The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen's Champion (William Marshal Book 2) Kindle Edition

THIS BOOK!!!! I can't tell you how many times I have read it but I know it's well over 50 times. Elizabeth Chadwick is one of my favorite authors and this book is what hooked me. I am a huge fan of William Marshal - so much so that I named my dog Pembroke :0) Each time I read this book it's like the first time, I can't put it down, I must read it all the way through. I can't even describe how much I love this book. If you have never read this book or don't know William Marshall I highly recommend you read this - it WILL get you hooked!!!! I have both the paperback, as well as on my kindle and Nook app so that I am never without the book.

"Fight for your lord, fight for his honour, but never forget that you were fighting for yourself." So said Gulliaume de Tancarville to the newly knighted William Marshal following his first battle. Marshal would never forget the advice.The second in this series, Elizabeth Chadwick focuses this book on William Marshal who grows from the young hostage of King Stephen to Richard I's Marshal of England. Along the way, he loyally serves two other kings, Young King Henry and his father, Henry II, becomes the rock star of the tournament scene and marries and loves a young wealthy heiress begetting heirs and daughters.This book ends with the beginning William's service to Richard, so much of his long and rich story has yet to be told. However, Chadwick has already drawn the picture of the Marshal: loyal to a fault, complex but at the same time simple in his view of right and wrong.Although familiar with William Marshal's life, this book left me wanting to read more, hoping for additional insight into the story of this great man, his wife and their family and the fascinating time in which they lived.

I have just written a review about the second book and realized I wrote the wrong title to it, it was the Scarlet Lion, but I will write the very same review here:A book about my biggest hero during the Medieval times, William Marshall, written by one of my favorite authors, Elisabeth Chadwick, there's just no way to go wrong! The book is simply fantastic and this was one book that never hit the table except for the few hours I had to sleep at night. Otherwise the book was in my hands and nothing was done household wise in my home. It's difficult to tell about the book in a few words but it is without a doubt the most interesting story of probably the greatest man ever lived that actually came from nothing and managed to get it all through his hard work and good, loyal and brave manners together with all the well known other characters of his time. The strength of this man, both mental and physical, just jumps at you from the pages. Boy I wish I had been born at that time and that I would have been fortunate enough to know him. I imagine that I would have followed him in his footsteps like a puppy dog. ONE OF THE ABSOLUTELY MUST READ BOOKS! I LOVED IT !

I read Chadwick's books as a very pleasurable way to learn about my ancestors, and William Marshal is my ancestral great-grandfather. I know it's fictionalized, but Chadwick does her homework and knows her stuff. Her books are historically accurate and well researched. It's like getting a peek back in time to see what their lives were like. I have some ancestors I would just about rather not have -- King John, for one -- but William Marshal is one I am incredibly proud to be descended from. This book is packed with action and is a page turner, even if you're not related to the protagonist! Marshal was an amazing man and well worth reading about. His integrity and loyalty are good lessons for all of us. When he died, the Archbishop of Canterbury eulogized him as "The Greatest Knight," and I believe he was.

I have thoroughly enjoyed "The Greatest Knight" the story of William Marshal, a man of great honor, integrity, and courage. And I have also enjoyed "The Scarlet Lion" which continues the story of this amazing man, his life and times, and the profound love he shared with his wife, Isabel de Clare. I really appreciate the way Elizabeth Chadwick writes and the way she makes the 12th Century come alive for her readers. The characters are well-developed and multi-faceted and, I must say that I have fallen in love with William and Isabel. To me, they are truly inspiring! I am grateful for privilege of listening to these 2 wonderful books and will listen to them over and over again. Thank You, Elizabeth Chadwick.

I first read this fascinating book about William Marshall when it was first published in hardback, but have difficulty in reading the print now. I bought the book in Kindle format so that I could read all of William Marshall' story again, from a Place Beyond Courage to To Defy A King. I fell in love with this man when I first read his life story and I love him still. What a fascinating life he had. He worked hard but until King John's reign, he led a charmed life. He had a bucket load of charisma, he was all that a chivalrous knight should be and loyal until death. It is beautifully written and obviously well researched in true Miss. Chadwick's style. She brought William, Isabelle, Jack and everyone else to life and gave them a voice at last. You could almost see them through the mists of time. Thank you Miss. Chadwick for putting your magical touch to another well written book.

Not necessarily a sequel to 'A Place Beyond Courage' as all Chadwick's books are stand-alones, this is the first part of the story of William Marshall, penniless younger son, who has only his wits and his skill to lift him up out of obscurity. Fortunately he not only has wits and skill in plenty, but he also becomes a favourite of the King's estranged wife, the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose sound advice sets him on the right course to prosper, though not without trials and tribulations as Henry's children jockey for position in the race to take his throne.William's honour and loyalty are tested to the full as son goes up against father, but what sets William apart is his personal integrity. When he gives his word, he doesn't falter. William's worth is recognised even by his enemies and the potential rewards are great - if he survives the royal power struggles to reap them.William Marshall has a special place in history. His skill and prowess on the tourney field in his younger days is legendary, as is his skill in battle his level head and his solid good sense. Above all William is a survivor, eventually outliving his masters to become the greatest knight.

Historical fiction is one thing when its based on fictional people but i struggled reading about a fictional life written with assumption, of a famous knight in history. It was written in a perfect romantic medieval world not true to the way people lived back then. Some trivial events in the book are certainly not worth writing about and not worth mentioning.As to William Marshall himself, a previous review was spot on, i cannot imagine him being so perfect that he would have fitted into the world as it was, he would have constantly had to fight for survival one way or another. He would of had some flaws in his character and a sense of self preservation .

As a bit of a medieval history nut, I have enjoyed most of Elizabeth Chadwick's novels. Not only does she keep to all known facts about her subjects, but her writing makes what could be dry stories about long-dead shadows of the past into dynamic tales of people who - by the ends of her books - we feel we know. William Marshal was of vital importance to the making English society - one of the 'Barons' who forced King John into the signing of the Magna Carta, and this book follows his life from his apprenticeship for Knighthood, through battles, loyalties, love and family until he became protector of the realm when John's young son acceded to the throne. Riveting story, wonderfully written.

Excellent story, the tail is fiction but based around a knight who is virtually unknown in England and yet one of the main pivotal characters of our history. The Magna Carta is generally acreddited to King John, but the one we actually refer to was revamped by Marsal when he was Regent. It was Marshal that thwarted the Daufin's invasion of England. At least as important to us as the Spanish Armada, perhaps more so since the daufin was holding half of England when Marshal took over th running of the country and saw him off.It was Marshal who unhorsed Prince Richard (later Cur de Lion) to protect Richard's father the then king Henry and it was Marshal who, alone face forty knights and delayed them long enough for Eleanor of Aquitaine (then Henry's wife) to escape to her castle.without him our history would be very different.