Review: A SWEEPING HISTORICAL THRILLER
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 3, 2012
There's a new player in the historical thriller genre, and his name is John Paul Davis. Conspiracy theory, the legends surrounding the Knights Templar, historical fact and global intrigue: Davis brings them all together in THE TEMPLAR AGENDA, a story so richly told you'll have trouble deciphering fact from fiction.The story begins with the deaths of several men, all seemingly unrelated. As events unfold, a pattern emerges that reveals each death, some of which are designed to appear natural, is actually part of a great scheme of murder created to protect an ancient secret society - a New World Order who plan and direct key historical events. The story's protagonist, Mike, a Swiss Guard, is given the unusual responsibility of protecting Gabrielle, the daughter of one of the dead men and a woman also marked for murder.The two delve into the events surrounding these murders and uncover the incredible possibility that the Knights Templar have survived until the modern day. Their relationship, at first distant, develops into one of respect, trust, and, as the plot progresses, mutual dependence as both of their fates become entangled in a 700-year old feud.Davis' dexterity with research shines in a story that leaves the reader wondering where fiction ends and plausible truth begins. He weaves a tale of frightening intensity that sweeps across the globe, through the Catholic Church, governments, and financial giants, and delves into the moral ambiguity surrounding those who hold the reins to great power. His characters and their actions beg the question: are the motives of these powerful people altruistic or founded in greed? Thanks to a twist at the end, Davis does a brilliant job of leaving the reader wondering whether secret societies are a force for good or evil. Or perhaps both.While THE TEMPLAR AGENDA is a complete story, you'll walk away knowing that there's a chance the baddies are licking their wounds and planning their next move. The battle between the Templars and the Church isn't over. Not by a long shot. Five stars.