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Fantasy Book Review: The Templar Magician by Paul Doherty
1152 and the Templar Order face a new threat. The Templar Order fiercely guards the Holy Land, though the idealism that brought the Order to victory over five decades earlier is fading, as King Stephen fights a vicious civil war against Henry Fitzempress in England. When Raymond, Count of Tripoli, is brutally murdered a ferocious massacre ensues. Robert de Payens and Philip Mayele are sent to negotiate with the Man in the Mountain, whose sect, The Assassins, is believed responsible for the murder. The two envoys return with disturbing news: the assassination is the work of a rogue coven within the Order itself who are now headed to England. Its leader will use anything, even black magic, to defeat those who stand in his way – including the King himself…
Fantasy Book Review: “I thoroughly enjoyed The Templar Magician but there was one thing that didn’t work for me, and that was the ending. Everything was all done in a very Hercule Poirot way (considering this is marketed as an historical crime novel I really shouldn’t complain), but as we neared the end EVERY single loose thread was tied up, with all the protagonists in one room as the lead character, Edmund de Payens displayed his deductive prowess. This part seemed to go into unnecessary detail and I found it all a little bit unbelievable. That aside though, this is a book I will look back on fondly and I am pleased to say that I now have a better understanding of the Knights Templar and the 12th century than I had before I began reading it. I can take a lot from the book, and that is after all what reading is all about – learning something new.”
Read the full review of The Templar Magician by Paul Doherty
Paul Doherty was born in Middlesbrough. He studied history at Liverpool and Oxford universities and obtained a doctorate at Oxford for his thesis on Edward II and Queen Isabella. He is now headmaster of a school in northeast London and lives with his wife and family near Epping Forest.
Posted: January 27th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Fantasy Book Review
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