Assessment:
Overall rating (6 votes)
Recommended by 5 members.
Shadow of the Templar
An ongoing series, with new episodes infrequently.
Simon Drake is an up-and-coming young FBI hotshot, an agent with a personal track record so outstanding that it borders on unbelievable. Not yet thirty, he’s already the leader of his own special ops team; a ragtag bunch of talented but nigh-uncontrollable lunatics, it’s true, but under Simon’s inspired leadership they’re a force to be reckoned with, a team with an unparalleled success rate, a team with an almost unblemished record—until now.
Jeremy Archer is the brilliant and unpredictable scion of a long line of international art thieves, simultaneously a phenomenally wealthy English socialite and one of the most infamous criminals in the world. At twenty-seven years old he’s already wanted on nearly every continent for thefts totalling more than ninety-one million dollars, and yet no one has ever come close to catching him—until now.
Now?
May the best man win.
Shadow of the Templar
— contains some graphic sex, graphic violence, and harsh language —
Tags: action adventure drama gay modern fiction series
Links: review feed
sort order: current favourites member favourites all-time best newest first a - z
Readers who liked this also liked:
Editorial Reviews
Buttery goodness
This is a popcorn novel. Not a lot of substance, but deliciously entertaining.
The prose is to the point, the banter is enjoyable (and I laughed a few times, I think), and it’s just a lot of fun. I’ve only read the first two parts (I know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but it really is), and I’ll probably end up reading more when I find the time.
I’m not really one for crime/fbi/action novels, but I think this is an exception.
Take the time to check it out.
Help us improve! Register or log in to rate this review.
Is this review inaccurate or abusive? Report it!
Most Helpful Member Reviews
The end
I finished reading the fourth and last book yesterday, and it made me sad. I had that after book dip that you get when you finish a book that really pulls you in. I felt a bit lost and didn’t quite know what to do. There are quite a few reviews already, that talk about the story, so I won’t do that. The fourth book is definitely better than the first, but the writing is fast and draws in from the first chapter. The fourth book also neatly ties some loose ends together and the mystery is sufficiently intricate. But as usual the thing that makes you want to keep reading are the characters. I would recommend this story, please read it, while I’m still a bit sad that I’ve finished it already.
Help us improve! Register or log in to rate this review.
Is this review inaccurate or abusive? Report it!
Like melted dark chocolate…
. . . liberally mixed with copious amounts of coffee, beer, explosives, and inappropriate humor. Something for everyone.
Like Seth up there, I registered purely for the purpose of reviewing Shadow of the Templar. That ought to say something.
As near as I can see, this story is flawless. Perfectly paced, heart-racing action interspersed with ironic innuendo and snort-carbonated-beverage-through-nose laughs all make it a fantastic, hilarious, fun, comfortable (and yes, slightly guilty) read.
The premise makes it even better. It is extremely difficult to pull off "FBI" and/or "mastermind criminal" with a skill and grace that doesn’t cross the line into eye-rollingly typical, but the author has done it. The fiction is, if not perhaps entirely accurate (as the author admits), extremely well-grounded, and I found it believable and realistic. It was a fresh take on FBI-type happenings that didn’t involve everyone just running around with guns and suits looking sexy all the time. (Well, one character looks sexy all the time, but he’s not the gun-carrier.)
The first book is the one with least depth, but it’s exciting and enjoyable and takes one through all the loops of a favorite under-the-covers thriller. Starting from the second book, however, the characterization becomes exquisite, and each of the characters resolves him- or herself into something much more real and relatable with a distinct personality. Honestly, the story itself doesn’t change its level of awesome much (that’s okay, since it’s pretty much pure "win" to begin with), but the characters become so three-dimensional that the reader gets inexorably sucked in and held with their obnoxious but very real charm.
And also, guy-on-guy fiction is not usually my cup of tea. I’m open to it, but if the story isn’t VERY smoothly done, it’s enough to discourage me from reading. I read this the entire way through and am impatient for more.
If you’re looking for deep, meaningful, will-be-passed-down-through-the-ages—well, this probably isn’t what you’re looking for. On the other hand, if you’re looking for almost anything else, and don’t mind addiction, it probably is.
Verdict? READ IT. (Uh, just a friendly suggestion.)
Help us improve! Register or log in to rate this review.
Is this review inaccurate or abusive? Report it!
Oh, by all means, do read this.
I spent twenty-four hours reading this (so far three-book) series, and I mean literally. I started reading at around 7 pm friday and kept reading until 10 pm saturday. (I actually slept sometime around 6 am saturday, so it does work out.)
It was utterly worth it. I don’t usually read this kind of book- normally the mention of FBI would be enough to make me put it down, but I discovered gay love is so much more thrilling if both men are heavily armed and on opposite sides of the law. (Also, British accented burglar complete with skin-tight black cat-suit. Need I say more?)
As for the actual writing: gripping and fast-paced, with wonderful characters and a healthy dose of witty banter.
In addition, the author illustrates her characters herself, which is lovely. I’m always inclined to read something by someone who can draw worth a d**n.
All in all, this is a wonderful and worth-while read, and I can’t wait until the last book is up on the site.
Help us improve! Register or log in to rate this review.
Is this review inaccurate or abusive? Report it!
Guilty Pleasure type reading
First of all, I registered with this site for the sole purpose of posting this review. That said, let’s get to it.
Usually this would not be the type of story I would like. It’s quasi-true-crime fiction that resolves around a group of FBI agents. That’s not my thing, and I only read it because it’s one of the few stories on the Web Fiction Guide under the gay tag that I haven’t read.
I’m glad I did, though.
It isn’t high literary fiction, and it isn’t trying to be. Shadow of the Templar is just a good, fun adventure type romp. The characters are fun and quirky, similar to each other, but each has an easily identifiable voice. Really, the banter’s half the fun.
I certainly enjoyed myself and have spent the last two nights reading the two first books. There’s currently three, I believe, with the fourth due to hit the site in January.
The second book is better than the first, both because it’s longer and it has more emotional depth.
There are certainly some minuses, though. For one thing, character descriptions are pretty sparse. Normally that would be a deal breaker for me, but I just couldn’t tear myself away.
I get the feeling that if the two leads were an opposite sex pair this story would be fairly stereotypical; it is a same sex pair, though, and that was refreshing enough to keep the plot failings fresh.
Bottom line: read this if for no other reason than the team banter. You’ll have fun and enjoy yourself.
Help us improve! Register or log in to rate this review.
Is this review inaccurate or abusive? Report it!