Going
into this novel I was ignorant of the historiography of the Crusades, except
for a cursory peek of it from romanticized movies like “Ivanhoe” and “El Cid”
that I watched in my school days. A quick search on the internet indicates that
the history stretched from the First Crusade (1095 – 1099) – a military
expedition to rescue the weakening Byzantine Empire, to the fall of the Kingdom
of Jerusalem in the 17th century. Essentially, the military
conflicts were religion-based (Christianity versus Muslim) and about
territorial control.
This
novel is set prior to and during the Battle of Hattin which took place on July
4, 1187 (roughly between the Second and Third Crusade), near the city of
Tiberias (of present-day Israel) on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Opposing forces were the Crusader states of present-day Syria and the Muslim
army led by Salah-adin, the Arabic sultan.
The
story follows a ten-year-old orphan of mixed parentage through his adventures
when he accidentally gets caught up in an espionage conspiracy on the eve of a
decisive battle between Christian and Muslim states. Through his adolescent
eyes, we get to sense, smell and listen to the everyday life in Acre, the melting
pot of different cultures, in particular the life of the destitute underclass.
The author’s sense of humor keeps the dark tone from getting too dark.
Overall,
it was an entertaining read, but for my taste, the historical background could’ve
used a little more rigorous treatment. I’m giving this novel 3.7 stars,
rounding up to 4.
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