The Order of the Knights Templar was and is one of the strongest Knights Orders. This Order, with its monastic, military and social interface, represents a social phenomenon, from a sociological point of view. Its magnitude, duration and consequences impose the reference dimensions. The social phenomenon as such had a sinuous evolution, sometimes contradictory, with visible or invisible reference elements. De facto, this real situation has generated a number of myths and legends, but they have also fuelled numerous conspiracy theories. The impact, over the centuries, of this Order of the Temple on the collective mind has been consistent and diverse. The reported perceptions were inhomogeneous, influenced by endogenous or exogenous factors. In an initial phase, the elites (aristocracy and nobility) of the time had more than favourable reactions in enrolling in this sacred society, but also in participating in military actions.

It is difficult to assess the number of books, studies, research, novels, films, analyzes, archaeological investigations that brought the Knights Templar, their leaders (grand masters), real or imaginary events in which they were involved to the forefront of the analysis. In this case, the psycho-sociological imagination represented the maximum democracy of freedom of expression regarding the analyzed phenomenon. From denial to exaltation, from confusion to noseological inconsistencies, from ignorance to hallucinatory opinions.

A question arises, not of a symbolic nature, but of an ontological one. Is it possible to separate in terms the real knowledge of the Templar phenomenon from myths, legends, and conspiracy theories? The answer is an affirmative one, with the perspective of some reservations. The conceptual, methodological and pragmatic approach of interdisciplinary investigation is a complex one that will not guarantee an end in which the social and theological equation with several unknowns will be solved. There are impediments with different connotations. For example, the entire archive of the Templars process is stored in the Vatican archives, not being published more than seven hundred years after the event. Is it because the work secrecy works effectively!?

Dan Brown’s novel, a very successful one, perceived as a fiction novel, from the historical and existential perspective of the Order of the Knights Templar, created much confusion, rather than the necessary clarifications. The door has been opened, but divine spirituality remains trapped in the mists of time. On the scene of literary creation another order appears in the foreground, the Priory of Zion, with many past and present connections with the movement – a Templar phenomenon. What information do we have about this Order, its role and place in the medieval and present history? Minimal! If we do not clarify exactly the relationship divine order (universal and unique) – human order in this type of human society, we will remain permanently prisoners of the realms beyond.

I have a surprise for you. Some time ago, I received this text from William Dean A. Garner. Enjoy finding out new information.

“William Dean A. Garner and The Da Vinci Code

“In late 2001, he was personally invited by then-unknown author Dan Brown to read an advance reading copy and do an edit of The Da Vinci Code. After his edit, Dean phoned Brown’s editor at Doubleday, Jason Kaufman, and said, “You have an international bestseller on your hands.” Kaufman replied, “We hope so,” then thanked Garner for his contribution.”

One of the most fascinating stories I have ever read: Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.

I got a call from Mr. Brown in late 2001, after I had done guest edits of his previous novels, Deception Point and Angels & Demons. Mr. Brown said he really liked the edits and suggestions I had made on them, because his knowledge of special operations was sorely lacking. In fact, many of his passages were downright theatrical and unrealistic. But the stories in which they unfolded were exciting, so I could easily forgive his lack of real-world experience and knowledge about special-operations warriors, tactics and behaviors.

He then mailed me an advance reading copy of The Da Vinci Code, and wrote me a lovely and touching inscription on one of the pages of the frontmatter:

“Literary agent, Particle Physics Illuminatus, and former Army Airborne Ranger. With respect for everything you do!” –Dan Brown

After editing The Da Vinci Code, I called Mr. Brown’s editor at Doubleday, Mr. Jason Kaufman, and said, “You have an international bestseller on your hands.” Kaufman replied, “We hope so,” then thanked me for my contribution. A few months later, The Da Vinci Code exploded onto the worldwide stage and has gone on to become one of the most popular novels of our time.

Please keep something in mind here: all this was back in the day when Mr. Brown was an obscure author whose books had sold only about 2,500 copies each, if even that, and no one outside his editor at Doubleday knew who he was, let alone bought and read his books.

How do I know Mr. Brown’s sales figures?

Simple: up until a few years ago, anyone armed with a list of ISBNs could look up all the current and past sales and demand figures for those books, using Ingram Publishing’s 800 line, which has since been discontinued. For example, I looked up and recorded the top 100 books on Amazon.com at the time, then compared those figures with what the New York trade publishing companies were reporting. The actual sales were 10-100 times less than what the big publishers were reporting to the worldwide public. For example, one of the Harry Potter books was reported by its publisher to have sold around 10 million copies then, but the Ingram sales figures stated approximately 785,000. Not bad, of course, but also not 10 million.

But this is another story altogether. . . .

William Dean A. Garner

Senior Editor at Adagio Press” 

TO BE CONTINUED