A PLACE BEYOND COURAGE is the depiction of the life of John Fitzgilbert. John's early years were spent as Marshal to Henry I, King of England. John was relatively young to be the Marshal but the duty had been in his family for generations. John's family was on the low end of nobility but he was motivated and wanted to better his life. As Marshal his duties are vast and range from managing the stables, keeping order at court to overseeing the enclave of court prostitutes. When John is given the opportunity to purchase the guardian ship of the young Aline Pipard he takes the occasion to further himself by marrying Aline and inheriting her lands.

Aline is very pious and it is surprising she is able to bear him two sons; considering how often John is away from home and how prudish he wife is. While at court John does his duty well and gives his oath to Henry I's daughter as the rightful heir. When Henry I died, life for John takes shocking turns. Will John keep his oath to The Empress Matilda or will he join the popular belief that her cousin Stephen would make the better ruler? John's journey is difficult and trying but as with real life he has ups and downs and how he deals with them makes him a better man. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I will say John's life ends up completely different than he ever dreamed possible and he finds it was worth enduring the hard road to arrive at his destination.

A PLACE BEOND COURAGE is a cross between a history book and Medieval Novel. Author Elizabeth Chadwick is known for her historically accurate novels. This usually isn't my genre but I found the story fascinating and came away with a great deal of knowledge regarding this time period. Chadwick's detailed descriptions and life-like characters made for a surprisingly pleasurable experience. I would recommend A PLACE BEYOND COURAGE to anyone who enjoys history or is looking for a pleasant novel to read on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Book Summary

The early twelfth century is a time for ambitious men to prosper, and royal servant John FitzGilbert Marshal is one of them. Raised high as the kin of the deceased King Henry battle each other for England's throne, John reaps rich rewards but pays a terrible price for the choices he makes - as do his family. His wife, fragile, na�ve Aline is hopelessly unequipped to cope with the demands of a life lived on the edge and, when John is seriously injured in battle, her worst nightmare is realised.

Sybilla, bright, forthright sister to the Earl of Salisbury, finds herself used as a bargaining counter when her brother seeks to seal a truce with his troublesome neighbour, John FitzGilbert. And then there is Sybilla's small son, William, seized hostage by the King for John's word of honour. But sometimes keeping your honour means breaking your word...