A King's Ransom - Tapa dura

Praise for "A King's Ransom" ""A King's Ransom "[is] historical fiction of the first order, a narrative synthesis of the royal marriages and petty rivalries, the personal slights and gestures of loyalty, the grand deeds and simple twists of fate that shape events . . . Instead of history that reads like a novel, Penman achieves something greater: a novel that reads like history."--"Willamette Week" "Penman's long-awaited sequel to her book "Lionheart" covers the last seven years of Richard's life. There's betrayal, war, illness and intrigue....She includes everyday details that get you right into the story . . . once you start reading you won't want to stop."--"British Weekly" "A panoramic retelling of the tumultuous last years of Richard the Lionheart's life . . . Penman has absorbed herself so fully into the heart and mind of her protagonist that an undeniably flawed but refreshingly human Richard virtually walks off the pages. This atmospheric fictional biography showcases the author's mastery of all things medieval while providing some refreshingly new twists on the life and times of a hallowed hero."--"Booklist" "Detailed down to the last flagon of wine, Penman's work will please serious fans of historical fiction. . . Characters rise from the pages--Richard, brave warrior, skilled diplomat; Heinrich, "If he were cut, he'd bleed ice"; the mercenary Mercadier; and multitudes more. Seven years of sieges and battles, confrontations in castles and on horseback are lovingly detailed. . . Penman's latest is a massively entertaining work of historical fiction for dedicated fans." --"Kirkus Reviews" Praise for Sharon Kay Penman "Sharon Kay Penman transcends beloved-author status: among lovers of historical fiction, she is cherished." --"BookPage" "Always happy to read a new Sharon Kay Penman novel: "Lionheart," set during the Crusades, brings both Richard and Saladin to vivid life."--Nancy Pearl "The gr

From the New York Times bestselling author comes the stunning sequel to Lionheart Travelling home from the bloody battlefields of the Holy Land, the Crusader King Richard the Lionheart is shipwrecked in the Mediterranean after an encounter with pirates. He should be protected by a papal decree, but he is betrayed and captured by the Duke of Austria - a man who has good reason to loathe him - and is immediately claimed by the Holy Roman Emperor, who also bears him a bitter grudge. Richard is to spend fifteen months imprisoned, some of it in the notorious fortress at Trefils, which few men ever left. Meanwhile, his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, is moving heaven and earth to raise a staggering ransom, travelling across Europe herself to buy the release of her favourite son. But her determination may not be enough. At the eleventh hour, the Emperor announces that he has had a better offer from the French king, Philippe, and Richard's own treacherous brother, John. They will pay an even larger sum to continue Richard's captivity - or to turn him over to their tender mercies. Told with masterful insight and rich historical detail, A King's Ransom is a striking portrayal of the darker, troubled years of Richard - a man whose courage, compassion and intelligence became the stuff of legend.