The Templar Legacy

Title: The Templar Legacy
Author: Steve Barry
Reading level: All
Paperback: 482 pages
ISBN #: 0345476158
Received From: I bought it @ The Book Rack
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Group Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery
Cover: C-
Overall: A+

"Cotton Malone, onetime top operative for the U.S. Justice Department, is
enjoying his quiet new life 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. 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. "

Stephanie and Cotton (I still don't know how he got his name?) are on a journey to find the Templar's Great Devise. The Templar's are a secret order sworn to protect Christianity. And the Great Devise was a treasure and possible exposure of Christianity that was secreted away during 1308 from the French Royal family. Lost since that time our two heroes must meet friends, family and foes to help them on their quest; and find the Great Devise before it falls into the wrong hands.

The characters are so well written showing only glimmers of their true selves and past as they confront obstacles which leads to more intrigue. The setting all factual is so vivid in description you feel as if your in Europe fighting right along our protagonists. Fear, suspense and intrigue will grip you as you read on to discover the treasure.

If you loved the "Da Vinci Code" just wait till you get your hands on this read. I could not put this book down!!! I read this one in two days (which is why I haven't been able to post). I love that the author only fictionalizes the basic storyline. All places, and historical reference is true. (There were Knights Templar and the french king did try to retrieve their treasure. ) So to add just a little more suspense there is a possibility that this story is possible (hehe). Wouldn't we all like to know? But I'll leave you with the authors inspiration for this story which I'll quote now "It has served us well, this myth of Christ" ~Pope Leo X.

LOL=Lots of Love