{"product_id":"the-templar-knight-book-two-of-the-crusades-trilogy-isbn-9780061688577","title":"The Templar Knight: Book Two of the Crusades Trilogy","description":"\u003cp\u003e“[Guillou] has a remarkable grasp of the mind-set of the period and always puts the emphasis where it would be for the people involved at that time, rather than ours. Some readers may find that disorienting, but a capacity for disturbing readers’ assumptions is even more a hallmark of good historical fiction than the inclusion of the Knights Templar.” \u003cbr\u003e— Diana Gabaldon, \u003cem\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJan Guillou follows up the highly acclaimed \u003cem\u003eThe Road to Jerusalem\u003c\/em\u003e with the second book in his Knights Templar trilogy. Readers of Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden, and Stephen Saylor will find many page-turning thrills in \u003cem\u003eThe Templar Knight\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA knight in the Holy Land. \u003cbr\u003eA woman in the frozen north. \u003cbr\u003eA war that kept them apart . . .\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second volume in the internationally bestselling trilogy begun with \u003cem\u003eThe Road to Jerusalem\u003c\/em\u003e—the critically acclaimed epic \"destined to become a classic\" (Sharon Kay Penman)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003eExiled to the Holy Land for two decades, Arn Magnusson has risen in the ranks of the Knights Templar, serving as master of the order's Gaza fortress. Among the last bastion of God's holy warriors determined to save Jerusalem from the Muslims, Arn has cultivated a shrewd understanding of his enemy. Known as Al-Ghouti among the Saracens—Saladin and his Muslim followers—he is renowned as a man of compassion, strength, and faith. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYet neither time nor distance can lessen the pain of separation from his beloved Cecilia. Confined to a cloister back home in western Götaland, Arn's betrothed is a pawn in a war between clans vying for control of the crown. Yearning for him and their newborn son, who is being raised by relatives, Cecilia must also endure the cruelties of a vindictive abbess from a rival clan.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen an accident of fate brings together Arn and Saladin, a friendship is forged that will alter the course of the Templar knight's life, and the history of Jerusalem itself. After the bloody Battle of Hattin, Arn finally becomes a free man. But the road home is long and treacherous, and he is uneasy about the fate that awaits him and uncertain whether his betrothed still lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBroadening the scope of Arn's epic path to redemption, \u003cem\u003eThe Templar Knight\u003c\/em\u003e continues the story of the founding of a nation—and of the warrior and the love that made it possible.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“The prose style is reminiscent of ancient sagas and the battle scenes are grand. A fine second volume in an original trilogy.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A great . . .beautifully constructed book. . . . Despite the intricate plot, The Road to Jerusalem is a surprisingly understated book overall. Skillfully written and translated, it’s detailed, but sparingly so. . . . [Guillou] has a remarkable grasp of the mind-set of the period and always puts the emphasis where it would be for the people involved at that time, rather than ours. Some readers may find that disorienting, but a capacity for disturbing readers’ assumptions is even more a hallmark of good historical fiction than the inclusion of the Knights Templar.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDiana Gabaldon, Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Fascinating. . . . Guillou handles the tales of both Arn and Ceclia masterfully by ending each chapter with a cliffhanger and alternating between the protagonists.  All of the people, including minor characters and real-life individuals such as Saladin and King Baldwin IV, are memorable and realistic as they move the plot along. . . . A real page-turner. . . . I highly recommend this series.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHistorical Novels Review, Editor's Choice\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[An] exquisite installment in medieval heroic epic. . . . The author accomplishes what so few can do with such a controversial medieval topic as the Crusades.  He develops both sides of the divide with a wonderful richness and depth without resorting to the kinds of simplistic caricature often seen. . . . A sense of the tragic builds throughout the novel as fate brings these two men together in a war that pits them against one another, keeping a reader on the edge of his\/her seat. . . . Medievalist or not, if you love tales of arms, religion and romance, this trilogy is not to be missed. . . . OUTSTANDING!” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMedieval Book Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Guillou tells a magnificent story while the reader is swept along in the slow rhythm, the kind of literary adagios, of the text. The setting is superbly depicted, and the novels portray the great seductive ability of the Scandinavian universe.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEl Periodico (Spain)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This book tells of a Shakespearian quest for power that becomes a metaphor for what is happening in our day and age.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCorriere della Sera (Italy)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Destined to become a classic, \u003ci\u003eThe Road to Jerusalem\u003c\/i\u003e is a brilliant, dramatic recreation of the medieval world, offering suspense, intrigue, a touching love story, and an extremely appealing young hero. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSharon Kay Penman, New York Times bestselling author of Devil's Brood\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44887872602341,"sku":"NP9780061688577","price":25.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780061688577.jpg?v=1730227638","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-templar-knight-book-two-of-the-crusades-trilogy-isbn-9780061688577","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}