The Song of Roland

Action, treachery, bravery, and greed are the elements of a ripping yarn, and the author whose name is lost to history cooked all of these into The Song of Roland, an account of the betrayal of Charlemagne's army and the valiant death in battle at the hands of the Saracens of his beloved Roland. The "clash of civilizations," much threatened today, comes to life in eighth century France and Spain. To keep the excitement going, there are popping eyeballs, spilled brains, and "pagans" being split in half vertically by jewel-encrusted swords.