"'Take heed to yourself for the Devil is unchained!' the King of France warns his treacherous co-conspirator, Prince John of England. The 'Devil' is none other than Richard the Lion-Hearted, headed home from the Third Crusade to reclaim his throne. Amid the heat of a tournament, King Richard comes to the aid of another Crusader who has returned in disguise. Wilfred of Ivanhoe also seeks to recover a lost heritage - and the hand of Lady Rowena, 'a rose of loveliness, and a jewel of wealth; the fairest among a thousand.'Sir Walter Scott's historical romance was published in 1819 and has reigned supreme ever since as the epitome of chivalric novels. Set at the close of the 12th century, if unfolds in a kingdom torn asunder by the hatred between Saxons and Normans. Cedric the Saxon, a powerful lord attempting to restore the Saxon nobility, disinherits Ivanhoe because of his son's fealty to the Norman king. Prince John, assisted by the scheming knights of the Templar Order, clings to the crown by having his brother imprisoned. The dispossessed heroes, Ivanhoe and King Richard, face an uphill battle against firmly entrenched adversaries. The success of their fight rests upon the support of an unlikely crew of outsiders: Rebecca, a Jew accused of sorcery for her skill in the healing arts; Gurth, a swineherd slave; Wamba, a wise fool; and England's most famous outlaw, the legendary Robin Hood." -Back Cover
When I was a teenager I watched either a mini-series or movie of Ivanhoe and have loved it ever since, but I don't think that I've ever read the book so I decided to rectify that. I loved the book just as much. The description from the back cover pretty much covered everything. Ivanhoe is full of great adventure, knights, romance, wit and chivalry. Who doesn't love Robin Hood and Friar Tuck?! It took me a little longer to get through than other books because of the old language that it's written in but it's well worth it!
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