Official Review: Defender of Jerusalem

katiesquilts · Post by **katiesquilts** » 24 Sep 2016, 19:39

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Defender of Jerusalem" by Helena P. Schrader.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Defender of Jerusalem is the second book in a biological trilogy about Balian d'Ibelin. It follows Balian as he has recently become a baron and married the Dowager Queen of Jerusalem, but is facing conflict from Salah ad-Din, a Kurdish leader looking to take over Jerusalem. Based on facts and threaded through with fiction to make the story easier to understand, Defender of Jerusalem is enjoyable even as a stand-alone novel. The author, Helena Schrader, brilliantly included genealogical charts, various maps of Jerusalem, and most importantly, a list of characters and their relations to each other. A brief explanation of the first novel and general background of the time period is given before the start of the novel.

Those of you who paid attention in World History may be familiar with the bloody conflicts over Jerusalem that occurred in the 12th Century. In my case, however, groups such as the Templar Knights and Hospitallers were only vaguely familiar. The never-ending cast of characters was particularly difficult when it came to remembering who was married to whom, who was related by blood, and who held what land, etc. I’ll admit that it took me the first 100 pages or so before I could stop flipping back to the genealogical charts at the beginning of the novel.

That being said, it was so easy for me to fall in love with the story these characters were telling. Every character, from the servants to the kings and barons, was well-rounded and perfectly portrayed. It was interesting to see what each character worried about, as well as how they interacted with others in their sphere of influence. Many times I forgot that the characters in this novel were based on real people in history. Schrader has a real knack for storytelling, and I can see why her novels have won so many awards.

If I had to knit-pick anything at all, it would be the monotony of the discussions. I know that it can’t be helped if multiple sieges and battles require the same dialogue and sequence of actions, but I once lost my page and had to guess where I had been and move on from there. I found a discussion between two characters that I had been reading about before I left off, but as I continued to read I had no idea what was going on. I realized that I was about 100 pages off from where I had actually stopped reading, but was completely fooled because of the similar situations.

Defender of Jerusalem is a whopping 600+ pages of Middle Eastern history that not only chronicles the international conflicts of a holy war, but also the personal lives of those who fought in it. Schrader’s beautiful writing style and strong characters have earned this book an amazing 4 out of 4 stars from me. It was a challenge for me at first, not having any knowledge of that area and time period at all, but history aficionados – especially those with an interest in the Middle East and/or the Middle Ages – should definitely get their hands on this book.

Don’t forget that this book is also part of a trilogy! Without the other two books, you won’t get Balian’s full story.

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Defender of Jerusalem
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kimmyschemy06 · Post by **kimmyschemy06** » 03 Oct 2016, 03:56

Sounds like a great book. Its being a stand alone is brilliant considering the length. It means that the reader feels satisfied at the end of the book and doesn't feel compelled to hunt for the other books in the series

Great job on the review. Congratulations to Helena P. Schrader on such an obviously well written book.

Lauren M · Post by **Lauren M** » 03 Oct 2016, 08:40

Great review! While I am not a big fan of historical war fiction, you made this book shine in your review. Good job!

lane_vespertine · Post by **lane_vespertine** » 05 Oct 2016, 03:42

Very good review!
The crusades and all the craziness associated has always fascinated me.
Did the author indicate how much was based on actual research? Rather, could you tell what was fiction and what wasn't?
Thanks again!

katiesquilts · Post by **katiesquilts** » 09 Oct 2016, 03:28

Thank you for the kind replies!

-- 09 Oct 2016, 03:33 --

lane_vespertine wrote: Did the author indicate how much was based on actual research? Rather, could you tell what was fiction and what wasn't?
Thanks again!

Definitely! Before the book started and after it ended there were notes about the research the author did and what was left out/added/changed to fit the new storyline. Mrs. Schrader definitely did her homework!

In fact, I don't think there were any outrageous changes at all. She did a great job of describing the time period and various ethnic groups and their struggles without skewing the viewpoint in favor of one side or another.

gali · Post by **gali** » 02 Feb 2017, 07:19

Sounds like an intriguing read for fans of the genre. I liked books that mix facts and fiction. Too bad about the monotony of the discussions. Good job on the review!

James Craft · Post by **James Craft** » 02 Feb 2017, 09:16

Great review and I really want to check this book out now! You make it sound excellent and I'm interested in Balian. Will probably have to start with the first book.

bluegreenmarina · Post by **bluegreenmarina** » 02 Feb 2017, 09:49

Wow this sounds like a really interesting way to learn about a portion of history of which my knowledge is pretty sparse! It sounds like the author put a lot of research and effort into this work, and that it paid off.

The Researcher · Post by **The Researcher** » 02 Feb 2017, 10:07

Thanks for the nice and detailed review of the book. your review is a complicated and confusing book much simpler. Yes i also found the characters and their relations very confusing when i read the book. I am not a big fan of such kind of biographies. I also find it taxing to refer to refer to the genealogical chart time and again. Your review helped me to determine that i am going to skip this one as i get less enjoyment from such kind of plots and stories. I also felt the plot surrounded with a cloud of doom as it started with " Jerusalem is dying."

Leese · Post by **Leese** » 02 Feb 2017, 10:25

Sounds like a great read for those who are into their world history! Not sure that it would really be my cup of tea but from your review, it sounds like the author really knows their stuff and is able to bring the story to life through well-developed characters.

mindyg123 · Post by **mindyg123** » 02 Feb 2017, 10:29

Great review. Congratulations to the author for making BOTD. Being a fan of historical fiction and the Knights Templar and the history and conflicts of Jerusalem I will definitely be reading this.

Wasif Ahmed · Post by **Wasif Ahmed** » 02 Feb 2017, 10:31

Doesn't really seem like my cup of tea as I prefer reading books set in the present time. Great review though.

Congratulations to the author for getting such a great review. ?

jamesabr · Post by **jamesabr** » 02 Feb 2017, 10:36

This book sounds fascinating. I just recently sampled ten pages from it and found that the author weaves the tale just as well as you said she does! The pages that listed the cast of characters and different kingdoms are very nicely organized.

So far the story starts like it is a stand alone novel, with pertinent imagery and dialogue.

Thanks for your review. I'm going to enjoy this book!

shivpratap · Post by **shivpratap** » 02 Feb 2017, 10:40

Very good review!
The crusades and all the craziness associated has always fascinated me.

Did the author indicate how much was based on actual research? Rather, could you tell what was fiction and what wasn't?
Thanks again!

Book Devotee · Post by **Book Devotee** » 02 Feb 2017, 11:07

Having read the sample for this book I found it to be a surprisingly full bodied tale that does not stint on the facts. I agree that this Is a great book for the history buffs, as this is full of facts from history. Never having read the first one I am still able to follow along and get into the characters without to much issue. My one complaint about what I read was the amount of detail could sometimes overwhelm. I understand wanting to be accurate, and that the time period had a lot going on; however I was still some what overwhelmed by it. Really enjoyed this sample though and agree with the rating 4/4.