Jan GuillouThe Templar Knight: Crusades Trilogy Series, Book 2

Jan Guillou is a story-teller! He writes mainly from the Templar Knights' perspective, particularly one, Arn. However, we are drawn into the person who is doing a 20-year penance for loving a girl. He was well-schooled from an early age in all aspects of the Catholic faith with Father Henri and Father Gilbert due to a vision of his mother which she believed was given her by the Virgin Mary. However, recognizing his unusual athleticism, the Arch-Bishop together with Father Henri begin his training in the martial arts by Father Gilbert, a former Templar Knight for ten years in the Outremer. We first meet Arn with his Sergeant in Book 2, The Templar Knight, thundering past three Saracen merchant traders being pursued by ten bandits to engage them in battle, and rid the region of this menace.Surprisingly, the Moslem merchants do not flee, but wait to thank their Templar Knight savior. When he returns, they do thank him, he directs them to good camping with fresh spring water and *surprise* assures them they do not need to fear an attack by the Templars that night. "Why?", the merchants ask. "Because they had already achieved what they had been tasked to do, and did not the Prophet say, may he rest in peace, that night was a time for rest, sustenance and reflection; and not a time for waging war on your enemies.", replied the Templar Knight flawlessly in the blessed language (Arabic). The merchants immediately invite the Templars to the evening repast, and both parties bring their own dinner. Before the end of the evening, the senior merchant asked to talk alone with El Ghoati, Arn, who had recognized the merchant as Saladin. They spoke together late into the night, both men of honor and integrity in their personal character, and both strongly influenced by their separate faiths.Are you honestly surprised that a man of one religion would be well-versed in another religion? Or, that two prominent names from the historical record from opposing sides on the battle field, would be respectful of each other, respectful of the adherents of a religion with whom they were at war with? They would meet again.Jan Gaillou does a fantastic job as a masterful storyteller, fleshing out the bones and myth of history, presenting the good, the bad, and the truly ugly and unreasonable errors of the crusaders - mainly against themselves. He also fleshes out key figures leading the Islamic forces opposing the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He respectfully treats both faiths, and takes you behind the curtain of the crusaders and their decisions, and out into the full clash and heat of battle!I strongly recommend reading this trilogy in the order I did: 2, 1, 3. If action draws you in, you will be glad you did! All three books could stand alone - each is so well written! Yet the stories are woven together so masterfully you may well fall asleep while reading them late at night because you cannot bear to put them down.

Disclaimer. In spite of the book and series title this is not your traditional swashbuckler a la Bernard Cornwell. At the end of book 1, a fictional biography of Jan, Swedish knight-in-training, the protagonist has managed to impregnate his romantic interest and fiancée. Since this is a medieval Christian story, they are thereby sentenced to twenty years each to teach them a lesson. Book 2 follows each of their stories over these 20 years in alternating chapters.Jan is sent to the Outremer to serve as a Templar knight to preserve the "Holy Land" from the Saracens. Due to his intelligence, diligence and martial skills, he rises to become fortress master at Gaza and later Jerusalem. Much of his story then revolves around his efforts to defend the territory in the face of the greed, perfidy, arrogance and stupidity of the rulers of the Outremer kingdoms. This aspect of the Crusades has been told often before. This telling is both brief and complex and difficult to follow without a program. The most interesting aspect occurs late in the book with the arrival of Richard III (Lionheart) to "save the day". Contrary to common belief and the Robin Hood tales, Richard is revealed as a thorough scoundrel in this story. The other central feature of this story is a relationship between Jan and Saladin that I thought was preposterous, with Saladin acting as Jan's deus ex machina. Saladin actually comes across as the most admirable character in this story. Although there are several battles in this book, their descriptions primarily involve more strategy and tactics than bloodshed. That approach actually saved this part of the book from being totally dull and relegated to 2 stars.Jan's paramour Cecilia is sent to a convent for her twenty years. The convent is headed (ruled) by a woman of the other major clan contending for the throne, so Cecilia is abused and belittled by both the convent superior and her fellow sisters. At times the behaviors of the participants read more like what one would expect in a Catholic girls junior high than any adult institution. Cecilia does have a few friends who help her survive the ordeal, including the future Queen. When outside wars finally settle the rulership issue, fortunes improve, the Queen mounts her throne and Cecilia thrives. By dint of her intelligence and industry Cecilia rises to a position of authority. I actually thought the convent story was more interesting than that of Jan, primarily for its descriptions of life in medieval institutions.Overall, I thought this book less interesting than book 1. It just got too bogged down in details that were already familiar during the Crusades and was not all that believable. Among other things Jan's piety is just too much to accept. In book 3 Jan will be returning to the Northland, so I have some hopes for it.

I got this trilogy after after watching the shorten 2 hour version of the movie Arn, Templar Knight. I got an Arabic Copy of the movie while I was serving in Iraq, and even though I couldn't understand most of what was going on, I was still captivated. I started looking for the movie in English, and stumbled on the Book Trilogy here on Amazon. It took two years before the Movie was released in the US in English, so I read the book. As Usual, the Book is a lot better then the movie. When I say a lot, I mean about 10 times better, and I really liked the movie, as I stated above. I watched the movie in subtitles in a language I didn't understand, 2 thirds of it anyway, and filmed in another language I don't understand, 2 thirds anyway, and I still loved it. I will warn you, the book was translated from Swedish, so its written in proper English, there is no slang. And its very Catholic. But Sweden is a catholic country. Its a Swedish Folklore, and takes place during the Crusades, its impossible not to be Catholic. This is the Story where the Idea for the movie Kingdom of Heaven came from. Just Remember I said, the book was ten times better then the movie, and I loved the movie.

This is the second book in the trilogy of Arn and Cecilia. It is a great read. I think this book is better than the first and develops the story well. The battle scenes are good and the story flows back and forth between Sweden and the Holy Land.

A most enjoyable tale. Do not hesitate to read you will not be disappointed. The author may not get the Nobel Prize but he gives enjoyment to countless people.

Follows on from the first book very well, it alternates well between the lives of the now forcibly separated couple. Interesting plots for both with plenty of side characters that are well integrated.I am now beginning the third instalment of the Crusades Trilogy....More books like this please.

The pace has picked up from the first book and although Arn goes back home to family and friends one feels that the adventure will carry on. This book has depicted the frailties of the gentry and the common man at this time in history. Looking forward to number 3.

This was the oThis book would have been greatly improved if the author writing about knights had a reasonable knowledge of medieval weapons or acquantance with horses. The blurb says that it is now a major film; if so this may be that rare case, a film that is better than the book it is based on..