Crusader: The second thrilling instalment in the Lionheart series

Richard the Lionheart #2

by Ben Kane

KING. POLITICIAN. WARRIOR. CONQUEROR.

1189. Richard the Lionheart's long-awaited goal comes true as he is crowned King of England. Setting his own kingdom in order, he prepares to embark on a gruelling crusade to reclaim Jerusalem.

With him on every step of the journey is Ferdia, his loyal Irish follower. Together they travel from southern France to Italy, to the kingdom of Sicily and beyond.

Finally poised to sail to the Holy Land, Richard finds a bitter two-year-long siege awaiting him. And with it, the iconic Saracen leader responsible for the loss of Jerusalem, Saladin.

No one can agree who should fill the empty throne of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Saladin's huge army shadows Richard's every move. Conditions are brutal, the temperatures boiling, and on the dusty field of Arsuf, the Lionheart and his soldiers face their ultimate test...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Medieval, Historical, Audiobook

393 pages, Hardcover

Published April 29, 2021

About the author

Ben Kane is a bestselling Roman author and former veterinarian. He was born in Kenya and grew up in Ireland (where his parents are from). He has traveled widely and is a lifelong student of military history in general, and Roman history in particular. He lives in North Somerset, England, with his family.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fantastic book is the 2nd volume of the life-story of Richard Lionheart, intertwined with the fictional narrator's life-story, being the Irish noble from Leinster but now retired knight who goes by the name of, Ferdia Ó Catháin aka Rufus O'Kane, and he's telling his story 30 years after Richard's death.

At the beginning of the book you'll see two well-drawn maps, one of Sicily and Southern Italy, and one of Outremer (The Holy Land) and Cyprus, both in the late 12th Century, while there's also a wonderful List of Characters with amazing great historical and superbly fictional figures.

At the back of the book you'll notice an Author's Note where the historical details concerning this terrific tale are fabulously explained by the author.

Story-telling is as ever of a top-notch quality, all figures featuring in this amazing historical novel come vividly to life, while the atmosphere and places of interest in these brutal historical times come splendidly off the pages.

The book starts off with an exciting prologue, where Rufus/Ferdia is settling a score with a certain Henry in an attempt to save his deadly secret, and in doing so to keep his occupation as an adviser/friend of King Richard.

The book is divided into four parts, starting as from September AD 1189 until late September/begin October AD 1192, and the book will describe the life of King Richard as a courteous man with fits of anger, a true leader of men in war, a shrewd tactician when dealing with other monarchs, and as a courageous man when fighting battles against overwhelming odds.

What is to come is a gripping and eventful historical novel, where we follow in a most spectacular fashion the paths of the fictional narrator, Rufus, alongside the astonishing historical figure of this book, Richard Lionheart, whenever its about domestic life or on the battlefield, or life at court where disputes, intrigue and cunning are rife between various monarchs, where also alliances are made and broken for power and warfare, but when animosity between Christian allies starts to show it will play a destructive part for King Richard in his quest to conquer Jerusalem from the Saracens and its great leader Saladin, but when he finally hears of betrayal at home he has to decide to abandon his conquering of Jerusalem, and to go back home and try to stop these treacherous happenings in England and his territories on the mainland by his brother, John, and King Philippe Capet of France.

Highly recommended, look very much forward to the final instalment, and what this episode is concerned I like to call it: "A Glorious Lionheart Centrepiece"!

[Mike Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘God’s legs’ I enjoyed this book. The second book in Ben Kane’s trilogy on Richard I. This continues with Ferdia the Irish knight and his Welsh squire Rhys protecting the King as part of his household. Now into the third Crusade.

Lots of visceral violence. Love interest and the mutual hatred of Rufus(Ferdia) and the knight Robert FitzAldem. Hopefully coming to the correct ending in the next book.

Kane is a great writer. Apart from the first book in this series I had only known him from his Roman based novels. Having read a couple of non fiction books on the crusades before I was set up for this series.

Again after reading about Richard’s massacre of 2700 Saracen prisoners in the history books. The POV description in this novel didn’t really make me feel any better ( see review of The Crusades: The War for the Holy Land - Thomas Asbridge).

The Authors note at the end points out the majority of incidents in the story are based on fact. I now need to find the final book.

Ps if you want to read a great review on the series see those by Clemens. In fact any of his historical novel reviews👍

[William Gwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

BookTube channel with my awesome brother, Ed - The Brothers Gwynne
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne

This is the second of the series, retelling the tales of Richard the Lionheart, which I know next to nothing about, other than that he journeyed on a medieval crusade. I was really looking forward to seeing where our main protagonist, Ferdia, or Rufus as he is also known, would take us as one of the good friends of the king this series is about.

Ben Kane achieved a lot in the fantastic Lionheart, the first of this trilogy, and in Crusader he has done so again, but in a very different scale to the first instalment. The first is a bit more intimate, following the private journey of Ferdia, and then combining with Richard. Crusader embarks on a tale of a far greater scale, as Richard prepares for and starts his famed crusade.

Whilst saying that, Ferdia still maintains his individual plot line, with a knight who I shall not mention as it would be a spoiler for Lionheart. They are enemies of each other, and both look to outdo the other, and Ferdia is driven to commit previous acts. It is done in a way where you are shocked at his actions, but still carry on wishing for his victory, as we have accompanied him from childhood and witnessed the many tribulations he has endured.

