Valiant Hearts: Where Adventure and Romance MeetInspired by the vision of the Young Lady Sapphira, Rosalind of Ipsworth joins a group of men, women, and children as a defender of the cross, seeking to free captives from prisons near Tripoli. She gladly gives herself to the cause, as she’s haunted by a tragic mistake and no longer deserves such joys as marriage and family might bring.Sir Randel … might bring.
Sir Randel Penigree was reared to serve in the church, but dreams of protecting the innocent as a knight. Joining a crusade to escape humiliation at home, he finds himself drawn to Rosalind as they partner to train and protect a group of young adolescents. When they face political machinations, danger, and an unknown enemy bent on their destruction, they are forced to reconsider their priorities and the very nature of the God they serve.
more
Setting: Lebanon
Time Period: Middle Ages / Crusades
If you’re familiar with the Valiant Hearts Series by Dina L. Sleiman, then you know that children play a big part in her books. The last installment in this series, “Courageous,” takes that to a whole new level with a group of kids who take part in a crusade to the Holy Land in the Middle Ages to set captives free in the country of Tripoli (modern day Lebanon). The main characters were Young Lady Sapphira, Rosalind of Ipsworth and Sir Randel Penigree; along with a few names you might remember from the first and second books.
Though I have read Christian Fiction set during the Crusades, I had never read a novel that specifically dealt with a Children’s Crusade. Sleiman did a great job portraying the pros and cons of the Crusades through the eyes of a much younger audience and skillfully told a story that was both believable and relevant. There were heavy moments in the novel, but there was also a lot of adventure and scenes that kept you on the edge of your seat.
Since “Courageous” is technically a YA novel, you would expect there to be a deep theme about modern day issues. And there is! This story deals with abortion, and I was very impressed with how the author approached this tough topic. There are two sides to the abortion story – the one that has already chosen that path and the one who hasn’t yet, but might. I felt that “Courageous” was written to be sensitive to those who might find themselves in the first group; meaning that someone could read this novel and find help, forgiveness and freedom from guilt, instead of condemnation. Yet, it was tragic enough that someone from the second group would hopefully find the strength to not take the same path.
The author was brilliant at keeping the antagonist a secret till the end. I kept wanting to shout, “Danger! Danger!” to the other characters whenever this character had a spot on the page. Not only did the mysterious viewpoint keep me on the edge of my seat – I was completely surprised when the villain was revealed!
Conclusion: I loved “Courageous!” It was the perfect way to conclude the Valiant Hearts Series. The story was sooo original and beautifully written, I didn’t want it to end. It’s a story of forgiveness and adventure during the crusades. If you enjoy reading novels set in the medieval period with a deep theme and action, this is your book! This was also my book for the country of Lebanon in the “Around The World In 80 Books” reading challenge.
Courageous by Dina L. Sleiman is book 3 of the Valiant Hearts series. I didn’t realize it was the third book in a series when I picked it up, but it stood on it’s own. Very interesting subject matter. It tells of a crusade that includes women and children who are following the vision of a 13-year-old to free some captives in prisons near Tripoli. Not only does the reader learn that children did actually go on crusades, but also learn more about both Muslim and Christian religions and what true faith may look like. There’s also a love story between two people who have asked for forgiveness from God, but have not yet learned to forgive themselves. I liked the book, but I probably won’t seek out the first two books in the series because I already know how it ends.