Mark Butler (1)

Mark Butler draws you in from the first page. You can literally feel and see the cold, colorless world of the orphanage that the main character is sequestered in during the first part of the book. His descriptiveness makes you feel as if you were right there. Once she is adopted, you begin to feel that she is beginning a normal life, but nothing is as it seems. This book was captivating and full of intrigue and surprises. Very well written.

This book was given me from LibraryThing by Mark Butler. He has requested a review.

I found this book very interesting and certainly one that engaged my attention. Its story was set during the Fourth Crusades and was very informative. Enough so, that I shall do further research to better understand that time period.
This book’s backdrop provided the reader a probe and insight into what motivates man to violence. What motivates him to commit certain acts that he would not otherwise? Does God show more pick sides? Can He pick sides? Was the quest of the Crusades a morally proper one to begin with? Is death committed by Christian to Christian unacceptable and death by the hand of a Christian of a Muslim acceptable?
Mark Butler’s book is much more than what appears at first read. It is a serious historical fiction novel that I am happy to have been given the chance to read. I shall probably read it again to ponder the questions and possible answers that are found within its cover. show less

The story itself was really interesting. However, I thought the actual writing was lacking in some areas. There were many mistakes and typos. I also would have liked Amelia to have had more emotions in the orphanage years, the sexual abuse seemed to not have any affect on her. Some of the dialogue seemed a little forced, like when Amelia begins saying y'all suddenly when she meets her friends. It just seemed inconsistent in sections. That being said, I did connect with the characters on more show more than one occasion. The storyline really picked up once Amelia was adopted and I felt relief that she was finally saved from Lisson. I had the same feeling Amelia had and wasn't sure she was actually going to a better place at first. I empathized with the characters and wanted the best for them. The twist at the end was also unexpected and really added something to the story. Overall it was a good book, but it needs a little polishing as far as the grammar and spelling are concerned. show less

Amir is an apprentice blacksmith raised in Iceland who wants to see the world. As he travels to the mainland of Europe, he meets a hunter named Reddlin. As they travel together through France and eventually Italy, and beyond, they become friends. Eventually they join the ranks of the fifth crusade. This novel follows their adventures.

I liked this book, although not as much as I had hoped. I got no sense of time while reading it and was surprised at the end as to how much time had passed in show more the novel. Amir and Reddlin were well developed characters, but some of the others were not quite as well developed. While the story itself flowed nicely, the lack of a sense of time detracted from my enjoyment of the novel. But, since I am a fairly logically inclined person, this aspect may not bother others as it did me. show less