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    The Templar Legacy: A Novel
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    The Templar Legacy: A Novel
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    The Templar Legacy: A Novel
    Audiobook (abridged)7 hours

    The Templar Legacy: A Novel

    Written by Steve Berry

    Narrated by Brian Corrigan

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    New York Times BESTSELLER -- "Exciting... hard to put down without reading one more page." - The Florida Times-Union

    The ancient order of the Knights Templar possessed untold wealth and absolute power over kings and popes . . . until the Inquisition, when they were wiped from the face of the earth, their hidden riches lost. But now two forces vying for the treasure have learned that it is not at all what they thought it was-and its true nature could change the modern world.

    Cotton Malone, one-time top operative for the U.S. Justice Department, is enjoying his quiet new life as an antiquarian book dealer in Copenhagen when an unexpected call to action reawakens his hair-trigger instincts-and plunges him back into the cloak-and-dagger world he thought he'd left behind.

    It begins with a violent robbery attempt on Cotton's former supervisor, Stephanie Nelle, who' s far from home on a mission that has nothing to do with national security. Armed with vital clues to a series of centuries-old puzzles scattered across Europe, she means to crack a mystery that has tantalized scholars and fortune-hunters through the ages by finding the legendary cache of wealth and forbidden knowledge thought to have been lost forever when the order of the Knights Templar was exterminated in the fourteenth century. But she's not alone. Competing for the historic prize- and desperate for the crucial information Stephanie possesses-is Raymond de Roquefort, a shadowy zealot with an army of assassins at his command.

    Welcome or not, Cotton seeks to even the odds in the perilous race. But the more he learns about the ancient conspiracy surrounding the Knights Templar, the more he realizes that even more than lives are at stake. At the end of a lethal game of conquest, rife with intrigue, treachery, and craven lust for power, lies a shattering discovery that could rock the civilized world-and, in the wrong hands, bring it to its knees.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateFeb 21, 2006
    ISBN9780739332023
    Unavailable
    The Templar Legacy: A Novel
    Author

    Steve Berry

    Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of The Patriot Threat, The Lincoln Myth, The King’s Deception, The Columbus Affair, The Jefferson Key, The Emperor’s Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room. His books have been translated into forty languages with 19,000,000 copies in fifty-one countries. For more information, visit SteveBerry.org.

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    Reviews for The Templar Legacy

    3.5/5

    941 ratings71 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I don’t know why I keep picking up these books that center around debunking Christian mythology, but I do. It must be rooted in my youthful rebellion against the mind-numbing church history classes I was forced to endure at my Catholic high school, which were taught by a nun, Sr. Delphine, who looked, moved and spoke as though she were a step away from one of the catecombs she taught about with such relish. But I digress.

      This book is one of the recent spate of DaVinci Code-alikes that have hit the bookshelves. Now, I have to say that I wasn’t too enamoured of Dan Brown’s controversial tale, mostly because I thought Robert Langdon was incredibly boring, and that the French police officer was a total stereotype. I liked Templar Legacy much, much more…better characters, better pacing, better everything.

      Our protagonists, Cotton Malone and Stephanie Nelle, find themselves smack in the middle of another gosh-darn conspiracy that will reveal a shocking historical truth intended to rock the foundations of the known world. Stephanie’s dead husband, Lars, spent most of their marriage searching for the lost treasure of the Knights Templar. Seven years after his death, Stephanie receives his journal, sent anonymously through the mail, and decides she must have closure. So, she pulls up stakes from her high level government job, and flies to Copenhagen, where she stirs up a whole bunch of trouble. Teaming up with former intelligence officer turned bookshop owner Cotton Malone (maybe I’m wrong, but I really do think this is the name of the sports announcer played by Gary Cole in the movie Dodgeball), the two follow clues supposedly leading to the Great Devise — the legendary Templar treasure hidden in the 14th century as the Knights were being exterminated by French royalty. The two are challenged by Raymond deRoquefort, Marshal, then Master, of the current, hidden Knights. Twists and turns abound as Cotton and Stephanie race against time to discover the Great Devise and foil the evil deRoquefort’s plans of world domination.

      Yep. It’s a page-turner all right. Actually, one of the things I liked best about this book is the short sections within the chapters. There wasn’t that whole one-chapter-about-Raymond, one-chapter-about-Stephanie thing going on. I could pick the book up, read for about 5 minutes, put it down to check dinner, change the laundry over, or help a patron and then pick it right back up without missing a beat. And the story itself was full of surprises. I sure didn’t see the twists coming at the end.

