- Paperback: 688 pages
- Publisher: DEK Publishing (20 Sep 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0954152778
- ISBN-13: 978-0954152772
- Product Dimensions: 23 x 14 x 4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 844,667 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
Review
This book tells of the mysterious happenings at Rennes-le-Chateau, a small village in the South of France. However, this is not the usual regurgitated story about the mystery or the mysterious priest named Berenger Sauniere who found something hidden in his church that made him a very wealthy man, this book brings new information and objects to the table. There has been much speculation on what it was Sauniere found but until now it was just that: speculation. Ben Hammott has done something that it seems no other person who has visited the ancient church before has been able to. Ben has managed to solve some of Sauniere's clues that over 100 years ago he cleverly and subtly embedded in his church decorations. These clues led to some amazing discoveries, including a lost Templar Tomb, 2000 year old relics and some treasure!All of Ben's research and discoveries are revealed in detail and with the inclusion of more than 300 photographs you really get a feel for how Ben managed to solve the clues and then followed them to make his discoveries. It is like you are there walking the landscape with him. Ben's refreshing, and at times humorous way of writing is a joy and makes for a very pleasurable, entertaining and informative read.This book is a valuable addition to anybody interested or researching the Rennes-leChateau mystery.A.P.Oppenheimer ResearcherI know you think I am biased, maybe I am ... but its a good book. The layout (which i believe was done mostly by Bill Kersey) appears to me to be excellent. Easy on the eye. The font size (that some of you here criticised) seems to me to be the correct size too. The illustrations are good, plentiful and seem to me to be all relevant. I must say, this must have been a labour of love for all concerned. It must have been a mammoth job to get it finally into print. It looks prefessional even though it was not 'professionally' published. Its a very different animal to the 'usual' books concerned with Rennes Le Chateau. Its just one persons story about how he became embroiled in Rennes Research. And the unfolding of that story ... All the infamous papers are there ... and the other items discovered. How will you interpret it all? Now you can make up your own mind ... when you read it straight from the horses mouth as it were ... : )Sandy Hamblett Archaeologist.
Product Description
Treasure, tombs, secret codes and hidden clues, a brutal murder, the Knights Templar and 2000 year old relics - it could be the premise for a new archaeological thriller. Except that it is real. What begins as a treasure hunt and a bit of fun and adventure, leads an Englishman to the tiny French village of Rennes-le-Chateau, where an ordinary man unlocked a mysterious puzzle set up by a priest 100 years ago. Abbe Berenger Sauniere became mysteriously and fabulously rich after finding a hidden parchment when carrying out repairs to the Church of Mary Magdalene. Subsequent to Sauniere's death in 1917, speculation was rife about the possible source of his sudden wealth.Some have said it was proceeds from the sale of an ancient or a Royal Treasure. Or it might have been hush money paid by the Vatican to keep Sauniere quiet, but if so what did Sauniere find that they were so afraid of? As many believe, the mysterious priest had embedded clues in his church decoration leading to a treasure or a secret, and the source of his wealth. When Ben Hammott enters the church he soon spots something that everyone else has somehow missed - a key that deciphers some of the embedded clues.Painstakingly deciphering and following the clues, Ben is led to a discovery of 2000-year-old artefacts, a treasure of gold, and a Knights Templar tomb containing a body under a shroud! The area surrounding Rennes-le-Chateau features prominently in the bloodline legend which follows the premise that Mary Magdalene escaped Jerusalem with child, sailed to France and settled in the region. Centuries old manuscripts also support this legend. Mitochondrial DNA tests carried out on a hair sample give the body a Middle Eastern profile, rare in Europe with an incidence of only 4 percent - Are the legends and the tomb linked?
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Read this book and couldn't put it down. Very entertaining and informative with plenty of research material for the RLC enthusiast. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this particular subject. Probably best enjoyed alongside the 'Bloodline' DVD featuring Ben's discoveries. Excellent photography with plenty of pictures spread throughout. The style of the writing gets you firmly addicted from chapter 1. Quite a thick book for a paperback that would have benefited greatly with a hardback cover as the spine on my copy is now totally knackered and it's in danger of falling apart.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I had only been saying to a colleague of mine a few days before, after reading yet another novel written to a deadline churned out by an A list author, that we need some fresh blood on the book circuit. Then two books fall on my desk by any author called Ben Hammott. One was a non-fiction book called Lost Tomb of the Knights Templar, the second, a novel, Beginnings: A Hunt for Treasure Becomes a Quest for Truth - an archaeological thriller. (See my review where I rated it 5/5).
Before I continue with the review here is a very brief outline of the Mystery Hammott solves.
In 1885 a priest arrives at his new posting in Rennes-le-Chateau. After a few years he carries out some repairs and finds a parchment. By acting on the information he has found he suddenly becomes a very rich man. To this day no one knows what it was he found that made him so wealthy, so quickly.
I have read more than my fair share of non-fiction, many have been hard to keep turning the pages, written by authors who make wild assumptions to fit their particular findings or don't really understand their subject matter, or just plain boring. Hammott's Lost Tomb of the Knights Templar (LTKT) does not fall into any of these categorizes.
LTKT is easy to get into and you want to read on to find out what and how Hammott makes his discoveries.
How Hammott deciphers the clues he finds in the old French church makes for riveting reading, and what they lead to very exciting.
Part of the book covers Hammott's trips to France, and although it may upset some of the more academically minded souls out there, these travel logs really help to break up the more serious parts of the book, giving your brain a rest until the next onslaught. They are also very funny and made me laugh out loud a few times.
At first Hammott knows very little about the mystery he is covering in the book, only learning about it from a documentary on television. Hearing the possibility that there is a treasure to be found, and that clues to its location may be embedded in the decorations of an ancient French church, Hammott heads to the small French hill top village to investigate. It doesn't take Hammott long to notice something everyone else searching for the treasure has missed - a sign to decipher the church clues. What follows over the next few years is an amazing hunt across the landscape until Hammott makes his discoveries contained within this book. They include 2000 year old relics and a tomb containing treasure and a mummified body.
Hammott's writing style makes for an easy, enjoyable and exciting read. More like an adventure novel then a work of non-fiction.
The book is doing the rounds of the office at the moment so I am not sure I'll ever get it back.
Hammott's note included with the books, asked me to post reviews on Amazon if I liked them, this as you can see, I have done. Hopefully Hammott will now send me any more books he writes and he comes to the attention of one of the larger publishing houses so his books can reach a wider audience.
Please, do not stop writing Ben.
Before I continue with the review here is a very brief outline of the Mystery Hammott solves.
In 1885 a priest arrives at his new posting in Rennes-le-Chateau. After a few years he carries out some repairs and finds a parchment. By acting on the information he has found he suddenly becomes a very rich man. To this day no one knows what it was he found that made him so wealthy, so quickly.
I have read more than my fair share of non-fiction, many have been hard to keep turning the pages, written by authors who make wild assumptions to fit their particular findings or don't really understand their subject matter, or just plain boring. Hammott's Lost Tomb of the Knights Templar (LTKT) does not fall into any of these categorizes.
LTKT is easy to get into and you want to read on to find out what and how Hammott makes his discoveries.
How Hammott deciphers the clues he finds in the old French church makes for riveting reading, and what they lead to very exciting.
Part of the book covers Hammott's trips to France, and although it may upset some of the more academically minded souls out there, these travel logs really help to break up the more serious parts of the book, giving your brain a rest until the next onslaught. They are also very funny and made me laugh out loud a few times.
At first Hammott knows very little about the mystery he is covering in the book, only learning about it from a documentary on television. Hearing the possibility that there is a treasure to be found, and that clues to its location may be embedded in the decorations of an ancient French church, Hammott heads to the small French hill top village to investigate. It doesn't take Hammott long to notice something everyone else searching for the treasure has missed - a sign to decipher the church clues. What follows over the next few years is an amazing hunt across the landscape until Hammott makes his discoveries contained within this book. They include 2000 year old relics and a tomb containing treasure and a mummified body.
Hammott's writing style makes for an easy, enjoyable and exciting read. More like an adventure novel then a work of non-fiction.
The book is doing the rounds of the office at the moment so I am not sure I'll ever get it back.
Hammott's note included with the books, asked me to post reviews on Amazon if I liked them, this as you can see, I have done. Hopefully Hammott will now send me any more books he writes and he comes to the attention of one of the larger publishing houses so his books can reach a wider audience.
Please, do not stop writing Ben.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought this book a year ago, and read it in no time. It was exciting and the finds were just what you were hoping for.
So is it trustworthy, or is the author going along with the spirit of the time, and making some great "finds"? I have to say that the pictures and statements from witnesses are impressive. What puzzles me is that this "Blue-collar-guy" is so smart that he cracks all these codes, some of which are far fetched. Lots of people have tried, and this guy who has no knowledge suddenly solves it all. And on top of that he actually prefers english "cooking" to french!!
The book is too good to pass up. So go buy it. But be restrictive in what you believe!
So is it trustworthy, or is the author going along with the spirit of the time, and making some great "finds"? I have to say that the pictures and statements from witnesses are impressive. What puzzles me is that this "Blue-collar-guy" is so smart that he cracks all these codes, some of which are far fetched. Lots of people have tried, and this guy who has no knowledge suddenly solves it all. And on top of that he actually prefers english "cooking" to french!!
The book is too good to pass up. So go buy it. But be restrictive in what you believe!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Interesting clue solving treasure hunt. A joy to read. READ THIS BOOK!
Ben Hammott's creative way with words really lets the reader understand his quest to solve the Rennes-le-Chateau mystery about the French priest who suddenly struck it rich after... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Victoria
An entralling read and an amazing discovery
I must admit when a friend recommended this book to me, raving about how good it was, I was not convinced, it was non-fiction after all. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Davey Jones
Has some great points. In other ways it can be shakey
I was one of the first to read this book when it was published. In many ways it is facinating. Where others have found little or noevidence to support their theories Mr Hammott... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mushandin
VOTED BEST NON-FICTION BOOK IN ITS SUBJECT
Eight established Rennes-le-Chateau researchers whose nationalities include English, American, French, German, Italian and Dutch looked through the plethora of English books... Read more
Published 9 months ago by researcher
Best non-fiction book ever!
This is best book I have read on the Rennes-le-Chateau subject and the most enjoyable non-fiction book I have ever read. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Edward Carnby
...More please???
I read this book a year or so ago and have seen the Bloodline movie (Awesome) and all I can ask is, What's next and where is any of the follow-up information? Read more
Published 17 months ago by J. DeMolay
everything except unicorns!
This is yet another trip to Rennes le Chateau and the gold at the end of the rainbow. The source material seems to be the same old stuff peddled by Dan Brown, Baigent, Lomas,... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mr. T. J. Griffiths
Lost Tomb
I don't normally write reviews , but this boook has astounded me.
It could have done with rather more stringent editing but nonetheless it has proved to be an enthralling... Read more
It could have done with rather more stringent editing but nonetheless it has proved to be an enthralling... Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2010 by L. A. Hopkinson
I don't care what the pope says...
I bought this book almoust 2 years ago and since then i carried it around with me everywhere. This book is "MY BIBLE". Read more
Published on 21 Oct 2009 by Ursus
Engrossing study
The theories on Rennes-le-Chateau and Sauniere are many and varied, and the original story promises to be the greatest story ever told, although it hasn't been fully told. Read more
Published on 17 April 2009 by Some Bloke
Listmania!
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