Jerusalem

With a young king facing death, a warrior of the Knights Templar struggles to maintain Christian control of the Holy Land in this masterful … great read (Publishers Weekly).

Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed Nomine Tuo da gloriam. Not to us, O Lord, but to Your Name give glory. This motto highlights the vows of chastity and humility taken by the Knights Templar. But, it also speaks to their role as ferocious warriors, passionately and bloodily seeking out glory for their God.

Set in the Holy Land in 1187 A.D., Cecelia Holland’s historical novel masterfully explores the conspiracies and political maneuvers leading up to the Third Crusade. Following a stunning victory at the Battle of Ramleh, Norman Templar Rannulf Fitzwilliam must negotiate a truce with the enemy and determine the order of succession to the throne of Baudouin, the young Christian king dying of leprosy. However, Rannulf’s instincts are for battle, not diplomacy. Temptation and betrayal await him around every corner. The question is not whether he can survive on the battlefield, but whether he can survive the politics and protocol of the royal court.

Holland’s masterful layering of subplots, historical detail and multiple perspectives makes for a great read. -Publisher’s Weekly

She brings as much suspense to political intrigue as to the sprawling battle scenes at which she excels. -The New York Times Book Review