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The story begins in World War 1 in Maltese hospitals and in Salonika where the British and their allies are fighting the Macedonians. Two doctors meet and clash.  She was trained in Edinburgh in the times when lady doctors were despised and mistrusted and had to fight for their status and respect and she became an active Suffragette. He was trained in The Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin and in nearby hospitals. Both doctors were strongly opinionated and passionate about their calling and a collision of personalities was inevitable. Under these circumstances their eventual achievements of creating not one but two doctor’s practices in London as well as producing a daughter were minor miracles!

Action then takes place in World War 2 in the Blitz, in the code breaking world of Bletchley Park and the Battle of the Atlantic and finally in the terrible Battle of Kohima against the Japanese.

A young English boy of 15 is a valet to his overlord and travels with him and his knights on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, joining thousands of other Europeans to regain ground lost to the Saracens. This venture became known as the Second Crusade.

He saves the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who at that time was travelling with her armies, together with her first husband, the King of France. Later, after an ill-advised crusader attack on the city of Damascus, which ended in their defeat, the boy is wounded, captured by the Muslims and thrown into a dingy prison cell.

Thousands of miles from his home

In a filthy prison thousands of miles from his home, taken from his mother’s loving arms to fight for his lord in the Second Crusade, fifteen-year-old Crispin waits to die. Born with only one arm, he doesn’t recognise the innate skills and strength he possesses. Wounded, starving and parched, he sinks into the depths of despair, but all the while, Era, the guardian who has always guided him in the right direction, tells him to have hope.

When a small Arab boy appears at the window of Crispin’s prison, that hope arrives with him. But not even Era could have predicted the amazing and often dangerous journey this boy would take Crispin on, nor the legacy that would echo on down the ages.

After a life of fighting and violence, Crispin is ready to settle into a more sedate existence. However, an unspeakable tragedy awaits, and it’s this that finally threatens to destroy him…

Set in the Holy Land and England during the time of the Crusades, Magnum Opus is a tale of loyalty and betrayal, rivalry and respect, true friendship and fierce enmity.

When a small Arab boy appears at the window of his prison,

Eventually he is rescued by an 11 year old Muslim boy, who eventually becomes the greatest leader of the Muslim world, Saladin. He and the English boy, Crispin, become firm friends. He becomes a trusted assistant to Saladin and accompanies him during his many adventures and wars to unite the Arab nations. Crispin runs the pigeon communication services which are essential to Saladin’s objectives.

During these years Crispin marries Yasmine and they start a family. For over 40 years they create a magnificent book with beautiful paintings, which details their life experiences and encompasses the history of their times. This is their Magnum Opus.

Many years later, King Richard the first arrives and leads a terrible campaign to defeat the Muslims and regain control of the holy city of Jerusalem. At the conclusion Crispin has an opportunity to return home, but deeply regrets the decision he made.

Crispin had been born with just one arm……..