4.25/5 STARS

[Dennis Steussy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Crusade by Ben Kane was a good and exciting book to read. It covers the time when Richard first became King of England through the time he was leaving Palestine to return to England. It is told from the perspective of one of his knights, Rufus or Fredia. Rufus was from Wales and had to hard work to become a knight and friend to Richard. I liked the accuracy that Mr. Kane shows in this book, especially in his details of the time the army was in Holy Lands. Like all wars you learn about both the victories and defeats and the tragedies like the one that befalls them near Acre. War is never pleasant. As you read the book, you will see Richard not only as a valiant warrior, but a statesman and great organizer. The love affair between Rufus and Richard's sister Joanna is an added benefit to the book. If you are looking for a book with lots of fighting between the Crusaders and the Saracens you will certainly get enough here. Also, you will get an accurate portrayal of the time, and the players in this period from France, England, and other countries. I have read the first book about Richard by Mr. Kane and I feel this is a great addition to Richard's exploits.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

historical fiction of Richard lionheart and the 3rd crusade, quite detailed but felt it could of been slightly shorter though.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I enjoyed this one a little more than the previous installment. I hate having to compare current reads to other books and authors, but this made me think of Sharon Kay Penman's The Land Beyond the Sea, which I've read at the beginning of this year. I loved that book, I enjoyed reading about Baldwin the leper King and the battles against the Saracens led by Saladin. This felt more like a sequel to THAT. Since Land Beyond Sea ended with the fall of Jerusalem to the Saracens, Ben Kane's Crusader picks right up where King Richard travels to Outremer (French term meaning "land beyond the sea") and begins the third crusade. It's all a giant puzzle, and it's finally taking shape in my mind. One year ago, I knew next to nothing about the history of Jerusalem and the Crusades.

Ben Kane may not have the same flair in his writing style, which makes Sharon Kay Penman's books all the more addicting, he is a great writer in his own way. He develops fantastic fictional characters alongside historical figures, and weaves in a captivating story amongst factual events. So well done!

Finally, I must appreciate the level of historical accuracy and detail laid out in these books. Granted, I'm no historian -- but according to the acknowledgments at the end, all the events in this book happened the way that they were described. No matter how flashy, heroic, almost cinematically relayed, he asserts that the story is told exactly as was written by the medieval chroniclers themselves. That's soooo cool!

Great Job, Dr. Kane -- I look forward to book #3, KING !

[happy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all of Dr. Kane's books, I found this a very enjoyable read. This novel takes place during Richard's experiences in the 3rd Crusade. The author starts with Richard's preparations for the attempt to retake Jerusalem and ends the novel his departure from the Holy Land.

As with the first volume of trilogy, Lionheart. it is told through the eyes of the Irish knight Rufus (a fictional character) - a member of Richard's messiene.

As far as I can tell, the history is pretty solid. What is related happened when the author says it happened. The Battles of Ashur and Joppa as well as the siege of Acre are vividly told. The heat and its affects on the men form Northern Europe are also well done.

In addition to the battle sequences, the politics of the 3rd Crusade are excellently told. The relationship (or lack there of) between Richard a nd the King of France, Phillipe, are very well done. Also Richards stubbornness when it comes to the Duke of Austria is well written.

About the only problem I have with the novel is the love story. Rufus has an affair with Richard's sister Joanna - the doweger queen of Sicily. While fairly discretely written (nothing too explicit as far a sex scenes go) I found it a touch unbelievable. That said I do know that such things happened. The rumors about Edward IV's parentage are an example.

With everything - I think this is a solid 4 star read and I am anxiously awaiting book 3 in the series.

[Xerxes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crusader is a stunning historical epic. A historical epic that has riveting battle scenes, rip-roaring thumping action combined with the stories of legendary rulers and kings in a brutal yet one of the most famous eras of warfare. The Crusades. Ben Kane has done an outstanding job on the prose, the writing, the background, and the historical research. In many ways, the world of the Third Crusade comes alive. This is when Richard the Lionheart, King of England and ruler of many dukedoms, lead the third Crusade to take Jerusalem and defeat the Saracens, although the actual name, in reality, would be the Ayyubid Caliphate. The Third Crusade needs no actual spoilers: it was a legendary contest of two legendary rulers, Richard the Lionheart and Salah ad-Din (Or in our words which we know, he would be known as Saladin) trying to negotiate while trying to simultaneously attack each other. Brutality in this period is evident, and there is not much one can do about it but read on.

Ben Kane noted that many of the events in the book if you begin to study the Third Crusade, make for a Hollywood movie. There was one particular scene in history where Richard the Lionheart rode ahead to the Ayyubid encampment and shouted for anyone to challenge him. Ben Kane has produced this scene in such cinematic glory I have to commend him. He's done a fabulous job on the historical research and the fruits of it are showing themselves when the world comes alive. Every character, major or minor, historical or not feels like a real world. Fantasy writers can take a cue from the worldbuilding because Ben Kane's historical sources were plenty. Every three sources he found came from Christian sources, and every two came from Muslim sources of that time. Most of the events that happened in the Third Crusade were crazy. Things that would only belong in a Hollywood movie script. But it did happen as much as Ben Kane admitted.

