Tuesday 31 July 2012

HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW: Saladin Trilogy 2: Kingdom - Jack Hight

Release Date: 19/07/12

SYNOPSIS:

1164. The young warrior Saladin joins a Saracen army headed for Egypt. He finds there a land of wonders - from the ancient pyramids and the towering lighthouse of Alexandria, to the caliph's luxurious palace - but also a land of unparalleled danger. In Egypt, no one can be trusted, not even his family. Saladin is surrounded by enemies and haunted by a secret that threatens to destroy him. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, Saladin's closest friend, the former crusader John of Tatewic, has been branded traitor. Spared execution on condition that he serves King Amalric, he soon finds himself embroiled in court intrigue. Dark forces within Jerusalem conspire to seize the throne. As John confronts them, his loyalty to Amalric, and to his old friend Saladin, is put to the test.


REVIEW:

What grabbed me originally with the first book in this series was the way in which the author managed to bring the complex world of the time in which the series is set to the readers imagination where one wrong word from a translator could result in not only bloodshed but full scale warfare.

It’s cleverly crafted, the combat where applicable carefully controlled but it’s the dialogue alongside the personalities of the characters that really bring the series to the fore. Add to this a more rounded view of the world at large alongside giving the reader a wonderful arc to follow and all in I was hooked. Great stuff.



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