Michael Alexander Eisner

Interesting classical novel on one Catalan knight who takes the Cross to redeem his brother’s soul at the end of the 13th century (the infamous 8th crusade), but ends up with PTSS on his return from the Holy land. Completely written in the first person, with two narrators, Francisco, the crusader, and the monk, brother Lucas, who is supposed to exorcise the devil (PTSS) from his soul at the Cistercian Monastery of Saint Creus, close to Barcelona. There is a balanced change between flash-forward and flash-back. It starts in the present with Francisco being transferred out of the hands of typical Inquisitor from one monastery to another in the hands of brother Lucas, who takes on Francisco has his first case of exorcism, at the behest of another successful crusader knight turned brother. In fact Francisco and his nephew Andres were once brothers at Saint Creus Monastery. After three years Francisco more or less had to leave the Monastery since he had murdered a sexually corrupt abbot. Brother Lucas was a silent witness of this act. Francisco spends one year at the estate of Andres and his sister Isabel (with whom he falls in love, without finding the opportunity to declare his feelings). But then duty calls – Francisco’s brother once enlisted to take the cross, but his whole crew of crusaders drowned collectively in sight of the harbour upon their departure. This event has broken both his mother (who spends her time praying) and his father (who absents himself on jousting tournaments in France). So when the bastard son of King Jaime, a certain Fernando, is sent out on the 8th crusade, Francisco and Andres join in, despite Isabel’s protests. As Knights of the Order of Calatrava Francisco and Andres perform heroic acts at the siege of Toron to witness, first hand, the atrocities perpetrated on the infidels after the battle. When they complain afterwards about the mass killings of innocent men women and children, Fernando is not amused. During the subsequent Siege of the Krak des Chevaliers, Ramon the leader of the Knights of Calatrava is betrayed by Fernando, and after the truce, Francisco and Andres end up being taken hostage by the infidels, spending the next two years in a dungeon in present day Aleppo, Syria. The story of the dungeons is quite grim, providing an underground world of Germans, French, Templars, Venetian traders etc. At some stage Andres loses the plot and kills one of the guards. In retaliation every other prisoner gets beheaded. When it seems Francisco’s turn, Andres sacrifices his life instead. One of the Venetian traders takes pity on Francisco and manages to negotiate for his ransom and release, as well as return to Catalonia. When Francisco has related half this story, Isabel arrives – she wants to know how he is. She sits in on the story of the Krak des Chevaliers and subsequent death of Andres, her brother, at Aleppo. It seems that Isabel is broken, just like Francisco and all is doomed. But then Fernando and his right hand deputy arrive. They have come to kill Francisco to prevent him from relating the nasty side of the 8th Crusade. Francisco takes out the deputy first and then gets seriously wounded in a one-on-one fight with Fernando, while the latter with help of brother Lucas gets killed. This could cost both Lucas and Francisco their lives if not for the rich dad of Francisco, Montcada, who had promised one third of his estate to the church in return for his son being declared healthy and fit. This dad also proves to be the key supplier of knights for the Kind’s army. Hence the story of the murder Fernando gets tweaked and twisted, but both brother Lucas and Francisco get exiled to Isabel’s estate in Girona. That’s where young Andres, the bequeathed Montcada heir gets born with both Francisco and Isabel dying in quick succession after his birth. Andres is raised by brother Lucas.
The story displays the duplicity of the Church and the crusaders, through the ambitions of Lucas (who was promised a Bishopry in reward for his efforts to recover Francisco) and the harsh and immoral behaviour of Fernando. The author has been involved in the Middle-East as a justice lawyer and peace negotiator. It is his only novel. The point is clear. The message sad but humane.… (meer)

A somber book and its bleakness not easily forgotten, this novel was a story of the 8th Crusade. Young Spanish nobleman Francisco de Montcada has been sent to a monastery for exorcism of demons -- we might call his condition PTSD today. He had been broken in spirit by his horrendous experiences as a knight of the Order of Calatrava in the Holy Land. He finally narrates his story to a monk, Brother Lucas. He decides to take the cross in reparation for his brother, who, on the way to the Crusades himself, was drowned; Francisco really doesn't have the personality of a soldier but goes anyway. He and his cousin, Andres, fight together in the Levant. There are exciting battles, one won by the Crusaders then the fall of Krak des Chevaliers and capture by the Muslims. But the thrust of the story is of Francesco's fragile hold to life through the ugliness of war and his time of imprisonment in an obliette. Brother Lucas has gotten him to talk through his experiences and feelings. A thoughtful anti-war novel; one can almost parallel it to today's events; the author was involved in Near East Peace negotiations in our time. The history was somewhat manipulated to create a good story with many anachronisms, but the author made his point. I do wish he had included an Author's note.… (meer)

This powerful and moving tale tells the story of Francisco, who, during the Eighth Crusades, takes up the cross and joins the fight against the Muslims along with his cousin, Andres. Francisco returns to Spain from the battlefields of Syria a changed, seemingly hollow, man. He is thought to be possessed by demons and is entrusted to an old friend, Brother Lucas, who will be responsible for his exorcism. During the process of the exorcism, Brother Lucas draws out of Francisco a horrifying tale of murder, torture, and betrayal - all committed in the name of God.
This story truly has something for everyone - there's love and romance, action and adventure, mystery and suspense, and murder and betrayal. It's great!… (meer)