VOYA - Michele Winship
Kurtz, author of the Deryni fantasy series, compiles the work of her fellow historical fantasy writers in the third collection of stories about the Knights Templar, the warrior monks who arose after the First Crusade to defend the pilgrims traveling to the holy land for almost two hundred years. Each story in this stand-alone volume presents a slice of the legend of the Templars. The Templars have been connected to the lore of both Arthur and Robin Hood, and the mystery surrounding the survival of their order persists into modern times. Although most authors, who include Susan Schwartz, Scott MacMillan, and Deborah Turner Harris, set their stories in an authentic historical context, some move the Templars into the future, with Patricia Kennealy-Morrison taking them beyond earth itself. An interlude precedes each story, providing additional history. Readers travel with the Templars as they journey to Scotland to fight with Robert the Bruce, to the Holy Land where they confront Saladin, and back to York with Rebecca, who still mourns her loss of Ivanhoe. Appealing to fans of both history and fantasy, this volume of six tales builds on the legend and explores the mystery surrounding the Templars. For those who seek further reading, Kurtz includes a partial bibliography as well as notes about the authors who have contributed to this collection.