Crusader is the third and final book in Staten’s Honour Bound trilogy, following on from Blood Debt and Oath Breaker, both of which were released in 2024 and both of which I reviewed for Aspects of History if you wish to go back to catch up on them.
Having read the first two books, I was looking forward to the final instalment with some anticipation as I was eager to find out what had become of Cadman, the veteran of the Battle of Hastings and now member of the Emperor’s elite Varangian Guard in Byzantium.
Crusader picks up Cadman’s story almost thirty years after the end of the previous book. In that time, the Englishman has served Emperor Alexios loyally and with great courage. As a result of which, he has risen through the ranks to the exalted position of general of the armies and leader of the Varangian Guard. Cadman’s son, Leofric, has now grown to manhood and fights alongside his father.
The key plot line that drives this story – and the clue is in the title – is the First Crusade. Having appealed to Pope Urban II for help to restore the Empire’s grip over the Holy Land, Alexios is somewhat taken aback when a massive crusader army turns up on his doorstep, supposedly filled with religious fervour.
Ever paranoid – and perhaps rightly so – Alexios suspects the motives of the western princes, but, at the same time, his fear of conspiracy and assassination renders him unable to leave Constantinople to assume overall command. It is left to his general, Cadman, to tread the fine line between serving the emperor’s interests while keeping the various leaders of the army (with their myriad goals and petty jealousies) onside, as well as succeeding in the mission to capture Jerusalem.
One of the (many) things I liked about this novel was the chance to view the First Crusade from the perspective of the Empire; though Staten himself acknowledges that the subject is so vast and complex that one novel alone cannot do it full justice.
All of the key characters are there (Bishop Adhemar, Bohemond, Raymond of Toulouse, Robert Curthose to name but four), but as supporting characters for the main storylines that revolve around Cadman’s three key relationships: his service to an increasingly erratic emperor; his conflicted desire for his son to earn glory whilst avoiding injury or death; and the emotional turmoil that erupts when he crosses path once again with Mathilda, the object of his desire from the first book.
Just as with the previous books, Staten’s storytelling remains engaging and fluid. The relentless pace leaves you breathless. The nerve-jangling, gory action leaves you panting. And all the while, the author manages to stay disciplined throughout in terms of weaving the various, intersecting plot lines together to bring them to a thrilling and satisfying conclusion.
All in all, an entertaining and rip-roaring trilogy from beginning to end. I am keen to see what Staten has up his sleeve for his next offering.
Adam Staten works for the NHS and is the author of the Honour Bound trilogy, of which the final volume, Crusader, was published in May 2025.
