A bewildering story. The author takes us to Israel, Portugal, and Paris. The Essenes mix with the Templars, the sect of the assassins of the Old Man of the Mountain, and the Freemasons. The plot of this novel is the quest for a treasure, that of the Templars. The reconstruction of the Third Temple of Jerusalem involves rivalries among sects, the heirs of the Templars, secret services, and the Essenes who have survived for two thousand years. Esoteric initiations, ritual executions, blood, and plenty of it.
This novel is a mix where, without a certain historical and religious background, the reader may get lost. The interest of this both historical and esoteric novel lies in its reference to sacred texts and the question posed about the fate of the Templars’ treasure. A soldier turned ascetic, a girl with a hint of espionage, a professor of archaeology in search of the Grail, particular interests, the Holy Land— all the ingredients, despite too much violence, for a compelling story where the reader can be convinced to decipher the sacred texts in their essence.
The author manages to persuade us, and between the two rolls of copper and silver, we race from page to page, with the naive anxiety of a child, awaiting the conclusion. The Temple treasure is a book not to be missed for its suspense, skillfully handled.
Thierry Jan, writer
