K. M. Grant

I was a bit worried starting this one because it's the first of a trilogy and I didn't have the other two books handy. Fortunately/unfortunately I shouldn't have worried because while this wasn't a bad book, I won't be rushing out to read the remaining two.

The main problem is the characters - there's a lot of telling-not-showing here, and as a result I didn't feel connected to any of them. And I should have! There's a lot going on, a lot of tragedy, and a lot of growing up. But it always felt meh.

Also, my pet fucking peeve - don't write horses if you don't know horses! Or, also, don't publish horse books if you don't know horses.* This one wasn't the worst offender I've come across, but I found it hard to get past the point where the very ill horse lays on the ground and doesn't eat for days on end. Because... that should be a dead horse. They need to at least be standing and nibbling on some hay or their guts, legs and circulation are cactus.

*Seriously, can I get employed to read books and point out all the equine errors that authors make? Like a subject specialist editor. That'd be pretty much my dream job.… (mer)

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9–Based on the Third Crusade with England's King Richard I and the Muslim leader Saladin, this novel takes readers from the de Granvilles' Hartslove Castle to the bloody battlefields of the Middle East. It is a story of loyalty, honor, and nobility and centers around the lives of two brothers, Gavin and William; the fair maiden Eleanor whom they leave behind; and Will's beloved red horse. Readers are caught up in the bloody battles, with alternating chapters revealing what is happening on the "home front," and in the Christian and in the Muslim camps. Tying these stories together is the red horse, Hosanna, who is the book's most compelling and empathetic character. The futility of war is a theme throughout and readers will discover that, much like war today, combat in the 12th century had devastating consequences. The historical setting and the vocabulary may challenge younger readers but ensure that older ones will find the book a rewarding adventure, one not soon forgotten and one that lends itself to great discussion.–Denise Moore, O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD… (mer)