Kings of Vain Intent, The Crusader Knights Cycle

England is divided in this “splendidly enthralling adventure” of Richard the Lionheart and the Crusaders from the author of The Knights of Dark Renown (The Times).

The Crusaders are bitterly divided: Richard the Lionheart and his advisers who were responsible for the catastrophic defeat at the hands of Saladin are trying to pick up the broken remnants of their authority.

But the unscrupulous adventurer, Conrad of Monteferrat holds the ace of trumps in the shape of the all-important castle of Tyre. Both factions are busily vying for the support of the great rulers of the West, Richard of England, Philip Augustus of France and Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who have solemnly vowed to come to the rescue of the Christian Kingdom.

It is a world where the marriages of monarchs are determined by the merciless calculations of military power, in which cold-blooded massacres are ordered by the legendary champions of Chivalry: a world of extremes.

The Kings of Vain Intent, the second thrilling instalment of The Crusader Knights Cycle is perfect for fans of David Gilman and Conn Iggulden.

Praise for The Crusader Knights Cycle

“History with a dramatist’s eye for a fine setting and a novelist’s insight into human minds and motives.” —The Times Literary Supplement

“The chivalry and the cruelty are finely balanced.” —Daily Mirror

“Highly enjoyable. Here we have a wide canvas of characters, almost all based on historical figures . . . The story is exciting as well as psychologically convincing and thought-provoking.” —Financial Times