The year is 1191. Will Bowman, a young knight fighting the Third Crusade in the Holy Land, is worn out by the pressures of war. As a sworn vassal of King Richard III, the only option for him is to become one of the elite military-religious order of the Knights Hospitaller - and soon he's given up his place at the King's side and is pursuing a new life at the Hospitallers' legendary fortress stronghold in the Holy Land, the Krak des Chevaliers.
But then he receives an unexpected Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, King Richard's mother, who delivers shocking her son has been captured by enemy forces, and is being held for ransom. Convinced of a plot to murder him in prison, Eleanor asks Will - the only person she can trust - to lead a group of mercenaries to get Richard out before it's too late.
If he agrees, he will be rewarded with lands, a castle and a noble title back home in England. If he doesn't, his king might never see freedom again.
Now Will has to decide between living a devotional life in the wilderness, or risk losing it entirely - along with those of his friends and comrades - in a desperate rescue mission almost certainly doomed to failure and bloodshed. Are his bonds to Richard strong enough to die for him?
This is his deadliest mission to date. Will he survive it?
I always enjoy Scot Mariani, and I liked the earlier books in the series but I found this !ing catalogue of battles and fighting dull and frank!g very hard going. I won't get any more in the series and was really disappointed with this one.
If this series is not one of the best historical fiction dramas there is, I don't know if one better. Full on action, great characters and plenty of research leads to a totally believable plot.
Die for a King is one of those rare books, which, Is a contradiction, I wanted to finish it quickly, it is a page turner, but I didn’t want it to end. Scott, you done it again. A brilliant novel, but also a history lesson.
Greatly enjoyed reading the adventures of will bowman,and hope there will be another instalment now I will have to return to the Ben Hope series and continue with them.
Having completed this last book of a trilogy which I have not been able to put down I am hoping that there will be more to follow. A great story which blended historical facts into a fictional tale.