Elizabeth Chadwick's style of writing is addictive and this is never truer than in "The Greatest Knight". The story follows William Marshall from his boyhood and tells of his traumas as a child and his exploits as a young man right up to his trusted relationship with the King of England. Elizabeth Chadwick obviously researches her subject well, as William was indeed a real character and she uses historical writings to base her story around. Of course she fills in the gaps with pure fiction but this is a well-written and very readable book. It is the first of a two-part series, the second being "The Scarlet Lion" which takes us ...  Read the complete review

Elizabeth Chadwick is one of the new type of historical authors who have resurrected a few now forgotten names from the past. Historical fiction is a relatively new genre, really sparked off by Ellis Peters with her Cadfael novels and continued by Phillippa Gregory. When I was a lad, one of the few notable historical characters who weren't royality were Thomas Beckett, Wat Tyler, Simon De Montford and William Marshall. Thats not a long list when you consider how famous the various kings and queens were at the time, so it might be an indication of how important that were that their name has been remembered. Now William Marshall is remembered as the ...  Read the complete review

Hailed in Chadwick's afterword as "The David Beckham of the Medival Age", William Marshal lived an action-packed and tumultous life full of loyalty to his King amidst treachery and jealous back-stabbing from his peers. Unbeaten in all the Competition Tourneys he entered, he rightfully earned a reputation for integrity, honour and respect during his time which saw him become The Earl Of Leciester in recognition for his servitude to the monarchy. The Greatest Knight is the first of two novels Chadwick has written abvout him and either can be read as a stand-alone story or as part of a greater whole and still be enjoyed... I was not sure what to expoect ...  Read the complete review