The Crusades Trilogy, by Karleen Bradford

There Will Be Wolves
Shadows on a Sword
Lionheart's Scribe

---

Now available in a boxed set
HarperCollins Canada Ltd., 2006
ISBN 0-00-200756-8

---

THERE WILL BE WOLVES
The First Book of the Crusades
Harper/Collins Canada Ltd., 1992.
Lodestar Books, Penguin,U.S.A., 1996.
Puffin Books, Penguin USA, 1998

The daughter of an apothecary and the owner of a secret book of healing arts, Ursula is determined to become a great healer, but her ambition makes her an outsider in the Holy Roman Empire. When she is accused of witchcraft and sentenced to burn at the stake, she is given one chance to save herself: she must march in the People's Crusade to the holy city of Jerusalem.

"It works its magic with a plot that weaves memorable history lessons into a colourful medieval tapestry of high adventure." (Ottawa Citizen)

"...the adventure is gripping, the insights into human nature are uncompromising." (Quill & Quire)

A passionate young knight, Theo can't wait to embark on the Holy Crusade to reclaim Jerusalem. With his best friend Amalric at his side, he is eager to fight. Equally fervent is Emma, a servant girl who has intrigued Theo since the first time he saw her.

CM (Canadian Materials), Volume XII Number 17, April 28, 2006

In an instant, all was mad confusion. Trumpets blared, war cries echoed across the hillside. When Count Garnier gave the signal, his trumpeters added to the cacophony, and he charged to join the duke. Belatedly, Theo urged Centurion to follow, and the warhorse burst into a gallop. All around Theo, men and horses jostled and jockeyed for position. The thunder of hooves and the cries of the knights filled the air. Dust rose in choking waves. The men in the crusading army fell in behind their leaders and galloped toward Constantinople.

Theo found himself riding so close to the count that their knees brushed. The crush of other animals and riders beside and around him blotted out all else. Blindly, he gave Centurion his head and concentrated on keeping up with his foster father. His heart was beating so loudly that his ears rang with the force of it, and he thought it would tear through the very walls of his chest. There was no time now to think about what they were doing, no time to think about who they were about to attack. He gasped for breath in the thick, suffocating air.

"Shadows on a Sword is the second volume of Karleen Bradford's "The Crusades" trilogy and is set during the First Crusade, 1096. Like all good sequels, the book contains a few ties to the first volume but stands confidently on its own.

"Theo and his best friend, Amalric, are young knights eager to embark on the Holy Crusade to reclaim the city of Jerusalem. They leave their home in Germany to travel around the eastern end of the Mediterranean and eventually arrive at their goal. No one could have predicted the hardships along the way, the many battles, the infighting among the Crusaders, or the three long years needed for the journey. All of these take their toll, both physically and emotionally, on the two young men.

"This is an amazing historical novel written in strong, simple vocabulary. Readers will enjoy the excitement and adventure of the travel of a massive army and the descriptive battle scenes, and they can follow the progress of the Crusaders via clear maps at the beginning of each chapter. History teachers will appreciate the accuracy of the details and the chance for modern students to glimpse the realities of the medieval world. The armour of the soldiers and the siege weapons used are vividly described and help the era come to life. Suspense is kept at a peak throughout the story. The ending is a happy one.

"Intermingled with the war/adventure story are the themes of friendship, jealousy and love as the main characters Theo, Amalric, and Emma (servant girl turned groom!) deal with one another, other Crusader personalities and the chaos swirling around them. The feelings of each character toward war and the pangs of conscience they reveal would be the basis for excellent class discussion. Is killing necessary and, therefore, condoned because of the wartime circumstances? When this killing includes innocent townspeople and even children, is it still war or merely the cruelty and brutality of men gone mad? The links to current world events are evident.

"Shadows on a Sword is an excellent book in a fine series for young readers. The three volumes are available in one boxed set and, while each could be read separately, they make an impact when read as one. Although each is over 200 pages, the chapters are not long, and within each chapter are several breaks as well. This makes the books more appealing for young readers or perhaps as novels to read aloud in a library or classroom.

"Bradford's prose takes readers totally away from the modern world and immerses them in medieval sights, sounds and smells. Yet modern readers will relate easily to the characters because they grapple with perennial human questions. Whether as an adjunct to an English or History class, or simply as a novel for an independent reader, Shadows on a Sword and, indeed, the entire series, are a 'must have.'

Review by Ann Ketcheson

"...the historical detail is rich...the characters come alive, for they are true and real. A gripping, very human story of the First Crusade." (Quill & Quire)

• Nominated for the 2002 Red Cedar Award
• Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice (starred) 2000
• Nominated for the Silver Birch Award 2000
• Shortlisted for the Manitoba Young Reader's Choice Award 2001
• Shortlisted for a 2000 TORGI Talking Book of the Year Award

A lowly apprentice scribe, an orphan crippled by a club foot, 15-year-old Matthew thought he knew what life had in store for him: endless servitude. Of what consequence was it to him that King Richard the Lionheart of England and King Philip of France were soon to meet in his home city of Messina? What role could he possibly play in the Crusade to liberate the Holy City of Jerusalem from the Saracens?

But Matthew is drawn into the bloody and divisive war. His quick wits save a queen from imprisonment and a young Muslim girl from drowning at sea. And King Richard himself soon needs a scribe.

"In her bold portrayal of Matthew's uncertain future and the 'inconclusiveness' of the crusade (Richard didn't take Jerusalem but helped negotiate a three year truce between Christians and Muslims), Bradford grants this novel an honest lack of closure that resonates powerfully in our present. Bradford's writing is direct and vigorous, evoking Mediterranean heat and light, ancient stone and misery...Detail about 12th century warfare, political events, religious ideology is all here, with colour, action, a thoughtful, critical voice and an appealing protagonist."
(Review by Deirdre Baker, The Toronto Star, Sunday, January 9, 2000)

"Completing her trilogy about the Crusades with this volume, Karleen Bradford once again creates a gripping story that brings a distant time and place vividly alive for young readers today...Presented in the form of Matthew's journal, the novel is skillful in integrating historical material into his own perspective and personal story...an absorbing tale about a complex and fascinating period."
(Review by Gwyneth Evans, Quill & Quire, October, 1999)

"The quality of life described in (Matthew's) journal offers an excellent opportunity for comparison: the value of human life, political rights and freedoms...Bradford points out, through her character's friendships and dialogues, the futility and destruction inherent in religious discrimination and related violence...descriptions of life at that time are quite vivid."
(Review by Donna K. Johnson Alden, Resource Links Magazine, December 1999)

"Bradford's Crusade trilogy stunningly brings to life a world long lost."
(Review by Jeffrey Canton, Books in Canada, October 1999)

Selected by the CBC Children's Book Panel, November 1999.

You can read an excerpt from LIONHEART'S SCRIBE.
Cover illustration by Laura Fernandez