Prince of Legend
It is 1097 when the First Crusade besieges the powerful city of Antioch. The Crusaders and the motley crowd of pilgrims, preachers and camp-followers are led by such champions of Christianity as Geoffrey of Bouillon, Raymond of Toulouse and the renowned Bohemund of Hauteville, count of Taranto. And there is plenty of trouble too: a redoubtable Turkish army hastening to the rescue of the besieged city, unreliable Byzantine allies not hastening at all, and dissension amongst the leaders. Bohemund has set his heart on keeping Antioch for himself – if and when it falls – but will the other magnates let him? Being Italian, I have a weak spot for the de Hautevilles of Apulia, and was disappointed by this novel. While the time period is very interesting and the characters potentially fascinating, this third instalment in a trilogy reads very much like careless nonfiction with the occasional dialogue thrown in, and would have benefited from some more editing. A wasted opportunity.
