Blood Red Horse: Book One of the de Granville Trilogy

Blood Red Horse hooked me from the first page. K.M. Grant does an excellent job in describing the Crusades, while adding a horse called Hosanna to make the story flow. As a horse lover and rider, I was intigued on how the author adds a horse into the story about knights and the crusades (more to the story but can't list it all)! The one thing that I didn't really like, is that Hosanna is such a "great horse" and does so many good deeds, though in real life this most likely wouldn't happen. Grant does an excellent job in describing the places and adventures that happen during the book. Blood Red Horse is very well written with rich details that move the story along perfectly. Grant does a great job in giving happiness and sadness in the story making the book seem so realistic! In the other reviews, people said they were dissapointed on how the story wasn't realistic in the terms of using Old English. I think that writing the story using Old English would be really confusing, so I disagree with that point. Will, Gavin, and Ellie's adventures were adressed well, though I'd like to see more about Ellie in the story. Another dissapointment about Blood Red Horse, is that in some parts of the story I had to force myself to continue on. I still think it was worth continuing, for the story is really interesting!!!! Anyway, those parts were not that long (only one or two short chapters) and they didn't take away from the rest of the story. Otherwise that, I think it was a terrific novel, and I can't wait to read Green Jasper, the sequel to Blood Red Horse, in the de Granville Trilogy.

This very well may be the best book ever to entrall me in a way almost unimaginable! As a 12-year-old reader, I can honestly say that the crusades did not interest me in the slightest. I picked up this book and after 4, sparcely separated hours, my views were changed, I needed Green Jasper! Page after page I fell in love with Gavin, then Will, then even Ellie. I began to despise Kamil for his inhuman blood-lust. In this story I gasped, cried, and laughed aloud. * * * * *

This book is about a horse named Hosanna during the age of Richard the Lionheart. Her owner, William, is from a long line of a good family, the de Granvilles. William has an older brother, Gavin, whom he hates. He is also a friendship with a girl named Ellie. William, Gavin, and their father go to fight in the Crusades with King Richard. Then you are transported to the Holy Lands with the Sultan Saladin and his adopted son, Kimal. Kimal wants revenge on the Crusaders because his family was killed by the Christians. Kimal captures Hosanna from William. This book has everything: adventure, romance, excitement, and deeper meaning. You see the Crusades from both sides, how it affects the Christians and the Muslims, the people who fought and the people they left behind. It is written so you understand the characters, their motivations, and how they feel, and you feel for them. This is a FANTASTIC book!

This is a great book. The book can touch hearts of many, as I found this book quite deep. It is very exciting, with sensitivity put in it. It is a must read book. It was so good, I wanted to read it again and again.