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Empire of Lies
A sweeping thriller in the tradition of The Man in the High Castle, Fatherland and Underground Airlines from New York Times bestselling author Raymond Khoury.
"The best what-if thriller for a long, long time -- makes you think, makes you sweat, and makes you choose, between what is and what might have been." --Lee Child
Istanbul, 1683: Mehmed IV, sultan of the Ottoman Empire, is preparing to lay siege to Vienna, capital of the Holy Roman Empire, when a mysterious visitor arrives in his bedroom--naked, covered in strange tattoos--to deliver a dangerous, world-changing message.
Paris, 2017: Ottoman flags have been flying over the great city for three hundred years, ever since its fall--along with all of Europe--to the empire's all-conquering army. Notre Dame has been renamed the Fatih Mosque. Public spaces are segregated by gender. And Kamal Arslan Agha, a feted officer in the sultan's secret police, is starting to question his orders.
Rumors of an impending war with the Christian Republic of America, attacks by violent extremists, and economic collapse have heightened surveillance and arrests across the empire. Tasked with surveying potential threats, Kamal has a heavy caseload--and conscience.
When a mysterious stranger--naked, covered in strange tattoos--appears on the banks of the Seine, Kamal is called in to investigate. But what he discovers is a secret buried in the empire's past, a secret the Sultan will do anything to silence.
With the mysterious Z Protectorate one step behind, Kamal, together with Nisreen--a fierce human rights lawyer--is caught up in a race across the empire and time itself--a race that could change their world, or destroy it.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published May 30, 2019
About the author
Raymond Khoury
44 books1,197 followersRaymond Khoury is the author of five consecutive New York Times and #1 international bestsellers, starting with his debut novel, THE LAST TEMPLAR. His books have been translated into 38 languages, with over 10 million copies in print.
Raymond came to writing thrillers from a career in screenwriting, which including the BAFTA award winning BBC series SPOOKS (aka MI:5 in the US) and Waking The Dead. It partly explains why his novels are often described as cinematic and very visual. As fellow bestselling author Steve Berry puts it: "his expertly chosen verbs cause the scenes to leap from the page. You can literally feel the blows as they're landed; wince as the bullets find their marks. He has an intense brand of storytelling all his own."
THE LAST TEMPLAR began its journey to print as Raymond's third original screenplay, written for film in 1996. At the time, a book agent suggested turning it into a novel, and a major NY publisher, the first to read it, offered Raymond a huge advance for the as-yet-unwritten novel, with one condition: "Lose the religion. It's boring. Change the Templars' secret to gold, diamonds, a physical treasure." After much tortured consideration, Raymond turned the offer down, his first potential check from writing. Almost exactly ten years later, his novel, based on that screenplay--religion included--became a global bestseller, hitting #1 in multiple countries and getting adapted into an NBC miniseries.
Raymond's thrillers are based on big themes that interest him such as international politics and conspiracies, fact vs faith, why we age and die, what do we really know about reincarnation, about mind control. He explores these themes in depth, with heavy emphasis on research, and often combines a historical angle to his stories. As such, some of his novels (THE LAST TEMPLAR, THE SANCTUARY, THE TEMPLAR SALVATION, RASPUTIN'S SHADOW) feature dual timelines: the bulk of the stories are set in the present day, interspersed with chapters that take place in the distant past. As Booklist puts it, "Khoury's thrillers engage the reader's mind, even as they move at a breakneck pace. Readers who like their thrillers to have a solid intellectual component will enjoy Khoury's books very much. Given the high quality of each of his novels, it seems fair to say that he may be around for a while."
Raymond's 8th novel is an epic alternate history and time travel story that Publishers Weekly called "ingeniously inventive" and "a classic of the genre": It is already out in the UK as THE OTTOMAN SECRET, and is out on Oct 1 in the US under a different title, EMPIRE OF LIES.
To find out more about him and his work, visit his website at raymondkhoury.com or connect with him on his Facebook page or on Instagram (@author.raymond.khoury).
Raymond came to writing thrillers from a career in screenwriting, which including the BAFTA award winning BBC series SPOOKS (aka MI:5 in the US) and Waking The Dead. It partly explains why his novels are often described as cinematic and very visual. As fellow bestselling author Steve Berry puts it: "his expertly chosen verbs cause the scenes to leap from the page. You can literally feel the blows as they're landed; wince as the bullets find their marks. He has an intense brand of storytelling all his own."
THE LAST TEMPLAR began its journey to print as Raymond's third original screenplay, written for film in 1996. At the time, a book agent suggested turning it into a novel, and a major NY publisher, the first to read it, offered Raymond a huge advance for the as-yet-unwritten novel, with one condition: "Lose the religion. It's boring. Change the Templars' secret to gold, diamonds, a physical treasure." After much tortured consideration, Raymond turned the offer down, his first potential check from writing. Almost exactly ten years later, his novel, based on that screenplay--religion included--became a global bestseller, hitting #1 in multiple countries and getting adapted into an NBC miniseries.
Raymond's thrillers are based on big themes that interest him such as international politics and conspiracies, fact vs faith, why we age and die, what do we really know about reincarnation, about mind control. He explores these themes in depth, with heavy emphasis on research, and often combines a historical angle to his stories. As such, some of his novels (THE LAST TEMPLAR, THE SANCTUARY, THE TEMPLAR SALVATION, RASPUTIN'S SHADOW) feature dual timelines: the bulk of the stories are set in the present day, interspersed with chapters that take place in the distant past. As Booklist puts it, "Khoury's thrillers engage the reader's mind, even as they move at a breakneck pace. Readers who like their thrillers to have a solid intellectual component will enjoy Khoury's books very much. Given the high quality of each of his novels, it seems fair to say that he may be around for a while."
Raymond's 8th novel is an epic alternate history and time travel story that Publishers Weekly called "ingeniously inventive" and "a classic of the genre": It is already out in the UK as THE OTTOMAN SECRET, and is out on Oct 1 in the US under a different title, EMPIRE OF LIES.
To find out more about him and his work, visit his website at raymondkhoury.com or connect with him on his Facebook page or on Instagram (@author.raymond.khoury).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
June 28, 2019
Raymond Khoury writes an alternative version, with fantastical elements, of European history and the Ottoman Empire, pieced together with actual events, one in which present day Muslim France and Paris is ruled under the tight grip of an Ottoman sultan. Whilst there has been progressive historical aspects to this empire, currently it is experiencing turbulent times, with the white Christian USA successfully having developing alternative power sources that do not involve oil, the revenues of which the Ottoman empire had relied on. The present sultan is an autocrat, with a vast network of secret police, intensive cyber surveillance, and tolerates no opposition or perceived dangerous ideas of freedom. The empire rests its legitimacy on the idea that it has been God's will that gave rise to their rule in Europe and the Middle East, but is that true? In 1682, at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, the Sultan has a strange visitor, a visitor that is to change the course of European history.
In present day Paris, Kamal Arslan Agha and his partner, Taymoor, are special investigators for the state police, and the pair have recently foiled a terrorist plot, and being lauded. On the banks of a River Seine, the arrival of a naked stranger leads to murder. At the hospital, a heavily tattooed man is receiving urgent medical treatment, treated by Dr Sayyid Ramazan Hekim, Kamal's brother. Kamal is estranged from his brother and his wife, Nisreen, and their two children. Nisreen is a gifted lawyer, a thorn in the side of the regime, an intolerant and brutal regime that she feels Kamal is blindly upholding with his role in the state police. Ramazan and Nisreen hear a shocking story of an Ottoman secret from his patient that is to endanger their entire family, including Kamal. Kamal finally has a real glimpse of what it to be like to be considered an enemy of the state as the Sultan unleashes all his powerful forces to ensure that the Ottoman secret is known by none, as Kamal and his family are ferociously hunted down.
Khoury writes a fast paced and tense thriller, although it did take a little while before I became fully invested in this imaginative story and its world building of an alternative history of Europe, with reworked elements of actual history, such as the growth of ISIS, and the richly detailed blood soaked battle scenes of the 17th century siege of Vienna. This novel provides an interesting and fascinating premise, a premise that explores the deadly political horrors of real European history that includes its tragic world wars, and the inability of humanity to provide stability, peace and freedom, and how these are recurring problems that continue to the present day. A powerful and entertaining read, thought provoking and thoroughly engrossing. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
In present day Paris, Kamal Arslan Agha and his partner, Taymoor, are special investigators for the state police, and the pair have recently foiled a terrorist plot, and being lauded. On the banks of a River Seine, the arrival of a naked stranger leads to murder. At the hospital, a heavily tattooed man is receiving urgent medical treatment, treated by Dr Sayyid Ramazan Hekim, Kamal's brother. Kamal is estranged from his brother and his wife, Nisreen, and their two children. Nisreen is a gifted lawyer, a thorn in the side of the regime, an intolerant and brutal regime that she feels Kamal is blindly upholding with his role in the state police. Ramazan and Nisreen hear a shocking story of an Ottoman secret from his patient that is to endanger their entire family, including Kamal. Kamal finally has a real glimpse of what it to be like to be considered an enemy of the state as the Sultan unleashes all his powerful forces to ensure that the Ottoman secret is known by none, as Kamal and his family are ferociously hunted down.
Khoury writes a fast paced and tense thriller, although it did take a little while before I became fully invested in this imaginative story and its world building of an alternative history of Europe, with reworked elements of actual history, such as the growth of ISIS, and the richly detailed blood soaked battle scenes of the 17th century siege of Vienna. This novel provides an interesting and fascinating premise, a premise that explores the deadly political horrors of real European history that includes its tragic world wars, and the inability of humanity to provide stability, peace and freedom, and how these are recurring problems that continue to the present day. A powerful and entertaining read, thought provoking and thoroughly engrossing. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
April 5, 2021
Back in the day when The Da Vinci Code was all the rage I was looking for similar books to read when I stumbled across Raymond Khoury's The Last Templar. I loved it and vowed to read more of his work and I have, including this one. None have ever hit the heights of Templar but they are still good.
The Ottoman Secret, which has also been released as Empire of Lies, is an intriguing tale that asks us, What if history was different? What if things in the past hadn't happened or what if they happened differently. In Khoury's book, historic battles ended in Ottoman victories and now in the current day, some three hundred years later, Europe is one big Ottoman empire ruled by a vicious Sultan. But is that such a bad thing? A society guided by its leader, not given a chance to make mistakes, not given a chance to 'elect' the wrong person? One empire with one faith to nullify all religious jihads and wars, no smaller countries fighting for land.
Weigh up the options? No freedom sitting in a Parisian cafe with coffee and croissant, women unable to walk freely, strict adherence to the law, or death for disobedience. But no world wars 1 or 2, no Soviet massacres, no Holocaust, bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and peace through the observance of one religion. Of course, if you believe it would be smooth sailing regardless of where history has lead us, then I would say you have no idea of human nature.
In a way, The Ottoman Secret is a little like Stephen King's 11.22.63. Although Khoury ties his historical reads to a 'time' rather than an incident. The book only has one real downfall which cost it a five-star review from me. I strongly suggest if you take this book on, and it is well worth it, then you commit to reading a minimum of 80 pages in the first sitting. I made the mistake of a few quick reads, to begin with, and it was a bit confusing before the story opened out. If you can knock off the first 80 pages or so in one go then I am sure the earlier part of this book would be a lot more logical.
If you feel you would like to tackle a Raymond Khoury for the first time, then I will always suggest The Last Templar. Still his best, in my opinion, and you'll get a great feel for his writing.
The Ottoman Secret, which has also been released as Empire of Lies, is an intriguing tale that asks us, What if history was different? What if things in the past hadn't happened or what if they happened differently. In Khoury's book, historic battles ended in Ottoman victories and now in the current day, some three hundred years later, Europe is one big Ottoman empire ruled by a vicious Sultan. But is that such a bad thing? A society guided by its leader, not given a chance to make mistakes, not given a chance to 'elect' the wrong person? One empire with one faith to nullify all religious jihads and wars, no smaller countries fighting for land.
Weigh up the options? No freedom sitting in a Parisian cafe with coffee and croissant, women unable to walk freely, strict adherence to the law, or death for disobedience. But no world wars 1 or 2, no Soviet massacres, no Holocaust, bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and peace through the observance of one religion. Of course, if you believe it would be smooth sailing regardless of where history has lead us, then I would say you have no idea of human nature.
In a way, The Ottoman Secret is a little like Stephen King's 11.22.63. Although Khoury ties his historical reads to a 'time' rather than an incident. The book only has one real downfall which cost it a five-star review from me. I strongly suggest if you take this book on, and it is well worth it, then you commit to reading a minimum of 80 pages in the first sitting. I made the mistake of a few quick reads, to begin with, and it was a bit confusing before the story opened out. If you can knock off the first 80 pages or so in one go then I am sure the earlier part of this book would be a lot more logical.
If you feel you would like to tackle a Raymond Khoury for the first time, then I will always suggest The Last Templar. Still his best, in my opinion, and you'll get a great feel for his writing.
November 12, 2019
Empire of Lies by Raymond Khoury is not one of my usual favorite fiction genres but it captivated from the first sentence. This is a thriller dealing with alternate history and time-travel. In 1683, the Ottoman Empire is fighting for the capture of Vienna and, in time, the rest of Europe. The novel also begins in Paris 2017 where the Empire has been ruling for three-hundred years. Kamal works for the special police force and his function is to uncover dissidents and traitors. His sister-in-law, Nisreen, a civil rights lawyer, works for the families of people taken prisoner for unproven crimes. Together, the two will attempt to make a difference in their society. This is a must-read book if you like fast-paced thrillers.. It spans four hundred years of history. It will astound you and invite you to ask “what if”. Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for sending me an ARC of Empire of Lies in exchange for an honest review.
I did not know what to expect from Empire of Lies, as I had not read anything previously by Raymond Khoury. The premise is a classic alternative history “what if,” though about a time and a war I knew little about: the Ottoman Empire’s attempt to conquer Vienna in the late 17th century. An ISIS fighter finds a way to time travel back, and with his knowledge of the battle, helps turn the tide and then helps the Ottoman Empire conquer the rest of Europe.
The majority of the story takes place in 2017, but in an alternative Islamist Paris that works both as a critique of current Middle Eastern theocracies and the dangers of the slide towards fascism in many Western countries today. It is an impressive balancing act, even if a bit too on the nose at times: “They elected a con man instead, an ignorant crook who craved adoration and did and said whatever it took to win. That tore them apart even more.... People love tyrants. They were voting them in back where I came from.”
The characterization is probably the weakest part of the book. Most of the characters are pretty one-dimensional, though a fair attempt is made to provide some humanity to the time-traveling villain. But the plot and the world-building are the stars of this story, and it’s clear that a great deal of thought went into both. Any book with time travel requires some suspension of disbelief, but the time travel in this story is more than just the excuse for the alternate history. It provides numerous plot twists throughout the back half of the book.
Empire of Lies is a thoroughly entertaining, thought-provoking story. It’s a solid 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. Highly recommended.
I did not know what to expect from Empire of Lies, as I had not read anything previously by Raymond Khoury. The premise is a classic alternative history “what if,” though about a time and a war I knew little about: the Ottoman Empire’s attempt to conquer Vienna in the late 17th century. An ISIS fighter finds a way to time travel back, and with his knowledge of the battle, helps turn the tide and then helps the Ottoman Empire conquer the rest of Europe.
The majority of the story takes place in 2017, but in an alternative Islamist Paris that works both as a critique of current Middle Eastern theocracies and the dangers of the slide towards fascism in many Western countries today. It is an impressive balancing act, even if a bit too on the nose at times: “They elected a con man instead, an ignorant crook who craved adoration and did and said whatever it took to win. That tore them apart even more.... People love tyrants. They were voting them in back where I came from.”
The characterization is probably the weakest part of the book. Most of the characters are pretty one-dimensional, though a fair attempt is made to provide some humanity to the time-traveling villain. But the plot and the world-building are the stars of this story, and it’s clear that a great deal of thought went into both. Any book with time travel requires some suspension of disbelief, but the time travel in this story is more than just the excuse for the alternate history. It provides numerous plot twists throughout the back half of the book.
Empire of Lies is a thoroughly entertaining, thought-provoking story. It’s a solid 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. Highly recommended.
November 17, 2019
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/...
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/...
July 29, 2019
A very different and unusual read for me BUT different and unusual is good sometimes and before the review got to say I did enjoy reading something so different, once I accepted it wasn’t one of my usual genres it was quite exciting, almost rebellious!! 😃
So, the story
Basically its a tale about time travel, a very VERY detailed historical story about the Ottoman Empire and what happened when one man discovered time travel and went back and with modern warfare knowledge changed the outcome of a war in 1683( The Ottoman Empire/Vienna, a real historical war) and so with that change it means everything since that war has changed and the book starts in Paris, 2017, as a Muslim land complete with architecture, language, laws and terrorism!,world wars haven’t happened and everything as we ( the reader) knows it is different, the ruling Sultan is becoming oppressive and some dont like it and are reacting.......the man who changed history in 1683 is back ( he is ill and needs modern day medicine ) and a Dr, his wife and brother then discover his secret ( he is covered in tattoos that hold an incantation ) and they embark on their own time travel to change history, again, so the world
is how it was meant to be after the 1683 war ( ie as we live now )
Confused?? I was, at times, and I really did have to stop and think after some pages and get things straight in my mind and piece together what had happened and why and where we were in history
I kinda enjoyed doing it tbh!
(Sometimes the time travellers have to do calculations re what changes occur in their lives if they arrive at a certain date, thet can be also confusing and not just to them!! )
The detail is outstanding, I honestly cant over emphasise how much detail re history and present day affairs this book goes into, its mind blowing to be frank
One thing I never really got used to was the tradition of saying arabic names in full when the characters address each other, only a small irritant and it was right to include this for authenticity, none the less
it was annoying
There is some duplication of events and speeches and general things from time to time and the author is very keen on describing minarets and temples!
The characters are kind of there to facilitate the story, imo, and the actual story is way more interesting than any of them were
Graphic and disturbing in some descriptions in the savagery of war
A book that begs a film/ mini series and one if I went to a book club can imagine would herald lots of debate
In giving this 10/10 5 Stars Im doing so as its pushed me, the detail is exquisite and the author really deserves no less, it doesn’t though mean everyone will love it!!
So 10/10 5 Stars!
January 2, 2020
i did find the story interesting but more because of the alternative history of europe it presents, which a lot us think what will happen if europe will become Muslim. i did find the historical facts quite amazing. but the fantastical appearance of a person moving through time is quite weak and the plot itself was quite medium. so i found it quite hard to immerse myself totally. still i would say interesting
October 11, 2019
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.
October 1, 2019
The Empire of Lies is a fun and exciting book. It is a "what if..." novel. Alternative history at its best. I am not generally a fan of science fiction, but this type of novel is very intriguing to me. Thinking about how the world would be different if one major even in history was changed is fascinating. Empire of Lies is well-written and the characters are well-developed. The plot is taut and intricate, and the pacing is very good. I was intrigued from the beginning and never lost my interest. There is adventure, danger, a bit of the thriller. There is even romance. But the part that makes the book most interesting to me is its exploration of history. I will be buying a finished copy of this one for my husband, who teaches world history. I know he will love it.
I won an ARC on Bookish First. Thanks to them and the publishers!
I won an ARC on Bookish First. Thanks to them and the publishers!
August 21, 2019
Well this book certainly expects the reader to suspend all thoughts of reality and instead imagine what if ? A story that explores the possibilities of a different time line where the Ottoman empire is triumphant but the cost to the rest of the world is high.
The author has penned something that both intrigued and repelled this reader with actions that are extreme and worrisome. As I write I'm not even sure if I can connect in any way with the characters but there's a huge question of whether or not this story will confront what appears to be a great evil that insidiously corrupts a timeline to change history. I'm left wondering if war is an inevitability, is mankind doomed to keep making the same mistakes and most importantly what if !
The author has penned something that both intrigued and repelled this reader with actions that are extreme and worrisome. As I write I'm not even sure if I can connect in any way with the characters but there's a huge question of whether or not this story will confront what appears to be a great evil that insidiously corrupts a timeline to change history. I'm left wondering if war is an inevitability, is mankind doomed to keep making the same mistakes and most importantly what if !
October 2, 2019
This is an action packed time travelling adventure story that deals with what the world have been like if the Ottoman empire had won a pivotal battle in Vienna in 1683. It is interesting to read how a Muslim rule would have impacted the world. They would have controlled Europe and America would have apparently evolved into a fundamentalist Christian country with no minorities.
Then in 2017 a tattooed man drops into a hospital apparently from nowhere badly in need of medical care. Ramazan Hekim is a member of his medical team and after helping to save his life spends time discovering the mystery of the tattoos, a very rare thing in this time. It turns out that it is the secret of time travel and when he confides in his wife, Nisreen, she immediately want to go back in time and change things allowing for more freedom. His brother, Kamal, a member of an elite police unit gets involved. They must decide if they go back to correct history changed by the tattooed man or allow things to say the same.
I got confused with all the dates because they jumped around time a lot and some of the dates were in Arabic times so I was not always sure when and where they were. It wasn't consistent. I am also not familiar with Ottoman history at all apparently and a lot of events and people had no context for me. I felt lost many times. Also, I found Nisreen very unlikable. She was shrill and so convinced that she was right in everything that she got them in trouble time and time again. As the only woman, basically, in the book she was not really well written and there were times I just wanted to slap her.
Still as an action paced novel that is pure escapism then this kept the pages turning. I did learn a lot about Ottoman history that was interesting. It was OK.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair reviews.
Then in 2017 a tattooed man drops into a hospital apparently from nowhere badly in need of medical care. Ramazan Hekim is a member of his medical team and after helping to save his life spends time discovering the mystery of the tattoos, a very rare thing in this time. It turns out that it is the secret of time travel and when he confides in his wife, Nisreen, she immediately want to go back in time and change things allowing for more freedom. His brother, Kamal, a member of an elite police unit gets involved. They must decide if they go back to correct history changed by the tattooed man or allow things to say the same.
I got confused with all the dates because they jumped around time a lot and some of the dates were in Arabic times so I was not always sure when and where they were. It wasn't consistent. I am also not familiar with Ottoman history at all apparently and a lot of events and people had no context for me. I felt lost many times. Also, I found Nisreen very unlikable. She was shrill and so convinced that she was right in everything that she got them in trouble time and time again. As the only woman, basically, in the book she was not really well written and there were times I just wanted to slap her.
Still as an action paced novel that is pure escapism then this kept the pages turning. I did learn a lot about Ottoman history that was interesting. It was OK.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair reviews.
September 1, 2019
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of EMPIRE OF LIES by Raymond Khoury from Macmillan in an exchange for an honest review.
People like to play what if. It’s a fun game. In some ways, it is a safe game. It requires us to think but not think, if that makes sense. Khoury doesn’t do that.
In his book, the Battle of Vienna is won by the Ottoman Empire, and this changes the fate of Europe, well most the world really.
Time travel is involved too.
Kamal lives in Paris, a Paris that is not quite like ours, for it had been conquered by the Ottoman’s years ago. He is an officer, who is a bit too fond of his sister-in-law, who is a lawyer. Kamal’s job is to keep the empire safe, for the Ottoman Empire never fell. There is still an England and an America, but they are different. And, to be honest, not all the ways are bad.
But then Kamal finds out why and it shakes his world in more ways than one.
The book is a cut above most time travel stories. One of the questions at the center of the novel is which history is better. The villain of the piece, the mysterious strange in the summary, he’s not all bad. He’s a villain that has some very good and valid points – he is a product of the history he has lived in, in the same way that Kamal is the product of his time and place.
Khoury’s use of history and character is what sells this book. The amount of detail and well thought use of cause and effect makes Kamal’s world totally and utterly believable. What is more when the debate about what to do occurs. Is the bad guy completely wrong? In terms of a philosophical debate Khoury does really explore it.
While the earlier part of the book is a little slow, and this seems to ensure that the world building is staying on solid foundations, when the book decides to gallop it goes. It really is a thrilling thriller. Khoury does not pull punches. The plot and details work. It is a fun galloping read.
People like to play what if. It’s a fun game. In some ways, it is a safe game. It requires us to think but not think, if that makes sense. Khoury doesn’t do that.
In his book, the Battle of Vienna is won by the Ottoman Empire, and this changes the fate of Europe, well most the world really.
Time travel is involved too.
Kamal lives in Paris, a Paris that is not quite like ours, for it had been conquered by the Ottoman’s years ago. He is an officer, who is a bit too fond of his sister-in-law, who is a lawyer. Kamal’s job is to keep the empire safe, for the Ottoman Empire never fell. There is still an England and an America, but they are different. And, to be honest, not all the ways are bad.
But then Kamal finds out why and it shakes his world in more ways than one.
The book is a cut above most time travel stories. One of the questions at the center of the novel is which history is better. The villain of the piece, the mysterious strange in the summary, he’s not all bad. He’s a villain that has some very good and valid points – he is a product of the history he has lived in, in the same way that Kamal is the product of his time and place.
Khoury’s use of history and character is what sells this book. The amount of detail and well thought use of cause and effect makes Kamal’s world totally and utterly believable. What is more when the debate about what to do occurs. Is the bad guy completely wrong? In terms of a philosophical debate Khoury does really explore it.
While the earlier part of the book is a little slow, and this seems to ensure that the world building is staying on solid foundations, when the book decides to gallop it goes. It really is a thrilling thriller. Khoury does not pull punches. The plot and details work. It is a fun galloping read.
May 29, 2019
Interesting and original and I learned much about the history of the Ottoman Empire as this exciting book feared between yesterday and today.
A rapidly paced and well researched thriller written by a top writer who truly knows his subject.
Ideal beach fodder.
A rapidly paced and well researched thriller written by a top writer who truly knows his subject.
Ideal beach fodder.
November 19, 2019
This book started off slow and it is about history that I was not very familiar with but I’m so glad I didn’t give up on it. It turned out to be a very interesting story of time travel.
October 25, 2019
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.
September 22, 2019
I. Love. Alternate. Histories. Empire of Lies is a particularly fascinating one. It begins by answering the question, "What if the Ottoman Empire defeated Europe and was permitted to expand?"
Most of the novel takes place in Paris in the year 2017, but this is not the Paris we're used to. Notre Dame is a mosque, the genders are separated in public life, and Turkish is the language spoken. Kamal is a highly respected police detective who is beginning to question his orders. The government is reacting to economic turmoil by imprisoning anyone who questions, criticizes, or satirizes it, and the woman Kamal loves, Nisreen, is being watched.
There's a great deal of prelude in Empire of Lies, but that's unavoidable. Raymond Khoury has fascinating changes for the world and powerful motivations for his characters to show us, as well as an odd, heavily tattooed man who makes some fantastic claims about himself while sedated. This is at least as much a procedural thriller as it is a sci-fi/fantasy novel. The tone struck me as somewhat similar to that of Jo Walton's "Small Change" series, another alternate history that hinges on a good police detective being asked to do terrible things by his government.
Then the time travel, and the real fun, started....
Much like another recent release, Annalee Newitz' "The Future of Another Timeline", Khoury comments on world politics in this novel. Both novels grapple with the ideas of who should control the world, who gets to make history, and whether the future can be changed. The final chapter appears to leave an opening for a sequel. Whether or not that comes to pass, Empire of Lies is entertainment that will make the reader think.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Most of the novel takes place in Paris in the year 2017, but this is not the Paris we're used to. Notre Dame is a mosque, the genders are separated in public life, and Turkish is the language spoken. Kamal is a highly respected police detective who is beginning to question his orders. The government is reacting to economic turmoil by imprisoning anyone who questions, criticizes, or satirizes it, and the woman Kamal loves, Nisreen, is being watched.
There's a great deal of prelude in Empire of Lies, but that's unavoidable. Raymond Khoury has fascinating changes for the world and powerful motivations for his characters to show us, as well as an odd, heavily tattooed man who makes some fantastic claims about himself while sedated. This is at least as much a procedural thriller as it is a sci-fi/fantasy novel. The tone struck me as somewhat similar to that of Jo Walton's "Small Change" series, another alternate history that hinges on a good police detective being asked to do terrible things by his government.
Then the time travel, and the real fun, started....
Much like another recent release, Annalee Newitz' "The Future of Another Timeline", Khoury comments on world politics in this novel. Both novels grapple with the ideas of who should control the world, who gets to make history, and whether the future can be changed. The final chapter appears to leave an opening for a sequel. Whether or not that comes to pass, Empire of Lies is entertainment that will make the reader think.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 4, 2019
A captivating book from the first pages, something not strange to Raymond Khoury. A flowing story with lots of historical facts and a fresh take on (well I wont spoil it for you).
The dissection of political systems through human shortcomings is done masterfully though sadly it brings us to the sad reality of the world.
Thank you Raymond for another masterpiece!
The dissection of political systems through human shortcomings is done masterfully though sadly it brings us to the sad reality of the world.
Thank you Raymond for another masterpiece!
July 24, 2019
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.
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October 21, 2020Το 1683 η ανελέητη και σκληρή πολιορκία της Βιέννης από τους Οθωμανούς ίσως να σήμαινε το τέλος της Ευρώπης όπως την γνωρίζουμε σήμερα μέσα από την ιστορία της. Αυτή η δεύτερη πολιορκία της Βιέννης από τους Τούρκους ήταν σημαντικός σταθμός στην γεωπολιτική εξέλιξη της Ευρώπης.
Η Βιέννη πολιορκήθηκε από τους Τούρκους και γλύτωσε κυριολεκτικά την τελευταία στιγμή ως από θαύμα, ενώ η επίθεση των Ουσάρων του Γιάν Σομπιέσκι απέκρουσε τους Οθωμανούς και τους έτρεψε σε φυγή. Έχουμε αναρωτηθεί τι θα γινόταν αν ο Σομπιέσκι δεν υπήρχε ώστε να καταφέρει να αποκρούσει τους Οθωμανούς; Πως θα ήταν σήμερα η Ευρώπη; Πως θα είχε εξελιχθεί η ιστορία και η γεωπολιτική της Ηπείρου που κατοικούμε και εμείς ως Έλληνες; Και που ήμασταν κάτω από τον Τουρκικό ζυγό για 400 χρόνια κιόλας.
Ο Ρέϊμοντ Κιούρι έρχεται να δώσει την απάντηση μέσα από το δυστοπικό του θρίλερ με τίτλο «Το Χαλιφάτο» ανασκευάζοντας την Ευρωπαϊκή ιστορία και τοποθετώντας την Οθρωμανική Αυτοκρατορία όχι στην παρακμή της αλλά να ακμάζει και να εκτείνεται από τις ερήμους της Αραβίας μέχρι τα στενά της Μάγχης. Μας μεταφέρει σε ένα διαφορετικό Παρίσι του 2017 όπου οι σουλτάνοι της διαφεντεύουν όχι μόνο την Πόλη του φωτός αλλά και ολόκληρη την Ευρώπη με το ισλάμ να είναι η κυρίαρχη θρησκεία για πάνω από 300 χρόνια.
Ο Κιούρι παντρεύει την ιστορική λογοτεχνία με εκείνη της επιστημονικής φαντασίας και βαδίζοντας πάνω στα χνάρια της Ευρωπαϊκής ιστορίας αλλάζει κατά πολύ το ρου των γεγονότων φέρνοντας στην επιφάνεια ένα εφιαλτικό σενάριο για το μέλλον της. Μου θύμισε λίγο το βιβλίο του Ρόμπερτ Χάρις «Fatherland» που παρουσιάζει επίσης ένα εναλλακτικό σενάριο της ιστορίας της Ευρώπης βάζοντας ως νικήτρια τη Ναζιστική Γερμανία στον Β΄ Παγκόσμιο πόλεμο. Ανατριχιαστικές και οι δύο θεωρίες λοιπόν. Βέβαια στο «Χαλιφάτο» του Κιούρι η θεωρία του Χάρις δεν θα μπορούσε να σταθεί γιατί στην ουσία ο Β΄ Παγκόσμιος πόλεμος δεν έγινε ποτέ! Όπως και πολλά άλλα ιστορικά γεγονότα που γνωρίζουμε σήμερα πέρασαν στη λήθη της ανυπαρξίας μέσα από τη σφαίρα της φαντασίας του Ρέϊμοντ Κιούρι.
Φανταστείτε να μην είχαμε το πνευματικό κίνημα του Διαφωτισμού. Να μην υπήρχαν ποτέ ή να φιμώνονταν για τις ιδέες τους άνθρωποι όπως ο Βολταίρος, ο Μοντεσκιέ, ο Ντιντερό, ο Ρουσσώ, ο Ντεκάρτ, ο Σπινόζα. Αν δεν υπήρχαν οι φιλελεύθερες ιδέες τους και είχαν θαφτεί κάτω από το χαλί σαν τα σκουπίδια που κάνουμε πως δεν τα βλέπουμε λόγω απαγορεύσεων από τους σουλτάνους ενός συντηρητικού καθεστώτος.
Η αλήθεια είναι ότι σε αρκετά σημεία του βιβλίου, ειδικά στα πρώτα κεφάλαια, ένιωσα άβολα και θύμωσα αρκετά με τον συγγραφέα. Ειδικά στα σημεία που αναφέρεται για τη θέση της γυναίκας ήθελα να κλείσω το βιβλίο και να μην συνεχίσω την ανάγνωση του. Σκεπτόμενη όμως ότι παρουσιάζει μια φανταστική πλευρά της κοινωνίας μας ως της Ευρώπης του σήμερα συνέχισα να διαβάζω χωρίς να δίνω ιδιαίτερη σημασία. Γιατί παρ’ όλες τις ακραίες ιδέες που καταγράφει ο Κιούρι στο βιβλίο του δεν θα σας κρύψω ότι το «Χαλιφάτο» είναι ένα θρίλερ με γρήγορους ρυθμούς, με κινηματογραφική γραφή, με έντονη δράση και αγωνία που κρατάει αμείωτο το ενδιαφέρον των αναγνωστών μέχρι και την τελευταία του σελίδα. Γύρω στις 700 σελίδες έφυγαν μέσα σε τρεις μέρες.
Ο Ρέϊμοντ Κιούρι γράφει ένα δυστοπικό θρίλερ που ίσως σας πάρει λίγη ώρα για να μπορέσετε να βυθιστείτε στην αφήγηση του αλλά και στην φαντασία του συγγραφέα που κυριολεκτικά οργιάζει οικοδομώντας μέσα στις σελίδες του βιβλίου του μια νέα παγκόσμια εναλλαγή της ιστορίας της Ευρώπης. Για να μπορέσει να στηρίξει το δημιούργημα του και να το κάνει ρεαλιστικό στα μάτια των αναγνωστών χρησιμοποιεί ως βάση την ιστορική έρευνα που έχει κάνει γύρω από την πολιορκία της Βιέννης το 1683 και τα πρόσωπα που συντέλεσαν στην εκτόπιση των Οθωμανών γυρίζοντας τα όμως εντελώς ανάποδα.
Μέσα στο φανταστικό πλαίσιο που στήνει την ιστορία του ο Κιούρι διερευνά τις πολιτικές θανάτου και φρίκης της πραγματικής Ευρωπαϊκής ιστορίας με τους τραγικούς και απάνθρωπους πολέμους της, την αδυναμία της ανθρωπότητας να παρέχει σταθερότητα, ειρήνη και αδυναμία στους λαούς της και πως όλα αυτά τα προβλήματα συνεχίζουν να επαναλαμβάνονται και στην εποχή που διανύουμε.
Ένα βιβλίο που προκαλεί τη σκέψη μας και μας βάζει να αναρωτηθούμε τι θα είχε συμβεί αν τελικά αυτό το εφιαλτικό σενάριο που στήνει ο Κιούρι στο «Χαλιφάτο» γινόταν στην πραγματικότητα. Μας βάζει να σκεφτούμε τελικά πόσο ρευστά είναι τα πάντα στη ζωή μας και πόσο εύκολα μπορούν όλα όσα γνωρίζουμε μέχρι τώρα να ανατραπούν αν άλλαζε έστω και ένα μικρό κομμάτι του ιστορικού μας παρελθόντος.
Η Βιέννη πολιορκήθηκε από τους Τούρκους και γλύτωσε κυριολεκτικά την τελευταία στιγμή ως από θαύμα, ενώ η επίθεση των Ουσάρων του Γιάν Σομπιέσκι απέκρουσε τους Οθωμανούς και τους έτρεψε σε φυγή. Έχουμε αναρωτηθεί τι θα γινόταν αν ο Σομπιέσκι δεν υπήρχε ώστε να καταφέρει να αποκρούσει τους Οθωμανούς; Πως θα ήταν σήμερα η Ευρώπη; Πως θα είχε εξελιχθεί η ιστορία και η γεωπολιτική της Ηπείρου που κατοικούμε και εμείς ως Έλληνες; Και που ήμασταν κάτω από τον Τουρκικό ζυγό για 400 χρόνια κιόλας.
Ο Ρέϊμοντ Κιούρι έρχεται να δώσει την απάντηση μέσα από το δυστοπικό του θρίλερ με τίτλο «Το Χαλιφάτο» ανασκευάζοντας την Ευρωπαϊκή ιστορία και τοποθετώντας την Οθρωμανική Αυτοκρατορία όχι στην παρακμή της αλλά να ακμάζει και να εκτείνεται από τις ερήμους της Αραβίας μέχρι τα στενά της Μάγχης. Μας μεταφέρει σε ένα διαφορετικό Παρίσι του 2017 όπου οι σουλτάνοι της διαφεντεύουν όχι μόνο την Πόλη του φωτός αλλά και ολόκληρη την Ευρώπη με το ισλάμ να είναι η κυρίαρχη θρησκεία για πάνω από 300 χρόνια.
Ο Κιούρι παντρεύει την ιστορική λογοτεχνία με εκείνη της επιστημονικής φαντασίας και βαδίζοντας πάνω στα χνάρια της Ευρωπαϊκής ιστορίας αλλάζει κατά πολύ το ρου των γεγονότων φέρνοντας στην επιφάνεια ένα εφιαλτικό σενάριο για το μέλλον της. Μου θύμισε λίγο το βιβλίο του Ρόμπερτ Χάρις «Fatherland» που παρουσιάζει επίσης ένα εναλλακτικό σενάριο της ιστορίας της Ευρώπης βάζοντας ως νικήτρια τη Ναζιστική Γερμανία στον Β΄ Παγκόσμιο πόλεμο. Ανατριχιαστικές και οι δύο θεωρίες λοιπόν. Βέβαια στο «Χαλιφάτο» του Κιούρι η θεωρία του Χάρις δεν θα μπορούσε να σταθεί γιατί στην ουσία ο Β΄ Παγκόσμιος πόλεμος δεν έγινε ποτέ! Όπως και πολλά άλλα ιστορικά γεγονότα που γνωρίζουμε σήμερα πέρασαν στη λήθη της ανυπαρξίας μέσα από τη σφαίρα της φαντασίας του Ρέϊμοντ Κιούρι.
Φανταστείτε να μην είχαμε το πνευματικό κίνημα του Διαφωτισμού. Να μην υπήρχαν ποτέ ή να φιμώνονταν για τις ιδέες τους άνθρωποι όπως ο Βολταίρος, ο Μοντεσκιέ, ο Ντιντερό, ο Ρουσσώ, ο Ντεκάρτ, ο Σπινόζα. Αν δεν υπήρχαν οι φιλελεύθερες ιδέες τους και είχαν θαφτεί κάτω από το χαλί σαν τα σκουπίδια που κάνουμε πως δεν τα βλέπουμε λόγω απαγορεύσεων από τους σουλτάνους ενός συντηρητικού καθεστώτος.
Η αλήθεια είναι ότι σε αρκετά σημεία του βιβλίου, ειδικά στα πρώτα κεφάλαια, ένιωσα άβολα και θύμωσα αρκετά με τον συγγραφέα. Ειδικά στα σημεία που αναφέρεται για τη θέση της γυναίκας ήθελα να κλείσω το βιβλίο και να μην συνεχίσω την ανάγνωση του. Σκεπτόμενη όμως ότι παρουσιάζει μια φανταστική πλευρά της κοινωνίας μας ως της Ευρώπης του σήμερα συνέχισα να διαβάζω χωρίς να δίνω ιδιαίτερη σημασία. Γιατί παρ’ όλες τις ακραίες ιδέες που καταγράφει ο Κιούρι στο βιβλίο του δεν θα σας κρύψω ότι το «Χαλιφάτο» είναι ένα θρίλερ με γρήγορους ρυθμούς, με κινηματογραφική γραφή, με έντονη δράση και αγωνία που κρατάει αμείωτο το ενδιαφέρον των αναγνωστών μέχρι και την τελευταία του σελίδα. Γύρω στις 700 σελίδες έφυγαν μέσα σε τρεις μέρες.
Ο Ρέϊμοντ Κιούρι γράφει ένα δυστοπικό θρίλερ που ίσως σας πάρει λίγη ώρα για να μπορέσετε να βυθιστείτε στην αφήγηση του αλλά και στην φαντασία του συγγραφέα που κυριολεκτικά οργιάζει οικοδομώντας μέσα στις σελίδες του βιβλίου του μια νέα παγκόσμια εναλλαγή της ιστορίας της Ευρώπης. Για να μπορέσει να στηρίξει το δημιούργημα του και να το κάνει ρεαλιστικό στα μάτια των αναγνωστών χρησιμοποιεί ως βάση την ιστορική έρευνα που έχει κάνει γύρω από την πολιορκία της Βιέννης το 1683 και τα πρόσωπα που συντέλεσαν στην εκτόπιση των Οθωμανών γυρίζοντας τα όμως εντελώς ανάποδα.
Μέσα στο φανταστικό πλαίσιο που στήνει την ιστορία του ο Κιούρι διερευνά τις πολιτικές θανάτου και φρίκης της πραγματικής Ευρωπαϊκής ιστορίας με τους τραγικούς και απάνθρωπους πολέμους της, την αδυναμία της ανθρωπότητας να παρέχει σταθερότητα, ειρήνη και αδυναμία στους λαούς της και πως όλα αυτά τα προβλήματα συνεχίζουν να επαναλαμβάνονται και στην εποχή που διανύουμε.
Ένα βιβλίο που προκαλεί τη σκέψη μας και μας βάζει να αναρωτηθούμε τι θα είχε συμβεί αν τελικά αυτό το εφιαλτικό σενάριο που στήνει ο Κιούρι στο «Χαλιφάτο» γινόταν στην πραγματικότητα. Μας βάζει να σκεφτούμε τελικά πόσο ρευστά είναι τα πάντα στη ζωή μας και πόσο εύκολα μπορούν όλα όσα γνωρίζουμε μέχρι τώρα να ανατραπούν αν άλλαζε έστω και ένα μικρό κομμάτι του ιστορικού μας παρελθόντος.
May 12, 2020
In Empire of Lies (also published as The Ottoman Secret), famous Lebanese novelist Raymond Khoury tells a story where an extremist discovers the secret of time travel and uses it to alter the course of history in a manner that results in the expansion of the Ottoman Empire to Western Europe in the 17th century. This expansion is the primary cause of the Ottoman Empire being the largest power in the world in the 21st century. People who love historical fiction and adore crime thrillers would find such an idea very fascinating as the basic premise of a novel.
The story starts in 2017, when Ayman Rasheed — a former military intelligence official in the Iraqi army of Saddam Hussein, and who joins the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) later on — finds a way to travel through time. He sets his mind to not only restore Islam to its former glory, but also to make sure that its grandeur surpasses all previous achievements. He yearns for a time when Arabs were the bastion of civilisation, whereas the West was under the affliction of the Dark Ages; when Arabic and Persian were the international languages of science and philosophy; and when Islamic empires stretched from China to Spain. In Ayman’s opinion, there is definitely a need for the Caliphate; however, it is not the one that ISIS has in mind.
Ayman delves into the history of the decline of the Muslims and the rise of the West. He comes to the conclusion that, in order to remain a formidable political power, Islam has to overtake the European continent to spearhead scientific revolution and its consequent military and industrial technology. To fulfil this vision of his, Ayman identifies three critical moments in history when Islam came very close to dominating the West, but failed: The Battle of Tours in 732 when the Moors reached central France and Paris was only a couple of hundred kilometres away; the Siege of Vienna in 1529 by Suleiman the Magnificent; and the Battle of Vienna in 1683 when the Ottomans tried, for a second time, to capture the Austrian capital. Ayman decides to alter the outcome of the Battle of Vienna by going there, back in 1683 and, to ensure that the rest of Europe falls under Ottoman control, by staying there. He chooses this year because he considers it more feasible to put his formidable plan into practice.
Ayman manages to achieve what he sets out to achieve across the stretch of centuries. He is able to have himself appointed to the enviable post of governor of Paris under the vastly enlarged Ottoman Empire in the late 17th century. He finds the leading scientists of the time and takes them under the patronage of the Ottomans, ensuring that it is the Ottomans that reap the benefits of the upcoming Industrial Revolution. However, towards the end of his life, he falls seriously ill and decides to travel to his original time in history, ie 2017, to get suitable medical treatment.
Here, the readers are introduced to a Europe strictly under the control of an authoritarian Ottoman Empire and we also meet the novel’s other three main characters: Kamal is an officer in the Paris secret police force of the Ottoman Empire, Ramazan is Kamal’s brother and the doctor who treats Ayman visiting from the past and Nisreen is Ramazan’s wife and a human rights lawyer.
The lives of these three characters are turned upside down when they discover the true story of Ayman Rasheed and how he singlehandedly changed the course of history. They discover that the history of their empire is based on lies. The authorities in Paris come to know that these characters have become privy to the “Ottoman Secret”, which cannot be disclosed to the public because it could have disastrous political ramifications. Thus starts the thrilling hunt across the physical expanses of Europe and the temporal stretches of history by the Ottoman authorities to stop the struggle for returning history to its “original” form.
So far, so good. However, at this point, the intriguing theme of the novel starts giving way to the formulaic execution of crime thrillers, where cops are chasing a rogue cop and his partner in crime. The twists and surprises are almost like something waiting to happen. Moreover, the characters of Kamal, Nisreen and Ramazan appear to lack the depth required to create convincing circumstances for the motives of their actions which have gigantic consequences. Furthermore, the discussions on liberty versus security seem to be rather more preachy, instead of being cohesively set within the larger framework of the story. At times, the narrative contains pages and pages of world-building and the back stories of characters without the inclusion of a single dialogue, making it seem more of a documentary than a novel.
The primary strength of the novel is its intriguing concept of altering history. Although the author has tried to describe various instances of the historical tweaking required to fulfil this vision, he has ignored the larger socio-political forces at play. Technological achievement is not possible without scientific understanding first, and scientific inquiry is not possible in an environment that stifles rational thought. To suppose that the advancement of science was possible without the rational critique of the socio-political order of the society is quite unrealistic. Therefore, imagining a world where scientific revolution is possible without the preceding Age of Enlightenment appears farfetched. Moreover, the premise that any empire under Muslim rule is bound to be authoritarian and totalitarian is also contrary to the historical examples of tolerance and coexistence under Moorish and Ottoman rule.
In a final analysis, Khoury brings out a promising theme, but falters in fabricating an equally awe-inspiring plot around it. Still, it can be a good read for those who want to explore how the Ottomans and the West clashed and how our modern world was shaped by the victory of the West.
Published: https://www.dawn.com/news/1551956/fic...
The story starts in 2017, when Ayman Rasheed — a former military intelligence official in the Iraqi army of Saddam Hussein, and who joins the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) later on — finds a way to travel through time. He sets his mind to not only restore Islam to its former glory, but also to make sure that its grandeur surpasses all previous achievements. He yearns for a time when Arabs were the bastion of civilisation, whereas the West was under the affliction of the Dark Ages; when Arabic and Persian were the international languages of science and philosophy; and when Islamic empires stretched from China to Spain. In Ayman’s opinion, there is definitely a need for the Caliphate; however, it is not the one that ISIS has in mind.
Ayman delves into the history of the decline of the Muslims and the rise of the West. He comes to the conclusion that, in order to remain a formidable political power, Islam has to overtake the European continent to spearhead scientific revolution and its consequent military and industrial technology. To fulfil this vision of his, Ayman identifies three critical moments in history when Islam came very close to dominating the West, but failed: The Battle of Tours in 732 when the Moors reached central France and Paris was only a couple of hundred kilometres away; the Siege of Vienna in 1529 by Suleiman the Magnificent; and the Battle of Vienna in 1683 when the Ottomans tried, for a second time, to capture the Austrian capital. Ayman decides to alter the outcome of the Battle of Vienna by going there, back in 1683 and, to ensure that the rest of Europe falls under Ottoman control, by staying there. He chooses this year because he considers it more feasible to put his formidable plan into practice.
Ayman manages to achieve what he sets out to achieve across the stretch of centuries. He is able to have himself appointed to the enviable post of governor of Paris under the vastly enlarged Ottoman Empire in the late 17th century. He finds the leading scientists of the time and takes them under the patronage of the Ottomans, ensuring that it is the Ottomans that reap the benefits of the upcoming Industrial Revolution. However, towards the end of his life, he falls seriously ill and decides to travel to his original time in history, ie 2017, to get suitable medical treatment.
Here, the readers are introduced to a Europe strictly under the control of an authoritarian Ottoman Empire and we also meet the novel’s other three main characters: Kamal is an officer in the Paris secret police force of the Ottoman Empire, Ramazan is Kamal’s brother and the doctor who treats Ayman visiting from the past and Nisreen is Ramazan’s wife and a human rights lawyer.
The lives of these three characters are turned upside down when they discover the true story of Ayman Rasheed and how he singlehandedly changed the course of history. They discover that the history of their empire is based on lies. The authorities in Paris come to know that these characters have become privy to the “Ottoman Secret”, which cannot be disclosed to the public because it could have disastrous political ramifications. Thus starts the thrilling hunt across the physical expanses of Europe and the temporal stretches of history by the Ottoman authorities to stop the struggle for returning history to its “original” form.
So far, so good. However, at this point, the intriguing theme of the novel starts giving way to the formulaic execution of crime thrillers, where cops are chasing a rogue cop and his partner in crime. The twists and surprises are almost like something waiting to happen. Moreover, the characters of Kamal, Nisreen and Ramazan appear to lack the depth required to create convincing circumstances for the motives of their actions which have gigantic consequences. Furthermore, the discussions on liberty versus security seem to be rather more preachy, instead of being cohesively set within the larger framework of the story. At times, the narrative contains pages and pages of world-building and the back stories of characters without the inclusion of a single dialogue, making it seem more of a documentary than a novel.
The primary strength of the novel is its intriguing concept of altering history. Although the author has tried to describe various instances of the historical tweaking required to fulfil this vision, he has ignored the larger socio-political forces at play. Technological achievement is not possible without scientific understanding first, and scientific inquiry is not possible in an environment that stifles rational thought. To suppose that the advancement of science was possible without the rational critique of the socio-political order of the society is quite unrealistic. Therefore, imagining a world where scientific revolution is possible without the preceding Age of Enlightenment appears farfetched. Moreover, the premise that any empire under Muslim rule is bound to be authoritarian and totalitarian is also contrary to the historical examples of tolerance and coexistence under Moorish and Ottoman rule.
In a final analysis, Khoury brings out a promising theme, but falters in fabricating an equally awe-inspiring plot around it. Still, it can be a good read for those who want to explore how the Ottomans and the West clashed and how our modern world was shaped by the victory of the West.
Published: https://www.dawn.com/news/1551956/fic...
Want to read
June 3, 2019Hello .... this sounds like 100% in the Tova niche
June 19, 2021
I'm not a fantasy or science fiction fan but I couldn't resist a novel which extrapolated the future of the Ottoman Empire to the present day. And I'm glad.
Khoury's novel is realistic enough in its treatment of (future?) history not to upset traditionalists like myself. Simultaneously, he weaves a tight plot which is a page turner - at least in parts.
The two main characters, Kamal and Nisreen, are believable. The human condition is depicted well with the contradictions of everyday life laid bare through the story.
The Ottoman Secret may not make me a fan of time travel novels though it has made me less dismissive of such stories.
Khoury's novel is realistic enough in its treatment of (future?) history not to upset traditionalists like myself. Simultaneously, he weaves a tight plot which is a page turner - at least in parts.
The two main characters, Kamal and Nisreen, are believable. The human condition is depicted well with the contradictions of everyday life laid bare through the story.
The Ottoman Secret may not make me a fan of time travel novels though it has made me less dismissive of such stories.
March 20, 2021
One of the best books I've read this year. Excellent!!
October 2, 2019
Empire of Lies is a formidable book. It is a difficult read but is full of fascinating facts, details of both real and fantasy history, and a highly imaginative story that travels through time and space. The characters are realistic and deep, revealed as the ills of the world impact every time visited. The basic idea is that Islam has taken over the bulk of the world with a single Caliphate running things. Arguments are made and demonstrated both pro and con to the superiority of a dictatorship over a democracy. The book provides an affirmation that democracy, as bad as it is, beats the alternatives. The details of life under a Caliphate do not enhance the view of Islam. All religions prey on the ignorant, and it is clearly the worst. The book is worth reading for the excellent story and for the information it provides about much of forgotten history.
August 18, 2021
Khoury delivers a reasonably enjoyable alternate history thriller with a bit of a twist. Interestingly, the book's major strength and its main weakness are the same, namely that Khoury jumps around a lot. Not so much in the storytelling - although, by definition and design, he does this as well - but in the messaging.
The book is a thinly veiled criticism of our world today, and simultaneously a cheerleader for just how good we are and have it (compared to the Ottoman/Turks/authoritarian religious states - yes, I do worry a bit about how well this book jibes with the anti-muslim crowd).
Now, I do understand that the two concepts are not mutually exclusive, but the to and fro of it threw off my enjoyment of the story a bit. Otherwise I think this was a good, lazy read with the added benefit of potentially sparking an interest in both the shaping of our world and what it could have been in a different universe.
There are sooo many potential issues with the alternate world Khoury shares with us, so I would definitely recommend that one suspends one's inner critic, anthropologist, social scientist, historian, etc. And in that spirit, I will refrain from sharing my takes (even though that's quite the challenge). The book is simply better when I ignore those bits and just enjoy the ride.
I'm not sure how well "Empire of Lies" would resonate with people who are already skeptical of alternate history narratives, but it's definitely worth reading for anyone already into the genre. If the latter is you, I think you'll like it.
The book is a thinly veiled criticism of our world today, and simultaneously a cheerleader for just how good we are and have it (compared to the Ottoman/Turks/authoritarian religious states - yes, I do worry a bit about how well this book jibes with the anti-muslim crowd).
Now, I do understand that the two concepts are not mutually exclusive, but the to and fro of it threw off my enjoyment of the story a bit. Otherwise I think this was a good, lazy read with the added benefit of potentially sparking an interest in both the shaping of our world and what it could have been in a different universe.
There are sooo many potential issues with the alternate world Khoury shares with us, so I would definitely recommend that one suspends one's inner critic, anthropologist, social scientist, historian, etc. And in that spirit, I will refrain from sharing my takes (even though that's quite the challenge). The book is simply better when I ignore those bits and just enjoy the ride.
I'm not sure how well "Empire of Lies" would resonate with people who are already skeptical of alternate history narratives, but it's definitely worth reading for anyone already into the genre. If the latter is you, I think you'll like it.
October 5, 2019
What if the Ottoman Empire sacked Vienna in 1683 which changed the course of European and world history? A bit Man in the High Castle and a bit the Years of Rice and Salt-this is a good time-traveling thriller and what ifs with questions for us about privacy and surveillance in our culture today.
October 15, 2019
This is an entertaining time travel/alternate history thriller centered around the premise that the Ottoman Empire conquered Europe in the 17th century and continued its rule up to the present, largely through the machinations of one man.
The story starts a little slowly - Khoury has done some meticulous world-building and it takes a while to completely set the stage - and about the first third is mostly a political thriller of individuals opposing an autocratic ruler and the secret police.
After a shocking plot turn, the story really takes off when the heroes try to restore "real" history. It's non-stop action the rest of the way, with plenty of twists and turns, resolute and resourceful heroes, and well-executed action sequences.
Like most time travel stories, you don't want to think about the paradoxes too much, but it's quite enjoyable, especially if you're interested in European and Middle Eastern history.
The story starts a little slowly - Khoury has done some meticulous world-building and it takes a while to completely set the stage - and about the first third is mostly a political thriller of individuals opposing an autocratic ruler and the secret police.
After a shocking plot turn, the story really takes off when the heroes try to restore "real" history. It's non-stop action the rest of the way, with plenty of twists and turns, resolute and resourceful heroes, and well-executed action sequences.
Like most time travel stories, you don't want to think about the paradoxes too much, but it's quite enjoyable, especially if you're interested in European and Middle Eastern history.
October 7, 2019
"History is nothing but the lies that are no longer disputed."
That quote by Napoleon Bonaparte aptly sets the tone for this terrific piece of speculative historical fiction by Raymond Khoury. EMPIRE OF LIES may be categorized as a thriller, but it is a “what-if” scenario of the highest order. By making just a few tweaks to the annals of world history, Khoury has created an outcome that shows us a world that is both instantly recognizable and simultaneously foreign and horrifying, and will provide readers with much food for thought.
A heavily tattooed mystery man appears at the bedside of Sultan Mehmed IV in 1682 Istanbul. He advises Mehmed on how to go about his future conquests, beginning with the knowledge that his faith will not be enough. The result of this advice is a siege of Vienna in 1683, the outcome of which will change world history in the blink of an eye. The actions (or non-actions) that are taken set off a string of new historical events that eliminate everything we know about our current world history.
We return to modern-day Paris, or Shawwal, AH 1438 --- which translates to the year 2017. You see, the nation of Islam is the most powerful world leader, and not only is the Islamic calendar now the norm, all of what was Europe and the Middle East exist in completely different realities. The Paris we see is not the “City of Lights” but a dirty, mostly lower-class and crime-addled city that is peppered with various mosques and religious locales. Russia is a power, but not nearly as forceful as what they were in our reality. The biggest change may be in the United States, which is now a fully Christian country not letting in immigration of any kind. Overall, the cohabitation and interdependence of different faiths have given way to mass conversions to Muslim tradition.
The characters we follow are Kamal Agha, an officer in the Paris police force known as the sultan's secret police. His brother, Ramazan, is an anesthesiologist working at a Paris hospital. His wife, Nisreen, is a devout Muslim and civil rights lawyer who is not a big fan of Ramazan and his politics or police affiliation. Very quickly, all of their worlds will be thrown into disarray when a strange new patient enters the hospital. Nude and tattooed from head to toe, he eventually gains the confidence of Ramazan and confesses that he is a time traveler who has come from a different reality --- our reality. When he describes what our world looks like, it sounds not only quite foreign but also not very pretty. He blames most of the problems in his world on the Americans. They are depicted as strong-willed people who try to change the rest of the world and make them more like they are, while losing sight of how decadent and sick their society has become and how this has begun to affect the world balance.
Violence hits with tragic results for Ramazan and Nisreen's family. The mysterious man just disappears during a shootout with the authorities. Kamal and Nisreen are thrown together, and even though they are philosophically different, they need to work as one to change things. They are able to use the same incantation as the tattooed man and go back in time, eventually to the year 1683, as they attempt to make adjustments that will impact their current reality and make it better. The trouble with time travel, as we all know from movies and science fiction, is that any changes will in fact create a new reality for the time travelers to return to, and those changes they sought to enact might end up destroying everything in the process.
Khoury has managed to put together a novel that is a brilliant mix of speculative historical fiction with a dash of murder mystery/crime and sci-fi thrown in. He ticks all those boxes, and the result is a suspenseful and awe-inspiring work that asks readers to check their brain and any prejudices or preconceived notions at the door, and just let this book wash over them like a wave of new knowledge. EMPIRE OF LIES deserves to be talked about in book clubs, online chat groups and even the classroom. Well done, Mr. Khoury!
Reviewed by Ray Palen
That quote by Napoleon Bonaparte aptly sets the tone for this terrific piece of speculative historical fiction by Raymond Khoury. EMPIRE OF LIES may be categorized as a thriller, but it is a “what-if” scenario of the highest order. By making just a few tweaks to the annals of world history, Khoury has created an outcome that shows us a world that is both instantly recognizable and simultaneously foreign and horrifying, and will provide readers with much food for thought.
A heavily tattooed mystery man appears at the bedside of Sultan Mehmed IV in 1682 Istanbul. He advises Mehmed on how to go about his future conquests, beginning with the knowledge that his faith will not be enough. The result of this advice is a siege of Vienna in 1683, the outcome of which will change world history in the blink of an eye. The actions (or non-actions) that are taken set off a string of new historical events that eliminate everything we know about our current world history.
We return to modern-day Paris, or Shawwal, AH 1438 --- which translates to the year 2017. You see, the nation of Islam is the most powerful world leader, and not only is the Islamic calendar now the norm, all of what was Europe and the Middle East exist in completely different realities. The Paris we see is not the “City of Lights” but a dirty, mostly lower-class and crime-addled city that is peppered with various mosques and religious locales. Russia is a power, but not nearly as forceful as what they were in our reality. The biggest change may be in the United States, which is now a fully Christian country not letting in immigration of any kind. Overall, the cohabitation and interdependence of different faiths have given way to mass conversions to Muslim tradition.
The characters we follow are Kamal Agha, an officer in the Paris police force known as the sultan's secret police. His brother, Ramazan, is an anesthesiologist working at a Paris hospital. His wife, Nisreen, is a devout Muslim and civil rights lawyer who is not a big fan of Ramazan and his politics or police affiliation. Very quickly, all of their worlds will be thrown into disarray when a strange new patient enters the hospital. Nude and tattooed from head to toe, he eventually gains the confidence of Ramazan and confesses that he is a time traveler who has come from a different reality --- our reality. When he describes what our world looks like, it sounds not only quite foreign but also not very pretty. He blames most of the problems in his world on the Americans. They are depicted as strong-willed people who try to change the rest of the world and make them more like they are, while losing sight of how decadent and sick their society has become and how this has begun to affect the world balance.
Violence hits with tragic results for Ramazan and Nisreen's family. The mysterious man just disappears during a shootout with the authorities. Kamal and Nisreen are thrown together, and even though they are philosophically different, they need to work as one to change things. They are able to use the same incantation as the tattooed man and go back in time, eventually to the year 1683, as they attempt to make adjustments that will impact their current reality and make it better. The trouble with time travel, as we all know from movies and science fiction, is that any changes will in fact create a new reality for the time travelers to return to, and those changes they sought to enact might end up destroying everything in the process.
