Tag: jordan mechner

Templar by Jordan Mechner

Templar by Jordan Mechner

templarTemplar: a graphic novel about the dissolution of that famous order and the struggle for the legendary treasure that they left behind. A couple of weeks ago, I read the first book in this series and I enjoyed it more than this complete volume. It was the ending that diminished my enjoyment of it the most, which I won’t get into because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone, but that was really my issue. Mechner ties up the major plot points, but I didn’t like how he did it- at all.

Like the other book, this contains adventure, daring rescues, and amusing “heist movie” type moments. We’ve also got a strong female lead in Madame De Chalancon (love interest) who is actually very hard core for a 12th century woman. She’s sneaking out at night and running around with the guys, stealing horses, manipulating the powerful men around her, kissing people- I mean, that kind of stuff could have gotten her burned as a heretic or witch back then. So, that was good and the other characterizations are solid. The illustrations aren’t gorgeous (compared to Monstress #1 or Saga, Volume 1) but those are considered adult graphic novels while this one is marketed for the teen set.

Which reminds me, there’s a whole scene that takes place in a Turkish steam bath that some parents may find objectionable. I’d let my kid read it, but she’s a girl and has the parts that are revealed through the steam and also, I’m a librarian, and I don’t censor stuff. But yeah, there’s some (very tasteful) nude females, torture scenes, hand to hand combat, men being burned at the stake, arrows through limbs… I honestly think that this may have been better as a mature book than a watered down PG13, but it is what it is.

Still, it is a fun story and semi-educational in that some of the people featured in this book were actual historical figures. Mechner includes his sources in the back and also some recommended reading. I think I’m going to look into Foucault’s Pendulum, which I’ve never read, but Mechner gives high praise.

Some more graphic novels that teens may enjoy are The Guild (ties in to the show of the same name) or the surprisingly fun, Nimona.

Thanks for reading!

Solomon’s Thieves, Book 1 by Jordan Mechner

Solomon’s Thieves, Book 1 by Jordan Mechner
solomons-thieves

I almost flipped out over this series today because I went to request the second book and found that it was never published. Not to be deterred, I used my mad librarian skillz and discovered that, after the release of Solomon’s Thieves, the publisher bound all of the issues together rather than releasing them one at a time.

The continuation to this story is found in the graphic novel: Templar. Crisis averted.

And what is this comic about?

Solomon’s Thieves is a fun romp through 1300’s Paris at the time of the Templar’s disbanding and destruction.

The focus of the story is on a knight named Martin. He was unlucky in love and joined the order to change his life, which he manages to do. But, on the Templar’s return from an unsuccessful campaign in the Holy Land, after a wild night of drinking and some bad choice making in Paris, he ends up not being present when his brethren are arrested by the French king, Philip the Fair.

The adventure really starts when the king’s men discover that the fabled treasure of the Templars is not in their church/compound. Martin, after a series of misadventures and a chance meeting with some unsavory characters, decides to find out where that treasure is and steal it back.

Bit of trivia: the Paris Templars were arrested on Friday, October 13th, 1307. So, 709 years ago tomorrow (I wrote this review on October 12th, 2016). Now, you know.

templarcastFrom the introduction: “From humble beginnings the Knights Templar rose to become the most powerful military monastic order of the medieval world. Pledged to protect pilgrims during the Crusades, the Templars become heroes to Christians everywhere. Their fighting prowess was legendary. … But the Crusades were an expensive, blood-soaked failure. In 1291, after two centuries of warfare, the Muslims drove the Christian armies from the Holy Land once and for all. For the Templars, it was the beginning of the end…” Goosebumps!

I’d consider this a PG-13 level comic because of some rough language, non-graphic violence (dude sticks his sword through the chest of a guy in one of the panels, but there isn’t blood everywhere), and some, again non-graphic, torture scenes.

The afterward by Jordan Mechner is fantastic. Not only does he give the actual history that he based the comic on, but also the sources that he used to research it. Huge librarian thumbs up from me. 🙂

“Like Western gunslingers or Japanese samurai, their legend grew, and it attracted new recruits, donations, and privileges. By their peak in the thirteenth century, the Templars had grown into a religious, military, and banking organization whose assets, power, and reach rivaled any of the kings of Europe. They were the Jedi of their time. Their incredible downfall rocked the world. Its echoes reverberate to this day.” pg 135

If you enjoyed this comic, you may like: The Religion by Tim Willocks(regular book- not a graphic novel, very bloody, for adults only) or The Knights Templar: Discovering The Myth And Reality Of A Legendary Brotherhood by Susie Hodge (regular book also- non-fiction but in-depth examination of the templars).

Thanks for reading!