Solomon's Thieves

Gr 9 Up—Solomon's Thieves focuses on the rank-and-file knights who found themselves persecuted when the Pope abandoned the Knights Templar for the political rulers of the day. Martin, who was in love with now-married Isabelle before taking his vows, holds tightly to the ideals of the order, despite being tortured by the soldiers of the king of France. Bernard has largely given up his Templar vows for life as a bandit, and Dominic, a priest, hides behind his robes in denial of his former role in the order. Then the three find themselves in possession of a secret: the whereabouts of the hidden Templar riches, sought after by the king to fill his coffers. This book ends just as the action is beginning, and a great heist is about to occur as they plan to steal the treasure that rightfully belongs to their order. Pham and Puvilland have created a believably harsh medieval world, and though the violence is not graphic, they do not shy away from suggesting brutal torture and death. Their action sequences feel particularly cinematic, and the sword fights are full of swashbuckling action. Certain to appeal to comic-book readers with a taste for adventure, the first volume of this trilogy sets up likable heroes, dastardly villains, and a vigilante plot that should interest readers in the history of the period as much as the adventure itself.—Alana Joli Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT