Book review: Ben Kane looks at Richard I's uphill struggle

"From the titles and the covers, it looked like Kane’s historical novels were going to give us a heroic Richard, rather than my teacher’s negligent and absentee landlord, and semi-competent (at best) military adventurer"

Kane has presented us with a fine portrait of Richard I as a tragic figure, driven to battle by his love of violence and by his need to keep his lands and men

• Crusader 
• Ben Kane
• Orion, €18, e-book €10