Travis Simpkins: Temple Mount

Sunday, June 11, 2017

"The Last Templar" by Raymond Khoury

The Last Templar

by Raymond Khoury

Penguin Books, 2005

Notes by Travis Simpkins

Fast paced and gripping, The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury expertly utilizes the winning formula of having ancient mysteries play out in a modern setting… it is instantly relatable and altogether intriguing. Perhaps intentionally, the book has a cinematic feel to it's scenes and indeed, a TV mini-series adaption of the novel has since been released. The text is well-written and Raymond Khoury's genuine interest in history and his knowledge of the novel's geographical sites creates an air of believability in a genre often populated by far-fetched scenarios.

The plot begins when four horsemen, dressed at Knights Templar, raid the opening of an exhibition of Vatican treasures at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Leaving bloodshed in their wake, they abscond with a curious geared encoding device. The subsequent investigation finds an archaeologist teamed up with an FBI Agent as they chase after those responsible, delving frighteningly deep into an ancient mystery while traveling across the globe in search of the lost secret of the Templars. Flashbacks to 1291 and the harrowing ordeals that the Templars faced in a desperate effort to protect their secret offer respite from the modern chaos. The present-day journey takes the reader on a journey from New York City to the mountains of Turkey, from Vatican City to the small island of Yialos in Symi. Well worth the cover price, the 500+ page storyline moves rapidly and stays interesting throughout.

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Fall of Acre, 1291

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Great Hall. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: The Knights Templar

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Jewel Encrusted Cross

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: King Solomon's Temple, Jerusalem

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Jacques De Molay. Knights Templar

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Temple Mount, Jerusalem

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: The Knights Templar

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Burned Church, New York

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Mountains of Turkey

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Reservoir, Turkey

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Vatican City

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: St. Peter's Basilica

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Ship Figurehead

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Yialos, Symi

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Ancient Codex

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Yialos, Symi

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury

The Last Templar. Raymond Khoury: Movie Version

Thursday, March 5, 2015

"The Fallen Angel" by Daniel Silva

"The Fallen Angel" by Daniel Silva

HarperCollins, 2012

Brief Review by Travis Simpkins

An intriguing mix of murder, looted antiquities, espionage and terrorism is masterfully typed out in the pages of The Fallen Angel, the twelfth entry in the popular "Gabriel Allon" book series by Daniel Silva. The story begins and ends on Holy Ground, starting with a tragic death under St. Peter's Dome in the Vatican… where a young female curator has seemingly committed suicide by leaping to her death. Retired Israeli spy turned art restorer Gabriel Allon is cleaning a work by Caravaggio nearby when he is called to quietly investigate. Gabriel immediately dismisses the suicide theory, and with the Pope's blessing, begins a dangerous journey to solve the murder, dodging bullets and bombs through the corrupt and illicit world of looted antiquities… which leads to a Hezbollah terrorist plot to destroy the Holiest site in Jerusalem. Gabriel Allon remains one of the great characters and paradoxes of modern fiction, with decidedly opposing halves… one gentle, the other lethal. It is no wonder that former U.S. President Bill Clinton cites Gabriel Allon as his favorite fictional character. Daniel Silva is a master at interweaving genres, historical periods and topics. His knowledge of the areas in which he writes is substantial, adding a real sense of place to the descriptions… from the Sistine Chapel to the offices of the Carabinieri, from the slopes of St. Moritz to the narrow lanes of Vienna, from the Dome of the Rock to the archaeologically-rich ancient tunnels beneath the Temple Mount. The story is fictional, but many real-life aspects of the trade in looted antiquities are laid bare, including the case of convicted Italian smuggler Giacomo Medici, which is given ample pause for thought. The fictional characters, many making reappearances, are thoroughly enthralling as well, including Gabriel's lovely wife Chiara, Ari Shamron, Eli Lavon, David Girard, Massoud Rahimi, Uzi Navot, Pope Paul VII and his right-hand-man Luigi Donati. Touchy subjects involving the Israeli-Palestine conflict are dealt with in a bravura manner, including the so-called "Temple Denial", which is the basis for a large portion of the plot. As with his other Gabriel Allon books, Silva combines art crime and espionage with adept skill, and The Fallen Angel is one of the best entries thus far.