This novel covers many historical events, and this is where I think the distinctions between the English and the French nobility begin to emerge along with the continuation of a rivalry where the English and French don't trust each other. The French, according to the English viewpoint, was haughty and arrogant. To the French, the English under Richard the Lionheart went around looting and pillaging Sicily, Cyprus, and Acre. There is so much historical accuracy in this novel it oozes with it. I am impressed. This is a book that could easily have been a movie or a TV series. I enjoyed this. With regards to the criticism, some scenes did drag on, and I liked many of the characters which are too innumerable to name. Though I do say that Ferdia is having the time of his life in this novel along with Rhys. They are engaged in so many conflicts, so many battles, so many wars, it's hilarious to think that the Third Crusade was bascially a gigantic boxing match. A lot of it could have been prevented. But of course, both Richard and Saladin faced domestic struggles in their courts which prevented them from fully facing each other in battle. Their rivalry reminded me of Hannibal and Scipio for that matter. And more or less, this is a book focused on Richard the Lionheart as much as it is focused on Ferdia acting as part of Richard's retinue. You begin to see that Richard the Lionheart was a legendary King, a man that was born to be a legend. He is equal to Alexander, Achillies, Ceasar, Augustus in terms of wit, cunning, and strategy. His opponent, Saladin was equal to many of the great Generals of the Parthian Empire and many legendary Kings of his time. They were both larger than life, and I say this. Put Richard the Lionheart in any period, and he would have had men of many nations serving him. He was that charismatic.

The writing is fantastic. This is a stunning historical epic that you need to read. I would go into more detail but I think I'll let the book do that for you. To produce such an amazing piece of work, to fully realize it, is astounding. I am in awe and this is a book you need to buy and read.

[Nick Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second in Ben Kane’s Lionheart trilogy. Historical fiction at its best, as we would expect.
No guesses as to what “Crusader” might be about, it covers Richard the Lionheart from 1189 to 1192 and the third crusade to the “Holy Lands”. The history is presented with a fictional character, Ferdia, as one of the King’s close aides and Knights. Due to the “presence” of “Sir Ferdia” we get to see and hear events from his close perspective. Richard was a complex and “full on” character, brave, impetuous, quick to anger and keen for battle. You sense he was less outraged about the “barbarians” in the Holy Lands than seeking the opportunity to enjoy the opportunity for battle.
This was not a crusade that went well, things were delayed as the politics of alliances came into play and on arrival terrible conditions and a cunning enemy in Saladin did not ease the cause. And both sides were guilty of shocking brutality.
The character of Ferdia helps punt things along and he provides a diversion for the times when the historical elements slow down a bit.
Richard is perceived as one of our greatest Kings, born in England but was basically French (Aquitaine) and spent little time in England. And he only reigned for ten years.
Thanks to NetGalley for an early view of this.

[Mark Romero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was really looking forward to a tale of Richard and the Crusades and Ben Kane didn't disappoint. The Crusades and this time period are a great setting for any historical fiction fan and there were a few twists and turns which spiced up the historical aspects. Overall, a well told story with characters that continue to develop and you root hard for.

In my opinion, up to now he's had alot of historical context to work with so I'm looking forward to the next installment and how the author will fictionalize it. It's not exactly the most glorious time in Richard's life militarily but political intrigue will definitely be up there so he will have more freedom to be creative. Can't wait!

[May · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much to enjoy in this deeply researched, incredibly detailed, well woven tale of Richard the Lionheart’s crusade to Jerusalem!!!
For all the historical details, this story feels truly personal as narrated by Rufus: his growing respect of Rhys, his continued antipathy of FitzAldelm, his undying loyalty to Richard.

Cannot wait to read KING when released in paperback in late May!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lionheart introduced readers to Rufus, an Irish noble turned household knight in the court of England’s own King Richard. Exiled to England as a surety for his father’s good behavior, made an orphan by insurrection and the malice of an old enemy, Rufus’s best hope for returning home as lord of his own lands is in faithful service to the king – and even were it not an option, he would serve Richard nonetheless, for what young man of ambition could resist the opportunity to stand in the ranks besides such a man – one who not only looked every inch a king, but acted like it as well? It is such devotion that leads Rufus to accompany his lord far from the British islands, into southern France, Spain, and across the wide Mediterranean – to Jerusalem, in hopes of redeeming the city of God from the hands of the Saracens. Crusader is a more-than-worthy sequel to Lionheart, offering constant military action in addition to diplomatic and personal intrigue in Richard’s court.

Crusader opens with Richard’s long anticipated but much delayed departure for the Holy Land. Although leery of leaving England in the hands of petty subordinates, especially with his weaselly brother John skittering around, Richard can’t ignore the demands of duty – or his own appetite for war. His entire progress towards Outremer (the Crusader states) is marked by violence, arguably defensive: the people of Sicily despise the English who overwinter with them, and their antagonism requires response. Cyprus, too, is hostile, held by a would-be Byzantine emperor who has to settle for being the head honcho of his little island – at least until Richard and company arrive. The eastward journey is also marked by political tension, as Richard and the French king’s temporary alliance is constantly tested by the kings’ mutual arrogance, and then there’s Rufus’ private drama. In addition to carrying on a secret affair with the king’s sister (the widowed Queen of Sicily, yet!), Rufus and a fellow knight are mortal enemies, each hiding their enmity from their lord, each watching for the opportunity to dispatch the other to Hell – and Rufus’ furtive liaisons with Queen Joan only heighten his exposure to the other’s mischief. The other man, FitzAldelm, also spends a curious amount of time speaking in whispers with Frenchmen, making Rufus’ private war with him all the more important.

Crusader‘s multiple drama-streams feed into one another, creating a story that brims over with interest and excitement. There’s so much done right in this book, from the action scenes to the skillful use of medieval terms to add to the period flavor. (Mostly skillful: Rufus refers to the Arab/Turkic forces before them as ‘the accursed race’ so often that if you created a drinking game out of it, you’d be drunk as a lord before the book’s completion.) Even the love affair, which I normally complain about, was compelling — though it helped that Rufus is skirting disaster by falling for a member of the court. (Rule of Acquisition #112: Never have sex with the boss’s sister.) There’s enormous appeal, too, in the settings: Sicily, Crete, and Outremer are much different worlds than the British isles, and Rufus is fascinated by them — as is Richard. Although they both savor battle with the Saracens, they also find the culture they’re immersed in of great interest, and Rufus even spares the life of a young Arab so that he might learn more. As the action in Outremer peters out, Richard learns of schemes happening back in Europe: I for one am looking forward to King, and the completion of this trilogy.

[Jean-Luc · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very colorful and very entertaining novel about Braveheart's travels and military adventures to the Holy Land and the ever shifting Anglo-French political shenanigans. An action-packed fictional account of the late 12th century Crusade with a cast of unforgettable characters, historically accurate and filled with menacing twists and unexpected surprises. This second installment in Ben Kane's Plantagenets Saga is a wonderful addition to the literary genre and one can only hope that a third episode will come our way very soon. To be enjoyed without moderation👍

Many thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Publishing for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel prior to its release date.

[Unseen Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of Crusader from Hachette Australia to review.

Rating of 4.5.

Impressive historical fiction author Ben Kane returns with the second entry in his Lionheart series, Crusader, which does an amazing job of continuing the epic story of King Richard the Lionheart.

Kane has produced another amazing novel in the Lionheart trilogy. While Kane is best known for his incredible Roman historical novels, I have been particularly enjoying his compelling foray into medieval fiction with this outstanding series that examines the life of King Richard the Lionheart. Told through the eyes of fictional character Ferdia, better known as Rufus, the first novel in this series, Lionheart, did a remarkable job of covering some of the most influential younger years of Richard’s life, which cumulated in him seizing the throne. Crusader continues this epic retelling of Richard’s life by recounting the events that occurred as Richard led his forces on a bloody journey to the Holy Land.

Crusader contains a historically rich narrative that explores one of the most iconic periods of Richard’s life, the crusades. Kane produces a very detailed story that focuses on the journey to the east as well as the battles in the Holy Land. This includes the army’s stops in Sicily and Cyprus, where Richard was forced into conflict with other Christian rulers, before eventually arriving in the Holy Land and engaging in his legendary conflict with Saladin. Kane attempts to cover every major battle of this Crusade, with several sieges, large-scale attacks, skirmishes and the infamous massacre at Acre. At the same time, Rufus continues his deadly rivalry with the dishonourable knight Robert FitzAldelm, while also secretly engaging in a very risky romance.

This proves to be a very compelling story, and I very much enjoyed seeing this detailed portrayal of this legendary crusade. Kane does a wonderful job of bringing all the dry historical facts to life throughout Crusader, and I found it fascinating to see his take on the entire journey and eventual battles with Saladin’s forces. While the story does occasionally get a bit bogged down in medieval politics, royal disputes and petty squabbles, Kane keeps the novel going at decent pace, and the reader is treated to several epic and dangerous fight scenes. The author can write a deeply impressive and thrilling battle sequence, and the reader is left on the edge of their seats multiple times, especially as the various characters you come to care about find themselves in utter peril. I also enjoyed the bitter conflict that occurred between the non-fictional Rufus and his rival, FitzAldelm. While not as prominent as in the first book, this rivalry is still a fantastic part of the book, especially as it adds an intrigue-laden edge to the main story. While I really enjoyed this great novel, I do think that it suffered a little being the middle novel in the series, primarily because certain overarching conspiracies and plots are put on hold because of the crusade. I also felt the first half of the novel was a little slow in places, especially when compared to the intense second part of Crusader. Still, this was a pretty amazing story, and I loved how the author managed to ensure that his tale contained both excitement and fascinating historical fact.

Just like in the first novel in this series, Kane spends considerable time examining the complex historical figure of Richard the Lionheart. In this book, Richard is portrayed as a multifaceted and intense being with a wide range of emotions and moods. Most of the story focuses on the classic King Richard, the inspirational and personable figure that the protagonist Rufus eagerly vows to follow. This includes multiple portrayals of Richard’s prowess in combat, especially in the Holy Land where he leads his troops to many great victories. The author features several intense battles throughout the book where Richard either lead the charge or proved to be something more than human, such as fighting through a superior forces or chasing off an entire army by himself. I initially assumed that Kane was taking a bit of artistic licence with some of these outrageous scenes, but it turns out that most were based on real historical accounts. While I found these epic depictions of Richard to be cool, I also appreciated the way in which Kane tries to show the king’s darker side. There are multiple scenes that portray Richard in a despondent mood, especially when faced with setbacks or betrayals, and this low mood could often transform into a dangerous anger at a drop of a hat. This makes for a very complex and contrary portrayal, and I really appreciated the way in which Kane attempted to examine the true mind and thoughts of Richard, as seen by his closest friend.

It was also really interesting to see the continued growth of Rufus throughout Crusader, as he keeps moving away from the helpless Irish hostage he was at the start of the series, and is now a knight and close companion to the King. Rufus goes through a lot in this novel, and it was fascinating to see how he deals with the horrors and dangers of the war around him. I found his description and concern about the massacre of Acre to be particularly intense, and it was interesting to see him witness such an event while remaining loyal and dedicated to Richard. Rufus’s rivalries and loves were a major focus of this novel, and it is clear that Kane is setting up something major with them for the final novel. It was also intriguing to see the changes occurring with additional fictional character Rhys, Rufus’s squire and close confidant, who has accompanied the protagonist on all his adventures. Rhys, after killing a vicious knight in the first book, has become a little bloodthirsty, and is constantly seeking to prove himself in combat, much to Rufus’s concern. I really enjoyed the inclusion of these fictional characters amongst the more historically accurate tale of Richard’s campaigns, and it serves as a great narrative device, while also adding in some additional drama and conflict. I am very curious about how Rufus and Rhys’s stories will end in the final book, although I am not expecting a happy ending.

Overall, Crusader was a pretty amazing historical novel that presented a detailed and captivating picture of King Richard’s crusades. Loaded up with some excellent portrayals of historical events and a series of epic battles, Crusader will appeal to a wide range of historical fiction fans, and readers will have an outstanding time digging through Kane’s captivating text. A clever and intriguing novel, I am very keen to read the final entry in this series next year, especially as we all know how dark the final chapters of King Richard’s story are.

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

[PJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crusader by Ben Kane is an absolute belter of a historical novel, full of blood, grit, and larger-than-life characters. Picking up where Lionheart left off, this sequel dives straight into the action, charting King Richard the Lionheart’s journey to the Holy Land during the Third Crusade. If you’re into epic battles, political intrigue, and richly detailed historical settings, this one’s a must-read.

The story kicks off in 1189 with Richard newly crowned and itching for his crusade to free Jerusalem. Alongside him is Ferdia (aka Rufus), a loyal companion who’s got his own tangled web of personal drama—like a dangerously steamy affair with Richard’s sister, Joanna. Yeah, the stakes are _that_ high. Kane doesn’t just throw you into the battles (though there are plenty of those); he also digs into the messy politics between Richard, Philippe of France, and Saladin’s forces, creating a tapestry of alliances, betrayals, and moral dilemmas.

The battle scenes? Oh, they’re chef’s kiss. The siege of Acre is described in all its brutal, chaotic glory, with arrows raining down and crossbows wreaking havoc. Kane’s knack for detail makes you feel like you’re right there in the thick of it, but it’s not just about swords and shields. What really shines are the quieter moments—insights into the minds of both Christian and Muslim leaders, and the personal struggles of the characters who are swept up in this monumental conflict.

Rufus is an engaging protagonist, torn between loyalty to Richard and his own forbidden desires. Richard himself is a fascinating figure: charismatic, ruthless, and deeply flawed. Kane does a cracking job of humanizing these larger-than-life figures while still capturing the grand scale of their actions. If you’re into historical accuracy, there’s an author’s note at the end that ties everything back to real events, adding an extra layer of depth for history buffs.

If you loved Lionheart or are a fan of the Plantagenets, this book is right up your alley. It’s fast-paced, impeccably researched, and packed with drama, action, and enough medieval politics to keep you hooked. And honestly? With the way it ends, you’ll be itching for the next installment.

Crusader is a thrilling, immersive ride through the chaos of the Crusades. Ben Kane proves once again he’s a master of historical fiction, blending vivid detail with compelling storytelling. Whether you’re here for the battles, the politics, or the scandalous drama, you won’t be disappointed.

[Ruth Harwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolute corker of a book! Yep, there's the main tenet of the tale, with Lionheart leaving his country to falter & many to die under crippling taxation to fight the battles that still reverberate through the Middle East even now. If you know the story of his deeds, good and evil, over in Outremer, then this is just a book to bring it all to life. If you don't know the full story, only the legend of the 'good' king (who spent a very limited time in England & brought the country to it's knees raising money to travel and fight in wars the average man/woman had no interest in but still had to pay for - good king? I, personally, reserve judgement. His father was a great leader, and as a military leader Richard did him justice, but as a king, he wasn't really an involved or sympathetic one, and King John may have been seen as 'bad', though he spent his whole life in English territories, & brought about the Magna Carta through the rich people's disaffections, not the regular man on the street, who gained nothing... whatever you may believe!). Enough of John. Maligned, and probably not the best King, but the worst? I beg to differ there!
So, enough of my railing at the vagaries and fickleness of history, back to the book.
Well-written, leading right on from the first of the series, and covering the time Richard spent in Outremer fighting the most famous of his adversaries, Saladin, and the difficulties of travelling in relentless heat and awful, wet winters, causing the reader to take themselves into the realities of war: not the battle, but the rest including travel and organisation, death from disease & all the other horrific ways a man can die for nothing but the glory of a leader who they've never met, or barely know... not sure I understand the motivations for war, which is probably a handicap in my mind, but I'm a pacifist, & knowing about this 'crusade' makes me shiver in disgust: seems to me more a game of 'how many of our peoples can we kill walking to an enemy half the world away'.
Impeccable research, great imagery, worthwhile read, with plenty to keep the reader going to the end x

[Graeme Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd of three, plenty of blood guts and thunder

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

What did I think? I think I wanted a historical fiction of Richard in the Crusades but I got a Harlequin romance.

Richards campaign was fairly accurately followed, which was great and very well done.

Where did it all go wrong? Our story teller spends about 1/3 of your time screwing the kings sister. Moaning about the kings sister. Dreaming about the kings sister. Having utterly unimaginable encounters and interactions with THE KINGS SISTER. (did I mention the kings sister for 1/3 of my review?)

Saladins troops all run away at every chance. The Knights assemble in groups of 12-50 and attack THOUSANDS of the "Turks" and are variously described as mowing, hewing reaping, scything and every other verb you can think of.

It got old and sounded like a repetitive superhero movie.

The cover of the book displays the chest of a crusader in his tabard. Instead we should be seeing his shirtless pecs with some blonde hanging off of his arm, a castle ruined in the background.

I wont be investing any further in this series. King Richard will have to be taken hostage and freed without me.

[All the King's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great follow-up to Lionheart, the first part of the trilogy. I especially liked the Afterword with full disclosure on sources used and what happened truly and what was fiction. Surprisingly, remarkably little was fiction and most of it was based on factual happenstances.

The atmosphere was painted vividly, we visited multiple different locations throughout the book but Kane succeeded in describing every location realistically and distinctly. The action was topnotch and really exciting. The intrigue is also great and gives an extra touch to the story. Richard was a very interesting man and leader, but he wasn't perfect and he was restricted by circumstances. The things that would have been possible if his "allies" had been more cooperative...

As with the first book, I did feel the character work fell a bit flat. While Rufus certainly has a lot of interesting things going for him, I just can't connect well with him and I'm afraid in two weeks I will have completely forgotten about him. If you would compare that with Arimnestos from the Long War series by Christian Cameron, 6 months later and I still remember that character quite fondly.

[Richard West · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second installment in Ben Kane's trilogy about Richard I (The Lionheart, Coeur De Lion), king of England and his adventures during the Crusades.

Richard has always been one of my favorite characters: when I was a kid, my favorite radio announcer was King Richard (really) and when I started work in radio when I was doing rock (many, many miles from where I grew up) I adopted the King Richard moniker, if I was working Country, it was Richard King, and even today my private e-mail address is a variation on that, and I have to add that I played Richard on stage in a theatrical version of James Goldman's "Lion In Winter" - that definitely helped solidify my liking of the character. God only knows how many books I've read about him. After all these years, I have to wonder why because he was a king in name only, spending very little time in England. It seems he was more French than English and it's quite likely he barely spoke English and if he did, had a very poor command of it. Add to all that the fact he all but bankrupted England so he could go crusading in the Holy Land (what we now think of as Israel) and you have a guy who wasn't that great of a king. But the English seem to love him - maybe it's because he was absolutely fearless as a fighter and died young, way before his time. Nevertheless, I've always been fascinated with him as a person.

As with most of Ben Kane's books, the history is correct, he doesn't go out and invent continents, countries and the like, sticking to the facts. The difference of course is we become acquainted with the characters who inhabit Richard's world and a few liberties are taken, but it's fiction, what do you expect? Otherwise, you have a history book. Being as it's fiction, the characters involved in the world - everyone from King Philippe of France to his knights, men-at-arms, mother, and others come to life more than they would in a straight historical narrative. And, fortunately, this is something Kane does well. He did it with his novels set in ancient Rome and he does it here as well. For the action junkie, there's more than an adequate supply of blood, guts, and gore along with political intrigue and even a little romance. You think just because these guys were on a Crusade to liberate Jerusalem from the Muslims, they adopted a vow of celibacy? Only the Knights Templar supposedly did that, and the bulk of them didn't adhere to their vow all that much.

If you're a fan of well-written historical fiction, pick up the first volume Lionheart, then move on to this one. Then you can sit back with the rest of us, waiting for the concluding volume next year. It will be well worth the wait. After all, how can you go wrong on a series about Richard The Lionheart?

[Jenny Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second instalment in Ben Kane’s Richard the Lionheart series. It opens in 1189 when Richard has just become king and is preparing to go on a Crusade to free the Holy Land from Islamic rule.

Having read Lionheart, the first in the series, I had been eagerly awaiting this second instalment and I was not disappointed. It is exciting, fast-paced and gripping. It is also very well researched. The list of characters and their allegiances given at the start is a useful tool and the Author’s Note at the end explains some of the historical background upon which the story is based. Most of the characters are real, Rufus the narrator and his loyal follower Rhys being notable exceptions. The story is both bloody and gruesome in places with no details spared over the horrors of mediaeval wartime activities. Yet the soldiers seem to almost enjoy it and certainly get swept up in the exhilaration of the moment, despite the fact that impending death is the likely outcome. Why??? I should make it clear here that I am not questioning the veracity of the writing, I am just baffled at how people (exclusively men in this particular instance) can behave or feel that way. Yet again I learnt a huge amount from this book, not just about the life of Richard the Lionheart but also about the social history of the time and the techniques used in mediaeval warfare.

I don’t really have anything bad to say about this book. I do however have a comment about the book in relation to the series as a whole. Whilst it might work as a stand-alone book, the reader will get much more out of it if they have read Lionheart first. The characters are largely the same and relationships have developed between them in Lionheart which carry on into Crusader.

I will certainly be reading the next installment when it is published and would whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone who likes a great adventure story, as well as those who enjoy historical fiction. Ideally the series should be read in order.

[travelsalongmybookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second of the Lionheart Trilogy

𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮. 𝑷𝑶𝑳𝑰𝑻𝑰𝑪𝑰𝑨𝑵. 𝑾𝑨𝑹𝑹𝑰𝑶𝑹. 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑹𝑶𝑹.
1189. 𝑹𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕'𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈-𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅. 𝑺𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓, 𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎 𝑱𝒆𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒎.

𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒐𝒏 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝑭𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒂, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒚 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒅, 𝑹𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒐-𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓-𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒊𝒆𝒈𝒆 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒎. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄 𝑺𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒏 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓, 𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏.

𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏'𝒔 𝒉𝒖𝒈𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝑹𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅'𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆. 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒍, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒚 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒓𝒔𝒖𝒇, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕...

I love historical fiction, but I have read less of this particular period than others
However it ticks several boxes for me
Chunky gorgeous hardback cover ✅
Maps ✅
Lists of characters- I so love a list of characters ✅
Battles ✅
Fantastic Everyman character ✅

Rufus makes a great Everyman character through whom we can step back in time and walk alongside Kings, fight in battles and see and smell the dirt, bloodshed and reality of life and war in the 12th century.
The research is clear, every detail meticulously described, it is a fantastic study of the time as well as a rip roaring bloodcurdling story that drags you along without respite.

There are of course fictitious characters woven in with those that are real- and indicated in my beloved lists! This means that there can be emnities played out without risk to the historical narrative and I love this aspect of the book.

Loved it!

✩✩✩✩
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Thanks to Orion Books and Virginia Woolstencraft for my copy of this book

[Mike & Lindsey Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read in....3 or 4 years

I was amazed by this book and the preceding novel, Lionheart. I picked them up as a "hmmm, these look good, I will give it a try" and I am beyond happy I did. Seems most of the books I love start that way, with just randomly grabbing them.
I devoured these two books in about a weeks time, and, for the first time in YEARS, I actually actively sat out to read during the day. These books kept me up late at night as well. They are definitely on my lost of "reread multiple times". I was even cross referencing events and actions from history the author described, and was SHOCKED at how accurate his history was. Many "historical fiction" authors will take a general event and create a fantastical, utterly false narrative behind it, just to "spice up" the story. The thing is, with most of history, its crazy enough you don't NEED to embellish or change it. Conn Iggulden is an example of this. Takes history and real events and just changes it drastically - such as having Caesar and Brutus be boyhood friends who grew up together instead of potentially father and son as history tells us - to make the story "better". The only other author who stayed as honest to history as Mr. Kane did in this series that I can think of off the top of my head would be Colleen McCullough in her First Men of Rome series.
This was an AMAZING book, and I cannot wait for the next installment coming out next year.

[Martin Whittaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A riveting read with excellent characters and bravado! I'll start with the positives. Its a rip roaring tale of adventure which focuses on the chivalrous character of Richard the Lionheart through the eyes on an Irish knight; Ferdia or Rufus. Unlike most stock heroes Ferdia has a lot of depth and feels like a real personality with a sense of humour, sense of honour and shame but he is not faultless, which makes him seem human. His relationship with his friends and the King feel genuine and smooth. My one complaint with the novel is that it has a very strong first half but the second half set in Outremer on crusade felt a little rushed, he had to cram such a huge amount of politics and events into such a small space, the book spans months from the embarkation on the crusade from England, to Sicily, Cyprus and finally the Holy land, you couldve have probably made a whole book about Richards misadventure in Sicily and Cyprus! Sadly this means that the battle of Arsuf and Joppa aren't given a lot of detail and fail to fully get us into the moment, I reckon Ben Kane needed two books to cover this exciting campaign, and made his lionheart trilogy into a quadrilogy. Anyway its still a good series with great characters, it has a great sense of masculine fun which reminds me of a rugby tour! gallant acts intertwined with humourous moments! I'd defo recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction. I'm going to begin reading his third installment "King" this very evening!

[MrKPOT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Как Ричард на Иерусалим ходил

Перед тем как заняться королевскими обязанностями, Ричарду нужно выполнить одну клятву. Сущая мелочь — собрать многотысячное войско, провести его через полсвета и вернуть Иерусалим в руки церкви. Для любого другого новоиспечённого короля такая задача могла бы стать концом его краткого правления. Но Ричард не зря носит прозвище Львиное Сердце — он побеждает там, где другие терпят крах.

