{"product_id":"the-talisman","title":"The Talisman","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a desert divided by war, a knight may find more honour in an enemy than among his own kings.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKenneth’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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat you'll discover\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA friendship across battle lines\u003c\/strong\u003e – Follow Kenneth and a courteous Saracen from fierce combat to bread shared as equals.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKings at bitter odds\u003c\/strong\u003e – Enter a camp where quarrelling leaders put their shared cause at risk.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLove beyond his rank\u003c\/strong\u003e – Feel the strain of Kenneth’s hidden hopes for the proud, wise Edith Plantagenet.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHonour on both sides\u003c\/strong\u003e – Meet Christian and Muslim characters whose conduct matters more than the side they serve.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA richly drawn world\u003c\/strong\u003e – Travel from burning wilderness to crowded tents and the cave of an austere hermit.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect for readers who love adventure with a moral heart, medieval settings, and stories of Richard and Saladin.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpen the first page and ride beside Kenneth into the desert, where a stranger waits.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Library of Alexandria Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59534625702236,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1027\/9442\/8764\/files\/04454_en_ebook-front_c04.jpg?v=1792174975","url":"https:\/\/libraryofalexandria.com\/products\/the-talisman","provider":"The Library of Alexandria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}