What one reviewer at amazon said about Talisman:
This is a wonderful adventure set in the Holy Land of Crusaderfame, a tale of Richard the Lionheart, of his noble knight Sir Kennethof the Leopard (the prince royal of Scotland in disguise) and of the great Saracen ruler Saladin who fought the historical Richard to a stand-still in Palestine and showed his chivalry and nobility in the process. In fact, Scott's tale makes it clear that it is Saladin, not Richard, who is the nobler and wiser chieftain through a series of intrigues which see Saladin playing physician, matchmaker and spy all the while Richard is being gulled by traitors and self-interested allies around him. In fact, the great hearted Richard is moved to condemn to death his greatest knight and supporter, but for the machinations of Saladin and the loyalty of one good dog. This is a fun tale, full of adventure and exotic locales, every bit as strong as Ivanhoe, but, perhaps, just a shade less rich in colorful characters and mayhem. Read it anyway. It's worth it. -- Stuart W. Mirsky
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