A Sultan in Palermo Book

Sultan in Palermo is set in the Middle Ages Sicily, at the time when Arabs, having already lost control of the island live alongside the ruling Normans (who are Christians). The main characters are two major historical figures, Sultan Rujeri of Sicily (otherwise known, King Roger II of Sicily) and his protégé, Muhammad al-Idrisi, a cartographer. A mostly peaceful co-existence, however, the tension and fear of persecution are ever present among the minority Arab population. The historical and cultural backgrounds were fascinating, unfortuneately the story quickly lost its focus and too involved with the romantic and erotic interests of the protagonist Muhammad al-Idrisi. A disappointing distraction to the historical plot.