The Dagger and the Cross

Alamut #2

by Judith Tarr

Immortal lovers, battling faiths, a kingdom torn love and war in the time of the Crusades.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction Fantasy

474 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

AKA Caitlin Brennan, Kathleen Bryan.

Judith Tarr (born 1955) is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University. She taught Latin and writing at Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, and taught at the Clarion science-fiction-writing workshops in 1996 and 1999.

She raises and trains Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona. The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan feature dancing horses modeled on those that she raises.

Reviews

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A child was a wonderful, terrible thing. Born of one’s blood and bone, but grown apart from them.

[Maureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Talamut was an enjoyable, if very long, historical-fantasy read. The problem with this sequel is Tarr's need to generate conflict in Morgiana and Aidan's relationship. At the point of the two coming from two different sides of The Crusade without any compromise of belief, love cannot survive and the relationship would naturally end. Enter Joanna. Anything else makes both characters seem vapid and weak. Alas, this is precisely what doesn't happen in this story of TrueLoveTM. Then, of course, the battle of Hattin feels like an entirely separate story to the marriage annulment, and in the end, only serves as an out for Aidan so he can be with Morgiana. Contrived, contrived, contrived...

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to Alamut, and just as good. In fact, I get the sense that these were just one long book, cut in half.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was just reminded of this book. I haven't thought about it in 30 years. I bought this at a drug store, not realizing it was the second book in a series; I hadn't read the first. I remember almost nothing about it except that I really enjoyed it.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read

I enjoy books by Judith Tarr. These have held up very well over time, as enjoyable today as when I first read them years ago.

[Elana · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love all this author has to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1This author brings the reader on a journey. i wuvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv her sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooomuch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!1!!

[Maya Morikawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

History and Fantasy

History and Fantasy

Having read Alumet several years ago and loved it.I wasn't sure she could do it again,but I was just as enthralled and couldn't put it down.Historically interesting with the fantasy.Love it

[Chu · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved this series as a teenager. Reading it again as an adult, however, was a major let down. I had forgotten how angsty it is. I used to think Aidan was so swoonworthy. Now i just want to slap him around. What a jerk!

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as Alamut, but not bad.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was actually a re-read. It was interesting to see what happened to the characters from Alamut and The Hound and the Falcon trilogy, but not all that exciting or satisfying.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

conclusion of Alamut

[Tiaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't like it as much as Alamut but interesting nevertheless.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sequel to Alamut, which I really enjoyed. This was good, but not great - seemed to ramble.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic follow-up to "Alamut."

[Mike Avest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tarr's strengths are her natural gift for detail and emotion and her prodigious historical education. She uses the first two admirably to tell a character driven story amongst one of the most compelling and fraught historical settings in Western and Eastern culture. Being a sequel to a prequel and historical fiction the reader has a certain amount of knowledge aforehand who will leave the holy land with his head on his shoulders and who will gain or lose a kingdom. Regardless Tarr deftly cultivates tension from personal and national conflicts in a worthy conclusion to her Rhiannon series.

[Helga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all of Tarr's books in my experience, it takes a while to get into but is well worth the effort.