The Jester by James Patterson and Andrew Gross, 464 pgs. Published by Little, Brown.
The book opens with the discovery of an ancient and holy relic. It dates back to the time of Christ and is the stuff legends are made of. Someone is after this relic and many lives are taken in the search for it. The setting is 11th Century France, and takes a common man, Hugh de Luc, innkeeper and former jongleur, through fighting in the Crusades and back home to fight against injustices done to his family, his town, and the country he calls home. Hugh de Luc suffers great losses. He becomes a jester in the attempt to seek answers and find some sort of justice for the wrongs done to him and his family. In his quest, Hugh becomes a leader (with a sense of humor) of the common man, all with the hopes of being treated fairly, by both serf and noble alike.
The book is an interesting departure for James Patterson, author of the Alex Delaware series and many other riveting novels. The battles rage throughout this story, from the Holy Land to villages in France, and serve to keep the pace lively through most of the book. There is also romance, humor and intrigue weaved into the tale. It occasionally drags in the beginning, but is quite enjoyable to the finish.
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