'And the Word was made steel … and dwelt among us.'
An invincible warrior. A living saint. A demonic spirit cloaked in red. A Holy Land fallen into darkness.
Amid the dust and mayhem of the Third Crusade, a fearsome knight, Thurstan Wildblood, 'a man with a hole where his soul should be', is charged with returning a female hostage to Christendom, specifically to Canterbury.
Melinda of Jerusalem, they say, works miracles. She is touched by God and when she prays, astonishing cures are affected. The problem is that everyone seeks her as their prize. The crusaders captured her from an Islamic stronghold, and Sultan Saladin wants her back. The Christians themselves are divided. Richard the Lionheart believes her 'liberation' to England will justify this war of annihilation, but the Knights Templar are adamant the only place for her is Rome. Meanwhile, there are others in the Christian army, sell-swords and freebooters, who dream of ransom should she fall into their mercenary hands.
Wildblood and his captive could not be facing more terrible odds, nor a more exhausting journey. And yet this indomitable knight has reasons of his own for undertaking the perilous quest. For he is certain he is damned. In the midst of carnage, he encountered a mysterious being – Belphagor, the 'Bishop of Hell' – who in return for a multitude already slain, granted him martial skills second to none.
Wildblood has no concerns for the schemes of kings and bishops. He has strayed far from the light, and his only hope for redemption now lies in the delivery of this living saint to the holiest place he knows. But even Wildblood will be tested by the hardships and horrors that await him on the endless road home.
He thinks he knows evil. But he doesn't. Not yet.
A gripping medieval historical adventure perfect for fans of Christian Cameron and David Gilman. Paul Finch is an ex-cop and journalist turned best-selling author. He first cut his literary teeth penning episodes of The Bill, and has written extensively in horror and fantasy, including for Dr Who. He is also known for his crime/thriller novels, of which there are twelve to date, including the Heckenburg and Clayburn series. Paul lives in Lancashire with his wife and business-partner, Cathy.
