Looking at the fact that the author is James Patterson, don't think that you will be reading a novel in his usual thriller-police style because the genre is historical fiction as we know it. I don't know how it happened that a police writer for years was able to write historical fiction, but it got 3 stars from me.

This book by Patterson might come as a surprise to those who are used to his typical police procedurals. The historical fiction genre takes readers on a different kind of journey, perhaps into a different time period with its own set of challenges and mysteries. While Patterson's expertise in the police genre is well-known, his foray into historical fiction shows his versatility as a writer. The story might have elements that keep readers engaged, despite not being in the familiar police thriller territory. However, the 3-star rating indicates that it may not have completely lived up to some expectations. There could be aspects of the plot, character development, or writing style that didn't quite hit the mark for this particular reader.

This is a re-read, something I didn't realize until I started to add it to my shelf and discovered it was already there.

I don't remember how long it has been since I first read it, but I gave it 4 stars back then. However, this time I have to give it a weak 3.5 stars.

The book started slow for me. Although it was a good read, it just didn't draw me in, really draw me in, until about 3/4 the way through the book. From that point on, I still give it 4 stars, but I have to take into account how slow the biggest part of the book is.

Would I recommend it to someone else? Hmmm. That's a tough one. I suppose I would just tell them what I just told you and let them decide for themselves.

There were several characters who I came to like and more than a few that I enjoyed reading about their demise. I really began to root for Hugh, who seemed to attract trouble like honey draws flies. There were passages where I could feel his despair, times I could rejoice with him, and places where I felt his rage. I had great hope that he and Emilie would find a way to be together. Emilie has a secret or two, and there is a doozy of a secret that is revealed in the end.

Every thousand years or so, a great adventure comes along....Hugh De Luc, a poor innkeeper, returns home from the First Crusade wearied from battle and disillusioned by carnage. After journeying from the Holy Land back to his own small village, he finds his nightmare is just beginning.

In his absence, Hugh's son has been killed and his beloved wife, Sophie, abducted by a ruthless duke in search of a priceless relic dating back to the Crucifixion. Taking on the role of a jester, Hugh infiltrates the court where he believes Sophie is held captive. There he confronts men more evil than he ever imagined and embarks on an epic battle to restore his broken life.

This sentence simply states that it is one of the ugliest books the person has ever read. However, it would be more interesting to expand on this thought.

Perhaps the cover of the book was a garish combination of colors that immediately turned the reader off. Or maybe the font used was difficult to read, making the experience of getting through the text a chore.

The content itself might have been lacking in substance, filled with clichés and unoriginal ideas. It could have been poorly written, with convoluted sentences and a lack of clarity.

Overall, this book failed to capture the reader's attention and left a negative impression. It serves as a reminder that not all books are created equal and that sometimes, even the most promising-looking titles can disappoint.

This story is firmly set in the medieval era,

offering a fascinating glimpse into the history of those bygone days.

It delves into the world of the highborn, including the rulers such as kings and queens, dukes and duchesses.

Primarily, it showcases how the powerful exploited those who lacked education, wealth, and thus power.

It reveals how the Church and the ruling class kept the others in a lower position, constantly struggling.

The tale follows a man from his youth and young manhood throughout a significant portion of his life.

It explores the Crusades and the reasons why people were made to believe they had something to gain by participating in a Holy War.

Additionally, it is a captivating love story.

The authors skillfully depict what lives were like and how people might have felt during that time period.

Their vivid descriptions bring the medieval world to life, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the experiences and emotions of the characters.

Overall, this story provides a rich and engaging account of medieval history and human nature.

This is a book that can be described as simple and enjoyable, yet it doesn't offer much more than that.

The plot, while it has its moments of fun, is presented in a simplistic manner that almost borders on being boring.

The writing style lacks depth and complexity, which makes it feel rather平淡.

In fact, if it weren't for the violent content within the book, it could easily pass as a children's book.

However, despite its flaws, it still manages to provide some entertainment value.

It's the kind of book that you can pick up and read quickly, without having to invest too much thought or effort.

But don't expect it to leave a lasting impression or to be a literary masterpiece.

Overall, it's an average book that has its merits, but also its limitations.

James Patterson and Andrew Gross are not typically known for writing historical fiction. However, after reading this particular book, it becomes abundantly clear that they should definitely consider penning more in this genre.

This novel is set in the medieval era of the crusades, specifically in France. The story is rich with strong and well-developed characters that truly come to life on the pages. The authors have done an excellent job of incorporating historical details, which add a layer of authenticity and depth to the narrative.

