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Sam Reilly #7

The Third Temple

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A mystery wrapped in a myth about the origins of humanity.

A race to find an ancient pyramid hidden in plain sight.

A secret so dangerous its guardians will kill to protect it.

And an ancient covenant that might save the world, or destroy it completely.


In 1655 a group of explorers from the Emerald Star entered the Namibian Desert in search of an ancient relic rumored to be hidden in a secret temple. None of the crew ever returned – but stories of their mysterious demise continued to be told.

In the present-day Turkish subterranean city of Derinkuyu, a strange wooden placard is discovered floating in an old well. It’s covered in the script of a language long forgotten, but Sam Reilly has seen the text before. The words suggest an ancient race might still exist, and are in the process of building a new temple.

The question is – is it the same temple where Dr. Billie Swan is being held prisoner?

367 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 28, 2017

680 people are currently reading
458 people want to read

About the author

Christopher Cartwright

66 books249 followers
Christopher Cartwright writes spellbinding mysteries and suspense novels. Often with a backdrop of ocean adventure. Born in 1983, he has a background as a paramedic, and is an avid sailor and SCUBA diver.

He holds degrees in paramedics, nursing and emergency management.

Chris currently lives in Sydney with his wife and two children.

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5 stars
905 (47%)
4 stars
672 (35%)
3 stars
225 (11%)
2 stars
65 (3%)
1 star
28 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
Profile Image for Montzalee Wittmann.
5,212 reviews2,339 followers
August 16, 2018
The Third Temple by Christopher Cartwright and narrated by David Gilmore is an Audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. I love these books! They are a cross between Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt adventures , Indiana Jones, and Lara Drift Tomb Raider. There is lots of action, adventure, treasure, clues, history, and supernatural or borders on supernatural elements. Great characters, suspense, and loads of trouble find them, or they find it. Never disappointed with a San Reilly book! The narration is great for this series. He has a slightly gruff voice and it is perfect for these adventure novels. He performs the women without the gruffness, lol.
Profile Image for Arindam B.
36 reviews13 followers
October 25, 2017
This book is more suitable to be a Hollywood thriller movie than a book. Dan Brown fans, will not find this book upto their expectations. Avid readers may not find this book a very good option as far as the literary aspects and writing skills are concerned. But occasional readers without much expectations may like it.
3 stars seems a reasonable rating for this book.
Profile Image for Jessie.
270 reviews3 followers
November 7, 2021
This book wasn't for me. I got 40% of the way into it, and I didn't like how it went through three main characters in that time, and there was such poor character development for each of them that I just didn't care about them. It also feels like there's a lot of obvious filler in between the bigger things happening. The flow of a story should feel natural, but this felt like things were just being delayed until we finally got to the part that we cared about.

I noticed this is #7 in the series, and I'm sure that explains a lot of the issues I had with the character development since I didn't read the first six. I got it because it was a Kindle deal. To grow the reader base, I think it's important to put the deal on book #1 so people learn the backgrounds of the characters rather than get thrown into the middle of things with no idea what's going on.
Profile Image for Roger.
5,593 reviews28 followers
April 15, 2019
The Third Temple, my seventh read from author Christopher Cartwright & the seventh book in the highly entertaining Sam Reilly series. Well-written and captivating with well-developed main characters reminding one of Dan Brown’s writing as well as the character of Indiana Jones. I’ll be reading more by this author as I own several more books in the series! (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
Profile Image for Wade Higgins.
23 reviews
November 29, 2021
comic book like

Poorly written story as unlikely as a comic book. Simply poor. Only cost $0.99 which was too much. Not worth the effort
Profile Image for Carlos Mock.
932 reviews14 followers
January 19, 2022
The Third Temple (Sam Reilly #7) by Christopher Cartwright

This is a stand-alone book. You don't need any of the prior books to enjoy it.

The book opens in 1655 when Harper Smith led an expedition to recover a golden skull from a tribe in the Namibian Desert. Unfortunately, he does not make it out alive, and the ship that was supposed to take him to safety - The Emerald Star - is swallowed by a sand storm and Smith is entombed with his stolen possession. However, one of the expeditionists, Thomas Hammersmith, is saved by a mysterious ghost who tells him that he wants him to survive so that he can deliver a message to his brother: "tell him he'll never get his greedy hands on it. I'd rather destroy it before I let him succeded." p 24

Then we go to 2005, Dr. Billie Swan is in Mount Ararat - the place where Noah's Ark supposedly made ground after the flood. She's with her godfather, Jeremy Follet. They were investigating what occurred in Armenia around 301 A. D. when King Tiruades III ruled the region, Legend has he went mad and was cured by Gregory the Illuminator who converted him to Christianity. She is betrayed by Follet and is captured and disappears.

