The Sky Worshipers by F.M. Deemyad

Release: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Paperback
Publisher: History Through Fiction
Source: HFVirtual Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N.

In the year 1398 A.D., Lady Goharshad and her husband, King Shahrokh, come across an ancient manuscript in the Karakorum ruins, the Mongol capital. The manuscript chronicles the Mongol invasions’ era with entries by three princesses from China, Persia, and Poland captured and brought to the Mongol court.

After being stolen from her family at the Tangut Emperor’s coronation, Princess Chaka, the Emperor’s daughter, is forced to marry Genghis Khan. Thus, the Tangut join Genghis as allies. She is the first to write the historical events of her time, with the help of an African eunuch by the name of Baako.

Princess Reyhan is the witty granddaughter of the last Seljuk King in Persia. Ogodei, Genghis’s son and heir, kidnaps her after falling in love. However, the romance does not last long since a Mongol beauty wins Ogodei’s heart in place of Reyhan. Reyhan continues the tradition of recording the events into tales.

During the Mongol invasion of Poland and Hungary, Princess Krisztina, niece to Henry the Pious, becomes a prisoner of war. Reyhan learns about Krisztina’s predicament through Baako and asks Hulagu, Genghis’s grandson, to help free her. Krisztina has a difficult time adjusting to life in Mongolia and unable to escape. When she delivers a still-born child, the Mongol court shuns her. She finally returns to her homeland in old age but comes back to the Karakorum and writes her final entry in the journal.

This historical novel lays bare the uncompromising Mongol empire and the Genghis Khan clan’s influence through powerful storytelling. It also shows the hidden perspectives of the captive, conquered, and voiceless.

About the Author:

F.M. Deemyad was born in Kermanshah, Iran. She grew up in the capital, Tehran, attending bilingual schools run by Christian and Jewish minorities. Born and raised in India, her father had come to Iran when he was in his late twenties. Also, being the son of a linguist who had taught English Literature in India for several years, he exposed the author in her preschool years to the English language. Then, she learned to love classic literature under her father’s instructions. She received her Master’s degree in Writing from Johns Hopkins University in 2016. She currently resides with her husband in Maryland.

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The Sky Worshipers Review:

“The Sky Worshipers” immediately drew me from the first page as Chaka gets abducted by the Mongols. The author describes the story in a compelling manner where you feel like you are with the characters in that era. However, I felt the storyline picked up during Reyhan’s chapters, and I could not put it down. I loved the short stories that Reyhan tells through her entries like “The Coppersmith’s Tale,” “The Birth of Hope,” and “Traces of a Hand.” Each of them was a beautiful short story within the tale that gave depth to the storyline. Also, some scenes truly shocked me, for instance, what happens to Chaka in the end. The author also detailed the war’s strategies interestingly, particularly the scenes involving Hungary’s battle with the Mongols.

Furthermore, I loved Reyhan’s patience in the story. I thought she accomplished a lot, even though Ogodei and Toregene bring her down. Similarly, I also loved her camaraderie with Baako and the moments she shares with Hulagu. Even though Baako makes only a few appearances, he was one of my favorite characters. Also, I liked Krisztina at times, but she got on my nerves. I wasn’t fond of the way she treated Hulagu, and she was too stubborn. Nevertheless, I did feel sorry for her towards the end. The author beautifully ends the story through Lady Goharshad’s storyline.

However, I wish we had more of a background of Genghis Khan, particularly his childhood. The story starts when he is already in his 40s and felt we hardly got to know him. Genghis’s heirs and following generations got most of the spotlight, but I would have liked more information on his conquests.

Apart from that, “The Sky Worshipers” is a remarkable debut by the author that fascinates you with the Mongol Empire!

Giveaway:

Enter to win a copy of The Sky Worshipers! Two copies are up for grabs!
The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on March 17th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

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Book Tour Schedule:

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on The Sky Worshipers by F.M. Deemyad Blog Tour hosted by HFVirtual Book Tours. Check out my post, and make sure to enter the giveaway!