Rating: 
Summary: Give a hoot, read a book...but not this one.
Review: I agree with some of the other reviewers that the initial premise of this book seemed promising at the start. The further into the book I got though, the more this promise started to wane. I only finished this book because I had paid money for it. The final chapters were actually skimmed rather than read (reading for enjoyment is not supposed to be a chore). As an example of what I didn't like about the book can be found in the last chapter, the coronation of Robert the Bruce. Numerous pages described who was there, who stood where, who said what. Very dry. I thought this was a novel, not "The Cambridge Journal of Historical Analysis"! All to what purpose? I still don't know. I was surprised that the authors didn't describe what Sir Whoisname's wife was wearing (that color of gown just does not go with her hair!) and how the floral arrangements were picked out by the monk with the bad skin condition. I'll end my comments with one word. Tedious.
Rating: 
Summary: Periods of drama and long lapses of boredom
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing mythic/historical tale
Review: I have enjoyed the Adept series and the other works of these authors. I am of Scots descent and was intrigued to see the use of the backdrop of the Scottish struggle for sovereignty as a stage for the occult themes. I was very disappointed in the story and it took me a day or two to realize that one of the reasons is that there are NO WOMEN in this book at all - except for an evil pre-Christian Goddess. (Who doesn't even seem to have any female worshippers.) Granted the main characters are militant monks, but surely somewhere in their Scottish wanderings or in one of the subplots there is room for the distaff side. This book, and its sequel, The Temple and the Crown, are relentless in their portrayal of good Christians vs horrible diabolists of one sort or another. I'm slogging along through the sequel but whether I will actually finish the thing is in doubt. I'm amazed that it is possible to make the stories of William Wallace and Robert Bruce boring.
Rating:
Summary: Well....I love these Gals but...
Review: I know I read this book and I remember raving about it to preety much everyone I met 2 years ago. For the life of me I cannot remember what the book was ABOUT. That is the feeling you will get when you read this book kinda like Chinesse food, a great feeling and something you want to tell your friends about but ultimity forgetable.
Rating:
Summary: Not very good
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Great premise, but poor execution
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Great premise, but poor execution
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Braveheart Meets the Adept
Review: It's better written than Braveheart, but somehow doesn't quite flow like the adept series. This stew of Templar magic, William Wallace, Longshanks & Robert the Bruce, hold enough interest to finish the book. I'm not a Celtic scholar, but it sounds like Kurtz & Harris have done their homework. They certainly don't resort to some of the wildly unbelievable fantasies that meander through the movie Braveheart. It disappoints me that, yet again, this duo has chosen to demonize the religions of pre-Christian Europe. While finding bright light in their Christian/Templar/Masonic magic, they elaborate the darkest forces in the Old Religion. They neglect the fact that the equalitarianism of Celtic culture provided one of the few bright lights of a more democratic process than the totalitarianism which so characterized medieval Christianity. Celtic Christianity did, indeed, shine like a light in those dark ages, not inspite of the dark religions they had forsaken, but precisely because their pre-Christian religions were so full of light, celebration, and lie-affirming beliefs and celebrations. Overall, it was an enoyable book. Plenty of action, although a bit formulaic. The magical & occult material is not as rich as that found in Dion Fortune's novels, but this book is much more readable. If you're a die-hard Adept fan, you will want to read this book to experience more of the Saint Clair story. Fun, longer than it is deep, perhaps even historically accurate. Doesn't quite make it to 4 stars, though. It gets 3.5 stars, rounded down because it felt a bit tired. (If you would like to correspond about this review, please click the "about me" link above. Thanks!)
Rating:
Summary: Braveheart Meets the Adept
Review: It's better written than Braveheart, but somehow doesn't quite flow like the adept series. This stew of Templar magic, William Wallace, Longshanks & Robert the Bruce, hold enough interest to finish the book. I'm not a Celtic scholar, but it sounds like Kurtz & Harris have done their homework. They certainly don't resort to some of the wildly unbelievable fantasies that meander through the movie Braveheart. It disappoints me that, yet again, this duo has chosen to demonize the religions of pre-Christian Europe. While finding bright light in their Christian/Templar/Masonic magic, they elaborate the darkest forces in the Old Religion. They neglect the fact that the equalitarianism of Celtic culture provided one of the few bright lights of a more democratic process than the totalitarianism which so characterized medieval Christianity. Celtic Christianity did, indeed, shine like a light in those dark ages, not inspite of the dark religions they had forsaken, but precisely because their pre-Christian religions were so full of light, celebration, and lie-affirming beliefs and celebrations. Overall, it was an enoyable book. Plenty of action, although a bit formulaic. The magical & occult material is not as rich as that found in Dion Fortune's novels, but this book is much more readable. If you're a die-hard Adept fan, you will want to read this book to experience more of the Saint Clair story. Fun, longer than it is deep, perhaps even historically accurate. Doesn't quite make it to 4 stars, though. It gets 3.5 stars, rounded down because it felt a bit tired. (If you would like to correspond about this review, please click the "about me" link above. Thanks!)
Rating: 
Summary: Another Templar series
Review: Katherine and Deborah are writing yet another Knights Templar series, but in olden times instead of modern times. These 2 women seem very taken with the romanticized version of the Knights Templar and make their non-Templar characters unable to function without said Templars. That being said, this book has quite a bit of action with little physical combat and is slightly fast-paced. Supernatural monsters, paganism, Scotland and politics abound here. I liked the book, yet in all honesty I very much preferred the earlier Adept series and I think Kathy and Debby should write more Adept books rather than starting a new series. The characters in the Adept books feel more alive and 3 dimensional while Arnault and gang are more 2D, in keeping with their era.
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