Crown of the World

“I will not wear a Crown of Gold where my Master wore a Crown of Thorns.”

—attributed to Godfrey de Bouillon, upon being offered the crown of Jerusalem

Praise for Crown of the World:

"I’m a constant reader of both military history and historical fiction, and Knight of the Temple was one of the best historical novels I’ve read in years. The characters were well-developed, appealing, and unpredictable. This last quality is very unusual, particularly in an action novel.... The plot zipped right along, and the fight scenes were done really well....The author does everything well – plotting, character, dialogue, and even landscape description."

—Cynthia Wright, homeschooling mother of nine

"Knight of the Temple is written in a style of historical fiction that was prevalent in American Catholic literature several decades ago and follows in the footsteps of such Catholic classics as The Outlaws of Ravenhurst and the novels of Louis de Wohl, but with greater intensity. Sadasivan's book does an admirable job of creating a believable setting and plot, with sequences that take us from the Nile Delta in Egypt to the streets of Antioch to the Temple Mount of Jerusalem itself....If one word could encapsulate the whole novel it would be 'struggle', and it is on this level that it is most satisfying....Knight of the Temple is a really excellent work, fraught with tension, that hooks us for part two."

—Phillip D. Campbell III, in Saint Austin Review

"Nathan Sadasivan has a rare, raw talent and Crown of the World is a rip-roaring success. A saga of Christendom told with a breadth of historical knowledge and a depth of empathy and understanding, this novel transports us to a time of turbulence and faith. A work of such accomplishment from a writer of such youth is simply astonishing. I hope and pray that this is the first of many more to follow."

—Professor Joseph Pearce, Ave Maria University, author of The Quest for Shakespeare

"In a novel involving the Knight Templars you would expect battle scenes and this book does not disappoint in the descriptions along with the strategy involved. Yet the book goes way beyond being just a military novel. There is a serious spiritual dimension to it that is not just knock-you-over-the-head piety. The author also gives you a good understanding of the times without lengthy character exposition explaining everything to you. It is rather cliche to say you had a hard time putting a book down, but I guess I will cliche away and say just that. I read the near 300 page book over the weekend and certainly felt that bittersweet feeling you get when you reach the end -- which was certainly climatic....Since this book is the first book of a trilogy I really look forward for the next book -- which can't come soon enough in my opinion. One of the most surprising aspects of this book is that it was written by a nineteen year old who started working on it at 15 while being homeschooled. The novel has every mark as being written by a seasoned author and none of the marks as being written by a beginner. To put it simply this is one of the most enjoyable books I have read."

—Jeff Miller, The Curt Jester blog

"Masterful swordplay, powerfully intense battles, deceit and treachery, and the emergence of the saintly Baldwin IV, young Mr. Sadasvian has weaved a vivid and enthralling tale of a forgotten Catholic kingdom...and has this reader awaiting Book Two of the Trilogy with great anticipation."

—Scott Jones, Our Lady of Victory Traditional Catholic Homeschooling

"The author takes the reader to a world of betrayal, espionage, love, prayer, and political power struggles; where the most ambitious and wicked one of them all will stop at nothing to reach his goal. I admire the author’s attention to details. With the skills of a masterful painter, he portrays the battle scenes and enfolds the reader in a mystical world already forgotten, and in a time in which not everything is what is seems to be. At the end of the book Godfrey finds himself in front of the Tabernacle demanding to know Why??? The answer to his question will open up the road of healing for his broken spirit and will leave the reader contemplating its meaning, too. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy books about Christendom and are willing to follow Godfrey de Montferrat and his companions through this trilogy."

—Tannia Ortiz-Lopes, Catholicfiction.net

"Crown of the World is an exciting work of historical fiction set in the days of the Crusades when Christians held the Kingdom of Jerusalem ... and when that kingdom is slowly being lost....This book was a pleasure to read as it strove before all to tell a good story without hitting the reader over the head with a Christian message....The author, Nathan Sadasivan, began the book when he was 15 and finished when he was 19. It does show a raw talent that leaves me interested in reading the rest of the proposed trilogy and, indeed, any other book that he may turn his hand to. He has a definite talent for translating history into adventure while still giving the reader something deeper to ponder."

—Julie Davis, Catholic Media Review

"People interested in the Crusades and literature about the Crusades will enjoy Book One: Knight of the Temple. The adventure is evocative of this time and place in history. A map, together with additional information, helps readers follow the story. Nathan Sadasivan has done his homework. The story was particularly interesting for the young men in our homeschool co-op."

—Kate O'Mara, Eclectic Homeschool Online

About the book:

Here is the tale of Godfrey de Montferrat, a young Templar knight who swore an oath to defend the Kingdom of Jerusalem. It is also the tale of that kingdom, which men called Outremer—The Land Beyond the Sea. With the miraculous success of the First Crusade, all said that the heroic tales of old had come to life in that place. But by Godfrey’s day the kingdom is dying, chivalry fading, and foes pressing hard from every side. But Godfrey stands in contradiction to the prevailing corruption. Where others strive to become mighty warlords and kings, Godfrey desires only to become a hero—and a saint.

Around Godfrey swirl the loves, betrayals, adventures, and disasters of the kingdom’s waning years. From the desert wastes of Egypt, to the bustling streets of medieval Antioch, to the Holy City of Jerusalem itself, Nathan Sadasivan paints a vivid portrait of the Crusades strewn with unforgettable characters: Amalric, the ill-tempered King of Jerusalem; Malik, the proud young Saracen; Jacques, Godfrey’s childhood friend; Tristan, the single-minded swordmaster, and Andronicus, the enigmatic Byzantine prince, among many others.

Knight of the Temple is the first book in the Crown of the World trilogy.

To read an excerpt from Crown of the World, Book 1—Knight of the Temple, click here.

About the author:

Nathan Sadasivan, nineteen years old, began writing Crown of the World at age fifteen. He is now studying Classical Languages and Literature at Ave Maria University in Florida. When he can escape from study, he lives with his family in Michigan and revels in the snow. He is a past winner of the Tarpeian Rock Young Writer's Contest.

To read an interview with Nathan Sadasivan, click here.