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Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate: An Ex Secret Agent Paranormal Investigator Thriller
Why is a notorious religious cult of assassins keeping him alive? In this nail-biting, paranormal thriller, the hero's teenage daughter is viciously murdered in Lyon by a long-forgotten and blood-thirsty biblical monster; her body is left mysteriously shrivelled and crushed. A former WWII MI6 agent, our hero is suspected of the crime by the police and his divorcing wife. With strange powers of foresight he goes on the run to clear his name. He has only one friend - a historian and member of the modern Knights Hospitaller but with his help he embarks on a white-knuckle ride to salvation. In Paris a witch servant of the mysterious Catholic assassin sect Concilium Putus Visum seduces him during his quest for the secret weapon of the Cathars. If he can solve a puzzling set of clues to find the weapon, he might kill the monster and save his marriage. But why do the assassins and the vampire snakes seem to be protecting him? Why is his grandfather’s body no longer where it should be; in his grave? What supernatural secret about the family was the old man trying to reveal to him before he died? Lovers of Dan Brown’s evocative mix of mystery and history will love this Occult Thriller – a dark, powerful, nerve-shredding tale, which deftly combines crime thriller aspects with the occult and historical. Also available as an eBook in DRM-Free formats at smashwords.com/books/view/28619 From the
My own family's roots, uncovered over ten years, had led me to one Guillaume; a Chevalier (Knight) in 13th Century Languedoc, France; my earliest ancestor. Simultaneously, I had pursued a theological interest in the Cathars, first through reading a number of books about the Knights Templar and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci code and later, an interest in Monségur and the Rennes-le-Château, near where the lost treasure of the Cathars is said to be hidden. My interest in the paranormal became focused around reincarnation and lycanthropy (werewolves and vampires). I have always loved old Hammer Horror films and particularly the work of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. I have also always been interested in luck, and the constant battle between good and evil, light and dark, and yin and yang; who isn't? My own luck seems to run in phases of waves; periods of good luck followed by periods of very bad luck. I decided that my main character, as well as being physically imperfect, must have some kind of rare interaction with luck and the forces of good and evil. From there, I developed the idea that luck might have something to do with the effect of the battle between good and that in fact both Satan and God might both have one hand on the tiller of luck. I knew the main character would be flawed physically and yet have strange psychic powers but only when I wrote a scene in a graveyard, Highgate Cemetery, did I know that he would also become a Secret Agent and later an amateur sleuth. Yet another theme is Witchcraft. I have long been interested in the influence of Gurdjieff and Mdm. Blavatsky on modern western ideas. I also make frequent references to the Malleus Maleficarum - the witch-hunter's bible - and wicca, particularly Gardnerian wicca. You will also find references to some cult films such Eye of the Devil. The final theme I wanted to get into my novel was the gothic. The themes of murder, werewolves, vampires, blood, eroticism, sex and the paranormal are all things that I like in a novel. My influences are Kate Bush, The Mission, Lord Byron, John Keats (The Eve of St. Agnes is a particularly favourite poem of mine) and, to some extent, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Sex and death are the themes that everyone seems attracted to. As a consequence, I couldn't resist a climax to my novel that took place in one of the world's greatest Gothic buildings.
My own family's roots, uncovered over ten years, had led me to one Guillaume; a Chevalier (Knight) in 13th Century Languedoc, France; my earliest ancestor. Simultaneously, I had pursued a theological interest in the Cathars, first through reading a number of books about the Knights Templar and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci code and later, an interest in Monségur and the Rennes-le-Château, near where the lost treasure of the Cathars is said to be hidden. My interest in the paranormal became focused around reincarnation and lycanthropy (werewolves and vampires). I have always loved old Hammer Horror films and particularly the work of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. I have also always been interested in luck, and the constant battle between good and evil, light and dark, and yin and yang; who isn't? My own luck seems to run in phases of waves; periods of good luck followed by periods of very bad luck. I decided that my main character, as well as being physically imperfect, must have some kind of rare interaction with luck and the forces of good and evil. From there, I developed the idea that luck might have something to do with the effect of the battle between good and that in fact both Satan and God might both have one hand on the tiller of luck. I knew the main character would be flawed physically and yet have strange psychic powers but only when I wrote a scene in a graveyard, Highgate Cemetery, did I know that he would also become a Secret Agent and later an amateur sleuth. Yet another theme is Witchcraft. I have long been interested in the influence of Gurdjieff and Mdm. Blavatsky on modern western ideas. I also make frequent references to the Malleus Maleficarum - the witch-hunter's bible - and wicca, particularly Gardnerian wicca. You will also find references to some cult films such Eye of the Devil. The final theme I wanted to get into my novel was the gothic. The themes of murder, werewolves, vampires, blood, eroticism, sex and the paranormal are all things that I like in a novel. My influences are Kate Bush, The Mission, Lord Byron, John Keats (The Eve of St. Agnes is a particularly favourite poem of mine) and, to some extent, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Sex and death are the themes that everyone seems attracted to. As a consequence, I couldn't resist a climax to my novel that took place in one of the world's greatest Gothic buildings.
- GenresParanormal
260 pages, Paperback
First published July 6, 2010
5 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Lazlo Ferran
76 books12 followersLazlo Ferran: Exploring the Landscapes of Truth.
Educated near Oxford, during English author Lazlo Ferran’s extraordinary life, he has been an aeronautical engineering student, dispatch rider, graphic designer, full-time busker, guitarist and singer, recording two albums. Having grown up in rural Buckinghamshire Lazlo says:
“The beautiful Chiltern Hills offered the ideal playground for a child’s mind, in contrast to the ultra-strict education system of Bucks.”
Brought up as a Buddhist, he has travelled widely, surviving a student uprising in Athens and living for a while in Cairo, just after Sadat’s assassination. Later, he spent some time in Central Asia and was only a few blocks away from gunfire during an attempt to storm the government buildings of Bishkek in 2006. He has a keen interest in theologies and philosophies of the Far East, Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe.
After a long and successful career within the science industry, Lazlo Ferran left to concentrate on writing, to continue exploring the landscapes of truth.
- - -
From lessons learned as a professional musician about personal privacy, I do not publish using my real name but with the pen name Lazlo Ferran. Above, you can read a brief profile that you will find anywhere on the internet, and below, you will find my interview, qualifications and industry endorsements.
Interview
I was interviewed by The Authors Show about my novel Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate. In the interview video on my profile to the left, I share:
1 How Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate blends myth and mystery
2 Lazlo’s research into secret societies and historical settings
3 Behind-the-scenes writing insights
Qualifications
1. After a year studying a degree in Aeronautical Engineering, I chose to leave and received a BTEC Diploma in Graphics at Salisbury College of Art in 1985.
2. My IT Qualifications: building an early CMS from scratch in Perl, certificates in Search Engine Building, JSP, ColdFusion, SQL, B2B sofware.
3. In 2017 I became certified (with Distinction) from the TEFL Academy, London as a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language and gained experience teaching foreign students in a local professional school, although I had already taught children with varying degrees of dyslexia to read before. You can see my certificate at lazloferran.com/about
4. As for my knowledge of history, I have been a keen genealogist since the 90s and have traced my family back to a 13th Century Knight in Burgundy.
5. Lazlo Ferran is cited in the 633 Squadron Wikipedia [citation 25] entry for his interview with Cliff Robertson.
Industry Endorsements
1. The Devil’s Own Dice received a five-star review from Maria Beltran for the Reader’s Favourite website.
2. The respected Beijing Review published an article on my books in China: http://www.bjreview.com/Lifestyle/201...
3. The defunct AHF Magazine https://www.amazon.co.uk/AHF-Magazine... published by the Wolfian Press, now Purple Unicorn Media, said The Hole Inside the Earth had ‘Lots of cool action and drew me well in’.
4. For endorsements of my work as editor, here is Amit Bobrov on my work for his novel ‘The Journals of Raymond Brooks’: ‘Lazlo’s the best editor I’ve worked with, and I’ve worked with a few. He took an already successful novel and found every imaginable flaw, corrected dialogues, fixed my grammar and altered key scenes to make them more exiting. He’s a fountain of creativity and knowledge. When I showed my Publisher his version of my novel they were speechless and this was a novel that three previous editor worked on.’
5. I have more than 100 publications (25 as editor) to my name and more than 70 individual works.
6. With more than 100,000 of my books in the hands of readers, their popularity continues to prove that an independent, genre-busting approach can work.
Educated near Oxford, during English author Lazlo Ferran’s extraordinary life, he has been an aeronautical engineering student, dispatch rider, graphic designer, full-time busker, guitarist and singer, recording two albums. Having grown up in rural Buckinghamshire Lazlo says:
“The beautiful Chiltern Hills offered the ideal playground for a child’s mind, in contrast to the ultra-strict education system of Bucks.”
Brought up as a Buddhist, he has travelled widely, surviving a student uprising in Athens and living for a while in Cairo, just after Sadat’s assassination. Later, he spent some time in Central Asia and was only a few blocks away from gunfire during an attempt to storm the government buildings of Bishkek in 2006. He has a keen interest in theologies and philosophies of the Far East, Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe.
After a long and successful career within the science industry, Lazlo Ferran left to concentrate on writing, to continue exploring the landscapes of truth.
- - -
From lessons learned as a professional musician about personal privacy, I do not publish using my real name but with the pen name Lazlo Ferran. Above, you can read a brief profile that you will find anywhere on the internet, and below, you will find my interview, qualifications and industry endorsements.
Interview
I was interviewed by The Authors Show about my novel Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate. In the interview video on my profile to the left, I share:
1 How Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate blends myth and mystery
2 Lazlo’s research into secret societies and historical settings
3 Behind-the-scenes writing insights
Qualifications
1. After a year studying a degree in Aeronautical Engineering, I chose to leave and received a BTEC Diploma in Graphics at Salisbury College of Art in 1985.
2. My IT Qualifications: building an early CMS from scratch in Perl, certificates in Search Engine Building, JSP, ColdFusion, SQL, B2B sofware.
3. In 2017 I became certified (with Distinction) from the TEFL Academy, London as a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language and gained experience teaching foreign students in a local professional school, although I had already taught children with varying degrees of dyslexia to read before. You can see my certificate at lazloferran.com/about
4. As for my knowledge of history, I have been a keen genealogist since the 90s and have traced my family back to a 13th Century Knight in Burgundy.
5. Lazlo Ferran is cited in the 633 Squadron Wikipedia [citation 25] entry for his interview with Cliff Robertson.
Industry Endorsements
1. The Devil’s Own Dice received a five-star review from Maria Beltran for the Reader’s Favourite website.
2. The respected Beijing Review published an article on my books in China: http://www.bjreview.com/Lifestyle/201...
3. The defunct AHF Magazine https://www.amazon.co.uk/AHF-Magazine... published by the Wolfian Press, now Purple Unicorn Media, said The Hole Inside the Earth had ‘Lots of cool action and drew me well in’.
4. For endorsements of my work as editor, here is Amit Bobrov on my work for his novel ‘The Journals of Raymond Brooks’: ‘Lazlo’s the best editor I’ve worked with, and I’ve worked with a few. He took an already successful novel and found every imaginable flaw, corrected dialogues, fixed my grammar and altered key scenes to make them more exiting. He’s a fountain of creativity and knowledge. When I showed my Publisher his version of my novel they were speechless and this was a novel that three previous editor worked on.’
5. I have more than 100 publications (25 as editor) to my name and more than 70 individual works.
6. With more than 100,000 of my books in the hands of readers, their popularity continues to prove that an independent, genre-busting approach can work.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 19, 2016
Intriguing and challenging read!
Great narrative, astounding writing skills. Excellent style, no major editing or proofreading issues. Original story with loads of twists and turns, including ethical conundrums. Enjoyable for the more intellectually inclined readers. A bit complicated though.
Great narrative, astounding writing skills. Excellent style, no major editing or proofreading issues. Original story with loads of twists and turns, including ethical conundrums. Enjoyable for the more intellectually inclined readers. A bit complicated though.
July 26, 2013
When I first started reading the novel I had low expectations. I've read many self-published books, and most of them need extensive editing. This one however was different, and it far exceeded my expectations.
Starting with an explosive opening I was hooked. Ferran had me intrigued. Afterwards during the informative chapter, he tended to be somewhat unclear. But the story had potential and I kept on reading. And I'm happy that I did for the novel unexpectedly turned into a wild chase against time, with the protagonist cornered from all sides, and it felt like hell itself was bent on bringing him down.
Now our protagonist isn't your standard hero type. He's a common man like you and I, perhaps he had a tougher life than many of us, but in his core he felt human and I easily felt a bond with him. Though his backstory was told in a somewhat unclear fashion, he was still a man you'd find interesting. And he was prone to making mistakes, especially where women were concerned, and I loved that about him. Our MI6 awesome protagonist found himself played at every turn by a charming smile.
Towards the 2nd half of the book, I couldn't stop reading and all the small writing flaws I found in the beginning were gone. I purchased the sequel as soon as I finished reading as the climax left me longing for more.
I know that I'm a perfectionist and a harsh reviewer, and every little thing bothers me. However this novel definitely passes as far as I'm concerned, and I'm aware it's an early work. I can't wait to see how Ferran improved in present writing.
Yours,
Amit.
Starting with an explosive opening I was hooked. Ferran had me intrigued. Afterwards during the informative chapter, he tended to be somewhat unclear. But the story had potential and I kept on reading. And I'm happy that I did for the novel unexpectedly turned into a wild chase against time, with the protagonist cornered from all sides, and it felt like hell itself was bent on bringing him down.
Now our protagonist isn't your standard hero type. He's a common man like you and I, perhaps he had a tougher life than many of us, but in his core he felt human and I easily felt a bond with him. Though his backstory was told in a somewhat unclear fashion, he was still a man you'd find interesting. And he was prone to making mistakes, especially where women were concerned, and I loved that about him. Our MI6 awesome protagonist found himself played at every turn by a charming smile.
Towards the 2nd half of the book, I couldn't stop reading and all the small writing flaws I found in the beginning were gone. I purchased the sequel as soon as I finished reading as the climax left me longing for more.
I know that I'm a perfectionist and a harsh reviewer, and every little thing bothers me. However this novel definitely passes as far as I'm concerned, and I'm aware it's an early work. I can't wait to see how Ferran improved in present writing.
Yours,
Amit.
April 5, 2014
Fans of Da Vinci Code will enjoy this story
Readers who loved books like the Da Vinci Code will appreciate this supernatural thriller. After a Snake/Demon grabs his daughter and leaves the crushed body behind, our hero finds himself on the trail of a deadly foe. To save his sanity and his marriage, he must find proof about the snake! He must search for clues in ancient statues and texts, solve cryptic hidden riddles, and find an ancient weapon to kill the serpent before its year-long murderous rampage ends. The frantic journey causes him to delve into his own past and face demons of a different nature to understand his role in the battle between good and evil.
While more bodies drop, including friends who help him solve the puzzle, our hero learns that a secret society protecting the serpents is trying to kill him. Since the police decide he is the killer, he has nowhere to turn for help. A beautiful woman volunteers to risk her own life to help him and he yields to temptation in her arms. She is his only ally, but does she have her own secret agenda? Surprising twists in the story lead to a dramatic confrontation, a battle that must be won to save his life and possibly his soul.
Told in the first person, the narrative describes current events then suddenly dives into pertinent memories. It can be jolting at times but each memory, each clue, leads our hero toward the supernatural enemy, while he discovers facts about himself and his family history. The weapon may be his salvation, but will he survive the ordeal?
Readers who loved books like the Da Vinci Code will appreciate this supernatural thriller. After a Snake/Demon grabs his daughter and leaves the crushed body behind, our hero finds himself on the trail of a deadly foe. To save his sanity and his marriage, he must find proof about the snake! He must search for clues in ancient statues and texts, solve cryptic hidden riddles, and find an ancient weapon to kill the serpent before its year-long murderous rampage ends. The frantic journey causes him to delve into his own past and face demons of a different nature to understand his role in the battle between good and evil.
While more bodies drop, including friends who help him solve the puzzle, our hero learns that a secret society protecting the serpents is trying to kill him. Since the police decide he is the killer, he has nowhere to turn for help. A beautiful woman volunteers to risk her own life to help him and he yields to temptation in her arms. She is his only ally, but does she have her own secret agenda? Surprising twists in the story lead to a dramatic confrontation, a battle that must be won to save his life and possibly his soul.
Told in the first person, the narrative describes current events then suddenly dives into pertinent memories. It can be jolting at times but each memory, each clue, leads our hero toward the supernatural enemy, while he discovers facts about himself and his family history. The weapon may be his salvation, but will he survive the ordeal?
January 27, 2015
Brainycat's 5 "B"s
:
blood: [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
boobs: [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
bombs: [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
bondage: [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
blasphemy: [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
Stars : 2
Bechdel Test : [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
Deggan's Rule : [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
Gay Bechdel Test : [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
I DNF'd this book at 10%. I found the protagonist unbelievable - I felt no depth to the character, I felt he was just a collection of attributes and a repository of Things That Happened To Him. It was as if he had no agency in his story, but just existed to move the plot along. Not a good place for the main character to live.
The pacing didn't make sense to me at all. In the first couple of pages, we watch as the protagonist's daughter gets abducted by some sort of dimension hopping demon. Describing this (visually, because other senses and the interior life of the character don't exist in this world) takes only a few more words than driving through the french countryside between plot advancements. I felt a complete lack of economy WRT the wordsmithing. I expect authors of books I'm reading for fun to be able to write better than I can :)
The few pages I read showed me that this book isn't lacking for ideas, but isn't cut of the cloth that I like to read. I didn't see any glaring typos or grammatical errors; this is not from the bottom of the self-published barrel. Unfortunately, I think the author needs to keep working on his craft (characterization, pacing, visualization) before I will feel comfortable investing the time and energy into an entire book.
blood: [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
boobs: [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
bombs: [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
bondage: [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
blasphemy: [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
Stars : 2
Bechdel Test : [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
Deggan's Rule : [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
Gay Bechdel Test : [UNSCORED, DNF AT 10%]
Please note: I don't review to provide synopses, I review to share a purely visceral reaction to books and perhaps answer some of the questions I ask when I'm contemplating investing time and money into a book.
I DNF'd this book at 10%. I found the protagonist unbelievable - I felt no depth to the character, I felt he was just a collection of attributes and a repository of Things That Happened To Him. It was as if he had no agency in his story, but just existed to move the plot along. Not a good place for the main character to live.
The pacing didn't make sense to me at all. In the first couple of pages, we watch as the protagonist's daughter gets abducted by some sort of dimension hopping demon. Describing this (visually, because other senses and the interior life of the character don't exist in this world) takes only a few more words than driving through the french countryside between plot advancements. I felt a complete lack of economy WRT the wordsmithing. I expect authors of books I'm reading for fun to be able to write better than I can :)
The few pages I read showed me that this book isn't lacking for ideas, but isn't cut of the cloth that I like to read. I didn't see any glaring typos or grammatical errors; this is not from the bottom of the self-published barrel. Unfortunately, I think the author needs to keep working on his craft (characterization, pacing, visualization) before I will feel comfortable investing the time and energy into an entire book.
January 26, 2015
"Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate (An Ex Secret Agent Paranormal Investigator Thriller) Volume 1 of the Ordo Lupus and the Blood Moon Prophecy Series" by Lazlo Ferran was an intense and satisfying read.
Right from the dramatic beginning there is suspense and interest, with more intriguing factors being added.
Paranormal abilities, history and occult blend into a very deep and fascinating storyline.
Fans of paranormal investigations, such as myself, will no doubt enjoy this well constructed thriller. Fantasy and occult fans are also well served.
Very enjoyable.
Right from the dramatic beginning there is suspense and interest, with more intriguing factors being added.
Paranormal abilities, history and occult blend into a very deep and fascinating storyline.
Fans of paranormal investigations, such as myself, will no doubt enjoy this well constructed thriller. Fantasy and occult fans are also well served.
Very enjoyable.
September 17, 2016
Intriguing and Challenging Read!
Great narrative, astounding writing skills. Excellent style, no major editing or proofreading issues. Original story with loads of twists and turns, including ethical conundrums. Enjoyable for the more intellectually inclined readers. A bit complicated though.
Great narrative, astounding writing skills. Excellent style, no major editing or proofreading issues. Original story with loads of twists and turns, including ethical conundrums. Enjoyable for the more intellectually inclined readers. A bit complicated though.
July 10, 2020
Am Anfang ist das Buch schwer zu verstehen. Doch nach einiger Zeit konnte ich mich gut einlesen. Doch der Schreibstil des Autors lässt zu wünschen übrig, daher habe ich einen Stern abgezogen. Viele verwinkelte Sätze mit vielen unnötgen Beschreibungen, die sich mit sehr kurzen Sätzen abwechseln, sodass es an eine Aneinanderreihung erinnert. Dies bessert sich jedoch ein wenig nach einigen Kapiteln. Die Geschichte an sich ist jedoch gelungen. Die Romanfiguren sind gut beschrieben und man kann ihnen im Handeln und Denken gut folgen. Es gibt zwar ein paar kleine Unstimmigkeiten am Anfang, dies könnte aber an der doch verwirrenden Schreibweise liegen. Man merkt an einigen "erotischen" Stellen, dass der Autor ein Mann ist, jedoch sind diese Stellen nicht markant.
May 22, 2014
I often get into the pitfall of reading a book quickly to simply follow the action and climax. In this book, I found myself focusing on the main characters, and actually relating to them on a personal level. The hero of the story has great depth; he has the fears, personal loss, and angst that we experience in our own lives, yet is able to overcome his pain. His talent for sensing Evil Spirits was something he initially feared and loathed, but now uses it for the greater good, in an attempt to stop the death and suffering that touched his own life, and his desire to protect others in the future. As a middle-aged man, I found myself yearning for the romance that he found along his quest. It is all too easy to have romance simply be an afterthought to add some sensuality to the mix, but he developed it into a relationship that was complex, unpredictable, and with its own challenges. I saw much of my own life in the leading character, and the strength and focus that I hope to have in myself.
May 16, 2014
I downloaded this book when it was free. I really liked it and the cover of the book is the best cover I have seen.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews