The Holy Land, 1291. A war has been raging across these lands for decades. The forces of the Crusaders have been pushed back again and again by the Muslims and now just one city remains in Crusader control. That one city stands between the past and the future. One city which must be defended at all costs.
That city is Acre.
And into this battle where men will fight to the death to defend their city comes a young boy. Green and scared, he has never seen battle before. But he is on the run from a dark past and he has no choice but to stay. And to stay means to fight.
That boy is Baldwin de Furnshill.
This is the story of the siege of Acre, and of the moment Baldwin first charged into battle. This is just the beginning.
The rest is history.
The epic prequel to the bestselling Last Templar Mysteries series, perfect for fans of Christian Cameron and Ben Kane.
"New readers will want to seek out other books in the series, while established fans will find this a thoughtful and touching conclusion."
"This is a compelling story, enlivened by a fine historical imagination - whether the author is describing the state of pilgrims newly arrived in the Holy Land or the intensity and drama of the great siege at the end of the book. I particularly admire the way in which the political intrigues of the Lombard merchant states and military orders are woven into the narrative, and the ambiguities of Christian-Muslim relations in the cosmopolitan city that was Acre. It easily surpasses similar books, such as Bernard Cornwell's Azincourt, as an exciting narrative combining historical detail with the drama of fiction."
Ian Mortimer
More reviews of Templar's Acre
Templar's Acre was published by Simon & Schuster on 6th June 2013. It was reissued by Canelo Books in a Kindle edition in April 2021.
Reviews
"Michael Jecks at his very best. A breathtaking adventure which sweeps the reader directly into the heat, passion and horror of the infamous siege. Michael Jecks's detailed knowledge of medieval warfare sets this novel ablaze. Utterly enthralling. You are there fighting alongside Baldwin over every blood-soaked stone of Acre."
Karen Maitland
"Michael Jecks is the master of the medieval whodunit, but the only mystery in this one is why it took him so long to carve out the crusades with battleaxe prose. The Siege of Acre is meticulously observed and bloodily rendered. I want more"
Robert Low
"Just finished Templar's Acre - awesome, wonderful, blood-stirring, moving... perfect solstice reading!"
Manda Scott
"Classic Jecks - and that's as good as it gets!"
Susannah Gregory
"Compellingly brought to life - both bloody reality and glorious courage"
Julian Stockwin