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The Sword and the Scimitar (Paperback)

by David Ball (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
Price: £6.96 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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The Sword and the Scimitar + Blood Rock + The Religion
Total RRP: £24.97
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  • This item: The Sword and the Scimitar by David Ball

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Product details

  • Paperback: 624 pages
  • Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd; New edition edition (5 Aug 2004)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0099457954
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099457954
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13 x 4.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 162,322 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Product Description

From the cruelty of the slave markets of Algiers to the majesty of Topkapi, the sultan's seraglio in Istanbul, to the convent of the noble Knights of St. John in Malta, this is a novel of the timeless struggle between the religions and cultures of the east and west. Nico and Maria, Maltese brother and sister, are separated when young Nico is abducted by Moorish slavers. Taken to Algiers to be the personal slave of a wealthy merchant, he becomes a pawn in household politics and sets out to escape. Extraordinary events lead him to the court of Suleiman, the magnificent Sultan of the Ottomans. Maria, stranded in Malta with unsympathetic parents, makes her own plans to escape the island and find her brother. She joins a group of Jews - forced by their Christian rulers to renounce their faith - who continue their rituals clandestinely. French aristocrat Christien de Vries yearns to prove himself as a surgeon in the Order of St John, to which he was pledged as an infant but joined only as a result of a life-altering oath. These unforgettable characters find themselves caught up in the sweep of history as the Ottomans confront the Knights in the historic Siege of Malta, and the fate of Europe hangs in the balance.

About the Author

David Ball lives in the Rockies with his wife, Melinda, and children, Ben and Li. His first novel, Empires of Sand was published in the US to great acclaim in 1999. The Sword and the Scimitar is his second novel.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Sword and the Scimitar
68% buy the item featured on this page:
The Sword and the Scimitar 4.1 out of 5 stars (15)
£6.96
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16% buy
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Blood Rock
7% buy
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Empires of Sand
6% buy
Empires of Sand 4.6 out of 5 stars (12)
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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews
5 star:
 (10)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good but biased., 22 Feb 2006
By murat guven (Berkshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
First of all this book is very good and I couldn't put it down until the last page. It also covers the historical events of its time in a good and detailed way. Although in general it tries to be in equal distance from both sides (Christains(Order of St. John) and Muslims(Ottomans) of 16th century) by giving the good and bad aspects of both civilizations but when it comes to the human factor it is clearly biased against the Ottomans(or Turks, or Muslims. The distinction disappears throughout the book). There isn't even a single Ottoman with a good character in the book. All of them are portrayed as blood-thirsty savages, looking for sex, rape and profit. When it comes to Christians though, all the characters get a chance to show their good aspects even if they're worse than their Muslim counterparts.
e.g. even the priest in the book, who rapes one of the female characters at the beginning of the book, gets portrayed as a -good- person at the end of the book. But I must give credit to the author for at least highlighting the fact that the Ottoman Empire was based on the values of talents of human beings but not their race.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant historical adventure ! Buy it !, 23 Sep 2005
By A Customer
This is probably the best historical novel I have ever read, bringing to life the Ottoman Empire, the Knights of St John and the siege of Malta. All characters are realistic and engaging and I was always interested in what would happen to them. The parallel stories of the different characters (in Malta, Algiers, France, Istanbul) are brought together perfectly in the final Great Siege (described in all its brutality and drama), and even on the very last page (771) there is a unexpected little twist which adds an additional interest to the whole great story. As the early action moved from one character and place to another, I was always disappointed to leave that section, but was always immediately gripped by the episode which followed. I hope David Ball is writing another novel, for I will certainly buy it.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you could ask of a Historical Novel, 18 Sep 2006
By A. Gothorp - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I love this book and also David Ball's other historical novel Empires of Sand. I think you can judge a good historical novel from the interest in generates in the period it is depicting. I was, until reading this, unaware of the historically significant siege of Malta. I was encouraged by this beautiful novel to find out more about Malta, the island's history and in particular the Knights who occupied and fortified the island. The story itself is the telling of the life and adventures of a brother and sister separated and brought up in two very different religious communities. And how, ultimately, they were became involved on different sides in an age old (and ongoing) sectarian war. I think to go into anymore detail would spoil the enjoyment of this fabulous novel. However, I was very interested to see a recent publication by Tim Willocks called The Religion. This novel covers the same events in history and I am encouraged to see it is receiving excellent reviews just like David Ball's Sword and the Scimitar. My only bone of contention with Mr. Ball is that he doesn't seem to have written much. The only other novel aside from Empires of Sand that I believe is from the same author is called China Run, but this seems quite a step away from the historical, romantic adventure story we have here.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars simply no words to describe it :)
as a maltese, i love reading books about the great siege. You'll make a good investment if you buy it. Read more
Published 9 days ago by patrick

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be a No1 best seller
This a great book and should be a bestseller. If you like Malta you will love the history and intrigue of this book. Read more
Published 6 months ago by K. Patterson

2.0 out of 5 stars poor end result
the system for order and delivery were all fine. but the book i received was a battered mess. very 2nd hand. so when compared to other items purchased i was dissappointed.
Published 7 months ago by Andrew B. Marsh

4.0 out of 5 stars Epic
The sword and the scimitar is a great read, if this was a film it would be an epic. I have no idea of the accuracy of the period in history or of the events that are depicted but... Read more
Published 12 months ago by C. J. P

1.0 out of 5 stars Racist book.
After reading this book, I am convinced the author has let his personal predilictions run riot. From the very beginning, the book portrayed the Muslims as savages and the... Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2007 by Suhail Ahmad

3.0 out of 5 stars Readable but not quite great
An entertain story though perhaps a little simplistic from a historical perspective. Yet it presents an interesting insight into life in the 16th centaury and is sympathetic to... Read more
Published on 9 July 2007 by Ibrahim Ali

5.0 out of 5 stars Vividly brings to life an often overlooked period of history
Spanning a period of over a quarter of a century from the Malta childhood of the two principal characters, "The Sword and the Scimitar" culminates in the siege of the island in... Read more
Published on 18 Jun 2007 by Seamus Martin

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
What a brilliant read!
Published on 11 Nov 2005

1.0 out of 5 stars ATTENTION
This book may well deserve five stars, I've given it only one because A) I had to fill in the rating field and B) because I have'nt read it yet. Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2005 by I. B. Pitbladdo

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read
This historical epic saga brings to life in vivid colours the 16th century and gives us an insight into the political and religious conflicts of the time, between the Islamic... Read more
Published on 8 Oct 2004 by LOUIS SCHEMBRI

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