A review by narratricenessa
The Judas Blossom by Stephen Aryan

adventurous dark inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 Historical fantasy is among my favourite if not the favourite fantasy subgenre. When Stephen Aryan’s new book was announced I was intrigued not only by the synopsis but also by the author’s choice of setting and period. The Judas Blossom is the 1st instalment in a Persian-inspired fantasy trilogy titled The Nightingale and the Falcon. I was fortunate enough to get an eARC of this book through NetGalley courtesy of Angry Robot Books. 
 
Set in 1260 Persia The Judas Blossom unfurls its fascinatingly poetical and intriguing plot through the points of view of several captivating characters. As I already mentioned, the author’s choice of the historical period and location for the book’s setting intrigued me; mostly because there aren’t many historical fiction or historical fantasy books (that I’m aware of) that are set in this period and region. The 13th century is a tumultuous period around the globe, however, in the location the book’s plot is set in this period is marked by the Mongol invasions of the Islamic world, which began in 1212 with the conquest of eastern Iran. The specific year in which The Judas Blossom is set is characterised simultaneously with the Mongolian expansion further west into the Islamic world (the Levant), but also with disputes over succession in addition to the division and infighting in the Empire. 

However, the interested reader does not have to read history or know anything about the historical figures, the region or the period in question to enjoy the book, its characters and its plot. Familiarity with the era, location and historical figures will certainly enhance your enjoyment, but it’s not a requirement. Skilfully and with an exceptional eye for detail, Aryan introduces the reader to the captivating world of 13th-century Persia and beyond. Moreover, the author adeptly achieved a balance between historical accuracy and good storytelling, never sacrificing one for the sake of achieving the other. 

To tell the story of The Judas Blossom the author chose (and created) a diverse and distinctive cast of characters: Hulagu Khan (the ruler of the Ilkhanate), his youngest son Temujin, Kokochin (the Blue Princess) – one of Hulagu’s many wives, general Kaivon – a Persian rebel serving in Hulagu’s army (to name just a few key POV characters). The POV characters and how their stories and perspectives are presented to the reader(s) are one of the key ingredients that make this book so magnificently magical. The characters’ diverse backgrounds, experiences, cultures and way of perceiving the world around them is superbly done. The choice of POV characters is not there simply so the reader can have a different perspective, but it also highlights how cultures and states are not monolithic as they can sometimes be perceived. 

Character diversity, multiple perspectives and the way the author presents them were among my favourite things in The Judas Blossom. As an illustration, I’ll use Aryan’s portrait of Hulagu Khan (this might be slightly spoiler-y (general spoilers for history, I suppose) so feel free to skip ahead).  

“In the shadow of his grandfather, Hulagu, ruler of the Ilkhanate, is determined to create a single empire that covers the entire world. His method? Violence.”

From the blurb itself, it’s clear that Hulagu Khan’s preferred method of dealing with disobedience is violence, which matches what we know about Hulagu from historical sources. However, in this, the ruler of the Ilkhanate is no different than any other ruler (historical or fictional). Hulagu’s brother, Möngke Khan, ordered Hulagu to treat kindly those who submitted to the Mongol rule (bear in mind that “treated kindly” here is a matter of perspective) and to utterly destroy those who did not. Hulagu was vigorous in carrying out the latter part of these orders. 

At the same time, Hulagu’s reign was tolerant of diversity (which Aryan highlights in his work) and tolerance to different religions and religious practices was not always so common during this period in Europe. And it is in this case, the portrait of Hulagu Khan (among other things), that the author’s craft truly shines. Although Hulagu is not a person (or in this case a character) the reader will like or love, through Hulagu’s point of view Aryan manages not only to show the readers Hulagu’s perspective and how his mind works but also manages to craft Hulagu’s story in such a way that the readers can understand why he chose to do things a certain way. The readers will not necessarily empathise with Hulagu, or approve/like/tolerate his actions (he’s not a very nice man), however, they will understand why this is so and it will make sense. 

As I mentioned several times throughout the text, characters, their portraits and their perspectives are one of the highlights of The Judas Blossom. Aryan’s mastery is shown in the creation of these complex and compelling characters, through whose points of view he tells the story, not just about life in 13th century Persia, but the story about families (both the ones you are born into and the ones you find), friendships, love, sacrifice, diversity of cultures, patriotism, rebellions, oppression, war, conquest, complex political situations etc. He deftly navigates through all these themes and simultaneously enchants the reader with spellbinding storytelling. 

I mentioned at the start that The Judas Blossom is a historical fantasy, but so far I haven’t touched upon the fantastical elements in the book. And that is because, compared to the historical part of the story, in this instalment, the fantasy elements are minimal and subtle. If you are familiar with the works of Guy Gavriel Kay, Stephen Aryan’s The Judas Blossom is in a similar vein. However, the subtlety of this book’s magical/fantastical elements should not deter you from reading it – it’s a bewitching story and I cannot wait for the next instalment in this entrancing series. 

If you’ve reached the end of this rather rambly review, first of all, congratulations and thank you for reading this far. I believe it was abundantly clear that I was very eager to read The Judas Blossom (historical fantasy being my favourite genre and all) and that I’ve also enjoyed it so much that I’ve purchased a stunning special edition created by The Broken Binding in collaboration with Angry Robot Books. To sum up, I would recommend The Judas Blossom to everyone who likes the following: 

  • historical fantasy
  • multiple perspectives
  • complex, diverse and extremely well-developed characters
  • intricate and interwoven interpersonal relationships
  • captivating and epic storytelling
  • (found) family
  • political intrigues
  • Persian and Mongolian cultures
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