What do you think?
Rate this book
Le Dernier Templier - Graphic novels #1
De decoder
Met een poepchic gala opent het Metropolitan Museum een tentoonstelling met legendarische schatten uit het Vaticaan. Plots doen vier ruiters in tempelierskostuum de avondjurken en smokings uiteenstuiven. Voor het oog van de camera richtten ze een bloedbad aan. Weggedoken achter een vitrinekast is Tess, een briljante archeologe, getuige. Ze voelt meteen dat dit geen gewone criminelen zijn en dat er een band is met de geschiedenis van de echte tempeliers. Alleen FBI-agent Sean Reilly vertrouwt op de intuïtie van de jonge vrouw. Samen willen ze waarheid uitzoeken. Welk geheim verbergen de soldaat-monniken, dat het Vaticaan, de Kerk en zelfs heel het christendom doet wankelen op hun grondvesten?
52 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2009
87 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Raymond Khoury
54 books1,259 followersRaymond Khoury is the author of five consecutive New York Times and #1 international bestsellers, starting with his debut novel, THE LAST TEMPLAR. His books have been translated into 38 languages, with over 10 million copies in print.
Raymond came to writing thrillers from a career in screenwriting, which including the BAFTA award winning BBC series SPOOKS (aka MI:5 in the US) and Waking The Dead. It partly explains why his novels are often described as cinematic and very visual. As fellow bestselling author Steve Berry puts it: "his expertly chosen verbs cause the scenes to leap from the page. You can literally feel the blows as they're landed; wince as the bullets find their marks. He has an intense brand of storytelling all his own."
THE LAST TEMPLAR began its journey to print as Raymond's third original screenplay, written for film in 1996. At the time, a book agent suggested turning it into a novel, and a major NY publisher, the first to read it, offered Raymond a huge advance for the as-yet-unwritten novel, with one condition: "Lose the religion. It's boring. Change the Templars' secret to gold, diamonds, a physical treasure." After much tortured consideration, Raymond turned the offer down, his first potential check from writing. Almost exactly ten years later, his novel, based on that screenplay--religion included--became a global bestseller, hitting #1 in multiple countries and getting adapted into an NBC miniseries.
Raymond's thrillers are based on big themes that interest him such as international politics and conspiracies, fact vs faith, why we age and die, what do we really know about reincarnation, about mind control. He explores these themes in depth, with heavy emphasis on research, and often combines a historical angle to his stories. As such, some of his novels (THE LAST TEMPLAR, THE SANCTUARY, THE TEMPLAR SALVATION, RASPUTIN'S SHADOW) feature dual timelines: the bulk of the stories are set in the present day, interspersed with chapters that take place in the distant past. As Booklist puts it, "Khoury's thrillers engage the reader's mind, even as they move at a breakneck pace. Readers who like their thrillers to have a solid intellectual component will enjoy Khoury's books very much. Given the high quality of each of his novels, it seems fair to say that he may be around for a while."
Raymond's 8th novel is an epic alternate history and time travel story that Publishers Weekly called "ingeniously inventive" and "a classic of the genre": It is already out in the UK as THE OTTOMAN SECRET, and is out on Oct 1 in the US under a different title, EMPIRE OF LIES.
To find out more about him and his work, visit his website at raymondkhoury.com or connect with him on his Facebook page or on Instagram (@author.raymond.khoury).
Raymond came to writing thrillers from a career in screenwriting, which including the BAFTA award winning BBC series SPOOKS (aka MI:5 in the US) and Waking The Dead. It partly explains why his novels are often described as cinematic and very visual. As fellow bestselling author Steve Berry puts it: "his expertly chosen verbs cause the scenes to leap from the page. You can literally feel the blows as they're landed; wince as the bullets find their marks. He has an intense brand of storytelling all his own."
THE LAST TEMPLAR began its journey to print as Raymond's third original screenplay, written for film in 1996. At the time, a book agent suggested turning it into a novel, and a major NY publisher, the first to read it, offered Raymond a huge advance for the as-yet-unwritten novel, with one condition: "Lose the religion. It's boring. Change the Templars' secret to gold, diamonds, a physical treasure." After much tortured consideration, Raymond turned the offer down, his first potential check from writing. Almost exactly ten years later, his novel, based on that screenplay--religion included--became a global bestseller, hitting #1 in multiple countries and getting adapted into an NBC miniseries.
Raymond's thrillers are based on big themes that interest him such as international politics and conspiracies, fact vs faith, why we age and die, what do we really know about reincarnation, about mind control. He explores these themes in depth, with heavy emphasis on research, and often combines a historical angle to his stories. As such, some of his novels (THE LAST TEMPLAR, THE SANCTUARY, THE TEMPLAR SALVATION, RASPUTIN'S SHADOW) feature dual timelines: the bulk of the stories are set in the present day, interspersed with chapters that take place in the distant past. As Booklist puts it, "Khoury's thrillers engage the reader's mind, even as they move at a breakneck pace. Readers who like their thrillers to have a solid intellectual component will enjoy Khoury's books very much. Given the high quality of each of his novels, it seems fair to say that he may be around for a while."
Raymond's 8th novel is an epic alternate history and time travel story that Publishers Weekly called "ingeniously inventive" and "a classic of the genre": It is already out in the UK as THE OTTOMAN SECRET, and is out on Oct 1 in the US under a different title, EMPIRE OF LIES.
To find out more about him and his work, visit his website at raymondkhoury.com or connect with him on his Facebook page or on Instagram (@author.raymond.khoury).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 4, 2019
29/52 books read in 2019.
This is probably the least exciting volume out of the four comics made based on Raymond Khoury's book The Last Templar, but it was quite enjoyable nonetheless. In this series we follow two story lines: that of the Templar Knights when their city was destroyed, and that of Tess Chaykin whose visit to a gala was aggressively interrupted by a group of robbers claiming the legacy of the original Templar Knights and, as a result of that, becomes an informal part of the investigating team. This is the first in a series of four, so we are introduced to the main characters and the start of the adventure is set up, but not a lot of details are fleshed out yet and I actually found it a little meh until the very end. The ending is a great cliffhanger and it made me very curious about the rest of the series (and glad I had picked them up at the same time).
This is probably the least exciting volume out of the four comics made based on Raymond Khoury's book The Last Templar, but it was quite enjoyable nonetheless. In this series we follow two story lines: that of the Templar Knights when their city was destroyed, and that of Tess Chaykin whose visit to a gala was aggressively interrupted by a group of robbers claiming the legacy of the original Templar Knights and, as a result of that, becomes an informal part of the investigating team. This is the first in a series of four, so we are introduced to the main characters and the start of the adventure is set up, but not a lot of details are fleshed out yet and I actually found it a little meh until the very end. The ending is a great cliffhanger and it made me very curious about the rest of the series (and glad I had picked them up at the same time).
March 14, 2020
brief synopsis:
An obscure artefact is stolen from the Met by four men dressed as Templars. While the FBI investigates the case, a Vatican official does some investigating oo his own, one that leaves no witnesses behind.
setting:
Acre, Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem
New York
Vatican City
named personalities:
Martin - a Knight of the Temple of Jerusalem
Aimard - ditto; Martin's friend and master
William of Beaujeu - grand master of the temple
Kim - a little girl
Tess Chaykin - Kim's blonde archaeologist mother
Clive Edmonson - Tess' friend
Sean Reilly - an FBI agent
Aparo - ditto
Amelia - ditto
Rienzi - a cardinal
Brugnone - a monsignor
Buchinski - an FBI agent
Mrs Gibson - an FBI secretary
Michael De Angelis - a monsignor
Jansson - Sean's boss
Lucien - a French antiques dealer
Gus Waldron - one of the MET raiders; a former boxer
Conan - the barbarian
Branko Petrovic - a name the Gus gave up
Some plotlines are clearer than when I read The Last Templar.
An obscure artefact is stolen from the Met by four men dressed as Templars. While the FBI investigates the case, a Vatican official does some investigating oo his own, one that leaves no witnesses behind.
setting:
Acre, Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem
New York
Vatican City
named personalities:
Martin - a Knight of the Temple of Jerusalem
Aimard - ditto; Martin's friend and master
William of Beaujeu - grand master of the temple
Kim - a little girl
Tess Chaykin - Kim's blonde archaeologist mother
Clive Edmonson - Tess' friend
Sean Reilly - an FBI agent
Aparo - ditto
Amelia - ditto
Rienzi - a cardinal
Brugnone - a monsignor
Buchinski - an FBI agent
Mrs Gibson - an FBI secretary
Michael De Angelis - a monsignor
Jansson - Sean's boss
Lucien - a French antiques dealer
Gus Waldron - one of the MET raiders; a former boxer
Conan - the barbarian
Branko Petrovic - a name the Gus gave up
Some plotlines are clearer than when I read The Last Templar.
November 4, 2019
I did write a review, but who knows what happened to it. Anyway, I've always enjoyed reading about the Templars and I do enjoy a graphic novel once in a while, so this was a happy mixture. It's a good beginning to the story and one of these days I'll have time for the next.
June 3, 2022
Etant assez intriguée par tout ce qui est templier j’ai été tout de suite attirée par celui ci, d’autant que la couverture est sublime.
L’histoire semble particulièrement intéressante malgré que l’on en voit qu’un tout petit morceau dans ce tome 1 qui m’a semblé bien trop rapide. A peine commencé, j’en étais déjà au bout. L’intrigue donne envie, mais il y a trop d’action pour trop peu d’histoire et cela a nui à mon intérêt pour le livre.
Le livre est ponctué de quelques flash-black racontant une histoire d’un passé lointain. Celui d’un templier ! Ce qui heureusement nous garde dans la lecture.
Les personnages ! Alors eux, ils ont commencé à m’intéresser, et pouf ! Je me suis lassé. Ils ne bénéficient d’aucun développement. Alors oui, c’est un tome 1 mais quand même. J’aurais préféré moins d’action et plus de développement pour s’habituer et s’attacher aux personnages avant d’entrer dans le vif du sujet. Je ne parle même pas des relations entre eux qui vont beaucoup trop vite, et qu’on ne peut même pas comprendre, tellement elles sortent d’on ne sait où.
Le rattrapage se fait sur les dessins qui sont magnifiques. Réalistes mais pas trop, ce sont typiquement les illustrations que j’affectionne.
Cette BD est l’adaptation d’un roman que je suis bien tentée de lire !
Conclusion : Ce n’est pas un livre que j’ai adoré mais je l’ai suffisamment apprécié pour vouloir lire la suite et sa version d’origine. Donc je le conseille tout de même !
L’histoire semble particulièrement intéressante malgré que l’on en voit qu’un tout petit morceau dans ce tome 1 qui m’a semblé bien trop rapide. A peine commencé, j’en étais déjà au bout. L’intrigue donne envie, mais il y a trop d’action pour trop peu d’histoire et cela a nui à mon intérêt pour le livre.
Le livre est ponctué de quelques flash-black racontant une histoire d’un passé lointain. Celui d’un templier ! Ce qui heureusement nous garde dans la lecture.
Les personnages ! Alors eux, ils ont commencé à m’intéresser, et pouf ! Je me suis lassé. Ils ne bénéficient d’aucun développement. Alors oui, c’est un tome 1 mais quand même. J’aurais préféré moins d’action et plus de développement pour s’habituer et s’attacher aux personnages avant d’entrer dans le vif du sujet. Je ne parle même pas des relations entre eux qui vont beaucoup trop vite, et qu’on ne peut même pas comprendre, tellement elles sortent d’on ne sait où.
Le rattrapage se fait sur les dessins qui sont magnifiques. Réalistes mais pas trop, ce sont typiquement les illustrations que j’affectionne.
Cette BD est l’adaptation d’un roman que je suis bien tentée de lire !
Conclusion : Ce n’est pas un livre que j’ai adoré mais je l’ai suffisamment apprécié pour vouloir lire la suite et sa version d’origine. Donc je le conseille tout de même !
November 8, 2019
Fun read
Great artwork, good story. I like books that have multiple story lines going at once. Looking forward to the next installment.
Great artwork, good story. I like books that have multiple story lines going at once. Looking forward to the next installment.
May 10, 2020
Comic, not a book!
Rip off. Not a book. Comic.
How are we supposed to know about this? Very very irritating, just like meeting minimum word count
Rip off. Not a book. Comic.
How are we supposed to know about this? Very very irritating, just like meeting minimum word count
January 31, 2021
Templars mysteries at their best... Very good start!
July 12, 2022
Ok, zanimljivo i solidno za prvi broj. Videćemo kako će se dalje razvijati priča.
August 19, 2016
Cinebook’s new series is a tale that begins the Templar knights as they are forced to flee Jerusalem. With the battle all but lost two knights are entrusted with the task of getting a small chest away by sea, a mission they barely achieve. The story then moves to present day New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosting a spectacular launch for their new show called the Treasures Of The Vatican where we’re introduced to archaeologist Tess Chaykin, along with her mother and daughter. Just as she begins catching up with an old archaeologist friend four horseman dressed as Templar knights assault the exhibition with swords and automatic weapons, grabbing valuable artefacts before fleeing into the night.
It’s a serious enough case to warrant the presence of the FBI, and soon a shaken Tess and her family find themselves being charmed by the handsome Agent Reilly. Later, when reviewing the CCTV footage, Reilly realises the close proximity of Tess to one of the criminals so arranges to meet up, allowing Tess to not just share her eye-witness account but her insights and knowledge of the Templars. Significantly, it’s the object she witnessed being taken, a sixteenth century encoder, that proves interesting.
Back at the Vatican a meeting of cardinals are horrified at the events in New York, but one is more disturbed than most, realising the significance of one of the stolen objects. And back in Manhattan, one of the members of the heist crew is attempting to sell one of the objects through a crooked antiques dealer. The dealer knows this is immensely risky, and fearing for his own safety gets the authorities involved, leading to the flushing out of the crook.
There’s is clearly more this encoder than first meets the eye, and with religious fervour, twisted and incomplete histories, and a great helping of speculation of legend the waters are well and truly muddied, although there does appear to be one individual who knows exactly what’s going on and what it all means.
The Last Templar, like many a good adventure yarn, takes a historical context and weaves in an ancient secret and a silent conspiracy with the promise of great riches. The book states it’s not suitable for the under 12s, largely due to a few bloody deaths along the way, but certainly for kids and adults it’s got the makings of an interesting mystery with plenty of secrets to be unlocked.
It’s a serious enough case to warrant the presence of the FBI, and soon a shaken Tess and her family find themselves being charmed by the handsome Agent Reilly. Later, when reviewing the CCTV footage, Reilly realises the close proximity of Tess to one of the criminals so arranges to meet up, allowing Tess to not just share her eye-witness account but her insights and knowledge of the Templars. Significantly, it’s the object she witnessed being taken, a sixteenth century encoder, that proves interesting.
Back at the Vatican a meeting of cardinals are horrified at the events in New York, but one is more disturbed than most, realising the significance of one of the stolen objects. And back in Manhattan, one of the members of the heist crew is attempting to sell one of the objects through a crooked antiques dealer. The dealer knows this is immensely risky, and fearing for his own safety gets the authorities involved, leading to the flushing out of the crook.
There’s is clearly more this encoder than first meets the eye, and with religious fervour, twisted and incomplete histories, and a great helping of speculation of legend the waters are well and truly muddied, although there does appear to be one individual who knows exactly what’s going on and what it all means.
The Last Templar, like many a good adventure yarn, takes a historical context and weaves in an ancient secret and a silent conspiracy with the promise of great riches. The book states it’s not suitable for the under 12s, largely due to a few bloody deaths along the way, but certainly for kids and adults it’s got the makings of an interesting mystery with plenty of secrets to be unlocked.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews