My cousin Sherilyn recommended these books to me, parts two and three of a trilogy, and since the first book,
Blood Red Horse, didn't disappoint, I was excited to read these two. The entire de Granville trilogy follows the eponymous Norman French family during the reign of Richard the Lionhearted as he gears up to take part in the Third Crusade. Sir Thomas de Granville, a widower, has two sons called Gavin and Will, as well as a ward named Eleanor or Ellie, whom both the boys have a soft spot for. As Will begins his knighthood training, he is given a great horse--albeit one that isn't quite so "great" in terms of size--a blood red horse with an uncanny ability to empathize with human feelings and to inspire those same humans all around him, whom Will names Hosanna. As the de Granville men travel with Richard to the Holy Land, Hosanna becomes a rallying point for many of the English troops, and when he is captured by Kamil, Saladin's young orphaned protege and vowed Christian killer, he does the same for the Muslim soldiers he encounters, even tempering Kamil's bloodthirsty impulses at various times. However, as the events of the Third Crusade unfold and the terrible aftermath for those abroad with Richard and those at home is realized, Hosanna's ability to help his humans through their tragedy is thoroughly tested.
These books were definitely a joy to read--well researched, immersive, and fun. Grant's style is certainly approachable and also certainly written for teens, given that these are YA novels. Those who have no interest in war or horses may find these tough to get into, but even those with only lukewarm interest in those fields should find these books a worthwhile read.
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