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The Divided Sultanate #1
Lions of Istan: An Epic Fantasy Series
A lowly guard. A powerful Sultan's daughter. In a vast magical empire, will accepting destiny save their home or destroy it? Shoki Malook has never really found his place in Istan. And investigating bizarre supernatural events in a remote town with an irritating magic inquisitor certainly doesn't inspire his excitement. But when the Sultan dies and a brutal battle for the throne ensues, Shoki's meandering days turn into a fight for his life.
Nuraya Istan deeply mourns her beloved father. But when she sees her twisted half-brothers vying for the Sultanate, she puts her emotions on hold to keep her homeland intact. Intrigued by a lowly city guard on her rise to power, a dark secret could throw everything she's ever believed into question.
When Nuraya challenges her family to protect Istan, she's shocked at her dramatic change in standing. As Shoki falls for the powerful Sultan's daughter, an enigmatic djinn helps him discover who he's truly meant to be.
With the new magical hierarchy tearing their home apart, will the new status quo force Shoki and Nuraya to duel for control of the empire?
Lions of Istan is the first book in an empire-spanning epic fantasy series. If you like complex characters, multi-layered plots, and richly exotic worlds, then you'll love Fuad Baloch's beautifully intricate tale.
Buy Lions of Istan to transport yourself to a land of magic today!
Nuraya Istan deeply mourns her beloved father. But when she sees her twisted half-brothers vying for the Sultanate, she puts her emotions on hold to keep her homeland intact. Intrigued by a lowly city guard on her rise to power, a dark secret could throw everything she's ever believed into question.
When Nuraya challenges her family to protect Istan, she's shocked at her dramatic change in standing. As Shoki falls for the powerful Sultan's daughter, an enigmatic djinn helps him discover who he's truly meant to be.
With the new magical hierarchy tearing their home apart, will the new status quo force Shoki and Nuraya to duel for control of the empire?
Lions of Istan is the first book in an empire-spanning epic fantasy series. If you like complex characters, multi-layered plots, and richly exotic worlds, then you'll love Fuad Baloch's beautifully intricate tale.
Buy Lions of Istan to transport yourself to a land of magic today!
- GenresFantasy
582 pages, Paperback
Published February 16, 2019
About the author
Fuad Baloch
13 books10 followersBased in New Zealand, or in other words the Middle Earth, it was inevitable that I turned to writing fantasy and sci-fi. So here I am.
By the way, if you come across some rather dry academic writing on the web, that was me too in a past life. Don't hold that against me.
By the way, if you come across some rather dry academic writing on the web, that was me too in a past life. Don't hold that against me.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 18, 2019
Shoki is a lowly city guard, having looked for another career other than following his blacksmith father’s career. Being called to the Sultans court, he looks for a glimpse of the princess Nuraya, in passing, tripping over feet as he does, as normal. He is tall and lanky and doesn’t quite fit into his new role as a guard. He is sent off on a mission with the Sultans magic inquisitor and has to survive in the wilds as their journey continues. Something he is completely unprepared for.
News reaches them of the Sultans death and what follows is a brutal struggle for the throne of the Sultanate. The Queen has her own dark secret and the oncoming battle may split the Sultanate. Princess Nuraya Istan has two half-brothers, the older one is a fat, lazy man who seems to have no voice of his own and the other brother is a leader of their armed forces out at one of the regions strongholds. Nuraya challenges her brother’s expectations to support one or the other as the new Sultan and sets out to take the throne for herself.
The Sultan’s family are responsible as the Keepers of the Divide, something which will be revealed at the end of the book. People with magic are not allowed to exist. Myths of old, of Mages, Pari’s and Djinns, are just stories Shoki heard of as a child. The magic inquisitor he is with, is hunting for those with any magical powers. They meet with another traveller, who can lead them to their next destination, who turns out to be a Djinn. The Sultanate is under threat on all its borders as the siblings fight their own battles for the throne and ignore anything else.
There are shocks ahead for Shoki, as he continues falling under Nuraya’s spell, but also is left wondering about his own beginnings and family links. The Djinn will assist him to discover a bit about who he truly is, but whether this will help him get closer to Nuraya or if this push them farther apart, is still to be seen. Whatever happens, there will be enormous battlefields across the land and deaths of soldiers and civilians alike. Add in the new magical beings coming to the fore, then whether life will return to how it was before, or which of the siblings will come out on top, is truly uncertain.
An interesting look at family relations, the old fashioned ideals of women as not important people, and the usual quest for power, no matter what the consequences. Adding in magical lore and actuality of these magical beings, all adds intrigue to the storyline and interest as you read. War is never easy on any side and this is certainly true in this case. I wonder where the story may be going from here? I received an ARC copy of the book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
News reaches them of the Sultans death and what follows is a brutal struggle for the throne of the Sultanate. The Queen has her own dark secret and the oncoming battle may split the Sultanate. Princess Nuraya Istan has two half-brothers, the older one is a fat, lazy man who seems to have no voice of his own and the other brother is a leader of their armed forces out at one of the regions strongholds. Nuraya challenges her brother’s expectations to support one or the other as the new Sultan and sets out to take the throne for herself.
The Sultan’s family are responsible as the Keepers of the Divide, something which will be revealed at the end of the book. People with magic are not allowed to exist. Myths of old, of Mages, Pari’s and Djinns, are just stories Shoki heard of as a child. The magic inquisitor he is with, is hunting for those with any magical powers. They meet with another traveller, who can lead them to their next destination, who turns out to be a Djinn. The Sultanate is under threat on all its borders as the siblings fight their own battles for the throne and ignore anything else.
There are shocks ahead for Shoki, as he continues falling under Nuraya’s spell, but also is left wondering about his own beginnings and family links. The Djinn will assist him to discover a bit about who he truly is, but whether this will help him get closer to Nuraya or if this push them farther apart, is still to be seen. Whatever happens, there will be enormous battlefields across the land and deaths of soldiers and civilians alike. Add in the new magical beings coming to the fore, then whether life will return to how it was before, or which of the siblings will come out on top, is truly uncertain.
An interesting look at family relations, the old fashioned ideals of women as not important people, and the usual quest for power, no matter what the consequences. Adding in magical lore and actuality of these magical beings, all adds intrigue to the storyline and interest as you read. War is never easy on any side and this is certainly true in this case. I wonder where the story may be going from here? I received an ARC copy of the book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
February 13, 2019
This is a story you need to pay attention as you read it but it is worth doing.
What happens when a spoiled princess becomes a self anointed sultana after her father’s death and a bumbling low-level city guard has to overcome his own lack of confidence in a land where magic and djinns abound to succeed in this intertwined tale of their two lives?
In a word, one of the most entertaining new books that includes magic, action, and kept-at-a-distance romance.
Nuraya is the spoiled princess who after her father’s untimely death has to struggle against both her twisted brothers for control of the Peacock Throne to hold her homeland intact. She has to go from a willful child to a leader of a horde of mercenaries who can help her wrest control of Istan from the hands off her duplicitous brothers. Deceit and treachery lay in her path.
Smitten by her beauty, the bumbling city guard Shoki has to discover who he really is in a fight for his life. He is aided and abetted by a strange man who can control magic and who may be more powerful than he appears.
In parallel story threads the lives of the two principals, Nuraya and Shoki, twine together and separate only to come back together.
Will Nuraya move on from her willful spoiled persona and do what needs to be done to win what she considers is rightfully hers, the Peacock Throne, and will Shoki stop being a bumbling dolt and come into his own with his hidden powers?
You will have to read this tale to find out. And it will be worthwhile to carefully follow it all the way to a satisfying denouement that prepares you for the next book in the series.
What happens when a spoiled princess becomes a self anointed sultana after her father’s death and a bumbling low-level city guard has to overcome his own lack of confidence in a land where magic and djinns abound to succeed in this intertwined tale of their two lives?
In a word, one of the most entertaining new books that includes magic, action, and kept-at-a-distance romance.
Nuraya is the spoiled princess who after her father’s untimely death has to struggle against both her twisted brothers for control of the Peacock Throne to hold her homeland intact. She has to go from a willful child to a leader of a horde of mercenaries who can help her wrest control of Istan from the hands off her duplicitous brothers. Deceit and treachery lay in her path.
Smitten by her beauty, the bumbling city guard Shoki has to discover who he really is in a fight for his life. He is aided and abetted by a strange man who can control magic and who may be more powerful than he appears.
In parallel story threads the lives of the two principals, Nuraya and Shoki, twine together and separate only to come back together.
Will Nuraya move on from her willful spoiled persona and do what needs to be done to win what she considers is rightfully hers, the Peacock Throne, and will Shoki stop being a bumbling dolt and come into his own with his hidden powers?
You will have to read this tale to find out. And it will be worthwhile to carefully follow it all the way to a satisfying denouement that prepares you for the next book in the series.
February 18, 2019
I received this book free as an ARC reader for voluntary review.
Synopsis:
The Iron Sultan of the Istani thrown sends Shoki Malook, a city guard, to investigate disappearing buildings in a provincial city. Then he dies suddenly and his three children tear the country apart in a war of succession. Without any troops of her own to back her, Nuraya Istan, the only female heir, escapes from the palace to collect an army of mercenaries.
Review:
Shoki Malook is a hapless, bumbling young man just learning the ropes of his new job. He his woefully unsuited to the task appointed him and spends the entire book at the mercy of others stronger than he. Nuraya is a spoiled, ignorant, princess so bent on getting her own way that the never, not once, stops to consider the consequences of her actions, plan for future steps, or think about the people around her. All of her actions are entirely reactionary. She never grows up, and she ever learns anything.
The book follows the two as they travel, back and forth, back and forth. I spent the entire slog though waiting for something to happen. It’s not horrible… it’s just a little dull.
Synopsis:
The Iron Sultan of the Istani thrown sends Shoki Malook, a city guard, to investigate disappearing buildings in a provincial city. Then he dies suddenly and his three children tear the country apart in a war of succession. Without any troops of her own to back her, Nuraya Istan, the only female heir, escapes from the palace to collect an army of mercenaries.
Review:
Shoki Malook is a hapless, bumbling young man just learning the ropes of his new job. He his woefully unsuited to the task appointed him and spends the entire book at the mercy of others stronger than he. Nuraya is a spoiled, ignorant, princess so bent on getting her own way that the never, not once, stops to consider the consequences of her actions, plan for future steps, or think about the people around her. All of her actions are entirely reactionary. She never grows up, and she ever learns anything.
The book follows the two as they travel, back and forth, back and forth. I spent the entire slog though waiting for something to happen. It’s not horrible… it’s just a little dull.
March 29, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this tale of a boy and a princesss with all the mixings of magic and fantasy. Once I started reading it, I didn’t want to put it down. The best part was that it’s longer than most books that I’ve read, which gave me more insight and enjoyment of all the characters in this amazing story. Well done! I can’t wait for the next book!!!
March 15, 2019
Great story, full of plot twist and great characters. I couldn't put this book down. I love how the characters are full of human flaws and not the typical heroes. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
March 20, 2019
Fabulous great world building and characters. Full of mystery, magic, and mayhem. As our intrepid Guard makes his way through his next adventure. Highly recommend
April 27, 2019
Fabulous and Thrilling story of affairs in a fantasy sultanate!!
This story was dramatic with twists and turns. It was fascinating to read throughout the whole of the book. It was very entertaining and fantastic in its imagery of its characters and events. It was a great pleasure and leads well into the second book, "War of the Sultans". It was great Arabian Fantasy story in a mythical world.
This story was dramatic with twists and turns. It was fascinating to read throughout the whole of the book. It was very entertaining and fantastic in its imagery of its characters and events. It was a great pleasure and leads well into the second book, "War of the Sultans". It was great Arabian Fantasy story in a mythical world.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews