The Templar Prophecy

John Hart #1

by Mario Reading

After finding his father brutally murdered, John Hart learns that the Holy Lance, guarded by his ancestors for generations, must be protected at all costs

June 1190. A Knight Templar, Johannes von Hartelius, rescues the Holy Lance from the drowning body of Frederick Barbarossa during the Third Crusade. April 1945. A courier arrives at the Hitlerbunker with a parcel. The Führer calls for a vacuum canister to be brought, seals the documents he has received inside it, attaches the canister to a leather case containing the Holy Lance, and sends it away, guarded by a descendant of Johannes von Hartelius. Present Day: British photojournalist John Hart finds his father crucified, with the mark of a spear in his side. Shattered and bewildered, Hart learns for the very first time of his family's destiny—to be the Guardians of the Lance. As Hart begins to investigate, he discovers a German occult rightwing organization called the Brotherhood of the Lance. Hart infiltrates the organization to investigate his father's murder—but the secret of the Lance is more terrifying than he could ever have imagined.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Fantasy

Audio CD

First published November 25, 2013

About the author

Mario Reading was a British author whose internationally bestselling Antichrist Trilogy reached readers across dozens of countries. Educated at the University of East Anglia, he studied under Malcolm Bradbury and Angus Wilson. He later wrote the Templar series, blending history, mystery, and apocalyptic themes. He drew on diverse European upbringing.

Reviews

[Hui Goh]

Easily the worst book I have read this year. This novel is filled with inconsistent characters laden heavily with misogyny, almost caricature-ish and childish dialogues that you would expect from teenagers rather than 30 to 40-something year-olds and quite frankly, is strongly reminiscent of a D-grade movie.

If Michael Scott was real, and had written a novel, this would be it.

The good? It was so bad that it was good, in the same vein as Piranha 3DD was good. I finished it, so it was at the very least, compelling in some sense.

[Yvonne]

This is my reminder and PSA to read books in a timely matter after buying them, because I know 17yo me would have ate this up.

The plot was alright at times, but the overall writing was not that great and mostly comical to me. (Not even gonna start on the [lack of] historical accuracy + the insane descriptions of female characters that signal to misogyny💀.)

Overall 2.5 ⭐️

[Lotta K]

Ihan ok kirja, alku oli hiukan tylsä mutta tarinaan pääs kyllä mukaan. Loppu oli meh

[Paul]

Utter tripe.

The first four chapters were good and then the author seemed to get confused, forgetting to mention the Knights Templar or even the Holy Lance for large swathes of the book.

Instead he seemed determined to pen his own version of 50 Shades with a focus on what it would be like for the novel’s hero to bed a Nazi heiress - only to conclude that everything was all preordained, so our hero can’t be blamed for his stupidity.

[Alan Marston]

My favourite genre includes artefacts from the past being brought into the modern world. In many cases this involves a search following the discovery of clues as to the whereabouts of the artefact, but in this book we actually know where the artefact is almost from the first page. The artefact in question is the lance supposedly thrust into the side of Jesus at his crucifixion, and which has been in the possession of the Van Hartelius family since the death of Frederick Barbarossa. John Hart, his name anglicised by an American GI who discovered Hart's father crawling from the wreckage of a Fiesler Storch in which his parents died whilst on a mission for Adolf Hitler, is now the rightful keeper of the lance, but does not have any idea that this is the case. The reason for this is that he did not know his father, even though he bore the same name, because his father had left his mother before the younger John had any chance to get to know him. The lance had then been kept by his father who is crucified so that other interested parties can gain control of it.
The younger Hart, a news photographer, sets out to try to find out why his father, and two others close to his father, were murdered. It is this story and his adventures in Germany that make up the bulk of this entertaining story. His long-time and long-suffering girlfriend, a well known journalist becomes involved as John meets up with a gorgeous sexy lady German industrialist who thinks that he is actually a Baron, a fact confirmed by the delightful old lady with whom John lodges.
The plot is quite simple, lust for power and revenge. It does involve some violent right wing thugs very much redolent of certain factions rearing their heads at the present time, and their desire to take control. The characters in the story are well developed and interesting, with their strengths and failings accounted for from their families and backgrounds. There is plenty of action, even though Hart is not your typical hero - he is capable and quite strong, but some of his decision making is questionable, and he really is quite gullible. Having said that, he is an appealing character whom you want to succeed despite his failings. The scenarios are all believable, and the part played by what you might describe as ordinary citizens is welcome and helps with the believability of the story. Good stuff - I look forward to seeing how the series develops.

