Crusade: Brethren Trilogy Book 2 - Tapa dura

'Crusade is a sweeping historical adventure as well as a cracking sequel' -- Financial Times 20070901 'Wonderful... loaded with atmosphere, action, and intrigue. The Crusades come alive' -- Steve Berry on BRETHREN 20070901 'El Cid meets The Da Vinci Code! Exciting, page-turning fiction' -- Simon Mayo's book panel, BBC Radio Five Live on BRETHREN 20070901 'If you love the Templars, the Crusades, and the Middle Ages, this is the book for you. Robyn Young is an exciting new voice that speaks loudly' -- Sharon Penman on BRETHREN 20060627 'BRETHREN is one of the best historical debuts in recent memory. Exciting and enthralling, it gripped me from the first page and left me waiting anxiously for the next instalment' -- John Connolly 20060627 'A sweeping historical adventure with strong characters and serious verve...hits all the big emotional points...Can't wait for the next two volumes!' -- Sarah Weinman on BRETHREN 20060627 'Richly worked and captivating...an epic story of war, intrigue and heroism' -- Good Book Guide on BRETHREN 20060627 'Pacy and well-written, with vivid, convincing characters, Brethren captures your interest until the last page. I eagerly anticipate the sequel, knowing I will not be disappointed' -- Alison Weir 20060627 'Rich historical detail, clever plotting and engaging characters ... a historical thriller that will have readers turning pages and envisioning the sequel' -- Publishers Weekly 20060424 'Intricate, compelling, captivating and, above all, believable ... a brilliant piece of sustained imagination' -- David Boyle, author of BLONDEL'S SONG 20060424 'Robyn Young's BRETHREN is a truly excellent novel. The thirteenth century is vividly and excitingly evoked ... I can't wait for the sequel!' -- Mark Philpott, Centre for Medieval & Renaissance Studies, Oxford 20060424 'Stirring...carefully researched' -- Publishing News 20060505 'Engaging and enjoyable - Robyn Young brings the tumultuous medieval world to life with pace and flair' -- Tom Harper, author, Knights Of The Cross 20060505 'Tipped to be the next Da Vinci Code' -- Elle 20060505 'Swords clash in the first sentence of Young's latest - a sequel to her bestselling debut BRETHREN - and go on clashing throughout. If you like your history with plenty of action, and the minimum of tricksiness, then this second part of a proposed trilogy is for you. All this is stitched together into a narrative whose attention to historical detail is offset by its pacey dialogue. Equally enjoyable is the relief from the gorier episodes - poisonings, stabbings and impalings - that were evidently all in the line of duty for the average 13th Century Crusader.' -- The Times 20080223

It is 1274 and in the fortified city of Acre, the last major stronghold of the Crusaders in Palestine, an epic conflict is beginning. Will Campbell is a Templar Knight, trained for war, but as a member of the mysterious group known as the Brethren, he is also a man of peace. After years of bloodshed, the Brethren have helped to create a truce between the Christians and Muslims. But Will now fears they have been betrayed. King Edward of England has promised the Pope that he will lead a new Crusade, while in Acre itself, a ruthless cabal of Western merchants, profiteering from slaves and armaments, is plotting to reignite hostilities in the Holy Land. Meanwhile, in Egypt, Sultan Baybars is caught in a power struggle. His son and heir has become involved in the dangerous designs of the insidious soothsayer, Khadir. While Baybars wants to take on the mighty Mongol empire, Khadir and others want to destroy the Christians once and for all. As war looms, Will is torn between his oath as a Templar, his secret role in the Brethren and his duty to Elwen, the woman he loves but is forbidden to marry. He is caught at the centre of a web of deception and destruction, as he and all those around him rush headlong towards one of the most dramatic moments in history.