A Quest for God and Spices

<p data-sleek-node-id=cfa030><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>A grand historical joyride through the medieval world.</strong><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> -David R. Gillham New York Times bestselling author of City of Women</span></p><p data-sleek-node-id=cfa030><br></p><p data-sleek-node-id=cfa030><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>A Quest for God and Spices</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> begins an epic journey across the ancient world. In the year AD 1200 a new pope agitates for a renewed crusade to reconquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem. European monarchs largely ignore his call too involved with squabbles among themselves. The pope chooses two men-Brother Mauro an older monk and Nicolo a young striving merchant-to traverse the treacherous political religious and mercantile terrain of medieval Europe and the Byzantine Empire to seek out the powerful Presbyter John a mysterious king in the Far East who has promised to put his wealth and vast armies to the service of the pope's crusade.</span></p><p data-sleek-node-id=cfa030><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Nicolo's task is to guide Mauro but a corrupt cardinal has secretly charged the young man with finding the source of the precious spices that ensure the Venetian and Arab trade monopoly. Nicolo's youthful exuberance carelessness and desire to be important jeopardizes their mission while Mauro's knowledge of scripture and pagan works has not prepared him for the schemes of doges and emirs clergymen and kings.</span></p>