One of the most engaging aspects of the book is the classic theme of good winning over evil. It keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, rooting for the protagonists and eagerly turning the pages to see how the story will unfold.

Moreover, this is a quick read, mainly because it is so captivating that it's nearly impossible to put down. Once you start, you'll find yourself completely immersed in the world that Patterson and Gross have created, and before you know it, you'll have reached the end, craving more of their historical fiction masterpieces.

So this is what occurs at times to a renowned and rather esteemed author. He is now able to propose a storyline, perhaps delineate the plot and sketch out the characters, and then leave it to some other writer (?) to fill in the blanks.

This book was highly recommended by a friend and colleague whom I hold in high regard. However, I suspect she might have been enticed by the setting of France during the Crusades, especially as it is so close to Easter at present. Or something along those lines.

The novel has numerous flaws that I can't even enumerate them all. The narrative perspective is haphazard: it commences in the first person and then periodically shifts (without notice) to the third person objective, sometimes limited omniscient. I had the impression that the writer was simply too indolent to determine how to convey to the reader what was transpiring through the original narrator, so he abandoned him and switched to a different perspective. Additionally, while I wouldn't anticipate the language to be written in Old or Middle English, the anachronistic slang was distracting and absurd. What man during the Crusades would say, "We're in deep shit!"? This carelessness extended to the editing as well. It seems as if the editor also dozed off due to the predictability of the story: right in the middle are several chapters rife with typos. The novel's prologue, set in contemporary times, implies that the framing device will enhance the reading experience - but there is no epilogue! And did I mention predictable? It is so evident that the "Jester's" love is a king's daughter that I thought the protagonist was rather obtuse for not figuring it out on his own.

And yet....I read it to the end. I am one of those individuals who find it challenging to cease reading a book once I begin, regardless of how exasperating the experience may be.

This was the very first James Patterson book that I have ever read, and I have to be honest and say that I was not overly impressed.

It was co-authored by Andrew Gross, so I can't really say for sure whose writing style my review pertains to.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the enticing story of a man who disguises himself as a jester to infiltrate a Duke's castle in order to save his wife. However, that part of the story was very short-lived. In fact, the story was only about 10% about the jester infiltrating the castle and a whopping 90% about gathering the common low-borns to fight for their freedom.

At first, the book managed to hook me. I walked beside Hugh as he journeyed to and from the crusade and cheered him on when he went forth to avenge his wife. That's the reason why this book gets 2 stars. But I cannot award the other 3 stars for several reasons.

The bulk of the story was written in what I would call a "hands-off" manner. It was as if the author made the reader hover over the characters rather than walk beside them. For me to truly like a book, I need to be able to walk beside the characters. I did feel this way in the beginning, but that sensation stopped after about 20 pages. The authors were telling me what I should be seeing and feeling, instead of allowing me to discover those things for myself.

There were also some logistical issues. For example, the text would say "he laid on the floor" and then a paragraph later, it would have him laying on the floor again without mentioning that he had stood up in the first place. I understand that something like this could potentially be due to my sometimes fast reading speed, but when it happens more than 3 times, I realize that it's not just me.

The prologue was absolutely useless and even served to further confuse me. On the first read, I thought it had said that a holy relic had been found buried with a jester, but by the end of the book, we see that it was buried with a Duke. I had to go back and re-read the prologue to sort out the confusion. I would recommend that you skip the prologue because you can read the entire book without it and not miss a thing. I only dislike prologues when they serve no purpose other than to increase the word count, which is exactly how this one felt to me.

There were also scenes that we would enter, and where I would expect them to last for several pages, they would only last for a few paragraphs. Some things of such magnitude should be given more time to develop in order to further convince the reader that they were worth being there in the first place. But too many scenes were simply touched on and then we jumped to something else. This book felt as if it should have been a solid 2, but instead was stretched to fill just 1.

I honestly got the impression that James Patterson knew he was already famous and didn't really care what he wrote, and that his co-author could write however he wanted because he was riding on the coattails of James Patterson. I've read other co-authored books and they are usually done brilliantly, but I did not like this particular co-authored book. When I stop reading in the middle of a life-or-death battle scene to eat something and don't come back to it for 3 hours, it's no longer my fault, it's the book's.

AUTHOR: JAMES PATTERSON & ANDREW GROSS

CHARACTERS: HUGH DELUC, EMILIE, SOPHIE, BALDWIN, STEPHEN, ANNE, NOBART, and others.

PLACES: VEILLE DU PIERE, CITY OF TOURS, BLOIS ((IN FRANCE))

YEAR: 1096..((AT THE TIME, WHEN WAR OF CRUSADE WAS ONGOING AGAINST THE TURKS, AT THE HOLY LAND))

PLOT:

The villages near the cities of Tours and Blois, ruled by the cruel dukes Baldwin and Stephen, are plunged into terrifying darkness at night. Like devils, dark riders emerge, wearing only black crosses on their chests. Despite being knights, honour and chivalry are absent from their code.

These dark knights are in search of a holy relic, more precious than any kingdom, and no one can stop them.

Hugh Deluc, returning home disillusioned from the Crusades, discovers his village ransacked, his inn burned to ashes, his wife Sophie abducted, and his newborn son Phillipe thrown into the flames by these very same black cross riders.

Who are they? What do they want?

To his astonishment and agony, another knight, Adhemar, also returning from the Holy Land, meets the same fate. He and his wife Edessa are crucified in the backyard of their house, which is then torched to ashes by the black cross riders.

Hugh, on his return from the Holy Land, brings home some possessions from Antioch, a place occupied by the Turks just before Jerusalem. These possessions include a golden crucifix and a long wooden staff taken from the hands of a dying priest.

Hugh firmly believes that his wife Sophie was abducted by Lord Baldwin and his military chief Norcross as a threat for not paying their dues. To trace his wife and take revenge on Lord Baldwin and his military chief, Hugh knows he must do something different. He can't take over the Duke's castle single-handed without any weapons or manpower.

Helped by Emilie, a soft-natured lady well trained by Nobart, a well-known clown, both from the castle of Blois, Hugh infiltrates the castle of Tours by posing as a professional jester, where he believes his wife is being held..!!!

Don't read this.

You'll get a headache.

At first, it will seem actually amusing. This is because you won't be certain if the writer(s) are serious with their catastrophic depiction of Medieval France, the Crusade wars, and the unavoidably horrible sex scenes.

However, as you delve deeper and deeper into this atrocity of a novel, you will only find yourself regretting the money (and time) you wasted.

It's truly a disappointment. The story fails to engage or captivate, and instead leaves you with a sense of dissatisfaction.

The characters are one-dimensional and lack any real depth or development.

The plot is convoluted and makes little sense, jumping from one event to another without any clear direction or purpose.

In conclusion, this novel is not worth your time or money. Save yourself the headache and choose something else to read.

An innkeeper named Hugh, lured by the promise of riches and adventure, embarks on the First Crusade. However, he soon becomes disillusioned with the idea of glory and the hope of escaping serfdom.

When he finally makes his way back to his wife, Sophie, he discovers a horrifying truth - his son has been brutally murdered and his wife has been kidnapped by the duke.

Using his comedic skills and other talents, Hugh becomes a jester in the court where he believes Sophie is being held. His plan is to seek revenge and rescue his wife, but he soon finds himself embroiled in a murder mystery and a plot to find a priceless relic dating back to the crucifixion of Christ.

I've always been a devoted fan of James Patterson, but this book failed to fully capture my interest. The plot development felt rather shallow, perhaps in comparison to the deeply involved plot and character development of the Hyperion Cantos space opera.

Moreover, the romance in the book didn't sit well with me. As Hugh searches for his captured wife, he quickly develops romantic feelings for another woman. This rapid progression of emotions seemed unrealistic and detracted from his character's motivation to seek revenge and rescue his wife.

Despite these flaws, there were still some elements of the story that I enjoyed. The ending, in particular, was satisfying. However, overall, this book was a disappointment, especially considering my high expectations.

I'm not sure if I would recommend this book or not. It might appeal to some readers, but for me, it just didn't live up to Patterson's usual standards.

Really a 3.5

This score of 3.5 might seem rather average at first glance. However, upon closer inspection, it holds a certain significance. It could indicate a performance that is neither outstanding nor completely lacking. Perhaps it reflects a state of mediocrity where one has achieved a moderate level of accomplishment. But it's important to remember that a 3.5 is not the end of the road. It can serve as a starting point for improvement and growth. With determination and effort, one can strive to raise this score and reach greater heights. Whether it's in academics, work, or personal endeavors, a 3.5 can be a motivator to push oneself further and achieve more. So, don't be disheartened by a 3.5. Instead, see it as an opportunity to show what you're truly capable of.