Embroiled in the tumult of the twelfth century's commercial revolution, Joshua ben Elazar, the scion of an illustrious trading dynasty, is torn between the dictates of his faith and his quest for wealth and love. The merchant from Sepharad , the third book in the series beginning with The Sugar Merchant , is a tale of religious persecution and deadly conflict. Joshua's first commercial venture in Muslim-ruled Portugal ends in disaster when he is cheated by corrupt officials. Failing as a merchant, he journeys to Cordoba ...
Read More
Embroiled in the tumult of the twelfth century's commercial revolution, Joshua ben Elazar, the scion of an illustrious trading dynasty, is torn between the dictates of his faith and his quest for wealth and love. The merchant from Sepharad , the third book in the series beginning with The Sugar Merchant , is a tale of religious persecution and deadly conflict. Joshua's first commercial venture in Muslim-ruled Portugal ends in disaster when he is cheated by corrupt officials. Failing as a merchant, he journeys to Cordoba where he establishes a new life as a Talmudic scholar. As an accomplice to the murder of a spy, however, he is forced to flee for his life. Joshua is granted one last opportunity for redemption. He must establish a new trade route to the vast riches of India. Joshua's world is changing quickly and he must do everything in his power to succeed amidst the chaos. On his journey, he faces new challenges and discovers his true faith.
Read Less
Add this copy of Merchant from Sepharad to cart. $14.59, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2023 by New Generation Publishing.
Add this copy of Merchant from Sepharad to cart. $26.61, new condition, Sold by Ria Christie Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Uxbridge, MIDDLESEX, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2023 by New Generation Publishing.
Add this copy of Merchant From Sepharad to cart. $32.97, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2023 by New Generation Publishing.
Add this copy of Merchant From Sepharad to cart. $62.68, new condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2023 by New Generation Publishing.
The Merchant from Sepharadââ?¬Â? is the third book in James Hutson-Wileyââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Å"Sugar Merchantââ?¬Â? series. Joshua ben Elazar is a young man determined to prove to his father that he can both forge his own path and be successful as a merchant and make him proud. Achieving his goals, however, will not be easy. Joshua, as a Jew, faces religious persecution and discrimination from both Christians and Muslims. Subject to extraneous taxes, restrictions on where he can stay in a city, and targeted by those wishing to make examples of the ââ?¬Å"infidels,ââ?¬Â? Joshuaââ?¬â?¢s journey is a constant myriad of curveballs that not only threaten to derail his future, but at worst, his very survival.
ââ?¬Å"The Merchant from Sepharadââ?¬Â? is my favorite installment so far in Hutson-Wileyââ?¬â?¢s series. I found Joshua to be a relatable narrator and protagonist. Just entering adulthood, he is desperate to both forge his own future and chase down big dreams, such as venturing to the Holy Land, but also still yearns to earn the approval of his father, who Joshua feels always finds a reason to be disappointed in him. He tries out multiple different paths, from trying to step into his fatherââ?¬â?¢s shoes as a merchant and carrying on the family legacy, to breaking from his fatherââ?¬â?¢s commercial aspirations for him and trying his hand at being a Talmudic scholar. He suffers crises of faith, falls in love and sometimes, like all young adults, acts a little too rashly without fully thinking through his actions and the possible consequences.
ââ?¬Å"The Merchant from Sepharadââ?¬Â? can be accessible to a wide audience. The age of the protagonist allows the book to fit into the young adult category, while the subject matter and supporting cast of characters also allows the book to straddle lines of historical fiction, religious fiction, and history. Like with ââ?¬Å"The Sugar Merchantââ?¬Â? and the ââ?¬Å"The Travels of Ibn Thomas,ââ?¬Â? the authorââ?¬â?¢s knowledge of the time period and the historical events is extensive and quite thoroughly researched. The book, therefore, feels like an authentic look at what it might have really been like to live as a member of the Jewish community in the years following the first crusade.
I did have some trouble with the pacing and flow of the plot at times while reading ââ?¬Å"The Merchant from Sepharad.ââ?¬Â? Joshuaââ?¬â?¢s journey takes him to quite a few different places and finds him amidst turmoil at almost every step of the way. While the authorââ?¬â?¢s portrayal of the discrimination faced by Jews at this period in history is mostly believable, Joshua seems to find a surprising number of villains who want to kill or harm him. It was not so much the constant danger, but the rapid pace of the protagonist seeming to bounce from one tragedy or perilous moment to another that sometimes lessened the impact of those scenes. It also made it a little more difficult to figure out how fast and far time was passing as the story went on.
Overall, ââ?¬Å"The Merchant from Sepharadââ?¬Â? was a compelling and exciting addition to ââ?¬Å"The Sugar Merchantââ?¬Â? series. James Hutson-Wiley has built a world and a cast of characters that allow for vast opportunities for new stories to tell and different sides of history. I would recommend the book, and the series overall, to any fans of historical fiction, especially those with an interest in the history of the Crusades and the areas in and surrounding the Holy Land.