He’s a prince, a warrior, and a man
burdened by destiny. Now, Robert, Duke of Normandy, speaks for himself in a
format as commanding as his legacy.
This AI-generated virtual character
interview brings Robert to life with striking realism. His voice carries the
weight of leadership, his gaze reflects the cost of war, and his words reveal
the tension between duty and desire. It’s not just an interview—it’s a
reckoning with history.
Watch the full interview here:
This is part of our ongoing series
exploring the world of Crusader’s Path through immersive storytelling.
Each character adds depth to the First Crusade, and Robert’s appearance reminds
us that even legends must choose their path.
Mary Ann Bernal is a distinguished
alumna of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she earned her degree in
Business Administration. Her literary journey began with the 2009 publication
of her debut novel in The Briton and the Dane series, marking the start
of a richly diverse body of work that spans historical fiction, contemporary
short stories, science fiction/fantasy, and fast-paced adventure novellas.
Her recent publications include Crusader’s
Path, a poignant redemption tale set during the First Crusade; Forgiving
Nero, a compelling exploration of familial bonds in Ancient Rome; and the
award-winning AnaRose adventure series, chronicling the daring escapades of a
museum curator-turned-relic hunter. Mary Ann’s work has been honored by the
Independent Press Award, the NYC Big Book Award, Chanticleer International Book
Awards, the B.R.A.G. Medallion, and the Reader Views Reviewer’s Choice Awards.
Her short fiction anthologies have likewise earned distinction, most notably
from the American Legacy Book Awards. She was also recognized with the Editor’s
Choice Award for Literary Excellence by Reader’s House magazine.
A dedicated supporter of the United
States military since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has actively engaged in
letter-writing campaigns and related initiatives. Her advocacy has been
featured on KMTV’s The Morning Blend and in the Omaha World-Herald.
As a celebrated author, she has appeared on numerous reader blogs and book
promotion platforms. Mary Ann currently resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska, where she
continues to craft stories that inspire and endure.
The desert wind carries the scent of
dust and memory, whispering through the remnants of a crusader camp where
banners once flew and prayers once echoed. In the shadow of Jerusalem’s walls,
Robert, Duke of Normandy, reflects on a journey marked by blood, betrayal, and
the burden of legacy. Fresh from the events of Crusader’s Path, he sits
down with us to speak of vows made, battles fought, and the soul-searching that
follows a war waged in God’s name.
Interviewer: Duke Robert, thank you for joining us.
For those unfamiliar with your role in the Crusades, how would you describe
your purpose?
Robert: Purpose is a slippery thing. I left
Normandy not with a clear mission, but with a need to escape, to reclaim
something lost, perhaps even to outrun my own reputation. The call to arms came
at a time when my coffers were thin and my conscience thinner. I answered not
as a saint, but as a man seeking distance. Whether I found redemption or simply
distraction is for history to decide.
Interviewer: You’ve been described as both a noble
leader and a man of indulgence. How do you reconcile those sides of yourself?
Robert: I don’t. I live with them. I’ve worn
the mantle of Duke, but I’ve also worn the weight of jealousy, rivalry, and
regret. My youth was spent chasing pleasure and prestige, and I’ve paid dearly
for it. The Crusades stripped away the silk and left only steel. In the fire of
war, you learn who you are or who you’ve failed to become.
Interviewer: Etienne plays a central role in Crusader’s
Path. How did your relationship with him evolve?
Robert: Etienne came to swear fealty after his
father’s death, and I saw something rare in him, honesty without arrogance. I
invited him to court, and he followed. We rode together, fought together, and in
many ways, he became my conscience. He gave me counsel I didn’t always want but
often needed. I leaned on him more than I ever admitted. He reminded me of the
cost of neglect, even when I was too blind to see it.
Interviewer: The Crusades tested many. What
challenged you most?
Robert: The silence of God. We marched under
banners of faith, yet the answers came in blood and betrayal. Disease struck
our camps, treachery brewed in our ranks, and every step toward Jerusalem felt
heavier than the last. Leadership is not glory, it’s a burden. And in war, that
burden grows with every soul lost.
Interviewer: What do you believe the Crusades
accomplished?
Robert: That depends on who pens the
chronicle. Some will say we reclaimed holy ground. Others will say we desecrated
it. I believe we revealed the fragility of men who claim divine purpose. The
Crusades tested our faith, yes, but more than that, it exposed our humanity. And
our failings.
Interviewer: What’s next for you, now that the
campaign has ended?
Robert: I returned to Normandy with fewer men
and more ghosts. My duty now is to remember, to ensure that the lessons of this
war are not buried with the dead. Redemption is not found in conquest. It is
found in reflection, in humility, and in the stories we choose to tell.
Interviewer: Duke Robert, thank you for your
candor. Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers before we close?
Robert: Only this: history is not forged by
swords alone. It is shaped by the choices we make when no one is watching. And
if you ever find yourself at the gates of Jerusalem, ask not what you’ve won, but
what you’ve lost to get there.
Mary Ann Bernal is a distinguished
alumna of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she earned her degree in
Business Administration. Her literary journey began with the 2009 publication
of her debut novel in The Briton and the Dane series, marking the start of a
richly diverse body of work that spans historical fiction, contemporary short
stories, science fiction/fantasy, and fast-paced adventure novellas.
Her recent publications include
Crusader’s Path, a poignant redemption tale set during the First Crusade;
Forgiving Nero, a compelling exploration of familial bonds in Ancient Rome; and
the award-winning AnaRose adventure series, chronicling the daring escapades of
a museum curator-turned-relic hunter. Mary Ann’s work has been honored by the
Independent Press Award, the NYC Big Book Award, Chanticleer International Book
Awards, the B.R.A.G. Medallion, and the Reader Views Reviewer’s Choice Awards.
Her short fiction anthologies have likewise earned distinction, most notably
from the American Legacy Book Awards. She was also recognized with the Editor’s
Choice Award for Literary Excellence by Reader’s House magazine.
A dedicated supporter of the United
States military since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has actively engaged in letter-writing
campaigns and related initiatives. Her advocacy has been featured on KMTV’s The
Morning Blend and in the Omaha World-Herald. As a celebrated author, she has
appeared on numerous reader blogs and book promotion platforms. Mary Ann
currently resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska, where she continues to craft stories
that inspire and endure.
In a time of kingdoms and crusades, one
man's heart is the battlefield.
Cerdic, a Saxon knight, serves Count
Stephen-Henry of Blois with unwavering loyalty-yet his soul remains divided.
Haunted by memories of England, the land of his childhood, and bound by duty to
King William, the conqueror who once showed him mercy, Cerdic walks a dangerous
line between past and present, longing and loyalty.
At the center of his turmoil stands
Adela-daughter of a king, wife of a count, and the first to offer him
friendship in a foreign land. But when a political marriage binds him to the
spirited and determined Giselle, Cerdic's world turns again. Giselle, fiercely
in love with her stoic husband, follows him across sea and sand to the holy
land, hoping to win the heart that still lingers elsewhere.
As the clash of empires looms and a crusade
threatens to tear everything apart, Cerdic must confront the deepest truth of
all-where does his loyalty lie, and whom does his heart truly belong to?
Malve von Hassell is a freelance writer,
researcher, and translator. She holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the New
School for Social Research. Working as an independent scholar, she published The Struggle for Eden: Community Gardens in
New York City (Bergin & Garvey 2002) and Homesteading in New York City 1978-1993: The Divided Heart of Loisaida
(Bergin & Garvey 1996). She
has also edited her grandfather Ulrich von Hassell's memoirs written in prison
in 1944, Der Kreis schließt sich -
Aufzeichnungen aus der Haft 1944 (Propylaen Verlag 1994).
Malve has taught at Queens College, Baruch
College, Pace University, and Suffolk County Community College, while
continuing her work as a translator and writer. She has published two
children’s picture books, Tooth Fairy
(Amazon KDP 2012 / 2020), and Turtle
Crossing (Amazon KDP 2023), and her translation and annotation of a German
children’s classic by Tamara Ramsay, Rennefarre:
Dott’s Wonderful Travels and Adventures (Two Harbors Press, 2012).
The
Falconer’s Apprentice (namelos, 2015 / KDP 2024)
was her first historical fiction novel for young adults. She has published Alina: A Song for the Telling (BHC
Press, 2020), set in Jerusalem in the time of the crusades, and The Amber Crane (Odyssey Books, 2021),
set in Germany in 1645 and 1945, as well as a biographical work about a woman
coming of age in Nazi Germany, Tapestryof My Mother’s Life: Stories, Fragments,
and Silences (Next Chapter Publishing, 2021), also available in German, Bildteppich
Eines Lebens: Erzählungen Meiner Mutter, Fragmente Und Schweigen (Next
Chapter Publishing, 2022).
Her latest publication is the historical
fiction novel, The Price of Loyalty: Serving Adela of Blois (Historium
Press, 2025).
Steel clashes under a blood-red sky. The scent of fire and
prayer hangs heavy in the air. This is not just war, it’s a reckoning.
Watch the Trailer
Experience the Crusades like never before.
Behind the Battle: Life Before the Siege
Before the clash of swords and the roar of siege engines,
there was silence. Tension. Prayer. Brotherhood.
The men huddled around flickering fires, sharpening blades, and whispering prayers. The priest’s voice rose above the murmurs, invoking
saints and salvation. In the distance, the city walls loomed, silent, waiting.
This moment, quiet yet charged, captures the soul of
Crusader’s Path. It’s not just a story of conquest, it’s a story of conviction.
A Note from the Author
I wrote Crusader’s Path to explore the human spirit under
pressure—how faith, loyalty, and sacrifice shape us in our darkest hours. This
trailer brings that vision to life, and I’m thrilled to share it with you.
About the Book
Marching eastward under Duke Robert of Normandy, Etienne
carries the weight of his sins like a stone upon his soul. Every step toward
Jerusalem is a trial. Each battle tests his worth. The scorching desert erodes
his strength while relentless hunger and the cries of the dying grind away at
his resolve. Guilt festers beneath the surface. Doubt gnaws at him.
Treachery and disease lurk in the shadows. Battle looms ever
closer. When Etienne makes a desperate vow to serve the Church if survival
grants him another chance, his faith and convictions are tested in ways he
never imagined.
Through blood-soaked battlefields and the unforgiving
desert, salvation remains as distant as the Holy City itself. When faced with
the ultimate test, will conviction be enough? Or will the weight of his past
drag him into darkness?
Ready to Read?
Step into the heart of the Crusades. Witness the path.
Gilles is the natural son of the Earl Waltheof, executed by William
the Conqueror for supposed treachery. Raised in Normandy by Queen Matilda of
England, Gilles is a young servant of Robert, Duke of Normandy, when the first
call for a Holy War against the infidel and for the liberation of Jerusalem is
raised in Christendom. Along with thousands of others, inspired by a variety of
motives, intense piety mixed with a sense of adventure and the prospects of
richness, Gilles becomes a key and respected follower of the Duke of Normandy
and travels through France and into Italy to the point of embarkation for
Constantinople and the land of the Greeks.
In this epic first phase of a long and gruelling journey, Gilles
begins to discover a sense of his own strengths and weaknesses, encounters for
the first time the full might and strength of the Norman war machine and achieves his much coveted aim of knighthood,
as well as a sense of responsibility to the men that he must now lead into
battle.
The Will of God is the literal translation of the Latin phrase "Deus Lo
Vult"; a ubiquitous war cry and a commonly offered explanation of all the
horrors and iniquities unleashed by the First Crusade of 1096 to 1099, when
thousands of Europeans made the dangerous and terrifying journey to the Holy
Land and the liberation of Jerusalem. It is the first of two books on the
subject.
Praise for The Will of God:
"De la Motte has superpowers as a writer of historical fiction;
he's a warhorse of a writer bred to stun and trample the literary senses. You
won't stop turning the pages of The
Will of God."
~ Charles McNair, Pulitzer Prize nominee and author of Land
O'Goshen
Julian de la Motte is a
Londoner. He graduated from the University of Wales with a degree in Medieval
History. He was further awarded a Master of Arts qualification in Medieval
English Art from the University of York.
He studied and taught
in Italy for nearly four years before returning to the U.K. and a career as a
teacher, teacher trainer and materials designer before taking up a new role as
a Director of Foreign Languages and of English as a Foreign Language.
Married and with two grown up children, He is now extensively
involved in review writing and historical research, primarily on medieval
history.
''The Will of God'' [the first of two books on the subject of
the First Crusade] is his third novel.
From the sweeping hills of Argences to the port city of
Cologne overlooking the River Rhine, Etienne and Avielle find themselves drawn
by the need for redemption against the backdrop of the First Crusade.
Heeding the call of His Holiness, Urban II, to free the Holy
Land from the infidel, Etienne follows Duke Robert of Normandy across the
treacherous miles, braving sweltering heat and snow-covered mountain passes
while en route to the Byzantine Empire.
Moved by Peter of Amiens’ charismatic rhetoric in the
streets of the Holy Roman Empire, Avielle joins the humble army of pilgrims.
Upon arrival in Mentz, the peasant Crusaders do the unthinkable, destroying the
Jewish Community. Consumed with guilt, Avielle is determined to die fighting
for Christ, assuring her place in Heaven.
Etienne and Avielle cross paths in Constantinople, where
they commiserate over past misdeeds. A spark becomes a flame, but when Avielle
contracts leprosy, Etienne makes a promise to God, offering to take the priest
cowl in exchange for ridding Avielle of her affliction.
Will Etienne be true to his word if Avielle is cleansed of
the contagion, or will he risk eternal damnation to be with the woman he loves?
Ribbon
lightning flashed across the darkened sky as Duke Robert and Etienne reached
the outer castle walls. Crackling thunder shook the ground beneath them as they
dismounted near the stables. The grayish clouds burst open, sending a deluge of
water upon the earth. Strong winds whipped the rain, stinging the face as the
men fled inside, pulling their mounts behind them. The animals neighed,
standing on their hind legs, threatening to trample anyone in their way.
“All
is well, hush,” Etienne said, trying to calm the horse, rubbing its face and
neck with his hand.
Duke
Robert managed to get his stallion into its stall and proceeded to inspect the
length of the barn, comforting the animals.
“I
think it best to stay here until the storm passes,” Etienne said.
Sitting
on a bale of hay, Etienne leaned against the wall. Looking at the loft, he
remembered a stormy night when he and Isabella took shelter on a warm summer’s
day. He recalled her laughter, her wet hair sticking to her face, her eyes
sparkling when he touched her cheek. Invigorated by the smell of freshly cut
hay, they tumbled in the straw, satisfying their desire numerous times until
the rain stopped.
You
need to go home, Etienne thought.
“Has
there been word of Henry?” Duke Robert said, sitting across from his favored
friend. “But I have interrupted your thoughts.”
“I
was just wondering how long the storm will last. As for your brother’s
whereabouts, the spies have not returned. He cannot be far.”
“Have
you given His Holiness’s call for an Army of God much thought? I dare say I am intrigued. My soul is in need
of saving, but the peasants would revolt if I taxed them to pay for such a
lengthy campaign.”
“He
did say full remission of our sins,” Etienne said. “I am tempted, but my sword
is yours, Your Grace.”
“Ah,
that is good to hear, because, my friend, I am inclined to join the campaign.
It would free me from this useless fighting. And William Rufus would probably
lend me the money, or I could ask Henry. Upon our return, they would not dare
to rise up against me, lest they be excommunicated.”
“If
that is your wish, so be it. I would visit Argences before we leave. Isabella
can rule in my absence, as she has done in the past, until we are safely home.”
Mary Ann Bernal
Award-winning author, Mary Ann Bernal, attended Mercy
College, Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she received a degree in Business
Administration. Her literary aspirations were ultimately realized when the
first book of The Briton and the Dane novels was published in 2009. In addition
to writing historical fiction, Mary Ann has also authored a collection of
contemporary short stories in the Scribbler Tales series and a science
fiction/fantasy novel entitled Planetary Wars Rise of an Empire. Her recent
work includes Crusader’s Path, a redemption story set against the backdrop of
the First Crusade, and Forgiving Nero, a novel of Ancient Rome.
Since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has been a passionate
supporter of the United States military, having been involved with
letter-writing campaigns and other support programs. She appeared on The
Morning Blend television show hosted by KMTV, the CBS television affiliate in
Omaha, and was interviewed by the Omaha World-Herald for her volunteer work.
She has been a featured author on various reader blogs and promotional sites.
Award-winning author, Mary Ann Bernal, attended Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she received a degree in Business Administration. Her literary aspirations were ultimately realized when the first book of The Briton and the Dane novels was published in 2009. In addition to writing historical fiction, Mary Ann has also authored a collection of contemporary short stories in the Scribbler Tales series and a science fiction/fantasy novel entitled Planetary Wars Rise of an Empire. Her recent work includes Crusader’s Path, a redemption story set against the backdrop of the First Crusade, and Forgiving Nero, a novel of Ancient Rome.
Since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has been a passionate supporter of the United States military, having been involved with letter-writing campaigns and other support programs. She appeared on The Morning Blend television show hosted by KMTV, the CBS television affiliate in Omaha, and was interviewed by the Omaha World-Herald for her volunteer work. She has been a featured author on various reader blogs and promotional sites.
From the sweeping hills of Argences to the port city of
Cologne overlooking the River Rhine, Etienne and Avielle find themselves drawn
by the need for redemption against the backdrop of the First Crusade.
Heeding the call of His Holiness, Urban II, to free the Holy
Land from the infidel, Etienne follows Duke Robert of Normandy across the
treacherous miles, braving sweltering heat and snow-covered mountain passes
while en route to the Byzantine Empire.
Moved by Peter of Amiens’ charismatic rhetoric in the
streets of the Holy Roman Empire, Avielle joins the humble army of pilgrims.
Upon arrival in Mentz, the peasant Crusaders do the unthinkable, destroying the
Jewish Community. Consumed with guilt, Avielle is determined to die fighting
for Christ, assuring her place in Heaven.
Etienne and Avielle cross paths in Constantinople, where
they commiserate over past misdeeds. A spark becomes a flame, but when Avielle
contracts leprosy, Etienne makes a promise to God, offering to take the priest
cowl in exchange for ridding Avielle of her affliction.
Will Etienne be true to his word if Avielle is cleansed of
the contagion, or will he risk eternal damnation to be with the woman he loves?
In my ongoing interest in the human psyche and why people
behave the way they do, I discovered most individuals react in the same way
when coming in contact with a person who may or may not have a communicable
disease.
When I had a bout of shingles a while back, I was fortunate
– only one hand and wrist were affected, a few manageable lesions that did not
spread, just five or six clusters lining one finger, easily covered with
Band-Aids.
While speaking to several coworkers, I noticed their
peculiar behavior the minute I said the word shingles. They stepped away –
distancing themselves a few feet from where I stood as if my covered finger
would contaminate them.
Of course, I was not contagious, but the fear emanating
after hearing the word shingles seemed to set protective gears in motion,
leaving as quickly as one could without appearing rude.
What immediately came to mind was how people with infectious
diseases had been treated throughout the centuries. The recent remake of Ben Hur in 2016 reminded
me of Charleston Heston’s portrayal of Judah and how he interacted with his
mother and sister, who had contracted the disease while in prison.
Many movies were made about the Crusades and leper warriors
throughout the years, such as King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem. The Order of Saint
Lazarus of Jerusalem established a military order to care for the hospitalized
lepers around 1119 AD.
Remember Richard the Lionheart joining the Third Crusade to
fight his nemesis, the notable Saladin? And don’t forget the Robin Hood movies,
which reference the famous outlaw’s experiences fighting the Infidel.
Recognizable names and places because of Hollywood, all filmed with creative
license meant to entertain and are not necessarily historically accurate.
However, in recent years, the atrocities of warfare have
been articulated with documentaries and dramatic television series where the
brutality of the age is showcased and not swept into the background. In
Knightfall, we see a leper knight whose face is covered by a mask. Yes, there
were warriors affected by the disease who fought valiantly during every
campaign over the years.
But I wanted to go back to the beginning, to the First
Crusade, to understand what drove the warriors of Christ to leave their homes,
enduring untold hardships for a holy cause. It took years to reach the Holy
Land, a feat not everyone accomplished, dying en route from disease,
starvation, and battle.
Creating a narrative set during the First Crusade satisfied
a two-fold desire to discern the truth about life in such a turbulent era.
Lepers were shunned and, to this day, still bear the stigma
for having the disease. Delving into the minds of human beings is fascinating
because of the different perceptions. Where one sees a victim struck down by
God, another sees an unfortunate soul suffering from an infliction through no
fault of their own.
And what of the reasoning behind the Crusades, and what
mitigating factors drove the men and women to travel to an unknown land. The
peasant class had no clue as to what the undertaking meant, never having
ventured out of their village.
I wonder if Pope Urban II would have started his quest to
free the Holy Land from the Infidel if he knew his mission would set off a
series of events that has transcended the centuries. In our modern era, there
is still a holy war being fought in the Middle East. With the advances in
warfare, all that has changed are the weapons. Battles are still being fought
in the name of God, religious wars, man-made, making the assumption God wills
it. In reality, the quest for power and wealth drives a primeval need to
dominate the weak, worldwide dominion, reminiscent of the saying, only the
strong will survive.
It took three years for the Princes’ Army to reach
Jerusalem, where the remnants of a once-massive military force did what no one
expected. The Christian flag flew above the tower of the Lord’s city, a
hard-fought victory never to be repeated over the ensuing years.
As in Romeo and Juliet and the Outlander series, Crusader’s
Path has more than one main character. The story takes an in-depth look at how
leprosy and religious warfare affected the individual. Avielle, a commoner,
conforms to the laws of the land, but her compassion for the afflicted grows
because of her personal experience. Yet, she must behave according to the mores
of the time, and many of her decisions stem from having to live within those
rules.
On the other hand, Etienne defies accepted values, his
status giving him license to do as he pleases. He casts everything aside as he
follows his ducal lord, Robert, but he is not judged as Avielle would have been
for the same infraction.
Whether or not you agree with their decisions reverts to your
perception of what is and is not acceptable. Were the conditions and rules
harsh in the Eleventh Century? Yes, they were. What would you have done in a
similar situation? Can you feel empathy for Avielle and Etienne and even the
ducal lord, Robert, whose selfishness fits his entitled persona? If you judge
them according to the principles imposed in their century and not ours, would
you be surprised by your verdict?
Mary Ann Bernal attended Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY,
where she received a degree in Business Administration. Her literary aspirations were ultimately
realized when the first book of The Briton and the Dane novels was published in
2009. In addition to writing historical fiction, Mary Ann has also
authored a collection of contemporary short stories in the Scribbler Tales
series and a science fiction/fantasy novel entitled Planetary Wars Rise of an
Empire. Her recent work includes Crusader’s Path, a redemption story set
against the backdrop of the First Crusade, and Forgiving Nero, a novel of
Ancient Rome.
In my ongoing interest in the human psyche and why people behave the way they do, I discovered most individuals react in the same way when coming in contact with a person who may or may not have a communicable disease.
What immediately came to mind was how people with infectious diseases had been treated throughout the centuries. Over the years, many movies were made about the Crusades and leper warriors, such as King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem. The Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, a military order, was established to care for the hospitalized lepers around 1119 AD.
However, in recent years, the atrocities of warfare have been articulated with documentaries and dramatic television series where the brutality of the age is showcased and not swept into the background. In Knightfall, we see a leper knight whose face is covered by a mask. Yes, there were warriors affected by the disease who fought valiantly during every campaign to free the Holy Land from the infidel.
But I wanted to go back to the beginning, to the First Crusade, to understand what drove the warriors of Christ to leave their homes, enduring untold hardships for a holy cause. It took years to reach the Holy Land, a feat not everyone accomplished, dying en route from disease, starvation, and in battle.
Creating a narrative set during the First Crusade satisfied a two-fold desire to discern the truth about life in such a turbulent era.
BOOK REVIEW
Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite
Crusader’s Path by Mary Ann Bernal takes us back to the days of Christendom’s First Crusade against the Muslim invaders of Constantinople, Jerusalem, and lands in between. Avielle, a minstrel’s daughter, is doing God’s work, healing and caring for the most rejected of society’s cast-offs, the lepers. Having lost her father to the disease, Avielle is well aware she may succumb to leprosy’s ravages one day, but she is determined to commit her life to serve her God and community. That is until she meets and falls in love with a merchant, Gideon, who steals her heart. Already betrothed, Gideon is also a Jew, and Avielle realizes her love affair with him is doomed, so she rededicates her life to following her God and healing the sick. In the meantime, Etienne, a close confidant of Duke Robert of Normandy, follows Lord Robert as he heeds the call of Pope Urban II to free the Holy Land of the accursed Muslim hordes. Inspired by Peter, a visiting priest, Avielle joins the holy crusade to seek personal redemption from her God for her transgressions against Him with Gideon. Crossing paths on their journey to the Holy Land, Avielle and Etienne realize they have found the direction and purpose in their lives with each other. Avielle and Etienne forge a strong bond as they head into the unknown and the extreme danger of battle against the Muslim hordes.
Crusader’s Path is the very type of historical fiction I enjoy. Centered around actual historical events and real characters, it is character-driven and, at its core, a beautiful, romantic, and tragic story. In Avielle, author Mary Ann Bernal has created a wonderful character; strong, driven, passionate, and quite unusual for a woman of the era. I particularly enjoyed the pull and tug of the torment between her desires, her duty, and the passionate love she felt for both Gideon and Etienne. Etienne equally was a complex character torn between his love for his wife and his vineyard and the excitement that Duke Robert offered him on the road as a fighting, active knight. That both Avielle and Etienne, with their worldly demons and differing motivations, could find the peace and happiness they both desperately sought in each other’s arms was the highlight of this story for me. There is enough battling and action in this story to keep the adrenaline-junkie glued to the pages, but for me, it is a romance, pure and simple and a beautiful one at that. I appreciated the time the author spent detailing the ridiculous disparity between those who led the crusades; the dukes, the nobles, the knights, and those poor peasant farmers who fought and died for their God and the afterlife. I love how the author sums it up when she suggests that, encouraged by Pope Urban II, peasants trading their pitiful subsistence for the brief excitement of travel and battle, followed by life in heaven and the forgiveness of all sins, was a simple choice to make. This book is a fantastic read and one I can highly recommend.
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