      The setting is almost identical to that in The Labyrinth by Kate Mosse — Carcasonne and other areas of France — and there are echoes of the same ancient legends in both books. Templar is a much better read, however. Definitely pick it up and give it a shot.
    • 3/5
      Bog standard historical action thriller. I know they get better as I've read later Cotton Malone stories. This one is pedestrian.
    • 4/5
      Cotton Malone has retired from his government job and opened a book shop in Copenhagen. When his former boss (not a field agent) seems to be getting herself embroiled in intrigue, he involves himself, rescuing her from danger, but putting himself in the line of fire. Stephanie Nelle's late husband was investigating, and wrote a popular novel about, an area in France that may hold clues to the lost Templar treasure. The Templars themselves, in hiding for centuries, are also on the trail of the treasure and will stop at nothing to gain access to Lars Nelle's diary and other clues he's uncovered, putting Stephanie and Cotton on the run to figure out the mystery and avoid getting themselves killed. Berry very helpfully includes information at the end of the narrative that sorts historical facts from what he's just made up for the book. This was helpful because I feel like I learned so much about the history of the Templars and this region in France, so it was good to know what to believe and what to dismiss as Berry's fictions. The tale was fascinating, suspenseful and informative with great action sequences as well as character development. None of the historical information felt like unnecessary exposition and none of it was shoveled into the narrative in an awkward way. Berry also kept me guessing as to who was friend or foe as they related to our main characters. Steve Berry is the author Dan Brown wishes he could be and I very much recommend this work.
    • 4/5
      A great adventure, nicely blending real history, fictional history, and action and adventure. Plenty of twists and turns I wasn't expecting. It was perhaps a little slow to get going, but powered along nicely once underway.The author spent several pages at the end of the book describing which aspects of the story are actual historical fact, and which are fictional constructs for the sake of the story - something I enjoy and appreciate.
    • 4/5
      I couldn't get the print copy of this book before our group read so I got the CD book. I know that it takes real talent to read a book so that even 95% of the listener/readers will be satisfied but I think my 3.5 star rating of this book was mostly the reader and not the author's writing. There were times when Brian Corrigan's attempts at the French accent of this book's arch-villain, Raymond De Roquefort, that he sounded so much like Peter Sellers's Inspector Clouseau with a bad head cold. In spite of that the story line was absolutely magnificent. The clues that Cotton Malone and his band of merry men and women were tasked with finding and interpreting were well over this readers head but I did so enjoy the journey. This is the perfect blend for thriller fans and history buffs alike.
    • 4/5
      My in-laws highly recommended this series and gave me one of the later books. Compulsive reader in order that I am, I obtained this first in the series to start. I thought it interesting and who couldn't like a spook turned bookseller :)
    • 4/5
      This is the first book in the Cotton Malone series as well as the first book I've read by Steve Berry. The story was interesting, the puzzle intriguing and the characters (most anyway) likable.The story centered on a hunt for the treasure of the Templar Order. While the clues were clever, the story was often slowed by too much theological discussion. But, overall the story was interesting and well written and I will be reading more in the Cotton Malone series.Overall rating: 3.75
    • 1/5
      Even though I must admit that I purposed to read this book in order to engage the skeptical viewpoints of the author regarding the traditional Christian doctrine of Christ, I have to admit that I really did enjoy the story, at least at the beginning. How could a bibliophile such as myself not enjoy a protagonist in Cotton Malone, who owns a book store in Copenhagen and frequents auctions where rare books are sold? The story progressed fairly well with the good guys competing with the ruthless bad guys in an intriguing search for mysterious Templar treasure. It all collapsed for me, though when it became clear that the entire story rested upon the premise that the history of the Christian faith was all established on lies about who Jesus was and what He accomplished on the cross. There was nothing new presented here which caused me to stumble in my faith, but rather the opposite, as I easily saw through the typical Jesus Seminar nonsense which has been debunked over and over again by sound Christian apologists. At least I did see some promise in author Steve Berry's ability to pen an entertaining yarn given a different plot premise. I will likely give he and Cotton Malone another try.
    • 4/5
