Crossed

by Nicole Galland

Book Overview

In the year 1202, tens of thousands of crusaders gather in Venice, preparing to embark for Jerusalem to free the Holy City from Muslim rule. Among them is a lowly vagabond Briton, rescued from damnation by a pious knight who burns with zealous fire for their sacred undertaking. And so they set sail, along with dedicated companions--and with a beautiful, mysterious Arab princess whom the vagabond liberates from a brutish merchant. But the divine...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006084180X
• ISBN13: 9780060841805
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 672 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.8" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Not to be missed

Nicole Galland is an author whose books should be anticipated with relish! Always surprising, never dull, well-researched, and extremely original, Galland is fast becoming my new favorite author of all time. I can't wait for her fourth book.

Very entertaining!

I am quite a fan of Galland, though not generally of the genre of historical fiction. This book is very different from the traditional 'how will the beautiful virgin get deflowered?' driven plot of most historical fiction. Crossed has a rollicking plot that tackles the Fourth Crusade in terrific detail. Don't remember much about the crusades? Its better than you remember from history class. This is a great story of intrigue, greed, fate, and cunning disguised as piety/liberating another country/spreading civilization etc. The nice part is that when you get to the epilogue, there is a passage telling you about how the author personally traced the crusade route, and meticulously researched all events. I like to know what is fact and what is fiction. And of course there is a satisfying love story that is both unpredictable and bittersweet. Crossed is lots of fun.

entertaining historical thriller

The nomadic musician left Britain to tour the continent, but when he reaches Venice he decides to join the Fourth Crusade. There he meets resolute believer Germanic knight Gregor of Mainz, the intrepid warrior's father-in-law the leader of the crusade Marquis Boniface of Montferrat, and in disguise as an Arab Princess Jewish healer Jamila of Alexandria, whom the wanderer rescues. However, a lack of capital slows down the crusaders from achieving their goal to retake Jerusalem. To keep their quest alive, they first sack the Christian city of Zara and surround Constantinople. As the musician, Jamila and Gregor try to perform good deeds; the crusaders have other desires enflamed by Boniface, who plans to use his expendable force to gain increased power and wealth. CROSSED is entertaining historical thriller that looks deep at the way leaders manipulate their supporters for avaricious reasons. The musician without a name and Jamila are developed enough to bring the thirteenth century to life. On the other hand Boniface seems so one dimensional and a cruel nasty sort, one must wonder how he lined up support. Gregor steals the show as he changes from idealistic zealot to disillusioned realist. Harriet Klausner