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94th out of 368 books
—
264 voters
Keeper of the Grail (The Youngest Templar #1)
Read Michael Spradlin's posts on the Penguin Blog.
1191 A.D. The orphan Tristan has joined the Knights Templar as a squire, journeying with Richard the Lionheart on his crusade to free the Holy Land from the Saracens. As defeat looms near, Tristan is entrusted with the most sacred of Christian relics, the Holy Grail. He must return it safely to Britain, but he must also ke...more
1191 A.D. The orphan Tristan has joined the Knights Templar as a squire, journeying with Richard the Lionheart on his crusade to free the Holy Land from the Saracens. As defeat looms near, Tristan is entrusted with the most sacred of Christian relics, the Holy Grail. He must return it safely to Britain, but he must also ke...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
September 18th 2008
by Putnam Juvenile
(first published January 1st 2008)
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Aug 13, 2008
Jennifer Wardrip
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
trt-gold-star-award-winner,
trt-posted-reviews
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
KEEPER OF THE GRAIL is the beginning of a new series by Michael P. Spradlin. Readers might think that an adventure set in 1191 A.D. would be dry, historical reading, but in this case those readers would be totally wrong. Tristan's adventures are anything but dry. Though they may be historical at times, they are packed with one exciting event after another.
An orphan raised by a group of monks, Tristan never knew his parents or anyth...more
KEEPER OF THE GRAIL is the beginning of a new series by Michael P. Spradlin. Readers might think that an adventure set in 1191 A.D. would be dry, historical reading, but in this case those readers would be totally wrong. Tristan's adventures are anything but dry. Though they may be historical at times, they are packed with one exciting event after another.
An orphan raised by a group of monks, Tristan never knew his parents or anyth...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
In Keeper of the Grail, Michigan native (yay!) Michael P. Spradlin offers the first installment of what promises to be a fabulous trilogy. I love epic stories, and the Middle Ages is one of my favorite periods of history. Throw in a little mystery, a hint of Robin Hood, a knight and a Crusade and you have the makings of a winner in my opinion.
Young Tristan grew up in a monastery with no idea of his background. When a regiment of Templar knights seeks lodging with the monks, he suddenly finds him...more
Young Tristan grew up in a monastery with no idea of his background. When a regiment of Templar knights seeks lodging with the monks, he suddenly finds him...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Jul 30, 2011
Ingrid Hansen
added it
This is a very good book and it sure is a cliffhanger.
I enjoyed reading about the young Tristan, who was left at the doorstep of a monastery when he was just a baby with a note explaning that it was for his own safety.
15 years later a group of Templar Knights comes to the monastery to spend the night and young Tristan meets Sir Thomas Leux and becomes his squire suddenly on the way to the Holy Land called "Outremer".
He experiences hate from the horrible Sir Hugh, battles, escape from Saladins ar...more
I enjoyed reading about the young Tristan, who was left at the doorstep of a monastery when he was just a baby with a note explaning that it was for his own safety.
15 years later a group of Templar Knights comes to the monastery to spend the night and young Tristan meets Sir Thomas Leux and becomes his squire suddenly on the way to the Holy Land called "Outremer".
He experiences hate from the horrible Sir Hugh, battles, escape from Saladins ar...more
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
I'll admit, I first heard about this book several years ago when the author was at our local children's lit fest. I thought there was no way a book about the Knights Templar would work for young readers. Then Keeper of the Grail was nominated for the Truman award, which is our state book award for grades 6-8, so I knew I had to read it. And I was very surprised! Not only does a book about the Knights Templar actually work for this age group, it's a ton of fun!
The chapters are...more
I'll admit, I first heard about this book several years ago when the author was at our local children's lit fest. I thought there was no way a book about the Knights Templar would work for young readers. Then Keeper of the Grail was nominated for the Truman award, which is our state book award for grades 6-8, so I knew I had to read it. And I was very surprised! Not only does a book about the Knights Templar actually work for this age group, it's a ton of fun!
The chapters are...more
The Youngest Templar: Keeper of the Grail
Michael P. Spradlin
Tristan has only known life in the monastery where he was found as an infant. Although he was raised by monks, he has never had the desire to become one, so when a group of Knights Templar stops there on their way to fight in the Third Crusade, he accepts the offer to become a squire to one of the leaders, Sir Thomas. Unfortunately he also makes an enemy of the other leader, Sir Hugh.
When they reach the Holy Land, Tristan soon discovers...more
Michael P. Spradlin
Tristan has only known life in the monastery where he was found as an infant. Although he was raised by monks, he has never had the desire to become one, so when a group of Knights Templar stops there on their way to fight in the Third Crusade, he accepts the offer to become a squire to one of the leaders, Sir Thomas. Unfortunately he also makes an enemy of the other leader, Sir Hugh.
When they reach the Holy Land, Tristan soon discovers...more
Left at a monastery under mysterious circumstances, Tristan is an honest lad with no knowledge of his true heritage. Sir Thomas, a Templar, hires him as a squire and takes him to the holy land in the midst of the crusades. Tristan's career takes an abrupt turn when Sir Thomas orders him to abandon his post during a siege in order to take the holiest relic entrusted to the Templars, the holy grail, to a pre-established, safe location in England.
There are hints that Tristan is of noble birth and...more
There are hints that Tristan is of noble birth and...more
I read this book before letting my child have a go, but based on my experience with it, I don't think she'll bother. There are blow-by-blow, chapter long descriptions of gory medieval battle; a protagonist like out of a medieval saga: all heroic impulse, little emotional depth; and a strictly Christian perspective on the ethical question of the Crusades. All those things can maybe be discussed as authentically medieval, so, given a good plot and good characters, I very well may have accepted the...more
I was hoping that although this was a young children's book that it would be more on the older side then younger. That wasn't really the case but this was still a great book!
I did like that nothing was assumed and so a lot of background was explained. I don't like historical fiction that doesn't explain anything to you and assumes that you remember you high school history lessons! Spradlin did a great job of explaining it in a story like setting. I don't remember a lot about the Crusades and did...more
I did like that nothing was assumed and so a lot of background was explained. I don't like historical fiction that doesn't explain anything to you and assumes that you remember you high school history lessons! Spradlin did a great job of explaining it in a story like setting. I don't remember a lot about the Crusades and did...more
Tristan, orphan and newbie Templar, sets off on an adventure to learn who he really is. A familiar enough premise, but pulled off with a strong voice and likable characters. I found the similar but different theme stretched a little far with 'Robard Hode' and 'Maryam' who turn up later in the story, but their genuinely funny characters made their names forgivable. Tristan was by far my favourite character. I appreciated his honesty, innate chivalry and the way that he didn't shy away from hard w...more
To be fair, “Robin” and “Marian” are hilarious.
Imagine Ron and Hermione or Hans Solo and Princess Leia squabbling their way across the 12th century. Definitely the most fun I’ve seen the classic folk tale couple portrayed in a long time. And with a twist to them that is truly new.
“Marian” is the second most original interpretation of the character I have ever seen. She has no explanation given to her implausible background and profession, but I’m almost willing to hold off criticizing that unt...more
Dec 29, 2010
Josh
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
History teachers who need to get their students interested in this time period.
The first thing I thought when I stumbled across this book was, "What a great book to include in a history lesson about the Crusades and the Templar Knights!" Even though this book is geared for the junior high set, I had to read it because this era holds such fascination for me and, as a teacher, I am always looking for novels that could be used to present the history in a much more enjoyable manner than just pure lectures. Plus, I had never seen a book on this topic geared for 7th and 8th grad...more
Tristan has been living at St. Alban’s monastery, clueless of his parental origins. When Tristan is fifteen a Templar knight, Sir Thomas, asks Tristan to become his squire. Another knight, Sir Hugh, is appalled and offended by Tristan for some unknown reason. While preparing for the Crusades, Tristan is introduced to King Richard and the meeting is an odd occasion. Tristan and the Templar knights are sent to the Holy Land to defend the Christian settlements from Saladin. During a losing battle,...more
Jan 05, 2011
Sarah Maddaford
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
belton,
audio,
fantasy,
first-in-series,
historical,
juvenile-reader,
mythology-biblical,
political,
war,
mythology-celtic
This gets a 3 instead of a 4 because it starts at the end and then goes back to the beginning. It isn't the end of the book either, but the end of the series as far as I could tell. It also lost points for including a female warrior on the side of the Saracens, who I don't believe used girls any more than the Christians did. I also think it was a bit dim of Tristan to think that no one would suspect that he carried something important when he was the only surviving Templar from Akra when Templar...more
I really enjoyed reading this book. Spradlin deftly captures the essence of the adventure and danger of twelfth century for young readers. As Tristan leaves his safe home at the monastery and joins the Knights Templar as a squire, he engages in adventures that he would never before dream of. Sir Thomas offers him the opportunity of a lifetime by taking him to the Holy Land and giving him a strange audience with the King. Sir Hugh, obviously corrupt in some way, does what he can to tempt Tristan...more
Keeper of the Grail was reasonably enjoyable and written with an easy, casual, and well done 1st person narrative.
Pros:
Knights of the Templar, crusades, and flashing swords make a great backdrop for any story.
Our protagonist was morally reputable and loyal.
Cons:
The plot itself was average; I believe it could have been much more interesting to follow if the story didn't seem to change radically from a "coming of age as a Templar" story to "keeping the Holy Grail out of the hands of evil and retu...more
Pros:
Knights of the Templar, crusades, and flashing swords make a great backdrop for any story.
Our protagonist was morally reputable and loyal.
Cons:
The plot itself was average; I believe it could have been much more interesting to follow if the story didn't seem to change radically from a "coming of age as a Templar" story to "keeping the Holy Grail out of the hands of evil and retu...more
Tristan, an orphan staying with the St. Albin’s Monks, is taken as a squire by Sir Thomas, a Knight Templar. On their way to battle, Sir Thomas takes him to meet the king, Richard the Lionheart. The King seems to think there is something familiar about Tristan; it’s unnerving how the king stares at him, almost frightened. But Tristan can't dwell on that as the Knights Templar head for the Holy Land to regain Jerusalem. As the knights become besieged in the city, Sir Thomas gives Tristan the holy...more
What an awesome young adult book! There is a super medieval theme throughout the whole book. Tristan is a true example of what a virtuous knight should be! Since he had a fine example of what a true Templar Knight should be like in Sir Thomas Leux, Tristan takes his job as Sir Thomas' squire very seriously. Amidst fighting with the Saracens in Jerusalem, Thomas makes a friend in Roboard Hode (Robin Hood) and Maryam (Lady Marianne later on?), who is an Asassin in the Saracen army. Tristan is put...more
When the Knights Templar ride through the Abbey on their way to battle, the orphan Tristan suddenly finds himself made squire to Sir Thomas. While being a squire is exciting, it is also dangerous, as Tristan gets caught between rival knights desperate for power and is entrusted with the most sacred relic - the Holy Grail. With the chaos of war around him, he teams up with some unlikely allies. But even with their help, can Tristan safely bring the Holy Grail back to England? Or will he succumb t...more
I listened to the audio version and it took me a little while to get into the narrator's voice, so that got things off to a slow start. I like the action, adventure, and Tristan's mission, once we reach the point that he has a mission. I also love the fact that we see Robard Hode (Robin Hood) and Maryam (Maid Marian) and that there are some great twists on their characters. Actually, I might like the two of them, as well as the dog they acquire, more than Tristan. That's not to say I don't like...more
This is a great Junior Fiction. It is definitely a younger Junior Fiction then some of the books I read. The plot was fairly predictable, and the action was fast moving, but for a kid its a great kick start to reading. I thought it had a lot of fun information, (Although being a History nut, and a Boy Scout, I disagreed with some of the scenarios played out.) Fun book over all, and definitely I would recommend to new readers. Great characters, fun action, and a fun illustration of a time that in...more
Tristen, an orphan at an abbey, becomes a squire to Sir Thomas of the Templars. There is mystery surrounding Tristen's birth. Arrogant Sir Hugh, the head of this particular set of Templars, takes a hatred to Tristen, and beats him up at every opportunity. As the Templars are being over run by Saracens, Sit Thomas entrusts Tristen with the Holy Grail, and commands him to deliver it to Roselyn, hundreds of miles away. Will he be able to keep it safe? Great for 5-8. Lots of historical facts about t...more
This book is a first of an ongoing series. It's an interesting mix of Templar and Robin Hood which was the reason I picked it up having a weakness for both. The writing style is easy to read, and moves at a good pace. I like the characters, apart from Sir Hugh, but he's the bad guy so that's intentional. I'm also curious as to what powers the grail has as there's already been some interesting occurrances in this first book surrounding it. The three young heroes, Tristan, Robard and Maryam play o...more
I picked this up because the youth service coordinator at our local library highly recommended it to me several times. I finally got around to the book on CD while waiting for the next book in the Hunger Games series to come in. I didn't have high expectations for it but came away pleasantly surprised. I have reached my saturation point in dystopia fiction so it was refreshing to find a well done historical fiction YA novel for my daughter to share.
The narrator of the book is Tristan, an orphan...more
The narrator of the book is Tristan, an orphan...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This book is about a boy Tristan named who was orphaned as a baby and grew up with the monks. One day a band of Templar knights came and recruited him. He was intrusted to deliver the holy grail to special informat. The trader templer tried to capture him and steal the holy grail from him. Everytime Tristan got into trouble the holy grail saved him.
This book was very good if you like historical fiction books. This books is more suited for boys.
This book was very good if you like historical fiction books. This books is more suited for boys.
In the book The Youngest templar Keeper of the Grail it is about a kid who gets sent to a abbey or as we call them a church as a baby. He grows up there then one day a group of templar knights stays there for the night. the boy is taking the templars horses to the stables when one of them gets a cut. The owner of the horse Who is Sir Hugh, Tries to hit the boy with hes metal glove. But then a hand stops him from doing it and it turned out to be his soon master. His name was Sir Max. then before...more
This is the story of Tristan, a young man raised in an abby. He is discovered by a crusading knight and taken on as a squire. and he soon has a dangerous enemy in another Knight. He is given a very important task by his lord, thus leading to exciting adventures during his travels, learns much, and meets interesting characters along the way. First in a series, it definitely leaves the reader (or listener) with a cliff-hanger moment.
Read this book with to see if it would be a good one for my son. Yup... great book for my 5th grade son. Lots of action, well developed charaters and a little teensy amount of historical fiction too. We enjoyed talking about the story after we both read it. As it is written for younger readers it is a tad predictable and some of the characters are a bit stereotypical but overall it was a fun read.
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Michael P. Spradlin is the author of more than a dozen books for children.
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