Tales of the Knights Templar

Knights Templar

by Katherine Kurtz (Introduction)

The Knights Templar was a military order founded during the time of the crusades to protect pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land. Legend endows the Templars with magical powers with which they are said to have altered the course of history. "The Temple and the Crown" picks up in 1306 with the crowning of Robert Bruce in Scotland. Bruce immediately faces a challenge to his throne, and Pope Clement and King Philip of France, jealous of the Knights' magical powers, wealth, and charm, have them arrested on trumped-up charges of black magic, blasphemy, and consorting with the Devil. The Templars' only hope is to flee as fugitives and seek a new home...and a safe haven for the mystical treasures they guard.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Anthologies, Fiction, Short Stories, Collections

307 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1995

About the author

Katherine Kurtz is an American fantasy novel writer. She is best known for her Deryni series. She currently lives in Virginia.

Reviews

[Susan]

The City of Brass • novelette by Deborah Turner Harris and Robert J. Harris
End in Sight • shortfiction by Lawrence Schimel
Choices • novella by Richard Woods
Obligations • [The Adept] • novelette by Katherine Kurtz

"Word of Honor" by Tanya Huff collected in What Ho, Magic! and re-collected in He Said, Sidhe Said read 3/19/2015

1941 • novella by Scott MacMillan
Knight of Other Days • novelette by Elizabeth Moon
Stealing God • novelette by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald
Death and the Knight • [Time Patrol] • novelette by Poul Anderson

[Steven Decknick · Rating 2 out of 5]

*DNF*
PROS: No profanity. 1st short story is excellent.
CONS: Goes downhill quickly.
Overall: Not really “Tales of the Knights Templar,” it’s mostly modern-setting stories that attempt to tie-in the Knights Templar. Some good info in interludes, but often too much of a history lesson.
—City of Brass, by the Harris couple was a great opener.
—End in Sight, by Schimel is mediocre.
—Choices, by Woods starts strong then falls into monotonous political intrigue (DNF).
—Obligations, by Kurtz is about past lives as Knights (DNF)
—Word of Honor, by Huff has no hook and is uninteresting (DNF)
Summary: A disappointment, wrongly titled.

[Robert LoCicero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nearing completion of this collection of short stories by fantasy and fiction authors creating tales of these Knights and their tribulations and secrets. A fun book about a secret society of olden warriors that has fascinated many people for decades.

Finished the book and enjoyed the short stories by the fantasy and SF authors. Among them Katherine Kurtz, Tanya Huff, Poul Anderson and Elizabeth Moon. The stories are varied and work well into the Knights Templar theme. They catch the historical flavor and throw in some modern views. One of them posits a different version of the Grail. Fun to read.

[Ernest · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of short stories was as varied as they were interesting. The real theories and speculation surrounding the Knights Templar are a rich source for literary stories, and the stories portray a wide variety of aspects of the mythology. The factual narrative between each story both informed and placed the stories in context. This was a decently fun read.

[Barry Hammock · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of stories. Some of them are better than others, but they all make for good readings. "Stealing God" is my personal favorite in the volume. It reads like a '50s Pulp Detective Novel crossed with a '60s Spy Thriller. Definitely worth a read.

[Mark Lacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really preferred the stories set in the time of the Crusades. The others did not interest me.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad collection of themed short stories, but for me the star of the lot is the Adept short story Obligations.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantasy writers craft tales based on the historical facts.