Khoury has managed to put together a novel that is a brilliant mix of speculative historical fiction with a dash of murder mystery/crime and sci-fi thrown in. He ticks all those boxes, and the result is a suspenseful and awe-inspiring work that asks readers to check their brain and any prejudices or preconceived notions at the door, and just let this book wash over them like a wave of new knowledge. EMPIRE OF LIES deserves to be talked about in book clubs, online chat groups and even the classroom. Well done, Mr. Khoury!
Reviewed by Ray Palen
November 3, 2019
I had to give myself a least a few days to process what I read, and all I can say is I am amazed. From beginning to end you’re sucked in and held tight, if I wasn’t reading other books at the times I might have finished this sooner.
A great alternative history thriller that asked the question “if you had the power to change history, would you and what would you?” Empire of Lies delves into what would have happen if the Ottoman empire survived, winning the siege of Vienna in 1683 and them jumping to the “new” modern-day Paris now under Ottoman control. I’m not going to go too in-depth about the book, because 1.) that’s what the summary is for and 2.) it would too much away.
But this book is definitely worth the read. It’s well thought out and researched how a battle that most people don’t even think about could change the course of history, but then again that can describe most battles. It leaves you with something to think about well after the last page have been turned.
Thanks to Bookish First for letting me read this
A great alternative history thriller that asked the question “if you had the power to change history, would you and what would you?” Empire of Lies delves into what would have happen if the Ottoman empire survived, winning the siege of Vienna in 1683 and them jumping to the “new” modern-day Paris now under Ottoman control. I’m not going to go too in-depth about the book, because 1.) that’s what the summary is for and 2.) it would too much away.
But this book is definitely worth the read. It’s well thought out and researched how a battle that most people don’t even think about could change the course of history, but then again that can describe most battles. It leaves you with something to think about well after the last page have been turned.
Thanks to Bookish First for letting me read this
September 6, 2019
My thanks to Net Galley, Forge publishers and the author, Raymond Khoury for sending me a free copy of “ Empire of Lies” to read and review.
“ The Empire of Lies” has been blurbed as a novel in the alternative history, time travel and sci- fit genres. Please do not that put you off from reading it. The well- written and deftly plotted novel is an exciting and entertaining blend of history, adventure and danger, with a bit of an unrequited love story added for leavening. “Empire of Lies” might be classed in the “ alternative history “ genre, but in my opinion it is far to well written and believable for that niche.Those novels, which begin with a twisting of history such as , “ If the South had won at Gettysburg,” or “ If Japan had invaded Hawaii after Pearl Harbor,” are one trick novels, shallow and lacking “ Empire of Lies”’s developed, interesting characters, it’s use of familiar, but changed locales and it’s serious content about the corruption of power versus the tumult of freedom and democracy make it a compelling story. The title, “Empire of Lies” is apt, for it is built on lies, corruption and repression.
A very brief plot synopsis follows.
The book begins in 1683, with the powerful army Ottoman Empire ( the empire of the title) attacking and besieging the fortress city of Vienna. If the city falls, the Ottoman army will be able to sweep through Europe and convert all of Christendom to Islam by force of arms. But a relief army is speeding to Vienna’s rescue.
All true. But here is the author uses the wrinkle in timeline of history when the villain of the book, Ayman Rasheed Pasha appears in the story. A jihadist of the Syrian civil war of 2016, he had taken refuge from aerial bombing in a cavern under the ancient city of Palmyra, where he discovers a secret that he could uses manipulate to change history. Using an incantation he finds carved into a wall allows him to go back and forth in time, he travels to1683 to give a great victory to Islamic caliphate of the Ottoman Empire. He worms his way into becoming an advisor to the general of the Ottoman armies Rasheed sets up a trap for the Christian relief forces. He has called for one last parley between the lines to offer an honorable surrender to the beleaguered city. But when the Christian princes leading the relief forces appear, Rasheed sets off multiple bombs hidden in what are supposed to be gifts to the city. The automatic detonation of dynamite, an explosive yet to be invented by Alfred Nobel 200 years later, destroys the Christian army. Rasheed has used knowledge of 2016 to build IEDs to change history. Mr. Khoury makes this totally a believable and very compelling start to a grand story.
Fast forward to Paris, 2017, to a Paris that has been Ottoman and Islamic for more that 200 years. Notre Dame, and all other churches are mosques. Instead of croque monsieur and wine; lamb kebabs and tea are staples at restaurants. Women are veiled, covered and sequestered.
Paris , on the surface, is quiet, devout and orderly and kept that way by the Islamic state police who are quick to investigate any whiff of heresy. One of these policeman is Kamal a decorated and devoted police officer. But he has a secret:he loves his brother’s wife, Nisreen. She is devoted to her family, but her desire for greater freedom from the strictures of The Empire will soon bring her under suspicion.
The sinister Ayman Pasha appears in Paris . His arrival changes the lives of Kamal forever. His brother, Razham, a physician and his brother’s wife, Nisreem. She is not quite committed to loyalty, and yearns for greater freedom for women. Kamal and Nisreem are at the heart of the novel and Mr. Khoury brings them vividly to life. They are swept them across Europe and across time. The Empire besieges them as it did Vienna , hunting them down a dangerous rebels and heretics. They must cling together , fighting for their lives against forces of a worldwide autocracy.
You will be swept along in their story to a climatic battle that was fought once three hundred years before and is to be once again. To paraphrase Faulkner, History is not dead, it isn’t even history- yet. “Empire of Lies” is an amazing book, well worthy of your reading time.
It is only my opinion, of course, but I think its deserves. every one of the four stars I gave it.
Recommended to all to love an engrossing story.
“ The Empire of Lies” has been blurbed as a novel in the alternative history, time travel and sci- fit genres. Please do not that put you off from reading it. The well- written and deftly plotted novel is an exciting and entertaining blend of history, adventure and danger, with a bit of an unrequited love story added for leavening. “Empire of Lies” might be classed in the “ alternative history “ genre, but in my opinion it is far to well written and believable for that niche.Those novels, which begin with a twisting of history such as , “ If the South had won at Gettysburg,” or “ If Japan had invaded Hawaii after Pearl Harbor,” are one trick novels, shallow and lacking “ Empire of Lies”’s developed, interesting characters, it’s use of familiar, but changed locales and it’s serious content about the corruption of power versus the tumult of freedom and democracy make it a compelling story. The title, “Empire of Lies” is apt, for it is built on lies, corruption and repression.
A very brief plot synopsis follows.
The book begins in 1683, with the powerful army Ottoman Empire ( the empire of the title) attacking and besieging the fortress city of Vienna. If the city falls, the Ottoman army will be able to sweep through Europe and convert all of Christendom to Islam by force of arms. But a relief army is speeding to Vienna’s rescue.
All true. But here is the author uses the wrinkle in timeline of history when the villain of the book, Ayman Rasheed Pasha appears in the story. A jihadist of the Syrian civil war of 2016, he had taken refuge from aerial bombing in a cavern under the ancient city of Palmyra, where he discovers a secret that he could uses manipulate to change history. Using an incantation he finds carved into a wall allows him to go back and forth in time, he travels to1683 to give a great victory to Islamic caliphate of the Ottoman Empire. He worms his way into becoming an advisor to the general of the Ottoman armies Rasheed sets up a trap for the Christian relief forces. He has called for one last parley between the lines to offer an honorable surrender to the beleaguered city. But when the Christian princes leading the relief forces appear, Rasheed sets off multiple bombs hidden in what are supposed to be gifts to the city. The automatic detonation of dynamite, an explosive yet to be invented by Alfred Nobel 200 years later, destroys the Christian army. Rasheed has used knowledge of 2016 to build IEDs to change history. Mr. Khoury makes this totally a believable and very compelling start to a grand story.
Fast forward to Paris, 2017, to a Paris that has been Ottoman and Islamic for more that 200 years. Notre Dame, and all other churches are mosques. Instead of croque monsieur and wine; lamb kebabs and tea are staples at restaurants. Women are veiled, covered and sequestered.
Paris , on the surface, is quiet, devout and orderly and kept that way by the Islamic state police who are quick to investigate any whiff of heresy. One of these policeman is Kamal a decorated and devoted police officer. But he has a secret:he loves his brother’s wife, Nisreen. She is devoted to her family, but her desire for greater freedom from the strictures of The Empire will soon bring her under suspicion.
The sinister Ayman Pasha appears in Paris . His arrival changes the lives of Kamal forever. His brother, Razham, a physician and his brother’s wife, Nisreem. She is not quite committed to loyalty, and yearns for greater freedom for women. Kamal and Nisreem are at the heart of the novel and Mr. Khoury brings them vividly to life. They are swept them across Europe and across time. The Empire besieges them as it did Vienna , hunting them down a dangerous rebels and heretics. They must cling together , fighting for their lives against forces of a worldwide autocracy.
You will be swept along in their story to a climatic battle that was fought once three hundred years before and is to be once again. To paraphrase Faulkner, History is not dead, it isn’t even history- yet. “Empire of Lies” is an amazing book, well worthy of your reading time.
It is only my opinion, of course, but I think its deserves. every one of the four stars I gave it.
Recommended to all to love an engrossing story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews