In the Time of Knights (I Was There)

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly gripping
Review: At first I was confused by this book. Who was William Marshal? Who was King Stephen? But as the story moved on, I enjoyed it more and more. Though William Marshal lived a brutal life in a brutal age, he made courageous choices that brought honor and integrity to his name. I found the illustrations sometimes fascinating and informative, and sometimes distracting. There were places I would have liked to see more in depth explanation of important medieval topics such as class and trade. I also thought that knighthood and the crusades were a bit unbalanced in their presentation in favor of being idealized. Nonetheless, this book was an enjoyable and gripping introduction to the life of a fascinating man in a fascinating period. As a child, I would have lapped it up and asked for more.

Rating:
Summary: Covers the life of William Marshal
Review: Shelley Tanaka's In The Time Of Knights (0651-6) deserves ongoing mention as a title which promises leisure attraction as well as for study: it provides Greg Ruhl's realistic drawings as it covers the life of William Marshal, a remarkable 1100s British knight who learned his trade at age 13.