The powerful coming-of-age stories of Will and Gavin de Granville are intertwined with Kamil’s, a young ward of Saladin in this suspenseful histori cal novel. Will and Gavin set off from Hartslove with King Richard on a cru sade to the Holy Land in 1185. The author conveys the themes of the futility of war, romance, and the meaning of loyalty and friendship, and describes the roots of hostility between cultures in this fast-paced, authentic historical novel. The sequels are Green Jasper (2006) and Blaze of Silver (2007). 2006