The Book of the Lion (Crusader Trilogy Series #1)

by Michael Cadnum

Overview

A National Book Award nominee!

Returning to the same era of his "In a Dark Wood", Cadnum's majestic novel--part mystery, part history--chronicles the pageantry and brutality of the Crusades under King Richard.

Edmund, a young apprentice, is awaiting punishment as a counterfeiter when a knight intervenes on his behalf--and compels Edmund to join Richard Lionheart's forces in the Holy Land. There, amidst the savagery of the twelfth-century Crusades, Edmund learns both courage and compassion, and discovers that cruelty is sometimes considered the will of Heaven. Set in medieval England and the war-torn shores of the Middle East, Cadnum's tale weaves together a rich tapestry of storms at sea, the brutality of hand-to-hand combat, and one of the classic horse and lance battles in recorded history--the Battle of Arsuf.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101142561
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/01/2001
Series:	Crusader Trilogy Series , #1
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	241 KB
Age Range:	12 - 15 Years

About the Author

Michael Cadnum is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for adults and young adults, including the contemporary novels Rundown, Heat, and Edge (all Viking) and the historical novel In a Dark Wood (Orchard/Puffin). Michael Cadnum lives in Albany, California.

copyright © 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.

Editorial Reviews

In twelfth-century England, after his master, a maker of coins for the king, is brutally punished for alleged counterfeiting, 17-year-old Edmund finds himself traveling to the Holy Land as squire to a knight crusader on his way to join the forces of Richard Lionheart. This sweeping medieval epic from the acclaimed author of Rundown, Heat, and In a Dark Wood, will be devoured by fans of history and adventure, alike.

barnesandnoble.com

Edmund, a squire, awaits the joint punishment for his master's counterfeiting charges and escapes his fate when a knight asks him to join the Crusades. In a starred review, PW wrote, "The message about the romance vs. reality of war proves powerful, and fans of history and adventure alike will devour this well-crafted, dramatic quest." Ages 12-up. (Oct.)n Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 6-9-Apprenticed to a minter of coins for King Richard, Edmund is awakened one night by the Exchequer's men, there to exact punishment for the minter's use of counterfeit metals. As Edmund watches, his master's hand is chopped off, and he knows that as apprentice, his hand is next. He escapes, but only because his arm is more useful wielding a sword in the battle to reclaim the Holy Land than nailed to a stake. As a knight's squire, he travels through Europe and across the Mediterranean, getting into a fair share of trouble and experiencing the vagaries of life on the move. Finally, arriving at Acre, he finds himself camped outside the castle walls. While all await the arrival of the king, the anticipation of the glorious battle to come is lost in the everyday reality of Crusader life-heat, poor food, sickness, and boredom. At this point the book seems endless, but in fact, the story just echoes the life they are leading. Cadnum paints a vivid, but not idealized, picture of the times. With the deft use of word and gesture, he delineates his characters in a way that makes them believable even though their mind-set is very different from ours today. What is most clear is that though the characters have faith in the rightness of their cause, the battle they are fighting is no different from any other ugly, brutal, and destructive war. Readers must be willing to stick with a tedious section of slowly rising action before the climax, but those interested in the subject should enjoy the story.-Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

School Library Journal

This production is as close to perfection as it gets with respect to story and narration. This is a glimpse at history so vivid you feel it in your bones. Seventeen-year-old Edmund finds himself forced into a commitment to Sir Nigel, a knight on his way to the Holy Crusades to serve with Richard the Lionheart. Along the way he experiences the drama of many a colorful exotic land, as well as the danger and violence of the twelfth century. Without a flicker of romanticism this National Book Award finalist paints a realistic picture of a stark and primitive world, full of the tensions of trying to survive, as well as the frenzy of battle. The story is perfect for reluctant readers, especially boys who find it hard to get interested in history. Simon Prebble gives a stellar performance, vividly bringing to life each character and creating empathy for characters driven by motivations that are hard for us to fathom today. D.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

APR/MAY 04 - AudioFile