The Shining City by Joan Fallon

The Shining City by Joan Fallon

This is the story of a city, a city that is now in ruins: Madinat al Zahra. The year is 947 AD, a time when southern Spain is under the rule of the Moors. The ruler, Caliph al Rahman I is rich, powerful and cultured. His lands are, at long last, at peace and the capital, COrdoba, is considered to be not only the most beautiful city in the civilised world but also the seat of learning and culture. Against this background we meet the artisan Qasim - he and his family have moved to Madinat al Zahra to make their fortune as potters. Qasim is a good husband and father. He works hard, says his prayers and keeps out of trouble. But Qasim has a secret; his past is not what it seems. When a stranger arrives asking questions about him, he is worried that his secret will be discovered and everything he has worked for will be destroyed. In the meantime, unbeknown to Qasim, his youngest son, Omar meets and falls in love with a slave girl who has been sold into the Caliph's harem. The young man is obsessed with the thought of seeing this beautiful woman again and breaks into the palace grounds to meet her. Omar's infatuation with the slave girl has consequences that he could never have foreseen, not only for himself but for all his family.

Fallon, Joan: - The Scottish novelist Joan Fallon, currently lives and works in the south of Spain. She writes both contemporary and historical fiction, but has also written a work of non-fiction which has proved the inspiration for at least two of her subsequent novels. Two aspects of Joan's life particularly influence her writing. The first is being a woman who grew up during the sixties and seventies-at a time when it was harder for a woman to gain recognition in a man's world-consequently almost all her books have a strong female protagonist. The second influence is the fact that she has lived in Spain for the last twenty years. Spanish history and culture fascinate her and have provided some of the most exotic settings in her historical novels. She is a member of the Society of Authors & the Alliance of Independent Authors. Teachers Certificate 1972 Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Open - The Open University 1980, Post Grad Dip in Management Studies - Brunel Uni.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780957689169
ISBN 10	0957689160
Title	The Shining City
Author	Joan Fallon
Series	The Al-Andalus Series
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Scott Publishing
Year published	2014-04-30
Number of pages	414
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.