      Okay. Here's the deal. If you go to Amazon.com, you're going to see this book picked apart by people who judge it because it doesn't conform to their ideas about Christianity, and because it offers a new way to look at the Catholic Church, etc., etc., etc. So my advice: if you're a devout Christian and you can't pick up a book that puts forth ideas you can't agree with, don't pick this one up because you'll hate it. On the other hand, if you can get past that, and realize that the author is writing a thriller/suspense story, and that it is FICTION, then you may find yourself getting into it. Yes, it's improbable, and yes, it's implausible and yes, things go down just a little too pat. But it's not meant to be great literature and it's a very fun & relaxing way to pass a few hours. I liked it SO much better than the last one (The Third Secret) and I had a lot of fun with the whole Templar treasure thing. Good grief...it's just a fun fiction novel! To be sure, it does get a little tedious after a while with all of the talk talk about the Templar treasure & the secrets left behind, but take it for what it is: a fun story by an author that knows how to do a fine plot.here's a brief look:Starting out in Copenhagen, bookstore owner Cotton Malone (who is a retired goverment agent of some sort) is hanging out having a coffee and sees a purse snatching. The purse belongs to his ex-boss in the government. He goes after her purse and as the guy is about to be caught, he does a very bizarre thing: he jumps from a tower and puts a knife across his throat while on his way down. As Cotton begins to investigate, he finds himself tangled up in a web of intrigue involving the Knights Templar, which leads him to France and Rennes-le-Chateau. He and his group get caught up in secret cryptograms, headstone inscriptions, art-inspired clues, as two rival groups all seek the same thing. You can't write this off as a DaVinci Code ripoff, because frankly, it's much better and packs more of a punch. Try it...you might enjoy it.
    • 1/5
      Stiff characters and writing, a trudge to read.
    • 3/5
      Well, it's about time we recognize and create a distinct genre for these types of books and save from getting shoved from thriller to historical and again to thriller shelves. It's confusing isn't.These authors, the likes Dan brown, Steve berry Etc forges a thriller pivoting it around so much of historical fact that it feels like a history non fiction.Whom am I complaining, I love these types of books.About the book, as the name suggest, this book is centered around the knight temples and the whole wealth amass by them during their reign. According the book the Templar brotherhood still exists and is trying to acquire their lost wealth along with an entity called 'the great device' which threatened to shake the roots of the Christianity, if revealed to the world. On the other hand the protagonist along with some of his acquaintances is trying to prevent them from doing so. The story involves a fair amount of twist and turn which goes well with the plot.The author has taken lots trouble with the research work which shows in the book as most of the facts are accounted for.Overall this book is a splendid read and is recommended to every history buff.And about the genre, should we call it "his thrill", huh??just kidding.
    • 4/5
      Although The Templar Legacy was very enjoyable and the plot interesting, it didn't have that "gotta read just one more page" feel to it. I liked the Author's Note at the end as I'm not familiar enough with the topic to know what is fact and what is fiction. On the whole, it was interesting and informative and I will continue with the series just to see where it's going. If you're a seeker and have an interest in the Templars, this is quite an interesting book. If you're easily offended when Christianity is debated and questioned, maybe it's not for you. I found the position taken in the novel to be a new and interesting perspective...for me at least
    • 4/5
      A decent thriller. It was good to have a Templar-based plot that didn't also drag in the Priory of Sion, or the Freemasons . Berry constructed some good characters, and what he did have to say about Templar history was more-or-less accurate. Of course, at its core, the 'legacy' is still "A secret that overthrows the whole basis of Christianity," the same as most of this subgenre. Still a pretty good book.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this more than I'd expected to, especially after somewhat recently reading Berry's The Third Secret and not being especially impressed by that one. Yes, this one was somewhat DaVince Code-esque, but that's okay. I liked that book & I liked this one too. It's hard not to get swept up in the treasure hunting & code-breaking stuff, and though there are now quite a few books out there in that genre, they're still fun. This was an abridged audio version, and while I typically don't care much for most abridged selections, this one was pretty easy to follow without feeling like I was missing some key pieces of the story.
    • 4/5
      I finally finished this book. It was a free download from Barnes and Noble, and I read it whenever I had an appointment. Needless to say, it took me about 2 months to finish. I've read online that Berry is a Dan Brown wannabe/knockoff. Fortunately, I didn't read that until after I completed the book. Yes, the book has a lot of detail, but I actually found that interesting. The book is a thriller combining the details of the rise and fall of the Knights Templar and a modern day race to find the treasure and secrets of the organization. Some reviewers have said that Berry's information is not very accurate. I don't know, but I treated the book as fiction, not a historical treatise, so there you go.
    • 4/5
      An interesting thriller by Berry where you are taken to the secretive world of Templars, a quest for their treasure.An entertaining as well as an educative read.
    • 2/5
      This reads like a The Da Vinci Code rip-off, although I actually have to rate Berry's novel higher, because, unlike the case with Brown's book, the writing isn't eye-bleeding and the history isn't obviously sloppy in ways I can't miss. This seems well-researched and much better grounded in history than The Da Vinci Code. However, this is still far too close a clone. The three-word title. A man (former American "operative" Cotton Malone) and woman (the bland Stephanie Nelle) teaming up and fleeing through Europe on a "quest," pursued by a secret society of religious fanatics and dealing with a hidden truth that goes to the core of the Christian faith. They're accompanied by a wealthy man of physical limitations whose made a special study of the secrets they're seeking. The key to the treasure consists of solving puzzles, cyphers and secret codes. Sound familiar? It's not that I'm offended by the iconoclastic conclusions about Christianity and secular worldview of the author--by and large I share them. But well, not only is it been there, done that with Dan Brown (and I thought that book stupid, but at least it wasn't a carbon copy--well, except of Holy Blood, Holy Grail...) but I think I'm also missing the conspiracy gene that allows people to lap up books like these. I rather go by that old purported saying of the mafia--three can keep a secret, if two are dead. I just don't in my heart believe that centuries old societies whether the Templars or the Masons keep secrets more sinister than a identifying handshake. And if they did, I don't think they'd have stayed secret for long if they acted the way they do in this book, like a luminous arrow saying "look here." And this particular book doesn't really give me a "value-added" such as elegant prose or well-rounded characters to love. This came across as a generic, formulaic, Da Vinci Code wannabe only for those who couldn't get enough of that book and having read everything of Dan Brown must have more.
    • 4/5
      This was my first introduction to Cotton Malone, but not my first introduction into Templar books. I enjoyed this one very much. The "truth" about Christ that Steve Berry presented was a new concept to me. It was interesting to read and think about. And I liked that the bad parts weren't so graphically detailed like Dan Brown's works. I'm looking forward to reading the next Cotton Malone adventure.
    • 4/5
      Good plot. But, I was hoping for something a little bit more substantial. This is probably just because I ended up reading another book that was really close subject wise.
    • 3/5
      I picked this up at the library book sale, not knowing if it was any good. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it. When it started out I thought it was going to be a lot like the "Da Vinci Code", it wasn't. Many similarities with clues to follow looking for the mysteries of Christ's life. Many good factual geographical and historical descritpitons mixed with fictional. Berry put a nice writers note at the end to describe his factual points and his research. A good read overall
    • 4/5
      The first book in the Cotton Malone series is a fast paced thriller set in the now familiar (thanks to Dan Brown) world of the Templars. A fun, easy read with enough twists, turns, puzzles and chases to keep the pages turning.
    • 3/5
      All too often the Templars are used as easily identifiable bad guys in thrillers and mysteries. The Templar Legacy looks, at first blush, given the opening action, to be just another example of that. Instead, it becomes clear fairly early on, there is something far more complex going on.I found the mystery and the quest interesting, as well as the puzzles and complexities of the plot. I did have a few issues with the book otherwise though. I found it extremely frustrating that,. for instance, in the middle of death-defying action, the characters suddenly stop and feel a need to explain or pontificate, or otherwise bring the reader up to speed. Surely the information could have been delivered at better times.I also thought Berry pounded on several points he made - over and over again. Yes, perhaps a couple of iterations of main plot explanations would have been good, but he repeated some of them too many times for my taste.The characters were interesting and complex, if not all that well drawn. Importantly for me, I cared about them, which goes a long way for me in any novel. No matter how good the writing or how interesting the plot, if I don't care about the characters, or worse dislike them, I'll dislike the book.Recommended for those who like mystery thrillers.
    • 3/5
      Templars, secret codes, church history, hidden treasure, power-hungry leaders with guns...danger exists and the answer to the riddle could be proof that Christianity is false. If it falls into the wrong hands the faith of millions of followers could be shaken.
    • 4/5
      This wonderful thriller is a combination of many elements, all of which are combined in a combustible crucible to make an engrossing read.Its background is the legacy of the Templars, a religious order formed in Acre, Palestine during the Crusades largely by Frenchmen. What became of their treasure when they were eradicated by the French king in 1307? What about their discovery of the apparent story of the resurrection of Jesus, as well as elements of the Gnostic Gospels? These are mysteries of the ages as well as the religious heritage of the West.Steve Berry elucidates these questions in a far different manner than used by Dan Brown in the da Vinci Code. The answers are pursued in the context of the origins of the Templars, in Provence, France, including elements of the Papal escape to Avignon in the aftermath of the collapse of the Christian efforts to free the Holy Lands from the supposed infidels.The Templar Legacy is not a history book. It is a thriller. A genre of suspense and intrigue, which are in ample supply in this captivating story.A possessed pursuer of ancient artifacts, his disbelieving wife an intelligence operative, a son lost in an avalanche seeking the same ends as his apparently suicidal father, and a variety of other fascinating characters all combine to set the stage for a different search for a historic grail. The perilous antiquities that so dominate the Indiana Jones sagas are plainly in evidence in the denouement.In the end, there are the strains of romance that could blossom in a sequel in a far different vein than James Bond and his girls. A former intelligence operative and a wealthy, stealthy follower of Islam?
