The Blood Red Horse, The DeGranvilles Trilogy, K.M Grant

 

What first attracted me to the book was its title. My love to animals inclines towards horses, and I was curious to see how an author would write about an animal gracious and fast, yet speechless.

                ‘The Blood Red Horse’ is not so much about horses as the bonds formed between people and animals during rough times; in this case, King Richard’s crusade.

                The story revolves around William DeGranville, a teen, who becomes a knight just before the crusade sets sail. Of course, he does have a blood red horse. He’s called Hossana, and he’s William’s war horse. William is going to fight with his brother and with his father; but which of the three will come back?

Already, there had been quite some action: Hossana has nearly been ridden to death, William’s brother, Gavin, has come back from the Holy Land the crusade is trying to capture slightly crazed, and William has been dumped in a horse trough. Just a small insight on what happens in the story: not just fighting.

                Life at home is also included: Ellie (Gavin’s wife to be) is having troubles; namely a man named Constable de Scabious, who is determined to marry Ellie now that he thinks all the DeGranvilles died in the crusade.

                I could go on but there are many more characters and all their stories intertwine, so it doesn’t really feel like ay character was invented for the sake of being there. It feels more like the story relies on all the characters to hold together.

                Another strong point in the book is its historic accuracy: though the author says he only based the story on the crusade, it is very accurate, in exception of a few points.

I give this book a 9/10 star rating, for its depth, and for the plot itself: gripping, intense, and kept in suspension until the last moment.