false 338325 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 338325 9 328730 book 1960 The High Crusade total:141|5:5|4:5|3:1|2:2|1:0| 141 537 190 14 32278 3.61 5259 381 23374113 1086026 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.85 125 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 5 2 false Sat May 31 08:41:37 -0700 2008 Sun Jun 01 14:53:23 -0700 2008 The local knight isn't thrilled with this arrangement and decides that he's going to find a way to take his people home no matter what.
and Poul Anderson does it all in about 150 pages. Great story.]]> 28032375 974210 3847857 1 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1232938881m/3847857.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1232938881s/3847857.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3847857.The_High_Crusade 3.50 4 It may be confusing that backward countrymen could defeat advanced aliens, but after centuries of space travel, the Wersgorix were used to taking planets easily, with little or no resistance from natives. They had forgotten hand-to-hand combat since it was made obsolete by their technology.
Sir Roger formulates a plan that with the captured ship, he can take the entire village to France to win the war, then liberate the Holy Land. The townspeople, with all of their belongings, board the ship at the baron's instruction & prepare to take off. The people of Ansby are mystified at the technology aboard the ship, which they come to call the Crusader. Being unable to pilot the Crusader Sir Roger directs the surly Branithar to pilot them to France. In spiteful treachery, the alien wrecks the baron's plan by throwing the Crusader into autopilot on course to Tharixan, another Wersgor colony. As the ship ascends high above Earth, the human characters are horrified to learn their home is actually a sphere.
The Crusader arrives at Tharixan & Sir Roger learns this new world is sparsely-populated, with only three fortresses, Ganturath, Stularax & Darova, the chief base. The humans capture Ganturath yet destroy the Crusader in the process. Word spreads of the invaders & meetings between Sir Roger & his soldiers & the chief of Tharixan, Huruga.
Humans & Wersgor hold talks which do very little to give either side any advantage, but a truce is agreed. Sir Roger, in order to intimidate the aliens, makes up tall tales about his estate, "which only took up three planets" & his other accomplishments, including a very successful conquest of Constantinople. Sir Roger demands that the entire Wersgorix state submit to England's king. During the talks, Baron de Tourneville ignores the truce, ordering the capture of the fortress of Stalurax. Unfortunately, the entire base is obliterated by what we would call an atomic bomb. In retaliation, Huruga attacks Ganturath again, but loses. He is forced to give up.
Now comes Sir Roger's most outrageous plan. Having captured Tharixan, he sets out to overthrow the Wersgorix Empire itself. He enlists the help of three other races enslaved by the Wersgor: the Jairs, the Ashenkoghli & the Pr?*tans.
Meanwhile, one of his main soldiers & friends, Sir Owain Montbelle hatches a plan to return to Earth, something Sir Roger has lost interest in. With Lady Catherine, Sir Roger's wife, Montbelle corners the baron & demands he help the people of Ansby return. De Tourneville gives in, but attacks Sir Owain in person. At the climax, Lady Catherine betrays Montbelle, killing him herself. Unfortunately, she also destroys the notes that could have helped get the villagers home.
Sir Roger goes on to topple the Wersgor Empire & build one for himself. He manages with the help of not only the species under the Wersgor, but from members of the species who rebelled against their government. The religious figures in the story go on to establish a new branch of the Roman Catholic Church.
A millennium after the main events of The High Crusade, the holy galactic empire founded by Sir Roger & his people finally reunites with long lost Earth. A spacecraft from Earth comes across the empire, & is welcomed by the descendants of Red John Hameward.
There is, in the epilogue, a reference to events on Earth since 1345. The captain of the Earth ship is described as being a loyal subject of an Israeli empire. It also appears that Huruga wound up as an Archbishop.]]> 1960 4 1 false Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1961 Wed Jul 23 01:14:06 -0700 2008 Wed Jul 23 01:29:13 -0700 2008 more...]]> 51455780 1656339 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 5 0 false Fri Apr 03 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 03 23:51:48 -0700 2009 Sat Apr 04 00:01:24 -0700 2009
In 1345, an alien spaceship lands in an English fiefdom. The alien landing party, intending to quickly subjugate this backwards planet, steps out and toasts one of the aston...more...]]> 3425309 192006 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 5 1 false Mon Jul 23 16:06:08 -0700 2007 Thu Dec 17 01:41:45 -0800 2009 81694093 190886 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 4 0 false Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Dec 21 15:57:37 -0800 2009 Mon Dec 21 16:00:17 -0800 2009 more...]]> 77721965 2187043 939693 0727807773 9780727807779 1 http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/939693.The_High_Crusade 4.00 1 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 4 0 false Fri Nov 13 21:27:36 -0800 2009 Fri Nov 13 21:32:56 -0800 2009
It's a good story.]]> 26428815 1203254 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 3 0 false Sun Jul 06 08:14:42 -0700 2008 Sun Jul 06 08:24:02 -0700 2008
I only put thi...more...]]> 39361861 1256262 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 3 0 false Fri Dec 05 07:16:12 -0800 2008 Fri Dec 05 07:16:48 -0800 2008 66887120 2614179 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 5 0 false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1991 Mon Aug 10 16:19:58 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 10 16:20:43 -0700 2009 4 79044324 2439329 939692 0425062775 9780425062777 1 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1232939047m/939692.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1232939047s/939692.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/939692.The_High_Crusade 3.67 3 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 5 0 false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1987 Thu Nov 26 08:47:12 -0800 2009 Tue Dec 08 13:56:51 -0800 2009 12048847 761281 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 4 0 false Wed Jan 09 06:07:38 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 09 06:10:47 -0800 2008
Aliens invade England in the 1300s and are soundly defeated by archers and knights (!). The local lord plans to take the spaceship on the crusades, but things don't go as plnned.

