Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

6/10

A decent historical telling of Richard the Lionheart in his earlier years through the eyes of an Irish prisoner who becomes a loyal servant. It's a period of history that I don't have much knowledge about so it was interesting to pick up a few things along the way in what was a decent read without ever getting into the realms of exciting or unputdownable.

This is written well enough to make it a short read if not a bit pedestrian
at times. It feels like there is a lot of quick coincidence to make people be in the places they need to be as supposed to a natural undertaking making it feel less fluid than it could have. Some of the characters were quite generic and even the lead never truly leapt off the page making you route for him. Even a week after reading it I'm already finding it hard to really recall anyone of note.

That said, the pages did go by quick enough and I didn't mind reading it at the time if not really reflecting on it in a positive light now. I think I would probably pass on the future offerings though but would pick up some of the authors other work in classical times.

Ben Kane is a wonderful author. His previous books set in Rome have been captivating and this new work set in the middle ages is just as good, if not better! This book was clearly well researched and the authentic details of medieval life along with the fast-paced plot make for an excellent read. Can't wait for the next volume!

Refreshing new take on the history and legend of Richard the Lionheart. Beautifully written, with a wonderful mixture of war, politics and adventure. It is the first Ben Kane book i have read, but will certainly not be the last.
Following the story of 20-something Richard through the eyes of an Irish squire named Ferdia and nicknamed Rufus, the story follows Richard through the last year's of the reign of Henry II.
Ben Kane's impressive level of research and keen attention to historical detail mashes this book an engaging read for any history fan. The addition of the great historical character William Marshal as a major player in the story offers the reader an intriguing viewpoint. Depicted as a more earthy, genuine character as you may find in other novels, Marshal nevertheless offers another aspect of the Lionheart story.
Ben Kane's greatest success in Lionheart, however, is his depicting of the warrior-king himself, showing us a Prince who is at once regal, loyal and inscrutable, as well as having a deep sense of justice and purpose.
The story itself moves on at an impressive pace, from the depths of Wales to Aquitaine and galloping through France and Normandy, with various twists and turns along the way. The combination of Richard's story with that of Rufus' own experiences draw the reader into the world of the late 12th century.
A thoroughly enjoyable novel!

After the defeat of his father, Irish noble Ferdia is taken as hostage to the cast el of Striguil in Wales. After initial ill-treatment he is favoured by the Countess Aoife, also Irish. Now known as Rufus, he manages to save the life of Richard, Duke of Aquitaine during a skirmish with the Welsh and his fortunes change. Still pining for his homeland Rufus is honoured to become one of Richard’s squires and he travels to France. However Richard’s father, Henry II, has managed to fall out with two of his sons and war is looming.
Already an accomplished writer of historical fiction Kane has turned from the Romans and is writing a trilogy about Richard the Lionheart. I was pleased to read this as I liked Kane’s writings but am not as passionate about the Romans as I am about the Medieval period. In addition this is an era where most modern novelists are erring to the romantic side. Although Kane is not a medieval expert he has certainly put in the research and, whilst taking a few liberties with dates to help his plot, has put together a satisfying historical novel with a little more grit that usually seen!

A gritty, gripping and fascinating historical fiction that kept me hooked till the end.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last because it's brilliant.
It's well researched and it pictures a vivid and realistic historical background with a cast of great characters and a story well told and plotted.
Mr Kane is an excellent storyteller and I strongly recommend this book.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Ben Kane is solely responsible for why I started reading historical fiction. When given the chance to be part of the blog tour for his new book, there’s no way I was turning it down.

Unlike his previous novels, Lionheart is not set in the Roman era, but just before the time of Richard the Lionheart (hence the title). Despite loving the Robin Hood legends (no, this book has nothing to do with that!), it’s not an era I’ve previously read and I was interested to learn more.

I knew it would be a good read – I’ve never come across a Ben Kane book that disappointed me. I was right: emotive and in-depth characters, a historically engaging plot, a pace that keeps you page-turning and the perfect rise and fall of tension.

Our main character is a young man named Ferdia – nicknamed as Rufus due to his colouring when he becomes a hostage in England after his father’s Irish uprising. Despite swearing to never kneel to the English, Rufus becomes awestruck when meeting a young Duke Richard and fate makes the two men cross paths enough that Rufus eventually becomes Richard’s squire

Ferdia/Rufus is an instantly-likeable main character. We meet him beaten and humiliated but with his pride intact and a refusal to take the easy road when given the chance to name his abuser. It sets him up for the rest of the book: Rufus’ pride may be shelved when it comes to serving the Duke, but he won’t forget past ill-deeds.

It would be easy to make Rufus hostile, but that’s far from the case. He swiftly makes friends and accepts the hero-worship of a young orphan – Rhys – with a good heart, trying to do his best by the boy. He’s warm, likeable and you root for him from the beginning.

There is a scattering of secondary characters; Rhys, the duke, the king and Richard’s scheming brothers (I had no idea John wasn’t his only brother), as well as various knights (including Rufus’ tormentor) and squires. Rhys takes the spot as a favourite – I love how doggedly loyal he is to Rufus despite everything.

The novel spans a number of years and the pacing is fairly gentle, reflecting that long time-span. There are battles scattered throughout but not many big clashes with the enemy as peace talks often interfere. The height of anticipation keeps you gripped though, feeling Rufus’ apprehension and keenness, and wanting him to have the chance to prove himself.

When there are battles, they are written with the finesse often found in Ben Kane’s novels: you’re never confused who is where but your heart is in your mouth in regards to whether a main character will make it out alive or not.

It’s not action-packed from beginning to end and a knife in the back is a bigger danger than a battlefield. But your attention is gripped throughout and you engage and empathise with the characters right from the start.

An intense and powerful read.

Lionheart is the start of a new and epic series of historical adventures set in the time of England's most illustrious monarch, Richard the Lionheart and this is a move from Ben Kane's Roman series (which I thoroughly enjoyed). It is certainly a pleasure to see Ben Kane tackling a new era and this world comes alive very fast when you open the book. You feel like you're IN the Medieval World. On an immersive scale, Ben did his research and the proof of the pudding shows in the work. One minute I'll be in a castle, the next in a barn, or fighting off bandits. Ben does some great historical detail that's rarely shown and you'll figure that out during your read of this novel.

For someone like me, that is familiar with the 100 years war (but not too much!) Ben certainly simplified the conflict between the Kings of England and France - as I assume that there's a lot more history involved behind this. Because the 100 years wars, in a nutshell, was a conflict between two families. The War of the Spanish Succession was a conflict that involved many nations but mostly: England, Spain, and France. It's not so much of a comparison, but I wish to bring the attention of the fact that we're in a time where the Kings command armies, those nobles under their command can bring large swathes of men into the battlefield, etc. There's a lot of detail that you will notice.

The story focuses on a defeated Irish nobleman from Striguil, who is named Rufus, his real name being Ferdia held hostage that is by a stroke of fortune pushed into the service of Richard the Lionheart. He also has to contend with cunning characters that seek to take away his position and the Fitzgeralds....possibly some of the most horrible villains you could ever want to be in. And the best thing is that Rufus escapes his hostage in Wales, and joins the young Richard in his campaign in France,

Whatever goes on is like a cycle. One minute, the English win, the next, the French are on their heels. It feels like the wars will never stop and the mercenaries are the worst offenders of the war. There are fantastic battle descriptions written with stunning prose. Also, Richard does often get saved by Rufus a lot! You grow with Rufus, and the brilliant use of the prologue works to this effect. Overall, my only criticism would be that as you progress through his journey from hostage to being a loyal servant of Richard, the pacing did feel a bit too fast. Because the real action and the real exciting journey in the sequel will be the Crusades by itself. I love that part.

You will laugh, cry, and love the characters and hate some of them at the same time. You will also love the word Amadan.

Overall, a 10/10 from me.

Idolised by the Victorians as the perfect leader, this story about Richard the Lionheart is a change for Ben Kane who is normally a Roman aficionado. A fascinating period in English history and one of my favourites, I looked forward to reading this.

The story opens with an noble Irishman being kidnapped and taken to Wales. It is from his perspective, which puts an original spin on the period by giving insight to Ireland's history at this time. There are plenty of beatings and other poor treatment, setting out who the personal antagonist is. When the Irishman saves the life of the king's son, Richard, he is rewarded by being made a squire. From here we see how adversarial, ambitious and scheming the Plantagenet family was.

Twelfth century England was a smelly place and Kane uses the details of the food, decor and general aura as an atmospheric theme throughout. He also colours the setting with details such as what soap is made from and how clothes are washed, what food is eaten and what it was like to go to the lavatory - or garderobe, as it was called. The historical knowledge is obvious without being intrusive.

The characters are emotive and have to make moral judgements throughout, but it is the political intrigue that pulls the story along. Battles in Aquitaine are brutal and engaging, without too much gore, giving more a sense of exciting action than of horror. The future King Richard is portrayed as an admirable man and brave warrior and handsome to boot: a true hero. Generally well written with only a few repeated cliches ('made my skin crawl', 'thick as thieves' and Kane's personal quirk 'in a heartbeat') this is a very readable tale.

A buoyant, boisterous and vigorous adventure, a story well told promising even more excitement in the sequels. Recommended.

Ben is without a doubt my favourite author, and I have waited for this book for nearly a year! The wait was definitely worth it. It's a step away from Roman historical fiction that Ben normally writes, but it is just aswell written as his other works. Infact it is one of his best in my opinion, I barely knew much about king Richard, but since reading this I just couldnt help but do a bit more research on him, so thank you Ben for speaking my interest enough that I needed to read more about him when I finished your book.
Excellent character depth, faced paced, gritty action and bloody excellent story telling by Ben makes for a fantastic read once again, top Mark's Ben!

In the court of Henry II there is unrest, deceit and treachery as there is a power struggle for supremacy between his sons.
Step forward Duke Richard, the bravest and most noble of them all and a man with the heart of a lion.
We see the story through the eyes of an Irish captive nicknamed Rufus who’s fortunes rises along with Duke Richard’s.
Ben Kane has produced a novel that takes us from Ireland to England to France and the surrounding regions.
This has all the good stuff like bloody battles, political intrigue and deception but unlike other authors, Ben Kane makes you feel like you’re there.
A beautifully written book,. The best I’ve read this year.
The author creates a brilliant atmosphere throughout the book with your emotions on edge at all the time.
A masterpiece written with great aplomb.
I highly recommend this book.

(Review)

I will have to admit that when i heard Ben Kane was writing about Richard the Lionheart i groaned a little, im always going to read a book by him because he is simply an excellent writer, But…. I hate the crusades, or at least i usually find that i do, there is usually just a bit to much pious religion, knights flogging themselves and dodgy priests galore, so i tend to steer clear of them, in the same way i tend to with anything plague related, because they are just dark and grim.

With Lionheart though Ben has taken me back to his writing style of 12 years ago, taking a character from youth and growing the story around them, in this case Rufus (Ferdia), and then he lets the story resolve its-self around this character, its a style i love and always makes me very invested in a character.

The story of Rufus takes us from his time as a hostage to his families good behaviour, through the harsh times and brutality of his captivity, to his steady rise as a squire and beyond. We get to see life in a border castle, through to royal courts of europe and the battles for the provinces of Duke Richards lands and those of France and Normandy. Ben has a style and ability to remove the grandeur that can be distracting to the story and concentrate on the intimate life of his character, the world is how Rufus perceives it and gives a different lens to the times. Mixed in with his view comes that of Sir William Marshall, who allows us to see a different view, that of a Knight in the employ of the Royal Heir Henry, and thus the pair provide opposing views of the machinations of the big stage and its players.

I devoured this book in a couple of days, and at 400 pages its no small read. But the whole concept and the characters had me from the first chapter and didn’t let go, it left me desperate for the next installment of what i think will be Ben Kanes best work to date, this is easily going to sit in the top 5 for the year for me.

Very Very Highly recommend this book

(Parm)

I’m a massive fan of Ben Ken, he quite rightly ranks as one of the best Roman fiction authors around. However, Lionheart, his first foray away from Rome, might just be his best work yet.

It’s a fantastic read. Right from the first page the action kicks off and doesn’t let up right until the end. Rufus, the narrator and main character is fantastic. Through his eyes we get a thrilling ride through Richards years fighting his way across France, up until he takes the cross and is crowned King of England.

The fighting scenes are realistic and brilliant, as good as anything Christian Cameron himself can write.

This is a fantastic book, I can’t wait for number 2.