Writer Jordan Mechner (Prince of Persia, Solomon’s Thieves) and artists/husband and wife team Leuyen Pham and Alex Puvilland, have given the “big heist” genre a much needed facelift with Templar. This graphic, which was originally going to be a series of books starting off with “Solomon’s Thieves”, was released as a full graphic novel on July 2013. Yeah, I know I’m a little late with this review, but that’s just me being lazy, but now that I’ve read it, I’m thrilled to share this amazing story of “guts and glory” with you.
Synopsis:
Martin is one of a handful of Templar Knights to escape when the king of France and the pope conspire to destroy the noble order. The king aims to frame the Templar’s for heresy, execute all of them, and make off with their legendary treasure. That’s the plan, anyway, but Martin and several other surviving knights mount a counter-campaign to regain the lost treasure of the Knights Templar.
What I enjoyed most about this book is that it goes places you don’t think it will. Let me explain…writer Jordan Mechner, never get’s caught up in the tropes commonly associated with stories like this. In other words, he’s done his homework and although this story is a complete work of fiction, he, as well as Leuyen and Alex, do a superb job of recreating that world and blending fact with fiction. The environments are visceral and accurate which lends weight to each character. Their interaction with their surroundings and each other, sucks you in. You begin to feel for the rogue Templar’s, Martin and his Merry Men, as they struggle to survive in a world that has casts them out. You want them to succeed and not to ruin it for you but, the end was very surprising. The whole book is one big “Fools Errand” with so many components, personalities and loves, that it would’ve been real easy for the story to have fallen off due to laziness, but just when you think “how the hell?” the author and illustrators take it one step further, by laying it out in laymen terms. Example: when they discuss how they are going to break into the vault containing the “Templar Gold” the artists draw it out, in full detail. It’s the little things people! We are in the trenches with them as they go all “Oceans Eleven”, on ya! It’s awesome! Templar is thought out and a very well seasoned graphic of immeasurable value! It’s just brilliant!
Having already had their works adapted to screen I have no doubts this, if not already, will be in theaters soon!
