This fourth novel in Tariq Ali`s ” Islam Quintet” is set in medieval Palermo, a Muslim city rivaling Baghdad & Cordoba in size & splendor. The year is 1153. The Normans are ruling Siqqiliya, but Arab culture & language dominate the island & the court. Sultan Rujari (King Roger) surrounds himself with Muslim intellectuals, several concubines, & an administration presided over by gifted eunuchs. The bishops, expecting to be at the pinnacle of power, are angered by the decadence of the court. In this captivating novel, Tariq Ali charts the life & loves of the medieval cartographer Muhammed al-Idrisi. Torn between his close friendship with the sultan & his friends who are leaving the island or plotting a resistance to Norman rule, Idrisi finds temporary solace in the harem; but, confronted by the common people of Noto & Catania, his conscience is troubled.