- Paperback
- Publisher: Hodder Children's Books (1996)
- ISBN-10: 0733610463
- ISBN-13: 978-0733610462
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the third novel I've read by Catherine Jinks and I wasn't disappointed. :-) It's the third in a series of four.
We're being taken on the journey of Pagan a 16yr old who joined the Templar Knights to escape his all life as well as his debts that he owes.
So far we've found out that his master Lord Roland was hard to get on with at first. It's the 12th Century and the time of the Crusades, his job was to help and escort pilgrims, but what he wasn't cut out for is defending Jerusalem.
Jerusalem was taken after a huge struggle with Saladin. Sir Roland arrived at his family home; his family were brutal and dysfunctional and were feuding with the local monastery. Pagan couldn't believe his master Sir Roland belonged to the same family.
In this novel Sir Roland is now disillusioned with fighting after the women he loved was murdered, he feels it's time that he goes down a new path and gives his sword up to serve Christ in a different way. Although his master tells him their paths now differ and Pagan must now leave him and follow his own destiny, but Pagan refuses point blank to leave him.
They arrives at St,Martin's abbey and want to devote their lives to God. All Sir Roland wants id a quiet life but Pagan finds it extremely hard to be obedient even more so when he finds out that all is not what it seems to be at the monastery.
I don't want to go into the story too much as I really don't want to spoil it for other readers. This book if classed as a young adult book, but I'd say it's not for anyone that's 12yrs and under, mainly due to the language it uses and the actual story line.
The author grabs you right from the start, it's an excellent story, and her characters have great's personalities and a lot of depth to them. There's a little comedy in amongst the storyline and it can get pretty emotional as well with what the characters have been through and are going through.
I bought this for two reasons, not only do I love history but the novel sounded great. It doesn't matter whether you're a teenager or older if you want a good read then this is your book. :-)
It didn't take me long to read as it's enjoyable and a compulsive read. You'll find it's an action packed story and its pace is fast. It's one I'd recommend to young and old, if you're after a good story this is the book for you. If you're interested in the Templar Knights, (which I am) you'll also enjoy this. :-)
It's a book I'll be reading again and was worth every penny. I'm now looking forward to reading the last in the series. :-)
We're being taken on the journey of Pagan a 16yr old who joined the Templar Knights to escape his all life as well as his debts that he owes.
So far we've found out that his master Lord Roland was hard to get on with at first. It's the 12th Century and the time of the Crusades, his job was to help and escort pilgrims, but what he wasn't cut out for is defending Jerusalem.
Jerusalem was taken after a huge struggle with Saladin. Sir Roland arrived at his family home; his family were brutal and dysfunctional and were feuding with the local monastery. Pagan couldn't believe his master Sir Roland belonged to the same family.
In this novel Sir Roland is now disillusioned with fighting after the women he loved was murdered, he feels it's time that he goes down a new path and gives his sword up to serve Christ in a different way. Although his master tells him their paths now differ and Pagan must now leave him and follow his own destiny, but Pagan refuses point blank to leave him.
They arrives at St,Martin's abbey and want to devote their lives to God. All Sir Roland wants id a quiet life but Pagan finds it extremely hard to be obedient even more so when he finds out that all is not what it seems to be at the monastery.
I don't want to go into the story too much as I really don't want to spoil it for other readers. This book if classed as a young adult book, but I'd say it's not for anyone that's 12yrs and under, mainly due to the language it uses and the actual story line.
The author grabs you right from the start, it's an excellent story, and her characters have great's personalities and a lot of depth to them. There's a little comedy in amongst the storyline and it can get pretty emotional as well with what the characters have been through and are going through.
I bought this for two reasons, not only do I love history but the novel sounded great. It doesn't matter whether you're a teenager or older if you want a good read then this is your book. :-)
It didn't take me long to read as it's enjoyable and a compulsive read. You'll find it's an action packed story and its pace is fast. It's one I'd recommend to young and old, if you're after a good story this is the book for you. If you're interested in the Templar Knights, (which I am) you'll also enjoy this. :-)
It's a book I'll be reading again and was worth every penny. I'm now looking forward to reading the last in the series. :-)
0 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I FEEL SO SILLY. I HAVE A PAGAN FRIEND AND WHEN I SAW THIS I DIDN'T READ THE DESCRIPTION PROPERLY (OBVIOUSLY) AND THOUGHT IT WAS TO DO WITH HER PAGAN RELIGION SO GOT IT AS A GIFT. WHEN SHE TOLD ME IT WAS A WORK OF FICTION I WAS REALLY SHOCKED. BUT SHE ENJOYED IT ANYWAY - OR SO SHE INSISTED. NEXT TIME I WILL HAVE TO READ DESCRIPTIONS PROPERLY AND NOT JUST GO ON TITLES.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
A gripping novel perfect for readers of historical fiction
17 Sep 2004
Format:Hardcover
Pagan cannot believe that he is actually agreeing to devote his life to God, to accept life in a monastery. This is a lifestyle that he despises, possibly fears, and also one that he fled from when he was a boy. Though Pagan is often rude, disrespectful, impatient and irreverent, he is also loyal, and it is this loyalty that has made him decide to follow his master, Lord Roland, into a new life in the Abbey of St. Martin. After his experiences in a monastery school as a child, Pagan never dreamed that he would find himself pursuing the life of a monk, but he cannot bear to be separated from his distraught and emotionally lost master.
Thus it is that Pagan has to subject himself to blind obedience, rules that he thinks are ludicrous, and a life full of discomfort and unpleasantness. Needless to say, Pagan is not a good fit for the monastic life and it is a struggle for him to keep his temper, to stay out of trouble, and to try to adjust. Pagan does try his best, for Roland's sake, but all his efforts seem to be for naught when he starts looking into a little mystery that is floating about the Abbey.
