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The Hand of Mashyana
Farahnaz Rahnema has spent her life in the shadows of Emari’s grand Citadel, serving the powerful queen, the Mashyana, as her most loyal Hand. With the Talent of metallurgy, Farah can bend and control metal, making her a skilled thief and assassin tasked with retrieving ancient relics of unimaginable power for the queen. She believes in the queen’s vision for a restored kingdom, one relic at a time. When a mysterious girl named Pari, the Voice of the gods, insists that Farah must join forces with Yasher — a charming, reckless card shark who thrives on luck — Farah’s world starts to unravel.
Yasher has always relied on his quick wits and strange luck to survive, avoiding deep ties to anyone or anything. But when he crosses paths with Farah, he’s thrust into a perilous mission to recover relics that could reshape Emari’s future. As they navigate a kingdom filled with hidden truths, ancient secrets, and ever-shifting alliances, Farah begins to question the queen she serves and the kingdom’s growing corruption.
With her loyalty tested and Yasher’s own hidden motives in play, Farah must is Mashyana truly Emari’s savior, or is something darker at play? In The Hand of Mashyana, power, betrayal, and ancient relics collide, with a kingdom’s fate hanging in the balance.
Perfect for fans of epic fantasy, thrilling heists, and slow-burn romance, The Hand of Mashyana is the first book in a sweeping saga where destiny, power, and loyalty collide.
Yasher has always relied on his quick wits and strange luck to survive, avoiding deep ties to anyone or anything. But when he crosses paths with Farah, he’s thrust into a perilous mission to recover relics that could reshape Emari’s future. As they navigate a kingdom filled with hidden truths, ancient secrets, and ever-shifting alliances, Farah begins to question the queen she serves and the kingdom’s growing corruption.
With her loyalty tested and Yasher’s own hidden motives in play, Farah must is Mashyana truly Emari’s savior, or is something darker at play? In The Hand of Mashyana, power, betrayal, and ancient relics collide, with a kingdom’s fate hanging in the balance.
Perfect for fans of epic fantasy, thrilling heists, and slow-burn romance, The Hand of Mashyana is the first book in a sweeping saga where destiny, power, and loyalty collide.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 20, 2025
5 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 25, 2025
3.5⭐️ even though book 1 ended with an epilogue I was still left with unanswered questions, maybe they’ll be answered in book 2.
I found the world building easy to follow. The storyline kept me interested until the end. This is marketed as a Persian inspired fantasy, which is a first for me. I think this book would be a good recommendation for someone who’s never read a fantasy genre before, the fantasy aspect is easy to understand.
The tropes are: high stakes mission, smooth talking & cunning con-artist MMC, a highly trained badass FMC, betrayal, court rivalries and civil unrest, power hungry queen, and a darkness engineered to target gifted people.
There were repetitive details throughout the book. In some instances when situations called for urgency these main characters a having a coming to Jesus moment instead of taking action, and I’m like ‘what the hell is happening?!’.
Overall, I’m looking forward to book 2 (which I have an ARC for). I can’t wait to see where the story goes.
I found the world building easy to follow. The storyline kept me interested until the end. This is marketed as a Persian inspired fantasy, which is a first for me. I think this book would be a good recommendation for someone who’s never read a fantasy genre before, the fantasy aspect is easy to understand.
The tropes are: high stakes mission, smooth talking & cunning con-artist MMC, a highly trained badass FMC, betrayal, court rivalries and civil unrest, power hungry queen, and a darkness engineered to target gifted people.
There were repetitive details throughout the book. In some instances when situations called for urgency these main characters a having a coming to Jesus moment instead of taking action, and I’m like ‘what the hell is happening?!’.
Overall, I’m looking forward to book 2 (which I have an ARC for). I can’t wait to see where the story goes.
March 16, 2025
The Hand of Mashyana has everything you're looking for in a fantasy adventure. World-ending stakes? Check. Magic? Check. Forbidden love? You better frickin' believe it! Farah and Yasher are archetypical characters (the loyal retainer and the devilish rogue) who manage to stand out as individuals, and the Middle-Eastern-inspired setting is something I haven't seen much of in the genre before. If you love fantasy with a strong sense of setting, this is well worth your time.
July 10, 2025
A very enjoyable read! Highly recommended! Well developed characters, very descriptive, and world building that left me looking for the next book in the series. A mix of action, mythology, romance, and the classic good vs evil properly hidden to keep the reader turning the pages.
January 26, 2026
I love a Strong MC
This is such a fun read!
Betrayal, unexpected plot twists, magic, fighting, an FMC who can kick ass?!
Having to decide against everything you've been taught or everything you believe!
Yes please!
I can't wait to see where this series goes.
This is such a fun read!
Betrayal, unexpected plot twists, magic, fighting, an FMC who can kick ass?!
Having to decide against everything you've been taught or everything you believe!
Yes please!
I can't wait to see where this series goes.
October 7, 2025
Review:
The Hand of Mashyana completely swept me into its world from the very first page. Farahnaz Rahnema is such a fascinating protagonist, loyal, skilled, and burdened with a purpose she doesn’t fully understand until her world begins to crack. I loved how the author portrayed her internal conflict: torn between her devotion to the Mashyana and her growing doubts about what “restoration” really means. There’s this quiet intensity in the way Farah starts questioning everything she’s ever believed, and it makes her incredibly human.
The pairing of Farah and Yasher was unexpected but brilliant. Their chemistry builds slowly, not forced, but layered with mistrust, banter, and a reluctant understanding. Yasher’s reckless charm perfectly balances Farah’s guarded strength, and their dynamic kept me hooked through every twist.
The world of Emari itself is beautifully written, metallic magic, sacred relics, and political intrigue all woven together with lyrical prose. There’s a sense of mystery that lingers behind every page, as if the land itself remembers more than it’s telling. By the end, I found myself questioning the queen’s true motives right alongside Farah.
What impressed me most is how the story never lost its emotional core amid all the fantasy elements. Beneath the action and power struggles, it’s a story about trust, loyalty, and the courage to see the truth even when it shatters your world.
If you love intricate fantasy with heart, the kind that leaves you both satisfied and aching for the next book, The Hand of Mashyana is a must, read.
The Hand of Mashyana completely swept me into its world from the very first page. Farahnaz Rahnema is such a fascinating protagonist, loyal, skilled, and burdened with a purpose she doesn’t fully understand until her world begins to crack. I loved how the author portrayed her internal conflict: torn between her devotion to the Mashyana and her growing doubts about what “restoration” really means. There’s this quiet intensity in the way Farah starts questioning everything she’s ever believed, and it makes her incredibly human.
The pairing of Farah and Yasher was unexpected but brilliant. Their chemistry builds slowly, not forced, but layered with mistrust, banter, and a reluctant understanding. Yasher’s reckless charm perfectly balances Farah’s guarded strength, and their dynamic kept me hooked through every twist.
The world of Emari itself is beautifully written, metallic magic, sacred relics, and political intrigue all woven together with lyrical prose. There’s a sense of mystery that lingers behind every page, as if the land itself remembers more than it’s telling. By the end, I found myself questioning the queen’s true motives right alongside Farah.
What impressed me most is how the story never lost its emotional core amid all the fantasy elements. Beneath the action and power struggles, it’s a story about trust, loyalty, and the courage to see the truth even when it shatters your world.
If you love intricate fantasy with heart, the kind that leaves you both satisfied and aching for the next book, The Hand of Mashyana is a must, read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews