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Outlaw Knight (I): Crusade
He was the bastard son of King Richard the Lionheart—abandoned, forgotten… and ready to take his revenge.
AD 1200. As kingdoms crumble and the embers of war smoulder across Christendom, Philip of Cognac emerges from the shadows. Raised in exile and denied his birthright, he is thrust into a brutal world of blood and betrayal, where kings fall, empires clash, and loyalty can be fatal.
From the war-torn fields of Normandy to the imperial walls of Constantinople, Philip must forge his own legacy. But can the illegitimate son of a dead crusader king survive the treachery of enemies—and friends—who would see him broken?
A tale of war, vengeance, and destiny at the end of the Age of Chivalry.
Perfect for fans of Sharon Kay Penman, Ben Kane, and Conn Iggulden.
AD 1200. As kingdoms crumble and the embers of war smoulder across Christendom, Philip of Cognac emerges from the shadows. Raised in exile and denied his birthright, he is thrust into a brutal world of blood and betrayal, where kings fall, empires clash, and loyalty can be fatal.
From the war-torn fields of Normandy to the imperial walls of Constantinople, Philip must forge his own legacy. But can the illegitimate son of a dead crusader king survive the treachery of enemies—and friends—who would see him broken?
A tale of war, vengeance, and destiny at the end of the Age of Chivalry.
Perfect for fans of Sharon Kay Penman, Ben Kane, and Conn Iggulden.
167 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2025
79 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 26, 2025
Favorite Charcters - Philip, Blondel
Favorite scenes - Richard telling Philip the story of his dad, Philip meets Eleanor, Philip and Blondel say goodbye.
Wow, what a surprisingly good book! I did not expect this book to be anywhere near as well-written, well paced, or deeply dramatic as it ended up being. The dialogue is some of the best I've read in a historical fiction novel. There were moments where - dare I say - I felt like I was reading a scene from Suneater! I'm beyond ready for that next book!
FALL READATHON BOOK #
Favorite scenes - Richard telling Philip the story of his dad, Philip meets Eleanor, Philip and Blondel say goodbye.
Wow, what a surprisingly good book! I did not expect this book to be anywhere near as well-written, well paced, or deeply dramatic as it ended up being. The dialogue is some of the best I've read in a historical fiction novel. There were moments where - dare I say - I felt like I was reading a scene from Suneater! I'm beyond ready for that next book!
FALL READATHON BOOK #
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2025
Very Well written , interwoven with Fact AAAAA
November 8, 2025
“𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙧𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙪. 𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙧, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚, 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚. 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙖𝙩𝙝, 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙡. 𝙄𝙛 𝙄 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙞𝙩, 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙.”
⚔️The book — the first in the Outlaw Knight series — follows the story of Philip of Cognac, the illegitimate son of King Richard the Lionheart, as he becomes entangled in the chaos of the Fourth Crusade. Determined to carve out his own destiny, Philip must survive a brutal world where loyalty is fragile and war spares no one.
⚔️David had masterfully blends historical authenticity with vivid storytelling. From the war-torn fields of Normandy to the majestic, crumbling walls of Constantinople, every setting feels alive — I could almost hear the clash of steel and smell the battlefield dust.
⚔️The narrative is crisp, direct, and immersive, with just the right dose of medieval jargon to anchor you in the era. The battle scenes are tense and cinematic, the pacing fast enough to keep you hooked from start to finish.
⚔️However, with so many characters packed into such a short book, it’s hard to connect with everyone. I found myself drawn mainly to Philip and Blondel, and I do wish the story had been a little longer — perhaps with a character list for reference.
Overall, Crusade is a gritty, fast-paced, and satisfying read, perfect for fans of Sharon Kay Penman or anyone who loves historical fiction that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐✨(3.5/5)
⚔️The book — the first in the Outlaw Knight series — follows the story of Philip of Cognac, the illegitimate son of King Richard the Lionheart, as he becomes entangled in the chaos of the Fourth Crusade. Determined to carve out his own destiny, Philip must survive a brutal world where loyalty is fragile and war spares no one.
⚔️David had masterfully blends historical authenticity with vivid storytelling. From the war-torn fields of Normandy to the majestic, crumbling walls of Constantinople, every setting feels alive — I could almost hear the clash of steel and smell the battlefield dust.
⚔️The narrative is crisp, direct, and immersive, with just the right dose of medieval jargon to anchor you in the era. The battle scenes are tense and cinematic, the pacing fast enough to keep you hooked from start to finish.
⚔️However, with so many characters packed into such a short book, it’s hard to connect with everyone. I found myself drawn mainly to Philip and Blondel, and I do wish the story had been a little longer — perhaps with a character list for reference.
Overall, Crusade is a gritty, fast-paced, and satisfying read, perfect for fans of Sharon Kay Penman or anyone who loves historical fiction that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐✨(3.5/5)
November 25, 2025
This short novel takes a minor character from history and gives him a story fit for his lineage. Philip of Cognac, the illegitimate son of Richard the Lionheart, attempts to carve out his own destiny in thirteenth century Normandy, Aquitaine and the Byzantine Empire with his father's comrade-in-arms and troubadour, Blondel de Nesle. There's plenty of adventure and battle and fans of Pilling will not be disappointed with this joust into battle, siege and war. Looking forward to reading the companion volumes.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews