The dagger and the cross
a novel of the Crusades
In the years before the Third Crusade, Prince Aidan of Rhiyana came to the Holy Land. The younger of twin sons born of a mortal king and an Elven woman, he was heir to magic – and, said many, the finest Christian knight alive. Yet when he pledged his heart, it was to the immortal Lady Morgiana – a steadfast Muslim . . .and an Assassin. Now, after years of waiting, Aidan’s brother King Gwydion has come to Acre, Carrying the papal decree that will allow Prince Aidan and Lady Morgiana to marry despite their difference of faith. But neither of them has reckoned on their enemies, men who hate them for their wealth, for their power, for their long lives and their magic; who have laid plans to thwart their happiness. Other, greater plans are under way as well: Saladin, the wily Sultan of Egypt and Syria, is gathering his armies to lay siege to the holiest of cities and drive the occupying Christians into the sea. (Back cover)
Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Fiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.
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What the reading experience may hold
A fuller profile for choosing with more confidence—not just another copy of the preview.
Fiction
Use these as starting points rather than limits; the most memorable books often stretch beyond their catalog labels.
Catalog signals suggest warfare and conflict. These notes may not be complete; consult a publisher or reader-supplied guide when detailed warnings matter.
These notes are inferred from available catalog information and may not be complete. Check a publisher or reader-supplied guide if you need comprehensive warnings.
Dark tone · Steady pace
Best when you want to settle into a longer reading experience.
A good fit if…
Readers looking for a substantial, immersive commitment with room for a world or argument to unfold.
This book's DNA
A visual estimate based on this edition's categories, description, and length. Select a star to explore the signals.
This signal is descriptive, not a rating. It helps compare the kind of reading experience this edition may offer.
Spoiler-Free Emotional Arc
A broad estimate of the book’s emotional rhythm, shown without story events or outcomes.
This visualization is an interpretive estimate based on catalog description, categories, tone, pace, and content signals. It does not describe specific scenes.
A quick reading snapshot
Edition facts and catalog signals to help you decide whether this book fits what you want to read next.
- ISBN-13
- 978-0-3854-1181-3
- Language
- English
- Edition record
- OL1883280M
A more thoughtful way into this book
This guide uses the edition details and category signals above to help you choose deliberately. It does not replace the author's work or a full review.
Best when you want to settle into a longer reading experience.
Begin with its place in Fiction, then notice where the book resists that label.
Read for connection, not completion.
Mark one passage that sharpens the book's central concern and one that complicates it. That tension often reveals more than a quick summary.
Three questions to carry with you
- What does the central character want, and what do they misunderstand about that desire?
- Which detail or relationship changes how you interpret the story?
- What feeling or question does the book leave with you after the plot moves on?
Editorial framework by Wesley Bryan, BookenDeX Founder and Editor.
More Fiction books
These matches combine shared categories with author, publication-era, and reading-length signals.
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Why it fits: shares Fiction, a similar publication era.
