The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen's Champion (William Marshal) - Softcover

Chadwick, Elizabeth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1402225180 ISBN 13: 9781402225185

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark, 2009

Synopsis

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller!

Royal protector. Loyal servant. Forgotten hero.

A penniless young knight with few prospects, William Marshal is plucked from obscurity when he saves the life of Henry II's formidable queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. In gratitude, she appoints him tutor to the heir to the throne, the volatile and fickle Prince Henry. But being a royal favorite brings its share of danger and jealousy as well as fame and reward.

A writer of uncommon historical integrity and accuracy, Elizabeth Chadwick resurrects the true story of one of England's greatest forgotten heroes in a captivating blend of fact and fiction. The Greatest Knight restores William Marshal to his rightful place at the pinnacle of the Middle Ages, reflecting through him the triumphs, scandals, and power struggles that haven't changed in eight hundred years.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ELIZABETH CHADWICK AND THE GREATEST KNIGHT:

The Greatness of William Marshal: The descendants of the Greatest Knight himself include George Washington and Winston Churchill, as well as the Stuart kings of England and Scotland. He was partly responsible for the Magna Carta. He vowed his body to the Templars and is buried in Temple Church in London.

The Appeal of the Time Period: There are very few novels about Marshal, and no one has covered him as in depth as Elizabeth Chadwick has. In addition, unlike the Tudor era, there are not extensive amounts of historical fiction set in the 13th century.

The Integrity of the Research: Elizabeth Chadwick's research is impeccable. She not only visited many locations, but she re-enacted with a living history society where a quarter of the membership are either historians or archaeologists, and she collected and used replica artifacts from the period and engaged in experimental archaeology. She has taken courses in various medieval studies to facilitate her knowledge.

The Breadth of the Audience: Readers who are fans of Sharon Kay Penman, Anya Seton, Diana Gabaldon, Phillipa Gregory, and Jean Plaidy will like Elizabeth Chadwick. She appeals to readers who are looking for historical accuracy and strong, believable characters, readers who want to feel that they are being immersed in the period with well-rounded characters.

PRAISE FOR ELIZABETH CHADWICK:

Chadwick's novel immerses readers in Marshal's life and times, which should prove intriguing to any fan of historical fiction. The royals, and especially Eleanor, are particularly fascinating characters whom Chadwick employs to great effect. ―Publishers Weekly

"The best writer of medieval fiction currently around." ― Richard Lee, founder of the Historical Novel Society

"The reader is well aware on every page that this is life as it was lived eight hundred years ago, yet the characters are a fresh and natural as if they were living in the present time..." ―The Historical Novels Review

"There's no better writer of medieval fiction than the marvelous Elizabeth Chadwick." ―Lancashire Evening Post

"Elizabeth Chadwick is a gifted novelist and a dedicated researcher; it doesn't get any better than that."― Sharon Kay Penman, bestselling author of Devil's Brood

About this title

About the Author:

Elizabeth Chadwick lives near Nottingham with her husband and two sons. She is the author of 17 historical novels, including Lords of the White Castle, Shadows and Strongholds, A Place Beyond Courage, The Scarlet Lion, The Winter Mantle, and The Falcons of Montebard, four of which have been shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Awards.

Review:

The Greatest Knight is a must-read for any lover of history and/or the medieval period. Ms. Chadwick's account drags you right in and sets you down on the dusty, dirt roads alongside her hero and his entourage.

THE GREATEST KNIGHT was amazing... This book seemed to have a little bit of everything -- suspense, deceit, love, wars, scandals.

I want to hand it to Elizabeth Chadwick... I found The Greatest Knight a rewarding read

This is an impeccably written historical fiction novel. The amount of research Chadwick must have put into it is incredible.

[V]ivid and interesting...

The author clearly knows her subject matter and stayed true to it. Her skilled use of historical detail helped bring the world alive in my imagination without slowing the pace.

The Greatest Knight is absolutely packed with the senses. Chadwick also is skilled at writing just the perfect amount of description and interspersing it with dialogue

What makes The Greatest Knight exceptional is the consistently pitch-perfect way in which its medieval characters think, feel and behave.

I really enjoyed reading the story of a man who tends to be a secondary character but absolutely deserves to have his story told... Everyone who has raved about Elizabeth Chadwick as an author of historical novels is right.

The Greatest Knight provides the kind of "real life" storytelling of times past for which all historical novels should strive.

About this edition

• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1402225180
• ISBN 13: 9781402225185
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 560