Deus Vult

March 2003. I was part of the US Army 3rd Infantry Division, camped out for weeks in the Kuwaiti desert along the border of Iraq. It was there that the story of Deus Vult, A Tale of the First Crusade, first entered my imagination. While biding our time in that vast, desert wasteland, something unusual happened. Deus Vult, A Tale of the First CrusadeI was staring into that endless, desolate horizon one evening, allowing my thoughts to wander, when I began to envision a medieval knight, trudging alone through the desert under the light of the full moon. The vision itself seemed entirely random, yet I felt compelled to know more. When I asked myself why he was there, and what was he looking for, the story began to take shape in my mind. During the time I spent in Iraq after the war, the beginning and ending of the story became clear, and the plot began to take shape, but I was still unsure of the exact context and setting in which it should be told. It was not until 2008, after returning from my second tour of duty in Afghanistan, that I finally had my answer. I had regaled a friend with my vision for the tale and told him that I was contemplating using the Crusades as the setting for the story. Upon hearing this, my friend advised me that it would be best if I based it on a historical account of the Crusades and avoid something completely fictional. Although I’ve always loved studying history, especially historical battles, I assumed that research on the Crusades for the story’s setting was going to be a bit dry and tedious. In retrospect, I could not have been more wrong. The First Crusade has been one of the most fascinating adventures I have ever encountered. Full of epic battles, magnificent triumphs, horrible atrocities, and larger-than-life characters, it proved to be the ideal setting for the story that I wanted to write for so long. The framework of the story that I created in my mind fit perfectly within the setting of the historical events of the First Crusade. I had found the piece of the puzzle that finally completed the picture. The story, once entwined within the historical context, metamorphosized into something larger, broader, and more complex, yet still retained the soul of the original tale, which is one man’s search for truth and trust in God. Although my main character and his journey are fictional, I did my best to stay true to the historical timeline of events along with those leaders who took part in the First Crusade. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed the tale as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it, as you followed the Crusaders on their incredible journey to the Holy Land to reclaim the city of Jerusalem. Finally, I would like to thank all those who helped me to realize my long-awaited goal of bringing this tale to light: Aaron Redfern, the editor, for all his work and help revising the novel. Nic Ferrari, for his fantastic illustrations on the cover and interior. Cathy Helms, the graphic designer, for all her help in formatting the novel, finalizing the cover jacket and guiding me through the process. Thank you all very much.