The Crusader

Written by Michael Alexander Eisner

336 pages

Published by Anchor

Review by Vanitha Sankaran

Receives:

The Crusader, Michael A. Eisner's haunting first novel, brings to life the horrors and triumphs of one man's struggle to find tranquility amidst the barbarities of the Crusades. The novel's reluctant hero is Francisco de Montcada, a nobleman's second son who becomes the heir when his older brother tragically dies en route to fight in the Crusades. In an effort to redeem his dead brother's soul, Francisco volunteers to take his brother's place in the war. The novel is structured as a flashback told by Francisco, who has returned from the Crusades a broken, embittered man. It is in the exorcism of Francisco's demons, and his concomitant confession to his monk-friend, Lucas, that the reader learns what actually happened to Francisco while he was away.

Faith, courage, and treachery make up the thematic backbone of this tale. Although the subject of the Crusades is well-explored, The Crusader treads new ground in looking at the irrational, and seemingly never-ending, battle between the Christians and the Moors not from a global viewpoint, but through the eyes of one man struggling to gain honor for his family while staying alive. Love is what propels Francisco to persevere through his nightmarish experiences—love for his dead brother, love for the cousin, Andre, who accompanied him to war, and love for the young woman who waits for his return. And yet, how this love flounders in the face of deceit, betrayal and desperation, is what gives the novel its drive. Will love, and with it faith and courage, survive treachery from all sides? This question keeps the reader's nose fixed in the book.

Eisner populates his novel with complex characters that look at faith, love and courage from different angles. Each character, minor and major, has his or her own personal conflicts that illuminate the novel's main themes. Whether it is how Francisco's parents' differ (and yet do not) in their inability to accept their son's death, cousin Andre's passion for war and glory, or even Brother Lucas' personal ambitions in healing a broken Francisco, the individual conflicts all lead to a deeper understanding of how and why the human element endures in the face of adversity.

Eisner's true authorial strength, however, lies in his ability to recreate a world that no longer exists. His physical details of monastic life, warrior life, setting and customs all work to create a wonderfully realistic setting. It is not hard to imagine that Eisner himself had firsthand experiences in the Church and in battle in order to create the reality that permeates his scenes. This book is meticulously researched and vividly rendered to give the reader a tangible scene to visualize as the characters battle for their souls.

This is a fantastic read, especially for those readers who enjoyed Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose and Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire. ______________________________________________________________

Vanitha Sankaran is a freelance medical writer and an editor for the online literary journal flashquake. She has just completed her first novel, entitled Watermark, about papermaking in medieval France.