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The Ottoman Cycle #4
The Pasha's Tale (The Ottoman Cycle Book 4)
Plots, murder and a return to Istanbul form an epic conclusion to S.J.A. Turney’s Ottoman Cycle
Five years since Skiouros left the city of Constantine, he has come to understand the dreadful price exacted by vengeance.
Saved from the French authorities by Dragi – the Romani crewman of a Turkish galley – he and his friend Parmenio are once again bound for the east. But Dragi’s aid comes with a price…
In the Ottoman capital, the populace prepares for a great festival; for the first time in years the Sultan’s three sons are all to be present. But a sect of disenfranchised Romani are plotting a deadly coup.
Can Skiouros thwart the mysterious Kingbreaker and save the Sultan’s sons? The sequence of events that shattered Skiouros’ life is finally coming to an end…
This is the brilliant and unputdownable final conclusion to bestseller S.J.A. Turney’s Ottoman Cycle, and is perfect for readers of Ben Kane, Peter Darman and Matt Harffy.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2015
50 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
S.J.A. Turney
93 books497 followersSimon lives with his wife and children and a menagerie of animals in rural North Yorkshire, where he sits in an office, wired on coffee and digestive biscuits, and attempts to spin engrossing tales out of strands of imagination while his children drive toys across his desk and two dogs howl as they try to share a brain cell.
A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architecture, Simon spends most of his rare free time travelling around ancient sites, writing, researching the ancient world and reading voraciously.
Following an arcane and eclectic career path that wound through everything from sheep to Microsoft networks and from paint to car sales, Simon wrote Marius’ Mules and, with help and support, made a success of it. Now, with in excess of 20 novels under his belt, Simon writes full time and is represented by MMB Creative literary agents.
Simon writes Roman military novels in the form of the bestselling Marius’ Mules series based on Julius Caesar’s campaigns, Roman thrillers in the Praetorian series, set during the troubled reign of Commodus, medieval adventures in the Ottoman Cycle, following a young Greek thief around the 15th century world, and a series of Historical Fantasy novels with a Roman flavour, called the Tales of the Empire.
Simon can be found on Twitter as @SJATurney and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SJATurney/ as well as on his website http://www.sjaturney.co.uk
A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architecture, Simon spends most of his rare free time travelling around ancient sites, writing, researching the ancient world and reading voraciously.
Following an arcane and eclectic career path that wound through everything from sheep to Microsoft networks and from paint to car sales, Simon wrote Marius’ Mules and, with help and support, made a success of it. Now, with in excess of 20 novels under his belt, Simon writes full time and is represented by MMB Creative literary agents.
Simon writes Roman military novels in the form of the bestselling Marius’ Mules series based on Julius Caesar’s campaigns, Roman thrillers in the Praetorian series, set during the troubled reign of Commodus, medieval adventures in the Ottoman Cycle, following a young Greek thief around the 15th century world, and a series of Historical Fantasy novels with a Roman flavour, called the Tales of the Empire.
Simon can be found on Twitter as @SJATurney and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SJATurney/ as well as on his website http://www.sjaturney.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 27, 2015
I can only reiterate what the Parm's review has stated, a wonderful closure to an excellent series, the tying up of the loose ends, with Skiouros and his companions attempting to stop an coup and saving the Ottoman succession from disaster, a well told and relatively fast paced with ample betrayal and intrigue. a must read if you enjoyed Mr Turney's previous books.
If you enjoyed this series, try The Marius Mules series you will love them, Praetorian will knock your socks off.
If you enjoyed this series, try The Marius Mules series you will love them, Praetorian will knock your socks off.
January 26, 2021
Turney’s Poorest Work Todate
1. The characters are too thin and very unlikeable. The protagonist is some sort of super man who has the morals of a snake.
2. I understand the author’s disdain for religion but his obvious anti-Catholic bigotry, even considering the Borgias, was way over the top. He claims, to cover himself, that he treated the other Abrhamic religions likewise, which is patently false in his own writing. He wants us all to gather around and do a group hug but he doesn’t understand Christianity. Jesus is the only way. We can’t say, well, Mohammed is okay too, that would be heretical. I don’t hate Muslims, I just know they are wrong.
1. The characters are too thin and very unlikeable. The protagonist is some sort of super man who has the morals of a snake.
2. I understand the author’s disdain for religion but his obvious anti-Catholic bigotry, even considering the Borgias, was way over the top. He claims, to cover himself, that he treated the other Abrhamic religions likewise, which is patently false in his own writing. He wants us all to gather around and do a group hug but he doesn’t understand Christianity. Jesus is the only way. We can’t say, well, Mohammed is okay too, that would be heretical. I don’t hate Muslims, I just know they are wrong.
July 28, 2019
Great series
I enjoyed this series very much. I learned about the Ottoman empire and became totally invested in the characters. I have to admit that after book 3, I was very frustrated and angry with Skiouros. I thought he was selfish and caused injury and death to those whose friendship should have meant more than his personal agenda. Book 4 resolved that for me.
I enjoyed this series very much. I learned about the Ottoman empire and became totally invested in the characters. I have to admit that after book 3, I was very frustrated and angry with Skiouros. I thought he was selfish and caused injury and death to those whose friendship should have meant more than his personal agenda. Book 4 resolved that for me.
January 20, 2018
A Very Excellent Series
The four books in the series are each well-written and have a coordinated plot. I admire the author's skill in writing with good description, dialogue, and historical references. His vocabulary is impressive.
The four books in the series are each well-written and have a coordinated plot. I admire the author's skill in writing with good description, dialogue, and historical references. His vocabulary is impressive.
March 10, 2019
Excellent
This book/series is praiseworthy on just about every level. Action, passion, history and friendship are explored for the reader. I really hated for it to end. A wonderful series. Read it.
This book/series is praiseworthy on just about every level. Action, passion, history and friendship are explored for the reader. I really hated for it to end. A wonderful series. Read it.
November 6, 2024
The final book in the Ottoman Cycle is my favorite as it to a close and joins them all together. Making all the twists and turns of the previous books to a close
May 7, 2015
Once again I find myself in awe of Mr. Turney. He can flat out write, whether it be Roman fiction, the Yorkshire phone book, or in this case the final installment of The Ottoman Cycle. It has been five years since Skiouros has been home to Constantinople/Istanbul but his homecoming is hardly peaceful as he finds himself embroiled in a complicated plan to thwart a coup against Beyazid. The story is full of intrigue involving the centuries old antagonism between Islam, Christianity and Judaism and the author does a commendable job in balancing the good and the bad of all three. Full of action, and replete with fascinating plot twists plus the trademark descriptive acumen of the author, the tale takes the reader all over the ancient Turkish city; a city of the Greek, Turk, Jew and Romani peoples. Each locale is delivered in stunning portrayals giving the reader a wonderful chance to visualize what Skiouros and friends are up against. I think what I enjoyed most in this piece in this series of tales is the way the author brings it to a conclusion...a very satisfying ending indeed. 5 stars.
November 24, 2015
This is the final instalment of the author's Ottoman series, and brings the story to a satisfying end. Simon Turney has become one of my favourite historical novelists; he certainly does his research, but the stories wear this accuracy very lightly. Too many authors allow themselves to 'show off' their knowledge to the detriment of the story, but Turney is a master storyteller too.
This book finds Skiouros finally heading home to the Ottoman capital, to lay his brother's shade to rest, and fulfil the destiny that others keep laying on him. I won't go into detail about the plot, but many loose ends are tied, a few new twists occur, and if the final outcome in Skiouros' life is a little far-fetched, I think we can allow him - and the author! - a little artistic licence.
I have enjoyed many of the author's books, starting with the Marius Mules series, but for me, this Ottoman series is his finest to date. Although it is now ended, I have a feeling that he will continue to produce great fiction.
This book finds Skiouros finally heading home to the Ottoman capital, to lay his brother's shade to rest, and fulfil the destiny that others keep laying on him. I won't go into detail about the plot, but many loose ends are tied, a few new twists occur, and if the final outcome in Skiouros' life is a little far-fetched, I think we can allow him - and the author! - a little artistic licence.
I have enjoyed many of the author's books, starting with the Marius Mules series, but for me, this Ottoman series is his finest to date. Although it is now ended, I have a feeling that he will continue to produce great fiction.
April 24, 2015
Review
Regular blog readers will be aware of this, but for anyone new, full disclosure, Simon Turney is a good friend as well as some one i enjoy reading. I have been a friend and fan since before book one and have been privileged to have seen, enjoyed and been a small part of his journey. This is a Journey that seems to reach new heights with every book.
While im a big fan of his Marius Mules series, his latest work for me is his best work, both in the roman world with Praetorian and even more so his Ottoman Cycle series. This series following Skiouros the thief, the adventurer, the explorer fighter and spy. A boy who had to quickly grow, and become a man, haunted by his dead brother, hunting retribution. A retribution that takes him across the globe and back.
Read the rest of the review: https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
Regular blog readers will be aware of this, but for anyone new, full disclosure, Simon Turney is a good friend as well as some one i enjoy reading. I have been a friend and fan since before book one and have been privileged to have seen, enjoyed and been a small part of his journey. This is a Journey that seems to reach new heights with every book.
While im a big fan of his Marius Mules series, his latest work for me is his best work, both in the roman world with Praetorian and even more so his Ottoman Cycle series. This series following Skiouros the thief, the adventurer, the explorer fighter and spy. A boy who had to quickly grow, and become a man, haunted by his dead brother, hunting retribution. A retribution that takes him across the globe and back.
Read the rest of the review: https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
May 14, 2016
What a fantastic series, from the first paragraph in Book 1 to the last word in book 4 I was hooked ! Thank you Mr Turney for a wonderful series on the Ottoman Empire. Luckily for me a parcel arrived today with the next 2 books of Marius' Mules so back I go to the Roman Empire and the Gallic wars. I heartily recommend the books of S.J.A. Turney.
December 13, 2015
A fitting end to the cycle. I have really enjoyed this "trilogy" and will happily re-read it a few more times, I suspect. Well done Mr Turney, this has been a really enjoyable series and you brought it to an end gracefully. Top series!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews