What do you think?
Rate this book
Thomas Lourds #3
The Temple Mount Code
The Temple Mount A Thomas Lourds Thriller (Thomas Lourdes) [Paperback] Brokaw, Charles
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
194 people are currently reading
1206 people want to read
About the author
Charles Brokaw
4 books236 followersCharles Brokaw is a pseudonym for an author, academic, and college educator living in the Midwest. He’s had a rich and varied life, and is fascinated by history, human accomplishment, and archeology. He began the book The Atlantis Code after seeing an article in a scholarly journal. The piece featured a satellite photo, and pointed out ruins visible in Spain which matched closely the description of Atlantis relayed in the writings of Plato. Because the ruins were located in a famous national park, he was certain they would never be explored. That got him thinking about just what treasures are buried beneath the earth. The result was The Atlantis Code. The book is the author’s first published adventure thriller.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/charle...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/charle...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
May 1, 2013
Brokaw’s third book is as good as the previous two, with as much action and excitement as the others. Creating almost two separate stories into the one book (a historical dig in China before arriving in the Holy Lands), Brokaw presents so much information in such an interesting fashion that the reader cannot help but be amazed. Obvious research, both of the archeological finds and the linguistic nuances, helps the book and its characters leap from the page. Some of the religious details leaves the reader wondering where the facts end and the fiction begins, as well as pondering the secrets rarely challenged from the pulpit on Sunday mornings. While usually pushing the limits of acceptable Christian doctrine, this book examines the Muslim key religious story and documents with the zealots in Iran the purification police, prepared to punish those who stir the pot. While the main character does see himself as a James Bond ladies’ man, this is somewhat easily ignored to get to the root of the story. While zipping from all over and coming oh so close to destruction, Brokaw weaves a story that will have its readers flipping pages well into the night, in hopes of knowing what comes next for this academic-go-adventurer.
How might one properly classify Charles Brokaw? Perhaps a cross between Dan Brown’s academic character (Robert Langdon) and Steve Berry’s antiquities sleuth (Cotton Malone) with a hint of Sam Bourne and/or Tom Knox with their biblical inquiry. He does stand alone though, able to shake off the shadow that all these men bring to the literary mix. The story is quite multi-facetted and involves so many aspects of a good thriller; intrigue, mystery, politics, lust (romance), and last second salvation. Brokaw knows how to pen a great book and could surely keep the reader enticed for many more novels to come. Perhaps a little lighter on the Casanova attitude of the main character and we’ll be fine.
Many kudos, Mr. Brokaw. Keep it up and dazzle readers with many more adventures.
How might one properly classify Charles Brokaw? Perhaps a cross between Dan Brown’s academic character (Robert Langdon) and Steve Berry’s antiquities sleuth (Cotton Malone) with a hint of Sam Bourne and/or Tom Knox with their biblical inquiry. He does stand alone though, able to shake off the shadow that all these men bring to the literary mix. The story is quite multi-facetted and involves so many aspects of a good thriller; intrigue, mystery, politics, lust (romance), and last second salvation. Brokaw knows how to pen a great book and could surely keep the reader enticed for many more novels to come. Perhaps a little lighter on the Casanova attitude of the main character and we’ll be fine.
Many kudos, Mr. Brokaw. Keep it up and dazzle readers with many more adventures.
December 16, 2016
Scene 1:
World renown linguistic, Thomas Lourds, is in China, on a dig, where he chases off plunderers, while being shot at, who might steal something of import. Here he finds a lost civilization and a secret message (of course), scribbled on a tortoise shell that leads him to the Himalayas.
Welcome to the loving peaks of Himalayas, where it’s cold and Lourds is on the trail of a Temple that might hold something hidden for centuries.
He finds it. He receives a message from an old friend. He leaves.
Scene 2:
Iran, Jerusalem, Turkey and some other countries.
