Crusade by Richard Cullen continues the story of Estienne Wace as he decides to join the Fifth Crusade. You can taste the heat and the sand in this one as he steps foot in the Holy Land.

It's a very busy story. Estienne, quickly realising the rhetoric he's been told regarding the Holy Land isn't quite as it seems, begins to question his place there, even as he interacts with people from the local area who call it home. His understanding would perhaps seem a little too 'modern' if not for our new POV, that of one of the enemy. Kashta adds a new dynamic to the tale, even though his chapters are only occasionally inserted into Estienne's tale. But he also comes to question whether the war is worth the cost.

It takes Estienne a long time to see beyond the heat and the sand and appreciate the beauty of the landscape and the people who live there. He certainly has a rough time, as Kashta, his new enemy, dogs his every step and a few others who would rather see Estienne dead.

The story flows well, and I enjoyed the depiction of the landscape and people. I also appreciated the frank portrayal of the Fifth Crusade and the bickering and infighting between those who were supposedly in charge of it all. Having recently watched the first series of Rogue Heroes, I could see Egypt and its vast sand and dunes.

I'm curious to see what will happen to Estienne next. Perhaps he needs an easier time of it in the third book:)

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

Review

We’ve come a long way with Estienne but he’s still trying to find his place in life.

Estienne sets out to show his worth and joins the Fifth Crusade.

War rages and the battles are bloody and brutal but something within Estienne changes. As time progresses and more blood is spilt on both sides, Estienne see’s the true cost of war.

When he first sets out for the cause he was certain it was right and just.. but as he meets the people that many would call enemy he starts to see them in a different light.

Its very much an internal struggle for Estienne.. he sees bad where he should see the righteous.. and good where he thought there was only evil.

Plot wise I loved it, the battles are detailed and exciting but it’s balanced perfectly with the development of Estienne when things don’t go to plan. There’s a lot that happens to Estienne, but the pace never felt rushed and the character arc never forced.

While Estienne is a massive part of the story what I really felt the author did well was bringing in new characters who you instantly took a shine too. Kashta for example, a fierce warrior..Amalric a loyal companion.. these two especially stood out as being pivotal to the plot and Estienne’s development as his faith is shaking to the core.

For the hardcore fans of battle there’s plenty of blood shed but what I really loved was the emotion added, it’s not just a battle for the sake of it.. there’s real purpose to each thrust and I could easily read this book again and again!

I don’t think I’ve ever read something so perfectly balanced with plot & character development.. I mean..how.. there’s just no way you can improve.

Easy 5*

This second book in the Black Lion series by Cullen, continues the story of mystery knight, Ser Estienne Wace, picking up where Rebellion, the first novel left off: cast out of William Marshall's household for no discernible fault of his. Just cut loose of his moorings and left adrift.

This novel sees Wace in Egypt along with the Knights Templar, at the siege of Damietta. Estienne survives the siege but makes a very bad enemy in Moor, Kashta ibn Assad who has sworn vengeance for Estienne's slaying of his blood brother Wasim in a fair fight.

Estienne has hair raising, rather improbable adventures attempting to evade death via Kashta...You sense the Kashta episodes aren't done yet. Will they continue as foes, or can a Saracen and a Crusader truly become firm friends?

Cullen positions him as some sort of mediaeval Superman; powerful, strong, loyal to a fault, kind, with an innate, deep, sense of justice, fairplay, honour and right and wrong: a true knight. His experiences in the Crusade cause Estienne to lose his rose tinted outlook on the justice and rightness of the crusade. He sees the Saracen as a human being like himself with desires, dreams, wishes, hurts, sorrows and joys rather than the inhumane, soulless, uneducated, boorish monster preying on poor, innocent pilgrims, as portrayed by the proponents of the crusades. Being discerning, Wace questions all he has been told about his endeavours.

The story moves to its powerful conclusion with the defeat of the Crusaders, army routed, men lost, diease and disorder rampant. As Estienne sails away to Germany with his friend - Almaric of the Knights of St. Mary, the story is poised to continue, leaving me wondering what is coming in the saga of Ser Estienne Wace. When will he find out the explosive secret about himself, or will potential enemies in England find out first....

I was given a complimentary copy of the book by the publisher but all opinions expressed are my own.

The second instalment of the Black Lion saga see Estienne fighting in Egypt. It took a while to really get into the subject of this story but by halfway through i started to get a feeling for the characters. A well written story which transported me to the fighting fields of Egypt. Very descriptive accounts of the fighting, if a little too descriptive sometimes.

Abandoning the safety of England for the perilous shores of the Levant, Estienne Wace is thrust into the turmoil of the Fifth Crusade. Burning with righteous purpose, he is determined to reclaim the Holy Land in the name of Christ.
War rages along the banks of the Nile as a crusading army besieges the Saracen city of Damietta, certain that the price they pay in blood will return the glory and treasures they crave. But as the Black Lion roars, and the siege grinds on, Estienne’s unwavering faith is tested more and more by the grim reality of this brutal conflict.
As the siege turns on a knife edge, Estienne finds himself thrust upon a journey across the merciless desert. Stripped of everything, and forced into a dangerous alliance, he will grapple with the true meaning of faith, honour, and the price of salvation, in a land where nothing is as he once believed.
I can't wait for this to come out and for y'all to lose your minds. if you had doubts about preordering, don't. you're going to want to read this one. I raced through it this weekend.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I was hoping for and enjoyed the overall historical adventure element going on. The characters were everything that I was looking for and worked in the setting of the story. Richard Cullen was able to write a strong story and was glad I got to read this.

WoW! It's difficult to remember Estienne's age sometimes, but his trials and tribulations see him come away with not only an increased inner strength, but a better understanding of humanity. In my reader's mind, Richard Cullen has shown both sides of a war in great measures. Although, I found myself wrinkling my nose each time "unwashed bodies" was mentioned.
This second offering in "Chronicles of The Black Lion" is just as engaging and thought provoking as its predecessor "Rebellion". Both the Crusaders and the Saracens alike were shown to have two faces in times of war. Unfortunately, we haven't learned lasting lessons from our ancestor's folies! If you enjoy being carried away to far of lands with adventurous endeavors and fantastic characters, you'll definitely want to read " Crusade" as well as "Rebellion"!