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Recently returned to England from fighting with the Knights Templars in the Holy Land, Sir William Marshall travels to Pembroke Castle, where he discovers the Lady Isabelle de Clare besieged by the hostile forces of John, deceitful brother of Richard the Lionheart. Marshall saves the castle through single combat, champions the lady’s cause before King Henry II and the exiled Queen Eleanor, and remains at Henry’s side to fight in the aging king’s final offensive against Phillip of France.
309 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 12, 2020
From the opening battle scene I couldn’t put it down. Kings, knights, war and all based on historical truths, L Christian Balling with great description and dialog, leads us through a pivotal time in world history.
February 18, 2018
Gripping and fast-paced, this book combines sympathetic characters, political intrigue, sword fights, and a compelling love story. I especially liked all the details about medieval fighting customs and equipment and the realistic depection of fights.
April 26, 2013
This was a fun read. I enjoyed it, and I liked the characters. As a historian, I appreciated the fact that not only were no known historical facts altered, but the characters acted appropriately for their age and society. This was not a fantasy or costume-romance.
The weakness of the book is that it focuses on only a short, albeit critical, phase in William Marshal's long life. This book describes a mature William Marshal at a pivotal moment in his life, the moment when he earns a barony from not one, but two, kings. Readers picking up a book on William Marshal, however, likely expect more. Many will, like me, be interested in the whole man, his development over time, what made him tick, how he managed to survive and come out ahead in such turbulent times, his relationships with the different kings he served. Because the book does not even attempt to address these issues, it will -- despite its virtues -- disappoint some readers.
The weakness of the book is that it focuses on only a short, albeit critical, phase in William Marshal's long life. This book describes a mature William Marshal at a pivotal moment in his life, the moment when he earns a barony from not one, but two, kings. Readers picking up a book on William Marshal, however, likely expect more. Many will, like me, be interested in the whole man, his development over time, what made him tick, how he managed to survive and come out ahead in such turbulent times, his relationships with the different kings he served. Because the book does not even attempt to address these issues, it will -- despite its virtues -- disappoint some readers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews