The Templar Legacy

A Novel

By: Steve Berry

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Exciting . . . hard to put down without reading one more page.”—The Florida Times-Union

The ancient order of the Knights Templar possessed untold wealth and absolute power over kings and popes . . . until the Inquisition, when they were wiped from the face of the earth, their hidden riches lost. But now two forces vying for the treasure have learned that it is not at all what they thought it was—and its true nature could change the modern world.

Cotton Malone, one-time top operative for the U.S. Justice Department, is enjoying his quiet new life as an antiquarian book dealer in Copenhagen when an unexpected call to action reawakens his hair-trigger instincts—and plunges him back into the cloak-and-dagger world he thought he’d left behind.

It begins with a violent robbery attempt on Cotton’s former supervisor, Stephanie Nelle, who’s far from home on a mission that has nothing to do with national security. Armed with vital clues to a series of centuries-old puzzles scattered across Europe, she means to crack a mystery that has tantalized scholars and fortune-hunters through the ages by finding the legendary cache of wealth and forbidden knowledge thought to have been lost forever when the order of the Knights Templar was exterminated in the fourteenth century.

But she’s not alone. Competing for the historic prize—and desperate for the crucial information Stephanie possesses—is Raymond de Roquefort, a shadowy zealot with an army of assassins at his command.

Welcome or not, Cotton seeks to even the odds in the perilous race. But the more he learns about the ancient conspiracy surrounding the Knights Templar, the more he realizes that even more than lives are at stake. At the end of a lethal game of conquest, rife with intrigue, treachery, and craven lust for power, lies a shattering discovery that could rock the civilized world—and, in the wrong hands, bring it to its knees.

©2006 Steve Berry (P)2006 Books on Tape

long time to get to the point

This was a good book to listen to. Rather long winded but the premise was interesting I wonder really what the message is.

enjoyable without cringing.

I liked that there was no descriptive sex or innuendos, and no use of swear words.

I really wanted to like this—I really really did

I found most of the story to be interesting, and I get that the Templar aspect of it lends itself to this kind of a plot, but I got got pretty tired of the heavy handed Dan Brown conspiracy theory element; if you like the History Channel’s sensational nonsense about the Bible, this will be right up your alley. But I found it to be a pretty tired rehash of the power hungry Catholic Church trying to suppress and hide the “real truth” trope. This just wasn’t my cup of tea.

A surprise

I didn't think there was room for another book dealing with the "Rennes-Le-Chateau mystery", but thoroughly enjoyed this author's approach centering on the Templar's perspective. Of course, there will be some readers who will disagree because although this is a work of fiction, it may challenge some canonical beliefs. I have observed in other reviews that this can be the sole criteria for panning a book regardless of its other virtues. That said, although long, I enjoyed the listen. I also appreciated the authors notes differentiating historical, scriptual, and fictional source material.

Boring read (nuff said)

I'm used to conspiracy books and it takes a little bit more than "Templars!" to hook me.

Don't bother

The authors anti-christian views are always present in the store line. His views become preachy even to the point of interfering the storytelling.Very annoying.

Excellent piece of fiction!

I loved the subtle weaving of truth and myth. The description of each place in the story is masterfully done. I truly enjoyed it.

very interesting

gave lots of things to rhunk about!! Now to do more research on some of the concepts in this book.

Entertaining Blasphemy

Entertaining until the author creates a Christ denying gospel. Also all of the authors so called "contradictions" among the gospels of Christ are and have been easily explained or refuted. If you are a Christian you will no doubt be iritated at the unsubstantiated liberties taken by the author. The authors agenda becomes obvious, which is too bad because had it been written by a believer, it could have been so much better.

Interesting characters

Would you consider the audio edition of The Templar Legacy to be better than the print version?

I'm sure the audio is better - always is!

What did you like best about this story?

Good action. Good characters. Moved along well. Sometimes I thought it went into the history a little more than I liked, but I'm sure others appreciated that.

Which scene was your favorite?

The final scenes when they discover the Great Divise in the Monastery

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, but it kept me reading.