If you enjoyed the Adept Series by these authors you will enjoy this book. If not, this probably is not the book for you either. Much like the Adept books this is an Esoteric Mystery book. Some of it takes place in the solid every day reality we are used to, but many of the clues are to be found in the Astral/unseen world.

I think that these are definitely niche market books, since I can easily see it offending both main stream Christians and die hard pagans. You need to be open for a place for both aspects in the world to be confortabe with the setting of this books world. The story is from the point of view of Templar Knights, and therefore has a Christian point of view, but they are also aware of and work with the esoteric world. It is very much a white light/dark light type of battle, but this book is even more from a Christian perspective because of the protagonists. Most of the good pagan aspects are also found among Christians in this book, in the form of the Columbian Monks. These monks seem to have taken all of the traditional druidic values and added the teachings of Christ to them. Alternately there is the dark cult that our protagonists battle.

As to the plot, I found the book to be fun light read. The points of history seem to be fairly accurate from what I can remember. It begins with the death of the Maiden of Norway and sees Scotland thru to the coming of the Bruce. For reasons of their own (which are given in the book, but I am trying to avoid spoiling the plot too much), parts of the Knights Templar have decided that it is important that Scotland remains sovereign. This is the story of how they aid in bringing that about.

To think of it this book would probably make a fun Module for NeverWinter Nights. There is a magical artifact for pretty much every need.


Great premise, but poor execution   February 1, 2004
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

I was drawn to this book by reading the back cover. How could anything revolving the story about William Wallace and Robert the Bruce be anything but good. I didn't even mind the battle between christian and pagan religions. It just seemed that whenever the Templars got in trouble they pulled out their Celtic stone, said some prayers and all was well. I was given the second book and will attempt to slog my way through it as I travel, however, I am so far not impressed 57 pages into it. I wish that the execution of this story and plot could have been done better as the idea was fantastic. I enjoyed some of the historical points of the book, but as written in earlier reviews they were repeated entirely too many times! I wouldn't buy this book if your looking for a fun, romping tale of the Knights Templar. Could have been much better.


Periods of drama and long lapses of boredom   January 25, 2004
 1 out of 3 found this review helpful

I can make this one quick...interesting idea...too long...horrible ending.

I like the new perspective of William Wallace, but he doesn't enter the story until about 250 pages have dragged by. There are some exciting glimpses into "dark" characters and mystery but they are few and far between. The authors involve FAR too much conversation between characters and they constantly rehash the same things over and over and over. Chapter 35 was the true end of the story - great climatic drama. Chapter 36 was so incredibly dull that I skimmed it, read the epilogue and gladly put this book away! Not a keeper and not one I would recommend. Enough to keep you trying to find redeeming value and a sorry disappointment for your efforts.


Not very good   January 14, 2003
 1 out of 3 found this review helpful

I really can't recommend this. It begins promisingly enough with the maid of Norway, the heir to the Scottish throne, dying on arrival to Scotland, and a prelate observing evil spirits attempting to take her soul. This is a very dry historical novel, in the Nigel Tranter variety, only making much less sense, suffused with magic elements. It's an interesting idea. There's a war brewing between Christian and Pagan elements (which are unreservedly evil here) and the competing magics secretly drive medieval politics. Unfortunately the interesting idea isn't very well executed, and we are treated to a miasma of historical detail and magical posturing that wanders all over the place, and occasionally returns to Torquil, a young hero whose only quality is that he is a young hero and is about to be recruited into the secret society of good guys. Ho hum.