The Templar's Quest

Caedmon Aisquith #3

by C.M. Palov

The Montsegur Medallion points the way to the most coveted relic, the Holy Grail. In the wrong hands it could destroy civilisation. Finn McGuire finds himself framed for a string of murders moments after he uncovers the legendary Medallion in an ancient Syrian chapel. The culprits are a group of Nazi SS descendents known as The Seven who will stop at nothing to possess the pendant...and the Holy Grail. Their wish? To resurrect the Third Reich. Former MI5 operative Caedmon Aisquith is an expert in the Knights Templar and the Grail; he knows the Seven can only desire it for evil and when Finn approaches him, the two join forces in a quest to find the deadly relic and halt the bloodshed. Their race takes them from the Louvre to a medieval citadel in the Pyrenees. But the stakes are high for the fate of mankind hangs in the balance if they fail.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Adventure, Mystery

528 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

Librarian note:
Czech editions of C.M. Palov books are published as Chloe Palov

Reviews

[Claire Bignell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn't realise that it was book 3 when I started. Certainly didn't matter as it is a good fast paced stand alone book. Will have to search the other books now.

[Gabriele Carli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Le parti che assolutissimamente ti faranno dire “beh che dire”:

“Non è troppo tardi per cercare un mondo più nuovo”,

ma anche:

“Meccanica tedesca e risoluzione americana… un’accoppiata senza uguali”,

ma soprattutto (il che descrive perfettamente questo libro e voglio pensare che l’autore sia stato così autoironico da esserselo riconosciuto da solo):

“Nazisti che viaggiano nel tempo! Sembra la trama di uno di quei libri del terrore in edizione economica!”

La prima frase era anche carina, peccato che abbia dovuto aspettare l’ultima pagina dell’ultimo capitolo per trovarne una che non facesse ridere. Perlomeno la trama era simpatica.

[Uma · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read!

When I picked this book up, I did not know anything about the author or the book. But it surpassed all my expectations and turned out to be a spellbinding book.
It combines characters like the Knights Templars, wannabe Nazi Third Reich group of Seven headed by the brilliant but corrupt,heinous theoretical physicist with the utmost evil intentions, two honorable scientists and an ex Delta Force soldier with incredible success. Added to this mix are a somewhat mentally challenged chauffeur idolizing Adolf Hitler and a psychopathic, bloodthirsty, cruel killer!
The fast paced, intriguing story line and the way the characters and events are coordinated makes for a fascinating reading. The suspense is maintained almost till the last page and the manner in which principles of physics have been incorporated make this a highly intellectual and brilliant book.
Thanks for a wonderful reading experience, Mr. Pavlov. I am off to read your next book.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Just WOW! Nazis, the Holy Grail, and the fact that the events in The Templar's Quest take place before the first two books in the series make this a fantastic read. I love the backstory and delving into Caedmon's past. I think any lover of this series will enjoy this book. Hoping to see Finn again soon.

[Vally · Rating 4 out of 5]

La storia parte con Finn McGuire, un duro della Delta Force che si imbatte in un medaglione leggendario – sì, quello di Montségur – nascosto in una chiesa siriana. Il ritrovamento scatena una valanga di omicidi, perché “I Sette”, un gruppo di discendenti delle SS, vogliono il medaglione e il Graal per… rianimare il Terzo Reich. Sì, non è uno scherzo.

Finn si mette in coppia con Kate Bauer (intelligente e tormentata) e Cædmon Aisquith (ex agente dell’MI5, esperto di Templari). Il trio si lancia in una corsa contro il tempo tra Louvre, rifugi alpini e segreti medievali, col destino dell’umanità a rischio.


La città perduta dei templari è quel tipo di libro che ti butti a leggere dopo cena, perché vuoi un’avventura rapida, un plot diretto e che ti faccia girare il mondo – almeno con la fantasia. C’è l’azione, il mistero, il fan service per gli appassionati di esoterismo e templari, e un pizzico di follia nazista.

Perfetto se cerchi un thriller avventuroso alla Indiana Jones con un twist esoterico, ti piacciono le storie di reliquie sacre, nazisti nascosti e cospirazioni da codici segreti, vuoi qualcosa che scivoli via veloce, senza troppi riflettori mentali

[Vaidehi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always loved Palov's books. They are fast with no unnecessary side stories. And yet one finds the story fully rounded without any rough edges. Author always tries to attach the fictional elements such as history or religious points, to the reality or science or the present day situations in one way or the other. There the creativity is at its best! And I enjoy it.

The background is very common one - pre Christianity conflicting with Christianity, Holy Grail and Nazi. Nothing out of ordinary, yet one could enjoy the writing. There is one small twist which I liked the most - acceptance of all the wrongness done by Germans, by the present generation Nazi. And following this understanding, the plans designed to rectify Germany during WW II. This, in the book is what is the center of attraction for me.

[Arizona Spartan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the book brings us 2 new main characters to help our intrepid hero Caedmon it didn't conclude as solidly as the first 2. I also wasn't happy with the main villains in the book and I won't spoil it in the review. 2 of them were interesting but the whole main villainous organization was just stupid and has been done to death. It wasn't as strong as the first 2 books and I'm reading the 4th now which has started stronger that this one.

[Pavan Reddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Action,Science and Egypt.
It's fast paced, easy to understand (excluding some science facts) and full of action. The plot is exemplary but it didn't have any surprise elements that would invirgorate you into reading further more. I am fascinated about reading book about religious connection and I would like continue this series.

Be Happy & Thanks

[David Morewood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fanatical Nazi scientist's , The Holy Grail an evil plan to turn back time and and the only three people to try to spoil their evil plan are three people with their problems.
Thrust together are a medically discharged ex Delta Force commando a women going through a divorce and the death of a baby and a disgraced officer of MI5 its a rollercoaster of a read

[William Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very little to do with the knights templar, but a fast moving story line. I may read the other books in this series.

A good fast paced read. It was not quite the story line that I expected. I will probably read the other books by this author.

[Marsha Nelson-Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series!

Every book in this series has been captivating. It seemed to me that this should have been listed as book one since it was after Julia and before Edie. The chronology is off a little but doesn't alter the fact that it's a great series.

[BAGNULO MARCELLO · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una storia bella e coinvolgente. La ricerca del Santo Graal, il calice nel quale Gesu' avrebbe bevuto durante l'ultima cena (secondo alcuni), e' stata raccontata in altri romanzi e film, ma questo e' particolarmente entusiasmante.

[cheryl lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page Turner

This book is an edge of your seat thriller with twists and turns and plots going back to 1940 mix that with modern technology and bam the stage is set for a race against time and a new character thrown in to stir things up. Brillant read couldnt put it down

[pamela boseman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Templars Quest

What a awesome read. The story line was awesome. Love the math facts and the equations in the book. Look forward to rescinding more books in this series.

[Robert Hutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by C.M. Palov

I really enjoy reading about The Templars and treasure and trying to find it!! Especially great read for history buffs and what ifs!!!!!!!!!!

[rogerjones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A blast into the past.

An interesting and informative read delving into the third Reich and the occult.Looking forward to the book in the series.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very fast paced book, interesting plot. Most of the explanations went over my head but I still found it a good read, good characters

[K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plot summary: A special forces team is sent on a secret mission to Syria, where their leader discovers a gold medallion. Months later, all but the team leader have been killed, and the leader has been framed for their murders and is on the run. He teams up with an unwilling anthropologist, who has contacts to former MI5 operative Caedmon Aisquith. Together, the three discover that the medallion holds the secret to the location of the Holy Grail, and that the men who seek it are Nazi SS descendants who want to change history.

Thoughts: I enjoyed the first hundred or so pages much more than the rest. If it had stayed as just Finn and Kate, I might have enjoyed it more. I honestly think it would have been better without the inclusion of Caedmon. I mean, obviously he was essential to the plot, given that it was his MI5 connections that uncovered a bunch of key stuff. But he's kind of a dick, and I didn't really care what happened to him.

There's a whole lot of stuff about lay lines and using the earth's telluric energy to power time machines. I was honestly surprised that Stonehenge didn't come up somewhere. As Caedmon says at some point, "Time-travelling Nazis! It's a plot straight out of a penny dreadful!". Yes. Yes, it is. Basically, Matthew Reilly's Jack West series tells a fairly similar story. Only faster paced, and with better characters.

[Paula Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Templar's Quest by C.M. Palov has different story lines that intertwine to create the story.

Finn McGuire while on a black op in Syria find an ancient medallion in an ancient chapel. Finn takes the medallion, keeping it a secret, after realizing his team has been set up by others. He later comes into play after two of his buddies who had been with in in Syria are brutally killed for the medallion.

Kate Bauer gets involved just because she happens to give Finn a ride to the embassy. With her house blown up and her life in danger she convinces Finn she needs to go to France with him.

Caedmon Aisquith enters the picture in Paris. He is ex M15 and ex lover of Kate who had left him. There is an interesting mix between the three and Kate and Finn develop an affection for each other.

Finn, Kate and Caedmon team up to fight against a Nazi group known as the Seven. They need the medallion to find the Holy Grail. Their Nazi fathers had devised an elaborate plan to time loop and actually win WWII. Their sons needed to send back the needed information for that to happen.

Tension, science, religion, love and betrayal all mix together to created a rapid paced story.

[Al]

The Montségur Medallion points the way to the most coveted relic, the Holy Grail. In the wrong hands it could destroy civilisation.Finn McGuire finds himself framed for a string of murders moments after he uncovers the legendary Medallion in an ancient Syrian chapel. The culprits are a group of Nazi SS descendents known as The Seven who will stop at nothing to possess the pendant . . . and the Holy Grail. Their wish? To resurrect the Third Reich.Former MI5 operative Caedmon Aisquith is an expert in the Knights Templar and the Grail; he knows the Seven can only desire it for evil and when Finn approaches him, the two join forces in a quest to find the deadly relic and halt the bloodshed. Their race takes them from the Louvre to a medieval citadel in the Pyrenees. But the stakes are high for the fate of mankind hangs in the balance if they fail.

[Simon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yet another object covetted by Himmler's occult goons conspracy thriller. this one works in the astronomical alignment of the pyramids, the Holy grail, the Cathars, the Knights Templar, ley lines, Nazi Vril Force generators and bending the fabric of spacetime to alter the course of WW2. Consequently its packed with daft impossible science. Add to this a one dimensional US Special Forces hero for the action, a Pentagon cultural antropologist love (well more lust) object to explain the cod history and archeology and a former MI5 Paris bookseller to do more clever stuff and you still have a dreadful book

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Templars, Cathars, a mad Nazi scientist, a secret society, and a hidden relic related to the Grail-- add a Delta Force soldier, a beautiful woman and an Oxford scholar who is a retired spy and you're invited to romp from Paris to Syria to the Pentagon and back to Paris in search of the person who brutally killed two members of Delta Force. I actually didn't know this was a Caedmon Aisquith book because Finnegan McGuire is the main character. Interesting, multi-faceted characters.

No sex: well maybe one scene
Violence: non graphic descriptions of several murders
Some swearing

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good thriller from C.M. Palov featuring a military commando, an academic, a former MI5 spy and a dying man determined to rewrite history by changing the outcome of WWII. I enjoyed this book but was confused as to the order in the series it really is. Although it says it is the third in the series, it reads more like a prequel to the events that happened in "Ark of Fire" the first book. Despite this slight hiccup, I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Emma Alston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read the previous 2 books - it was rather annoying to suddenly have a prequel to the books. I am not sure if anyone else felt this, but it distracted me enough to not actually finish the book.
Unless the author is wanting to introduce the 2 other characters and use them in further books. My opinion.

[Linda Wallis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildly entertaining hokem.
I won't give anything away but it certainly was an interesting premise on The Holy Grail!
I don't think it's particularly well written and couldn't help feel that this would have been better written by Clive Cussler!
In the immortal words of Indiana Jones; Nazis, I hate these guys!

[Radhakrishnan Geetha]

Good for a weekend read. interesting take on the Great Pyramids and Nazis. Brief history of the Cathars and their "treasure" interwined with the Knights Templars. also history of the Nazis. Couldn't put the book down. But story line a bit far fetched, what with time travelling Nazis and the Holy Grail.

[Eileanór Bláth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Per quanto io adori le storie sui templari, il graal, e tutto quel filone di leggende e misteri, ho trovato questo libro a dir poco odioso per lo stile narrativo. I vari "merda", "dannatissimo" e "cristo in croce!" si sprecano, per non parlare delle metafore messe alla membro di segugio. Ed evito di prendermela per l'ennesima scopiazzatura di Brown. Sarò pure pignola ma per me è illeggibile.

[Cliff · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've had to give up on this book. I really need to make a memo to self to stop picking up books about the Templars, the Holy Grail, evil Nazi masterminds operating in modern day Europe. They are mainly all a farrago of nonsense, usually involving the Cathars, a secret map a gung ho American etc, etc.

[Natalie Fitzpatrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book was slightly confused as it is listed as a novel but then also book 3..... Where is the girlfriend?!? Why no mention if it's book 3 although the dead girlfriend is mentioned... Don't really think the author thought that bit through

[Pixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just started reading this one...plot moves quickly...there is something slightly self-conscious about the character build-up but acceptable and reasonably well-written; plotline fairly quick moving and easy to read.