Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "constantinople"

Assassins of Kantara by James Boschert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The assassins infiltrate and strike without warning. No one defies the Master and lives, but this trio deserve special treatment. No one else matters, so death will come swiftly. But not for the three.

Talon de Gilles has always known this day would come. He comprehends exactly what awaits himself, his wife Rav’an, and his friend Reza. Perhaps not the particulars, but being raised by the Hashashini (or Assassins) make the peril all too real. A familiar face where it should not be. A servant who falls ill. Stealth where it is least expected. Now, the sanctuary Muscat offers is no more, leaving Talon and his family only one choice. To survive, they must flee in a manner in which the world once again swallows them from the Master’s long reach.

But danger trails no matter how far Talon travels. Many years have passed since he made a promise to a king. The time has come to fulfill his pledge, yet the journey is fraught with danger from bandits led by a Frank; the King of Jerusalem’s fragile health has his lords embroiled in a power struggle; and Salah Ed Din, leader of the Arabs, and his army will soon strike at the holy city. Equally disheartening is news that Talon has lost his mentor, a powerful leader among the Templars.

Perhaps Acre offers a better sanctuary. After all, his friend and fellow Templar Max oversees Talon’s trading ventures. But all is not as it should be there, as Talon soon discovers. Max has been imprisoned. All of their property has been confiscated. And an enemy from the past has been amassing evidence to arrest Talon on charges of witchcraft. Time is not on his side. Word reaches Acre that Talon is coming and Max’s health quickly fades. To extricate his friend and the rest of his entourage will require cunning, stealth, and luck. Even then, nothing is assured. And where to go next in search of a safe haven?

From Muscat to Cyprus and Constantinople, this seventh book of Talon’s adventures whisks readers away on a perilous and serpentine journey. Enemies, as well as friends, from the present and the past are interwoven into a labyrinthine maze of intrigue, vengeance, and greed. Subplots from previous titles in the series come to fruition, but not without sacrifice. At the same time, Boschert lays the groundwork for the future. Fans of Talon’s previous adventures will find this story compelling. Those meet him for the first time will be grounded in the myriad twists and turns of this plot, but may want to read the earlier books first to fully grasp the many nuances of this intrepid tour de force.




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Pasha by Julian Stockwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The summons from the Admiralty is not unexpected. The court-martial is inevitable; Thomas Kydd just doesn’t know whether he will stand as a witness or join his former commander as a defendant. He no sooner arrives than finds himself in front of the king and honored in a way he never expects.

His friend, Nicholas Renzi, encounters his own share of surprises. He must fulfill his promise to Thomas to propose to Cecilia Kydd, but how can he do so without the means to support her? He’s had no word as to whether his first novel has met with success or failure. Then a family death leaves him with a dilemma that opens a door he thought long closed. It also requires him to confess a truth to Cecilia, one which may turn her against him once and for all.

The return home means that the friends’ paths in life must finally diverge. Renzi does not leave Kydd emptyhanded. He recommends a young man named Dillon, who is both loyal and determined to see the world. That wish is granted when Kydd and his men are sent to join the Mediterranean squadron. Currently Admiral Collingwood blockades the port of Cádiz, but he has a different assignment for Kydd, one that will take him and Dillon to Constantinople. It’s essential that the French not gain a foothold there. Sailing to and from the city is fraught with danger, and upon arrival, Kydd discovers not only civil unrest but also that the British ambassador is determined to destroy the Ottoman city.

Renzi’s new station in life offers him a unique opportunity, one that also takes him to Constantinople. Whereas Kydd sails right in, Renzi’s path there is more clandestine. How he accomplishes his mission is totally at his discretion, but he will be on his own and at the mercy of the sultan and his advisers, which include French agitators determined to win Constantinople for Napolean.

Pasha is the fifteenth title in the Thomas Kydd series. Stockwin deftly recreates time and place so readers become immersed in the intrigue and adventure that unfolds from two different perspectives. Although Kydd has some unique experiences that showcase new aspects of sailing and command because of the setting, it is Renzi who plays a more prominent role this time around. His story is reminiscent of television’s Mission Impossible exploits, just set in the first decade of the 19th century. This book showcases international intrigue and the domino effect. Maps and a glossary provide readers with orienting information, while the list of Dramatis Personae offers a handy reference as to who’s who. Stalwart fans of Stockwyn and the Kydd series will find this an engrossing tale rife with unusual encounters and noteworthy action. As always, each book in the series can stand alone, so newcomers will soon find themselves entangled in the lives of both Kydd and Renzi.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Stockwin.h...)



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