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The Last Crusaders #3
The Last Crusaders: Ivan the Terrible (Clash of Empires) by William Napier
Hardened by battle, seasoned by war, four adventurers caught in the past of one of history's most enigmatic leadersAfter the final defeat of the Ottoman Empire at the great naval battle of Lepanto, it seems that Europe is safe. But one day Nicholas Ingoldsby is summoned to London for an audience with the Queen herself. He is to go on a diplomatic mission to Constantinople, the heart of the old enemy—and then onward, to a little-known but rising power called Muscovy. Here the Russian Czar has just proposed marriage to Elizabeth herself. Such a bold offer should be no surprise, for this is no normal Ivan IV Vasil'evich is known to his people as Ivan the Terrible. But this rising new Christian power in the North has also caught the attention of the Ottomans; and their allies, the wild Tatar horsemen of the Asiatic steppes, Russia's ancient enemy. And soon Nicholas and his fellow travelers, Smith, Stanley, and the faithful Hodge, are caught up in their most dangerous adventure yet, trapped in a doomed Muscovy ruled by a deranged but cunning Czar Ivan, and with a vast army of Tatar tribesmen riding down upon them, vowed to burn the city to the ground and extinguish Russia forever.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
Paperback
First published July 31, 2014
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About the author
William Napier
50 books61 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
A pseudonym of Christopher Hart
Christopher Hart (born 1965) is an English novelist and journalist.
He was educated at Cheltenham College (expelled), Leicester University (dropped out), Oxford Polytechnic and Birkbeck College, London, where he completed a PhD on W.B.Yeats.
Under his original name he has written two contemporary novels, The Harvest and Rescue Me. Since 2001, he has written four historical novels under the pseudonym of William Napier, the last three a best-selling trilogy about Attila the Hun and the Fall of the Roman Empire.
As a journalist he has worked as Literary Editor of the Erotic Review (magazine folded) and Agony Aunt for Time Out (sacked.) He currently writes regularly for the Sunday Times, where he is lead theatre critic, and the Daily Mail.
A pseudonym of Christopher Hart
Christopher Hart (born 1965) is an English novelist and journalist.
He was educated at Cheltenham College (expelled), Leicester University (dropped out), Oxford Polytechnic and Birkbeck College, London, where he completed a PhD on W.B.Yeats.
Under his original name he has written two contemporary novels, The Harvest and Rescue Me. Since 2001, he has written four historical novels under the pseudonym of William Napier, the last three a best-selling trilogy about Attila the Hun and the Fall of the Roman Empire.
As a journalist he has worked as Literary Editor of the Erotic Review (magazine folded) and Agony Aunt for Time Out (sacked.) He currently writes regularly for the Sunday Times, where he is lead theatre critic, and the Daily Mail.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 14, 2021
**Should Read as 4.5 Stars!**
Read this book in 2014, and its a story about "The Last Crusaders"by the author, William Napier.
After the famous Battle of Lepanto, Europe is probably safe from the Ottoman Empire and can breath some more freedom.
Surprisingly Nicholas Ingoldsby is to attend Queen Elizabeth for an audience, and in that audience he's summoned to go to Constantinople on a diplomatic mission,and with him are, faithful Hodge, and the Knights Smith and Stanley.
From Constantinople they are to travel to Muscovy, a rising power in the North ruled by the deranged and cunning Czar Ivan IV Vasil'evich, famously known as Iven the Terrible, and who has made a marriage proposal to Queen Elizabeth herself.
This rising Empire has caught the eye of the Ottoman Empire and their allies, the wild Tartar horsemen of the Asiatic steppes, who are Russia's ancient enemy.
What is to follow is a very exciting historical adventure, in which Ingoldsby, Hodge, Smith and Stanley are not only played by Czar Ivan, while a vast horde of Tartar tribesmen are riding them down to destroy them, and in this world of cunning and deadly pincers, they must somehow seem to survive to live for another day.
Very much recommended, for this is a very likeable tale about the "Last Crusaders" and their exploits, and that's why I like to call this thrilling book: "A Very Entertaining Last Crusade"!
