The Middle East in the first century A.D. was as disturbed and divided as it is today. In Palestine the Jews were in revolt against Roman rule and as they grew more restive Rome became more oppressive. The Greek cities of Palestine wanted only to continue with their peaceful trading existence, but they were caught between two fires.

So Apollodorus, a merchant of Philadelphia, took a risk when he rescued a man whom a Roman patrol had left to die in the desert. When Apollodorus himself was killed by robbers, his sons were left almost penniless and the family was torn apart. Nicanor joined the Jewish Zealots, while Conan became a Roman soldier. But for Philo, the youngest son, things would have been still worse if it had not been for the man they called Xenos, whom Apollodorus had saved from the desert.

Beyond the Desert Gate is a sequel to The Ides of April and Sword Sleep. Like the earlier books, this impressive and poignant novel shows May Ray's remarkable power of recreating the distant past. 

From the dust jacket