The Kings of Vain Intent — Graham Shelby

England is divided in this thrilling historical adventure of the Crusader Knights

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.

‘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