Read this book in 2014, and its a story about "The Last Crusaders"by the author, William Napier.
After the famous Battle of Lepanto, Europe is probably safe from the Ottoman Empire and can breath some more freedom.
Surprisingly Nicholas Ingoldsby is to attend Queen Elizabeth for an audience, and in that audience he's summoned to go to Constantinople on a diplomatic mission,and with him are, faithful Hodge, and the Knights Smith and Stanley.
From Constantinople they are to travel to Muscovy, a rising power in the North ruled by the deranged and cunning Czar Ivan IV Vasil'evich, famously known as Iven the Terrible, and who has made a marriage proposal to Queen Elizabeth herself.
This rising Empire has caught the eye of the Ottoman Empire and their allies, the wild Tartar horsemen of the Asiatic steppes, who are Russia's ancient enemy.
What is to follow is a very exciting historical adventure, in which Ingoldsby, Hodge, Smith and Stanley are not only played by Czar Ivan, while a vast horde of Tartar tribesmen are riding them down to destroy them, and in this world of cunning and deadly pincers, they must somehow seem to survive to live for another day.
Very much recommended, for this is a very likeable tale about the "Last Crusaders" and their exploits, and that's why I like to call this thrilling book: "A Very Entertaining Last Crusade"!
September 27, 2022
Disclaimer: I have not read the two precious books.
I can see that the book is well researched, and it made me want to learn more about Ivan the Terrible. (Well, I always have, that's what drew me to this title, but it's moved up on my priority list now.)
However, the writing and the story... It just doesn't seem believable. Not the overall plot, and not the things happening along the way. And the dialogue doesn't flow naturally, it seems forced, like the author just really want to write action. Those parts are good enough, the descriptions of horrible mutilations and gore and guts and fire and battle, but the rest... I can't exactly put my finger on it, or describe it, but it's just... not believable.
The ending is also rushed, a very "the action is over, let's just wrap this all up in a few pages"-sort of ending.
I got through it even though I considered giving up several times, but I'll forget it very soon.
I can see that the book is well researched, and it made me want to learn more about Ivan the Terrible. (Well, I always have, that's what drew me to this title, but it's moved up on my priority list now.)
However, the writing and the story... It just doesn't seem believable. Not the overall plot, and not the things happening along the way. And the dialogue doesn't flow naturally, it seems forced, like the author just really want to write action. Those parts are good enough, the descriptions of horrible mutilations and gore and guts and fire and battle, but the rest... I can't exactly put my finger on it, or describe it, but it's just... not believable.
The ending is also rushed, a very "the action is over, let's just wrap this all up in a few pages"-sort of ending.
I got through it even though I considered giving up several times, but I'll forget it very soon.
May 20, 2018
It had been a few years since I read the first two books in this trilogy so I was almost coming back to it as a new reader and was wondering whether I'd still enjoy it. As I recall I loved the first book in the series but was slightly disappointed by the next one (The Red Sea). However, I have just finished this last book and thoroughly enjoyed it.
It's somewhat out of my comfort zone, that being Roman/Ancient Greek times, but sometimes it's a good thing to read something different.
I found some of the characters a little hard to identify with although I did like Smith but for pace and action the book can't be faulted.
An enjoyable read.
It's somewhat out of my comfort zone, that being Roman/Ancient Greek times, but sometimes it's a good thing to read something different.
I found some of the characters a little hard to identify with although I did like Smith but for pace and action the book can't be faulted.
An enjoyable read.
July 13, 2016
The end of a trilogy. Enjoyable, but there were too many typographical errors, misspelled words (and I'm not referring to the different spellings of some words in English and the way they're spelled in the US - these are grossly misspelled), not to mention incomplete sentences,to give this volume more than 3 stars. Still, if you've read the first 2, you need to read this one despite the problems mentioned. At times, you also get the feeling this was written just because the author could write it and finish off a trilogy which would have been fine at 2 volumes.
February 7, 2015
Another fine read from William Napier. Like his previous works, he combines history with a style reminiscent of literary romanticism, and creates a narrative that is both visually stunning, and emotionally engaging. This third volume of The Last Crusaders keeps the pages turning.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews