14 h 32 minAudiobook12 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
In a desert divided by war, a knight may find more honour in an enemy than among his own kings.
In Walter Scott’s The Talisman, Sir Kenneth of the Leopard rides alone near the Dead Sea during the Third Crusade. Poor but proud, the Scottish knight meets a Saracen lord in combat, then friendship. Ahead lies a crusader camp where Richard the Lionheart burns with fever and rival leaders threaten the cause Kenneth serves.
Kenneth’s love for Edith Plantagenet, a woman far above his rank, must remain unspoken. Around him, ambition strains loyalties, while the Muslim physician El Hakim offers to heal Richard with a talisman. With a guard duty that goes wrong and honour under pressure, Scott explores what courage means when supposed enemies show kindness and allies pursue their own gain.
What you’ll discover
- A friendship across battle lines Follow Kenneth and a courteous Saracen from fierce combat to bread shared as equals.
- Kings at bitter odds Enter a camp where quarrelling leaders put their shared cause at risk.
- Love beyond his rank Feel the strain of Kenneth’s hidden hopes for the proud, wise Edith Plantagenet.
- Honour on both sides Meet Christian and Muslim characters whose conduct matters more than the side they serve.
- A richly drawn world Travel from burning wilderness to crowded tents and the cave of an austere hermit.
Is it for you?
This book suits readers who enjoy adventure with a moral heart, lovers of medieval settings, and anyone curious about Richard and Saladin. It may be less suited to those who want fast modern pacing, since Scott lingers on ceremony, speeches and description.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A poor knight rides alone into the desert
- Enemies fight, then share bread
- The hermit of Engaddi and a hidden love
- A camp of kings who cannot agree
- A Saracen healer comes to the king
- The cure, the king's anger, and Kenneth's trial
- What the story says about honour and enemies
- How Scott tells the tale
Who’s who
- Sir Kenneth of the LeopardA poor, honourable Scottish knight who serves the Crusade and loves a lady far above his rank.
- Richard the LionheartThe brave, hot tempered king of England, struck down by fever while his allies plot against him.
- Edith PlantagenetA kinswoman of King Richard, proud and wise, who is the secret object of Kenneth's hopes.
- Sheerkohf, called IlderimA courteous Saracen lord who fights Kenneth in the desert, then becomes his guide and friend.
- El HakimA learned Muslim physician who comes to the camp, offering to cure the king with a talisman.
- Conrad of MontferratA clever, ambitious crusader lord who plays the other leaders against each other for his own gain.
- Theodorick of EngaddiA gaunt hermit who lives in a mountain cave, honoured by the crusaders for his holiness and visions.
- Queen BerengariaRichard's wife, who joins a veiled pilgrimage to the hermit's chapel with her ladies.
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- Audiobook
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- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 12 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
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- Hardcover
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- Large print paperback
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- Large print hardcover
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The Talisman
by Walter Scott· 1825
A Scottish crusader faces divided loyalties and threatened honour.
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Language: English
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 8
A poor knight rides alone into the desert
The story opens in the burning wilderness near the Dead Sea. A knight in heavy mail rides across the sand, tired and silent. He is Sir Kenneth of the Leopard, a Scottish crusader who has little money and no great lord to speak for him. His horse is weary, and the sun beats on his armour.
Kenneth is not wandering. The leaders of the Crusade, who have been struck by sickness and division, have sent him on a secret errand. He is to carry a message to a hermit who lives at Engaddi, a holy man known for his visions and his austere life. The knight keeps the purpose to himself, as he has promised.
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The author
Walter Scott
1771–1832 · Scottish novelist and poet
Walter Scott (1771–1832) was a Scottish novelist, poet and playwright. He was born in Edinburgh and lived in Scotland, including at Abbotsford near Melrose, where he died. He wrote Marmion (1808), The Lady of the Lake (1810), Waverley (1814), Rob Roy (1817) and Ivanhoe (1819).
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What is The Talisman by Walter Scott about?
It is a historical novel set during the Third Crusade. A poor Scottish knight, Sir Kenneth, becomes caught between the quarrelling crusader kings, a friendship with a Saracen lord, a secret love, and a mysterious healer who comes to the sick King Richard.
Is The Talisman a true story?
No. Scott published it in 1825 as fiction. Richard, Philip of France, Leopold of Austria, Conrad of Montferrat and Saladin were real, and the Crusade was real, but Kenneth, Edith and most of the plot are Scott's own invention.
What is the talisman in the book?
It is a small charm carried by a Muslim physician. It is said to cure sickness when dipped in water, which the patient then drinks. The crusaders distrust it as magic, but it plays a key role in the king's recovery.
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