Review Excerpts
"...a surprisingly addictive narrative.... Schrader is a deft, knowledgeable writer, capable of portraying a complicated historical period through accessible, descriptive prose .... [The book provides] a little something for everyone: royal intrigue, rivalry, bloody battles, love, tragedy, and memorable characters." KIRKUS REVIEWS
"Schrader matches her exhaustive historical research with a thoroughly captivating narrative. Her prose shimmers with elegant confidence and wit. [She] is an author who doesn't just bring history to life but one who reminds us that each passing moment is also history. To understand the events reported on the front pages of today's newspapers, there's no greater teacher than the past. The Last Crusader Kingdom is filled with lessons we'd be foolish to neglect.” – CHANTICLEER REVIEW
"[Schrader] knows exactly how to put on paper a historical book that excites, offers suspense, sparks adventure, and brings together a cast of characters that are literally impossible to forget once the last page has been read... Historical fiction fans, adventure fans - there is something in The Last Crusader Kingdom for everyone. Yet again, Helena Schrader has hit the ball out of the proverbial park with her intelligence and creativity." FEATHERED QUILL
"Helena writes history exactly the way I like it. The research is solid. The depiction of everyday life is realistic. She fills in the gaps in the historical record with plausible, exciting, realistic scenes of what might have happened. ...I love the characters in The Last Crusader Kingdom. ...We see good sides and bad ones.... The plot is tight in this book. The plot is history itself. The themes are history, family, and dynasty. The writing is great, especially action sequences. Helena P. Schrader writes military encounters like a combat veteran. ...Another great book from a great historical writer." Ray Simmons for READERS' FAVORITES
"...in The Last Crusader Kingdom, Schrader, with her distinctive synthesis of accomplished literary polish and meticulous scholarship, has taken [the] sources and run with them to create a captivating tale which at once takes its place among her outstanding works of historical fiction and provides a soundly-constructed platform inviting academic exploration. The Last Crusader Kingdom stands firmly on its own significant merits, as a worthy conclusion to Schrader's Jerusalem trilogy, or if she chooses to continue with the stories of the Lusignan and Ibelin families, as a remarkable beginning of a new series. Five Stars, highly recommended!" REAL CRUSADES HISTORY
"Having reached the 30-page mark of The Last Crusader Kingdom by Helena P. Schrader, I knew I was hooked. With a few deft strokes, the main characters were expertly created and I wanted (no, needed) to know what would happen to them....I was impressed by the manner in which Schrader was able to fill the reader in with the necessary context without it ever seeming obtrusive or exterior to the plot....Beyond the authenticity of the story, Schrader excels in telling an interesting tale, and particularly in presenting relationships of all types. She explores family loyalties, power struggles, and the relationship between the church and the state, as well as capturing something of the ferment of the medieval Mediterranean - a real melting pot of languages, religions and social classes. I loved the way Schrader could portray the motivations and thoughts of a variety of (often antagonistic) characters with fairness and balance...Schrader's style was another strong point. She writes in a straightforward and unpretentious manner and yet manages to create vivid, believable scenes and an exciting plot. ...I highly recommend this book to any fans of historical fiction, as it is an outstanding book of its type. Schrader's knowledgeability, insight into human character, and pleasing narrative style all add up to a really great read. I definitely plan to read further novels by Schrader in the near future!" -- ONLINE BOOK CLUB REVIEW
The Last Crusader Kingdom:
Dawn of a Dynasty in 12th Century Cyprus
An armed insurrection,
a military occupation
and the dawn of a Dynasty....
Winner of a B.R.A.G. Medallion
Finalist, Book Excellence Awards 2018, Historical Fiction
Finalist, Eric Hoffer Book Award 2019, Historical Fiction
John d’Ibelin, son of the legendary Balian, will one day defy the most powerful monarch on earth. But first he must survive his apprenticeship as squire to a man determined to build a kingdom on an island ravaged by rebellion. The Greek insurgents have already driven the Knights Templar from the island, and now stand poised to destroy Richard the Lionheart’s legacy to the Holy Land: a crusader foothold on the island of Cyprus.
Copyright Helena P. Schrader