Strategos: Rise of the Golden Heart

Strategos #2

by Gordon Doherty

Stay strong, Haga, for the Golden Heart will rise in the west. At dawn, he will wear the guise of a lion hunter. At noon, he will march to the east as if to conquer the sun itself. At dusk, you will stand with him in the final battle, like an island in the storm . . .

1068 AD: the armies of the Seljuk Sultanate tear at Byzantium's borders, poised to strike the death blow that will bring all Anatolia under their yoke. Alp Arslan's armies grow stronger with every passing season, while the beleaguered Byzantine soldiers defend for their lives, the hope in their hearts guttering its last.

This war has been Apion's mistress for many years, casting a dark shadow across his soul. When the mysterious crone comes to him, she can offer him only a glimmer of light. But at the darkest of moments, the smallest chink of light can be blinding. It will sweep Apion into the heart of the empire, Constantinople, and then onto the arid plains of Syria. It will taunt him with trust, betrayal, intrigue, love and brutal conflict. But, above all, it will offer him hope.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

394 pages, Paperback

First published June 5, 2013

About the author

I'm a Scottish writer, addicted to reading and writing historical fiction.

My love of history was first kindled by visits to the misty Roman ruins of Britain and the sun-baked antiquities of Turkey and Greece. My expeditions since have taken me all over the world and back and forth through time (metaphorically, at least), allowing me to write tales of the later Roman Empire, Byzantium, Classical Greece and even the distant Bronze Age.

All of my novels are available from good online stores in paperback and eBook format.

Happy reading!

My website: www.gordondoherty.co.uk
My Twitter: @GordonDoherty
My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GordonDohert...
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCybC...

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

More things impressed me about Strategos - Born in the Borderlands than disappointments, so I immediately ordered the sequel. As soon as I received this novel in the mail and finished what I had been reading, I began to read this book. It was all I hoped it would be.

The continuance of Apion's story and the fate of the Byzantine Empire has swept me along. Twelve years from where we left him, he has matured, become a strategos and strong leader of the thema of his home province, Chaldia. He is still troubled by the ghosts of his past. His best friend from his boyhood, Nasir, has become his bitter enemy, owing to events from years before. In this novel, Apion, the thema from Chaldia, and other themata and strategoi converge on Constantinople, which is a "nest of vipers." The present emperor has just died. Eudokia, his widow, plans to remarry, after which her new husband will become the new emperor and found a whole new dynasty. The evil advisor, Psellos, his henchmen, and family members of the old dynasty plot to retain power. The themata are tasked with finding and bringing the emperor-to-be, Romanos Diogenes, back safely to Constantinople. After many obstacles, they do so. After the wedding, on their trek East to Syria, they undergo many trials and hardships, including ambush, attempted assassination, an avalanche, and espionage within the Byzantine ranks. They arrive at Hierapolis and confront the Seljuks there in a bloody defense of the city. Apion and Nasir battle each other. I eagerly await the next chapter in Apion's story.

I felt the writing was on a higher level than the first installment. The story was exciting, with many unexpected twists and turns. I'm glad proofreading errors and modernisms were at a minimum, although not completely absent. Characterization was on the whole better. Not only did I care for Apion and his fate, but many of the other individuals were sympathetic. I thought the torture scenes were too gruesome. The battles and fighting were well done, especially Hierapolis. I appreciated the maps and Author's Note, explaining the historical underpinnings of the novel, taken from primary sources and also the author's literary license.

Several themes stood out: hope permeated the novel and rose with Romanos' person; forgiveness and how its lack will warp a person unwilling to let go of a grudge; loyalty, friendship, and steadfastness in the persons of Apion's three subordinates close to him. I also noticed the theme of how power can be corrupted.

Highly recommended for historical fiction fans of the Byzantine
Empire.

[David Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

12 years have passed since we last saw Apion.. and by the authors own words they have been 12 bloody years..

The tone of the book is set from the start. Words that come to mind are Dark, Revenge & War

Apion and Nasir are looked in what looks like a never ending war between their opposing armies and from the start of the book you can tell Apion is currently on the losing side.. the borderlands of the empire look set to fall.. the Haga and his loyal men including my favourites from the previous book Sha, Blastares and Procopius stand in the way of the Seljuk army.

After a lot of bloodshed we see Apion summoned to Constantinople where we are introduced to a lot of new characters. The one I found interested me the most was Dederic a fellow solider, his character gains depth throughout the book, I love Apion don’t get me wrong but I absolutely loved Dederic.

The plot of the book surpassed any expectations I had. There’s so much crammed in to the book its crazy but nothing feels rushed or misplaced.

Now Apion along with his men are tasked to head into Syria and take the war to the Seljuks..and Nasir.

I don’t want to give away anything but Gordon manages to bring some conclusion to the whole Apion/Nasir revenge storyline while also leaving you on tenterhooks as to what will happen next. There are some big surprises in store for you lucky readers.

The author clearly knows his stuff, he fills you with so much background information throughout the book but I never felt bogged down.

If I was to think of anything I didn’t like it would only be that Sha, Blastares and Procopius don’t play as big a part in this book as I would have liked but saying that once you read the story you can tell why.. Gordon weaved such a good tale that these guys needed to take a step back in order to see the story develop.

This is such a good book and I can’t wait to get time to read the 3rd book! I highly recommend to check out Gordon’s work.

Gordon has quickly became a favorite author of mine and i'm excited to see what lies ahead

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing the first book in the series Strategos - Born in the Borderlands I ditched my planned "To Be Read" list and moved on to my free copy of this book immediately. Happily I can say that I was not disappointed and in fact I think this is actually better than the first. I gave that first book 5 stars and would happily give this 6 stars if that was possible.

This second book in the series is much more closely linked to historical events (the first was more just against an historical backdrop) and as I know so little about Byzantine History it was quite exciting because I still didn't know what was going to happen to the real historical characters. Who will win this battle? Will the emperor die? Etc, etc, etc.

The key character of Apion (the Haga) was developed skillfully from where we left him at the end of the first book. There was a risk of him becoming a cold and cynical character, but instead his troubled life made him seem more human and I think it would be hard for any reader to not feel sympathy with him.

I really enjoyed the way in which the author developed the setting (one of many in the book) of the city of Constantinople. The characters introduced in the city were also very 'real' (if sometimes larger than life!) and some were very complex. I hope that some of these are going to appear in the next book in the series (the Author's note at the end seems to suggest that at least some of them are going to reappear).

In the interests of full disclosure I must say that I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.

[Paul Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read three of Mr. Doherty’s books and liked them a lot. Given that his track record is superb I expected nothing less than that same excellence from Strategos: Rise of the Golden Heart. If I was previously enthralled with his work, and not just a little jealous, I am even more so now.
It has been twelve years since the end of book 1 and Apion is now a Strategos and his reputation as The Haga grows after every battle or skirmish with his Seljuk enemies. His development as a strong, decisive leader of men is countered somewhat by the soul sickening events of his past. We find him not only having to cope with his turmoil on an emotional level but physically as well given that his most obdurate foe, once his best friend, has sworn vengeance and death to The Haga. Mr. Doherty plays this sub-plot beautifully and adds some unforeseen results…(no spoilers  ).
Once again, the author has put together a story line with abundant twists, turns and surprises. One in particular had my mind screaming OMG or was it WTF when, no wait, no spoilers here boys and girls, suffice to know that the author has not lost his touch for mystery and intrigue. Neither has the author neglected to do his homework. The battles are first rate, the geography is well described and the everyday events of 11th century Byzantium are evidence of the research.
Relentless action, political intrigue, betrayal, bitter foes and steadfast friends – the list goes on and on and I’m pretty sure will carry over to book 3. Well done Mr. Doherty. I rate this book at 4.8.

[Michal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, and after the first instalment I was looking forward to it, but somehow the fit was not as good as the first time. The main character is still very likeable, but somehow the story is not so immersive. Especially the whole atmosphere of court intrigues and increasing involvement of the fantasy aspect created quite detached feeling for me. I wonder what will be the role of the fantasy aspect, so far I do not like it much, but I think author might be setting it up for some great point. I give it very strong 3 stars - it is more 3.5, but I feel the need to differentiate it from books I rated as 4. I will certainly read the next book when it comes out, mostly because I like the main character and I love the setting of the story.

[Alun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of beta reading this for GD so, the grammar's ok in the final edition!!! The story is good and the writing is wonderful.
Be sure to read Strategos: Born in the Borderlands first.

[S.J.A. Turney · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've read one of Gordon's books (the last one being the first in the Strategos series.) And once again I find myself not only impressed with the quality of his writing, but even a little jealous.

Again, for the record I have, since we started writing, become a friend of Gordon's, and consequently, feel free to ignore this review, but the review is genuine for all our acquaintance.

Strategos 1 was largely a tale of personal growth for the youthful Apion, battling physical disability, personal demons and the harshness of a land torn by war and distrust. I was therefore surprised when I picked up book 2 to discover that the story has moved on a number of years and Apion is now a grown man, battle-hardened, jaded and fatalistic, watching his Empire falling apart and fighting to maintain his corner of it.

This book really does take us in a different direction to book 1, which in retrospect is only natural. No follow up to book 1 could have seamlessly continued from where it left off. Rise of the Golden Heart concerns itself largely with the power struggles in Byzantium, corruption in the Imperial Court and the rise of Romanos Diogenes. In this installment, Apion is drawn into the horror of court life as well as that of border warfare. The story takes us from the Turkish border wars to Constantinople, across Byzantine Europe and then back to the plains of Syria by way of intrigue, betrayal, vendetta and, of course - as readers of Gordon's work have come to expect and love - WAR!

Short of what I've noted above, I'll not delve deeply into the plot for fear of spoilers, but suffice it to say there is an ongoing theme of betrayal and treachery throughout, whether the background be the tinkling fountains of the Constantinople palace or the arid, deadly mountains of southern Anatolia.

As usual with Gordon's writing there are certain high points and factors that stand out for me. One is the thoroughness of his plotting and research. The story is perfectly formed and runs in an undeniably smooth arc, while threading itself around the known historical fact and not twisting, altering or guessing anything.

Second is the quality of the language itself. Gordon is fast becoming a master of the historical genre with his elegant turns of phrase and sensory, tactile descriptions which bring the locations to life in the text.

Thirdly, the characters are realistic and sympathetic. There is nothing 2-dimensional or bland about them. In particular, I loved the gradual shifts in the general attitude of Apion as the world turns around him, affecting his life.

I understand that there will be a third volume in the series, and I cannot wait to see what he does with a - presumable older again - Apion, probably at the dreadful battle of Manzikert.

If you've read Strategos, why are you reading this. Click the 'Buy' button and read the book instead. If you've not, boy have you got some engrossing hours ahead.

Next up for me on the Gordonologue: Legionary II.

:-)

[Jeremy Poole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strategos: Rise of the Golden Heart,
Gordon has pulled a blinder; this is an excellent historical based fiction.
It grabs you from page one then forces you to read on.
Apion, The Haga, is thrust from battles to the cut and thrust of Byzantine politics and back to the front line. Emperors come and go, but the Haga remains.
This period piece is packed with drama and intrigue, I found myself searching out the history on the net, the interest the author created was so high.
Goodread.
Jeremy Poole (Author)

[Eileen Iciek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book continues the saga of Apion, a Byzantine soldier with an interesting past, begun in the first Strategos book. I enjoyed this one more for the way it told the story of actual historic events, particularly the battle over Hieropolis. It sounds like it was quite an unlikely win for the Byzantines, and one I had not paid much attention to before. The author does a good job describing battle scenes and the dialogue was well done.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those great books that once you pick up, you just can't put down.

It builds brilliantly on the previous book yet takes the characters and the plot to an entirely new level.

A thoroughly fantastic read and I'd recommend it to anyone.

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is getting a lower rating than the first in the series for a singular reason: there is no overarching conflict in this book. This one really felt like it suffered from being the middle volume. Book 1 is the coming of age book and Book 3 will supposedly see our hero confront his greatest test (and with my scant knowledge of late 11th century Byzantine history I know does not end well for the romans). But this book was just trying to get us from here to there without a strong plot of its own. It was plodding at times which on a disastrous military campaign painted a picture, but that accounted for only half of the book. The first half felt aimless as well. The mystery of the traitor in the ranks was weak. I'm not sure if I was supposed to take it seriously, but it felt like it was set up to be a big reveal when I called it on the first page the "traitor plot" was even hinted at. Nasir was not nearly as engaging of a foil to Apion compared to the Roman general in book 1. His hatred was understandable, but his death was a bit of a letdown.

I'll end on some positive notes. I really enjoy how much trust Doherty has in his readers to just throw Byzantine vocabulary words at them and not explaining them. It makes it feel more immersive that unique terms are used and not just standard modern military jargon. As much as I was getting bored by the slow plod to Syria, the battle at Hierapolis made up for it. It was a fun double siege to read about. It was this book's Helm's Deep that really lifted this book up from a 2 star. I also really liked the reveal about Taylan's parentage. That one truly caught me off guard and I'm excited to see how that plays out.

[Jordan Wiens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant follow-up to Born in the Borderlands. Gordon Doherty raises the stakes in this riveting sequel by plunging Apion into the cut-throat politics and intrigue of Constantinople, adding another layer of tension to his journey. The constant sense of danger keeps the pages turning. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys fast-paced, character-driven historical fiction.

[peter david mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rise of Romanos

An easy five stars for a novel you cannot find fault with. Gripping battle scenes with excellent detail of tactics and capabilities for both sides. Superb and believable historical detail and storyline.

[Aritra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonable read as part of the series depicting the clash of Byzantium and the Turks. The depiction of bloody gore gets a bit repetitive though - I have to say.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

More very good historical fiction at this critical time for the Byzantine Empire. A new emperor brings hope as the Seljuks finish their business in Egypt.

[Anne Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit that, in my current state, I enjoyed most of this book. The sheer escapism was just what I needed! The characters and historical setting were well drawn and the plot held my attention throughout.

Now, on to the third book!

[Dennis Fahey · Rating 2 out of 5]

No better than first two

blah blah blah... outnumbered, incompetent leaders... yet the good guys prevail! Yea for them. I managed a little over half of this book, down from 81 percent in previous and entire first volume. Nothing much positive to say... I'm avoiding the author...

[Matt schmm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent series

If you haven't read legionary series by Doherty , you must. It is so very good. this strategos series is definitely the 2nd best to that but still a great read. I couldn't put it down and can't wait for the next

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent follow-up to the first book. I can't wait for the third book in the series.