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Crusades #1
Outcasts
Pilgrims John and Simon Ferrier arrive at the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem on the day the army marches out to battle. Within days the Christian army is annihilated by Saladin. Triumphant, the great warrior leads his warriors towards Jerusalem, determined to win it back for his people.
To defend the city there is only one nobleman, Balian of Ibelin, and four knights.
In desperation Balian knights thirty ordinary men to lead the defence. One of them is the innkeeper Bernard Mountjoy. So too are the pilgrims John and Simon. The new-made knights fight valiantly but can only delay the inevitable. Balian is forced to surrender the city to Saladin.
Some of the inhabitants buy their freedom. Others, including Bernard’s wife Agnes and children, are sold into slavery.
The world is in flames, the normal bonds of life shattered. Bonds of lordship, bonds of kinship, bonds of marriage and of friendship, all lay tainted and discarded.
Yet in this turbulent time, three men find new fellowship and a mission. Bernard is determined to search the Muslim world for his enslaved wife and children. John pledges to aid him and then to pursue his own mission of revenge. A third man, a stranger, journeys to find himself again.
History says nothing more of the people raised so far above their normal station and then cast aside.
Outcasts tells the story of how they fare in a world grown more bitter and fanatical.
To defend the city there is only one nobleman, Balian of Ibelin, and four knights.
In desperation Balian knights thirty ordinary men to lead the defence. One of them is the innkeeper Bernard Mountjoy. So too are the pilgrims John and Simon. The new-made knights fight valiantly but can only delay the inevitable. Balian is forced to surrender the city to Saladin.
Some of the inhabitants buy their freedom. Others, including Bernard’s wife Agnes and children, are sold into slavery.
The world is in flames, the normal bonds of life shattered. Bonds of lordship, bonds of kinship, bonds of marriage and of friendship, all lay tainted and discarded.
Yet in this turbulent time, three men find new fellowship and a mission. Bernard is determined to search the Muslim world for his enslaved wife and children. John pledges to aid him and then to pursue his own mission of revenge. A third man, a stranger, journeys to find himself again.
History says nothing more of the people raised so far above their normal station and then cast aside.
Outcasts tells the story of how they fare in a world grown more bitter and fanatical.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2012
77 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Martin Lake
42 books148 followersHello, I'm Martin Lake. I've been writing fiction since the age of eleven when our inventive English teacher Mr Johnson asked us to imagine that we were a Guy on a Guy Fawkes bonfire. I discovered the thrill of words and character.
My favourite authors when I was young were historical novelists like Rosemary Sutcliff and Henry Treece and a galaxy of science fiction writers. Later on I discovered the Flashman novels by George McDonald Fraser which I still consider the best of historical fiction.
I studied English Literature and History at UEA.
I have written all my life and had my first success with another story about 5th November, 'The Guy Fawkes Contest.' This was broadcast on radio and I spent more than my fee on celebrating my success.
Then one morning; revelation. I love writing and I love history. I decided to combine the two and wrote a novel about the Elizabethan spy network. There was some interest in this from publishers but not enough and it languishes still in a drawer.
I had a bad accident and could no longer drive nor turn over a paper-back book without dropping it and having to ask my wife to pick it up. My wife bought me an e-reader and shortly afterwards I discovered that I could self-publish my novels.
That was it. My life-long ambition was about to take off.
I have a series of novels set in the years following the Norman Invasion of England: The Flame of Resistance, Triumph and Catastrophe, Blood of Ironside and In Search of Glory.
I have also written four novels about the Viking Invasions of England: Wolves of War, To the Death, Land of Blood and Water and Blood Enemy.
Outcasts is about the fall of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade.
ALove Most Dangerous and the sequel Very Like a Queen tell the tale of Alice Petherton, a mistress of King Henry VIII.
I have four World War Two novels: Cry of the Heart and Ties of the Heart and Brave, Bold Spirit and The Turn of the Tide.
You can find my blog at martinlakewriting.wordpress.com
Twitter @martinlake14.
Email: martinlake14@gmail.com
My favourite authors when I was young were historical novelists like Rosemary Sutcliff and Henry Treece and a galaxy of science fiction writers. Later on I discovered the Flashman novels by George McDonald Fraser which I still consider the best of historical fiction.
I studied English Literature and History at UEA.
I have written all my life and had my first success with another story about 5th November, 'The Guy Fawkes Contest.' This was broadcast on radio and I spent more than my fee on celebrating my success.
Then one morning; revelation. I love writing and I love history. I decided to combine the two and wrote a novel about the Elizabethan spy network. There was some interest in this from publishers but not enough and it languishes still in a drawer.
I had a bad accident and could no longer drive nor turn over a paper-back book without dropping it and having to ask my wife to pick it up. My wife bought me an e-reader and shortly afterwards I discovered that I could self-publish my novels.
That was it. My life-long ambition was about to take off.
I have a series of novels set in the years following the Norman Invasion of England: The Flame of Resistance, Triumph and Catastrophe, Blood of Ironside and In Search of Glory.
I have also written four novels about the Viking Invasions of England: Wolves of War, To the Death, Land of Blood and Water and Blood Enemy.
Outcasts is about the fall of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade.
ALove Most Dangerous and the sequel Very Like a Queen tell the tale of Alice Petherton, a mistress of King Henry VIII.
I have four World War Two novels: Cry of the Heart and Ties of the Heart and Brave, Bold Spirit and The Turn of the Tide.
You can find my blog at martinlakewriting.wordpress.com
Twitter @martinlake14.
Email: martinlake14@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 25, 2013
Have you seen the film Kingdom of Heaven? Starring Orlando Bloom, it tells of how ordinary men were knighted by the knight Balian, in an attempt to save Jerusalem from Saladin. This book details what happened to Balian's knights after Jerusalem fell. We see the attitude of the outside world to these low-born men, we see the lives of the people of Jerusalem who escaped and those who were sold into slavery. The details are fascinating, and give a real insight into the lives of ordinary people who followed their lords to the crusades or went to Jerusalem on pilgrimage. It tells of the people of all races who lived together in harmony for many years before the Crusaders stirred up trouble.
The human interest is well written, and we are drawn in to the plight of various people, and follow their adventures. I will certainly look out for the next book! Highly recommended.
The human interest is well written, and we are drawn in to the plight of various people, and follow their adventures. I will certainly look out for the next book! Highly recommended.
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December 14, 2012I wrote this so modesty forbids me commenting.
March 30, 2025
Having undergone the rigours of pilgrimage from England to Jerusalem to atone for sins committed, John—accompanied by his cousin Simon—doesn’t find the sacred city to be quite the oasis of calm and contemplation he was expecting.
He doesn’t have too long to dwell on its shortcomings, however, as they’ve arrived at a key moment in history—the eve of the Battle of Hattin. When the outcome of this engagement isn’t what the Christian Crusaders were expecting, John and Simon—along with their host Bernard, his wife Agnes and their children—are caught up in the fallout, with devastating consequences.
All strive for survival, by whatever means available, and true strength or weakness of character is exposed through the actions they take thereafter. These aren’t always what we might expect, in both high and low alike, as the behaviour of the Sarace⁰ns is for the most part honourable, while that of the Crusader leaders is pretty despicable—not quite the view accepted through history, until recently.
There’s also a necessary reminder that slavery has been around for a long time. Not just that of the Greek and Roman empires, but of the women taken into harems in the East, there to attempt survival amongst others like themselves, desperate to gain and maintain a place of favour against all others.
Outcasts leaves the fate of the main characters uncertain, and as the book was published in 2012 it looks as though there’ll be no sequel. That’s a pity, but maybe it’s the point. The important figures in this story aren’t the ‘big names’ of history—Saladin, Guy de Lusignan, Conrad of Montferrat and so forth—but the nameless majority, the pilgrims, the ordinary citizens, those who got caught up in these wars of religion through no fault of their own apart from that of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So many ordinary people sacrificed: soldiers, whether willing or unwilling; women, children, the old and the sick, sold into slavery. All disappearing into an unknown fate, never heard from again. History is full of them, and the characters who occupy these pages are representative of them all. They're well worth a read.
He doesn’t have too long to dwell on its shortcomings, however, as they’ve arrived at a key moment in history—the eve of the Battle of Hattin. When the outcome of this engagement isn’t what the Christian Crusaders were expecting, John and Simon—along with their host Bernard, his wife Agnes and their children—are caught up in the fallout, with devastating consequences.
All strive for survival, by whatever means available, and true strength or weakness of character is exposed through the actions they take thereafter. These aren’t always what we might expect, in both high and low alike, as the behaviour of the Sarace⁰ns is for the most part honourable, while that of the Crusader leaders is pretty despicable—not quite the view accepted through history, until recently.
There’s also a necessary reminder that slavery has been around for a long time. Not just that of the Greek and Roman empires, but of the women taken into harems in the East, there to attempt survival amongst others like themselves, desperate to gain and maintain a place of favour against all others.
Outcasts leaves the fate of the main characters uncertain, and as the book was published in 2012 it looks as though there’ll be no sequel. That’s a pity, but maybe it’s the point. The important figures in this story aren’t the ‘big names’ of history—Saladin, Guy de Lusignan, Conrad of Montferrat and so forth—but the nameless majority, the pilgrims, the ordinary citizens, those who got caught up in these wars of religion through no fault of their own apart from that of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So many ordinary people sacrificed: soldiers, whether willing or unwilling; women, children, the old and the sick, sold into slavery. All disappearing into an unknown fate, never heard from again. History is full of them, and the characters who occupy these pages are representative of them all. They're well worth a read.
