called to a nearby village to examine a burned-out cottage and the dead body within. But it is the newly arrived knight, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, who discerns the deceased was no victim of a tragic mishap; he was, in fact, murdered prior to the blaze. Simon would be well-served by accepting further assistance from this astute, though haunted and secretive stranger. For a second fatal burning indicates that some harsh evil has invaded this once-peaceful place, and its hunger has yet to be sated.

Customer Reviews:

Only One Reason.......2007-04-05

THE LAST TEMPLAR is the first installment in what has apparently become a successful series. That fact makes the book worth reading if, like me, you have an interest in getting further into the series. If not, don't waste your time. On a stand-alone basis, THE LAST TEMPLAR isn't very good. It's main value is to introduce key characters and establish the setting for future installments. Hopefully, those future installments will show substantial improvement.

Other reviewers have discussed some of the problems with this book, such as the many typos and the historical inconsistancies, so I won't belabor those issues. I'll just add my view that, beyond those issues, is the larger consideration that the story, itself, is weak. The plot involves three sets of killings, and all three are essentially unrelated. The first, the death of a peasant, is the only one that needs much solving, but it's treated as a side-plot and unravels easily as the facts surface. The second killing, that of the Abbot, is immediately transparent although it's the storyline that is most central to the plot (nor was I, like some, put off by the nature of the killing -- it was richly deserved, I thought). The third killings are uncomplicated and involve simply running the perpetrators down. There's little tension for the reader as you wait for the story to play out.

I found the characters somewhat engaging and the historical set-up of THE LAST TEMPLAR interesting. As mysteries go, however, this one leaves a lot to be desired. If you're planning to go deeper into the series, you'll probably want to read it, but if you're just looking for a good story to pass a rainy afternoon, look elsewhere. I've given it three stars because I didn't actively dislike it, but this is a weak three.

This was appalling.......2007-02-27

I completely agree with all the reviewers who thought this book was terrible. The characters are like emotional dervishes, and Jecks has this thing with anger that, by the middle of the book, crops up about every third sentence. Not only the characters, but the writing itself, is very immature. How did this ever get published? If I had read this book first, I would never had read any of the others in the Knights Templar series.

Not what I hoped for............2007-01-09

I was really looking forward to this book and reading the entire series but after this first one I will have to hold off on the rest.

The mystery itself was OK at best but what really bothered me was the supposed historical setting. The characters are far to progress and "PC" for the 14th century. There is a whole section where the villagers are being questioned about what they were doing one evening and over and over again they refer to time like "seven o'clock", "a little past eleven" and "couldn't have been later than eleven thirty"....sorry but villagers in 1316 didn't think in terms like that. They knew sunrise, sunset, moon rise and moon set they would be lucky to have ever seen a clock or time candle. BTW this isn't London this is a village of 7 homes in the middle of nowhere. That really bugged me and showed no research was done on this.

I agree on the typos comments and the phrasings used again and again.

Finally what I really didn't understand was when the author used terms from that time period but then dropped it without explanation. An example was when he talked about a character's daughter's favorite game; he named the game and then moved on. I would have loved to have heard a little about the game. He could have easily slipped in a brief description of the game. "The pegs tumbled as my horse piece moved over the wooden tray." Instead we're left wondering what the heck this is. It would have added a lot to the book.

I will probably read the second in the series but I'm in not rush. (I didn't like O'Brian's first book but ended up loving the series)

First Knights Templar Mystery!.......2006-11-04

Having sampled other Sir Baldwin Furnshill/Baliff Simon Puttock mysteries, I felt the need to find out how the Furnshill/Puttock saga got started. LAST TEMPLAR has been out since 1995 and many others have reviewed the book so, for what it's worth,...

As the story opens, a villager has been found burned to death in his home and newly-appointed baliff Puttock, with the assistance of the knightly Furnshill, who has returned to his ancestral home, are unsure whether it's accidental or murder. Then a second, horrifying murder of an abbott followed by equally savage attacks by wandering bands of brigands leave Puttock with a full platter.

Puttock occupies stage center in this book unlike succeeding volumes. What we see of Furnshill however makes for a fascinating character nevertheless, a man of of mystery still troubled by past events.

As first novels go, I thought LAST TEMPLAR was great. I was hooked from the start. Jecks' recreation of 14th century English life was wonderfully done. I enjoyed learning about the characters. I thought the plot moved along nicely. I tumbled to who killed the abbott about 1/2 way through the book but kept reading to make sure I was right.

Other reviewers have picked out various flaws which is well and good. But I enjoyed the book and wanted to read more of the same after I was done.

At $7.50, how can you go wrong?

Great attempt with some first-book flaws.......2006-09-01

The Last Templar was first published in 1995, but I only came across this series recently. I have always been interested in medieval mysteries (a la Cadfael) and in Templars in particular, so this immediately struck my attention. I have no doubt that this series was restocked on bookshelves due to the Da Vinci Code book / movie and subsequent interest in this topic.

This is clearly a "setting up" book - i.e. you're introduced to the main characters, their relationships are established, their world is established. I was willing to cut the book some slack therefore, in the sometimes tedious descriptions and motive-explaining. Like with any series, you have to learn who the people are in the beginning, so that their actions and reasons in subsequent books make sense to you.

You have a Templar who has hidden out after the infamous Friday the 13th mass destruction of his order. He's returned to his family holding in England to retire there in anonymity. You also have a 30-something local authority person who is married with a young daughter, who handles all law issues in the land. Just like in Cadfael and other mystery series, the two team up to figure out "who done it". The Templar - Baldwin - is world wise and very intelligent. The local - Simon - is a bit dense but has a good enough heart and wants to plow through to bring justice.

I love the medieval era so I did have several issues with historical accuracy here. I like to be immersed in the "time culture" when I read about olden times - but it's often more like modern people had time-travelled to the past and were living there. The wife harasses the husband for doing his job - tracking down a murderer, remember - rather than playing with the daughter. People always seem to know exactly what time it is, when many people didn't have access to a town clock, never mind personal timepieces. There are many other issues like this. It's not that they were huge, gaping holes - but it was more like water torture where each little thing struck you to build up.

I did notice the typos and such, but I don't mind those. It did seem to indicate that a better editor was needed for the series.

In general my big issue is how characters quickly dismiss important clues, or completely give up on certain issues, when we're talking about murders which are very rare (according to the characters). Surely they should care about each clue! Also, the Abbott's murder seemed rather extreme in the context of this situation. The long winded explanation for it was also a bit much. I agree that the Abbott needed to be punished, but I can imagine many scenarios where his punishment was done in a way that was proper for the story setting, instead of coming across as a raving lunatic attack.

In any case, I do like the setting and always have hope for an author to learn as he goes, so I will plow ahead with the series!

The Last Templar: The Tragedy of Jacques de Molay Last Grand Master of the Temple

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A Needed Biography of the Last Grand Master
could be better

The Last Templar: The Tragedy of Jacques de Molay Last Grand Master of the Temple
Alain Demurger
Manufacturer: Profile Books Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1861975538

Book Description

In the wake of the phenomenal success of The Da Vinci Code, interest in the Knights Templar has never been higher—and their final days is one of the great stories of the Middle Ages. This pioneering study investigates the decline and fall of the mighty Knights Templar and their last Grand Master.

Customer Reviews:

A Needed Biography of the Last Grand Master.......2007-03-18

I have given this work 4 stars, tho' 3.5 stars is more like it. I do agree with the other review that it is slow going in some parts. I think perhaps this may be due to the fact that the work was translated from the French. But the work is significant in that a lot material that I had never read before about Jacques de Molay was brought to light. If you are interested in the Knights Templar and the final chapter of the old military order, then this is an important read. Prior to this book the descriptions of the last Grand Master were cursory at best. De Molay is revealed in this work to be a more capable administrator than previously thought. In all the previous books about the Templars I have read de Molay was often referred to as gung-ho warrior type with little talents beyond the military aspects of the Order. However, Demurger shows that this was not the case.

could be better.......2005-06-30

To tell you the truth, I was rather bored reading this book. Especially the first 50-100 pages, although afterwards it does appear to develop a more logical pace...

The fact remains that about the early part of de Molay's life we know little, and the researcher is bound to jump into numerous conclusions, which could possibly to become the subject of some debate. Taking things for granted is permissible to some extent, especially if there are at least some circumstantial evidence, but such approach must be highly careful, a quality Demourger doesn't show to fully appreciate at times. Having said that, I don't consider this book a bad read. The writer's conclusions seem rational enough, and it is evident that the man approaches the subject seriously. So maybe it's just the style of Demourger's writing that made me suffer at the beginning of this book...

One constant irritation was that the author doesn't always stick to the subject, but "wonders off" at times.

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La Orden Del Temple / The Last Templar
Raymond Khoury , and Marta Torent Lopez De Lamadrid
Manufacturer: Umbriel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 8495618966

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Great basic idea but not what you might expect

Last Templar, The
Raymond Khoury
Manufacturer: Orion (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0752880705

Customer Reviews:

Great basic idea but not what you might expect.......2006-07-04

In 1291 a ship sets sails to escape the defeat of the city Acre (Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem). The Knights Templar on board are to protect the secret they carry with them at all costs. But the ship never reaches its destination.
In present day four horsemen dressed as Knights Templar storm the gala opening of an exhibition of Vatican treasures at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. In a bold and bloody attack they steal a medieval decoder and manage to vanish without a trace.
FBI agent Sean Reilly and archaeologist Tess Chaykin (also a witness at the scene) team up to solve the centuries-old mystery - always trying to stay ahead of killers who try to protect the secret at all costs for very different reasons...

The characters and the (predictable) developing love story in the book are quite good. I also liked the idea to put in some chapters that go back to the Knights Templar's journey in 1291 to give the reader a better idea about what happened back then.

But overall the book was not what I expected.
1) I was surprised how easily the FBI traces down 3 of the 4 "Knights Templar" and what they actually are.
2) The identity of the master mind behind the robbery is revealed too soon and also just too "simple".
3) The book then takes off in a completely unexpected direction - chasing down the lost ship. (How they got they idea where to search exactly is still a riddle to me.) Unfortunately this is a very large part of the book and it never gets back into anything that I was hoping for. The book's original idea of a search for bold thieves turns into a deep diving treasure hunt on a different continent which reminded me of a Dirk Pitt adventure (Clive Cussler's books).
OK, a different direction as expected does not need to be bad - it might be a positive surprise. But in this case it was not because this part was too long and not that thrilling. And it took the focus of the reader on a completely different area.

Unfortunately there are other aspects that spoilt the fun for me:
Throughout the book there are just too many coincidences that make the book less and less believable. The wrong person always shows up at exactly the right moment for him to make his move. Therefore the book is kind of unwillingly "funny" or ridiculous sometimes.
Te ending was also disappointing to me. Might be because I am not religious but I just wished for something else. (In order not to spoil the fun I cannot reveal more in more detail.)

Bottom line:
The basic idea of the book starting with the four Knights Templar's very bold robbery at the museum is really good. Also the combination of today's knowledge and the centuries-old mystery made me want to read the book. (Having read several other fiction books about the secrets of the Knights Templar already I just had to know what secret it is here that made the Knights Templar so untouchable and wealthy.)
The book is easy to read and entertaining but it won't keep you up all night. And it is not nearly as gripping as e. g. Dan Brown's books. (To compare the skills of these authors seems like a bad joke to me - but some actually did so!)

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Don't miss this book!
Troubadour Hits All The Right Notes!
ARMSTRONG CAN DEAL SOME CARDS
Not just for Tarot lovers...
"A heretic troubadour and an admitted magician. In a city that burns both for sport."

The Last Troubadour: Song of Montsegur
Derek Armstrong
Manufacturer: Kunati Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Devil, the Lovers, and Me: My Life in Tarot

ASIN: 1601640102

Book Description

In this historical thriller set against the rich background of the 13th-century Inquisition, the last living troubadour, condemned by the church as a heretic, must rescue a holy Christian relic from a crusading king. Seamlessly weaving the history of the Cathar Crusade with the historical origins of the Tarot deck, this fascinating, genre-bending epic brings symbols of the Tarot to life through medieval characters—Arnot the Knight Templar as the Chariot, Dame Esclarmonde de Foix as the High Priestess, Nevara as the Magician, Pope Innocent IV as the Hierophant, and Ramon Troubadour as the Fool—to create a richly textured historical fantasy that is suspenseful, humourous, tragic, and satirical by turns.

Customer Reviews:

Don't miss this book!.......2007-09-22

Derek Armstrong, get writing!! I'm ready for the sequels to this book. Very well written, engrossing, and just enough humor to balance the rather graphic description of people burning at the stake. I heartily concur with the jacket: "An author to watch"... and worth waiting for, although I want them NOW!! Great history, wonderful characterizations. So, Derek, are you ready to publish the next two books yet? This avid fan is very eagerly, but not so patiently, waiting.

Troubadour Hits All The Right Notes!.......2007-09-11

The Inquisition, a crusade, tarot, Cathars? I'm in!

As soon as I found there was a quest for a holy relic, I was hooked, and stayed hooked until the conclusion.

I always loved the mesmeric quality of tarot cards. They are like a Rorschach test--your unconscious mind makes associations and links inner meanings to outer events. In the same way, Troubadour engages the reader and you find yourself fully investing your imagination to match characters to cards as you travel along with Ramon, its hero.

If you like flawless historical intrigue told with a light touch, you'll pick up The Last Troubadour and feel a nostalgic pull when you realize you've come to the end and finally have to put it down.

ARMSTRONG CAN DEAL SOME CARDS.......2007-09-11

In one of the most special books of 2007, Derek Armstrong has set his story in a time long ago ... but it thrillingly portends where we are today. So ... how have we done as a society compared to then?

Exactly right. Work to do.

Armstrong knows what he's doing in his books ... he's the author of the hugely popular comic murder mystery, The Game, released this spring, and it's up to you to get him and his smart, satirical moments. If you're attentive ... if you're smart ... you'll get it. And love it.

