The Last Templar

By: Raymond Khoury

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

"It has served us well, this myth of Christ."
Pope Leo X, 16th Century

The Last Templar opens with a hail of fire and flashing sword, as the burning city of Acre falls from the hands of the West in 1291. A young Templar knight, his mentor, and a handful of others escape 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 horsemen dressed as Templar Knights emerge from Central Park and ride up the Fifth Avenue steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the black-tie opening of a "Treasures of the Vatican" exhibit. Storming through 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 them 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.

©2006 Raymond Khoury (P)2006 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., and Books on Tape. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Like The Da Vinci Code, Khoury’s novel features age-old mysteries that play out in a modern setting.” (The New York Times)

“Absorbingly brisk.” (The San Francisco Chronicle)

“One of the most gripping opening scenes among recent thrillers.... [The] story is nothing if not cinematic, as it skips across three continents and climaxes with a storm at sea of biblical proportions.” (Booklist)

One of my favorites

I love this book so much that I fall asleep listening to it every night! In fact every night for over a year! First on my 5 disc CD player now on my kindle fire HD.

Been there done that several times before

Would you try another book from Raymond Khoury and/or Richard Ferrone?

Not really

What could Raymond Khoury have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

A story with plot points not obvious a mile away would be a Start

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Not with this material

Was The Last Templar worth the listening time?

Nope, can I get a refund on that part of my life?

Any additional comments?

Pass, do not stop even for a quick visit

Good Narration, improves proficiency in English.

Yes , a good listen . Loved it Audible. Narration is excellent. Started reading in Paris now ended listening to it in Delhi Metro. Thanks

Lead female character can't make up her mind

Generally, this was an entertaining listen. It brought a new spin to the Templar conspiracy theories that I hadn't heard before. The only real negative for me was the lead female character's inability to make up her mind. More than once she knew something "beyond the shadow of a doubt" but about 10 mins later she regretted whatever it was. Partner this with her continued decisions to lie to the lead male character, even though she promises not to do it again, had me heaving frustrated sighs every. time. it. happened. again. and again. and again.

Wife and I listened together, loved it

The story is told well, voiced well, and paste well. Just enough romance, plenty of action, and engaging throughout. I am not a book snob, and if you aren’t either this is a story you will enjoy.

Great!

I absolutely love a good historical based mystery and this one for sure did not disappoint.

Fast and loose with actual history

I liked the bouncing back and forth between medieval times and the present . The survival of some of the characters and thier ability to perform dire crimes with out being caught was cartoonish.
The author distorted known history to further his plot in regards to major religions
Actually sorry I spent so much time listening to it

Oh, C'mon!

So much coincidence in the plot that it borders on fantasy. Such florid prose as to draw attention to itself, and not in a good way (who plops "vertiginous" in the middle of simple description? It fell with an annoying clunk!).
I toughed it out since I had purchased the audiobook, but should have paid more attention to reader reviews before buying. Don't do it!!

Oe of those 'I always thought so' books

Templar lore has fascinated writers for ever and this is another attempt to give answers to many questions. It also questions the fundamentals of Belief through a fun narrative. Much has been spoken about before but that does not spoil the plot. If Rosslyn whet your imagination then you will enjoy this listen.

Great storyline!

I loved this book! I'm a huge fan of Dan Brown's writing so this was perfect for me. I love the blend of historical and current.