Well I finished this book in less than a day - it was fantastic. This book - #3 in the series - tells the story of Richard the Lion Heart and his reign as King. Truly fascinating. I profess I didn't know much about him and it was a terrific story - told only as Jean Plaidy can - and his reign as King, his relationship with his sister Joanna (Queen of Sicily), his mother, Queen Eleanor of Aquataine and his wife - Berengia. His continued love/hate relationship with Philip King of France and his Holy Crusade to save Jerusalem. You will not be able to put this book down. Now on to Book 4! ( )

The author does a good job of bringing one of England's most famous kings to life. Richard I, aka Richard the Lionheart, is portrayed more realistically than in other accounts I’ve read, and especially more so than in most film adaptations I've seen.

While Richard was a great leader and warrior, he hardly cared for the country who crowned him, spending little time upon English soil. He taxed the people heavily to fund his ambition of going on a crusade to Jeruselem.

Other characters, such as Richard’s neglected wife Berengaria and his formiddable mother Eleanor of Aquitaine, are also of interest. Eleanor, of course, features in the previous two books in the Plantagenet series, for hers was a long life.

Couldn’t help but feel sorry for Berengaria. Don’t know how much of Ms Plaidy’s accounts are factual, but the queen’s life must’ve been a lonely one. Disappointing too, if she really loved her husband. She strikes me as the perfect wife, being both beautiful and devoted. She deserved a better life, but alas! Such was the fate of princesses.

Having known little of Richard’s sister Joanna, I was especially interested in the storylines that featured her. She comes across as being like her mother, thus she’s far from boring.

And of course, waiting in the wings, we have Prince John willing for his brother’s death so as to claim the English crown himself. John may be one of the most despicable personages of my country’s history but he’s also one of the most fascinating.

Some quality scenes feature throughout "The Heart of the Lion". Trouble at sea that leads to a stint in Cyprus is one of the most intriguing episodes.

Overall, the story is engaging and at times highly entertaining, but like in most Plaidy novels, there are elements of repetition that jar on the nerves. Here, for example, we have Richard described as the greatest soldier of his age, etc., a few times to many. Other themes also are repeated too often, plus the phrase “without delay” is done to death in this and the first two books of the series.

Because of the amount of annoying repetition I’ve rated this otherwise entertaining novel four stars instead of five. ( )

Another Plaidy novel that is a good intro to history, but too sanitised. History buffs would agree I am sure, that while these novels are mainly factual, they rely a great deal on conjecture. I suppose this is to be expected in a work of fiction, but it is well for readers to be aware of the difference. Annoyingly, Plaidy often repeats herself and this is distracting and almost patronising for the reader - assuming that we haven't been paying attention.