Crown of the World
Book I: Knight of the Temple

by Nathan Sadasivan

  General / Favorable Reviews
 
  Critical Reviews
 
 
  "Nathan Sadasivan has a rare, raw talent and Crown of the World is a rip-roaring success. A saga of Christendom told with a breadth of historical knowledge and a depth of empathy and understanding, this novel transports us to a time of turbulence and faith. A work of such accomplishment from a writer of such youth is simply astonishing. I hope and pray that this is the first of many more to follow."
 

—Professor Joseph Pearce
Ave Maria University, author of The Quest for Shakespeare

 

"Masterful swordplay, powerfully intense battles, deceit and treachery, and the emergence of the saintly Baldwin IV, young Mr. Sadasvian has weaved a vivid and enthralling tale of a forgotten Catholic kingdom...and has this reader awaiting Book Two of the Trilogy with great anticipation."
 

—Scott Jones
 Our Lady of Victory Traditional Catholic Homeschooling



 

 

 

 

none yet available

 
 

Amazing *****

If I can't trust Joseph Pearce on the literary merits of a book I can't trust anybody. After receiving and reading "Crown of the World--Book 1: Knight of the Temple " I am very glad that I did not reject this book to review.

The novel takes place in the time between the 2nd and 3rd Crusades in the Holy Lands and the lands around it. The story revolves around Godfrey de Monteferrat a young Templar Knight. Godfrey is as idealistic as they come wanting to become a great hero. He has grown up hearing the stories of the heroes in the Crusades along with the stories of the saints. He puts his idealism into practice, but the character is not drawn as a stereotype. This is a deeply layered person with his own struggles. Though he is also no dark hero or anti-hero which we get way too many of today in our fiction and our movies.
In a novel involving the Knight Templars you would expect battle scenes and this book does not disappoint in the descriptions along with the strategy involved. Yet the book goes way beyond being just a military novel. There is a serious spiritual dimension to it that is not just knock-you-over-the-head piety. The author also gives you a good understanding of the times without lengthy character exposition explaining everything to you.

It is rather cliché to say you had a hard time putting a book down, but I guess I will cliché away and say just that. I read the near 300 page book over the weekend and certainly felt that bittersweet feeling you get when you reach the end -- which was certainly climatic. The last part of the book involves Godfrey's involvement protecting a very young Baldwin who later becomes Baldwin IV of Jerusalem. Since this book is the first book of a trilogy I really look forward for the next book - which can't come soon enough in my opinion.

One of the most surprising aspects of this book is that it was written by a nineteen year old who started working on it at 15 while being homeschooled. The novel has every mark as being written by a seasoned author and none of the marks as being written by a beginner. To put it simply this is one of the most enjoyable books I have read.
 

Jeff Miller "The Curt Jester"

(from splendouroftruth.com)


 

   
 

A tale of Christendom masterfully written- Extraordinary *****

The Knight of the Temple is the debut novel of The Crown of the World trilogy written by young author Nathan Sadasivan.

The book cover shows Christ's crown of thorns above a battle scene where the main character, Godfrey de Montferrat, a bold and brave Temple Knight, is engaged on a battle. The author takes the reader into a tale of Christendom with emphasis on Godfrey's dilemmas about faith, loyalty, love, war, and his purposes in life.

The book begins with Godfrey de Montferrat and his companion, Jacques de Maille, riding their horses through the desert of Egypt searching for a Frankish camp. Due to the intense heat of the sun, both horsemen are extremely tired, thirsty, and have had hardly any sleep. They find an oasis where they refresh themselves and their horses can drink water to replenish their energy. Not far from them, Yusef, an arab leader well-known for his battle and commanding skills, and his warriors discovered the hoofprints of the Temple Knight's horses. Yusef, allows Malik to go and investigate the matter and report back to him. Malik, a young warrior thirsty for Frankish's blood and with battle fever, reports his findings to Yusef and suggests a surprise attack on the knights. But things don't go as smooth as Malik expects. The knights fight back but get separated during the battle. This separation leaves Godfrey defending his life fiercely against Malik's violent attacks.

The outcome of his encounter with Malik marks the beginning of Godfrey's personal quest to find the answer to his many questions. The encounter with Yusef and his warriors at the desert is just the beginning of the many clashes between the Saracen (Muslims) and the Frankish Knights. The author will take the reader to a world of betrayal, espionage, love, prayer, and political power struggles, where the most ambitious and wicked one of them all will stop at nothing to reach his goal.

I admire the author's attention to details. With the skills of a masterful painter, he portrays the battle scenes and enfold the reader into a mystical tale of a world already forgotten, and a time where not everything is was what is seems to be.

At the end of the book Godfrey finds himself in front of the Tabernacle demanding to know:Why??? The answer to his question will open up the road of healing for his broken spirit and will leave the reader contemplating on its meaning, too.

I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy books about Christendom and are willing to follow Godfrey de Montferrat and his companions through this trilogy.
 

Tannia Ortiz-Lopès

Author of The Window to My Soul

CatholicFiction.net
TimeWithTannia.tripod.com

 

     
     

 

 

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