Blood and Sand

by Rosemary Sutcliff

.The Ottoman Empire (that ''Sick Old Man of Europe''), is the setting of an aptly titled novel that examines the loyalty between men that helps makes warfare bearable. Thomas Keith, a Scottish soldier during the Napoleonic wars, is captured in 1807 in the Nile delta by Turkish forces under the Egyptian viceroy. With no reason to rejoin the English forces, he is persuaded to become an officer in the viceroy's army. Training for desert warfare, and witnessing the fellowship and piety of the Bedouin troops, he converts to Islam. During a long but unsuccessful campaign to free the holy cities of Mecca and Medina from forces hostile to the Turks, Thomas commands a troop of cavalry, marries a girl he has rescued and serves as amir (governor) of Medina, making a close friend of Tussun Bey, the viceroy's son. Loyalty and friendship are the strong thread on which Sutcliffe strings her stirring narrative--most of it based on historical fact. In this veteran British author's hands, what might have become merely a harsh tale of violence in the deserts of Arabia becomes a memorable, sensitively rendered story.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Egypt, Historical, Scotland, 19th Century

1000 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1989

About the author

Rosemary Sutcliff, CBE (1920-1992) was a British novelist, best known as a writer of highly acclaimed historical fiction. Although primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults. She once commented that she wrote "for children of all ages, from nine to ninety."

Born in West Clandon, Surrey, Sutcliff spent her early youth in Malta and other naval bases where her father was stationed as a naval officer. She contracted Still's Disease when she was very young and was confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. Due to her chronic sickness, she spent the majority of her time with her mother, a tireless storyteller, from whom she learned many of the Celtic and Saxon legends that she would later expand into works of historical fiction. Her early schooling being continually interrupted by moving house and her disabling condition, Sutcliff didn't learn to read until she was nine, and left school at fourteen to enter the Bideford Art School, which she attended for three years, graduating from the General Art Course. She then worked as a painter of miniatures.

Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a writer in 1950 with The Chronicles of Robin Hood. She found her voice when she wrote The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. In 1959, she won the Carnegie Medal for The Lantern Bearers and was runner-up in 1972 with Tristan and Iseult. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her The Mark of the Horse Lord won the first Phoenix Award in 1985.

Sutcliff lived for many years in Walberton near Arundel, Sussex. In 1975 she was appointed OBE for services to Children's Literature and promoted to CBE in 1992. She wrote incessantly throughout her life, and was still writing on the morning of her death. She never married.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/rosema...

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosemary Sutcliff is probably best known as a children’s author, but she also wrote several novels for adults and Blood and Sand, published in 1987, is one of them.

Blood and Sand is based on the true story of Thomas Keith, a Scottish soldier serving in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. Taking part in the Alexandria expedition of 1807 – an operation designed to capture the city of Alexandria in Egypt – Thomas is taken prisoner by Ottoman forces at El Hamed. Most of his fellow captives are sent back to Cairo as prisoners of war, but the Ottoman general in command of El Hamed has other plans for Thomas, who is ‘an extremely personable young soldier who speaks French, knows how to bear pain like a gentleman, and is the best swordsman and shot in his regiment’. Sent to train in the desert with the Bedouin cavalry, Thomas gradually rises through the ranks to enter the service of Tussun Bey, the Viceroy of Egypt’s youngest son, and to become Governor of Medina.

You may be wondering how it was possible for a Christian to reach such heights within the Ottoman Empire, so I should explain that Thomas makes the decision to convert to Islam. He does this partly because he is advised that it is the only way to progress in his military career but also because during his time as a prisoner he reads about and studies the Islamic religion and decides that conversion is something he feels comfortable with. However, it seemed to me that he made this choice a bit too easily and quickly; I would have found it more convincing if he had struggled with it more and if he had thought more often of the life he had left behind in Edinburgh and to which he would now never be able to return.

As far as I can tell – I had never heard of Thomas Keith until reading this book – most of the characters in the novel really did exist and most of the events described really did happen. This certainly seems to be true of the battles and military campaigns, but also two of the novel’s most exciting and memorable scenes: a dramatic duel and a desperate battle for survival on a dark turnpike stair. Of course, it’s Sutcliff’s skill as a writer which brings these scenes to life and fills them with suspense and tension, but it sounds as though the real Thomas Keith must have had a fascinating career and some hair-raising adventures. It’s surprising that he has not been a more popular subject for historical fiction.

