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nigellicus's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
5.0
Ultimately rather grim tale about the human folly, greed and stupidity that leads to the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Religious fanatcism, political backstabbing, a profound misunderstanding of the dynamics of the conflict, a lot of wasted lives. Marvelous battle scenes. Two doomed love stories. A figure of towering nobility brought low by a terrible disease. Secret rites. Toxic masculinity by the ton. Not uplifting, but savagely effective.
jennyn52779's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jlsigman's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this one. The characters are actually human, and not just their titles. There is also a wonderfully done cross-religion male love affair that was never cloying or degrading, just painfully real. I will definitely have to look for more of her writings.
dlwchico's review against another edition
4.0
A historical novel set during the Crusades. I really liked this book. The main character is a Knight Templar named Rannulf Fitzwilliam.
Lots of fighting and some court intrigue stuff. It seems fairly realistic. Rannulf is pretty tough but he’s not some sort of fighting superman. People die in the book.
I highly recommend it.
Lots of fighting and some court intrigue stuff. It seems fairly realistic. Rannulf is pretty tough but he’s not some sort of fighting superman. People die in the book.
I highly recommend it.
pattydsf's review
3.0
For many years, Cecelia Holland was one of my favorite authors. And then, I found other genres that I liked as much as historical fiction. One of the issues with being an omnivore, is that there are a lot of books out there. I have a hard time just reading one.
As I remembered, Holland's books were interesting and historically accurate. That has not changed. This was a fascinating book, with more information about the Crusades than I ever thought I wanted. But this is the other thing I remembered about Holland's books. They have always made me want to know more.
I am glad to have rediscovered Holland and I hope to read more.
As I remembered, Holland's books were interesting and historically accurate. That has not changed. This was a fascinating book, with more information about the Crusades than I ever thought I wanted. But this is the other thing I remembered about Holland's books. They have always made me want to know more.
I am glad to have rediscovered Holland and I hope to read more.
brynhammond's review
5.0
Frustrating, in that if it had shaken off its conventionalities a little more…
Still, an emotional experience I’m lucky to have once a year with a book. Rannulf was an extraordinary character although he might sound like your well-known anti-hero. He made me reminisce of Clemence Housman’s Aglovale, who is a quiet cult ([b:Life of Aglovale de Galis|2094085|Life of Aglovale de Galis|Clemence Housman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1266536325s/2094085.jpg|6219532]: just because very few have read him, doesn’t mean he isn’t a cult. Right?). His nickname’s Saint; few look past his lack of social graces; he struggles with his God. His love for the leper king’s sister Sibylla comes out in violent urges – it’s unhealthy, but he’s ultra-Templar, he’s refused to look a woman, which isn’t healthy either. He reminded me of Grettir too – [b:The Saga of Grettir the Strong|629993|The Saga of Grettir the Strong|Anonymous|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311645413s/629993.jpg|616321] – ah outsiders – though not a criminal, too often. Like Grettir and Aglovale, those few who know him love him – which includes King Baldwin, the leper, who was the other most intimately-drawn and moving person in this book for me. I like my Leper King truly heroic and noble; Saint thought so too.
I postponed this because of reviews that say there’s nobody to like, it’s nasty, dreary. In a way I understand, since I can’t for the life of me read her Mongol book: I like nobody and I’m dispirited by the entire affair. But here, I found she paid attention to the idealism of a fair number of these folk, even with her trademark realism.
The dirty characters were a trifle too dirty, I admit: this includes Raymond of Tripoli, Reynald of Chatillon, Salah al-Din, each of whom I’d like to see done with more levels.
Sibylla became interesting as she progressed, which I guess is the point. She did avoid several character-traps for historical princesses. – I felt this novel had a real power, a novelist’s vision, you know? and just wanted it to throw off the ropes a bit more.
Least swallowable were those moments when Salah al-Din succumbs to Templar mystique: those Templars just have the psychological knuckle on him; and Rannulf outwits him, too clever by half for a Saracen. Get over yourselves, guys, I wanted to tell the Temple. Still, there was a scene where a Muslim had religious feelings, amidst the religious experience of Christians – it stuck out as unusual, in Crusader fiction in general. The other tormented interpersonal contact is between the faiths, a nephew of Salah al-Din and a Templar knight.
In memory of Rannulf, for whom I wept, and not at Hattin either: five stars.
Still, an emotional experience I’m lucky to have once a year with a book. Rannulf was an extraordinary character although he might sound like your well-known anti-hero. He made me reminisce of Clemence Housman’s Aglovale, who is a quiet cult ([b:Life of Aglovale de Galis|2094085|Life of Aglovale de Galis|Clemence Housman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1266536325s/2094085.jpg|6219532]: just because very few have read him, doesn’t mean he isn’t a cult. Right?). His nickname’s Saint; few look past his lack of social graces; he struggles with his God. His love for the leper king’s sister Sibylla comes out in violent urges – it’s unhealthy, but he’s ultra-Templar, he’s refused to look a woman, which isn’t healthy either. He reminded me of Grettir too – [b:The Saga of Grettir the Strong|629993|The Saga of Grettir the Strong|Anonymous|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311645413s/629993.jpg|616321] – ah outsiders – though not a criminal, too often. Like Grettir and Aglovale, those few who know him love him – which includes King Baldwin, the leper, who was the other most intimately-drawn and moving person in this book for me. I like my Leper King truly heroic and noble; Saint thought so too.
I postponed this because of reviews that say there’s nobody to like, it’s nasty, dreary. In a way I understand, since I can’t for the life of me read her Mongol book: I like nobody and I’m dispirited by the entire affair. But here, I found she paid attention to the idealism of a fair number of these folk, even with her trademark realism.
The dirty characters were a trifle too dirty, I admit: this includes Raymond of Tripoli, Reynald of Chatillon, Salah al-Din, each of whom I’d like to see done with more levels.
Sibylla became interesting as she progressed, which I guess is the point. She did avoid several character-traps for historical princesses. – I felt this novel had a real power, a novelist’s vision, you know? and just wanted it to throw off the ropes a bit more.
Least swallowable were those moments when Salah al-Din succumbs to Templar mystique: those Templars just have the psychological knuckle on him; and Rannulf outwits him, too clever by half for a Saracen. Get over yourselves, guys, I wanted to tell the Temple. Still, there was a scene where a Muslim had religious feelings, amidst the religious experience of Christians – it stuck out as unusual, in Crusader fiction in general. The other tormented interpersonal contact is between the faiths, a nephew of Salah al-Din and a Templar knight.
In memory of Rannulf, for whom I wept, and not at Hattin either: five stars.
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