Lourds realizes that an old friend was working on something big, End-of-World Big but he couldn’t solve it without him (of course he couldn’t) and has been killed trying. But he planned for it, counted on dying and left a trail of crumbs for him with a personalized message, asking him to complete the task, for old time's sake. Lourds is game. He picks up the trail, keeps digging deeper into things while being shot at, conspired against and is even taken captive at some point but FUCKED if that’d faze him even just a little.
He realizes what the whole puzzle is, with about 10% of the book remaining and on cue, begins the big chase of cat and mouse, of finding lost artifacts that could destroy the world.
He finds it. He hands it over to a secret intelligence agency. He walks away.
The End.
You might think that I’ve left something out but I haven’t. The author never bothers to even reveal what he has his lead character looking for throughout. Something that could destroy the world is never even hinted at, isn’t that really convenient?
This is the problem of the author. He tries to blend reality with fiction but he just has no hold over the fiction and its elements. He wants to wrack your nerves but won’t tell you WHY. His lead character is a vain man, who doesn’t come across well. He’s just….meh. All he does is, translate lost languages, fills his carnal appetites, goes back to translating and then nails a few more chicks. No character development to speak of. The author is obsessed with the Muslim community and loves to write about it. That was the basic setting of his last book and that’s what he’s repeated here as well.
But wait, here’s the worst part, he never even bothers to tie the two parts of the story together. What he unearths in China is in no way related to the story or to what he unearths in Tehran. So why bother writing half the book about something that is not the part of the story?
Answer is simple, coz these are half formed stories, put together to complete a book.
It’s a bad story line and disappoints in huge amounts.
Now let me tell you what I’m gonna do about it. I’m gonna read the final book in the series ;)
CIAO.
World renown linguistic, Thomas Lourds, is in China, on a dig, where he chases off plunderers, while being shot at, who might steal something of import. Here he finds a lost civilization and a secret message (of course), scribbled on a tortoise shell that leads him to the Himalayas.
Welcome to the loving peaks of Himalayas, where it’s cold and Lourds is on the trail of a Temple that might hold something hidden for centuries.
He finds it. He receives a message from an old friend. He leaves.
Scene 2:
Iran, Jerusalem, Turkey and some other countries.
Lourds realizes that an old friend was working on something big, End-of-World Big but he couldn’t solve it without him (of course he couldn’t) and has been killed trying. But he planned for it, counted on dying and left a trail of crumbs for him with a personalized message, asking him to complete the task, for old time's sake. Lourds is game. He picks up the trail, keeps digging deeper into things while being shot at, conspired against and is even taken captive at some point but FUCKED if that’d faze him even just a little.
He realizes what the whole puzzle is, with about 10% of the book remaining and on cue, begins the big chase of cat and mouse, of finding lost artifacts that could destroy the world.
He finds it. He hands it over to a secret intelligence agency. He walks away.
The End.
You might think that I’ve left something out but I haven’t. The author never bothers to even reveal what he has his lead character looking for throughout. Something that could destroy the world is never even hinted at, isn’t that really convenient?
This is the problem of the author. He tries to blend reality with fiction but he just has no hold over the fiction and its elements. He wants to wrack your nerves but won’t tell you WHY. His lead character is a vain man, who doesn’t come across well. He’s just….meh. All he does is, translate lost languages, fills his carnal appetites, goes back to translating and then nails a few more chicks. No character development to speak of. The author is obsessed with the Muslim community and loves to write about it. That was the basic setting of his last book and that’s what he’s repeated here as well.
But wait, here’s the worst part, he never even bothers to tie the two parts of the story together. What he unearths in China is in no way related to the story or to what he unearths in Tehran. So why bother writing half the book about something that is not the part of the story?
Answer is simple, coz these are half formed stories, put together to complete a book.
It’s a bad story line and disappoints in huge amounts.
Now let me tell you what I’m gonna do about it. I’m gonna read the final book in the series ;)
CIAO.
November 12, 2015
l loved and enjoyed the story. I felt like I was part of it. Traveling to all of the different countries, the fast pace, the action. It was a fantastic read.
October 11, 2011
pheeew! I can't believe I'm done reading this book! I'm speechless can't even describe it!
1st of All.. I wanna correct something.. Ismael is the son of Ibraham not Isaac as the Author said! the second thing is.. the author knows absolutely nothing about Islam! His info was lame! and the way he described Islam in this book was the lamest thing ever! they're nothing such a thing called Mohammed's Koraan! no scroll! Allah has never forbid wine for that lame reason! and Islaam needs no scroll or whatever he said to be completed! Our prophet Mohammed PBUH showed us a clear msj never needed to be corrected! what upsets me the most is.. the people who know nothing about islaam and read this book will believe everything written because the author - as I noticed - has a good way of convincing people with his idea's! that's realy sad! I can say.. the book was an AGE consuming!!
1st of All.. I wanna correct something.. Ismael is the son of Ibraham not Isaac as the Author said! the second thing is.. the author knows absolutely nothing about Islam! His info was lame! and the way he described Islam in this book was the lamest thing ever! they're nothing such a thing called Mohammed's Koraan! no scroll! Allah has never forbid wine for that lame reason! and Islaam needs no scroll or whatever he said to be completed! Our prophet Mohammed PBUH showed us a clear msj never needed to be corrected! what upsets me the most is.. the people who know nothing about islaam and read this book will believe everything written because the author - as I noticed - has a good way of convincing people with his idea's! that's realy sad! I can say.. the book was an AGE consuming!!
June 2, 2023
Kolejna, dobra część, która zagwarantowała mi parę chwil świetnej, czytelniczej rozrywki i wciągnęła mnie dużo bardziej niż "Kod Lucyfera". Napisana prostym, niemal ulicznym językiem, książka czyta się sama w całkiem przyjemny i błyskawiczny sposób. Polubiłam głównego bohatera, profesora Thomasa Lourdsa, który jest tutaj taką smakowitą mieszanką Indiany Jonesa z Robertem Langdonem polaną sosem Jamesa Bonda, który przy okazji swojej "zabawy" w odkrywaniu zagadkowych artefaktów i tajemnic z przeszłości, nie odpuści także żadnej, ładnej buzi.
Gdzieś czytałam, że seria Brokawa ma nie trzy a cztery części, przy czym ta ostatnia pt. "The Oracle Kode" jest nieprzetłumaczona (jeszcze....???) i niedostępna w Polsce więc w chwili obecnej nie można jej dostać ale jak tylko się pojawi, napewno będę chciała ją przeczytać.
Polecam jako przyjemny i lekki "czasoumilacz" między bardziej wymagającymi lekturami.
Gdzieś czytałam, że seria Brokawa ma nie trzy a cztery części, przy czym ta ostatnia pt. "The Oracle Kode" jest nieprzetłumaczona (jeszcze....???) i niedostępna w Polsce więc w chwili obecnej nie można jej dostać ale jak tylko się pojawi, napewno będę chciała ją przeczytać.
Polecam jako przyjemny i lekki "czasoumilacz" między bardziej wymagającymi lekturami.
December 10, 2011
The Temple Mount Code by Charles Brokaw
In a snap shot of current events, Thomas Lourds’ linguistic talents have landed him in another intriguing mystery. A deadly grad student, a relentless Iranian zealot and a Saudi guardian angel make up the cast of Lourds addressing a mystery that may rock the Islamic wolrd. The forces of evil marshal to thwart Lourds in solving a linguistic nightmare that purports to change the world again.
As in the Lucifer Code and Atlantis Code, Brokaw paints vivid characters with strong characteristics. His main protagonist, Thomas Lourds, is a world famous linguist of immense sex appeal who unlike Indiana Jones attempts to avoid any physical confrontation outside of the bedroom. Once again Lourds shows naïve good character and although he purports to be in good physical condition, he doesn’t seem to have the sense to duck a punch. So far this is pretty much the same description as his last two books. The formula is there is a secret that captures Thomas Lourds’ attention, he ferrets out the secret and is saved from harm by lethal females smitten with his boyish charm. It sounds simplistic but regardless of that, the stories move well, entertain and provide creative action.
