Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) - , reviewed on 1/2/2016 + 569 more book reviews

've had this book for some time now, but hadn't picked it up to read it (actually, listen to the audio version) until recently I think the sheer size of the book written by an author I was unfamiliar with was intimidating.

I was acting foolish.

In "The Last Templar", Raymond Khoury effectively interweaves the historic tale of the Knights Templar with the historical fictionalized last days of that organization with a modern-day treasure hunt for something of great significance left behind by those Knights. The book begins (excepting a short preface) with a New York City exhibition of "The Treasures of the Vatican", and a spectacular on-camera robbery of same. The police find that their initial "Who did it" question metamorphasizes into "Why" and "Is there a third party involved in this effort"?

The story is enhanced by the tale of the last of the Knights Templar, attempting to safeguard an undescribed (until the end) treasure, along with a modern-day trip to Turkey and the Greek Islands. More interestingly, philosophical questions regarding the purpose of religion in today's world are also interspersed throughout the tale, with none of the character's viewpoints being strictly black or white or immutable.

I waited far too long to read this book. I will not wait nearly as long to pick up the second in the series.

RATING: 5 stars.

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