Historical
After being wounded in the Battle on the Ice, Richard Fitz Simon becomes a prisoner of Prince Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod. Alexander, intrigued by his captive’s story, instructs his scholar to assist Richard in writing about his life.
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Standout of the genre. I rarely leave written reviews, but this book (the first of a trilogy) is a standout in a genre where there's a surplus of solid reads. There's a clear coming of age element with a talented but flawed protagonist, and a compelling story with solid pacing & satisfying pay-offs. Highly recommend.
Enjoyable but violent medieval thriller. An interesting, enjoyable and easily read novel about deceit, survival, love and warfare mostly set in an area of Central and Eastern Europe rarely covered by authors. The strict delineation of the feudal system, the power of the Catholic church and the precarious hold that most people had on life in the Medieval period come over clearly as we follow the career of a young teenager cheated out of his inheritance and forced to flee. His ordeal as an impoverished refugee and an apprentice Crusader knight lead the reader on an interesting journey of which I hope this novel is only the beginning of the saga. I received an Arc copy but the views are my own.
Akin to Cornwell. As an avid fan of Bernard Cornwell books, I was intrigued to read this story based on an ageing warrior's recollections of bloody battles. It doesn't disappoint, transporting the reader to a bygone age where crusades were fought and realms overtaken. From the standpoint of one brave warrior, this tale regales one with blood, battles, brethren and bravery. A great read that engages from the first page.
1242. After being wounded in the Battle on the Ice, Richard Fitz Simon becomes a prisoner of Prince Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod. Alexander, intrigued by his captive’s story, instructs his scholar to assist Richard in writing about his life.
Richard’s chronicle begins in 1203, when his training to be a knight is disrupted by treachery. He is forced to flee England for Lübeck, where he begins work for a greedy salt merchant. After an illicit love affair, his new life is thrown into turmoil, and he joins the Livonian Brothers of the Sword as they embark on imposing the will of God on the pagans of the eastern Baltic. Here, he must reconcile with his new life of prayer, danger and duty – despite his own religious doubts, with as many enemies within the fortified commandery as the wilderness outside. However, when their small outpost in Riga is threatened by a large pagan army, Richard is compelled to make a crucial decision and fight like never before.