March 24, 2015
This is a most interesting and thought provoking entry by Martin Lake. Jerusalem is under siege by a Muslim horde led by Saladin and is being defended by the respected knight, Balian. With so few knights to defend the city, Balian bestows knighthood on ordinary peasants and that has unexpected results for those who survive the fall of Jerusalem. The tale follows the separate paths that the main characters have to follow in order to survive or to seek out their loved ones. One of the more salient features of the story is how the new 'knights' are treated by their fellow Christians as opposed to how they are treated by their Muslim captors.
The story is full of the descriptive talent I've come to enjoy from Mr. Lake as he takes the reader on a journey to many of the historical sites of that part of the world, Jerusalem, Tyre, Antioch & Baghdad, for example. The author has also given us many great characters to grow fond of or to despise. I enjoyed this tale of the seemingly endless conflicts to control The Middle East and I am looking forward to finding out what happens to the characters as the story continues in the sequel. 4 stars.
The story is full of the descriptive talent I've come to enjoy from Mr. Lake as he takes the reader on a journey to many of the historical sites of that part of the world, Jerusalem, Tyre, Antioch & Baghdad, for example. The author has also given us many great characters to grow fond of or to despise. I enjoyed this tale of the seemingly endless conflicts to control The Middle East and I am looking forward to finding out what happens to the characters as the story continues in the sequel. 4 stars.
July 27, 2015
A fast-paced tale of a quest to find lost loved ones and redemption.
I won't go into details of the story-line, as that is covered in other reviews and the book description. The writing style is quick and to the point, with little to get in the way of the action. This makes it very easy to read and the short chapters really help to push the story along at a good lick. There is no time to rest and the action for the characters is pretty relentless. In fact, a couple of times I would have liked a little more description of some of the locales or situations, to flesh out the experience of immersion into the time and place, but also to allow a breather before the next twist of fate of the characters.
Having said that, it is a minor gripe and the story caught my imagination and I wanted to know what happened to all of the hapless outcasts of the title. The open ending of the novel provides ample room for the story to grow, and I look forward to finding out the fates of John, Simon, Matthew, Bernard, Agnes and the boys.
This is the first novel I've read of Martin Lake's, but it won't be the last.
I won't go into details of the story-line, as that is covered in other reviews and the book description. The writing style is quick and to the point, with little to get in the way of the action. This makes it very easy to read and the short chapters really help to push the story along at a good lick. There is no time to rest and the action for the characters is pretty relentless. In fact, a couple of times I would have liked a little more description of some of the locales or situations, to flesh out the experience of immersion into the time and place, but also to allow a breather before the next twist of fate of the characters.
Having said that, it is a minor gripe and the story caught my imagination and I wanted to know what happened to all of the hapless outcasts of the title. The open ending of the novel provides ample room for the story to grow, and I look forward to finding out the fates of John, Simon, Matthew, Bernard, Agnes and the boys.
This is the first novel I've read of Martin Lake's, but it won't be the last.
June 5, 2016
"The Kingdom of Heaven" as it should have been filmed
This book takes the reader back to the events in the movie, but tells the story in a more believable way. It follows 2 pilgrims and the friends they make in Jerusalem, who reach the Holy land just before the Battle of Hattin and help in the defence of the city. The book follows the aftermath of the loss of Jerusalem and the quest to help a friend find his family that was sold into slavery. Saladin only let the citizens go if they could pay a ransom, the others were sold into slavery. Also, Balian is as a middle aged knight who escaped after the battle of Hattin to lead the defenders of Jerusalem. Almost all the characters in the movie are in the book, but most are shown in a very different light. The one that is the same is Guy the last King of Jerusalem, who is still a world class jerk and leads the Army of Jerusalem to it's destruction at the battle of Hattin. If you enjoy historical fiction with a good plot and believable characters this is the book for you.
This book takes the reader back to the events in the movie, but tells the story in a more believable way. It follows 2 pilgrims and the friends they make in Jerusalem, who reach the Holy land just before the Battle of Hattin and help in the defence of the city. The book follows the aftermath of the loss of Jerusalem and the quest to help a friend find his family that was sold into slavery. Saladin only let the citizens go if they could pay a ransom, the others were sold into slavery. Also, Balian is as a middle aged knight who escaped after the battle of Hattin to lead the defenders of Jerusalem. Almost all the characters in the movie are in the book, but most are shown in a very different light. The one that is the same is Guy the last King of Jerusalem, who is still a world class jerk and leads the Army of Jerusalem to it's destruction at the battle of Hattin. If you enjoy historical fiction with a good plot and believable characters this is the book for you.
September 2, 2023
A solid historical fiction novel based around real events that make for entertaining reading if one wants more than just to watch the film "the kingdom of heaven".
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews