The Isaac Question: Templars and the Secret of the Old Testament: Templars in America, Book 5

Templars in America #5

by David S. Brody

While rooting around in the mysterious stone chambers of New England, historian Cameron Thorne and his fiancée Amanda Spencer-Gunn stumble upon a reinterpretation of the Biblical passage calling on Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. It is a revelation—long suppressed by the medieval Knights Templar—that threatens to destabilize the Middle East forever. It is also a secret Cam and Amanda want nothing to do with.

Not that a rogue faction of puppeteering Freemasons gives a damn what Cam and Amanda want.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Action, Thriller, Adventure, Ebooks, Mystery

Audible Audio

First published October 8, 2015

About the author

David S. Brody is a Boston Globe bestselling fiction writer named Boston's "Best Local Author" by the Boston Phoenix newspaper. A graduate of Tufts University and Georgetown Law School, he is a former Director of the New England Antiquities Research Association (NEARA) and is an avid researcher in the subject of pre-Columbian exploration of America. He has appeared as a guest expert on documentaries airing on History Channel, Travel Channel, PBS and Discovery Channel.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Ducie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cam, Amanda and Astarte have their life torn apart by force or forces unknown who may or may not want them to uncover and reveal a secret which could turn history and religion on their heads. This was an interesting story with some fascinating theories. However, it was spoiled for me by too much fact dumping; well-known facts being greeted with surprise by characters who should have known better; and some irritating repetitions and inconsistencies.

[Nelson Meaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating

Historical research and artifacts woven into a complex story of ancient old and current events. Moves with good pace, intriguing basic premise with evidence to support it. Well done.

[Beatrice E. Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complicated story but fun to read


My family were all Masons and a good number were Knight Templars. Many clergy friends believe they are evil. Interesting to read this version.

[Annette Mordec · Rating 1 out of 5]

As advertised the book definitely delivers
Even though the storyline is fictional, the material is well researched and backed up by many reference materials. The "Isaac Question" definitely helped me fill some holes and back up some persistent questions I had all my life about the inconsistances in The Old Testament, The Exodus leading up to The New Testament.
If you do not have an openind about religion, whichever faith you prefer, you will not enjoy this book and might actually put it down fairly quickly. I hope that is not the case as it really is a very good story.
It is a part of a series (Templars in America) but it can be read as stand alone novel just like Book 1 The Cabal of the Westford Knight.
Only other thing I can say about this book is "Enjoy" (and don't start WW3, just kidding).

[Dean Stenzel]

Although this is an interesting read the only real value in the book is hopefully the reader will go read the Bible and learn that Sarah was in the Pharaoh's harem at a very young age and that Sarah became pregnant with Issac in her very old age. Thus one of the central themes of this book is just pure fiction. Hopefully the readers of this book will read and study the Bible. As a believer I pray this author would write fiction that would lead readers to become believers instead of confusing readers and encourage them to become skeptical about the Word.

[Revka · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yawn

The premise was somewhat interesting, but the execution was lacking. To me, the dialogue felt more like a lecture than dialogue much of the time. Many conclusions were drawn and labeled "fact" when they were nothing more than assumptions tenuously and rather haphazardly connected.

This felt like a book that wanted to be a Dan Brown novel, but it didn't even reach that low level.

I have zero interest in reading other books in this series or by this author.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed jumping back into the intrigues of the Templars, Freemasons and the compelling issue of Baphomet. The researcher Cameron Thorne and his fiancé Amanda are thrown into a mystery housed in Bible lore. Plot moves deftly and enjoyed the twists provided by Brody. Highly recommend it.

[Carlos Mock · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Isaac Question: Templars and the Secret of the Old Testament (Templars in America Series Book 5) by David S. Brody

"Sometimes the truth is so incomprehensible, so inconceivable, that we simply can not fathom it." p. 344

"This Isaac Question revelation may force people to stop looking at these ancient texts, if you will excuse my wordplay, as the gospel. The Old Testament, the Koran, the New Testament--they are words of men, written by men. There is nothing the least divine about them." p. 348

The Issac Question is based on the Book of Genesis, Chapter 12 where Abraham allows his wife, Sarah to become part of the pharaoh's harem to avoid being punished by the pharaoh. She is presumably pregnant from this union and thus the question at hand is as to whether Isaac belongs to Abraham vs being the son of the pharaoh, Akhenaton III, the first monotheistic pharaoh in Egypt.

Mr. Brosy again uses his two protagonists from the Templars in America series, Cameron (Cam) Thorne and Amanda Spencer-Gunn who are working on their respective research. Cam is an expert of pre-Columbian expeditions to the New World. Amanda is studying the cult of Baphomet, who's worshipped by The Knight's Templar. Soon they are embroiled in a gifted property that is supposedly contaminated and would cost Cam millions of dollars with the EPA if he does not join the faculty of Brandeis College to pursue his research. Cam is followed and almost killed by Bartol, a white nationalist that wants to increase the influence of Europeans in America. Framed and followed by the Freemasons, the Mossad, and Zuberi Yoassef--a seller of arms to the middle-East, they must fight for survival, avoid blackmail, and figure out if their relationship is strong enough to finish their research before they are killed. Obviously, if the Isaac Question is true it holds many repercussions as to who's entitled to the Holy Land.

The story is narrated from the third person point of view. The plot is interesting and the book is hard to put down. It reads easily. My only concern is that it felt that Mr. Brody wanted to include every conceivable theory and try to make sense of all of them at the same time--druids, Moses is the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaton III, druids traveled to America with Brendan the Navigator and brought Baphomet's head in 550 A. D., Baphomet head was then retrieved by the Knight's Templars in the Sinclair expedition of the New World in the 14th century. Princess Scota was a descendant of the Egyptians and brought Baphomet's head to Scotland millennia before Jesus was born, Baphomet is the head of either John the Baptist or Moses himself, The Freemasons are descendants of the Knight Templars and kept all their secrets. Finally, it involves human cloning.

It is repetitive and, by the time I was done, it is very far fetched to the point that a warning is posted at the beginning of the book: "If you believe that the Old Testament is the literal word of God, you are likely to be offended by some of the themes and revelations contained in this novel."

I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed any of the prior books in the series.

[Carla Cilvik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, Far-Fetched, and Factual

Yes, I believe it’s possible that this story was a mix of all three! When I say “far-fetched” I’m not saying that with a negative connotation, more so that the author really reaches and comes up with some theories that seem unbelievable, yet leave a curious mind questioning. I wish to not give away any spoilers, so I won’t point any theories out here. What I appreciate most is the depth of research that Brody puts into all his novels. (I’m choosing to read them in order, so this is my 5th one.) The research presented challenges many withstanding ideologies, and personally, I believe that’s a good thing. We need a breath of fresh air- questions that make us think, no matter how absurd they sound. And perhaps these questions will never be answered…what matters is that possibilities are laid on the table and the reader is left to decide.

This was one of my favorites so far! I highly enjoyed this novel, especially the intrigue with the freemasons, partly because my partner just became one! As a pagan, I appreciate the connections with the Druids and the Templars, and the acknowledgement of the pagan celebrations such as Beltane and Lughnasadh, or Lunasa.

There’s a lot going on in this one, so be ready with an open mind, and make sure you read when not feeling sleepy! I found myself having a hard time tracking here and there, and I appreciated how things were tied together and explained toward the end.

My only minor gripes are that the ending was a bit…odd. A bit of a curveball. I certainly didn’t see that coming, and wasn’t quite sure it fit in with the rest of the story. And there was a chunk of cliché moments/dialogue between Cam and Amanda as they went through their rough patches. That could have been cut back. Other than that, there wasn’t much to complain about.

I have to admit my favorite quote of the book was, “someday someone really should write a non-fiction version of the Bible.”

Again, an intriguing read that will keep you turning the pages.

[Ilham Alam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The research on this is fantastic. But this book would’ve been better as a creative non fiction, rather than a novel about the completely passion-less, self obsessed, righteous bores that are Cameron and his perfect hottie-with-smarts fiancée Amanda (did I mention that she has a cute Brit accent too). And of course there’s a preternaturally smart orphan named Astarte, whose teeth I felt like kicking in every time she referred to Cam as “Campadre”!

Again, the author has the theory that the Druids were the first Europeans in the Americas, a 1000 years before Columbus. He also has the theory that Jews have a much different ancestry (tied to the Isaac question) than previously believed and that there’s a surprising connection between the Ancient Egyptians, Druids, Templar’s and the Free Masons. Oh yeah, and there’s something about the Skull of Baphomet that Amanda is researching on, in between being the perfect fiancée to Cameron and an all around hot shit (damn how does she find the time)!

Of course, because of the info dump (but but those are dialogues between Cam and Am, you see) and the boring characters that you wish would just drown in Boston Harbour already, the information never really fits with the story and comes together.

This was trying to be thrilling and shocking as the legendary, The Da Vinci Code, meant to change our understanding of established Biblical history. But this book fails miserably.

[Meredith Lahmann · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out really well with very interesting and controversial assertions about the Old Testament story of Abraham and Isaac. Initially the characters are also likable and varied. However, by mid book, the story begins to bog down into lots of pedantic repetition and an increasingly unrealistic plot. One significant character is suddenly eliminated without any real point. His purpose to the plot is unclear and far fetched by that time, a shame since he was rather intriguing. As the spot thickens, the characters become less likable especially Thorne's finance, who turns shrewish and unreasonable given all the circumstances. From that point, reason becomes less evident as the whole Middle East is supposed to be teetering on Armageddon because of obscure research by a man whose life has turned to dung on every front.
Another main character is eliminated in a highly unlikely and ghoulish turn of events. From there the plot takes a precipitous descent into nonsense and comes to a highly anticlimactic end in which a pathological killer is supposed to give into a weak threat with little chance of success. The end feels as if the author lost control of all the threads of conspiracy and just let it unravel.
This story had a lot of unrealized potential.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

These types of books are, for me, somewhat enjoyable to read but they leave me with a lot of unanswered questions as I tend to look at them more as factual than fiction. I think if I could remind myself of that in the beginning it might help in my overall enjoyment of books like this.

The premise and plot lines are fine and the characters for the most part are believable, but everything feels a little loose ... like there is a lot of background missing that might have happened in another issue or something along those lines (which in this case is probably 100% correct).

I would have preferred if there would have been more attention to how the conclusions of various artifacts, or genealogy lines were arrived at to help bolster my understanding of the science (so to speak) instead of the characters interactions around those topics. But again, this is the difference between the fictional writing and factual styles.

Anyway, I enjoyed the book and will possibly go back and pick up the series from the first book to read, when my time allows.

[Roger Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Brody writes stories that frequently leave the reader wondering if perhaps some of the content or conclusions could be real. I enjoy Mr. Brody's books and the way he formulates hypotheses based on history with controversial issues arising from his unique perspective views. I am intrigued by the way the author inserts actual historical events or locations into his stories and manipulates the storyline to focus on outcomes that might otherwise be disregarded as absurd. The one thing that a reader has to remember when reading these stories is that they are intended to be a work of fiction derived from a writer's creative concepts. Religion, Knights Templar, Freemasons, factual historical events, etc all are topics that will elicit strong emotions and make for good reading. I am a person who enjoys history and a good story, therefore I would recommend this book to anyone with the same interest.

[Paul Bennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another story in the "Templars in America" but, as with the other books in the series, it can be read as a standalone. It again challenges certain religious beliefs to the point that there is a warning at the beginning of the book that some themes in the book may be offensive to those with strong religious beliefs.

This story explores possible links between the Druids, the Templars, and modern-day Freemasonry as well as the aforementioned challenge to certain religious beliefs. Without giving away the story itself, it is decided by the characters in the story that certain things that are discovered in the story cannot be revealed to the general public because of the destabilising effect this could have in the Middle East. I was left with the impression that if the book was made generally available in the Middle East and its storyline gained traction then this could definitely change things there.

It was a great and engaging read which I really enjoyed.

[Bob Ely · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. It makes the reader stop and think about what the possibilities are. The other thing about this author, is that he publishes photos of the relics and places he is talking about. Cam and Amanda set out, again, to investigate the possibility that the Templers were in America long before Columbus. The book takes into account, not only the Templers, but the Mossad, the Egyptians and the Masons and how they all relate. There is a theory that the Scots came from the Egyptians and that Isaac was also came from the Egyptians. This books follows their research and the trials and tribulations that come into play. As I said, it makes the reader think. I enjoyed the book.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t Put This Book Down

The title, The Isaac Question: Templars and the Old Testament, hooked me. The plot and Mr. Brody’s style of writing and intensive research kept me reading. His characters are very human with human problems and emotions. There is a hero, Cam, but he’s not a fantasy superhero. He suffers attacks and accepts help. He is “Everyman,” except he has a great inquisitive mind.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the Bible, Freemason and Templar lore, and history. I purchased the Kindle version but I was enjoying it so much that I bought my husband the paperback version so we could discuss the story together.

I can’t wait to read the rest of Mr. Brody’s books.

[Brandie Lea Slicer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and thrilling!

Another winner! Although I was a bit disappointed with Amanda’s character in this novel (in the series), IMHO I understood some of her issues. But with everything else going (literal life/death and financial ruin scenarios), her continued issues with trust grated on my nerves a bit.

Overall, once again the historical research was very interesting, the scenarios that Cam found himself in this time were terrifying! I’ve always thought of religious texts as historical documents written by men and edited over the years (by more men), so I really enjoy the various views, different perspectives and ideas that come from these books.

[Anne Wingate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating but . . .

Brody is a terrific writer, and this one holds the reader's attention from first page to last. From that of view the book is a howling success
BUT . . .
He takes a plethora of myth, legend, allegations, and old wives' tales and uses that shifting sand as the foundation for a heavy stone tower that totters and falls from its own unsupported weight.
The carpenter he doesn't believe in could tell him what happens when you build your house on sand.
A+ for writing skill, character development, use of locale, use of artifacts, and building suspense.
F- for logic.
A carpenter has to succeed. A lawyer has only to try to succeed.

[Ms Wright · Rating 1 out of 5]

Would not recommend! Whitewashed Fixtion

Giving historical insight but omitting the fact that the ancient Egyptians and Hebrews were of African Negroid descent is a travesty. We can highlight European influences without whitewashing another culture. I will not be recommending this book at all! The author does treats history with a bias lens. The Middle East is on the continent of Africa and was a newly coined term after the Suez Canal was built. With all the research that the author supposedly does to come to his conclusions and not mention the actual representation of the Negro ancient contributions is steeped in white supremacy!

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interestingalthough I am not a religious scholar

If I knew the Old Testament better, I could either agree or dispute Brody's ideas. I actually feel the Isaac question may create tolerance than chaos. I feel as the world becomes global, the only way to survive is to negotiate. But that but of fatalism comes from me being a child of the Cold War: one moment watching to see which country had the lead in the Space Race, while next ducking under my school dress in drill in case th US was bombed by the Soviet Union.

[Cheri T Vaughan · Rating 3 out of 5]

New surprises More outside the box

I have read the previous books in this series with much enjoyment and appreciation. I was disappointed in this volume because the story was less clear and sharp and lost my attention at times. However, I will certainly continue the series because it is the adventure and history that has me hooked and I want to continue on to more discoveries and possibilities.

[Sheila Stanton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questions after questions are asked but, what do you believe!!!

Sometimes when we you read a book it makes you relax other times it makes you think. This is one of those books that makes you do both. It is a very good book. I recommend. It to anyone that likes a good story and makes them wonder !.

[Kathleen Lifka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth in fiction

I am fascinated with the potential "truth" behind Catholicism/ Christianity. I question the validity of the Bible. While this novel is generally fiction, Mr. Brody includes enough fact based information to persuade me to think differently. I am by no means an expert, just curious.

[Melissa Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read forModern Indiana Jones types.

Mixes interesting plots
With historical truths. Making you want to believe every word. Doesn’t give false evidence even makes stale subjects so interesting. Secret
Societies and danger lives next
Door. Would love
To see a movie made it was just enough love but all heart.

[Elaine Hargrave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Temples. History

If you like history and theories then this could be for you. Cam and Amanda are likable characters and the story is skillfully written with well researched facts woven in with a large amount of fiction. Plausible facts to keep the interest going. On par with Dan Brown only the reader can decide.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remarkable factional - if you're open-minded enough

I can't decide how skilfully the author debunks religion entirely. ( Which I accept myself any way) but it teases me whether there are any political shifts in the presentation of this exceptional thesis to acknowledge the truth now being revealed about church ruthless destruction of truth so as to retain its truthless power.

[Geraldine R. Gaugler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read.

Being a Christian, I disagree with a number of his conclusions, and I appreciate that he puts a disclaimer at the front of the book that warns Christians that they may find his conclusions unsettling. That being said, I enjoyed the story and intrigue. The story is fast moving and holds your interest.

[Beth McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book

This is a truly fascinating story that challenges many accepted basics of Christian history. I found this book stimulating and entertaining and, fortunately, I did not feel my beliefs were threatened. The pictures added depth to my imagination, so I valued their presence. Lots to ponder.

[Daniel Deitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

The mix of fact and fiction make this an interesting read. We are now pretty much convinced that western man visited the americas a long time before Columbus but the story of Sara ,Abraham’s wife, is a little far fetched and will cause concern for some readers. Despite the above it’s a good read with lots of lovely pictures.

[Dusty Pruitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth verses Fiction

Varying interesting book that poses the Issac question. Lots of interesting items and pictures in the book. Thing about something being false is it can be 90% true but not be true. No way could Moses be the father of Issac. He came along several hundred years later. Big D