Back to the present. In the Turkish subterranean city of Derinkuyu, a strange wooden placard is discovered floating in an old well. It’s covered in the script of a language long forgotten, but Sam Reilly has seen the text before. The words suggest an ancient race might still exist, and are in the process of building a new temple.

The question is – is it the same temple where Dr. Billie Swan is being held prisoner?

Narrated from the third person point-of-view, the book takes us to multiple settings and deals with a race of "Master Builders" with superpowers and longevity. Disguised as the Four Horses of the Apocalypse: Conquest, Death, War, and Famine - they are determined to guard the secrets of an ancient civilization that has clues as to a future event that could end the world as we know it. It is up to Sam Reilly, Tom Bower, and their crew to figure the clues out so that they can rescue Billie before it's too late.

An easy, fast, and very entertaining read. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Daniel.
520 reviews4 followers
December 3, 2020
Story is interesting

I liked the overall story, which tired historical and Biblical references together in an entirely different manner. The characters were also likeable.

Things that bother me: The earliest chapter with Billie had her rescued but then she's suddenly missing again? Sam is the best there is. He has unlimited resources and the ability to make ridiculous leaps that allow the story to progress without taking the time to learn about it through the story. He also figures in prophecy because why not? Elise is stupid smart. Can also make unreasonable leaps and is a Very Important Person. Then there's the secret tribe that we're told has no names for colors. Next page we learn they refer to something as the Black Smoke. Turns out they do have at least one name for a color.

Conceptually the story is good. Too bad it's filled with Mary Sues.
500 reviews8 followers
October 10, 2017
Very Good Action/Mystery/Adventure Novel

This is the second of this series I have read, and it is better than #6! The group of protagonists are searching for knowledge and information in abandoned sites around the world. Several different groups seem to oppose their efforts. This is very well-written, an order of magnitude better than most similar books. Be aware that the same plot runs behind the other books in the series -- start with #1 and read them in order to best follow the action.

Christopher Cartwright includes many recent archeological discoveries within his fiction, which gives the story more depth. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AS BOTH AN INDIVIDUAL BOOK AND AS A SERIES!!
Profile Image for Courtney Odor.
113 reviews4 followers
June 4, 2019
First, I have to start off by stating that I got this book free of charge in exchange for a review, but as I always state, this does not in any way impact my review. My reviews are always honest and my own.

Another book finished with the exciting new adventures of Sam Reilly. Christopher Cartwright got me hooked on his characters in this series. I have read all seven and they are awesome. Fast-paced, suspense and a touch of humor. It is fun fantasizing about the events and quests the characters Sam Reilly and Tom Bower tackle. Loved the attention to explaining details about equipment, guns, diving, and climbing. Everything really. Helps me get closer to the characters and the story. Ready for another round.
Profile Image for Deborah.
13 reviews2 followers
August 26, 2017
Loved It!

Another book finished with the exciting new adventures of Sam Reilly. Christopher Cartwright got me hooked on his characters in this series. I have read all seven and they are awesome. Fast paced, suspense and a touch of humor. It is fun fantasizing about the events and quests the characters Sam Reilly and Tom Bower tackle. Loved the attention to explaining details about equipment, guns, diving and climbing. Everything really. Helps me get closer to the characters and the story. Ready for another round.
122 reviews2 followers
March 11, 2018
Brilliant

Suffice to say another brilliant Sam Reilly adventure by Christopher Cartwright. He uses stories and symbols that we the reader can look up via google or simply read the appropriate book in the Bible. I enjoy the Sam Reilly books and look forward to getting lost in the next adrenaline driven adventure.
Profile Image for Deedra.
3,932 reviews39 followers
September 17, 2018
This is a good book.It is rather long,so pay attention while listening.SO many of his former adventures merge in this story that it leaves you breathless by the end! Fast paced fun. David Gilmore was a fine narrator.I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.
5 reviews1 follower
December 4, 2021
Boring

Boring and seemed to wander. The other Sam Reilly books seemed more exciting. The idea the horseman was interesting, but the execution appeared disjointed.
Profile Image for Bookfan36.
434 reviews
February 16, 2021
Brief synopsis from the book cover:

A mystery wrapped in a myth about the origins of humanity.
A race to find an ancient pyramid hidden in plain sight.
A secret so dangerous its guardians will kill to protect it.
And an ancient covenant that might save the world, or destroy it completely.

In 1655 a group of explorers from the Emerald Star entered the Namibian Desert in search of an ancient relic rumored to be hidden in a secret temple. None of the crew ever returned – but stories of their mysterious demise continued to be told.

In the present-day Turkish subterranean city of Derinkuyu, a strange wooden placard is discovered floating in an old well. It’s covered in the script of a language long forgotten, but Sam Reilly has seen the text before. The words suggest an ancient race might still exist, and are in the process of building a new temple.

The question is – is it the same temple where Dr. Billie Swan is being held prisoner?

My rating:

Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

Action and Adventure


Review:

This is a fun, action packed book that captures your attention straight away with a short historical mystery. As the book continues it is slowly revealed how the historical storyline fits in to the present timeline and the adventure of our heroes. They visit some interesting places, which are described vividly and in great detail so you get a real feel for them. Like a good action and adventure story this book has it all, It is suspenseful, has the right amount of mystery, a larger than live, hero and of course plenty of action. The book is nicely written and the story flows well. The main characters are real heroes without their actions being too unrealistic.


This is book seven in the Sam Reilly series. Each book has a proper ending so it can be read as a standalone.

Profile Image for Gilbert Stack.
Author 96 books77 followers
April 23, 2023
Cartwright draws on some serious biblical imagery to fuel the seventh novel in the Sam Reilly series. The four horsemen of the apocalypse appear to be real and acting to bring about the end of the world. Reilly, of course, intends to stop them as he hunts for the mysterious third temple and attempts to understand evidence that appears to suggest that Jesus Christ lived 12,000 years ago, not 2,000.

Cartwright did a great job with the tempo in this novel as his heroes race around the world trying to beat the horsemen to the prize—and trying to keep the horsemen from killing them. The whole problem is intimately involved with Cartwrights’ “master builder” storyline and does a lot to advance the reader’s understanding of what the master builders were trying to accomplish and hints at why they haven’t succeeded in doing so yet.

My only significant problem with the story comes from the first chapter where in Africans are trying to reach a pirate ship to recover an artifact during the seventeenth century. A storm is building, and the surf conditions are horrendous and yet these natives, caught up in a religious fervor, manage to build some kind of human bridge through the surf that allows hundreds of their fellows to reach the ship and attack it. Frankly, I could never picture the bridge. It did not seem possible that the people could have their heads above the violent surf while constructing it. It seems even less likely that they could hold the bridge for hours, as they did. I’m willing to give Cartwright the benefit of the doubt that he figured out how all of this was possible, but I never understood it while reading it.
Profile Image for Pete.
895 reviews7 followers
July 9, 2021
This could well have been a very good book in the Dirk Pitt style and the premise is very good. However I found the writing to be quite poor, mainly because the author crossed the fine line between making things exciting and going too far and making them too far-fetched to be believable. Also I found the writing jumped about between locales and people too much, so that I frequently found myself re-reading passages to make sure that I understood who and where the narrative was about.
Unfortunately I won't be reading any more of this author's work, I did persevere to the end of this book, but it was a close thing as to whether I would abandon it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Sean Helms.
325 reviews7 followers
February 24, 2021
The book had an 'Indiana Jones' feel to it that I liked, although I sure could have done without all the atheist propaganda throughout the story.
There was plenty of action all the way through, which propelled the story ahead at full steam. The re was never any thought of danger to the main characters, but the author couldn't very well kill off Sam Reilly, could he?
The story revolved around a mysterious 3rd Temple and the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. The problem was the atheist version of the horsemen, which really confused me...the riders had the same names from the Bible, but that was where any resemblance ended.
Profile Image for Joshua Cartwright.
Author 21 books9 followers
July 12, 2021
It's exciting enough to make me want to read the next one even though I only came into the series at book seven! A 'holy' object has been stolen from an ancient tribe, and it contains something that could change the face of modern life if it got into the wrong hands.

The pace of the book is slower than books by Cussler (for example) but, actually, I like that. The action scenes, especially the one where the tribe comes after the object (not a spoiler as you'd really expect that!) is phenomenally well-described, and I think it will haunt me a little bit for a while.

Downloaded book eight to start reading asap!
Profile Image for David Webster.
99 reviews1 follower
November 12, 2021
An Exciting and Intriguing Adventure

In 1655 a man travels to Namibia to steal a Golden Skull from a pyramid. Local natives chase him back to his sailing ship on the South Atlantic coast of Namibia - an area now known as The Skeleton Coast. The natives raid the ship and destroy it, killing all but the one man who stole the Skull. Soon, brilliant Archeologist Sam Reilly gets involved in the search for the Golden Skull. Sam is like a present day Indiana Jones - he’s handsome, daring, and clever. Will Sam find the Golden Skull before THE OTHERS find it? It’s a fabulous adventure story that you can’t put down!
Profile Image for Maggie Deaton.
748 reviews4 followers
July 3, 2021
The Apocalypse Approaches....

And its arrival falls between 1960 and 2040.... Only a select few will survive, eliminating the dangers from overpopulation and the resulting damage to our planet.But, the exact date is unknown yone except for possibly the Vatican or a high ranking government or intelligence official...Can Sam and his team find a way to manipulate the prophecy and avert death for so many? And who are the people chosen to survive and by whom were they selected? Another barn burner that answers many questions only to raise even more!
Profile Image for Eugene Matthews.
31 reviews
November 28, 2022
Another dynamic page turner!!

Sam Reilly, Tom, Elise, and Genevieve all looking for Billie in an effort to solve a centuries old mystery! What could possibly go wrong?

Once you understand what this team is up against, you’re going to want to grab your bible and reread a couple of passages from the New Testament. Don’t be surprised when you ask yourself, “does it really say that?”

Check out other translations as well and do your own fact checking…if you have the courage to seek the truth! How you interpret what you read is guaranteed to rock your world!
-
EM
Profile Image for Joan Lloyd.
Author 56 books56 followers
October 2, 2025
I know I've skipped several books in this series (which at first I enjoyed immensely) it shouldn't have really mattered. Like Clive Cussler, who I likened the author to in my earlier reviews) each book would stand by itself. Well, this one didn't. In this (book 7) the author goes off into la-la land and it's not what I wanted. I want a self-contained adventure story (a la Dirk Pitt) but this isn't it. Maybe I shouldn't have given it such a low rating but when I book doesn't live up to what I wanted and it becomes a continued story (a soap opera if you will) then Kaboom.
Profile Image for Rhane.
502 reviews3 followers
September 25, 2020
This was a gripping read

Tight pacing, twisty convoluted plot, fascinating characters, this book has it all! Woven from ancient texts and a number of popular esoteric topics of today, you are taken from the deserts of the Middle East to the jungle of South America. Part Indiana Jones, part Laura Croft, with government cover-up thrown in for good measure. I really hope there is a follow up book so we find out what's being guarded so carefully.
19 reviews
September 27, 2021
I keep losing sleep

I came across the first book in this series and, as it was free and about archeology amongst other things, I bought it. I just finished this seventh book and am thrilled there are many more to go. Unfortunately, I am so invested in the characters and fascinated by the story lines I invariably start one and can't stop until I'm finished. Hence my constantly losing sleep as I tend to start reading late in the evening.
178 reviews
February 27, 2022
I like this series of books and was therefore looking forward to this one. Overall it is a reasonable read but this one is lacking something that other books in the series have. Whilst understanding that Sam Reilly and his team always seem to come out on top there were too many leaps in this story where the solution just seemed to appear without real explanations either leading up to it or after it had occurred.
Profile Image for Joyce.
1,831 reviews41 followers
October 22, 2022
329 pages

4 stars

Watch out for the wooly mammoth!

This book has lots of action and dramatic scenes. A race from the Namibian desert to Anatolia in Turkey in search for a very valuable relic.

The novel is a lot of fun and is perfect for adventure junkies to those who like archeological quests.

Christopher Cartwright writes a good yarn and is always a choice pick for fun and intrigue. I will keep reading his stories.
Profile Image for Rick  Farlee.
1,144 reviews9 followers
October 25, 2022
CHIRP AUDIOBOOK

I purchased several of the Christopher Cartwright audiobooks and I’ve enjoyed them all, until this one… It started off strong, with the loss of the mystery ship in the 1600’s, but the modern day storyline was just all over the place and I rapidly lost interest. I really enjoy the Indiana Jones kind of mystery, and Cartwrights writing style, but of the six books that I’ve read so far… this one just doesn’t measure up.
591 reviews6 followers
May 26, 2023
Entertaining and exciting!

The Sam Reilly series offers a variety of scenarios with threats to the existence of mankind, and each one is equally captivating! The Sam Reilly persona is amusing and amazing. He and his best friend, Tom, are quite a pair to contend with. They will provide you with entertaining and exciting adventures as they tour the world on their mission to assure victory by the good guys, and you will cheer them on!
404 reviews2 followers
December 31, 2024
Review of this book.

Another fantastic book. A fast moving book full of revelations and riddles. You have to be sharp to follow the clues or you miss entire areas. The author has thrown in many false leads to make the book much more interesting! I recommend this book highly as a book you must read to follow the series. If not you will miss parts you need to read to correctly follow the series. It is worth reading for the adventure and drama alone.
148 reviews
November 19, 2021
This is the second novel I've read in what seems to be an extremely long series.

I'm pleased to report that both were very enjoyable with some mystery, lots of action, a bit of science, etc.

This reminded me of a pulp novel (but higher class!). I mean that in a good way. Pulp novels can be fun, the bad guys are bad, etc.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews

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