    • 4/5
      This fast paced thriller held my attention throughout the book, like the Da Vinci Code did. These two books are similar in that they both deal with secret organizations and knowledge that could potentially destroy the Catholic church. There's also a lot of hidden messages/puzzle-solving. The only part I didn't like was that some of the puzzles were in French or Latin, so that makes it difficult for the average reader to try to solve them by themselves. However, I do realize that it wouldn't make sense for riddles left by the Knights Templar to be in English.
    • 3/5
      There are enough conspiracy novels about or involving the Templars to make it a sub-genre in itself. This work had nothing that particularly made it stand out; it had puzzles, it had secret and threatening organizations, it had an internal power struggle, et cetera. It was reasonably well written and well plotted; there just wasn't much in my mind to make it stand out amongst similar novels. Alas, one of the things that did stick out for me was the treatment of female characters. The central female protagonist is constantly blamed, by herself and others, for not "standing by her man", supporting her husband's possibly-kooky research without question. As a female of the species, I found this annoying. Perhaps I overreact, but that character's unlikeable nature and general lack of agency rubbed me the wrong way.
    • 3/5
      In this book, the Knights Templar are still around, secretly practicing their brotherhood in an underground compound that masquerades as a monastery. They elect a new leader, called a Master, when the old one dies and he is determined to find something called The Great Devise which supposedly the Knights found back in the twelfth century under the Temple in Jerusalem. This new Master figures that this Great Devise is something very powerful for their organization that will help them regain their heritage and claim justice for the killing of so many Knights in the fifteenth century. Cotton Malone gets involved because his former boss Stephanie Nelle starts investigating the clues to finding the Great Devise also after she receives some information anonymously in the mail. By doing this, she attracts the unwanted attention of the modern day Knights Templar, and a dangerous race begins...who can find the Great Devise first. In working out this improbable plot, the book switches between action-filled segments, and more thoughtful puzzle-solving sections. There are many cryptic clues and even a cryptogram. Although they don't come right out and say what the Great Devise is, there is enough speculation about it, that you pretty much know what it will be before they find it. I found the characters mostly flat and without much depth, and therefore I was not particularly invested in their success at the culmination of the novel. Additionally, I found the writing itself to be mediocre, consisting mainly of a huge amount of question-and-answer dialogue. I would have liked a little more description giving a more vivid sense of place.
    • 4/5
      Cotton Malone, a retired espionage officer, sells book in Copenhagen until his former boss involves him in a quest to find a lost treasure of the Knights Templar that will contradict Christian orthodoxy. Very much in the mould of the Da Vinci Code, this tale is well-researched and Berry's narrative creates a strong sense of place and time. The historical backround is rooted in early Christianity and in 14th century France but it can be jarring in its introduction.
    • 4/5
      When I finished this book, at first I was a little stunned. It didn't end the way I expected. Maybe that's why it was such an interesting novel. The author creates a highly imaginative story using certain facts and theories of others and weaves them together to generate a tale that holds your interest and at times takes your breath away. Highly religious people may be offended by some of the aspects of this story, but I found fascinating in the same way as I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code.In total, it was an entertaining adventure worthy of James Bond while and at the same time extremely disquieting in its theories.
    • 4/5
      You might think that this book is in the vein of the Da Vinci Code. Who could blame you? It's about the Knights Templar, ancient secrets and Christianity as well as following an ancient trail of clues and puzzles. However, I'm glad to say that this is a deserving novel in its own right. Steve Berry has undertaken some thorough research and woven it into a tense and thrilling tale.As well as being an exiciting and fast-paced tale, the author leaves us with a bit of food for thought at the end as the great secret of the Templars is revealed. An interesting slant to a book typical of its genre.The Templar Legacy is easy to read and will entertain anyone who enjoys this type of historical thriller. Ultimately, it's more than the sum of its parts and one of the best of its kind.