As in the Lucifer Code and Atlantis Code, don’t anticipate a great deal of cerebral activity just lean back and relish the action.
I recommend the book.
In a snap shot of current events, Thomas Lourds’ linguistic talents have landed him in another intriguing mystery. A deadly grad student, a relentless Iranian zealot and a Saudi guardian angel make up the cast of Lourds addressing a mystery that may rock the Islamic wolrd. The forces of evil marshal to thwart Lourds in solving a linguistic nightmare that purports to change the world again.
As in the Lucifer Code and Atlantis Code, Brokaw paints vivid characters with strong characteristics. His main protagonist, Thomas Lourds, is a world famous linguist of immense sex appeal who unlike Indiana Jones attempts to avoid any physical confrontation outside of the bedroom. Once again Lourds shows naïve good character and although he purports to be in good physical condition, he doesn’t seem to have the sense to duck a punch. So far this is pretty much the same description as his last two books. The formula is there is a secret that captures Thomas Lourds’ attention, he ferrets out the secret and is saved from harm by lethal females smitten with his boyish charm. It sounds simplistic but regardless of that, the stories move well, entertain and provide creative action.
As in the Lucifer Code and Atlantis Code, don’t anticipate a great deal of cerebral activity just lean back and relish the action.
I recommend the book.
August 21, 2014
While this is the third book in the series this is the second one I've read (in reverse order). Professor Lourds has another wild adventure, starting in China, then Israel, Austria, Israel, Iran and back to Israel. He has a complete disregard to the fundamentals of archaeology, smashing, things open, grabbing any documents and running. The Israeli Mossad is portrayed almost as keystone cops, and the section of the story set in Austria makes it seem that rampant antisemitism is openly practiced in Austria. The ending is interesting, there is an interesting good guy who emerges near the end of the story. A fast paced and fun to read book.
September 2, 2016
Dashing linguist hero chasing ancient secrets that will blow the world apart while chased by spies and picking up women by the score ... all sounds a bit like you've read it before. Da Vinci meets Indiana Jones, but the twist is that he's chasing ancient Muslim secrets rather than ancient Christian secrets.
Several lengthy sub plots go nowhere, the hero turns out to be a rather unpleasant character and the ending is both obvious and disappointing. I won't be searching out the other Lourds books.
Several lengthy sub plots go nowhere, the hero turns out to be a rather unpleasant character and the ending is both obvious and disappointing. I won't be searching out the other Lourds books.
January 13, 2012
Once again Thomas Lourdes saves the world from disaster and discovers another lost language and manages to fall into bed with all his female associates, great story if a little drawn out with some detailed dialogue.
October 10, 2012
Ok, so this one was better than the previous book. Although there wasn't much of a code. And most of the book had very little to do with the main plotline. It all sort of rushed together there toward the end.
March 1, 2018
Really enjoyed this book and the earlier ones. Good story that kept me reading
May 24, 2020
I couldn't even finish this one, and I don't remember the last time I couldn't finish a book. It was so dull...damn.
August 9, 2025
An adventure/spy novel in the genre of John Buchan, Rider Haggard & Co, in which the protagonist searches for, or accidentally discovers, an ancient artifact or document which leads him to adventures in far-away places.
In this one, Thomas Lourds, a Professor of Linguistics, leaves a promising archaeological dig in China where he is deciphering ancient texts at the request of an old friend in Israel, Dr Lev Strauss, who has found clues to the existence of an ancient text of the Koran and a scroll thought to have been the originals written by Mohammed himself. When Lourds gets to Jerusalem he finds Strauss has been murdered, and that the ancient treasures are being sought by Shi'a Muslims from Iran, aided by an Austrian billionaire who dreams of a new Anshluss between Germany and Austria, ruled by himself, on the one hand, and Sunni Muslims on the other. The Austrian billionnaire was married to an old girlfriend of Lourds, who helps him in his quest.
In a similar fashion to The Da Vinci Code Lourds follows clues from place to place with Sunni and Shi'a pursuers hot on his heels, and occasionally he is captured by them. He is given a "graduate student assistant", who is actually a Mossad spy, and naively trusts her with whole story of his quest on their first meeting, which rather undermines his credibility. The main antagonist, a Colonel in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, appears to die several times but keeps popping up again, bloodied but unbowed (yes, it's a cliche, but in a way the whole book is a cliche).
When I read the adventure stories of John Buchan, H. Rider Haggard and Rudyard Kipling in my youth, it was obvious that the good guys were the British Empire, and the bad guys were all who opposed it or its representatives, the protagonists in the stories. In The Temple Mount Code published in 2011, the good guys are Israel and the USA, saving the world from disaster. In 2025, when those countries are leading the world to disaster, it looks a bit thin.
I'm hiding this review because of spoilers, though the biggest spoiler is in the title of the book -- the protagonist is searching madly for clues to the nature of the hidden documents and their location, while the reader knows all along.
It's not the worst of the genre that I have read -- that honour must surely go to Temple by Matthew Reilly. and it is marginally better than The Da Vinci Code, on which it is clearly modelled. But readers who enjoyed those books will probably enjoy this one.
In this one, Thomas Lourds, a Professor of Linguistics, leaves a promising archaeological dig in China where he is deciphering ancient texts at the request of an old friend in Israel, Dr Lev Strauss, who has found clues to the existence of an ancient text of the Koran and a scroll thought to have been the originals written by Mohammed himself. When Lourds gets to Jerusalem he finds Strauss has been murdered, and that the ancient treasures are being sought by Shi'a Muslims from Iran, aided by an Austrian billionaire who dreams of a new Anshluss between Germany and Austria, ruled by himself, on the one hand, and Sunni Muslims on the other. The Austrian billionnaire was married to an old girlfriend of Lourds, who helps him in his quest.
In a similar fashion to The Da Vinci Code Lourds follows clues from place to place with Sunni and Shi'a pursuers hot on his heels, and occasionally he is captured by them. He is given a "graduate student assistant", who is actually a Mossad spy, and naively trusts her with whole story of his quest on their first meeting, which rather undermines his credibility. The main antagonist, a Colonel in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, appears to die several times but keeps popping up again, bloodied but unbowed (yes, it's a cliche, but in a way the whole book is a cliche).
When I read the adventure stories of John Buchan, H. Rider Haggard and Rudyard Kipling in my youth, it was obvious that the good guys were the British Empire, and the bad guys were all who opposed it or its representatives, the protagonists in the stories. In The Temple Mount Code published in 2011, the good guys are Israel and the USA, saving the world from disaster. In 2025, when those countries are leading the world to disaster, it looks a bit thin.
I'm hiding this review because of spoilers, though the biggest spoiler is in the title of the book -- the protagonist is searching madly for clues to the nature of the hidden documents and their location, while the reader knows all along.
It's not the worst of the genre that I have read -- that honour must surely go to Temple by Matthew Reilly. and it is marginally better than The Da Vinci Code, on which it is clearly modelled. But readers who enjoyed those books will probably enjoy this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2018
An international adventure into the unknown, starting at an archaeological dig in Henan Province, People’s Republic of China, this exciting tale of modern-day mystery and intrigue speeds its way through a range of settings that are beset by terrorist activity, including the Gaza Strip and Tehran. Counterpoised against the hectic pace of the unfolding plot in such urban settings as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Vienna is the finding of a key inscription in an isolated monastery set high up in the Himalaya Mountains.
Charles Brokaw clearly exploits the fear of Muslim world domination, as the plot hinges on a frantic race to find the hiding place of Mohammed’s divinely inspired handwritten Koran and a scroll that foretells the fate of Muslims on Earth. Despite the urgency of the quest, the chief protagonist and catalyst of all the action, the internationally renowned linguist Professor Thomas Lourds, also takes a keen interest in beautiful specimens of the opposite sex, in the form of an ex-lover, Alice von Volker, who is presently married to a pernicious anti-Semitic neo-Nazi arms dealer, and a lethal young Mossad agent, whose torture by Revolutionary Guards in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison is related in graphic and ghastly detail. (The Temple Mount Code is most definitely not for overly sensitive readers!)
This third book in the Lourds series is as exciting and titivating as are the first two. Brokaw does not tread gently around highly sensational topics, instead appearing to revel in known antagonisms― the Western Christian world versus the militant Jihad faction, and pro-Jewish sentiments against radical neo-Nazi fanaticism. Although such issues are used to impel the novel forward, Brokaw at no stage goes into any great depth in dealing with their ramifications, as the plot that he unfolds, despite being multi-threaded, is a straightforward linear narrative. As such, his novels are likely to appeal to those who wish to have a fast, stimulating read, without requiring any profound insights into the modern political world.
Despite the fortunate lack of academia in The Temple Mount Code, Brokaw is the pseudonym of a Midwest academic and college educator. His interests, as can so clearly be seen in the Lourds series, are history, human accomplishment, and archaeology. One just rather wishes that he would take a little more time delving into the psyche of his major characters, but then, perhaps his writing is not only intended to reach a wide-ranging audience, but also to act as a well-earned timeout from the tediousness that comes from being one of the intelligentsia…
Charles Brokaw clearly exploits the fear of Muslim world domination, as the plot hinges on a frantic race to find the hiding place of Mohammed’s divinely inspired handwritten Koran and a scroll that foretells the fate of Muslims on Earth. Despite the urgency of the quest, the chief protagonist and catalyst of all the action, the internationally renowned linguist Professor Thomas Lourds, also takes a keen interest in beautiful specimens of the opposite sex, in the form of an ex-lover, Alice von Volker, who is presently married to a pernicious anti-Semitic neo-Nazi arms dealer, and a lethal young Mossad agent, whose torture by Revolutionary Guards in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison is related in graphic and ghastly detail. (The Temple Mount Code is most definitely not for overly sensitive readers!)
This third book in the Lourds series is as exciting and titivating as are the first two. Brokaw does not tread gently around highly sensational topics, instead appearing to revel in known antagonisms― the Western Christian world versus the militant Jihad faction, and pro-Jewish sentiments against radical neo-Nazi fanaticism. Although such issues are used to impel the novel forward, Brokaw at no stage goes into any great depth in dealing with their ramifications, as the plot that he unfolds, despite being multi-threaded, is a straightforward linear narrative. As such, his novels are likely to appeal to those who wish to have a fast, stimulating read, without requiring any profound insights into the modern political world.
Despite the fortunate lack of academia in The Temple Mount Code, Brokaw is the pseudonym of a Midwest academic and college educator. His interests, as can so clearly be seen in the Lourds series, are history, human accomplishment, and archaeology. One just rather wishes that he would take a little more time delving into the psyche of his major characters, but then, perhaps his writing is not only intended to reach a wide-ranging audience, but also to act as a well-earned timeout from the tediousness that comes from being one of the intelligentsia…
February 5, 2023
Very Fascinating!
Theses stories revolving around Thomas Lourds is extremely interesting. For one I do enjoy the narrative background he give to some his research that he does on the topic being investigated. This alone would be worth the read! This stories/plots themselves are creative and very imaginative! I sometimes feel like I'm reading a new version of Indiana Jones story. Although Doctor Jones was more of an action hero, where as Doctor Lourds is of a combination Indiana Jones meets James Bond! No quite the fighter, but more the womanizer , but in a good sort of way. However in retrospect I do feel the thrills of the hunt/search for the past historical legends. Reading these novels has wet my appetite for the search for lost history and civilizations from the past. Keep it up, you have a vested reader and fan!
Theses stories revolving around Thomas Lourds is extremely interesting. For one I do enjoy the narrative background he give to some his research that he does on the topic being investigated. This alone would be worth the read! This stories/plots themselves are creative and very imaginative! I sometimes feel like I'm reading a new version of Indiana Jones story. Although Doctor Jones was more of an action hero, where as Doctor Lourds is of a combination Indiana Jones meets James Bond! No quite the fighter, but more the womanizer , but in a good sort of way. However in retrospect I do feel the thrills of the hunt/search for the past historical legends. Reading these novels has wet my appetite for the search for lost history and civilizations from the past. Keep it up, you have a vested reader and fan!
December 10, 2017
Religious fact and Fiction
I seriously enjoy reading fictional religious novels that include historical facts, existing historical monuments and geological/architectural features, as well as a good storyline that keeps me interested. I've always been fascinated by archaeology and wanted to go to Egypt, the pyramids, the Nile, Jerusalem, etc., etc. I have been lucky to find authors with series of books that scratch that itch. Brokaw was an author that recently ran across and have now read 3-4 of his Lourds books. I will continue to do so until I run out of his published novels then go find another prolific author until a new Lourds novel or any other character Brokaw dreams up hits the bookstores. Hope others enjoy this one as much as I did.
I seriously enjoy reading fictional religious novels that include historical facts, existing historical monuments and geological/architectural features, as well as a good storyline that keeps me interested. I've always been fascinated by archaeology and wanted to go to Egypt, the pyramids, the Nile, Jerusalem, etc., etc. I have been lucky to find authors with series of books that scratch that itch. Brokaw was an author that recently ran across and have now read 3-4 of his Lourds books. I will continue to do so until I run out of his published novels then go find another prolific author until a new Lourds novel or any other character Brokaw dreams up hits the bookstores. Hope others enjoy this one as much as I did.
January 23, 2019
It was good, not great. I agree with some of the comments that the earlier part of the story, which was written in great detail didn't carry though the rest of the story. I feel like the climax was less spectacular than it should have been with what could have happened given the stakes that were presented if the "bad guy" got there hands on the object.
Granted I listened to most of this one on audiobook, which may have changed how I interpreted the pace of and suspense of the story.
All in all its not a bad story, I still look forward to the final book, but I feel the prior to books were a little more eventful, so I would put the first two books at 4* and this one at 3*.
Granted I listened to most of this one on audiobook, which may have changed how I interpreted the pace of and suspense of the story.
All in all its not a bad story, I still look forward to the final book, but I feel the prior to books were a little more eventful, so I would put the first two books at 4* and this one at 3*.
December 28, 2021
This book definitely felt like two half stories put together to form one, but the author doesn't bother to even tie them together.
I am having a hard time liking the main character at all. All women want him, and once he's slept with all of them, they fight over him. He also has no character development. He's an egotistical pig in the beginning and an egotistical pig in the end. But he had a lot of sex in the mean time.
You can tell the author was a man. Who else would write that woman is about to be tortured, but let me tell you all about her red lace panties.
I am having a hard time liking the main character at all. All women want him, and once he's slept with all of them, they fight over him. He also has no character development. He's an egotistical pig in the beginning and an egotistical pig in the end. But he had a lot of sex in the mean time.
You can tell the author was a man. Who else would write that woman is about to be tortured, but let me tell you all about her red lace panties.
August 13, 2022
This one was better than the second book in the series but still didn’t stand out enough to rank any higher than 3 stars. The first half of the book again was in much greater detail and seemed to be going somewhere, but this then didn’t fully carry across into the remainder of the story. I feel like it again was just a bit of an anti-climax, like the author had already lost interest and got excited about the next story. Its not bad, and I still look forward to the final book in the series, but I felt like the first one had a lot more about it and the other two have let the series down a bit so far.
I still find myself finding it hard to like Thomas Lourds, he again comes across as a womaniser and too full of himself. The story itself had the potential to be decent, and it is quite fast paced and I didn’t lose interest it just let itself down in some ways by trying to be too Indiana Jones-ish and just the way women are viewed was getting a bit too much.
I still find myself finding it hard to like Thomas Lourds, he again comes across as a womaniser and too full of himself. The story itself had the potential to be decent, and it is quite fast paced and I didn’t lose interest it just let itself down in some ways by trying to be too Indiana Jones-ish and just the way women are viewed was getting a bit too much.
March 27, 2018
A friend summons Thomas Lourds to Jerusalem to help decipher an ancient text. The Ayatollah of Iran and many others are after the same text because they believe that it was written by Mohammad himself. If the text falls into the wrong hands a world wide jihad will take place.
The entire book was about the search for the text and very little about the history. It was pretty dull reading.
The entire book was about the search for the text and very little about the history. It was pretty dull reading.
March 14, 2019
I am so peeved.. :|
The book lost it's excitement towards the end. I personally was hoping to find out what was contained in the book and scroll. but ....
This does not cut it for me. And just out of curiosity, must the Thomas character always find someone to lay? and must they always be so understanding? and must he always come out of everything unscathed?
The book lost it's excitement towards the end. I personally was hoping to find out what was contained in the book and scroll. but ....
This does not cut it for me. And just out of curiosity, must the Thomas character always find someone to lay? and must they always be so understanding? and must he always come out of everything unscathed?
March 15, 2021
P'raps I should have read the series "in order" to appreciate the flow of Thomas Lourds' quests. I shevled the book at chapter 36 only to pick up another one that did not engage. Returned with a determination to finish this #3. However, for this reader, the pronounced task entrusted to Thomas did not generate any sense of notable urgency.
January 28, 2024
Humdinger of an Adventure
Timely for our days (January 2024). Interesting backstory, amazing (unbelievable) possibilities and an non super human (Clarke Kent) super archaeologist getting other people killed and himself beat up. Just lots of excitement, pretty girls/women, nasty bad guys. What's not to like?
Timely for our days (January 2024). Interesting backstory, amazing (unbelievable) possibilities and an non super human (Clarke Kent) super archaeologist getting other people killed and himself beat up. Just lots of excitement, pretty girls/women, nasty bad guys. What's not to like?
November 29, 2017
Exciting adventure story
I enjoyed this book very much. It's story line is interesting and well written. It was hard to stop reading as Thomas Lourds finds himself in one perilous situation after another.
I enjoyed this book very much. It's story line is interesting and well written. It was hard to stop reading as Thomas Lourds finds himself in one perilous situation after another.
August 7, 2020
In the spirit of Indiana Jones, Thomas Lourds continues making headline discoveries from forgotten stories or myths. His latest trek is involved with two artifacts whose actual discovery would likely lead to an earth ending nuclear holocaust.
January 15, 2022
Thomas Lourds = Indiana Jones
Very enjoyable adventure set in an all too familiar dangerous world we are part of. Religion can be and is a comfort to many but can also be very dangerous. Highly recommended for reading on a deck chair, a beach or by the poolside.
Very enjoyable adventure set in an all too familiar dangerous world we are part of. Religion can be and is a comfort to many but can also be very dangerous. Highly recommended for reading on a deck chair, a beach or by the poolside.
September 4, 2022
Very much Indiana Jones vibes going on here, with a lot of excitement and action trying to find the Koran and scroll. I loved the twist with Lourd getting help from unexpected places, when you think everything is going south.
June 25, 2025
Another exciting adventure for Thomas Lourds. The action is fast paced and plentiful. I really enjoyed this . I would say out of the three books in this series I have read this is definitely the best.
May 27, 2017
Even though I was hoping for a more detailed search and some more historical facts, it was a good novel. Captivating from the start.
July 13, 2018
sThe Temple Mount Code
A very good plot with continuous side
Issues
Can recommend this to all who like to read about the Middle East.
A very good plot with continuous side
Issues
Can recommend this to all who like to read about the Middle East.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews