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ljjohnson8's review against another edition
4.0
A very engrossing historical fiction tome about the 12th century Kingdom of Jerusalem. I didn't know a lot of this history and I really enjoyed learning it from Penman, who is both an impeccable researcher and a very good writer.
afeezorrn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
felinity's review against another edition
5.0
Another incredible, meticulously researched and detailed offering, this time focusing on the 12th century battle for the Holy Land, both internal and external, as Baldwin, aka the Leper King, fights against Saladin, the famous leader of the Saracens.
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not a big fan of the Crusade era but I liked this epic and gripping story.
I think it was quite well researched and the characters were well developed and interesting.
It's one of those book full of action and emotions that keeps you hooked.
It's the first one I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I think it was quite well researched and the characters were well developed and interesting.
It's one of those book full of action and emotions that keeps you hooked.
It's the first one I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
marcosgr95's review against another edition
5.0
What an outstanding book, oh my God! Sharon Kay Penman is a superb writer and excels at something that not many historical fiction writers ever manage to get good at: tell a story, recount a part of history and breathe life into historical characters without dwelling overly much on battles and grisly knightly deeds. In this book you'll find a more human or social approach to history by reading about marriages, marriage annulments, treasons, double-dealings and the like.
Furthermore, this book has managed to pique my interest about all things Crusades and Kingdom of Jerusalem, so I plan on reading [b:The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors|34312336|The Templars The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors|Dan Jones|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487152697l/34312336._SY75_.jpg|55368486] really soon, as well as listening to as many History Extra episodes about Saladin, the Crusades and the Kingdom of Jerusalem as I can!
Furthermore, this book has managed to pique my interest about all things Crusades and Kingdom of Jerusalem, so I plan on reading [b:The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors|34312336|The Templars The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors|Dan Jones|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487152697l/34312336._SY75_.jpg|55368486] really soon, as well as listening to as many History Extra episodes about Saladin, the Crusades and the Kingdom of Jerusalem as I can!
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘Courage is not a lack of fear, lad. It is overcoming fear.’
The Kingdom of Jerusalem, ‘Outremer’, the land beyond the sea. Many of us know some of the history of the Crusades, especially stories of the Third Crusade with Richard the Lionheart and Saladin. This novel set earlier than the Third Crusade, opens in 1172, just 73 years after the First Crusade captured Jerusalem from the Saracens.
Two men are central to this novel: King Baldwin IV (‘The Leper King’) and Balian d’Ibelin, one of the Poulain (born in the Levant, descended from the first crusaders). The crusaders have a tenuous hold over the Kingdom: Saladin is intent on retaking it.
Ms Penman brings the characters to life, taking the reader through the complex politics and cultural clashes which were part of this world (and unfortunately remain so today). Baldwin IV is courageous and intelligent, fighting both leprosy and Saracens. Balian d’Ibelin is loyal to Baldwin IV and has long enjoyed a relationship of mutual respect with Saladin. But Baldwin IV will die young, and short-sighted self-interest will bedevil the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Balian D’Ibelin will emerge as a hero: negotiating the peaceful surrender of Jerusalem, saving thousands of lives at the end of the siege in 1187.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel; I think it is Ms Penman’s best for some years. Yes, I knew how it would end (as far as Baldwin IV was concerned) but Ms Penman’s writing transported me into 12th century Outremer, into the uncertainty.
Highly recommended if you enjoy historical fiction set in this period.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
The Kingdom of Jerusalem, ‘Outremer’, the land beyond the sea. Many of us know some of the history of the Crusades, especially stories of the Third Crusade with Richard the Lionheart and Saladin. This novel set earlier than the Third Crusade, opens in 1172, just 73 years after the First Crusade captured Jerusalem from the Saracens.
Two men are central to this novel: King Baldwin IV (‘The Leper King’) and Balian d’Ibelin, one of the Poulain (born in the Levant, descended from the first crusaders). The crusaders have a tenuous hold over the Kingdom: Saladin is intent on retaking it.
Ms Penman brings the characters to life, taking the reader through the complex politics and cultural clashes which were part of this world (and unfortunately remain so today). Baldwin IV is courageous and intelligent, fighting both leprosy and Saracens. Balian d’Ibelin is loyal to Baldwin IV and has long enjoyed a relationship of mutual respect with Saladin. But Baldwin IV will die young, and short-sighted self-interest will bedevil the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Balian D’Ibelin will emerge as a hero: negotiating the peaceful surrender of Jerusalem, saving thousands of lives at the end of the siege in 1187.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel; I think it is Ms Penman’s best for some years. Yes, I knew how it would end (as far as Baldwin IV was concerned) but Ms Penman’s writing transported me into 12th century Outremer, into the uncertainty.
Highly recommended if you enjoy historical fiction set in this period.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
sarah_bell's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
halkid2's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars is a bit of a gift. As someone who reads more historical fiction than any other genre and has, for many years, considered Sharon Kay Penman the best of the best -- you can imagine how much I was looking forward to THE LAND BEYOND THE SEA - her first novel in about five years. And it's a tome - nearly 700 pages of very small type. But, alas, I came away disappointed.
The novel begins in 1163, focusing on all the events that culminated in the pivotal Christian vs. Saracen battle over the Holy Land 24 years later. Much of the story explores complex court rivalries - between ambitious lords vying for power and among church prelates who are just as competitive -- all the while featuring girls and women married off as pawns to cement alliances.
There are a few wonderful main characters. At the center is Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, the so-called "leper king", his mother Agnes of Courtenay, and William of Tyre- Baldwin's friend, tutor, and father-figure. All three are strong, well-differentiated, and multi-dimensional. All are characters I came to understand and empathize with. Especially the well-intentioned and thoughtful Baldwin, a mere youth who bravely leads his kingdom while battling a disabling and degenerative disease.
I also enjoyed following the story of Balian of d'Ibelin with interest. He was one of the more intelligent and thoughtful nobles in Jerusalem, whose marriage becomes the central romance of the novel. Both Balian and his wife are also well-developed and distinctive.
But then there are all those others. SO MANY of them. And so many that have a very minimal role to play in the story. I have to admit I found it a struggle to keep track of who was who. And the similarity in names certainly didn't help:
• In addition to King Baldwin and Balian -- there is also Baudouin d'Ibelin, Bohemond, and Baldwin (the grandson of IV).
• There's Hugh d'Ibelin, Hugues (son of the Princess of Galilee), and three characters named Humphrey de Toron.
• Among the women, there's is Esquiva, Etienette, and Eschiva.
• Among the Saracens, you have Nur ad-Din Mahmud b. Zangi, al-Salih Ismaeil b. Nur al-Din, al Malik al-Nasir Salah al-Din Abu af Musaffur Yusuf, al-Malik al-'Adil, Taqi al-Din, al-Malik al-Musaffar 'Umar b. Shahanshah b. Ayyub, and Farrukh-Shah, 'Izz al'Din Da'ud b. Shanhanshah b. Ayyub.
• Among the other players are Renaud de Grenier (also referred to as Denys), Reynald de Chatillon, and Raymond de St. Gilles (sometimes referred to as the Count of Tripoli)
• We also have Joscius (Bishop of Acre), Jobert (of the Knights Hospitaller), Jakelin de Mailly (Templar knight), and Joscelin de Courtenay (brother to Agnes - referenced way, way back in this review).
But wait. There are roughly another 30 characters not yet mentioned, including several more Williams and a couple of Marys.
One of the things I generally value with this author is the depth of her research. But in this novel, I felt she got a bit buried in it. At times I felt I was reading more of a scholarly work, rather than a historical novel. You will certainly learn a lot about the the battle for the Holy Land - so important to both Christians and Muslims (and Jews too). And Penman's commitment to accuracy (she only made a few changes according to her Afterword) is admirable -- but I found the number of characters and the level of detail (especially around battles) became downright cumbersome. And about 200 pages before the end, I was ready to be done.
Fortunately, the last few hundred pages turned out to be full of building drama. So I kept reading. And I'm glad I finished it. But this one certainly isn't my favorite historical novel by this author.
The novel begins in 1163, focusing on all the events that culminated in the pivotal Christian vs. Saracen battle over the Holy Land 24 years later. Much of the story explores complex court rivalries - between ambitious lords vying for power and among church prelates who are just as competitive -- all the while featuring girls and women married off as pawns to cement alliances.
There are a few wonderful main characters. At the center is Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, the so-called "leper king", his mother Agnes of Courtenay, and William of Tyre- Baldwin's friend, tutor, and father-figure. All three are strong, well-differentiated, and multi-dimensional. All are characters I came to understand and empathize with. Especially the well-intentioned and thoughtful Baldwin, a mere youth who bravely leads his kingdom while battling a disabling and degenerative disease.
I also enjoyed following the story of Balian of d'Ibelin with interest. He was one of the more intelligent and thoughtful nobles in Jerusalem, whose marriage becomes the central romance of the novel. Both Balian and his wife are also well-developed and distinctive.
But then there are all those others. SO MANY of them. And so many that have a very minimal role to play in the story. I have to admit I found it a struggle to keep track of who was who. And the similarity in names certainly didn't help:
• In addition to King Baldwin and Balian -- there is also Baudouin d'Ibelin, Bohemond, and Baldwin (the grandson of IV).
• There's Hugh d'Ibelin, Hugues (son of the Princess of Galilee), and three characters named Humphrey de Toron.
• Among the women, there's is Esquiva, Etienette, and Eschiva.
• Among the Saracens, you have Nur ad-Din Mahmud b. Zangi, al-Salih Ismaeil b. Nur al-Din, al Malik al-Nasir Salah al-Din Abu af Musaffur Yusuf, al-Malik al-'Adil, Taqi al-Din, al-Malik al-Musaffar 'Umar b. Shahanshah b. Ayyub, and Farrukh-Shah, 'Izz al'Din Da'ud b. Shanhanshah b. Ayyub.
• Among the other players are Renaud de Grenier (also referred to as Denys), Reynald de Chatillon, and Raymond de St. Gilles (sometimes referred to as the Count of Tripoli)
• We also have Joscius (Bishop of Acre), Jobert (of the Knights Hospitaller), Jakelin de Mailly (Templar knight), and Joscelin de Courtenay (brother to Agnes - referenced way, way back in this review).
But wait. There are roughly another 30 characters not yet mentioned, including several more Williams and a couple of Marys.
One of the things I generally value with this author is the depth of her research. But in this novel, I felt she got a bit buried in it. At times I felt I was reading more of a scholarly work, rather than a historical novel. You will certainly learn a lot about the the battle for the Holy Land - so important to both Christians and Muslims (and Jews too). And Penman's commitment to accuracy (she only made a few changes according to her Afterword) is admirable -- but I found the number of characters and the level of detail (especially around battles) became downright cumbersome. And about 200 pages before the end, I was ready to be done.
Fortunately, the last few hundred pages turned out to be full of building drama. So I kept reading. And I'm glad I finished it. But this one certainly isn't my favorite historical novel by this author.
endlessmidnight's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
A very good story though I would say that the heart of the story had to go to Agnes and Maria. The complicated relationship they shared and the choice they made and the rivalries that they had. Especially Agnes, they are also insanely complex and hence nuanced.
balloyd92's review against another edition
4.0
The beginning was a 2/5 for me, the middle a 3, but the last fourth was a very solid 5, so I thought I'd compromise with a 4. This is a dense book, and I almost gave up several times. I'm not sure exactly when or how the tides shifted, but eventually I fell into a rhythm and devoured the last few hundred pages. A tough start, but one I'm glad I followed through with.