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The First Seal: (The Templar Trial)
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The First Seal: (The Templar Trial)

When archaeologists in New Mexico discover 16th century British armor hidden in a Navajo burial ground, Jim O'Neal joins the search to uncover the meaning of this unexpected find. Shortly afterwards, he learns that another artifact of much greater significance, an engraved stone tablet, was also discovered. Jim, needing to jumpstart his stagnant career, envisions these finds as his keys to academic acclaim. When an archaeologist is killed and Jim is framed for the murder, he realizes that, in order to prove his innocence, he must solve the mystery of the tablet and find its companion, which is buried in another site. His allies in this quest are Frank, a Navajo graduate student, and Marji, a mysterious newcomer whose interest in the discovery adds another layer of intrigue to the adventure. Two other groups, in addition to Jim, Frank and Marji, want to claim the tablets for their own purposes. One group is determined use the tablets to set cataclysmic events into motion. The other, composed of descendants of the ancient Knights Templar, wants to ensure that the mysteries of the tablets remain unsolved and, in so doing, maintain international stability. All three groups follow trails across New Mexico and into the mountains of Colorado, where the ultimate showdown takes place in ancient Navajo territory.

A second story that develops throughout the book is the tale of how the tablets arrived in the New World. The main character of this story is Thomas Wyclyffe, a sixteenth century Templar Knight who has traveled from Britain to hide tablets. The parallel between the two stories is clever. The reader simultaneously follows the twenty-first century adventurers as they uncover the artifacts and the sixteenth century adventurer as he buries his goods. The transitions between the stories are smooth and both stories climax at appropriate points in their respective narratives.

Generally speaking, The First Seal is well-written and fun to read. The plot is clever and coherent. Harris draws on several historical strands, such as Navajo culture and lore and the story of the Knights Templar, to weave a very engaging story. The only plot weakness comes in the final scene, which unfortunately draws on a device that is quickly becoming a cliché in twenty-first century American literature. With regard to the book's characters, most of them are interesting. Readers will empathize with the heroes and be intrigued by the demonic duo. The only character who seems to be cut from a cardboard mold is Jesse, the twisted twentieth century Templar Knight. The only other critical issue I have with the book is that it needs one more round of editing, as there are several points at which sloppy grammar becomes annoying. Since these shortcomings are few in number and generally minor in effect, I highly recommend The First Seal to readers who like adventure stories with historical flavors and I look forward to reading more of this author's work in the future.

The above review was contributed by: Evelyn Sears Ph.D: Freelance writer, photographer and musician.

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Product Details:
Author: Sean Harris
Paperback: 334 pages
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
Publication Date: December 12, 2006
ISBN: 1419649531
Package Length: 7.9 inches
Package Width: 5.2 inches
Package Height: 1.0 inches
Package Weight: 0.8 pounds
Average Customer Rating: based on 12 reviews
 
 

Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Review:4.0
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2 of 2 found the following review helpful:

2Not sure why I kept on reading  Aug 27, 2007
The premise of this book is indeed much less credible than many other Templar novels, with the Devil in human form and a nun on a secret mission, like 007, with a license to have sex.
This paperback was also one of the absolutely worst examples of proofreading and editing that I have ever read. Misspellings, omitted words, duplicate words throughout.
I guess I finished the book to see if it could get any worse.

2 of 2 found the following review helpful:

4a good read  Jul 24, 2007
"The First Seal" hooked me from the first page. As we all know, I'm a historical fiction fanatic, and this novel did not disappoint. From what I've read in other reviews that of this book, the historical facts contained in the story are being called into question; accurate or not, the story itself is engaging and compelling and I personally couldn't put it down.

The story is a combination of narratives; one stemming from the present time, and one from the 1500's. The two weave back and forth in a way that is easy to follow and an effective way of advancing the plot line. In the present day story we learn of a mysterious archealogical find, a stone tablet discovered in New Mexico, where it by all rights, should NOT be. Murder and mayhem ensue, as all parties involved in the story have different reasons for wanting to get their hands on the tablet.

Mixed in we also have the story set in the 1500's, of how the tablet came to be in New Mexico. The author weaved these two stories together in a very satisfying way... In the present day we are uncovering the tablet, while simultaneously in the past, we are fighting to bury it. From here we come to the ultimate showdown ending, which leaves me hopeful for a sequel...

If you're looking for a great story to get lost in, I think I've found it for you...you won't regret it.

3 of 6 found the following review helpful:

1Ludicrous - Worst Templar novel ever  Jun 29, 2007
I don't understand how the people that have reviewed this book so far are giving it such high marks. There are several issues that I don't understand with this novel. First, it portrays the Templar of the past as intelligent, driven men with a purpose. Yet, it portrays the templars of the present as blatant idiots. Then, you have a nun that is given a "dispensation" by the Vatican (for which her contact happens to be the devil) to steal, kill, and have sex with anyone in order to find the item in question. You may say whatever you want about the Catholic Church, but that premise is preposterous. Further, the book starts with a western/devil short story that is meant to present a preamble of what is to come, yet fails at such. You have demons raping women, men that have lived many 500 years, etc. Ludicrous does not start to describe this novel. I wonder if the "good" reviews are but trolls to jack up the "stars" on the review.

1 of 1 found the following review helpful:

5Wonderfully fun  May 17, 2007
This book is a great ride. IT is clear and concise. It keeps you wanting more. The DaVinci Code has NOTHING on this book. I cant wait for the rest of them.

2 of 2 found the following review helpful:

5Could not put the book down!!  Apr 29, 2007
There are enough well written characters to fill three different novels. The authors research of prior time and locales is evident in the story line and characters. Here's hoping the sequel is soon to be available.A must read for all.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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