Если вы ждёте военно-художественную историю о Третьем крестовом походе с большим количеством сражений, подробностями рыцарского быта, сложными королевскими выборами и дерзкими стратегическими решениями, то эта книга для вас. Если вы хотите увидеть крестовый поход глазами участников, это, вероятно, ваш лучший шанс.

Хотелось бы сказать, что автор стремится к исторической достоверности, но, к сожалению, это не совсем так. Местами Ричард у Бена Кейна слишком идеализирован, хотя его отрицательные черты, такие как вспыльчивость и безответственность, не скрываются. Сарацины в книге не сведены к карикатурным злодеям, одержимым идеей уничтожения добрых христиан. На их месте я тоже был бы не слишком рад, если бы каждые несколько лет к моим землям приходило войско забирать города. Даже в таких условиях они готовы к диалогу и проявляют уважение к Ричарду.

Всё просто: книга с лихвой выполняет то, что обещает.

Оценка: 4,5 из 5.

[Ben Bergonzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping and very violent account of the 3rd Crusade (when Richard the Lionheart got his name). The story is told through the observant eyes of Ferdia O Cathain (also known as Rufus O'Kane) a knight in very close attendance to the King, even during his crazily heroic attacks on the massed ranks of Saracens. Many scenes reminded me of the battles in such Hollywood epics as El Cid. Rufus also has a guilty conscience after an early misdemeanor, and a lust for a woman quite of his league (but of course she takes pity on him..) The story rattles along, the historical research is convincing ( a long author's note at the end recounts in some detail the sources Kane has drawn on), and Richard is depicted as a superb leader, somewhat in the Shackleton mode, spurring his men on against overwhelming odds. The minor characters are not particularly differentiated and some of the dialogue is rather too explicatory (the novel has to cover several years in rather limited space: I could have wished it a little longer), but still this is a really gripping rapid read I would heartily recommend to anyone.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

After ascending to the throne Richard Plantagenet spends some time restoring his country. However he has sworn an oath to go on crusade to the Holy Land alongside his liege lord and frenzy Philippe of France. Alongside Richard travels his loyal knight Rufus (the Irishman, Ferdia) who is sworn to Richard and also to fighting the infidel as penance for a murder he has committed. Travelling through Sicily and Cyprus, nothing can prepare them for the heat and travail against Saladin, the great leader of their enemy.
Kane is really hitting his stride with this book in which known history is intertwined with the fictional life of Ferdia. As Kane acknowledges, the breadth and depth of writing on the crusade is huge making research easy to come by. Here the facts are relayed accurately with the fiction wound neatly through it and with a strong sense of storytelling that makes this an enthralling read at many levels.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up Crusader not realising it is the second of the Lionheart trilogy, but I don't feel like this impacted on my enjoyment of this epic story. Kane adds a personal touch to the history of Richard's crusade by telling the tale through the eyes of a fictional Irish knight and close confidante of the king, nicknamed Rufus. Author Ben Kane shows his reverence for the historical sources by adhering so closely to the historical facts, while embellishing the tale through Rufus's personal struggles. The dialogue is witty and convincing, while descriptions of the harsh conditions on crusade spare no details. I was so fascinated by the historical detail, that I sometimes felt like the invented aspects such as Rufus' rivalry with another knight and love affair were annoying distractions from the real story. Such is the peril of writing historical fiction - where to draw the line between history and fiction.

[Milan Buno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opäť vynikajúci historický príbeh - po prvej knihe Levie srdce nesklamal Ben Kane ani tentoraz.
Odporúčam skôr asi mužom, keďže je tam veľa akcie, dobrodružstva a celý dej sa vinie počas tretej križiackej výpravy. Vyráža na ňu Richard Levie srdce, v tejto knihe už kráľ, putuje cez Sicíliu, Cyprus až na Blízky východ, kde bojuje so saracénmi a samotným Saladinom.
Popri tom putovaní a bojoch však sledujeme aj bežné životy, najmä rytiera Rufusa, kráľovskej rodiny, sporoch o územia. Podvody, intrigy a zákulisné hry.

Je to výborné čítanie, ak sa chcete dozvedieť viac o križiackej výprave, ako prebiehala, ako sa museli na ňu zháňať peniaze, aké dlhé a úmorné bolo putovanie. Boje, samotný život v tábore, neuveriteľná horúčava na Blízkom východe, choroby... Ben Kane si dáva záležať na historických faktoch a reáliách, študuje stredoveké archívy, hľadá pravdivé informácie a potom to vie skvele dať do príbehu. Veľa sa dozviete, je to autentické, pútavé a pritom vás nenudí, nezaťažuje.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one. Really brings home how dysfunctional the Christian forces were, with all the in-fighting between the leaders of the various national branches - mainly caused by some of the kings and lords being ridiculously arrogant. It's a wonder they even got out there in the first place with all the arguing and delays. And with Richard wondering if he can trust John to behave while he's away...

If you've seen the Ridley Scott film "Kingdom of Heaven", then some of the characters will be familiar as the likes of Guy de Lusignan and Sibylla were actual historical figures. That made it both fun to read in terms of seeing how many names I recognised, and also makes me feel like I want to go and try and find out more about the real history behind the characters.

I'm really enjoying this series - and already have the third book on pre-order from the library.