THE DAGGER AND THE CROSS

by Judith Tarr ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 1990

Sequel to Tarr's fine historical fantasy Alamut (1989), featuring magical, incorruptible immortals from Rhiyana (Wales) amid the crusades of the 12th century. After ten years, Prince Aidan has finally received Papal dispensation to wed his beloved, the Moslem Assassin Morgiana. But, thanks to a conspiracy, the document when opened by Aidan's brother, King Gwydion, turns out to be a forgery denouncing the pair as evil witches. Meanwhile, the squabbling Frankish, Anglian and German crusaders foolishly stumble into war with the powerful and honorable Saracen, Saladin, and soon are soundly drubbed. Following their disappointment, Aidan and Morgiana quarrel, break apart, fight on opposite sides of the war, and at last reunite to return to Rhiyana. As before, slow but absorbing, with a gripping historical context (TaWs major advantage over, say, Katherine Kurtz's similar Deryni series) and above-average characters. Her main difficulty is in creating opponents capable of extending the noble and powerful immortals; she does not solve that problem here.

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1990

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1990

Categories: FICTION