In her author’s note Sutcliff says that the only area where she relies completely on her imagination is with the romance she creates for Thomas. This possibly explains why our hero’s love interest doesn’t appear until halfway through the book and only plays a relatively small role in the story. A much more interesting and moving relationship is the one between Thomas and Tussun, the Viceroy’s son – a relationship which develops over the years as Tussun grows from an impulsive, hot-headed teenager into a mature, well-respected leader and although it stops short of actual romantic love, is deeper than a normal friendship.

I enjoyed the first half of the novel very much, but later in the book Thomas and Tussun become embroiled in fighting against the Wahabis of Arabia and the heavy focus on military action was much less interesting to me than the more human story I had been finding so engrossing. That’s just my personal taste, though, and the battle scenes will probably appeal to other readers more than they did to me. I didn’t love this book quite as much as I’d thought I was going to at first, then, but I will certainly be reading more by Rosemary Sutcliff, having enjoyed both this one and The Rider of the White Horse.

[Isis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apparently this book began life as "A Broadsword for Islam", a manuscript by Scottish historian Michael Starforth, who couldn't find a publisher and gave it to Sutcliff with permission to rewrite and rework. Which explains why large parts of it (the beginning, and a lot of the battle scenes) feel very dull to me - all clashing swords and confusing political machinations, without the close attention to personalities and setting that to me is what sets Sutcliff's work apart.

The scenes which are all about the characters - Keith and Colonel D'Esurier, or Keith and Tussun (especially!) or Tussun's mother and sister, or Keith and Anoud - these are the more interesting ones. These are where Sutcliff spills her id all over the page, which is really what appeals to me the most about her books: the strong friendships, the declarations of brotherly love that stands above romantic love, the beautiful descriptions of scenery.

But the scenes which are more about the battles and the political setting are not nearly as appealing. I know Sutcliff can write political intrigue (as in Knight's Fee) so I'm assuming my boredom with these parts is due to them being someone else's work.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on true events, Blood and Sand tells the extraordinary story of Thomas Keith.
A young soldier serving with the 78th Highlanders in Egypt in 1807, he is wounded in battle against the Turks and taken prisoner, one of less than a dozen survivors. As he recovers from his wounds, he learns that a powerful Ottoman general wants him to join his private guard. With little in the way of choice, Thomas agrees - and finds a new path for his life that leads him to a new faith, new friendships, new battles, and eventually the position of Emir of Medina.

A thrilling pageturner of a story, evocative, atmospheric, wonderfully written and made even more fascinating by the fact that it is based on actual historical events and figures.

[Keith Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Rosemary Sutcliff's novels for adults, the story tells of a young Scottish soldier in Napoleonic times captured by Turkish forces in Egypt. Converted to Islam, he rises through the ranks of the Turkish army, finally becoming governor of Medina, where he meets his fate.

Based on true events, Sutcliff provides a sympathetic and unusual adventure story of very high quality.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captured by the Egyptians and one of the few survivors of his Scots regiment, Thomas is pulled from the ranks of his fellow soldiers who are to be repatriated and ransomed ---and he is sold as an to one of the leading Egyptians. Thus begins a fascinating read that helps give insight into historic Muslim culture at the time. If you enjoy historical novels, this one is top notch with living, breathing characters, a strong story line and setting.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was historical fiction like most of Rosemary Sutcliff’s books, but I had trouble keeping interest in this one. The characterization wasn’t as good as it normally is. This may because most of her books involve a fictional character set into an historical time while this one had a main character who was an actual historical figure.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts of this book that were real page turners; absorbing, fascinating, exciting. However, for me, there was too much detail on battles and military tactics which lost my interest

[Forest · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is only really three stars compared to her other books, otherwise it would be four

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story with strong historical details, but not as good as some of her other books.

[Kyri Freeman]

Pretty amazing to me that there's a Rosemary Sutcliff book that I'm actually going to DNF, but this one hasn't aged well.

[Ernest Godfrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taste the dust and desert

A very unusual angle to set a storey that of an ex Scot joining and becoming a Muslim. The details of the people and there way of life is surprising and revealing. It's a fascinating insight into the arabic way of living a and their thinking. A bit difficult to keep track of the characters with the strange names but a good read all the same

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Sutcliff. Great insight and perspective into life in Egypt and Arabia in the times of Napoleon. Written as a first person novel, the authenticity of well researched history of the people and religion.

[Kay Robart · Rating 3 out of 5]

See my review here:

https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2015...

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enjoyed reading this.

[mr w donaldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

Very good read a good page turner a look at the Arabian conflict from a different point of view recommend

[Marsha Valance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tale based on the life of the Scottish soldier Thomas Keith, captured by Ottoman forces during the Napoleonic Wars, who converted to Islam and became a Janissary.