This book is about a young merchant called Salim living in the port of Acre, newly recaptured from the Franks by Saladin. He has an uneventful life, spent playing, sitting in the sun, and using the lamest of excuses to avoid work. But uncomfortable rumours about another Crusade are beginning to develop, the imams are preaching jihad, and Salim's father sends him off to a Jewish doctor to keep him out of harm's way. The doctor is called Musa; he is a kind man and a highly-skilled physician. On their way to Jerusalem, to avoid the coming siege, Doctor Musa is commandeered to serve Saladin himself and so Salim has a first-hand view of the siege and its battles. He is outside the walls of Acre while his family is suffering inside.

On the other side of the world Adam is an English serf, newly orphaned. His mother died and Adam believes if he can get to Jerusalem and collect some of its holy dust he will save her soul from perdition. So when the priests begin preaching holy war, Adam, who has vowed to collect holy dust, takes on the journey to Jerusalem. The journey is dangerous, the crusaders squabble amongst themselves, and as they wait for King Richard, the siege falters as the besiegers starve. Adam comes to wonder if God really does want them there, creating murderous mayhem. Still worse, the Jewish and Muslim people he meets don't appear to be monsters at all. While in Jerusalem he meets Salim: this meeting turns their lives around and they are never ever the same again.

I really liked this book as it's a simple story of two young boys from different cultures who are thrown together by events and who discover, to their surprise, they are more alike than they had ever thought possible. One thing I really like is that it gives you an idea of what’s really happening in the Middle East currently. There's also something in it for everyone, including the grown ups.

I would recommend this book to anyone of any age as it is suitable; the only bad thing is it does start off quite slowly. Overall I would give it 8 or 9 out of 10.