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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
This well-researched and riveting thriller is hard to classify: is it alternate history? Time travel? A political thriller? A fantasy?
I think those who love thrillers are going to be the ones who get the most out of it, particularly anyone interested in speculating on the impact of a true Islamic caliphate in the West. There are quite a lot of editorial comments by the narration on this, leaving little doubt as to Khoury's theme and political preferences. (Which I am in complete agreement with :) ). A terrific read that is hard to put down.
As a strong fan of alternate history, and as a strong fan of time travel fiction, I find myself torn. The alternate history, while well researched, has two problems: too much backstory that slows the pace, particularly in the first part of the novel, and not enough alternate history story. Everything focuses on the particular events that changed history. The modern world that results is relevant only in that it produces the characters and their stakes in dealing with that original event, I won't say more. What I want from alternate history is a set of characters interacting in the alternate world, with the plot driven by that world.
So, turn to time travel, which is the basis for the change: somebody changes the past. That's where Khoury has spent most of his effort, figuring out what would need to change and how to maintain the change over centuries, and he's done a magnificent job. But any fan of time travel knows about the paradoxes, and they don't enter at all. And most fans of time travel prefer a more hard-science-fiction treatment of the time travel. What Khoury gives us is a sort of mystical, magical spell and a few "rules" that apply (nothing but the naked body travels, no travel to a time in which you already exist, travel is to exactly the same spot on earth from which you leave) without exploring some of the paradoxes, contradictions, and deeper implications of the premises.
So that leaves fantasy, and the magic involved. It might have been better for Khoury to just talk about djinn, as some current Islamic fantasies have done, going completely religious and magical and fantastic, but that would have interfered too much with the thriller aspect (and that aspect, being the best part of the book, shouldn't be interfered with too much in my opinion).
So: loved the book but had serious reservations about some of its premises. And I agree with the protagonist's conclusion that we're probably better off with our own history, spotty and apocalyptic and delusional as it may be.
I think those who love thrillers are going to be the ones who get the most out of it, particularly anyone interested in speculating on the impact of a true Islamic caliphate in the West. There are quite a lot of editorial comments by the narration on this, leaving little doubt as to Khoury's theme and political preferences. (Which I am in complete agreement with :) ). A terrific read that is hard to put down.
As a strong fan of alternate history, and as a strong fan of time travel fiction, I find myself torn. The alternate history, while well researched, has two problems: too much backstory that slows the pace, particularly in the first part of the novel, and not enough alternate history story. Everything focuses on the particular events that changed history. The modern world that results is relevant only in that it produces the characters and their stakes in dealing with that original event, I won't say more. What I want from alternate history is a set of characters interacting in the alternate world, with the plot driven by that world.
So, turn to time travel, which is the basis for the change: somebody changes the past. That's where Khoury has spent most of his effort, figuring out what would need to change and how to maintain the change over centuries, and he's done a magnificent job. But any fan of time travel knows about the paradoxes, and they don't enter at all. And most fans of time travel prefer a more hard-science-fiction treatment of the time travel. What Khoury gives us is a sort of mystical, magical spell and a few "rules" that apply (nothing but the naked body travels, no travel to a time in which you already exist, travel is to exactly the same spot on earth from which you leave) without exploring some of the paradoxes, contradictions, and deeper implications of the premises.
So that leaves fantasy, and the magic involved. It might have been better for Khoury to just talk about djinn, as some current Islamic fantasies have done, going completely religious and magical and fantastic, but that would have interfered too much with the thriller aspect (and that aspect, being the best part of the book, shouldn't be interfered with too much in my opinion).
So: loved the book but had serious reservations about some of its premises. And I agree with the protagonist's conclusion that we're probably better off with our own history, spotty and apocalyptic and delusional as it may be.
Started out slow. But the middle and ending redeem the book. Questioned a lot of the reasons behind some of the characters' reactions though so it's only a 4. This is one of my favorite genres, and I usually give an automatic 5 unless I really notice something off - just like in this book.
One battle. One battle can change the course of history. How would our world be different if the Ottoman Empire had taken Vienna in 1683 instead of losing? That is what Raymond Khoury explores in his latest alternate history novel.
It’s 2017 and Paris has been under Ottoman rule for centuries. Suffering under the loss of oil revenue to the Christian Republic of America, the Ottoman Sultan employs his secret police and cybersecurity forces to quell any speech critical of the Empire. When a mysterious man covered in tattoos appears at a local hospital suffering from cardiac distress the doctors quickly become suspicious of his behavior. Ramazan, the anesthesiologist, uses his knowledge of sedatives and painkillers to slowly bring the mystery man around to an unguarded state and question him. What Ramazan discovers is a closely held secret to the Empire’s success and his research into the man’s story will put his family in danger with sultan’s secret police. Unable to trust in his brother Kamal, an officer on the antiterrorist task force, Ramazan and his wife Nisreen must flee with their children to safety. Sadly, they were too late. When Kamal finally discovers the police focus on his brother, Ramazan and his two children have already been killed and Nisreen is set to have the same fate. Rescuing Nisreen and learning of the fantastical story of a time-traveler who has shaped the future of the Ottoman Empire places the two on the course of a deadly mission to attempt to set the world back on track and seek revenge for the deaths of Ramazan and the two children.
There is so much that goes on this story. By the end, I had over two dozen book flags marking important events and I immediately began to read up on the battle at Vienna when I finished the book. It’s gripping, fast paced, and these characters are put through the wringer. No one is safe in this book. I really respect how the author had no problem killing off important characters-it left you really questioning how the book would end. The character’s Muslim faith guides their every decision and has a huge impact on their decision to try and change history. If they succeed in putting the world back on a more progressive path, how does that align with their religious beliefs? If the Empire is successful because of God’s will, do they have any right to question it? It’s fascinating reading.
The author doesn’t hold anything back on his descriptions of the U.S. The Christian Republic of America is exclusively white and exclusively christian. He describes a nation as backward and misogynist as you would believe, the only redeeming factor is the latest President wanting to fight climate change because they have to protect God’s creation. Maybe we could change some minds today with that thinking. The protecting earth part, not being shitty people part.
I really enjoyed this one for it’s gripping writing and characters that I quickly became invested in.
Highly recommend for those that love: political thrillers, alternate history, action packed adventures.
It’s 2017 and Paris has been under Ottoman rule for centuries. Suffering under the loss of oil revenue to the Christian Republic of America, the Ottoman Sultan employs his secret police and cybersecurity forces to quell any speech critical of the Empire. When a mysterious man covered in tattoos appears at a local hospital suffering from cardiac distress the doctors quickly become suspicious of his behavior. Ramazan, the anesthesiologist, uses his knowledge of sedatives and painkillers to slowly bring the mystery man around to an unguarded state and question him. What Ramazan discovers is a closely held secret to the Empire’s success and his research into the man’s story will put his family in danger with sultan’s secret police. Unable to trust in his brother Kamal, an officer on the antiterrorist task force, Ramazan and his wife Nisreen must flee with their children to safety. Sadly, they were too late. When Kamal finally discovers the police focus on his brother, Ramazan and his two children have already been killed and Nisreen is set to have the same fate. Rescuing Nisreen and learning of the fantastical story of a time-traveler who has shaped the future of the Ottoman Empire places the two on the course of a deadly mission to attempt to set the world back on track and seek revenge for the deaths of Ramazan and the two children.
There is so much that goes on this story. By the end, I had over two dozen book flags marking important events and I immediately began to read up on the battle at Vienna when I finished the book. It’s gripping, fast paced, and these characters are put through the wringer. No one is safe in this book. I really respect how the author had no problem killing off important characters-it left you really questioning how the book would end. The character’s Muslim faith guides their every decision and has a huge impact on their decision to try and change history. If they succeed in putting the world back on a more progressive path, how does that align with their religious beliefs? If the Empire is successful because of God’s will, do they have any right to question it? It’s fascinating reading.
The author doesn’t hold anything back on his descriptions of the U.S. The Christian Republic of America is exclusively white and exclusively christian. He describes a nation as backward and misogynist as you would believe, the only redeeming factor is the latest President wanting to fight climate change because they have to protect God’s creation. Maybe we could change some minds today with that thinking. The protecting earth part, not being shitty people part.
I really enjoyed this one for it’s gripping writing and characters that I quickly became invested in.
Highly recommend for those that love: political thrillers, alternate history, action packed adventures.
Depicting the west as the protector of freedom, human rights, cultural wealth and intellect while depicting the islamic world as the polar opposite; not only is an incorrect interpretation of reality, it is astonishing to me that the brutality and inhumanity of the warmongering west can be veiled in such a superficial manner.
Culturally and historically taking both ‘sides’ as equally enriching and equally barbaric would have made just as good a storyline. Perhaps a more intriguing one.
It is a sad day when this is what you have truly convinced yourself of, enough to print it on paper to be conserved.
Culturally and historically taking both ‘sides’ as equally enriching and equally barbaric would have made just as good a storyline. Perhaps a more intriguing one.
It is a sad day when this is what you have truly convinced yourself of, enough to print it on paper to be conserved.
After having quite the hard time with this book as an ARC and marking it as unfinished, I felt as though I ought to at least try it in an audiobook format once it had been published. This is my re-read review, with some new sentiments, though I still struggled quite a bit.
Definitely a great fan of alternate history and keen when I see Raymond Khoury’s work pop up on the various book sites I use, I hoped to find great interest in this novel. That being said, things began to fall short from the beginning of this piece and remained troublesome for me. The premise, that the Ottoman Empire continued to gather strength and overtook much of Europe into the present day, sounded good on paper, but as Khoury wove his story, things never seemed to connect for me. A mysteriously tattooed man lurks in the shadows, only to be loosely revealed as a time traveller from ‘our history’, who sees the rise of America and the destruction of the Ottomans. He seeks to tweak history to further strengthen the Islamic influence in the world and to create a worldwide Islamic Empire—one that present-day ISIS would envy. However, when the secret to his abilities is revealed to two characters who have only ever known a Europe under Ottoman rule, they try to change their own history to ensure Vienna was truly the weakening of the Ottomans. Travels through time create much strain for them and the reorganisation of time comes with its own perils, but if it saves the world, why not?! Even this second time around, I found it hard to grasp onto themes that kept me intrigued, save for the promise to myself and fellow readers to write a review of the entire novel.
I am by no means the greatest reviewer or most lax Goodreads wordsmith. I hoped for some injected excitement, but even the information Khoury revealed left me wanting more and unable to find something upon which I could hang my proverbial cloak. While I hated to leave a book unfinished—particularly an ARC—and now return to offer little insight into the full novel recited to me by an audiobook narrator, I owe it to myself and others not to spruce up something that made me somewhat miserable. While some will surely love it, I cannot offer frilly comments. I did enjoy a little more about the premise of WHAT IF surrounding the Ottoman Empire and how a world under Islamic control might differ greatly from what we know today. That being said, there are a few dictators in countries that espouse democracy, that we might not be that far off from leaders drunk off their own power and Tweet abilities. I can only hope this was but a blip on the Khoury radar, not the new norm after a fairly lengthy time away from full novels.
Kudos, Mr. Khoury, for dreaming up an interesting premise. Delivery was off for me, so I hope others can see the empire for the castle walls, to poorly mangle a cliché!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
Definitely a great fan of alternate history and keen when I see Raymond Khoury’s work pop up on the various book sites I use, I hoped to find great interest in this novel. That being said, things began to fall short from the beginning of this piece and remained troublesome for me. The premise, that the Ottoman Empire continued to gather strength and overtook much of Europe into the present day, sounded good on paper, but as Khoury wove his story, things never seemed to connect for me. A mysteriously tattooed man lurks in the shadows, only to be loosely revealed as a time traveller from ‘our history’, who sees the rise of America and the destruction of the Ottomans. He seeks to tweak history to further strengthen the Islamic influence in the world and to create a worldwide Islamic Empire—one that present-day ISIS would envy. However, when the secret to his abilities is revealed to two characters who have only ever known a Europe under Ottoman rule, they try to change their own history to ensure Vienna was truly the weakening of the Ottomans. Travels through time create much strain for them and the reorganisation of time comes with its own perils, but if it saves the world, why not?! Even this second time around, I found it hard to grasp onto themes that kept me intrigued, save for the promise to myself and fellow readers to write a review of the entire novel.
I am by no means the greatest reviewer or most lax Goodreads wordsmith. I hoped for some injected excitement, but even the information Khoury revealed left me wanting more and unable to find something upon which I could hang my proverbial cloak. While I hated to leave a book unfinished—particularly an ARC—and now return to offer little insight into the full novel recited to me by an audiobook narrator, I owe it to myself and others not to spruce up something that made me somewhat miserable. While some will surely love it, I cannot offer frilly comments. I did enjoy a little more about the premise of WHAT IF surrounding the Ottoman Empire and how a world under Islamic control might differ greatly from what we know today. That being said, there are a few dictators in countries that espouse democracy, that we might not be that far off from leaders drunk off their own power and Tweet abilities. I can only hope this was but a blip on the Khoury radar, not the new norm after a fairly lengthy time away from full novels.
Kudos, Mr. Khoury, for dreaming up an interesting premise. Delivery was off for me, so I hope others can see the empire for the castle walls, to poorly mangle a cliché!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
A powerful, engrossing and entertaining novel that kept me hooked till the last page.
I was always fascinated by alternate history and this book was an excellent one as it described what could've happened if the Ottomans conquered Wien and the rest of Europe.
I was fascinated by the mix of fantasy and current history.
The plot is well crafted, the characters are interesting and fleshed out.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I was always fascinated by alternate history and this book was an excellent one as it described what could've happened if the Ottomans conquered Wien and the rest of Europe.
I was fascinated by the mix of fantasy and current history.
The plot is well crafted, the characters are interesting and fleshed out.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
A gripping alternative history in which the Ottomans won the Battle of Vienna. Time travelers tinker with the fate of Europe.
It’s got everything suspense, thrills, history and some wibly wobly timey Wimy stuff (as in Time travel) also alternate history and great what ifs. With characters you really vouch for. But I do find it a bit too much it could of done with a few chops in the pages.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for a free copy in return for open and honest review
A departure for this author with the added part of time travel but still has the elements of adventure and thriller in it. Took a little while to get into this book but picked up pace as it progressed.
A departure for this author with the added part of time travel but still has the elements of adventure and thriller in it. Took a little while to get into this book but picked up pace as it progressed.
Thanks to BookishHq for a free copy of the book.
I had such high hopes for this but it didn't live you too this hopes for me.
Raymond Khoury does do a really good job at imagining a world where the Ottoman Empire exists today. We have a heavily tattooed man, Ayman, who can time travel and comes from 1683 to 2017 in Paris. He is found naked (because can clothes really time travel? Not here!) Kamal is an officer in the sultan's (yes we have a sultan leader) secret police that is sent to this mysterious stranger and question him.
This new world is bloody, where you can still be beheaded for anything from being a murderer to being a teacher
There is a TON of description in the beginning parts of the book and it gets a little confusing. 8 never got really interested work any of the characters or what happened to them.
I had such high hopes for this but it didn't live you too this hopes for me.
Raymond Khoury does do a really good job at imagining a world where the Ottoman Empire exists today. We have a heavily tattooed man, Ayman, who can time travel and comes from 1683 to 2017 in Paris. He is found naked (because can clothes really time travel? Not here!) Kamal is an officer in the sultan's (yes we have a sultan leader) secret police that is sent to this mysterious stranger and question him.
This new world is bloody, where you can still be beheaded for anything from being a murderer to being a teacher
There is a TON of description in the beginning parts of the book and it gets a little confusing. 8 never got really interested work any of the characters or what happened to them.