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The Magdalen Cycle #1
The Leper King
King of Jerusalem and Defender of the Holy Sepulcher, Baldwin IV walks the sword s edge between the intriguing barons of his own Court and the jihad of Islam. Between the two, however, a sinister presence lurks a heretical society called the Order of Sion that will stop at nothing to see its own dark designs come to fruition. Baldwin is young, innocent, and a military strategist of no small measure. And, he is a leper. In the midst of mounting political tensions and war, a mysterious woman unexpectedly befriends the lonely sick king a woman who claims she is Mary Magdalen.
– Historical Novel Society’s Indie Editor’s Choice
– Longlisted for the 2015 HNS Indie Award
– Historical Novel Society’s Indie Editor’s Choice
– Longlisted for the 2015 HNS Indie Award
368 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2009
About the author
Scott R. Rezer
22 books80 followersScott R. Rezer lives in the Desert Southwest and is a multi-genre indie published author. He describes his books as character-driven stories that bring history to life. Recently, he has ventured into the Contemporary/Historical Romance genre and is having a blast creating dual timeline stories with unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader guessing, wondering how the stories will end.
Two of his books have garnered Editor's Choice selections by the Historical Novel Society, and were long-listed for the HNS Indie Award (The Leper King and Shadow of the Mountain).
Retired now after a career in federal service, he spends his days writing and reading and enjoying the great outdoors with his wife or taking a nap. He loves naps. It’s when he does his best writing!
Two of his books have garnered Editor's Choice selections by the Historical Novel Society, and were long-listed for the HNS Indie Award (The Leper King and Shadow of the Mountain).
Retired now after a career in federal service, he spends his days writing and reading and enjoying the great outdoors with his wife or taking a nap. He loves naps. It’s when he does his best writing!
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 27, 2023
Impeccably researched, powerfully written
⚔️ Superior writing that mixes natural and supernatural elements within the medieval era of Europe, Jerusalem and the Middle East. Now this trilogy of Scott Rezer’s I place on the shelf alongside Jan Gullion’s Crusader trilogy. It’s that exciting and that good ⚔️
⚔️We are taken back to the 12th century and a very unholy Holy Land. We are there, as readers, as much as the people who truly existed at that time are there and the fictional characters in the novel are there. We are caught up in the turmoil and the passions and the dangers. The evil is very evil indeed, the good struggles, the battle scenes are graphic, magic is real, faith is stretched, God is called upon in pain and desperation ... a powerful story that goes swiftly from intensity to intensity. Not for the faint of heart but for those who crave a story that is rich in historical detail, rich in human dynamics, rife with warfare in the supernatural realm, a medieval tale both fantastical and rugged with realism, and where no resolution comes easily.
⚔️I appreciated that we are given the Muslim POV as well as that of Christendom. I do feel more needs to be written, that much more needs to be resolved. There is, for instance, the arrival of Richard the Lion Hearted who had great success against Saladin and his armies. And the heresies and conspiracy theories and dark secrets of those times remain with us today. This story goes on and on. I’d like to hear more about it. I see this is number one in a projected series called The Magdalen Cycle. I look forward to number two.
⚔️Powerfully and professionally written. Five stars.
⚔️ Superior writing that mixes natural and supernatural elements within the medieval era of Europe, Jerusalem and the Middle East. Now this trilogy of Scott Rezer’s I place on the shelf alongside Jan Gullion’s Crusader trilogy. It’s that exciting and that good ⚔️
⚔️We are taken back to the 12th century and a very unholy Holy Land. We are there, as readers, as much as the people who truly existed at that time are there and the fictional characters in the novel are there. We are caught up in the turmoil and the passions and the dangers. The evil is very evil indeed, the good struggles, the battle scenes are graphic, magic is real, faith is stretched, God is called upon in pain and desperation ... a powerful story that goes swiftly from intensity to intensity. Not for the faint of heart but for those who crave a story that is rich in historical detail, rich in human dynamics, rife with warfare in the supernatural realm, a medieval tale both fantastical and rugged with realism, and where no resolution comes easily.
⚔️I appreciated that we are given the Muslim POV as well as that of Christendom. I do feel more needs to be written, that much more needs to be resolved. There is, for instance, the arrival of Richard the Lion Hearted who had great success against Saladin and his armies. And the heresies and conspiracy theories and dark secrets of those times remain with us today. This story goes on and on. I’d like to hear more about it. I see this is number one in a projected series called The Magdalen Cycle. I look forward to number two.
⚔️Powerfully and professionally written. Five stars.
September 13, 2016
King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem has been the subject of several historical novels and at least one movie, Kingdom of Heaven. The attention is understandable; the young, embattled monarch who suffered leprosy is a fascinating character. Yet, just when I thought nothing more could be said about Baldwin, Scott Rezer comes along and conjures a deft, entertaining new take on the Christian king in what he describes as a novel of historical fantasy.
Called to the throne in the tumultuous 12th-century Holy Land, Rezer's King Baldwin is beset by enemies and sinister forces, some from the other side of the veil. Coming to his aid is a mysterious woman named Mary, who claims to have lived during the time of Christ. Together, this unlikely pair must foil a powerful and heretical order, centuries-old, that schemes to take control of the Church.
In the the hands of a lesser-skilled author, such an improbable plot might threaten to run aground. But Rezer has a firm command on the period's history, and he cleverly shuffles some themes we've encountered before in The Da Vinci Code and Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Giving these theories new life, he drew me in from the start and kept me hooked, in part because I was never quiet sure who--and what--some of the characters really were. If that sounds evasive, I can't say more without giving away key elements of the story.
This novel has echoes of the Iliad, as mortals directed by voices do battle while another parallel war is waged on a higher realm. Rezer also has chosen a setting suited to evoking authenticity: Visions, whispers of saints, discoveries of relics, and suspicions of conspiracies were quite common during the Crusades, sometimes even inspiring armies to victories. So, although offered as a fantasy, Rezer's novel doesn't require the historical-minded reader to stretch one's imagination far in accepting the mysticism portrayed.
The Leper King is highly recommended and a well-deserved Editor's Choice by the Historical Novel Society.
A copy of the book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Called to the throne in the tumultuous 12th-century Holy Land, Rezer's King Baldwin is beset by enemies and sinister forces, some from the other side of the veil. Coming to his aid is a mysterious woman named Mary, who claims to have lived during the time of Christ. Together, this unlikely pair must foil a powerful and heretical order, centuries-old, that schemes to take control of the Church.
In the the hands of a lesser-skilled author, such an improbable plot might threaten to run aground. But Rezer has a firm command on the period's history, and he cleverly shuffles some themes we've encountered before in The Da Vinci Code and Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Giving these theories new life, he drew me in from the start and kept me hooked, in part because I was never quiet sure who--and what--some of the characters really were. If that sounds evasive, I can't say more without giving away key elements of the story.
This novel has echoes of the Iliad, as mortals directed by voices do battle while another parallel war is waged on a higher realm. Rezer also has chosen a setting suited to evoking authenticity: Visions, whispers of saints, discoveries of relics, and suspicions of conspiracies were quite common during the Crusades, sometimes even inspiring armies to victories. So, although offered as a fantasy, Rezer's novel doesn't require the historical-minded reader to stretch one's imagination far in accepting the mysticism portrayed.
The Leper King is highly recommended and a well-deserved Editor's Choice by the Historical Novel Society.
A copy of the book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 3, 2026
Alrighty gang I give you the unfiltered everything mind slop and then the revised char gpt helped me filter and write my thoughts for me
Here is are my thoughts:
Well here’s the thing it’s by far the most interesting and weirdest book I’ve ever read tbh
Here’s my pros
Beautifully written I liked rezer’s writing style
The political intrigue was excellent
The wars and battles were cool
The heavy Catholic influence I appreciated
The cons
Saint Mary Magdalene having a daughter?? Being a faerie and having magic?
Baldwin having magic??
The werid thing is rezer’s writes like he appreciates Catholicism and then he puts things like how Agnes de Courtneay went to hell because her good works didn’t matter or Saint Mary Magdalene said the traditions of the church were not like good I guess? Even though later she goes to compline and loses herself in prayer??
Like Rezer gets the outward appearances of the church right and there’s a lot of attention to detail on that but like doctrine we’re kinda messed up lol and like Baldwin IV was a Catholic and also like the magic system was confusing like the seal of Solomon? I was confused by that
Also who actually was like Almaric de Lusignan in the story? I still am confused about the identity of the master of the order of Sion
I thought the idea of an order to destroy the Catholic Church was interesting to read about but I didn’t enjoy reading the like kinda cult like stuff or how they had the chalice of the Last Supper the Holy Grail or like I was confused about the line and kings of Jerusalem
Also idk how feel about how the women were written in this book and there definitely was a lot of like sex alluded too
Also there was a pretty violent scene between sibylla and Guion that disturbed me
My wish is that instead of magic it was strictly kept to the order of sion infiltrating into the church and the king’s court which would have made it harder for the reader to know who to trust and also for Baldwin like instead of magic he suffered from leprosy cause he did
I also wish his prayer life and his mental health challenges could have been better written about or written more. In the beginning he considers taking his life and then it never comes back again and I would have liked to have seen more of his faith and mental challenges cause the real Baldwin I imagine had a difficult prayer life and most likely was mentally anguished
The book lowkey felt like Christianity but like a kinda of fairy tale version of it lol??
Which is interesting I suppose but because it’s a real religion and like I don’t know I don’t see other authors writing other religions like this so I don’t really like the fanasty version of Catholicism
I know a lot of stories art and video games take of lot influence from Catholicism which done in the right way can be beautiful but because the setting is real life and not fanasty and these were Catholic people and like it was very Catholic I would have preferred that the writing reflected more respect and detail to the doctrine and teachings of the church
Cause bro I was blindsided and I felt like it made characters motives a little confusing and also like it felt confusing to connect the faerie world and like the spiritual world
I have no notes for Saladin I personally wish that he was in the story more lowkey I liked him and I wish we got more scenes of him and Baldwin lowkey
And now the beautifully revised sparkling review created by the ChatGPT lol
Leper King is easily one of the most interesting and unusual books I have ever read, and I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it.
First, the positives: Scott Rezer is a talented writer. His prose is beautiful and engaging, the political intrigue is excellent, and the battle scenes are exciting without becoming tedious. I also appreciated the strong Catholic atmosphere throughout the novel. The attention to medieval religious life, liturgy, monasteries, and court culture gave the story a rich sense of place and period.
Where the book lost me was in its treatment of Catholicism and history. While the outward details of medieval Catholic life felt well researched, the theology often felt confusing or inconsistent. As a Catholic reader, I found it strange to encounter elements such as Saint Mary Magdalene having a daughter, magical bloodlines, faeries, Baldwin possessing supernatural abilities, and other esoteric ideas woven into the narrative. At times the novel seemed to deeply appreciate Catholicism, while at other times it presented ideas that felt at odds with Catholic doctrine and history.
The fantasy elements themselves were not necessarily the problem. Rather, I struggled with how they interacted with a setting populated by real historical figures who were practicing Catholics. The result felt less like historical fiction and more like a fairy-tale version of Christianity. Because the story takes place in a real historical setting rather than a fully fictional world, I would have preferred a greater respect for and consistency with actual Catholic teaching.
I was also left confused by parts of the mythology, including the Order of Sion, the Holy Grail, the Seal of Solomon, and certain character identities and motivations. While these mysteries may appeal to some readers, I often found them more bewildering than compelling.
My biggest disappointment was Baldwin himself. The real Baldwin IV is already a fascinating historical figure: a young king suffering from leprosy, carrying the burden of a kingdom while facing his own mortality. I found myself wishing the novel had focused more on his prayer life, inner struggles, mental anguish, and faith rather than giving him magical abilities. Early on, the story touches on his despair and even thoughts of suicide, but these themes are not explored as deeply as I hoped.
I also had mixed feelings about the portrayal of some female characters and found certain scenes disturbing. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed Saladin whenever he appeared and honestly wished he had been given a larger role in the story.
Overall, Leper King is beautifully written, ambitious, and memorable. I admired its political intrigue, historical atmosphere, and prose. However, the blending of real medieval Catholicism with fantasy mythology often left me feeling confused rather than immersed. Readers who enjoy historical fantasy with strong religious themes may appreciate it more than I did, but I personally would have preferred a version of this story that trusted the real history—and the real Baldwin IV—to carry the narrative.
Also btw Baldwin having magic lowkey felt useless lol and also like I have so many more thoughts on this book so I may update this more.
Should I read the second one?
Here is are my thoughts:
Well here’s the thing it’s by far the most interesting and weirdest book I’ve ever read tbh
Here’s my pros
Beautifully written I liked rezer’s writing style
The political intrigue was excellent
The wars and battles were cool
The heavy Catholic influence I appreciated
The cons
Saint Mary Magdalene having a daughter?? Being a faerie and having magic?
Baldwin having magic??
The werid thing is rezer’s writes like he appreciates Catholicism and then he puts things like how Agnes de Courtneay went to hell because her good works didn’t matter or Saint Mary Magdalene said the traditions of the church were not like good I guess? Even though later she goes to compline and loses herself in prayer??
Like Rezer gets the outward appearances of the church right and there’s a lot of attention to detail on that but like doctrine we’re kinda messed up lol and like Baldwin IV was a Catholic and also like the magic system was confusing like the seal of Solomon? I was confused by that
Also who actually was like Almaric de Lusignan in the story? I still am confused about the identity of the master of the order of Sion
I thought the idea of an order to destroy the Catholic Church was interesting to read about but I didn’t enjoy reading the like kinda cult like stuff or how they had the chalice of the Last Supper the Holy Grail or like I was confused about the line and kings of Jerusalem
Also idk how feel about how the women were written in this book and there definitely was a lot of like sex alluded too
Also there was a pretty violent scene between sibylla and Guion that disturbed me
My wish is that instead of magic it was strictly kept to the order of sion infiltrating into the church and the king’s court which would have made it harder for the reader to know who to trust and also for Baldwin like instead of magic he suffered from leprosy cause he did
I also wish his prayer life and his mental health challenges could have been better written about or written more. In the beginning he considers taking his life and then it never comes back again and I would have liked to have seen more of his faith and mental challenges cause the real Baldwin I imagine had a difficult prayer life and most likely was mentally anguished
The book lowkey felt like Christianity but like a kinda of fairy tale version of it lol??
Which is interesting I suppose but because it’s a real religion and like I don’t know I don’t see other authors writing other religions like this so I don’t really like the fanasty version of Catholicism
I know a lot of stories art and video games take of lot influence from Catholicism which done in the right way can be beautiful but because the setting is real life and not fanasty and these were Catholic people and like it was very Catholic I would have preferred that the writing reflected more respect and detail to the doctrine and teachings of the church
Cause bro I was blindsided and I felt like it made characters motives a little confusing and also like it felt confusing to connect the faerie world and like the spiritual world
I have no notes for Saladin I personally wish that he was in the story more lowkey I liked him and I wish we got more scenes of him and Baldwin lowkey
And now the beautifully revised sparkling review created by the ChatGPT lol
Leper King is easily one of the most interesting and unusual books I have ever read, and I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it.
First, the positives: Scott Rezer is a talented writer. His prose is beautiful and engaging, the political intrigue is excellent, and the battle scenes are exciting without becoming tedious. I also appreciated the strong Catholic atmosphere throughout the novel. The attention to medieval religious life, liturgy, monasteries, and court culture gave the story a rich sense of place and period.
Where the book lost me was in its treatment of Catholicism and history. While the outward details of medieval Catholic life felt well researched, the theology often felt confusing or inconsistent. As a Catholic reader, I found it strange to encounter elements such as Saint Mary Magdalene having a daughter, magical bloodlines, faeries, Baldwin possessing supernatural abilities, and other esoteric ideas woven into the narrative. At times the novel seemed to deeply appreciate Catholicism, while at other times it presented ideas that felt at odds with Catholic doctrine and history.
The fantasy elements themselves were not necessarily the problem. Rather, I struggled with how they interacted with a setting populated by real historical figures who were practicing Catholics. The result felt less like historical fiction and more like a fairy-tale version of Christianity. Because the story takes place in a real historical setting rather than a fully fictional world, I would have preferred a greater respect for and consistency with actual Catholic teaching.
I was also left confused by parts of the mythology, including the Order of Sion, the Holy Grail, the Seal of Solomon, and certain character identities and motivations. While these mysteries may appeal to some readers, I often found them more bewildering than compelling.
My biggest disappointment was Baldwin himself. The real Baldwin IV is already a fascinating historical figure: a young king suffering from leprosy, carrying the burden of a kingdom while facing his own mortality. I found myself wishing the novel had focused more on his prayer life, inner struggles, mental anguish, and faith rather than giving him magical abilities. Early on, the story touches on his despair and even thoughts of suicide, but these themes are not explored as deeply as I hoped.
I also had mixed feelings about the portrayal of some female characters and found certain scenes disturbing. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed Saladin whenever he appeared and honestly wished he had been given a larger role in the story.
Overall, Leper King is beautifully written, ambitious, and memorable. I admired its political intrigue, historical atmosphere, and prose. However, the blending of real medieval Catholicism with fantasy mythology often left me feeling confused rather than immersed. Readers who enjoy historical fantasy with strong religious themes may appreciate it more than I did, but I personally would have preferred a version of this story that trusted the real history—and the real Baldwin IV—to carry the narrative.
Also btw Baldwin having magic lowkey felt useless lol and also like I have so many more thoughts on this book so I may update this more.
Should I read the second one?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2025
So this book was a bit of a mixed bag for me personally. It’s a unique take on this particular time period in Crusader history for sure.
It’s definitely well researched and I love that the author portrayed Baldwin with a stammer. It’s kind of like a blend of Christian mysticism with light fantasy elements. There’s magic and faerie creatures. Faeries have extensive roots in Irish, Scottish and Welsh cultures so seeing them in the 12th century Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem was…interesting?
There’s also conspiracy and a secret shadowy organization at the root of it all. I wish there was a bit more nuance to the Order of Sion though. I’m not a big fan of the portrayals of Agnes de Courtenay and the de Lusignans. Although I did love Saladin in this story. But I did find it a fun read, his prose was incredible and I loved how he used medieval spellings for certain words, made it seem like I was reading an old story.
This is the first book in a trilogy as well, so I’ll definitely read the other two to see how it all ties together.
It’s definitely well researched and I love that the author portrayed Baldwin with a stammer. It’s kind of like a blend of Christian mysticism with light fantasy elements. There’s magic and faerie creatures. Faeries have extensive roots in Irish, Scottish and Welsh cultures so seeing them in the 12th century Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem was…interesting?
There’s also conspiracy and a secret shadowy organization at the root of it all. I wish there was a bit more nuance to the Order of Sion though. I’m not a big fan of the portrayals of Agnes de Courtenay and the de Lusignans. Although I did love Saladin in this story. But I did find it a fun read, his prose was incredible and I loved how he used medieval spellings for certain words, made it seem like I was reading an old story.
This is the first book in a trilogy as well, so I’ll definitely read the other two to see how it all ties together.
February 2, 2023
This book was bad, and held so many errors and historical anachronisms I was about to scream. Furthermore it was poorly written and turned out to have inconsistent fantasy elements which made little sense. Best guess is that the author hates catholics, the da Vinci code, and any convention about genre fiction.
July 26, 2015
Scott Rezer’s writing is almost like prose. It is rich with symbolism amidst well-researched facts upon which his book is founded. His portrayal of Baldwin the “leper king” reveals one who maintained his dignity despite his terrible disease, and insisted on using what strength he had as long as he had it.
The author has tackled a difficult subject, considering all the different factions fighting for the throne of a man doomed to die even before his death. He also portrayed the Arabic Muslim thinking and culture well. It is interesting how he intermingled facts with the popular trend toward medieval magic.
There are a few surprises in the book, one of which is at the end. Rezer is a good writer with almost a poetic flair, even in the most unlikely scenarios.
The author has tackled a difficult subject, considering all the different factions fighting for the throne of a man doomed to die even before his death. He also portrayed the Arabic Muslim thinking and culture well. It is interesting how he intermingled facts with the popular trend toward medieval magic.
There are a few surprises in the book, one of which is at the end. Rezer is a good writer with almost a poetic flair, even in the most unlikely scenarios.
February 25, 2018
I really enjoyed this historical novel centered on Baldwin, one of the kings of Jerusalem during the short lived Christian kingdom of the Crusaders. The historical setting was well realized, and the author also added in some fantasy and magical elements, but the two blended well. As a chronically ill person, I was drawn in by the descriptions of Baldwin's physical and emotional suffering with a progressive and incurable disease. Again, it felt very real. The character of Baldwin was especially well done.
May 5, 2024
I don't even know what to say. It was a nice retelling of this particular part of history for sure, however I was not prepared for magic.
Having read this book right after Zofia Kossak's "The Leper King" , I found most of my fun comparing the character traits of the same characters from both books.
Still, I cried in the end.
Not sure if my rating should be 2,5 or 3,5. I'm confused.
Having read this book right after Zofia Kossak's "The Leper King" , I found most of my fun comparing the character traits of the same characters from both books.
Still, I cried in the end.
Not sure if my rating should be 2,5 or 3,5. I'm confused.
February 22, 2018
This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
'In other books of the period I have read, Salah-ed-Din is portrayed as a rather shadowy enemy of the crusaders. In this book, he emerges as a full-bodied character with his own point of view. '
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
'In other books of the period I have read, Salah-ed-Din is portrayed as a rather shadowy enemy of the crusaders. In this book, he emerges as a full-bodied character with his own point of view. '
January 17, 2024
I was absolutely thrilled to learn of the existence of this book since I'm a huge fan of the movie Kingdom of Heaven and especially its portrayal of King Baldwin IV. So all I really wanted from this book was to see more of my guy Baldwin. Did it deliver? Ehh... partially.
Okay, so there are things I did appreciate about this book. The author obviously has great historical knowledge about the time period. Almost too good, at times, because often names and events are thrown at you at such rapid speed that you're just like
And if you - like myself - don't have any particular historical background knowledge, you’re just like... what's going on and who are all these people? I would've liked if the story left out some minor characters for the sake of expanding upon the main characters' development. I always felt removed from the characters and couldn’t really connect to or root for them. I did mostly like Baldwin's characterization for the first half of the book, Overall, I wanted more of Baldwin's inner struggle, his feelings, his relationship with Sibylla, Agnes etc.
Another thing I feel conflicted about are the fantasy elements. I didn't know this book had any fantasy at all so when I first came across the Master of Sion force-choking someone Vader-style I was like "now that's cool!". But like the character development, the execution of the fantasy elements didn't really work for me. I wanted the book to give us more details. Why is Mary the only Faerie we see throughout the story? Where are all the other Fae? What exactly does Amalric do? I wanted more demon summoning action and less religion, tbh. Also the fact that Faeries (or just Mary, idk) are Christian was just... so weird to me. I want my faeries to be mischievous and cunning and sneaky but with Mary I never quite understood what exactly her powers were and who she was as a person. Also what really bothered me was that Baldwin never really pressed Mary to help him with his illness. Like, if I was dying of leprosy and I knew there was magic, I sure as hell would pull out all the stops to cure myself. And it was so frustrating that Mary never did anything to relieve any of Baldwin's problems except for maybe... moral support and praying? Like... thanks Mary. For nothing.
I think what ultimately and unfortunately made this book fall flat to me was that it was just too religious for my personal taste. Like I get it, the time of the crusades was a period heavily influenced by religion, obviously, but I was missing the critical approach that Kingdom of Heaven delivered. In the movie, it was made very clear that all this bloodshed and slaughter in the name of god was just completely pointless but I never quite figured out what stance this book took towards religion, christianity, crusades etc. Sure, Mary wanted the Crusaders and the Sarazzins to make peace, and the church as an institution was criticized sometimes but it was lacking a critical view on religion itself. After all all these horrible wars with thousands dead only happened because of religion. What did Mary think about all of that? We'll never know.
And lastly, this book was just too long. And mind you, I read a lot of long books, but they shouldn't feel long. By the time we got to the "final battle" I was just so worn-out and Baldwin dying weakened and eaten away by sickness was just depressing (I know this is what actually happened to him but this is a fantasy novel, so come on). Honestly, if I was him I would be really fucking mad that all the God/Faerie/magic stuff couldn't save me from literally leading the most miserable life imaginable.
So yeah, unfortunately a letdown.
Okay, so there are things I did appreciate about this book. The author obviously has great historical knowledge about the time period. Almost too good, at times, because often names and events are thrown at you at such rapid speed that you're just like
And if you - like myself - don't have any particular historical background knowledge, you’re just like... what's going on and who are all these people? I would've liked if the story left out some minor characters for the sake of expanding upon the main characters' development. I always felt removed from the characters and couldn’t really connect to or root for them. I did mostly like Baldwin's characterization for the first half of the book, Overall, I wanted more of Baldwin's inner struggle, his feelings, his relationship with Sibylla, Agnes etc.
Another thing I feel conflicted about are the fantasy elements. I didn't know this book had any fantasy at all so when I first came across the Master of Sion force-choking someone Vader-style I was like "now that's cool!". But like the character development, the execution of the fantasy elements didn't really work for me. I wanted the book to give us more details. Why is Mary the only Faerie we see throughout the story? Where are all the other Fae? What exactly does Amalric do? I wanted more demon summoning action and less religion, tbh. Also the fact that Faeries (or just Mary, idk) are Christian was just... so weird to me. I want my faeries to be mischievous and cunning and sneaky but with Mary I never quite understood what exactly her powers were and who she was as a person. Also what really bothered me was that Baldwin never really pressed Mary to help him with his illness. Like, if I was dying of leprosy and I knew there was magic, I sure as hell would pull out all the stops to cure myself. And it was so frustrating that Mary never did anything to relieve any of Baldwin's problems except for maybe... moral support and praying? Like... thanks Mary. For nothing.
I think what ultimately and unfortunately made this book fall flat to me was that it was just too religious for my personal taste. Like I get it, the time of the crusades was a period heavily influenced by religion, obviously, but I was missing the critical approach that Kingdom of Heaven delivered. In the movie, it was made very clear that all this bloodshed and slaughter in the name of god was just completely pointless but I never quite figured out what stance this book took towards religion, christianity, crusades etc. Sure, Mary wanted the Crusaders and the Sarazzins to make peace, and the church as an institution was criticized sometimes but it was lacking a critical view on religion itself. After all all these horrible wars with thousands dead only happened because of religion. What did Mary think about all of that? We'll never know.
And lastly, this book was just too long. And mind you, I read a lot of long books, but they shouldn't feel long. By the time we got to the "final battle" I was just so worn-out and Baldwin dying weakened and eaten away by sickness was just depressing (I know this is what actually happened to him but this is a fantasy novel, so come on). Honestly, if I was him I would be really fucking mad that all the God/Faerie/magic stuff couldn't save me from literally leading the most miserable life imaginable.
So yeah, unfortunately a letdown.
November 12, 2023
Cloaked in the long history of the Holy Land in the time of the Crusaders, Scott Rezer has weaved a tale of mystery. The time period is that of the Christians ruling Jerusalem. The hero is King Baldwin, the Leper King. The troubles are the usual: political intrigue with family and so-called friends and even more the existential threat of the Saracens and Saladin. Can the Christians hold onto the City of God? Or will it fall? If you enjoy a deeply researched historical fiction, then this book is for you.
But it is not just an account of those times, intriguing as they are, as well-researched as it is laid out in Rezer's masterful prose, no, because it is also a novel of theology, of mystery, of magic and dark fantasy. As the series title makes clear, at its heart The Leper King, is but the first book of three where the real hero is the Magdalen. And this is not your Hollywood Magdalen, no indeed, in this novel Rezer starts building a web of intriguing lore, a world in which the powers we see, are manipulated by the powers we cannot.
So, if you like medieval history told with a liberal sprinkling of light and dark religion and magic then I do recommend this book highly.
But it is not just an account of those times, intriguing as they are, as well-researched as it is laid out in Rezer's masterful prose, no, because it is also a novel of theology, of mystery, of magic and dark fantasy. As the series title makes clear, at its heart The Leper King, is but the first book of three where the real hero is the Magdalen. And this is not your Hollywood Magdalen, no indeed, in this novel Rezer starts building a web of intriguing lore, a world in which the powers we see, are manipulated by the powers we cannot.
So, if you like medieval history told with a liberal sprinkling of light and dark religion and magic then I do recommend this book highly.
September 1, 2015
The Leper King is another great book by Scott R. Rezer. He has written about a difficult subject in a way that keeps your interest the whole time. The intrigue and war during the crusades is the backdrop for this historical fiction about the young king Baldwin IV, who was plagued with leprosy. I appreciate the balanced way the author handled all sides of the conflict, particularly between Christians and Muslims. I was intrigued by the presence of medieval history and loved how it was convincingly woven into the story. Particularly interesting is the introduction of Mary Magdalen as immortal and her role as a prophetess of sorts. This is a multi-faceted story that will keep you turning the pages.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review which I have given.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review which I have given.
November 10, 2013
Awesome work of fiction by my big brother Scott. Masterly written, intertwining fiction and non fictional characters in history. A brilliant first novel.
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