[Brad Audiobibliophile]

While this novel delivers a decent story, it doesn't quite live up to its title's promise. Despite being called "The Templar Prophecy," the book focuses heavily on Adolf Hitler rather than exploring Templar history and lore, which may disappoint readers drawn to the medieval mystery aspect.

The protagonist, supposedly a seasoned photojournalist with experience in conflict zones, comes across as surprisingly naive and easily manipulated. For someone with that background, his lack of street smarts and poor judgment feel unrealistic and undermine the character's credibility.

The romantic subplot involving Amira also falls flat. Her love/hate dynamic with the main character feels forced and unconvincing, lacking the emotional depth needed to make readers invested in their relationship.

On the positive side, the narration quality is solid and keeps the story moving at a good pace. However, the overall execution left me wanting more, and I won't be eagerly seeking out the next installment in this series.

Bottom line: A passable thriller that struggles with character development and doesn't deliver on its Templar premise.

[Todd R]

Was good until the hero makes his debut. The back story, that took about the first 75 pages, was the best part.

[Al]

Outstanding

[Carolynj]

Notes for Templars Prophecy- Beware Spoilers.

I was expecting more of an historical storyline, or a storyline about the Templars, but that is my problem, not that of the author or anyone else.

The book opens in Syria in 2012, in the civil conflict and our ‘hero’ photo journalist John Hart and his on-off long term friend/lover world famous war correspondent Amira Eisenberg, who embodies and symbolises all that is in the fruit cocktail of 21st century political correctness. This, rather than being a launching point for a tale sof mystery and suspense of Templars, Crusaders, prophecies and re-incarnation or whatever turned out to be pretty irrelevant, despite the next section with the time frame of the Third Crusade of 1190.

The opening sortie of the Crusade time-scape told us how the Holy Lance of Longinus ended up in the possession of the von Hartilius family. This was the only connection to the Templars in the whole plot. The original Johannes von Hartilius happened to be a Knight Templar when he saved Frederik Barbarossa‘s bag containing the lance (or what purported to be the lance that pierced the side of Christ on the cross, but likely to have been one of many fakes around even then) from the river and/or the Turks. Being a Templar was short-lived however, as Frederick VI of Swabia, Barbarossa‘s younger son absolves Hartilius of his Templar vows of chastity (just like that)when he makes him and his issue guardians of the lance in perpetuity - an oops moment when he makes the gesture forgetting that Templars do not marry and do not have issue, but hey, the guy was dressed as a woman at the time, so the faux pas could be forgiven and in any case, quickly remedied by the immediate finding of a bride among the entourage on the way to Jeruslaem and a marriage of convenience (just like that). End of his story…. As such…

Next time-scape finds us somewhat jerkily in the 20th century around Hitler’s bunker in Berlin the day before he chomps his cyanide. We meet the opportunist SS thug Eberhard and his cohort of young HJ boys left to defend Berlin as the Russian tanks roll forever nearer. The beautiful couple, like something out a glossy mag, Wehrmacht Colonel Johannes von Hartilius, Baron sanct Quirinus and his glamorous test pilot wife Inge are detailed by Hitler to take a briefcase containing the Lance and some Very Important Papers out of Berlin to an aristocratic chemist Nazi in Bavaria. The SS Sergeant Eberhard disobeys orders of The Fuhrer he worshipped half an hour ago and goes along with the Hartiliuses. It ends badly of course.


The first half of the book switches back and forth between John Hart and Amira in 2012 and Inge and Johannes in 1945. I found the chopping around a bit unnecessary and irritating, but the chapters were short, and it was easy enough to remember where the other thread had been left to pick it up.

I found the first half of book sketchy in detailing the history of the medieval time-scape, although other detailing was not neglected. Gory details of the sex and violence in every period was never neglected or skimped upon. That said, the sense of place- Syria, Berlin, Antigua, Bavaria is good, perhaps because it seems effortless and casual. It was one of the best things about the book for this reader.

The story changed gear in the second half where it was more continuous without hopping about between time periods except by anecdote of living memory, which worked better as a storytelling device. Frau Erlichmann is not only the epoxy that holds the story and plot together, as a character she is a comfort and relief from the (at times) relentless sex and violence. From here on in it became more of a ripping yarn (both bodice and body parts).