Anderson is a very good storyteller...more...]]> 10423517 667234 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 4 0 false Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1975 Fri Dec 14 10:45:02 -0800 2007 Fri Dec 14 10:49:25 -0800 2007 more...]]> 3393481 196856 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 5 0 false Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1972 Sun Jul 22 20:34:57 -0700 2007 Thu Dec 17 01:35:31 -0800 2009
Thannasset]]> 4435605 272061 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 4 0 false Sun Aug 12 12:10:43 -0700 2007 Thu Dec 17 04:51:17 -0800 2009 81443501 1157679 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 0 0 false Fri Dec 18 18:44:13 -0800 2009 Fri Dec 18 18:44:31 -0800 2009 80717837 3023649 2220807 2070313891 9782070313891 0 http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2220807.Les_crois_s_du_cosmos 2.00 1 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 2 0 false Fri Dec 11 19:36:08 -0800 2009 Fri Dec 11 19:36:08 -0800 2009 80068765 3014691 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 0 0 false Sun Dec 06 09:24:20 -0800 2009 Sun Dec 06 09:24:20 -0800 2009 78338280 159260 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 0 0 false Thu Nov 19 12:27:51 -0800 2009 Thu Nov 19 12:27:51 -0800 2009 78087163 2190809 338325 0743475283 9780743475280 11 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267m/338325.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173872267s/338325.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338325.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

]]> 1960 0 0 false Tue Nov 17 10:00:56 -0800 2009 Tue Nov 17 10:01:45 -0800 2009 78043158 457891 3847857 1 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1232938881m/3847857.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1232938881s/3847857.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3847857.The_High_Crusade 3.81 141 It may be confusing that backward countrymen could defeat advanced aliens, but after centuries of space travel, the Wersgorix were used to taking planets easily, with little or no resistance from natives. They had forgotten hand-to-hand combat since it was made obsolete by their technology.
Sir Roger formulates a plan that with the captured ship, he can take the entire village to France to win the war, then liberate the Holy Land. The townspeople, with all of their belongings, board the ship at the baron's instruction & prepare to take off. The people of Ansby are mystified at the technology aboard the ship, which they come to call the Crusader. Being unable to pilot the Crusader Sir Roger directs the surly Branithar to pilot them to France. In spiteful treachery, the alien wrecks the baron's plan by throwing the Crusader into autopilot on course to Tharixan, another Wersgor colony. As the ship ascends high above Earth, the human characters are horrified to learn their home is actually a sphere.
The Crusader arrives at Tharixan & Sir Roger learns this new world is sparsely-populated, with only three fortresses, Ganturath, Stularax & Darova, the chief base. The humans capture Ganturath yet destroy the Crusader in the process. Word spreads of the invaders & meetings between Sir Roger & his soldiers & the chief of Tharixan, Huruga.
Humans & Wersgor hold talks which do very little to give either side any advantage, but a truce is agreed. Sir Roger, in order to intimidate the aliens, makes up tall tales about his estate, "which only took up three planets" & his other accomplishments, including a very successful conquest of Constantinople. Sir Roger demands that the entire Wersgorix state submit to England's king. During the talks, Baron de Tourneville ignores the truce, ordering the capture of the fortress of Stalurax. Unfortunately, the entire base is obliterated by what we would call an atomic bomb. In retaliation, Huruga attacks Ganturath again, but loses. He is forced to give up.
Now comes Sir Roger's most outrageous plan. Having captured Tharixan, he sets out to overthrow the Wersgorix Empire itself. He enlists the help of three other races enslaved by the Wersgor: the Jairs, the Ashenkoghli & the Pr?*tans.
Meanwhile, one of his main soldiers & friends, Sir Owain Montbelle hatches a plan to return to Earth, something Sir Roger has lost interest in. With Lady Catherine, Sir Roger's wife, Montbelle corners the baron & demands he help the people of Ansby return. De Tourneville gives in, but attacks Sir Owain in person. At the climax, Lady Catherine betrays Montbelle, killing him herself. Unfortunately, she also destroys the notes that could have helped get the villagers home.
Sir Roger goes on to topple the Wersgor Empire & build one for himself. He manages with the help of not only the species under the Wersgor, but from members of the species who rebelled against their government. The religious figures in the story go on to establish a new branch of the Roman Catholic Church.
A millennium after the main events of The High Crusade, the holy galactic empire founded by Sir Roger & his people finally reunites with long lost Earth. A spacecraft from Earth comes across the empire, & is welcomed by the descendants of Red John Hameward.
There is, in the epilogue, a reference to events on Earth since 1345. The captain of the Earth ship is described as being a loyal subject of an Israeli empire. It also appears that Huruga wound up as an Archbishop.]]> 1960 2 0 false Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1995 Mon Nov 16 21:52:21 -0800 2009 Mon Nov 16 21:52:41 -0800 2009 8 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=338325