An escaped Templar, an intrepid, old crusader, and a discarded bride embark on a quest for justice in the face of tyranny.
An English Templar travelling to Cyprus is one of thousands arrested on Friday 13 October 1307. Victims of Philip IV's greed for the Order's legendary riches, they are cruelly tortured. The English knight becomes the first non-French Templar to confess to the trumped-up charges. Then he disappears. Soon, other imprisoned Templars also go missing from the French King's dungeons. Rumours begin to circulate of a band of free Templars. Based on historical events, not fantasy, The Tale of the English Templar tells the story of the struggle between good and evil in human hearts - and of the power of love even in our darkest hour.
Put the kettle on, lock the door, light some candles, and settle down and lose yourself in this brilliant story about the Knight Templars.
Now, I must admit that the most I know about the Templars is what I have learned from Indiana Jones, but I saw this book and I thought it sounded brilliant, so I decided to give it a try. And oh my goodness, how glad was I that I read this book.
Set in France during the round-up of the Templars, this novel explores what it was like during this era. Through the eyes of Sir Percy, I got to experience (not literally) the fear, the torture, and the terrifying sense that God had abandoned them. Sir Percy is an exceptionally compelling hero, who, once free from the cruelty of his tormenters, does everything to save his fellow knights, many times risking his life to do so. I adored Sir Percy, he is a man filled with honour, and yet he comes across as very human in the telling.
The heroine of this story is Felice. She grows up to be a woman who knows her own mind and knows right from wrong. Her parents are pretty terrible, and she goes through some horrendous ordeals because of them, but her grandfather's love sees her through some of the very difficult times in her life. Her relationship with Sir Percy is also very realistic in the telling.
Umberto is a character that burns hot and cold in my opinion. At times he is a man who witnesses the torture of innocent men, but he becomes so institutionalised, if that is the right word, that he also commits atrocities.
There are many other characters in this novel, but to really appreciate this book you have to read it.
I grabbed my copy of this book over on Amazon.
Helena P. Schrader
Award-Winning and Best-Selling Historical Novelist.
Author of 26 Historical Fiction and Non-Fiction Titles, Winner of numerous literary accolades
“Helena Schrader’s in-depth stories, fantastic characters, and ability to write an unforgettable tale make her one of the best authors out there!” Feathered Quill
For readers tired of clichés and cartoons, award-winning novelist Helena P. Schrader offers nuanced insight into historical events and figures based on sound research and an understanding of human nature. Her complex and engaging characters bring history back to life as a means to better understand ourselves. Her motto is: Understanding ourselves by Understandig the Past. Helena’s chief areas of expertise are Aviation, the Second World War, Ancient Sparta, and the Crusader States.
Helena's current project is the three-part "The Bridge to Tomorrow Series," which shows how the West stopped Russian aggression without war during the Berlin Crisis of 1948/1949. The series goes beyond the political chess game and logistical achievements of the Berlin Airlift to explore the social and psychological impact of this pivotal historical event. The characters -- women and men, British, American, German and Ukrainian -- enable the reader to see the unfolding events through different perspectives. As the reader gets drawn into their lives, the historical tensions rise, and the trilogy accelerates the pace to that of a thriller. "The Bridge to Tomorrow Series" is about winning a war with milk, coal and candy bars.
The first book in the series, "Cold Peace," won six literary accolades including GOLD for Military Fiction in the Historical Fiction Company's 2023 Book Awards, Gold in the 2024 Feathered Quill Awards, runner-up for the Historical Fiction Company's prestigious BOOK OF THE YEAR award in 2023, an Indie BRAG medallion and a Maincrest Media Award. For an overview of all Helena's awards please visit her website.
Helena holds a PhD in history from the University of Hamburg, which she earned with a ground-breaking biography of a leader of the German Resistance to Hitler, and served as an American diplomat in Europe and Africa. She grew up sailing the Maine coast, was a passionate horsewoman, and is now retired and living with her husband and two dogs.
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