Hugh le Duc and his wife Sophie lead a poor but happy life in medieval France. Amid Sophie's protest, Hugh commits to the Crusade as it passes through their town. He runs into violence and horrible death on his way to the Holy Land. The few trinkets he's collected along the way cannot make up for the gruesome reality of war. Hugh abandons the cause, slowly making his way back to Sophie.
Upon his return, Hugh sees his village has been destroyed. An evil duke looking for a holy relic has kidnapped his wife. Devastated, Hugh sets out to find his missing love. A plan is devised to transform Hugh into a jester as a means to gain access to the castle and the evil duke. The events that follow are chronicled in The Jester, co-written by James Patterson and Andrew Gross.
Patterson previously took a break from the modern-day suspense novel with the bestseller Susanne's Diary for Nicholas. He is successful yet again with this romantic medieval adventure. The Jester isn't heavy with historic details. Patterson and Gross simply draw on the elements of chivalry, loyalty and romance to transport readers back in time over 900 years.
The Jester is often gory, with battle scenes described from every bloody facet. The paragraphs occasionally detract from the heart of the tale, though the scenes would probably play well on a movie screen. Suspense is generated from a staff that dates back to Christ. Everyone is searching for the relic and many kill in an attempt to get their hands on it.
The tale flows quickly thanks to Patterson's trademark short chapters. Hugh's quests for love and justice, as well as the search for the staff, keep the pages turning. Readers hooked on the adventures of Alex Cross and The Women's Murder Club will not be disappointed with this compilation between Patterson and Gross. The Jester delivers the exciting tale and colorful characters Patterson purists crave.