Todd Sentell is the author of the social satire, Toonamint of Champions

Not just for Tarot lovers..........2007-09-11

The Last Troubadour is Five Star reading for everyone. Derek Armstrong has made clever use of the Tarot cards in paralel to his characters. Life is myth and archetypes and Armstrong depicts both with brilliance. Click and buy a copy of The Last Troubadour today. Linda Merlino, author of Belly Of The Whale.

"A heretic troubadour and an admitted magician. In a city that burns both for sport.".......2007-09-10

A fast-paced, historical quest for a prized holy relic set against the Inquisition, that also includes the very interesting aspect of the origin of Tarot cards and their meaning. Armstrong's latest tale (following the thriller, The Game) possesses his signature style of imparting all the colors of humanity into his characters, among them duty, compassion, and humor.

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Christopher Columbus, the Last Templar
Ruggero Marino
Manufacturer: Destiny Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

The untold story of the secret alliance behind the “discovery” of America

• Reveals how a utopian dream of brotherhood among Christians, Muslims, and Jews fueled a murderous power struggle involving secret societies, popes, and kings

• Explains why King Ferdinand of Spain supported Columbus’s voyages openly, but, secretly, sought to undermine their purpose

• Shows how Columbus knew, sailing west, he would find the “New World,” not Asia

Was Columbus a Templar? According to the historic documents and maps revealed by Ruggero Marino, Columbus shared their dream of Christians, Muslims, and Jews living in peace in a New Jerusalem, and his voyage across the Atlantic was both to find a new passage to Asia and to find the place where the New Jerusalem could be built.

Marino draws parallels between Marco Polo’s journey east over the Silk Route and Columbus’s sea voyages and reveals that Columbus studied ancient texts and maps from the Vatican Library, access to which was granted by Pope Innocent VIII--who Marino shows to be Columbus’s true father. Innocent VIII (whose own father was Jewish and grandmother was Muslim) was the perfect individual to further the Templars’ plan to create a universal religion combining the spiritual wisdom of the three faiths. Marino shows that Innocent’s “disappearance” and the story that Columbus merely stumbled onto the New World were part of a calculated political and theological cover-up. While King Ferdinand (the model for Machiavelli’s The Prince) and Queen Isabella of Spain are heralded with funding Columbus’s “discovery” of America, it was Innocent VIII who was the main sponsor and master-mind of the expedition. To obscure the purpose of the voyages, and give Spain the credit for the New World discovery, Ferdinand and his agent Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia), Pope Innocent VIII’s successor, initiated the disinformation campaign that has lasted for over 500 years.

The Cold Moon, Mary Mary, the Last Templar

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The Cold Moon, Mary Mary, the Last Templar
James Patterson, Raymond Khoury Jeffrey Deaver
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WE55QI

Product Description

The Cold Moon: On a Dec. night, an eerie pattern emerges from 2 equally brutal murder scenes, where a killer's calling card is a moon-faced clock that ticked away the victims' last moments. From his wheelchair, criminologist Lincoln Rhyme tracks the Watchmaker, a time-obsessed genius. With every passing second, the Watchmaker is moving with razor-sharp precision to his next act of perfectly orchestrated violence, & Rhyme can't afford to have his trusted partner, Amelia Sachs, distracted by a daunting homicide case of her own. Up agaisnt a brilliant madman, Rhyme & Sachs are locked in a blood-chilling race with their deadliest enemy, time. Mary Mary: Somebody is murdering Holywood's A-list. Her calling card "You've got mail." On a family vacation, FBI agent Alex Cross is asked to investigate the shooting of an actress, & an e-mail sent to the L.A. Times with details about the murder, signed Mary Smith. More killings & more e-mails follow, & Mary Smith is getting better every time. To hunt down this merciless killer of Tinseltown's elite, Cross must navigate a world where the stars sip San Pellegrino at the Ivy as hopefuls hover around studio gates with 8X10 glossies. And when the case jumps into block-buster proportions, Cross & the LAPD scramble to find a pattern, before Mary sends 1 more chilling update. The Last Templar: In 1291, a young templar knight flees Holy Land, setting out to sea with a mysterious chest entrusted to him by the Order's dying grand master. The ship vanishes without a trace. In present-day Manhattan, 4 masked horsemen dressed as Templar Knights stage a raid on the Metro. Mus. of Art during an exhibit of Vatican treasures. Emerging with a strange geared device, they disappear. The investigation that follows draws an archaeologist & an FBI agent into the dark, hidden history of the crusading knights, & into a deadly game of cat & mouse with ruthless killers, as they race across 3 continents to recover the lost secret of the Templar.

Cristobal Colon/ Christopher Columbus: El Ultimo Templario/ the Last Templar

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Cristobal Colon/ Christopher Columbus: El Ultimo Templario/ the Last Templar
Ruggero Marino
Manufacturer: Obelisco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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