Book Review – Brethren
Author: Robyn Young
Cover Artist: Larry Rostant
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publication Date: 2007
Brethren is the debut novel of Robyn Young and the first of a historical trilogy set during the final decades of the crusades. Brethren covers the years 1260 – 1272 and was published in 2006. The second volume, Crusade, was released last year and the final part of the trilogy, Requiem, is expected later this year. Brethren focusses on the workings of the Knights Templar, an order that received quite a bit of attention lately. The author obviously studied the period well but ultimately the book fails to really capture the spirit of life in the high middle ages. I thought it a slightly entertaining but otherwise disappointing read.
The novel opens in 1260 AD, when we are introduced to the boy Wiliam Campbell, sergeant in the order of the Knights Templar and training to become a knight at the preceptory in London. The crusades have entered their last phase at this time. The infighting between the orders and nobles in the Holy Land have weakened the crusader states. They are under constant pressure from the Mongol empire as well as the rising might of the Mamluk sultans. Will doesn’t know it yet but in the next three decades the crusaders will be slowly driven into the sea until in 1291 their last foothold in the Holy Land, the principality of Acre, falls to the Mamluks.
The man largely responsible for the conquest of the crusader states is our second main character. We witness the rise to power of the Mamluk general Baybars, his triumph over the Mongols at the battle of Ain Jalut and the way in which he disposed of sultan Kutuz. After firmly establishing himself as sultan, Baybars begins his campaigns to drive the Christian invaders into the sea.
In the mean time the event that will link these two characters takes place Paris. A highly secret book is stolen from the library of the Temple and although the thief is caught, and killed in the process, the book remains missing. The theft threatens to expose the Brethren, a secret society within the Temple who’s ideas and goals radical, heretical to some. Against his will William is drafted by the ill-tempered priest Everard to retrieve the book. A task that is complicated by the fact that both the crown prince of England (later King Edward I Longshanks) and the Knights Hospital take an interest in finding the book.
The book mentions Young tried to stay as close to history as the story would permit. While the Brethren are obviously fictional she does stay close to history in terms of the events taking place in the book. My main problem is the characters. They sound awfully modern, in fact the Dominican priest that shows up around halfway through the book sounds like he could have walked straight out of the White House. They are also too aware of their history and that of other nations. Studying such matters was a luxury few could afford. Then there is of course the inescapable women who won’t settle for marriage and a bunch of children. At least she doesn’t wear breaches. But what feels most unlikely are the ideals of the Brethren. I can’t really go into it without spoiling the story but let’s just say the likelihood of those ideals being found among the Knights Templar is approaching zero. Pragmatism yes of course but Everard is very unconvincing as a medieval character. On top of all that quite a few of the characters can only be described as drama queens.
Despite Young adding a Muslim point of view the novel is still very much the western view of the crusades. Young throws the whole history of the crusades at us at various points in the book from Richard the Lionhart and Saladin to Pope Urban II deus vult preach. The historical Baybars was probably not a very nice man, to put it mildly, but do we really need to be reminded how much more noble Saladin was in the eyes of the Crusaders? Personally I found the history lessons superfluous, out of character and quite annoying interruptions in the story. If you want to include that information, write an introduction or historical note.
I have not said a whole lot positive about this book other than that is is well researched, have I? Maybe I should mention I really like the cover art? Young has written an engaging story at one level or I wouldn’t have suffered through 600 pages of it. Still, as a historical novel I don’t think much of it and I didn’t care much for her characterization. I am not ready to give up on this trilogy just yet but I have read far better debuts.
About Rob: 
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.