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Graham Shelby

England is divided in this “splendidly enthralling adventure” of Richard the Lionheart and the Crusaders from the author of The Knights of Dark Renown (The Times).
 
 The Crusaders are bitterly divided: Richard the Lionheart and his advisers who were responsible for the catastrophic defeat at the hands of Saladin are trying to pick up the broken remnants of their authority.
 
 But the unscrupulous adventurer, Conrad of Monteferrat holds the ace of trumps in the shape of the all-important castle of Tyre. Both factions are busily vying for the support of the great rulers of the West, Richard of England, Philip Augustus of France and Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who have solemnly vowed to come to the rescue of the Christian Kingdom.
 
 It is a world where the marriages of monarchs are determined by the merciless calculations of military power, in which cold-blooded massacres are ordered by the legendary champions of Chivalry: a world of extremes.
 
The Kings of Vain Intent, the second thrilling instalment of The Crusader Knights Cycle is perfect for fans of David Gilman and Conn Iggulden.
 
Praise for The Crusader Knights Cycle
 
 “History with a dramatist’s eye for a fine setting and a novelist’s insight into human minds and motives.” —The Times Literary Supplement

 “The chivalry and the cruelty are finely balanced.” —Daily Mirror
 
 “Highly enjoyable. Here we have a wide canvas of characters, almost all based on historical figures . . . The story is exciting as well as psychologically convincing and thought-provoking.” —Financial Times

Canelo Adventure

The Crusader Knights Cycle

The Kings of Vain Intent

A historical adventure chronicling The Anarchy, England’s twelfth-century civil war, and an Anglo-Norman noble’s efforts to protect the rightful succession. England 1134: These are the years of the long, bloody civil war over the succession of Henry I—a conflict between the supporters of Henry’s daughter and rightful heir, the beautiful and tyrannical Matilda, and her cousin, the usurper Stephen of Blois, a just and decent man but with no lawful claim to the throne.

 This is a war in which even partisans can change sides according to who holds the advantage—a war in which there is little courage, much deceit, and barely any honor.

 The sole exception is Brien Fitz Count, Lord of Wallingford, friend of Stephen’s but true to his vow of support for Matilda. He, his wife Alyse, and their retainers make of their small, strategic castle a fortress and rallying point, holding it against siege and worse at immense personal cost . . .

 Praise for The Crusader Knights series:
 
 “History with a dramatist’s eye for a fine setting and a novelist’s insight into human minds and motives” —The Times Literary Supplement
 
 “Vivid visual moments and all the technology of medieval warfare.” —The Observer
 
 “Highly enjoyable. . . . Exciting as well as psychologically convincing and thought-provoking.” —Financial Times

The Villains of the Piece

The first book of a medieval adventure series is an “unsentimental, even-tempered, rather stirring view of one period in the Holy Land's unholy agonies” (Kirkus Reviews).
 
 Reynald of Chatillion, Prince Reynald to his friends, the Red Wolf of the Desert to the Saracens, is the most dangerous man in Palestine. His face tells a tale of epic battles hard-won, stitched together by the jagged scars of combat.
 
 England is divided and Christendom struggles to retain its grip on the Holy Land . . . The code of chivalry chimes in hideous dissonance with massacre and cruelty as Reynauld is determined to raise the stakes of war to their limits.
 
 Based on real historical figures and events, Churchmen, barons, knights, courtiers, their wives and mistresses, are seen in sharp outline against a hard, dry, dangerous landscape commanded by huge castles and roamed by mounted soldiers.
 
 “An impressively confident first novel, most readable and refreshingly free from any pseudo-medieval mysticism.” —The Sunday Telegraph
 
 “The chivalry and the cruelty are finely balanced.” —Daily Mirror
 
 “Highly enjoyable. . . The story is exciting as well as psychologically convincing and thought-provoking.” —Financial Times

The Knights of Dark Renown

A medieval historical adventure chronicling King John of England’s attempt to protect his empire in the wake of Richard the Lionheart’s death.
 
 As Richard Coeur de Lion’s empire crumbles and castle after castle falls to the French, there is one man who can save England—but King John will not send for him.
 
 England is in disarray: William Marshal, the King’s battle-scarred champion is left to dally at home with his new wife. King John himself is newly wed to Isabell of Angoulême, who will vie to outdo her husband with cruelty and spite. Called Lackland by some, as a measure of his wealth, Soft-sword by others, as the measure of his military prowess, King John is reckoned a poor choice to succeed his heroic brother, Richard the Lionhearted. But his terrible cunning can strike fear into the heart of the most courageous of men . . .

 Praise for The Crusader Knights series:
 
 “History with a dramatist’s eye for a fine setting and a novelist’s insight into human minds and motives” —The Times Literary Supplement
 
 “Vivid visual moments and all the technology of medieval warfare.” —The Observer
 
 “Highly enjoyable. . . . Exciting as well as psychologically convincing and thought-provoking.” —Financial Times

The Wolf at the Door

Will Richard the Lionheart reclaim his throne in this epic historical adventure of the Crusader Knights
It is winter in England, 1192. Richard Coeur de Lion, the battle-hardened warrior-king, has been captured and imprisoned returning from the Crusades – after spending only a few months in the land he is supposed to rule.

As the winter snow melts, England pays the price of being a kingdom without a king. For Richard’s jealous and spiteful brother John, not content with robbing his brother’s subjects of all they have, plans insurrection to wrest the throne itself…

But then a second message comes, one which chills even John’s thin blood: ‘Le diable étoit déchaîné,’ ‘The devil is loose!’ The game is on, and everything is to play for. 

The fourth exciting instalment of The Crusader Knights Cycle is perfect for fans of Griff Hosker, Jonathan Lunn and Conn Iggulden.

‘Vivid and engaging’ Scotsman

The Devil is Loose

Love and revenge will drive him across the sea in this epic historical adventure of The Crusader Knights
The Falkan castle of Tremellion is visited by the mysterious Lord Vaulmier, Treasurer of the Crusade, and his beautiful daughter Christiane de Magnat-Vaulmier. Seeking finance for the Third Crusade against Saladin, they negotiate with Sir Geoffrey Falkan and inveigle all the Falkan fortune, to the fury of Sir Geoffrey’s older son, Ranulf, who will be driven to the most terrible of crimes…

Baynard Falkan, younger son and valiant knight errant, sets out on a quest to find Christiane, who has stolen his heart, and to avenge the bloody killing of his father. But to find justice, he must survive bandits and pirates, and travel to the bloody siege of Jerusalem.

The Edge of the Blade, the sixth epic historical adventure in The Crusader Knights Cycle, is perfect for fans of David Gilman and Bernard Cornwell.

‘The story is exciting as well as psychologically convincing and thought-provoking’ Financial Times

‘History with a dramatist’s eye for a fine setting and a novelist’s insight into human minds and motives’ Times Literary Supplement