Blood Red Horse by K. M. Grant

Two boys.  One girl.  The adventure of a lifetime.  Blood Red Horse by K. M. Grant is a historical fiction novel starring the de Granville brothers Gavin and William, a fair maiden called Ellie, and a red horse named Hosanna.  King Richard calls for a crusade to retake the Holy Land, and Gavin and Will go with their father to fight the Saracens.  They all have dreamed of glory and a chance to prove themselves in battle.  This is their chance.  However, the road to victory is paved with trials, and the de Granvilles must face more than just death in order to bring honor for their king.

I first picked up this book after it was recommended to me by a friend, and I must say that it is now on my list of favorite books.  It seemed like something up my alley: Medieval fiction with a bit of adventure, romance, and an intriguing horse story thrown into the mix.  By the fourth chapter I was hooked.  I couldn’t put it down.  It had a similar effect on me that The Hunger Games did.  I wanted to keep reading to follow the adventures as the characters risked life and limb for what they believed in.  

Along with its romping good plot, I appreciate the book for its historical content as well.  The author did a splendid job of researching the time period (which happened to be the Third Crusade in 1191) and she presented it in such a way that the reader couldn’t help but want to know more.  I look up to authors who are able to do this.  The characters she created are as real and alive as if they are in the room with you.  They have real-life emotions and real-life reactions to real-life problems.  I couldn’t help but fall in love with them.

I would recommend the book to pretty much anyone.  If you like historical fiction, if you like a fast paced adventure, if you love horses (I fit into this category), then Blood Red Horse would appeal to you.  It’s age appropriate for anyone in upper elementary and on through the retirement homes.  Don’t miss the chance to get hooked on a true work of literary genius.

Also, don't miss the second book in the series, Green Jasper!