This is the type of book I read and deem it mediochre until I get to the end...And the ending is just so beautiful and cumulative that it was worth reading after all and it will be much greater the second time around when I can see where it's going. Pros were Lovely heroines, evil detestable she-devil villains, utterly fall head over heels in love with heros and the sweetest love story I've seen in a while.. Cons were the needlessly ugly angry gag reflexing sexual content and equally needless and gag reflexing descriptions of dastardly deeds done by the crusaders. And although I didn't mind them, the pages of long historical explanations for certain things were a little uncreative at times. Over all I'll recommend it, if you get discouraged half way through or disgusted, just make yourself keep reading because it is definately worth it at the end.