Pagan discovers that beneath the veneer of respectability, piety and humility lies a complex tangle made up of lies, deceit and greed. Pagan may not be the most honest person in the world, but this kind of dirty hypocrisy upsets him enough that he will not stop seeking out the truth even when his very life is threatened. It would seem that someone very high up in the monastic hierarchy guides the conspiracy, and Pagan needs to be wary of what he says and does.
One cannot help but have a strong feeling of pity for Pagan. Here is a young man who could never be a monk, but for the love of a friend, he will put himself through a great ordeal --- accepting punishments, bullying, strenuous work, isolation and much more --- all for the sake of someone else. It is shocking to discover how difficult monastic life could be and how appalling the conditions often were. Certainly Pagan's experience puts a new light on the religious life in the times of the Crusades.
Entertaining, moving, skillfully researched, shocking at times, and very gripping, this third book in the Pagan Chronicles series is sure to delight readers who enjoy historical fiction.
--- Reviewed by Marya Jansen-Gruber, editor of Through The Looking Glass Children's Book Review (www.lookingglassreview.com).
Thus it is that Pagan has to subject himself to blind obedience, rules that he thinks are ludicrous, and a life full of discomfort and unpleasantness. Needless to say, Pagan is not a good fit for the monastic life and it is a struggle for him to keep his temper, to stay out of trouble, and to try to adjust. Pagan does try his best, for Roland's sake, but all his efforts seem to be for naught when he starts looking into a little mystery that is floating about the Abbey.
Pagan discovers that beneath the veneer of respectability, piety and humility lies a complex tangle made up of lies, deceit and greed. Pagan may not be the most honest person in the world, but this kind of dirty hypocrisy upsets him enough that he will not stop seeking out the truth even when his very life is threatened. It would seem that someone very high up in the monastic hierarchy guides the conspiracy, and Pagan needs to be wary of what he says and does.
One cannot help but have a strong feeling of pity for Pagan. Here is a young man who could never be a monk, but for the love of a friend, he will put himself through a great ordeal --- accepting punishments, bullying, strenuous work, isolation and much more --- all for the sake of someone else. It is shocking to discover how difficult monastic life could be and how appalling the conditions often were. Certainly Pagan's experience puts a new light on the religious life in the times of the Crusades.
Entertaining, moving, skillfully researched, shocking at times, and very gripping, this third book in the Pagan Chronicles series is sure to delight readers who enjoy historical fiction.
--- Reviewed by Marya Jansen-Gruber, editor of Through The Looking Glass Children's Book Review (www.lookingglassreview.com).
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Pagan's Vows
6 Oct 2010
Format:Paperback
Once again, Jinks opens a new world of medieval with her 3rd book in the series, Pagan's Vows. She so nicely inserts knowledge and information of the time period as she continues to engage the reader with an exciting, fast-paced plot line and lovable characters. I felt like I was learning stuff while I read for fun.
What I really enjoyed was her vast knowledge of the religion practices of that time. It comes out a lot in this book, but she doesn't make it boring. On the contrary, Jinks manages to make the history pretty interesting and surprisingly relatable, to a point that I felt like I could understand the religious figures of that time.
Most importantly, though, I loved Pagan's character. As always, Pagan's voice is strong, realistic, and wonderfully sarcastic. If you liked the first two books of the series, you'll enjoy this one as well, especially the growing relationship between Pagan and Roland. Even if you haven't read the others, it's still good to read on its own.
What I really enjoyed was her vast knowledge of the religion practices of that time. It comes out a lot in this book, but she doesn't make it boring. On the contrary, Jinks manages to make the history pretty interesting and surprisingly relatable, to a point that I felt like I could understand the religious figures of that time.
Most importantly, though, I loved Pagan's character. As always, Pagan's voice is strong, realistic, and wonderfully sarcastic. If you liked the first two books of the series, you'll enjoy this one as well, especially the growing relationship between Pagan and Roland. Even if you haven't read the others, it's still good to read on its own.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
An entertaining, "unputdownable" read
30 Jun 2003
(This review is for the paperback version)
"Monks, monk, monks. Monks everywhere, as far as the eye can see. Rows and rows of them, crammed together on their chapter-house seats like bats in a cave. Like crows around a corpse. The rustle of their black woollen sleeves, as they point and nudge and whisper. The coughing and gurgling of old men with clogged lungs."
Lord Roland and his squire Pagan, fresh from battle in the Crusades, have renounced the sword and are seeking to become novice monks at the Abbey of St Martin. Pagan isn't sure he wants to be a monk and soon finds that neither humility nor blind obedience comes easily to him, but he is equally sure he doesn't want to leave his beloved master. He also discovers that even a supposedly holy place can swarm with danger and corruption.
Pagan himself tells the story, writing in the present tense, which usually gives me trouble. I normally find it both stilted an unnatural. However, for this story it feels absolutely right. Although I can imagine that many young readers might take a while to become accustomed to Catherine Jinks's spare, distinctive style, I took to it (and her warm, wry humour) straight away. As can be seen from the above quote (the book's first paragraph) her writing abounds in unfinished sentences, which most writers normally use sparingly. But here the oft-used effect serves to underline Pagan's irreverence, which is my only quibble. While I personally found this trait highly entertaining (indeed, almost endearing) I have difficulty believing that someone raised in a monastery in those days would be quite so irreverent, especially at only 17 years of age. One of his favourite expletives is "Christ in a cream cheese sauce", which would certainly be accounted as blasphemous in those days.
But what does it matter when Jinks provides such an entertaining, "unputdownable" read?
I'm very pleased to learn that the Pagan books are to be republished, though 5 January 2004 (the projected date for the first book, Pagan's Crusade) seems rather a long wait.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
