Audio Book Review: The Templar Chronicles 1, The Heretic, by Joe Nassise

This is a fully dramatized production and very exciting to listen to.

The Templar Chronicles 1 The Heretic

by Joe Nassise

Approximate Run Time: 6 hours

Release Date: February 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59950-836-8
Available in paperback, Kindle and other formats too.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Description:

At the end of the First Crusade, the church created a monastic military order known as the Knights Templar. Now, rising up from the ashes of history, they are the Vatican’s last defense in the war between good and evil…

Cade Williams is no ordinary man. His ability to cross over to the other side makes him uniquely qualified to command the Church’s special operations division. As a modern-day Knight, Cade can use the curse that has scarred his soul as a weapon against the forces of darkness. But a new kind of unholy war is brewing — and soon Cade may be the last man standing…between the living and the dead.

The desecration of Templar cemeteries has sparked a full-scale investigation. Cade and his team suspect that a cabal of necromancers is behind it all. Their purpose: to claim the legendary powers of a lost holy relic for their own ungodly campaign.

For Cade, there’s only one way to stop them — by tracking the dead himself…crossing the most sacred of battle lines…and facing his own terrifying demons.

Review:

This is an excellent audio with full graphic sound effects aptly described as the introduction notes: “Graphic Audio - a movie in your mind!”

The Templars are a line of Vatican warriors, dating back to the Crusades, who fight demons and other supernatural forces in the age old battle of good forces versus evil. Each knight has a special paranormal skill they use in the battle.

Cade Williams, is sometimes looked at as a rogue member of the Templar knights known as “the Heretic.”  Cade’s wife, Gabriel, was tortured and butchered right in front of him.  He is brash, bitter and resentful. He fought against the evil Adversary and is able to walk through portals to a grey shade world of the dead. Cade refuses to recognize or appreciate a God who would allow his wife to be disfigured and killed, but he still fights for the good against the vile evil he knows exists. Cade may not always exhibit all Christian precepts, but his team respect his expert leadership knowing that he sees a broader picture and will be on the front lines leading them through the battles.

Cades’s team is called in when the hidden headquarters of the Templars and the Templar cemeteries are attacked. Although other teams could serve as bodyguards, Cade’s team is assigned because they will go on the offensive when it becomes needed, which is likely. The attacks on the headquarters are mysterious and devastating. There are few clues except that someone in their own ranks is leaking information and there is an obscure reference to ‘a circle of 9.’

The trail eventually leads to a necromancer, Logan, who was thought to be a minor wizard.  But Logan has joined forces with The Adversary to gain power. The goal is to steal a priceless and powerful artifact from the archives of the Templars. Do Cade and his loyal team stand a chance to protect the treasure of the Templars when the enemy is always one step ahead?

There are several secondary characters who are not fully developed but presented with sufficient quirks and flaws that I want to read more about them in future ‘episodes.’ Although Cade’s love for his wife has a significant part in the story, this story is definitely action and not romance. Mr. Nassise has created an interesting storyline and characters who you root for and mourn.

The audio reading is powerful and intense, suiting the fast paced action and dangers of the story. The background noises do make it seem like listening to a movie. Once in a while (like a lot of movies I know) the sound is almost too much, overwhelming the dialogue. But most often the production is wonderfully entertaining and it left me wanting more of the story and more graphic audio experiences.

The audio version is great but if you don't do audio and like action then I recommend you try this series in another format. 

A big thank you to Graphic Audio and AudioJukebox for making this book available to me for review.

Although the action moves around, it starts and several scenes occur in Connecticut so I will place it there for Where Are You Reading Challenge. I will also add it to my New Author and Audio challenges.