The Red King

Name: The Red King
Rating: 4.4 (1591 reviews)

by Robert Broomall Book 2 in the Roger of Huntley series.

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4.4(1,591)

After the fall of Acre, Roger and the Death’s Heads join Richard I’s army as it moves south through the Holy Land. Richard’s victory at Arsuf does not resolve the deeper strategic problem of Jerusalem, and tensions with Saladin and Conrad of Montferrat complicate the crusader cause. The novel follows Roger through military service, divided leadership and the personal attempt to rescue Ailith from captivity.

Arsuf gives Richard a battlefield victory but not the strategic certainty required to take Jerusalem. Roger experiences the resulting frustration at ground level, where crusader factions and rival claims weaken the common cause. His search for Ailith makes the political divisions personal: each alliance or betrayal can determine the fate of one captive as well as the direction of the campaign.