Not since the movie Kingdom of Heaven or the novel Ivanhoe has there been a Templar adventure as thrilling as Quest for the True Cross !! We are immersed in the dangerous politics and violent crusades of the 12th century following the quest of a young Templar knight – William de Mandeville – on his quest to find the True Cross – stolen by the Saracens.
Years of research and visiting Templar sites all over Europe and the Middle East informed this medieval rollercoaster ride of a novel. William, our hero, is a troubled young man looking for meaning in life. Joining the Templars seems to be the answer. He becomes part of a disciplined world of tough military drills and ceaseless prayer. But this isn’t enough to slay his inner demons. He needs a much bigger purpose.
Then news comes that the Saracens in Syria have stolen the True Cross of Jesus from Edessa – the actual wood upon which Our Lord was crucified. It has passed through several hands and is now under lock and key in the city of Al-Usbunna, at the westernmost end of the Islamic caliphate. This city will one day be Lisbon, capital of Portugal, but for now it’s ruled by a Moorish emir. However, a Christian king – Afonso Henriques, is besieging Al-Usbunna, determined to take it for his new kingdom of Portugal.
This is based on real-life events that happened in the year 1147. William journeys from England to be part of the action – but he also wants to be the Templar who finds and retrieves the True Cross. He is assisted by two very different companions. Pathros is a Syrian “Turcopole”, a native to the Middle East who is an eastern Christian and works for the Templars as a brilliant archer and learned physician. He is rejected by other Syrians as a collaborator with the enemy and yet not wholly accepted by the western “Frankish” crusaders who see him as a foreigner. Pathros is trapped between opposing worlds.
William’s other companion is Nicholas, a snotty-nosed Saxon boy who is rescued from being branded as a thief. His ability to root out treasure – and steal it – is invaluable to William. It is Nicholas who will scamper over the roofs of Al-Usbunna and find the True Cross, while almost getting himself murdered.
The world has been waiting for Quest for the True Cross – a book you won’t be able to put down. Through William’s eyes, you will experience the medieval world at close range. Join him in battle. See him fight off vicious family intrigue. Witness the horrors of war and plague. Learn about life eight hundred years ago.
Reblogged this on hermetic order for humans and commented:
I haven’t read Tony’s book yet — I don’t have a portable book reader — but I’ve been reading his blog. He’s done an incredible amount of research, similar to James Michener in that sense. Hermetic opine is that many of the Templars were indeed Hermetic adepts, so interesting from that perspective as well.