The Heirs of the Kingdom

by Zoé Oldenbourg

Book Overview

Heirs Of The Kingdom, The by Oldenbourg, Zoe This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039446835X
• ISBN13: 9780394468358
• Release Date: January 1971
• Publisher: Pantheon Books
• Length: 563 Pages
• Weight: 1.84 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Breathtaking!

Zoe Oldenbourg's work is consistently good, but this one is a masterpiece. Taking the reading along the path of the First Crusade and beyond, this novel fills in the blanks that history books often leave. While Oldenbourg insists in her introduction that this isn't a historical novel, but a picture of the human condition, the wealth of historical detail keeps the reader engrossed so deeply that it is difficult to concentrate on anything else until the book is finished. With regards to the human condition, she paints the poor masses of medieval Europe with deep empathy, making the reader understand the religious hysteria of the time, the deep but superstitious and misguided devotion to their faith, and ultimately, why they thought that it was indeed, the will of God that imspired them to do it. Despite the gruesome carnage of war (and, true to her style, Oldenbourg does not hold back in describing carnage), the reader sees the hand of God in these events when viewed through the eyes of these poverty-stricken, illiterate, dismal people. Because of Oldenbourg's craftsmanship as a writer, the reader does not see them as ignorant, bigoted, hateful people (as many modern scholars would paint them), but people who you can like and relate to and understand. As a historical piece, it provides much-needed context to otherwise inexplicable events, and as a 'portrayal of the human condition' (in her own words), the context is found in the drama of these characters' lives. Despite its length and density, this is a page-turner, full of adventure and action. The description of the battle at Dorylaeum in 1097 made me sweat with its intensity, while the final seige of Jerusalem made me feel sick with horror. As with her other works, Oldenbourg puts you right there, in the midst of history, making you feel as if you've lived through the events she describes. Because of some of the characters (including murderers and unrepentant prsotitutes), and especially because of the graphic depictions of violence and rape, I cannot recommend this book to anyone but adults. But for someone interested in the time period, in understanding the inevitable clash between worldviews, or just in a good story, this is one of the best.

Excellent book!

I originally read this book back in about 1983 or 1984 while I was in highschool. As a teenager you couldnt get me to read anything that wasnt sci-fi. This was the exception. I got into quite a bit of trouble for reading in several classes and even skipped school one day to finish the book, I could not put it down. Unlike many other "Historical Novels" which I quoted because Mme Oldenbourg didnt originally write this to be one, this book takes you into the heart and soul of the middle ages and crusades. The perspective of this book is like no history lesson you have ever had. Keep in mind that this is not a history book, but the attention to detail and writing style can not help but immerse you in the period to the point where you have no doubt of having been there.Since reading this book multiple times I have aquired four other titles by this author, and have yet to be disappointed. She is in my opinion truly one of the finest historical novelist, or at lease the finest writers about that time period, there has ever been.