The theme came in as whether people are products of their genes or not, or whether they have genetic memories, or whether people are predestined to be good or evil. There is a trope of women’s roles in society and relationships, much about alpha males and alpha females. What this had to do with the Templars, however, was unclear. 2012 John Hart was upset because Amira had aborted his child without telling him. I wondered if this was part of a progenitor theme going back to the Templar’s vow of chastity, as we have the repeated impression that the Hartilius generations of men, lance guardians are physically identical. There is Effi, so beautiful, so evil, Hart seems incapable of believing the concept that the face of evil can take the form of the seductive angel. I found this a bit unlikely going by all his experience presumably as a war photographer and his own experience of life.

There were some nice pieces of symbolism and irony.

“..to any remotely detached observer chancing upon their outline in the dark, there would have been little to tell between them. It was as if Hart wanted to crawl inside her skin.”

Just before Hart looks at the lance, then when he has the lance in front of him a couple of pages later,

“this time the thrumming seemed to resonate at a deeper more profound level than before. Hart was no longer holding the lance, the lance was holding him”.


The lance here may be perceived as a phallic symbol, but another irony

“he began to discern that the object he was looking at was not an adjunct to his consciousness, but an aspect of his being. That he might be part of the lance and that his connection was normal, Exactly as it should be”

Poor John Hart/Roger Pope, son of Inge and Johannes, father of John Hart would have felt it was part of him when was speared with it. Which I found to be strange turn of the plot leading nowhere practically or symbolically.

It should have been symbolic in some way, but as the lance of Longinus was supposed to have been he spear that pierced the side of Christ, it was a bit weird to use it in this way as a piece of gratuitous violence by the fascist thug Udo Zirkeler on the crucified guardian. Why would he do that when he would have known the significance of the lance to the Lanzen Bruderschaft? That escaped this reader, if there was a reason why (apart from Zirkeler being a psychopath) he would invoke this symbolism in this way, and not show the respect that the thing seemed to be about in the canon of the movement to which he subscribed . Myabe I missed the point.

We had another such potentially symbolic spearing earlier in the novel, which one might have noted as significant in the plot or trope. The death of The SS sergeant Major Eberhard in 1945- ‘speared through the chest by the port side wing strut- simulated stabbing by lance. Maybe in the hinted at trope of reincarnation it was a kind of revenge action, but maybe that would just be reading too much into it.

So, as the end draws nigh, the momentum builds like an action movie. One wonders if the author had one eye on the screenplay all the way through, actually.

The round up and finale was a disappointment. It could not be called a twist. I found it a bit of a stretch to think that the original ex Knight Templar and guardian of the lance, Baron Sanct Quirin in CE 1198 would take the trouble to warn his descendants against extra marital affairs. And why would John Hart 2012 hear Effi’s voice telling him to open it? An ambiguity in Effi’s relationship with him? A subconscious realisation he was ‘cock-motivated’ and therefore intellectually impaired as to her general evil-ness? The voice of the woman Effi may or not be a re-incarnation of the woman with whom the ex Templar screwed, destined to repeat the events of their past lives? I thought it was a bit late to bring in this Deus ex machina, and a bit lame.

Never the less, the novel is what it is. Literature it is not. A ripping good yarn, and a good, undemanding read taken at page value. I do not think, on reflection , there are any hidden depths in it, plot-wise or character-wise. Then I could be totally wrong and have missed the point.

[Merima Smajic]

I'm inspired to write an open letter to the author. He had me rooting for the young nazi couple at the beginning but then some extraordinary shallow choices and naive thinking by the main character Hart and oh did I mention the unnecessary descriptions of human intimacy bordering on soft porn made this promising book by a clearly talented author a hard to get through read. Or in my case listen as it was in audio book form.

[Paul]

When I was at school I wrote a long story about the life of a donkey. I then got bored (and wanted to go out and play football) , and so finished with, he then went over the hill and died. Same thing here. Was really enjoying this book, but everything ended far too quickly in my opinion. Might just be me though 🤷

[Barry Beaven]

More interesting than a good read

Reads as if translated, seemingly well researched but I didn't care for any of the characters. Won't be reading the rest f the series, worth giving a try if the subject interests you. Perhaps it s just a style that jars with me.

[Will]

About halfway through this goes from being a mildly intriguing story to not much more that soft core porn. The end was quite exciting though.

[Louis]

This was a nice easy read and reasonably predictable story line, but I thought the characters were strong and it was cleverly entwined with history.
I am sure I will read more of the series.

[Andrew]

3.5 Stars Started well but a bit inconsistent in places in he book. Intrigued to see where book 2 takes this trilogy.

[Christine]

A very well balanced story.

[Louise]

The Templar Prophecy

The story was good, the narration was good but I did not enjoy the sexual violence . I found it misogynistic.

[Kieran]

This is just the type of book that I like, or so I thought from the cover but this is a prime example of not using that method of judging.

Having completed the book, Im at a complete loss as to how the Lance of Destiny is even relevant. The bumph on the cover states "the secret of the Lance is more terrifying than he (John Hart) could ever have imagined." Im still waiting to hear what the secret might be because it sure as heck isnt clear from the book.

On a positive note page 75 contains for me, the most poorly drafted sentence Ive ever had the pleasure of reading. I think what the author was trying to say was (describing a war-torn Berlin from the air)"so many buildings had been destroyed, the streets were prominent" - this is how he mangled it - "The fretwork of streets below them was thrown into even greater prominence by the retreat into rubble of the edifices and shop fronts that had once overlooked them." Wow!!

Nazis, Templars, Conspiracy and a connection to the Spear that pierced Christ were used to sell this book. The office of advertising standards should be called in 'cause this book doesnt deal with any of those issues, apart from mentioning them almost in passing.

And can someone please tell me where the kid appears from out of the wreckage of the plane?? It seems his mother left him in the undercarraige while she visited Hitler or at least thats whats implied. Bizarre, bizarre, bizarre.

Ill have to read one of Mario Readings earlier books just to see how he was initially published because this wouldnt have seen the light of day had it been his first.

Oh and one last thing - have a thesaurus ready - the author clearly did when he wrote the book.

Sorry guys, this one isnt worth the time. I gave it two stars because its well produced and moves at a pace and when the female character Amira was beaten up I cheered - not quite the reaction I think Im supposed to have had but she was such an uptight, reactionary, annoyingly feminist contradiction, shutting her up deserved a star!

[Jaffareadstoo]

This fast action story starts in 1190 with an explanation of how the Holy Lance, a revered Christian symbol was entrusted to a Knight Templar, Johannes von Hartelius and subsequently into his family's safekeeping in perpetuity. Moving swiftly to 1945 and the last days of the Reich in Germany, Adolph Hitler entrusts a special package to two of his most trusted supporters, a package they must protect to the death. In the present day, intrepid photo journalist, John Hart finds himself caught up in a series of violent and catastrophic events which shatter his belief in everything he once felt was true.

The Templar Prophecy gets off to a good start; the historical opening of the story is credible although I would have liked to know a little more about the Holy Lance in this initial phase of its journey and of the Knight Templar who to some extent forms the basis of the story. As time moves forward to 1945 and the present day, the malevolent aspect of the narrative really starts to come alive and the action becomes fast , furious and not without moments of extreme violence. The historical strands start to coalesce and it soon becomes obvious that modern day protagonist, John Hart, has some link with the past, and the violent death of a member of his family is just the catalyst he needs to fulfil his destiny.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, and found it to be a real page turner. The writer has a great sense of time and place. His ability to control the narrative whilst maintaining the integrity of the story and the rapid pace of the action is commendable. As with all fast action thrillers, there are times when you have to suspend belief, but then, isn't that what good fiction is all about?

[Cathy]

Oh dear, sometimes you're glad you only spent 99p on a book and this is one of those times. It started well and the section in Hitler's bunker was OK but once it moved into the present day it really went downhill for me. The "hero", John Hart, seemed incredibly naïve as the true nature of the woman he becomes embroiled with was obvious from the start so there was no surprise when he finally realised this. His brain was clearly not situated in his head but somewhere much lower down. This is probably a sexist comment but really a character with such sexual prowess could only have been invented by a man. The importance of the Holy Lance seemed to get lost during the book and the prophecy only came to light in the last few pages.

[Sean Buckley]

I like the idea behind the plot it`s not a million miles from one of my own. I thought the author took the easy plot route with the relationship between the hero/antihero. However overall it was an enjoyable read.

[Katherine]

Terrible book, very poorly written and abundantly sexist. Don't waste your time.

[CP]

Readable, but wafty!

[Carol]

It was ok, not the best I've ever read, but I did want to get to the end

[Martin Woods]

Worth reading

[Barbara Ford]

Fast paced but thought the ending a little confusing.