The Talisman

I read this book more than forty years ago and still can see the way men become swayed by religious pressure and how some men see through the politics and remain with clean hands.This and other books cause me to understand how religions fall and others leap to be the next world power.What religion was the father of the muslims before he was a muslim;what religion past did the first pope [not peter] really come from?The TALISMAN is still a good read today.

I found the book wonderfully refreshing. A nice change from the modern versions of the crusades. Also I am curious about the rarity of the particular book I own. Anyone with any info please email me.

This is a wonderful adventure set in the Holy Land of Crusader fame, a tale of Richard the Lionheart, of his noble knight Sir Kennethof the Leopard (the prince royal of Scotland in disguise) and of the great Saracen ruler Saladin who fought the historical Richard to a stand-still in Palestine and showed his chivalry and nobility in the process. In fact, Scott's tale makes it clear that it is Saladin, not Richard, who is the nobler and wiser chieftain through a series of intrigues which see Saladin playing physician, matchmaker and spy all the while Richard is being gulled by traitors and self-interested allies around him. In fact, the great hearted Richard is moved to condemn to death his greatest knight and supporter, but for the machinations of Saladin and the loyalty of one good dog. This is a fun tale, full of adventure and exotic locales, every bit as strong as Ivanhoe, but, perhaps, just a shade less rich in colorful characters and mayhem. Read it anyway. It's worth it. -- Stuart W. Mirsky The King of Vinland's Saga