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The Undying Lamb
Blending medieval history with deadly secrets and sacred bloodlines, The Undying Lamb is a propulsive historical thriller in the vein of Robyn Young's Brethren, where the truth behind a child’s legacy could shatter kingdoms—and the Church itself.
In the Shadow of Empires, One Child Holds the Key to a Forgotten Legacy…
Year of Our Lord, 1230. Europe is ablaze. Kingdoms clash, faiths fracture, and the echoes of the Crusades still thunder through the land. Amidst the chaos, a child is brought to Rome under the veil of secrecy—rumored to be the last living descendant of Godfrey de Bouillon, the First Crusader King of Jerusalem, and, some whisper, of Christ himself.
But the Holy See refuses sanctuary.
Robin, a disillusioned English crusader, and Sibilia, a fierce Cathar spy haunted by the horrors of the Albigensian Crusade, are unlikely allies. Forced to safeguard the Grail Child, they find themselves hunted across a war-torn land. Their path leads to Béziers, a city still stained with the blood of a massacre, where the Inquisition’s grip tightens and a young noblewoman’s life hangs in the balance.
As swords clash and faith is tested, Robin and Sibilia must confront not only the enemies who pursue them—but the secrets they keep from each other.
A sweeping tale of faith, betrayal, and love, The Undying Lamb is a spellbinding Robin Hood adaptation that delves into a forgotten corner of history where the line between legend and truth blurs.
In the Shadow of Empires, One Child Holds the Key to a Forgotten Legacy…
Year of Our Lord, 1230. Europe is ablaze. Kingdoms clash, faiths fracture, and the echoes of the Crusades still thunder through the land. Amidst the chaos, a child is brought to Rome under the veil of secrecy—rumored to be the last living descendant of Godfrey de Bouillon, the First Crusader King of Jerusalem, and, some whisper, of Christ himself.
But the Holy See refuses sanctuary.
Robin, a disillusioned English crusader, and Sibilia, a fierce Cathar spy haunted by the horrors of the Albigensian Crusade, are unlikely allies. Forced to safeguard the Grail Child, they find themselves hunted across a war-torn land. Their path leads to Béziers, a city still stained with the blood of a massacre, where the Inquisition’s grip tightens and a young noblewoman’s life hangs in the balance.
As swords clash and faith is tested, Robin and Sibilia must confront not only the enemies who pursue them—but the secrets they keep from each other.
A sweeping tale of faith, betrayal, and love, The Undying Lamb is a spellbinding Robin Hood adaptation that delves into a forgotten corner of history where the line between legend and truth blurs.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 6, 2026
About the author
Paul Brous
1 book1 followerBorn in Zimbabwe to Dutch and English parents, Paul grew up exploring Africa and later studied English Literature at Rhodes University. After teaching primary school, his passion for storytelling led him to travel Europe, earn a PhD, and uncover his family roots in southern France’s Languedoc region. Now based in Rotterdam, he writes, researches, and advises governments on data management.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A single child can frighten kings and the pope just by existing. The year is 1230, and Europe is on fire with war and the repercussions of the Crusades. Caught in the middle are a baby boy and his protectors who must get to a safe location before forces who want to see the baby dead catch up to them. On top of it all, the Cathars are in danger of being eliminated due to their beliefs. Can the child and his protectors escape Rome, or will the child be killed? Will the Cathars survive,e or will they be persecuted for what they believe? Paul Brous explores these topics in his novel, “The Undying Lamb.”
I want to thank Rising Action and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I like reading about new aspects of medieval Europe. I saw this novel was going to feature a storyline featuring the Cathars, who don’t get much attention from casual history lovers. I wanted to see how he would tell the tale of the Cathars and how the story of a child everyone wants dead would be incorporated into this narrative.
We begin with an extensive glossary of terms used in this book, which includes phrases in Latin, Occitan, French, Sardu, and Italian, which I found extremely useful and showed how much research Brous poured into this novel before I started reading. The actual story starts with Sibilia meeting the mysterious Robin. They are given the task of protecting a baby they call Will, but his identity is the Grail Child, one whom people fear will bring forth the Apocalypse. The mission was put together by Pope Gregory IX and his right-hand man, Cardinal Goffredo Castiglioni, to protect Will from people like Blanche of Castile, who fears that the child would be a threat to her son,n while King Henry III of England threatens to invade France.
To make matters worse, you have the church going after the Cathars during the Albigensian Crusade. While many of the Cathars have been eliminated by the time of this novel, there are still pockets of resistance. Now, the church is sending an inquisition after one such group. So while we have the Grail Child storyline, we also have the Cathar storyline with multiple points of view.
Personally, I think that the plotlines included in this novel would have been better as two separate novels so that the ideas could have been developed fully. Either that or have an ending that alludes to a sequel novel. Overall, it was an okay read for me; I just felt like he had too many ideas for one novel. If you want to read a decent medieval novel that explores a different aspect of the past, you might enjoy “The Undying Lamb” by Paul Brous.
I want to thank Rising Action and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I like reading about new aspects of medieval Europe. I saw this novel was going to feature a storyline featuring the Cathars, who don’t get much attention from casual history lovers. I wanted to see how he would tell the tale of the Cathars and how the story of a child everyone wants dead would be incorporated into this narrative.
We begin with an extensive glossary of terms used in this book, which includes phrases in Latin, Occitan, French, Sardu, and Italian, which I found extremely useful and showed how much research Brous poured into this novel before I started reading. The actual story starts with Sibilia meeting the mysterious Robin. They are given the task of protecting a baby they call Will, but his identity is the Grail Child, one whom people fear will bring forth the Apocalypse. The mission was put together by Pope Gregory IX and his right-hand man, Cardinal Goffredo Castiglioni, to protect Will from people like Blanche of Castile, who fears that the child would be a threat to her son,n while King Henry III of England threatens to invade France.
To make matters worse, you have the church going after the Cathars during the Albigensian Crusade. While many of the Cathars have been eliminated by the time of this novel, there are still pockets of resistance. Now, the church is sending an inquisition after one such group. So while we have the Grail Child storyline, we also have the Cathar storyline with multiple points of view.
Personally, I think that the plotlines included in this novel would have been better as two separate novels so that the ideas could have been developed fully. Either that or have an ending that alludes to a sequel novel. Overall, it was an okay read for me; I just felt like he had too many ideas for one novel. If you want to read a decent medieval novel that explores a different aspect of the past, you might enjoy “The Undying Lamb” by Paul Brous.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an advanced copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.
It was easy to get sucked in the story as I'm a sucker for political intrigue and a motley crew of heroes. I enjoyed that the story is more of an origins story for Robin Hood or a prequel to what happens later when he returns to England.
I loved how the author wove in the Holy Grail, the crusades, and important historical figures into the story. There's a large cast of characters all with their own ambitions and side stories that added realism to the plot. It kept me on my toes as there was always something happening in the background that later would become important.
What I loved most was the dialogue and descriptions stayed true for the time period which allowed me to stay in the story. I truly despise it when contemporary dialogue is used in historical fiction.
When I started reading I had the assumption that it was a standalone from the synopsis but the ending gives the impression that of a series. If it will continue as a series I'll be super happy as I'm emotionally invested with many of the characters. I just love disgusting and duplicitous characters.
It was easy to get sucked in the story as I'm a sucker for political intrigue and a motley crew of heroes. I enjoyed that the story is more of an origins story for Robin Hood or a prequel to what happens later when he returns to England.
I loved how the author wove in the Holy Grail, the crusades, and important historical figures into the story. There's a large cast of characters all with their own ambitions and side stories that added realism to the plot. It kept me on my toes as there was always something happening in the background that later would become important.
What I loved most was the dialogue and descriptions stayed true for the time period which allowed me to stay in the story. I truly despise it when contemporary dialogue is used in historical fiction.
When I started reading I had the assumption that it was a standalone from the synopsis but the ending gives the impression that of a series. If it will continue as a series I'll be super happy as I'm emotionally invested with many of the characters. I just love disgusting and duplicitous characters.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews