All Things Medieval discussion

I am looking for fiction books on the crusades and/or the brief period of the crusader state. Thanks for any help.

Elizabeth Chadwick's The Falcons of Montrabard (check the spelling) takes place during the first crusade. Penman's Lionheart due out in October will cover much of the third crusade.

Just dropping in again. The Falcons of Montabard is actually set in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 1120's and is more about the trials and tribulations of the European settlers there.

I enjoyed Jan Guillou's first Arn book The Road to Jersualem - except that he didn't actually get on the road until the end of the novel, which was setting up for the other two. I've still yet to read those, but I will. I really enjoyed the film of the books.

Tariq Ali has written a thoughtful novel about Saladin - The Book of Saladin. It's not edge of the seat pace, but it does give some excellent insight into Saladin and I'd reccomend it. I wasn't as struck on Jack Hight's take on Saladin, but if you like high adventure novels and don't throw a hissy fit at inaccuracy, it's got good page turning quality.

If you can get hold of out of print books then The Knights of Dark Renown by Graham Shelby is very good - Reynald of Chatillon. There's a follow up, The Kings of Vain Intent.

I recently found a copy of Knights of the Dark Renown for a price I could live with. Hope to get to it soon.

Christina wrote: "I am looking for fiction books on the crusades and/or the brief period of the crusader state. Thanks for any help."

Melisende is an expert on this subject Christina.

Elizabeth wrote: "Just dropping in again. The Falcons of Montabard is actually set in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 1120's and is more about the trials and tribulations of the European settlers there.

I..."

Elizabeth, I am actually working on a series children's book about William Marshal for my kids--vanity project. I have almost finished the first one and it ends with him leaving for the holy land.

I am looking for both historical fiction and primary and secondary source info on when Marshal would have been there. I am going to to a totally fictional second book about when he was there. I was disappointed that the history of William Marshal as so few lines about it!

If you or anyone else on here has leads for good books on this period please let me know!

Thanks so much!

Christina wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Just dropping in again. The Falcons of Montabard is actually set in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 1120's and is more about the trials and tribulations of the European ..."

I bow to the author here . . . it's been awhile since I read Falcons, but I do remember that I fell a bit in love with Sabin and there was some great siege scenes. ;) (I also loved how he avoided the White Ship -- I always have had a thing about those bad boys).

Christina, you'll need to trawl the various crusade period tomes - it's a while since I have done, so I'd need to go and look through the ones I found most useful. I think Sharon Kay Penman has just written about her crusader booklist for Lionheart - it's on her blog I think without going away from this page. She recommends books she found useful, and they are more or less of the period you want to look at. We do know from the Histoire that he obtained his own burial shrouds there and that they were of very rich and fine cloth.
When I did some Akashic work with Alison on him in the Holy Land, the shrouds were given, not bought and had something to do with the Templars, but that's not admissable in the conventional historical canon!
I would love to write a novel based on my work with Alison about what he actually did in those missing two years. I definitely think it was a watershed for him and that he returned to begin a new phase of his life and with a deliberate focus.

Crown of the World - Book 1: Knight of the Temple
by Nathan Sadasivan

Crusader King - A Novel of Baldwin IV and the Crusades by Susan Peek

The Blue Gonfalon at the First Crusade by Margaret Ann Hubbard

Where Valor Lies by Adele and Cateau De Leeuw

Shadow of the Swords by Kamran Pasha

The dagger and the cross: a novel of the Crusades by Judith Tarr

Baudolino by Umberto Eco

The book of the lion by Cadnum, Michael

Brethren by Robin Young

Knights of the Black and White by Jack Whyte

Pilgrim: the greatest crusade by James H. Jackson

Sand daughter by Sarah Bryant

Deus lo votl: Chronicle of the Crusades by Evan S. Connell

Crusade: the heretic’s secret by John Wilson

The Messiah by Marek Halter

Crossed: a tale of the Fourth Crusade by Nicole Galland

Knights of the cross : a novel of the Crusades by Tom Harper

The silver cup by Constance Leeds

Pride of kings by Judith Tarr

There will be wolves by Karleen Bradford

Behind the veil by L. L. Chaikin

More to follow!

Jerusalem by Cecelia Holland

The Celtic Crusades Trilogy by Stephen Lawhead

The crusader - a novel by Michael Alexander Eisner

Behold the dawn by KM Weiland

Assassins of Alamut by James Boschert

A Booke of Days: A Journal of the Crusade by Stephen J. Rivele (my favourite)

Crusade of Tears: A Novel of the Children's Crusade (Volume 1) by C. D. Baker

Brethren A Tale Of The Crusades by H. Rider Haggard

I've just remembered, seeing Judith Tarr on your list - Queen of Swords. I thought that was a stunning novel about the crusader lands under Frankish occupation.

thanks Melisende!!

Elizabeth wrote: "Christina, you'll need to trawl the various crusade period tomes - it's a while since I have done, so I'd need to go and look through the ones I found most useful. I think Sharon Kay Penman has ju..."

That very helpful and interesting. I think a book about his period there would be great! I was hoping you'd do one, actually!

I was aware of the shroud and planned to make that a focus of the story, plus a few made up adventures of his travels there. I am thinking of an overland route, rather than by boat. I know the stormy sea experience he had was after this period when he was crossing to Ireland, but I thought I would keep him to land anyway. Although, I have not decided.

Also, thanks to everyone who has offered such wonderful help on books to consult.

Melisende wrote: "Crown of the World - Book 1: Knight of the Temple
by Nathan Sadasivan

Crusader King - A Novel of Baldwin IV and the Crusades by Susan Peek

The Blue Gonfalon at the First Crusade by Margaret Ann H..."

Great ideas, thanks so much for taking the time to respond. I was planning a few of the books you sited, but many are great additions to my ever growing list. Thanks a bunch!

Christina wrote: "I am looking for fiction books on the crusades and/or the brief period of the crusader state. Thanks for any help."

"Sir Pagan" by Henry J. Colyton. Set immediately after the First Crusade. May be out of print.

I liked Elizabeth Chadwick's The Falcons of Montabard so much that I did a blog about it.

I second that comment. A brilliant book, evoking the atmosphere of the time and well researched.

Lori wrote: "Elizabeth Chadwick's The Falcons of Montrabard (check the spelling) takes place during the first crusade. Penman's Lionheart due out in October will cover much of the third crusade."

Falcons was my first Chadwick novel and Sabin is one of my all time hunks in history *fans self*

I think I can safely say that Sharon's Lionheart will shortly become the gold standard same as Sunne in Splendour is the gold standard for books on R3.

Montabard is the correct spelling. Elizabeth captures the interest of the reader from page one, and the story maintains that impetus throughout. Lionheart is destined to become probably the biggest event in Crusader literature ever if Sharon's research and diligence are anything to go by. During the preparation and writing of the novel Richard became a real entity for Sharon which I feel will be communicated to her readers. In the same way as Richard III became a tangible being in Sunne, Richard I will receive the same Penman magic, and will become another hero for the worship of the ladies.

Sharon wrote: "I liked Elizabeth Chadwick's The Falcons of Montabard so much that I did a blog about it."

What's the blog site?

Christina, my website is www.sharonkaypenman.com. Click onto the blog button and then go to the blog Archives. It was done early last year, I think.