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The time of the Fourth Crusades was one of those pivotal moments in human history. Had the Crusaders not been diverted to Constantinople there to weaken the city and its defenses, perhaps the Ottoman Empire would not have been able to topple the Greek Empire in 1453. In that case the Turks would not have continued into eastern Europe almost to the suburbs of Vienna, conquering and controlling the Balkan area for hundreds of years. Just possibly the tempestuous national quarrels that grew out of the Christian/Muslim rivalry might have been deterred and all the terrible events of the twentieth century that grew out of these quarrels might have been averted. "Might have been" is, of course, just a possibility, but it is intriguing to play with. At the cusp of the events Feste, the Fool from Twelfth Night now married to Viola, is Head Fool in Constantinople and attempting to deter the Crusadersí army and send it on its way to Jerusalem. But a silk merchant is dead in the Venetian Quarter and the Imperial Treasurer asks Feste to find out what happened. Mostly the Treasurer is worried about an uprising inside the city since the fleet carrying the Crusaders is Venetian and the determination to attack Constantinople and destroy a trading rival is also Venetian. Feste and the other three Fools inside the city have their hands full, trying to prevent the attack as well as discover the cause of the merchantís death. And, as we know, they were not successful in their first goal, but you will have to read the book to determine how they succeeded in their second. Gordon's concept is fascinating. He postulates a Guild of Fools, at least in the world he is creating, whose major goal was to restore and establish peace wherever possible among quarreling factions. Fools were very effective since they were the only people who always told the truth. Also because the people in power paid little attention to them most of the time, they could eavesdrop and learn about the secret events. Public entertainments gave them the opportunity to do some private detecting. The history is very well told, just enough to make the story clear but not obtrusive. The city of Constantinople comes alive for the reader. Walking with Feste or occasionally Viola (known as Algaia) through its streets, its alleys, into the public buildings and private apartments feels like operating a time machine. And seeing how the government of the Byzantine empire worked reminds us of why "byzantine" has become an adjective. This is a good story, full of intrigue and back stabbing and love and tenderness and every other thing that makes up the story of man. The characters are intriguing and colorful and very realistic. Immersed in this story, I truly believed it was really happening.
Reviewed by Sally A. Fellows, January 0059
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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