Shield of Three Lions : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as I'd hoped
Review: As a historical novel, this works moderately well. We get an overview of the third crusade and the politics of war and marriage in the middle ages. The muddled relationships between the various royalty and nobility illustrates the still evolving nature of the European political map. And of course, the Church has a role in all of these relationships.

The weakest aspects of this story are the love story elements. The level of sexual ambiguity, combined with a tendency to discuss these issues obliquely makes these relationships difficult to understand or appreciate. It is never clear why King Richard has such strong feelings for Alex, and the development of the relationship between Alix/Alex and Enoch isn't well described.

Overall, this isn't a terrible book, but it never quite rose to its full potential.

Rating:
Summary: Worth Tracking Down
Review: As other reviewers stated, it is really the attention to detail that compells me to reread this book. I get a real sense of the science and superstitions of the day - and, inadvertantly, a real appreciation of hygeine in our present day. I loved the language, humor and passion of this book.

Rating:
Summary: Not your average historical "romance"....
Review: I cannot agree with the other reviewers who gave this book 5 stars.I do agree that the book is to be commended for its historical detail and settings but the "romance" centres on 30 year old King Richard's love for a nine year old boy. True, the boy is actually a girl in disguise, but Richard doesn't know that. There are detailed kissing scenes between the two, so be aware :if you are interested in reading a heterosexual historical romance, this isn't it. Enoch was my favourite character, his feelings being so genuine and protective ( and I loved his way of speaking!) but because Alix (Alex) was in this identity crisis, I just couldn't get close to her or understand her actions. This book was a disappointment to me and not at all what I expected.

Rating:
Summary: average historical fiction
Review: I didn't think as much of this book as I did Kaufman's The Book of Eleanor. Alix was an annoying character, her disguise as a boy and "romance" with King Richard contrived.

Rating:
Summary: Memorable
Review: I first read "Shield of Three Lions" years ago and it remains one of the most memorable books I've read in a long career as a voracious reader. The story follows the exploits of a Alix, a girl disguised as a boy, as she follows Richard the Lion Heart on his crusades. Exciting, hilarious, filled with adventure, and often ribald, "Shield" is one book I can heartily--and highly--recommend.

Rating:
Summary: Crude
Review: I found the opening scenes with the death of her friend and mother to be horrifying. Throughout the book I found the writing too crude and that really took away from the story itself.
Personally I found it too upsetting and I'm no prude.

Rating:
Summary: Good fun
Review: I found this book in a second hand shop and have re-read it many times over the years as well as lending it around to friends. The plot is ludicrous but told with such zest, and the characters are so enjoyable, that it is just plain great fun. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a break from the 21st century. By the way, I've also read the sequel and it was pretty good too.

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous Historical Fiction
Review: I read this book when I was fourteen and loved it. I just now reread it at 29 and still love it (I understand the sexual inuendo much better). Pamela Kaufman has created a fabulous story using history as her backdrop. Alix was what I aspired to be, adventurous, irreverent, determined, and goodhearted. The sequel, "Banners of Gold" is just as wonderful. Now, I'm patiently waiting for the third book (it's been 15 years). READ IT READ IT READ IT READ IT!!!!

Rating:
Summary: For my future daughter and her future daughter
Review: I read this book when I was fourteen and loved it. I just now reread it at 29 and still love it (I understand the sexual inuendo much better). Pamela Kaufman has created a fabulous story using history as her backdrop. Alix was what I aspired to be, adventurous, irreverent, determined, and goodhearted. The sequel, "Banners of Gold" is just as wonderful. Now, I'm patiently waiting for the third book (it's been 15 years). READ IT READ IT READ IT READ IT!!!!

Rating:
Summary: average historical fiction
Review: I'll admit that historical romance is not usually my genre - I tend to stick to fantasy and science fiction - but this book took me by surprise. Most of what others have said on this page is true. The characters are well developed and believable, the romance is fairly touching, and the book seems to be well-researched, although I'm not an expert on the Middle Ages. However, Kaufman's uneven writing is a huge distraction. She'll write in straightforward, modern English for a few pages, then suddenly plunge into a mess of archaic phrasing and terminology. I don't know why Kaufman thinks it's necessary to use words like "caparisoned" and "vulperets", perhaps she thought that doing so would give the novel an air of authenticity. Unluckily, I don't have time to study Middle English, and the result is that there are many scenes in "Shield of Three Lions" where I simply couldn't understand what was being described. So in summary, it's not a bad read, but consider yourself warned about the language.