Crossed: A Tale of the Fourth Crusade by Nicole Galland

[xse99]

I'm not giving anything away by telling you that the Fourth Crusade is the one where the crusaders sack and loot a series of Christian cities, most famously Constantinople (capital of Byzantium). Knowing that, you might expect this book to be depressing. It's actually highly entertaining--a "rip-roaring adventure yarn" (tm)--with lots of action,

Comments

[matt_rah]

Oh yes! Makes me think of Umberto Eco's "Baudolino," in which the Fourth Crusade figures quite heavily as well. Great, great book, in my opinion, though I know some people who didn't like it. It's less like D&D and more of a "Whodunnit" with incredibly mythohistorical musings. Also languages!

Matt

[xse99]

[laughs] Sounds like Eco. I keep meaning to reread The Name of the Rose with paper and pencil handy, so I can draw a diagram of that monastery library.